Upcoming Player Options
Teams covet options and are reluctant to provide them to players when it's not absolutely necessary, so there are about ten times as many club options as player options coming up after the season. Here's a look at the four upcoming player options and whether they're likely to be exercised:
- Marco Scutaro, Red Sox – If the Red Sox don't exercise Scutaro's $6MM option, he can remain in Boston for $3MM instead of taking a $1.5MM buyout. Top shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias is now at Triple-A and could position himself to take over the regular shortstop job in 2012. Scutaro, who turns 36 before the offseason, may be choosing between free agency with a $1.5MM buyout or a backup job with a $3MM salary.
- Ryan Dempster, Cubs - With a typical season (200-plus innings, sub-4.00 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 48% ground ball rate) Dempster would be one of the top pitchers available in a weak free agent class. He'll be 34 after the season, but that's how old Ted Lilly was when he signed his current three-year deal.
- Rafael Soriano, Yankees – Soriano can opt out and collect $1.5MM or exercise his $11MM player option and stay in the Bronx for another year (or two). Agent Scott Boras did well to bypass GM Brian Cashman and find his client a player-friendly deal last offseason and it's hard to imagine a better opportunity arising for Soriano, even if he reproduces his tremendous 2010 numbers. Soriano's leverage will be reduced with so many quality relievers hitting free agency at once.
- C.C. Sabathia, Yankees – Sabathia will be the top free agent starter if he opts out and, with respect to Dempster, Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson, it's not that close. Sabathia can exercise a four-year, $92MM option if he gets hurt, has an off-year or decides free agency is too much of a hassle, but the early expectation is that he'll opt out. It's a win-win decision for the big left-hander.
Heyman On Manny, Mets, Yankees, Dodgers
Jon Heyman of SI.com points out that despite all of his antics, Manny Ramirez earned more than any players other Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. And unlike Jeter and Rodriguez, Ramirez was not a well-rounded player. Here’s Heyman’s latest from around the league:
- There’s ‘growing suspicion’ that the Mets will look to trade veterans such as Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Francisco Rodriguez if they are not contending midseason. Plus, Mike Pelfrey could find himself on the block.
- Though the Yankees maintain that Phil Hughes is healthy, it’s troubling for them to see him pitching with reduced velocity. It’s part of the reason they have continued adding starting pitching depth, most recently with Carlos Silva.
- Dodgers owner Frank McCourt had proposed a deal that would have seen FOX advance him $200MM, but MLB rejected it, according to Heyman. McCourt is losing the support of fellow owners, Heyman reports.
Olney On Yankees, Rays, Manny
Zach Britton certainly hasn't been surrounded by as much hype as Stephen Strasburg was last year, but, like the Nationals' youngster, Britton is "must-see TV," according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link). In today's Insider-only blog, Olney says the Orioles lefty looks like the best of 2011's rookie class so far this year. Here are some other items of interest from the piece:
- The Yankees are trying to get 20 to 35 starts from their fourth and fifth spots in the rotation, before the trade market really takes shape. At that point, the team could try to pursue an arm like Brett Myers or James Shields, if they're available.
- Olney is hearing from clubs that they will now "warily approach" making any trades with the Rays, who are considered a "savvy organization." While it's too early for the Cubs to worry about offseason acquisition Matt Garza, particularly given his impressive strikeout rate, the right-hander isn't happy with his first two starts.
- Olney agrees with Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times, who says that the Rays and their fans are the ones who Manny Ramirez's retirement hits the hardest. Not only will the Tampa fans miss out on watching Manny, but continued struggles by the team could result in key players being placed on the trade block.
New York Notes: Martin, Beltran, Silva
Let's check out the latest updates out of New York, as the Yankees and Mets prepare for their rubber matches against the Red Sox and Nationals, respectively.
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday says most baseball people he spoke to this winter "wouldn't have believed" that Russell Martin would play this well to start the season. Martin, who homered twice in the Yankees' win yesterday, was viewed by many as a bad signing.
- Carlos Beltran, who also belted two home runs yesterday, is showing he could be a valuable trade chip this summer, writes Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
- Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild contextualized the team's signing of Carlos Silva by saying, "You have a few guys and you hope you catch lightning in a bottle with one or two, according to this New York Daily News report. Silva had harsh words for Cubs pitching coach Mark Riggins on his way out of Chicago, but Rothschild says he has a good history with the right-hander: "We worked well together. I didn't have any problems with him."
- For whatever it's worth, Bernie Madoff reiterated that he believes the Mets owners were unaware of his Ponzi scheme, according to Teri Thompson and Wayne Coffey of the Daily News.
Quick Hits: Pedro, Martin, Archer, Davis, D’Backs
Links for Saturday, after Matt Harrison threw his second gem in as many starts…
- A team official told Joel Sherman of The New York Post that the Yankees have no interest in Pedro Martinez even though he's looking to return (Twitter links). The Yankees changed their mind about Carlos Silva after the right-hander agreed to get in shape and pitch in the minors.
- Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com spoke to Russell Martin, who said the Red Sox expressed interest in signing him this offseason but were concerned about his injured hip.
- Rays prospect Chris Archer holds no ill-will towards the Cubs for dealing him, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The right-hander was a part of the deal that brought Matt Garza to Chicago.
- The Yankees did not send a scout to watch Doug Davis' workout yesterday, reports George A. King III of The New York Post.
- In his Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney spoke to some executives that said Manny Ramirez's reported PED use may have altered the future of former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes and manager Bob Melvin. Arizona led the NL West for most of the 2008 season, but were knocked out of postseason race when the Dodgers made a late charge after acquiring Manny at the deadline.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick profiled Brett Wallace of the Astros, who was traded three times in the span of 371 days. "The way I choose to look at it, the teams that traded for me all had a plan for me and believed in me," said the first baseman. "But it definitely makes you step back and see the business side of baseball. When you get traded one year out of the draft, it's an eye opener. It doesn't matter how much a team likes you or doesn't like you. Things can change. Things are going to happen, and anyone is touchable."
Pedro Martinez Looking To Return
Free-agent pitcher Pedro Martinez is waiting for a call to help a team win a World Series, writes Joe Brescia of the New York Times. The 39-year-old says that he could get himself into playing shape rather quickly.
"I’m in shape right now and I’m training and I’m playing catch, so getting to full strength would probably take me a month, month and a half, to be on a mound," said the eight-time All-Star.
Martnez was asked if he would choose the Yankees, BoSox, or Phillies if all three teams called and offered the same salary. The vet said that he would probably choose Boston, so that he could retire and enter the Hall of Fame with the same hat. He would consider the Phillies though as he would like to win a championship in the National League.
The right-hander last pitched in 2009 for the Phillies, posting a 3.63 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 in nine starts.
Yankees Sign Carlos Silva
The Yankees have signed Carlos Silva, according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter). It is a minor league deal, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Yankees will be responsible only for the major league minimum if he is added to the big league roster, says Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Silva, who turns 32 in two weeks, was released by the Cubs in late March. The club is on the hook for most of his $11.5MM salary and $2MM buyout for 2012. The Yanks weren't originally interested in the pitcher's services after the Cubs cut him loose, Jack Curry of the YES Network tweets, but they'll now take a look at him in light of Phil Hughes' recent struggles.
Early yesterday morning, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the right-hander had offers from several teams and was on the cusp of choosing one. If Silva reaches the big league squad, he'll pitch under Larry Rothschild, his former pitching coach in Chicago.
Heyman On Marlins, White Sox, Jenks, Glaus
There is likely an unusually short list of managers on the hot seat this year, writes Jon Heyman of SI.com. Marlins skipper Edwin Rodriguez is the lone manager who truly has uncertain job security, according to Heyman. Rodriguez received a one-year deal from the Marlins, which is rare for managers and suggests he doesn’t necessarily figure into the club’s long-term plans. Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors.
- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria told Heyman that "no one's on the hot seat.”
- Jim Leyland of the Tigers, Jim Riggleman of the Nationals and Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox are not necessarily on the hot seat, but they’re worth keeping an eye on, according to Heyman.
- Leyland will likely be given the chance to return to Detroit after the season when his contract expires, but that’s not a sure thing, according to Heyman.
- One White Sox person told Heyman that Guillen “isn't going anywhere.”
- Before the Yankees signed Rafael Soriano, GM Brian Cashman told Bobby Jenks that he wasn’t offering any setup man $8MM. The Yankees signed Soriano for $35MM over three years, though Cashman advised against it.
- Free agent Troy Glaus is still at home after drawing some interest this winter.
New York Notes: Pavano, Posada, Mets
Links for Wednesday, before Carl Pavano faces some former teammates in the Bronx…
- Yankees manager Joe Girardi confirmed to Spencer Fordin of MLB.com that the Yankees were considering Pavano last offseason, despite his injury-riddled stint with the club from 2005-08. "He's resurrected his career," Girardi said. "He's pitched well for the Twins, and he's given them innings. When we've faced him in the playoffs, he's pitched well. The guy knows how to pitch. The big thing for Carl is he's been healthy."
- Neither the Yankees front office nor Girardi seems to assume Jorge Posada will re-sign in New York after the season, when his contract expires, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Posada, who turns 40 in August, does not want to leave and intends to produce and force the Yankees’ hand.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff looks back at the Mets' recent GMs and managers and says the organization hasn't come close to maximizing its resources because of ineffective leaders. Sandy Alderson is the Mets' best hire since Frank Cashen, according to Davidoff.
- MLBTR's Howard Megdal ranked Cashen as the best GM in Mets franchise history during the offseason.
New York Notes: Feliciano, Reyes, Harris
Links for Monday night, as Jorge Posada hits his third home run in two days…
- Pedro Feliciano told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork that he was upset to hear that Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen suggested he was overworked last year (Yankees GM Brian Cashman says he was "abused."). Feliciano maintains that he likes to pitch a lot and predicts he'll strike out Ike Davis when the Yankees face the Mets this year. Feliciano says he didn't sign with the Mets because they weren't willing to offer a multiyear deal.
- As MLB.com's Anthony DiComo explains, the decade-long partnership between Jose Reyes and David Wright of the Mets may come to an end in 2011.
- Willie Harris, who is off to a hot start with the Mets, drew interest from a half-dozen other teams this offseason, according to DiComo.