Odds & Ends: Pudge, Millwood, Harden
Links for Thursday…
- MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan says the Rangers are "strongly considering re-signing" catcher Ivan Rodriguez.
- Scott Boras told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood is scheduled to pitch Tuesday, which would likely cause his $12MM option for 2010 to vest.
- Cubs starter Rich Harden will miss a few starts and possibly the rest of the season, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald guesses the Cubs will not risk offering arbitration to the potential Type A free agent.
- Juan Uribe has been a bargain-basement bonanza for the Giants, says Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- White Sox GM Ken Williams has no regrets about the Jake Peavy trade, talking to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick is now on Twitter.
Chipper Jones Talks Retirement
Chipper Jones has been talking a lot about his future lately, and today he was blunt when talking to the AP:
"If I back up this year with the same kind of year next year, I don't want to play the game. The game is not fun to me when I'm not playing up to my standards."
Jones does not blame his down year on injuries. It's only a disappointment by Chipper's standards, since his .390 OBP still ranks 14th in the NL. However, his .435 SLG would be a career-worst and he hasn't done much in August and September.
Jones, 38 in April, is owed $13MM in each of the 2010, '11, and '12 seasons. He has a $7MM club option for 2013 that can vest and increase with certain games played milestones. I have to admit, I liked the extension when it was signed in March. Today in his blog, Joel Sherman of the New York Post draws a parallel between Jones' extension and the upcoming Derek Jeter contract situation.
Royals’ Talks With Aaron Crow Intensify
2:01pm: MLB.com's Dick Kaegel talked to Royals exec J.J. Picollo, who said:
"Apparently Buster Olney knows something we don't know. There's nothing to report on, there's no confirmed deal or anything. We've picked up the talks with them the last couple of days and that's about it. We're working at it."
Picollo told Kaegel he's pushing to get Crow signed by the end of the week so he can pitch in the Arizona Fall League. Baseball America's John Manuel says Crow is close to signing.
9:43am: The Royals are on the verge of an agreement with first-round pick Aaron Crow, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. Olney says Crow's deal will pay between $3MM and $4.5MM.
The Nationals drafted Crow ninth overall in 2008, but GM Jim Bowden couldn't get a deal done with Crow's agents. The gap was reportedly $900K, with Bowden stopping at $3.5MM and the Hendricks brothers coming down to $4.4MM. Crow then pitched independent ball for the Fort Worth Cats and re-entered the 2009 draft. The Royals picked him 12th overall, and the August 17th signing deadline did not apply. The extra year will probably cost Crow in the long-term; other '08 draft picks such as Brian Matusz, Buster Posey, Gordon Beckham, Ryan Perry, and Daniel Schlereth have already accrued Major League service time.
Rangers Sign Tanner Scheppers
Add another name to the Rangers' huge stock of impressive young pitchers. They signed 44th overall draft pick Tanner Scheppers today, according to SI's Jon Heyman (via Twitter). Baseball America's John Manuel says Scheppers received a signing bonus of $1.25MM, a record for the supplemental first round. Scheppers, like Aaron Crow, was not subject to the August 17th signing deadline since he was drafted from an independent club. Scheppers was drafted 48th overall by the Pirates in 2008, but did not sign. His shoulder injury was a likely factor. Click here for MLB.com's scouting report on Scheppers.
The Rangers were unable to sign their first-round draft pick, high school lefty Matt Purke. He reportedly rejected a $4MM offer at the signing deadline, though Jim Reeves wrote on Saturday that MLB forced the team to lowball him.
Reds Chat With Assistant GM Bob Miller
Reds assistant GM Bob Miller chatted with fans today for MLB.com. A few hot stove highlights:
- Miller expects all four of the Reds' infielders to return for 2010. Presumably he is referring to Paul Janish as the shortstop, along with Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Scott Rolen. The fan from the chat had a point – that is a stellar defensive infield. Miller shot down a fan's idea of pursuing Orlando Hudson.
- Miller hopes the Reds can come to an agreement with Jonny Gomes for next year. Shouldn't be too hard, since Gomes is under control as an arbitration-eligible player.
- Miller's philosophy on trades seems to be that everyone is available at the right price. Hard to argue with that.
- Expect the player-to-be-named from the David Weathers trade to be finalized around mid-October.
- Miller admitted that the offense is a weakness that needs to be addressed. A healthy, effective Jay Bruce and less Willy Taveras might be sufficient upgrades, in my opinion. What do you think about a Mike Cameron reunion?
Vazquez Wants To Stay With Braves
Common speculation is that the Braves could shop Javier Vazquez or Kenshin Kawakami if they re-sign Tim Hudson. Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to Vazquez about the trade possibility, and the pitcher expressed his desire to stay with the Braves.
Vazquez has been a bona fide ace in his return to the NL, with a 3.01 ERA, 216 strikeouts, and 40 walks in 197.3 innings. He's signed affordably for next year at $11.5MM. I've said it before: signing Hudson and having six starters under control on paper does not equal a surplus. Derek Lowe is 36 and his numbers took an alarming dip this year. And whether Hudson, Kawakami, and Tommy Hanson can each throw 200 innings next year is an open question. The Braves need a first baseman, an outfield bat, and a closer, but trading Vazquez for a hitter might just create a new hole. We'll analyze the team's payroll commitments in the coming weeks and see if free agency offers any solutions.
Brewers Rumors: Melvin, Looper
All but eliminated from the playoffs, the Brewers are focused on 2010. A few notes about their future…
- Speculation about GM Doug Melvin being fired is "ridiculous," owner Mark Attanasio told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Attanasio added that he's not pressuring Melvin to make significant changes. He'll also leave the decision on manager Ken Macha up to Melvin.
- Attanasio said trading Prince Fielder for pitching "seems like a cop-out." He's right in saying it makes for "great Internet fodder and speculation." Realistically, Fielder will not be on the market this winter.
- When Braden Looper made his 30th start on September 11th, his mutual option for next year increased to $6.5MM. His 4.89 ERA matches his 4.87 xFIP, so there's no hidden story about Looper's performance. Still, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy thinks the Brewers "will almost certainly exercise their half of the option." Looper said returning to Milwaukee is his first choice, but notes that "the option gives me a little bit of leverage."
- My opinion: for a net of $5.5MM guaranteed, the Brewers should seek a pitcher with more upside than Looper. Erik Bedard, Brett Myers, and even Brad Penny might fit the bill. Looper didn't sign until mid-February this year, and the guarantee was only $4.75MM. The Brewers can find another Looper if they need an innings-eater, so why not decline the option and see how the market plays out?
Free Agent Market: Center Fielders
Today let's review the upcoming free agent market for center fielders.
- Scott Podsednik is your OBP leader at .352 (he's got 353 innings in center field this year). Mike Cameron is next at .351. Coco Crisp (.336, club option), Reed Johnson (.327), and Marlon Byrd (.324) follow. Byrd, Johnson, and Crisp reached base more frequently last year. Rick Ankiel was useful at .337.
- Byrd's .476 SLG leads the group. Cameron (.445) is the other power consideration. Andruw Jones has not played center field this year, but he owns a .477 SLG in 303 plate appearances. Last year, Ankiel's .506 SLG was second among all center fielders. Dealing with groin and shoulder injuries, Ankiel has limped to a .233/.285/.392 line in 376 PAs this year.
- Defensively, Crisp leads in UZR/150 in a limited sample. Cameron comes up a positive, and Byrd about average. Heading into the season, John Dewan of The Fielding Bible ranked Corey Patterson, Cameron, and Jones among his top ten defensive center fielders in the game. Patterson hit .292/.333/.478 in 113 Triple A games this year.
- Rocco Baldelli, Ankiel, Crisp, and Patterson are the youngest in this group. Baldelli has played only 56 innings in center for the Red Sox. He has a .456 SLG in his 149 PA sample.
- Ankiel and Jones are represented by Scott Boras.
- Byrd, Cameron, and Johnson profile as Type B free agents (there are no Type As).
- He'll turn 37 in January, but Cameron appears to be the best all-around free agent center field option. Ankiel might be interesting on a one-year deal. Byrd has a respectable bat and can handle all three outfield positions. Crisp has something to prove after undergoing surgery on both shoulders this summer. The Royals will decide between his $8MM option and a $500K buyout, once they examine his medical records.
Hendrickson Hopes To Return To Orioles
Orioles lefty Mark Hendrickson sports a 4.43 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and 27 walks in 83.3 innings this year. He struggled in his seven starts, but has a 3.44 ERA out of the bullpen. According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, Hendrickson relishes his role as a leader on the young club and hopes to return in 2010. Plus, he lives in York, Pennsylvania, about an hour from Camden Yards.
Given the strong competition for spots in the Orioles' 2010 rotation, Hendrickson would probably fit as a reliever next year. He earned $1.5MM in '09, a contract he signed on the last day of December.
Free Agent Market: Left Fielders
Looking to fill a left field vacancy? Obviously this is where you'll find the mashers and the big bucks. Here's a look at the free agent market…
- OBP leaders: Manny Ramirez (.418, player option), Matt Holliday (.391), Jason Bay (.385), Gary Sheffield (.371), and Johnny Damon (.366). Last year's left field OBP leaderboard looks very similar, except Sheff played only 47 innings in the field. Bobby Abreu, mainly a right fielder, has a .398 OBP.
- SLG leaders are the same: Manny (.552), Bay (.534), Holliday (.525), Damon (.497), and Sheffield (.457). Marlon Byrd, more of a center fielder, checks in at .477.
- Carl Crawford is probably the best defensive left fielder, but no one expects the Rays to turn down his $10MM club option. Reed Johnson, Holliday, and Damon made John Dewan's top ten list heading into the season. UZR/150 likes Rick Ankiel, Randy Winn, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mark DeRosa, and Endy Chavez in limited left field duty this year.
- Players such as Abreu, Sheffield, DeRosa, Byrd, Winn, Ankiel, Hideki Matsui, Andruw Jones, Jermaine Dye, Brian Giles, Vladimir Guerrero, and Xavier Nady could be considered left field candidates despite more time spent at other positions recently.
- Bay, Abreu, Damon, Guerrero, Dye, Holliday, and Manny currently project as Type A free agents. Nady, Byrd, Matsui, Giles, Garret Anderson, Winn, Fernando Tatis, Johnson, and Sheffield project as Bs. Of course not all of these players will be offered arbitration.
- Anderson, Damon, Holliday, Manny, Ankiel, Jones, and Nady are Scott Boras clients.
- Wily Mo Pena, Holliday, Ankiel, and Austin Kearns (club option) are the youngest available left field candidates.