Yankees Sign Rafael Soriano
The Yankees have signed Rafael Soriano to a three-year contract, the team announced today. The deal is believed to be worth $35MM over three years, and will allow the player to opt out after either of the first two years.The Scott Boras client will make $11.5MM if he opts out after year one and $21.5MM if he opts out after year two. The contract does not include a no-trade clause.
The deal comes just days after GM Brian Cashman said that he would not surrender his first round pick to sign a free agent. The Rays will receive New York's first round pick (31st overall) as well as a supplemental first round pick as compensation for their loss.
The 31-year-old Soriano was the top closer on the market, but he's going to have to serve as Mariano Rivera's setup man with the Yankees. He pitched to a 1.73 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and just 2.0 BB/9 in 62.1 innings last year, the second straight season he's avoided the disabled list. He's battled elbow trouble in the past, including Tommy John surgery back in 2004. Over the last four seasons, Soriano has struck out 9.8 batters per nine innings while walking 2.7 per nine. Although his home run rate has improved in recent years (0.7 HR/9 since 2008), he's an extreme fly ball pitcher (just 31% ground balls in his career). That could give him some problems in hitter friendly Yankee Stadium.
At an $11.67MM average annual value, Soriano will be the fifth highest paid reliever in baseball, trailing only Rivera, Brad Lidge, Francisco Rodriguez, and Joe Nathan. Jonathan Papelbon's eventual 2011 salary could also factor into that equation soon enough. It's a healthy raise from the $7.5MM Soriano earned in 2010, which came after he accepted the Braves offer of arbitration last offseason. With Billy Wagner already on board, it pushed Atlanta to trade him to Tampa.
SI.com's Jon Heyman adds that the Yankees still have about $20MM to spend before they hit their 2011 payroll limit (Twitter link). That's plenty for a right-handed outfield bat and starting pitching, even if they wait for a salary dump situation to arise during the season.
Heyman originally reported the agreement (all Twitter links). ESPN's Buster Olney and Tyler Kepner of The New York Times added details (Twitter links).
Teams Continue To Search For Pitching
Teams are still hunting for pitching even as the free agent pool continues to shrink. The Padres, Cardinals, Pirates and Mets are looking for arms, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick notes that the Rays and Nationals have not stopped shopping, either (Twitter link).
Two AL East clubs, the Orioles and Yankees have some interest in Freddy Garcia, according to Heyman.
Over in the NL East, the Nationals and Mets have made progress on deals for pitchers today. The Nationals are set to acquire Tom Gorzelanny from the Cubs and the Mets are nearing a deal with Chris Young.
AL East Links: Pettitte, Cashman, Chavez, Red Sox
The latest on the AL East, as teams turn their attention to arbitration eligible players and possible bargains on the free agent market…
- A Yankees source told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that the team's optimism about Andy Pettitte's potential return has diminished in the past week. The team has been in touch with Pettitte, but they aren't counting on him to return.
- Despite the suggestion that the Yankees' deal with Rafael Soriano was ownership-driven, the Yankees have "full confidence" in GM Brian Cashman, a senior Yankees executive told Matthews. We heard over the weekend that Cashman has full backing from the Steinbrenner family.
- Blue Jays manager John Farrell confirmed to MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm that the Blue Jays are interested in Eric Chavez. Farrell says he heard good things about the third baseman, who worked out for the Blue Jays recently.
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe suggests we'll see a flurry of signings today, since teams would prefer not to exchange figures with their arbitration eligible players. Jonathan Papelbon and Jacoby Ellsbury are Boston's unsigned arbitration eligible players.
Olney On Sizemore, Jones, Votto, Pujols
Grady Sizemore tells ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that it's "miserable" to have to sit and watch others play. The center fielder, who is on track to be ready for Opening Day after microfracture knee surgery, says he can't wait to return to the playing field. Here are Olney’s thoughts on Sizemore, plus rumors from around the league:
- Sizemore’s contract includes an $8.5MM option for 2012, so within a year the Indians will have to decide whether to exercise the option, let him hit free agency or trade him.
- The Yankees are the frontrunners for Andruw Jones, Olney reports (on Twitter).
- Joey Votto’s three-year, $38MM extension makes sense for both sides, in Olney’s opinion.
- It’s apparent that talks between the Cardinals and Albert Pujols “are not going as smoothly as the Cardinals want,” Olney writes. Click here to vote on Pujols’ future in St. Louis.
Cafardo’s Latest: Bonderman, Pettitte, Pavano, Bautista
Despite their impressive offseason, the Red Sox will still need some luck at a couple positions, says Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Cafardo leads this week's column by discussing the production the Red Sox hope to receive behind the plate and from their left-handed relievers. Here are the rest of the items of interest from the piece:
- Jeremy Bonderman is still looking to land a spot at the back of a rotation, and is drawing "minor interest" from the Rangers and Cardinals. The Yankees, whose interest in Bonderman we heard about earlier this month, have also been in touch with the right-hander's representation.
- Someone "close to" Andy Pettitte told Cafardo that he would be shocked if we've seen the last of the left-hander in the bigs. The longtime Yankee won't start the 2011 season with the club, but hasn't officially announced any plans to retire.
- There has been a "strange silence" surrounding Carl Pavano's situation over the last week, but Cafardo suggests that since Pavano definitely wants to remain a Twin, there's no urgency to act quickly.
- According to Cafardo, Jose Bautista would prefer to play right field rather than third base for the Blue Jays this season. Where Bautista ends up on the field may hinge on whether the Jays add another bat.
Yankees Notes: Jones, Damon, Soriano, Rays
Let's check out the latest rumblings from the Bronx….
- The Yankees have stepped up their pursuit of Andruw Jones, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman. Heyman previously reported that the two sides were apart on money, despite the team's strong interest in the outfielder. While the Rays and other clubs are still involved, the Yankees appear to be making a push to get something done with the 33-year-old.
- In the same tweet, Heyman adds that Johnny Damon remains a possibility for both the Yankees and Rays.
- Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes that Rafael Soriano's $35MM price tag isn't the only reason to be concerned about the signing. Madden questions the right-hander's make-up, but says the Yankees are confident that Mariano Rivera will be a "calming, guiding force" for Soriano.
- Speaking to Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News, Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey said that while Soriano didn't make a great first impression in Tampa Bay, he turned out to be a "consummate pro." "I wish we were the ones signed up for three more years with him," Hickey added.
Quick Hits: Carpenter, Martin, Francis, Yankees
Eighteen years ago today, the Angels traded Lee Stevens to the Expos for minor leaguer Jeff Tuss, but Tuss refused to report to his new team. Keith Morrison, another minor leaguer, was included in the deal instead, and Tuss never played affiliated baseball again.
Here are today's batch of links…
- Chris Carpenter told MLB.com's Matthew Leach that he's not worried about his future with the Cardinals. The right-hander is under contract for 2011 with a $15MM club option for 2012, but an extension for Albert Pujols might push the 35-year-old Carpenter out of town if the team needs to shed payroll.
- Richard Griffin of The Toronto Star reports that the Blue Jays offered Russell Martin the same amount of money as the Yankees, but the catcher signed with New York because of a better opportunity to win (Twitter link). Shi Davidi of The Canadian Press tweets that the Jays wanted Martin to catch four times a week as well as play another position.
- Jeff Francis said the Blue Jays did not show any interest in him before he joined the Royals according to Davidi on Twitter. Francis grew up in Canada, but nowhere close to Toronto.
- Chad Jennings of the The Journal News takes a look at the Yankees' multiyear relief contract from the last decade.
- Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that Cardinals GM John Mozeliak has pledged to keep negotiations about a contract extension with Albert Pujols private.
- The Rangers offered Jim Thome more than $4MM before he decided to sign with the Twins for $3MM, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). We knew that Thome turned down more money from Texas, but now we know how much.
- Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts told fans that he has confidence in GM Jim Hendry at today's Cubs Convention according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter).
- Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer says this winter's market for free agent relievers has been wonderful for Ryan Madson. The Phillies' setup man is due to become a free agent next offseason after his three-year, $12MM contract expires.
Cashman Has “Full Backing” Of Steinbrenners
Not long after the Yankees agreed to sign Rafael Soriano, we heard that the deal was driven more by ownership and not by GM Brian Cashman and his baseball operations staff. SI.com's Jon Heyman reports today that Cashman still has the "full backing" of the Steinbrenner family, a report echoed by ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter links). Heyman adds (via Twitter) that while Cashman preferred to keep the team's first round draft choice, he made no attempt to "body block" the deal with Soriano and relented because he's a "team man."
Bill Madden and Roger Rubin of The New York Daily News reported this morning that ownership was "bothered by Cashman's blueprint," specifically with regards to Joba Chamberlain opening the season as Mariano Rivera's primary setup man. Soriano addresses that issue and then some, and the team is said to be willing to move Chamberlain in a package for a "viable starter."
Cashman has been the Yankees' GM since 1998, though he is not under contract beyond the 2011 season. His last three contracts have all been for three guaranteed years according to Cot's.
AL East Notes: Rays, Chamberlain, Lowrie, O’s
As the dust settles in the wake of the big Rafael Soriano signing, let's look around the AL East…
- Rays fans discouraged by the loss of their closer should consider this tweet from Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. Going by last year's slot recommendations, Tampa Bay's 12 picks within the first 88 selections of the 2011 amateur draft will cost "around $9.12MM" to sign. Even with a bump in slot prices and yet another supplementary round pick if San Diego signs Chad Qualls, the Rays could sign all 13 draft picks for less than the $11.5MM that Soriano will earn from the Yankees next year.
- We heard earlier today that the Yankees could be persuaded to trade Joba Chamberlain to obtain a "viable starter," but ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand wonders why the Bombers don't just put Chamberlain back into the rotation. "Right now, Chamberlain's trade value is low," Marchand writes. "The only way to increase that is to put him in a more important role. So not only could he solve your biggest problem, he could be used to address your next one."
- Theo Epstein hinted that a strong spring from Jed Lowrie could win him the everyday shortstop's job, or at least give Terry Francona "a decision to make," writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. A good start to the season from Lowrie could make either Marco Scutaro or perhaps Lowrie himself into trade bait, given the presence of shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias in Boston's system.
- We've heard Baltimore is still in the market for a left-handed reliever, but Andy MacPhail is pretty pleased with how the Orioles' bullpen currently stacks up, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
Yankees Would Consider Joba-For-Starter Trade
The Yankees would consider swapping Joba Chamberlain, but "probably only" as part of a larger package for a "viable starter," tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. Chamberlain's name was connected to trade rumors last summer, as teams like the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays were trying to "buy low" on Chamberlain, but there was never an indication that the Yankees were seriously considering moving the right-hander.
Chamberlain, 25, was rated as the third-best prospect in the sport by Baseball America before the 2008 season. His star dimmed a bit after a shaky 2009 season in the New York rotation (4.75 ERA, 4.3 BB/9 rate, a league-leading 12 hit batters), but he pitched better out of the bullpen last season, posting a 4.40 ERA, a 2.8 BB/9 rate, and a 3.5 K/BB ratio. Chamberlain is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter and is under team control through the 2013 season.
Heyman says Chamberlain will remain a reliever for the Yankees "for now." We heard last month that the club wasn't thinking of moving Chamberlain back to the rotation, but even if Chamberlain's role changed, there's no guarantee he would bring needed stability to the back end of the Bronx Bombers' rotation. Moving Chamberlain would be a win-now move on New York's part, but given the team's fruitless pursuit of Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte's lean towards retirement, the Yankees may be so uncomfortable with their starting pitching that they feel dealing an asset like Chamberlain is necessary.