Torii Hunter Rumors: Tuesday
Torii Hunter has been one of this offseason's most popular players so far, and yesterday we learned that as many as 13-14 teams have interest in signing him. He's expected to pick a new team within two weeks and will likely part ways with the Angels. The Tigers appear to be his most aggressive suitor. Here are today's rumors on Hunter, with the latest updates up top…
- "He wants to play (with the Tigers)," said a source to CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler. Detroit has not made a contract offer yet but it could come soon.
- Hunter is visiting with Tigers officials in Detroit today, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi says they are prepared to make him a multiyear offer, and there's a good chance Hunter will sign with the defending AL champs unless the Rangers make a late push (Twitter links).
- "I’d say there’s little shot," said a source to Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News when asked if Hunter could wind up with the Yankees.
- Many teams view Hunter as a potential number two hitter, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). He hit .343 with an .854 OPS in 381 plate appearances sandwiched between Mike Trout and Albert Pujols this season.
Sherman’s Latest: Soriano, Yankees, Moore, Rays, Bay
Of the nine players who received qualifying offers this offseason, Rafael Soriano is viewed within the game as having taken the biggest financial risk by declining according to Joel Sherman of The New York Post. Teams don't want to invest big in closers because of their volatility now more than ever, especially after year one of the Heath Bell contract. Here are the rest of Sherman's rumors…
- The Yankees are privately pleased that Soriano opted out of his $14MM salary for next season. They'll allocate those dollars elsewhere and could use a portion of it on a reliever to replace Soriano.
- The feeling at the GM Meetings was that the Rays are much more open to trading a starting pitcher for offense than they have been in the past. They would talk about James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Jeff Niemann, and even Matt Moore in the right deal.
- In the wake of Jason Bay's departure from the Mets, Sherman points out that Tyler Colvin (.150 AVG in 2011) and Andruw Jones (.158 AVG in 2008) are two recent examples of outfielders who turned things around following dreadful seasons. Bay hit .158 this year.
Cardinals Release Kyle McClellan, Sign Rob Johnson
The Cardinals have released Kyle McClellan and signed Rob Johnson to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training, reports Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post Dispatch.
McClellan, 28, allowed 11 runs in 18 2/3 relief innings this season while missing considerable time with elbow and shoulder injuries. He had surgery in July. McClellan pitched to a 4.19 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 17 starts and 26 relief appearances for the Cardinals last year. Matt Swartz projected the right-hander to earn $2.4MM during this third trip through arbitration this winter.
Johnson, 30, hit .250/.298/.288 in 58 plate appearances with the Mets last year. He spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he put up a .207/.253/.335 batting line with four homers in 178 plate appearances. The catcher is a career .201/.277/.297 hitter at the big league level, with most of his playing time coming with the Mariners.
Olney’s Latest: Broxton, Guthrie, Hunter, Mariners
In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney lists some free agents who are trending upward as the market begins to take shape, including J.P. Howell, Jonathan Broxton, Cody Ross, Jeremy Guthrie, Joe Saunders, Ryan Ludwick, Jason Grilli, Sean Burnett, and Jeff Keppinger. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors…
- There has been substantial interest in Broxton so far, and it appears he could receive one of the largest contracts of the relief market.
- A team in desperate need of rotation help could move aggressively on Guthrie, and Olney wonders if his AL East track record with the Orioles makes him attractive to the Blue Jays.
- Torii Hunter's decision seems to be coming down to a choice between the Rangers and Tigers. Here are today's Hunter rumors.
- The Mariners are ready to pursue a big name free agent, but the stakes are high after the Chone Figgins fiasco. "They know they can't be wrong on the next one," said a source to Olney.
Cubs Agree To Sign Scott Baker
The Cubs have agreed to terms with Scott Baker on a one-year contract, the team announced. The deal includes a $5.5MM base salary with $1.5MM in incentives, reports Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune and MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter links). The right-hander is represented by Octagon, as our Agency Database shows.
Baker, 31, did not pitch at all in 2012 due to Tommy John surgery, prompting the Twins to decline his $9.25MM option after the season. The two sides had been discussing a new contract before the right-hander hooked on with the Cubbies. Chicago is reportedly looking to add pitching on short-term deals this winter, and this contract accomplishes that.
Baker has spent his entire career with Minnesota, pitching to a 4.15 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in nearly 1,000 career innings. He posted a career-low 3.14 ERA with a career-high 8.3 K/9 in 134 2/3 innings last season while missing time with elbow problems. Although he has cracked the 200-inning plateau just once in his career, Baker has thrown at least 170 innings three times in the last five years.
Tim Dierkes ranked Baker 46th on his Top 50 Free Agents List, predicting he would re-sign with the Twins. Check out our Free Agent Prediction Contest Leaderboard to see where you rank among MLBTR's readers.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Presswire.
Jed Lowrie Drawing Interest
Several teams have expressed interest in acquiring Jed Lowrie, but the Astros are intent on keeping him unless they are overwhelmed with an offer according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). With few free agent shortstops available, Lowrie figured to be a hot commodity this winter.
The 28-year-old switch-hitter came to Houston in a trade with the Red Sox last offseason. Lowrie hit .244/.331/.438 with 16 homers in 387 plate appearances during his first season with the Astros, but he missed time with thumb and ankle injuries. He's been on the disabled list six times since 2009. Lowrie has experience at all four infield spots and is a career .292/.362/.486 hitter against lefties.
Matt Swartz projects Lowrie to earn $1.9MM in his second trip through arbitration this winter. He'll be eligible for free agency after 2014.
Six Teams Interested In Kevin Youkilis
The lot of free agent third basemen isn't very strong this offseason, and as a result, Kevin Youkilis has become a hot commodity. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the Mariners and Marlins have checked in on the 33-year-old, as have the Phillies, Dodgers, and Indians. The White Sox are also said to want him back.
Youkilis hit .235/.336/.409 in 509 plate appearances last year, including .236/.346/.425 in 344 plate appearances following his trade to the ChiSox. He has plenty of experience at both first and third base throughout his career, though he has been on the disabled list five times in the last four years. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Youkilis 27th in his Top 50 Free Agents List, predicting he would sign with the Phillies.
Giants Discussing Three-Year Deal With Affeldt
MONDAY: If the sides complete the deal it’s expected to be for about $18MM and three years, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter).
FRIDAY: The Giants and Jeremy Affeldt are in talks about a three-year contract worth $15-20MM, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports (on Twitter). Earlier tonight, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the team was confident in re-signing the veteran left-hander.
Affeldt, 33, pitched to a 2.70 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 63 1/3 relief innings for San Francisco this year. He added another 10 1/3 scoreless innings in the playoffs as the Giants clinched the World Series title. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Affeldt 50th in his Top 50 Free Agents ranking, predicting that he would re-sign with the team.
Five Teams Interested In Melky Cabrera
At least five teams have expressed interest in free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post. The Mets and Yankees are not two of those teams, however.
Cabrera, 28, is arguably the most unique free agent on the market this offseason. He was performing like a star (.346/.390/.516) with the Giants this summer before being suspended 50 games for a positive PED test, which he tried to cover up with a website scheme. Given his age and production, Melky would have been in line for a huge payday. Instead, he'll likely have to settle for a short-term contract in an effort to rebuild value.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Cabrera as the 18th best free agent in his Top 50 Free Agents List, predicting he would sign with the Red Sox.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Upton, Rays, Youkilis, Dodgers
Here's the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- The Rangers continue to insist that they will not trade either Elvis Andrus or Jurickson Profar for Justin Upton, which could allow the Rays to emerge as the front-runner. They could offer the Diamondbacks James Shields or Jeremy Hellickson in addition to shortstop prospect Hak-Ju Lee.
- The White Sox and Phillies are interested in Kevin Youkilis, and the Dodgers are considering him as well. Rosenthal says other clubs are concerned whenever Los Angeles is reportedly in on a player given their financial might.
- The Orioles and Nationals are still engaged in a dispute over money received from MASN — both clubs own the network, but Baltimore's stake is nearly 90% — though Nats GM Mike Rizzo said that will not limit the club's ability to spend.
- Angels GM Jerry Dipoto is not concerned about finding a pure closer. He intends to add the best bullpen arms he can and let things figure themselves out.
- A rival executive told Rosenthal that he expects Dan Haren to sign with the Padres. Haren is a West Coast guy and Padres GM Josh Byrnes originally acquired him from the Athletics while running the Diamondbacks a few years ago.
- “Like him. Don’t love him," said a Red Sox official when asked about Adam LaRoche. Boston is reportedly pursuing the first baseman.
- Joakim Soria and Ryan Madson will not be ready to pitch at the start of the season. Both right-handers are coming off Tommy John surgery.