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Justin Verlander Talks Free Agency

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FEBRUARY 22: Verlander hopes to become baseball’s first $200MM pitcher, the dominant righty tells Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan.  While explaining that he wants “to be compensated for what I feel like I’ve been: one of the best, if not the best, the last few years,” Verlander claims that it remains to be seen whether a new deal will come through free agency (following the 2014 season) or an extension with the Tigers.  Verlander admits that he “would like to experience” free agency, but notes that he does not “think you have to be a free agent to get [$200MM]” and maintains that he “love[s] the idea of playing [his] entire career in Detroit.”  As Passan explains, however, the Tigers may want to try to lock down Verlander before the end of this season, as the former AL MVP is keenly aware that “the risk-reward when you get to a year [of reaching free agency] is intriguing.”

FEBRUARY 13: Though Justin Verlander’s contract won’t expire for another two seasons, it’s not too early to start wondering about the right-hander’s next deal. Felix Hernandez recently obtained $175MM from the Mariners and some wonder if Verlander, who turns 30 in a week, might be baseball’s first $200MM pitcher. He has consistently expressed interest in staying in Detroit for the rest of his career, but free agency still intrigues him.

“Absolutely,” he told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. “I think that’d be a blast. If I have two more years like I just had, it would be pretty interesting.”

The Tigers haven’t begun meaningful extension talks with SFX, the agency that represents Verlander. The 2011 Cy Young Award winner told Morosi that he’d be happy to start talks and that he has “ears open.” He believes the Tigers are planning to contend long after 2014, when his current $80MM deal expires. Even so, a new deal “would take quite a commitment on their part.” If the sides don’t reach an agreement and Verlander does reach free agency after the 2014 season, he wouldn’t be opposed to hearing pitches from interested teams around MLB.

“You know how competitive I am,” Verlander told FOX Sports. “It’s kind of fun thinking about having teams battle for you.”

Jeff Todd contributed to this post.

White Sox Notes: Hahn, Viciedo, Sale

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White Sox GM Rick Hahn had a relatively quiet debut offseason while AL Central rivals such as the Indians and Royals made aggressive moves. Hahn told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that at times he thought about making a splash. “There’s a strong temptation first to try to be part of that, add yourself in as a three-way or four-way. And we did explore some of those avenues, but obviously it becomes pretty complex." Here are the latest White-Sox related notes…

  • Hahn said he was ultimately happy to re-sign Jake Peavy instead of making moves for the sake of making moves.
  • The White Sox announced that they agreed to terms with all pre-arbitration eligible players, including Dayan Viciedo, Chris Sale and Addison Reed. Every member of the team's 40-man roster is now under contract for 2013.
  • Viciedo will earn $2.6MM, Sale will earn $600K and Reed will earn $520K, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports (Twitter links). While the raises for Sale and Reed are nothing out of the ordinary, Viciedo’s salary is unusually high for a pre-arbitration eligible player. He obtains a modest raise from the $2.5MM salary he earned in 2012, the final season of the four-year, $10MM contract he signed as an amateur free agent in 2008.
  • The White Sox acquired third baseman Conor Gillaspie from the Giants for minor league right-hander Jeff Soptic earlier today.

White Sox Acquire Gillaspie, Designate Anderson

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The White Sox announced that they acquired third baseman Conor Gillaspie from the Giants for minor league right-hander Jeff Soptic. The White Sox designated infielder Lars Anderson for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot for Gillaspie.

Gillaspie, 25, played in six games for last year's Giants team, but spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a .281/.345/.441 batting line in 465 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter has experience in parts of three MLB seasons.

Soptic, 21, was Chicago's third round selection in the 2011 draft. He spent the 2012 season at Class A, posting a 5.40 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 6.0 BB/9 in 43 1/3 innings of relief work.

The White Sox initially acquired Anderson by claiming him off of waivers from the Diamondbacks earlier this month.  The 25-year-old appeared in six games for the Red Sox last year, but Boston traded him to the Indians for Steven Wright at the non-waiver trade deadline last July. Anderson, a left-handed hitter, spent most of the 2012 season at Triple-A, where he posted a .250/.353/.396 batting line in 470 plate appearances.

Poll: Which 90-Win Team Will Disappoint?

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Two years ago nine teams reached the 90-win plateau: the Tigers, Brewers, Rangers, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox and Cardinals. Just three of those teams repeated as 90-game winners in 2012 and just four of them made the postseason. To put it mildly, winning 90 games multiple seasons in a row is really difficult.

Once again there were nine 90-win teams in 2012: the Yankees, Orioles, Rays, Athletics, Rangers, Nationals, Braves, Reds and Giants. Chances are some of these teams will regress in 2013. Sustained success requires shrewd moves and good health, an elusive combination for many organizations. Which of these 2012 contenders is most likely to struggle in 2013?

 

NL East Notes: Rodriguez, Young, Stanton

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MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner told reporters yesterday that he wants to see the Mets follow through on their stated intention of spending more aggressively. "I think everybody would like to see the Mets as a competitive team, and it's going to require a higher payroll,” Weiner said. Here are more NL East-related notes…

  • It doesn't appear likely that the Mets will consider Francisco Rodriguez, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). They had some interest in a reunion with the free agent right-hander earlier in the winter.
  • GM Mike Rizzo implied that right-hander Chris Young has an out-clause in his minor league deal with the Nationals, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter). It appears that the Nationals need Young’s permission to assign him to Triple-A. Ross Ohlendorf doesn’t have an opt-out, Amanda Comak of the Washington Times reports (on Twitter).
  • Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton told Yahoo's Jeff Passan that he tries not to concern himself with his team's recent change in direction. "What are you gonna do?" Stanton said. "Honestly, what? There's nothing you can do. You express your feelings, and that's about it."
  • Another Marlins outfielder, Juan Pierre, told MLBTR correspondent B.J. Rains that he’s pleased to be returning to the Marlins, even as fans express frustration over the team’s offseason moves.

Red Sox Notes: Bogaerts, Bradley, Cherington

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On this date 12 years ago the Red Sox purchased Jorge De La Rosa from Monterrey of the Mexican League. De La Rosa, now a starter with the Rockies, never pitched for the Red Sox but he did play an important role in their history. Two years after acquiring De La Rosa the Red Sox traded him and three others to Arizona for Curt Schilling. Here are today's Red Sox-related links…

  • Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr.  offer a "glimpse into the future" of the Red Sox in the words of manager John Farrell, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports. Farrell expressed confidence that Bogaerts will be able to handle either third base or shortstop from a defensive standpoint. However, both players are set to open the 2013 season in the minor leagues. 
  • Bogaerts ranked eighth on Baseball America's list of the game's top prospects and Bradley ranked 31st. Both project to reach the MLB level in 2014, according to BA.
  • Red Sox GM Ben Cherington knows it takes more than character to compete in the AL East, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. "It has to start with talent," Cherington said. "You can have a bunch of good guys in spring training, but if you're not winning in May, you're not feeling good anymore.'' As others in the Red Sox organization explained to Nightengale, winning and strong clubhouse culture are often closely linked.
  • It's finally time for the Red Sox to focus on baseball instead of off-field distractions, Jon Paul Morosi writes at FOX Sports.com. Farrell said he's been impressed with the attention to detail displayed by some newcomers.

Service Time Considerations For Top Prospects

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Timing the debuts of top prospects is essential for MLB teams. No club wants to expose a player to top competition before he's ready, but keeping a player in the minors when he could be contributing at the big league level is hardly appealing either. It's a balancing act.

Though a player's development generally determines his timeline to the Major Leagues, service time is undeniably a consideration. MLB teams can obtain an extra year of control from a player by delaying his debut and they can decrease his chances of qualifying for an additional year of arbitration with enough patience.

Heavily-hyped prospects often have carefully-timed debuts, and Baseball America's recently-released list of the game's top 100 prospects features those currently generating the most buzz. Of the 100 players on the list, 36 project to arrive in the Major Leagues in 2013, according to Baseball America. The chart below presents two key dates for each prospect who might make an impact this coming season.

First, there's the approximate date on which the team can call the player up while keeping him under control for an extra year — through 2019. Next, there's the approximate date on which the team can call the player up without setting him up for super two status and a fourth trip through arbitration.

Service Time Considerations '13

In many cases — Hyun-Jin Ryu comes to mind — service time will not affect teams’ decisions. But keep this list in mind if you’re wondering why Wil Myers is still at Triple-A Durham midway through the first month of the season.

This service time explanation is a modified version of a piece initially published at MLB Trade Rumors one year ago.

Pitching Notes: Price, Valverde, Jackson

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We heard earlier today that the Yankees are eyeing pitching depth, but not Kyle Lohse. Here are some more pitching-themed notes from around MLB…

  • David Price recently said he’d be hesitant to sign a long-term deal with the Yankees because of their facial hair policy. However, the left-hander said today that he wouldn’t rule out playing for New York at some point, Newsday’s David Lennon reports (Twitter links). No doubt realizing his leverage will increase if the Yankees are interested, Price said he might not even have a beard by the time he hits free agency.
  • The Tigers haven’t considered re-signing Jose Valverde for a moment, Lynn Henning of the Detroit News reports (on Twitter). The reliever will have the chance to boost his free agent stock in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
  • Edwin Jackson, one of the top free agent pitchers of the 2012-13 offseason, said his choice came down to the Cubs and Indians, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports. The Indians were aggressive in free agency this winter, signing Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn while pursuing others such as Jackson. The right-hander pitched on a one-year deal in 2012 and is pleased to have signed a multiyear deal this time. “It’s always a good feeling to have security," he said.

The Oldest $100MM Players

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Even as massive contracts become more and more common, baseball's first $100MM player remains the oldest person to obtain a nine-figure deal. Kevin Brown signed the first $100MM contract in baseball history after the 1998 season, a year in which the 33-year-old logged 257 innings, struck out 257 opponents and posted a 2.38 ERA. It led to a $105MM guarantee from the Dodgers, the first of its kind in MLB.

It’s been 14 years since Brown finalized his record deal — long enough for teams to hand out 40 more $100MM deals. In the last calendar year alone nine players have signed nine-figure deals. Many have surpassed Brown's $105MM guarantee, but none of them have been older than 33.

Here's the complete, updated list of $100MM players sorted by age, courtesy of MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker (the list includes free agent signings and extensions, but does not include posting fees for Japanese players):

  • Kevin Brown, 33, signed a seven-year, $105MM deal on 12/12/1998.
  • Alex Rodriguez, 32, signed a ten-year, $275MM deal on 12/13/2007.
  • Cliff Lee, 32, signed a five-year, $120MM deal on 12/13/2010.
  • Albert Pujols, 31, signed a ten-year, $240MM deal on 12/08/2011.
  • Jayson Werth, 31, signed a seven-year, $126MM deal on 12/05/2010.
  • Josh Hamilton, 31, signed a five-year, $125MM deal on 12/15/2012.
  • Alfonso Soriano, 30, signed an eight-year, $136MM deal on 11/20/2006.
  • Ryan Howard, 30, signed a five-year, $125MM extension on 4/26/2010.
  • Jason Giambi, 30, signed a seven-year, $120MM deal on 12/18/2001.
  • Ken Griffey Jr., 30, signed a nine-year, $116.5MM deal on 2/11/2000.
  • Carlos Lee, 30, signed a six-year, $100MM deal on 11/24/2006.
  • Zack Greinke, 29, signed a six-year, $147MM deal on 12/09/2012.
  • Carl Crawford, 29, signed a seven-year, $142MM deal on 12/8/2010.
  • David Wright, 29, signed an eight-year, $138MM deal on 12/04/2012.
  • Matt Holliday, 29, signed a seven-year, $120MM deal on 1/7/2010.
  • Joey Votto, 28, signed a ten-year, $225MM deal on 04/02/2012.
  • Mark Teixeira, 28, signed an eight-year, $180MM deal on 1/6/2009.
  • C.C. Sabathia, 28, signed a seven-year, $161MM deal on 12/20/2008 (revised as a 31-year-old on 10/31/2011). 
  • Manny Ramirez, 28, signed an eight-year, $160MM deal on 12/19/2000.
  • Adrian Gonzalez, 28, signed a seven-year, $154MM deal on 4/15/2011.
  • Cole Hamels, 28, signed a six-year, $144MM deal on 07/25/2012.
  • Johan Santana, 28, signed a six-year, $137.5MM deal on 2/2/2008.
  • Vernon Wells, 28, signed a seven-year, $126MM deal on 12/20/2006.
  • Barry Zito, 28, signed a seven-year, $126MM deal on 12/29/2006.
  • Mike Hampton, 28, signed an eight-year, $121MM deal on 12/12/2000.
  • Jose Reyes, 28, signed a six-year, $106MM deal on 12/04/2011.
  • Prince Fielder, 27, signed a nine-year, $214MM deal on 1/24/2012.
  • Matt Kemp, 27, signed an eight-year, $160MM deal on 11/14/2011.
  • Todd Helton, 27, signed a nine-year, $141.5MM deal on 3/1/2001.
  • Carlos Beltran, 27, signed a seven-year, $119MM deal on 1/13/2005.
  • Matt Cain, 27, signed a five-year, $112.5MM deal on 04/02/2012.
  • Ryan Braun, 27, signed a five-year, $105MM deal on 4/21/2011.
  • Ryan Zimmerman, 27, signed a six-year, $100MM deal on 2/26/2012.
  • Evan Longoria, 27, signed a six-year, $100MM deal on 11/26/2012.
  • Derek Jeter, 26, signed a ten-year, $189MM deal on 2/1/2001.
  • Joe Mauer, 26, signed an eight-year, $184MM deal on 3/21/2010.
  • Felix Hernandez, 26, signed a seven-year, $175MM deal on 02/07/2013.
  • Troy Tulowitzki, 26, signed a six-year, $119MM deal on 11/30/2010.
  • Alex Rodriguez, 25, signed a ten-year, $252MM deal on 12/1/2000.
  • Miguel Cabrera, 24, signed an eight-year, $152.3MM deal on 3/24/2008.
  • Albert Pujols, 24, signed a seven-year, $100MM deal on 2/19/2004.

It's also worth noting that $100MM contracts have been evenly split between extensions and free agent contracts. Since the beginning of the 2009-10 offseason, however there have been 14 $100MM extensions against just nine $100MM free agent signings.

Weiner On CBA, Mets, Wright

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MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner addressed reporters at Mets camp today, discussing draft pick compensation and the Mets’ franchise player. Here are some details (all Twitter links)…

  • Weiner said he expects to discuss draft pick compensation with MLB before the current collective bargaining agreement expires, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports. It sounds as though the MLBPA would like to consider changes to the system that affected the leverage ofplayers such as Michael Bourn and Kyle Lohse. "The compensation affected those guys fairly dramatically this year, and we would like to try to address that,” Weiner said.
  • Weiner said he hopes the Mets spend more, as chairman & CEO Fred Wilpon has said they will (via Mike Puma of the New York Post). "I think everybody would like to see the Mets as a competitive team, and it's going to require a higher payroll,” Weiner said.
  • David Wright knew that he would have been a highly coveted free agent if he didn’t sign with the Mets long-term, Weiner said (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). "David understood that if he went out to market he’d probably make more money, and perhaps substantially more money," Weiner said. Wright signed an eight-year, $138MM extension with the Mets in December.
  • Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com notes that MLBPA exec Bobby Bonilla collects more money from the Mets than any of their current outfielders. Bonilla, who spent parts of five seasons with the Mets, still collects deferred payments from the club.

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