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Nationals Acquire Ian Krol

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The Nationals announced that they acquired left-hander Ian Krol from the Athletics (Twitter link). The move completes the three-way trade that sent Michael Morse to Seattle in January. The A's acquired John Jaso in the deal and sent minor league right-handers A.J. Cole, Blake Treinen and a player to be named to Washington.

Krol, 21, spent the 2012 season at Class A and Double-A. He spent most of the season with the Stockton Ports of the Class A California League, posting a 5.21 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 86 1/3 innings. The A's initially selected Krol in the seventh round of the 2009 amateur draft.

Giants, Posey Begin Extension Talks

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The Giants have begun talking with Buster Posey's representatives about a potential mega-deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Jeff Berry of CAA Sports represents Posey, who will earn $8MM in 2013 as a first-time arbitration eligible player.

There’s a “decent-sized gap” between the Giants and Posey’s representatives, Heyman reports. Neither side has given up, however, and the possibility of a long-term deal still exists. Heyman suggests that Posey would like to sign for ten years or more, adding that the Giants aren’t opposed to this notion. It’s possible the Giants will simply sign Posey through his arbitration years, Heyman reports. First the team will see if there’s a fit long-term.

Posey, a super two player, will go to arbitration three more times. If he doesn't sign a long-term deal, he'll be eligible for free agency following the 2016 season. Still just 25, Posey has two World Series titles, a Rookie of the Year award and an MVP on his resume. In parts of four MLB seasons he has a .314/.380/.503 batting line.

A ten-year deal that begins in 2013 would buy out six free agent seasons and would cost well over $100MM. Buster Olney of ESPN.com has suggested Joey Votto's 12-year deal could provide a framework for the Giants and Posey. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports recently estimated that adding a seven-year, $120MM deal to Posey's 2013 salary could work for both sides.

Marlins Release Chone Figgins

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The Marlins released utility player Chone Figgins, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter). The Marlins signed the ACES client to a minor league deal last month after the Mariners released him with one year remaining on his contract.

Figgins signed a four-year, $36MM deal with the Mariners after the 2009 season but hit just .227/.302/.283 in three seasons with the team.  He is still owed $8MM for 2013, a sum for which the Mariners will mostly remain responsible. Figgins posted a .181/.262/.271 batting line in 194 plate appearances with the Mariners last year. He played all three outfield positions and appeared at third base.

Pirates Acquire John McDonald

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1:03pm: The teams announced the trade, which sends McDonald to the Pirates for a player to be named or cash considerations.

11:19am: The Pirates acquired infielder John McDonald from the Diamondbacks, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The Diamondbacks will obtain a player to be named later in the deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Rosenthal reported eight days ago that the Diamondbacks were looking to trade McDonald.

McDonald appeared in 70 games as a shortstop, second baseman and third baseman last year, posting a .249/.295/.386 batting line with six home runs. The 14-year veteran has a reputation as an excellent defender, and UZR suggests that McDonald's play has remained solid in recent years.

McDonald, 38, is now entering the second season of a two-year, $3MM contract. He'll earn $1.5MM in 2013 then become a free agent. He joins a Pirates infield that includes starters Neil Walker, Clint Barmes and Pedro Alvarez. Utility player Josh Harrison backed up up Barmes in 2012 and projects as a bench player again in 2013.

Brewers, Athletics Swap Minor Leaguers

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The Brewers announced that they acquired third baseman Stephen Parker from the Athletics for right-hander Darren Byrd. Neither player has MLB experience.

The Athletics originally drafted Parker in the fifth round of the 2009 draft. The 25-year-old spent the 2012 season at Triple-A, where he posted a .256/.327/.390 batting line in 375 plate appearances. Parker, a left-handed hitter, has spent most of his minor league career playing first and third base.

Byrd, 26, signed with the Brewers as a minor league free agent in 2010. He spent three years in the Milwaukee farm system, pitching at Double-A Huntsville in 2012. He posted a 2.59 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 73 innings of relief work last year.

Offseason In Review: Kansas City Royals

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After improving their starting rotation the Royals can be considered a sleeper team entering the 2013 season. 

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

  • Wil Myers, Vin Mazzaro, Joakim Soria, Mike Montgomery, Brandon Sisk, Patrick Leonard.

Needs Addressed

Dayton Moore made his move this offseason, exchanging one of the game’s top prospects for a dependable frontline starter. The Royals also re-worked the back of the rotation in an effort to improve their starting pitching and become a well-rounded team capable of contending for the postseason.

Not only does James Shields contribute on the field, he’s under team control through 2014 at a reasonable rate. It’s no surprise he had substantial trade value. Yet it was surprising to many that Moore parted with top prospect Wil Myers to obtain Shields and Wade Davis. The Royals still have a strong system without Myers, and their pitching staff now looks much stronger. As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explained, this depth figured in to the club’s decision making back in December, when multiple teams were pursuing Shields.

Giving up Myers was a bold move that generated lots of criticism. The Royals know Myers better than any organization, so they get the benefit of the doubt to an extent. However, generally speaking an elite prospect on the cusp of the Major Leagues has more value than a frontline starter under team control for two seasons. Plus, Odorizzi and Montgomery are significant pieces. It stands to reason that Shields will help the Royals in 2013-14 more than Myers would have, though the balance shifts for the next five years, when Myers will remain under team control.

Davis will also start for the Royals, along with another newcomer. The Royals traded for Ervin Santana, giving up no significant players while agreeing to take on considerable salary. Santana had a disappointing season in Los Angeles and at $12MM represents more than an impulse buy. It’s just a one-year commitment, but the salary probably exceeds Santana's free agent market value.

Jeremy Guthrie returns on a three-year deal (more on his contract later) to round out the rotation along with Bruce Chen. This bumps Luke Hochevar to the bullpen for now, and begs the question ‘might it have been simpler and more cost-effective to non-tender Hochevar in November?’ 

The Royals made the prudent decision to decline Joakim Soria's 2013 option shortly after the World Series. With many capable relievers already in the organization, the front office didn't have to spend on relief help this winter.

Questions Remaining

The Royals enter the season with Chris Getz and Johnny Giavotella at second base. While the free agent market for second baseman was lackluster, the Royals could have traded for a short-term option to handle the position while Christian Colon’s development continues. I suggested early in the offseason that a deal for someone like Skip Schumaker would have made sense. Instead the Royals must allocate playing time on the fly and hope they get average production, a proposition that seems unlikely for now.

Jeff Francoeur is a question mark for the Royals following an unproductive 2012 season. Still just 29, Francoeur added value as recently as 2011. However, now that Myers is in Tampa Bay the Royals don't have a clear alternative in case Francoeur hits poorly again in 2013. Hopefully ownership will be prepared to spend on upgrades in the outfield and at second base if they're required midseason.

In general the Royals have a young group of position players. There’s upside in Kansas City to be sure, with up and coming players such as Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez and Mike Moustakas joining established stars like Billy Butler and Alex Gordon. Yet with youth comes the reality that players like Hosmer are still developing at the MLB level.

The Royals face questions in their rotation, though it's looking stronger than it has in recent years. Santana posted a 5.16 ERA in 2012 and must pitch better to justify the Royals' acquisition.

Plus, Davis returns to the rotation after pitching effectively out of the bullpen for the 2012 Rays. Credit Davis for his relief work, but don't expect those numbers to translate in 2013. His career strikeout rate, home run rate and batting average on balls in play are substantially better as a reliever, indicating his numbers will drop off in the rotation.

Deal of Note

The Royals clearly wanted Guthrie back, and they were willing to spend to keep him following a strong half season in Kansas City. Overpaying a little to sign a free agent you really want makes sense, especially for teams that haven't historically had an easy time convincing players to join their organizations. But the Royals didn't overpay by a little.

Four free agent starting pitchers obtained deals of at least three years this past winter: Zack Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Edwin Jackson and Guthrie. Not only are Greinke, Sanchez and Jackson coming off of stronger seasons than Guthrie, they're all just 29 years old.

Guthrie, who turns 34 next month, is hittable and homer prone. While he limits walks, he doesn't strike many hitters out or induce a particularly high percentage of ground balls. He's useful, but he's not an impact pitcher. The Royals’ decision to pay him like one was questionable at the time, and looks worse now that comparable pitchers have signed for far less. Spending $25MM to bolster the back of a rotation doesn’t seem necessary in today’s market.

Overview

Moore improved the Royals’ pitching staff and, in doing so, increased the chances that they contend in 2013. This team is vulnerable in many areas, however, so fans may have to wait until 2014 or beyond for the next contending Royals team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dodgers Release Dallas McPherson

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The Dodgers released infielder Dallas McPherson, MLBTR has learned. The 32-year-old client of Pro Talent Sports Group is now a free agent.

McPherson signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in December and had been re-assigned to minor league camp earlier this month. The former top prospect last appeared at the MLB level with the 2011 White Sox. A left-handed hitter, McPherson has 209 home runs and a .289/.370/.563 batting line over the course of ten minor league seasons.

Quick Hits: Lohse, Crosby, Tejada

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Kyle Lohse may not sign with a team until after the first-year player draft takes place in June, writes Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. required).  Where might Lohse sign?  Bowden writes that the Rangers are the most likely destination if he signs before Opening Day, while the Brewers, Orioles, Angels, and Reds are also candidates. Here are more links from around MLB…

  • Recently released infielder Bobby Crosby will look to continue his comeback with an MLB team, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The Brewers released Crosby yesterday after determining that his chances of making the Opening Day roster were slim, but agent Paul Cohen said his client aims to continue playing.
  • MLB owners are moving toward eliminating the pension plans of non-uniformed employees, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has opposed the idea, which will be put to the vote in May. Most owners now want to abolish the pension plan, Rubin reports. This would affect front office executives and scouts, among others.
  • Miguel Tejada has already asked about managing the Dominican Republic team at the next World Baseball Classic in 2017, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. "We'll see," said Moises Alou, the general manager of the Dominican team. Tejada, a veteran of 15 MLB seasons, last played at the MLB level with the 2011 Giants.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Cardinals Release Ronny Cedeno

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The Cardinals released shortstop Ronny Cedeno, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (Twitter links). Cedeno signed a non-guaranteed deal worth $1.2MM before Spring Training.

Cedeno played for the Mets last year, appearing in 78 games, mostly as a middle infielder. The 30-year-old posted a .259/.332/.410 batting line in 186 plate appearances with New York. He earned $1.2MM in 2012 and drew interest from multiple teams this past offseason.

Matt Adams has an excellent chance of making the Cardinals' bench now, as Goold notes. Daniel Descalso figures to back up Pete Kozma at shortstop and Ty Wigginton will provide depth at the corner positions.

Minor Moves: Padres, Cubs, Alvarado

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We’ll track the day’s minor moves here…

  • The Cubs acquired minor league infielder Jose Dore from the Padres for a player to be named later or cash, MLB.com's Corey Brock reports (on Twitter). Dore, 21, has a .222/.300/.353 batting line in three seasons as a professional. The Padres selected him in the eighth round of the 2010 draft.
  • The Rockies signed Giancarlo Alvarado to a minor league deal before the World Baseball Classic began, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Alvarado, who will start for Puerto Rico in the WBC tonight, will join the Rockies’ camp later this week. The 35-year-old right-hander spent the 2012 season with the Yokohama Bay Stars, starting eight games. He posted a 3.92 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 39 innings. Though Alvarado has yet to pitch at the MLB level, he has 17 seasons of minor league experience in affiiliated baseball, independent leagues, Mexico and Japan.

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