Blue Jays Sign Chad Cordero
The Blue Jays have signed Chad Cordero, according to Reynolds Sports, the pitcher's agency, and the team (Twitter links). Cordero is just 28, but he has already experienced his share of highs and lows as a major leaguer.
He made the All-Star team and led the National League with 47 saves in 2005, when he finished fifth in Cy Young balloting and even picked up votes in the MVP race. But Cordero underwent right shoulder surgery in 2008 and has only appeared in nine big league games since.
Cordero posted a 3.03 ERA in 35 2/3 innings for the Mets' and Mariners' Triple-A affiliates last year. His strikeout (9.1 K/9) and walk (2.3 BB/9) numbers were strong in the minor leagues, but they didn't translate in his brief return to the majors.
Cordero will likely compete with pitchers such as Carlos Villanueva, Josh Roenicke, David Purcey, Jesse Carlson and Rommie Lewis for jobs in the Jays' 'pen this spring.
Phillies, Durbin Exchange Offers
The Phillies have made Chad Durbin a formal offer and the pitcher and his representatives at Beverly Hills Sports Council have made a counter-offer, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The reliever is negotiating with the Phillies and several other interested teams, but Durbin would prefer to return to Philadelphia, according to Gelb.
Durbin, who made $2.125MM in 2010, “is believed to be seeking a raise,” Gelb writes. The 33-year-old right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 68 2/3 innings last season, his third in Philadelphia.
Blue Jays Sign Octavio Dotel
The Blue Jays' deal with Octavio Dotel is official, the team announced. The sides agreed on a $3MM contract for 2011 plus a $3.5MM club option for 2012, according to the team. Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com (Twitter links) first reported the deal.
Dotel will be the frontrunner for Toronto's closer job this spring, though he'll have to earn it, according to Morosi.
The Blue Jays lost Scott Downs to the Angels and Kevin Gregg also seems likely to depart via free agency. To a certain extent, Dotel actually resembles Gregg statistically. Both walked about one batter per two innings last year, while Dotel (10.5 K/9) struck out more opponents than Gregg (8.8 K/9). Gregg picked up 37 saves to Dotel's 22 and posted a lower ERA (Gregg: 3.51 ERA, Dotel: 4.08 ERA). Gregg also throws slightly harder, is five years younger and induces more ground balls. The two pitchers are both represented by Beverly Hills Sports Council.
The Blue Jays could have exercised Gregg's $4.5MM option for 2011 after the season, but chose to decline. Assuming Gregg signs a major league deal elsewhere, they'll end up with an extra supplementary first round draft choice and a bullpen that costs $1MM less (the difference between Dotel's guarantee and Gregg's option).
The Pirates – the first of the three teams Dotel played for last year – and the Rays were among Dotel's suitors this offseason. The Rockies – the third of the three teams he played for – will obtain a supplementary first round pick in next year's draft since they offered the Type B reliever arbitraiton.
It's worth noting that Colorado will get a compensation pick for a player who appeared in eight games as a Rockie. Even more remarkably, the Blue Jays gained a supplementary first round pick for losing former Rockie Miguel Olivo, a player who never once suited up for them.
Reds To Sign Jeremy Hermida
The Reds agreed to sign Jeremy Hermida to a minor league deal, according to the team (on Twitter). The move fills out Cincinnati's outfield and lessens the need for Fred Lewis or Scott Podsednik. Career Sports represents Hermida, who turns 27 this month.
Hermida joins Drew Stubbs, Jonny Gomes and Chris Heisey in a primarily right-handed outfield (Jay Bruce is the lone lefty hitter). Hermida bats from the left side and has a career .267/.342/.432 line against righties, so he could provide manager Dusty Baker with an alternative starter most days. The former first rounder hit .216/.268/.351 for the Red Sox and A's last year, playing left and right.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports first reported the agreement and MLB.com's Mark Sheldon first reported that the sides were close to a deal.
Giants, Renteria Talking Again
The Giants and Edgar Renteria are once again discussing a potential deal, according to Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). However, the team is not optimistic about re-signing the infielder, since Renteria has drawn interest from other clubs. The Giants offered a deal in the $1MM range earlier in the offseason, but Renteria didn't like the proposal and suggested it showed a "lack of respect."
The Reds offered Renteria a deal weeks ago, according to ESPN Deportes. Renteria, 34, says he intends to play for two more seasons. He batted .276/.332/.374 in 267 plate appearances last year, missing time with elbow, groin, hamstring and shoulder injuries before returning to form and winning the World Series MVP.
Poll: Recent Rockies Extensions
The Rockies have locked up Troy Tulowitzki through 2020 and they've agreed to a deal that should keep Carlos Gonzalez in Denver through 2017. Both are powerful young hitters capable of playing premium defensive positions at a high level, so any team would want them.
Tulowitzki, 26, finished fifth in MVP voting in 2009 and 2010. He plays Gold Glove defense and has an electrifying bat capable of carrying a team (remember those 15 September home runs?). Gonzalez, also a Gold Glove winner, is just 25. He won a batting title last year and hit 34 home runs. Few teams have two elite young players like Tulo and CarGo, so it's not surprising that GM Dan O'Dowd wanted to keep them around.
But the Rockies didn't have to offer Tulowitzki and Gonzalez massive extensions to keep the players in Colorado. They were both under team control through 2014 before they agreed to extensions. You could argue that the Rockies took on unnecessary risk with their recent deals. It begs the question…
Should the Rockies have extended Tulo and CarGo?
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Yes - championship clubs are built around elite players 74% (7,087)
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No - the team took on unnecessary risks 26% (2,522)
Total votes: 9,609
Yankees Rumors: Burnett, Pettitte, Balfour
Here's the latest on the Yankees as they continue to explore ways of improving their pitching staff…
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild will travel to Maryland within a couple of weeks to work with A.J. Burnett on some of the right-hander’s mechanical problems. A bounceback season from Burnett in 2011 would make the Yankees’ rotation considerably more threatening.
- Cashman told Newsday’s Ken Davidoff that the uncertainty surrounding Andy Pettitte’s future is not hurting the team. "Andy isn’t holding us up from doing anything else," Cashman said. Two of Pettitte’s friends tell Davidoff that they think the 38-year-old remains competitive enough to want to play. The left-hander appears to be close to deciding on his plans for 2011.
- The Yankees don’t like the idea of giving up a first round pick to sign Grant Balfour or Rafael Soriano, two Type A relievers who turned down offers of arbitration and are now tied to draft pick compensation.
Nationals, LaRoche Nearing Two-Year Deal
TUESDAY, 7:49am: The Nationals are closing in on a two-year deal with LaRoche, according to Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio (on Twitter). Bowden was GM Mike Rizzo's predecessor in Washington.
MONDAY, 10:38pm: Confidence is growing on both sides that LaRoche will end up in Washington, a person with knowledge of the talks told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
4:44pm: The Nationals are still discussing potential contracts with Adam LaRoche and talks are progressing, according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. Ladson reports that the sides are not far apart on a deal and may continue negotiations today.
The Nationals recently offered LaRoche a two-year deal that appears to be worth $8-9MM per season. Washington appears to be a fit for LaRoche, since there aren't many reliable first basemen available. They could use a first baseman and LaRoche lost a serious suitor when the Orioles agreed to sign Derrek Lee.
As MLBTR's Steve Adams explained yesterday, the Nationals are just one of the options for LaRoche and his representatives at SFX. It appears to be an option that appeals to the first baseman, though - LaRoche told Ladson in December that he likes the Nationals’ direction.
Rangers, Beltre Close To Deal
7:35pm: Jeff Wilson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that Beltre will be in the Dallas area tonight in preparation for a physical on Wednesday. MLB.com's Peter Gammons adds that the Athletics offered six years and $76MM at one point, making the Angels the third highest bidder in the division (Twitter link).
12:49pm: The deal is not done, but it could be worth as much as $96MM over six years, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The contract would include a clause that would allow the Rangers to opt out of the sixth year if Beltre doesn't reach a threshold for plate appearances.
10:15am: The Rangers are close to a six-year deal with Adrian Beltre, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Rangers are making progress and that a deal would be in the $90-100MM range (Twitter links). Yahoo's Jeff Passan agrees that the value of the deal will approach $100MM. A source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the deal would effectively be for five years with a vesting option for a sixth year. (Twitter link). Agent Scott Boras represents Beltre.
Beltre led the American League in doubles last year and added 28 homers, hitting .321/.365/.553 in 641 plate appearances. He made the All-Star team, won his second career Silver Slugger and played standout defense. The defensive metric UZR/150 suggests that Beltre was significantly above average with the glove (12.7 UZR/150) for the eighth time in the past nine seasons. Beltre, 31, would be 37 in the final season of a six-year deal.
Michael Young said yesterday that he'd be willing to move from third base if the Rangers sign Beltre. Young shifted from second base to shortstop when the Rangers traded Alex Rodriguez and from short to third when Elvis Andrus reached the majors, so position switches are nothing new for him. If the Rangers don't trade him, Young figures to appear in the lineup most days as a DH and utility player.
Young has no-trade protection, $48MM remaining on his contract and ten and five rights that take effect this May. The Rangers discussed a potential deal with the Rockies last month, but the team would have to overcome many obstacles to move Young.
Since the Red Sox offered Beltre arbitration, they will obtain two top draft picks next year. One will be a supplementary first rounder and the other will come from the Rangers. It will be Texas' first rounder as long as the Rangers don't sign Rafael Soriano. If they do sign the closer, the Rays would get the Rangers' top pick and the Red Sox would get their second rounder.
The Angels already missed out on Carl Crawford, so losing Beltre to a division rival would be a considerable blow for a franchise that finished below .500 for the first time since 2003 last year. The A's, another one of Beltre's suitors, will once again face the longtime Mariner as a division rival.
This is the second long-term deal of Beltre's career. He signed a five-year, $64MM deal with the Mariners after the 2004 season. In five seasons in Seattle, Beltre hit 103 homers and posted a .266/.317/.442 line while playing stellar defense (that's 3.4 WAR per season, in case you're wondering).
Boras and Beltre accepted a $10MM offer from the Red Sox last offseason, though other clubs offered more guaranteed money. That decision positioned the third baseman for a considerably larger payday.
PioDeportes first reported the agreement over the weekend.
The post was originally published on January 4th.
Rangers Notes: Beltre, Young, Pettitte
The Rangers have been busy today, finalizing deals with Brandon Webb and Arthur Rhodes and designating Clay Rapada and Max Ramirez for assignment in the process. Here are a few more notes on the defending American League champs, from MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan:
- Team officials don't seem optimistic about signing Adrian Beltre. Click here for the latest on the free agent third baseman.
- The Rangers have asked Michael Young what he thinks about switching positions again and he was not receptive to the idea. Troy Renck of the Denver Post hears that the Rockies aren't likely to discuss potential Young trades with the Rangers (Twitter link).
- Earlier in the offseason, the Rangers were interested in Andy Pettitte, according to Sullivan. However, they heard that the lefty will either return to the Yankees or retire. ESPNNewYork reported today that the Yankees expect to hear from Pettitte soon.