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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.

Rockies Win Arbitration Case Against Fuentes

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The Rockies beat Brian Fuentes in their arbitration hearing, with the panel choosing the team’s $5.05MM figure over Fuentes’ $6.5MM.  Can’t hurt his trade value.

Fuentes, a 32 year-old southpaw, is set to enter 2008 as a setup man for the first time in quite a while.  Given that this is his contract year, it’s not ideal for him.  He’ll get paid regardless, but I’m sure he’d prefer to hit the market with another 30 saves in his pocket.  Here’s a look at the pecking order for saves on each of the 30 clubs.

The Braves were interested in Fuentes in December, but didn’t want to take on his entire salary.  The Mets and Red Sox also reportedly inquired that month.

Blanton May Be Traded

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9:14pm: Fay suggests the A’s would want Homer Bailey or Johnny Cueto, Joey Votto, and a third player for Blanton.

1:32pm: Paul Daugherty and John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer report that the Reds and Dodgers are talking to the A’s about Blanton.  Seems to be a disagreement about whether the Dodgers are in on this.

10:31am: Check out this new Ken Rosenthal video (hat tip to MetsBlog).  The video is all about Joe Blanton.

  • One Rosenthal source suggests a 50/50 chance Blanton is traded (presumably before the season starts).
  • Two teams are showing significant interest.  Rosenthal believes the Reds are one, and the Twins or Rays could be another.  He rules out the Dodgers, Yankees, Rockies, and Indians.  The Reds have had preliminary discussions for Blanton already.  How about the Phillies?  They came calling in July.
  • Rosenthal notes that the bounty for Blanton will be less than that of Dan Haren, because Blanton is slightly more expensive and an inferior pitcher.
  • On January 14th, an A’s source suggested to MLB.com’s Jim Molony who expected Blanton to be the A’s Opening Day starter.

Rockies Still Talking Long-Term With Hawpe

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Troy Renck of The Denver Post reports that talks continue between the Colorado Rockies and Brad Hawpe regarding the possibility of a long-term deal.  This seems to conflict with Tracy Ringolsby’s report that progress was not being made.

Priority number one, for the time being, is getting Hawpe inked for the coming season.  With an arbitration hearing looming next month, Hawpe has submitted a $4.35 million dollar asking price, while the Rockies have submitted a figure of $3.575 million.

But looking beyond 2008 is a priority for the team.  Discussions point to a deal that would secure Hawpe through 2011, his first year of free agency, with a club option in that final year.

According to Renck:

The key to these contracts is finding comparables, and creating a big enough club option to entice the player.  For Hawpe, Pittsburgh’s Jason Bay represents a potential one. As a first-time arbitration-eligible player in 2006, Bay signed a four-year contract worth $18.25 million.

By Matt Birt

Rockies To Sign Scott Podsednik

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Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News reports that the Rockies are "finalizing details" on a minor league deal for outfielder Scott Podsednik.  The idea is to let Pods battle Cory Sullivan for the backup center field job in Spring Training.

Podsednik as an extra outfielder seems like a decent idea.  He may have been treated as a starter for a bit too long.

Ringolsby adds that the Rockies haven’t made progress on a long-term deal with Brad Hawpe and will probably just ink him for one year for now.

Odds and Ends: Colon, Koskie, Atkins

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We take a break from your regularly scheduled Erik Bedard drama to bring you some random links.

  • The White Sox made an incentive-laden offer to Bartolo Colon, but Colon apparently physically disappeared at the thought of it.  There’s a joke here, somewhere.  Kenny Williams also almost kind of hinted at implying that he made some kind of effort to acquire Bedard.
  • A brief note from the Sun-Times – outfielder Brian Anderson may be traded to an NL team (Marlins?).
  • It’s possible that Corey Koskie makes another comeback attempt.  He’s gone through a postconcussion syndrome nightmare.
  • The Denver Post’s Troy Renck is always going over to Rockies players’ houses and chilling in their living rooms.  This time, it was Garrett Atkins.  Atkins says the Rox made a multiyear offer to him a year ago more similar to Jeff Francis’ (4/13.25) than that of Aaron Cook (3/30) or Troy Tulowitzki (6/31).  That offer was to cover Atkins’ three arbitration years and have a club option for his first of free agency.
  • I recently did a Q&A with Science Fiction Baseball.
  • Website note: I am leaning toward doing a full redesign.  New logo, widen this baby, brighten her up, increase the font size, and yes, do away with the white on black type.  Lots of room for improvement with this clunky old design, we all know it.

Odds and Ends: Dotel, Valverde, Wilkerson

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Some Saturday odds and ends to mull over…

  • The Yankees considered bringing Octavio Dotel back, but wouldn’t go two years on him.
  • Richard Justice thinks Astros GM Ed Wade is making a mistake by setting a deadline and going to arbitration hearings with Jose Valverde and Mark Loretta.  I doubt the Astros wanted Loretta to accept their offer of arbitration in the first place, but they took the $4-5MM gamble hoping to get a draft pick.  But they actively sought out Valverde, and this might not bode well for him staying past 2009.
  • Can’t promise anything, but my source is saying Brad Wilkerson is likely to become a Mariner on a one-year deal.  Put this in the unconfirmed category for now.
  • Did the Rangers DFA Armando Galarraga in anticipation of including him in a trade?
  • Troy Tulowitzki explanation: he can opt out of his $15MM club option for 2014 if he’s traded. Tracy Ringolsby also reports that Garrett Atkins had unfruitful extension talks with the Rox last year and would still like to stay.
  • "No substantive negotiations" on a multiyear deal for Ryan Zimmerman.
  • Casey Blake’s agent put in a counteroffer but hasn’t heard back from the Indians yet; the two sides are $1.5MM apart on his ’08 salary.

Odds and Ends: Zimmerman, Tulo, Hawpe, Wang

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Some bits and pieces from today…

Tulowitzki Signs Extension

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UPDATE, 1-22-08 at 4:29pm: The six-year, $30MM deal runs from 2008-13.  The Rockies have a club option at $15MM for 2014, something they probably hope they’ll get to exercise.

UPDATE, 1-20-08 at 10:54pm: This thing is done, pending a physical.  I am still a little confused because I was told the six-year deal starts with the ’08 season, but Thomas Harding says the option year is for 2013.  If it’s six years and begins with 2008 the seventh-year option should be for 2014.

FROM 1-20-08 at 9:37am:

According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki are nearing a record six-year, $30MM deal.  This beats Grady Sizemore’s $23.45MM contract as the largest for a player with less than two years of service time.  The deal also has a seventh-year option.

Renck says Tulo would be a Rockie through 2014; it seems like he is counting the option year in that statement.  Seems like a wise move by Colorado; the Indians certainly aren’t regretting Sizemore’s contract.  It’s nice to have cost certainty with your star players. 

Holliday Discusses Future

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The Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck recently visited Matt Holliday at his home and discussed all sorts of things.  Holliday is signed through the 2009 season, and his future beyond that was a theme.

The Rockies were said to be considering a four-year offer that would’ve bought out two years of free agency, before signing Holliday for 2008-09.  Holliday said that it wouldn’t be fair for the Rockies to expect him to take a four-year deal.

As Renck points out, there is a huge gap between the Rockies buying out two years of free agency and the nine years they gave to Todd Helton.  The length of the deal is the central issue, but Holliday is willing to make concessions if the Rockies do the same.  My guess is that he’d be up for a six-year extension, possibly five.  Holliday added that if Garrett Atkins were traded it would obviously influence his decision on whether to stay in Colorado.

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