White Sox Designate Jeff Gray For Assignment
The White Sox designated righty Jeff Gray for assignment to open a spot on the 25-man roster for Jake Peavy, tweets MLB.com's Scott Merkin. The move leaves the Sox with 35 players on their 40-man roster.
Gray, 29, tossed 13 1/3 innings for the Sox this year, including a nice three-inning effort yesterday. The team had signed Gray to a minor league deal in December after he'd been outrighted by the Cubs. Gray had been part of the December '09 deal that sent Jake Fox and Aaron Miles to Oakland.
If The Twins Become Sellers
Baseball Prospectus' postseason odds report gives the Twins a 7.6% chance of making the playoffs. They're currently 11 games out in the AL Central; no team is further from first place. I'm not counting them out – Joe Mauer, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Delmon Young, and Jim Thome will come off the DL at some point, and I don't think the Twins truly have the worst rotation in the American League. Still, this is a club no one considered a possible seller before the season. What could they offer a few months from now?
- Relievers Joe Nathan and Matt Capps make more than $20MM combined this year, so trading them at the deadline would save the Twins nearly $7MM. Problem is, Nathan has been used in mop-up situations lately and he'll need to string together a few good months to have trade value. Even then, most teams will not be able to take on his entire contract. It's been an odd year for Capps, who's allowing a lot of flyballs, no walks, few hits, and few strikeouts. Still, he's five for six in save opportunities and someone might overpay for him again.
- The Twins exercised a pretty steep $10.5MM option on Michael Cuddyer in November, and so far the decision has not paid off. He will also need to build up trade value.
- Carl Pavano's strikeout rate continued to slip this year, but maybe he can right the ship and pitch to a low 4.00s ERA from here on out. Plenty of teams would like to acquire an innings guy, but would the Twins prefer to keep Pavano at $8.5MM for 2012?
- Outfielder/DH Jason Kubel won't keep hitting .347, but he's having a great year and is only earning $5.25MM. Maybe the Twins want to re-sign him, but he could fetch something nice on the trade market. Assuming his back is OK, plenty of teams will be interested in renting Jim Thome as well.
- The no-hitter notwithstanding, trading Francisco Liriano anytime soon would be selling low. When he's right he's what every contender craves: a front-end starter who is more than a rental. A few months ago trading Liriano seemed crazy, and it's possible the Twins still consider him integral for 2012.
- Kevin Slowey recently recovered from a shoulder strain, but he's still mired in long relief for the Twins after making 28 starts in 2010. He's more affordable than Pavano and is under team control through 2013.
Potentially Available Relievers
Decent relievers are always a hot commodity at the trade deadline. The Rangers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Rays, Indians, and Phillies are just a few contenders who might be in the market for bullpen help a few months from now. What will the trade market look like?
- The Padres are in good position to sell relievers, with impending free agents Heath Bell and Chad Qualls prime candidates. You also have to wonder if GM Jed Hoyer will consider trading Mike Adams, who is under control through '12 but will see his salary jump next year.
- If he's healthy, Arizona's Aaron Heilman probably could be acquired easily. Closer J.J. Putz would be tougher to get, but GM Kevin Towers will probably listen.
- Should the Cubs fall out of contention, they'd probably move lefty John Grabow just for a little salary relief. Kerry Wood would make sense too, though he has strong ties to Chicago and took less to sign with the Cubs. Similarly, the Brewers could part with veterans LaTroy Hawkins and Takashi Saito if they're not contending in July.
- If the Pirates receive good offers for Joel Hanrahan, Chris Resop, Jose Veras, or Joe Beimel, will they hold off in the name of finishing above .500? My guess is that Neal Huntington will keep a very open mind.
- The Mets have much to offer. Taylor Buchholz, who is under team control through next year, has been excellent. Veterans Francisco Rodriguez, Jason Isringhausen, and Tim Byrdak should be available as well. The problem with K-Rod: his $17.5MM option for next year vests with 43 more games finished.
- If the Twins' struggles continue, they could save money by trading Matt Capps and/or Joe Nathan. Teams seeking more than a rental could ask about lefties Glen Perkins and Jose Mijares. The White Sox have gotten disappointing results from Will Ohman, Tony Pena, and Matt Thornton, but probably prefer to keep Thornton around for the future.
- I don't see why the Orioles wouldn't offer up most of their veteran relievers, as Koji Uehara, Mike Gonzalez, and Kevin Gregg could hold appeal. Gonzalez and Gregg would involve taking on big salaries, however.
- Toronto's pen ranks third in the AL with a 3.04 ERA, and they've got enticing veterans galore. Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch, Jason Frasor, Shawn Camp, Carlos Villanueva, and Casey Janssen are pitching well; Octavio Dotel not so much. Most Jays relievers can be controlled for 2012 or beyond, which could be viewed as both a reason to keep them and a reason they'll have extra appeal as trade targets.
- Todd Coffey, Brandon League, Jose Valverde, Jonathan Broxton, Mike MacDougal, and Vicente Padilla could also become available depending on their teams' circumstances.
NL Central Links: All Six Teams
The Cardinals lead the NL Central by one game over the Reds. A link for each of the six teams:
- The $680MM deal to sell the Astros to Jim Crane's group "could be completed as early as next week," report Zachary Levine and Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. Ownership of the club could be tranferred to Crane "as early as July," they write. Crane is believed to prefer having an agreement in place before the June 6th draft, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
- Pirates reliever Jose Ascanio's rehab period ends today, reports Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the team must decide whether to add the out of options righty to the 25-man roster or risk losing him to another team. The 26-year-old has been battling shoulder and elbow injuries, but MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch wrote Monday that adding him to the big league bullpen is the most likely move.
- You read yesterday about the hug heard 'round the Midwest, as Cubs GM Jim Hendry embraced Albert Pujols before the game at Wrigley. The hug means next to nothing; as CSN's Patrick Mooney points out, Hendry has tons of connections throughout the industry. Still, it can't hurt to note that Cubs owner Tom Ricketts shook hands with the free agent to be as well.
- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has begun an "open-ended convalescence" in the words of Joe Strauss' source, as he recovers from shingles. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter says La Russa "will miss the rest of the team's current road trip and perhaps significantly more time."
- Despite allowing five runs and nine hits in six innings, Brewers offseason acquisition Shaun Marcum picked up his fourth win yesterday. Marcum is showing no ill effects from his springtime shoulder stiffness; his 4.17 K/BB ratio ranks sixth in the NL. With a strong season I can see him getting close to $10MM for 2012, his final arbitration year.
- Aroldis Chapman won't be sent to the minors to work out his issues, Reds manager Dusty Baker told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The hard-throwing lefty has allowed at least one run and two walks in each of his last three appearances.
Mets Unlikely To Trade Reyes And Re-Sign Him
Dreaming up scenarios where the Mets cash in shortstop Jose Reyes for top prospects this summer and then re-sign him after the season? "I think that's unlikely," GM Sandy Alderson told Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal. Alderson noted that such examples are rare, if not unprecedented.
Additionally, Alderson hammered home another important point: in general, trade talks don't get serious until June, and major trades are most likely to happen in July. Realistically, a Reyes trade would probably occur over two months from now, and a lot can happen during that time.
If the Mets decide to try to re-sign Reyes – a big if – Costa says waiting until after the season "is a risk they appear willing to take." Reyes, 27, is hitting .318/.365/.490 in 171 plate appearances this year. If that holds up, he figures to top $100MM on the open market.
2012 Contract Issues: Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are next in our 2012 Contract Issues series. Here's what the team faces after the 2011 season:
Eligible For Free Agency (3)
- The Rockies don't have any crucial players eligible for free agency after the season. Jose Lopez is the closest to a regular, but he's been terrible this year.
- Role players Jason Giambi and Alfredo Amezaga are also eligible for free agency.
Contract Options (1)
- Aaron Cook: $11MM mutual option with a $500K buyout. Cook is rehabbing from a shoulder injury and a broken finger. The Rockies won't be exercising their side of this option.
Arbitration Eligible (6)
- First time: Seth Smith, Dexter Fowler, Franklin Morales
- Second time: Ian Stewart, Felipe Paulino
- Third time: Ryan Spilborghs
The Rockies' arbitration class lacks intrigue as well. Smith and Fowler may have emerged as quality regulars, but they don't have robust career numbers and won't be paid a ton. Stewart, Spilborghs, and Paulino have struggled mightily in the early going, so they'll be eyeing the non-tender deadline with trepidation.
2012 Payroll Obligation
The Rockies' 2012 payroll obligation, according to Cot's, is $65.284MM. This club is all about cost certainty. We can throw in $6MM for first-timers Smith, Fowler, and Morales to get to the $71MM range, about $11MM short of this year's payroll. One thing I haven't mentioned in these posts is that minimum-salary players require millions of dollars too, and they're not factored into these rough calculations. At any rate, even if they let Stewart, Spilborghs, and Paulino go, the Rockies don't project to have much money to work with if they hold payroll steady. That might be fine, because they have players they can pencil in at every spot.
@Closernews Looking For Help
Last year we started a Twitter account called @closernews, which provides instant updates on MLB closer situations for fantasy baseball players. The account is up over 5,000 followers and has helped many win their saves category. Given the initial success, we're going to be expanding the coverage hours @closernews provides. Also, later in the year we'll be launching a website to provide analysis and closer rankings.
We're seeking writers to cover the late-night closer situations, starting at 11pm central time and going until the last game ends. This is an unpaid position. Those who contribute to the Twitter account will have first crack at writing for the website. The preference is for fantasy baseball junkies who already follow @closernews. If this project sounds like an enjoyable resume-builder for you, please email closernewshelp@gmail.com and let us know why you should join the @closernews team. Please note: if you applied earlier today, please resend your email to closernewshelp@gmail.com, as we had to change the email address.
Pirates Want Five Or More Years On McCutchen Deal
The Pirates are talking to center fielder Andrew McCutchen about an extension, tweets SI's Jon Heyman, and they're insisting on at least a five-year deal. That's another way of saying they want to buy out at least one free agent year, which comes as no surprise. As noted in our agency database, McCutchen is represented by Steve Hammond of Aegis Sports Management.
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported eight days ago that the two sides are in talks but no agreement was imminent. I mentioned at that time that I expect a six-year term, and I feel that McCutchen deserves $52MM or more based on comparable contracts.
Orioles Designate Josh Rupe For Assignment
The Orioles designated righty Josh Rupe for assignment to open a 25-man roster spot for shortstop J.J. Hardy, according to the team. Since Hardy was already on the 40-man, the team now has 39 players on that roster.
Rupe, 28, tossed 14 1/3 unimpressive relief innings for the Orioles this year. He signed a minor league deal with Baltimore in December and made the team out of Spring Training. He spent last year relieving for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 2.92 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9 in 52 1/3 innings.
A third-round pick of the White Sox in '02, Rupe was traded to the Rangers in July of '03 along with Frank Francisco and Anthony Webster for Carl Everett. He battled elbow problems in his Rangers career and was designated for assignment in April of '09.
2012 Contract Issues: Oakland Athletics
The Athletics are next in our 2012 Contract Issues series. Here's what the team faces after the 2011 season:
Eligible For Free Agency (7)
- David DeJesus, Mark Ellis, Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, Hideki Matsui, and Conor Jackson have accounted for 729 plate appearances this year, about 54% of the team's total. Throw in non-tender candidate Kevin Kouzmanoff and that rises past 60%, so the offense could see huge turnover. Jackson is getting on base, and Willingham is showing some pop, but so far this large group of position players is failing offensively. There is plenty of time to turn things around, and players such as Ellis, Crisp, and DeJesus are also valued for their defense. Still, the team's top outfield prospects are not ready to make an impact in 2012, so offense could again be a problem.
- Rich Harden is also eligible for free agency.
Contract Options (1)
- Michael Wuertz: $3.25MM club option with a $250K buyout. Wuertz missed time with shoulder and hamstring injuries, but he's been sharp in the early going. The A's will probably pick up his option.
Arbitration Eligible (14)
- First time: Andrew Bailey, Daric Barton, Adam Rosales, Jerry Blevins, Gio Gonzalez, Landon Powell
- Second time: Dallas Braden, Ryan Sweeney, Craig Breslow, Brad Ziegler, Andy LaRoche
- Third time: Kevin Kouzmanoff, Brandon McCarthy, Joey Devine
There might be a few non-tenders here, such as Kouzmanoff, but this is a huge arbitration class for Oakland. Bailey will not have the 100 career saves that Bobby Jenks and Jonathan Papelbon did, but he could still get $3MM+. Barton may also be in that range, Braden should stay there, and Gonzalez could reach $4MM. Sweeney, Breslow, and Ziegler could get close to $2MM each. McCarthy is tough to predict, and keep in mind that these are just rough estimates in all cases. Assuming only Kouzmanoff is cut loose I'll put this group in the $25MM range.
2012 Payroll Obligation
The Athletics' 2012 payroll obligation, according to Cot's, is $24.238MM if Wuertz is retained. Double that number to account for the arbitration eligibles, and the A's are about $17MM below this year's payroll. Jemile Weeks could take over at second base, but the team would need to figure out third base, DH, and all three outfield spots. GM Billy Beane will probably have to work the trade market to find affordable, useful players for some of those openings.