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Padres’, Pirates’ Notable Non-Roster Invitees

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The Padres and Pirates have announced their Spring Training non-roster invitees, write MLB.com's Corey Brock and Jenifer Langosch, respectively.

Among San Diego's 20 NRIs is a small handful of players with big-league experience and a decent chance of making the 25-man roster at the end of Spring Training. Here's a quick look at some of those guys:

  • Kevin Frandsen has spent parts of five seasons with the Giants and Angels, and he has a "good shot" of catching on with the Padres as a utility man, according to Brock. The 28-year-old plays multiple positions and would earn a salary of $575,000.
  • Guillermo Quiroz could challenge Rob Johnson for the backup catching job, notes Brock. Quiroz, 29, has played for four teams (Rangers, Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles) in parts of seven seasons.
  • Gregorio Petit spent parts of two seasons with the A's as a utility infielder in 2008-09. The 26-year-old spent the entirety of 2010 with the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate.
  • Bullpen hopefuls Luis Perdomo and Scott Munter each have Major League experience. Perdomo made 35 appearances with San Diego in 2009 but only one last season, and Munter was with the Giants for parts of three seasons.

The Pirates, meanwhile, have a slightly more interesting cast of notable names:

  • Garrett Atkins, Jeff Clement, Josh Fields and Andy Marte form a quartet of one-time blue-chip prospects. Atkins, in particular, was an above-average player for the Rockies in 2006-07, but he declined quickly in the following years. Clement, a former catcher, was a No. 3 overall pick of the Mariners in 2005, and Fields and Marte were raw-power corner-infield prospects coming up with the White Sox and Braves/Indians, respectively.
  • On the pitching side, Tyler Yates has a 8.1 K/9 for his career but did not pitch in the bigs in 2010. Donald Veal, selected by the Bucs from the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft prior to the 2009 season, is a hard-throwing but wild lefty. Brian Burres has started 54 games in his five-year career with the Orioles, Blue Jays and Pirates. Sean Gallagher was dealt from the Cubs to the A's in the deal that sent Rich Harden to Chicago, and has appeared in 91 games. Fernando Nieve has appeared in 99 games (19 starts) with the Astros and Mets in parts of four seasons.

Quick Hits: Keppinger, Pettitte, Bell, Molina

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Here are some items of note on this Thursday, a day on which the Reds and Rangers each settled with one of their arbitration-eligible players. Remember to refer to our handy Arbitration Tracker, as those cases will continue to pop up in the coming weeks …

  • The Astros were thought to be mulling the idea of trading Jeff Keppinger this offseason, but the utility infielder is scheduled to undergo left foot surgery next week and will likely miss the start of the regular season, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. This offseason, Houston acquired Bill Hall to play second base and Clint Barmes to man shortstop, so Keppinger has become expendable, but the injury should put a significant dent in the likelihood of him being dealt before the season. Keppinger enjoyed a career year in 2010, hitting .288/.351/.391 in 575 plate appearances. The Astros and Yankees briefly discussed a swap for Keppinger, but those talks went nowhere.
  • The Yankees are willing to offer $12MM or $13MM to Andy Pettitte and are awaiting a decision from the lefty, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com. As Heyman notes, either of those figures would represent a modest raise for Pettitte, who earned $11.75MM in 2010, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. Pettitte, who has been playing on one-year deals in each of the past four seasons, will probably either re-sign with the Yankees or retire.
  • Padres closer Heath Bell hopes to remain in San Diego with a multiyear contract, writes Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Bell is in his final year of arbitration eligibility, and, having turned 33 in September, wants to garner long-term security, notes Center. Padres GM Jed Hoyer didn't offer much, saying that he and Bell's agent have "touched on it."
  • After splitting 2010 between the Giants and Rangers, free-agent catcher Bengie Molina is seeking the "right fit," and one scenario that interests him is backing up his brother Yadier with the Cardinals, tweets Heyman. However, St. Louis already has a solid backup backstop in Gerald Laird, who signed a one-year deal with the Cards in December, so that seems unlikely.

Brian Bannister Heading To Japan

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Free-agent starter Brian Bannister has agreed to a one-year deal (plus a club option) with the Tokyo Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Bannister, a five-year veteran of the big leagues, pitched for one season with the Mets and the past four with the Royals, to largely underwhelming results, and made 108 starts in his four-year stint with Kansas City. He'll turn 30 in February.

A second-generation Major Leaguer, Bannister was selected by the Mets in the seventh round of the 2003 draft.

Rangers, Murphy Avoid Arbitration

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The Rangers signed outfielder David Murphy to a one-year contract worth $2.4MM, avoiding arbitration, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com (via Twitter). 

Murphy appeared in 138 games with Texas in 2010, primarily in left and right fields. The left-handed hitter posted a solid offensive season (.291/.358/.449 in 467 plate appearances) and was especially tough on right-handed pitchers (.298/.368/.479).

Scanning MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker, the Rangers now have four arbitration-eligible players remaining: Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, C.J. Wilson and Darren O'Day. Reliever Mark Lowe, acquired midseason from the Mariners in the Cliff Lee swap, avoided arbitration in November. As well, free-agent reliever Frank Francisco accepted the Rangers' offer of arbitration.

Twins Closing In On Deal With Pavano

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JANUARY 14TH: The team is still trying to sign Pavano and hopes to have an answer over the next week, GM Bill Smith told Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).

JANUARY 6TH: The Twins are nearing an agreement on a two-year deal with free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The sides are making "solid progress" and should have the deal completed soon, tweets LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune.

The Nationals were rumored to have interest in Pavano, but Washington didn't make a strong push for the righty, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. He was interested in pitching for the Rockies, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post, but Colorado's interest tapered off after it re-signed Jorge De La Rosa.

Pavano, who will turn 35 on Saturday, pitched for the Twins in 2010 after they acquired him from the Indians in a midseason trade in 2009. Pavano rejuvenated his career last season (and, to a lesser extent, in '09) after an injury-riddled stint with the Yankees from 2005-08. In 2010, he posted a 3.75 ERA with a 4.8 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in 221 innings. He signed a one-year deal with Minnesota prior to last season.

The Twins have been hit relatively hard by free agency so far this offseason, losing Orlando Hudson, Matt Guerrier and Jesse Crain, but the potential return of Pavano would keep their strong starting rotation intact.

The Market For Rafael Soriano

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While a handful of arguably inferior free-agent relievers signed surprisingly hefty three-year contracts this offseason, the market for closer Rafael Soriano has been conspicuously quiet.

Joaquin Benoit, Scott Downs and Matt Guerrier inked three-year pacts with the Tigers, Angels and Dodgers, respectively, and it begs the questions of with which team and on what terms Soriano will sign.

Soriano is the second-best remaining free agent on the market, and the Halos, Yankees and Orioles remain potential suitors, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLBTR. Soriano is seemingly in line for a big pay day, but the market for free-agent relievers is inflated this offseason, and Soriano's status as a Type A free agent is an additional deterrent for would-be suitors.

The Angels have invested a lot in their bullpen this offseason, having already signed Hisanori Takahashi and Downs. The Halos' first-round draft pick is protected, so they'd only be forfeiting it to the Rays, but they'd be committing a lot of money to their relief corps if they were to sign Soriano. To boot, Angels GM Tony Reagins said that he was done adding to the bullpen upon signing Downs. In a Soriano poll we conducted Dec. 11, 26 percent of voters thought that he'd end up with the Angels.

The Yankees seem like a logical fit for Soriano, but most reports indicate they're not especially interested. Soriano, along with Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain, would give the Yanks a fearsome late-innings trio, or he could free up Chamberlain to rejoin their spotty starting rotation. It'd be a steep price to pay for a set-up man, and Soriano presumably wants to close (that will serve him well in his next contract negotiations), but the Yankees should never be dismissed — especially after they missed out on Cliff Lee earlier this offseason.

The Orioles could use a closer, but are they inclined to invest so heavily in a reliever when they are still probably a year or two away from seriously contending? Unless the market completely drops out on Soriano, this seems unlikely.

Soriano has already declined the Rays' aribtration offer, but he could always re-sign with them. However, Tampa Bay appears interested in Brian Fuentes, who is seeking a multiyear deal at $5MM per year.

Of course, Soriano could always sign a one-year deal and try his hand in free agency again in 2011-12, but that is an especially risky strategy for relievers, given the tendency for their year-to-year performances to fluctuate.

Something has to give here, and as Tim Dierkes speculated (with respect to Fuentes), there appears to be a buyer's market taking shape.

Examining Orioles, Nationals, LaRoche, Lee

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The Nationals and Orioles have seemingly alternated in pursuing first basemen Adam LaRoche and Derrek Lee this offseason, but the position is still vacant for both teams, and each player ranks among the top 15 remaining free agents, as detailed by Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLBTR.

The most recent development has the O's targeting Lee for a one-year deal worth $8MM, but nothing has come to fruition yet on that front. LaRoche rumors, meanwhile, have been relatively quieter since he was more strongly linked to both Baltimore and Washington earlier in December, perhaps because teams are hesitant to commit the three years and $21MM he is thought to be seeking.

Baltimore has already overhauled the left side of its infield this offseason, acquiring Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy in separate deals, and is seeking a proper first baseman to replace departed utility man Ty Wigginton, who started 98 games at first for the O's in 2010.

While the O's seem intent on landing Lee, LaRoche might better fit the team they're currently assembling. Manager Buck Showalter was lauded for getting the most out of his young players in 2010, which is presumably the plan for reinvigorating Reynolds and Hardy, and LaRoche, 31, is closer to his prime than Lee and coming off a bit of a down year (.261/.320/.468) in Arizona.

The Nationals, meanwhile, are seeking a replacement for Adam Dunn at first base, and although Lee, 35, is also coming off a tough season (.260/.347/.428), he could be a better one-year option for the Nats. With the Jayson Werth signing, Washington showed a willingness to spend on top-flight free agents, and there could be a few of them next offseason in Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols and Adrian Gonzalez, assuming they don't sign extensions with their current teams.

Odds & Ends: Uggla, Soria, Romero, LaRoche

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Fallout from the Zack Greinke deal continues to dominate the baseball landscape. We have more on that and some other items of note, too…

  • Dan Uggla and the Braves are still hammering out a contract extension, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta GM Frank Wren said the progress between the sides has been steady and there have been no setbacks, but nothing's imminent, according to O'Brien. We heard last week that the Braves remain optimistic about extending Uggla, who is entering his final year of arbitration eligibility.
  • The teams that inquired with the Royals about Zack Greinke were told that Joakim Soria will not be traded, tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported earlier today that the Royals don't intend to move their closer. Soria, who will turn 27 in May, is considered one of the best young stoppers in the game and is signed to team-favorable terms through 2014, his age-30 season. Perhaps the combination of Soria's age and fair contract have persuaded the Royals to see that he's with Kansas City while its highly touted wave of young talent trickles into the bigs.
  • Free-agent reliever J.C. Romero hopes that Dennys Reyes' failed physical might facilitate his own return to Philly, writes Randy Miller of the Bucks County Courier Times. The 34-year-old Romero, who spent the past three-plus seasons with the Phillies after they acquired him in a midseason deal in 2007, said he'd "definitely" like to return, just as Cliff Lee did.
  • The Orioles' first choice to fill their vacancy at first base remains free agent Adam LaRoche, writes Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. Baltimore and LaRoche have been "heavily involved" in talks, and LaRoche is "waiting for a few things" before deciding on a team. The Nationals and Padres are also pursuing him.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports noted some leftover tidbits from the Greinke deal, and here are a few of the highlights: The Yankees made a strong push for Greinke in July 2010, but the pitcher didn't want to leave the Royals then. The Royals liked a package of prospects the Blue Jays offered for Greinke, but he didn't want to play for Toronto. One rival executive said the Brewers' acquisition of Yuniesky Betancourt with Greinke "nullifies" the benefits of adding the ace.
  • Greinke was readying for an offseason move late in the 2010 season, going so far as to shelve his toxic but arm-taxing slider, writes Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.

Royals Designate Joaquin Arias For Assignment

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The Royals designated Joaquin Arias for assignment on Sunday, according to MLB.com's transactions page.

The 26-year-old utility infielder has been well-traveled of late, having been traded from the Rangers to the Mets in the August deal that sent Jeff Francoeur to Texas. The Royals then selected him off waivers in November before designating him for assignment.

Arias was once a touted prospect, going from the Yankees to the Rangers in the Alex Rodriguez swap. He has struggled with the bat, however, in limited action in the bigs (.276/.314/.362 in 275 plate appearances).

Mets Rumors: Young, Francis, Perez

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Here's the latest on the Mets as their first offseason under new GM Sandy Alderson continues:

  • Alderson guaranteed that the Mets will come back from the Winter Meetings "with some new players," according to Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter). Alderson cautioned, however, that he doesn't have much financial flexibility.
  • The Mets have not offered contracts to free-agent pitchers Chris Young and Jeff Francis, contrary to reports, notes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). Young and Francis are thought to be good fits for the Mets as low-cost, potentially high-reward hurlers who have enjoyed success in the past and could benefit from Citi Field's spacious dimensions.
  • Alderson said that he expects Oliver Perez to report to Spring Training, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork (via Twitter). The embattled Perez is currently in the Mexican Winter League after pitching in just 17 games last season due to injury and ineffectiveness. He's entering the final year of a three-year pact he signed prior to the 2009 season.
  • Alderson said that the Mets probably won't be engaged in talks of contract extensions with any of their players prior to Spring Training, according to Rubin (via Twitter). Of note, shortstop Jose Reyes is in the final year of his contract after having his 2011 team option picked up earlier this offseason.

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