Aaron Steen | MLB Trade Rumors

Minor Moves: Donald, Mesa

By Aaron Steen | December 28, 2013 at 6:21pm CDT

We'll keep track of today's minor moves here:

The Royals announced via press release that they have signed infielder Jason Donald and outfielder Melky Mesa to minor-league contracts. Donald, 29, last appeared in the majors in 2012 with the Indians. In 603 career big-league plate appearances, he's hit .257/.309/.362, spending the majority of his time on defense at the shortstop and second base positions. The 26-year-old Mesa received very brief major-league playing time from 2012-2013 with the Yankees, with whom he's spent his entire career. He owns a 246/.313/.438 triple slash in more than 2,800 minor-league plate appearances.

Rangers Notes: Offense, Feliz, Choo

By Aaron Steen | December 28, 2013 at 6:05pm CDT

The Rangers enter 2014 with what appears to be the game's best offense, Buster Olney writes in an article for ESPN.com (Insider sub. required). With their aggressive moves to acquire Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo, Texas has added left-handed power and patience to a lineup that finished eighth in the majors in runs in 2013. Rounding out Olney's top five are the Red Sox, Tigers, Cardinals and Angels. Here are more Saturday night Rangers notes:

Neftali Feliz is in position to close for Texas following Joe Nathan's signing with the Tigers, writes T.R. Sullivan in this week's mailbag. If Feliz is not ready, the Rangers could turn to setup reliever Tanner Scheppers or former Royals All-Star closer Joakim Soria. But, for right now, the job is Feliz's to lose.
The Rangers are enthused about what Shin-Soo Choo can bring to the table, but Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs looks at the outfielder's struggles against lefties and his reputation as a glorified platoon player. Choo inked a seven-year, $130MM deal with Texas this offseason.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Padres Designate Adys Portillo For Assignment

By Aaron Steen | December 28, 2013 at 4:08pm CDT

The Padres have designated pitcher Adys Portillo for assignment to make room for Joaquin Benoit on their 40-man roster, Corey Brock of MLB.com tweets.

Portillo is a 22-year-old right hander who has thrown just 35 innings above A-ball. He originally signed with the Padres in 2008, receiving a $2MM amateur signing bonus in a deal that was at the time the largest ever given to a Venezuelan-born player. However, he's struggled since, amassing a 4.86 ERA over five seasons in the minors.

Twins Re-Sign Mike Pelfrey

By Aaron Steen | December 23, 2013 at 3:14pm CDT

The Twins have been uncharacteristically aggressive on the free agent market this offseason, and they continued the trend by officially announcing the signing of Mike Pelfrey to a two-year, $11MM contract today. Pelfrey can reportedly earn $3.5MM in performance bonuses.

The Twins have been linked frequently with 29-year-old this offseason. Though he posted a 5.19 ERA for Minnesota in 2013, it's perhaps a positive that Pelfrey managed 152 2/3 innings in returning from Tommy John surgery. ERA estimators also suggest he may have been the victim of some bad luck. SIERA projected a 4.63 ERA, while xFIP suggested Pelfrey was in line for a 4.54 mark, and FIP pegged him at 3.99.

The Twins have spent heavily on pitching this offseason, signing Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes, but were rumored to be targeting further rotation help. GM Terry Ryan's push to revamp the rotation was no doubt brought on by the 5.26 ERA Twins starters coughed up in 2013, good for last in the majors. The 871 total innings the Twins got from their rotation in 2013 was also worst among big league teams.

While Pelfrey lacks the impact potential of Nolasco and Hughes, he's a good bet to provide innings. Prior to undergoing Tommy John in 2012, the 6'7", 250-pound right-hander was the picture of durability. He averaged 196 frames with the Mets from 2008 to 2011, posting a 4.27 ERA over that span. In 1,049 career big league innings, Pelfrey owns a 4.48 ERA and a 47.8 pecent ground-ball rate. If Pelfrey can improve on last season's 43.2 percent ground-ball rate and inch closer to his career mark, it should bode well for the right-hander. Minnesota deploys a strong defensive tandem up the middle in the form of Brian Dozier and Pedro Florimon.

Between Pelfrey, Nolasco and Hughes, the Twins have now committed $84MM to three pitchers this winter. Those three will join Kevin Correia in the rotation, with Kyle Gibson, Vance Worley, Scott Diamond and Samuel Deduno fighting for the fifth and final spot. However, Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com tweets that the team hasn't ruled out acquiring another starter. The Twins "definitely" still have money to spend, according to Wolfson.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports was the first to report the agreement and the terms of the contract (Twitter links).

Steve Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Choo, Astros, Kotsay

By Aaron Steen | December 21, 2013 at 11:01pm CDT

The Rangers' seven-year, $130MM agreement with Shin-Soo Choo brings total spending this offseason to around $1.543 billion, according to Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan. With players such as Ervin Santana, Matt Garza and Ubaldo Jimenez still available, the 2006 record of approximately $1.75 billion appears likely to be broken, and spending is certain to eclipse $2 billion if Masahiro Tanaka is posted. There simply isn't anywhere else to put the game's booming revenues now that spending has been capped in the draft and international free agency, Passan writes. Let's look at more late-night links from the AL and NL West:

The Choo signing shows why Jon Daniels is one of the game's best general managers, Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com opines. While the Rangers only narrowly missed the playoffs in 2013, swapping Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder and bringing Choo into the fold indicate the front office understood that a major revamp of the Texas offense was required.
Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle notes that the Astros have acquired a trio of ground ball-heavy pitchers this winter in Scott Feldman and relievers Matt Albers and Chad Qualls. The focus on grounders is an "organizational preference detectable even in the amateur draft," Drellich writes.
Mark Kotsay will remain in the Padres organization as a special assistant to GM Josh Byrnes after retiring at the end of the 2013 season, Bill Center of U-T San Diego reports.

East Notes: Price, O’s, Balfour, Braves, Marlins

By Aaron Steen | December 21, 2013 at 9:40pm CDT

In an article with the latest on the David Price situation, the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin dismisses reports that the Rays are motivated to move the Cy Young winner by Dec. 31 to avoid having to pay $4MM in deferred money. "The payment isn't due until Oct. 1, and it is the Rays' obligation, so really a nonfactor, as including it would be the same as asking for cash in a deal and subject to MLB approval," Topkin writes. While the Mariners are often named as a likely suitor for Price, they "seem to talk more about what prospects they don't want to trade." Here's more from the AL and NL East:

The Orioles could fill their closer and second base vacancies from within, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Fans have been frustrated by the club's quiet offseason thus far, but the O's seem likely to pluck their next second baseman from what they already have, and they won't spend lavishly on another ninth-inning option if Fernando Rodney doesn't drop his price.
The Orioles' nullified deal with Grant Balfour could conceivably have ramifications for Baltimore, Kubatko writes. It's possible that the reliever could decide to file a grievance with the Players' Association or that some free agents down the road may be leery of agreeing to terms with the club.
The Yankees could be back in on Balfour, along with the Tigers, Rockies, and Angels, writes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Earlier this week we heard that the Rays are also in the mix.
The Braves won't force the issue in their search of bullpen depth, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
The Marlins, meanwhile, are after a veteran presence to add to their pen, writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Castro, Indians, Twins, Hart

By Aaron Steen | December 21, 2013 at 8:16pm CDT

Starlin Castro claims that stress related to an ongoing legal dispute in the Dominican Republic has affected his on-field performance for the Cubs, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. A coach at a baseball school in the Dominican is suing Castro, contending that a contract the shortstop's father signed when Castro was an amateur entitles the academy to a portion of his Major League earnings. The affair has had a "direct impact on his duties as a professional ballplayer, leading to one of his worst-ever statistical performances," Castro's countersuit states. While the 23-year-old played in 161 games last season, 2013 saw him slump to a .245/.284/.347 line. The 2014 season will be the second of the seven-year, $60MM deal Castro signed inked with the Cubs in 2012. Here's more from around baseball's Central divisions:

Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer thinks the Indians can still add a couple of players to their roster, but they'll come via trades or minor league signings.
A Twins official tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) that he doesn't see the club getting in on free agent bats Stephen Drew and Nelson Cruz. Minnesota has money to spend but the draft pick compensation that is required to sign them is an issue.
Longtime Brewer Corey Hart took out a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel to thank the city for its support, Big League Stew's Mark Townsend notes. Hart is headed to Seattle after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Mariners that reportedly guarantees him $6MM.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

More React To Choo Deal

By Aaron Steen | December 21, 2013 at 6:47pm CDT

Most executives and scouts expected Shin-Soo Choo to wind up with the Rangers, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports. Sources say Choo liked Texas because of its recent run of success, the growing Korean population in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and because the team conducts Spring Training in Arizona. While GM Jon Daniels would have also been comfortable re-signing Nelson Cruz to a shorter deal, the agreement shows that MLB executives prefer to have their rosters complete before Christmas, Crasnick says. Here's more on the deal from around baseball:

The signing makes Texas one of the AL's best teams, ESPN.com's Keith Law says, writing that Choo could be worth 6 wins in 2014 because of the defensive boost he's likely to get after transitioning out of center field. However, Law notes that it's also a lengthy contract for a player who struggles mightily against left-handed pitching.
The Mariners appear to be one of the losers following the signing, according to Law, who says Seattle projects as the fourth-best team in the AL West even after inking Robinson Cano. Choo would have also been a good fit for the Tigers, who Law says have had a puzzling offseason thus far.
A source close to Choo says the outfielder considered the Rangers his "clear first choice," FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal writes. While Texas will enter 2014 with more left-handed hitters in its lineup, the club appears to be the AL West's best as things currently stand, Rosenthal says. He adds that the signing takes the Rangers out of the running for Masahiro Tanaka, if he's eventually posted.
Anthony Castrovince profiles Choo in an article for MLB.com, lauding his work ethic.
Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News writes that the deal completes a Texas offseason in which the team managed to achieve nearly all of its goals. The club had intended to keep its payroll around $125MM.
While the Yankees weren't able to sign Choo, Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News says the deal may ultimately help the Yanks because it eliminates Texas as a potential suitor for Masahiro Tanaka.

Rakuten Planning Record Offer For Tanaka

By Aaron Steen | December 19, 2013 at 11:47am CDT

11:47am: Rakuten president Yozo Tachibana told reporters in Sendai today that Tanaka could still be posted, as they've yet to make a decision on the matter and discussions are ongoing, according to a report from Sponichi (Japanese link).

7:15am: The Rakuten Golden Eagles appear to be settling on not posting Masahiro Tanaka and plan to offer him a contract with a record annual salary of 800MM yen, or around $7.7MM, Sports Hochi reports. Tanaka said in a press conference this week that he had communicated his desire to pitch in the U.S. in 2014 to Rakuten. However, it appears that the maximum $20MM posting fee agreed to by MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball negotiators under the new posting system — a drastic reduction from what Rakuten was expected to receive under the old arrangement — is giving club ownership considerable pause.

The 800MM yen ($7.7MM) offer would double Tanaka's current salary and make him the highest-paid pitcher in NPB history. However, it's much less than what he was likely to get from an MLB club. One GM recently told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that Tanaka was certain to receive a deal worth more than $100MM if posted. The hurler nevertheless appears ready to accept whatever decision Rakuten comes to. "If the team tells me, 'We're not going to post you. Please stay,' the professional thing to do is give it your all and get back to pitching," Tanaka told reporters this week. "I'm ready to do that."

The starting pitching market appears to be waiting for a resolution on the Tanaka issue, as Ervin Santana, Matt Garza and Ubaldo Jimenez have all remained on the board while top bats have signed. It's difficult to say where the market heads if Tanaka isn't posted. While competition for pitchers like Santana and Garza would intensify, Tanaka has the potential to drive up their prices further still, as many see him as a $100MM pitcher. Santana's representatives at Proformance are also known to be seeking a $100MM deal for their client. If Tanaka received a contract of that size, the agency could argue that Santana, who's already shown the ability to be an impact starter in the majors, has earned a similar deal.

Tanaka, 25, had a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings this season in Japan and owns a lifetime 2.30 ERA over seven seasons. Teams connected with him recently include the Diamondbacks, the Cubs, the Yankees and the Rangers.

Central Notes: Twins, Indians, White Sox, Pirates

By Aaron Steen | December 14, 2013 at 11:18pm CDT

Let's run through some late-night Central links …

A Twins official tells LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune that the club is "not sure" about whether it will sign another starter after agreeing to terms on a new deal with Mike Pelfrey. "Maybe if it makes sense," the official said. "We still have some things to address." Minnesota reportedly has strong interest in Bronson Arroyo.
While the Indians have been quiet so far this winter, the club's biggest moves last offseason didn't come until after the Winter Meetings, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes in a reader mailbag column. The Nick Swisher deal was announced in January, while Michael Bourn wasn't signed until February.
White Sox Manager Robin Ventura says he's excited to see what new acquisitions Adam Eaton and Jose Dariel Abreu bring to the club's lineup, which should look different in 2014, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports. GM Rick Hahn has indicated the Sox still need to decide whether to try and swap outfielders Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo for help at third base and catcher.
Charlie Morton tells Jim Lachimia of MLB.com that his confidence in the Pirates organization was the biggest factor in agreeing to sign a three-year, $21MM extension earlier this week.
Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review doesn't expect the Pirates to open 2014 with Gaby Sanchez as their full-time first baseman, noting his struggles with right-handed pitching (career .700 OPS). While some fans have been frustrated to watch the Pirates stand pat as names such as Mike Morse and James Loney come off the board, Starkey says the club's front office has earned trust after its recent run of success with free agent signings.

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