Odds & Ends: Damon, Gonzalez, Germano, Astros
December 23rd has been a big day for trading highly-regarded young pitchers in recent years. On this date in 2006, the Rangers sent John Danks and Nick Masset to the White Sox in the Brandon McCarthy trade and on this date in 2009, the Blue Jays sent Brandon League to the Mariners for Brandon Morrow. Here are today's links…
- Baseball Prospectus recommends that you buy the MLBTR iPhone app. Chase Gharrity writes that “there’s very little not to love” about the app and that he’s “extremely excited for what it will become in the future.” You can buy the app right here.
- The Yankees are interested in Johnny Damon, but Brian Cashman told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that there's no "clear role" for him on the 2011 Yankees.
- The outfielder/DH told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) that other teams have called about everyday jobs.
- Adrian Gonzalez told Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com that he promised to negotiate potential extensions with the Red Sox instead of holding out for an Albert Pujols-like deal in free agency. "We won't be looking for record-breaking deals," Gonzalez told the Red Sox. "We just want market value." Gonzalez will hit free agency after the season if he doesn't finalize an extension with Boston first, as expected.
- The Indians announced that they outrighted Justin Germano to Triple-A. The right-hander can elect free agency or accept the assignment.
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle explains that the Astros could be a refreshing team to watch in 2011, even though they haven't signed a major free agent like Cliff Lee or Carl Crawford.
Indians To Sign Travis Buck
The Indians officially announced an agreement today with outfielder Travis Buck on a minor league deal with a spring training invite. MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports that Buck would earn $625K in the Majors.
Buck, 27, hit .298/.364/.463 in 141 Triple-A plate appearances, also making a couple of brief appearances with the Athletics this year. He was non-tendered earlier this month, as he would have been arbitration eligible for the first time. The Indians will have the opportunity to control him past 2011. Buck is represented by CAA.
Buck authored a promising rookie campaign in 2007 – .288/.377/.474 in a half-season – but he's battled elbow surgery, shin splints, post-concussion syndrome, and shoulder and oblique injuries since.
Chris Antonetti's first offseason as Indians GM has been a quiet one, with five minor league deals to his credit so far.
Indians Sign Austin Kearns
The Indians signed outfielder Austin Kearns to a one-year, Major League contract, according to the team's Twitter feed. The deal is worth $1.3MM plus incentives, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, who also notes that the Indians will have to remove someone from their 40-man roster for Kearns. Kearns spent the 2010 season with the Tribe before being traded to the Yankees on July 30th for Zach McAllister.
Kearns, 30, hit .263/.351/.395 in 461 plate appearances this year, playing mainly left field. I imagine the Indians' ideal outfield setup involves Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, and Michael Brantley as starters and Kearns as the primary backup. Kearns is represented by SFX.
The Kearns deal marks Chris Antonetti's first Major League signing as Cleveland's GM. Antonetti agreed to a minor league deal with Travis Buck earlier today. Bastian notes that the Indians remain in the market for a veteran starting pitcher and perhaps a third baseman.
Minor Deals: Budde, Lerew, Guzman, Jimenez
A roundup of today's minor transactions, with any new signings added to the top of the page throughout the day….
- The Blue Jays signed catcher Ryan Budde to a minor league deal, tweets ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. Budde, who has some history with new Toronto manager John Farrell, has seen limited major league playing time in each of the last four seasons with the Angels.
- Softbank, a Japanese club, acquired Anthony Lerew and signed him to a one-year deal, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. Lerew had signed with the Athletics earlier this offseason.
- Other players to sign with Japanese teams, Newman reports, include Joel Guzman with Chunichi and Kelvin Jimenez with Rakuten. Guzman was a former top prospect in the Dodgers system; Baseball America ranked him as baseball's fifth-best prospect prior to the 2005 season. Jimenez, meanwhile, last pitched in the majors in 2008 with St. Louis.
- The Indians have signed former Yomiuri Giants pitcher Toru Murata to a minor league deal. According to Newman, "Murat is a former first-round draft pick who never reached the top level in NPB. At 25 he should still have some upside left." A year ago, Murata earned a roster spot in the Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars game.
Cafardo’s Latest: Papelbon, Beltre, Pavano, Kapler
After a morning of headlines involving Zack Greinke, let's not forget that there are still plenty of trade targets and free agents remaining on the market. Nick Cafardo has the latest updates on a few of them in his newest piece for the Boston Globe….
- The Red Sox have been listening to offers for Jonathan Papelbon. When the team made a three-year, $51MM offer to Mariano Rivera, the assumption was that, on the off chance Rivera accepted, Papelbon wouldn't be back next season.
- Even if Papelbon remains a Red Sox through 2011, there's an understanding that he'll explore the free agent market. Boston only expects to re-sign him if he agrees to a team-friendly deal like those signed by Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Jon Lester.
- The article names the Rangers and Angels as a couple teams who could have interest in trading for Papelbon, though it appears to be mostly speculation on Cafardo's part.
- While the Rangers and Halos also appear to be the two leading suitors for Adrian Beltre, Cafardo wonders if a mystery team could be involved, given the silence surrounding the third baseman lately. As we learned during the Cliff Lee derby, you can never entirely rule out those ever-looming mystery teams.
- Cafardo writes that Carl Pavano likely won't sign until at least later this week, unless a team ponies up and makes him an offer in the ballpark of $36MM over three years. Of course, at the time Cafardo's column was published, the Brewers' acquisition of Greinke wasn't confirmed. With Greinke off the table, teams who missed out on the Royals' ace may feel a greater sense of urgency to get something done with Pavano. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggests that a reunion with the Twins appears likely for Pavano, following the Greinke trade.
- The Red Sox have tried to re-acquire Justin Masterson from the Indians, but have been denied so far.
- Gabe Kapler would like to keep playing, and is "waiting for the right situation."
Spanish Links: Carlos Gonzalez, Colon, Vazquez
Because sometimes, turning to his native tongue can help a player say what he really means…
- "There is progress" in the extension talks between Carlos Gonzalez and the Rockies, the Venezuelan outfielder told Wilmer Reina at La Verdad. Gonzalez said he is leaving all negotations up to his agent Scott Boras, but he seemed to be thinking like a free agent when he said, "I met with [Boras] in Florida and we talked about many things, especially the market value players have obtained after the contracts of [Jayson] Werth and [Carl] Crawford."
- The Indians have been following the progress of Bartolo Colon in the Dominican winter leagues, manager Manny Acta told Pedro G. Briceño at the Dominican paper Listin Diario. Whether the team has interest in actually signing the 37-year-old has been disputed stateside, as ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas tweeted a "si" last week, which the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes countered with a clear "no." For Colon's part, he logged his first subpar start of the winter three days ago, giving up six runs (three earned) and eight hits over six innings against the Toros del Este.
- Javier Vazquez applauded his new NL East rival Cliff Lee for choosing the team for which he wanted to play, even though it meant leaving money on the table. "I wasn't in the same situation as him, but I had a few contract offers of two years," Vazquez told Rubén A. Rodriguez at El Nuevo Dia in Puerto Rico. "For me, the most important thing was playing for the teams I wanted. I gave my agent a list of those teams. If I hadn't ended up with one of those, I don't know what would have happened." Vazquez ultimately signed for one-year and $7MM with the Marlins, who were clear front-runners for his services throughout the winter.
Indians Sign Adam Everett
The Indians signed Adam Everett to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training, the team announced. The 33-year-old will earn $700K plus incentives if he makes the team, or $15K per month at Triple-A, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The Nationals and Rockies also expressed interest in the infielder at the Winter Meetings. Career Sports represents Everett.
Everett batted just .185/.221/.247 for the Tigers in 89 plate appearances last year, before Detroit released him. If he can rebound to the .238/.325/.613 line he posted in 2009, the Indians would likely be happy. The defensive specialist has appeared in 846 big league games, but has only played one inning at a position other than shortstop.
Relievers On Boston’s Radar
4:23pm: The Red Sox are having ongoing discussions with Dan Wheeler about a possible deal, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. One of Speier's sources is optimistic about the negotiations.
1:16pm: The Red Sox liked Matt Guerrier well enough to offer him a two-year deal, but the Dodgers offered a third guaranteed year and the right-hander has agreed to play for Los Angeles. The Red Sox will have to move on to other targets as they look to round out their 'pen. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has the details on what he says is the biggest challenge of the offseason for GM Theo Epstein.
Two former Twins, right-hander Jesse Crain and left-hander Brian Fuentes are the team’s priorities now. The Red Sox are also considering trades and would “love” to reacquire Justin Masterson, according to Cafardo. The Indians have been reluctant to part with Masterson, whom they acquired in the 2009 Victor Martinez trade.
There are a number of alternatives for Epstein to pursue, including Indians relievers Joe Smith and Rafael Perez, who “could be on Boston’s radar.” The A’s are likely willing to listen on their relievers and the Mariners would listen on David Aardsma, Cafardo writes.
Fausto Carmona Drawing Heavy Trade Interest
Fausto Carmona is drawing heavy trade interest – perhaps as much as Zack Greinke - according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Carmona, 27, drew lots of trade interest leading up to the July 31st deadline, but GM Mark Shapiro held on.
Now in his first offseason as the Tribe's GM, Chris Antonetti must determine whether to trade Carmona or hold on. Morosi hears that the Indians are now in “listen and explore” mode and are not eager to move the right-hander.
Carmona returned to form in 2010, making the All-Star team and posting a 3.77 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 210 1/3 innings. He struggled through the 2008-09 seasons after breaking out in 2007. An extreme ground ball pitcher, he has a career 59.7% ground ball rate.
Not only is Carmona coming off a strong campaign, he will be affordable for the next four seasons. After they pay Carmona $6.1MM in 2011, the Indians have a series of club options that run through 2014. It would only cost the Tribe $28MM to exercise all three options.
Odds & Ends: Counsell, Ibanez, Johnson, Sheffield
Exactly one year ago, the Angels signed Hideki Matsui. Today, the slugger finalized his one-year agreement with the A's. Here are today's links…
- The Brewers are having ongoing discussions with the representatives for Craig Counsell, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
- If you've heard about agent Darek Braunecker, but don't know much about him, you're not alone. David Waldstein of the New York Times introduces us to Cliff Lee's agent.
- The Phillies do not intend to trade Raul Ibanez, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Joe Blanton, on the other hand, is available.
- Rosenthal also notes that the Rangers and Rockies have not discussed Michael Young since the Winter Meetings (Twitter link).
- The Orioles are still talking to the representatives for Adam LaRoche, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
- Indians manager Manny Acta is watching Bartolo Colon's start in the Dominican Republic tonight, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes (on Twitter).
- Kerry Wood told Fred Mitchell and David Kaplan of the Chicago Tribune that he could see himself playing for the Cubs, but probably not for the White Sox.
- In case you were wondering, the Marlins don't intend to trade Josh Johnson, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (on Twitter).
- Gary Sheffield told Mike Ferrin and Tom Gordon of MLB Network Radio that he has discussed a potential deal with the Rays. However, manager Joe Maddon told Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times that the Rays have limited interest in Sheffield, though they wanted to get to know him better.