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Boston Says Okie-Dokie To Okajima in 2009

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The Red Sox announced Saturday that reliever Hideki Okajima’s option has officially vested for next season.

Because he pitched in 115 games this season and last, the Red Sox were bound to pick up Okajima’s $1.75 million option for 2009.

Entering Saturday’s doubleheader with Toronto, Okajima, 32, has pitched in 123 games over the past two seasons. This season he’s got a 2.88 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 56.3 innings. Those are impressive numbers, though he’s had a bit of a problem allowing inherited runners to score.

Still, Okajima for $1.75 million is a steal — an absolute no-brainer. Other teams are paying set-up men far more, and have had to hand out long-term contacts, like the Phillies gave to J.C. Romero (three years and $12 million) or the White Sox gave to Scott Linebrink (four years and $19 million).

Oh, and Okajima’s got the absolute greatest theme song.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Rockies Want To Add A Starter This Winter

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Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd says the young kids didn’t come through in 2008, so this winter he may go shopping for an ace.

"One of the bigger holes we still have is a pure No. 1," O’Dowd says. "Whether that can ever be accomplished without developing it ourselves, I still have doubts about. But in light of not having that, I think we obviously need to have another quality pitcher in our rotation, and not somebody that’s a bottom-of-the-rotation guy.

O’Dowd doesn’t make any promises, and speculates that a pitcher could come "through trade, free agents or somebody internally stepping up." There will be a couple of top-of-the-rotation guys available via free agency in CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, but both may be too expensive for the Rockies. There is lots of speculation that Matt Holliday could be dealt, and he could potentially bring a starting pitcher in a trade. Or the Rockies could dangle Garrett Atkins and hope that Todd Helton is able to return to play first base next season. But leaning too hard on Helton, who has seen his power numbers drop precipitously and who has been out since July 2 with back problems, is a real gamble.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. He can be reached here.

Dunn: No Word From D-Backs About Contract For Next Year

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Dayton Daily News columnist Hal McCoy checks in from Phoenix, where he’s been following the Diamondbacks-Reds series. McCoy chatted with Adam Dunn before Friday’s game. He asked Dunn if he and the Diamondbacks had talked about a contract for next year and Dunn said, “No, nothing. And I’m not worried about it."

And then the talk turned to Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who recently  told writers the Reds traded Dunn because he was going to ask for between $120 million and $125 million for a new contract.

“Who is he, my agent?” said Dunn. “First and foremost, I would never say anything like that. And if I did the only guy I would have said it to would have been Ken Griffey Jr. But I didn’t say it.

Did you know that Dunn and Griffey were such good friends? I didn’t.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. He can be reached here.

Davidoff Less Sure Cashman Will Return To Yankees

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Newsday’s Ken Davidoff says he’s still betting that Brian Cashman will return to the Yankees next season, but he’s adjusting his odds.

Will Cashman come back? I’m downgrading my odds of his return from 65-35 to 55-45. I think his season has been very draining for Cashman. While he thought the team might miss the playoffs this year, he fingered the pitching, not the hitting. The fan and media criticism has been strong, and while Hank doesn’t actually do much, comments like the ones he made Thursday put Cashman in a position he knows all too well: Reacting to outrageous comments by people named Steinbrenner.

In other words, it might not be the advisory board, per se, that pushes Cashman out the door. But it might be the Hank chatter.

Davidoff believes the Steinbrenners will ask Cashman to return, and that they will again offer him full autonomy. But that might not be enough. Working for the Steinbrenners obviously requires patience, and Cashman’s patience may be running out.

Davidoff suggests Yankees Vice President of Scouting Damon Oppenheimer or Assistant GM Jean Afterman could replace Cashman. He also says the Yankees "would be foolish not to reach out to Pat Gillick, who worked with the Yankees in his pre-GM days and is retiring from the Phillies" and that "Gerry Hunsicker, currently with the Rays, would be another natural candidate, given his strong work with the Astros."

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Padres Were “Livid” When Giles Nixed Trade

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San Diego Union Tribune’s Bill Center talked to Padres manager Bud Black about Brian Giles, who could be a free agent after the season.

And do you pick up Giles $9 million option for 2009 or let him walk into free agency with a $3 million buyout?

“Brian still gets it done,” Padres manager Bud Black said last night after the Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak and inched to within four games of the plummeting Chicago Cubs in the National League Central race.

“Brian is a mainstay player.”

While Black thinks Giles is a mainstay, the Padres front office obviously feels differently. Buster Olney says he heard that "the Padres were livid when Giles vetoed the trade that they pursued with the Red Sox in August."

Will San Diego buy out Giles after this season? If you believe the rumors that the franchise is looking to cut payroll, then it makes sense that they would.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Odds And Ends: Rogers, Myers, Hosmer, Reynolds, Dunn

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Here’s some loose change found underneath the cushions of the hot stove couch:

  • Kenny Rogers was scratched from his start and Buster Olney wonders if Rogers will retire after this season.
  • Philly Inquirer columnist Bob Ford says the Phillies didn’t do enough to improve the team before the trade deadline. Umpbump thinks Brett Myers has been a great trade deadline pickup – and the Phils didn’t have to surrender a thing.
  • The Royals are hoping the contract issues surrounding first baseman first round draft pick Eric Hosmer are resolved in time for him to participate in the Arizona Instructional League. Hosmer remains in limbo as a result of a grievance filed by the players’ union. The central issue is whether the Hosmer and Pirates draft pick Pedro Alvarez agreed to terms prior to the 11 p.m. deadline on Aug. 15.
  • Right-hander Greg Reynolds was officially added to the Rockies roster on Friday. His addition was delayed because he started Monday and needed the off time before he could be used in a game. The Rockies are unbelievably only five games back in the NL West.
  • Adam Dunn says winning will be his number one priority when he signs with a new team this winter. Sorry, Pirates fans.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com and can be reached here.

Yonder Alonso Contract Details

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Dayton Daily News reporter Hal McCoy checks in with some great details about the contract signed by Reds’ first round draft choice Yonder Alonso, which is reportedly worth a little more than $4.55 million, with incentives:

  • "For his last three college semesters, the Reds will contribute $78,000 – that’s $60,000 in tuition and $18,000 in books and board."
  • "A trip for his immediate family will be paid for by the Reds for his first major-league game."
  • Alonso "gets $25,000 if he is Rookie of the Year, $100 if he is MVP and $100,000 if he is MVP of the World Series (for what team?)."

I assume McCoy made a mistake and that Alonso gets $100K if he is MVP, because $100 doesn’t seem like much of an incentive.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Brewers Working On Durham Deal?

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11:23pm: The San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman comments on the rumor, noting the convenient timing of Durham’s bout with the flu. 

As was Haudricourt, Schulman is skeptical about a separate Rickie Weeks-to-San Francisco rumor floating about.  But both beat writers acknowledged the rumor, so someone’s putting it out there.

9:31pm: An update from Haudricourt.  He believes the Brewers are working on a smaller deal for Jack Taschner or Ray Durham, rather than Street.

Haudricourt says the Brewers scouted Street but the scouts were not impressed.  He’s not coming to Milwaukee.

7:21pm: Brewers beat writer Tom Haudricourt thinks Oakland closer Huston Street is Milwaukee-bound. He says the word on the street is outfielder Darren Ford, 22, is the price. Ford was pulled from Brevard County’s lineup before its game against Clearwater. Says Haudricourt:

The fact that Ford was pulled from the lineup makes me believe something could be up. He has no injury that I know of.

Baseball America did not list Ford among the Brewers’ top 10 prospects before this season, but he was named the organization’s fastest baserunner and best defensive outfielder. So far this year in the Florida State League, Ford is hitting .232 with a .321 OBP and a .307 SLG. He’s got 44 steals in 87 games.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Bedard Going Nowhere Fast

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10:30pm: Riggleman is now saying there is a chance the Ms get Bedard a start in late July against the Rangers.  Regardless, his injury came at a poor time and a trade seems unlikely.

2:30pm: Tightness in Erik Bedard’s left shoulder did not improve over the All-Star break, so the team won’t start him before the July 31st trade deadline in an attempt to showcase him for other teams. "We’re not looking at trying to pitch him before the 31st. The 31st is irrelevant with a guy who’s got a tender arm," Seattle manager Jim Riggleman said.

Bedard will try and play catch Monday and if that goes well, he could throw a bullpen session next week. If it doesn’t go well, it won’t be long before talk of shutting Bedard down for the rest of the season. Trading Adam Jones and George Sherrill for Bedard didn’t look good on paper before the season started, but now it looks like an absolute steal for Baltimore. The Bill Bavasi era will not be remembered fondly.

Coley Ward writes for Umbump.com. You can contact him here.

Twins Out Of Running For Beltre

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La Velle E. Neal III of Twins Insider is reporting that the Twins are bowing out of the Adrian Beltre sweepstakes. The price for Beltre, rumored to be similar to what the Phillies gave up for Joe Blanton, was just too high. Neal says:

In the Twins’ case, it could mean one of their four young starters plus a couple prospects.

Beltre is scheduled to make $12 million next season and any team that trades for the third baseman would have to pay that.

Just how much is Beltre worth? USS Mariner tackled that question in depth last September. Their findings might surprise you.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com and can be reached here.

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