Week In Review: 11/14/10 – 11/21/10
The hot stove jumped into another gear this past week, with several trades and free agent signings going down. Let's recap…
- Last Sunday we heard that the Braves' pursuit of a hitter could pick up during the week, and sure enough they soon traded Omar Infante and Mike Dunn to the Marlins for slugger Dan Uggla. Florida intends to focus on pitching now, and they have interest in Javier Vazquez (it's mutual). The Nationals could make Vazquez an offer this week, however.
- The first two significant free agents came off the board, as the Marlins signed John Buck (three years, $18MM) and the Tigers signed Joaquin Benoit (three years, $16.5MM).
- Two starting pitchers re-signed with their old clubs. The Dodgers brought back Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year, $12MM contract while the Cardinals re-upped Jake Westbrook for two years and $16.5MM with a third year option.
- Miscellaneous trades: The Blue Jays traded a pair of prospects for Rajai Davis, the Rockies and Astros swapped Clint Barmes and Felipe Paulino. and the Yankees flipped Juan Miranda to the Diamondbacks for prospect Scottie Allen.
- The D'Backs were featured prominently this week, and not just because they signed Geoff Blum to a two-year, $2.7MM contract or have interest in J.J. Putz. GM Kevin Towers said he'd listen to offers for Justin Upton, but he's asking for a ton in return. Upton has four teams on his no-trade list.
- Gavin Floyd is reportedly on the market and the Rockies have shown interest. They also have interest in Kevin Kouzmanoff, Jorge Cantu, Jose Lopez, Ty Wigginton, and Kevin Millwood. Colorado released Manny Corpas and has drawn the line at three years with Jorge de la Rosa,
- Derek Jeter wants a four-year deal from the Yankees, but they offered three years and $45MM. The Yanks also have interest in Pedro Feliciano and J.C. Romero, as well as Bill Hall. New York is expected to sign Dominican righty Rafael DePaula.
- Infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka was posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines, and the Red Sox, Twins, and Orioles will submit bids. The O's also have interest in J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett.
- The Rangers met with Cliff Lee this past week, though Nolan Ryan expects to be outbid. Texas did sign free agent (but former sixth overall pick) Barret Loux for $312K.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin told reporters that he's not shopping Prince Fielder while Scott Boras said that Manny Ramirez is seeking a one-year, incentive-laden contract to DH somewhere. Vladimir Guerrero is seeking a multiyear deal. Both the White Sox and Tigers met with Adam Dunn and his agent, and several teams have interest in Josh Willingham.
- The Orioles and 11 other teams have interest in Adrian Beltre, but the Athletics offered him five years and $64MM. The Red Sox will not go more than four years, however.
- The A's, meanwhile, broke off talks with Hisashi Iwakuma because of his contract demands.
- The Mets have a new manager, giving the job to Terry Collins. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire received a two-year contract extension. Drayton McLane announced his decision to put the Astros up for sale.
- The Phillies re-signed Jose Contreras to a two-year deal worth $5.5MM with a option for a third year, and they also have interest in Hisanori Takahashi. The Reds claimed Takahashi but were unable to work out a deal before he became a free agent.
- Yorvit Torrealba cut ties with the Padres and three clubs have interest in Miguel Olivo. The Reds re-signed Ramon Hernandez (one-year, $3MM).
- The Red Sox claimed Taylor Buchholz off waivers and are willing to trade Marco Scutaro.
- The Pirates designated three for assignment: Zach Duke, Andy LaRoche, and Delwyn Young.
- The Indians re-signed Anthony Reyes, but the big news in Cleveland is that Shin-Soo Choo will likely be exempt from mandatory military service back home in South Korea.
- Several players are trying to make comebacks, including Bartolo Colon, slugger Wily Mo Pena, and former Athletic Eric Chavez.
- "Six or eight" teams have shown interest in Carl Pavano while five have done the same with Jeff Francis and four with Brandon Webb.
- The Dodgers selected outfielder Anthony Jackson from the Rockies to complete September's Octavio Dotel trade.
MLBTR Originals: 11/14/10 – 11/21/10
The hot stove finally started to heat up this week, no doubt thanks to the GM Meetings. Here's a look at MLBTR's original content from the last seven days…
- Ben Nicholson-Smith was on location at the GM Meetings in Orlando, and he spoke to Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo, Rays GM Andrew Friedman, Padres GM Jed Hoyer, and Pirates GM Neal Huntington. He also provided some general rumors and got quotes from Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski after they signed Joaquin Benoit.
- When he got back, Ben explained why small market teams time their free agent bids carefully.
- Tim Dierkes pointed out the great start the ACES Agency is off to this winter.
- Among the free agents whose stock we examined: Grant Balfour of the Rays, Scott Downs of the Blue Jays, Brandon Webb of the Diamondbacks, and Victor Martinez of the Red Sox. We also looked at non-tender candidates Joel Zumaya of the Tigers and Tony Gwynn Jr. of the Padres.
- This week's polls included questions about Scott Downs' next contract and whether or not the Diamondbacks would trade Justin Upton.
- My amateur signing bonus series concluded with the Blue Jays and Nationals.
- Steve Adams listed the players that received bonuses based on regular season awards.
- I rounded up the best from the blogosphere in this week's Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
- Tim's chat transcript can be found here.
- If you're new to the site, make sure you check out our team and transactions-only feeds, team Facebook pages, and then visit the MLBTR forums. Here's a handy guide on all the different ways you can use the site.
Diamondbacks Interested In J.J. Putz
The Diamondbacks had one of the worst bullpens in baseball history last season (league-worst 5.74 ERA), something new GM Kevin Towers will undoubtedly try to correct this offseason. Part of the solution could be free agent reliever J.J. Putz, whom the D'Backs have interest in according to Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune.
Putz, 34 in February, was fantastic with the White Sox this year. He struck out 65 and walked just 13 unintentionally in 54 innings, pitching to a 2.83 ERA and holding opponents to a .204/.261/.313 batting line against. He did spend 16 days on the disabled list with knee tendinitis, a year after having bone spurs removed from his elbow. It's not long ago that Putz was one of the game's elite closers, a role he could easily fill in Arizona.
As Gonzales notes, Putz resides in nearby Peoria, something that will surely be attractive to the righty. The D'Backs also plan to pursue another former White Sox and Arizona resident, Paul Konerko. Putz earned $3MM in 2010 and is a Type-B free agent.
Nationals Could Make Offer To Vazquez Next Week
The Nationals have expressed interest in free agent righty Javier Vazquez according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter), and it's possible that the club could make him a contract offer as soon as next week. Vazquez expressed an interest in pitching for the team at the end of last month.
The Nats have let if be known that they are ready to spend to upgrade their rotation, showing interest in everyone from Cliff Lee to Carl Pavano and now Vazquez. They'll have competition from another NL East club though, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez met with Javy in Puerto Rico earlier today. The 34-year-old righty had a 5.32 ERA in 157 1/3 innings for the Yankees in 2010, but he finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting in 2009 and was good for 200 or so innings with lots of strikeouts on an annual basis for the decade before that.
Odds & Ends: Pirates, Royals, Sizemore, Matsui
Links for Saturday…
- MLB Network's Peter Gammons hears from an agent that the Pirates and Royals are "offering big" this offseason, and that the "Angels, Red Sox, [and] Mets could be left behind." (Twitter link)
- In a mailbag piece, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer says he doesn't believe Grady Sizemore has any trade value until he shows he can play after having microfracture surgery on his left knee. Sizemore will earn $7.5MM in 2011, then the team will have to decide between his $9MM option for 2012 or a $500K buyout.
- Jason Coskrey of The Japan Times passes along another report indicating that the Rakuten Golden Eagles have interest in both Kazuo Matsui and Kenshin Kawakami (Twitter link).
- Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer says you can bet on the Phillies adding an "older pitcher on a non-guaranteed contract" to compete with Kyle Kendrick and Vance Worley for the team's fifth starter spot.
- MLB.com's Carrie Muskat lists some pitching coach candidates for the Cubs in the wake of Larry Rothschild leaving for the same position with the Yankees.
- Troy Renck of The Denver Post passes along some quotes from Felipe Paulino about joining the Rockies. Colorado acquired Paulino from the Astros on Thursday.
Non-Tender Candidate: Joel Zumaya
The deadline for teams to offer contracts to players with fewer than six years of service time is less than two weeks away. An entirely new batch of free agents will hit the market as clubs non-tender guys they a) don't want, b) can't afford, or c) usually a combination of both. One player that's on the bubble was one of the game's most electrifying rookies just a few years ago, Joel Zumaya of the Tigers.
Zumaya burst onto the scene as a 21-year-old in 2006 with a season that was straight out of a video game. He threw 83 1/3 innings of relief, striking out 97 batters and allowing just 18 earned runs to score (1.94 ERA) before chipping in another six innings of relief work during Detroit's march to the World Series. His fastball routinely exceeded 100 mph and batters mustered just a .187/.287/.270 batting line against. Zumaya did, however, miss some time in October after suffering tendinitis in his wrist while playing Guitar Hero, and it was pretty much all downhill from there.
The 2007 season featured a lengthy (107 days) stint on the disabled list because of a ruptured tendon in his finger, and when Zumaya was on the mound he pitched to a 4.28 ERA in 33 2/3 innings. The righty then separated the AC joint in his throwing shoulder after the season while helping his father move boxes as wildfires approached the family home in San Diego. Zumaya started the 2008 season on the DL but made it back in June, pitching to a 3.47 ERA in 23 1/3 innings. He ended the year like he started it, on the DL with a shoulder injury. This time it was a stress fracture.
Zumaya started the 2009 campaign on the DL but was activated in late April. He threw 31 innings through mid-July (4.94 ERA), but his season ended there because of another stress fracture in his shoulder. This one required surgery. Zumaya was healthy enough to start the 2010 season with the Tigers, and he boasted an impressive 2.58 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 38 1/3 innings through June. His fastball was again humming in the triple digits and Detroit had one of the game's best setup men in their bullpen. But again, it did not last. Zumaya's season ended on June 28th in Minnesota, when he fractured the olecranon in his elbow throwing a pitch, an injury that was particularly horrifying to watch live.
Since that stellar rookie campaign, Zumaya has been able to make more than 30 appearances in a season just once (31 in 2010), and he spent more days on the disabled list (450) than on the active roster (278). All the while his salary climbed from $327K in 2006 to $915K in 2010, and he's about to enter his final season of arbitration eligibility.
GM Dave Dombrowski recently told MLive.com's James Schmehl that Zumaya would be ready for Spring Training, which seems to indicate that the now 26-year-old's rehab is going well. We also know that the Tigers are looking to add pieces to their bullpen, evidenced by the contract they just gave Joaquin Benoit. Normally you'd expect a pitcher as unreliable as Zumaya (because of the injuries, not his actual performance) to get non-tendered, but his salary is reasonably low (even with a slight raise) and Detroit did shed approximately $70MM off of 2010's payroll thanks to expiring contracts.
Tell us what you think; will the Tigers non-tender Zumaya in 12 days, or will they keep him? Click here to vote, and here to view the results.
Poll: Scott Downs’ Next Contract
Earlier this evening I took a look at the free agent stock of reliever Scott Downs, arguably the best non-closer still available on the open market. Joaquin Benoit broke the ice this past week when he accepted the Tigers' contract offer of three years and $16.5MM, presumably giving Downs and his camp a comparable they can use as a basis for their demands.
There are obvious differences between the two relievers, of course. Downs is just about a year older than Benoit but his health history is considerably better. He also has a much longer track record when it comes to being a top shelf reliever, and being left-handed certainly doesn't hurt. It's reasonable to think that Downs could command a larger contract than Benoit, but it's been quite some time since a reliever landed a deal that big. Time for the poll…
Will Downs land a contract larger than Benoit's?
Click here to vote and here to see the results. Thanks in advance.
Edwin Rodriguez Met With Javier Vazquez Today
7:26pm: Capozzi corrected an error in his post, adding that he has "no idea" what kind of contract Vazquez is looking for (Twitter link).
3:33pm: Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post reports that Vazquez is "said to be seeking" a three-year deal worth $33MM, almost identical to his last contract. I guess there's no harm in asking.
2:54pm: The Marlins and Javier Vazquez are known to have interest in each other, and manager Edwin Rodriguez said he met with the free agent right-hander in Puerto Rico this morning on the Marlins Insider Show. "Hopefully we can get him and put him in that rotation," said Rodriguez, who has known Vazquez since he was a teenager according to Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). The two share the same hometown.
President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest confirmed the team's interest in adding to their rotation earlier in the show, saying "There's some speculation out there that we're on some starting pitching … I think that's fair to say." Reports have indicated that the Marlins only have $3-4MM left to spend this offseason, which might not be enough to land Vazquez even coming off his down year. He made $11.5MM in 2010.
I examined the 34-year-old's free agent stock last month, saying that he's a potential bargain on a short-term, low-money deal. Surely that's what the Marlins have in mind.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Scott Downs
Left-handed relievers are always in high demand regardless of the time of year, and this offseason Scott Downs is the best the free agent market has to offer. Let's examine the former Blue Jay's stock…
The Good
- Downs isn't just a lefty specialist, he's perfectly capable of facing right-handed batters as well. Over the last three seasons, he's held righties to a .238/.325/.329 batting line (removing intentional walks) compared to .198/.264/.316 vs. LHB.
- He's already proven to be more than capable against the tough lineups that inhabit the AL East.
- Downs has experience in a variety of roles, so he's an option to both close or set-up.
The Bad
- Downs will turn 35 in Spring Training, so a three-year deal will carry him through age 37.
- He's been on the disabled list three times since 2008 with foot and ankle issues, and he also missed the last two-plus weeks of the 2009 season with a hamstring issue.
- Downs is a Type-A free agent that will certainly be offered arbitration, so it'll cost a high draft pick to sign him.
The Verdict
Joaquin Benoit's three-year, $16.5MM deal might have set the market for Downs, who's the best non-Rafael Soriano reliever on the market. The Red Sox are expected to show interest though the Yankees are reportedly not willing to surrender the draft pick. A reliever of Downs' quality fits with all 30 clubs, but only a few may be willing to offer multiple years at potentially closer money to sign him. Tim projected him to sign with Boston, and the smart money is on Downs joining a contender's bullpen.
New York Notes: Terrasas, Mets Manager, Jeter
The latest on both teams in the Big Apple…
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that Bob Melvin should be the Mets next manager because he "would be a calming influence in the New York storm."
- The Mets fired scouting director Rudy Terrasas according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (Twitter link). This isn't terribly surprising, new GM Sandy Alderson presumably wants his own guy in that position. ESPN New York's Adam Rubin reviews the five drafts that Terrasas oversaw and says he could remain with the team in another capacity (via Twitter).
- Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record tweets that the rest of the Mets' front office is taking the day off as Alderson deals with his father's passing. Klapisch's source says that everyone will "compare notes" tomorrow in choosing the team's next manager.
- Brian Costello of The New York Post says that it's possible Derek Jeter's camp will not respond to the Yankees' recent three-year, $45MM contract offer, forcing the team to "come up with a new plan."
- Chad Jennings of The Journal News looks at three players connected to the Yankees this offseason (Bill Hall, Justin Upton, and Miguel Olivo) and says he isn't sold on any of them being a legitimate fit.