Quick Hits: Red Sox, Indians, Perez, Eaton
It was on this day 40 years ago that the baseball world lost one of its greatest stars. Following a massive earthquake that devastated the country of Nicaragua, Roberto Clemente helped organize a relief effort for victims of the disaster and accompanied one of the aid packages on its flight on New Year's Eve 1972 to ensure that the goods reached the proper hands. Tragically, Clemente's flight crashed off the shore of Puerto Rico, costing the Pirates superstar his life at the age of 38. Clemente was posthumously honored with the Presidential Citizens Medal and a Congressional Gold Medal by then-president Richard Nixon and the U.S. Congress, and given immediate entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame, as the BBWAA waived its usual five-year waiting period.
Here are some news items as we pay tribute to Clemente and look ahead to 2013…
- Counting arbitration raises and the $13MM they have tentatively agreed to pay Mike Napoli, the Red Sox 2013 payroll will almost exactly match the club's 2012 payroll, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
- Speaking of arb raises, you can follow all of the arbitration cases and settlements on MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker, which has now been updated with the salaries of players who have already come to agreements.
- The Indians have "liked" Jason Kubel dating back to his days with the Twins, so Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer figures the Tribe probably discussed Kubel in their previous negotiations with the Diamondbacks this winter. Hoynes doesn't think the Indians should deal Asdrubal Cabrera for Kubel (a reader's suggestion) but he agrees that Cleveland could use Kubel's power.
- Also from Hoynes' reader mail piece, he thinks the Indians will take care of other business before considering re-signing Travis Hafner, and that Chris Perez will return in 2013 unless the Tribe gets "a big return" in a trade for the closer.
- Kubel isn't a fit for the Mets and the team doesn't have the prospect depth to get Justin Upton, but Michael Baron of Metsblog.com wonders if the Mets could make a play for another Diamondbacks outfielder in Adam Eaton. While I agree that Eaton would be a good fit for the Amazins, it would take a lot to convince Arizona to part such a talented, controllable player.
- Peter Moylan appears to have little chance of returning to the Braves, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as GM Frank Wren said the team's bullpen was set after trading for Jordan Walden. Moylan has a career 2.59 ERA over seven seasons with Atlanta but has appeared in just 21 games over the last two seasons due to a lower back injury and rotator cuff surgery. The right-hander was non-tendered by the Braves in October.
- FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi lists the Padres, Orioles, Yankees and seven other teams who still have significant roster holes to fill in January. In a seperate list, Morosi names his top 10 baseball newsmakers of the past year.
Quick Hits: LaRoche, Marlins, Delmon Young, Brewers
The Mills Commission published its final report on this date in 1907 concluding Abner Doubleday invented the game of baseball in Cooperstown, NY in 1839 and had invented the word "baseball," designed the diamond, indicated fielders' positions, and written the rules. The commission's report remained the authoritative work on the origins of baseball for over a half a century before being scrutinzed by historians. It is now believed baseball did indeed evolve from rounders. Here's a round up of the latest news from around baseball:
- The Red Sox should be hesitant about parting with their second round draft choice as compensation to sign Adam LaRoche, according to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Britton points out Boston's second round draft pick will be the 44th overall because the free agent compensation rule changes have reduced the number of supplemental first round selections. Joey Votto and highly-regarded Tigers prospect Nick Castellanos have been tabbed at number 44 in past drafts.
- It is looking like the Marlins will start Donovan Solano at second base and Adeiny Hechavarria at shortstop, tweets the Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez.
- In a separate tweet, Rodriguez doesn't see any major additions to the Marlins' bullpen.
- Don't expect the Braves to address their opening in left field with Delmon Young, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- MLB.com's Adam McCalvy writes the only lock for the Brewers' 2013 starting rotation is Yovani Gallardo and breaks down the candidates competing for the other four spots.
- The kidnapping threat faced by Venezuelan MLB players in their homeland and how they deal with it is outlined in an excellent piece by Didier Morais for ESPNBoston.com.
AL East Notes: Pedroia, LaRoche, Smoak, Thome
In an appearance on WEEI radio's Red Sox Hot Stove show (partial transcript provided by WEEI.com's Alex Speier), Dustin Pedroia said he hadn't heard anything from his agents about any talks with the Red Sox about a possible contract extension. It was reported in November that Boston was interested in extending its second baseman, and Pedroia is eager to pursue such negotiations should they arise. "Obviously, I want to be a Red Sox my whole career and play in that city, turn this whole thing around to get back to where we were my first couple years there," Pedroia said.
Here's the latest from the AL East…
- The Red Sox are not only disinclined to give Adam LaRoche a three-year contract, but the club also doesn't want to surrender a draft pick to sign the free agent first baseman, tweets Peter Gammons. Boston has interest in LaRoche as a backup option if Mike Napoli can't be signed, and signing LaRoche would cost the Sox their second-round draft pick since LaRoche turned down a qualifying offer from the Nationals.
- Speaking of that Red Sox draft pick, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford looks at why Boston is hesitant to give up that selection.
- The Orioles "kicked the tires" on trading for Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak in each of the last two offseasons and also rated Smoak highly in his draft year, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Connolly sees Smoak as a good trade target for the O's and wonders if a Smoak-for-Brian Matusz deal would work for both teams. We heard earlier this week that the Orioles continued to have interest in Smoak, who could be expendable now that Seattle has Kendrys Morales in the fold.
- Jim Thome is "not an ideal fit" to return to the Orioles, writes MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli, as manager Buck Showalter would prefer to rotate his regulars through the DH spot. Earlier this month, Thome said he is open to returning in 2013 for his 23rd Major League season.
- The Rays' strong recent track record of signing veteran bullpen arms augers well for the Roberto Hernandez signing, writes MLB.com's Bill Chastain. Hernandez signed a one-year, $3.25MM deal with the Rays earlier this month.
First Base Remains “An Area Of Focus” For Red Sox
The Red Sox are still trying to finalize their contract agreement with Mike Napoli and have also spoken to Adam LaRoche recently, so it's clear they're looking to add a big bat. Assistant GM Brian O'Halloran confirmed first base remains "an area of focus" for the club during an appearance on WEEI's Red Sox Hot Stove Show yesterday.
"I’m not going to be able to address any specific free agents," said O'Halloran. "I will say that [GM Ben Cherington] has been in touch with a number of free agents. First base … is an area of focus. Not the only area of focus — we’re looking to strengthen our club any way we can. That process never ends. But Ben has certainly been in touch with a number of free agents, ongoing conversations, over the last few weeks."
As our Free Agent Tracker shows, unsigned free agent first basemen include LaRoche, Napoli, Lyle Overbay, Aubrey Huff, Carlos Lee, and Lance Berkman. The Red Sox have Mauro Gomez, who hit .275/.324/.422 in 111 plate appearances last season, on the 40-man roster and could theoretically use David Ortiz at first base as well. He hasn't started more than ten games at the position since 2004, however.
In our poll last night, nearly 10,000 MLBTR readers said they believe Boston's deal with Napoli will fall through and he will wind up signing elsewhere.
Poll: The Red Sox & Mike Napoli
It has been 24 days since the Red Sox and Mike Napoli agreed to a three-year contract worth $39MM. The two sides have been unable to finalize the deal due to a hip issue that popped up during the physical, and the team is reportedly trying to put some protective language into the pact. They’ve used similar clauses in contracts for J.D. Drew and John Lackey.
Earlier today we learned the Red Sox have been talking to Adam LaRoche, a free agent first baseman who would be a viable alternative to Napoli. A few hours later we heard that Napoli’s representatives have had talks with at least one other team. Both reports could just be one side trying to gain leverage over the other, or they could be an indication the agreement is falling apart and they’ve both begun to look for alternatives.
With the calendar just about ready to flip over to 2013, unsigned free agents will soon begin to scramble to find jobs for next season. Teams will also start to scramble for solutions to their remaining roster holes since Spring Training will be just six weeks away. Neither Napoli nor the Red Sox want this thing to drag out any longer, so a resolution should come relatively soon one way or the other.
Will the Red Sox & Napoli complete their agreement?
-
No, he'll end up elsewhere 57% (14,643)
-
Yes 43% (10,842)
Total votes: 25,485
Napoli Has Interest From Another Team
At least one team has been in communication with Mike Napoli's representatives since negotiations with the Red Sox hit a snag, multiple baseball sources tell Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. However, one source says it is believed that no contract offer has been extended by a team other than the Sox since the two sides reached agreement on a deal earlier this month.
The Red Sox and Napoli have yet to finalize their agreement on a three-year, $39MM deal due to concerns over the 31-year-old's hip. Earlier today, we learned that Boston has been in talks with free agent Adam LaRoche as a possible alternative. Signing LaRoche would cost Boston their second-round pick and the veteran says that he is looking for a three-year deal.
Red Sox Notes: Napoli, Upton, LaRoche
Here's a look at the latest on the Red Sox following their introductory conference call for shortstop Stephen Drew..
- The Red Sox continue to work on language in Mike Napoli's deal concerning his hip issue, but they haven't gotten to whether they will alter the terms of the agreement, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, the club continues to talk with free agent Adam LaRoche as a possible alternative.
- Bowden suggested five deals that would change the fortune of contending teams, including a swap for the Red Sox with the Diamondbacks. In the proposed deal, the Red Sox would acquire Justin Upton in exchange for Xander Bogaerts, Matt Barnes, and Brandon Jacobs. The deal would give Boston an outfield of Upton, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Shane Victorino and give them adequate reinforcements if Ellsbury goes elsewhere in free agency.
- The continued interest by the Red Sox in LaRoche puts pressure on the Nationals, writes James Wagner of the Washington Post. The Nationals have so far refused to go to three years for LaRoche while the Red Sox are exploring multi-year possibilities with the first baseman.
Pedroia Influenced Stephen Drew To Pick Boston
Stephen Drew stood as the top available shortstop this winter, despite missing the bulk of the last two seasons with a severe ankle injury. Some speculated that it would take a multi-year deal to sign the 29-year-old, but the Red Sox wound up inking up Drew to a one-year pact worth $9.5MM and $500K in performance bonuses. Drew says that there were potential opportunities for multi-year deals and contracts with player options, but he ultimately felt that the Red Sox were the best fit for him.
"There were some teams out there that me and [agent Scott Boras] said could have been thinking that. I think at the end of the day we said that there were teams that needed a shortstop and we looked at who is playing second and the rest of the field and we looked at what would benefit me. I think Boston was the best fit for us," the shortstop said on a conference call with reporters.
Drew explained that part of Boston's appeal was the chance to form a strong middle infield with second baseman Dustin Pedroia. The shortstop believes that despite all of the time missed in 2011 and '12, his defensive play in Oakland was some of the best of his career. Drew will celebrate the new year on January 1st by taking ground balls and ramping up his prep for 2013.
One might think that the shortstop's opinion of Boston would be shaped by his brother J.D. Drew, who played for the Red Sox from 2007-2011. However, the younger Drew said that his conversations with the former outfielder only center on baseball "here and there". Drew is aware of the difference between the markets in Arizona and Oakland versus Boston, but isn't overly concerned with having to adjust.
Boras believes that Drew's setbacks over the last couple of years have led to fans forgetting exactly how talented he is. In the three years prior to his injury-shortened '11 campaign, Drew posted a .277/.335/.465 batting line and provided the kind of power that isn't easy to find at his position.
"The need for shortstops is so great. And then when you add in Stephen’s swing plane and his metrics, where he hits the ball, in Fenway, we really felt like that was kind of the match made for what strengths Stephen has as a hitter and what the ballpark in Boston provides," the agent explained.
Ultimately, Drew's one-year deal is an opportunity to prove that he can once again produce at a high level while staying on the field. While the Red Sox are still working on finalizing Mike Napoli's deal amongst questions about his hip, Drew says that he is as healthy as ever. If Drew can show that his right ankle is back to 100%, Boras knows that he will boost his value even further.
"I think after this year, everyone is going to think a lot differently about what kind of player Stephen is and the impact he can have on a division-contending team."
Red Sox Talking To Adam LaRoche
The Red Sox are talking with free agent Adam LaRoche, two sources tell Jen Royle of SB Nation Boston (via Twitter). LaRoche is seeking a three-year deal and a third source tells Royle that he's still not willing to compromise on contract length.
LaRoche would be the alternative to signing Mike Napoli, but major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Boston would prefer to complete their deal with the backstop. The Red Sox haven't given any official word on why the deal with Napoli hasn't been completed, but sources say that an issue with one of Napoli's hips has given the club pause. There's an agreement in place for a three-year, $39MM deal, but the Red Sox could simply walk from it since it has not been finalized.
If the Red Sox did sign LaRoche, Rosenthal writes that Napoli would go back into the market and likely accept a shorter, cheaper deal, possibly from the Rangers. The Nationals would fill the void internally by moving Michael Morse to first base and go with an outfield of Bryce Harper in left, Denard Span in center, and Jayson Werth in right. However, Napoli remains Boston's preference in part because signing LaRoche would cost a second-round pick.
The Napoli problem is familiar territory for Boston as they put language in the contracts of right fielder J.D. Drew and right-hander John Lackey to protect from pre-existing medical conditions. According to sources, the Red Sox are working to get Napoli to agree to similar protection in his deal.
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Diaz
Links on the Yankees and Red Sox as Wednesday becomes Thursday..
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) sees several tradeable pieces on the Red Sox roster. Among them are the club's spare catchers (Ryan Lavarnway or Jarrod Saltalamacchia), Alfredo Aceves, Andrew Bailey, or one of their left-handed relievers. Abraham isn't sure what those pieces could net Boston in return, however.
- The Yankees' signing of Matt Diaz to a minor league deal likely won't end their search for a right-handed hitting outfield option, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Diaz's deal will be worth $1.2MM if he reaches the majors with the chance to earn an additional $800K in incentives.
- Diaz could be primed for a bounce-back year as his agents at Reynolds Sports Management (on Twitter) point out that the outfielder's recurring thumb issues are behind him. Diaz's slash line over the last two years has been .251/.295/.326 versus .301/.350/.456 in the previous eight seasons.