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East Notes: Cashman, Ohman, Kendrick, Yanks

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The Yankees announced today that general manager Brian Cashman broke his right fibula and dislocated his right ankle on the landing of a tandem skydive. Cashman was skydiving with the U.S. Army Golden Knights to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project.

“I’m in great spirits, and it was an awesome experience," Cashman was quoted as saying in the press release. "The Golden Knights are first class. While I certainly didn’t intend to raise awareness in exactly this fashion, I’m extremely happy that the Wounded Warrior Project is getting the well-deserved additional attention.” He is scheduled for surgery today. Here's more out of baseball's Eastern divisions…

  • Will Ohman does not have an out clause in his contract, but the Nationals would likely grant him his release if he asked for it, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (on Twitter). Ohman signed a minor league deal with the reigning NL East champs last month.
  • Phillies righty Kyle Kendrick was roughed up in his start Sunday, but he told David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he appreciates knowing the poor outing doesn't jeopardize his rotation spot. As Murphy notes, Kendrick hasn't experienced that type of security in recent years, as he's typically been on the fringe of Philadelphia's rotation.
  • Peter Botte of the New York Daily News writes that Robinson Cano's father, Jose, hopes his son will sign an extension that will make him a Yankee for life. Jose will be a bench coach for the Dominican Republic's WBC team on which Robinson will play. The Bombers' second baseman didn't get into contract talks, but did admit how important his father's advice is to him.
  • The Yankees are very likely to receive their worst offensive output from the catcher position since before Jorge Posada emerged in the late-90s, writes Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues. The Bombers decided against acquiring a standout backstop this offseason and will pull from a group consisting of Chris Stewart, Francisco Cervelli, and Austin Romine.

NL East Notes: Phillies, Stanton, Marlins

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Baseball Prospectus' preseason projections have the Nationals and Braves ahead of the Phillies in the National League East. That's how the standings looked in 2012, and most observers seem to expect similar results in 2013. However, Phillies special assistant Pat Gillick sees things differently. Here are the details…

  • Gillick told Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he believes the Phillies can contend for "two or three more years." Gillick, the team's former GM, said he likes the club's approach this spring. "They really want to win. When people have that attitude, it carries them a long way," he said (link via the Miami Herald).
  • The Marlins renewed the contract of Giancarlo Stanton for $537K, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. Stanton's not earning much more than the MLB minimum of $490K for now, but he'll earn a substantial raise one year from now when he's arbitration eligible for the first time.
  • Marlins fans agree that owner Jeffrey Loria isn't good for baseball in Miami, Greg Cote of the Miami Herald reports. Loria addressed reporters multiple times this past week, offering insight about the team’s busy offseason and future direction.

2014 Vesting Options

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Recently, I crunched the numbers on vesting options from the last three years and found that just over 29% of them were triggered.  Which players can lock in their 2014 options based on their performance this season?  Let's take a look..

  • Kurt Suzuki, Nationals: $9.25MM option vests with 113 starts in 2013.
  • Jamey Carroll, Twins: $2MM option vests with 401 plate appearances.
  • Wilson Betemit, Orioles: $3.2MM option vests with 324 plate appearances (combined 700 between 2012 and 2013).
  • Lance Berkman, Rangers: $13MM option vests with 550 plate appearances.
  • Roy Halladay, Phillies: $20MM option vests with 259 innings pitched (combined 415 innings pitched between '12 and '13).
  • Barry Zito, Giants: $18MM option vests with 200 innings pitched.
  • Johan Santana, Mets: $25MM option vests with 215 innings pitched or winning the 2013 Cy Young Award.

It's also worth noting that Francisco Liriano has a $8MM club option for 2014 with the Pirates, but it can vest at any of three levels, $5MM, $6MM, or $8MM, based on the number of days he is not on the DL this year with a recurrence of his right arm injury.

Quick Hits: Cano, Cashman, Perez, Snyder, Mets

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The Cardinals are better-positioned for success over the next five years than any other team in the majors, according to the latest edition of ESPN's Future Power Rankings (Insider subscription required).  Jim Bowden, Keith Law and Buster Olney rank each club in five categories (Major League roster, minor league system, finances, management and mobility) and the Cards have the best overall grade, jumping to #1 after finishing third in the last edition of the rankings in August.

Here's the latest from around the league as we head into March…

  • The Yankees usually don't offer to extend players before their contracts are up but GM Brian Cashman tells reporters (including Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News) that the club is flexible in this regard, such as when the Yankees tried to extend Russell Martin last season and their current talks with Robinson Cano.  "Since we’re the team, we have the right to change our mind and adjust the policy whenever – especially ownership. It’s not like it’s a country club and here’s the code of conduct that we can’t deviate from," Cashman said.
  • The Yankees may be reacting to criticism from fans that they're sacrificing short-term competitiveness in order to get under the luxury tax cap by 2014, opines Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links).  Sherman argues that if the team's management wasn't feeling this pressure, Cashman wouldn't have told the media about the team's "significant offer" to Cano.
  • The Giants and Phillies were both interested in Indians closer Chris Perez this offseason, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.  The Dodgers were also linked to Perez this winter, as the Tribe was shopping Perez due to his large salary and his criticism of both the team's management and Cleveland's fanbase last season.
  • Chris Snyder has an out clause in his minor league deal with the Nationals that will allow him to request his release if he isn't on the club's Major League roster by March 24, Amanda Comak of the Washington Times reports.  It could be a tough fit for Snyder as Comak notes the Nats' 25-man roster is virtually set.
  • Omar Quintanilla was re-signed by the Mets since the team wanted infield depth if Ruben Tejada was dealt for Justin Upton, a Mets source tells John Harper of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).  We heard earlier this week that the Mets explored a trade that would've brought Upton to Citi Field in exchange for pitching prospects and one of Tejada or Daniel Murphy.
  • Baseball America's Matt Eddy recaps the week's minor league transactions.

NL East Notes: Wright, Marlins, Adams

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The NL East includes a broad range of payrolls, from the Phillies at $150MM-plus to the Marlins below $40MM. Here's are some notes from the division…

  • Carlos Beltran told Mike Puma of the New York Post that David Wright should be able to handle the pressure that comes with a nine-figure contract. "He’s been with the organization a long time, so there is nothing he needs to change,” said Beltran, who signed a seven-year $119MM deal with the Mets as a free agent following the 2004 season.
  • Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said newcomer Adeiny Hechavarria has Hanley Ramirez’s endorsement, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. “When Hanley tells you ‘He is better than I am, you’ve got a great guy with great hands,’ it’s amusing to listen to,” Loria said. The Marlins, who traded Ramirez to Los Angeles last summer, acquired Hechavarria from Toronto in a blockbuster deal with the Blue Jays in November.
  • Reliever Mike Adams would likely be with a different team had the Phillies completed their deal with the Astros for Wilton Lopez, reports Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged that the Phillies "probably would not have" signed Adams had the club not pulled back from trading for Lopez (since dealt to the Rockies) for undisclosed reasons following his physical. 

Jeff Todd contributed to this post.

East Notes: Young, Phillies, Orioles, Yankees

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Phillies offseason acquisition Michael Young won't come out and say it, but his frosty relationship with his former team's front office likely has to do with the Rangers' decision to put him on the trading block immediately following the 2010 World Series, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  Statistically minded analysts don't love Young because of his relatively low walk totals and questions about his defense, but he's looking forward to having the chance to play third base in Philly.  Here's more out of the AL and NL East..

  • In a piece for Insider subscribers, ESPN.com's Jim Bowden has five crucial questions for the 2013 Phillies.  Ben Revere should have no problem manning center field, but Bowden is concerned about Delmon Young in right and the group of players vying for the job in left.  A last minute deal for Alfonso Soriano is still possible in his eyes but the veteran's below-average defense won't solve their issues.
  • The Orioles' bullpen was remarkably strong in 2012 and Matt Vensel of the Baltimore Sun asks if they can replicate their success this season.  The O's pen will look rather similar this season but the group's low strikeout totals coupled with the workload of Jim Johnson and Darren O'Day could raise issues for Baltimore.
  • After a relatively quiet offseason, the Yankees have a great deal of uncertainty surrounding them as they look ahead to April, writes Hal Bodley of MLB.com. 

AL Central Notes: White Sox, Moscoso, Giambi

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Links from the AL Central…

  • Though the White Sox looked for ways of obtaining an impact left-handed bat, they didn't end up finding one, Scott Merkin of MLB.com writes. Manager Robin Ventura enters the season with a righty-heavy lineup, but it beats forcing the issue in the view of GM Rick Hahn "If it doesn't fit with the rest of what you are trying to do from a position player standpoint, we would be regretting come the middle of the season," the GM said. Hahn added that he'll be prepared to move aggressively in case a need for left-handed hitting emerges during the season.
  • Hector Santiago doesn't see himself as a lock to make the White Sox, even though Ventura has strongly suggested the left-hander will break camp with the team, Merkin reports. Santiago said he doesn't consider himself to be on the team. "I've only got a year in and nothing guaranteed to me," he said. The 25-year-old posted a 3.33 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 in 70 1/3 innings in 2012.
  • Royals right-hander Guillermo Moscoso said he won't miss pitching in the thin air of Coors Field, Dick Kaegel of MLB.com reports. The Royals claimed Moscoso from Colorado in November after he posted a 6.12 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 50 innings last year.
  • Jason Giambi, who interviewed for the Rockies' managerial opening this past offseason, drew interest from other teams, including the Phillies, as a potential coach, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. However, Giambi said he's enjoying Spring Training with the Indians and hopes to continue playing for a while. "I'm going to keep playing until they tear the uniform off or my body tells me it's time to go," he said.

Quick Hits: Lohse, Young, Phillies, PED Supensions

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In 2008, Kyle Lohse waited until March to sign and landed in the place he'd call home for five seasons — St. Louis. Spring Training is underway again, and Lohse again remains unsigned. However, unlike 2008 when he had a career 4.82 ERA, Lohse is coming off a 3.11 ERA over his past 399 1/3 innings. ESPN's Buster Olney talked to a longtime MLB evaluator who says in addition to draft pick compensation, AL teams are wary of Lohse's poor AL track record. The evaluator also added that teams shy away former Cardinals pitchers, as they often struggle to find success elsewhere (Twitter links).

More from around the Majors…

  • Phillies ace Cliff Lee told Jayson Stark of ESPN that he was "baffled" by the way the Rangers treated Michael Young in his final years with the team. Lee called Young the "perfect teammate" and the "heart and soul" of the Rangers team. "…in my opinion, you want guys like Michael Young around," said Lee, who was reunited with his former teammate after the Phillies traded for him this winter.
  • Both Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins have offered strong praise for Phillies prospect Domonic Brown this Spring, writes David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News. Murphy opines that both players feel this is the time to finally give Brown a chance to be an everyday Major Leaguer.
  • Michael Weiner, the exeutive director of the MLB Players Union, spoke with reporters (including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca) about drug testing and the possibility of more severe punishment for players who have been discovered to have multiple offenses in the past. Weiner discusses the fine line between representing players who are subject to discipline and attempting to enforce a clean game. Weiner also says that after Spring Training, there will be discussions about whether or not the new qualifying offer system is working as intended, given the damage to Lohse's market.
  • Former Twins, Rangers and Astros minor leaguer Mark Hamburger has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive on two instances for recreational drug use, according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy. Hamburger, a free agent after being released by Houston earlier this month, would have to serve out his suspension upon signing with a new team.

NL Notes: Soriano, Teheran, Phillies, Helton

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On this date in 1896, the National League forbids players from deliberately soiling baseballs (and thus enabling the legend of future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry)‚ declares "a ball cutting the corners of the home plate‚ and being the requisite height‚ must be called a strike" and empowers umpires to eject players. Here's the latest news and notes from this century's National League:

Quick Hits: Marlins, Diamondbacks, Teheran, Blue Jays

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This morning, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria took out ad space in multiple South Florida newspapers to pen an open letter to fans of the club.  In addition to defending the club's expensive new ballpark, Loria battled back against those who have been critical of the team's personnel decisions.  "The controversial trade we made with the Toronto Blue Jays was approved by Commissioner Bud Selig and has been almost universally celebrated by baseball experts outside of Miami for its value," said the owner.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • The Diamondbacks probably could have gotten right-hander Julio Teheran in the Justin Upton deal but they would have received less back, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).  It wasn't worthwhile for Arizona, however, as they preferred fellow righty Randall Delgado.
  • New Blue Jays reliever Michael Schwimer says that the Phillies told him a "handful" of teams were interested in dealing for him, tweets Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.  The reliever added that he is "really happy" that they sent him to Toronto.
  • Even though the Indians have added a great deal of offensive firepower this offseason, manager Terry Francona still sounds confident about Jason Giambi's chances of making the team, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  Giambi signed a one-year, $750K minor league deal with the Tribe earlier this winter.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore told Renck that he traded for starter Jeremy Guthrie based on his road numbers when pitching for the Rockies.  Guthrie was competitive in visiting ballparks, but struggled when on the hill at Coors Field.
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