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Braves Open To Trading Jurrjens, Prado

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The Braves have told some teams they would be willing to move Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado in a trade, a Major League source tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  Atlanta is known to be looking for a power-hitting outfielder and possibly a new shortstop, so either could be acquired in a Jurrjens/Prado trade, or at the very least the Braves could pick up some salary relief — both Jurrjens and Prado are arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter.

The Braves and Royals have already discussed a Jurrjens trade, and the Braves have an interest in minor league outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Wil Myers, amongst several other prospects in K.C.'s deep farm system.  The Royals are known to be targeting veteran starting pitching on the trade market this winter so the two sides would seem like a fit as trading partners.  As Bowman notes, Cain could be seen by the Braves as a future center field option if Michael Bourn isn't signed to an extension.

Jurrjens was an All-Star in 2011, though the right-hander struggled badly (a 5.88 ERA) in the second half of the season and spent time on the DL with a knee injury.  While Jurrjens' health is a question mark, Myers also took a minor step back (a .745 OPS in Double-A) in 2011 after being ranked as the 10th-best prospect in the sport in Baseball America's preseason rankings.  Myers is still just 20, however, and was converted to the outfield this year after spending his first two pro seasons as a catcher.

After an impressive 2010 season that saw him finish ninth in NL MVP voting, Prado took a step back in 2011, hitting .260/.302/.385 as Atlanta's everyday left fielder.  Prado's ability to play left, third, first and second base would make him an intriguing trade possibility for a number of teams, especially since he could be available at a somewhat buy-low price.

Royals Exercise Joakim Soria’s 2012 Option

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The Royals announced that they exercised their 2012 option for closer Joakim Soria. Soria will earn a $6MM salary, rather than a $750K buyout. Soria would not have been eligible for free agency if the Royals had declined the option. Instead, Kansas City would have gone to arbitration with Soria and he would have obtained a salary in excess of $6MM. “This decision was more of a formality,” Royals GM Dayton Moore said. 

Soria, 27, posted a 4.03 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 60 1/3 innings in 2011. It was an up-and-down campaign for the 27-year-old, who lost his closing job after a rough stretch in late May.

Quick Hits: Pirates, CBA, Cubs, Royals

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Some late-night links on this Saturday night …

  • The Pirates are considering exercising shortstop Ronny Cedeno's $3MM 2012 option, but they will likely pass on options for Chris Snyder ($6.75MM), Ryan Doumit ($7.25MM) and Paul Maholm ($9.75MM), according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. As well, Langosch adds the Bucs have interest in re-signing first baseman Derrek Lee but will probably allow Ryan Ludwick to walk in free agency.
  • MLB and the players union are close on a new collective bargaining agreement, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, although slotting for draft signing bonuses remains an issue of debate. Commissioner Bud Selig and some small-market teams are in favor of hard slotting, according to Heyman.
  • Cubs president Theo Epstein said he wants to talk to starter Carlos Zambrano before deciding how to proceed in handling the right-hander, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, whether that be retaining Zambrano or trying to trade him. As well, Epstein hinted at one of the organization's overarching goals: "We're looking for assets," Epstein said. "We're going to scratch and claw and do everything in our power — in the Draft, internationally, small trades, waiver claims. We need to build assets because we don't have enough of them.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore told Dick Kaegel of MLB.com that he will "explore trade possibilities to add a starter." Moore said the Royals probably won't try to sign a free-agent starter, however.

AL Central Notes: Cabrera, Jimenez, Sizemore

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On this date in 2005, the White Sox won their first World Series since 1917, completing a sweep of the Astros behind a strong outing from Freddy Garcia. Here's the latest news from the AL Central…

  • Royals GM Dayton Moore told Dick Kaegel of MLB.com that he expects to work out a one-year deal with Melky Cabrera instead of exploring a multiyear extension with the center fielder. Cabrera, who will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season, posted a .305/.339/.470 line with 18 homers, 20 stolen bases and 201 hits in 2011. MLBTR projects a 2012 salary of $4.4MM for the 27-year-old.
  • Rany Jazayerli explores the starting pitching trade market from the perspective of the Royals and lists A.J. Burnett, Bronson Arroyo, Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Wandy Rodriguez and Ted Lilly as arms Moore could pursue. These possible targets have substantial contracts to go along with experience and some ability.
  • MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian points out that Justin Verlander rebounded from a disappointing 2008 season to become one of baseball’s best pitchers and wonders if Indians right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez could experience a similar renaissance in 2012. 
  • Bastian also points out that Matt LaPorta doesn’t have a guaranteed job heading into Spring Training and notes that acquiring Mike Napoli would be tremendously difficult for the Indians.
  • The Indians have talked to Joe Urbon, Grady Sizemore's agent, about re-negotiating the center fielder's $9MM option into a multiyear deal for similar money, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It doesn’t look like the sides will re-structure Sizemore’s contract, however.

Coaching, Front Office News: Eiland, Blue Jays, Feinstein

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The latest on the coaching and managerial front:

  • The Royals announced the hiring of Dave Eiland as their new pitching coach.  Eiland served as the Yankees' pitching coach from 2008-10 and spent this year as a special assistant with the Rays.
  • The Blue Jays announced an amendment to their employee permission policy: they will not grant permission for lateral moves.  GM Alex Anthopoulos will be holding a press conference today, presumably on this topic.  The implication is that the Red Sox will not be allowed to interview John Farrell for their managerial position.  
  • Rays director of baseball operations Dan Feinstein has joined the Athletics as their director of pro scouting and baseball development, according to the team.  

Heyman On Pujols, Wilson, Angels, Crane

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SI's Jon Heyman leads his latest column with an examination of Albert Pujols' impending free agency.  An additional $20MM in total dollars wouldn't compel Pujols to leave St. Louis, says one person who knows the slugger well.  The preseason gap was large, though, as Heyman says the Cardinals were at nine years and "a bit more than $200MM" while Pujols wanted to beat Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM deal.  Wherever he lands, Pujols is certainly putting an exclamation point on his season.  Heyman's other rumors…

  • The Rangers almost surely would be out of the C.J. Wilson bidding if it reaches five years and $75MM, hears Heyman.  A Rangers person tells Heyman Wilson hasn't actually named an exact asking price.  The lefty is looking forward to free agency and noted to Heyman that he doesn't have a wife, a child, or a dog, implying the decision will be entirely his.  The Nationals, Marlins, and Royals are likely to pursue Wilson, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • The Angels' desire for a scouting type in their GM job may favor the Yankees' Damon Oppenheimer, hears Heyman.
  • Prospective Astros owner Jim Crane seeks a $50MM discount for moving to the American League.
  • "I wish I stay here," remarked Rafael Furcal on his upcoming free agency.  The 34-year-old shortstop joined the Cardinals at the trade deadline and is playing in his first World Series.

Blue Jays Claim Jesse Chavez

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The Blue Jays announced that they claimed right-hander Jesse Chavez off of waivers from the Royals (Twitter link). The Royals designated Chavez for assignment ten days ago when they claimed Aaron Laffey off of waivers.

The Royals acquired Chavez from the Braves in the summer 2010 trade that sent Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel to Atlanta. The right-hander had two stints with this year's Royals team, but spent most of the season at Triple-A Omaha, where he posted a 3.75 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 57 2/3 innings of relief work. He provided the Pirates with a solid season of relief in 2009 and hasn't been able to replicate that success at the Major League level since.

Yu Darvish Links: Yankees, Jays, Rangers, Mariners

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Here's the latest on the Yu Darvish sweepstakes…

  • Talking to MLBTR's Tim Dierkes (Twitter link), an unnamed agent believes Darvish's posting fee will reach $50MM, and the right-hander will then sign a five-year, $75MM contract with the winning team.
  • Brian Cashman told Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York that the Yankees scouted Darvish last season in Japan, but unsurprisingly didn't comment about whether or not the team would be interested in bidding for the right-hander.
  • Yankee management is unlikely to pay an expensive posting fee for Darvish given the club's spotty history with Japanese pitchers, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link).  For what's it worth, the "Yankees' scouts love Darvish." 
  • In another tweet, Sherman lists the Rangers, Blue Jays, Nationals, Mariners and Royals as the favorites to land Darvish this winter, in that order.
  • The Mariners have scouted Darvish but, in the opinion of Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, the M's shouldn't make a bid since the team has so much young pitching coming up from the minors.  Stone also points out that "the Mariners have not become the haven for Japanese players that was predicted by some" when Hiroshi Yamauchi became the club's principal owner.  

Managers And GMs Entering Their Contract Year

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As Jim Riggleman would tell you, everyone in baseball wants more job security.  Here is a list of managers and general managers whose contracts expire after 2012, featuring both extension candidates and those on the hot seat this winter.  (Thanks to the always-invaluable Cot's Baseball Contracts for many of the details.)

White Sox: Kenny Williams has a rolling contract that automatically extends itself every year.  Should Williams be fired, the Sox will owe him one year's worth of severance pay.  With Ozzie Guillen now managing the Marlins, the spotlight will be directly on Williams to get the White Sox back on track following their rough 2011 season.  Williams has already made one roll of the dice by hiring first-time manager Robin Ventura.  White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Williams have a strong relationship, but if the team struggles again in 2012, the Sox could blow things up and rebuild under a new general manager.

Tigers: Jim Leyland entered this season as a lame duck and signed just a one-year contract extension from Detroit in August.  This relative lack of security is how Leyland prefers it, however, since he isn't sure how much longer he'll continue to manage.  Given the Tigers' success, one would think they'll let Leyland go year-to-year for as long as he feels up to the job.

Royals: Ned Yost is entering the last year of his contract and I would guess that he'll receive another.  While the Royals don't expect any on-field success right now, the onus is on Yost to ensure that Kansas City's wealth of young prospects continue to develop.  Yost will return as K.C.'s manager in 2013 unless the Royals heavily regress from their 71-91 record of last year, or (even worse) the likes of Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Danny Duffy hit a snag in their Major League seasoning.

Rockies: Colorado's disappointing 2011 campaign puts the pressure on manager Jim Tracy, who is entering the final year of his original three-year pact with the team.  GM Dan O'Dowd recently told Troy Renck of the Denver Post that he doesn't foresee any problems with Tracy working as a lame duck.  "Jim is signed through next year and we'd love to have him be manager here for much longer than that," O'Dowd said.

Reds: Dusty Baker signed a two-year extension with the Reds last October.  If Cincinnati takes the unlikely step of trading Joey Votto and starting a mini-rebuilding phase, Baker may not want to stick around while the club builds itself back into a contender.  A Votto deal is a long shot (at least in the short term), however, so barring a poor season for the Reds in 2012, the team will probably pursue another extension with Baker next winter.

Rays: Because Andrew Friedman works without an official contract, his name was already linked to the GM's openings with the Cubs and Astros earlier this year.  Friedman has said he enjoys the challenge of working in Tampa Bay and it would be odd for him to walk away given that the Rays are contenders now and for the foreseeable future given their deep minor league system.  Manager Joe Maddon is similarly very likely to stay, even though his three-year contract runs out after next season.  Tampa Bay's shaky financial situation makes Maddon's status a very minor question mark, but one would think the Rays will do everything in their power to keep Maddon, especially since owner Stu Sternberg said he expects Maddon to manage the team beyond 2012.

Rangers: Ron Washington signed a two-year extension through 2012 in the wake of the Rangers' AL pennant last season.  With Texas on the verge of another World Series appearance, Washington looks to be in line for another new deal.

Indians: GM Chris Antonetti's original five-year contract is up after 2012 and the Indians' progress would indicate that the club will pursue an extension.  The Tribe picked up Manny Acta's 2013 option last month.

Giants: Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy both had their options for 2012 picked up last February, an expected move given San Francisco's 2010 World Series title.  That championship also probably ensures both men will receive extensions at some point over the next year since incoming team CEO Laurence Baer has stated that he wants Sabean and Bochy to stay.  Unless the Giants have a disastrous 2012 campaign, expect Sabean and Bochy to be in San Francisco for years to come.

Dodgers: Ned Colletti can either activate an out clause in his contract after 2012, or 2012 is actually the last year on his deal.  Either way, the general manager will likely be pursued by the club to sign an extension given how competitive the Dodgers were this season in the wake of the ongoing ownership mess.  Of course, Colletti could choose to leave given the uncertainty with the McCourts.  Chicago native Colletti drew some attention from the Cubs last summer, before the Theo Epstein hiring.

Diamondbacks: 2012 is the last guaranteed year for both Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson, though Towers had club options for 2013-14 and 2015-16, and Gibson has a club option for 2013.  Neither man is going anywhere in the wake of Arizona's surprise run to the NL West crown.

Cubs: Mike Quade is signed through 2012 with a club option for 2013.  Rumors are already swirling that Ryne Sandberg could be hired as the Cubs' new manager once Theo Epstein takes over, so Quade could be out of a job once the Epstein era officially begins in Chicago.  

Cardinals: Tony La Russa and the Cards have a mutual option for 2012 and the latest indication is that La Russa wishes to return for another season.  The manager could have a change of heart should Albert Pujols leave for free agency, though La Russa's return could provide some incentive for Pujols to also stay in St. Louis.  It's also worth noting that La Russa is just 35 wins behind John McGraw for second place on the list of all-time regular season managerial wins.

Brewers: Doug Melvin's contract expires after 2012 and given Milwaukee's success this season, he seems like a sure bet to receive an extension.  It will be interesting to see how long a Melvin extension would run; ownership may not want to commit to Melvin for more than three years just to see how he operates in a post-Prince Fielder environment in Milwaukee.  Ron Roenicke is also technically out of contract after next year, but the Brewers hold a club option on the manager for 2013 that is very likely to be exercised.  A new multiyear deal for Roenicke is also not out of the question.

Astros: General manager Ed Wade's deal is up after 2012 but his tenure in Houston could finish early once the sale of the team to Jim Crane is finalized.  A new GM could also spell the end of Brad Mills as the manager, who is contracted through 2012 with a club option for 2013.  While Mills did lead the Astros to the worst record (56-106) in franchise history last season, he didn't have much talent to work with on the Houston roster.

Offseason Outlook: Kansas City Royals

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The Royals' offseason revolves around their search for top-of-the-rotation pitching.

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Free Agents

For the Royals to continue their turnaround and post a winning record in 2012, they must acquire starting pitching this offseason. It's never easy to obtain front-end starters, but the Royals' strong, young core of position players and relievers will allow them to focus on adding to their rotation in the coming months.

The Royals finished next-to-last among Major League teams in rotation ERA in 2011 (4.82), only leading the Orioles. Their starters were also among the bottom ten teams in strikeout rate (5.9 K/9), walk rate (3.1 BB/9) and innings pitched. They need help and the farm system hasn't produced pitchers as prolifically as it has churned out position players.

Kansas City won 71 games on one of MLB's lowest payrolls last year: $38MM. It will be hard to avoid a more expensive 2012 team. If the Royals offer contracts to all their arbitration eligible players except Chris Getz and Brayan Pena, they'll have committed about $31.5MM in payroll before accounting for their many minimum salary players. They spent $75MM as recently as 2010, so GM Dayton Moore should be able to make competitive free agent offers if necessary, especially since Gil Meche chose not to accept the final $12MM on his contract.

Moore has said he'll look internally first, then to the trade market and finally at free agents as he searches for rotation help. It's possible Aaron Crow or Everett Teaford could transition to the rotation and join starters Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy. 

The trade market may feature pitchers such as James Shields, Gio Gonzalez, Jason Vargas and Wandy Rodriguez. The Braves, Moore's former team, have impressive pitching depth and Mike Minor and Jair Jurrjens could be linked to the Royals, who have said they'll trade prospects for pitchers. Minor leaguers Mike Montgomery and Jake Odorizzi could join the rotation in 2012, while John Lamb will spend much of the year recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Two of the Royals' most effective and reliable starters, Jeff Francis and Bruce Chen, are eligible for free agency and could re-sign in Kansas City. It makes sense for the Royals to offer arbitration to Chen, a Type B free agent. If he accepts, they have a solid starter for a few million on a one-year deal. If he declines and signs elsewhere, the Royals obtain a supplementary first-round pick in 2012.

The free agent market also offers front-end pitchers, but it's hard to imagine C.C. Sabathia or C.J. Wilson leaving their current teams for Kansas City. Free agent Edwin Jackson would instantly become the Royals' top starter and they could theoretically add an ace by winning the bidding for Yu Darvish. Realistically, it would be problematic for the small-market Royals to fit an elite free agent into the budget, so Moore's reluctance to build through free agency makes sense.

Joakim Soria struggled at times last year and the Royals' bullpen wasn't overwhelming, but there's reason for optimism. Soria, Greg Holland, Blake Wood, Tim Collins and Louis Coleman provide manager Ned Yost with many viable options. That doesn't include possible starters Crow and Teaford or Rule 5 acquisition Nathan Adcock. Next year's bullpen appears to be in place, though the Royals could trade some relief depth to obtain the starting pitching they need.

Few teams integrated as many rookie position players as the Royals in 2011, as Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, Johnny Giavotella and Mike Moustakas established themselves as starters. Even so, Kansas City finished sixth in the American League in runs scored (730). Every Royals regular is under team control next year, so Moore can build his bench and consider extensions. 

Chris Getz could provide the Royals with depth behind Giavotella, but at $1.2MM, Getz would cost three times as much as Yamaico Navarro and has become a non-tender candidate. The same can be said for Brayan Pena, now that 24-year-old Manny Pina is a legitimate option behind the plate. The Royals could also non-tender Pena and seek a more established backup, such as Kelly Shoppach, Jose Molina or Ivan Rodriguez. Handing over the catching duties to Perez and Pina would show a level of confidence teams rarely display with rookie backstops. Perez and Pina have just 43 combined games of MLB experience, so I believe it would be too much to ask them to hit, catch and help develop a young pitching staff without the support of a more experienced catcher.

Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur, two of Moore's best free agent acquisitions, will join Alex Gordon in next year's outfield. It's possible that the Royals will discuss an extension with Gordon — MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has suggested a four-year deal for less than $30MM could work for both sides — and they might even look to extend Cabrera. However, it wouldn't be surprising if outfield prospect Wil Myers reached the Majors in 2012, so the Royals may not want to lock up their entire outfield, despite its impressive production in 2011.

The Royals are better-positioned than most of baseball's 90-loss teams. They have no bad contracts on the books and many promising prospects in the minor leagues. Their young position players are proving themselves at the Major League level and their bullpen features intriguing, effective arms. Dayton Moore's next challenge, the search for a front-of-the-rotation starter or two, will define Kansas City's offseason and shape the team's chances in 2012.

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