Cole Hamels Reiterates Desire To Stay With Phillies
Signing Cole Hamels to a contract extension is "not a pressing need," GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, "but it's something we're absolutely on top of." Amaro has explained the timetable to Hamels and his agent, John Boggs. Gelb says the Phillies do not want to trade Hamels.
Hamels commented last night to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, "It's not really on my mind because I'm still locked in with the team, which I'm happy about. It'll work its way out. I'm just going to go out there and focus on pitching. I feel like I have a really good agent, [John Boggs]. I hope he has a good relationship with [general manager] Ruben [Amaro Jr.] and they'll be able to work well together." Hamels later added, "You don't really think the grass is greener on the other side. This is the organization I've come up with. We're winning. Why would you ever want to leave? You want to be on a winning team, and the team wants to win."
Hamels could earn $14MM or more in 2012, his last year of team control before hitting free agency. He expects to be ready for Spring Training following an October elbow procedure to remove loose bodies. In general, Hamels noted that he feels no need to sign quickly due to fear of failure or injury, having come back from a broken arm in high school.
Who’s Met With Bob Garber?
1:05pm: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is talking with Garber today, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
11:53am: As the agent for top free agent starters C.J. Wilson and Roy Oswalt, Bob Garber of Select Sports Group has been popular so far at the GM Meetings. He's met or plans to meet with the Marlins, Yankees, Royals, Angels, Nationals, Rockies, and Rangers, according to reports, and tells me he has at least three more new meetings today.
Cardinals, Pujols Re-Engage In Contract Talks
The Cardinals re-engaged in contract talks with Albert Pujols' agent Dan Lozano for the first time since February, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Yesterday, we heard that the Cardinals have yet to top $200MM in an offer for Pujols. Another report indicated that the Marlins have offered a nine-year contract to the slugger.
Prince Fielder Seeks $200MM
The magic number for Prince Fielder could be $200MM, tweets SI's Jon Heyman – $25MM a year over eight years. I don't see that happening, but here's the latest as Scott Boras dines with mystery teams on Fielder's behalf…
- The Brewers are not giving up on Fielder, tweets Heyman. He says owner Mark Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin met with Boras on Tuesday, and Attanasio is mulling what to offer. Attanasio expects a long process. The Brewers have no intention of making an offer Boras can shop to other clubs, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- In Parma, Italy last Saturday for a European tour of MLB players, Fielder was asked if he'll be in Milwaukee next year. He joked with the kids, "No, but I don't know where I will go, perhaps to Parma." That's a translation courtesy of ESPN's Keith Law of this article, found via Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
- Marlins president Larry Beinfest wouldn't rule out Fielder if the Albert Pujols possibility falls through, tweets Heyman. Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said yesterday he wouldn't envision a run at Fielder if he fails to re-sign Pujols.
Heyman On Rollins, Yankees, Nolasco, Jurrjens
As usual, Jon Heyman is tweeting up a storm. His latest from Day 2 of the GM Meetings…
- The Brewers have added Jimmy Rollins to their list of potential shortstops. They're also eyeing Jose Reyes, Rafael Furcal, Yuniesky Betancourt, and Clint Barmes.
- The Yankees believe the prices on C.J. Wilson and Edwin Jackson are way too high thus far, and plan to wait them out. Wilson's agent Bob Garber requested a meeting with the Yankees in New York, during a discussion with GM Brian Cashman yesterday.
- The Marlins are telling teams Ricky Nolasco is not available now. Heyman wonders if they would change if they sign a free agent pitcher.
- One GM interested in Braves righty Jair Jurrjens does not believe he will be traded. The Braves seek an impact bat in return.
- Interest is picking up in Francisco Rodriguez, the third-best available reliever currently in Heyman's opinion.
Type B Compensation To Stay For This Offseason
10:23am: There will be Type B free agents this offseason, clarifies Sherman in a tweet.
WEDNESDAY, 8:33am: Lesser Type As such as Kelly Johnson, Octavio Dotel, and Takashi Saito will be made Type Bs in the new CBA, tweets Sherman. The players' teams will still get compensation, but the players' markets will not be hurt by the cost of a draft pick. Sherman talked yesterday about Type B compensation being eliminated, but I am guessing that would go into effect for the 2012-13 offseason. By the way, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Brewers have already agreed not to offer arbitration to Saito.
Sherman says the new CBA will be for five years, and could be announced as early as Friday. A hard cap and floor for international signings will be included, tweets SI's Melissa Segura.
TUESDAY, 10:50am: Teams such as the Rockies, Dodgers, Twins, Royals, Cardinals, Yankees, and Astros may lose out on potential supplemental draft picks in 2012, if a new report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post holds true. After talking to two executives briefed on the collective bargaining negotations, Sherman says there is a "strong possibility that Type-B compensation will be eliminated this offseason." As you can see from the current list of Type B free agents, not all of them can expect arbitration offers next Wednesday, but several were likely.
This year, teams like the Blue Jays, Rays, and Padres added multiple draft picks in the #44-60 range by having Type B free agents turn down their offseason arbitration offers. That type of opportunity may have already passed.
Compensation is expected to remain the same this offseason for top Type A free agents, Sherman learned. For example, Mets GM Sandy Alderson said he's received assurances from the Commissioner's Office that the compensation for Jose Reyes will remain unchanged. Sherman hears that tinkering at the bottom of the Type A spectrum is possible, to help players like Octavio Dotel and Kelly Johnson. I imagine the main objections would come from the A's and Blue Jays, teams that made summer trade decisions based on Josh Willingham and Johnson projecting as Type As.
Cubs Willing To Listen On Everyone
The Cubs are telling teams they'll listen to trade offers on everyone this winter while trying to rebuild the team to be competitive in the future, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports tweeted something very similar around the same time, so perhaps the Cubs are trying to get the word out. ESPN's Buster Olney also joined in, saying Sean Marshall and Matt Garza figure to draw the most interest between now and July 31st.
The concept of listening to offers for any player is not unexpected for new Cubs president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer, and marks a change from Jim Hendry's reported summer stance of not listening on players he thought could help him in 2012. Still, a team drawing three million fans a year doesn't often embark on a full-on offseason rebuilding effort. The Cubs certainly haven't done that anytime recently. Hoyer isn't afraid to make an unpopular decision, though, having traded Adrian Gonzalez for prospects months after his Padres nearly won the NL West. And even after trading Gonzalez, Hoyer made a series of moves designed to keep the team competitive in 2011. The Cubs aren't ruling out anything at this point, Hoyer told MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
Garza, 27, could be one of the best available starters this offseason. He's made 30 starts each of the last four years, has AL East experience, and struck out a career-best 197 this year with the move to the NL. He's under team control for two more years, though his salary could approach $9MM in 2012 and will likely enter eight figures in '13. Marshall is under contract for $3.1MM in 2012 and eligible for free agency after that. With a 2.45 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 0.2 HR/9 over the last two years, he's become an elite reliever capable of a Mike Adams-like bounty.
Bruce Chen Weighing Multiyear Offers
Lefty Bruce Chen has multiyear offers, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. He says the Royals and Cubs are among the teams talking to Chen, with the Royals perhaps focused on him.
Chen, a 34-year-old Scott Boras client, has never had a multiyear deal in his career. This year for the Royals he posted a 3.77 ERA, 5.6 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 1.05 HR/9, and 34.6% groundball rate in 155 innings.
Latest On Ryan Zimmerman Extension Talks
"There currently are no active discussions regarding a contract extension for Ryan [Zimmerman]," agent Brodie Van Wagenen told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Kilgore explains that while the sides have had informal dialogue, no specifics or proposals have been exchanged. Meanwhile Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, "It’s important to us. We’ve already begun preliminary discussions with his people. He’s an important piece for us, a guy that we would like to have here long-term." Though the statements appear conflicting, it's probably just a difference of opinion over the technical definition of "discussions."
Certainly, both sides have the same goal of a long-term extension. Zimmerman is eligible for free agency after the 2013 season, so he's not as close as Matt Kemp was but closer than Troy Tulowitzki and Ryan Braun. As Kilgore explains, Zimmerman wants a deal by spring training 2013 so as to avoid distractions during that season.
Zimmerman said in August he wants a contract longer than five years, and seven or eight seems likely. The big question is if the two sides can agree on how Zimmerman's injury history should be factored in.
Rosenthal/Morosi On Dodgers, Astros, Blue Jays
The latest from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports…
- The Dodgers' payroll will be well under $100MM in 2012, sources tell the FOX writers. If James Loney and Hiroki Kuroda return, there will be little left to spend. On the plus side, the Dodgers were able to reduce Matt Kemp's '12 salary to slightly more than $10MM as part of his new multiyear deal, in a year where as much as $16MM seemed possible through arbitration. Rosenthal and Morosi say the Dodgers would want to buy out at least two free agent years in a long-term deal for Clayton Kershaw, who may take home the NL Cy Young award tomorrow. With Kershaw under team control for three more years, the Dodgers don't have the same urgency to lock him up as they did Kemp. In MLBTR's exclusive arbitration salary projections, Kershaw was pegged at $8.4MM, easily a first-time record for a pitcher.
- The Astros "probably will acquire a shortstop and add low-cost relief pitching" this offseason, write Rosenthal and Morosi. GM Ed Wade told the FOX writers he plans to stick with Mark Melancon at closer. The GM explained his team's corner outfield situation: "From the standpoint of corner outfield, there are going to be guys out there, looking for opportunities. We’re pretty much the land of opportunity right now."
- Chipper Jones still enjoys playing, says Braves GM Frank Wren. The 39-year-old third baseman is signed through 2012 with a '13 vesting option. Rosenthal and Morosi say Martin Prado is available in the right deal, but the Braves value his versatility, including his ability to back up Jones.
- Yoenis Cespesdes could petition baseball to declare him a free agent fairly quickly, after he establishes temporary residence in the Dominican Republic. The residency part is expected to happen within 10 to 14 days.
- The Blue Jays have expressed interest in trading for Rockies reliever Huston Street. Street has one year and $8MM remaining on his contract. Rosenthal and Morosi say the Rockies remain interested in a deal for Prado, which would require Seth Smith and another piece.