Orioles Seeking Closer, Corner Infielders
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun dishes the latest Orioles hot stove news…
- The Orioles contacted the agents for a few of Saturday's non-tendered players, including reliever Matt Capps. Capps' agent has mentioned his client's desire to close as a major factor, and the Orioles could accomodate. However, Connolly names Fernando Rodney as Baltimore's top target at closer. Mike Gonzalez, Jose Valverde, and Kevin Gregg are also of interest, though Gonzalez and Valverde are dinged for the draft pick cost.
- The Orioles need help at the infield corners, and they've contacted the agents for a long list of free agents: Carlos Delgado, Hank Blalock, Joe Crede, Nick Johnson, Ryan Garko, Garrett Atkins, and Mike Jacobs. I think they'd be best-served by adding Delgado and Crede. Your thoughts?
- Connolly indicates that about 25, rather than 15, teams were on hand to watch Aroldis Chapman yesterday. So the list of teams not monitoring Chapman is shorter. The Orioles remain involved.
Tigers Sign Ramon Santiago For Two Years
3:42pm: Santiago will receive $2.5MM over two years, reports the AP.
12:52pm: The Tigers signed shortstop Ramon Santiago to a two-year deal, writes MLB.com's Jason Beck. The deal covers Santiago's final arbitration year (2010) as well as one free agent season (2011). Santiago earned $850K last year, hitting .267/.318/.385 in 296 plate appearances while playing both middle infield positions.
McLane Nearly Sold Astros Last Year
3:39pm: MLB.com's Brian McTaggart has more from McLane. The Astros' owner says the team is not for sale, but if a credible person or organization approached him he'd talk.
8:46am: We mentioned this briefly yesterday, but here's a link to an article from Jose de Jesus Ortiz and Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. In the article, Astros owner Drayton McLane admits he had a tentative deal to sell the Astros to Jim Crane after the 2008 season concluded. Crane backed out of the deal. McLane told the writers the Astros are not currently on the market, but he left the door open by saying, "nothing lasts forever."
In a blog post, Justice explains that McLane is "pretty much announcing the club is for sale" by confirming last year's Crane deal. He'd like to see a spending spree follow, since it'd be "other people's money." We saw how well that strategy played out with the Cubs, who binged in the '06-'07 offseason. The Ricketts family probably didn't consider the $90MM owed over the next five years to Alfonso Soriano to be a positive.
Roy Halladay-Cliff Lee Trade Finalized
3:27pm: Over at BlueJays.com, Blue Jays Alex Anthopoulos talked about the players the Jays received in the Halladay deal, as well as recent signing John Buck. A few notes: Anthopoulos sees Wallace as a first baseman, and he has still has ongoing trade talks about other players.
1:48pm: The Mariners announced the trade in a press release, with GM Jack Zdruriencik congratulating the Phillies and Blue Jays on the way the deal was handled. ESPN's Jayson Stark notes that the deal will be complete all-around once Bud Selig signs off on the $6MM going to the Phillies. Elliott says an MRI on Wallace's shoulder cleared the Taylor part of the swap.
1:31pm: Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail heard that the report of a failed physical is a "totally false rumour." ESPN's Shannon Drayer tweets that the deal is official and Lee is a Mariner. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki agrees, saying a Halladay press conference is set for 4pm CST.
12:38pm: Davidi passes along an AP report that has Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. saying he's hopeful the trade can be completed today but talks may go into Thursday. Larry Stone of the Seattle Times doesn't expect the deal to unravel, and is hearing it's not a Mariners prospect who failed a physical.
11:47am: The three/four-way trade involving Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee is not yet official; here's our post yesterday for a refresher. The latest bit of news kicking off today's post: Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets that he heard someone involved in the trade flunked their physical (one of the minor leaguers). Shi Davidi of The Canadian Press says Phillippe Aumont passed. There appears to be six other prospects involved in the deal, if you include the Michael Taylor–Brett Wallace component. Drabek had Tommy John surgery in July of '07, while Aumont had elbow issues toward the end of the '08 season.
A recap of the expected deal:
- The Phillies get Roy Halladay, Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, Juan Ramirez, and $6MM. The Phillies will give Halladay a three-year extension plus vesting options.
- The Mariners get Cliff Lee.
- The Blue Jays get Kyle Drabek, Brett Wallace, and Travis d'Arnaud.
- The A's get Michael Taylor.
Red Sox Notes: Lackey, Beckett, Payroll
John Lackey's five-year, $82.5MM contract with the Red Sox was officially announced today. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets the details: the frontloaded deal pays a $3.5MM signing bonus, $18MM in 2010, and $15.25MM in each of the next four seasons. On to some Lackey-related links…
- WEEI's Rob Bradford has a transcript of the press conference. Sox GM Theo Epstein said he was surprised Lackey was interested in coming to Boston. Lackey said he had negotiations with more than two teams.
- In another post, Bradford relays a quote from Epstein saying that the GM texted Josh Beckett to tell the pitcher he's still a huge part of the team's future. Beckett is eligible for free agency after the season. Will he have a huge contract year?
- WEEI's Alex Speier says Boston's payroll is at an all-time franchise high and projects to be just under the $170MM luxury tax threshold. Once they get over $170MM there is a 22.5% penalty.
Garrett Atkins Has Three Offers
Newly non-tendered corner infielder Garrett Atkins has offers from "at least three unidentified clubs," reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Atkins' agent, Jeff Blank, told Crasnick his client is open to first or third base.
Crasnick speculates on the Orioles, Twins, Mariners, Giants, and Rangers as possible fits for Atkins. Talking to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, Blank admitted he spoke to the Orioles. He said Atkins "is just looking for an opportunity to be a starter."
What would be an appropriate offer for Atkins – perhaps one year and $3-4MM? Will he hold his own offensively away from Coors, and possibly in the American League?
Johnny Damon Will “Start Looking Around”
1:41pm: Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News had even more quotes from Damon today. Damon noted that reports about his demands are hearsay, although he indicated he expects a multiyear deal.
10:42am: Talking to George King of the New York Post, free agent outfielder Johnny Damon said:
"I am going to start looking around. Teams are getting better and there are teams interested. I can’t wait forever and I am sure [the Yankees] are trying to figure things out. I have to be ready."
Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues breaks down the situation, explaining why he expects Damon to eventually re-sign on a two-year deal. Chances are no team in baseball will see Damon as a good three-year risk, especially at $10MM+ per year.
Odds & Ends: Carroll, Crisp, Cameron, Hermida
Links for Wednesday…
- The Tigers signed lefty Brad Thomas out of Korea, and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that they paid $1MM.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed our report of the Pirates' interest in Kelly Johnson, explaining that the Pirates view him as a corner outfield option.
- FanGraphs' Dave Cameron wonders why teams seem to undervalue Cliff Lee. In a related story, Lee's agent Darek Braunecker believes their position has been mischaracterized.
- ESPN's Buster Olney expects Jamey Carroll to choose between two-year offers from the A's and Dodgers, probably today (I mistakenly wrote the Angels earlier).
- Mentioned first on Twitter: I've heard that Coco Crisp would prefer a one-year deal with the Padres or A's.
- Boston's Mike Cameron signing was officially announced today. Michael Silverman and John Tomase of the Boston Herald have details on the two-year, $15.5MM contract. John Lackey's deal was also announced.
- WEEI's Alex Speier says the Red Sox told Jeremy Hermida they'd trade him if they re-signed Jason Bay. Speier wonders if the Cameron signing will prompt a Hermida deal.
- The Angels' one-year, $6.5MM deal with Hideki Matsui was also announced, as was John Buck's one-year, $2MM deal with Toronto and Ross Gload's two-year, $2.6MM deal with the Phillies.
- The Royals put out word they've re-signed outfielder Shane Costa to a minor league deal. Costa, 28, missed almost the entire '09 season with a leg injury.
- USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets details on LaTroy Hawkins' two-year, $7.5MM deal with the Brewers.
- Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker examines the reports about reliever Ryota Igarashi, who might be headed to the Red Sox or Mets.
- The Mariners signed 19-year-old shortstop Pedro Okuda to a minor league deal, according to a team press release. Okuda was born and raised in Brazil but attended high school in Japan.
Next Year’s Free Agent Class
We're hearing a lot of talk about how next year's free agent class (the 2010-11 group) is much better than this year's class. Is that true? Taking our always-updated 2011 free agents list, let's look position-by-position.
- Two big names jump out at catcher: Joe Mauer and Victor Martinez. As you know, the Twins are aiming to take Mauer off the market with an extension.
- First base is potentially deep – Derrek Lee, Carlos Pena, Adam Dunn, and Paul Konerko are eligible for free agency, and Lance Berkman could join them if his $15MM option is declined. Albert Pujols makes an appearance, but his option will be exercised at the least.
- No one particularly interesting at second base.
- Derek Jeter is the name to watch among shortstops, but most expect he'll re-sign before reaching free agency. Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins are technically on the list, but both have very team-friendly club options.
- Aramis Ramirez could head the third base group if he declines a $14.6MM player option. Ramirez did take less to re-sign with the Cubs last time around though.
- The outfield corners are interesting, with Carl Crawford, Manny Ramirez, and Jayson Werth.
- Very little going on in center field.
- Heading up the starting pitchers: Josh Beckett, Cliff Lee, Ted Lilly, Javier Vazquez, and Brandon Webb. This group definitely looks more promising than the current one.
- Always plenty of closers listed, with Mariano Rivera at the top of the class. Huston Street will also be among those eligible.
- As always, the following year's free agent class looks strong until players start getting extensions. Roy Halladay just left the 2011 list. Still, next year's group does look better, led possibly by Mauer, Crawford, Aramis, and a quality crop of frontline starters.
Blue Jays Sign Lance Broadway
The Blue Jays signed righty Lance Broadway to a minor league deal, tweets Shi Davidi of the Canadian Press. Broadway had been non-tendered by the Mets on Saturday night. The 26-year-old posted a 5.87 ERA, 5.3 K/9, and 4.4 BB/9 in 30.6 innings for the Mets and White Sox this year, plus 100.6 innings of 6.17 ball at the Triple A level.