Reds To Cut Payroll, Big Names Could Be Dealt
Add the Reds to the list of teams that are slashing, rather than spending, this off-season. Fanhouse's Ed Price and Jeff Fletcher are reporting that Cincinnati is looking to cut their payroll from $71MM in 2009 to between the $65-$70MM range next season. While it may not sound like much of a reduction, Cot's Baseball Contracts lists the Reds as owing just under $66MM to just ten players for next season, leaving little room to fill out the rest of the roster.
Lagging attendance figures are to blame for the Reds' financial cutbacks. Price and Fletcher noted that attendance at the Great American Ballpark dropped by more than 15 percent from 2008 to 2009. General manager Walt Jocketty was quoted in the piece as saying, "We're going to probably have less to spend this year than we have in the past…It just depends on how [ticket] sales go this offseason."
If Cincinnati does make a deal, the likeliest candidates to be moved are second baseman Brandon Phillips (owed just under $7MM in 2010), and pitchers Aaron Harang ($12.5MM) and Bronson Arroyo ($12.25MM). Phillips, with his .452 slugging percentage over the last four seasons, is the most attractive candidate to other clubs given his power from the second base position and reasonable contract. Harang and Arroyo are both coming off decent years themselves, but Price and Fletcher speculate that their bigger contract numbers would require the Reds to absorb a chunk of their salaries if traded.
One star player who looks to be staying in Cincinnati is closer Francisco Cordero, who Price and Fletcher say the club "would prefer to keep" despite the $25MM he's owed through 2011. A very intriguing trade chip could be young slugger Joey Votto, if the Reds wanted to make room for star prospect Yonder Alonso at first base. Another team could be convinced to take on a bad contract if it meant getting Votto, who isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2013 season.
Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Halladay, Pettitte, Snyder
Here's some more links on a busy first day at the GM meetings…
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier writes that when Jed Hoyer took over as GM of the Padres, it only made it tougher for the Red Sox to pull off a deal for Adrian Gonzalez. “He knows all my tricks, and I know his,” said Theo Epstein of Hoyer.
- Meanwhile, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports that Roy Halladay has identified the Red Sox as a team he'd be willing to accept a trade to. Doc has a full no-trade clause.
- Andy Pettitte has apparently told his Yankee teammates that he'd like to come back for one more year, though there's been no definitive word according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. GM Brian Cashman said he expects the team to be more "cautious than anxious" this offseason, and that he plans to go slow, even with their own free agents according to Joel Sherman of The NY Post.
- Mets' GM Omar Minaya "has told several of his friends in the industry that he badly wants to add a run-producing bat at either first base and/or left field," according to Sherman.
- MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that Chris Snyder confirmed there has not been a setback in his rehab from back surgery. The Blue Jays nixed a potential Snyder for Lyle Overbay swap over the weekend over concerns about the catcher's back.
- The Orioles claimed righthander Armando Gabino off waivers from the Twins, according to Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune. Meanwhile, a team press release says the Rays claimed righty Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Reds.
- FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that Melvin Mora is working out at other positions to increase his versatility and up his value as a free agent.
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs compared Jason Bay to Mike Cameron, and determines that the latter is a better value.
- Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts breaks down some Chad Billingsley rumors.
Danny Richar, Kevin Barker Become Free Agents
Danny Richar and Kevin Barker elected free agency after being outrighted by the Reds, according to C. Trent Rosecrans (via Twitter). The Reds also outrighted pitcher Justin Lehr, but signed him for 2010.
Richar, 26, hit .290/.330/.438 in 181 Triple A plate appearances this year. The second baseman had labrum surgery in July. He came to the Reds from the White Sox last July with Nick Masset in the Ken Griffey Jr. trade. Barker, a 34-year-old first baseman, hit .285/.376/.551 with 22 home runs in 417 Triple A plate appearances this year.
Reds Notes: Ramon Hernandez, Hardy
MLB.com's Mark Sheldon has the latest on the Reds…
- GM Walt Jocketty told Sheldon the Reds will decline catcher Ramon Hernandez's $8.5MM option, as expected. Jocketty hopes to negotiate a new deal with Hernandez. Bad news for Ryan Hanigan, who posted a .361 OBP in 293 plate appearances this year.
- Jocketty hopes to re-sign catcher Corky Miller and outfielder Darnell McDonald to minor league deals.
- Jocketty said he talked to the Brewers several times about J.J. Hardy, but "We didn't match up and they didn't want to trade within our division, which was understandable." It's a sign that the Reds may not be content with Paul Janish as their starter.
- Check out our Offseason Outlook for more Reds analysis.
Reds Negotiating With Ramon Hernandez
The Reds seem certain to decline their $8.5MM club option on catcher Ramon Hernandez for 2010 and buy the 11-year veteran out for $1MM. The only question now is whether or not Cincinnati will part ways with Hernandez or whether they'll bring him back at a more club-friendly price.
Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he had met with Hernandez's agent, and gave a very neutral view of the negotiations between the team and the player: "We’ve made some progress. I don’t know if we’re close. But we’ll try to work something out.” As MLB.com's Mark Sheldon noted, the Reds could also decline Hernandez's option but offer him arbitration, thus putting themselves in line for a first-round sandwich pick if another team signed Hernandez, a Type B free agent.
Hernandez hit .258/.336/.362 in 331 plate appearances last season, appearing in 55 games behind the plate and 30 games at first base. He played in just four games after July 16 due to arthroscopic knee surgery.
Odds & Ends: Holliday, Putz, Lopez, Teahen, Reds
It's been a busy first day on the hot stove, so here's another batch of links…
- Derrick Goold of The St. Lous Post Dispatch says there are eight teams "that have the need and the financial wherewithal" to sign Matt Holliday. It's the usual suspects (i.e. big market clubs), and Goold explains why each may be interested in Holliday.
- Craig Landis, agent for J.J. Putz, said that his client "hasn't ruled out returning to the Mets with a cheaper, incentive-laden deal," according to Bart Hubbuch of The NY Post. Earlier today we learned that the Mets informed Putz that they wouldn't be picking up his 2010 option.
- MLB.com's Adam McCalvy says the Brewers are waiting to see whether Felipe Lopez qualifies as a Type-A or B free agent, and that will likely play a role in their decision whether or not to offer him arbitration. Eddie Bajek's work projects Lopez to be a Type-B, but he's right on the cutoff.
- ESPN's Keith Law loves the Mark Teahen trade for the Royals, noting that they traded one average player close to free agency for two average players with several years of team control left.
- John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Reds' relievers Nick Masset and Jared Burton are arbitration eligible as Super Two's, but Micah Owings is not.
- Meanwhile, the Reds are expected to decline Ramon Hernandez's $8.5MM option for 2010, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
- David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution has some quotes from Tim Hudson about his contract extension.
- Did you catch Mariano Rivera saying that he wants to play another five years during the Yankees' World Series celebration last night? It turns out he wasn't kidding. Chad Jennings of The Journal News quotes the Yanks' closer as saying “I’m serious. I hope the organization does whatever it takes to bring me back.”
Heyman On Damon, Scutaro, Red Sox
The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…
- The Yankees are interested in re-signing Johnny Damon, and may be willing to offer two years and $16MM. Heyman believes the White Sox and Giants will be among the other suitors.
- Heyman says the Reds "could do worse" than Marco Scutaro at shortstop. The Reds first-round pick (#12 overall would be protected), but they probably don't have the payroll space to add Scutaro unless they subtract a big salary.
- The Red Sox could look to trade Mike Lowell or David Ortiz, if they acquire two hitters this winter.
Odds & Ends: Kikuchi, Astros, Smoltz, Hermida
Some links to read for Thursday morning…
- The AP reports (via the Miami Herald) that the Seibu Lions won the rights to negotiate with top Japanese amateur Yusei Kikuchi.
- Another top young pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, hit 100 mph repeatedly in his third AFL start, according to ESPN.com's Jason Grey.
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says fans and media members need to hold Astros owner Drayton McLane accountable, and says it wasn't GM Ed Wade's fault that managerial candidate Manny Acta signed with the Indians.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears that the Cardinals still have interest in bringing John Smoltz back next year, perhaps as the team's fourth starter. The club seems likely to find a fifth starter within the organization.
- The Pirates and Reds will swap A ball affiliates next year, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- Padres GM Jed Hoyer offered contracts to all of the organization's scouts and player development personnel, according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs expects Tim Hudson to be worth the extension he's expected to sign.
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro lists the Blue Jays, Mariners, Rays and Mets as possible destinations for Jeremy Hermida. The Marlins may trade the outfielder, who should hit free agency after 2011.
Odds & Ends: Cubs, Byrnes, Orioles
Links for Wednesday…
- Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times doesn't expect much to change with the Cubs under the Ricketts family. He says to expect a payroll around $143MM. That might leave GM Jim Hendry with around $8MM to work with.
- Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic believes Eric Byrnes' time with the Diamondbacks might be nearing an end. They may attempt to trade him before releasing him.
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer wouldn't be surprised to see the Reds release center fielder Willy Taveras, who is still owed $4MM.
- Sox Machine reader Chris Pummer makes the case for the White Sox offering arbitration to reliever Octavio Dotel. Dotel projects as a Type A free agent, though he's right on the fringe.
- Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun believes Andy MacPhail "will have to pull a huge rabbit out of his hat" to make the Orioles competitive in 2010.
- As expected, new Padres GM Jed Hoyer reassigned scouting director Bill Gayton according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- WEEI has a live online chat scheduled with Jason Bay tomorrow.
- Diamondbacks prospect Jarrod Parker blogged about his upcoming Tommy John surgery.
Odds & Ends: Reds, White Sox, Shimizu
More Thursday linkage…
- MLB.com's Mark Sheldon guesses the Reds will buy out Ramon Hernandez's option for $1MM, but then try to re-sign him. Sheldon also runs through the upcoming important hot stove dates.
- White Sox GM Ken Williams wouldn't reveal much about his offseason plans, talking to MLB.com's Scott Merkin. "I'm always looking at all the possibilities," said Williams.
- WEEI's Rob Bradford talked to Tim Wakefield, who is aiming for 200 victories. He's 11 shy, so he could pull it off in 2010. The Sox figure to exercise his $4MM option once again.
- Ryo Shinkawa of NPB Tracker says 33-year-old righty Naoyuki Shimizu has MLB aspirations. Shimizu posted a 4.42 ERA this year in 144.6 innings for the Chiba Lotte Marines, striking out only 88.
- Cot's Baseball Contracts informs us that Ryan Howard will earn $50K for his NLCS MVP award. Tack that on to his $15MM salary.