Napoli, Mathis Talk Contracts, Hitting, Defense
Few observers would argue that Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis have similar strengths relative to their fellow MLB catchers. Anything but. One is a power hitting All-Star; the other is a defensive specialist with a history of below-average offensive performances. While categorizing the players themselves as opposites would be overly simplistic, they have taken divergent paths in one significant respect: their contracts.
Both Napoli and Mathis entered the 2012 season with one-year deals, five-plus years of service time, and free agency approaching quickly. Napoli has tabled extension talks for now and is still on track to hit free agency this offseason. Meanwhile, Mathis bypassed the open market last week for the security of a two-year, $3MM extension. Deciding to give up free agency with six weeks to go in the season was difficult for the Blue Jays catcher.
“It was. There’s no doubt about that,” he told MLBTR this past weekend. “Ever since you come into professional ball that’s what you wait for really. You get to see what kind of teams want you for the first time ever. It was tough giving that up, but the Blue Jays made the decision worth my while and we got something done.”
Mathis said contract talks began a little more than a month ago and accelerated after the non-waiver trade deadline passed. For someone who has played exclusively on one-year deals, the security of a multiyear contract had considerable appeal.
“It’s big,” he said. “We’re in this game to stay, you want to stay around as long as you can and try to get that tenure in and try to be with a team that you think is going in the right direction and win some ballgames and that’s where this organization is at.”
While Mathis and his representatives at Jet Sports Management undertook the task of negotiating a contract in the midst of the season, Napoli said he hasn’t had recent talks with the Rangers. He’s now on the disabled list with a quad injury and doesn’t appear to be thinking about free agency.
“I really can’t control any of that right now,” Napoli told MLBTR. “I want to be [in Texas]. I want to stay here, but I’m just worried about getting back on the field and trying to help our team get in position to make a run at it.”
Multi-Dimensional
Napoli and Mathis have existed and co-existed on opposite ends of the offensive spectrum as Major Leaguers. A total of 37 catchers have appeared in at least 400 games since 2006, the first year Napoli and Mathis got considerable playing time at the MLB level. Napoli leads the group of 37 with a .502 slugging percentage and he ranks second in OPS, trailing only Joe Mauer. Conversely, Mathis ranks last in on-base percentage (.256), slugging percentage (.314) and OPS (.570) since 2006.
Yet the Blue Jays saw enough from Mathis on defense and at the plate to extend him through 2014. Napoli said he was pleased to see his longtime teammate obtain a multiyear contract. And he suggested Mathis’ offense — a career-best .664 OPS with seven home runs — might be sustainable.
“I played with him in the minors so I’ve seen him hit,” Napoli said, alluding to Mathis' minor league successes at the plate. “To see him come back and be able to do it again is good. He looks comfortable. He’s playing and having fun.”
If Mathis’ bat has been a pleasant surprise, Napoli’s is a known commodity. Mike Piazza and Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Roy Campanella are the only catchers in baseball history to out-homer Napoli through seven MLB seasons. Napoli may not be Cooperstown-bound, but he should still get credit for his glovework as well as his offense, according to Mathis.
“He’s always been able to hit,” Mathis said. “And I always thought he was a pretty good [defensive] catcher too. He had some injuries early and I guess kind of got a bad rap over there with the Angels. I’ve been around him for a long time through the minor leagues and in the big leagues and always knew he had it in him. I knew he was going to hit and become a good hitter, but I’m really happy to see what kind of catcher he evolved into.”
Up Next
Mathis is set for the foreseeable future, yet the uncertainty and opportunity of the open market looms for Napoli. His agent, Brian Grieper, had preliminary extension talks with the Rangers, but the sides agreed to table discussions following the All-Star break.
Grieper suggested in April that Napoli would seek a contract worth more than Victor Martinez’s four-year, $52MM deal and less than Yadier Molina’s five-year, $75MM deal. Miguel Montero’s five-year, $60MM contract could also figure in to talks when they resume after the season. Napoli's leg injury won’t help his free agent stock, and neither will the dropoff in production (at least compared to his exceptional 2011 year). Still, catchers who can hit are always in demand.
As baseball executives and agents prepare to navigate a new set of rules for the first time, this winter’s transactions promise to be as complex as ever. The Rangers could make Napoli a one-year qualifying offer worth $13MM-plus under the sport’s new collective bargaining agreement. Such an offer would link Napoli to draft pick compensation and could affect his free agent value, but it’s not a possibility on which he chooses to dwell.
“My agent explained it to me and I understand it, but I let him take care of it,” Napoli said. “He fills me in on everything I need to know.”
Until the offseason begins, that won’t be much. But once the free agent bidding gets started, Napoli can expect his share of calls.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Rosenthal On Andrus, Headley, Ichiro, Victorino
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (video link) has posted his latest edition of Full Count, so let's dive in..
- The Rangers likely promotion of top prospect Jurickson Profar doesn't necessarily mean that they'll trade Elvis Andrus this offseason, but its possible. Profar is 19-years-old with many years of club control ahead of him while Andrus has only two years left on his contract after this season. Andrus is a Scott Boras client, making an extension unlikely.
- The Padres want one more piece for their rotation to support Clayton Richard and Edinson Volquez and Chase Headley could be the piece to help them make that happen. San Diego didn't get the prospect package that they wanted for Headley before the deadline but they could get a solid big league pitcher for him this winter.
- The Giants made a serious run at Ichiro Suzuki at the deadline before he wound up with the Yankees. GM Brian Sabean instead went for Hunter Pence as he felt the lineup needed more power. Rosenthal wouldn't be surprised if the Giants pursue Ichiro in free agency, depending on how they feel about re-signing Melky Cabrera.
- A source told Rosenthal that the Pirates could have gotten Shane Victorino from the Phillies before the deadline for Brad Lincoln. Of course, Pittsburgh instead sent Lincoln to the Blue Jays for Travis Snider.
Quick Hits: Villanueva, Hammel, Cabrera, Hamilton
Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel is on the mend and set to return next month. With that in mind, O's General Manager Dan Duquette doesn't seem terribly focused on adding a starting pitcher, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Here's more from around baseball..
- Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva hopes to stay in Toronto, but wants to do so as a starting pitcher, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Villanueva avoided arbitration with a $2.2775MM deal this winter but would likely look for a significant pay bump as a starter.
- This winter's free agent market figured to be light on heavy hitters anyway, but Melky Cabrera's situation means that the Rangers would have an even harder time replacing Josh Hamilton, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. One Texas official cautiously predicted that the slugger would re-sign with the team, but we learned last week that Hamilton will wait until the offseason to negotiate.
- It hasn't been a successful year for the Astros, but things could get worse upon their arrival in the American League West, writes Randy Harvey of the Houston Chronicle.
- Speaking of the Astros, they released 2008 second-round pick Jay Austin earlier today (hat tip to Jayne Hansen of What The Heck, Bobby). The 22-year-old outfielder never advanced beyond Advanced-A ball in his time with Houston.
- Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is staying upbeat in the face of the latest controversy surrounding him and the club, writes MLB.com's Ian Browne. Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia were reportedly the most vocal in a meeting between the players and principal owners regarding Valentine.
Blue Jays Acquire Yorvit Torrealba
5:34pm: The Blue Jays announced that they have signed Torrealba to a minor league deal.
2:42pm: Veteran catcher Yorvit Torrealba, placed on release waivers last week by the Texas Rangers, is close to joining the Toronto Blue Jays, a source tells Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
Torrealba, 34, posted a .236/.302/.342 batting line in 182 plate appearances for Texas before being designated for assignment earlier this month.
West Links: Athletics, Dodgers, Profar
Here are a few odds and ends regarding three contenders out of MLB's West divisions …
- The Athletics, only a half-game behind the Rays and Orioles for one of two wild card berths, are one of baseball's most surprising teams, prompting Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle to examine how they've done it. "It isn't blind one luck," said one Major League executive. "There is thought behind it."
- Similarly, the Dodgers are a much deeper and balanced team after a string of unheralded but important moves, writes Christina Kahrl of ESPN's SweetSpot blog. The recent additions of Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton prove that GM Ned Colletti "never made the mistake of settling."
- The Rangers may soon promote prized shortstop prospect Jurickson Profar to the Major Leagues, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Profar, 19, is currently hitting .285/.363/.470 in 111 games with Double-A Frisco and would become the youngest position player in the Majors. Texas is currently playing with a three-man bench on its current road swing but will revert back to a four-man bench when it opens a homestand Monday. Recall that the Rangers "balked" at including Profar in any pre-deadline trades.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Alberto Gonzalez
Let's keep track of today's outright assignments right here…
- The Rangers have outrighted Alberto Gonzalez to Triple-A according to the MLB.com transactions page. The 29-year-old infielder was designated for assignment last week. Gonzalez hit .241/.241/.315 in 55 plate appearances for Texas this year while playing second, third, and short.
Make Or Break Year: How Are They Doing?
Before the season, we identified 11 players who were entering "make or break" years. These guys had experienced ups and downs in their respective careers and were positioned to re-establish themselves as difference makers at the Major League level and set themselves up for nice paydays in the future. Now that we're into August, let's take a second to check in each player (all links go to MLBTR posts)…
- Scott Baker, Twins — Baker, 30, had elbow surgery in April and will miss the entire season. Minnesota will likely decline his $9.25MM option for 2013 (no buyout).
- Phil Hughes, Yankees — The 26-year-old right-hander owns a 4.10 ERA in 131 2/3 innings this year, including a 3.40 ERA since mid-May. He's a safe bet to be tendered a contract for 2014, his final year as a arbitration-eligible player.
- Jair Jurrjens, Braves — Jurrjens, 26, pitched so poorly earlier in the season that he had to be sent to the minors. He's since resurfaced and owns 6.89 ERA in 48 1/3 innings, cementing his status as a non-tender candidate.
- Adam Lind, Blue Jays — Lind has battled back problems and also been demoted to Triple-A this season, and he's hit .227/.298/.394 while with the big league team. The 29-year-old continues to disappoint since signing his four-year, $18MM extension prior to 2010.
- Francisco Liriano, White Sox — It's been another up and down season for the 28-year-old southpaw, who owns a 5.03 ERA in 111 innings. The Twins traded Liriano to the ChiSox at the deadline.
- James Loney, Dodgers — Loney, now 28, hasn't helped himself at all this season, hitting just .251/.301/.330 in 327 plate appearances. He might have to settle for a minor league contract this coming offseason.
- Kendrys Morales, Angels — The 29-year-old is hitting .282/.327/.455 with 14 homers on the year, well below the level he established prior to his leg injury in 2010. Morales figures to be both a trade and non-tender candidate after the season.
- Mike Pelfrey, Mets — Pelfrey pitched to a 2.29 ERA in three starts before needing Tommy John surgery. The Mets are expected to non-tender the 28-year-old after the season.
- Geovany Soto, Rangers — The 29-year-old backstop has continued to deal with injuries in 2012 and is hitting just .201/.289/.356. Soto is an obvious non-tender candidate.
- Kevin Youkilis, White Sox — Youkilis lost his starting job with the Red Sox and was traded to the White Sox, who are likely to decline his $13MM option after the season. The 33-year-old has dealt with nagging injuries and is hitting .238/.339/.427 overall.
- Delmon Young, Tigers — Young, 26, has had a below-average season at the plate (.266/.298/.402) and has dealt with some off-field problems. He hasn't helped his free agent stock any.
Rangers Designate Alberto Gonzalez For Assignment
The Rangers have designated infielder Alberto Gonzalez for assignment, Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com reports (on Twitter). The move creates roster space for Mark Lowe, who is returning from the disabled list.
Gonzalez appeared in 24 games for the Rangers this year, playing second base, third base and shortstop. The 29-year-old has collected 13 hits, including two doubles and a triple, in 55 plate appearances. Gonzalez, who was signed to a minor league deal last offseason, earns $750K and will be arbitration eligible this offseason should the Rangers or another team choose to tender him a contract.
Rangers, Hamilton To Wait For Offseason To Negotiate
The Rangers and Josh Hamilton will hold off on contract negotiations until the end of the season, sources tell Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Hamilton said last winter that he didn't want talks to extend into the season, but the two sides held light discussions in May, when Hamilton was in the midst of his early-season tear. Both Rangers GM Jon Daniels and Hamilton's agent Michael Moye declined to comment on the state of negotiations.
It was seen as a longshot that an agreement would be reached, with even Nolan Ryan saying that he expected Hamilton to test the free agent market. Heyman reports that the Rangers have yet to make Hamilton a contract offer, which Heyman interprets as a possible sign that the team isn't willing to extend the kind of eight- or nine-year commitment that Hamilton reportedly wants. The Rangers shy away from very long-term contracts in any case and "indications are that they won't buck that trend here" for Hamilton.
Signing any 31-year-old with a checkered injury history to a big multiyear deal would already be a risk, but that uncertainty is compounded by Hamilton's struggles with substance abuse. Heyman hears from two rival general managers that Hamilton carries too much risk to get more than a five-year deal (worth $100MM-140MM) on the open market, though the GMs note that Hamilton just needs one particularly aggressive team to potentially offer him that longer contract. One GM suggests the Dodgers could be in on Hamilton this winter as their new ownership is willing and eager to spend.
Hamilton looked to be on track for one of baseball's greatest seasons after he posted a .368/.420/.764 line with 21 homers in April and May, though he has struggled badly since, hitting just .209/.284/.383 since May 31.
Quick Hits: Trout, Tigers, Marlins, Rockies
The Cubs were scheduled to play the first ever night game at Wrigley Field on this date 24 years ago, but the game was rained out, so it wasn't until the next day that the Cubs officially welcomed night baseball to the North Side of Chicago. Here are today's links, as the Cubs visit the Padres in San Diego…
- MLB executives discussed a possible Mike Trout extension with Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (link at ESPN.com). Trout could break records as an arbitration eligible player if he continues playing at an MVP level, so it might be surprisingly expensive for the Angels to lock the 21-year-old up.
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland gives president and GM Dave Dombrowski a ‘gold star’ for his work acquiring Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante and Jeff Baker, Chris Iott of MLive.com reports. Leyland’s top priority was a pitcher, so getting Infante in the same trade as Sanchez was a bonus. “When it worked out that we got both of them at the same time, that was pretty good," the manager said.
- The Marlins will be willing to spend this offseason, but they’ll do so carefully, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes. Team president David Samson says the Marlins aim to remain competitive, despite their disappointing 2012 season. “We’re not rebuilding, we’re retooling,” he said. For more of his comments on the team click here.
- The Rockies have some interest in Yorvit Torrealba, who was recently placed on release waivers, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter). However, it’s not clear how he’d fit on the Rockies with both Ramon Hernandez and Wilin Rosario healthy.