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Quick Hits: Tanaka, Headley, Stanton, Crawford

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Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka may be the next Japanese pitcher to turn a strong World Baseball Classic performance into a nine-figure Major League contract, ESPN's C.J. Nitkowski writes (Insider subscription required).  Tanaka, 24, has a 2.50 ERA, 8.6 K/9 and 4.34 K/BB ratio in 1103 IP over six seasons with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.  Tanaka has expressed interest in pitching in North America and is three years away from international free agency, though Rakuten could open the posting process before then.

Here's the latest from around the majors…

  • The Padres are starting to listen to offers for Chase Headley, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News reports.  The Padres tabled extension talks with Headley earlier this winter after the two sides were far apart on terms.  The third baseman is under contract through the 2014 season and Madden argues that the Yankees should make a move for a young star like Headley or Giancarlo Stanton in order to bolster the lineup and ensure the team will contend this year.
  • "The fact is, this is the right time to trade Stanton. He’s never going to have more value than this," a Marlins operative tells Madden, arguing that such an unpopular move can't hurt a team that is already at rock bottom in terms of public perception.  “I understand Jeffrey [Loria]’s getting killed in Miami over blowing up the team this winter and why he doesn’t want to trade Stanton. But how much more can we get killed?  He’s already had some injury issues, and we’re never going to sign him to a long-term deal," Madden's source said.
  • Carl Crawford criticized the Boston media and told CBS Sports' Danny Knobler that he erred in signing with the Red Sox in the 2010-11 offseason.  "It just wasn't the right place for me at the end of my day. I didn't do my homework. Maybe they didn't, either," Crawford said.
  • If the Tigers do acquire a reliever, MLB.com's Jason Beck believes such a deal isn't likely until nearer to the end of Spring Training when other teams have their own bullpen situations settled.
  • Chone Figgins feels a lack of playing time exacerbated his struggles with the Mariners and is looking forward to seeing more action playing under NL rules with the Marlins, The Associated Press reports.
  • Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster have both looked good in Spring Training and the Red Sox could reap more than financial benefits from last summer's trade with the Dodgers if these two young pitchers develop, John Tomase of the Boston Herald writes.  Tomase also talks to Rays manager Joe Maddon about how the Rays were targeting De La Rosa before L.A. dealt him to Boston.

AL East Notes: Niese, Napoli, Yankees

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The Mets could have kept R.A. Dickey and sent Jon Niese to the Blue Jays for prospects Travis d’Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard this offseason, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports. One of Martino's sources said the Blue Jays have always loved Niese. “They absolutely would have done that,” the person said. Some Mets people actually preferred Dickey to Niese, according to Martino. The Blue Jays ultimately acquired Dickey from the Mets for a package of players including d’Arnaud and Syndergaard.

Now for some more links related to the AL East…

  • Mike Napoli told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that the environment in Texas "was awesome" because of a great core group of players. The 31-year-old said he kept talking to the Rangers during his time as a free agent but decided to sign with the Red Sox after speaking to GM Ben Cherington and manager John Farrell. “I think going through the whole thing I was hoping we would work it out in Boston,” Napoli told Bradford. “The role did play into it, but I think going into it and other teams being involved I still had my mind set that I was going to come to Boston.”
  • While the Red Sox once had 'too much' bullpen depth, health issues have depleted the team's pitching and a spring trade no longer seems necessary, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal writes.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney wonders if the Yankees could pursue Scott Rolen, Don Kelly or Russ Canzler in the aftermath of the injury to Mark Teixeira. Ken Davidoff of the New York Post noted earlier today that the Yankees’ alternatives include Carlos Lee and Tyler Colvin.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Bailey, Valverde, White Sox

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Here's a look at some notes out of the AL Central..

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) hears that the Tigers aren't just casually shopping for a closer, they have an all points bulletin out for one.  We first heard yesterday that the Tigers are pushing to find a ninth-inning option and they have reportedly inquired on Carlos Marmol of the Cubs.
  • There's no word yet on whether the Tigers called the Red Sox about Andrew Bailey, Heyman tweets.  Heyman suggests that Jose Valverde would make sense on a one-year deal rather than giving something up in a trade, but all indications are that Detroit isn't looking to bring him back.
  • Kenny Williams told Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com that he misses being a GM but doesn't miss the toll that it took on him.  Williams ceded the title of GM to Rick Hahn and took on the role of executive vice president for the White Sox last year.

Ryan Westmoreland Retires

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Ryan Westmoreland, a former top prospect with the Red Sox, announced his retirement from professional baseball, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports. The 22-year-old underwent brain surgery in 2010 and worked to revive his pro career before suffering a setback and having a second surgery.

"Although it is a very difficult decision for me, it has become clear that the neurological damage caused by the most recent cavernous malformation and surgery leaves me with physical challenges that make it impossible to play the game at such a high level," Westmoreland told reporters.

The Red Sox selected Westmoreland in the fifth round of the 2008 draft, signing him to a $2MM bonus. He posted a .296/.401/.484 batting line as a 19-year-old at Class A the following year, and Baseball America ranked him 21st among MLB prospects leading up to the 2010 campaign.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Ichiro, Jeter, Orioles

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MLBTR’s offseason in review series is just getting started, but the AL East is now complete. Click here to see how the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Blue Jays and Orioles navigated their respective offseasons. Here are some more links from the division…

  • The Red Sox aren't close to bumping up against MLB's luxury tax, as Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com shows. With commitments in the $163MM range, the Red Sox have $15MM separating them from the $178MM threshold.
  • Ichiro Suzuki explained to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post that he wanted to re-sign with the Yankees because of the team's focused emphasis on winning. “Those are things that I wanted in a clubhouse and on a team, and I didn’t know that it existed,” Ichiro said. “I kind of had given up hope that I would find that ideal clubhouse, kind of how I felt how about a clubhouse should be. And I was able to find that last year, and that was here.”
  • In a video blog Davidoff explains that Brian Cashman's recent misadventure won't stop him from doing his job as the Yankees' general manager. Cashman broke his right fibula and dislocated his right ankle after jumping out of a parachute to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project two days ago.
  • Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner are among the ten most powerful people in baseball, Tom Verducci writes at SI.com. Commissioner Bud Selig tops Verducci's list.
  • The Orioles like what they see from Jair Jurrjens this spring, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports. Jurrjens, who signed a minor league deal with Baltimore this past offseason, is one of 13 Orioles pitchers competing for a rotation spot this spring.

Offseason In Review: Boston Red Sox

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The Red Sox turned to the free agent market to address their various needs this winter, spending well over $100MM. 

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

Extensions

Notable Losses

Needs Addressed

The Red Sox chose to acquire useful players at a number of positions instead of spending on a single superstar, an understandable decision considering the value of draft picks and the team’s many needs. GM Ben Cherington distributed contracts to a variety of players, with no individual player signing for as much as $40MM. The result: a team that could rebound from a forgettable 2012 season to compete in the AL East.

David Ortiz - Red Sox (PW)

The Red Sox started by dismissing manager Bobby Valentine and acquiring John Farrell from the Blue Jays. It was evident toward the end of the 2012 season that Valentine was no longer the answer in Boston, and it’s reasonable to expect fewer distractions with the return of the more diplomatic Farrell.

Only two American League teams allowed more runs than the 2012 Red Sox, so Cherington entered the offseason seeking pitching. The Red Sox managed to add Ryan Dempster, an aging but perhaps underrated starter, plus relievers Koji Uehara and Joel Hanrahan. 

Dempster has been an above-average pitcher well after his 30th birthday, and should continue adding value for the duration of the team's two-year commitment. While homer-prone, Uehara brings an extremely impressive strikeout to walk ratio to Boston. In Hanrahan the Red Sox acquire a pitcher who had trouble limiting walks last year, sending a modest return to Pittsburgh in the process.

On offense, the Red Sox started by re-signing Ortiz, easily the top designated hitter available in free agency. They also added backup catcher David Ross, lefty mashing outfielder Jonny Gomes, shortstop Stephen Drew, and former Mariner Mike Carp, fortifying an offense that ranked fifth in the American League in scoring a year ago. 

Mike Napoli initially agreed to a $39MM contract with the Red Sox, but a hip issue led to a re-negotiation and a $5MM guarantee. This deal has the potential to be a bargain for the Red Sox, assuming that avascular necrosis doesn’t prevent Napoli from playing.

Victorino's $39MM contract went through, and it qualifies as the largest deal of the offseason for the Red Sox. While he's an imperfect player who struggles to hit right-handers, Victorino should make the Red Sox better in 2013.

Questions Remaining

The rotation includes Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Felix Doubront, who all posted ERAs above 4.50 in 2012. Each pitcher can be better, but counting on bounce-back performances from so many players seems risky. There's also John Lackey, who's returning from Tommy John surgery and an awful 2011 season. Even with the addition of Dempster, this group looks vulnerable compared to other American League rotations.

Health is a concern for every team this time of year. Jacoby Ellsbury, Napoli, Ortiz and Drew have faced significant, recent injuries. The depth of the organization could be tested if any of these players need more time on the disabled list.

Deal of Note

An ankle injury sidelined Drew for much of the 2011 and 2012 seasons, limiting him to 165 total games and an OPS+ of just 86. In other words, he hasn't been a $10MM player. Yet Ben Cherington's decision to sign Drew to a one-year, $9.5MM pillow contract makes sense.

The free agent market for shortstops tends to be weak, and teams have high asking prices for trade candidates at the position. In Drew the Red Sox acquired a high-upside shortstop for cash without having to trade from prospect depth or surrender a compensatory draft pick. Drew, who turns 30 this month, had been a league average hitter before injuring his ankle in 2011. A league average bat at shortstop is a valuable commodity, and looks like a major upgrade over Jose Iglesias, at least on offense. That said, Drew's contract doesn't block Iglesias or top prospect Xander Bogaerts long-term. He’s here for 2013 alone with the chance to prove that he’s worth $10MM and then some. It looks like a deal that could benefit the team and a player.

Overview

The Red Sox will be an improved team in 2013. But after falling to the bottom of the American League East standings a year ago, this club can no longer be considered prohibitive co-favorites, as they were for most of the last decade. Instead, they’re a fringe contender that could just as easily end up with another sub-.500 record.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Red Sox, Ellsbury, Santana, Nationals

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Here's a look at items out of the AL and NL East..

  • Jacoby Ellsbury insists that the Red Sox aren't evaluating him differently because of his injury history, writes Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.  "They know how it happened," he said. "What I went through wasn't the result of me not being prepared or anything like that. Two contacts: One, I collided with a guy [Adrian Beltre]. The other I got cannonballed on [by Reid Brignac]."
  • Just as the Mets did with Francisco Rodriguez in 2011, Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog believes the club will do whatever is necessary to keep Johan Santana from triggering his option. However, it seems unlikely that Santana will pitch the 215 innings necessary to guarantee a $25MM salary in 2014.
  • If Ellsbury is concerned about his next contract as he heads into his walk year, he's not showing any signs of it, writes MLB.com's Ian Browne.
  • In an Insider only piece for ESPN.com, Jim Bowden praises Nationals GM Mike Rizzo for his strong offseason.  While the Nats didn't necessarily need another closer, they went out and got another one anyway in Rafael Soriano while the Tigers thought they could get by with rookie Bruce Rondon at closer.  Bowden writes that it's not hard to imagine a scenario in which Soriano is the difference in a Detroit-Washington World Series.

Tigers Looking To Trade For Closer

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The Tigers raised eyebrows across baseball this offseason with their decision to install rookie Bruce Rondon as their closer.  Now, they are having second thoughts about that plan and pushing hard to find a closer via trade, major league sources tell Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.

The Nationals could afford to part with a reliever, after the signing of Rafael Soriano bumped back Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard, but so far they are telling teams that they have no interest in moving anyone in the pen.  The Red Sox have an extra closer in Andrew Bailey but the Tigers have yet to contact Boston about him.

Detroit could use Rick Porcello to land a ninth-inning option, but they'll want a strong closer in return given his strong play in spring training.  There are also two unsigned closers in Jose Valverde and Francisco Rodriguez, but they don't seem terribly interested in either one.

Central Links: Furcal, Drew, Crosby, Kazmir

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Some late-night links pertaining to baseball's two Central divisions…

  • Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal is going to visit Dr. James Andrews to have his problematic elbow re-evaluated, writes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, GM John Mozeliak isn't second-guessing the decision not to operate on Furcal following the 2012 season.
  • Hummel's colleague, Derrick Goold, writes that while the Cardinals had interest in Stephen Drew this offseason, Drew's decision came down to the Athletics or Red Sox because Furcal's presence didn't allow the Cards to guarantee Drew playing time.
  • MLB.com's Adam McCalvy profiles Bobby Crosby and his decision to make an attempt at a Major League comeback with the Brewers. Crosby was persuaded to pursue a comeback by his father, former Major Leaguer Ed Crosby. McCalvy notes that Crosby's agent, Paul Cohen, has orchestrated successful comebacks for clients Gape Kapler, Jim Edmonds and Troy Percival in the past.
  • Another comeback story — Scott Kazmir — is taking things slowly with the Indians, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Kazmir will work on his breaking pitches in a minor league "B" game Wednesday as he builds confidence in the pitches in a low-pressure setting. Kazmir has fired four scoreless frames with four punchouts for the Tribe thus far.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Vazquez, Stanton, Cano

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that even though the 2013 Red Sox may not knock your socks off, they could still be extremely effective.  In theory, Boston could have used their wiggle room on the likes of Josh Hamilton, Adam LaRoche, and Cody Ross.  Instead, the club's shopping spree yielded Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, David Ross, Stephen Drew, and Ryan Dempster.  However, the BoSox have set themselves up for bigger things in the long run and they could still be competitive in '13.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Red Sox, Nationals, Yankees, Orioles, and Brewers had major interest in free agent pitcher Javier Vazquez before knee surgery put his season in jeopardy. “Never say never,” said a major league source close to the hurler, “but we won’t see him in the immediate future.”
  • One AL executive cautions not to rule out the Tigers as a major player for the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton when the time comes. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has strong ties to the Marlins from his time with them and may have the chips to get a deal done.  Detroit could use third baseman/outfielder Nick Castellanos, outfielder Avisail Garcia, righty Rick Porcello, and others to entice Miami.
  • One NL executive says that he is envious of the position that Robinson Cano finds himself in.  “He’s going to have the Yankees and the Dodgers offering him a record amount of money,” said the exec.  GM Brian Cashman says he has already offered a “significant” contract, but there's no reason for the Scott Boras client to take the deal when considering how much the Dodgers may be willing to bid.
  • Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur had the worst WAR among everyday players last season, but at age 29, he feels that he is just entering his prime.  It appears that the Royals would be willing to move him and his strong arm in the outfield could attract interest.
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