Padres Extend David Eckstein Through 2010
9:23pm: Brock adds the deal does not include any performance bonuses.
7:03pm: Brock says the deal will pay Eckstein $1MM next year.
6:15pm: MLB.com's Corey Brock hears that the Padres "will officially extend 2B David Eckstein today, through 2010." Eckstein is hitting .255-.317-.325 in 416 plate appearances this year, also spending some time on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.
Odds & Ends: Wagner, Red Sox, Kikuchi
I'm proud of you fellas. You all kept your head on a swivel, and that's what you gotta do when you find yourself in a vicious link fight…
- The Boston Herald reports that Bean Stringfellow, agent for reliever Billy Wagner, said his client is willing to waive his no-trade clause to go anywhere that would give him a shot to win a championship. "Certainly, the Red Sox would give him a chance to win a World Series, and this year that’s first and foremost,” Stringfellow said. “From where we sit, that’s all that matters right now. Over the next six weeks he’d have a chance to win, and then we could think about next year.”
- Meanwhile, Alex Speier of WEEI.com says that some Red Sox relievers are puzzled by the Wagner waiver claim. Closer Jonathan Papelbon said it's "kind of like the (Eric) Gagne thing, I guess.”
- Patrick at NPB Tracker passes along a report were Mets GM Omar Minaya commented on having some interest in Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. “I haven’t seen him throw myself, but I’ve heard his name. He wants to come to the majors? If so we’ll continue watching him," said Minaya. Patrick offered up a brief scouting report on Kikuchi earlier in the week.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Wagner, Holliday, Brewers
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has a new Full Count video up. Let's dive in…
- Don't expect the Mets to just give away Billy Wagner as a salary dump. He'll have "actual trade value" this winter, and his $8MM club option would not be outrageous money on a one year deal if he's healthy.
- Even if his team declines the option, they could offer him arbitration and receive two high draft picks if he signs elsewhere since he projects to be a Type-A free agent. Wagner would be much more than a six-week rent in that case.
- Matt Holliday's performance with the Cardinals has undoubtedly boosted his stock as an impending free agent. One GM still thinks Jason Bay is a comparable player on the open market, but Holliday is better defensively, younger, and better at hitting breaking balls than Bay.
- The real question is how each player will age, which is impossible to say at this point.
- The Brewers have yet to place veterans like Mike Cameron and Trevor Hoffman on trade waivers, but with the team now out of contention, Rosenthal asks "why not?"
- GM Doug Melvin is disinclined to make such deals because he knows the return may not be significant, but Hoffman in particular would be attractive. The Rockies have already discussed him internally.
- Craig Counsell, Braden Looper, and Jason Kendall could have value as well.
- Earlier this season there was talk that Mark Mulder and Ben Sheets could help teams in the second half, but that hasn't happened. Sheets has decided that the risk of a setback isn't worth the reward of an accelerated return, but he should be healthy for next season.
- Mulder has only thrown 12.2 IP over the last two seasons, but he's been working with his former pitching coach Rick Peterson and supposedly wants to pitch this season.
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Odds & Ends: Duchscherer, Clark, Wagner
Friday Night Lights Links…
- Justin Duchscherer will miss the rest of the season with clinical depression according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. He's been on the disabled list just about all season with an elbow issue, but this is just sad, sad news. CSN California first had the scoop earlier tonight. Duke is scheduled to become a free agent after the season.
- MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that Tony Clark has had discussions with the Diamondbacks about possibly joining the team in a baseball operations role. The club released Clark last month.
- Joel Sherman of The NY Post spoke to an AL executive who speculates (key word) that the Red Sox "claimed (Billy) Wagner over worries that (Jonathan) Papelbon's mechanics and control are off." Remember, the key word is speculates.
- LeVon Washington, Tampa Bay's unsigned first round pick, has choosen to attend JuCo powerhouse Chipola College next season according to Marc Lancaster of The Tampa Tribune. The school has produced Buck Showalter, Mat Gamel, and Russell Martin, among others. Washington will be eligible for the draft again next year.
Discussion: Akinori Iwamura
The Rays lost starting second baseman Akinori Iwamura to a knee injury earlier in the season, but the defending AL Champs haven't missed him too much because Ben Zobrist has been nothing short of amazing as his replacement. With Aki on a rehab assignment (six games with Triple-A Durham this week, including tonight), the Rays are close to getting him back just in time for September call-ups.
While carrying both players in September won't be much of a problem, next season may be a different story. The team holds a $4.25MM options for Iwamura's services next year, but could choose to buy him out for $250K. There has been talk of Tampa needing to shed some salary after the season, possibly by moving someone like Scott Kazmir or Carl Crawford, and the team could stand to save themselves a nice chunk of change by buying Iwamura out. Of course, they always have the option of keeping both players given Zobrist's versatility.
What do you think they should do with Iwamura? Perhaps the best option would be to pick up his option then trade him, similar to what the Yankees did with Gary Sheffield a few years ago. Should they let him go, keep him, or do something else all together?
Odds & Ends: Cubs, Sheffield, Brewers, Relievers
Here's a few links to take in as you recover from the work week…
- Maury Brown at The Biz of Baseball reports that The Tribune Co. has reached an agreement to sell a 95% interest in the Cubs to The Ricketts Family
- Bart Hubbuch of The NY Post tweets that Omar Minaya said the Mets "have no intentions of releasing Gary Sheffield or putting him on irrevocable waivers."
- Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers have designated catcher Carlos Corporan for assignment. Corporan singled in the only big league plate appearance of his career back in May.
- Cliff Corcoran at SI.com ranks the top ten setup men in the league. Two of them were acquired not long before this year's trade deadline, one signed as a free agent last winter, and another signed a long-term extension before the season. A fifth player wasn't even in the big leagues at the start of the year.
- Make sure you follow MLBTR on Twitter. It's the future, man.
Padres, Donavan Tate Agree To Terms
10:02pm: According to ESPN's Keith Law, Tate's bonus is $6.25MM, and will be spread out over five years according to MLB's provisions for two sport athletes. He was also a top football recruit committed to play both sports at UNC.
9:29pm: Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that the Padres have officially announced that they've signed Tate. The terms are still unknown.
8:35pm: Lee Hamilton at SDNN.com says the two sides appear to have reached a deal, and that a press conference to announce the signing will likely happen Tuesday. Hamilton mentions that the Padres "went beyond the $3.4 million recommended signing slot" to get the deal done (which we all expected), and reminds us that Tate is in San Diego.
5:44pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that the Padres and third overall pick Donavan Tate are close to an agreement on a deal. Heyman says it's believed to be worth about $6MM. Over the weekend we learned that Tate and agent Scott Boras were looking for a $6.5MM bonus.
Tom Krasovic hears that Tate will take batting practice with the big league team tomorrow.
Tigers Sign Jacob Turner
9:57pm: Baseball America's Jim Callis says it's a Major League deal with a guaranteed value of $5.5MM and the potential to reach $7MM. Callis says the net present value is around $5MM; spreading it out is the main advantage the club gets from a Major League deal.
9:49pm: According to ESPN's Keith Law, the Tigers have signed first round pick Jacob Turner to a $5.5MM bonus, which is considerably over slot. The ninth overall pick "had the fastest arm and best fastball of any high school pitcher in this draft," and could develop into a number one starter down the road according to KLaw.
Tigers Sign Second Rounder Andy Oliver
ESPN.com's Keith Law reports that the Tigers have signed second rounder Andy Oliver to $1.495MM bonus. He notes that his "best attributes are his left-handedness and his plus fastball," but that he's struggled with a breaking ball. He coud develop into a number two or three starter with help from the club's player development staff.
Tigers Sign 6th Round Pick Daniel Fields
According to MLB.com's Jason Beck, the Tigers have signed sixth rounder Daniel Fields to a contract believed to be worth seven figures.