Tigers Rumors

Johnny Damon Rumors: Thursday

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 11, 2010 at 9:29pm CDT

9:29pm: MLB.com's Scott Merkin concurs, adding that he believes the White Sox have about $4MM to offer Damon.

5:50pm: According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago's interest in Johnny Damon is more about "due diligence" than anything else, and if the price tag is around $7MM per season, that is beyond their budget.

4:48pm: Heyman tweets that the Tigers may have offered slightly more than $14MM.

4:21pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets that executives expect Damon to sign with the Tigers.

4:15pm: Braves president John Schuerholz tells Jim Bowden that GM Frank Wren is "engaged" in talks with Damon and Scott Boras (Twitter link).

3:56pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that the Tigers have one and two-year offers on the table to Damon. The Braves and White Sox are also involved.

3:05pm: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports and Jim Bowden tweet that the White Sox and Tigers are bidding on Damon.

2:48pm: Tigers owner Mike Ilitch has authorized a two-year $14MM offer, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. It's hard to imagine Damon turning this kind of offer down.

Damon is also considering a one-year $7MM offer from the Tigers and a one-year offer from the Braves. Atlanta won't likely offer two years, since they have outfield prospects Jason Heyward and Jordan Schafer.

2:02pm: Damon is nearing a decision and could agree to a deal this week, reports ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Damon's best available offer comes from the Tigers. Insiders guess they're offering a one-year deal worth $7MM or so, but the sides haven't ruled out a two-year deal.

The Braves and Rays are still involved and a source tells Stark that the White Sox have interest. The Braves and Rays are talking one-year deals and neither club has offered as much as the Tigers.

1:21pm: The Tigers appear willing to top the Braves' offer to Johnny Damon, tweets Newsday's Ken Davidoff. Davidoff suggests that the Tigers could offer Damon $4.5MM, which would top Atlanta's offer of about $4MM.

Yesterday, we heard that the Braves offered Damon a deal worth less than $4MM. The deal includes deferred money, according to multiple reports. Earlier in the week, FOX Sports reported that Damon was still looking for a multi-year deal.

Johnny Damon Rumors: Wednesday

By Tim Dierkes | February 10, 2010 at 6:42pm CDT

6:42pm: MLB.com's Mark Bowman hears from a source that even with deferred money, the Braves offer to Damon totals less than $4MM (link goes to Twitter).

4:04pm: Tyler Kepner of the New York Times tweets that he's hearing the Braves' offer to Damon is $2MM now plus another $2MM deferred.

11:22am: Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reported that Johnny Damon had not moved off his demand for a two-year deal. They suggested the Tigers were the most interested club, a notion SI's Jon Heyman agreed with this morning. Rosenthal and Morosi wrote that the Braves were taking a more passive approach than the Tigers.

However, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today that the Braves' interest in Damon has increased, to the point of making an offer in the $5MM range. MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that the offer includes some deferred money. O'Brien says the Braves recently made a one-year offer and had Chipper Jones contact Damon. Additionally, Damon texted O'Brien and described the Braves as "definitely a team that is on top of the list."

Odds & Ends: Theriot, Delgado, Damon, Yankees

By Tim Dierkes | February 9, 2010 at 2:45pm CDT

Links for Tuesday…

2011 free agent Brandon Webb threw for the first time since his August shoulder surgery today and told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert that he feels good.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says (via Twitter) that he's not under the impression that the Reds are in on Johnny Damon.
The Cubs haven't spoken with Ryan Theriot's representatives recently and expect to go to an arbitration hearing with the infielder, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
Jim Reeves of ESPNDallas.com explains how Rangers GM Jon Daniels now reports to Nolan Ryan. Within the piece, Daniels says the Rangers obtained virtually every player they targeted this offseason.
Carlos Delgado's agent tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that his client's conditioning is progressing well (Twitter link).
Morosi tweets that the Brewers signed Chase Wright to a minor league deal.
Corey Hart's arbitration hearing is scheduled for Thursday, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. If the hearing does occur, Hart will either be paid $4.8MM or $4.15MM in 2010. It'll be Doug Melvin's first hearing as Brewers GM.
Johnny Damon is a big fan of Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings, agent Scott Boras told John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press. Boras says Damon received "four or five offers right away" after it became clear the Yankees wouldn't re-sign him.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman explained to George King of the New York Post that he groups Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Joe Girardi together in terms of not negotiating extensions.
WEEI's Rob Bradford explains why Josh Beckett's shoulder will be a critical factor in whether the Red Sox re-sign the righty.
Comparing 2008 to 2009, FanGraphs' Matthew Carruth lists the pitchers with the biggest gains and losses on their fastballs.
The Brewers agreed to sign Dominican righties Eduard Reyes, Carlos Sosa, and Elvis Mora, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
McCalvy points us to this entertaining interview the blog Right Field Bleachers did with Marlins reliever Seth McClung.
The blog Monozygotic compiled a list of non-roster Spring Training invitees for all 30 teams.

Johnny Damon Rumors: Saturday

By Mike Axisa | February 6, 2010 at 7:03pm CDT

7:03pm: Damon said on Friday that Tampa Bay remains a possible destination, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. However, Topkin characterizes this as a "long shot", as Damon is likely to sign with Detroit.

11:47am: Pitchers are catchers are less than two weeks away, however Johnny Damon is still looking for a job and there doesn't appear to be many teams willing to bring him on board. FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi says the Braves and Tigers are definitely among the clubs interested in Damon, though Atlanta has taken a more passive approach. They'd be happy to take him if he "fell into their lap" according to the Fox scribe, which translates to "if his price comes way down."

Meanwhile, Lynn Henning of The Detroit News says the Tigers need to add a hitter after the Twins added Orlando Hudson, but he cautions that Damon isn't "a perfect answer or player." This certainly isn't the first time we've seen these two teams connected to the former Yankee left fielder.

Bobby Abreu didn't sign until February 12th last year, so Damon still has some time before meeting his former teammate's mark.

Odds & Ends: Jackson, Norman, Dye, Lester, Manny

By Mike Axisa | February 5, 2010 at 9:13pm CDT

Some links for Friday night…

MLB.com's Steve Gilbert tweets that the Diamondbacks and Edwin Jackson have made no progress towards reaching an agreement to avoid arbitration. A hearing is set for February 17th.
Chuck Finder of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette passes along a report from the independent St. Paul Saints that says that the Pirates have signed 25-year-old outfielder Anthony Norman to a minor league deal.
Several executives told Morosi that they expect Jermaine Dye to sign with an AL club, though no one's sure which one.
WEEI.com's Alex Speier says that Jon Lester's contract is one of the biggest bargains in baseball when you look at the deals Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander just received. Lester signed a five-year deal last March that guaranteed him at least $30MM.
Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times wonders if 2010 could be the final year of Manny Ramirez's career. If so, he has a chance to be just the eighth player in history to retire with a career OPS over 1.000.
ESPN's Keith Law says that the Orlando Hudson signing is a major upgrade for the Twins, likely enough to make them preseason favorites in the AL Central.
Meanwhile, Law thinks it's too risky for the Diamondbacks to give Mark Reynolds a multi-year contract right now. The two-sides have been discussing such a deal recently.
Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com says the Mets are more likely to sign a pitcher rather than another catcher this month.
Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle has some quotes from Travis Buck regarding his standing with the A's following all of their outfield additions, and adds that the team has found some interest in Dana Eveland and Gregorio Petit, both of whom were recently designated for assignment.

Olney On Verlander, Branyan, Bedard

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 5, 2010 at 8:40am CDT

ESPN.com's Buster Olney points out that Orlando Hudson would likely benefit from hitting in front of Joe Mauer. Those hitting before Mauer saw lots of fastballs last year and Hudson hits the heater well. Here are Olney's rumors:

An AL scout calls the Justin Verlander deal a "solid sign for the club." An NL GM calls Verlander a "top-of-the-rotation type, long term." An NL scout says it's a "great signing" for the Tigers if the righty stays healthy.
Despite concerns about Russell Branyan's back, one current coach says the slugger looks good in workouts.
Some within the industry believe Erik Bedard could miss months of the upcoming season. The lefty is close to signing with the Mariners.

Deciphering The Tigers’ Interest In Damon

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 4, 2010 at 10:31pm CDT

THURSDAY, 10:31pm: Damon and Scott Boras are seeking a two-year commitment from the Tigers, according to Lynn Henning of The Detroit News. Detroit is pushing for a one-year deal and will have to pay $7MM "or more" for his services in 2010.

WEDNESDAY, 9:35am: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, formerly of the Tigers beat, believes Boras is trying to appeal to owner Mike Ilitch as he did for Ivan Rodriguez and Magglio Ordonez in the past. Morosi believes a Damon deal with the Tigers "is a distinct possibility."

TUESDAY, 6:25pm: Johnny Damon would play in Detroit, but the Tigers haven't spoken with agent Scott Boras and their level of interest in the left fielder remains unclear. This week Boras told the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press that Damon would play in the Motor City, citing his client's will to win and fondness for manager Jim Leyland.

Boras told the Free Press that he has not spoken with Dave Dombrowski and the Tigers GM told MLive's Steve Kornacki that he has an "open mind" about tinkering with his club. Dombrowski declined to comment further, so we're left without a definite sense of the team's interest.

This much is clear: Boras wants to engage the Tigers and the team is stopping short of ruling Damon out completely.

Tigers Sign Justin Verlander To Five-Year Deal

By Mike Axisa | February 4, 2010 at 3:35pm CDT

The Tigers signed Justin Verlander to a five-year contract worth $80MM today, buying out the righthander's two remaining arbitration years plus three years of free agency. MLB.com's Jason Beck says Verlander will get a $500K signing bonus, $6.75MM in '10, $12.75MM in '11, and $20MM per each free agent season. The Tigers get a discount on the arbitration years, as is customary.

Felix Hernandez's five-year contract with Seattle was used as a comparison for this deal, though Verlander will pocket an extra $2MM and won't reach free agency until age 32. You could make the case that Hernandez deserved the larger contract, though that point is certainly debatable.

Verlander, 27 later this month, led the American League in starts (35), innings (240), batters faced (982), strikeouts (269), and wins (19) in 2009, earning him a third place finish in the Cy Young voting. He also has a no-hitter, a Rookie of the Year Award, and World Series experience to his credit.

The second overall pick in the 2004 draft had reportedly been seeking a sixth guaranteed year, but it obviously wasn't a deal breaker. He will earn $6.75MM in 2010, $12.75MM in 2011, then $20MM each year from 2012 to 2014. The deal also includes a $500K bonus.

The Tigers spent most of the offseason shedding salary by trading players like Edwin Jackson and Curtis Granderson, however they reversed course to lock up one of the game's best young arms.

The Associated Press (via NBCSports.com) broke the news of the agreement, and MLB.com's Jason Beck added some details via Twitter.

Justin Verlander Extension Reactions

By Tim Dierkes | February 4, 2010 at 8:56am CDT

The Tigers agreed to a five-year, $80MM deal with ace Justin Verlander yesterday – $2MM more than Felix Hernandez received upon signing in January. The deal buys out Verlander's final two arbitration years and three free agent seasons. Reactions from around the web:

ESPN's Buster Olney compares Verlander to Dwight Gooden, and says the Tigers "are right to commit an enormous contract to a guy who won't be 27 for another couple of weeks, and who has established a nice base for what might turn out to be a Hall of Fame career." Interestingly, Baseball-Reference lists Wade Miller and Hernandez as Verlander's top two comparables.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes the rarity of under-30 aces reaching the free agent market.
Zack Greinke will be 29 when he's eligible for free agency after the 2012 season, writes Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. More so than Verlander, Greinke and Hernandez are positioned to enter free agency in their prime if they choose.
MLB.com's Jason Beck says the Tigers are one of three teams now on track to have two players earning more than $20MM at the same time. ESPN's Rob Neyer points out that the Tigers "will shed an immense amount of payroll obligations over the next couple of years."
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports still feels that Verlander "has accomplished more than Hernandez in the major leagues." I still disagree, but they're close and the contracts are virtually a wash.

Odds & Ends: Tejada, Lincecum, Bedard

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 2, 2010 at 8:02pm CDT

Some links for your Tuesday night…

Melvin Mora wasn't the only former Oriole the Rockies were interested in this offseason. Dan O'Dowd & Co. had interest in Miguel Tejada before he signed with the Orioles, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Rockies were willing to spend on Tejada, but the infielder didn't seem to like the idea of rotating between infield positions.
The Giants have only engaged Tim Lincecum in "very insignificant" conversations about two-year deals, the pitcher's agent tells Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. Rick Thurman expects the sides to go to a hearing.
Even scouts aren't sure when Erik Bedard will be able to pitch, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Peter Gammons tweets some advice to Adam Kennedy: call the Tigers.
Tyler Hissey says Boston's improved defense should combine with the club's deep rotation to prevent more runs, especially if Clay Buchholz breaks out.

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