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Free Agent Market For Left-handed Relievers

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The free agent market for right-handed relievers features a number of pitchers who succeeded in major league bullpens last year. The selection for teams in search of left-handed relievers isn't quite as good. Here are the free agent lefties (closers excluded) that teams like the Yankees and Phillies will be considering as they look for relief help this winter:

The Type As

Scott Downs and Arthur Rhodes will both cost a draft pick if they turn down arbitration from their respective clubs. The Reds would like to bring Rhodes back and he's interested in returning to Cincinnati, so Downs may be the lone lefty who costs a pick. 

Mets Workhorses

Pedro Feliciano has led the National League in appearances for three consecutive seasons. He posted a 3.30 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 last year and should have his share of suitors. Hisanori Takahashi posted a 3.61 ERA in 122 innings as a swingman for the Mets with 8.4 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. He could re-sign in New York, but that seems unlikely. 

Lefty Specialists

There are a lot of lefty specialists to choose from this year and these relievers all limit lefty batters well (stats are for lefty-lefty matchups only): Randy Choate (9.2 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, 62% ground ball rate), Mark Hendrickson (7.6K/9, 3.2 BB/9), Dennys Reyes (9.5 K/9, 5.2 BB/9, 58% ground ball rate), Will Ohman (9.5 K/9, 4.9 BB/9, 55% ground ball rate) and J.C. Romero (7.8 K/9, 4.3 BB/9, 63% ground ball rate).

Joe Beimel and Ron Mahay don't get as many grounders or strikeouts against left-handed hitters, but they do limit walks well. Taylor Tankersley, a new addition to the free agent pool, has succeeded against lefties throughout his career.

Summary

Downs, Rhodes, Takahashi and Feliciano are four capable left-handers for teams to pursue. Plenty of lefty specialists will remain for teams looking to fill out their bullpens with proven relievers who can retire tough left-handed bats.

Royals Claim Lance Zawadzki

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The Royals claimed infielder Lance Zawadzki off of waivers from the Padres, according to a team press release. Kansas City outrighted Jai Miller to Triple-A and the outfielder will become a free agent tomorrow afternoon. It's the second consecutive day the Royals have made a waiver claim; GM Dayton Moore claimed Joaquin Arias from the Mets yesterday.

Zawadzki, 25, appeared in 20 games for the Padres in May and June. He spent most of the season in the upper minors, where he played second, third and short and batted .225/.291/.316. Miller, 25, batted .236/.300/.345 in 60 big league plate appearances this year. He has a .239/.322/.401 line in eight minor league seasons.

Yankees To Start Contract Talks With Jeter

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The Yankees will start contract talks with Derek Jeter within a day or two, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The shortstop will sign a lucrative deal, but as ESPN.com's Buster Olney points out, we should not assume that the Yankees "feel obligated to pay Jeter the way that they paid [Alex]  Rodriguez; rather, they are intent on not repeating the mistake of investing huge dollars in an aging player."

That doesn't mean Jeter is going anywhere, however. The Yankees want to keep him around and are willing to pay him more than any other team. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports points out that "Jeter is still Jeter, the Yankees are still the Yankees and no other team will be a factor."

The negotiations could get messy, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post has a suggestion. He says the Yankees should lock Jeter up to a three-year $45MM deal plus a 25-year $75MM contract for Jeter to work in the Yankee organization once his playing days end.

Free Agent Market For Right-handed Relievers

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The Tigers, Blue Jays, Cubs and Twins are some of the many teams that will likely consider free agent right-handers for their respective bullpens. Here are the names on the market this winter (non-closers only):

The Type As

If they turn down arbitration, Grant Balfour, Jason Frasor, Matt Guerrier and Dan Wheeler will each cost a draft pick to sign. Keep in mind that the budget conscious Rays won’t necessarily offer arbitration to Balfour and Wheeler. The Blue Jays will likely offer Frasor arbitration.

Strikeout Machines

Denny Bautista (11.8 K/9), Takashi Saito (11.5 K/9), Koji Uehara (11.3 K/9), Joaquin Benoit (11.2 K/9), Justin Miller (11.1 K/9), J.J. Putz (10.8 K/9), Octavio Dotel (10.6 K/9), Jose Contreras (9.1 K/9), Kyle Farnsworth (8.5 K/9) and Jesse Crain (8.2 K/9) can all strike opponents out. Most of these relievers have their faults, though. Bautista and Dotel walk too many hitters, Saito will be 41 next season and Uehara, Benoit and Putz have missed time with injuries in recent years.

Useful Middle Relievers

Jon Rauch, Chad Durbin, Miguel Batista, Aaron Heilman, Elmer Dessens, Jamey Wright and Guillermo Mota were somewhat useful last year and could help teams in 2011. Dessens won’t be posting a 2.30 ERA again, but he could be a solid reliever. It’s hard to imagine anyone here but Rauch signing a two-year deal.

Former Starters For Bullpen Depth

Jeff Suppan, Micah Owings, Boof Bonser, Chad Gaudin, Jeff Weaver and Chan Ho Park can chew up innings, but they don’t have much upside and you probably don’t want them pitching in high-leverage situations. Park, to his credit, pitched well in Pittsburgh, but most of these pitchers appear to be in line for minor league deals.

Injury Issues

Tyler Walker hasn’t pitched since June, David Riske came back from Tommy John surgery last year and Mike Lincoln suffered an oblique injury and didn’t pitch after May. If teams want to get really adventurous, they can call up Kelvim Escobar.

Summary

The market for right-handed relievers features a ton of strikeout machines and a number of relievers with closing experience. There are also some lesser arms out there, but overall it's a good crop of relievers, especially if you think Benoit, Putz and Uehara can stay healthy.

A’s Sign Willie Eyre, Travis Blackley

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The A’s agreed to minor league deals with right-hander Willie Eyre and left-hander Travis Blackley, according to the team. Both will report to big league spring training as non-roster invitees.

Eyre, 32, spent the 2010 season at Triple-A in the Rangers organization. He posted a 3.50 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 72 innings. His big league numbers are less impressive, though. Eyre has a 5.14 ERA with 4.7 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 92 career games.

Blackley, who turned 28 yesterday, last pitched in the major leagues in 2007. The Australia native pitched to a 2.52 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9 in 35 2/3 Triple-A innings for the A's this year.

Nationals Release Tyler Walker

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The Nationals released Tyler Walker, according to the team (on Twitter). Washington signed the right-hander to a one-year deal in January and got 35 1/3 inning of 3.57 ball from him in 2010. The 34-year-old posted 7.6 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9, so the Nationals obtained value for their $650K investment.

However, the team shut Walker down in June because of a sore shoulder. He did not pitch after June 19th, so health concerns no doubt contributed to the Nationals' decision to release Walker instead of offering arbitration. The team would have non-tendered him, but today's move gives Walker another month to look for a job.

O’Dowd On Payroll, De La Rosa, Gonzalez

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Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd told readers of the Denver Post that he’d like to trade for top players, but is not willing to sacrifice significant organizational depth to make an acquisition. Fans wanted to know whether Zack Greinke could be pitching in Colorado, but O’Dowd chose not to comment specifically on the Royals ace. Here are some more noteworthy comments from the GM:

  • The Rockies are likely to have a similar payroll next year, but they could go a little higher than $85MM.
  • The team is “actively engaged” in talks with Jorge de la Rosa’s representatives. It won’t be long before the lefty can negotiate with all 30 teams.
  • The Rockies would like to lock Carlos Gonzalez up long-term, but O’Dowd pointed out that it’s a “two-way street.” Scott Boras represents Gonzalez, so it probably won't be easy for the Rockies to sign him to an extension. There's no rush though – Gonzalez is under team control through 2014.

Andy Marte Hits Free Agency

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Andy Marte has hit free agency, according to the Indians. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer correctly predicted this week that Marte, who would have been eligible for arbitration, would lose his roster spot. The 27-year-old batted .229/.298/.382 in 188 plate appearances for the Tribe in his fifth season in Cleveland.

Marte was a top prospect in the Braves system for years, but he has yet to have extended major league success. He posted a .707 OPS as a 22-year-old in 2006 and has not matched that mark since. Marte rose through the minors as a third baseman and has since spent considerable time at first base.

Pirates Prepare To Pursue Free Agent Starters

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Pirates president Frank Coonelly told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the team “must pitch far better in 2011” and confirmed that GM Neal Huntington will have money to spend on free agent arms. The Pirates, who had a $35MM payroll in 2010, could boost that above $50MM in 2011, Coonelly said.

Huntington anticipates “a low-supply, high-demand market" for starting pitching this offseason, so he’s apprehensive about over-committing and signing deals that look questionable in a few years.

"We know we've got some holes to fill and some money to be able to do it," Huntington said. "But, we'll still have to do it intelligently."

Huntington says he is open to signing pitchers to one-year deals or, under the right circumstances, multiyear contracts. The Pirates don’t have much certainty in their projected 2011 rotation, so they’ll explore ways of adding starters via trade and free agency.

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