Red Sox Acquire Kason Gabbard
According to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers have traded left-hander Kason Gabbard to the Red Sox for cash considerations.
The Red Sox immediately assigned him to Triple-A Pawtucket. Gabbard, 27, was 2-3 last season with a 4.82 ERA in 12 starts for Texas. He was converted to a reliever this offseason but didn't make the big club out of spring training.
Interesting side note: Gabbard was a member of the Red Sox just a few years ago, but was traded in 2007 as part of a package for Eric Gagne. The other pieces in that deal? David Murphy and Engel Beltre.
Jason Bay Comments
WEEI's Alex Speier talked extensively with Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay, who is eligible for free agency for the first time after this season. Speier learned that the models for Bay's four-year, $18.25MM deal signed in '05 were the Brewers' deals with Geoff Jenkins and Richie Sexson. In hindsight, Bay could've earned more going year-to-year, but he has no regrets. Bay noted that one benefit of that deal is that it did not include option years.
Bay's agent hasn't had substantive extension talks with the Red Sox, but he remains unconcerned. Bay's stance:
"My agents and the company put together a big fancy package and all that stuff. I’ve seen the numbers. But I understand that it’s a completely different economic time, and that there are some concessions. That being said, I’ve played the game for six years. I’m not looking to set any records. I’m basically looking for what’s fair. Whether it’s here or not remains to be seen. I’m not trying to set a precedent."
Odds & Ends: Zimmerman, Devine, Wolf
Links for Wednesday…
- WEEI's Alex Speier points out that Ryan Zimmerman's deal mirrors the Kevin Youkilis extension, despite the difference in performance. Tyler Hissey of Around The Majors likes the Zimmerman contract nonetheless.
- Speier also reports that the Red Sox placed pitcher Devern Hansack on unconditional release waivers, not long after he dislocated his shoulder. UPDATE: Hansack will be re-signed to a minor league deal.
- Athletics reliever Joey Devine had Tommy John surgery, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star talked to Royals GM Dayton Moore, who said the decision to recall Brian Bannister over Luke Hochevar was not financially motivated.
- Randy Wolf doesn't have hard feelings toward the Astros, according to MLB.com's Michael Murphy. The 'Stros wisely yanked their three-year, $28.5MM offer to Wolf in November.
- Josh Levitt names the worst contract extensions in the game.
2010 Options: Boston Red Sox
Today let's take a look at the 2010 options facing the Red Sox.
- Josh Beckett – $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout. This option vests if Beckett makes 25 more starts this year. Barring a major injury, Beckett figures to remain with the Sox.
- Jason Varitek – $5MM club option or $3MM player option. Player option allows for $2MM in performance bonuses. My guess is that Varitek will perform well enough to cause the Sox to exercise their option. They were willing to risk paying him around $9MM if he'd accepted their December offer of arbitration.
- Tim Wakefield – $4MM club option. There will probably come a time when the knuckler is no longer worth this price. But there's no sign that time is now.
- Takashi Saito – Club option equal to 2009 earnings ($2.5MM+). Saito appears healthy, but on the other hand he'll turn 40 in February of 2010. This one could go either way.
Odds & Ends: Hunter, Keppinger, Swisher
Links for Monday…
- Become a fan of MLB Trade Rumors on Facebook! We're up to 9,828 fans.
- Jed Lowrie will have wrist surgery, and Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe learned that he could return by the All-Star break. Julio Lugo, recovering from knee surgery, should be ready to take over soon.
- ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. says "negotiations between the New York Yankees and Cuban exile prospect Felix Perez have broken down because of the outfielder's problem in obtaining a visa." Perez was set for a bonus north of $3MM, but questions have been raised about his age. The Yanks may have interest in a couple of other Cuban players, Noel Arguelles and Jose Iglesias, once they're declared free agents.
- According to Phil Miller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Torii Hunter would seemingly like to finish his career with the Twins.
- MLB.com's Alyson Footer says sending Drew Sutton to the Reds for Jeff Keppinger was "a great, great deal for the Astros." Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle explains why the move was made.
- Aaron Gleeman weighs in on the Twins' decision to swap out Philip Humber for Juan Morillo.
- David Pinto of Baseball Musings gives his opinion of the Ryan Zimmerman extension.
- South Side Sox and Sox Machine discuss the minor tiff between Ozzie Guillen and Nick Swisher.
- Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News says the Dodgers signed pitcher Chuck Tiffany to a minor league deal. They'd traded him to the Rays in '06 as part of the Danys Baez deal, and the Rays released him in March of this year.
Cafardo’s Latest: Peavy, Mulder
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has a couple notes in his Sunday column:
- Should he be dealt this season, the Red Sox appeal to Jake Peavy, who hit it off with Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia in the World Baseball Classic. Padres GM Kevin Towers is hopeful his clubs success will continue and trading Peavy won't have to come up. Only twelve games into the season and the Pads are tied with the Dodgers at 9-3.
- The Nationals, A's, and Dodgers are all interested in Mark Mulder who believes he "could be ready two weeks after signing."
Lowrie To Be Tested, Could Miss Season
According to John Tomase of the Boston Herald Jed Lowrie will have his left wrist examined today in Arizona. If the tests don't go well he could face surgery that, as Lowrie says, "would essentially be the season."
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bay, Dodgers, Draft
On this date eight years ago, Barry Bonds hit his 500th career home run and on this date three years ago, Pedro Martinez won his 200th game. Both players are likely headed to Cooperstown, neither player has retired and yet both players are without a team. As we wrap up the second week of the '09 season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Surviving Grady fancies the Red Sox new Canadian import, Jason Bay, who is helping Bostonians forget all about…what was his name?
- UmpBump puts together an impressive roster of players Ned Colletti "gave up on."
- The Ghost of Moonlight Graham shows that history does not favor pitchers taken with the top pick of the draft. In fact, they also show that of the best pitchers acquired via the draft in the last 20 years, only Dwight Gooden was drafted in the first five picks.
- Jorge Says No puts together a roster of the worst free agent contracts of the last five years.
- Feeling Dodger Blue looks at the Dodgers' most recent top picks, both pitchers, and both appear to finally be healthy.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here or on Twitter.
Rosenthal On Penny, Bay, Brandon Wood
The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- Rosenthal suggests Cecil Cooper of the Astros may be the first manager fired; he says the team's veterans "do not care for Cooper." He's in the last year of his contract.
- With a comeback season for the Red Sox, Brad Penny could be in line for a lucrative free agent deal after the season. One executive told Rosenthal Penny had the least amount of structural issues in his arm compared to similar free agents last winter.
- The Red Sox are said to be "maintaining a quiet dialogue" with Jason Bay, who is eligible for free agency after the season. Rosenthal says there's no acrimony or deadline; the sides are just trying to determine Bay's value. It's a tricky calculation for corner outfielders, and the market will be flush after the season.
- Angels infielder Brandon Wood appears big league ready. Will the Angels trade Chone Figgins this summer to make room, or at least let Figgins leave as a free agent after the season? There are plenty of ways to sort out the situation, but Wood deserves to play.
- Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario, signed out of the Venezuelan winter league, drew strong praise from one scout.
- One scout had this to say regarding Emilio Bonifacio: "He's just a guy."
Red Sox Claim Travis Denker
According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Red Sox claimed second baseman Travis Denker off waivers from the Padres today. Denker had been designated for assignment to clear a spot for Luis Perdomo.
Denker, 23, hit .282/.373/.468 at Triple A last year as a member of the Giants organization. Baseball America envisioned him as an offense-first second baseman in their '08 Handbook, writing, "his value lies in his bat and his tenacity."