Reds Sign Edwin Encarnacion For Two Years
10:24am: Troy Renck of the Denver Post has details on the $7.6MM deal:
Encarnacion will receive $2MM this season and $4.75MM in 2010 with an $850K signing bonus payable between March 29 and November 2009. Also will get $25K for 600 plate appearances.
9:32am: Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News believes the deal is worth $5MM.
8:30am: According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds agreed to a two-year deal with third baseman Edwin Encarnacion. The sides had been $1.15MM apart on his ’09 salary. He’ll still have one arb year (2011) before free agency.
Latest On Bobby Abreu
4:54pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman lists five teams considering Abreu: the Angels, Braves, Pirates, Reds, and Mets. The Pirates are a new one.
3:58pm: A source told Crasnick that the Angels have "strong interest" in Abreu. The Braves remain in the mix.
10:33am: Here’s what ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick had to say regarding the market for Bobby Abreu yesterday:
While Seattle and Atlanta are monitoring Abreu’s status and staying in contact with his representatives, the Mets continue to maintain they’re not in the mix.
Meanwhile Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News wrote this morning:
A Mets official did not rule out signing free-agent outfielder Abreu, but indicated that any contract likely would have to be for one year at less than $4MM.
Other teams loosely linked to Abreu in recent days: the White Sox, Angels, and Dodgers. Abreu is in line for a huge pay cut from last year’s $16MM. The remarkably quiet market for Abreu and other corner outfielders this offseason is tied strongly to defense. ESPN’s Peter Gammons talked to a GM who said a few days ago:
I still believe that one of the factors that has hurt some of the good offensive free agents this winter, like Manny Ramirez, Abreu and Adam Dunn, is the concern about how many runs they give back defensively. There is a great deal more appreciation for defense than there was a decade ago.
Reds Hoping To Avoid Arb With Encarnacion
According to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, the Reds are working to avoid arbitration with third baseman Edwin Encarnacion.
A hearing is scheduled for February 17. Encarnacion is seeking $3.7MM while the club offered $2.55MM. The 26-year-old hit .251/.340/.466 last season with 26 home runs and 68 RBI, but his defense has been questioned by some critics.
Reds Sign Jacque Jones, Daryle Ward
According to Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News, the Reds signed Jacque Jones and Daryle Ward to minor league deals today.
Jones, 34 in April, hit .147/.239/.207 in 134 plate appearances for the Tigers and Marlins last year. Jones played winter ball and had laser eye surgery this winter. Troy Renck says he’ll get $600K and an April out clause.
Ward, 33, hit .216/.319/.402 in 119 plate appearances for the Cubs last year. He missed time with a herniated disc.
Reds Sign Humberto Cota
According to C. Trent Rosecrans of AM 1530, the Reds signed catcher Humberto Cota to a minor league deal. Cota, 30 in a few days, hit .319/.342/.493 in 37 Triple A games last year. He served a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Abreu Still Waiting
Tyler Kepner of The New York Times reports that Bobby Abreu‘s former general manager Ed Wade believes that Abreu could still be an impact player this coming season:
"He’s still an All-Star-caliber player,” said Wade, now the general manager of the Houston Astros. “He’s probably not the guy that stirs the drink, but if you have the ability to add Bobby Abreu to your lineup and your clubhouse, it’s going to make all the players around him better.”
Abreu, 34, who made about $16MM with the Yankees in 2008, hit .296/.371/.471 in 684 plate appearances last season.
The Mariners, Giants, Dodgers, Reds and Braves could still get in on Abreu. Though Abreu had originally sought three-year contract, agent Peter Greenberg has confirmed that the slugger would be open to a one-year deal.
Reds Rumors: Gonzalez, Wigginton, Encarnacion
The latest from John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who spoke to Reds GM Walt Jocketty recently…
- Jocketty is working on bringing some "fringe guys" to camp on minor league deals. It’s been weeks since he talked to Luis Gonzalez‘s agent. MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon learned of the Reds’ interest in Gonzo yesterday.
- In reference to Ty Wigginton, Jocketty said, "They’re getting close to desperate stage. But we’re really only looking at bench help."
- Jocketty isn’t handling the Edwin Encarnacion talks, but he expects to settle. Encarnacion filed at $3.7MM, the Reds at $2.55MM (midpoint of $3.125MM).
Reds Interested In Luis Gonzalez
According to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, the Reds are interested in adding outfielder Luis Gonzalez as a bench bat. GM Walt Jocketty admitted to liking Gonzalez, and the interest is mutual. The Pirates were said to have an eye on Gonzalez before their Eric Hinske signing became likely.
Reds Avoid Arb With David Weathers
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Reds avoided arbitration with reliever David Weathers. He gets $3.5MM in ’09 with a 2010 club option ($400K buyout).
Weathers had asked for $4.6MM while the Reds countered at $3MM.
Odds and Ends: Yamarin, Eaton, Atkins, Ohman
Links for Monday…
- Yankees and Red Sox fans are dreaming of Joe Mauer, whose contract is up after the 2010 season.
- Updated June draft order, courtesy of Baseball America.
- The Braves signed a Japanese amateur pitcher named Yoshinori Yamarin to a minor league deal.
- Adam Eaton is not a candidate for the Phillies’ fifth starter job, and they’ll probably release him and eat his contract if they can’t trade him.
- MLB.com made a nice addition in Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki.
- Arbitration hearing dates are set for Paul Maholm and Nate McLouth.
- Jim Salisbury writes about Tal Smith, who prepares arbitration cases for clubs.
- Garrett Atkins comments on his arbitration request and his future with the Rockies.
- The Reds voided the contract of 16 year-old Venezuelan pitcher Ismael Guillon and re-signed him for less due to a problem found during his physical.
- Athletics Nation talked to MLB.com beat writer Mychael Urban.
- David O’Brien chatted with unsigned reliever Will Ohman.
- Orioles infielder Oscar Salazar cleared waivers.