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Scott Boras Talks Prince Fielder

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Agent Scott Boras told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Prince Fielder hasn’t signed because the process of acquainting MLB owners with the first baseman and his many accomplishments has been time consuming. As always Boras has some memorable quotes, so let's move on to some highlights from his talk with Rosenthal:

  • “It takes a bit longer because these are ownership decisions,” Boras said of the negotiations' slow pace. “I’ve got to sit down with owners. There are a lot of them interested in Prince.”
  • Boras pointed out that attendance is up in Milwaukee and suggested Fielder can increase the value of a franchise by attracting fans to the ballpark and obtaining an improved local TV deal.
  • The agent argued that sluggers like Fielder have “retention value and attraction value” that helps franchises keep their stars and attract new ones. “When you have that guy in the middle of the lineup, it’s, ‘Oh yeah, I want to play with him,’” Boras said. “Jeff Kent won an MVP hitting behind Barry Bonds. Ryan Braun won an MVP hitting in front of Fielder.”
  • Boras made it clear that Fielder’s market isn’t limited to teams with vacancies at first base. “Prince is not in any way a normal free agent,” he said. “Owners will move players off their teams that already occupy positions to get him.”
  • Fielder has personally met with several owners.
  • Boras repeated that Fielder is a viable option for teams that aren’t poised to contend in 2012.
  • Fielder’s leadership ability is unparalleled, according to Boras. “The man in the batter’s box and the man in the locker room are two very different people," he said. "The man in the locker room is an ambassador, a very sincere and understanding man. In the batter’s box, he is out there, literally uncaged.”

Red Sox Acquire Andrew Bailey

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The Red Sox have acquired Andrew Bailey from the Athletics in a trade that will send Josh Reddick to Oakland and Ryan Sweeney to Boston, the teams announced. First base prospect Miles Head and right-handed pitching prospect Raul Alcantara are going to Oakland in the deal.

Andrew Bailey - A's

Bailey (pictured) figures to replace longtime closer Jonathan Papelbon at the back of Boston's bullpen in 2012. The 27-year-old right-hander posted a 3.24 ERA with 8.9 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 37.1% ground ball rate in 41 2/3 innings in 2011 after recovering a forearm strain that sidelined him early on in the season. MLBTR projects a $3.5MM salary for Bailey in 2012. The two-time All-Star and 2009 AL Rookie of the Year is under team control through 2014.

Reddick, 24, posted a .280/.327/.457 line in 278 plate appearances for the Red Sox this past season. The left-handed hitter got his first extended shot at Major League pitching in 2011, after posting a .278/.332/.500 line in parts of five minor leagues seasons. Reddick has big league experience at all three outfield positions and figures to get the chance to play every day in Oakland. He's under team control through 2016 and won't be arbitration eligible until after the 2013 campaign.

Sweeney, 27 in February, played all three outfield positions for the Athletics in 2011, posting a .265/.346/.341 line in 299 plate appearances. He has experience in parts of six big league seasons and will remain under team control through 2013. Sweeney's career UZR/150 of 9.2 suggests he's an above-average defender, and his numbers in right field are particularly impressive. MLBTR projects a 2012 salary of $1.6MM for Sweeney through arbitration.

Sweeney's a left-handed hitter who has a solid career line of .296/.352/.402 against right-handed pitching. However, GM Ben Cherington may want to pair him with someone who can hit left-handers given his career .233/.306/.289 line against southpaws. Ryan Kalish and Darnell McDonald (.285/.348/.451 career line against lefties) are internal candidates for the Red Sox to consider and right-handed hitting free agents Ryan Spilborghs and Cody Ross could also be fits.

The Red Sox selected Head, now 20, in the 26th round of the 2009 draft. He has posted a .274/.351/.446 line in 861 minor league plate appearances over the course of the past three seasons, but has yet to reach Double-A. Alcantara, who recently turned 19, has a 2.72 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 as a starter in 125 2/3 minor league innings. However, he has just four appearances above Rookie Ball.

Bailey will join the recently-acquired Mark Melancon in a new-look Red Sox bullpen. Boston may move  Daniel Bard to the rotation and Alfredo Aceves might also start, but Matt Albers, Scott Atchison, Bobby Jenks and Franklin Morales are candidates to contribute out of the bullpen in 2012.

ESPN.com's Buster Olney first reported the move (all Twitter links). Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Diamondbacks Sign Cuban Left-Hander

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The Diamondbacks signed Cuban left-hander Alexander Carreras for $400K, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Carreras, who turns 22 on Sunday, had been training in the Dominican Republic with Edgar Mercedes.

Carreras can throw as hard as 93 mph, though some scouts say his fastballs generally sit in the 86-89 mph range. He also mixes in a hard cutter/slider, a breaking ball and a change-up, according to Badler. It appears likely that the lefty will start his career in the minor leagues.

Giants, Lincecum Far Apart In Extension Talks

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A sizable gap still exists between the Giants and arbitration eligible right-hander Tim Lincecum as the sides explore a possible extension, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Negotiations have taken place this winter, but the sides appear to remain a couple of years and tens of millions of dollars apart.

The Giants are believed to have offered Lincecum four years and $80MM or so this past summer and appear to have enhanced the proposal in the past few weeks. Lincecum is “thought to be seeking an eight-year deal,” but Heyman hears that the sides are also presently considering one and two-year options.

Lincecum projects to earn a 2012 salary of $19.2MM through arbitration. The Giants control his rights through 2013, when his salary could approach or exceed $25MM through arbitration. The Giants’ ultimate goal has been to buy out some of Lincecum’s free agent years, according to Heyman.

Lincecum, 27, has a 2.98 ERA with 9.9 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 47.1% ground ball rate in 1028 career innings. The Beverly Hills Sports Council client has two Cy Young Awards and four All-Star Game selections to his name. Only four pitchers — Roy Halladay, C.C. Sabathia, Justin Verlander and Dan Haren — have produced more wins above replacement since 2007, Lincecum's rookie season.

Nationals Sign Mark DeRosa

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WEDNESDAY: The Nationals officially announced their one-year deal with DeRosa today.

THURSDAY: The Nationals have agreed to sign Mark DeRosa, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that the sides were nearing a one-year, Major League deal. The agreement with the utility player is pending a physical, Heyman notes. CSE represents DeRosa, who drew interest from at least four teams this offseason.

DeRosa played in just 47 games in 2011 because of a strained left wrist. The versatile 36-year-old was productive in 2009, posting a .250/.319/.433 line and appearing at five different positions for the Indians and Cardinals. However, he has struggled to stay on the field since signing a two-year deal with the Giants two Decembers ago. When he did play for the Giants, DeRosa posted a forgettable .235/.313/.279 line.

Quick Hits: Theriot, Smith, Athletics, Dodgers

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It’s been a quiet day from a transactions standpoint, but we’ve got some late night links to pass along as Tuesday turns into Wednesday…

  • The Rockies have some interest in free agent infielder Ryan Theriot, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter links). The Rockies are considering many options at second base and there’s no indication that the team is seriously pursuing Theriot at the moment, but it’s the first time he’s been linked to Colorado since the Cardinals non-tendered him earlier this month.
  • It’s “very likely” that the Rockies will trade Seth Smith before Opening Day, Renck writes.
  • Athletics managing partner Lew Wolff told Jane Lee and Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com that the club isn't any closer to moving to San Jose to his knowledge. "We're still looking for a 'yes' or 'no' answer," he said. USA Today recently reported that the A’s may soon obtain permission to move.
  • Free agent infielder Omar Vizquel suggested on Twitter that he wouldn't consider signing with the Mets. The 44-year-old has indicated that he would be interested in signing with the Giants.
  • Billionaire Steven Cohen is bidding for the Dodgers, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. Agent Arn Tellem and former deputy commissioner Steve Greenberg are allies with Cohen, who has already met with some MLB owners, according to Shaikin.

The 80-89 Win Club

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Approximately one quarter of the teams in baseball won between 80 and 89 games last year. None of the seven clubs made the playoffs, but all of them were within striking distance of a postseason berth. The teams have had wildly different approaches to the 2011-12 offseason — at least so far. I've broken the clubs down into two groups, with their 2011 win totals in parentheses and links that send you to the club's offseason transactions summary:

Aggressive Spenders

Restrained Spenders

Two teams — the Cardinals and Tigers — graduated from the 80-89 win club to the postseason in 2011.

Extension Candidate: Cole Hamels

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Cole Hamels turns 28 today and by the time he turns 29 there’s a good chance he’ll have signed a new contract — either with the Phillies or as a free agent. The left-hander is one season away from hitting free agency for the first time in his career, so an extension with the Phillies is possible. Hamels has said he’d like to stay in Philadelphia and the Phillies have the need and resources to keep him in place.

Cole Hamels - Phillies

Hamels was born nine months before Matt Cain and drafted eight spots before the Giants right-hander. Both have distinguished themselves from the competition at the Major League level over the course of the past six seasons, but the question of which pitcher is more effective remains unanswered, as this comparison of their career stats shows. 

Cain, the harder thrower, has more innings to his name, more 200 inning seasons and a slight edge in career wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference. Hamels, who has the shinier win-loss record, induces more ground balls and has struck out more hitters per inning while allowing fewer walks.

When MLBTR’s Luke Adams examined a possible extension for Cain two days ago, he pointed out that the going rate for elite arms on long term deals falls in the $20MM per season range. Hamels hasn’t won a Cy Young Award like teammates Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, so a contract north of $20MM may not be realistic at this point, when only one team — the Phillies — can bid. However, the Phils had the biggest payroll in the National League this past season, so it’s not as though they’ll have to ask Hamels for a hometown discount.

The Giants and Phillies valued Cain and Hamels similarly when they drafted them eight spots apart from one another nearly a decade ago. Even though the two high schoolers have since become some of the game’s best pitchers, their value relative to one another remains similar. A five-year, $100MM contract could work for Hamels and the Phillies, just as it could work for Cain and the Giants. 

MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz estimates a 2012 salary of $14MM for Hamels through arbitration. Four free agent seasons at $20MM per year and a $5MM buyout for an option year would bring the value of a possible deal to the $100MM range. It’s probably less than what Hamels, a John Boggs and Associates client, could obtain on the open market if he delivers another strong season in 2012. But it would provide the left-hander with security and the opportunity to hit free agency again at the age of 32 — the same age Lee was when he signed for $120MM last offseason.

If there's one pitcher who's more comparable to Hamels than Cain, it's Jered Weaver, the Angels right-hander who signed a team-friendly five-year $85MM extension during the 2011 season. Baseball-Reference says Hamels and Weaver are each other's top statistical comparables, which means the Phillies can argue Hamels should earn $17.5MM per free agent season, just as Weaver will. However, Hamels has bargaining power since he's closer to free agency than Weaver was last summer and is starting from a higher 2011 salary. Plus, Hamels is a year younger than Weaver and his resume includes 13 excellent postseason starts and a World Series MVP award.

Hamels’ injury history could give the Phillies pause. He struggled with injuries as a minor leaguer and early in his MLB career, spent time on the 15-day DL this August due to left shoulder inflammation and had a hernia repaired and loose bodies removed from his pitching elbow after the season. To his credit, he has averaged 31 starts and 206 innings since 2007, his first full season in the Phillies' rotation.

While the Phillies might balk at the possibility of a rotation that includes three $20MM pitchers, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. spent upwards of $65MM on Philadelphia’s rotation this past season, proving his willingness to commit to starters. The club won 102 games behind a historically good pitching staff in 2011, so it won’t be a surprise if ownership is willing to spend on future rotations.

Now that the Phillies have addressed most of their offseason needs, the front office can focus on the possibility of an extension for Hamels over the course of the next few months. Don’t be surprised if five years and $100MM works for both sides. If not, Hamels will enter the 2012 season with the chance to become the most coveted pitcher of the 2012-13 offseason.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Prince Fielder Rumors: Tuesday

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7:45pm: Boras told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com that there's no chance Fielder would prefer a short-term deal. "Not only is that inaccurate and delusional, but it seems that some people have gotten into their New Year's Eve stash just a little bit early this year," he said. At least six teams appear to be interested in Fielder, Levine writes. "It appears some baseball people are just bored," Boras said. "That's when you hear ideas like that floated."

5:10pm: MLBTR readers expect Prince Fielder to sign a long-term deal, but some general managers think agent Scott Boras could try something else. Several GMs told Peter Gammons of MLB Network that they think Fielder could agree to a three-year deal worth $26MM per season then return to the free agent market as a 30-year-old (Twitter link).

Albert Pujols signed for $25.4MM per season earlier this month, establishing a record for first basemen. Pujols agreed to his ten-year deal during this year's Winter Meetings, where Boras argued that a long-term deal makes sense for Fielder and his suitors.

"People say ‘why don’t you do a three-year deal?,’" Boras told reporters. "That doesn’t fit anybody’s purposes. The length of contract has a lot to do with an understanding from both sides of what franchise players are and what they mean. The branding part, the media rights part — all of those things go into that and while the initial concept is shorter is better, the reality is with these types of players it’s usually not the best dynamic for the franchise."

It's been three weeks since the Winter Meetings took place, so it's possible Boras and Fielder have changed their approach. Based on Boras' comments and the scarcity of power bats available I still expect Fielder to sign a long-term deal. Fielder hasn't found the offer he's looking for so far, but he's the top free agent available and it appears likely that he will get long-term offers to his liking before the winter ends.

Yakult Swallows Sign Lastings Milledge

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The Tokyo Yakult Swallows have announced the signing of outfielder Lastings Milledge, according to a Sanspo report passed on by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. The deal is worth approximately $570K plus performance bonuses and includes a club option for 2013.

The Mets selected Milledge, now 26, with the 12th overall selection in the 2003 draft. He made the Major Leagues in 2006 and posted a .787 OPS in '07 as a 22-year-old. However the Mets traded him to Washington after the 2007 season and before long the Nationals sent him to Pittsburgh. Milledge signed with the White Sox before the 2011 season, but appeared in just two games for Chicago. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a .295/.364/.441 line in 505 plate appearances.

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