Sheets & Sabathia Head Next Year’s Free Agent Class
A couple nice nuggets to confirm what we already suspect regarding a couple big fish on the 2009 Starting Pitcher Free Agents list.
As MLBTR covered here, this should be Ben Sheets‘ last year with the Brewers. Further affirming the inevitable, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says,
If the 29-year-old right-hander finally has a healthy season and puts up impressive numbers, the Brewers would be hard-pressed to meet his asking price on what has been a runaway pitching market in recent years. And, should Sheets break down again and turns his four-year, $38.5 million contract into a complete boondoggle, the Brewers would be taken to task for giving him another chance.
And news on an even bigger fish, Patrick McManamon of the Ohio Beacon Journal brings us a quote from Indians GM Mark Shapiro that could lead one to believe that C.C. Sabathia will be voted out of the Tribe:
”We’re forced to confront decisions every year,” Shapiro said. ”We don’t lose much next year. We lose one core player next year . . . maybe not. But then the two years that follow we lose almost no one — and none of our core players. ‘The biggest challenge that we’ve got over the next four years, the three years that follow this one, is how we handle losing C.C., if we lose him.”
Tim recently put together an excellent breakdown of Sabathia-suitors here.
By Nat Boyle
Tigers Sign Fultz
The Tigers have signed left-hander Aaron Fultz to a contract with AAA Toledo. Fultz, an eight-year big-league veteran, was released this week by Cleveland.
Bobby Seay is currently the only left-hander in Detroit’s bullpen. So if Fultz can get his act together, there’s probably a spot for him on the big league club.
PECOTA projects Fultz will have a 3.92 ERA in roughly 45 innings pitched in 2008. But, as we all know, predicting what a reliever will do from one season to the next is far more difficult that predicting a position player, or even a starting pitcher.
Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.
Indians Inquire On Freddy Garcia
SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the Indians inquired on free agent starter Freddy Garcia. Garcia, 31, hopes to return around June from rotator cuff and labrum surgery. Garcia was linked to the Rangers and Red Sox this offseason; the Mets denied interest.
I said in today’s video mailbag that I think Garcia will be a non-factor this year. Ozzie Guillen suggested the same in January.
MLB Investigating Salcedo’s Birthdate
Baseball America’s Ben Badler has the latest on 16 year-old Dominican shortstop Edward Salcedo. He says MLB is currently investigating Salcedo’s birthdate (not an uncommon practice). Scott Boras and Co. represent the kid, but they’re not talking. There were rumors he’d signed with the Tribe, but the Indians said two weeks ago that it wasn’t true. Badler adds that Salcedo rejected a $2.5MM offer from the Giants and the D’Backs may be interested. Badler also writes:
Adding to the intrigue is Major League Baseball’s recent firing of three investigators in the Dominican, including one who was working on Salcedo’s case.
MLB’s Latin operations manager says the firings are unrelated to the Salcedo case.
Indians To Designate Fultz
Despite exercising the lefty’s option for $1.5MM in November, the Indians have decided to get rid of Aaron Fultz. They’ve replaced him with Craig Breslow.
MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince said the Indians are likely to designate Fultz and attempt to find a trade partner. The Tribe is likely to be on the hook for his salary.
In ’07, Fultz posted a 1.71 ERA and 1.70 K/BB ratio in 21 innings prior to a strained ribcage. Even then he was a bit over his head in allowing just 11 hits in that time. After Fultz returned in August, he posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.38 K/BB in 16 innings. The biggest change was the 20 hits allowed over that period; I’m not sure his injury caused that difference.
Odds and Ends: Braves, Cruz, Breslow
Some nuggets from today…
- The Braves look to be the market for a bat off the bench and according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution it’s not likely to be a minor name. O’Brien asked Wren if the Braves "had money to add a player of significant salary to their payroll," throwing out an accompanying figure of $3-4MM, to which Wren said yes "without hesitation." Let’s use this to set the stage for what should be an interesting late spring Reed Johnson sweepstakes.
- Evan Grant of the The Dallas Morning News believes that Jason Botts 2 for 5 performance on Saturday versus the Mariners has locked up a roster spot for the young DH/1B. Speculation is that Kevin Mench, who can be optioned, would be sent to the minors and that Nelson Cruz could be designated for assignment.
- MLB.com speculates the ugly spring put up by Aaron Fultz may have played a part in the team’s decision to claim Craig Breslow off waivers from the Red Sox. Fultz has put up an 11.88 ERA in just over eight innings and last week he gave up four runs on five hits during a performance against Double-A Akron in an intrasquad game last week.
Aaron Shinsano writes for East Windup Chronicle.
Shapiro, Minaya Met Yesterday
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that phone buddies Mark Shapiro and Omar Minaya met in person yesterday evening. Any chance the Indians and Mets could match up for a trade?
We know the Mets may be looking to move Jorge Sosa and/or Scott Schoeneweis. The Indians are currently trying to decide whether to give their last bullpen spot to Tom Mastny, Jorge Julio, or Scott Elarton; not sure if either Met pitcher would help.
The Mets are known to be looking for outfield assistance. The Indians have two out of options outfielders: Shin-Soo Choo and Franklin Gutierrez. Choo is recovering from Tommy John surgery and may have to join the South Korean army. Gutierrez is the frontrunner to start in right field. Theoretically the Tribe could part with half of their left field platoon – David Dellucci or Jason Michaels. Dellucci is shaking off a sore forearm currently.
The Mets could also use another starter; Cliff Lee or Jeremy Sowers might be available.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Rule 5 Draftees
Last year the Reds selected Josh Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft despite only 23 games above Single-A and only 15 games anywhere since 2002 (actually the Cubs picked Hamilton and traded him to the Reds the same day). Hamilton went on to hit .292-19-47 in 90 games. This year, 18 players were chosen in the Rule 5 draft (14 pitchers). These players must remain on the 25-man roster all season or be offered back to their original club for $25K. By my count, three players (Sergio Valenzuela, Lincoln Holdzkom, Jose Capellan) have already been offered back to their original clubs (Capellan was picked up on waivers by a third team during the process). Hamilton is the rare case of a position player sticking with his new club as it is far easier to hide a developing pitcher and still get him playing time in the bullpen than it is on the bench.While it is rare for position players to stick, we have already learned that the Cardinals may keep Brian Barton as a fifth outfielder. As opening day rosters begin to take shape, let’s take a look at what is being said in the Blogosphere about the chances for the Rule draftees.
- Tim Lahey (RHP, CHC/MIN): Bleed Cubbie Blue sees the Cubs working out a trade with the Twins that would allow them to send Lahey to AAA. In fact, they speculate that Lahey will be the PTBNL in the Craig Monroe deal.
- Evan Meek (RHP, PIT/TB): Bucs Dugout predicts that Meek will at least start the season with the Pirates before being offered back to the Rays.
- Randor Bierd (RHP, BAL/DET): Bird Brain projects Bierd to make the roster and hopes the O’s give him every chance to stick.
- Jose Capellan (LHP, CIN/BOS): Capellan was originally selected by the Giants but was just placed on waivers. The Reds picked him up (Rule 5 rules still apply) and Obsessive Giants Compulsive is surprised the Giants let him go.
- Sergio Valenzuela (RHP, CIN/ATL): Valenzuela was sold back to the Braves after not making a single appearance in a spring game. The Braves then traded Valenzuela to a team in the Mexican League. Which begs the question…Are "future considerations" from the Mexican League worth the $25K the Braves dropped to bring him back? Talking Chop finds the entire situation funny and is not surprised that Valenzuela did not stick with the Reds.
- Brian Barton (OF, STL/CLE): Cardinals GM is predicting Barton to be on the opening day roster with Juan Gonzalez starting the season in AAA.
- R.A. Dickey (RHP, SEA/MIN): Detect-O-Vision is infatuated with the knuckleballer but notes that Dickey "has a looooooooooong way to go".
- Steven Register (RHP, NYM/COL): Mets Fever thinks Register might actually stick by earning the final spot in the bullpen.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
Cafardo’s Latest: Fuentes, Sowers, Laffey
Boston Globe baseball writer Nick Cafardo’s Sunday column has new hot stove material, as usual.
- Cafardo notes that Kyle Snyder, Julian Tavarez, and Bryan Corey have all been heavily scouted by other clubs. Snyder is out of options, so he’s a good trade candidate. Cafardo mentioned on Thursday that the Orioles were taking a look at Corey, who might return to Japan if he doesn’t join a big league ‘pen. I imagine the Sox are going to want the insurance Tavarez provides.
- The Phils are hunting for a southpaw reliever and another starter. Brian Fuentes remains on their radar, but they’re competing with the Tigers and Yankees for him.
- The Indians could make southpaws Jeremy Sowers and/or Aaron Laffey available, if Cliff Lee maintains his spring success. Cafardo says the Cardinals, Phillies, and Astros are eyeing them.
Sabathia Blasé About New York
For the most part, the Indians’ C.C. Sabathia continued to deflect questions about his future after his start today against the Yankees, says Andrew Castrovince of MLB.com.
Hounded by the Yankees-centric media, however, the soon-to-be free agent surely launched a jolt of pain through Yankees Nation when he was asked if he likes New York.
His response? "It’s all right," he said.
Sabathia continued to maintain with reporters that "in a perfect world," he would want to stay with Cleveland. After all, "I’ve been here since I was 17."