Free Agent Faceoff: Anibal Sanchez vs. Kyle Lohse
MLBTradeRumors is introducing a new series in which two comparable free agents are analyzed side by side. Each post will conclude with a reader vote on the value of the two players.
Starting pitching is always at a premium and this offseason will be no different. Two of the very best starters on the free market are Anibal Sanchez and Kyle Lohse, who ranked fourth and tenth on Tim’s Top 50 Free Agents List, respectively. Both right-handers pitched for playoff teams this season and have shown durability in recent years, but is one more desirable than the other?
Sanchez, 28, pitched to a 3.86 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 this season, including a 3.74 ERA in 12 starts following his trade from the Marlins to the Tigers. He’s thrown at least 190 innings in each of the last three years following major shoulder surgery in 2008. Sanchez is a true four-pitch pitcher (fastball, curveball, slider, changeup) who gets a decent amount of ground balls (45.3% from 2010-2012) and has actually been better against lefties than righties these last three years (.667 vs. .739 OPS).
Lohse, 34, posted a 2.86 ERA in 211 innings this season, including a 6.1 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9. He’s thrown at least 180 innings in the last two years and four times in the last six years. Lohse gives up a fair amount of fly balls (41.4% grounders the last three years) despite his lack of strikeouts. He’s primarily a sinker-slider-changuep pitcher who has been hit harder by lefties than righties these last three years (.737 vs. .688 OPS). That said, he’s been better than Sanchez these last two years — 3.11 ERA in 399 1/3 innings vs. 3.77 ERA in 392 innings.
Which pitcher would you prefer to sign this winter?
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Anibal Sanchez 69% (12,616)
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Kyle Lohse 31% (5,661)
Total votes: 18,277
Marlins Sign Kevin Kouzmanoff & Jordan Smith
Here are the day's minor league signings…
- The Marlins have signed Kevin Kouzmanoff to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel (on Twitter). The 31-year-old infielder hit .276/.309/.382 in 355 Triple-A plate appearances this year. He hasn't played in the big leagues since 2011.
- The Marlins also signed Jordan Smith to a minor league pact with an invite to Spring Training according to Rodriguez. Smith, 26, pitched to a 4.76 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 56 2/3 innings for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate this year. The right-hander posted a 4.94 ERA in 62 relief innings for Cincinnati from 2010-2011.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Cardinals, Solis, Fick
Here are today's outright assignments…
- The Cardinals have outrighted Steven Hill, Bryan Anderson, and Adam Reifer to Triple-A, reports Brian Walton of Scout.com. Catchers Hill, 27, and Anderson, 25, have made brief cameos with St. Louis in recent years while Reifer, a 26-year-old right-hander, has never played in the show.
- The Pirates have outrighted Ali Solis to Triple-A according to the MLB.com transactions page. Pittsburgh claimed the 25-year-old backstop from the Padres late last month, after he hit .283/.307/.419 with San Diego's Double-A affiliate and earned a September call-up.
- The Astros outrighted Chuckie Fick to Triple-A, the team announced. Houston claimed the 26-year-old right-hander from the Cardinals in July, and he pitched to a 4.30 ERA in 23 innings for Houston down the stretch.
Ten Teams Interested In Mike Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez didn't find a home for 2012 until May, but interest in the left-hander is plentiful this offseason. He told James Wagner of The Washington Post that about ten teams have already expressed interest in his services, but his top priority is staying with the Nationals.
“They’ve had a couple conversations,” said Gonzalez. “[My agent] told me that [the Nationals] are definitely interested and I’m definitely interested. It’s going to be good. We haven’t started throwing money there. But there’s interest on every side.”
Gonzalez, 34, pitched to a 3.03 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 35 2/3 innings for Washington this season, holding lefties to a .179/.257/.269 batting line with 23 strikeouts in 75 plate appearances. He recently left Scott Boras for Dan Lozano and said that while he's hoping for a two-year deal, comfort will be a big factor with his decision this offseason.
With both Gonzalez and Sean Burnett becoming free agents, Tom Gorzelanny is currently the only left-hander in the Nationals' bullpen. He's more of a longman than a matchup specialist.
Blue Jays Acquire Esmil Rogers For Aviles, Gomes
The Blue Jays have acquired Esmil Rogers from the Indians for Mike Aviles and Yan Gomes, both teams announced. The move fills a hole for each club, as Toronto gets pitching depth while Cleveland gets infield depth.
Rogers, 27, pitched to a 3.06 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 53 innings for the Tribe this year. He was acquired from the Rockies for cash in mid-June after being designated for assignment. Rogers throws very hard — averaged 95.7 mph with the fastball in 2012 — and remains under team control through 2016. He fell just short of the Super Two cutoff this offseason.
Toronto had just acquired Aviles from the Red Sox as compensation for manager John Farrell late last month. The 31-year-old infielder hit .250/.282/.381 with 13 homers for Boston last year and is capable of playing the three non-first base infield spots. Aviles is projected to make $2.3MM through arbitration this winter and will remain under team control in 2014 as well. He played for new Indians manager Terry Francona briefly with the Red Sox in 2011.
Gomes, 25, hit .204/.264/.367 with four homers in 111 plate appearances for the Jays this season, his first taste of the big leagues. He hit .328/.380/.557 with 13 homers in 335 plate appearances at hitter-friendly Triple-A Las Vegas this summer, and has experience at both infield corners and well as behind the plate. Gomes is the first Brazilian-born player in MLB history and remains under team control through 2018.
AL East Links: Swisher, Orioles, Ross, Cabral
Nine players received qualifying offers this winter, including five from the AL East: Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda, Rafael Soriano, B.J. Upton, and David Ortiz. Here's the latest on the division…
- Unsurprisingly, Swisher will pass on the Yankees' qualifying offer and look for a lucrative multiyear contract this offseason, report Dan Martin and George A. King III of The New York Post.
- Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com thinks the Orioles have enough pitching depth to trade an arm or two this winter. He listed eight potential starters currently on the team's 40-man roster.
- Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal makes a case that the Red Sox should have made Cody Ross and qualifying offer before yesterday's deadline.
- The Yankees intend to keep 2011 Rule 5 Draft pick Cesar Cabral and give him another look in Spring Training, reports Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Cabral, a left-hander, missed all of this season with an elbow injury.
Keith Law’s Top 50 Free Agents
Keith Law's Top 50 Free Agents list is up at ESPN (Insider required), and it's always a must read from start to finish. Zack Greinke tops the list and Law says he'd be "very comfortable" giving him a five-year contract. Here are a few other noteworthy items…
- Law would be "loath to go beyond three years" for Josh Hamilton because of his lack of durability. He notes that the outfielder's "approach has started to deteriorate the past two years."
- Hiroki Kuroda ranks as the second best free agent starter while Dan Haren, who had his option declined last night, is fourth among rotation candidates.
- Mike Napoli is more of a first baseman or DH who "probably couldn't catch full-time even if a team wanted him to."
- Korean left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu, who was posted yesterday, is more of a reliever than starter in Law's eyes. He ranked 37th.
Blue Jays Targeting Several Free Agent Pitchers
The Blue Jays are casting a wide net in their search for pitching, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. They have already shown interest in Zack Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Kyle Lohse, and Ryan Dempster, among others.
Toronto is also one of several clubs to inquire about Scott Baker, joining the Red Sox, Cubs, and Rangers. The Twins recently declined the right-hander's option but hope to sign him to a new deal. The Blue Jays have made no secret of their goal to add pitching this offseason, either through trades or free agency. Free agents can begin signing with new teams tomorrow morning.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Santana, Peavy, Ethier
On this date in 1999, Ken Griffey Jr. officially asked the Mariners for a trade. The Kid hit .297/.387/.613 with an average of 44 homers from 1993-1999, then was dealt to the Reds in February 2000 for Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko, Antonio Perez, and a minor league pitcher. Here's the latest from baseball's blogosphere…
- Blue Jays Plus interviewed left-hander Brett Cecil.
- McCovey Chronicles issued an apology to Giants GM Brian Sabean.
- Puckett's Pond wonders if GM Terry Ryan can right the Twins' ship.
- Kings of Kaufman doesn't feel Ervin Santana is an upgrade for the Royals just yet.
- MLB Injury News wonders if Santana has a hidden injury.
- South Side Sox explains what Jake Peavy's new contract tells us.
- MLB Reports lists three reasons why Josh Hamilton could sign with the Brewers.
- Call to the Pen wrote about the Angels' trying to move Dan Haren and Vernon Wells.
- Lasorda's Lair doesn't want the Dodgers to trade Andre Ethier.
- Baseball Time in Arlington chimes in on the Rangers' interest in David Ortiz.
- Twinkie Town wonders if the Twins can really fix their rotation in one offseason.
- Over The Monster analyzed the Red Sox's history of long-term contracts.
- Blogging Mets examined the Mets' potential 2013 payroll.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.
East Links: Ortiz, Hunter, Oliver, Marlins, Phillies
Earlier tonight we had some West and Central links, so now let's complete the trifecta with some notes from baseball's two East divisions…
- The Red Sox and David Ortiz are still "not very close" to a new contract, reports Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. The two sides have reportedly been discussing a new two-year deal recently.
- The Yankees have some interest in Torii Hunter, reports Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News (on Twitter). Since the Angels are unlikely to make Hunter a qualifying offer, it wouldn't cost a draft pick to sign him.
- Earlier today the Blue Jays exercised their $3MM option for Darren Oliver, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com hears that the veteran left-hander is still leaning towards retirement (Twitter link).
- The Marlins looked into trading for Ervin Santana before the Royals acquired the right-hander earlier today, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
- Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer listed the pros and cons of some free agent corner outfielders who could be of interest to the Phillies.