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Players Avoiding Arbitration: Friday

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We'll keep track of today's smaller deals to avoid arbitration in this post. Click here for background on the upcoming arbitration schedule and how MLBTR is covering it. You can also check in on our Arbitration Tracker and look at MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz's arbitration projections.

Today's noon CT deadline to exchange arb figures has passed, but negotiations to avoid an arbitration hearing can continue into February. The Braves are the only strict "file and trial" team that did not agree to terms with all of its arb-eligible players, meaning they could be headed for several hearings. The Nats and Indians have also shown a willingness to go to a trial and still have some players unsigned. On to today's contract agreements…

  • After exchanging numbers, the Mets and pitcher Dillon Gee have agreed to settle at the midpoint of $3.625MM, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Swartz projected Gee to earn $3.4MM.
  • The Cubs have avoided arbitration with reliever Pedro Strop, president Theo Epstein told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). He will earn $1.325MM next year, according to a tweet from Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. It is not immediately apparent whether the deal was reached before the sides exchanged terms.
  • The Angels have reached agreement on a $3.8MM deal with reliever Ernesto Frieri, reports Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (on Twitter). 
  • Mike Minor has agreed to terms on a $3.85MM deal with the Braves to avoid arbitration, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter links). The deal came before figures were exchanged, Bowman notes.
  • Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports that the D-Backs and lefty Joe Thatcher have avoided arb with a one-year, $2.375MM deal (Twitter link).
  • Nicholson-Smith tweets that the Angels and Fernando Salas reached an agreement to avoid arbitration. Salas is the first Halos player to avoid arb. Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times tweets that Salas will earn $870K, which beats out his $700K projection.
  • MLB.com's Jason Beck reports (via Twitter) that the Tigers and righty Al Alburquerque have reached agreement on a deal to avoid arb. The hard-throwing righty will earn $837.5K in 2014, tweets Beck.
  • Sherman tweets that the Yankees and Ivan Nova avoided arbitration with a one-year, $3.3MM deal.
  • The Pirates and Vin Mazzaro inked a one-year, $950K deal in lieu of an arbitration hearing, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune.
  • The Royals announced that they've avoided arbitration with infielder Emilio Bonifacio. Heyman tweets that Bonifacio will earn $3.5MM in 2014.
  • Sherman reports that the Rays avoided arbitration with Jeremy Hellickson and Sean Rodriguez (Twitter link). Hellickson landed a $3.625MM payday with a $25K bonus if he hits 195 innings pitched. Rodriguez will get $1.475MM with a $25K bump for hitting 300 plate appearances.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets that Brian Matusz avoided arb with the Orioles. Sherman adds that he'll earn $2.4MM in 2014.
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tweets that Jason Castro and the Astros have avoided arbitration. McTaggart adds in a second tweet that Jesus Guzman avoided arb as well. Heyman reports that Castro will be paid $2.45MM, while Sherman tweets that Guzman will make $1.3MM.
  • The Indians tweeted that they've avoided arb with lefty Marc Rzepczynski, and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets that he'll earn $1.375MM in 2014. Bastian adds that Scrabble will earn an additional $25K for appearing in 55 games and another $25K for 60 games.
  • The Giants avoided arbitration with Yusmeiro Petit, according to MLBTR's Steve Adams (on Twitter).  He'll earn $845K, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith (via Twitter).

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Players Avoiding Arbitration: Detwiler, Young, Snider

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Click here for background on the upcoming arbitration schedule and how MLBTR is covering it. You can also check in on our Arbitration Tracker and look at MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz's arbitration projections. We'll use this post to keep tabs on players avoiding arbitration today:

  • The Nationals announced on Twitter that they have avoided arbitration with lefty Ross Detwiler. The New York Post's Joel Sherman reports (also on Twitter) that Detwiler received a $3MM salary and can earn an additional $50K for reaching 180 innings.
  • Sherman reports that the Mets and Eric Young Jr. have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.85MM (Twitter link). Young batted .251/.318/.329 in 418 plate appearances for the Mets in 2013 after he was acquired from the Rockies. He also swiped 38 bases in 45 tries, showing off his blazing speed.
  • Sherman tweets that the Pirates have avoided arbitration with Travis Snider by agreeing to a one-year, $1.2MM contract. The former Top 10 overall prospect batted just .215/.281/.333 in 285 plate appearances in 2013, though he's a solid defender and is still entering just his age-26 season.
  • Sherman also reports that Tim Collins agreed to a one-year, $1.3625MM contract with the Royals, thereby avoiding arbitration (Twitter link). Collins has a strong 3.51 ERA in 190 career innings with 9.7 K/9 in his first three seasons, but he's struggled with command, as evidenced by his 5.2 BB/9 in that time. His control has improved a bit over the past two seasons.
  • The Yankees and Francisco Cervelli have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $700K, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter). Cervelli, who turns 28 in March, is a career .271/.343/.367 hitter in 623 plate appearances.

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Rockies Sign Michael McKenry

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The Rockies have signed catcher Michael McKenry to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post. McKenry will earn $750K if he makes the MLB roster.

The 28-year-old McKenry opened some eyes with his 2012 season, when he hit .233/.320/.442 with 12 home runs in 275 plate appearances for the Pirates. With strong defense, McKenry notched a robust 1.7 fWAR in that limited action. Last year, however, McKenry only earned 122 trips to the plate for the Bucs and saw his triple-slash slip to .217/.262/.348. The Oliver projection system likes McKenry to put up 2.1 fWAR if he were trusted as a starter.

The signing offers additional flexibility to a Rockies club whose young, slugging backstop — Wilin Rosario — has had his issues behind the dish. Colorado had dabbled in the higher-priced free agent backstop market earlier in the offseason, reportedly pursuing Brian McCann and Carlos Ruiz, but apparently decided against a major addition after seeing its top choices sign elsewhere.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: Wednesday

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Click here for background on the upcoming arbitration schedule and how MLBTR will be covering it. You can also check in on our Arbitration Tracker and look at MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz's arbitration projections. We'll use this post to keep tabs on players avoiding arbitration today:

  • Josh Outman, who avoided arbitration with the Indians last night, will earn a $1.25MM salary in 2014, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN).
  • The Rockies have avoided arbitration with lefty Franklin Morales, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com (via Twitter). Morales was recently picked up from the Red Sox in exchange for Jonathan Herrera, and was projected to earn $1.8MM by Swartz. His salary comes in just below that mark at $1.7125MM, according to a tweet from the Denver Post's Troy Renck. 
  • Burke Badenhop has settled on a one-year deal with the Red Sox, the club announced in a press release. The right-handed reliever, who was acquired from the Brewers back in November, came with a projected $2.2MM price tag and will in fact earn $2.15MM, according to a tweet from WEEI.com's Alex Speier. Badenhop's last two seasons have been uncannily similar. In both 2012 and 2013, Bandenhop threw 62 1/3 innings, registered 42 strikeouts (6.1 K/9) against 12 walks (1.7 BB/9), and surrendered six home runs. He allowed just one less hit (62) last year than in 2012, though his ERA rose from 3.03 to 3.47 due to a drop in his strand rate.
  • The Mets have reached agreement with infielder Ruben Tejada on a 2014 contract, the club announced on Twitter. He will earn a $1.1MM salary in his first year of arbitration eligibility, tweets Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, which is in line with his $1MM projection. Tejada struggled to a .202/.259/.260 mark in 227 plate appearances last year, but is still only 24 years old. He will have three more years of arb eligibility since he qualified as a Super Two player.
  • The Rangers have reached agreement on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration with southpaw Neal Cotts, the club announced via press release. The deal will pay Cotts $2.2MM, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Cotts will earn $700K over Swartz's projection.
  • Outfielder Michael Saunders has reached agreement with the Mariners on a deal to avoid arbitration, reports Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). The 27-year-old will earn $2.3MM (plus incentives) in his first arb-eligible season, Divish tweets, which comes in just above the $2MM projection from Swartz.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: Josh Outman

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We'll keep track of any players to avoid arbitration this evening right here:

  • The Indians have avoided arbitration with southpaw reliever Josh Outman, the club announced via Twitter. Outman was recently acquired from the Rockies in exchange for outfielder Drew Stubbs. Outman was projected by MLBTR's Matt Swartz to earn a $1.4MM paycheck, and the Associated Press reports (via ESPN) that he will in fact make $1.25MM. Outman becomes the first player to avoid arbitration who technically filed for it today.
  • You can keep tabs on all arbitration situations — including those already resolved and those still outstanding — through MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker.

Quick Hits: Twins, O’s, Pirates, Phillies, CarGo

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Robinson Cano is the latest to join baseball's $20MM-man club, Doug Miller of MLB.com writes, noting that the list of players making an average of $20MM or more annually has swelled dramatically in recent years. "It goes to the fact that these teams are anticipating revenue from regional television networks, and the new cable agreements are an accelerant to the spending," David Carter of the University of Southern California's Sports Business Institute comments. "The owners feel as though they're going to get that money back." Here's more from around the majors:

  • The Twins are up next in Yahoo Sports' rundown of each club's offseason. Jeff Passan argues that while Minnesota's additions to the rotation should help, Twins fans will spend much of 2014 waiting for the arrivals of heralded prospects like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Passan also likes the decision to move Joe Mauer to first base.
  • Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun lists five factors to monitor as the Orioles prepare to hold a four-day offseason minicamp next week. 
  • The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Rob Biertemfepfel spoke with Pirates reliever Duke Welker, who was traded to Minnesota in October but was flipped back to Pittsburgh 44 days later. Welker is expected to compete for one of the Pirates' bullpen spots this spring.
  • Scott Boras believes the Phillies' new TV deal is worth about $200MM annually when factors such as the club's equity stake in the network are considered, Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Having an ownership stake in the entity allows a team to avoid exposure to revenue-sharing rules, according to Boras, who says the loophole "hurts other teams in the league from receiving the true payment."
  • Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez had his appendix removed on Friday night in an emergency surgery. Troy Renck of The Denver Post reports that Gonzalez didn't undergo a standard appendectomy, and could require nearly two months to recover, instead of the usual four weeks. However, that should still allow the All-Star plenty of time to recover and prepare for Opening Day.

West Notes: Rangers, Padres, Rockies

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Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers has been told to arrive in Spring Training ready to both start and close following Derek Holland's knee injury, Anthony Andro of FOX Sports reports. "It opens the door for someone," Scheppers said of the injury, while noting that Colby Lewis and Robbie Ross should also be in the mix for a rotation spot. Andro also spoke with Elvis Andrus, whose 2013 double play partner of Ian Kinsler has been replaced by Jurickson Profar, and outfielder Michael Choice, whose chances of securing a starting job fell after the Shin-Soo Choo signing. Here's more from baseball's Western divisions:

  • Holland says he was told by his surgeon that he may have injured his knee several years ago without realizing it, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. "He said it just happened again," the pitcher related. Holland also explained that the injury happened on the stairs in his home while playing with his dog.
  • The Padres will have the resources to make upgrades if they're in the mix for a playoff spot after the 2014 All-Star break, club management tells Bill Center of U-T San Diego. Center opines that San Diego's 2014 season is likely to hinge on whether key players like Carlos Quentin can stay on the field. Injury concerns surround some 40 percent of the projected Opening Day roster, according to Center.
  • Earlier this evening, we heard that Rockies pitcher Tyler Chatwood changed agencies, switching from the Boras Corp. to Dan Lozano's MVP Sports.

Tyler Chatwood Switches To MVP Sports Group

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Rockies pitcher Tyler Chatwood is now represented by Dan Lozano’s MVP Sports Group, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal tweets. He was previously a client of the Boras Corp.

Chatwood, 24, made his major league debut with the Angels in 2011, and was sent to Colorado in a swap for Chris Iannetta. He had a fine campaign in 2013, making 20 starts for the Rockies and posting a 3.15 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. For his career, the 24-year-old owns a 4.33 ERA, a K/9 rate of 5.1 and a BB/9 rate of 4.1.

Quick Hits: Bailey, Mulder, Rays, Betancourt

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Homer Bailey says he does not want to leave the Reds, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports. "To say that I 'want out of Cincinnati' is not true," says Bailey, who is eligible for free agency after the season. "If I am in the organization's future, my priorities are that things make sense for me on the business end, that we are a team that continues to be a highly competitive team in the league and a team that plays the game the right way." Reds GM Walt Jocketty says that extension negotiations with Bailey are on "hold," and Rosenthal writes that they may not pick up until there's more clarity on the free-agent pitching market. Here's more from throughout the big leagues.

  • The Angels signed Mark Mulder because they were impressed with his new delivery, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com, who describes in detail the series of events that led Mulder to begin a surprising comeback attempt after not pitching more than 11 innings in a big-league season since 2006. "I haven't had the ball come out of my hand like this in a very long time, and it's fun," says Mulder of his recent workouts. "I never threw like this in all my years in St. Louis. And I mean that. It was smoke and mirrors that first year in St. Louis. … My arm action was kind of deteriorating. And I'm gonna run with it. I'm gonna see what happens."
  • Jeff Niemann and Sam Fuld would have interest in returning to the Rays, MLB.com's Sam Chastain writes. Niemann is rehabbing a shoulder injury and plans to be ready by mid-2014. The Rays non-tendered Fuld last month after he hit .199/.270/.267 in 200 plate appearances for them last year.
  • Rafael Betancourt is making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. He believes he could pitch in 2014 despite only having the surgery only late last season. The Dodgers had interest in him as a free agent, but he wants to stay with the Rockies. "If I pitch again, it will be with the Rockies. I can’t see myself anywhere else at this point in my career. I have really enjoyed five years there," Betancourt says.

Minor Moves: Gamboa, Clark, Bucci, Portillo

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Here are today's minor moves and outright assignments from around the league…

  • Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Rockies have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Richard Castillo. A former Cardinals prospect, the 24-year-old Castillo split 2013 between St. Louis' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, posting a combined 4.08 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 147 2/3 innings. Baseball America twice ranked him among the Cardinals' Top 30 prospects, but he has not cracked that list for the past four years.
  • The Orioles announced that they've signed right-handed knuckleballers Eddie Gamboa and Zach Clark to minor league deals. Gamboa received an invitation to Major League Spring Training. The 29-year-old posted a 4.43 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 142 1/3 innings between Baltimore's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates in 2013. Clark, 30, made his big league debut in 2013, allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings. He had a 7.84 ERA in 111 1/3 innings across four minor league levels last season.
  • The Brewers released right-hander Nick Bucci, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (on Twitter). Formerly one of Milwaukee's top prospects, Bucci dealt with a shoulder injury this season and pitched just two-thirds of an inning this season. The injury-plagued 23-year-old has pitched just 43 1/3 innings over the past two seasons.
  • The Padres have outrighted right-hander Adys Portillo to Double-A San Antonio, according to the team's transactions page. The 22-year-old was designated for assignment over the weekend to clear a 40-man roster spot for Joaquin Benoit. Portillo received a $2MM signing bonus in 2008 but has yet to provide the Friars with much of a return on that investment.
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