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Red Sox Notes: Ross, Catchers, Offseason

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Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe interviewed Red Sox GM Ben Cherington on a number of Hot Stove topics earlier today, including the pace of the offseason, a pair of Rosses, and the team's bulk of quality catchers. Here are the highlights…

  • The Red Sox remain in talks with Cody Ross but are also talking to other corner outfield options as well.
  • Boston signed David Ross because Cherington and his colleagues "wanted to have someone as part of the catching group who has been through the wars and has a good feel for the game." Abraham notes that Ross will receive more playing time than a standard backup catcher.
  • Cherington expects David Ross, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway all to contribute to the club in 2013, implying that he's not planning on dealing any of his catchers. The plan right now, not surprisingly, is for Saltalamacchia to start with Ross backing up and Lavarnway likely opening the year at Triple-A Pawtucket.
  • Cherington doesn't feel that the team is moving at a slow pace thus far this offseason. He tells Abraham that the team is well ahead of where it was at this juncture in 2011: "We’ve spent a lot more time on player issues at this time as compared to last year. That doesn’t always turn into announcements."
  • The Red Sox will have a "significant" payroll and will be adding free-agent talent to the team, according to Cherington. He also wouldn't rule out trading prospects for established talent, though he stressed that he'd need to acquire another long-term piece in return if he were to do so.

Rays, Phillies, Astros, Red Sox Interested In Berkman

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The Rays, Astros, Phillies and Red Sox are all in "tire-kicking" mode on Lance Berkman, tweets Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle (hat tip: Alex Speier of WEEI.com).

Until this point, the Astros are the only team that has been largely connected to Berkman this offseason. Astros owner Jim Crane had a "get-acquainted" meeting with Berkman recently, and Big Puma expressed interest in returning to Houston where his career began. In that interview, Berkman said he wanted to be paid like a Major League three-hole hitter, though he'd take a bit of a discount for the Astros.

The Phillies presumably have visions of Berkman seeing some time on the field as a first baseman or outfielder. The same could be said for the Red Sox, who recently re-signed David Ortiz to a two-year contract. The Rays and Astros could both elect to use Berkman as their primary DH, with no concrete incumbent in place for either organization.

Berkman hit .259/.381/.444 in 97 plate appearances for the Cardinals in 2012 but was hobbled by a pair of knee surgeries. He's a career .296/.409/.544 hitter with 360 homers between the Astros, Yankees and Cardinals.

AL Notes: Yankees, Tigers, Indians, Red Sox

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Blockbuster trades motivated by one team's desire for financial flexibility (AKA a salary dump) like the Marlins-Blue Jays deal or the Red Sox-Dodger swap are nothing new in baseball history. On this date in 1947, the St. Louis Browns and the Boston Red Sox began a two-day trading frenzy involving 13 players (four Browns and nine Red Sox) and the Browns receiving $375K (worth nearly $3.1MM in today's dollars). Here's the latest news, notes, and comments from the present-day American League:

  • The Yankees continue to have conversations with free agent outfielder Scott Hairston, writes the New York Post's Dan Martin. Hairston would bring a right-handed power bat to the outfield mix and could fit into a platoon, as the Yankees have already had preliminary discussions to bring back Raul Ibanez.
  • The Yankees still want to trim payroll to $189MM by 2014 for luxury tax and revenue sharing refund purposes, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if Hal Steinbrenner isn't risking a brand worth billions for the millions the team would earn by doing so.
  • If the Tigers fail to re-sign Anibal Sanchez, the signing of Torii Hunter will still make the offseason a success, team president and GM Dave Dombrowski told George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. "We'll see where other things take us," Dombrowski said. "If we end up with this major move (Hunter) being our major move of the winter, I would be very happy."
  • The Indians have yet to set their 2013 budget, but it is expected to be in the neighborhood of this past season's $65MM, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes. As a result of this "fluid" situation, GM Chris Antonetti must take any intriguing proposals to ownership.
  • Also in that article, Hoynes lists the five best and five worst free agent signings by the Tribe.
  • The Red Sox will interview Craig Counsell and Greg Colbrunn for their hitting coach opening, reports Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Counsell, a special assistant to Brewers GM Doug Melvin, will interview tomorrow while Colbrunn, the hitting instructor for the Yankees' Single-A affiliate in Charleston, is in the process of being scheduled for another time during the week. The Red Sox have already interviewed their minor league hitting coordinator Victor Rodriguez, former Diamondbacks hitting coach Rick Schu, and Braves assistant hitting coach Scott Fletcher. 

Cafardo’s Latest: Blockbuster, Cabrera, Pavano, Grilli

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In his Sunday Notes column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says Miguel Cabrera was a worthy MVP winner even if the data supported Mike Trout. Here are Cafardo's rumors…

  • Although criticism is warranted, the Blue Jays–Marlins blockbuster was a legitimate baseball trade because Miami received plenty of young, high-end talent in return.
  • Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers was never really in the hunt for Jose Reyes, and he has yet to be overwhelmed with an offer for Justin Upton.
  • The Red Sox are more likely to deal Jarrod Saltalamacchia than Ryan Lavarnway in the wake of the David Ross signing, but only if they get a good offer.
  • Both the Red Sox and Diamondbacks are interested in Asdrubal Cabrera of the Indians while Boston also has some interest in Stephen Drew.
  • Carl Pavano was given a clean bill of health in September after missing most of the season with a shoulder problem. His agent Dave Pepe has received a few preliminary calls, and Pavano could sign a minor league deal.
  • Most executives love Dan Haren but would not be comfortable offering more than two years given concerns about his back. Most prefer a one-year deal with an option.
  • Eight teams, including the Red Sox, have interest in right-hander Jason Grilli according to his agent Gary Sheffield. They have three offers at the moment but are not in a hurry to sign.
  • The Indians are looking at Kevin Youkilis at first base while the Phillies and Dodgers like him at third. He's a back-burner option for Los Angeles and although Towers made a call, the Diamondbacks likely won't be involved.

Red Sox Links: Melky, Marlins, Free Agents

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It was on this day in 1999 that Pedro Martinez was named the unanimous winner of the AL Cy Young Award, making him the third pitcher in history to win Cy Youngs in both leagues.  It was the first of consecutive Cy Young Awards for Martinez in Boston, and his 1999/2000 campaigns rank high on the list of all-time great pitching seasons.  Here's the latest out of Fenway Park…

  • The Red Sox didn't attempt to sign Melky Cabrera, reports WEEI.com's Alex Speier, though the club continues to look at free agent corner outfield options.  Cabrera agreed to a two-year, $16MM contract with the Blue Jays earlier today.
  • After freeing up tens of millions in payroll space last summer, the Red Sox were wise by not "repeating the financial mistakes of the past" by taking on some of the Marlins' large contracts, writes ESPN Boston's Jeremy Lundblad.
  • The Red Sox could approach 2013 as "one very grand experiment" and look to sign big-name free agents to expensive one-year contracts if such players can't find suitable multiyear deals elsewhere, opines John Tomase of the Boston Herald.  Such a strategy would keep Boston competitive next season and take advantage of the team's payroll space, while letting the Sox keep their prospects and avoid any long-term financial commitments.  I'm not sure this would be a sound move, as even if elite free agents could be convinced to forego their long-term security, any injuries or down seasons would leave Boston right back at square one next offseason.
  • Ben Nicholson-Smith covered the Red Sox earlier today in the latest edition of MLBTR's 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series.

Arbitration Eligibles: Boston Red Sox

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The Red Sox are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series. Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.

Jacoby Ellsbury and many of Boston's relievers will head to arbitration this coming offseason. The Red Sox have a large class of players that includes a number of non-tender candidates.

Relievers Atchison, Hill and Aceves could all be non-tendered. Hill and Atchison dealt with elbow injuries this past season. The health of Atchison's pitching elbow remains in question, and Hill might not be viewed as a $1MM player after spending so much of the 2012 season on the disabled list. Aceves projects to earn $2.6MM thanks to his lofty saves total, but he could also be non-tendered.

Sweeney made three trips to the disabled list last season and didn't hit particularly well when healthy. Depending on what the Red Sox do to address their outfield this month, he could also lose his roster spot.

The remainder of the team's arbitration class includes four relievers in line for modest raises or no raises at all. Bard spent much of the 2012 season in the minor leagues, so his projected salary sits at $1.6MM. Bailey also missed most of the season, which means he projects to earn $3.9MM again. Meanwhile, Breslow should jump from $1.8MM to $2.4MM and Miller should obtain a modest raise to $1.4MM or so.

Ellsbury, Boston's best-paid arbitration eligible player and one of the top earning arb eligible players in MLB, projects to obtain a token raise to $8.1MM. His arbitration case won't be nearly as interesting as it was a year ago, when he obtained a substantial raise. The question remains: will the Red Sox pursue an extension with Ellsbury, settle for a one-year deal, or trade him?

Finally, Saltalamacchia and Morales will see their salaries jump following productive seasons at the MLB level. It's possible another team will be responsible for Saltalamacchia's case, as he appears to be a trade candidate.

If the Red Sox tender contracts to everyone but Atchison, Hill, Aceves and Sweeney, they’ll have committed  approximately $22.7MM to seven players for 2013.

Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.

Quick Hits: Upton, Hamilton, Kinsler, Hunter, Choo

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This was a bit before MLB Trade Rumors' time, but it was on this day in 1886 that the first trade in Major League history took place.  The Cincinnati Red Stockings acquired base-stealing outfielder Hugh Nicol and Jamie Moyer from the St. Louis Browns in exchange for rookie catcher Jack Boyle and $400.  Here's some modern-day hot stove action from around the majors…

  • Free agent outfielder B.J. Upton visited Turner Field today, meeting with Braves general manager Frank Wren and manager Fredi Gonzalez, reports MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  The Braves see Upton as their top free agent target this winter, as Upton will come at a lower price than Michael Bourn.
  • While the Red Sox have checked in with Josh Hamilton's agent, reports of Boston's interest in Hamilton are "overblown," a source tells WEEI.com's Rob Bradford.
  • Ian Kinsler is willing to change positions if the Rangers ask, the second baseman tells Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  "Where I play on the field is not my decision. I’m going to do whatever I can to help the team win regardless of where I am on the field or where I’m hitting in the batting order," Kinsler said.  A move from second could open room for both Jurickson Profar and Elvis Andrus in the infield, while Kinsler could replace Hamilton in left or play first base.
  • Both the Angels and the Tigers benefited from Torii Hunter signing with Detroit, opines MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.
  • MLB.com's Jordan Bastian breaks down Shin-Soo Choo's trade value both in terms of what the Indians could get in return and how Choo compares to free agents currently on the market.
  • The Indians' thin farm system is due to nearly a decade of poor drafts, writes Baseball America's Ben Badler.
  • It seems like the White Sox will look externally to fill their hole at third base, as GM Rick Hahn told reporters (including MLB.com's Scott Merkin) that "we are exploring a lot of options that we rank ahead of moving [Dayan] Viciedo in from the outfield," though he didn't completely rule it out.
  • With five notable Marlins on their way to Toronto, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks at how players face large tax increases when they're dealt away from Florida, including a past instance of a player (Carlos Delgado) having tax protection written into his contract in lieu of a no-trade clause from the Marlins.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports examines how the Marlins/Blue Jays trade and Hunter's signing will impact other teams and players around baseball.
    Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/foul_territory/2012/11/ian-kinsler-would-ok-move-from-second-base.html#storylink=cpy

Red Sox Plan Extension Talks With Dustin Pedroia

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The Red Sox intend to discuss a long-term extension with second baseman Dustin Pedroia during the offseason, reports Joe McDonald of ESPN Boston.  A league source tells McDonald that a Pedroia extension isn't an immediate priority for the Sox but they'll look to open negotiations "at some point this offseason."

Pedroia still has two guaranteed years (worth $10MM each) remaining on the six-year, $40MM contract he signed with Boston in the wake of his MVP season in 2008, plus an $11MM club option for 2015.  Pedroia will turn 32 during the 2015 season but McDonald believes the Sox could be looking to extend Pedroia before Robinson Cano's next contract sets a new market for elite second basemen. 

Pedroia posted a .290/.347/.449 slash line in 2012, a solid performance that was still the lowest full-season OPS of his seven-year career.  A new multiyear deal for Pedroia would surely top the five-year, $75MM extension the Rangers gave to Ian Kinsler in April, thus giving Pedroia the largest contract ever given to a second baseman in terms of highest average annual value.  (Until Cano's new deal, at least.)

McDonald speculates that the Red Sox could also look to sign Will Middlebrooks and Jon Lester to extensions, though Lester would have to bounce back from his mediocre 2012 season first.  Lester's current contract is only guaranteed through 2013 with a $13MM team option for 2014.

Cherington Talks Payroll, Hamilton, Youkilis

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Red Sox GM Ben Cherington appeared on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Show this morning to discuss a number of topics about his team. WEEI.com's Alex Speier has a transcript, and here are the noteworthy items…

  • "I think we’re going to make moves that are going to improve the team. It’s hard to say whether they’ll be defined as splashy moves or not," said the GM, who acknowledged that the club will have a large payroll next year even if he doesn't know the final number.
  • The Red Sox have talked to Josh Hamilton's agent, but Cherington called it "due diligence." Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com suggests keeping an eye on Boston in the Hamilton chase.
  • Cherington acknowledged talking to the representatives for Kevin Youkilis, but they've "talked about just about every free agent." He wouldn't handicap the chances of bringing Youkilis back next year.
  • First base, starting pitching, and corner outfield help are all on the shopping list, but one doesn't necessarily take priority over the others.
  • Cherington said he wasn't surprised by some of the names involved in the Blue Jays-Marlins blockbuster, but was surprised by the magnitude of the trade. Yesterday we heard that the deal would not impact Boston's offseason plan.

AL Links: Sanchez, Hunter, Yankees, Price, Red Sox

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With Torii Hunter joining the club on a two-year deal, the Tigers will now focus on re-signing Anibal Sanchez according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. They're unlikely to pursue another big name pitcher if they can't bring the right-hander back, however. Here's the latest from the American League, starting with some more on Hunter…

  • Hunter told teams he wasn't interested in talking to them unless things didn't work out with the Tigers, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
  • The Yankees saw Hunter as a good fit but never made him an offer, reports Erik Boland of Newsday (on Twitter). They don't have any offers out to position players at the moment and are focused on re-signing Hiroki Kuroda and Mariano Rivera.
  • Hunter would have taken less than $26MM he received from Detroit to re-sign with the Angels, but a one-year contract was a non-starter at any price according to Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter).
  • Knobler listed the pros and cons of trading David Price just a few hours after the left-hander took home the Cy Young Award. Some people with the Rays even identified the Rangers as the ideal trade partner.
  • The Red Sox won't alter their rebuilding plan in the wake of the Blue Jays-Marlins blockbuster, said GM Ben Cherington to WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. "We know we have a plan this offseason and we're going to see how much we can execute it … We've started that and we'll continue to do that," said Cherington, who mentioned he found out about the blockbuster through MLBTR.
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