Jim Bowden – GM Trade History
By our count, Jim Bowden made over 168 trades as GM of the Reds and Nationals over the years. MLBTR contributor Brendan Bianowicz compiled all of Bowden’s deals in this spreadsheet. Click here to see the other entries in the GM Trade History series.
Bobby Crosby Requests Trade
According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Bobby Crosby met with A’s manager Bob Geren and GM Billy Beane on Friday, and the player was told he’ll be learning multiple positions for 2009. MLB.com’s Barry Bloom adds that Crosby reiterated his desire to be traded at this meeting. All 29 teams declined a chance to take on Crosby and his $5.25MM salary when he was placed on waivers, so the A’s would have to eat salary somehow.
Phillies Sign Rodrigo Lopez
SATURDAY, 10:27am: Troy Renck has the contract details: Lopez will earn $650K if he makes the team. He can opt out June 15 if he’s not on the major league roster.
WEDNESDAY: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Phillies signed pitcher Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league deal.
The Rockies acquired Lopez from the Orioles in January of 2007, but he was diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow in July of that year and had surgery in August. He signed a minor league deal with the Braves in August of last year, but they declined his ’09 option. As far as I can tell, Lopez is represented by Scott Boras.
Notes On The A-Rod Injury
9:44pm: Peter Abraham of the Journal News writes that Yankees GM Brian Cashman "has not spoken to any teams regarding trades." It sounds like the Yanks could deal with A-Rod’s vacancy using in-house options. Then again, as noted below, there are still a few infielders left on the free agent market.
9:50am: A few interesting thoughts from ESPN’s Buster Olney this morning:
The Yankees talked internally in the past about how Robinson Cano‘s best position, in the long term, might be third base. And it may be that if they determine that A-Rod will be out for a long period of time, they could shift Cano from second to third, and create another set of options for themselves, as they try to replace A-Rod’s offense.
At least in terms of the free agent market, this could make sense. Second basemen Mark Grudzielanek and Ray Durham aren’t known for their range, but signing one for $1MM or less could serve as an insurance policy. If the Yankees seek more pop, they could call the Marlins about Dan Uggla (my own speculation). Uggla is under team control through 2011, though, so acquiring him would create a long-term logjam.
Speaking of insurance, Olney notes that the Yankees do have a policy on A-Rod’s contract.
Vladimir Guerrero A Year Older
According to Yahoo’s Tim Brown, Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is actually 34 instead of his listed age of 33. Vlad accidentally let it slip when talking to a reporter, but the Halos were already aware of his true birth date. Guerrero is eligible for free agency after the season, but this shouldn’t change much.
The Guerrero age discrepancy was first noted by Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times back in August.
Brewers Rumors: Gagne, Roberts
3:48pm: McCalvy has more on the outfield topic. The Brewers have heard from Roberts’ agent, but not Edmonds’.
2:15pm: MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy talked to Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash, who said it’d be "impossible" for reliever Eric Gagne to make the big league roster. Gagne is getting a second opinion on his shoulder; he’s in camp on a minor league invite. Ash added that the Brewers don’t have interest in Gagne rehabbing in the minor leagues for them.
In other Brewers news, Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the team is "keeping a casual eye on the market for outfielders since Tony Gwynn Jr. is out until further notice and Ryan Braun is gone at the World Baseball Classic." Remaining free agents include Luis Gonzalez, Jay Payton, Dave Roberts, and Jim Edmonds.
Offseason In Review: Kansas City Royals
Next up in our Offseason In Review series, the Royals. Here’s what I wrote about the team on September 11th. The changes for 2009:
Additions: Coco Crisp, Mike Jacobs, Juan Cruz, Kyle Farnsworth, Willie Bloomquist, Miguel Olivo (re-signed), Jamey Wright, Horacio Ramirez, Bruce Chen, Tug Hulett, Doug Waechter, Franquelis Osoria, J.R. House
Subtractions: Mark Grudzielanek, Joey Gathright, Esteban German, Ramon Ramirez, Brett Tomko (midseason), Leo Nunez
For all of Dayton Moore’s tinkering, are the Royals any better this year? His best move was signing Zack Greinke to an extension, but several of the other transactions were questionable. You can say the market dropped out after the Farnsworth signing, but no one liked that commitment at the time. Jacobs is OBP-challenged and terrible with the glove, and it’s a shame that Kila Ka’aihue won’t get a shot. On the plus side, the acquisitions of Cruz and Crisp were solid.
Another GM might have passed on Farnsworth, Ramirez, Olivo, and Jacobs and non-tendered Mark Teahen. That would’ve left about $15MM to spend on some combination of a middle infielder, an on-base/power bat, or a starting pitcher. Those remain the team’s needs, if they are to sneak into contention this year.
The improvements will mainly have to come internally, which is possible. Guillen could play like he did in ’07, and Gordon and Butler could continue to grow. DeJesus and Aviles could mostly hold the line and the team should get more than last year’s .277/.324/.396 line at first base. The outfield defense should be better, with DeJesus moving to left and Crisp ranging over to help Guillen.
The retooled bullpen should be fine, and maybe Brian Bannister, Luke Hochevar, and Kyle Davies can provide league average innings behind Greinke and Gil Meche. Admittedly, that’s a lot of maybes and ifs.
Bottom line: Moore didn’t do much to augment the Royals’ OBP or rotation, so improvements will have to come from young holdovers.
Heyman On Bradley, A-Rod, Manny
New info from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…
- Milton Bradley‘s two-year, $20MM deal becomes a three-year, $30MM deal only if he plays at least 75 games in 2009. Bradley’s games played totals over the past four years: 126 (mostly DHing), 61, 96, 75. The structure of the deal seems dangerous – does it give Bradley incentive to play hurt?
- Heyman talks about the A-Rod injury situation, running through the various replacement names we’ve discussed.
- Heyman believes the Giants would’ve gotten to the low-$40MM range over two years for Manny Ramirez, and they had not agreed to an opt-out.
Chipper Jones Flexible With Extension Talks
Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to Chipper Jones‘ agent, B.B. Abbott. From Rogers:
Abbott said Chipper has decided to loosen any expectation that he might have an extension worked out with the Braves by the end of spring training. Abbott said he’s willing to continue negotiating after the season starts.
Placing an appropriate dollar value on Jones will not be easy. Factors include his amazing bat, ability to continue playing a credible third base, injury profile, and popularity.
Odds & Ends: Gload, Pierre, Beimel
Links for Friday…
- The Dodgers designated Justin Orenduff for assignment to make room for Manny Ramirez, according to Tony Jackson.
- The A's contracts with Orlando Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra are official.
- WEEI's Alex Speier talked to Marlins prospect Mike Stanton and manager Fredi Gonzalez about the near-acquisition of Manny last summer.
- In another column, Speier looks at the players the Red Sox and Yankees have battled for in recent years.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a bunch of relievers are vying for one bullpen spot for the Cardinals, now that they've signed Dennys Reyes.
- Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star suggests there's a chance the Royals release first baseman Ross Gload and eat the $1.9MM owed to him in 2009. Rany Jazayerli talks about Gload as well as the chances of the Royals competing this year.
- Tom Tango says Juan Pierre would have to defer his contract for 50 years to be worth acquiring.
- Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies says the Rox offered Joe Beimel more than $1MM but so far he's passed. Beimel's home run prevention trend might be challenged at Coors Field. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says the A's are in on Beimel but "have not yet have substantive talks" with his agent.
- Check out a Giants Spring Training preview from the guys behind El Lefty Malo and McCovey Chronicles.