Rockies Eyeing Justin Duchscherer, Miguel Batista
It's just one line at the end of Troy E. Renck's Denver Post column, but here's a few fresh Rockies targets: righties Justin Duchscherer and Miguel Batista. Renck says the Rockies are "trolling for pitching depth of all types" given the uncertainty with free agents Rafael Betancourt, Jose Contreras, and Joe Beimel.
Duchscherer is also known to be on the radar of the Pirates and Red Sox after missing the '09 season with hip and elbow surgeries and clinical depression. We learned what Batista is up to in yesterday's Geoff Baker article for the Seattle Times. Batista said he's heard from a few contending clubs.
Also of note: MLB.com's Thomas Harding talked to Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, who indicated there's a slight chance the Rockies reach an agreement with Garrett Atkins in advance of the December 12th non-tender deadline. Maybe the Rockies could release Atkins and then re-sign him without the restriction of the 80% rule?
Rockies Leaning Toward Keeping Spilborghs
The Rockies "plan to keep [outfielder Ryan] Spilborghs unless they receive a substantial offer," according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Despite Spilborghs' first-time arbitration-eligibility and Scott Boras representation, and admirers in the Braves and White Sox, the Rockies do not expect to trade him.
Spilborghs, 30, makes for a solid fourth outfielder. He slipped to .241/.310/.395 this year, dragged down by slumps in July and September. He played all three outfield positions, with the most time spent in left field.
With Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, and Seth Smith highly likely to stay put, the Rockies will probably have to trade one of Matt Murton, Brad Hawpe, or Spilborghs. Non-tendering Murton is another possibility.
Davidoff On Lowe, Johnson, Torrealba
In a blog post, Newsday's Ken Davidoff announces that he'll be voting for Mark McGwire on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, and recaps some other items of note:
- The Atlanta Braves plan to shop Derek Lowe more aggressively after John Lackey signs somewhere. They're hoping that at that point Lowe looks more appealing than the remaining "risky commodities" on the free agent market.
- Nick Johnson is searching for a two-year deal.
- Yorvit Torrealba's suitors include the Blue Jays, Rockies, and Giants. The Rays, Marlins, and Royals could also be in the mix, though they're less likely landing spots for the catcher.
- Davidoff also warns to take talk of Bud Selig's impending retirement with a grain of salt, since there's nothing to stop Selig from changing his mind by 2012.
Blue Jays Interested In Torrealba
We learned last week that Yorvit Torrealba was being pursued by his former club, the Rockies, as well as unnamed teams in the National League West and in the American League. Yesterday, the NL West team was confirmed to be San Francisco, and today Newsday's Ken Davidoff (via Twitter) revealed the American League team to be the Toronto Blue Jays.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets that the Jays have made "multiple" inquiries about the catcher and are preparing to make an offer. Torrealba turned down a two-year/$4.5MM offer from Colorado earlier this month. Since the Giants are interested in Torrealba largely as a stop-gap starting option or as a backup depending on the progress of top prospect Buster Posey , Torrealba might be more interested in Toronto's offer with the promise of regular playing time.
Torrealba became the Rockies' everyday catcher in the second half of last season and in the NLDS after posting a .324/.373/.394 line in 160 plate appearances after the All-Star break. With Rod Barajas a free-agent, Toronto has a need at catcher with prospect J.P. Arencibia's progress stalled after a disappointing 2009 minor league campaign. It's unlikely that the Jays' contract offer would greatly exceed Colorado's given the red flags of Torrealba's career .706 OPS and the fact that he only threw out 14 percent of base-stealers last season.
Rockies Not Interested In Mike Lowell
The Rockies are looking for a righthanded hitter that can handle first and third bases, though they're not interested in Mike Lowell according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com. Colorado can't afford to pay a part-time player $12MM, and a major league source says the team wouldn't be interested even if the Red Sox ate half of Lowell's salary.
Rosenthal and Morosi add that the Rockies haven't ruled out bringing Jason Giambi back, though he doesn't offer versatility or a righty stick.
Giants Interested In Yorvit Torrealba
MONDAY, 3:40pm: MLB.com's Chris Haft talked to Torrealba's agent Melvin Roman, who confirmed the Giants' interest in his client.
SUNDAY, 9:08pm: After turning down a two-year, $4.5MM offer to remain with the Rockies, Yorvit Torrealba is expected to receive an offer from another NL West club, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Although Renck isn't 100% certain, he believes that the Giants are the team interested in the 31-year-old catcher as they might be looking for someone to keep the seat warm for Buster Posey.
Renck also reports that the Rockies have "expressed preliminary interest" in Brian Schneider in the event that they do not retain Torrealba. In 59 games last season, the veteran catcher recorded an OPS of .627, his lowest since his rookie campaign.
As for Torrealba, does anyone see an NL West club other than the Giants or Rockies being a match?
Offseason Outlook: Colorado Rockies
Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Rockies. Their likely commitments for 2010:
C – Chris Iannetta – $415K+
C – Paul Phillips – $415K
1B – Todd Helton – $16.6MM
2B – Clint Barmes – $1.625MM+
SS – Troy Tulowitzki – $3.5MM
3B – Ian Stewart – $404K
IF – Omar Quintanilla – $408K
LF – Carlos Gonzalez – $403K
CF – Dexter Fowler – $401K
RF – Brad Hawpe – $7.5MM
OF – Ryan Spilborghs – $415K+
OF – Seth Smith – $403K
OF – Matt Murton – $430K+
SP – Ubaldo Jimenez – $1.25MM
SP – Aaron Cook – $9MM
SP – Jorge de la Rosa – $2MM+
SP – Jason Hammel – $422K+
SP – Jeff Francis – $5.75MM
RP – Huston Street – $4.5MM+
RP – Franklin Morales – $402K
RP – Matt Daley – $400K
RP – Taylor Buchholz – $1.055MM+
RP – Manny Corpas – $2.75MM
RP – Matt Belisle – $850K
RP – Randy Flores – $650K
Other obligations: Yorvit Torrealba – $500K, Alan Embree – $250K
Non-tender candidates: Garrett Atkins
The Rockies have about $63MM committed before arbitration raises to Iannetta, Barmes, Spilborghs, Murton, de la Rosa, Hammel, Street, and Buchholz. It would not be surprising to see the raises put the Rockies close to $80MM. They entered 2009 at $75.2MM according to Cot's Baseball Contracts, so there's not much to spend this winter.
While the Rockies may have limited resources, GM Dan O'Dowd doesn't have much to do besides perhaps signing a late-inning reliever. Rafael Betancourt could be the guy; it's believed the Rockies will offer arbitration to the Type A free agent. O'Dowd has also said he's interested in re-signing Jose Contreras and Joe Beimel to bolster the 'pen. The rotation looks strong, with Francis coming back from shoulder surgery to replace Jason Marquis.
The Rockies also appear set at all positions, though the two-year offer made to Yorvit Torrealba indicates they're not completely comfortable with Iannetta behind the dish. Atkins' Colorado career is over; O'Dowd is now just trying to get anything in return before the December 12th non-tender deadline.
The Rockies have a surplus in the outfield, as they might be best-served with an affordable trio of Smith, Fowler, and Gonzalez. That O'Dowd has more than $5MM to spend tells us that either the team's payroll is going up, or Hawpe will be traded. However, while it seems that the Rockies will listen on Hawpe, they won't shop him. Once source of Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi indicated a few weeks ago that the Rockies would seek "a right-handed-hitting outfielder and a reliable seventh-inning reliever" for Hawpe. The Cubs, Mets, and Red Sox could be potential suitors, though the Cubs' plan to move Kosuke Fukudome back to right field might take them out of the mix.
It looks like a quiet offseason for the Rockies – O'Dowd figures to look into potential Hawpe trades and otherwise tinker with the bullpen and bench. Management will still have their hands full with the multiple significant arbitration cases.
Rockies Sign Phillips; Interest In Torrealba
The Rockies signed catcher Paul Phillips to a minor league deal today, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Phillips will make $450K if he's on the big league roster. Last year, he posted an .818 OPS in 54 major league plate appearances. Phillips has a .702 OPS in nearly 2800 minor league plate appearances,
This doesn't necessarily mean that the Rockies won't bring back free agent Yorvit Torrealba, however. Two other teams have expressed interest in Torrealba so far, but the Rockies could re-sign him. One of the interested clubs plays in the American League and the other is in the NL West.
Odds & Ends: Atkins, Twins, Carlyle
Links for Friday, as the free agent market officially opens…
- As Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports points out, the Angels' lack of interest in Matt Holliday bodes well for the Cardinals, but not for Scott Boras.
- Scott Boras tells FOX Sports that interest in Adrian Beltre and Mike Gonzalez is strong so far. The agent says he's fielded offers for eight players already.
- The Nippon Ham Fighters signed minor league free agent pitcher Buddy Carlyle, says NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman. Newman also says the Yokohama BayStars are working to sign Chris Bootcheck, Jose Castillo, and Terrmel Sledge.
- The Nats hired former Mariners manager John McLaren as a bench coach, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan ranks 131 free agents and provides capsules. We've also got SI's Jon Heyman and AOL FanHouse's Frankie Piliere with Top 50 lists.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down the market for Mark DeRosa.
- ESPN's Buster Olney notes five arbitration-eligible players who could be traded, including Russell Martin and Kevin Correia.
- SI's Jon Heyman tweets that the Mariners and Tigers continue to discuss Edwin Jackson.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets a comment from Brewers GM Doug Melvin: the team will fill current needs before discussing a Prince Fielder extension.
- Garrett Atkins to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post: "I know that I will be on another team next year."
- Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune feels that free agents Carl Pavano, Jarrod Washburn, and Rich Harden are potential fits for the Twins.
- Christensen's colleague Sid Hartman wonders if catcher Mike Redmond "could wind up with a job in the [Twins] organization." However, Redmond told MLB.com's Kelly Thesier a month ago that he plans on playing in 2010.
- Paul Hagen's Phillies source shot down a story that Pat Gillick could be heading back to the Blue Jays.
- Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball has a Winter Meetings primer.
- Chico Harlan is moving on from the Washington Post's Nationals beat, once a replacement is found.
Rockies Notes: Atkins, Barmes
The Colorado Rockies will keep Garrett Atkins on their 40-man roster for now, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Not releasing Atkins yet will give the Rockies a few more weeks to attempt to trade him, before the non-tender date of December 12th (coincidentally, Atkins' 30th birthday).
Renck mentions that interested teams, such as the Rangers and Orioles, have been reluctant to deal for the corner infielder, since the Rockies will almost certainly be forced to part ways with him anyway. Atkins is in his final year of arbitration, and made $7.05MM in 2009. After losing his starting role last season, Atkins isn't worth nearly that much to Colorado. This move, however, suggests the club is still hoping to salvage some return, rather than letting him go for nothing.
In the same piece, Renck mentions that the Rockies have started discussing a multi-year contract with Clint Barmes. The Rockies are hoping to sign Barmes, who earned about $1.6MM last year, to a two-year deal with a club option for a third year.