Ben Nicholson-Smith | MLB Trade Rumors

Dodgers Sign Todd Coffey

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 7:03pm CDT

The Dodgers have signed Todd Coffey to a one-year deal with a club option for 2013, the team announced. He'll earn $1MM in 2013, and the club option is worth $2.5MM with a $300K buyout for a total guarantee of $1.3MM. The Beverly Hills Sports Council represents Coffey.

Coffey posted a 3.62 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 43.6% ground ball rate in 59 2/3 innings for the Nationals in 2011. The 31-year-old owns a 4.08 ERA with 6.7 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 51% ground ball rate over the course of seven MLB seasons. He has been considerably more effective against right-handed hitting as a big league pitcher.

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti had already added relievers Mike MacDougal ($1MM deal) and John Grabow (minor league deal) to the bullpen mix this offseason. The Dodgers also signed starters Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang to two-year contracts. Free agents Luis Ayala, Shawn Camp, Scott Linebrink and Michael Wuertz are out there for teams seeking right-handed relievers.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first reported news of the agreement while Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times added details (all Twitter links).

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Girardi Hopes To Add One More Bat

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 4:28pm CDT

Only one MLB team outscored the 2011 Yankees, but manager Joe Girardi wouldn’t object if GM Brian Cashman adds one more bat to the roster before Opening Day. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports that Girardi suggested he’d prefer a left-handed hitter and openly discussed free agents Johnny Damon, Raul Ibanez and Hideki Matsui.

"I think we've had a good offseason; I think Brian has done a really good job this offseason in what he's done,” he said. “But I think it's important to our club that you add that other bat. The American League is going to be tough."

Girardi said he’d prefer to add a left-handed hitter, though the club won't rule out right-handed bats. A lefty hitter would provide Girardi with a complement to Andruw Jones, who has power from the right side. The skipper acknowledged that Damon, Matsui and Ibanez have historically been strong offensive players, but cautioned that it’s too early to say which of those left-handed hitters, if any, are serious targets for the Yankees. Damon and Vladimir Guerrero appear to be seeking $5MM contracts for 2012.

The Nationals’ Search For Pitching

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 2:58pm CDT

Now that they’ve traded for Gio Gonzalez and signed Edwin Jackson, the Nationals’ projected rotation looks significantly stronger than it did in 2011. Last year, Washington’s rotation included Livan Hernandez and Jason Marquis, along with Jordan Zimmermann, John Lannan, Stephen Strasburg and Chien-Ming Wang. I wasn’t overly impressed with GM Mike Rizzo’s offseason additions at this point last offseason.

“It's a passable rotation, but the Nationals had hoped for more,” I wrote on January 31st, 2011. “If and when they start winning, luring free agent arms to D.C. will likely be easier, but Rizzo has a challenge before him until then.”

One year later, the Nationals have upgraded their rotation in a meaningful way by adding young, hard-throwing pitchers with upside. Hernandez was 36 last year and Marquis was 32. In their places, the rotation now features Jackson and Gonzalez, who are entering their age-28 and age-26 seasons, respectively. Hernandez’s average fastball was just shy of 84mph in 2011 and Marquis’ average fastball checked in at 89.3 mph. Jackson and Gonzalez are among the game’s hardest-throwing starters, as are Strasburg and Zimmermann (all four had an average fastball of at least 92 mph in '11).

The Nationals’ rotation posted respectable numbers in categories such as ERA (3.80, 11th in MLB) and walk rate (2.6 BB/9, 8th in MLB) last year. But it was below average in other categories, such as strikeout rate (5.7 K/9, 29th in MLB).

Only two teams obtained fewer innings from their starters than Washington in 2011, and no Nationals starter threw 200 innings. As Rizzo noted yesterday, six of the eight 2011 playoff teams had at least two starters reach the 200 inning plateau. Jackson has averaged 200 innings per season since 2008 and Gonzalez has completed 200 innings in both of the past two seasons, so the Nationals added more than youth and velocity to their starting corps — they added durability without sacrificing upside.

The Nationals were linked to Mark Buehrle before he signed with the Marlins for $58MM and to C.J. Wilson before he signed with the Angels for $77.5MM, so it’s worth noting that Jackson’s deal is for only $11MM. Considering that MLBTR ranked Jackson just behind Wilson and ahead of Buehrle at the beginning of the offseason, the deal seems like a particularly good one for the Nationals.

Rays Beat Jeff Niemann In Arbitration

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 2:19pm CDT

The Rays beat Jeff Niemann in yesterday's arbitration hearing, so the right-hander will earn a salary of $2.75MM in 2012, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Niemann and his agents at Hendricks Sports had filed for $3.2MM, while the Rays had countered with $2.75MM, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows.

All of the Rays' arbitration eligible players now have 2012 contracts. The team is now 6-0 in arbitration and has a 5-0 mark under executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Arbitrators James Oldham, Howard Edelman and Mark Irvings heard Niemann's case yesterday. The Nationals beat John Lannan earlier in the week, so teams are 2-0 so far this offseason.

I wouldn't be surprised if Clayton Richard, Matt Harrison and Rick Porcello were some of the comparable pitchers who came up in Niemann's case.

Brewers, Marcum Avoid Arbitration

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 1:47pm CDT

The Brewers announced that they avoided arbitration with Shaun Marcum, agreeing to a one-year deal for 2012. The sides settled at the midpoint of $7.725MM, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports. Turner Gary Sports represents the right-hander.

Marcum had asked for $8.7MM, while the Brewers had countered with $6.75MM, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. Marcum is set to hit free agency after the 2012 season along with a group of starters that currently seems deep. Right-handed reliever Jose Veras is Milwaukee's lone unsigned arbitration eligible player.

Now that Marcum has agreed to terms, Matt Garza has settled with the Cubs and Anibal Sanchez has had his hearing, discussions between the Orioles and Jeremy Guthrie are set to pick up. The sides have a hearing scheduled Monday, but these new settlements figure to re-shape discussions to an extent.

Anibal Sanchez Had Arbitration Hearing Today

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 1:37pm CDT

Marlins right-hander Anibal Sanchez had his arbitration hearing today, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN.com). Sanchez asked for $8MM, while the Marlins countered with $6.9MM. Arbitrators Elizabeth Neumeier, James Oldham and Gil Vernon and are expected to reach a decision by Saturday.

As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, Sanchez and Emilio Bonifacio are the team's two unsigned arbitration eligible players. Sanchez is entering his final season as an arbitration eligible player after earning $3.7MM in 2011. Earlier in the week I previewed a possible extension between him and the Marlins.

Orioles Release Rick VandenHurk

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 12:59pm CDT

FRIDAY: VandenHurk cleared waivers and was released, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun tweets.

THURSDAY: The Orioles have placed Rick VandenHurk on release waivers, Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter links). The right-hander, who was designated for assignment last week, could be claimed by another team before his release becomes official tomorrow.

VandenHurk, 26, has experience in five big league 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" native of the Netherlands 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.

Minor Moves: Tallet, Smith

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 12:25pm CDT

The latest minor moves from around MLB…

The Pirates signed left-hander Brian Tallet, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus tweets. In 13 1/3 innings for the Cardinals and Blue Jays last year, Tallet posted a 9.45 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9. He was effective against left-handed hitters in 2010, but missed time in 2011 with a broken left hand and then a right intercostal strain.
The Angels signed left-hander Greg Smith to a minor league deal, Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweets. Smith, who last appeared in the Majors in 2010, posted a 4.16 ERA in 32 starts as a rookie with the 2008 Athletics. The 28-year-old posted a 3.88 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in the minor leagues last year.

Rockies To Extend Matt Belisle

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 10:59am CDT

The Rockies agreed to a one-year extension with right-handed reliever Matt Belisle, the team announced (on Twitter). CAA Sports represents Belisle.

Belisle was already under contract for 2012 ($3.775MM salary) under an extension he signed a year ago. The new deal is worth an additional $4.35MM, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets.It covers the 2012 and 2013 seasons and includes a mutual option for 2014. Belisle, 31, posted a 3.25 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 72 innings last year. His extension resembles the one the Rockies and right-hander Rafael Betancourt agreed to last month.

Indians Notes: Kotchman, LaPorta, Cabrera

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 3, 2012 at 9:45am CDT

The Indians made one of their most significant moves of the offseason yesterday signing Casey Kotchman to a one-year, $3MM contract. GM Chris Antonetti explained the deal this morning and Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Jordan Bastian of MLB.com have the details:

Antonetti said the Indians are still working to create 40-man roster space for Kotchman, Hoynes tweets. The Indians were in on Kotchman last offseason, Bastian tweets.
Matt LaPorta will have the chance to win the first base job in Spring Training, but the Indians intend for him to play every day, Hoynes tweets. Bastian suggests LaPorta, who has options remaining, will likely open the season in Triple-A (Twitter link).
Asdrubal Cabrera is in Cleveland and the team is discussing a multiyear deal with the shortstop, Antonetti said, according to Hoynes. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined a possible extension for Cabrera about a month ago, suggesting that a four-year, $27MM contract could work for both sides. Cabrera asked for $5.2MM through arbitration and the Indians offered $3.75MM.

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