Arbitration Eligibles: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series. Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.
- First time: Ian Kennedy ($4.2MM), Chris Johnson ($2.2MM), Gerardo Parra ($2.1MM), Mike Zagurski ($500K), Cody Ransom ($900K)
- Second time: Brad Ziegler ($2.4MM), Brad Bergesen ($1MM)
- Third time: Matt Albers ($1.7MM), Wil Nieves ($800K)
Ziegler and Albers both posted sub-3.00 ERAs in 2012, aided by strong groundball rates. Look for both to be retained at reasonable prices.
Johnson, acquired from Houston in July, showed increased power for Arizona in a limited sample and will come into 2013 as the team's likely starter at the hot corner. He projects as a Super Two player. Parra was an oft-used fourth outfielder for most of 2012. A skilled defender, Parra may have an increased role next year if the D'Backs move him or another outfielder.
Kennedy's body of work — 46 wins, 684 innings, and a 3.76 ERA — is quite impressive and only a little shy of where Jered Weaver was prior to his first arbitration year. With so many of the best starting pitchers locked into long-term contracts these days by the time they reach arbitration, our projection model actually has a pretty small sample with which to work. So, it cranked out $4.6MM for Kennedy, which would be a first-time starting pitcher arbitration record. In reality, we feel he will come in shy of Weaver, hence the "off-model" $4.2MM projection above.
Regardless, Kennedy is due for a very strong first-year arbitration salary. It's possible the D'Backs will look to lock him up, saving some money for 2013 in the process. The standard four-year, $30MM contract we've seen so often has been for pitchers with less than three years of service, whereas Kennedy is well past that point. Gio Gonzalez's five-year, $42MM contract might be a better target, although it's not a perfect match since Gonzalez was a Super Two.
Nieves, Zagurski, Ransom, and Bergesen are the team's non-tender candidates. If Henry Blanco returns as Miguel Montero's backup, Nieves will not be needed. Zagurski was removed from Arizona's 40-man roster in April and August, and he'll probably be removed again. The D'Backs also removed Ransom in May, though they brought him back in an August waiver claim. Bergesen was acquired from Baltimore in a July waiver claim, and it's debatable whether the club will want him back for a long relief role.
Assuming only Ziegler, Albers, Johnson, Parra, and Kennedy are retained, we're projecting $12.6MM in salary for arbitration eligible Diamondbacks for 2013.
Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.
Quick Hits: Braves, Leyland, Soriano, Phillies, Rays
Depending on what happens with Michael Bourn, the Braves could potentially have two major holes to fill in their lineup. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) offers some suggestions for replacing Bourn and Chipper Jones and notes that the club could have some added flexibility if Martin Prado can be shifted from left field to third base. Ben Revere of the Twins, Peter Bourjos of the Angels, and Chris Young of the Diamondbacks could all be trade targets in center field. There aren't a lot of great third base options on the open market but Atlanta could zero in on guys like Mike Olt of the Rangers, Chase Headley of the Padres, and maybe even the Mets David Wright. Here's more from around baseball..
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been telling people in recent days that he has no plans to retire, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Given his desire to return, it's likely that Leyland will be managing the Tigers in 2013. Leyland's contract expires at the end of the season.
- Even though he has been linked the Marlins opening, Mike Lowell tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he has no interest in managing at this point in his life. The former third baseman is currently working for the MLB Network as an on-air analyst.
- The Yankees' desire to keep their payroll under $189MM in 2014 could complicate their chances to sign Rafael Soriano to a long-term deal once he opts out, writes Heyman. Soriano's three-year, $35MM deal seemed like a stretch last year but it now seems like the Bombers view the possibility of a last year at $14MM more favorably than the right-hander.
- The members of the Philadelphia Daily News staff bring us their suggestions for retooling the club heading into 2013. David Murphy believes that Ruben Amaro & Co. should start by revamping the bullpen while Marcus Hayes writes that the club should stick to making small moves while allowing the younger players to flourish.
- Bill Parker of DRays Bay looks in the rear view mirror to discuss what the Rays could have done differently in 2012. The trade of John Jaso to the Mariners for Josh Lueke was among the missteps highlighted.
Derrick Hall On Diamondbacks’ Offseason Priorities, Miley As ROY
Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall recently held an online town hall meeting with fans (transcript courtesy of MLB.com). Here are the highlights:
- Hall says there will not be a major overhaul of the Diamondbacks this offseason, but more of a tweaking. The focus of that tweaking will be the left side of the infield and "it is safe to say" a left-handed bullpen specialist. The club will look to do so through trades. Hall, however, would like to keep their pitching (both starting rotation and bullpen) and any of their young talent, so look for the Snakes to use their outfield logjam as trade bait.
- One outfielder mentioned as a trade candidate is Chris Young. "If we decide to move anyone, we always take chemistry into account and how such a move will impact our club," Hall explained. Neither the fans nor Hall brought up the Justin Upton trade rumors.
- On picking up the $6.5 MM option on closer J.J. Putz for next season, "It is likely a priority of ours," said Hall. "He has been outstanding. He is a great leader in that bullpen and mentor to our relievers. We have had so much confidence turning the ball over to him to close out games, it is hard to imagine us not doing so."
- Admitting his bias, Hall said left-hander Wade Miley should win the NL Rookie of the Year award, "He was fantastic and clearly our most consistent starter. He was dominant most of the season, which is difficult to accomplish as a rookie."
- Though the team finished third after winning the NL West a year ago, Hall saw some positives in 2012, "I think we all expected more. But we had some great individual years when you look at Aaron Hill, Paul Goldschmidt, Miguel Montero, Jason Kubel, J.J. Putz, Brad Ziegler, David Hernandez and Wade Miley, to name a few. And our Minor League system is very strong. We had five teams make the playoffs and they brought home four different championships."
Minor Moves: 28 Players Elect Free Agency
A total of 28 players — all with big league time under their belts — recently elected free agency after finishing the year in Triple-A. Here is the full list, courtesy of the International League and Pacific Coast League transaction pages…
- Infielders: Brian Bixler (Astros), Sean Burroughs (Twins), Blake DeWitt (Cubs), Alberto Gonzalez (Rangers), Angel Sanchez (Astros), Nate Spears (Red Sox), Drew Sutton (Pirates)
- Outfielders: Travis Buck (Astros), Ryan Langerhans (Angels), Mitch Maier (Royals), Darnell McDonald (Yankees), Jai Miller (Orioles), Trent Oeltjen (Dodgers), Jason Pridie (Phillies), Mike Wilson (Mariners)
- Right-handed Pitchers: Roman Colon (Royals), Mike Ekstrom (Rockies), Jack Egbert (Mets), Ryota Igarashi (Yankees), Evan Meek (Pirates), Scott Richmond (Blue Jays), Kip Wells (Padres), Randy Wells (Cubs), Dan Wheeler (Indians)
- Left-handed Pitchers: Alex Hinshaw (Cubs), Cesar Jimenez (Mariners), Zach Kroenke (Diamondbacks), Garrett Olson (Mets)
NL West Notes: Diamondbacks, Towers, Padres
Earlier tonight, we looked at the latest news on the Dodgers after General Manager Ned Colletti addressed the media. Here's a glance at other items out of the NL West..
- Earlier this week, Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers told Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com that he will target a shortstop, a veteran starter, and a third baseman this offseason. When talking to the press today, Towers added that he will also look to pickup a lefty specialist, tweets Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
- Towers conceded that the club might have to deal a young pitcher in order to take care of their vacancies on the left side of the infield, Piecoro tweets. In his Q&A with Bloom, Towers said that he doesn't see Willie Bloomquist or John McDonald as full-time answers at shortstop.
- Padres GM Josh Byrnes says that starting pitching will be the club's focus this offseason, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. Injuries decimated the Padres' rotation in 2012, forcing the club to turn to 15 different starters throughout the year.
Diamondbacks Notes: Upton, Bauer, Putz, Drew
The latest on the Diamondbacks as General Manager Kevin Towers and Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick opened up a bit on the club's plans..
- Towers told Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com that he has a very open-minded approach to improving the roster and wouldn't rule out a trade of Justin Upton. However, finding the right deal could prove to be difficult. "It's probably going to be very difficult to move him. We've explored it the last couple of years and there wasn't a deal that presented itself that made sense, that we felt was going to make us better," said Towers.
- Kendrick had a similar take in an interview today on KTAR radio, tweets Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. "I would think it’s highly likely that we’ll see Justin Upton in a Diamondbacks uniform next year," Kendrick said. Kendrick also emphasized the club's never-say-never attitude to trades (Twitter link).
- Kendrick seemed to give a less-than-enthusiastic evaluation of right-hander Trevor Bauer. "In an employer/employee situation it’s incumbent on employee to make adjustments to satisfy the needs of the employer," said Kendrick, according to Piecoro (via Twitter).
- When asked if Bauer has a future with the D'Backs, Kendrick responded, "Well he has talent," (via Twitter). Kendrick wasn't asked to expound on his specific issues with the former third-overall pick.
- The club has time to decide on J.J. Putz's $6.5MM option for next season, but Towers termed it a "no-brainer" based on his performance this year and the going rate for closers of his caliber. If Arizona has a sudden change of heart, Putz can be bought out for just $1.5MM.
- Despite falling short of expectations this season, Towers told Bloom that he still believes that the club isn't far from contending once again. The GM also chalked up some of the disappointment for the 2012 season to raised expectations heading into the year.
- Asked about his shopping list for this offseason, Towers said that he will likely target a shortstop to replace Stephen Drew. He doesn't see Willie Bloomquist as a full-time answer given his injury history and John McDonald probably couldn't fill the void at the age of 38. Beyond that, Towers would like to bolster the pitching, but any veteran pitching they acquire would happen via trade. Towers will also look to upgrade at third base this winter.
- Towers won't completely rule out a return for Drew via free agency, but it's not likely seeing as how they already opted to move him this year.
- In general, Towers believes that he will look to improve via trade rather than free agency. The club could free up additional cash by moving an outfielder as they are high on both A.J. Pollock and Adam Eaton, though they should already have enough money to contend next season as it stands.
Olney On Young, Upton, Diamondbacks
The chances of Justin Upton, Chris Young, Jason Kubel, Gerardo Parra and Adam Eaton returning to the Diamondbacks’ outfield in 2013 seem slim, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes. One or more of those players will likely be moved in trades. Here are the details on Arizona’s offseason plans…
- Rival executives believe the Diamondbacks will trade Young this offseason. Some say they expected Arizona to let Young go on waivers if he had been claimed last month. The center fielder will earn $8.5MM in 2013 and his contract includes a 2014 option with a $1.5MM buyout.
- Some rival executives sense that GM Kevin Towers is less likely to trade Upton this winter than he has been in the past. There’s no guarantee teams will meet Arizona’s asking price for Upton and there’s concern that the right fielder would blossom as a hitter if he’s traded elsewhere.
- Despite the Diamondbacks’ impressive core of young pitching, Towers would like to add a veteran starting pitcher this offseason, Olney reports.
Quick Hits: Varitek, Rockies, Haren, Diamondbacks
Earlier tonight, the Red Sox announced that Jason Varitek will serve as a special assistant to General Manager Ben Cherington. “Jason was one of the most respected players of his era and will be a key voice as we move forward,” said the GM. “He will be involved in a number of areas including Major League personnel decisions, evaluations, and mentorship and instruction of young players. We are fortunate to have him in this role.” The former catcher has long been rumored to be on the verge of a role with the club, but yesterday we learned that he would not be in the mix for the managerial job. Here's more from around baseball..
- Rockies manager Jim Tracy says that he wants to return in 2013 despite a difficult season in which the team is set to post its worst record in franchise history, writes Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. The Rockies plan to discuss their managerial position but so far have made it sound as though Tracy is safe.
- Dan Haren is less-than-thrilled about a report earlier this week that indicated the Angels are leaning towards turning down options for him and Ervin Santana this offseason, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Haren says that he and his fellow pitcher are dialed in on the season at hand and are not giving any thought to their respective contract situations.
- Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic evaluates Trevor Cahill's performance with the Diamondbacks since being acquired from Oakland in December. While Cahill hasn't given the club everything all that they could have hoped for, the 24-year-old has still delivered a reasonably strong year.
Cole Gillespie Elects Free Agency
Outfielder Cole Gillespie has elected free agency after clearing waivers, according to the transactions page at CBSSports.com. The Diamondbacks designated Gillespie for assignment to create roster space for Mike Jacobs six days ago.
Gillespie spent time at the MLB level in 2010-11, but played the entire 2012 season at Triple-A. The 28-year-old posted a .308/.390/.494 batting line with 13 homers in 510 plate appearances for Reno this year. The Diamondbacks acquired Gillespie and Roque Mercedes from the Brewers for Felipe Lopez in 2009.
Diamondbacks Notes: Johnson, Wheeler, Davidson
Aaron Hill ranks fourth in the National League with 70 extra base hits this year. He's under contract for 2013, but there's uncertainty on the left side of Arizona's infield heading toward the offseason. Here's the latest…
- Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers said he is pleased with what Chris Johnson has done since being acquired from Houston, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. "He's hit for power,” Towers said. “He's got a nice arm over there and he's made most of the defensive plays.” Towers indicated that the Diamondbacks expect to tender Johnson a contract this offseason when the third baseman will be arbitration eligible.
- The Diamondbacks will likely rely on internal options at third base in 2013. Ryan Wheeler and Matt Davidson are alternatives at the position, Towers said.
- Shortstop is “probably more of a concern than third base" Towers said, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The free agent market doesn’t feature many everyday shortstops, so the Diamondbacks could address the position in an offseason trade.