Padres Avoid Arbitration With Seth Smith
The Padres have avoided arbitration with outfielder Seth Smith, the club announced on Twitter. Smith will earn $4.5MM, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected that Smith would merit a $4.3MM salary in his final trip through arbitration.
The 31-year-old hit .253/.329/.391 in 410 plate appearances last year in Oakland, including eight long balls. He had hit at least 14 home runs in each of the previous four seasons, though three of those were spent at homer-prone Coors Field. Smith has been most attractive in a platoon role throughout his career, posting a lifetime .844 OPS against righties and just a .582 OPS versus same-handed hurlers.
San Diego acquired Smith from the Athletics back in December, in exchange for reliever Luke Gregerson. As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, the Pads have reached agreement with three arb-eligible players (Tim Stauffer and Eric Stults, in addition to Smith) and have six more to go: Kyle Blanks, Everth Cabrera, Andrew Cashner, Chase Headley, Ian Kennedy, and Tyson Ross. Swartz projects that group to command a total of $22.7MM, on top of the $8.85MM that the club has already committed through arbitration this year.
AL Notes: Jenks, Tanaka, Angels, Yankees, Wieters
Former White Sox reliever Bobby Jenks has his sights set on a return to baseball, reports MLB.com's Scott Merkin. As Merkin chronicles, mutually compounding difficulties with injury and addiction saw the once-feared closer wash out of baseball after an ill-fated season with the Red Sox in 2011. Still just shy of 33 years of age, Jenks says that he is mentally prepared to try and work his way back to the hill.
Here are some notes from the American League to round out the evening:
- Though reports from Japan have tabbed the Angels as one of the favorites to land Masahiro Tanaka, GM Jerry Dipoto confirmed today that his club was not among the teams that met with the Japanese sensation last week in Los Angeles, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. "We did not meet with Tanaka," said Dipoto. "We were not scheduled to meet with him." The GM otherwise declined to comment, but DiGiovanna offers on Twitter that the lack of a face-to-face could indicate that the Halos "won't break [the] bank" for Tanaka.
- For the Yankees, signing Tanaka could be the key to making the team a serious post-season contender, opines MLB.com's Richard Justice. Though another arm could be added if Tanaka goes elsewhere, Justice notes that the club has shown little interest in other top starters like Ervin Santana and Matt Garza.
- While the suspension of Alex Rodriguez will unquestionably benefit the Yanks' bottom line, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, it nevertheless leaves the club with major questions in the infield. With injury and aging concerns around the diamond, accompanied by seemingly limited upside, Castrovince says that the infield is a close second to starting pitching in terms of need. Though chatter of a Brandon Phillips deal has faded, Castrovince writes that a swap of some kind still "makes a ton of sense" for both the Yankees and Reds.
- Catcher Matt Wieters has long been rumored as an extension candidate for the Orioles, as the 27-year-old is entering his second-to-last arb-eligible campaign. From the player's perspective, however, the urgency of a new deal is seemingly fading, according to a report from Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). "It's not a big worry for me," said Wieters. "I think in years past it's taken a little more of my thoughts than this year." With a $5.5MM arbitration payday already in his pocket, and a projected $7.9MM on the way for 2014, it is certainly understandable that Wieters is increasingly comfortable with waiting to hit the open market.
Mariners Close To Deal With John Buck
TUESDAY, 4:20pm: Seattle is expected to give Buck a major league contract, Morosi tweets.
MONDAY, 11:25pm: The Mariners are close to a deal with free agent catcher John Buck, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Buck, 33, is represented by the ACES agency.
The backstop played out the last year of a three-year, $18MM contract last season. After originally signing that deal with the Marlins, Buck was dealt from the Blue Jays to the Mets, and then to the Pirates. Buck raced out to a hot start in 2013 — he had a .844 OPS and 9 home runs in April — but faded over the course of the year. He saw only 24 plate appearances in his late-season stint in Pittsburgh, and ultimately ended the 2013 campaign with a .219/.285/.362 line and 15 home runs over 431 plate appearances. Buck has appeared in at least 100 games in eight of the last nine seasons and has a lifetime .701 OPS.
As things stand for Seattle, young catcher Mike Zunino figures to be the club's primary catching option for 2014 (and beyond), with 25-year-old Jesus Sucre and veteran Humberto Quintero also in the mix. At first glance, Buck would presumably fit in as Zunino's backup if a deal is consummated. On the other hand, as MLBTR's Aaron Steen has noted, the unseasoned Zunino could probably stand to spend more time in the minors or in a reduced role, and Buck's long history as a starter makes him a plausible candidate to see significant time behind the big league dish.
Phillies Considering Additional Depth Signings
After signing Ronny Cedeno to a minor league deal earlier today, the Phillies are weighing several other depth signings, reports Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. An outfielder, left-handed bat, and starting and relief pitching are all being eyed by GM Ruben Amaro Jr., according to the report.
The club has considered bringing in veteran Lyle Overbay to add left-handed power, says Salisbury. In 486 plate appearances last season for the Yankees, appearing mostly at first, Overbay registered a .240/.295/.393 line and knocked 14 home runs, though he also struck out 111 times.
The Phils are also keen to add arms. "We're looking to add pitching depth in the bullpen and rotation, still trolling," said Amaro. "They'd likely be non-roster guys." Salisbury reports that Philadelphia has "kept tabs" on former closer Ryan Madson, and may decide to give him a look this spring. Madson has yet to throw a big league inning for another franchise due to elbow issues, though he has earned over $9MM from other clubs during the last two seasons.
Another name that could be under consideration, according to Salisbury, is Chad Gaudin. The well-traveled 30-year-old, who has appeared for nine MLB teams over eleven seasons, put up a 3.06 ERA in 97 innings last year for the Giants. His primary attractieness to Philly would be his ability to work as a starter or out of the pen.
Yankees Have Asked Padres About Trade For Infielder
The Yankees have inquired with the Padres about the possibility of trading for some of San Diego's infield depth, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The most realistic target is utilityman Logan Forsythe, according to Morosi.
Though New York would undoubtedly like to acquire a more impactful player, such as third baseman Chase Headley, Morosi explains that the Yankees farm system does not have enough talent to swing such a move. That makes a more modest acquisition more likely, though of course New York has several utility options (including Eduardo Nunez and Brendan Ryan) already under contract.
The 26-year Forsythe is a versatile fielder, and Morosi notes that his right-handed bat could make him a platoon option with Kelly Johnson at third. (It is worth noting, however, that Johnson has actually hit slightly better against southpaws over his career than he has against opposite-handed pitching.) Forsythe would also provide insurance for Brian Roberts at second, as he has spent the majority of his MLB time at the keystone.
Over 762 career plate appearances between 2011-13, Forsythe has a cumulative .241/.310/.349 line. He has also registered 17 stolen bases over that period. After a solid 2012 campaign in which he registered a .273/.343/.390 triple-slash (good for a 107 OPS+), Forsythe struggled last year with a .214/.281/.332 mark.
Orioles Sign Delmon Young To Minor League Deal
8:34pm: If he makes the big league roster, Young will receive a $1MM base salary and could earn up to $750K in incentives, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
5:49pm: The Orioles have signed outfielder Delmon Young to a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite, the club announced. We heard earlier today that Baltimore was interested in the 28-year-old, who is represented by Wasserman Media Group.
Once considered the game's top prospect, Young has failed to live up to his billing in that respect. He is generally viewed as a negative defender from the corner outfield, and has a career .739 OPS over eight seasons and 3,936 plate appearances. Young spent 2013 with the Phillies and Rays, putting up a cumulative .260/.307/.407 line with 11 homers in 361 plate appearances. His performance improved upon joining Tampa, as he registered a 117 OPS+ over his 70 plate appearances there.
Nevertheless, Young's right-handed bat has played up against lefties, against whom he has a career .303/.341/.471 triple-slash. As MLBTR's Steve Adams noted earlier today, Young could slot in as a DH and/or part-time left fielder for the O's, particularly if he is mostly limited to facing southpaws. Baltimore has added a number of possible outfield options over the last few months, including Quintin Berry, Xavier Paul, David Lough, and Francisco Peguero. Among those players, only Peguero swings from the right side.
Free Agent Notes: Tanaka, Santana, Reynolds, Baker, Guerrier
Here is the latest on several free agent situations around the league:
- While not technically a free agent, Masahiro Tanaka can still be signed by any club that is also willing to pay his $20MM posting fee. Reports out of Japan indicate that the Yankees and Dodgers are the favorites to land the 25-year-old righty, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times, with Tanaka's wife reportedly interested in landing on the West Coast. The Angels are also said to be among the top suitors for Tanaka's services, says MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (referencing a recent report from Japanese outlet Sports Hochi).
- The Orioles, Twins, and Yankees recently asked for medicals on righty Ervin Santana, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. (Links to Twitter.) New York appears only to be performing due diligence, says Rosenthal, who notes that Santana's flyball tendencies make him a poor fit at Yankee Stadium. Meanwhile, the Twins seem unlikely to add another free agent starter, Rosenthal adds.
- There are at least five clubs that "have been in on" infielder/DH Mark Reynolds, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The teams include the Nationals, Rangers, Twins, Orioles, and Yankees.
- Right-handed starter Scott Baker has several minor league offers in hand but is holding out for a guaranteed MLB deal, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. The Twins have not been interested in a reunion thus far, Wolfson adds.
- Another former Twin who spent time with the Cubs last year, right-handed reliever Matt Guerrier, is set to throw off of a mound on Friday as he rehabs from an elbow injury suffered late last year, Wolfson tweets. Minnesota is interested in potentially bringing him back, according to Wolfson.
Red Sox Notes: Tanaka, Starters, Drew, Ortiz
Red Sox GM Ben Cherington covered a host of topics an interview with WEEI.com's Alex Speier and Rob Bradford (all links to Speier's Twitter feed unless otherwise noted). The full interview can be heard here, but here are some of the highlights, and the latest out of Boston:
- As noted earlier this evening, Cherington indicated that the Red Sox have yet to schedule a meeting with Masahiro Tanaka and agent Casey Close. The Boston GM left the impression that, after some preliminary chats, both team and player were still guaging whether more serious discussions were warranted. Jason Mastrodonato of MassLive.com has more of Cherington's comments regarding Tanaka.
- Meanwhile, Tanaka is holding up the potential trade market for Boston's arguable excess of starting pitching, writes Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. But interest could pick up in the Sox' arms once Tanaka and the other top starters exit the open market, MacPherson reasons, since most teams in baseball still having plenty of room to upgrade their rotations.
- The Sox have "kept the dialogue going" with shortstop Stephen Drew over the off-season, Cherington said. But the sides have not talked since the holidays, he noted. With Drew seemingly finding it hard to land a multi-year offer, and internal options already in the fold in Boston, Cherington has enviable leverage.
- Meanwhile, Cherington said that the team will "probably" have some discussions with DH David Ortiz about a contract extension during the coming year. "When someone like that expresses their strong interest in staying, that's a good thing," said Cherington. "We want him to finish his career as a Red Sox." We heard last month that Ortiz was interested in exploring an extension. The 38-year-old Relativity Baseball client is in the second and final year of the $26MM contract he inked back in November of 2012.
Latest On Mariners’ Search For New President
With the clock ticking on Chuck Armstrong's tenure as the president of the Mariners, the club is beginning to interview replacement candidates, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The club intends to consider at least two internal options before looking outside the organization. But if Seattle decides to open things up, Nightengale reports, Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa is on the club's short list.
Neither La Russa nor club CEO Howard Lincoln would comment specifically on the former's candidacy. But the three-time World Series-winning skipper told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he had sent a letter and resume to Seattle to express his interest in the vacancy. (Twitter links.) And La Russa told Nightengale that he "miss[es] the winning and losing" aspect of baseball and is "interested in getting to the competition upstairs" (i.e., in a front office). Given his exalted standing in the game, Nightengale posits, La Russa could ultimately prove the "odds-on-favorite" for the position.
Before La Russa gets a shot, however, the internal candidates will reportedly have every opportunity to win the job. Though their identities have yet to be reported, two likely options – according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times – are executive VP of finance and ballpark operations Kevin Mather and executive VP of business operations Bob Aylward. Promotion from within still seems the likely outcome, Divish surmises, given the ease of transition. Whatever direction the club takes, it intends to house business and baseball authority in one position, Divish further notes.
Minor Moves: Jesus Sanchez, Matt Angle, Josh Spence
Here are some minor signings we learned of today:
- In addition to naming the club's Spring Training invites, the Marlins also announced several minor league contracts, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports. Along with the previously reported inking of Kevin Slowey and Joe Benson, Miami has reached deals with three additional players. 26-year-old righty Jesus Sanchez has posted solid numbers in the upper minors since shifting to a relief role. Last year, with the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, he posted a 2.83 ERA in 70 innings (over 48 outings) while registering 6.4 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9. Outfielder Matt Angle, 28, received 95 plate appearances with the Orioles in 2011. Spending the last two seasons at Triple-A for the Dodgers, he managed a .283/.374/.433 triple-slash in 2013. Southpaw Josh Spence, a 25-year-old Aussie, has 40 innings of 3.15 ERA ball under his belt at the MLB level. He threw 43 innings for the Yankees' top affiliate last year, netting a 3.98 ERA with 8.6 K/9 versus 3.6 BB/9.
- Looking at MLBTR's DFA Tracker, only Santos Rodriguez (White Sox) remains in limbo at the moment.