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Quick Hits: Greinke, Astros, Votto, Padres

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On this day in 1970, the Cardinals sent first baseman/outfielder Willie Montanez to the Phillies as part of a compensation package for Curt Flood refusing to report to Philadelphia when he was dealt in October of 1969.  Flood's story is now part of baseball lore but Montanez would go on to have a solid career of his own.  Montanez played 14 years in the majors and hit .275/.327/.402 for his career.  Here's a look at tonight's links..

  • Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) writes that in order for Brewers pitcher Zack Greinke to restore his value, the hurler has to to alter the perception that he can be a troublesome clubhouse presence.  Olney writes that there are already some teams who won't consider him because of the reputation he earned in Kansas city.
  • The Astros were able to land outfielder Justin Maxwell off of waivers from the Yankees earlier today thanks to their top position on the waiver wire.  Houston GM Jeff Luhnow says that while he hopes to win more games, he plans on taking advantage of their wire position, writes MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
  • Locking up Joey Votto doesn't come cheap but the Reds made the right move when they made him a $200MM man, opines B.J. Bethel of the Dayton Daily News.  The Reds, he writes, have not produced a bona fide superstar since the days of Barry Larkin and Eric Davis.
  • Jay Paris of the North County Times thinks that Padres owner John Moores needs to do more to endear himself to fans if he hopes to keep the club's attendance numbers up.

Rosenthal On Hamels, Greinke, Cain, Kinsler

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The season is underway and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (video link) is back with Full Count..

  • Cole Hamels didn't set an Opening Day deadline in his contract talks, but if the Phillies want to hammer out a deal mid-season they'll have to make him a bold and aggressive offer.  Otherwise, the pitcher likely wouldn't listen midseason.  Matt Cain's new deal is the baseline for Hamels and unless they'll venture into Cliff Lee territory (five-years, $120MM), they probably shouldn't bother restarting the talks.
  • The Cain deal also puts the Brewers in a tough spot with Zack Greinke.  Cain has been much more consistent than Greinke in the last five years but he's seen a bit of a drop over the last two seasons.  The Brewers might want to wait to see more before offering $100MM+ plus, though his second-half last season was a sign of great things to come.
  • For the Giants, the Cain signing is a buffer against potentially losing Tim Lincecum.  Lincecum could cost the Giants upwards of $25MM a year, but Rosenthal says to keep two factors in mind.  First, the contracts of Aaron Rowand and Barry Zito will be off the books by the time Lincecum's next deal begins.  Secondly, the club's annual debt payments on AT&T Park – roughly $20MM a year – end after the 2017 season.
  • The Rangers have discussed four- and five- year deals with Ian Kinsler but aren't eager to give him free agent money when he's under control for two more years.  The danger for Texas is that the Yankees could potentially sign Robinson Cano to a monster deal, effectively raising Kinsler's price.  Both players are eligible for free agency after the 2013 season.

Brewers Notes: Greinke, Melvin, Roenicke

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The latest on the Brewers, via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (links go to Twitter):

  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin said he talked to Casey Close about Zack Greinke yesterday and will speak to the agent again Monday. There's no deadline for talks between the Brewers and Greinke, Close's new client.
  • Melvin doesn't see "major weaknesses" on his team.
  • Owner Mark Attanasio suggested the club will have the flexibility to add payroll midseason if necessary.
  • Attanasio said the club is progressing nicely toward extensions for Melvin and manager Ron Roenicke. Melvin's contract expires after the 2012 season and the Brewers hold a 2013 option for Roenicke.
  • Melvin confirmed extension talks will also continue with closer John Axford, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Extension Rumors: Zack Greinke, Ian Kinsler

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The baseball world is still reeling from the two historic contract extensions handed out earlier this week. Here's the latest on two players in line for similar deals…

Extension Updates: Votto, Niese, Kinsler, Greinke

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It’s been a big week for extensions, as Joey Votto and Matt Cain signed historic contracts on Monday. Here are some extension updates from around the league, starting with a couple additional notes on Votto’s deal.

  • John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer has the annual breakdown of Votto's deal (Twitter links). He'll earn $12MM in 2014, $14MM in 2015, $20MM in 2016, $22MM in 2017, and $25MM during each of the final six years. The club option for 2024 is worth $20MM with a $7MM buyout.
  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has a breakdown of Jonathon Niese's new extension with the Mets (on Twitter). The southpaw gets a $250K signing bonus with annual salaries of $769.5K, $3MM, $5MM, $7MM, and $9MM. The two club options ($10MM and $11MM) can each be bought out for $500K.
  • Reds president and CEO Bob Castellini was the one driving the Votto deal, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. Other ownership groups have some concern over the ten-year deal, Crasnick adds.
  • The Rangers are discussing a long-term deal with Ian Kinsler, and while the sides are in agreement on the contract length — six years — they haven’t yet found common ground in terms of contract value, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Kinsler doesn’t want to negotiate after the season begins on Friday.
  • Casey Close, the agent for Zack Greinke, and Brewers GM Doug Melvin will speak tomorrow to “fill each other in on where discussions stand,” the GM told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Greinke had been representing himself, but his new agent will handle talks from here on.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Casey Close To Represent Zack Greinke

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Casey Close of Excel Sports Management will represent Zack Greinke as the right-hander embarks on the final season of his contract with the Brewers, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio tweets. If Matt Cain's recent contract provides any indication, Close could seek a $100MM payday for his newest client before long.

"I can’t really get into if I think I compare to him or I don’t think I compare to him," Greinke told reporters yesterday. "That’s more business stuff I don’t feel like giving y’all my opinion on.”

Greinke left CAA — Close's former agency — this fall and had been operating without an agent in the meantime. MLBTR's Agency Database offers a complete look at Close's client list.

Greinke will earn $13.5MM this season and will hit free agency this coming offseason unless the Brewers sign him long-term. The 28-year-old posted a 3.83 ERA with 10.5 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 47.3% ground ball rate in 171 2/3 innings for the Brewers in 2011, his first campaign in the National League.

The Latest On Zack Greinke

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Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke spoke to reporters about a variety of contract-related topics today. Here's a recap courtesy of MLB.com's Adam McCalvy and Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel (all Twitter links)…

  • “We’ll see,” said Greinke when asked if Matt Cain's extension will impact his extension talks with the Brewers. “Obviously, he’s really good. I can’t really get into if I think I compare to him or I don’t think I compare to him. That’s more business stuff I don’t feel like giving y’all my opinion on.”
  • Greinke said the only person he's spoken to about his contract situation is his wife, so he's unsure where reports of him being close to hiring an agent are coming from. "Sometimes it's accurate; sometimes it's not," he said. "I don't want to say what's accurate and what's not … Especially with business stuff, I don't think it's important for you guys to know until it actually comes out."
  • ESPN's Buster Olney says (on Twitter) that Greinke's market as a free agent next offseason will be more limited than Cole Hamels' given "[his] past." Some teams could avoid him all together.

Zack Greinke Close To Picking Agent

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Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke continues to interview agents for representation and is expected to make a decision this week prior to Opening Day, a source tells Jim Bowden of ESPN (via Twitter).  Casey Close of Excel Sports Management appears to be the frontrunner, according to Bowden (Twitter link). 

Greinke has been operating without an agent since leaving CAA last spring.  The 28-year-old figures to be one of the top free agent starters following this season and says that he is open to signing an extension with Milwaukee.  Earlier this month, Greinke indicated that he wouldn't look to hire an agent until after the 2012 season.

For a look at other players represented by Excel Sports Management, head over to MLBTR's Agency Database.

Central Links: Axford, Tigers, Hosmer

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Three years ago today, the Reds traded Jeff Keppinger to the Astros for a player to be named later. That player ended up being Drew Sutton. Here's the latest from baseball's two Central divisions…

  • "I don't care if it does," said John Axford to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy when asked if he minds if extensions talks with the Brewers carry over into the regular season. "I'm open to still talking [during the season], for sure, and it doesn't affect me if we don't talk."
  • "What I'm telling you is that we don't definitely have any trades in place," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Detroit appears to be taking as much time as possible before announcing their final roster moves.
  • With Alex Gordon now signed to an extension, the Royals will try to convince Eric Hosmer to sign a long-term deal according to ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider req'd). I looked at Hosmer as an extension candidate in January, but the first baseman recently said he's not in a rush to sign a new deal.
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