Twins Made Offer To Jarrod Washburn
SATURDAY, 1:13pm: Neal reports that Washburn has turned down Minnesota's offer.
FRIDAY, 4:08pm: Neal hears that the Twins made Washburn a one-year offer worth about $5MM. Neal hears that talks have been "pretty much dead" since the club made the initial offer.
THURSDAY, 10:28am: La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune spoke to several Twins people yesterday and "received NO indications that an offer has been made." Talking to MLB.com's Kelly Thesier, Washburn would not comment on Miller's report but said the Twins are "definitely one of the teams at the top of my list of places I'd like to end up."
TUESDAY, 10:35pm: The Twins made an offer to lefty Jarrod Washburn, reports Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. Miller doesn't have the details, though I'd say Washburn is a candidate for a one-year deal in the $6-7MM range. Then again, he's represented by Scott Boras. The Twins claimed Washburn off waivers from the Mariners in August of '08, but a deal could not be reached.
The Twins would have decent rotation depth with Washburn, since Carl Pavano accepted arbitration earlier this winter. Miller believes the depth might allow the Twins to trade for a third baseman. Kevin Kouzmanoff is the oft-discussed name, though Dan Uggla or Mat Gamel could make sense in my opinion.
Washburn might be considered similar to Doug Davis and Jon Garland; the Brewers are expected to sign one of the three. The Mets could also enter the mix.
Royals Sign Scott Podsednik
The Royals finalized their one-year $1.75MM deal with Scott Podsednik today. The contract includes a 2011 club option worth $2MM, but Podsednik can void it if he picks up 525 plate appearances this year. Both the 2010 and 2011 years include incentives worth $250K or more.
Podsednik, who turns 34 before the season starts, will compete with Mitch Maier and perhaps Brian Anderson for playing time in center field. He rates slightly below average on defense, according to UZR/150, but does add some value on offense. He hit .304/.353/.412 for the White Sox last year, stealing 30 bases in 43 attempts.
Royals GM Dayton Moore said last night on 610 Sports Radio that the Royals were close to signing a speedy outfielder. Today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweeted that Podsednik had a deal and ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick confirmed it was with the Royals. Dick Kaegel of MLB.com, Sam Mellinger of the KC Star, Rosenthal and John Marshall of the AP followed up with the details.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Mariners Sign Gutierrez To Four-Year Deal
The Mariners finalized the signing of center fielder Franklin Gutierrez to a four-year, $20.5MM deal with a fifth-year club option today. The contract reflects a growing commitment to run-prevention around the league and specifically in Seattle. GM Jack Zduriencik, who signed defensive wizard Chone Figgins earlier in the offseason, said Gutierrez was "a huge part" of the Mariners' league-leading ERA last year.
Venezuelan reporter Francisco Blavia first tweeted that the deal was "very, very close" and FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal confirmed as much before the Mariners announced the deal this morning.
Gutierrez is arbitration-eligible for the first time, so the deal buys out all three arb years and at least one free agent year. Though it was signed in March of '06, it seems that Grady Sizemore's contract might have been a comparable. Sizemore received $20.7MM for the same four-year slice of his career. On a deal signed in February of '08, Curtis Granderson will earn $27.25MM for that portion of his career.
Gutierrez, 27 in February, hit .283/.339/.425 in 629 plate appearances for the Ms after coming over from Cleveland in a December '08 trade. The real story is his defense, as the Mariners employed him as a full-time center fielder and were rewarded with a 27.1 UZR/150. (the best mark in baseball for any position among those with 1,000 innings).
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Mariners Acquire Casey Kotchman
The Mariners officially acquired first baseman Casey Kotchman from the Red Sox for Bill Hall, a player to be named later, and cash. Jason A. Churchill of Prospect Insider says the PTBNL will be a minor league catcher. Churchill's colleague Chris Crawford first broke news of the Kotchman trade on Tuesday, with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweeting the Hall element later.
WEEI's Alex Speier explained that this trade was closely linked to Boston's Adrian Beltre signing, and allowed the Red Sox to add Beltre without raising their luxury tax payroll much. The Mariners, meanwhile, have their regular first baseman and Russell Branyan replacement in Kotchman. In recent years Kotchman's defense has been strong, his offense subpar. He's arbitration-eligible this winter and figures to earn more than $3MM in 2010.
Red Sox Sign Adrian Beltre
Adrian Beltre left one defense-oriented team for another today and signed with the Red Sox. When he signed a five-year $64MM deal with the Mariners in 2004, Beltre was coming off a 48 homer season. Last year, he hit just eight homers, but his well-deserved reputation as one of the game's elite defenders earned him $9MM for the upcoming season and the chance to make even more in 2011.
Beltre, 31 in April, will earn a $7MM salary in 2010, in addition to a $2MM signing bonus. He has a player option for 2011 that's worth at least $5MM and will reach $10MM if Beltre makes 640 plate appearances this season. There's also a $1MM buy-out for 2011. It's not a lot of guaranteed money, but Beltre and agent Scott Boras could lobby for a long-term deal if Beltre re-establishes his offensive value in Fenway Park this year.
Jon Heyman tweeted that Beltre was close to a deal with the Red Sox and Buster Onley tweeted some details of the agreement before Tim Brown of Yahoo tweeted that Beltre had "reached an agreement" with the Red Sox. Peter Gammons, Peter Abraham, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, WEEI's Rob Bradford and Alex Speier followed up with the details.
According to the Boston Herald's John Tomase, Beltre turned down both a three-year and four-year deal in order to sign with the Red Sox. Rosenthal says Beltre turned down a pair of three-year, $24MM offers this offseason, apparently from the Phillies and A's. We'll see if he ultimately beats that amount over 2010-12.
The Mariners obtain a supplementary rounder in next year's draft for losing Beltre, who turned down their offer of arbitration.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Matt Holliday Signs With Cardinals
Matt Holliday has officially signed what will surely be the biggest contract of the 2009-10 offseason. It's a seven-year, $120MM deal with a full no-trade clause. Holliday's vesting option for 2017 would be worth $17MM if he finishes in the top-10 in MVP voting in 2016; if the option doesn't vest, the Cards will owe Holliday a $1MM buyout.
ESPN's Buster Olney wrote Monday that the two sides were close to a possible seven-year deal and SI.com's Jon Heyman first reported that the Cardinals and Holliday had agreed to a deal. Heyman (via Twitter) and Matthew Leach of MLB.com delivered the specifics later.
Holliday, who will keep getting paid under this contract until he's 49, will be 36 in the last guaranteed year of the deal. By comparison, Jason Bay will be 34 in the last year of his deal, one that guarantees him $54MM less than the one Holliday signed.
Holliday falls short of the $18MM average salary he reportedly sought, but this contract is a huge win for Boras given the lack of competition. Click here to check out others' reactions to the deal.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Rosenthal On Bell, Tejada, Holliday, Ankiel
The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- Three or four teams are interested in Padres closer Heath Bell, but the team isn't really looking to move him. Rosenthal sees Bell getting just $3-4MM in his second arbitration year; that seems light to me.
- Rosenthal reminds us that the Rockies are eyeing Robb Quinlan and Fernando Tatis as bench candidates. He wonders, though, if the Rockies, Cardinals, A's, and Cubs could find starting infielders at bargain prices as the offseason wears on. Rosenthal says Miguel Tejada is looking for two years and $16MM; I can't think of a team that would come close to that.
- The Cardinals believed Scott Boras might've taken Matt Holliday elsewhere on a one-year deal, though a rival executive believes that was unlikely.
- The Pirates' interest in Rick Ankiel is obvious – Frank Coonelly has said as much in multiple chats with fans. A couple of Rosenthal sources were divided on the Bucs' chances of signing Ankiel, who would play right field for them. The only other known suitor is the Royals.
Brandon Webb Discusses Free Agency
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick has an excellent article on Diamondbacks starter Brandon Webb, who appears primed for a big contract year after missing nearly the entire 2009 season due to shoulder issues. It's easy to forget how dominant Webb was prior to '09; his agent Jonathan Maurer considers the pitcher a "quiet superstar."
Webb is up for free agency after the season, and like most players, he's looking for the best contract possible:
"Obviously you want to see what's out there and do the best deal you can for yourself and your family. That's probably No. 1. We've had a great time in Arizona, and if everything works out and we stay here, that would be good. But to get back close to home [in Kentucky] would be just as good. I'm definitely keeping it open. I'm not going to hold myself down to just Arizona."
D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes would only admit that it'd be "challenging" to sign Webb long-term. Though next year's free agent starting pitching class looks strong, a return to form could have him searching for a deal north of $80MM. Webb will turn 32 in May of 2011.
If Webb focuses on playing close to home, we can probably rule out the West Coast teams. Cincinnati would be closest, followed by Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and Washington, D.C.
Odds & Ends: Epstein, Cards, Contracts, Greene
Links for a snowy Thursday…
- MLB.com's Lyle Spencer tweets of the Dodgers' interest in Robb Quinlan for a fourth outfielder role. The Rockies and Twins are other known suitors.
- Red Sox GM Theo Epstein appeared on the Toucher and Rich show this morning. He spoke about the team's offense, Adrian Gonzalez, Mike Lowell, and the "bridge period" comment; MLB.com's Ian Browne provides the transcript.
- MASN's Steve Melewski says the Red Sox rescinded the contract given to reliever Bob McCrory after he failed his physical.
- Tommy Rancel of DRays Bay looks at the team-friendly deals signed by Paul Cohen clients.
- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told Cam Inman of The Contra Costa Times there's a non-zero chance the team adds Mark McGwire to the player roster on August 31st.
- There is currently no timetable for the Cardinals to sit down with Albert Pujols' agents, GM John Mozeliak told Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cards are ready to talk when Pujols is.
- Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball is beta-testing an MLB salary database. Also of note: Cot's Baseball Contracts has joined the Baseball Prospectus family.
- ESPN's Buster Olney wrote yesterday that Khalil Greene is working hard and seeks a big league deal. Greene can play shortstop or third base, and Olney sees Oakland as a potential match.
- The Pirates aren't far apart with Zach Duke on his 2010 salary, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Kovacevic believes Duke's $2.2MM salary could double in his second arbitration year. A multiyear deal is not in the works.
- Murray Chass chronicles the blank contract Andre Dawson gave to the Cubs in the spring of '87.
- Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues looks at Nick Johnson's injury history in detail.
- A December 30th tweet from SI's Melissa Segura notes that Dominican lefty Victor Payano signed with the Rangers. Payano had a deal with the Red Sox in July for $900K that was voided due to shoulder concerns. Here's a video of the 16-year-old courtesy of Kiley McDaniel.
Papelbon Discusses 2010 Contract
ESPN's Gordon Edes wrote today that it's reasonable to expect Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon to reach a $10MM salary in 2010. Papelbon's thoughts on the idea:
"Heck yeah, as far as what me and my brain are thinking, but I haven't even sat down with my agents yet. We don't even have a number in place. There haven't been any discussions between me and the Red Sox and my agents at all."
Papelbon, who is arbitration-eligible for the second time, is willing to go year-to-year to "do things for my fellow closers." On the other hand, he seems open to a multiyear deal if the price is right. Edes says a two-year, $14.75MM offer from the Red Sox a year ago fell a few hundred thousand short. Turning that down proved wise, as Papelbon set a first-time arb-eligible pitcher record with a $6.25MM salary in '09 and should exceed $9MM this year. He'll be eligible for free agency after the 2011 season.
Other arbitration-eligible closers this winter include Heath Bell, David Aardsma, Brian Wilson, Jonathan Broxton, Huston Street, Bobby Jenks, Leo Nunez, Frank Francisco, Chad Qualls, and Carlos Marmol.