2010 Options: Houston Astros
Let's take a look at the 2010 options facing the Astros.
- Doug Brocail – $2.85MM club option with a $250K buyout. Brocail tossed 5.6 ugly innings this year before hitting the DL with a torn hamstring. It'd probably make sense for the Astros to decline the option and try to sign the 42 year-old more cheaply if they still want him.
- Brian Moehler – mutual option. He's had a rough season, with an 8.31 ERA and a knee injury. On the bright side, the .411 BABIP has to come down.
Beyond those two hurlers with options, the Astros have many free agents after '09, including Miguel Tejada, Jose Valverde, LaTroy Hawkins, Ivan Rodriguez, and Mike Hampton. Should they make an effort to retain any of them? Will the Astros shop these players, or instead hold out for another comeback playoff run?
Giants Seeking A Bat
According to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News, Giants GM Brian Sabean held court today. Baggarly learned that Sabean is actively seeking a bat on the trade market, and the GM has even begun considering hitters who are headed toward free agency (a change from his earlier stance).
Baggarly believes Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson has to be near the top of the list. Johnson has been linked to the Mets and Red Sox, the Mets perhaps more in a speculative sense. Nats GM Mike Rizzo has to love the multiple suitors, but he might want to move Johnson while his stock is high.
The Giants are nine games out in the NL West, so the sooner they add offense the better. The team is dead last in the NL in both OBP and SLG. Speculating on other acquisition targets: Aubrey Huff, Dan Uggla, Mark DeRosa, Paul Konerko, Matt Holliday, and Felipe Lopez. Other ideas? One factor to consider is that the Giants are not willing to trade their top prospects.
Mariners, Padres Discuss Betancourt
9:36pm: Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune outlines the difficulties the Mariners face in trying to deal Yuniesky Betancourt. "No one is offering any talent back, and everyone wants Seattle to eat a big part of his salary," LaRue writes.
LaRue also cites Betancourt's reputation for mental lapses and a "slow learning curve" as deterrents for teams looking for infield help.
6:20pm: Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune cites a source close to the Padres who says that Headley is "off the table" in trade talks. He writes, "Yuni may be traded, but it won't be for Chase Headley."
Furthermore, Divish writes that any deal for Betancourt is unlikely, since the Padres are trying to dump payroll.
8:26am: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is being showcased for a possible trade. He mentioned the Jack Wilson idea on Monday, though that seemed lopsided. Baker says the Padres have also discussed acquiring Betancourt:
Two names I've heard mentioned as trade returns for the Mariners would be either a package of, or choice between switch-hitting left fielder Chase Headley and Class AAA second baseman Matt Antonelli. I'm trying to pin down whether it is one or the other, or both, being offered up.
Baker says the Padres dangled the names of Headley and Antonelli, though moving Headley to get Betancourt seems highly unlikely. Plus there is the matter of the $10.5MM coming to Betancourt through 2011.
New Writers
We've added three new writers to the staff: Howard Megdal, Mike Axisa, and Eddie Schmid. Thanks to all those who applied. We are all filled up now. I apologize if I was not able to reply to you. It was painful to have to turn down so many quality writers. I am keeping the applications on hand in case something opens up down the road.
2010 Options: Cincinnati Reds
Let's take a look at the 2010 options facing the Reds.
- Ramon Hernandez – $8.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout. The 33 year-old backstop is off to a .286/.351/.361 start, and he's been better in May. Still, it probably makes sense to turn to Ryan Hanigan full-time next year rather than exercise Hernandez's option.
- Alex Gonzalez – $6MM mutual option with a $500K buyout. Gonzalez wasn't signed for his bat, which is good since he's been awful offensively this year. The 32 year-old missed all of 2008 with a knee compression fracture. It's a small sample but he's been below-average defensively this year according to metrics like plus/minus and UZR. This option will likely be declined, though prospect Chris Valaika hasn't shown anything in Triple A yet.
- David Weathers – $3.7MM club option with a $400K buyout. Weathers, 39, wisely accepted the Reds' offer of arbitration back in December. In January, the team hammered out his one-year deal with an option. Weathers' control has been poor this year and if it continues I expect the Reds to decline.
Jack Wilson-Yuniesky Betancourt Not Happening
THURSDAY: Baker has an update: the Pirates find Betancourt too pricey. Baker is surprised by this, but it seems reasonable to me that they would not want to take on an additional $4MM+ for that kind of project.
MONDAY: According to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, the Pirates and Mariners have discussed swapping shortstops Jack Wilson and Yuniesky Betancourt. Let's break down the details.
- Wilson, 31, is hitting .254/.289/.310 in 77 plate appearances this year; he missed time with a sprained finger. He's owed another $5.59MM this year plus a $600K buyout for 2010, for a total of about $6.2MM. He has a limited no-trade clause that applies to six teams. Wilson approached the Bucs in March about a possible extension. John Dewan of The Fielding Bible rated him as the third-best defensive shortstop in the game.
- Betancourt, 27, is hitting .264/.290/.368 in 132 plate appearances this year. Earlier this month, manager Don Wakamatsu benched Betancourt to send him a message. In his book, Dewan rated Betancourt the fourth-worst defensive shortstop in baseball. Under his contract signed in April of 2007, Betancourt will earn $1.53MM more this year, $3MM in 2010, $4MM in 2011, and a $2MM buyout in 2012 for a total of about $10.5MM.
- Given the $4.3MM difference in guaranteed money, I can't see why the Pirates would entertain a deal like this. Betancourt would be more appealing if he was not locked up. Even then, he's a project.
Stark On White Sox, Bedard, A’s, Penny
A new Rumblings and Grumblings column from ESPN's Jayson Stark…
- Even if they don't acquire Jake Peavy, the White Sox are apparently "open for business." Stark takes that to mean names such as Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Octavio Dotel, and A.J. Pierzynski could hit the market.
- The Mariners are not quite yet at the point of making Erik Bedard available. They figure to price him like an ace if they do so.
- If A's GM Billy Beane decides to fold on 2009, he could make veterans such as Matt Holliday, Orlando Cabrera, Jason Giambi, and Russ Springer available.
- It's very unlikely that the D'Backs shop Brandon Webb this summer, since he'll be coming off a shoulder injury.
- Indians GM Mark Shapiro seems to be leaning toward hanging on to Cliff Lee for now. Shapiro may look to add pitching by trading Mark DeRosa or an outfielder.
- The Red Sox are "actively listening" on Brad Penny. My opinion: the Phillies, Indians, White Sox, or Mets could make sense.
Brewers Acquire Jody Gerut For Tony Gwynn Jr.
1:58pm: According to Craig Elsten of 619 Sports, the Brewers acquired Jody Gerut from the Padres for Tony Gwynn Jr. MLB.com's Corey Brock confirms it.
Gerut, 31, had a fine comeback year in '08 but is off to a .221/.248/.381 start in 121 plate appearances this year. He's played center and right field for the Padres. His defense rates as a plus. Since he has decent service time he's up to a $1.775MM salary.
Gwynn cleared waivers in April, so the Padres could've had him for nothing at that time. He didn't hit much in Triple A last year.
1:24pm: Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel passes along a tweet from Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash:
The Brewers will have a press release on a player transaction in the next hour.
That message was posted at about 1pm CST. Haudricourt says it is not Jake Peavy.
Dayton Moore – GM Trade History
Next up in our GM Trade History series, Dayton Moore of the Royals. Thanks to Brendan Bianowicz for putting this together. Click here to download the spreadsheet. Be sure to check out the different tabs at the bottom.
Mets Interested In Mark DeRosa
According to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, the Mets have been talking to the Indians about acquiring Mark DeRosa. With Jose Reyes' injury last night, Price says "now that move makes even more sense."
What would it take to get DeRosa, who is hitting .255/.322/.427 in 174 plate appearances this year? First off I'd guess full relief of the $4.1MM still owed to him. Beyond that the rumor yesterday was pitching that could help the Indians this year.