Giants Talks For Uggla Getting Warmer?
Yesterday, asked about the Marlins' Dan Uggla by Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News, Giants GM Brian Sabean spoke more generally:
I'll make a blanket statement: We're not in any trade discussions that are close to happening as compared to the free agents.
Things may have changed slightly – Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that the Giants' talks for Uggla have gotten warmer, though no agreement has been reached on names. He notes that it'd likely be Freddy Sanchez, not Uggla, switching to third base in the event of a deal. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets of a "general feeling" that Uggla will wind up a Giant, but no deals are expected until after tomorrow's deadline.
The non-tender deadline is tomorrow at 11pm CST. The Marlins have been a lock to tender Uggla a contract all along, but the team's baseball operations president Larry Beinfest told Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post that teams will probably want to gauge the non-tender landscape before trade talks pick back up. Garrett Atkins figures to be the main name joining the free agent third baseman class, with Jose Bautista not out of the question.
Jason Bay Rumors: Friday
As you know, the Mets topped Boston's Jason Bay bid by $5MM by offering four years and $65MM yesterday. John Tomase of the Boston Herald provides some insight into Bay's asking price: he says Bay's agent countered the Boston offer with six years at $16-18MM annually. So, between $96-108MM. It's been speculated by one official that the team offering Bay five years will get him.
Giants Sign Tony Pena Jr.
The Giants signed Tony Pena Jr. to a minor league deal worth $650K in the Majors, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Pena, 29 in March, logged over 2,000 innings in his Royals career as a shortstop, but is now trying pitching. He tossed 19.3 solid minor league innings this year, and is currently working in the Dominican Winter League.
2009 Winter Meetings In Review
The 2009 Winter Meetings in Indianapolis have drawn to a close. The volume of hot stove information coming out of this event was staggering, in no small part because of Twitter. The highlights are below.
Free Agent Signings
- The Reds signed Chris Burke to a minor league deal.
- The Astros signed third baseman Pedro Feliz to a one-year, $4.5MM deal.
- The Astros signed reliever Gary Majewski to a minor league deal worth $650K in the Majors.
- The Mariners re-signed shortstop Josh Wilson to a minor league deal.
- The Astros reached an agreement with reliever Brandon Lyon on a three-year, $15MM deal, netting the Tigers a supplemental draft pick.
- Starter Rich Harden reached an agreement with the Rangers. Harden will get $6.5MM plus incentives in 2010, and has an $11MM mutual option for '11 with a $1MM buyout.
- The Mariners signed outfielder Corey Patterson to a minor league deal.
- The Brewers reached an agreement with reliever LaTroy Hawkins on a two-year, $7.5MM deal.
- The Pirates signed shortstop Bobby Crosby to a one-year deal worth $1MM with $500K in incentives.
- The Yankees re-signed starter Andy Pettitte to a one-year, $11.75MM deal.
- The Brewers agreed to a three-year, $29.75MM deal with starter Randy Wolf that includes a fourth-year club option.
- The Cardinals signed starter Brad Penny to a one-year deal worth $7.5MM, with another $1.5MM in incentives.
- The Phillies reached an agreement with infielder Ross Gload on a two-year deal.
- The Nationals signed outfielder Jerry Owens to a minor league deal.
- The Tigers signed catcher Robinzon Diaz.
- The Mets signed first baseman Mike Hessman to a minor league deal.
- The Nationals signed catcher Ivan Rodriguez to a two-year, $6MM deal.
- The Red Sox signed pitchers Fabio Castro and Kason Gabbard.
- The Tigers re-signed shortstop Adam Everett to a one-year, $1.55MM deal.
- The Red Sox signed reliever Scott Atchison out of Japan to a one-year deal worth $420K, with two club options.
- The Pirates signed reliever Vinnie Chulk to a minor league deal.
Trades
- The Red Sox and Rangers agreed in principle to a trade that would send Mike Lowell and cash to the Rangers for Max Ramirez.
- Pitcher Boof Bonser was designated for assignment by the Twins on Tuesday and acquired by the Red Sox on Thursday for a player to be named later.
- Reliever Rafael Soriano accepted arbitration Monday night, and the Braves later traded him to the Rays for reliever Jesse Chavez.
- The Rangers traded starter Kevin Millwood and $3MM to the Orioles for reliever Chris Ray and Rule 5 pick Benjamin Snyder.
- The Astros acquired reliever Matt Lindstrom from the Marlins for pitcher Robert Bono, shortstop Luis Bryan, and Rule 5 pick/third baseman Jorge Jimenez.
- The Yankees acquired Curtis Granderson, the D'Backs acquired Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy, and the Tigers acquired Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Phil Coke, and Austin Jackson in a three-team blockbuster.
- The Nationals acquired reliever Brian Bruney from the Yankees for Rule 5 pick/outfielder Jamie Hoffmann.
- The Rangers acquired lefty Clay Rapada from the Tigers for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
New Free Agents
- The A's released reliever Santiago Casilla.
- First baseman/DH Mike Jacobs and lefty John Bale were released by the Royals.
- The Padres released pitcher Eulogio De La Cruz.
- The Nationals released reliever Saul Rivera.
Other Stuff
- The Rockies signed Chris Iannetta to a three-year deal worth more than $8MM.
- 17 players were taken in the first round of the Rule 5 draft.
- The Red Sox claimed pitcher Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Rays.
- Peter Gammons will leave ESPN to work for MLB.com, MLB Network, and NESN.
- The Braves designated outfielder Ryan Church for assignment.
- The White Sox agreed to a three-year deal with third baseman Mark Teahen, buying out two arbitration years and one free agent year for a total of $14MM.
- Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Soriano, and Carl Pavano accepted arbitration offers, while everyone else declined.
- The Rockies sold Matt Murton's rights to the Hanshin Tigers.
- The Brewers claimed infielder Luis Cruz off waivers from the Pirates.
Rays Acquire Rafael Soriano
7:18pm: Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times says it's a "done deal." It'll be announced tomorrow.
6:29pm: David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the deal hasn't been finalized yet. The doctors didn't look at all the reports today, but it should go through tomorrow.
4:38pm: MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the medical reports have been reviewed and the Rafael Soriano–Jesse Chavez swap has been finalized.
11:00am: Rosenthal and Morosi say the Rays will sign Soriano for one year and $7MM or slightly more; the deal will be official after medical records are exchanged. They say Soriano's contract will be non-guaranteed.
Mets To Offer Two Years To Bengie Molina?
5:56pm: The Mets confirmed that they made Molina and Jason Bay offers, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
THURSDAY, 6:34am: Adam Rubin of The NY Daily News says the Mets do in fact plan to make Molina an offer before leaving Indianapolis later today, however they don't expect to reach an agreement by then.
WEDNESDAY, 7:12pm: The Mets haven't made Molina an offer yet, but expect to propose a contract by tomorrow afternoon, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
11:17am: Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests the Mets will make their initial offer to Molina this afternoon.
9:38am: Newsday's David Lennon has heard Bengie Molina is the Mets' first choice at catcher, and "if he accepts a two-year deal, in the $12-million range, he figures to be a Met very shortly." Still, Lennon's "Mets closing on Molina" headline seems strong. Lennon says that if Molina insists on three years, the Mets could sign Yorvit Torrealba for one – even though Torrealba could get two years elsewhere. The Rockies, Giants, and Royals are also in on Torrealba, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. The Rockies are willing to give Miguel Olivo two years if they can't get Torrealba.
Molina was left out in the cold once before, in the 2005-06 offseason. He cashed in with the Giants the following winter, and should probably jump on this Mets offer.
Orioles Still Looking For Pitching
Even after acquiring Kevin Millwood, the Orioles are still looking for pitching, president Andy MacPhail told the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec. Zrebiec notes that the O's met with Erik Bedard's agent during the Meetings. We haven't heard the Orioles linked to Ben Sheets, but I wonder if he could be another injury-risk starter under consideration.
The Orioles still seek a closer, and Zrebiec notes that Jose Valverde, Fernando Rodney, Kevin Gregg, and Mike Gonzalez are still on the free agent market. I should add that Francisco Cordero, Bobby Jenks, Matt Capps, and Kerry Wood are potentially available on the trade market.
The Orioles also hope to address the infield corners, with Pedro Feliz the main name off the board. Zrebiec names a slew of options under consideration.
Relief Names On D’Backs’ Radar
The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro gives us three relief names on the D'Backs' radar, now that LaTroy Hawkins is off the board: J.J. Putz, Bob Howry, and Brendan Donnelly. The D'Backs already added Aaron Heilman on November 19th.
Putz will reportedly throw for teams tomorrow; he's got the White Sox, Cubs, Nationals, Pirates, and Tigers as other known suitors. We haven't heard much on Howry and Donnelly yet. I think Donnelly is a possible sleeper, as outlined in this October discussion post.
The Diamondbacks can certainly expand their search beyond those three righty relievers - we outlined the free agent market here and trade market here.
Rangers Sign Rich Harden
THURSDAY, 3:22pm: Harden's deal with the Rangers is official, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The medical info checked out.
WEDNESDAY, 9:39pm: Ed Price of AOL FanHouse has the specifics: Harden makes $6.5MM next year, with $3.5MM in incentives based on innings pitched. The deal includes an $11MM mutual option for 2011 that includes a $1MM buyout in case either side wants to decline. So the deal, which is still pending a physical, guarantees Harden a minimum of $7.5MM.
5:10pm: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Harden is close to signing with the Rangers.
4:24pm: Harden is close to signing with the Rangers, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. NBC Sports' Craig Calcaterra had it first on Twitter, and says it's for $7.5MM with an $11.5MM option for 2011. As Evan Grant wrote earlier, Harden and Chris Ray would be risky but an upgrade on Kevin Millwood.
3:46pm: ESPN's Buster Olney has heard that Rich Harden is on the verge of an agreement with an unknown team. Olney notes that Harden has been heavily involved in negotiations with the Mariners, so that's one possibility. Indeed, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that Harden is in talks with the Mariners.
Reds Sign Chris Burke
C. Trent Rosecrans of CNATI.com tweets that the Reds signed infielder Chris Burke to a minor league deal. Burke, 30 in March, struggled in 89 plate appearances for the Padres this year and otherwise hit .279/.351/.397 in 354 Triple A plate appearances for the Braves and Mariners. He spent most of his time in the middle infield.