Cubs, Red Sox Finalize Epstein Compensation
After a months-long wait, the Cubs and Red Sox have finalized the compensation for Theo Epstein. The Red Sox sent 19-year-old prospect Jair Bogaerts to the Cubs to complete the deal, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports.
The Cubs sent relievers Chris Carpenter and Aaron Kurcz to Boston as compensation for Epstein earlier in the offseason. Carpenter will undergo elbow surgery, but the Cubs say the operation wasn't caused by a pre-existing condition. “It’s certainly something we had no knowledge of,” GM Jed Hoyer said, according to Muskat. “I don’t think he had any elbow issues for the last two years. It’s unexpected and unfortunate."
Bogaerts completed his second pro season in 2011. The first baseman posted a .288/.387/.404 line in 186 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League. He is the brother of top Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts.
Indians Designate Rick VandenHurk For Assignment
The Indians designated out of options right-hander Rick VandenHurk for assignment, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. The move creates 40-man roster space for a pitcher the Indians acquired from the Braves earlier today: right-hander Jairo Asencio.
VandenHurk has bounced around considerably in 2012. The Orioles released the native of the Netherlands in February, the Blue Jays signed him to a Major League contract soon afterwards and the Indians claimed him off of waivers eight days ago.
VandenHurk has MLB experience in five seasons, but he appeared in just four games for the 2011 Orioles. He spent most of the season as a starter at Triple-A, where he posted a 4.43 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 154 1/3 innings. The 6'5" 26-year-old has a 5.97 ERA with 8.8 K/9, 4.7 BB/9 and a 27.9% ground ball rate in 181 career innings with the Marlins and Orioles.
Offseason In Review: Washington Nationals
The Nationals could contend for the first time since moving to Washington after obtaining two above-average starting pitchers this offseason.
Major League Signings
- Edwin Jackson, SP: one-year, $11MM.
- Chien-Ming Wang, SP: one-year, $4MM.
- Brad Lidge, RP: one-year, $1MM.
- Mark DeRosa, UT: one-year.
- Total spend: $16MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Mark Teahen, Rick Ankiel, Chad Durbin, Xavier Paul, Mike Cameron, Jeff Fulchino, Jason Michaels, Waldis Joaquin, Brett Carroll, Andres Blanco.
Trades and Claims
- Acquired SP Gio Gonzalez and SP Robert Gilliam from the Athletics for SP A.J. Cole, C Derek Norris, SP Brad Peacock and SP Tom Milone.
- Acquired RP Ryan Perry from Tigers for RP Collin Balester.
- Claimed SS Carlos Rivero from Phillies.
- Claimed RHP Cole Kimball from Blue Jays.
Extensions
- Ryan Zimmerman, 3B: six years, $100MM.
- Mike Morse, OF/1B: two years, $10.5MM
- Gio Gonzalez, SP: five years, $42MM
Notable Losses
Livan Hernandez, Laynce Nix, Alex Cora, Ivan Rodriguez, Jonny Gomes, Cole, Norris, Peacock, Milone, Balester.
The Nationals began their offseason by making Davey Johnson their permanent manager. Now that Opening Day's nearly upon us, it has become clear that the Nationals have legitimate hope of contending in 2012.
They added a pair of hard-throwing pitchers to a rotation that already includes Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. First, they sent a group of highly-regarded prospects to the Athletics for left-hander Gio Gonzalez (pictured). Brad Peacock and Tom Milone both showed promise in their 2011 debuts and could contribute in Oakland's rotation this year. Gonzalez, who has reached the 200-inning plateau in each of the past two seasons, provides the Nationals with more certainty than Peacock or Milone would have. The Nationals are getting Gonzalez just as he's becoming expensive and his low ERA is likely slightly deceptive based on his peripheral stats, but they can afford the salary and some regression in terms of ERA.
The club also signed Edwin Jackson to a terrific one-year, $11MM deal. He has averaged 200 innings and a 4.06 ERA since 2008 and seems capable of more. He turned down multiyear offers to sign with the Nationals, who deserve credit for one of the bargain signings of the offseason. They also brought back Chien-Ming Wang on a one-year deal in the hopes that he can build on last season's 11-start showing. The rotation has lots of upside, and its depth is already proving useful with Wang temporarily sidelined. Potential trade candidate John Lannan and Ross Detwiler provide options in case one of the top five starters misses time.
GM Mike Rizzo has spoken for a while about his interest in finding a long-term solution in center field, but the Nationals didn't strike a deal for one this offseason. They'll rely on internal candidates such as Roger Bernadina, Rick Ankiel and Brett Carroll at the position for now and continue monitoring the market for upgrades. They showed interest in Adam Jones, Gerardo Parra, Jason Bourgeois, Peter Bourjos and B.J. Upton this offseason without acquiring anyone. Perhaps they'll complete a deal next year when the free agent market could feature Upton, Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn.
The Nationals figured prominently in the offseason's Prince Fielder rumors, even though they don't appear to have been a finalist for the powerful first baseman. They ranked 24th in MLB in runs scored a year ago and Fielder would've provided some welcome offense. However, a $200MM commitment is never easy to justify, even when ownership has raised payroll in recent years.
Offense could be a concern in 2012. Though the Nationals scored just 624 runs in 2011, they chose to rely on improvements from within instead of signing free agents or trading for position players. Jayson Werth should provide more offense during his second season in D.C., and it's hard to imagine that Adam LaRoche will produce less than he did in 2011. Plus, top prospect Bryce Harper figures to join the team midseason (good sense prevailed and they're having him start the season in the minors). Perhaps Wilson Ramos — safe again after being kidnapped in Venezuela — can build on his impressive 2011 numbers.
The Nationals signed three players to extensions: Morse, Gonzalez and Zimmerman. Morse's two-year deal will save the Nationals money if he comes close to replicating the numbers he posted during his breakout 2011 campaign, but the upside is limited. It's hard to endorse the deal from the Nationals' perspective since they didn't extend their control over Morse. They did obtain the rights to three of Gonzalez's free agent seasons by locking him up to a contract that includes two team options. It's a win for the left-hander, who obtains considerable security before accumulating three years of service time, but there's real upside for the Nationals on this deal. The Zimmerman extension – $100MM for a player who's missed approximately one month per season since 2008 — carries risk. Still, I like this deal for the team because Zimmerman's worth more than an average annual value of $16.7MM when he's at his best.
The Nationals added longtime closer Brad Lidge and hard-throwing right-hander Ryan Perry to the bullpen this offseason. Lidge, now 35, showed flashes of dominance in 25 outings with the Phillies last year and if his slider resembles its former self, he'll be well-worth the $1MM commitment.
The Nationals are poised to contend for the first time since moving to Washington, especially since an extra Wild Card spot is now in play. They've got an electrifying rotation and a strong bullpen. If their offense rebounds the way they expect it to, this club promises to finish above .500 and make a run at the postseason.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
AL East Notes: Maxwell, Moore, Red Sox
If the Dodgers are worth $2.15 billion, what are the Yankees worth? Here are some AL East-related notes, starting in the Bronx…
- The Astros and Orioles have some interest in Yankees outfielder Justin Maxwell, but haven’t discussed a possible deal with GM Brian Cashman, George A. King III of the New York Post reports. Maxwell is out of options and could be available in trades before Opening Day.
- Andrew Simon explores the risks and rewards of long-terms deals for unproven players in a piece for MLB.com. Left-hander Matt Moore thought his options over carefully before signing long-term with the Rays this offseason. "Matt came at it from a very, very intellectual standpoint, and we gave him all the information," agent Matt Sosnick said.
- Red Sox right-hander Vicente Padilla said through a translator that he would prefer to pitch in relief for Boston than go to another team, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com (Twitter link).
- Chris Carpenter, the right-handed reliever who joined the Red Sox as compensation for Theo Epstein, will undergo surgery to remove a bone spur from his pitching elbow, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com writes.
Latest On Phillies, Cole Hamels
The Phillies know how much it will cost to lock Cole Hamels up to an extension, and the sides appear to be making progress toward a long-term deal, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports. No deadline exists, but Opening Day looms as an unofficial turning point for the negotiations.
One person tells Salisbury that the Phillies are prepared to pay the left-hander in excess of $20MM per season on a multiyear deal. However, contract length is an issue, as the Phillies prefer a four-year agreement, while Hamels and agent John Boggs want more.
Another person said talks have been progressing and predicted the sides will reach an agreement. This means there’s still a chance the Phillies will keep Hamels off of the open market and away from potential bidders like the Dodgers and Yankees. The 28-year-old is on track to hit free agency after the 2012 season.
Dodgers Notes: Free Agents, Colletti, Mattingly
NBA legend Magic Johnson and longtime MLB executive Stan Kasten lead the group that agreed yesterday to purchase the Dodgers from owner Frank McCourt for $2.15 billion. The sale price of the Dodgers shatters the previous MLB record of $845MM and bodes well for the 29 other owners. Here’s some of the reaction to last night’s news:
- The new Dodgers owners are buying the team with cash rather than financing, Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports (Twitter links). MLB’s review of the sale is expected to be a formality, since no debt is being added.
- Kasten told Shaikin he doesn't plan to make changes to the Dodgers' front office. "I go in assuming everyone is doing their job properly," he said.
- Estimates for the total value of the Dodgers’ upcoming TV deal are as high as $4 billion, David Wharton of the Times writes.
- Peter Gammons of MLB Network points out that prospective free agents such as Andre Ethier, David Wright, Matt Cain, Cole Hamels and Mike Napoli benefit from the sale of the Dodgers (Twitter link). The presence of another potentially aggressive bidder should help top free agents.
- Hamels’ intentions are clear, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (Twitter link). The Phillies can offer market value and extend him now, or he’ll wait until after the season when someone else will spend big on him.
- Though MLB owners have only officially approved the Johnson-Kasten bid at $1.6 billion, it’s extremely difficult to see owners objecting to the $2.15 billion sale price at this point, as Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com points out (Twitter link).
- Johnson invested way more than a million in the bid, Yahoo’s Tim Brown reports (all Twitter links). “He has significant money," one insider told Brown.
- The fates of GM Ned Colletti and manager Don Mattingly haven’t been discussed, but immediate changes seem unlikely, Brown writes. Kasten and Colletti have a good relationship and have spoken often in recent weeks.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports will understand if Dodgers fans are rejoicing in response to the news.
Minor Moves: Marrero, Thurston, Guzman
Keeping track of the day’s minor moves…
- The White Sox sent outfielder Christian Marrero to the Braves for cash considerations, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). It appears that he'll start the 2012 season in the minor leagues.
- The Phillies signed Joe Thurston, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com (on Twitter). He'll open the season in the minors. The Astros released the utility player earlier today, according to the team’s senior director of social media, Alyson Footer (Twitter link). The 32-year-old has MLB experience at second and third and in both corner outfield positions. He owns a .226/.305/.323 line in parts of seven MLB seasons.
- The Dodgers signed right-hander Kyle Smit, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus tweets. Smit had spent the past few seasons in the Cubs’ organization.
- Cristian Guzman says the Indians released him, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The veteran infielder signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland last month, though he didn't play affiliated baseball in 2011.
Twins Release Joel Zumaya
11:51am: The Twins have to pay Zumaya his full $850K salary because he was injured prior to the start of the season, reports Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter). GM Terry Ryan confirmed this to Twins reporters at camp.
7:41am: The Twins announced that they have officially released right-hander Joel Zumaya (Twitter link). Zumaya will miss the 2012 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. The move creates 40-man roster space for the Twins.
The Twins signed Zumaya to a low-risk Major League deal that would have guaranteed him $850K for making Minnesota's Opening Day roster. The hard-throwing 27-year-old hasn't pitched in the Major Leagues since June of 2010, but has a career 3.05 ERA with a 9.0 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 in 209 2/3 innings.
Rangers Relievers Drawing Interest
Teams seeking bullpen depth have started calling the Rangers about possible trades, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. The Rangers may be able to part with a right-handed reliever now that left-hander Robbie Ross has made a strong case for a 25-man roster spot.
Right-handers Koji Uehara and Mark Lowe may be expendable in trades. They’ll earn $4MM and $1.7MM, respectively, before hitting free agency next offseason. The Rangers are still looking for a middle infielder who can play short and a right-handed hitting outfielder for the bench, according to Grant.
Rosenthal On Byrd, Bernadina, Snider
March is generally a quiet time for trades, but there's often a flurry of activity toward the end of the month. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has the latest rumors from around the Major Leagues…
- At this point a trade involving Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd is unlikely. The 34-year-old has been drawing some interest this spring, but a trade in July seems more realistic.
- Rival officials say Roger Bernadina isn’t a favorite of GM Mike Rizzo’s. The Nationals could part with Bernadina and rely on Rick Ankiel and Brett Carroll in center field until Bryce Harper’s ready for his MLB debut.
- Travis Snider isn’t drawing much trade interest, even though rival clubs like him. The Blue Jays are reluctant to trade the 24-year-old left fielder when his value is low, especially since they may need him at some point in the season.
- The Diamondbacks seek a long-term solution at catcher and have targeted 10-15 possible trade candidates. Miguel Montero's expected to test free agency after the 2012 season.