AL Central Notes: Wilson, Royals, Pierzynski
The Tigers have interest in Brian Wilson as well as Joe Nathan, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. Wilson was terrific in 2013 after making his return from Tommy John surgery in late August, allowing one run in 13 2/3 late-season innings with the Dodgers and also pitching well in the playoffs. In late October, MLBTR's Steve Adams predicted Wilson would get a one-year, $8.5MM deal in free agency. Here's more from around the AL Central.
- The Royals would sacrifice their 2014 first-round pick for the right free agent, the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton reports. After winning 86 games in 2013, the Royals have the No. 19 pick in next year's draft. "It’s part of the evaluation process," says GM Dayton Moore. "[I]f a player really makes sense and can help us win, we’re not going to be overly concerned with that." Dutton notes that Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz and Curtis Granderson, all of whom rejected qualifying offers, might be possibilities, since the Royals are looking for extra power in the outfield.
- The Twins are interested in signing catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who played in Minnesota from 1998 through 2003, writes CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. With Joe Mauer moving to first base, the Twins have an opening at catcher. Heyman reports that they would like to sign Pierzynski for one year, and it's probably unlikely any team would sign the soon-to-be-37-year-old Pierzynski for more than one year. Steve Adams predicts Pierzynski is in line for a one-year, $6.5MM deal.
AL East Notes: Lester, Blue Jays, Rays
The Red Sox want relief help, but they aren't likely to pursue high-priced acquisitions, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. That means no moves like last year's trade for Joel Hanrahan, and it also means they won't be in the market for players like Joe Nathan or Grant Balfour. Still, GM Ben Cherington hopes to acquire relievers who might end up pitching in key spots. "We want as many guys as possible that we think have the potential and the stuff to pitch in high-leverage situations," he says. Here's more news from the AL East.
- The Red Sox have not begun discussing an extension with starting pitcher Jon Lester, but they appear likely to do so near the start of spring training, Bradford writes. If the Red Sox do sign Lester to an extension, they will likely wait until after Opening Day to complete it, since his current contract only counts $9.4MM per season against the 2014 luxury tax. The average annual value of an extension would likely be far greater.
- The Blue Jays may need to add two starters this winter, writes SportsNet.ca's Shi Davidi. They have R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle, and also Brandon Morrow, who's recovering from a forearm injury. After that, they'll be leaning on players like J.A. Happ, Esmil Rogers, and Todd Redmond, plus youngsters Marcus Stroman, Drew Hutchison and Sean Nolin. That group isn't the greatest bet to provide top-quality innings, at least not in 2014.
- The Rays are interested in finding a first baseman, catcher and late-inning reliever this offseason, the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin tweets. The reliever may not be a proven-closer type, which is no surprise given the Rays' budgetary constraints. They'll also look for bench help.
Texas Notes: Beltran, Garza, Castro
The Rangers could become serious contenders for Carlos Beltran's services, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. The Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles, Royals and Mariners have also been mentioned in whispers about Beltran, but rumors about Beltran and the Rangers really seem to be gathering steam. The Rangers can use the help in their outfield and/or at their DH position, particularly if Nelson Cruz ends up leaving. Here are more notes about the Rangers and Astros.
- The Rangers will not pursue Masahiro Tanaka or Matt Garza this offseason, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. "We’re not right now looking to give out a big multiyear deal for a starter," says GM Jon Daniels. Starting pitcher Matt Harrison, who missed most of the 2013 season due to injury, tells Wilson he "feel[s] good" about returning to the Rangers' rotation in 2014. If he's healthy, the Rangers don't have a pronounced need for a starting pitcher, with Harrison, Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Martin Perez, Alexi Ogando and Nick Tepesch all in the fold.
- The Astros don't expect to trade catcher Jason Castro, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports. "I’m never going to say someone is untouchable. But we fully expect Jason to be on our club for a long time to come," says GM Jeff Luhnow. "He’s reaching his peak. He was our All-Star last year. He’s a team leader." Earlier today, it emerged that other teams had been asking the Astros about Castro, who hit .276/.350/.485 in 2013.
- The Astros don't expect to make a big move in free agency this winter, McTaggart writes. Given that the Astros still aren't a contender, they're reluctant to part with the draft pick they would lose if they signed a free agent who received a qualifying offer. They also don't want to commit to long contracts at this point.
Reactions To The Marlon Byrd Signing
The Phillies' signing of outfielder Marlon Byrd to a two-year, $16MM contract wasn't the best idea, ESPN's Keith Law writes (Insider-only). Law cites Byrd's age, PED history and high 2013 batting average on balls in play as potential red flags, and suggests that Byrd might not even be a starting-caliber player over the length of the contract. "Even if you believe that Byrd's power increase is sustainable, as he's made some changes to his swing, paying him as if he'll be more than a .270/.315/.450 guy is irrationally exuberant — and even that assumes his legs will stay healthy enough for him to get to 20-odd homers each year," Law says. Here are more notes on the Byrd signing.
- Pirates GM Neal Huntington, who acquired Byrd in an August trade with the Mets, wasn't surprised by Byrd's contract, the Inquirer's Matt Gelb writes (on Sulia). "As you look at that outfield group, if you don't want to give up your first-round pick, Marlon Byrd is arguably the best available outfield bat," says Huntington. "He was one of the better players on the market."
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson wasn't surprised by Byrd's contract, either, ESPN New York's Adam Rubin reports. "Had you asked me the question three or four months ago, I might have been surprised. But not in light of what's happened since the end of the season," Alderson says. "There haven't been that many signings, but this one is consistent with the others." The Mets did not have serious discussions with Byrd about returning, Alderson says.
- Without mentioning Byrd's name, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated that the Phillies' primary reason for agreeing to terms with Byrd was the lack of power in their outfield, CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury writes. "There’s not a lot of power out there. It’s pretty simple," said Amaro. "It’s difficult to develop and it’s difficult to hold on to. Power is an issue and if our club can add some, that would be great."
Hurdle, Francona Win Manager Of The Year Awards
Clint Hurdle of the Pirates and Terry Francona of the Indians have won the Manager of the Year awards in their respective leagues, MLB.com announced Tuesday night. The other finalists in the National League were the Braves' Fredi Gonzalez and the Dodgers' Don Mattingly. In the American League, the other finalists were John Farrell of the Red Sox and Bob Melvin of the Athletics.
Hurdle led the Pirates to a 94-win season, making 2013 their first winning season and first playoff berth since 1992. The team exceeded expectations in 2013 thanks to strong pitching and an aggressive approach to defensive shifts. Hurdle received 25 of 30 possible first-place votes. Francona, who led a revived Indians team to 92 wins, received 16 of 30 possible first-place votes. He narrowly beat out Farrell, who had 12 first-place votes.
Randy Messenger, Hanshin Tigers Agree To Deal
Pitcher Randy Messenger has agreed to a three-year deal to remain with Japan's Hanshin Tigers, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweets. Messenger has pitched in Japan for the last four seasons, and he posted a 2.89 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 196 1/3 innings in 2013. He last pitched in the big leagues with the Mariners in 2009.
Messenger has pitched well in three straight years in Japan, so he appeared to be a strong candidate to return to the Major Leagues, should he have chosen to go that route. He had previously set a November 15 deadline for MLB teams to submit offers. Messenger was reportedly searching for a two-year MLB deal in the $8MM-$10MM range.
Quick Hits: Jewett, Ohka, Cubs
Dioner Navarro and Geovany Soto represent the best values available at catcher at the start of the free agent season, ESPN's Keith Law writes (Insider-only). Soto, of course, already re-signed with the Rangers for one year and $3.05MM. Navarro, Law writes, should get paid "backup money," but he might put up a starter-caliber performance. His .300/.365/.492 line in part-time duty with the Cubs in 2013 almost surely isn't sustainable, but his skill set could make him a valuable player anyway. Here are more notes from around baseball.
- The Nationals will allow the Mariners to interview Trent Jewett to be their third-base coach, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweets. Sherman, meanwhile, tweets that Jewett is "almost certain" to leave. Jewett was the Pirates' third-base coach for part of the time that new Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon managed in Pittsburgh. Jewett joined the Nationals' organization in 2009.
- Former big-league pitcher Tomo Ohka is trying to make it back to the Majors as a knuckleballer, NikkanSports.com reports. Ohka began to rely on the pitch after having shoulder surgery in 2011. In 2013, he posted a 3.73 ERA in 21 games with the Toyama Thunderbirds in Japan's Baseball Challenge league. Ohka came to the U.S. in October to train in Arizona. "I threw a lot every day. I was able to confirm that I had been training properly on my own," Ohka says. "I want to give it another shot if given the chance, even if I have to start in the minors." Ohka last appeared in the Majors with the Indians in 2009.
- Now that they've hired Rick Renteria to be their new manager, the Cubs might be done making big moves this offseason, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "We’re realistic about where we are and the need to get better," says team president Theo Epstein. "But we’re also realistic about where we are and about where the market is likely to go." That means the Cubs won't trade for David Price, or sign Brian McCann. The Cubs are keeping all their options open, but Epstein notes that they're unlikely to spend as wildly as some other teams: "[W]e’re playing against the big boys, too. And there’s a lot of money out there."
Aaron Steen contributed to this post.
Cardinals, Rockies To Discuss Troy Tulowitzki Trade
The Cardinals and Rockies will discuss a potential Troy Tulowitzki trade at this week's GM/owner meetings, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports. The Cardinals have also asked the Rangers about the possibility of trading for Elvis Andrus or Jurickson Profar, Passan writes.
The Cardinals' troubles at the shortstop position are well-known, as is the depth of their young talent, so potential Tulowitzki or Profar deals have long been the subjects of fan speculation. The Rockies have said they aren't interested in dealing Tulowitzki, but Passan suggests that Rockies ownership may be coming around to the idea of being out from under the $134MM remaining on Tulowitzki's contract, which carries through 2020 (with a club option for 2021).
Passan writes that one potential piece the Rockies might receive in return is first baseman Matt Adams, who so far has been blocked by Allen Craig in St. Louis. Adams hit .284/.335/.503 in part-time duty for the Cardinals this year. The Rockies would also like a pitcher — the Cardinals will not trade Michael Wacha, but Shelby Miller appears to be a possibility. Adams and Miller would highlight a package of three or four players that the Rockies might receive in return for Tulowitzki.
Tulowitzki's contract stipulates that he receive a $2MM bonus if he is traded. Tulowitzki, 29, hit .312/.391/.540 and produced 5.6 wins above replacement in 2013, making him the best shortstop in baseball. His injury history may be a concern, however, given the length of his contract.
East Notes: Beltran, Mets, Lackey
There have been rumblings that the Red Sox have interest in signing Carlos Beltran, but the New York Post's Joel Sherman points out that there's a problem with that idea. Beltran's knee injuries mean he probably needs to move to the American League so he can play DH at least some of the time. But if he did so in Boston, he'd be getting in the way of David Ortiz. They could play Ortiz at first base a bit more frequently, but they would prefer not to given Ortiz's advanced age (and, presumably, his defensive deficiencies). They could also sign Beltran to play him for about 130 games a season in the outfield, but that raises the question of whether they would prefer to sign Beltran to a big-ticket contract to have him be, essentially, a part-time player. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- The Mets will meet with Scott Boras this week to discuss the possibility of signing Shin-Soo Choo and/or Stephen Drew, Newsday's David Lennon tweets. Lennon also notes that if the Mets acquire a new shortstop, one possibility for Ruben Tejada, who was disappointing in 2013, might be a move to second base. It's unclear what such a move might mean for Daniel Murphy, who was one of the Mets' better position players in 2013.
- If the Braves lose Tim Hudson via free agency, they could do worse than to look into John Lackey of the Red Sox, the Atlanta Journal Constitution's David O'Brien tweets. The Red Sox have Lackey signed for $15.25MM in 2014. They also have an option on his services for 2015 at a league-minimum salary, thanks to a contract clause that gave the Sox an extremely cheap option if Lackey's existing elbow injury caused him to miss significant time. After a strong season in 2013, two years and $15.75MM looks like a bargain, which means Lackey should have significant value if Boston chooses to deal him.
Week In Review: 11/3/13 – 11/9/13
Here's a look back at this week at MLBTR:
- The Cubs hired Rick Renteria to be their next manager.
- The Mariners hired Lloyd McClendon to be their next manager.
- The Rangers signed pitcher Martin Perez to a four-year extension.
- The Rays re-signed outfielder David DeJesus to a two-year deal.
- The Rangers re-signed catcher Geovany Soto to a one-year deal.
- The Reds signed catcher Brayan Pena to a two-year deal.
- The Giants declined their option on pitcher Ryan Vogelsong.
- The Orioles declined their option on infielder Alexi Casilla.
- The Rays declined their option on pitcher Juan Carlos Oviedo.
- Pitcher Matt Belisle and the Rockies exercised their mutual option.
- Pitcher Raicel Iglesias defected from Cuba.
- The Marlins claimed utilityman Jimmy Paredes from the Astros.
- The Brewers claimed utilityman Elian Herrera from the Dodgers.
- The Braves outrighted infielder Philip Gosselin.
- The Blue Jays outrighted pitcher Juan Perez.
- The Cardinals outrighted catcher Rob Johnson and outfielders Brock Peterson and Adron Chambers.
- The Red Sox outrighted outfielder Quintin Berry and infielder Brandon Snyder.
- The Rangers outrighted pitcher Travis Blackley.
- The Padres outrighted pitcher Tommy Layne.
- The Hanshin Tigers will acquire first baseman Mauro Gomez.