Yankees Expected To Aggressively Pursue Tanaka
Masahiro Tanaka's video-game numbers for NPB's Rakuten Golden Eagles this season have turned quite a few heads in the United States, and according to George A. King III of the New York Post, the Yankees "are going to be serious players" for the Japanese ace.
King spoke with several executives who guessed that the posting fee for Tanaka could go as high as $60MM, but the Yankees aren't overly concerned about that number given the fact that the posting fee wouldn't count against their stated desire to get underneath baseball's $189MM luxury tax threshhold. The expected $50-60MM contract that would go along with such a posting fee — contract totals are usually in the same ballpark as the posting fee — certainly would.
King writes that assistant GM Billy Eppler and pro scout/former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu have both watched Tanaka extensively this season. While the common consensus has been that Tanaka is a lesser prospect than Yu Darvish was prior to joining the Majors, King spoke to a scout who prefers Tanaka to Darvish:
"He is better than Darvish because he is a strike thrower," the scout said. "Overall, Darvish’s stuff might be a little bit better, but this guy knows how to pitch. He is like Kuroda, he has a lot of guts. He throws four pitches but when it gets to [stone]-cutting time, it’s fastball and splitter."
Tanaka, who doesn't turn 25 years old until Nov. 1, is 22-0 for the Golden Eagles with a 1.23 ERA. His strikeout rate has dipped slightly from previous seasons, though he still manages nearly eight whiffs per nine innings and has averaged just over one walk per nine innings as well. His splitter is such a wipeout pitch that Baseball America's Ben Badler called it perhaps the best splitter in the world back in late August.
The Yankees will have competition for Tanaka — one talent evaluator told King that the Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers will be in the mix as well — but they also have a clear need for starting pitching with Andy Pettitte's retirement and Hiroki Kuroda's uncertain future. New York also saw CC Sabathia decline in 2013 and is unsure what, if anything, they can receive in the future from Michael Pineda.
AL East Notes: Blue Jays, Ellsbury, Britton
Brett Cecil enjoyed a breakout season in his new role as a reliever in 2013, but the Blue Jays were so desperate for pitching that they almost moved him back into the rotation this summer, GM Alex Anthopoulos said on Prime Time Sports radio with Bob McCown of SN590 (via Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith). Anthopoulos also added that the team hasn't considered moving the injury-prone Brandon Morrow to the bullpen, nor have the Jays made a decision regarding Josh Johnson's future. Here's more on the Blue Jays and the rest of the AL East…
- Nicholson-Smith also runs down the Blue Jays' current contractual commitments, noting that Anthopoulos has the team's core in place long enough to target a sustained run. He quotes Anthopoulos as saying that Blue Jays never completely rule out trade discussions for any player — a familiar refrain from the Toronto GM.
- Jacoby Ellsbury's strong ALDS performance is boosting his already-strong free agent stock, writes WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Bradford points out that despite the small sample nature of the playoffs, players such as Derek Lowe, John Lackey, Marco Scutaro and Carlos Beltran have all padded their free agent contracts thanks to strong postseason showings in past years.
- Despite the fact that Ellsbury might be the MVP of the Red Sox, John Tomase of the Boston Herald opines that the team needs to let him go this winter. Tomase writes that while many fans worry about losing a player who still has plenty left in the tank, the opposite is true far more often — players end up earning millions more than they deserve by the end of a contract. Tomase feels the Red Sox should look to the New England Patriots, who have made unpopular decisions to let popular players depart without hurting the franchise long-term. He adds that "Red Sox executives have privately marveled at the Pats’ ability to remove emotion from their player evaluations" and points out that speed-oriented players typically don't age well.
- Next season will be a make or break year for former Orioles top prospect Zach Britton, writes Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. Britton, who turns 26 in December, will be out of minor league options and must make a strong impression to stick with the team. The left-hander told Melewski that he's happy to have had his first healthy season since 2011, but he knows that performance-wise, he needed to do more at the Major League level. Britton posted a 4.95 ERA and averaged just 4.1 K/9 in 40 innings with the O's, though he was better for Triple-A Norfolk (4.27 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 4.0 BB/9 in 103 1/3 innings).
Latest On Alexander Guerrero
Cuban second baseman Alexander Guerrero is back on the free agent market after his engagement with the Dodgers was called off in September. Now, the Scott Boras client is seeking a four-year deal from interested MLB teams. However, some of the clubs that are in on Guerrero are pushing for a longer pact.
Heyman cites the Dodgers, Giants, Rangers, Red Sox, and Reds as clubs with interest in the 26-year-old. Guerrero and Los Angeles were closing in on a five-year, $32MM deal last month but the deal fell apart for reasons that are still unknown. The 86ing of the near-agreement also coincided with a change in representation as Guerrero left his former agent for Boras.
Guerrero played mostly shortstop in Cuba's Serie Nacional, but most scouts expect him to move to the other side of the bag for defensive purposes. He slashed .290/.402/.576 with 21 home runs in 328 plate appearances in his final season in Cuba. According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, Guerrero doesn't figure to be a premium talent, but he does offer impressive raw right-handed power.
AL East Notes: Steinbrenner, Peavy, Rays
Last night, manager Joe Maddon used eight relievers to try to save the Rays' season, but it was to no avail. “I don’t want to be a cliché, but there’s nothing to hang our heads about,” Maddon said, according to Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune. “There really isn’t. A great battle all season. We were an up-and-down kind of team. We hit some really good moments and some really bad moments, but at the end of the day you still won 92 games. That’s pretty good.” Here's more out of the AL East..
- Even though Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says that he will exceed $189MM if Brian Cashman presents him with an offer that he feels isn't capable of winning a title, but there's virtually no chance of that happening, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The good news is that if Alex Rodriguez is suspended through next year, the Yanks would still have about $80MM to spend. That could be enough to re-sign Robinson Cano while going out and getting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, catcher Brian McCann, and an infield insurance policy such as Jhonny Peralta or Stephen Drew.
- The Red Sox's midseason trade for Jake Peavy paid off in a major way, writes Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Having Peavy for a critical postseason game like last night s exactly why Boston pulled the trigger on the deal.
- The Rays are heading into yet another uncertain offseason, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Principal owner Stuart Sternberg has said the 2014 budget will be affected by the team's poor attendance this season and the Rays' were already 28th this year with a $58MM payroll. David Price will obviously be a trade candidate and Fernando Rodney seems ticketed for a bigger payday elsewhere.
AL East Notes: Girardi, Price, Drew, Morse
The Yankees have begun discussions with manager Joe Girardi as his three-year contract is set to expire, but Mark Gonzales of the Chicago-Tribune reports that the Cubs may be willing to top any offer the Yankees make (subscription required). According to Gonzales, Girardi's annual salary may soar over the $5MM mark, and he could exceed his previous three-year guarantee as well. Here's more out of the AL East…
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post spoke with nine executives who believe that the Rays will trade David Price this offseason. Sherman points out that Price's $10MM salary could approach $15MM (MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects $13.1MM), and the Rays have previously dealt Matt Garza and James Shields with two years of team control remaining. Now that they are among the league's best teams each year, the Rays must add top talent via trade instead of at the top of the draft, Sherman adds. The Rangers, Cubs and D-Backs were popular guesses for landing spots among Sherman's panel of nine executives.
- Stephen Drew would love to return to the Red Sox and went so far as to say that he'd like to finish his career in Boston, writes WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Bradford outlines a scenario in which Drew could remain with the Sox, though it would require shifting Xander Bogaerts from shortstop to third base and moving Will Middlebrooks across the diamond from third base to first base.
- The Orioles aren't expected to pursue Mike Morse in free agency this offseason, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Kubatko opines that Morse could be a bargain, however, noting his limited leverage coming off a .215/.270/.381 season and pointing to Morse's monster production in 2011 (.303/.360/.550). Kubatko adds that the Nationals tried to trade Morse to the Orioles at last year's Winter Meetings, but the Nats weren't interested in parting with right-hander Jake Arrieta at the time. Arrieta eventually went to the Cubs in this summer's Scott Feldman deal.
AL East Notes: Orioles, Rays, Price, Cano
Brian Matusz and Tommy Hunter want to be starters again, but they've already proven themselves to be successful in the bullpen, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. While manager Buck Showalter will work to stretch them out in spring training, its possible that the O's would have sent Matusz to Triple-A Norfolk to work as a starter if that were an option. Here's more out of the AL East..
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post reached out to nine baseball executives yesterday to ask if they felt David Price would get moved this winter and they all said yes. Price, like Matt Garza and James Shields when they were dealt from Tampa Bay, is two years away from free agency, meaning that this is the time to move him. The Rangers came up most often as the most likely destination followed by the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Padres, Red Sox, Giants, and Reds.
- The perception around baseball that free agent Robinson Cano doesn't work hard could hurt his value, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that's its an unfair label. The second baseman has a tendency to not run out grounders, but generally speaking, he has impeccable work habits. “When he hits a groundball to the second baseman or shortstop, I know what it looks like,” hitting coach Kevin Long said. “I get it. I know it is part of the perception. He’s been talked to a million times about it. But I am telling you that is not a true picture of how hard he works or cares, and so if that is his only downfall, it is not the worst thing in the world.”
- Kubatko revisited the Orioles' trade for Bud Norris and wonders if it will be worthwhile when all is said and done.
Quick Hits: Ellsbury, Girardi, Schuerholz, Harvey
ESPN's Jim Bowden offers up a list of players who could boost their values in free agency with strong postseason performances (Insider's subscription required). Jacoby Ellsbury, who checks in at No. 2 on our free agent power rankings, head's up Bowden's list. Most evaluators believe he's a superior player to both B.J. Upton and Michael Bourn, two center fielders who were payed handsomely last winter, Bowden says. Ellsbury's certainly made his case for a big contract so far this postseason: After going two for five last night with an RBI and a run, he already has three hits in three at-bats tonight, doubling in a run and scoring one himself. More Saturday night MLB links, as the Rays attempt to mount a comeback at Fenway…
- The Yankees made an offer to Joe Girardi that is believed to be in the $4MM-$5MM per-year range, Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News report. The offer would reportedly make Girardi the second-highest paid manager in the game, trailing only Mike Scioscia of the Angels. However, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times says many in the Cubs organization are confident they'll have a chance to pry Girardi, their top managerial candidate, away from the Yankees.
- Whoever ends up as the Cubs manager will find the task of nurturing young talent in a clubhouse of journeyman-type players a difficult one, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune writes. Many believe the Cubs are in line for another losing season in 2014, as several of their top young prospects aren't expected to arrive until 2015 at the earliest.
- Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press broke down the Tigers' rotation with the team's pitching coach, Jeff Jones.
- Longtime Braves executive John Schuerholz discussed his career in an interview with Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com, including his decision to vacate the club's GM job following the 2007 season. "I believed in my heart it was time for someone else, someone more aggressive, more energetic. I always had those things, but I could feel it wasn't the same," Schuerholz said. "I went to my boss, the chairman of the team, Terry McGuirk, and said, 'Here's the keys. I'm done.'" McGuirk later convinced Schuerholz to take the team president job.
- Matt Harvey's decision to undergo Tommy John surgery was the right one, teammate David Wright tells Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. "I told him numerous times, 'If it was me and I was in the same situation, I would have the surgery,''' Wright said. The Mets captain added that he expects GM Sandy Alderson to boost the club's payroll this offseason.
- Turnover in the Padres' front office and ownership have hurt the team's chances to contend, Jeff Sanders of U-T San Diego writes. Padres fans have watched the club post losing seasons in five of the past six years even as teams in similarly sized markets, like the Rays and the A's, have consistently assembled winning rosters. However, things appear to be headed in the right direction under President Mike Dee and GM Josh Byrnes. “Right now, as far as having everyone on the same page, it’s as good as it’s ever been," Randy Smith, who oversees the club's player development and international scouting, says.
AL East Notes: Logan, Yankees Pitching, Delmonico
The Red Sox's offseason additions of David Ross and Jonny Gomes, which came early and were widely questioned at the time, now appear to be inspired moves, Alex Speier of WEEI.com writes. While both players were targeted for roster depth and clubhouse character, they have certainly been valuable in the postseason, with Ross clubbing a double and scoring a run tonight. On to more AL East links:
- Left-hander Boone Logan had arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur from his throwing elbow this week and should resume his throwing program in December, Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger reports, citing an unnamed baseball official. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews. Logan reaches free agency this winter after compiling a 3.38 ERA over 176 innings for the Yankees over the last four years.
- The Yankees lack the high-end, young starting pitching that marks many of this year's successful teams, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. As the Yankees hope that Hiroki Kuroda will return and that CC Sabathia rebounds, their cross-town rivals the Mets have assembled an impressive collection of young arms, Sherman says.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders if the Orioles could have gotten more for prospect Nick Delmonico, whom they sent to the Brewers this season in exchange for Francisco Rodriguez. Rodriguez posted a 4.50 ERA after being traded, allowing five home runs in 22 innings, and never appeared in the closer's role for the O's. However, Kubatko says that it "appears that Delmonico was headed out the door. It was just a matter of when and where."
AL East Notes: Girardi, Lester, Rays, Price, Janssen
The Yankees have made a substantial offer to keep manager Joe Girardi, Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York reports. A source tells Marchand that Girardi could think about the offer through the weekend. "We are going to give him a real good reason to stay," says GM Brian Cashman. Rumors have connected Girardi to the Cubs' managerial job, which might be a possibility if he chooses to leave. The Nationals and Reds also have managerial openings that Girardi might find attractive. Girardi is currently under contract with the Yankees through the end of October. Here are more notes from the AL East.
- Last offseason, the Red Sox and Royals discussed a possible trade involving Jon Lester and Wil Myers, Lester tells WEEI.com's Alex Speier. "[Royals manager Ned Yost] is actually a pretty good friend of mine. I flat-out called him one day and was like, 'Hey, what do you got on this?' He said, ‘Yeah, we’re trying to make it work,'" Lester says. One reason the trade ultimately didn't happen is that the Royals finally traded Myers and three other players to the Rays, the Red Sox's current ALDS opponent, for a package headlined by James Shields.
- One assistant GM proposes that the Rays could trade David Price to the Dodgers for Corey Seager, Joc Pederson, Julio Urias and Chris Withrow, Peter Gammons writes. That would give the Rays two very good hitting prospects in Seager and Pederson, a very young arm in Urias, and a big-league reliever in Withrow. MLB.com ranks Pederson and Seager the top two prospects in the Dodgers system, with Urias at No. 4.
- The Blue Jays are "sure" to pick up their $4MM option on closer Casey Janssen, writes Shi Davidi of SportsNet.ca. Janssen is coming off a strong season, so the decision would seem to be an easy one. Davidi notes that Janssen would likely make twice as much on the open market, and win a multi-year deal to boot.
International Notes: Jose Abreu, Bryan De La Cruz
Here's the latest from the international prospect market…
- "Every team had someone" present at Jose Abreu's showcases on Monday and Tuesday, Baseball America's Ben Badler reports, but the Rangers, Red Sox, White Sox, Marlins and Giants had the largest presences. Badler reported a few days ago that the Rangers could be the favorites to sign Abreu, with the Red Sox, White Sox, Pirates and Nationals also strong contenders.
- The Giants were known to be interested in Abreu and they sent "an especially large crew" to his showcase that included GM Brian Sabeau, Felipe Alou and Pat Burrell. Badler finds this curious given that the Giants already have Brandon Belt, but he speculates that San Francisco could sign Abreu and then move Belt to left field to possibly shop him in a trade.
- As for the showcase itself, Badler said Abreu "didn’t seem to hurt his stock" as a right-handed hitting power bat. Abreu took a few grounders at third base though that may have just been as a test of arm strength, as Badler writes that Abreu is "almost certain to sign as a first baseman."
- The Astros have signed 16-year-old Bryan de la Cruz to a contract with a $170K bonus, Ben Badler reports. A 6'2", 175-pound outfielder from the Dominican Republic, de la Cruz has "good tools" and has shown "power potential" from the right side of the plate. De la Cruz is the ninth player signed by Houston since the international signing period opened on July 2.