Rangers Acquire Luis Martinez From Padres
The Rangers announced that they have acquired catcher Luis Martinez from the Padres in exchange for right-hander Ryan Kelly (via Twitter).
Martinez, 26, has been added to Texas' 40-man roster. The right-handed hitter appeared in 22 games with the Friars in 2011, hitting .203/.309/.305 in 68 plate appearances.
Kelly, 24, was a 26th-round pick of the Pirates in 2006. He has a 4.50 career ERA over five minor league seasons.
Rangers Still Eyeing Andrew Bailey
With the clock ticking on their 30-day negotiating window with Yu Darvish, the Rangers aren't done searching for pitching upgrades. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that Texas still has interest in Athletics closer Andrew Bailey.
If the Rangers were to acquire Bailey, they would almost certainly trade a pitcher – perhaps Matt Harrison – for a first baseman or center fielder, according to Rosenthal.
The Rangers' interest in Bailey is nothing new, though during the Winter Meetings they were said to be balking at Billy Beane's asking price for the right-hander. The Red Sox have been the team linked to Bailey most often in recent weeks, even after their acquisition of Mark Melancon.
Assuming the Rangers can finalize a deal with Darvish within the next month, Neftali Feliz's move to the rotation means the club would have an excess of starting pitching. As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote yesterday, Texas could consider starting the season with a six-man rotation. A trade is also a possibility. But if the Rangers decided to move Alexi Ogando to a bullpen which already includes Joe Nathan and Mike Adams, you'd think the team would be less inclined to part with premium prospects for Bailey.
Rangers, Napoli Discussing Long-Term Extension
The Rangers have had several discussions with catcher Mike Napoli regarding a long-term contract extension, a source tells Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com, although the talks are still early in the process. Napoli is arbitration eligible for the final time this offseason and is slated to earn $9.2MM in 2012 through that process, according to the model created by Matt Swartz for MLBTR.
Napoli, who turned 30 in October, enjoyed a career season with the Rangers after being traded twice following the 2010 season. The right-handed hitter posted single-season bests with 30 homers, 75 RBIs, and a .320/.414/.631 line.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com first reported earlier this month that the Rangers were hopeful of working out an extension with Napoli.
Prince Fielder Rumors: Tuesday
Seven seasons into his Major League career, Prince Fielder has set a high standard of offensive production. He hits 37 home runs and 32 doubles per 162 games played, while drawing 92 walks and posting a .282/.390/.540 line. Here's the latest on the 27-year-old Scott Boras client as his first appearance on the free agent market continues:
- The Mariners made Fielder an offer, or at least told him how much they'd be willing to pay him, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, who adds that the M's "love Fielder" but have financial restrictions.
- The Cubs have done background work on Fielder and are interested in signing him, but won't come close to approaching a 10-year deal, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- The Rangers will not pursue Fielder, even though the division rival Angels signed Albert Pujols, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Orioles appear to be in on the Fielder derby, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the O's will only be in on Fielder if the market for the first baseman collapses, however.
- Heyman says the Rangers still appear to be eyeing Fielder. The Rangers like Fielder's youth and middle-of-the-order presence. Though they'd like to lock Josh Hamilton up, they aren't offering the long-term security he seeks, Heyman reports.
Hiroki Kuroda May Be Nearing Deal
Yahoo’s Tim Brown heard yesterday that Hiroki Kuroda was close to agreeing to a new contract. However, it’s not clear which team is nearing a deal with the right-hander. Here are the details and more of Brown’s links from around MLB:
- The Mariners, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees were among the teams that informed Brown they were not the team nearing a deal with Kuroda.
- The Dodgers didn’t scout Yoenis Cespedes in earnest or consider bidding on Yu Darvish, Brown reports. It cost the Rangers $51.7MM for the rights to negotiate with Darvish and Cespedes figures to cost tens of millions as well, so the players are too expensive for the cash-strapped Dodgers to consider.
- Carlos Beltran figures to agree to terms by Sunday. His market includes the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Red Sox and a fourth team, possibly the Rays. Beltran is weighing two and three-year offers, Brown reports.
Yu Darvish Bidding Reactions
The Rangers won the bidding for Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish last night and while the $51.7MM bid doesn't assure Texas of Darvish himself, it does mean we're in for 30 days of negotiations between the team and agent Arn Tellem. Here are some reactions to the news from around MLB:
- Darvish celebrated the announcement that the Rangers had made a record bid for the right to discuss a contract with him by working out, Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes.
- GM Jon Daniels acknowledged last night that the deal will have an impact on other moves the team makes, but says the Angels’ aggressive moves did not affect Texas’ approach to Darvish (Twitter links via Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com).
- Rangers ownership made an exception and decided to spend despite the financial issues that threatened to limit their offseason extravagance a week ago, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.
- Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker expects Darvish to sign with the Rangers, but wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't.
- Darvish offers the highest possible reward, but carries the highest possible risk, Jim Bowden writes at ESPN.com. Bowden says Darvish has the stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation starter and argues that he is worth taking a risk on.
- There's every indication that the sides can work out a deal within 30 days, according to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
- Darvish could be good enough that the Rangers can sustain the loss of C.J. Wilson without slowing down, Richard Justice writes at MLB.com.
- Blue Jays fans got their hopes up for Darvish and now face staggering disappointment, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca writes. However, Davidi hears the Blue Jays "have a number of balls in the air" beyond Darvish.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports looks ahead to what hot stove fans can expect now that the Darvish bidding is over. Scott Boras clients Prince Fielder and Edwin Jackson will draw lots of interest as free agents and Gio Gonzalez figures to be traded. The Blue Jays must obtain a No. 2 starter, Morosi writes.
Rangers Win Bidding For Yu Darvish
If Yu Darvish plays for a Major League team in 2012, he'll be wearing a Rangers uniform. Texas won the rights to the Japanese right-hander via the posting system with a record $51.7MM bid, Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports. MLB has confirmed that the Rangers submitted the highest bid and that it was accepted.
The bid, which exceeds the $51.1MM Boston paid for the rights to speak with Daisuke Matsuzaka five years ago, provides the Rangers with a 30-day negotiating window. If the sides don't agree to a deal within the next 30 days, Darvish will stay in Japan and the Nippon Ham Fighters won't obtain any cash from the Rangers.
Darvish posted a 1.44 ERA with 10.7 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in 232 innings this past season and he hasn't posted an ERA above 2.00 since 2007. MLB agents suggested to MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes that it will cost at least $100MM to lock Darvish up, including the posting fee and contract.
If Rangers GM Jon Daniels reaches a deal with Darvish, Texas' rotation will look considerably different in 2012. C.J. Wilson signed with the Angels as a free agent and Neftali Feliz will move to the rotation. Alexi Ogando, Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison and Scott Feldman provide manager Ron Washington with an abundance of alternatives for the rest of the rotation.
Agent Arn Tellem issued a statement explaining that he was pleased to learn the Rangers were the high bidders, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
"The Rangers are an extraordinary franchise in an exceptional city with equally exceptional fans," Tellem said. '"Yu is honored to be prized so highly and recognized as a once-in-a-generation pitcher. We look forward to getting negotiations underway."
The Rangers are on the clock and now have until January 18th to reach a deal with Darvish. The Blue Jays, Yankees and Cubs also placed bids on Darvish before last week's deadline. Conversely, the Giants, Athletics, Marlins, Mets, Rays, Angels, Twins, Red Sox and Orioles did not bid, according to recent reports. The Blue Jays had been favored to win the bidding for Darvish ever since the process wrapped up.
Quick Hits: Mariners, Rockies, Indians, Rangers
Two years ago, the White Sox acquired Juan Pierre from the Dodgers in what was only the second-most memorable trade of the day. The day's other deal saw the Mariners and Cubs swap bad contracts, with Carlos Silva heading to Chicago in exchange for Milton Bradley. We can only hope this year's December 18th will be as eventful. For now, here are a few links from around the league…
- In an Insider-only piece at ESPN.com, Jim Bowden breaks down the five most undervalued free agents left on the market, with Carlos Beltran and Hiroki Kuroda topping his list.
- Two court-ordered appraisals suggest the value of the Mariners' franchise is much higher than what Forbes reported earlier this year, as Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times writes.
- Noting that Michael Cuddyer is a "heck of a stocking stuffer," Troy Renck of the Denver Post details the rest of the Rockies' Christmas wish list.
- Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer fields Indians-related questions in a mailbag. Among the topics discussed: Kendrys Morales, Manny Ramirez, and the so-called "surprising" trade GM Chris Antonetti discussed at the Winter Meetings.
- Jamey Newberg of the Newberg Report examines what a Rangers package for Mat Latos might have looked like.
Gio Gonzalez Rumors: Friday
No MLB pitcher has walked more opponents in the past two seasons than Gio Gonzalez and he's about to get expensive through arbitration, yet the Athletics are drawing strong interest in the left-hander. In fairness to Gonzalez, he has reached the 200-inning plateau in each of the past two seasons without posting an ERA above 3.23 and capable pitchers aren't easy to find (though Dave Cameron of FanGraphs has an alternative for teams who don't like the asking price on Gonzalez). Here are the latest rumors on Gonzalez:
- The Nationals are "all but out" of the Gonzalez sweepstakes, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. The Athletics' asking price is "way out of line," Ladson hears.
- The Mets told the A's they won't include Jonathon Niese, Ike Davis, Matt Harvey, Jenrry Mejia or Jeurys Familia in a deal for Gio Gonzalez, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
- The Tigers are on the "outskirts" of the Gonzalez sweepstakes, tweets ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. They aren't upbeat about their chances of trading for him.
- The A's would love to get a future third baseman in a deal for Gonzalez, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Rangers prospect Mike Olt is one possibility.
- The A's continue seeking a huge package for Gonzalez, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. Though the Yankees "love" him, they aren't eager to surrender prospects such as Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances.
- The Rangers, who are pursuing Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey, can be expected to try to trade for Gonzalez or Matt Garza if they don't win the bidding on Yu Darvish, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney also reports that the Rangers are likely to pursue Gonzalez if they miss out on Darvish. He tweets that 20-year-old left-hander Martin Perez would "almost have to be" in a deal between the A's and Rangers.
- The market for Gonzalez and John Danks may pick up once the winner in the Darvish bidding is announced and the Rays decide which of their starting pitchers are available, tweets ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.
Prince Fielder Rumors: Friday
The Cubs are the early front-runners to sign Prince Fielder, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. But in the words of one executive, agent Scott Boras can usually “pull a rabbit out of his hat” for his top free agent clients, so other teams are very much in the mix for the 27-year-old free agent. Here’s the latest:
- Cubs manager Dale Sveum says the team hasn't had conversations with Fielder, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Sveum says the Cubs "haven't initiated any contact at all," according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (on Twitter).
- It looks like the Cubs and Mariners are Fielder’s most serious suitors, Rosenthal reports.
- The Cubs don’t want to give Fielder a ten-year deal and would be more comfortable with a six or seven-year term, according to Rosenthal.
- The Rangers and Marlins won’t bid on Fielder, according to Rosenthal’s sources. The Orioles may only be a viable suitor for Fielder if he lacks other options.
- Boras wants an opt-out clause for Fielder, Rosenthal reports.