Mariners Seeking Right-Handed Bat, Pitcher
Mariners assistant GM Jeff Kingston outlined the team's targets in weekend talks at Fan Fest. MLB.com has video, and Jon Shields of Pro Ball NW transcribed quotes.
Kingston says the Mariners are in talks for a right-handed bat who can help out at DH and first base, and may land one in the next week. To Shields, the quotes imply that the player would help at DH more than first base. Shields speculates on Ryan Garko and Jermaine Dye as free agent possibilities. I'll add Marcus Thames as another guess. Jonny Gomes hits lefties but doesn't have first base experience.
Kingston didn't provide clues about the pitcher, but he also expects to acquire one in the next week. The Ms will watch Noah Lowry throw tomorrow, and have also been linked to Jarrod Washburn in some reports.
Minor League Transactions: Clark, Hammock, Loux
Baseball America's Matt Eddy has the minor league transactions for the period of January 19-24. A few notables from him, after the Knoedler and Giese bullets:
- The Dodgers signed catcher Justin Knoedler, reports MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.
- According to MiLB.com, the A's re-signed pitcher Dan Giese on January 27th. Giese, 33 in May, tossed 22 innings for the big league club last year but learned in June he'd need Tommy John surgery.
- The Braves signed reliever Chris Resop, who spent '09 with the Hanshin Tigers.
- The White Sox added Brady Clark, who once scored 94 runs as a member of the '05 Brewers. It was the Brewers' December '04 Scott Podsednik–Carlos Lee trade with the Sox that gave Clark a starting opportunity in '05.
- The Rockies signed catcher Robby Hammock, who spent last season with Baltimore's Triple A club.
- Pitcher Shane Loux signed with the Astros. The 30-year-old posted a 5.86 ERA, 19 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 58.3 innings for the Angels last year.
Marlins Reach Agreement With Derrick Turnbow
SATURDAY, 10:16pm: Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that Turnbow's deal is worth $600K if he makes the team, plus an additional $50K in incentives. Damon Lapa, Turnbow's agent, said "there were offers with significantly more money….But Derrick realizes he's at a point in his career where the choice he makes is more important than income potential."
FRIDAY, 10:35am: The Marlins reached an agreement on a minor league deal with reliever Derrick Turnbow, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
Turnbow, 32, hasn't been effective in the Majors since 2005 with the Brewers, a season that prompted Doug Melvin to give him a three-year, $6.5MM extension. Amid a rotator cuff injury, Turnbow logged a total of 30.6 pro innings the last two years. He requested his release from the Rangers' Triple A club in May. The Marlins have resurrected the careers of many relievers, but Turnbow wil be a challenge.
The Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies, and Cardinals were among the other teams interested in Turnbow. Earlier this month, he auditioned for at least 16 clubs.
Orioles Designate Dennis Sarfate For Assignment
SATURDAY, 8:08pm: Kubatko reports that Baltimore is trying to deal Sarfate rather than lose him for nothing if another team makes a waiver claim. "Several teams" are interested in the reliever, according to Sarfate's agent.
WEDNESDAY, 3:39pm: The Orioles designated pitcher Dennis Sarfate for assignment to make room for Miguel Tejada, reports Roch Kubatko of MASN. Oddly enough, Sarfate came to the O's in the December '07 Tejada deal with the Astros.
Sarfate, 29 in April, struggled in 35.6 innings between the Majors and Triple A this year. He had shoulder surgery in September of '08 and a circulatory finger problem in the summer of '09. The injuries seemingly caused his mid-90s velocity to disappear, but Kubatko says Sarfate was hitting 97 recently in the Mexican Winter League.
Infield Market Hinging On Hudson?
FRIDAY, 8:32pm: MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports that Hudson is looking for $9MM, but the Nationals are only willing to pay him a third of that. GM Mike Rizzo has spoken to Hudson recently, however they talked about how he would fit with the team, rather than dollars and years.
THURSDAY, 3:15pm: Chico Harlan of the Washington Post hears that the Nationals are waiting on Hudson's decision.
10:32am: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggested yesterday three teams are in on free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson. Today, Rosenthal says six teams are "showing varying degrees of interest."
The Nationals are one of those clubs, though MLB.com's Bill Ladson tweets that Hudson's price is still too high and they're considering either going internal or signing Adam Kennedy or Orlando Cabrera.
Rosenthal indicates Hudson is the "linchpin" of the free agent infield market, with the fates of Kennedy, Cabrera, Felipe Lopez, and Melvin Mora tied to Hudson. Regarding Mora, a Rosenthal tweet has the Rangers, Rockies, Mariners, and Reds in the mix.
Rosenthal's list of teams that are or could be looking for infield help includes the Nats, Twins, Reds, Tigers, Rockies, Mariners, Rays, and Cardinals. Morosi likes Kennedy as a match for Detroit.
Odds & Ends: Anderson, Smoltz, Red Sox, Dye
Links for Friday…
- Heyman tweets that the Angels and Dodgers could pursue Garret Anderson.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that the Mets are falling behind in their attempts to sign John Smoltz.
- As Rob Bradford of WEEI.com notes, Theo Epstein says the Red Sox do not have a policy against negotiating extensions during the season.
- The Red Sox, Phillies, Diamondbacks and Rockies watched Oscar Villarreal throw today, tweets Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
- An MLB executive tells ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that Jermaine Dye turned down $3.3MM from the Cubs before they signed Xavier Nady for the same price (Twitter link).
- MLB.com's Bill Ladson tweets that money may prevent the Nationals from signing Orlando Hudson. Adam Dunn believes Washington is Hudson's first choice.
- The club could go after Adam Kennedy if Hudson signs elsewhere, tweets Ladson.
- The Blue Jays have money, but aren't going to spend for the sake of spending, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
- In case you'd like more on the Johnny Damon-Yankees drama, SI's Jon Heyman talked to the player and GM.
- Alex Rodriguez was "staring at retirement right in the face" last March when diagnosed with a torn labrum in his hip, he told Kim Jones of the YES Network Wednesday night.
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wonders if aging players are the new market inefficiency.
- Cameron compares Jason Bay to Josh Willingham and concludes that the two outfielders are pretty similar.
- In an interview with SNY's Kevin Burkhardt last night, Mets GM Omar Minaya insisted he has full autonomy. Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn't buy it.
- U.S.S. Mariner's Dave Cameron tweets of rumblings that the Royals and Mariners have discussed Alberto Callaspo.
- The Red Sox signed catcher Gustavo Molina to a minor league deal, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford. Molina, 28 in February, hit .209/.233/.308 for the Nationals' Triple A club last year.
- Larry Granillo of Wezen-Ball digs up the true story behind Andre Dawson, the Cubs, and the blank check in '87.
- Twins lefty Glen Perkins explained his grievance to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Marlins Sign Jose Veras
The Marlins signed reliever Jose Veras to a minor league deal, tweets Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.
Veras, 30, posted a 5.19 ERA, 7.2 K/9, and 5.0 BB/9 in 50.3 innings last year for the Yankees and Indians. He was designated for assignment twice during the season, and non-tendered by the Tribe in December. The Marlins added Derrick Turnbow to their pen earlier today.
Mets Sign Josh Fogg
The Mets signed pitcher Josh Fogg to a minor league deal, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.
Despite poor peripheral stats, Fogg managed to post a 3.74 ERA in 45.6 relief innings for the Rockies last year. He tossed another 40.3 ugly innings as a starter in the minors. In his best days, Fogg was able to chew up 30 starts with an ERA around 5.00 for the Pirates and Rockies.
Nationals Agree To Terms With Miguel Batista
The Nationals agreed to terms with pitcher Miguel Batista on a minor league deal, according to a team press release.
Finishing up a three-year, $25MM deal with the Mariners, Batista was a $9MM middle reliever last year. He posted a 4.04 ERA, 6.6 K/9, and 4.9 BB/9 on the season. Funny quote from Batista to John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer before the season:
"You don't pay a guy $9 million to pitch middle relief. Well, maybe the Yankees do. My concern is to stay healthy and help the team and we will find some neutral ground."
Batista shouldn't have a shot at the closer job in Washington, but he might be able to crack the rotation.
Indians Explored Moving Carmona To Afford Hudson
The Indians have had perhaps the quietest offseason in baseball so far, their biggest move being the December 1st Kelly Shoppach–Mitch Talbot swap. Mark Shapiro's only big league free agent contract went to backup catcher Mike Redmond for $850K. The inactivity seems to fit with their rebuilding plan – if the Indians wanted to contend in 2010, they probably wouldn't have traded Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez.
The Tribe's inactivity also stems from a lack of cash, based on a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal says the Indians "explored the idea of trading right-hander Fausto Carmona to clear money for free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson, but the possibility is unlikely to come to fruition."
The implication is that the Indians don't have $4-5MM in the 2010 budget for Hudson, despite shedding the $16.7MM that would've been owed to Martinez and Lee. They do have a handful of increasing salaries for '10, Carmona's included. Carmona has two years and $11MM remaining; his contract is a rare example of a regrettable arbitration buyout deal. In terms of dumping contracts, the Indians would benefit greatly from big first halves from Jake Westbrook, Kerry Wood, and Jhonny Peralta.