The New Free Agent Second Baseman Market
As MLBTR's Transaction Tracker shows, second basemen Dan Uggla, Rickie Weeks, and Freddy Sanchez have agreed to extensions since the beginning of the year. Extensions always reduce the appeal of projected free agent groups, and for 2012 second base took a big hit.
Nine free agents currently project as potential starters at second base in 2012: Clint Barmes, Jamey Carroll, Mark Ellis, Bill Hall, Aaron Hill, Omar Infante, Kelly Johnson, Jose Lopez, and Brandon Phillips.
Phillips would bring the second base class some name value after the losses of Uggla and Weeks. Offensively Phillips does not stack up with either player. But with Weeks getting $10-11MM per free agent year, the Reds have a case for retaining Phillips at an $11MM net price for one more year. The Blue Jays have the option of retaining Hill for $8MM for '12, which would look reasonable with a return to form.
Barmes is expected to play shortstop for the Astros this year, though he'll miss most of April with a broken bone in his hand. Hall will serve as his double play partner. They'll earn almost $7MM combined this year, but both must re-establish themselves as effective everyday players. The Rockies appear open to trading Lopez, who needs regular work to avoid slipping into utility status. Carroll, who has a solid .356 career OBP, has a chance to establish himself as a regular if he can move past Casey Blake on the Dodgers' depth chart once Blake is healthy. The Giants' Mark DeRosa could seek a starting second base job, though he hasn't played much there since '08.
Infante, the Marlins' starting second baseman, has a chance to further cement himself as a regular. He hit .309/.353/.411 in 300 games with the Braves during 2008-10, and should be looking at the second multiyear deal of his career with a strong 2011. Ellis and Johnson are looking to prove they're worth multiple years at $5-6MM per. Both were easily worth that salary in 2010, so they're looking for repeat seasons.
Major Arbitration Paydays For 2012
Last month we looked at the best players who will be arbitration eligible for the first time in 2012, including Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, and David Price. While the top names in that group will be well-compensated, none project to earn $10MM or more for the '12 season. Which arbitration eligible players are headed toward that level of a payday?
- Jered Weaver, Angels. Even after losing an arbitration case to the Angels, Weaver stands to jump past $10MM with another $3MM+ raise.
- Hunter Pence, Astros. Pence won his arbitration case against the Astros, netting an extra $1.75MM. Another $3MM+ jump will put him right around $10MM, and he's arbitration eligible twice more if he's not non-tendered.
- Matt Garza, Cubs. He's at $5.95MM currently, so a jump to $10MM seems unlikely. He'll be arbitration eligible again after '12. Jeremy Guthrie and Joe Saunders are working from similar salaries, while Francisco Liriano is over $1MM behind.
- John Danks, White Sox. Danks is paid $6MM this year, so he and Garza face a similar challenge in trying to make the leap to $10MM.
- Carlos Quentin, White Sox. Much is riding on Quentin's 2010. If he has another 2008 he could get to $8MM or more and the White Sox won't mind.
- Andre Ethier, Dodgers. Ethier sees a non-tender after the season as a possibility, but that seems unlikely. But whether it's the Dodgers or another club, Ethier should get around $12MM next year.
- Matt Kemp, Dodgers. Kemp will be coming from a $6.95MM salary, so he should also see his first $10MM+ payday.
- Tim Lincecum, Giants. Extension talks between Lincecum and the Giants are not expected during the season. He'll be building on a $13MM salary, which might be even higher had he not signed a two-year deal previously. This is a case to watch next offseason. Lincecum's teammate Jonathan Sanchez probably won't make it to $10MM next year but he could be close.
- Shin-Soo Choo, Indians. Choo is operating from a strong $3.95MM first-time salary, which he could double next time around. Nelson Cruz will operate from a slightly lower salary.
- Luke Scott, Orioles. Scott is not someone you usually think of as a $10MM player, but he's already at $6.4MM. Another nice year will put him in the eight-figure range.
- Cole Hamels, Phillies. Like Lincecum, Hamels signed a multiyear extension but left at least one arbitration year open. He's already at $9.5MM this year. Next year might cost $12-13MM, and then each free agent year should be priced at $20MM+. Hamels hopes to stay with the Phillies.
- Mike Napoli, Rangers. Napoli is already at $5.8MM, so the Rangers will have a tough decision as to whether to tender him a contract for '12.
- Delmon Young, Twins. Young will be paid $5.375MM this year, and another 100 RBI year should push him close to $10MM.
Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.
Giants Extend Freddy Sanchez
The Giants have reached an agreement with second baseman Freddy Sanchez on a one-year, $6MM extension, MLBTR has learned. The Giants have confirmed the agreement (on Twitter).
Sanchez's previous contract, signed in October of 2009, runs through this year, and the new deal extends him at the same salary through the 2012 season. According to our source, Sanchez turned down a 2013 club option with an accompanying buyout, preferring to retain control of his contractual status after the '12 season. Sanchez is represented by Sosnick Cobbe Sports.
Sanchez, 33, hit .292/.342/.397 in 479 plate appearances for the Giants last year, batting second most of the time. He's known for his ability to hit for average, with a .298 career mark and a batting title in 2006. He's also solid with the glove, based on UZR. The one recent concern has been durability, as he's missed time with back, knee, and shoulder injuries the past few years.
The extension pushes Sosnick Cobbe Sports into the $90MM range for total contracts brokered this offseason, putting the firm in play for top ten overall placement for the second consecutive winter. Though it's a small agency, Sosnick Cobbe has done about the same volume of business this winter as Wasserman Media Group and Octagon due to contracts for Jay Bruce, Ricky Nolasco, and others. Josh Willingham is an extension candidate with Oakland, which could push their total higher.
MLBTR Writer Predictions
Nine MLBTR writers give 2011 predictions! Click here to see postseason and award picks from Tim Dierkes, Ben Nicholson-Smith, Mike Axisa, Luke Adams, Mark Polishuk, Zach Links, Dan Mennella, Howard Megdal, and Steve Adams. Make your predictions in the comments and we'll check back here in November.
Procedural Notes: Abreu, Blanco, Evans, Hernandez
The latest procedural notes…
- D'Backs manager Kirk Gibson told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that Tony Abreu cleared waivers and is going to Triple-A (Twitter link).
- The Royals told Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that Gregor Blanco cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A (Twitter link).
- Outfielder Nick Evans cleared waivers yesterday, GM Sandy Alderson told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). The Mets outrighted Evans when he didn't make the Opening Day roster.
- Another Mets player, Luis Hernandez cleared waivers, reports MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. He's unsure whether he'll accept a minor league assignment.
- Cubs catcher Max Ramirez cleared waivers and was outrighted to minor league camp, tweets MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
- The Tigers outrighted infielder Audy Ciriaco to create a 40-man spot for reliever Enrique Gonzalez, tweets MLB.com's Jason Beck.
- Retired reliever Billy Wagner was removed from the Braves' 40-man roster today, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Wagner has no plans to come out of retirement, but if he did he'd have to play for the Braves in 2011. The AP has details.
- Orioles righty Rick Vandenhurk cleared waivers, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
- Mets reliever Jason Isringhausen, who didn't make the club out of Spring Training, agreed to spend two weeks in Port St. Lucie. According to ESPN's Adam Rubin, one condition of the extended Spring Training agreement is that "if another team approaches Isringhausen in the interim about a major league opportunity, the Mets must either call up Izzy or let him depart." The Mets chose Blaine Boyer over Isringhausen for the Opening Day roster, which so far has allowed them to retain both relievers.
- Outfielder Brandon Boggs, outrighted by the Brewers yesterday, accepted his Triple-A assignment according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Yankees Designate Romulo Sanchez For Assignment
WEDNESDAY: The Yankees designated Sanchez for assignment and announced that he has an offer to play in Japan.
MONDAY: The Yankees are selling Romulo Sanchez's rights to a Japanese team, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (on Twitter). Sanchez, 27 in April, is an out of options hurler with a 95 mile per hour fastball.
He spent most of last year at Triple-A, posting a 3.97 ERA, 8.3 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, and 0.7 HR/9 in 104 1/3 innings. The Yankees acquired him from the Pirates about two years ago for Eric Hacker. At that time, Baseball America wrote Sanchez was "a big, intimidating presence…[who] lacks a great feel for pitching and has control lapses that keep him from dominating."
Pirates Acquire Carlos Paulino For Jim Negrych
The Pirates traded infielder Jim Negrych to the Marlins for catcher Carlos Paulino, tweets MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.
Negrych, 26, hit .283/.369/.384 in 457 plate appearances at Double and Triple-A last year, playing second base, third base, and left field. He last appeared in a Baseball America Handbook two years ago, ranking 24th among Pirates prospects after being named the team's minor league player of the year. His main ability is to hit for average, and he profiles as a utilityman if he reaches the Majors.
Paulino, 21, hit .184/.214/.234 in 216 plate appearances in Low-A last year. He's never appeared on a BA Marlins top 30 prospects list.
Phillies Release Luis Castillo
The Phillies released second baseman Luis Castillo, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. It was a brief trial for Castillo, who was picked up nine days ago after the Mets released him on March 18th. All along, the understanding was that Castillo would make the Phillies out of Spring Training or be released.
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is dealing with chronic knee pain, and hasn't offered a timetable aside from saying he aims to be back before the All-Star break. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. currently isn't thinking about putting Utley on the 60-day DL. While he's out, the Phillies will apparently go with Wilson Valdez and some combination of Michael Martinez, Pete Orr, and Delwyn Young. The Phillies opened a spot on the 40-man roster yesterday by outrighting Matt Rizzotti, which according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer means a spot is open for either Young or Mike Stutes (Twitter link).
Breakout Candidate: Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson has had a pretty good career to date, with a 14-win season and a 3.62 ERA campaign on his resume by age 27. He's made at least 31 starts in each of the last four seasons and topped 209 innings in the last two, so his ability to take the ball every fifth day alone will get him paid as a free agent. If this is all Jackson will ever be, that's not bad. But seven years ago, when Jackson was considered the fourth best prospect in the game by Baseball America, he was expected to become much more than a solid #4 starter.
Jackson reached the Majors as a 20-year-old with the Dodgers, outdueling Randy Johnson in his debut. Since then he's been traded four times. Jackson's career numbers are middling: a 4.62 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 3.9 BB/9, 1.1 HR/9, and more hits allowed than innings pitched. When he was traded from the Diamondbacks to the White Sox for Dan Hudson and David Holmberg on July 30th last year, he looked like the same old Jackson: mid-90s fastball, flashes of brilliance (including an eight-walk no-hitter in June), and disappointing statistics.
Something changed with the White Sox. It appears that pitching coach Don Cooper helped Jackson make a few adjustments, as he was brilliant in 11 starts for Chicago: a 3.24 ERA, 9.2 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9 and 47.2% groundball rate in 75 innings. Note that Jackson's groundball rate leap actually began with the Diamondbacks.
The Chicago sample size is small but tantalizing. Jackson even had a three-start stretch in August where he struck out 32 against just six walks in 23 2/3 innings. If Jackson's superb strikeout and walk rates hold up over a full season, he could become the best available free agent starter aside from C.C. Sabathia. He'll reach the market as a 28-year-old with Scott Boras at his side, which could make three years and $30MM required just to begin the discussion. Boras will just have to avoid Oliver Perez comparisons.
Marlins Release Dewayne Wise
Outfielder Dewayne Wise exercised his out clause and has been released by the Marlins, tweets Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Wise was reassigned to minor league camp yesterday, losing the big league backup outfielder job to Scott Cousins partially because of a toe injury.
Wise, 33, hit .250/.282/.393 in 118 plate appearances for the Blue Jays last year, putting up a .270/.315/.511 line for the Phillies' Triple-A club before exercising his out clause. Wise is capable of playing all three outfield positions. He joins free agent outfielders such as Ryan Church, Randy Winn, and Gabe Gross.