The Mets announced that they agreed to sign right-hander Carlos Torres to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. Torres, a veteran of three MLB seasons, hit free agency earlier in November.
Torres made 31 relief appearances for the Rockies in 2012, posting a 5.26 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 53 innings. The 30-year-old also appeared in 13 games with the White Sox from 2009-10.
The Royals will designate catcher Adam Moore for assignment, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter). Moore, 28, appeared in four games for the Royals in 2012.
The Royals claimed Moore off of waivers from the Mariners in July and called him up for four games after rosters expanded in September. Moore spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a .259/.326/.413 batting line in 229 plate appearances.
The Diamondbacks are interested in shortstop Jhonny Peralta, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). However, the Tigers won’t trade Peralta unless they can find a way to upgrade at shortstop.
Peralta will earn $6MM next year since the Tigers exercised his 2013 option following the World Series. The 30-year-old posted a .239/.305/.384 batting line in 585 plate appearances with Detroit this past year. Though he doesn’t have much range, he’s regarded as a steady defender. The Diamondbacks also appear to have some interest in trading for Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.
Arizona GM Kevin Towers already traded for one shortstop, acquiring Cliff Pennington from the Athletics last month. John McDonald and Willie Bloomquist add depth at the position off of the bench.
The Blue Jays announced that they designated first baseman Mike McDade, infielder Mike McCoy and right-hander Cory Wade for assignment. The move creates roster space for shortstop Ryan Goins and catcher A.J. Jimenez, who were added to the 40-man roster.
McDade, 23, posted a .285/.360/.445 with 17 home runs in the upper minors of Toronto's system this past season. McCoy appeared in 32 games for the Blue Jays, playing every outfield position and every infield position but first base. However, he posted a .482 OPS in 56 plate appearances. Wade, who was claimed from New York last month, had been a non-tender candidate. He had a projected salary of $700K after posting a 6.46 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 39 innings with the Yankees.
The Mariners announced that they acquired utility player Robert Andino from the Orioles for outfielder Trayvon Robinson. Seattle's 40-man roster now has three open spots, while Baltimore's roster is full.
“The addition of Robert Andino gives us some experienced infield depth with a player who has played multiple positions” GM Jack Zduriencik said. “With Robert having Major League and playoff experience and still relatively young, we thought that it made sense to make this trade and let him come in and compete.”
Andino, 28, appeared in 127 games for the Orioles in 2012, playing second base, third base, shortstop, left field and center field. He posted a .211/.283/.305 batting line in 431 plate appearances. However, with a projected salary of $1.8MM, his roster spot seemed less than secure after the Orioles acquired Alexi Casilla.
The Mariners acquired Robinson in the three-team trade that sent Erik Bedard to Boston in 2011. He appeared in 46 games for the Mariners in 2012, posting a .221/.294/.324 batting line in 164 plate appearances as a left fielder. Both Robinson and Andino are out of options, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter).
The Tigers announced that they released utility player Ryan Raburn. By releasing Raburn, a non-tender candidate, the Tigers open up a 40-man roster spot.
Raburn projected to earn $2.1MM through the arbitration process. However, after a season that saw him post a .171/.226/.254 batting line in 222 plate appearances, that salary seemed excessive. Raburn averaged 15 home runs per season from 2009-11 and owns a career batting line of .256/.311/.430. He played second base and both corner outfield positions in 2012.
The Royals announced that they signed right-hander Jeremy Guthrie to a three-year contract through 2015. Excel Sports Management represents Guthrie, who hit free agency this offseason after splitting the 2012 season between the Rockies and Royals. Guthrie will earn $25MM over the course of the three-year, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter). He'll earn $5MM in 2013, $11MM in 2014 and $9MM in 2015.
Guthrie pitched poorly in Colorado (6.35 ERA, 21 home runs allowed in 90 2/3 innings), but pitched closer to his career norms after leaving Coors Field. In 14 starts with the Royals, Guthrie posted a 3.16 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. He has been durable enough to complete 175 innings or more in each of his six full seasons at the MLB level. However, he has allowed more hits than innings pitched in his career and remains somewhat home run prone with 1.3 home runs allowed per nine innings.
Guthrie joins Ervin Santana, Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar and Luis Mendoza in the Royals' projected 2013 rotation. Danny Duffy, Felipe Paulino, Chris Volstad and Nathan Adcock could also be considerations for the rotation.
Tim Dierkes ranked Guthrie 48th on MLBTR’s list of the year’s top 50 free agents, predicting a deal with the Pirates. I mis-read the market for Guthrie in September, anticipating a one-year deal in the $6MM range. Credit Excel for finding a three-year guarantee for a mid-rotation starter.
One reader has correctly predicted the destinations of every top 50 free agent who has signed to this point in the offseason. Be sure to see where you rank in MLBTR's free agent prediction contest.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
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The Red Sox must pursue answers at multiple positions and address needs on their pitching staff this offseason, and they should have resources at their disposal.
Guaranteed Contracts
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)
Free Agents
Following a season that was at best forgettable and at worst embarrassing, the Red Sox have a number of major offseason needs. Ben Cherington will seek answers in the outfield, at first base and in the rotation in his second full offseason as Boston’s GM. Ownership should be able to bid aggressively on free agents but whether the team will choose to do so remains an open question.
The Red Sox added a manager considerably sooner than they did a year ago, acquiring John Farrell from the Blue Jays in a deal that sent Mike Aviles to Toronto. They get a known commodity in Farrell, someone who has strong ties to the Red Sox and, now, experience managing at the MLB level. If Farrell can manage this team while limiting distractions, the Red Sox will be much better off than they were under Bobby Valentine.
Cherington has already addressed two other major needs, re-signing David Ortiz and signing David Ross. Not only was Ortiz the top designated hitter available in free agency, he’s an icon in Boston. His two-year, $26MM contract seems reasonable for both sides.
Ross, Brian McCann’s longtime backup in Atlanta, also obtained a two-year deal from the Red Sox. The 35-year-old should provide some offense in a reserve role. Now it’s a question of who he’ll be backing up. Jarrod Saltalamacchia appears to be a trade candidate with Ross and Ryan Lavarnway also on the 40-man roster. If the Red Sox listen to offers for Saltalamacchia, the Mets, Rangers, Astros and Mariners could express some interest. Otherwise, Lavarnway can simply start the 2013 season in the minor leagues — it’s not as though he hit MLB pitching particularly well in 2012.
It's possible the Red Sox will add another catcher, as they've maintained interest in free agent Mike Napoli since signing Ross. Napoli could also play first base and address another one of Boston's needs, so the club's interest might simply be a result of the relatively weak first base market. James Loney, now a free agent, was never regarded as a long-term answer at first base when the Red Sox acquired him from the Dodgers this past summer. The Red Sox must find another solution at a time that the free agent market for first basemen appears weak. Kevin Youkilis could return to play first, and the Red Sox also appear to have interest in Adam LaRoche. While Youkilis and LaRoche don’t project as elite hitters for 2013 and beyond, they’re the top options available at the position.
The Red Sox could also listen to trade offers for Jacoby Ellsbury, who’s now just one year away from hitting free agency. The timing could be better for Boston. Center fielders Michael Bourn, Shane Victorino, B.J. Upton and Angel Pagan are available in free agency, which reduces Cherington’s leverage in potential trade talks. Still, the Rangers have liked Ellsbury in the past and many others would express interest given Ellsbury’s youth and MVP-caliber 2011 season. If the Red Sox keep Ellsbury, they could discuss the possibility of an extension. However, Scott Boras appears to believe his client should be paid like a premium player, even after a disappointing season that saw Ellsbury miss months with a shoulder injury.
Regardless of what happens with Ellsbury, the Red Sox will be pursuing outfielders this offseason. Cody Ross has hit free agency, and could be a fit in Boston going forward. He might not replicate his 2012 numbers, but he does hit well at Fenway Park. Ross has a case for a multiyear deal, and as long as he’s commanding an annual salary worth less than $10MM, he’s worth considering.
In case Ross signs elsewhere, the Red Sox will presumably check in on the likes of Nick Swisher and Victorino. Swisher's versatility would be a plus for the Red Sox given their opening at first base. Even Josh Hamilton, the top free agent position player of the offseason, should be a consideration. Hamilton could cost upwards of $20MM per season on a long-term deal, which will dissuade many owners. However, he’s an elite talent who would undeniably make the Red Sox better in 2013. At this point it’s still unclear whether the Red Sox will use their recently obtained payroll flexibility on top free agents, or take on payroll more gradually.
If the Red Sox prefer to rely on Daniel Nava and Ryan Sweeney as backups, they’ll be pursuing multiple free agent outfielders. They’ll want to consider impact trade candidates such as Shin-Soo Choo and Justin Upton in the coming months as well.
Though Jose Iglesias adds value on defense, it’s not yet clear that he’ll hit at the MLB level. Earlier this month Cherington told me the Red Sox are confident in the shortstop’s ability to handle the bat. Still, the Red Sox are looking at alternative shortstops. Stephen Drew and Asdrubal Cabrera, two considerations for Boston, would both offer more certainty and offense than Iglesias.
Boston’s needs don’t end there, as the club has weaknesses to address on its pitching staff. The Red Sox figure to pursue starting pitching to be sure there’s enough depth to get through a six month season. They appear to have interest in Anibal Sanchez, Hiroki Kuroda and Ryan Dempster. Any of those pitchers would be solid additions to a staff that ranked 12th in the American League with 5 runs allowed per game in 2012. Dan Haren, Joe Blanton and Jeremy Guthrie are among the other free agent starters Cherington could pursue to solidify his rotation.
Boston’s projected bullpen could look considerably different in a couple of weeks, once the non-tender deadline passes. The club could let Hill, Aceves and Atchison go instead of tendering them contracts through the arbitration process. So far Jason Grilli, Joakim Soria and Kyuji Fujikawa have been linked to the Red Sox. Each of those pitchers would be an intriguing addition to the 2013 staff.
Other than Ellsbury, Boston’s arbitration class doesn’t include obvious extension candidates. It’s possible the club could inquire about the possibility of locking Will Middlebrooks, but early career extensions are typically the domain of smaller market teams. While the Red Sox will discuss an extension with Dustin Pedroia at some point this winter, there’s limited urgency with two years remaining on Pedroia’s contract.
The 2013 Red Sox won’t arrive in Spring Training with the expectations that have surrounded recent teams — after this past season the confidence of Red Sox Nation has faded. But there’s talent on this roster and flexibility with respect to payroll, so Cherington could mold the Red Sox into a team capable of contending by Opening Day.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
The Braves are considering multiple center fielders in free agency and on the trade market as they look for a replacement for free agent Michael Bourn. B.J. Upton remains the Braves' top choice at the position, Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported yesterday. Braves GM Frank Wren acknowledged his interest in Upton while stressing the importance of pursuing multiple players at once.
“We’re checking,” Wren said. “We’re involved on just about everything, every center fielder that we like.”
Bourn, Josh Hamilton and Angel Pagan are alternatives for the Braves in case their pursuit of Upton doesn't end in a deal. Though signing Hamilton seems "highly unlikely" to Wren, he said it's too early to rule anything out.
Upton, who met with the Braves and Phillies last week, could take more recruiting trips, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reported yesterday (on Twitter). The Phillies could be the favorites for now, according to Knobler. The Nationals also appear to have some interest in the 28-year-old, who ranked fifth on MLBTR’s list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents.
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