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Reds To Extend Bronson Arroyo

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The Reds agreed to a three-year, $35MM extension with Bronson Arroyo, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The deal will cover the 2011-13 seasons, though Arroyo was already under contract for $13MM in 2011, since the Reds picked up their club option.  Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports that the contract doesn't include a no-trade clause, but Arroyo will gain 10-and-5 rights in April 2012 and the pitcher was "given enough assurance" by owner Bob Castellini to ensure that he will stay in Cincinnati.

A great deal of Arroyo's salary will be deferred, Rosenthal reports.  The hurler will receive $6.5MM in 2011 and $7MM in 2012, but will see $15MM of the $18MM that he is owed in 2013 deferred.  It is interesting to note that the deferral is voided if Arroyo is traded.  This essentially grants Arroyo a no-trade clause as it is extremely unlikely that any club will want to pay him $18MM in '13.

Arroyo, 34 in Febraury, logged 215 2/3 innings in 2010, reaching 200 innings for the sixth consecutive season. The 11-year-veteran posted a 3.88 ERA with 5.0 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.

Ted Lilly, who turns 35 in January, signed a three-year, $33MM contract that may have been a point of reference in the negotiations. Another lefty, Jorge de la Rosa, recently agreed to a three-year, $32MM deal with the Rockies.

Minor Deals: Gotay, Rays, Duckworth, Carlyle

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A number of former big leaguers agreed to minor league deals today. Here are the details:

  • The Marlins signed Ruben Gotay, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter). The 27-year-old hasn't appeared in the majors since 2008, but he led the Pacific Coast League in walks and posted an .845 OPS last year.
  • The Rays announced that they signed five players, including righty Cory Wade and lefty R.J. Swindle, to minor league deals. Wade, 27, spent last year in the minors, but he pitched for the Dodgers in 2008-09. He has a 3.18 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 99 big league innings. Swindle is another 27-year-old who spent the 2010 season in the minors. He posted a 2.45 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 in 55 innings for the Rays' Triple-A affiliate. Like Wade, Swindle could prove useful for the 2011 Rays, who are building a bullpen on a budget.
  • The Reds signed outfielder David Cook, according to Eddy (on Twitter). The 29-year-old has a .258/.369/.468 line in eight minor league seasons.
  • The Red Sox signed right-hander Brandon Duckworth, according to Eddy (on Twitter). The 34-year-old spent the 2010 season pitching for the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, where he posted a 3.32 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. He has a 5.28 ERA in parts of eight big league seasons.
  • The Yankees signed right-hander Buddy Carlyle to a minor league deal, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Carlyle, 32, spent the 2010 season in Japan after posting a 5.61 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in parts of six big league seasons.
  • The D'Backs signed David Winfree, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The 25-year-old has a .273/.319/.448 line in his eight-year minor league career.

Reds Rumors: Bruce, Votto, Rhodes, Cairo, Arroyo

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The Reds have had preliminary extension talks with the agents for Jay Bruce and Joey Votto, and those aren't the only players GM Walt Jocketty is thinking of extending. Here are the details, from John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer:

  • Jocketty says the extension Troy Tulowitzki signed will probably figure into discussions with Votto "to some extent."
  • Free agent deals have been more lucrative than Jocketty expected so far this offseason. 
  • The Reds continue to talk to Arthur Rhodes, who's a Philadelphia target, and Miguel Cairo. Jocketty says he expects to reach a deal with Cairo.
  • The Reds are also making progress on an extension with Bronson Arroyo. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe hears (on Twitter) that the talks are hovering around three years and $35MM with some deferred money. Arroyo, writes Cafardo, is "not biting yet."

Who’s Looking For Starting Pitching?

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We're a week from the Winter Meetings, and starting pitchers Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda, Ted Lilly, Javier Vazquez, and Jake Westbrook have already signed – three of them with the Dodgers.  For the many teams that can't afford Cliff Lee, it's down to Jorge de la Rosa, Carl Pavano, and a field of comeback candidates or back-rotation arms.  Let's take a look at which teams are in the market.

  • Astros – They subtracted Felipe Paulino, and have been linked to Brandon McCarthy and Jeff Francis.  GM Ed Wade explained earlier this month that he'd like to add someone on a one-year deal similar to the Brett Myers contract.
  • Athletics – They showed their desire to add starting pitching by bidding $19.1MM for the right to negotiate with Hisashi Iwakuma.  If they're unable to reach a deal with him by Wednesday of next week, the A's could check out the free agent market.  They're known to be interested in McCarthy.
  • Brewers – They're in on McCarthy, Francis, and Jarrod Washburn, but are expected to focus on trade possibilities as they look to add a starter or two.
  • Cubs – The Cubs have five starters, but could add insurance with Jeremy Bonderman, Aaron Harang, Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, or Brandon Webb.
  • Diamondbacks – They were linked to McCarthy prior to acquiring Zach Duke.  With their front four settled, I expect them to worry about other needs.
  • Mariners – They've been linked to McCarthy and Jeff Francis, suggesting they're targeting injury comeback candidates.
  • Mets – The rumor mill has been quiet, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post can see them getting in on a reclamation-project starter in the new year.
  • Nationals – The Nationals are seeking pitching by trade, free agency, or both.  They're in on Lee, De La Rosa, Webb, and Pavano at the least.
  • Orioles – They apparently have tepid interest in De La Rosa, and have been linked to position players more frequently this offseason.
  • Padres – Garland's gone and Kevin Correia is a free agent.  The Padres have been linked to McCarthy and will probably seek late bargains.
  • Pirates – They seem very likely to sign some kind of free agent starter this winter.  They've moved on from Duke and are eyeing Scott Olsen, De La Rosa, Webb, and Francis.
  • Rangers – They could move Neftali Feliz to the rotation, but the top priority is signing Lee.  If Lee signs elsewhere they're expected to look into Zack Greinke.  They're known to be in on Webb, and happen to employ Webb's surgeon Dr. Keith Meister as the team physician.
  • Reds – They've been loosely linked to Webb based mainly on geography, but already made a big commitment to Bronson Arroyo and don't have a ton of spending money.
  • Rockies – They're likely to add a starter and are in on Webb and Francis.  They could also look at trades and lesser free agents, but at least they've added Paulino.
  • Royals – The Royals cut Brian Bannister and are interested in Kevin Millwood, to name one option.  If Kyle Davies is non-tendered on Thursday that would heighten their need.
  • Tigers – They seem content with their rotation options, but they were among the seven clubs linked to McCarthy.
  • Twins – They'll need an arm, possibly Pavano.  They placed a bid on Iwakuma and have been tied to Webb.  Washburn could also work.
  • White Sox – They haven't been linked to anyone, and appear to be in good shape even with Jake Peavy missing the beginning of the season given the possibility of moving Chris Sale into the rotation.  However, I won't rule Kenny Williams out if he finds one of the aforementioned free agent arms intriguing.
  • Yankees – They're the favorites for Lee, and Andy Pettitte might be leaning toward a return.  The Yankees are not expected to participate in the next bracket of free agent starters if one of those options falls through, and the trade market is barren if Greinke is off-limits.
  • The Angels, Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Marlins, Phillies, Rays, and Red Sox have either stayed out of the rumor mill or already made their additions.  Still, it would not be a shock for some of these teams to add starting pitching.

This Date In Transactions History: November 27th

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Let's hope into the wayback machine and look at a few notable moves that took place on past 11/27s…

  • The Phillies agreed to terms with Adam Eaton to a three-year, $24.5MM contract on this date in 2006.  Since the Phils went on to win the World Series in 2008, this signing was totally worth it, right?  Believers in the butterfly effect might agree, but to most, Eaton was a huge bust for Philadelphia.  The right-hander posted a 6.10 ERA in 51 appearances (49 of them starts) and the Phillies outright released Eaton before the 2009 season and ate the remaining $8.75MM on his contract.
  • The Yankees made a much more valuable signing on November 27, 2006, inking Mike Mussina to a two-year, $22MM deal.  The Moose struggled in 2007 but bounced back in a major way in 2008 — a 3.37 ERA, 4.84 K/BB ratio and tied for the league lead with 34 starts.  Mussina turned 40 in December 2008 and decided to retire, thus missing out on New York's World Series title the next season.
  • The Dodgers took a chance on the oft-injured Eric Davis when they acquired the Reds star (and pitcher Kip Gross) from Cincinnati on this date in 1991 in exchange for Tim Belcher and John Wetteland.  Davis posted just a .677 OPS in 730 plate appearances with L.A. before being traded to Detroit on August 31, 1993.  Davis didn't regain his old form until 1996-98, when he delivered three solid seasons with the Reds and Orioles.  The key figure in this trade ended up being Wetteland, but the Reds flipped him to Montreal just two weeks after acquiring him from Los Angeles.  Wetteland developed into a star closer for the Expos, Yankees and Rangers, and was named MVP of the 1996 World Series.
  • Speaking of Yankee postseason stars, the Bronx Bombers picked up third baseman Graig Nettles on this day in 1972.  Nettles and catcher Jerry Moses were acquired from the Indians for an unremarkable four-player package.  The defensively-stellar Nettles made five All-Star appearances in his 11 seasons as a Yankee, racking up 1396 hits and almost as many witty quotes to sportswriters.
  • Finally, one more New York team made an important addition on this date in 1967.  The Mets acquired manager Gil Hodges from the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) in exchange for pitcher Bill Denehy and $100K.  Denehy only pitched in 34 more games in the majors, while Hodges went on to lead the Mets to their Amazin' upset win in the 1969 World Series.  The former Dodger great managed the Mets for two more seasons before his untimely death of a heart attack at age 47. 

Minor League Transactions

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Here's a look at some notable names involved in minor transactions between November 16-21, as compiled by Baseball America's Matt Eddy…

  • Left-hander Scott Rice signed with the Cubs.  Rice was picked 44th overall by Baltimore in the 1999 amateur draft, but has yet to get a cup of coffee in the majors after appearing in 377 minor league games.
  • Right-hander Jon Huber re-signed with the Dodgers.  Huber last pitched in the majors in 2007 with Seattle.
  • Veteran right-hander Scott Patterson re-signed with the Mariners.  Patterson has four major league games to his name, with the Padres and Yankees in 2008.
  • The Marlins re-signed Vinny Rottino, and also signed relievers Victor Garate and Frank Mata.  The Fish also removed right-hander Brett Sinkbeil from their 40-man roster.  Sinkbeil was Florida's first-round pick (19th overall) in the 2006 draft, drafted ahead of such notables as Daniel Bard, Joba Chamberlain and Chris Perez.
  • Former Tigers outfielder Jeff Frazier signed with the Nationals.  Frazier made his major league debut with Detroit last season, posting a .511 OPS in 24 plate appearances.
  • The Orioles removed right-hander Armando Gabino and first baseman Rhyne Hughes from their 40-man roster, and Gabino elected free agency.  Gabino has a 15.12 ERA in 8 1/3 major league innings with Baltimore and Minnesota.  Hughes posted a .530 OPS in 51 plate appearances for the O's last season.
  • Pittsburgh released a number of minor leaguers, including a few notable international players.  Taiwanese prospects Sheng-Cin Hong and Chih-Wei Hsu, both signed by the Pirates at the start of the 2009 international signing period, have been let go by the club.  Also released was Dinesh Patel, signed by Pittsburgh in 2008 after being a finalist on the Indian reality show "Million Dollar Arm." Patel, a cricket player, had never pitched or even picked up a baseball before appearing on the show.
  • The Rangers reinstated Nathan Haynes from the inactive list and released the outfielder.  Haynes hasn't actually played since 2008.  Drafted 32nd overall by Oakland in the 1997 amateur draft, Haynes never caught on in the bigs, managing 95 career plate appearances with the Angels and Rays in 2007-08.
  • Right-hander Chad Reineke, best known for being traded straight-up for Randy Wolf in 2008, has re-signed with the Reds.
  • The Tigers outrighted Fu-Te Ni to Triple-A and removed the Taiwanese southpaw from their 40-man roster.  Ni had an impressive 2.61 ERA in 36 outings in his 2009 rookie season, but his ERA ballooned to 6.65 in 22 games with Detroit last year.

Reds Hopeful Of Re-Signing Rhodes, Less So Cabrera

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The Reds have an interest in bringing back both Arthur Rhodes and Orlando Cabrera, but "the chances of Rhodes returning are far greater than Cabrera," reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Neither player was offered arbitration by the club yesterday, since as GM Walt Jocketty explained to Fay, the Reds didn't want to take the risk that either Rhodes or Cabrera would accept and earn a raise for 2011.

The lack of arbitration offers makes sense, though it means that the Reds will face more competition to re-sign Rhodes.  Since the left-hander was a Type A free agent, a team that signed him would've had to give up a draft pick as compensation — a risky price for a pitcher that turned 41 last month.  Now that the Reds have declined to offer arbitration, however, teams are free to sign Rhodes without losing one of their picks. 

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes predicted that if Rhodes wasn't offered arbitration, the veteran reliever could command a two-year deal on the open market in spite of his advanced age.  Jocketty says that he's "still hopeful of getting something done" with Rhodes and last we heard, Rhodes was also hoping to return to Cincinnati next season.

Cabrera became a Type B free agent when the Reds declined his 2011 option and it appears that his days in Cincinnati could be numbered.  Jocketty said talks between Cabrera and the team were left "open," but the shortstop is "looking for more playing time than we can offer."  We heard a couple of weeks ago that Cabrera was already drawing some interest from teams, which is no surprise given the slim pickings on the middle infield market this winter.  Since the Reds are committed to starting Paul Janish at shortstop next year, Cabrera will likely depart if he can find at least a platoon role with another club.

National League Free Agent Arbitration Offers

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11 National League teams have free agent arbitration offer decisions to make, and we'll group them in this post.  For a fantastic customizable chart with all 65 Type A/B free agents and their decisions in real-time, click here.

Justin Upton Rumors: Tuesday

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Only two or three teams have the players to make a Justin Upton deal work, Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.  Towers added, "We're not talking about getting A-ball prospects back. It would have to be players that could help us in 2011."  Towers expects to know whether Upton will be traded before the end of the Winter Meetings (December 9th).  Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall predicted, "I think he'll probably be here on Opening Day."

Two GMs who spoke with Towers told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Towers is growing more pessimistic about trading Upton.  Rosenthal's sources say possible suitors like the Reds and Nationals "do not appear to match up for one reason or another."  ESPN's Buster Olney wrote today that the Marlins, Rays, and Blue Jays are thought to be in the best position to make a deal.

We learned yesterday that the Mariners, Athletics, Tigers, and Royals are on Upton's no-trade list.

Reds Will Discuss Long-Term Deal With Votto

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Joey Votto is not sure about his interest in a long-term deal, but the Reds will approach the newly crowned NL MVP about an extension, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Reds GM Walt Jocketty told Fay that the team was waiting to discuss a deal until the MVP was announced to be fair to Votto (Twitter link). The first baseman was uncertain of his interest in an extension earlier in the offseason and he remains undecided.

“How open am I to that? I don’t know," Votto said. "You’d have to see the figures and talk about the years. Because we haven’t had any conversations about it. It wouldn’t be fair to comment on it. I’m not trying to dodge the question. But I’ve got nothing.”

Ryan Howard and Justin Morneau parlayed MVP seasons into big arbitration raises in recent years. Albert Pujols, who has the same agent as Votto, signed a seven-year $100MM deal with Jocketty back in 2004. It's unclear how long the Reds would like to lock Votto up for, but he has set himself up to earn over $30MM for his three arbitration seasons. Agent Dan Lozano could compare his free agent value to that of Mark Teixeira and Adrian Gonzalez, so Votto will be expensive to sign long-term.

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