Doumit Turned Down Dodgers Offer
The Dodgers offered free agent catcher Ryan Doumit a one-year deal for just under $3MM and the catcher turned it down, a source close to the team told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). The Angels, meanwhile, still haven't called on the veteran.
Doumit has reportedly received several offers and plans to sign with a team before the month is through. Yesterday, Doumit's agent Paul Cobbe said that his client could sign within the next few days.
The 30-year-old hit .303/.353/.477 in 236 plate appearances last season.
Quick Hits: Twins, Cuddyer, Cardinals, Phillies
Some links on this Sunday afternoon..
- In an interview with "Sunday Morning SportsTalk," Twins GM Terry Ryan indicated that Trevor Plouffe will likely play in the outfield and DH in 2012, writes Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com. Mackey (via Twitter) sees this as a sign that Michael Cuddyer won't be back in Minnesota.
- Regardless of what Albert Pujols decides to do this winter, Cardinals GM John Mozeliak doesn't envision making major changes to the team's core, writes Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch.
- The Phillies can’t keep adding and retaining the biggest, most expensive stars, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The club's signing of Jonathan Papelbon to a four-year, $50MM deal could hamper them both in the short-term and long-term.
- The Dodgers can fetch a record price tag of $1 billion can be expected for the organization, Dodger Stadium and the surrounding real estate, writes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. One of the biggest reasons for the team's value is all of the undeveloped real estate surrounding Dodger Stadium, which sits on 275 acres of land that is largely used for parking.
Week In Review: 11/6/11 – 11/12/11
With the hot stove heating up, it's time to take a look back at the week that was..
- After a rumored four-year, $44MM deal with Ryan Madson fell through, the Phillies turned around and signed Jonathan Papelbon to a precedent-setting four-year, $50MM deal. The contract establishes the record for guaranteed money for a reliever. The contract, which is pending a physical, will include a reachable fifth year vesting option for 2016. In addition to signing a record-setting deal, Papelbon also earned the distinction of being the first of MLBTR's top 50 free agents to sign.
- Meanwhile, the market for Madson is starting to take shape. The Blue Jays have been "making inquiries" about the closer while the Marlins are "also in on" him. The Rangers, Red Sox and Nationals are also reportedly interested in the free agent.
- The Royals acquired lefty Jonathan Sanchez and minor league starter Ryan Verdugo from the Giants for outfielder Melky Cabrera. Sanchez, 28, may have been a non-tender candidate for the Giants after a disappointing 2011 season that saw him miss significant time with biceps tendinitis and a sprained ankle. Cabrera had the opposite experience in 2011, as he had a resurgence after being non-tendered and signing a $1.25MM free agent deal.
- The Marlins made "substantial offers" to both Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes and have also offered a contract to Mark Buehrle. The team met with Pujols on Friday, Reyes on Wednesday and Buehrle on Tuesday. They're also showing interest in Carlos Beltran.
- After nearly ten years away from the game, Dan Duquette is back in baseball as the Orioles' General Manager on a three-year deal. Duquette, 53, served as the general manager of the Expos from 1991-1994 and then GM of the Red Sox from 1994-2002. Prior to being hired by the Orioles, Duquette had interviewed for the GM opening with the Angels that was later filled by Jerry Dipoto.
- The Twins announced that Terry Ryan is returning to the role of GM. Ryan, who has an interim tag on his title this time, replaces Bill Smith. Ryan has been in the Twins organization for 28 years, serving as GM from 1994-2007 before assuming the role of senior advisor.
- The Diamondbacks reached a two-year agreement worth $3.8MM with utility man Willie Bloomquist but are still reportedly interested in free agent second baseman Aaron Hill.
- Free agent Albert Pujols is being wooed by the Marlins, but the Cardinals do not plan to greatly increase the nine-year, $210MM contract offer that they made to Pujols before the season. The Cards don't have much reason to sweeten the pot yet as the Marlins offer "probably isn’t close to being enough" and are the only team to extend an offer to Pujols so far. The Angels, Dodgers, Yankees, and Rangers are unlikely to pursue the slugger.
- Nats catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped near his home in Venezuela by four armed gunmen on Wednesday but thankfully was rescued on Friday.
- The Twins signed Jamey Carroll to a two-year, $7MM deal to be their everyday shortstop. The 37-year-old drew interest from multiple teams this offseason before signing with the Twins. The contract also contains a $2MM option for 2014. The option vests if Carroll makes 401 plate appearances in 2013, but Carroll can choose to turn down the option.
- Mark Buehrle told the White Sox he's not going to give them a hometown discount. Approximately ten teams, including the Marlins, Yankees, Red Sox and Rangers are interested in the left-hander.
- Even though they're in desperate need of offense, there's no evidence that the Giants would trade either Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain this offseason. One GM went so far as to say there's "no point even asking."
- If the Red Sox are able to retain David Ortiz, they're unlikely to chase a big bat for the outfield.
- The Rangers have expressed preliminary interest in free agent starters such as Mark Buehrle, Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt.
- Catcher Ryan Doumit, who was already weighing multiple contract offers, received offers from two more teams on Saturday. Doumit's agent Paul Cobbe says that his client could sign within the next few days.
- It could take two months for MLB to declare Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes a free agent. The Red Sox, Phillies, Indians, Blue Jays, Pirates, Rangers, Tigers, Nationals, Athletics, Marlins, and Yankees are among the teams with interest in Cespedes.
- There's been plenty of hype surrounding Cespedes, but 19-year-old outfielder Jorge Soler and 23-year-old right-hander Armando Rivero also figure to attract attention this offseason.
- Matt Kemp and the Dodgers are discussing a long-term deal and talks have had “more substance lately.” Kemp, who is on track to hit free agency after the 2012 season, will not negotiate after Opening Day, according to his agent.
- The Rangers are looking at available left-handed starting pitchers to replace the possibly-departing C.J. Wilson.
- Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano is in no hurry to part ways with the club, and by the pitcher's account the feeling is mutual.
- The Pirates signed catcher Rod Barajas to a one-year deal that includes a team option for 2013. Barajas will earn a $4MM salary in 2012 and the option would pay him another $3.5MM in 2013.
- The Pirates are interested in free agent Ramon Santiago as a possible everyday shortstop.
- Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon has hired agent Scott Boras and may be posted in time to spend the 2012 season with a Major League team. Yoon is the reigning MVP of the Korean Baseball Organization and played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
- The Blue Jays and 4-6 other teams have shown interest in Jonathan Broxton and asked for his medical records. The Mets are not one of the teams to have inquired on the 27-year-old free agent.
- Angels GM Jerry Dipoto says that the Angels may be interested in Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols. They also might show interest C.J. Wilson but aren't interested in Aramis Ramirez.
- The Royals have interest in Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, GM Dayton Moore disclosed. The GM later said that he shouldn't have publicly discussed a player under contract with another team.
- The Blue Jays are aggressively seeking an experienced closer through free agency or trade and have discussed free agents Heath Bell and Joe Nathan, as well as trade target Andrew Bailey of the Athletics.
- The Indians are interested in Japanese right-hander Shinobu Fukuhara.
- The Padres will be reluctant to move Chase Headley this offseason.
- The Rockies have expressed interest in free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore but the club will not aggressively pursue him until they exhaust all trade options with the Braves for Martin Prado.
- The Nationals have expressed interest in Japanese left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada.
- Rangers president & CEO Nolan Ryan expressed confidence in first baseman Mitch Moreland and cast doubt on the notion that the Rangers will pursue Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.
- There is "a bit of concern" among executives that Yu Darvish won't decide to be posted this winter.
- The owners and the players' union continue to work towards an agreement in advance of the current CBA expiring on December 11th and they're working on fixing the Type A/Type B system.
- The Tokyo Yakult Swallows are posting three-time Central League batting champion Norichika Aoki.
- The Diamondbacks signed right-hander Chris Jakubauskas to a minor league deal, MLBTR learned.
AL East Notes: Yankees, Ortiz, Red Sox, Reynolds
Here's a look at some items out of the American League East..
- The Yankees remain unlikely to pursue David Ortiz, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. General Manager Brian Cashman reiterated that the team's focus is on shoring up the starting rotation and also noted that the team has a number of internal candidates for the DH spot.
- More from Speier as Cashman says that he's intrigued by the possibility of finally being able to have trade talks with Theo Epstein now that he is in charge of the Cubs.
- The Red Sox will have to address the back of their rotation this winter and Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe outlines the different avenues that GM Ben Cherington can explore. Abraham writes that even though the Sox will look into lefthanders C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle, a major deal is unlikely.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders if Mark Reynolds' name will come up at this week's GM meetings in Milwaukee. The Orioles hold an $11MM option on Reynolds' contract for 2013 and he isn't eligible for free agency until the following year.
Cafardo On Red Sox, Cuddyer, Sizemore, Marlins
One of Red Sox GM Ben Cherington's toughest tasks this season will be finding fourth and fifth starters, writes Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. Cherington could do it by pursuing the top free agent hurlers on the open market or try to bolster the rotation via trade. It's widely expected that the White Sox will make either Gavin Floyd or John Danks available and Cafardo wonders if the Red Sox could get Anibal Sanchez back from the Marlins. Free agent Hiroki Kuroda is a likely target but appears to be out of reach. The veteran declined a chance to be traded to the Sox last season as he didn’t want to play anywhere but Los Angeles. Here's more from Cafardo..
- Free agent Michael Cuddyer isn't as high of a priority for the Phillies as portrayed by the media. A major league source characterized him as "a middle priority" and while Philadelphia would love to have him, the club isn't going to "go crazy" to make it happen.
- It's widely believed that Grady Sizemore could be had for a bargain price but the center fielder has a few teams pursuing him, including the Red Sox. However, his talks with Boston are in very preliminary stages, and his injury history and left-handed bat mean that he's an unlikely fit.
- An agent told Cafardo that the Marlins' offers to Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle, and Jose Reyes should be taken seriously and are not for show.
- If the Marlins land Pujols or Prince Fielder, first baseman Gaby Sanchez will be major trade bait for the club.
- If the Red Sox don't make a lot of pitching moves, we could see Alfredo Aceves moved into the rotation. The right-hander pushed to start in the past but Terry Francona thought Aceves was too valuable to remove from his bullpen role.
- A National League scout says that center fielder Yoenis Cespedes is likely to be moved to one of the corner outfield spots in the majors. Yesterday, we learned that the Cuban defector may not become a free agent for two months.
Players, Owners Close In On Deal
Players and owners are in near-agreement on draft-related issues, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. A deal could be struck as soon as today or Monday but other significant issues remain, making it possible that the negotiations will stretch into the latter part of the week.
The two sides would like to reach an agreement Sunday or Monday as the general managers’ meetings start Tuesday in Milwaukee, the owners meet Thursday, and the union is holding meetings for agents Monday through Wednesday. The new deal is expected to put a lid on the amount of money teams spend on draft picks and overhaul draft-pick compensation for free agents.
The current deal expires on December 11th but it would be a shock if the two sides did not hammer out a new five-year deal before then. Significant progress was made in the talks last week.
Rockies Notes: Carroll, Prado, Sizemore, Street
The Rockies' aggressiveness in their pursuit of Jamey Carroll could indicate that they're ready to make some bold moves this winter, writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post. The team even offered the veteran a multi-year deal, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks, even though they clearly preferred the 37-year-old on a one-year contract. After losing out on Carroll to the Twins, what might come next for the Rockies?..
- Going after Braves' Martin Prado in a trade makes sense for the club and Atlanta likes outfielder Seth Smith. However, the Braves will require another piece, preferably a center fielder. Trade talks could pick up steam at this week's general managers meetings if the Rockies are willing to include Tim Wheeler or Charlie Blackmon.
- Center fielder Grady Sizemore obviously represents a considerable risk but the 29-year-old is looking to restore his value and would likely take a one-year deal. Coors Field would enticing in that scenario for both parties, Renck writes.
- The club has urgency to add a starter this winter but they're not desperate. One big reason for that is the miraculous recovery of Juan Nicasio. Those watching his bullpen sessions in the Dominican Republic say they can't tell he was even injured. This means that the Rockies will focus on an landing an impact starter rather than someone to keep the seat warm for Nicasio and Jorge De La Rosa.
- The Phillies' signing of Jonathan Papelbon unclogs the closers market and Ryan Madson will likely be the next to sign. As more closers find their homes, Huston Street's future should become clearer. Street is a potential one-year fit for a team that doesn't want to shell out a multi-year deal for a closer.
- A name that pops up regarding the Rockies' third base situation is Chase Headley of the Padres. The Rockies tried to acquire him last summer but the Padres weren't interested in moving him. San Diego remains uninterested in dealing the 27-year-old.
The Phillies' signing of Jonathan Papelbon for four years and $50 million unclogs the closers' market. Ryan Madson will likely be the next to sign. As the chairs begin to fill, Huston Street's future should become clearer. He represents a potential one-season fit for a team not eyeing a multiyear deal for a closer
Quick Hits: Ordonez, Rangers, Myers, Cubs
Remember – the deadline to make picks for MLBTR's first-ever free agent prediction contest is tonight at midnight central time. Only ballots with picks made for all of the top 50 free agents will be counted; incomplete ones will not be eligible. So dot your I's, cross your T's, and give yourself a chance at a piece of $1000 worth of great prizes. For information about the contest rules and prizes, click here. When you're done with that, check out these links..
- MLB.com's Jason Beck chatted with Carlos Guillen, who has been talking with Magglio Ordonez since the season ended and the veteran relayed that Ordonez plans on playing again next year. That news matches up with what we've been hearing recently. Reportedly, it's very unlikely that Guillen or Ordonez will return to the Tigers next year.
- In a piece for MLB.com, Peter Gammons praises Rangers GM Jon Daniels, assistant GM Thad Levine, senior director of player personnel A.J. Preller, and the rest of the club's front office for their work in recent years. Gammons runs down some of the club's best calls, including their 2010 to trade for Cliff Lee which propelled them to win the pennant and reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
- The Braves had trade talks with the Royals about Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado but talks have stalled, likely because Kansas City does not want to part with top prospect Wil Myers. Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star believes that Myers is a player with star potential that can be used to net the club a potential impact starting pitcher in a trade.
- Either Dale Sveum or Mike Maddux would make sense as the Cubs' next manager, writes Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com. Meanwhile, the club has a huge void in its rotation and pitching figures to be their biggest need this offseason. In his Offseason Outlook for the Cubs, Tim Dierkes writes the Cubs could easily spread their surplus among four or five veterans rather than go for a big splash.
- Josh Goldman of Fangraphs brings us three visuals to analyze baseball's previous $100MM contract recipients and how they performed. Recently, our own Ben Nicholson-Smith checked in on how baseball's newest $100MM players fared in 2011.
Orioles Notes: Duquette, Jakubauskas, Guthrie
Earlier today, we learned that after nearly ten years away from the game, Dan Duquette is coming back to baseball as the Orioles' General Manager. Here's a look at some reactions to the move from around baseball and other O's news..
- While he believes that Duquette is a "good man" and a "very bright" individual, Peter Gammons of MLB Network (via Twitter), he wonders if the GM will be able to get up to speed after a decade away from baseball. After drafting Nomar Garciaparra in 1994, the former Red Sox GM gave up on the draft and only one first-round pick made it to the majors (Twitter link). Gammons feels that the O's have decayed ever since Peter Angelos let Pat Gillick go at the end of his contract in 1998 and wonders if Duquette will have the contacts to find undervalued talent (via Twitter).
- It's amazing that Duquette got a GM job just a few weeks after one of his protégés, Ben Cherington, was named GM of the Red Sox, writes Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. Duquette who hired Cherington in 1999 as an amateur scout.
- Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports seems to doubt how much authority Duquette will have in Baltimore.
- Duquette comes with plenty of detractors, but so did manager Buck Showalter when he came to Baltimore, writes MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli.
- Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie (via Twitter) is happy to have Duquette aboard as the team's new GM. The right-hander writes, "By all accounts we're fortunate to have him."
- Last Sunday, Orioles pitcher Chris Jakubauskas refused his outright assignment to Triple-A and elected free agency, but said that he would like to reach a new deal with the club. Tonight, Jakubauskas tweets that he hopes to have a new agreement for 2012 hammered out by tomorrow.
Mets Notes: Reyes, Wright, Payroll, Backman
There's lots of chatter around the Mets regarding free agent Jose Reyes and the possibility of trading third baseman David Wright. Here's more on that and other items concerning the Metropolitans..
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter) doesn''t know where Reyes will land, but thinks that the Brewers would be an excellent fit for the shortstop. The Brewers should have the money to spend on a big-ticket free agent such as Reyes this summer. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Reyes third on his top 50 free agents list, predicting Milwaukee as his destination. Make your picks for Reyes the other 49 top free agents in MLBTR's contest — less than three hours remain to enter!
- Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) makes an educated guess and sees the Mets with a $95MM payroll on Opening Day. During the season, GM Sandy Alderson said that the payroll could grow into the $100-$110MM range, but that figure includes amateur signing bonuses. Rubin (via Twitter) figures the Mets have about $18MM to spend this winter on a closer, set-up man, center fielder, a starting pitcher, and more bullpen arms.
- Wright could be moved next summer under the right circumstances, but it's highly unlikely that he'll be traded this winter, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) has been told.
- Wally Backman will accept the Mets’ offer to manage their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, with the hope that he’s next in line after Terry Collins, writes Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record. Meanwhile, friends of Alderson say that he has no intention of a long-run as GM and eventually, Paul DePodesta will run the day-to-day operations of the franchise. One NL talent evaluator told Klapisch that it would take four-to-five years to develop the talent to become competitive again in the division if the Mets do not retain Reyes.