Quick Hits: White Sox, Indians, Sabathia, Sizemore
A grab-bag of links on the first Sunday of what should be a fun offseason….
- Don't expect the White Sox to pick up any big-ticket players on the free agent market, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin. The club is unlikely to bring Juan Pierre back in 2012 and if they look to replace him with a traditional leadoff type, Merkin expects the team to do so via trade.
- It would be a surprise if the Indians re-signed Chad Durbin as the club has several promising young relievers who could take his spot, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.
- The Yankees will make a contract offer to C.C. Sabathia this weekend, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman. However, most people expect the lefty to opt out of his current deal and "look around."
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff predicts destinations and contract details for his top 30 free agents, in slideshow form.
- The Rangers, Nationals, and Brewers top Buster Olney's list of potential landing spots for Grady Sizemore (ESPN insider link).
- Hisashi Iwakuma confirmed that he will attempt to sign with an MLB team again this winter, according to NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman (via Sponichi). Iwakuma was unable to work out a deal with the Athletics last offseason.
- New Angels GM Jerry Dipoto will have complete decision-making power, says Angels owner Arte Moreno. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times has details and quotes.
- The Padres will hire Phil Plantier as their new hitting coach, tweets FOX's Ken Rosenthal.
Yankees Exercise Cano’s, Swisher’s 2012 Options
The Yankees have exercised their 2012 club options on second baseman Robinson Cano and outfielder Nick Swisher, the team announced. Cano's option is for $14MM and Swisher's is for $10.25MM.
Cano, who turned 29 a week ago, has established himself as an elite offensive second baseman, slugging no fewer than 25 homers in each of the past three seasons to go along with his .308/.347/.496 career line. Fangraphs' UZR metric has rated Cano slightly below-average defensively in recent seasons, but his $14MM 2012 salary will still be a bargain relative to his overall production, a fact that may (or may not) have inspired his agent, Scott Boras, to angle for a new contract recently.
Swisher, 31 next month, shrugged off a sluggish start this season to hit 23 homers and post a .260/.374/.449 line, in keeping with his .254/.360/.466 career figures. He didn't fare well during the Yankees' postseason run, leading some to wonder whether the Yankees would decline his option and perhaps pursue someone like Carlos Beltran, but that was quashed yesterday.
The Yankees hold another club option on Cano for 2013 at $15MM, while Swisher is entering the final year of a five-year deal he signed with the Athletics back in May 2007.
Yankees Rumors: Sabathia, Posada, Free Agents
One year ago this weekend, the Yankees re-signed manager Joe Girardi to a three-year contract. GM Brian Cashman got a new three-year deal of his own this week, and now the team will move forward with its offseason plans. Here's the latest from the Bronx…
- Although Cashman will meet with CC Sabathia's agent this weekend, George A. King III and Joel Sherman of The New York Post report that the team is not overly optimistic about reaching an agreement about a new contract before their ace can opt out of the final four years and $92MM of his deal on Monday night.
- "You hope he thinks long and hard about coming back and why he likes it here so much," said Girardi when asked by reporters (including MLB.com's Bryan Hoch) about the future of Jorge Posada. Earlier this month, more than 10,000 MLBTR readers said they expect Posada to retire.
- Because so many big name free agents play positions that are already occupied on the roster, King says it's possible the Yankees will stay relatively quiet during free agency. They don't figure to chase Carlos Beltran or Michael Cuddyer because they will command multi-year contracts.
- For more about what could in store for the Yankees this offseason, check out Ben Nicholson-Smith's Offseason Outlook. Tim Dierkes broke down the team's six arbitration cases in his Arbitration Eligibles series.
Cashman, Sabathia’s Agent To Meet This Weekend
7:21pm: Sherman posted a correction (on Twitter); the commissioner's office memo does not apply to Sabathia, he only has until midnight ET on Monday to exercise his opt-out clause.
The league clarified that players can file for free agency at 12:01am ET Sunday morning (Saturday night) and talk to new teams at 12:01am ET Thursday morning (Wednesday night). All option decisions are due by 11:59pm ET on Monday night (Twitter links).
5:44pm: The Yankees took care of one important piece of business by agreeing to a new three-year contract with GM Brian Cashman recently, and now they're moving on to bigger and better things. ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand reports that Cashman will meet with CC Sabathia's agent this weekend in an attempt to complete a new contract extension before the ace left-hander can opt-out of his contract and become a free agent.
Joel Sherman of The New York Post says (via Twitter) the commissioner's office sent out a memo informing teams that the offseason officially begins at midnight ET on Sunday, so Sabathia has until midnight ET on Wednesday to exercise his opt-out clause. Yesterday we heard that the team was "close to completing" a new contract offer for Sabathia, an offer Cashman figures to present this weekend.
Sherman notes (via Twitter) that he expects the offer to be in the five-year and $120MM range, similar to what Cliff Lee got from the Phillies last offseason. The team is concerned about bidding against itself however, simply because there aren't many other clubs capable of putting together an offer of that magnitude. Earlier this month, nearly 1,500 MLBTR readers said they expect Sabathia's new contract to be in the $121-130MM range.
Yankees Likely To Retain Swisher, Pass On Beltran
The Yankees are likely to pick up Nick Swisher's $10.25MM option for 2012 and stay out of the bidding for free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran, according to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News. Though it looks like they'll stick with Swisher, no decisions have been finalized, according to McCarron. Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com reported yesterday that the Yankees are considering Beltran as an option in right field.
Swisher, 30, posted a .260/.374/.449 line with 23 home runs in 2011, while Beltran posted a .300/.385/.525 line with 22 homers. Beltran cannot be offered arbitration, so he won't cost a draft pick despite his Type A free agent ranking. It doesn't sound as though the Yankees would pursue both switch-hitters, but if necessary they could flip Swisher for pitching after signing Beltran.
Boras Kidding About Reworking Cano’s Contract
6:32pm: Boras was just joking about a new contract for Cano, the agent tells George A. King III. "Cash [Brian Cashman] and I have talked three or four times in the last three days. My statements were in jest. Cash always returns my phone calls,'' Boras said. "My conversations with Cash about Robinson have nothing to do with the options. We fully expect the options to be exercised."
9:57am: Agent Scott Boras phoned Yankees GM Brian Cashman to discuss the possibility of re-working Robinson Cano’s contract, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. Boras says he’s hoping to remove the 2012 and 2013 options on the second baseman’s deal and work out a new contract.
"I called Cash to ask about dropping the options and he hasn't returned the call," Boras told King.
The four-year, $30MM extension Cano signed under different representation in 2008 includes a $14MM team option for 2012 and a $15MM team option for 2013 ($2MM buyout). The Yankees are sure to pick up Cano’s 2012 option and it would be a surprise if they don’t exercise his 2013 option a year from now.
While there's no harm in asking to re-structure the deal, the Yankees aren't under any obligation to do so. Unless Boras and Cano prepared to make concessions of their own, the Yankees can keep Cano at a relative bargain for the next two years. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that it's "highly, highly unlikely" that the Yankees will re-work the deal (Twitter link). Boras successfully re-worked Francisco Rodriguez’s contract with the Brewers this summer.
Yankees Notes: Beltran, Sabathia, Cashman, Montero
We heard this morning that Robinson Cano is looking to re-work his deal with the Yankees. Here’s more news about the defending American League East champions…
- The Yankees are considering Carlos Beltran as a possible right fielder, according to Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com. The Yankees have a $10.25MM option for Nick Swisher that they have to make a decision on after the World Series, but they could pick up the option, sign Beltran and trade Swisher.
- The Yankees’ negotiations with C.C. Sabathia could come down to the team's willingness to guarantee the left-hander a seventh year, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. While the Yankees would be comfortable with a five or six-year deal worth roughly $25MM per season, the Yankees would pause if Sabathia wants a seven or eight-year deal. Sabathia is expected to opt out of the four years and $92MM remaining on his contract.
- Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News hears that Brian Cashman’s extension with the Yankees is “just about” complete. The GM’s deal, which appears to be for three years or more, could be announced as soon as the World Series ends.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post draws parallels between Mike Napoli of the Rangers and Yankees catching prospect Jesus Montero. Montero can hit despite questions about his defensive ability, so Sherman suggests it might be wise for the Yankees to keep Montero instead of trading him for starting pitching.
Yankees Aim To Sign Sabathia Before Opt-Out Date
9:07pm: The Yankees are "close to completing" a new offer for Sabathia, according to David Waldstein of the New York Times.
9:36am: If the World Series ends tonight, Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia could opt out of his contract as early as tomorrow. The Yankees, however, hope to quickly take Sabathia off the market by signing him before he opts out, according to George A. King III of the New York Post.
Yankees' brass is currently meeting in Tampa. King says they are "believed to be OK with a five or six-year deal for an obvious raise over his $23MM a year," but they don't want to go to seven or eight years. If they propose something like six years and $150MM, that might be enough to prevent Sabathia from exploring the open market. I think it's possible he could find something like seven years at a $24MM salary on the open market, but there's no guarantee. Now, if the Yankees won't guarantee a sixth year, I think C.C. is going to have to explore the market. Guaranteeing a sixth year from the start would give the Yankees a good chance of keeping Sabathia off the market, in my opinion.
In a poll of almost 8,000 MLBTR readers earlier this month, opinions were divided on the expected total of Sabathia's new deal. 18% of those polled predicted a contract in the $121-130MM range, while 14% saw a deal exceeding $170MM. For MLBTR's full archive of Sabathia rumors, click here. Click here for a look at all the available starting pitchers on the free agent market.
AL East Notes: Ortiz, Chavez, Shoppach
The Orioles are searching for a new GM and the four other AL East teams have begun preparations for the coming offseason. The latest links from the division:
- The Blue Jays won't rule out a run at David Ortiz, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Ortiz told Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com that the Red Sox won't regret it if they sign him.
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe wonders if the Red Sox would offer some combination of Kevin Youkilis, Josh Reddick, Lars Anderson and Jed Lowrie in a trade for starting pitching.
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com explains why the Red Sox are likely to exercise their $6MM option for Marco Scutaro.
- Scott Leventhal, the agent for Eric Chavez, told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that the third baseman hasn't decided whether to play in 2012 (all Twitter links). Leventhal says Chavez "truly enjoyed" playing for the Yankees and would consider returning to New York. He'd likely be a fit for the Bronx Bombers again.
- Bill Chastain of MLB.com suggests the Rays would like Kelly Shoppach to return in 2012. However, his $3.2MM option ($300K buyout) may seem expensive for a club that operates with limited resources and has cheaper internal options available.
Angels GM News: Levine, Evans, Eppler, Oppenheimer
The latest on the Angels' GM opening…
- The Angels are expected to obtain permission from the Rangers to interview assistant GM Thad Levine once the World Series ends, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times.
- Former Dodgers GM Dan Evans will interview for the job Thursday or Friday, according to DiGiovanna (on Twitter).
- DiGiovanna points out that Rays executive VP of baseball operations hasn't pulled himself out of the running for the job.
- Yankees draft guru Damon Oppenheimer will not be called back for a second interview, tweets SI's Jon Heyman, but director of professional scouting Billy Eppler will speak to the Angels again.
- Kim Ng will interview for the position today, tweets Heyman.
- Omar Minaya, Andrew Friedman, Jerry Dipoto, and Rick Hahn still appear to be under consideration, while Thad Levine and Dan Evans could also interview.