Minor Moves: Rays, Cubs, Purcey, Okajima
We'll keep track of today's minor moves here..
- Infielder Ryan Roberts, 1B/OF Shelley Duncan, outfielder Jason Bourgeois and right-hander J.D. Martin have all elected to become free agents, MLBDailyDish.com's Chris Cotillo reports (Twitter links). All four players were outrighted off the Rays' roster earlier this season.
- Also from Cotillo (Twitter links), catcher J.C. Boscan and outfielder Darnell McDonald have elected to become free agents. Both players were outrighted off the Cubs' 40-man roster last week.
- The White Sox announced they have outrighted David Purcey to Triple-A Charlotte. Purcey, 31, posted a 2.13 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 6.0 BB/9 in 24 relief appearances. The club's 40-man roster is now at 36. Purcey was one of Chicago's arbitration eligible players this winter.
- Left-hander Hideki Okajima and right-hander Chris Resop have elected free agency from the Athletics, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (Twitter link). Okajima, 38 in December, pitched in five big league games for the A's but spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A where he posted a 4.22 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in 37 appearances. Resop, 31 in November, also spent the lion's share of the year in Triple-A and had a 6.81 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.
- Reds right-hander Jose Arredondo, Angels right-hander Robert Coello, and Marlins third baseman Gil Velazquez have elected free agency under Article XX(D), according to Eddy (via Twitter). Arredondo struggled at the Triple-A level in 2013, posting a 5.87 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 6.5 BB/9. Coello made 16 big league relief appearances in 2013 and put up a 3.71 ERA with 12.2 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9.
- At Baseball America, Eddy has the full list of the past week's minor league transactions.
MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post
Chicago Links: Abreu, Peavy, Martinez, Renteria
The White Sox made one of the first big strikes of the offseason when they agreed to sign Jose Dariel Abreu to a six-year, $68MM deal. We've already collected some reaction to the Abreu signing and heard what it could mean for Paul Konerko's future with the Sox, so let's expand our look at the Windy City's baseball news to include the latest on the Cubs…
- "Depending on what is considered major," Abreu's signing will probably be the only major White Sox free agent move of the offseason, MLB.com's Scott Merkin writes. The Sox could still make further moves via trades, as Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham have drawn some interest from other teams.
- Also from Merkin, GM Rick Hahn goes into detail about how the three-team trade from last July between the White Sox, Red Sox and Tigers developed. Chicago got an important piece for the future in Avisail Garcia while the deal is currently having a big impact on the ALCS, with Jake Peavy starting for Boston and Jose Iglesias starting at shortstop for Detroit.
- Jim Thome won't be the next White Sox hitting coach, Hahn told reporters (including CSN Chicago's Charlie Roumeliotis) during a conference call today. Still, Hahn praised Thome's work as a special assistant to the GM and predicted he would become a coach in the future.
- An NL executive tells Peter Gammons that while the White Sox may have overpaid for Abreu, they have "one of the half-dozen thinnest farm systems in the game and Abreu doesn’t cost them a draft choice." Gammons also hears mixed reviews of Abreu from a scout and a general manager, though the GM's team still offered Abreu $40MM.
- Rays bench coach Dave Martinez interviewed with the Cubs today about their managerial opening and now the club will move onto the next step of its hiring process, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports. Martinez joins Manny Acta, A.J. Hinch and Rick Renteria as contenders for the job, and while Renteria just underwent hip surgery, he is still "considered a very strong candidate."
- The Cubs would prefer to hire a bilingual manager since they have so many important Latin American prospects, FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reports (Twitter links). Speaking Spanish isn't "a must" but it could be a tiebreaker if the Cubs are weighing equal candidates. Hinch is the only one of the four who doesn't speak Spanish, though the Cubs could still hire him to manage and hire Spanish-speaking coaches instead.
- CSN Chicago's Dave Kaplan spoke to several sources around the game about the four candidates. Martinez is seen as the clear best choice, Renteria was praised though there were some doubts about him as a first-time manager, Acta's unsuccessful stints managing the Indians and Nationals are strikes against him and Hinch drew scathing reviews. Kaplan, for his part, thinks the Cubs should hire Brad Ausmus.
Paul Konerko Could Still Return To White Sox
On the surface, the White Sox’s signing of Jose Dariel Abreu to a monster six-year, $68MM deal might have signaled the end of Paul Konerko’s tenure in the Windy City. However, General Manager Rick Hahn said yesterday on a conference call that the veteran could still return to the team next season, writes Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com.
“(We’ll) talk through what Paul is feeling and how he wants to handle his future as well as potentially the role he could conceivably play on the 2014 White Sox,” Hahn said. “Those conversations haven’t taken place yet and when they do we we’ll handle them the way we have (before) which is open and honestly and internally and not publicly.”
Konerko posted an uncharacteristically low .244/.313/.355 slash line in 2013 and missed nearly an entire month with back troubles. The 37-year-old, who has six All-Star selections to his credit, posted a career low of 12 home runs last season. Many speculated that 2013 would be Konerko’s final season, but the slugger sounds open to returning to the White Sox on a part-time basis.
Reactions To Jose Dariel Abreu Signing With White Sox
Last night, the White Sox signed Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu to a six-year, $68MM deal – the largest ever for an international free agent and the most lucrative deal for any White Sox player in club history. Abreu turned heads in his showcases for clubs earlier this month and had serious interest from the Red Sox, Astros, Rangers, Marlins, and Giants. Here's a look at the latest reactions to the deal..
- Sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links) that bidding for Abreu was fast and furious with four clubs bidding between $63MM and $66M. It's not known which four teams put those bids down, but the White Sox’s winning bid of $68MM wasn't excessive.
- While Abreu’s power is impressive, scouts are split over whether his power will translate against major league pitching, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America. Some consider his bat speed is just average and he appears vulnerable to good fastballs on the inner third of the plate. The first baseman lacks the athleticism of fellow Cuban stars Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig.
- The scouting consensus is that Masahiro Tanaka is better than Abreu and the total price tag for the Japanese hurler should be going up, tweets Badler.
- While some are up in arms about Abreu's price tag, Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors (via Twitter) notes that there is plenty chance for Abreu to be something between boom or bust at $11.3MM annually.
- It’s interesting that the White Sox signed Abreu to a hefty deal without having publicly disclosed future of first baseman Paul Konerko yet, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd). It's possible the veteran has already indicated that he will probably retire or maybe the White Sox determined that Abreu is the first baseman of the future, no matter what.
Jose Dariel Abreu Down To Astros, Red Sox, White Sox
Cuban slugger Jose Dariel Abreu has narrowed his list of possible destinations to the Astros, Red Sox, and White Sox, multiple industry sources tell Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. The standout first baseman could sign within the next two weeks.
The Rangers, Giants, and Marlins were also showing strong interest in Abreu along the way but are no longer in the running. ESPN's Buster Olney reported yesterday that the 26-year-old is expected to command a deal in the range of $70MM. Such a deal would shatter the four-year, $36MM contract signed by Yoenis Cespedes and the seven-year, $42MM pact signed by Yasiel Puig.
Recently, Tim Dierkes profiled Abreu and noted that because he is looked at as an "all bat" prospect, it would make sense for him to wind up in the American League. Now, barring something unforeseen, the former Serie Nacional star will call the AL his home in 2014.
AL Central Notes: Ortiz, Peavy, Tigers, Ramirez
David Ortiz's postseason heroics are a painful reminder of the worst decision in Twins' history, writes Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The Twins cut ties with Ortiz following the 2002 season after his salary was expected to jump to $2MM+. Interest in Ortiz on the free agent market was tepid, and the Red Sox, of course, were able to sign him for just $1.25MM in late January. The rest is history, though the legend of Big Papi continued to grow this October with a dramatic, game-tying grand slam off Joaquin Benoit in the ALCS.
Here's more from the AL Central…
- Jake Peavy admitted to reporters, including Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago, that he's disappointed that the White Sox weren't able to make the playoffs, as he had hoped when he signed a two-year extension with the team last offseason. However, he's enjoying his time with the Red Sox and relishes the chance to pitch in meaningful games: "…this is what, as a competitor, as a baseball player, playing at the highest level, you dream of being able to do,” Peavy said. “Pitching in games that mean the world to your teammates, to yourself, to your coaching staff and your fan base."
- Former Tiger and current MLBPA Deputy Executive Director Tony Clark told George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press that Tigers owner Mike Illitch was always committed to winning, even in the years in which the Tigers weren't competitive. Clark added that he's excited to see the current group of Tigers playing well, as he has fond memories of his days with the team. Clark hit .277/.355/.502 with 156 homers for the Tigers from 1995-2001 after Detroit picked him second overall in the draft.
- Royals catcher Max Ramirez has left the Wasserman Media Group and is now represented by Burton Rocks, tweets Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. Ramirez, a former top prospect, will be a free agent this winter and batted .263/.336/.375 with nine homers in 467 plate appearances at Triple-A Omaha.
White Sox, Astros, Rangers Considered Front-Runners For Abreu
Cuban slugger Jose Dariel Abreu's name continues to generate buzz. The latest, courtesy of ESPN's Buster Olney, is that the Rangers, White Sox and Astros have emerged as the front-runners to sign the 26-year-old, and his price tag is expected to be around $70MM (Twitter link).
In yesterday's free agent profile of Abreu, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes predicted that a six-year, $54MM contract would be required to sign him. Previous reports have indicated that he could cost as much as $60MM, but Olney's report pegs him significantly higher. Such a commitment would shatter the four-year, $36MM contract signed by Yoenis Cespedes and the seven-year, $42MM contract signed by Yasiel Puig. The success of that pairing could be a contributing factor to Abreu's lofty price tag.
As Tim noted in Abreu's profile, Abreu is viewed by many as an "all bat" player, with his first base defense being somewhat questionable. As such, it makes sense that three American League teams are seen as the favorites; each would have the luxury of giving him some at-bats at DH to mitigate that potential weakness.
In addition to Texas, Chicago and Houston, the Marlins are expected to be big players for Abreu. Earlier in the month, MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reported that the Fish are "all-in" on trying to sign Abreu, who, along with Jose Fernandez, would give Miami an appealing Cuban pairing to market to their fanbase.
Rays, White Sox To Complete Jesse Crain Trade
WEDNESDAY, 11:07am: The Rays will send infielder Ben Kline and left-hander Sean Bierman as the players to be named later and cash considerations to the White Sox, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).
TUESDAY, 7:49pm: The Rays will send Bierman to the White Sox as a part of this summer's Jesse Crain trade, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Another player will also go from Tampa Bay to Chicago in the trade and it is likely to be finalized tomorrow. Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish (Twitter link) first reported Bierman's inclusion in the deal.
Bierman, who turns 25 on Sunday, posted a 2.55 ERA in 14 starts and four relief appearances in 2013 between the club's Class-A and Class-A Advanced affiliates this season. The lefty was not ranked among the Rays' top 30 prospects by Baseball America heading into the '13 season.
Earlier tonight, Tim Dierkes looked at the offseason ahead for the White Sox.
AL Central Notes: Tigers, Twins, Yoon, Santana
Trades don't always work out for both clubs involved and it's even rarer for a three-team deal to benefit all parties. However, the Jake Peavy deal did just that, according to Red Sox skipper John Farrell. “One, It’s a great baseball trade because it clearly had specific needs and fit for the three teams involved,” Farrell said, according to Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. “Secondly, you have to give up a quality player to get a quality player in return. … It was hard to see Jose Iglesias go, but in return we knew we needed another quality starter, and we got that in Jake." The swap brought five-tool outfielder Avisail Garcia to the White Sox and the Tigers received Iglesias from Boston. More out of the AL Central..
- Korean starting pitcher Suk-Min Yoon is on the Twins' radar, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Because Yoon is a free agent, he won't require a posting fee from the team that signs him. Yoon hired agent Scott Boras to represent him following the 2011 season but he ultimately stayed in Korea despite speculation he would pitch in the big leagues in 2012. The 27-year-old is set to audition for clubs in the U.S in the near future.
- It's something of a longshot to happen, but Wolfson (Twitter link) hears that the Twins aren't married to keeping their second-round pick and would sacrifice it to sign a player tied to draft compensation. Of course, the Twins' first-round pick is protected thanks to finishing in the bottom third of the standings.
- The Royals should be very careful about the kind of offer they give to free agent Ervin Santana, writes Sam Mellinger of The Kansas City Star. Historically, large and long-term commitments to free agent pitchers don't pan out and Mellinger suggests that KC sets a limit of $45MM over three years.
Jose Dariel Abreu About To Agree To $68MM Deal
9:28pm: The Rangers will not sign Abreu, Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan tweets. The Astros and Red Sox likely will not, either. The White Sox still appear to be the favorites, although there might still be a "mystery team" involved.
7:29pm: Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu is "finalizing" a six-year, $68MM contract, likely with the White Sox, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweets. Abreu is represented by Praver Shapiro Sports Management. The deal would be the largest contract ever for an international free agent. It would easily surpass the six-year, $42MM deal Yasiel Puig received from the Dodgers last June.
This afternoon, it emerged that Abreu was deciding between the White Sox, Red Sox and Astros. The Rangers, Marlins and Giants had also shown interest.
Abreu, 26, defected from Cuba two months ago. He put up massive numbers in Cuba's Serie Nacional, winning over-the-top praise for his power and earning comparisons to Ryan Howard. Some experts have raised doubts about his bat speed, however, and his defense and athleticism are not highly regarded. Tim Dierkes' profile of Abreu predicted he would receive a six-year, $54MM contract.