Extension-Prone Agencies And GMs
Some agencies are more open to multiyear extensions for their clients than others. The Boras Corporation is notorious for avoiding such deals. In the last three years, only Boras clients Carlos Gonzalez and Jered Weaver signed significant extensions, with Prince Fielder and Stephen Drew signing two-year deals covering arbitration years. Certainly the agency's number of clients will correlate to its volume of extensions, and unfortunately I don't have the complete data needed to give a percentage of clients extended. Using MLBTR's Transaction Tracker, these agencies have brokered the most extensions since the beginning of 2009:
- CAA Sports (13)
- Octagon (9)
- Beverly Hills Sports Council (8)
- SFX (7)
- ACES (6), Praver/Shapiro (6), Sosnick Cobbe (6), Wasserman Media Group (6)
- Legacy Sports Group (5), LSW Baseball (5), Moye Sports Associates (5)
Most active GMs have authored at least one contract extension since 2009, with exceptions for recent hires Dan Duquette, Ben Cherington, Terry Ryan, Jerry Dipoto, and Jeff Luhnow. The leaders:
- Dan O'Dowd/Rockies (10)
- John Mozeliak/Cardinals (8), Kenny Williams/White Sox (8), Ruben Amaro Jr./Phillies (8)
- Doug Melvin/Brewers (7)
- Andrew Friedman/Rays (6), Brian Sabean/Giants (6), Ned Colletti/Dodgers (6), Walt Jocketty/Reds (6), Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer/Cubs (6)
- Alex Anthopoulos/Blue Jays (5), Dave Dombrowski/Tigers (5)
White Sox GM Kenny Williams and CAA Sports appear high on both lists, so perhaps John Danks' recent deal shouldn't have been a surprise. Carlos Quentin is another CAA client. Ned Colletti, Andre Ethier, and CAA make another good combination. Also on the CAA front, I wonder if Alex Anthopoulos has broached an extension for Brett Lawrie. The Cubs' Matt Garza is another name to consider here.
Other combinations of extension-prone agencies and GMs might bode well for Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, John Axford, Nyjer Morgan, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Melky Cabrera, Jeremy Affeldt, Kelly Johnson, Brandon Morrow, Jason Motte, Brandon Phillips, Delmon Young, Starlin Castro, Geovany Soto, Ryan Dempster, and Philip Humber. Of course, those who just finished off-years are less likely to be extended now.
Agency and team matchups were found using MLBTR's Agency Database. For my look at arbitration eligible extension candidates, click here.
Marlins Focused On Re-Signing Dobbs
The Marlins' immediate priority is to re-sign utility player Greg Dobbs, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. He says the team hopes to finalize a deal soon. The Nationals had also been in the mix for Dobbs, but Frisaro's colleague Bill Ladson tweeted four days ago they were unlikely to sign him.
Dobbs, 33, hit .275/.311/.389 in a career-high 439 plate appearances for the Marlins this year. He logged 755 innings at third base, also pitching in at first base and the outfield corners. A left-handed hitter, Dobbs has struggled against southpaws in his career. As a pinch-hitter, he has a career line of .259/.316/.430 in 316 plate appearances. The Marlins offered Dobbs a two-year deal in late September, writes Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.
Frisaro also notes that the Marlins are not expected to sign any more big-ticket free agents, but they're exploring the trade market for frontline starters. He says the Marlins aren't seeking competition for the back end of the rotation, though Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald wrote recently that they're casting a wide net.
Arbitration Eligible Extension Candidates
From Matt Moore to Chris Carpenter, extensions for players not eligible for arbitration happen all the time. More commonly, though, arbitration eligible players are locked up to multiyear deals in January or February. 176 players are eligible for arbitration this offseason. Of those, Matt Kemp, John Danks, Skip Schumaker, and Tony Gwynn Jr., have signed multiyear deals, 19 more have signed for 2012, and Landon Powell was designated for assignment. Those on one-year deals can still potentially sign multiyear pacts, so the field of arbitration eligible extension candidates is large and merits narrowing to about 50 players. My possibilities for multiyear deals:
- Catchers: Mike Napoli (Rangers), Russell Martin (Yankees), Miguel Montero (Diamondbacks), Nick Hundley (Padres)
- First basemen: Michael Morse (Nationals)
- Second basemen: Howie Kendrick (Angels)
- Shortstops: Asdrubal Cabrera (Indians), Erick Aybar (Angels), Elvis Andrus (Rangers)
- Third basemen: Pablo Sandoval (Giants), Chase Headley (Padres)
- Outfielders: Hunter Pence (Phillies), Andre Ethier (Dodgers), Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), B.J. Upton (Rays), Michael Bourn (Braves), Carlos Quentin (White Sox), Adam Jones (Orioles), Nelson Cruz (Rangers), Alex Gordon (Royals), Shin-Soo Choo (Indians), Brett Gardner (Yankees), Dexter Fowler (Rockies)
- Starting pitchers: Tim Lincecum (Giants), Cole Hamels (Phillies), Matt Garza (Cubs), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), Jeremy Guthrie (Orioles), David Price (Rays), Shaun Marcum (Brewers), Anibal Sanchez (Marlins), Jair Jurrjens (Braves), Jason Vargas (Mariners), Gio Gonzalez (Nationals), Brandon Morrow (Blue Jays), Max Scherzer (Tigers), Justin Masterson (Indians), Brandon McCarthy (Athletics), Tim Stauffer (Padres), Ryan Vogelsong (Giants), Jordan Zimmermann (Nationals)
- Relievers: Mike Adams (Rangers), Brandon League (Mariners), Joel Hanrahan (Pirates), Andrew Bailey (Athletics), Tyler Clippard (Nationals), Daniel Bard (Red Sox), Glen Perkins (Twins), David Robertson (Yankees), Sergio Romo (Giants)
Some of these players, such as Upton and Garza, are more likely to be traded than extended, but the Danks extension showed anything is possible. Also, arbitration eligible clients of the Boras Corporation shy away from extensions, and Andrus, Bourn, Choo, Ellsbury, Fowler, Jurrjens, and Scherzer are part of that group.
Cubs Close To Deal With Jason Jaramillo
The Cubs are close to a minor league deal with catcher Jason Jaramillo, MLBTR has learned. The Pirates designated Jaramillo for assignment upon signing Erik Bedard this month, non-tendering him a few days later.
Jaramillo, 29, has accumulated 366 big league plate appearances over the last three seasons with the Pirates, hitting .235/.293/.327. A former second-round pick of the Phillies, Jaramillo missed much of this season with an elbow injury. The switch-hitter will be a candidate for the Cubs' backup catcher job behind Geovany Soto, a role filled by Koyie Hill the last several years. Jaramillo is a native of Wisconsin.
MLBTR Text Message Alerts
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MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker
As usual, most arbitration cases remain unsettled as we approach the new year, including heavyweights such as Tim Lincecum, Cole Hamels, Hunter Pence, and Clayton Kershaw. MLBTR has created a handy database of all arbitration eligible players, which will include information on submissions from both sides, midpoints, and settlement amounts. You can also filter by team and whether a hearing occurred.
As a reminder, this year players on MLB rosters with at least two years and 146 days but less than six years of service time are arbitration eligible. Matt Swartz has projected salaries for all of these players exclusively for MLBTR, and you can find that information here. We've all added Kelly Johnson, David Ortiz, and Francisco Rodriguez to this database, as they were free agents who accepted arbitration.
Important arbitration dates to keep in mind, according to the Associated Press:
- January 13th: Deadline for players to file for arbitration. This is largely procedural.
- January 17th: Deadline for teams and players to exchange salary arbitration figures. On this date and the day prior, expect dozens of settlements. Teams can still negotiate after exchanging figures, although several teams employ a "file and trial" strategy in which they end negotiations on one-year deals once figures are exchanged to ensure a hearing occurs. These teams have included the Rays, Nationals, Marlins, White Sox, Blue Jays, Braves, and Astros.
- February 1-21: Hearings occur in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2011, Pence, Jered Weaver, and Ross Ohlendorf had hearings. At a hearing, a each side has an hour to argue for their salary figure, and a three-person panel picks one of the salaries.
- January is always a big month for multiyear extensions. Last year we had 17.
Diamondbacks Sign Jason Kubel
The Diamondbacks have signed outfielder Jason Kubel, tweets Tom Krasovic. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who confirmed the agreement earlier today, now tweets that it's official and that Kubel has passed his physical. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says the deal is worth $15MM. The Wasserman Media Group client obtained a two-year deal with a mutual option for 2014.
Kubel, 29, will play left field for the Diamondbacks according to Rosenthal. The surprising acquisition likely pushes Gerardo Parra to a fourth outfielder role, meaning Arizona is sacrificing defense and hoping for more offense. Perhaps Parra, a 2011 Gold Glove winner, will become a trade target for other clubs. Kubel hit .273/.332/.434 in 401 plate appearances for the Twins this year, missing nearly two months with a left foot sprain.
Kubel spent his entire career with the Twins after being drafted in the 12th round in 2000. His best season came in 2009, when he hit .300/.369/.539 with 28 home runs. The Twins signed him to a two-year, $7.2MM extension in January of '09 and later exercised a $5.25MM option for 2011. The Twins had interest in re-signing him, especially after Michael Cuddyer inked a deal with Colorado. The Indians and Phillies also inquired on Kubel this offseason. The Twins will receive a supplemental draft pick for their loss.
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers has committed $36.75MM this offseason to free agents Kubel, Aaron Hill, Willie Bloomquist, John McDonald, Takashi Saito, Henry Blanco, and Lyle Overbay, as our free agent tracker shows. He also acquired Trevor Cahill and Craig Breslow in a trade with the Athletics.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Top Bidder For Darvish To Be Announced Tonight
10:04pm: A Darvish announcement of some sort appears to be coming in about ten minutes, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (on Twitter)
8:42pm: MLB won't announce which team won the bidding until Nippon announces that it accepted the bid (assuming the team accepts), Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News clarifies (on Twitter). The Fighters do not know the identity of the team that won the bid.
6:15pm: The Fighters have "definitely" decided to accept the winning bid, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets.
4:04pm: No firm time is set for the announcement, according to Morosi (Twitter links). He notes that MLB officials are still waiting for word from Darvish's team and adds that it's just 7am in Japan.
7:40am: The Nippon Ham Fighters will announce their acceptance of the high bidder and the winning team for Yu Darvish tonight, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, referencing agent Don Nomura. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports notes that the announcement will be around 7-8pm central time. Rumors so far suggest the Blue Jays or Rangers won the bid at an amount exceeding $51MM.
Seeking Part-Time Writers For New NBA Rumors Website
I'm making my first foray into another sport, as we're launching a new NBA rumors website early in 2012, in the mold of MLBTR. Luke Adams will be the site's full-time writer and editor, and we're looking to build a team of part-time contributors who will be paid hourly. The criteria:
- Knowledge of all 30 NBA teams, no discernible bias. Knowledge of transaction-related concepts.
- Writing experience is necessary and online writing experience is preferred.
- Attention to detail – absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names. Ability to follow the site's style and tone.
- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need the best of both worlds: quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use an RSS feed reader such as Google Reader. Ability to use Twitter. Both of these are crucial.
- Strong evening availability – typically 5-11pm central time shifts. Writers covering Monday through Friday evenings will change week to week, but we'd also like people to regularly take specific weekend daytime shifts.
- At least some college education is required.
- If you're interested, email basketballapplications@gmail.com and take a couple paragraphs to explain how you qualify and stand out. Many will likely apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to most applications.
Sitting Out Free Agency
Four teams have yet to sign a free agent to a Major League deal, according to our free agent tracker: the Braves, Astros, Athletics, and Blue Jays. A closer look:
- Braves: So far, the Braves' offseason has consisted of exercising a $1.5MM option on Eric Hinske, ridding themselves of $5MM of Derek Lowe's contract, taking Robert Fish in the Rule 5 draft, and signing players to minor league deals. The Braves have the starting pitching depth for another trade, perhaps involving Jair Jurrjens. Martin Prado has also been mentioned in many rumors. The Braves are looking to add a traditional backup shortstop on a one-year deal, and Ronny Cedeno is a candidate. The Braves don't seem to have any huge needs, so perhaps their inactivity is justified.
- Astros: As you might expect, the rebuilding Astros focused on finding a new GM rather than signing Major League free agents. Prior to the hiring of Jeff Luhnow, the team added Brian Bixler and Craig Tatum on waiver claims, took Rhiner Cruz in the Rule 5 draft, and signed a slew of minor league free agents. Luhnow made a splash right out of the gate, acquiring Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland in a trade with the Red Sox for Mark Melancon. I imagine he'll continue to shop Wandy Rodriguez.
- Athletics: This offseason the A's picked up some cash for reliever Trystan Magnuson, but more notably traded Trevor Cahill and Craig Breslow to the Diamondbacks for prospects. The A's are tearing down the team as they hope for approval to move to San Jose, and Andrew Bailey and Gio Gonzalez could be next to go.
- Blue Jays: The Jays have been active in routes other than free agency. They picked up Edwin Encarnacion's $3.5MM option, made several waiver claims and traded for Magnuson, Sergio Santos, Luis Valbuena, Jeff Mathis, and Ben Francisco. They were a finalist for Mat Latos, and we'll know soon whether they'll spend the next 30 days negotiating with Yu Darvish. Additionally, second baseman Kelly Johnson accepted arbitration and is under team control for next year.