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Nationals To Sign Edwin Jackson

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The Nationals haven't finished above .500 since moving to Washington in 2005, but there's reason to expect significant improvement from the 2012 club. GM Mike Rizzo continued bolstering his pitching staff today, agreeing to terms with free agent right-hander Edwin Jackson.

Edwin Jackson

The team announced the one-year deal, and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, who first reported the news (all Twitter links), says the agreement is valued at $11MM. The Scott Boras client will earn $11MM plus incentives this year, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports.

The Nationals' projected starting rotation includes Jackson (pictured), Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Chien-Ming Wang. Every one of the starters except Wang had an average fastball velocity of at least 92 mph in 2011. John Lannan and Ross Detwiler would provide rotation depth, though Lannan is now on the trade block.

Jackson, 28, posted a 3.79 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with a 43.8% ground ball rate in 199 2/3 innings for the White Sox and Cardinals this past season. The hard-throwing right-hander has averaged 208 innings per season with a 3.96 ERA since 2009, but has a career ERA of 4.46 with 6.7 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 since he debuted with the Dodgers on his 20th birthday in 2003. Jackson ranked sixth on MLBTR’s list of top free agents entering the offseason.

Jackson profiled as a Type B free agent after the season and the Cardinals offered him arbitration. They'll obtain a compensatory draft pick in the supplementary first round of this year's amateur draft, but it won't come from the Nationals. 

As MLBTR's Agency Database shows, the Boras Corporation has quite a presence on the Nationals' roster. Danny Espinosa, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth are all Boras clients.

Last week the Nationals added Brad Lidge to a bullpen that includes Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard and Henry Rodriguez. Washington's offense finished 24th in MLB in runs scored last year, but improvements to the pitching staff could make them a threat in the NL East this coming season.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI. Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio first tweeted the value of the deal. 

Cubs, Garza Avoid Arbitration

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The Cubs avoided this morning's scheduled arbitration hearing with Matt Garza, agreeing to a one-year, $9.5MM contract for 2012. Garza's agency, CAA, tweeted the news and noted that the deal includes performance bonuses.

The Cubs had offered $7.95MM and Garza had asked for $12.5MM for a midpoint of $10.225MM. As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, the Cubs have agreed to terms on 2012 contracts with all of their arbitration eligible players.

Garza, 28, posted a 3.32 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 198 innings for the Cubs last year. He's a super two player who will be arbitration eligible for a fourth and final time next offseason. I examined the possibility of an extension between Garza and the Cubs earlier this offseason.

Updated Look At The 2013 Free Agent Starters

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As the 2011-12 offseason concludes, next winter's market becomes easier to anticipate, since team needs are clearer and the 2012-13 free agent list is taking shape. The Nationals agreed to terms with Edwin Jackson on a one-year deal yesterday and Roy Oswalt is expected to sign a one-year deal of his own before long, so both right-handers will likely reappear on the free agent market a year from now. 

Four All-Star caliber starters are projected to join them: left-hander Cole Hamels and right-handers Zack Greinke, Matt Cain and Anibal Sanchez. Jackson, Hamels, Greinke, Cain and Sanchez each contributed at least 3.8 wins above replacement in 2011 and they're all 27 or 28 years old. If they continue pitching at an All-Star level in 2012, they'll be candidates for substantial long-term deals in free agency.

Ryan Dempster, Jeremy Guthrie, Hiroki Kuroda, Colby Lewis, Shaun Marcum, Jonathan Sanchez, Brandon McCarthy and others add depth to the projected free agent market. Some of those pitchers could position themselves for multiyear deals with strong seasons, while others will end up signing one-year contracts.

Keep in mind that this isn't a final look at the starting pitching market. Last year four starters signed extensions between the beginning of February and the end of April, as MLBTR's Exension Tracker shows. Some of the starters listed above will likely sign multiyear deals and weaken the projected 2013 free agent class in the process.

Indians Sign Casey Kotchman

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The Indians announced that they have signed Casey Kotchman to a one-year contract. Casey Close of Excel Sports Management represents the first baseman, who will earn $3MM in 2012.

Kotchman signed a minor league deal with the Rays about a year ago, and posted an unexpectedly strong .306/.378/.422 line in 563 plate appearances. Kotchman, who turns 29 this month, is a ground ball hitter who had 36 extra base hits in 2011. UZR suggests he is an above-average defensive first baseman. He ranked 36th on MLBTR's list of top 50 free agents entering the offseason.

The right-handed hitting Matt LaPorta and the switch-hitting Carlos Santana had been projected to share time at first base in Cleveland this year. Kotchman, who bats from the left side, now figures to get most plate appearances against right-handers and Santana may still see time at first against left-handers.

Corner infielder/outfielder Shelley Duncan is out of options, while Laporta has options remaining, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. This could play into the team's decision process between now and Opening Day. The Indians acquired another first base option, Russ Canzler, earlier this week. 

The first base market has settled in recent weeks, with Kotchman, Carlos Pena and Prince Fielder all finding new teams. Derrek Lee is one remaining free agent first base option, but it's unclear whether he'll play in 2012.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first tweeted news of the agreement, with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer adding the terms of the deal (Twitter links).

Marlins Notes: Cespedes, Sanchez, Oviedo

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The Marlins’ offseason is nearing completion, but there’s business to attend to before Opening Day. Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel has the latest from team president David Samson…

  • Samson isn’t sure whether Yoenis Cespedes will visit the Miami area before deciding where to sign, but the sides continue to talk. “Our offseason is not dependent on signing Cespedes at all,” Samson said.
  • Samson ruled out an extension for Anibal Sanchez, at least for now. Sanchez’s arbitration hearing will take place tomorrow, so we’ll soon know whether he’ll earn $8MM or $6.9MM in 2012. I examined Sanchez as an extension candidate earlier this week.
  • Samson doesn’t expect Juan Carlos Oviedo to be on the Marlins’ Opening Day roster, but he said the 29-year-old right-hander will likely be in Spring Training. MLB may discipline Oviedo for falsifying his identity.
  • Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson are ready for the season, Samson said.

Jeff Niemann Had Arbitration Hearing

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Rays right-hander Jeff Niemann had his arbitration hearing today, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported. Niemann and his agents at Hendricks Sports asked for $3.2MM, while the Rays countered with $2.75MM. Arbitrators James Oldham, Howard Edelman and Mark Irvings heard the case today and a decision is expected tomorrow morning, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN).

The Rays are 5-0 in arbitration and have a 4-0 mark under executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Niemann is the team's lone unsigned arbitration eligible player, as our Arbitration Tracker shows. The Nationals beat John Lannan in yesterday's hearing, which makes teams 1-0 so far this year.

Damon & Guerrero Seek $5MM Deals

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Teams say Johnny Damon and Vladimir Guerrero are looking for deals worth $5MM or so, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark tweets. The asking prices appear to be suppressing interest in the pair of designated hitters.

Though Damon and Guerrero are among the biggest names available in free agency, they haven't played the outfield regularly in years and will likely be limited to DH or bench jobs in 2012. At this point in the offseason, most AL teams have a DH in place and clubs have limited funds for complementary players, so the market for Damon and Guerrero doesn't appear strong.

Damon, 38, signed for $8MM in February of 2010 and for $5.25MM at the end of January, 2011. Guerrero also has experience signing late. The 36-year-old signed for $7.6MM in February of 2011.

Nationals Beat Lannan In Arbitration

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The Nationals beat John Lannan in arbitration, so the left-hander will earn $5MM in 2012, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post tweets. A hearing took place yesterday to determine whether Lannan should earn $5.7MM, as he and his representatives at CAA requested, or $5MM, as the Nationals offered.

All of the Nationals' arbitration eligible players are now signed for 2012, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. Lannan was arbitration eligible for the second time this offseason and will remain under club control through 2013. The 27-year-old posted a 3.70 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings last year. It marked the third time in four seasons that he has started 30 games, pitched 180-plus innings and kept his ERA under 4.00.

Indians, Rafael Perez Avoid Arbitration

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The Indians announced that they avoided arbitration with left-handed reliever Rafael Perez, agreeing to a one-year contract for 2012. Perez will earn $2.005MM plus incentives this year, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets. Drew Seccafico represents the lefty.

As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, Perez filed for a $2.4MM salary and the Indians countered with an offer of $1.6MM. Asdrubal Cabrera is Cleveland's lone unsigned arbitration eligible player.

Paul Konerko Talks Next Contract

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Paul Konerko said 2013 could be his final season as a player, according to Chuck Garfien of CSNChicago.com. The first baseman turns 36 next month and it's not a given that he'll continue playing after his contract expires following the 2013 campaign.

"Yeah, in all reality I would see it ending after next year or maybe another year,” Konerko said. “I mean, at some point you got to go home and be around your kids and have other things to do."

Konerko expects to consider playing opportunities after the 2013 season, but he doesn’t intend to “hang on for another year and kind of go through the motions.” The White Sox briefly considered making Konerko a player-manager this offseason, and though he doesn’t expect to manage any time soon, it could happen at some point. He posted a .300/.388/.517 line with 31 homers in 2011, when he was named to the American League All-Star team for the fifth time in his career.

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