Article XX(B) Free Agents Update: Monday
As has been previously discussed on MLBTR, Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement contains a provision that allows certain free agents who are signed to minor league contracts to receive a $100K retention bonus if they are not on the team's 25-man roster or the Major League disabled list five days prior to the season.
Free agents who qualify for this distinction are those who have at least six years of Major League service time and had a Major League contract expire at the end of the previous season, but signed a minor league deal ten or more days prior to Opening Day.
MLBTR has confirmed with MLB that the deadline for teams to decide on these players is tomorrow at 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT). In other words, by tomorrow afternoon teams with these players in camp need to decide whether to:
- Add the player to their 25-man roster or Major League disabled list (or agree to do so in writing).
- Grant the player his outright release from the minor league contract so that he may pursue opportunities with other teams.
- Pay the player a $100K retention bonus to keep him in the organization beyond the deadline.
Here's the latest news from around the league on Article XX(B) signees and their roster statuses with their respective teams (newest updates on top)…
- Rangers manager Ron Washington informed infielder Jeff Baker that he has made the Opening Day roster, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
- The Indians announced that Jason Giambi has made the roster but will open the season on the 15-day disabled list with a back strain. Ezequiel Carrera was designated for assignment in order to clear room on the roster.
- The Mariners announced via press release that they have added Kameron Loe to the 25-man roster and transferred Josh Kinney to the 60-day disabled list to create space.
- Smith also tweets that Rick Ankiel is expected to make the team as the everyday right fielder, meaning Houston will have to make a 40-man roster move. Ankiel's base salary will be $750K, and his contract includes incentives based on plate appearances.
- LaTroy Hawkins has been informed that he will make the Mets' 25-man roster, writes ESPN's Adam Rubin. The Mets currently have an open spot on their 40-man roster, meaning no corresponding move would have to be made. Hawkins will earn a base salary of approximately $1MM for making the team.
- Pedro Feliciano, another Mets non-roster invitee, is still deciding whether or not to opt out of his contract or take his $100K bonus and report to Triple-A, Rubin tweets. Feliciano was told he would not make the Mets' roster yesterday.
- Red Sox bench hopeful Lyle Overbay says he has "no idea" as to whether or not the team will add him to the 25-man roster, according to the Boston Herald's Scott Lauber (Twitter link). Overbay has plenty on the line, as he'll earn $1.25MM (with $250K more available via incentives) if he makes the Opening Day roster.
Rangers Claim Brad Mills
The Rangers have claimed left-hander Brad Mills off waivers from the Angels, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson tweets the Rangers created a spot on the 40-man roster for Mills by placing Neftali Feliz on the 60-day disabled list. The Rangers have confirmed both moves.
Mills, who is out of options, was acquired by the Angels from the Blue Jays for Jeff Mathis in December 2011, but appeared in only one game, a spot start, for the Halos in 2012. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Salt Lake compiling a 5.86 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, and 11.0 H/9 in 21 games (19 starts) covering 109 innings. This spring, Mills appeared in three games, including one start, for the Angels pitching six innings allowing four earned runs with two strikeouts and one walk.
Rangers Looking For Utility Player
The Rangers are in the market for a utility player, suggesting that 20-year-old Jurickson Profar will begin the season in the minor leagues, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
That Profar, the No. 1 prospect in the game according to Baseball America and MLB.com, won't make the roster doesn't come as a shock. He's yet to play at Triple-A and is blocked by Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler at the middle infield positions.
Earlier this morning it was reported that the Astros are looking to trade Tyler Greene, who has been told that he won't make the big league roster out of Spring Training. General manager Jon Daniels should have no shortage of options given the number of players who will find themselves in similar situations to Greene in the coming days.
Rockies Interested In Jon Garland
The Rockies have inquired about starting pitcher Jon Garland, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harding. The Mariners officially released Garland on Saturday.
Jhoulys Chacin, Jeff Francis, Jorge De La Rosa and Juan Nicasio appear to be set in the Rockies' rotation, and Drew Pomeranz will likely join them if the Rockies don't acquire anyone from outside the organization. Chacin and De La Rosa have both recently missed spring training starts with what appear to be minor injuries.
Garland missed all of the 2012 season and much of the 2011 season with shoulder problems. He pitched 12 innings for the Mariners this spring, posting a 2.25 ERA while striking out four batters and walking five.
Jon Morosi of FOX Sports writes that Garland will also likely draw interest from the Padres and Rangers. Both teams appear to be in the market for starting pitching.
Rangers Re-Sign Yoshinori Tateyama
SATURDAY: Days after releasing Yoshinori Tateyama, the Rangers have re-signed the reliever to a minor-league contract, Ron Matejko of ESPN Dallas and T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com both note.
THURSDAY: The Rangers have released right-handed reliever Yoshinori Tateyama, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The 37-year-old Tateyama, a client of Pro Star Management, will look to catch on with another club, according to Sullivan.
Tateyama signed a minor league deal with Texas after throwing just 17 big league innings last year, posting a 9.00 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Tateyama did perform well in Triple-A in 2012, putting up a 1.13 ERA in 39 2/3 innings. He also played a larger role with the big club in 2011, logging 44 innings and managing a 4.50 ERA on the back of 8.8 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.
AL West Notes: Lohse, Garland, Astros
Here are a few updates from the American League West:
- The Rangers are "among the teams who have a scout watching free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse throw simulated games” at a local community college, but "this may be more due diligence than anything," writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Sullivan further reports that "Rangers officials acknowledged they are keeping an eye on Kyle Lohse," but "are still holding to their stance they will not sign Lohse this spring." According to Sullivan, "the Rangers are ready to go with what they have here in camp," most likely either Nick Tepesch or Michael Kirkman.
- Mariners manager Eric Wedge discussed the team's unwillingness to commit a rotation spot to Jon Garland, as reported by Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. Wedge explained that Garland's out clause created an "unusual situation" because the club has "multiple non-roster guys in this camp that have a chance to make this club." Garland was released on Saturday.
- The Astros are close to deciding whether to keep Rule 5 pick Josh Fields, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Odds look good for Fields, "considering how wide open the bullpen is." Another Rule 5 pick previously in Astros camp, Nate Freiman, has already been claimed by the Athletics.
Minor Moves: Nats, Royals, Cust, Padres, Puckett
Here are a few of today's minor moves from around baseball:
- The Nationals have released 10 minor-leaguers, MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports, including Delwyn Young, a utilityman who played parts of five seasons for the Pirates and Dodgers. The Nats also released pitchers Ryan Demmin, Inocencio Heredia, Bobby Lucas, Blake Monar, Casey Upperman, and Andrew Wall; outfielders Wade Moore and J.P. Ramirez; and infielder Stephen King.
- The Royals have released 11 minor-leaguers, reports Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter): pitchers Rudy Brown, Allen Caldwell, Blaine Hardy, Joe Karlik, Patrick Keating, Jason Mitchell, Lincoln Rassi, and Jamie Richmond; outfielder Nick Van Stratten; and infielders Michael Liberto and Adrian Martinez.
- The Rays have released DH Jack Cust, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune reports (on Twitter). Cust signed a minor-league deal with the Rays on February 17. He played for Triple-A Scranton (Yankees) and Las Vegas (Blue Jays) in 2012. He last appeared in the majors with the Mariners in 2011, hitting .214/.344/.329 in 225 at bats.
- The Padres have released six minor-leaguers, MLB.com's Corey Brock Reports (on Twitter): pitchers Mark Pope, Chris Haney, and Michael Broadway; outfielders Anthony Renteria and Kyung-Min Na; and first baseman Goose Kallunki.
- Infielder/outfielder Cody Puckett has been traded from the Reds, with whom he has spent his entire career, to the White Sox, Puckett himself tweeted. In return, the Reds will receive a player to be named later, tweets John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Splitting last season between Double-A and Triple-A, Puckett saw time in the infield (mostly at second) and corner outfield, and hit .233/.306/.390 with 16 home runs over 488 plate appearances.
- The Marlins released left-handed pitcher Kevin Gelinas, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Gelinas, just 23, was Baseball America's Independent Leagues Player of the Year last season, Eddy notes.
- The Rangers released catcher Konrad Schmidt, a 28-year-old who has 17 total plate appearances in the big leagues, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Texas claimed Schmidt off waivers from the Diamondbacks last fall and then outrighted him to Triple-A in December.
Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.
Rangers May Have Interest In Andrew Bailey
The Rangers have spoken to the Red Sox about acquiring relief pitching and right-hander Andrew Bailey may be a trade target, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports. General manager Jon Daniels said he was looking to add depth to both the bullpen and starting rotation during an interview with Jim Bowden and Casey Stern on MLB Network Radio today (Twitter link) and Bailey would join Jason Frasor as right-handed setup options behind closer Joe Nathan.
We heard last week that the Rangers were scouting Red Sox relievers, though Boston may be hesitant to part with any bullpen arms given injuries to Franklin Morales and Craig Breslow. The Red Sox were open to dealing Bailey early in the offseason but it seems teams weren't willing to bite on a reliever who threw just 15 1/3 innings during an injury-plagued 2012 season. Bailey is slated to be a setup man behind newly-acquired Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan.
Kyle Lohse Rumors: Friday
Kyle Lohse continues pitching simulated games in anticipation of signing with an MLB team before the amateur draft takes place in June. The market for the right-hander finally seems to be taking shape. The Angels haven't fully ruled out Lohse and the Rockies have done their due diligence. The Rangers and Brewers are keeping tabs on Lohse, but the Royals and Reds don't appear to be talking to agent Scott Boras.
Here are today’s Lohse rumors with the most recent items up top…
- GM Jon Daniels told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio that the Rangers aren't likely to sign Lohse (Twitter links). Daniels didn't completely rule out a deal, however. Rival general managers say Lohse remains unsigned because of Boras' demands, not just the new draft pick compensation rules, Bowden writes.
Earlier updates
- The Blue Jays are at their payroll limit and will not pursue Lohse, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). While Ricky Romero has looked shaky this spring, J.A. Happ provides insurance as an extra starter.
- Lohse told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that he’s “in an awkward spot” now that the season is approaching. The 34-year-old is scheduled to pitch a simulated game at a local community college today. Boras predicted to Nightengale that teams will intensify their pursuit of Lohse once younger pitchers falter. "His value only rises because there's a greater need now. The demand for him is created by attrition when teams learn that their younger pitching can't meet their need.” The agent said “plenty” of teams are interested.
Offseason In Review: Texas Rangers
The Rangers lost significant contributors this past offseason, and while they countered by adding some newcomers, the gap between the Rangers and the rest of the AL West has disappeared.
Major League Signings
- Lance Berkman, 1B: one year, $10MM. $12MM Club option for 2014.
- Jason Frasor, RP: one year, $1.5MM.
- A.J. Pierzynski, C: one year, $7.5MM.
- Joakim Soria, RP: two years, $8MM. Club option for 2015.
- Geovany Soto, C: one year, $2.75MM.
- Total Spend: $29.75MM
International Signings
- Todd McDonald, OF: $475K.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Nate Robertson, Jeff Baker, Kyle McClellen, Evan Meek, Randy Wells, Scott Olsen, Neal Cotts, Chih-Hsien Chiang, Derek Lowe, Zach Simons.
Trades and Claims
- Acquired P Josh Lindblom and P Lisalverto Bonilla from Phillies for IF Michael Young.
- Acquired P Cory Burns from Padres for P Wilfredo Boscan.
- Acquired P Jake Brigham from Cubs for P Barret Loux and PTBNL.
- Acquired P Tommy Hottovy from Royals for PTBNL.
- Claimed P Jeff Beliveau off waivers from Cubs.
- Claimed C Eli Whiteside off waivers from Blue Jays.
- Claimed C Konrad Schmidt off waivers from Diamondbacks.
- Claimed P Coty Woods from Rockies in Rule five draft.
Notable Losses
- Mike Napoli, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Mike Adams, Ryan Dempster, Scott Feldman, Koji Uehara, Tommy Hottovy.
Needs Addressed
It's easy to focus on what the Rangers lost — Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli, Michael Young and Ryan Dempster, among others — and overlook their offseason additions. In fact, GM Jon Daniels added two prominent free agents. While neither player figures to become a long-term piece for the Rangers, both add value for 2013.
In Lance Berkman, the Rangers obtain an aging but accomplished hitter who projects as their primary designated hitter. The club considered other DH options, including Mike Napoli and David Ortiz before adding the 37-year-old Texan. Though Berkman missed most of the 2012 season with knee problems, he hit 31 home runs with a .301/.412/.547 batting line as recently as 2011. If healthy, he’ll offer power and on-base skills (more on Berkman’s deal later).
If a team had signed Pierzynski to a lucrative, multiyear deal on the basis of his career-best 27 home runs, I would have criticized the move. A repeat performance seems unlikely at the age of 36. However, a one-year, $7.5MM commitment for a catcher as durable as Pierzynski seems more than reasonable. The longtime White Sox backstop has averaged 132 games played since becoming the Twins' full-time catcher in 2001. At that price, Pierzynski will be a worthwhile addition provided he stays healthy and comes reasonably close to matching his career norms.
The Rangers also re-signed Geovany Soto days after non-tendering him. It's a $2.75MM deal, approximately $2MM less than Soto would have made through the arbitration process in the estimation of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. The Rangers are paying Soto more than most backups earn, and getting more upside in return.
Joakim Soria continues rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but that didn't stop the Rangers from signing the 28-year-old to a two-year, $8MM contract that includes a club option for 2015. Soria has successfully limited home runs and walks at the MLB level, while averaging more than one strikeout per inning. Given his pedigree, age and the frequency with which pitchers make full recoveries from ligament replacement surgery, Daniels did well to sign Soria for these terms.
Daniels also signed Jason Frasor to a one-year deal worth $1.5MM. The veteran reliever generates lots of strikeouts and should continue to add value as a middle reliever. Josh Lindblom can also strike out lots of hitters and, unlike Frasor, he's under long-term control. Acquiring Lindblom made sense, even though it meant moving a fomer star in Michael Young. The Rangers didn't have a role for Young, and they got salary relief by sending him to Philadelphia.
Questions Remaining
Early in the offseason, most questions about the Rangers centered around potential acquisitions. Now that Spring Training is well underway, many questions relate to a potential loss. Nolan Ryan, the club’s CEO, could leave the organization as a result of a change in the team's power structure. Should the Rangers let him go, or work to retain him? That’s for others to determine. What’s apparent is that an internal conflict went public and created an unnecessary distraction for the team.
The Rangers appeared to consider major acquisitions this winter. Name a prominent free agent and he was probably connected to the Rangers during the 2012-13 offseason. Outfielders such as Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn and B.J. Upton were viewed as potential fits in Texas. Free agent starters like Zack Greinke, Anibal Sanchez and Kyle Lohse seemed like possible targets for the rotation. Others, such as Adam LaRoche, negotiated with the team, but none of the players signed in Texas. The Rangers maintained a disciplined approach, choosing not to overpay for players whose asking prices exceeded their own valuations.
Texas had the most prolific offense in the American League last year. After losing Hamilton and Napoli the lineup seems less potent. In particular, center fielders Leonys Martin and Craig Gentry project as below average offensive contributors. In my view it would have made sense to sign a free agent (Bourn, Upton and others were available) or complete a trade (Denard Span was on ther market) at a time that the center field market was unusually flush with options.
The Rangers’ rotation also seems vulnerable. Not only did Dempster and Scott Feldman depart as free agents, Martin Perez will miss the beginning of the season. Trading for a pitcher like James Shields, David Price or R.A. Dickey would no doubt have meant surrendering top prospects. At the same time, teams such as the Cubs, Royals and Blue Jays remade their entire rotations. Surely the Rangers could have managed to add one pitcher as insurance to round out an offseason of relatively modest spending. Instead, they'll await the return of Colby Lewis, who should provide the rotation with a midseason boost once he recovers from flexor tendon surgery.
Some wonder if the Rangers will trade from their enviable shortstop depth sooner, rather than later. Daniels maintains that he’s content to keep Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar, and that stance makes sense given that Profar just turned 20.
Deal of Note
Games played often correlate pretty well with free agent paydays. To play in lots of games, players must be healthy and reasonably productive, which increases their earning potential. Last offseason 22 position players signed for $10MM or more (including club options exercised). All but one of those players had appeared in at least 90 games in 2012. The lone exception obtained a one-year, $11MM contract from the Rangers following a season in which he appeared in just 32 games: Lance Berkman.
The deal stood out at the time, because teams so often pay players based on their most recent performances. Berkman had an unproductive, injury-plagued walk year and obtained a substantial guarantee nonetheless. This doesn’t make the Rangers’ decision a poor one, though. The switch-hitting 37-year-old had a heavyweight offensive season as recently as 2011 and seems capable of reaching base and providing power as he nears his 40th birthday.
Overview
The Rangers are a good team, even though they now seem vulnerable. They lost significant pieces this past offseason, and there’s no doubt that the Athletics and Angels represent serious threats. Expect the Rangers to contend in 2013, but don’t count on them to stand apart from the competition.