Odds & Ends: Aramis, Kemp, K-Rod
August 17th was a busy transaction day one year ago, as the Tigers acquired Aubrey Huff and the Rangers and Red Sox released Vicente Padilla and John Smoltz, respectively. Both pitchers performed well for their new teams; who will follow that script this year? While you ponder the question, here are today's links…
- Baseball fans are mourning the passing of Bobby Thomson, famous for his "shot heard 'round the world" with the New York Giants.
- MLB.com's Mark Bowman and the AJC's David O'Brien have contrasting reports on whether the Braves explored acquiring Aramis Ramirez from the Cubs. Both seem to agree that it's not happening.
- RotoAuthority looks at five catchers who were undervalued in fantasy baseball drafts before the season.
- Agent Dave Stewart nearly lost Matt Kemp to Scott Boras during the offseason, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. In January, Kemp signed a two-year deal covering his first two arbitration years.
- Neither Rosenthal nor Joel Sherman of the New York Post think the Mets can get Francisco Rodriguez's entire contract voided, but Sherman thinks they might win a case aiming to get out of the salary he has coming for the rest of the season.
- Agent Gregg Clifton left Gaylord Sports, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Clifton represented players such as Kris Benson and Mark Mulder and the now-retired Tom Glavine, Luis Gonzalez, and David Wells. In another tweet Crasnick says Clifton joined Jackson Lewis LLP as a partner and will be part of their Sports Industry Practice Group.
Why Didn’t Colby Lewis Get More Money?
It's clear now that the Rangers made a great free agent signing with Colby Lewis. The 31-year-old righty ranks 15th in the American League with a 3.28 ERA and sixth with 150 strikeouts. He was signed for just $5MM over two years, with a chance for $8MM over three years if the Rangers exercise their 2012 club option.
In February, Lewis told ESPN's Tim Kurkjian of his multiyear deal, "Things like that don't happen very often." Kurkjian explained the rarity of a player going to Japan, returning to MLB, and thriving. Even so, I'm still surprised Lewis didn't get a bigger contract. A $5MM commitment – teams will spend that much on a couple of draft picks despite a lower probability of success. Low-upside free agents like Miguel Tejada, Ivan Rodriguez, Jason Kendall, and Jason Marquis received more money last winter. Heck, the Rangers guaranteed $7.5MM to Rich Harden for one year. The Athletics gave Ben Sheets $10MM.
Interest was heavy – Kurkjian said 12 or 13 clubs were in on Lewis and the Twins and A's also offered two-year deals. MLB teams had two years to scout the new-and-improved Lewis in Japan. Rangers GM Jon Daniels told Kurkjian, "[Lewis] was throwing 90-to-95 with a hard cutter. Other teams saw the same thing." Lewis' numbers in Japan were ridiculously good, too. Why didn't anyone outbid the Rangers? Perhaps teams took the approach of, "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" and allocated free agent money toward players they were able to scout in MLB games.
Will Brad Hawpe Be Traded?
Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe was placed on waivers yesterday, reported Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. That means the window to claim Hawpe will expire Wednesday afternoon at the latest. The Rockies "want to move" Hawpe, writes Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.
The first question is whether Hawpe will be claimed by one of the other 29 clubs. His playing time has dwindled in recent months, and his .252/.341/.430 line is his worst since 2005. Hawpe has consistently posted poor UZR defensive numbers in right field. This year, for the first time, he's played a few games at first base.
Hawpe has shown enough offense over the past several seasons that he would still appeal to several contenders. The problem is that a claim could compel the Rockies to dump his contract on another team. That club would pay the prorated portion of his $7.5MM salary (currently $1.96MM) plus a potential $500K buyout of his $10.15MM club option for '11 (unless Hawpe voids it, which seems unlikely).
The White Sox were linked to Hawpe in July, and they came up empty looking for a bat last month. The Padres and Braves made additions, so a National League claim seems unlikely. The White Sox would have first crack in the AL, before the Twins, Red Sox, Yankees, or Rays. The Red Sox and Rays may at least consider Hawpe, but I suspect he'll make it through waivers unclaimed. That'd open up trade possibilties for the Rockies, who probably won't get draft pick compensation for the Type A free agent. It'd only be possible if they declined Hawpe's option and then offered arbitration, an unlikely scenario.
Barret Loux To Be Granted Free Agency
Press release from the Diamondbacks and unsigned draft pick Barret Loux:
"We have reached an agreement regarding Barret Loux’s status that is mutually beneficial to the parties. Today Commissioner Selig has announced that Loux will become a free agent on September 1. As such, he will be free to sign with any Major League Club at that time. In addition, the Arizona Diamondbacks will receive a Supplemental Selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. The agreement also provides an opportunity for the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association globally to the address the issues that can arise from questions concerning a drafted player’s health. Given the private nature of the underlying disagreement here, neither party will be making any further public comments about this situation."
Chosen sixth overall by the D'Backs, Loux's July physical revealed a labrum tear and elbow issues according to Yahoo's Jeff Passan. The D'Backs backed out of a $2MM agreement, as was their right, and will receive the seventh overall pick as compensation in 2011. With the money freed up the Diamondbacks went over slot yesterday to sign draft picks such as Ty Linton ($1.25MM), Tyler Green ($750K), and Blake Perry ($500K).
Once Loux reaches free agency, Yahoo's Kendall Rogers wouldn't be surprised to see the White Sox pursue him (Twitter link). The Astros will look into signing Loux, GM Ed Wade told Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle. Free agency is a very positive outcome for Loux, as one MLBTR commenter explains here.
Market For Craig Counsell
Brewers infielder Craig Counsell recently cleared waivers, suggesting no team was willing to take on the prorated portion of his $2.3MM salary (currently $600K). Counsell can now be traded to any team, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Brewers seek "a legit return." Rosenthal notes that the Brewers received Chris Dickerson for Jim Edmonds, though I'll point out that Edmonds was having a stronger season at a lower salary and did get claimed on waivers by multiple clubs. In terms of the Counsell market, Rosenthal says the Cardinals inquired and backed off while the Braves have yet to inquire.
Counsell, 40 in a few days, is hitting .246/.317/.305 in 188 plate appearances this season. He's mostly played on the left side of the infield this year, but has plenty of career experience at second base. Counsell has had a disappointing season, though it seems to amount to a dip in playing time and batting average. He's not a clear upgrade for a contender, so he could stay put unless the asking price drops in the 15 days leading up to the waiver trade deadline.
Non-Tender Candidate: J.J. Hardy
My listing of Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy yesterday as a non-tender candidate inspired much debate in our comments section. Let's dig deeper into the situation.
In terms of Wins Above Replacement, Hardy's 1.8 this year ranks fifth in the American League on the FanGraphs leaderboard. Hardy's done this in only 70 games, as he's missed time due to a bruised wrist. His bat his been about league average for AL shortstops, while much of his value is derived from what UZR/150 suggests is well above-average defense. Hardy has been strong in UZR every year of his career, not just the 580 innings in 2010.
However, I am guessing the Twins will not look closely at WAR when making the decision on whether to tender Hardy a 2011 contract in December. They'll first need to determine how much Hardy will seek or earn for next year, his final season before free agency. It's promising that Twins only needed to give Hardy a $450K raise coming off a disappointing 2009 season. They might be able to sign him for less than $6MM one last time. Hardy can't be too aggressive in his salary demands, as his agent Mike Seal surely knows that UZR numbers probably won't help his client in front of an arbitration panel and weak offensive counting stats would hurt him.
The Twins probably haven't decided yet whether Hardy is worth $6MM or so to them in 2011. They'll be considering alternatives. Trevor Plouffe is an internal option, though his work in a second Triple A stint doesn't stand out. Alexi Casilla will be around next year as well. The free agent market is weak, with Juan Uribe one of the better options the Twins can consider. The trade market could offer Stephen Drew, Jamey Carroll, Jack Wilson, or even a second round with Jason Bartlett.
With those thoughts, it's time for you to weigh in. Click here to vote on whether Hardy will be non-tendered, and here to see the results of the poll.
Giants Trying To Block Cards, Braves From Third Basemen?
Some GMs have the perception the Giants are trying to block the Cardinals and Braves from acquiring a third baseman through a waiver trade, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. The team with the worse record gets first crack at a player, so at the moment the Giants can't stop a player from getting to the Cardinals. They can currently thwart the Padres, Reds, Phillies, and Braves.
Three players with the ability to play third base have already gotten through waivers unclaimed: Geoff Blum, Craig Counsell, and Edwin Encarnacion. We haven't heard about the status of Chone Figgins, Adam Kennedy, Jamey Carroll, Jeff Keppinger, Ty Wigginton, Wilson Betemit, Mark Reynolds, Melvin Mora, Jhonny Peralta, Aramis Ramirez, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Wes Helms, Andy LaRoche, Nick Punto, Brendan Harris, Jose Lopez, or Pedro Feliz yet. Brandon Inge is expected to hit the waiver wire this week, wrote Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch yesterday. The Twins could theoretically claim Inge before he gets to the Cards, but they may be satisfied with Danny Valencia at the hot corner.
Pedro Feliciano, Mets Waiting On Contract Talks
Lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano and the Mets have agreed to wait until after the season to hold contract talks, reports ESPN's Adam Rubin. Feliciano will be eligible for free agency for the first time.
Feliciano, 34 in a few days, has been worked hard in his Mets career. This year he's got a 3.05 ERA, 8.5 K/9, and 4.9 BB/9 with only one home run allowed in 44.3 innings. For the third straight year, he's leading MLB in appearances.
FanGraphs splits are the best way to judge Feliciano's work against lefties and righties. You can see he's been very strong (xFIP of 3.06 or better) against lefties the last few years but middling or worse against righties (xFIP of at least 4.49 each year). Despite Feliciano's protestations, it's more than just groundballs getting through against righties. He's allowing too many walks and often too many home runs against them.
Feliciano profiles as a Type B free agent in our latest Elias projections, and he's earning $2.9MM this year. The Mets would be wise to offer arbitration, but a multiyear deal would be risky.
Draft Pick Signings
Today's draft pick signing deadline passed at 11pm central time. This post contains notable signings outside of the first round, with the latest up top.
- The Padres signed sixth-rounder John Barbato for $1.4MM, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter).
- The Blue Jays signed fourth-rounder Sam Dyson for $600K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter).
- The Tigers signed second-rounder Drew Smyly for $1.1MM, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo (on Twitter).
- The D'Backs signed 14th-rounder Ty Linton for $1.25MM, according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.
- The A's signed second-rounder Yordy Cabrera for $1.25MM, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (via Twitter). The team has since confirmed the deal, but not its value.
- The Pirates have signed second-rounder Stetson Allie, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The 19-year-old, who plays third and pitches, had committed to the University of North Carolina. He gets a $2.25MM bonus, according to Hoynes (on Twitter).
- The D'Backs signed eighth-rounder Tyler Green for $750K, according to Aaron Fitt of Baseball America. The prep righty can hit 95 mph with his fastball.
- The Reds signed sixth-rounder Drew Cisco for $975K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
- The Cardinals signed second-round right-hander Jordan Swagerty for $600-650K, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
- The Giants signed second-rounder Jarrett Parker for $700K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. The 21-year-old outfielder set multiple single-season records at Virginia last year.
- The Mariners signed second-rounder Marcus Littlewood for $900K, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter). Here's Law's scouting report on the prep shortstop.
- The D'Backs agreed to sign sixth-round right-hander Blake Perry for $500K, according to Aaron Fitt of Baseball America.
- The Nationals agreed to sign 12th-round left-hander Robbie Ray for $799K, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- The Red Sox will sign Garin Cecchini, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The fourth-round pick was looking for about $1.35MM and Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter) that he'll get $1.31MM.
- Eighth-rounder Alex Lavisky agreed to terms with the Indians on a $1MM bonus, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The prep catcher is "a good athlete with arm strength," according to Baseball America.
- The Red Sox signed second-rounder Brandon Workman for $800K, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
- The Red Sox agreed to sign third-rounder Sean Coyle, a 5'8" shortstop, for $1.3MM, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. That's more than $1MM more than MLB recommends for the 110 slot.
- The Dodgers signed 11th-rounder Joc Pederson, a prep outfielder, for $600K according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. That quadruples MLB's recommended maximum. BA ranked Pederson #154 in their draft preview.
- The Rangers signed fifth-rounder Justin Grimm, a righty out of Georgia, for $825K plus incentives ($677K over slot), reports Baseball America's Aaron Fitt. BA ranked Grimm at #109 in their draft preiew.
- The Indians signed fourth-round pick Kyle Blair for $580K ($334K over slot), reports Baseball America's Jim Callis. Blair is a righty drafted out of the University of San Diego; BA ranked him 84th overall in their draft preview.
- The Royals signed second-round pick Brett Eibner and fifth-rounder Jason Adam, according to a press release. Baseball America's Jim Callis tweets that Eibner gets $1.25MM (almost $600K over slot), while Adam gets $800K ($629K over slot). Eibner is a center fielder and pitcher out of the University of Arkansas, and Adam is a righty drafted out of high school. Baseball America rated Eibner the 23rd-best player in the draft, calling him the "best two-way prospect" in the class. The Royals instead plan to use him as a center fielder.
Nationals Spending Big On Draft Picks
9:07pm: The Nationals officially announced their deal with Cole (on Twitter).
MONDAY, 7:20pm: The Nationals officially announced their agreement with Solis via press release. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post notes that the left-hander gets $1MM, confirming Baseball America's report (Twitter link).
SUNDAY, 1:19pm: Callis tweets that there's no snag between the Nationals and Cole — they've agreed to terms and the deal should get done as long as Cole passes his physical.
1:17pm: Callis also reports that the Nats have also signed 12th-rounder Robbie Ray for $799K. The high school southpaw's bonus is the second largest for any player drafted later than the fourth round this year.
Callis says Ray impressed scouts last fall with a mid-90s fastball, but worked around 89-91mph for most of his senior season, which contributed toward him slipping to the later rounds.
1:00pm: A "last-minute problem" has gotten in the way of the Nats finalizing their deal with Cole, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter). The two sides still have until tomorrow night to work out any issues and get a deal done.
7:59am: The Nationals committed big money to a pair of draft picks by reaching agreements with pitchers A.J. Cole and Sammy Solis, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America. According to Callis, both players received deals well over MLB's slot recommendations, though GM Mike Rizzo denies that any agreements are in place. Callis reports that Cole, a fourth-round pick, received a $2MM deal, while Solis, a second-round pick, got $1MM. Cole's bonus is a record for the fourth round.
Cole, a righty drafted out of high school, has first-round talent comparable to that of the Padres' #9 overall choice, Karsten Whitson. Solis, a southpaw out of the University of San Diego, dealt with a back injury in '09 but bounced back this year.
The Nationals are once again spending big on the draft, with a potential deal for Bryce Harper expected Monday night.