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Rockies Sign Hawpe Long-Term

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Troy Renck of the Denver Post is reporting that the Rockies and Brad Hawpe have agreed to a three-year deal with a fourth-year option. The contract is worth $17MM with the 2011 option expected to be close to $10MM. The deal will lock up Hawpe for each of his arbitration seasons while the team option could eliminate his first year of free agency. The right fielder hit .291-29-116 with a 129 OPS+ in 2007.

The Rockies who won the NL last year with a payroll close to $52MM have now committed $91MM to four of their core players this off-season. In addition to Hawpe, the Rox have given long-term deals to Aaron Cook, Troy Tulowitzki and Manny Corpas. Colorado will see their payroll rise to $70-75MM in 2008.

By Cork Gaines

Managers On The Hot Seat

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It is a slow news day, so we are going to venture a bit off the beaten path…As spring training is now in full swing, a number of managers may have their jobs on the line during the ’08 season. Three managers are in the final year of their deals and another 12 managers have two years left on their contracts. This second group will be due either an extension or a pink slip next winter as few teams are willing to play out a season with a lame-duck manager. Therefore, any manager with two years remaining on their contracts (including options) will likely have their fate determined prior to the ’09 season.

Ignoring managers that may be on the hot seat for other reasons (i.e. Willie Randolph), here is a list of managers that could potentially have their jobs on the line in ’08 based on their current contract situations. (Numbers in parentheses represent the number of years remaining on current contract)

  • Cecil Cooper, HOU (2)
  • Bob Geren, OAK (1+1 team option)
  • John Gibbons, TOR (1)
  • Bobby Cox, ATL (1)
  • Ned Yost, MIL (1+1 team option)
  • Tony LaRussa (2)
  • Bruce Bochy (2)
  • John McLaren, SEA (1)
  • Fredi Gonzalez, FLA (2)
  • Dave Trembley, BAL (1+1 team option)
  • Bud Black, SD (1+1 team option)
  • Joe Maddon, TB (2)
  • Clint Hurdle, COL (2)
  • Jim Leyland, DET (2)
  • Ron Gardenhire, MIN (2)

Taking a closer look at the list…Of the managers in the final year of their deal, Cox will be back if he chooses. LaRussa and Leyland may very well enter ’09 without new deals considering their ages. Yost, Gardenhire, Hurdle and Black look like locks for extensions prior to ’09. However, the remaining eight names on the list (Cooper, Geren, Bochy, Gonzalez, Trembley, Maddon, Gibbons, McLaren) may very well be managing for their jobs in ’08.

By Cork Gaines

Rosenthal’s Latest: Lohse, Furcal, Lofton

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FOX’s Ken Rosenthal checks in with the latest buzz from Spring Training.

  • The Mets, Cardinals, and Orioles are listed as possibilities for Kyle Lohse.  However, the Mets may deem him unnecessary, reports are conflicting on the Cards’ interest, and the Orioles are wary of the price.
  • Rosenthal says Rafael Furcal’s agent met with Ned Colletti a few days ago, but the Dodgers would likely want to see Furcal return to form before entertaining an extension.  Click here to see the other shortstops eligible for free agency after the ’08 season.  The Dodgers may have a viable replacement for Furcal in defensive whiz Chin-Lung Hu.
  • Rosenthal notes that the Yankees, in search of a right-handed outfielder, considered Shannon Stewart and Mike Cameron this winter.
  • Kenny Lofton’s chances of a getting the big league deal he wants with the Reds or Twins look slim. 
  • The rumor going around for Corey Patterson is the Marlins, if the price is right.
  • Rosenthal confirms two additions for our 2008 Out Of Options list – Gabe Gross and Clint Barmes.
  • Rosenthal says the Mets need a right-handed hitter who can play left field and first base.  Here are some names I came up with: Ryan Ludwick, Xavier Nady, Matt Murton, Franklin Gutierrez, and Kevin Millar.  Granted, not all those guys know their way around first base.

Manny Corpas Signs Long-Term Deal

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According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies have signed closer Manny Corpas to a four-year deal with two option years.  The options cover his last year of arbitration and first of free agency.  $8MM is guaranteed, with potential for $22MM.  Renck has the details here.  It’s definitely a team-friendly contract.  The Rox have also locked up youngsters Troy Tulowitzki and Jeff Francis.  Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe are currently going year-to-year.

There has never been a deal of this kind, a closer with less than two years service time signing for four years.  Closers like Jonathan Papelbon and Matt Capps, also possibilities for long-term deals, have two years service time.

Odds and Ends: Spiezio, Pavano, Gross, Jackson

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Links, rumors…

Brewers Talk Extension With Braun

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According to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy,  Ryan Braun’s agent had preliminary contract extension talks with Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash recently.  Troy Tulowitzki’s recent deal may serve as a framework.

Tulo received $31MM over six years with a seventh year option.  For their cases to be comparable in terms of service time, Braun will have to qualify as a Super Two player.  I spoke to ESPN’s Keith Law on the topic.  He said:

Right now, given his service time and where the cutoff for super-twos has been for the last ~ten years, I don’t believe he’ll have enough service time after 2009 to qualify as a super-two. That has to be a $5 million savings for Milwaukee, easily, if Braun does anything like what he did last year.

Brewers Talk Extension With Braun

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According to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy,  Ryan Braun’s agent had preliminary contract extension talks with Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash recently.  Troy Tulowitzki’s recent deal may serve as a framework.

Tulo received $31MM over six years with a seventh year option.  For their cases to be comparable in terms of service time, Braun will have to qualify as a Super Two player.  I spoke to ESPN’s Keith Law on the topic.  He said:

Right now, given his service time and where the cutoff for super-twos has been for the last ~ten years, I don’t believe he’ll have enough service time after 2009 to qualify as a super-two. That has to be a $5 million savings for Milwaukee, easily, if Braun does anything like what he did last year.

Fogg Still Looking For Work

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Every year some free agent unexpectedly finds himself without a job in late February.  This year, that guy is Josh Fogg.  To rejoin the Rockies, Fogg would have to take a pay cut from his ’07 salary of $3.625MM, and he’d have to be open to bullpen work.

Will anyone take Fogg in for $4MM and give him a rotation spot?  The Nationals, Reds, Astros, and Cardinals seem like viable options.  Viva El Birdos isn’t thrilled with the Cardinals’ portrayal of Matt Clement’s health.  Since Clement won’t be ready for the start of the season, maybe St. Louis will add some depth with Fogg.  However, John Mozeliak implied a couple of days ago that he wasn’t going to make anymore acquisitions.

Fogg Still Looking For Work

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Every year some free agent unexpectedly finds himself without a job in late February.  This year, that guy is Josh Fogg.  To rejoin the Rockies, Fogg would have to take a pay cut from his ’07 salary of $3.625MM, and he’d have to be open to bullpen work.

Will anyone take Fogg in for $4MM and give him a rotation spot?  The Nationals, Reds, Astros, and Cardinals seem like viable options.  Viva El Birdos isn’t thrilled with the Cardinals’ portrayal of Matt Clement’s health.  Since Clement won’t be ready for the start of the season, maybe St. Louis will add some depth with Fogg.  However, John Mozeliak implied a couple of days ago that he wasn’t going to make anymore acquisitions.

Fogg Turns Down Rockies

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According to ESPN’s Buster Olney:

The Rockies talked again about re-signing Josh Fogg, but again, Fogg’s side has turned down a one-year offer. The Rockies dangled a $5 million deal, while Fogg has been looking for a multi-year contract.

As each day goes by, the remaining free agents lose what little leverage they have left.  I predicted Fogg would get a three-year, $21MM deal.  Instead, only five starters received deals worth $7MM or more annually: Tom Glavine, Hiroki Kuroda, Andy Pettitte, Kenny Rogers, and Carlos Silva.  Pettitte at $16MM seems a little out there, doesn’t it? 

I think we’re going to see some solid free agent bargains next week.  Maybe a free agent bargain just means paying a guy what he’s worth instead of significantly more than that.

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