Quick Hits: Wagner, Andruw, Chavez, Upton
One year ago today, the Angels signed Joel Pineiro to a two-year, $16MM deal. Yesterday, the Twins agreed to a similar deal with a similar pitcher: Carl Pavano. Here are today's links…
- Billy Wagner is on the Braves' 40-man roster, but the lefty is going to retire as planned, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains.
- Agent Scott Boras and Yankees GM Brian Cashman had a long meeting about Andruw Jones yesterday, but the sides are still apart on money, Jack Curry of the YES Network reports (on Twitter). Jones appeared to be nearing a deal with the Yankees earlier in the week.
- Eric Chavez worked out for the Dodgers today, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. The Mariners and Blue Jays have also been linked to the six-time Gold Glover and Gurnick says the White Sox and Yankees are potential suitors for Chavez.
- B.J. Upton told Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times that he would consider signing a long-term deal in Tampa Bay if the Rays approached him about one. The center fielder signed a one-year deal earlier in the week, avoiding arbitration.
Players To Avoid Arbitration: Tuesday
Today is the deadline for players and teams to submit arbitration figures. The sides will then settle on a salary between the team's proposed number and the player's proposed number or go to an arbitration hearing. Arbitration eligible players are under team control, so the clubs don't risk losing them – it's a question of how much the players will earn.
Yesterday, 11 players avoided arbitration. We could see just as many agreements trickle in today and we'll keep you posted on them right here and with our Arb Tracker. The latest updates will be at the top of the post:
- The Angels have agreed to terms with Reggie Willits and Howie Kendrick, tweets Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times. Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register tweets that Kendrick will earn $3.3MM, Willits $775K (on Twitter).
- The Giants agreed to terms with Santiago Casilla on a one-year deal worth $1.3MM with incentives, according to ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas (on Twitter). The team also announced that they avoided arb with Jonathan Sanchez and Ramon Ramirez (on Twitter). Sanchez will earn $4.8MM with incentives tweets Hank Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle while Ramirez will earn $1.65MM according to Janie McCauley of The Canadian Press.
- The Braves agreed to terms with Peter Moylan and Eric O'Flaherty, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman (on Twitter). Moylan gets $2MM, O'Flaherty gets $895K according to Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter).
- The Mariners agreed to terms with Brandon League, David Aardsma and Jason Vargas, the team announced. Aardsma will earn $4.5MM with plenty of incentives, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times (plus Twitter link).
- The Rangers agreed to terms with C.J. Wilson and Nelson Cruz, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan (Twitter links). Cruz gets $3.65MM, and Wilson gets $7.05MM with a chance to earn another $100K according to his agent Bob Garber, via email.
Braves Claim Anthony Varvaro
The Braves have claimed Anthony Varvaro off waivers from the Mariners, reports MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Seattle designated the right-hander for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Miguel Olivo earlier this month.
Varvaro, 26, made his big league debut this past season, allowing five runs in four innings out of the Mariners' bullpen. The Tommy John surgery survivor pitched to a 4.02 ERA with 10.0 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 65 relief innings at the Double and Triple-A levels in 2010. Baseball America ranked Varvaro as Seattle's 30th best prospect before the 2008 season, noting that he sits in the low-90's with his fastball.
Boras Talks Damon, Andruw, Manny
Scott Boras told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that Johnny Damon, Andruw Jones and Manny Ramirez can boost fan interest, TV ratings and revenue for MLB teams. Not only that, the agent insists his clients can be key players on winning clubs.
"These guys are star players," Boras said. "They're championship-caliber players. Owners and general managers know they have extraordinary abilities, and they can be a force in the locker room and around young players."
Crasnick surveyed MLB executives and scouts about the three stars and heard the Angels and Rays mentioned as possibilities for Damon. The Dodgers, who have also been linked to the 37-year-old, are “unlikely” to sign him, according to a source familiar with the team’s thinking. The Yankees haven’t ruled out a reunion with Damon, but they’re only interested in him as a fourth outfielder, according to Crasnick.
Jones, another Yankees target, “still has value as an extra outfielder who can fill in at all three spots and mash left-handed pitching," an AL assistant GM said. The Braves briefly discussed a reunion with Jones and the Rockies are another possible fit.
Despite speculation that Ramirez could be a fit in Toronto, where former Red Sox coach John Farrell will take over as manager, it isn’t a likely match. In fact, Crasnick suggests Farrell’s familiarity with the slugger could make the Jays less likely to sign Manny. Tampa Bay could be a fit for Ramirez, who definitely wants to play in 2011, according to Boras.
Braves Extend Dan Uggla
The Braves and Dan Uggla have agreed to a five-year contract extension, the team has officially announced.
The deal is worth $62MM, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution tweets that the salary in the first year of the deal is $9MM, plus a $1MM signing bonus. The salaries then even out to $13MM annually over the four remaining years. It's the highest average annual salary for a second baseman in baseball history. Uggla is represented by Terry Bross.
Atlanta acquired the 30-year-old Uggla (31 in March) from the Marlins in exchange for Omar Infante and Michael Dunn soon after he turned down a four-year, $48MM extension offer. The new contract covers his final year of arbitration eligibility and four free agent years. Uggla earned $7.8MM in 2010.
Despite being a middle infielder, Uggla is one of the game's most consistent sluggers. He's hit between 31 and 33 homers in each of the last four seasons, making him just one of nine players to go deep 30 times every year since 2007. A career .263/.349/.488 hitter, Uggla enjoyed his finest season in 2010 thanks to a .287/.369/.508 batting line with career highs in homers (33) and RBI (105). UZR rates his defense as consistently below average.
According to MLBTR's Transaction Tracker, this is the largest contract the Braves have given out since signing Andruw Jones to a six-year, $75MM deal way back in 2001. Only four players – Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Troy Tulowitzki – have signed for more guaranteed money this offseason. Carlos Gonzalez figures to join that group shortly. The two sides were reportedly close to a deal last month.
NL East Notes: Uggla, Mets, Nationals, Marrero
Here are a few items from what's been arguably the most newsworthy division of the winter thus far…
- There's no shortage of reaction to Dan Uggla's contract extension with Atlanta. Joe Pawlikowski of Fangraphs likes the deal for the Braves, arguing that Uggla's power might be helped by hitting at Turner Field and saying that Uggla's "bat will still play well" if he has to move to left field or third base a few years down the line.
- Speaking of an Uggla position switch, MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that Uggla wants to remain playing second base and would've probably not signed the extension had the Braves insisted he move elsewhere on the diamond. Bowman also compares Uggla's contract to Jayson Werth's deal in Washington, and notes that some Braves players and coaches weren't pleased that the Braves didn't do more to keep other big-name acquisitions (i.e. J.D. Drew, Gary Sheffield, Mark Teixeira) in Atlanta.
- If the Mets add a left-handed reliever, it will probably have to be someone willing to take a minor league contract, writes Metsblog.com's Matthew Cerrone.
- The Nationals aren't expected to pursue the "file-and-trial" arbitration strategy this winter, reports The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore. You can keep track of the Nats' three arb-eligible players (John Lannan, Mike Morse and Doug Slaten) and all of the arbitration dealings with MLBTR's Arb Tracker feature.
- With Adam LaRoche locked up for at least two years in Washington, MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling looks at how the Nats' long-term plans at first base are affected by the signing, with a particular focus on prospect Chris Marrero.
Outfield Options For The Braves
Jason Heyward, Nate McLouth and Eric Hinske and Martin Prado are candidates to pick up regular at bats in the Braves' outfield, but Atlanta could look to add another outfielder who can play center field. In fact, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes says it's the Braves' biggest need. It seems likely that the team would lean toward acquiring someone who can hit lefties, since Heyward, McLouth and Hinske all bat from the left side and Prado would probably play third if Chipper Jones can't play. Here are some internal candidates:
- Joe Mather, a right handed hitter who can play center field, has actually hit better against right-handers (.247/.298/.485) than left-handers (.219/.276/.344) in his big league career. The Braves claimed the 28-year-old in November after eyeing him for a while, so presumably Atlanta thinks he could help the big league team.
- Like Heyward, Jordan Schafer arrived in the big leagues to substantial fanfare and homered in his first major league at bat. However, he didn't produce much for the Braves in 2009 and struggled in the minors last year. He bats left handed, so he's not a natural complement to the other Braves outfielders.
- Matt Young, 28, hit .300/.380/.407 at Triple-A last year with 39 stolen bases and more walks (57) than strikeouts (53). He plays a variety of positions, but also bats from the left side. (Young reminds me of the Pirates' recent acquisition, Corey Wimberly. Both are speedy utility types who could crack major league rosters this year. They're just a year apart in age and both are listed as 5'8".)
- Beau Torbert, an outfielder who bats from the right side, signed with the Braves after being named Baseball America’s 2010 Independent Player of the Year and American Association Player of the Year.
And here are some free agents who could be solutions for the Braves:
- Scott Hairston hits lefties well (.278/.331/.498 career line) and has extensive experience as a center fielder. The 30-year-old seems like a good fit for the Braves.
- Willie Bloomquist brings versatility and a career .272/.334/.366 line against lefties. It seems likely that Atlanta could find a better fit.
- Gary Matthews Jr. has a .248/.318/.423 line against lefties in his career. It's not a particularly impressive line, and Matthews has struggled consistently since 2007, so the 36-year-old is probably not be the Braves' best option.
- Andruw Jones, who is still just 33, has hit southpaws well in his career (.261/.361/.501 line). He hit eight homers against them in 2010, posting a .931 OPS. Would the Braves and Jones be interested in a reunion? Maybe not, but there's a possible fit here. Since leaving Atlanta after the 2007 season, Jones hasn't played much center field, but he has continued to play slightly above average defense overall, according to UZR/150.
- Lastings Milledge has a .289/.363/.435 line against lefties in his five-year career.
- Reed Johnson can play center field and has a .312/.373/.463 line against lefties in his career. He has been paired up with Hinske before, when they were with the Blue Jays.
Let's not forget about these trade candidates:
- Mike Cameron, Aaron Rowand and Ryan Spilborghs could all potentially be available and all three hit lefties well and can play center field. Cameron and Rowand, of course, have substantial salaries, so the Red Sox and Giants would have to be willing to eat lots of money for a deal to occur.
Finding a fourth outfielder may be one of GM Frank Wren's major challenges between now and Spring Training, but he has nearly two months to choose between a number of legitimate choices. Though Atlanta's internal options don't seem like natural complements to Hinske, McLouth and Heyward, free agents like Scott Hairston and longtime Brave Andruw Jones could fit the team's needs without breaking its budget.
Unfinished Business: NL East
The new year is typically when free agent bargains begin, for teams that set a few million bucks aside. Let's examine the unfinished business for each of the NL East clubs today.
- Braves: Backup outfielder who can handle center field. Someone like Dewayne Wise, Scott Hairston, or even Andruw Jones could work within the Braves' limited payroll flexibility. The Braves will also be seeking a taker for Kenshin Kawakami.
- Marlins: Left-handed hitting bench bat. Catcher John Baker is one candidate. Free agency offers plenty of options – Laynce Nix, Jason Giambi, Joe Inglett, Mark Kotsay, Hank Blalock, Jeremy Hermida, Ryan Church, Casey Kotchman, Gabe Gross, and Jody Gerut, for example.
- Mets: Starting pitcher, lefty reliever, fourth outfielder. The Mets will undoubtedly be bargain shopping, and it's not clear whether they'll manage to add Chris Young or Jeff Francis to the rotation. The market for lefty relievers still features useful, affordable names like Mark Hendrickson and Tim Byrdak.
- Phillies: Taker for Joe Blanton. It seems the Phillies' main remaining goal is to unload Blanton's contract. They could add to the right field mix, but may stick with internal options.
- Nationals: Starting pitcher, first baseman, reliever. The Nats remain in the mix for Carl Pavano and Derrek Lee. Failing those two, they could go in significantly cheaper directions. Casey Kotchman's name has been mentioned. Hard to say whether the Nationals are content with Chad Gaudin and Henry Rodriguez as the bullpen additions.
Cafardo’s Latest: Uggla, Pavano, Matsuzaka, Ellsbury
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe asked ten baseball people to select the ten most significant moves/non-moves of the offseason. Unsurprisingly, Adrian Gonzalez, Zack Greinke, Carl Crawford, and Cliff Lee topped the list. Here are the rest of Cafardo's rumors…
- Talks between the Braves and Dan Uggla have slowed because he's seeking more money, but an extension should get done during the first week of January. Cafardo reported that the two sides were close to a five-year deal worth $60-61MM about two weeks ago.
- The Orioles still have interest in Kevin Gregg and the Red Sox still have interest in Brian Fuentes, but other free agent relievers like Rafael Soriano, Grant Balfour, Octavio Dotel, Aaron Heilman, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and Jon Rauch remain in limbo.
- Carl Pavano is holding out for three years, with the Nationals, Twins, and Rangers still showing interest. Cafardo adds the Mariners to the mix, with the caveat that they free up some money first.
- The teams considering Pavano could also turn to Joe Blanton, who would certainly come cheaper.
- The Red Sox "haven’t heard anything close to the value they would need in return" for Daisuke Matsuzaka.
- The Angels and several other teams made a run at Jacoby Ellsbury this offseason, but the Sox "never heard any offer resembling proper value."
- Cafardo wonders if Adrian Beltre is looking at a much smaller payday than originally anticipated. Last we heard, the Angels pulled their five-year, $70MM offer to the third baseman, but they remain in the mix to sign him.
- David Aardsma is still trade bait and the Mariners wouldn't mind moving him for starting pitching depth. Earlier this week we heard Seattle wanted an impact bat for its closer.
Braves Notes: Payroll, Greinke, Uggla, Chipper
Braves GM Frank Wren told David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he has noticed a “re-emphasis on speed” in baseball over the past five or six years. Wren said he’d like the Braves to transition into a more athletic club, but that’s far from the only interesting comment he made. Here’s the latest:
- Wren says the Braves have “an ample payroll to win” without question. The Mets and Phillies may spend more, but teams like the Rays win with less.
- The Braves discussed trading for Zack Greinke, but decided against it. “We talked about it,” Wren said. “I just think it was going to be cost-prohibitive for us, because some of those players it would have taken to make that deal are players we’re going to be counting on in the next year or two, and we think they’re going to be premium talents at the major league level.”
- Generally speaking, Wren said he is hesitant to trade “productive, game-changing” young players who could have a “huge major league impact in the future.”
- There have not been setbacks between the Braves and Dan Uggla as they discuss an extension. O’Brien suggests the sides will likely reach a five-year deal this offseason.
- Chipper Jones explained to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that his pre-season workouts have been coming along slowly, but steadily. "I'm so out of shape, one of my neighbors caught me dry-heaving on his lawn," Jones said. "We had a nice little chuckle out of it. I grabbed his phone to make sure he didn't take any video and people would see it on YouTube."