Padres Sign Mark Worrell
The San Diego Padres have signed Mark Worrell to a minor league contract, according to Corey Brock of MLB.com.
The 26-year-old right-hander was non-tendered by the Padres last month, after he missed the 2009 season following Tommy John surgery. Worrell was initially acquired by San Diego last winter, in the deal that sent Khalil Greene to St. Louis.
Gammons On Chapman, Lowell, Damon
Peter Gammons answered fans' questions today in a chat session for the Boston Globe. Most of the inquiries were Red Sox-related or required some guesswork from Gammons, but let's check out a few highlights….
- Gammons speculates that the Angels will end up landing Aroldis Chapman, pointing to Chapman's connection to Kendry Morales as a possible factor.
- Mike Lowell's hip is improving and his thumb injury shouldn't be an issue by March. Gammons thinks there will still be some teams that would be willing to take on $2-3MM of the third baseman's contract, and that the Red Sox will eventually be able to trade him.
- The Red Sox may try to acquire another big bat sometime down the road, but right now the team doesn't seem too concerned about it. They think their improved defense will help make up for the offense they lost when they parted ways with Jason Bay.
- If Johnny Damon can't find a two-year contract that's close to his asking price, Gammons wouldn't be surprised to see the outfielder back in the Bronx next season.
Pirates Notes: Payroll, McCutchen, Bixler
The Pittsburgh Pirates won't raise their payroll, but have increased spending in other areas, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Biertempfel details how the Pirates are committing money to areas less obvious to fans than player contracts, including facilities, scouting and player development.
In a separate article, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks back at the Jason Bay trade from Pittsburgh's perspective, and adds a few more Pirates-related nuggets:
- The Pirates haven't talked to Andrew McCutchen about a long-term extension yet, but have him under team control until 2015, so there's plenty of time.
- The team is hoping that Brian Bixler will develop into a super-utility type, since they like his defensive versatility.
- Given the number of free agents still available, the club would prefer to "wait for what it sees as the best value."
- In particular, the Pirates will be looking at value signings for their outfield and bullpen.
Rangers Interested In Colby Lewis
The Texas Rangers are eyeing right-hander Colby Lewis, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Lewis pitched in the majors most recently in 2007 for the Oakland A's, and has spent the last two years in Japan.
Originally selected by the Rangers in the supplemental round of the 1999 draft, Lewis never enjoyed much success in the big leagues, compiling a 6.71 ERA in 72 career appearances (34 starts). The 30-year-old has excelled for the Hiroshima Carp though, posting a sub-3.00 ERA in each of his two seasons as a starter in Japan.
Although acquiring an impact bat may be the Rangers' main priority right now, they are still looking to add pitching depth. Lewis is hoping to return to the United States for the 2010 season, and the righty would definitely qualify as an inexpensive option.
Padres Notes: Ausmus, Johnson, Kouzmanoff
The San Diego Padres have about $5-8MM to spend before the 2010 season begins, according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. In his latest piece, Center details how the bargain-hunting Padres could spend that money….
- San Diego's needs include a right-handed center field bat, a backup catcher, a veteran pitcher, and a utility infielder.
- With so many free agents remaining, the team isn't necessarily in any rush to fill their holes. GM Jed Hoyer says that there will "be some bargains out there as spring training approaches. There will be players, although you might not be able to be selective."
- At catcher, the Padres are looking for a player to act as a mentor to Nick Hundley and the Padres' pitching staff, while only playing a game or two a week. Center notes that Brad Ausmus would be a good fit.
- Center also speculates that Reed Johnson would be a logical and potentially affordable outfield target.
- Since many teams have filled their third base holes, and Adrian Beltre and Miguel Tejada are still on the market, the chances of the Padres trading Kevin Kouzmanoff have seriously diminished.
Odds & Ends: Braves, Yankees, Encarnacion
A few Saturday night links to peruse….
- The Braves' outfield trio pales in comparison to those of their division rivals, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). O'Brien says the team is still trying to add another outfield bat.
- LoHud.com's Chad Jennings wonders if the Yankees' lineup would seem better if Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner swapped positions, since Granderson has the power of a corner outfielder and Gardner has the speed of a center fielder. Jennings isn't suggesting they should swap, but calling attention to traditional expectations for offensive production at certain positions.
- MLB.com has posted a series of articles highlighting burning questions that each team must answer as they head into the 2010 season.
- Shi Davidi of the Canadian Press tweets an encouraging update on Edwin Encarnacion, following a fireworks accident. Paul Kinzer, Encarnacion's agent, says the third baseman is "doing really great" after an initial scare.
Discussion: Which Team Has Improved The Least?
Earlier today, we discussed which team had improved the most so far this offseason. Based on your comments, the Seattle Mariners appear to be the overwhelming number one choice. Now it's time to examine the other side of coin, and figure out which club has done the least to improve so far this winter.
It hasn't been a great offseason in southern California: The Angels parted ways with top free agents like John Lackey and Chone Figgins, and the Dodgers' budget issues have affected their roster decisions (ie. not offering Randy Wolf arbitration). Elsewhere, Atlanta has lost a handful of impact players, including Javier Vazquez, Mike Gonzalez, and Rafael Soriano, while many of the Braves' new signings (Troy Glaus, Billy Wagner, Takashi Saito) have high upsides, but worrisome injury histories.
If you want to include rebuilding clubs in the discussion, the Blue Jays and Tigers will almost certainly field weaker teams in 2010, after trading away players like Roy Halladay, Curtis Granderson, and Edwin Jackson. Both clubs, however, managed to add some intriguing talent to their farm systems in those deals, aiming to improve their long-term prospects. In Detroit's case, they should still have the pieces to contend in 2010 in a weak AL Central.
It's hard to compare major movers and shakers such as the Red Sox and Yankees to the teams whose payroll restrictions force them to stand relatively pat. But which club's offseason do you think has been the worst, to date?
A Look Back At The First Week Of 2009
It's been a slow day for news and rumors, but if last year is any indication, we can expect an eventful coming week. Let's take a look back at the stories that dominated the hot stove a year ago, from January 1-7, 2009:
- Hard to believe it was only a year ago that Milton Bradley and the Cubs were putting the finishing touches on a three-year, $30MM contract. At the time, Bradley's health, as opposed to his personality or his production, was the biggest concern.
- Superstars Manny Ramirez and Jake Peavy dominated the rumor mill, as Ramirez considered contract offers and the Padres mulled trading their ace.
- Pat Burrell and the Rays agreed to a two-year deal worth $16MM. Like Bradley's contract, this one looks much worse now than it did then, though a strong 2010 from Pat the Bat would salvage some value for Tampa Bay.
- Let's add a couple more signings to the list of early 2009 moves that didn't work out as planned: The Athletics signed Jason Giambi to a one-year contract, while the Red Sox agreed to terms with John Smoltz.
- Earlier tonight, we suggested that a 2010 reunion for Johnny Damon and the Yankees doesn't appear likely. A year ago, it was Andy Pettitte who didn't seem likely to return to the Bronx, after the lefty rejected a contract offer from the team.
- Trevor Hoffman hadn't signed with the Brewers yet, but Milwaukee had emerged as the closer's top suitor, with the Dodgers also in the mix.
- Two pitchers that were on the market this winter were making headlines a year ago too. Jason Marquis was traded from the Cubs to the Rockies, while Carl Pavano signed a one-year deal with Cleveland.
- The Orioles signed Japanese import Koji Uehara to a two-year pact. Uehara was fairly effective in 12 starts for Baltimore before an elbow injury cut his rookie season short.
- The Reds signed Jerry Hairston Jr., who eventually won a World Series title later in the year with the Yankees.
With over 200 free agents still unsigned by our count, 2010 promises to kick off with plenty of hot stove action.
Discussion: Where Will Johnny Damon Land?
We've flipped the calendar to 2010 and Johnny Damon is one of baseball's most intriguing names that remains unsigned. Chuck Brownson at The Hardball Times pens an article today that asks why teams seem wary of signing the veteran outfielder. Brownson acknowledges Damon's oft-repeated shortcomings, including his below average arm and his questionable defense (-12.1 UZR/150 last season), but points out that the 36-year-old is still a dangerous offensive player and seems destined to be a bargain this winter.
The New York Yankees seemed like the logical fit for Damon heading into the offseason. After all, Damon was a significant part of the team's World Series run in 2009, and their park's short right field porch helped him match his career high in homers (24). The Yankees' search for a left fielder has them considering more affordable options than Damon though, and they've shown a reluctance so far this winter to deal out multi-year contracts (Damon is seeking at least two years).
So what are Damon's alternatives? The Rangers are looking to add a bat or two, but Damon may be a little too expensive for their liking. The Cardinals have the money and the outfield opening, though if they sign Matt Holliday they'll no longer be in the market for a left fielder. The Giants could sign another hitter and the Braves still have some leftover money from the Javier Vazquez trade, but would either National League team be comfortable paying Damon a sizable chunk of money to play in the outfield every day for the next two years? An American League team that could occasionally DH the 36-year-old might make more sense.
With Jason Bay having signed and Holliday potentially not far behind, the market for Damon could improve in the coming weeks. For now, it doesn't seem that many teams are interested, given his asking price. Where do you see Damon playing in 2010?
Athletics Re-Sign Justin Duchscherer
The A's re-signed righty Justin Duchscherer to a one-year deal today. His contract has a base salary of $2MM, with another $3.5MM in incentives for games started and innings pitched. The A's aren't allowed to offer Duchscherer arbitration if he's a Type A free agent, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick first reported the agreement on December 24th. Duchscherer also drew interest from the Pirates, Red Sox, and Rockies, among other teams.
Duchscherer has spent nearly all of his major league career in Oakland, after the Rangers traded him to the Athletics in the spring of 2002. The 32-year-old proved dominant as both a starter and reliever, when healthy, posting a 2.82 ERA in 214 appearances for the A's. Duchscherer missed the '09 season due to elbow surgery and depression, as explained by Crasnick in this article.
Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.