Rosenthal On Lowell, Cain, Cristian Guzman
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports supplies his latest hot stove buzz…
- Rosenthal's source says the Rangers' interest in Mike Lowell is "light," and the Red Sox don't expect any team to make a suitable offer. Yesterday, ESPN's Jim Reeves said the Rangers keep coming back to Lowell in their search for a right-handed hitting role player. Rosenthal notes that the Red Sox will not release Lowell, who is owed $12MM.
- With Matt Cain locked up, Rosenthal sees a weak 2012 free agent class for starting pitching. Mark Buehrle, Edwin Jackson, and Wandy Rodriguez appear to head the group, though C.C. Sabathia has the option of electing free agency and voiding the remaining four years and $92MM on his Yankees contract. Of course, a lot can change in two seasons. The larger point: there's a better selection of free agent starters after the 2010 season than after 2011.
- The Rangers looked into trading for Washington's Cristian Guzman before acquiring Andres Blanco from the Cubs. Guzman is currently projected to serve as an $8MM utility man for the Nationals.
Phillies Release Brad Wilkerson
The Phillies released outfielder Brad Wilkerson and 11 other minor leaguers, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Wilkerson was thought to have retired, but he signed a minor league deal with no Spring Training invite back in February.
Mariners Strongly Considering Adding Starter
SUNDAY, 11:50am: The Mariners have intensified their search for starting pitching, according to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The duo names Nate Robertson, Brian Tallet, and Manny Parra as a few left-handers who may be available while the M's wait for their own lefties (Lee and Erik Bedard) to return from injuries. FOX's Tracy Ringolsby adds (via Twitter) that the team had a scout on hand to watch Tim Redding pitch yesterday.
SATURDAY, 4:16pm: Fanhouse's Ed Price tweets that the Mariners are now strongly considering adding a starting pitcher due to Lee's injury. Price suggests that the addition would be a free agent or someone who was released from another organization.
THURSDAY, 12:12pm: The Mariners are "now again seriously considering Jarrod Washburn," tweets SI's Jon Heyman, even though he says the team is hoping to have Cliff Lee back by the third week of the season.
On Sunday, Washburn told ESPN's Mike Salk there have been "no recent conversations" between the Mariners and his agent Scott Boras. The added wrinkle is that Salk feels Washburn would need about four weeks to be game-ready.
Blue Jays Release Joey Gathright
The Blue Jays released outfielder Joey Gathright, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. The Jays gave Gathright plenty of spring playing time – 43 plate appearances – and he hit just .167/.186/.167.
Gathright, 29 in April, spent most of 2009 with Baltimore's Triple A club. He hit .329/.386/.376 there, swiping 24 bags in 80 games.
The Gathright cut comes as no surprise, as Bastian wrote yesterday that Toronto's final bench spot would probably go to Jeremy Reed or Mike McCoy.
Odds & Ends: Kim, Dukes, Adrian
Links for Thursday…
- The Giants' Byung-Hyun Kim experiment is over, as the pitcher asked the Giants for his release according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy.
- Multiple teams are interested in free agent outfielder Elijah Dukes, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Murray Chass chatted with agent Ron Shapiro about the Joe Mauer deal. Speaking of Mauer, 620 WTMJ's Dan O'Donnell spoke to MLBTR's Mike Axisa about how the catcher's deal might impact Prince Fielder.
- The Marlins' interest in Mike Lowell is "barely above zero," learned MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Lowell told Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald today that he's not sure if a move back to the NL would work.
- The Diamondbacks don't expect to sign Dominican outfielder Wagner Mateo, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
- Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune spoke to Padres CEO Jeff Moorad, who wouldn't be surprised to see Adrian Gonzalez play two more seasons for his team.
- In reference to Mets rookie Jenrry Mejia, ESPN's Keith Law notes that "promoting prospects who aren't ready is a hallmark of GMs in fear for their jobs."
- Tracy Ringolsby is now on Twitter, give him a follow.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post examines the Mets' reconfiguration of Hisanori Takahashi's contract.
- I'll be participating in an NFBC fantasy league Sunday evening. They've got all kinds of events and prizes, check it out.
Mariners Re-Sign Yusmeiro Petit
The Mariners re-signed pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, reports Baseball America's Matt Eddy. Eddy says the Ms released Petit on March 17th but re-signed him four days later.
Petit was claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks by the Mariners in November. He was designated for assignment in February to make room for Erik Bedard, and cleared waivers a few days later. The 25-year-old posted a 5.82 ERA, 7.4 K/9, and 3.4 BB/9 in 89.6 innings for Arizona last year, allowing 19 home runs.
Yankees Release Chad Gaudin
3:01pm: The Dodgers are in too, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The D'Backs are not interested, tweets Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
11:38am: The Mets are discussing Gaudin, tweets Newsday's David Lennon.
7:57am: The Yankees released pitcher Chad Gaudin, tweets Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger. Gaudin had been placed on waivers on Tuesday, but no team claimed his $2.95MM salary. Since he was on a non-guaranteed contract, the Yankees will only pay a quarter ($737,500).
A year ago when Gaudin was released by the Cubs, he chose the Padres in part because of the opportunity to start. In that role in '09 he posted a 4.76 ERA, 8.37 K/9, and 4.69 BB/9 in 134.3 innings. The Mets, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Mariners are among the clubs looking a little short on arms. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tells us that the A's are not interested in a reunion with Gaudin.
Offseason In Review: Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are next in our Offseason In Review series.
Major League Signings
- Rafael Betancourt, RP: two years, $7.55MM.
- Miguel Olivo, C: one year, $2.5MM. Includes $2.5MM club option with a $500K buyout.
- Jason Giambi, 1B: one year, $1.75MM.
- Melvin Mora, 3B: one year, $1.3MM.
- Total spend: $13.1MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Joe Beimel, Jimmy Gobble, Tim Redding, Juan Rincon, Justin Speier, Paul Lo Duca, Jay Payton, Travis Metcalf, Robby Hammock, Brad Eldred
Trades and Claims: None
Extensions
- Huston Street, RP: three years, $22.5MM. Includes $9MM player option for 2013 with a $500K buyout.
- Todd Helton, 1B: two years, $9.9MM. Rockies also saved money via deferrals and new 2011 salary.
- Chris Iannetta, C: three years, $8.35MM. Includes $5MM club option for 2013 with a $250K buyout.
- Ryan Spilborghs, OF: two years, $3.2MM.
Notable Losses
- Garrett Atkins, Yorvit Torrealba, Jason Marquis, Josh Fogg, Joel Peralta, Alan Embree, Glendon Rusch, Jose Contreras, Matt Herges, Matt Murton, Mike McCoy
Summary
Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd focused most of his offseason efforts on the bullpen and bench, with the lineup and rotation already in good shape. He also locked up four of his own players. Let's take a closer look.
Betancourt was the main offseason splash. The Rockies acquired him from the Indians in July and enjoyed 25.3 dominant innings. That was enough to convince O'Dowd to take the plunge with an arbitration offer to the Type A free agent, though he declined Betancourt's $5.4MM club option first. Betancourt played it safe and accepted the offer, and the Rockies worked out a two-year agreement a couple months later. Betancourt turns 35 soon and has been dealing with shoulder inflammation, so this was a risky signing.
The risk of the Betancourt signing was balanced out by a slew of minor league deals to once-effective relievers. It's likely that a few of these work out, and the Rockies end up with a pretty good pen.
Tacking two, possibly three extra years on to Street's deal was unnecessary. Street dealt with biceps inflammation in September and now faces shoulder issues. A one-year deal in the $8MM range made more sense. As dominant as Street was in 2009, closers aren't getting paid like this anymore.
The Rockies want Helton to retire a Rockie, but did they need to commit to 2012 and 2013 now? A reworking of Helton's previous monstrous contract provides short-term financial relief, a necessity after O'Dowd committed $11MM to Street and Betancourt for 2011. The Iannetta extension was a clear bargain, though it was surprising to see the Rockies pick up Olivo a few weeks later for a 2010 job-sharing arrangement.
Offensive changes were unnecessary, as the Rockies' offense stacks up with any team in the NL. They might have the game's best fourth and fifth outfielders in Seth Smith and Spilborghs, and the bench was further solidified with Giambi and Mora.
It will be difficult for Jeff Francis to replicate Marquis' 216 innings of 4.04 ball, though letting the latter go and taking a draft pick was the right move. Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, Jorge de la Rosa, and Jason Hammel form an underrated front four.
Though O'Dowd overindulged on extensions, the 2010 Rockies have few weaknesses and should be in the thick of the playoff hunt once again.
White Sox Sign Scott Elarton
The White Sox signed pitcher Scott Elarton to a minor league deal, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.
Elarton, 34, last pitched pro ball for the Indians in '08. He worked out for the Padres prior to the '09 season, but they did not offer him a contract. Elarton's big score was a two-year, $8MM deal signed with the Royals in December of '05 when Allard Baird was GM. He had labrum surgery in August of '06.
2012 Free Agent Class Analysis
Our 2012 MLB Free Agent list has just been posted. Since that post will be a permanent addition to the sidebar, comments on it are closed. Leave comments here instead!
The 2012 list shows players who are eligible to become free agents after the 2011 season. My system is to allow a player to only be on one list at a time, so those on the 2010 or 2011 lists are not on the 2012 one. The 2012 list is for players who are signed through 2011 (some may have '12 options) and also for those who currently have between four and five years of service time. Part of the latter group will be non-tendered after the '10 season, at which point they'll join the '11 list and be removed from '12. Now that you're sufficiently confused, let's analyze this group!
- Several notable players have 2011 club options that are highly likely to be exercised after the 2010 season, at which point they will join the '12 list. Those are Albert Pujols, Jose Reyes, Adrian Gonzalez, and Jason Kubel.
- Players who will be under 30 in '12: Yadier Molina, Dioner Navarro, Kelly Shoppach, Prince Fielder, Casey Kotchman, Robinson Cano, Jose Lopez, Rickie Weeks, Ronny Cedeno, J.J. Hardy, Edwin Encarnacion, Jeremy Hermida, Grady Sizemore, Jeff Francoeur, Matt Cain, Kyle Davies, Zach Duke, Edwin Jackson, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Scott Olsen, Jonathan Broxton, Matt Capps, and Joel Zumaya.
- Fielder, Howard, Pujols, and Adrian Gonzalez could form a legendary first base class. Middle infield looks strong too, potentially with Dan Uggla, Weeks, Jason Bartlett, Hardy, Jimmy Rollins, and Reyes. There's nothing at third base. Outfield looks thin, as Sizemore's '12 option is likely to be exercised.
- With healthy years in 2010 and '11, Cain stands to reach free agency at age 27 and score a massive deal. If C.C. Sabathia decides he wants to try to top four years, $92MM, he'll breathe life into an otherwise middling starting pitching class.
- Roughly half the game's established closers are eligible for free agency after the 2011 season. Broxton and Papelbon head the class.