Rockies Rumors

Michael Cuddyer Rumors: Thursday

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 15, 2011 at 9:53pm CDT

The Rockies, Twins, Mariners and Reds have some interest in Michael Cuddyer, according to yesterday's reports. Here's the latest on Cuddyer with the most recent updates up top:

The Rockies are "growing increasingly confident" that they will sign Cuddyer, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who adds that Colorado is now the favorite to ink the veteran.
The Rockies are leaning toward Cuddyer over Carlos Beltran, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter).
The Phillies remain in the mix for Cuddyer, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harding.
Some executives believe the Orioles may be bidding for Cuddyer, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. However, FOX reports that Cuddyer is not a leading concern of GM Dan Duquette's.
A Twins official told Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he wouldn't rule anything out, Cuddyer included. Christensen doesn't get the sense that Minnesota has pulled its three-year, $24MM offer.
However, one of Jon Heyman’s sources says there doesn't appear to be room in the Twins’ budget for Cuddyer now that they’ve agreed to sign Josh Willingham to a $21MM deal.
The Red Sox did not enter the bidding for Cuddyer this week, according to La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune (on Twitter).
The Rockies and Mariners remain in the mix for Cuddyer, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
Troy Tulowitzki told Troy Renck of the Denver Post that he won’t object if Colorado signs Cuddyer. "I think our lineup is one of the better ones in the National League, but it would be huge to get another bat," Tulowitzki said. "I have heard nothing but good things about Cuddyer.”

Michael Cuddyer Rumors: Wednesday

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 14, 2011 at 8:10pm CDT

We learned yesterday that the Rockies' offer to Michael Cuddyer is greater than the Twins' three-year proposal in the $25MM range. However, Cuddyer appears to be seeking a three-year, $30MM deal. Here's the latest on the free agent outfielder with the most recent updates up top:

GM Terry Ryan says the Twins have not ended contract talks with Cuddyer, according to ESPN.com.
The Mariners are in on Cuddyer and the Phillies may be involved as well, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown (on Twitter).
The Rockies continue discussing a deal with Cuddyer, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harding (on Twitter). If the sides agree to terms, the Rockies will start pursuing free agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda less intensely.
There's no official word that Cuddyer isn't returning to the Twins, according to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (on Twitter). Minnesota seems to be nearing a deal with Josh Willingham.
The Reds have some interest in Cuddyer.

Quick Hits: Varitek, A’s, Braves, Cordero, Lee, Pujols

By Mike Axisa | December 13, 2011 at 11:42pm CDT

Some links as Tuesday turns into Wednesday…

The Red Sox have not yet made catcher and captain Jason Varitek a contract offer, reports Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Boston added Kelly Shoppach to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway on Tuesday, a move that likely spelled the end of Varitek's time with the Sox.
There are clubs with interest in trading for both Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey and others with interest in both Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado, but Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Athletics and Braves are likely to deal their players separately to maximize the return. Rosenthal and Morosi note that the Braves and Orioles have discussed a deal that included both Jurrjens and Prado.
Interest in free agent closer Francisco Cordero has slowed down, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). His market could hinge on how clubs fill their other roster holes.
The Pirates still have interest in first baseman Derrek Lee even after trading for Casey McGehee, reports CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter). Bringing Lee back at first base would allow them to use McGehee at the hot corner with Pedro Alvarez.
Heyman hears that the Angels put a deadline on their ten-year, $254MM offer to Albert Pujols (Twitter link). The deal did seem to come together very quickly Wednesday night into Thursday morning last week.
The Rockies do have some money to spend according to Heyman (on Twitter). In addition to Carlos Beltran and Michael Cuddyer, they also have interest in Hiroki Kuroda, Joe Saunders, and various trade targets.
Morosi says (on Twitter) that Andruw Jones could also be an option for the Rockies if Beltran and Cuddyer sign elsewhere.
The Cardinals' interest in pitching upgrades is "understated," reports Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). Both Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook remain on the trade block.
The Yokohama Bay Stars have released right-hander Hiroki Sanada so that he may pursue a deal in MLB according to a report passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. No teams bid on Sanada when he was posted last week.
The Astros and Rays are possibilities for Ivan Rodriguez, according to Heyman (on Twitter). Though the Mets have discussed Rodriguez, they’re leaning toward relying on Mike Nickeas as their backup to starter Josh Thole.
MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner says the Joint Drug Agreement should provide Ryan Braun with privacy and fair proceedings. “I urge all to reserve judgment on this matter until the JDA's process has played itself out," Weiner said in a statement.

Josh Willingham Decision Expected Soon

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 13, 2011 at 3:43pm CDT

3:43pm: Though the Indians aren't entirely out on Willingham, they haven't made him an official offer, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian (Twitter link).

2:35pm: The Twins are the front-runner for Willingham, Rosenthal tweets. The Reds are not involved, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter).

2:23pm: The Indians are out on Willingham, Rosenthal tweets. At this point, we know the Twins and up to two more teams remain in the mix.

1:56pm: The Indians are believed to be in the mix for Willingham, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Rays and Rockies are out.

1:15pm: Agent Matt Sosnick told Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Josh Willingham "has three viable options" available to him. The free agent outfielder and his wife will make a decision within 48 hours, possibly as soon as today.

The Twins are one of Willingham's three options and though Sosnick didn't mention the other clubs by name, it wouldn't be surprising if the Indians and Rockies remain in the mix. Both clubs were linked to Willingham over the weekend. The Rockies and Twins also have interest in free agent Michael Cuddyer.

Willingham is a Type A free agent who declined his team's offer of arbitration, but it won't cost a draft pick to sign him under modified free agent compensation rules. Many other clubs, including the Rays, have expressed interest in Willingham this offseason.

Rockies Pushing For Beltran Or Cuddyer

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 13, 2011 at 9:55am CDT

The Rockies are expressing strong interest in Michael Cuddyer and Carlos Beltran in an attempt to sign one of the free agent outfielders, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). They have offered Cuddyer more than $25MM over three years, which is what Minnesota offered him earlier in the offseason.

Beltran, 34, hit .300/.385/.525 with 22 homers for the Mets and Giants in 2011. The Giants were not allowed to offer Beltran arbitration, so he won't cost a draft pick. Cuddyer is a modified Type A free agent who won't cost a draft pick either.

National League Non-Tenders

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 13, 2011 at 12:44am CDT

Here are this year's National League non-tenders. You can also keep track of all teams with our non-tender tracker and check out our list of non-tender candidates:

The Braves non-tendered Peter Moylan, according to Ronald Blum of the AP. They also non-tendered Brooks Conrad, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter).
The Mets non-tendered Ronny Paulino and Mike Baxter, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
The Cardinals will non-tender Ryan Theriot, according to B.J. Rains of FOXSportsMidwest.com (Twitter link).
The Giants will non-tender Jeff Keppinger and Eli Whiteside, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News (on Twitter).
The Pirates announced that they're non-tendering infielder Pedro Ciriaco and catcher Jason Jaramillo.
The Padres announced that they non-tendered Jeremy Hermida.
The Marlins non-tendered Clay Hensley, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post (on Twitter).
The Dodgers announced that they non-tendered Hong-Chih Kuo (Twitter link).
The Rockies announced that they non-tendered outfielders Ryan Spilborghs and Cole Garner (Twitter link).
The Cubs non-tendered Koyie Hill, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (Twitter link).
The D'Backs will non-tender Joe Saunders and Micah Owings, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Arizona will try to re-sign both pitchers. The team has confirmed the moves.
The Nationals will non-tender left-hander Doug Slaten, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (Twitter link).

Players To Avoid Arbitration

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 12, 2011 at 11:20pm CDT

Tonight is the deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players. Many teams will agree to terms with players before the deadline and we'll keep track of them here:

The Orioles have agreed to terms with Dana Eveland on a one-year, $750K deal for 2012, MLBTR has learned.
The Giants have agreed to terms with Mike Fontenot on a one-year deal for 2012, avoiding arbitration, MLBTR has learned. It's a $1.05MM deal, according to the Associated Press.
The Red Sox announced that they re-signed Matt Albers. He'll earn $1.075MM, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
The Padres agreed to terms with Chris Denorfia on a one-year deal, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (Twitter link). The deal is worth $1.165MM, according to Ronald Blum of the AP
The Pirates agreed to terms with Jason Grilli on a one-year, $1.1MM deal for 2012, MLBTR has learned.
The Rockies agreed to terms with Kevin Slowey on a one-year deal, the team announced (on Twitter). Slowey obtains $2.75MM from the Rockies, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). MLBTR had projected a $2.7MM salary.
The Blue Jays agreed to sign Jeff Mathis to one-year deal that guarantees the backstop $1.5MM in 2012, MLBTR has learned. The Blue Jays have since confirmed the move.
The Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Jesse Litsch (one-year, $975K) and Dustin McGowan (one-year, $600K) according to a team press release.
The Dodgers have signed outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. to a two-year deal.
The A's announced that they agreed to terms with Landon Powell, Daric Barton and Adam Rosales on one-year deals for 2012. The A's aren't non-tendering any arbitration eligible players this offseason. Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group hears Barton will earn $1.1MM in 2012 (Twitter link). Rosales will earn $600K and Powell will earn $620K, according to Ronald Blum of the AP.
The Marlins signed Donnie Murphy to a contract for 2012, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post (Twitter link). He'll earn $560K, according to Ronald Blum of the AP.
The Brewers announced that they signed George Kottaras to a one-year deal, avoiding arbitration. He'll earn $700K, according to Ronald Blum of the AP.
The Astros avoided arbitration with Humberto Quintero, signing him to a one-year deal worth $1MM, according to the team. MLBTR had projected a $1.2MM salary for Quintero.
The Angels agreed to terms with right-hander Jerome Williams on a one-year deal, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times (on Twitter). Williams agreed to sign for $820K with $120K in incentives, according to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (on Twitter).
Skip Schumaker is nearing a two-year deal with the Cardinals.

Rockies Notes: Cuddyer, Hernandez, Spilborghs

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 12, 2011 at 9:34pm CDT

It's been a busy day for the Rockies, who agreed to terms with Kevin Slowey on a 2012 contract, non-tendered Ryan Spilborghs and Cole Garner and officially announced their deal with Ramon Hernandez. Here are more details on the team:

GM Dan O’Dowd told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio that the Rockies have not made Michael Cuddyer an official offer (Twitter link). The Rockies appeared to be pushing for the versatile free agent earlier today. They expect they'll have to surpass the Twins’ three-year, $25MM offer to obtain him, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter).
Hernandez will earn $3.2MM in 2012 and the same amount in 2013, Renck tweets. The contract doesn’t include a signing bonus, but does have “standard” incentive clauses.
O'Dowd has interest in re-signing Spilborghs for less than he would have made through arbitration, according to Renck (Twitter link). MLBTR had projected a $2MM salary for the outfielder.

Rockies Making Aggressive Push For Cuddyer

By Tim Dierkes | December 12, 2011 at 12:21pm CDT

The Rockies are making an aggressive push for Michael Cuddyer, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Cuddyer is believed to be seeking a three-year, $30MM deal, and the Twins remain in the mix. Cuddyer does not appear to be close to a decision, tweets Scott Miller of CBS Sports.

Cuddyer, 32, hit .284/.346/.459 with 20 home runs in 584 plate appearances this year. Cuddyer's versatility would be useful to the Rockies, as he's able to play the infield corners, second base, and right field.

Rockies Sign Ramon Hernandez

By Mike Axisa | December 12, 2011 at 11:01am CDT

The Rockies offically signed catcher Ramon Hernandez to two-year contract today. The deal is worth $6.5MM, reported Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. In a related move, Colorado traded Chris Iannetta to the Angels for Tyler Chatwood on November 30th, the same day they reached an agreement with Hernandez. Hernandez is represented by Eric Goldschmidt, as our Agency Tracker shows.

Hernandez, 35, started the offseason as a Type A free agent, but he was reclassified as a Type-B as part of the new collective bargaining agreement. The Reds will receive a supplemental first round pick for losing Hernandez, but the Rockies will not lose a pick.

The signing gives Colorado a veteran presence behind the plate to help with a young rotation that figures to include the likes of Chatwood, Jhoulys Chacin, Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Esmil Rogers, and Clayton Mortensen. Hernandez hit .282/.341/.446 with a dozen homers in 328 plate appearances for the Reds last season. He also threw out a whopping 23 of 62 attempted basestealers, a well above average 37.1%. Colorado will be his fifth big league team.

Tim Dierkes ranked Hernandez 31st on his list of the top 50 free agents. The leaderboard for our free agent prediction contest can be found here.

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