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Odds and Ends: Hillenbrand, Tsao, Uehara

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Here are some random bits and pieces to hold us over until front offices re-open…

  • Shea Hillenbrand has only received one inquiry this winter – from the Giants.  He probably won’t be earning $6MM again.  Hillenbrand posted a .599 OPS in 267 ABs for the Angels and Dodgers this year.  I thought perhaps that was one of the worst performances of the decade for guys with 250+ ABs.  However it’s only the 49th worst since 2000.  Homer Bush’s 2000 takes the cake – a .524 OPS for the Blue Jays in 297 ABs.
  • The Royals inked Chin-Hui Tsao to a minor-league deal.  Tsao was once considered the Rockies’ best prospect, but he’s been decimated by injuries.  Makes sense for the Royals to throw him a bone though.
  • Koji Uehara re-signed with the Yomiuri Giants for 400 million yen – about $3.57MM.  He’ll turn 33 in April.  A hamstring injury knocked Uehara out of the ’07 season’s first month, denying him free agency this winter.  Now he needs to be active for just eight days to be eligible after the season.  The Giants used him in relief in ’07, perhaps to spite him.  Read more about that and his repertoire in my Q&A with Mike Plugh on Uehara.   
  • John Fay runs down the Reds’ veteran free agent starter options.
  • A-Rod still won’t return Scott Boras’ calls.
  • Jason Churchill names some intriguing, possibly available young hurlers who may be on Seattle’s radar: Scott Olsen, Noah Lowry, Daniel Cabrera, Edwin Jackson, Chris Capuano, Ian Snell, and Anthony Reyes.
  • Nothing is cooking with Brandon Inge, and the Tigers won’t be bringing Sean Casey back.

Odds and Ends: A-Rod, Morrow, Cabrera

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The daily, and sometimes twice daily, odds n’ ends roundup…

Willis Signs Extension With Tigers

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UPDATE, 12-20-07 at 11:52am: Jerry Crasnick says Willis has agreed to a three-year, $29MM extension with Detroit.  The deal buys out one year of free agency.  I like it – assuming Willis’ elbow checks out, the Tigers paid the innings-eater rate for a guy who could be more than that.  And by 2010, can you imagine what the innings eater rate will be?

UPDATE, 12-20-07 at 9:04am: Morosi reports that progress has been made on this extension.

FROM 12-19-07 at 1:57pm:

The Tigers have begun talks with Dontrelle Willis’ agent on a three or four-year extension, according to Jon Paul Morosi.  Morosi is thinking around $25-30MM.  It would be Willis’ first multiyear contract.

Morosi notes that both Willis and Nate Robertson are free agents after the 2009 season, and Kenny Rogers might be done after ’08.  Robertson also wants to talk extension.

Jeremy Bonderman is signed through 2010.  He’ll team with Justin Verlander and Rick Porcello to form the team’s pitching nucleus.

Robertson Looking For Extension

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30 year-old Tigers starter Nate Robertson is offering his team a chance to buy low.  He just finished an off year (4.76 ERA) and doesn’t reach free agency until after the ’09 season. But he’d like to sign an extension now to stay in Detroit longer than that.

My guess is that the Tigers might entertain the idea of buying out his two remaining arbitration years plus one year of free agency.  A three-year extension in the $27MM range might make sense for both parties.  Thoughts?

Tigers, Jays Interested In Miguel Olivo

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UPDATE, 12-15-07 at 12:51pm: The Jays have their eye on Olivo as well.  He would get more playing time in Toronto than Detroit.

FROM 12-14-07 at 3:06pm:

Hot stove action!  It was revealed today that the Tigers recently contacted Miguel Olivo’s agent to express interest.  Olivo’s agent has also heard from four or five other teams.  Olivo would have to serve as Ivan Rodriguez’s caddy if he signed with Detroit.

A starting gig for Olivo might be hard to come by.  He earned $2MM in ’07 and figures to make a touch more in ’08.  He gunned down an impressive 32.9% of baserunners this year.

Today’s Non-tenders: Towers, Prior, Everett, Durbin

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Tim’s out for the night, so we’ve got a fresh post started for the non-tenders.  MLB.com has a running list as well.

These guys are the officials as of now:

  • As expected, the Marlins non-tendered catcher Miguel Olivo.  Johnny Estrada was another casualty; these two make up the market for starting catchers.
  • The Blue Jays non-tendered Josh Towers, a surprising move.  Some NL team could offer him two years and get league average work out of him.
  • Mark Prior has been non-tendered.  Honestly if I were the Cubs, I would’ve tossed the $3.5MM his way just to see.
  • Aaron Miles is now a free agent.
  • The A’s cut Kiko Calero loose.
  • The Padres have non-tendered four: Morgan Ensberg, Jason Lane, and pitchers Jack Cassell and Ryan Ketchner. RotoWorld speculates that the latter two, not arbitration eligible, could be offered minor league deals.
  • The Royals cut the cord on Emil Brown.  He turns 33 soon; he hit an ugly .257/.300/.347 in 2007.  Brown earned $3.45MM in ’07.
  • The Tigers non-tendered Chad Durbin, toss him into the free agent pool.  Guess those trade talks with the Bucs didn’t work out.
  • The Twins have let go Jason Tyner.
  • The Nats have cut bait with Nook Logan and LHP Michael O’Connor.
  • The Dodgers wave goodbye to Mark Hendrickson.
  • The White Sox have non-tendered Andy Gonzalez and LHP Heath Phillips. Joe Crede sticks with the Pale Hose for now.
  • Adam Everett has lost his job with the Astros. It’d be kind of funny if the Orioles signed him.
  • Per RotoWorld, the Angels have non-tendered Dallas McPherson. He’s full of potential, but he’s never come through. He’s only 27, though, so he could still catch on somewhere. Unless, RotoWorld notes, he has an agreement in place with the Angels.
  • The Braves have non-tendered Willie Harris, though he had already been DFA’d.

–Joe and Tim

Today’s Non-tenders

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As you know, the non-tender deadline is tonight. I’ve got my list of candidates right here.  In this post, I’ll note all those who are officially non-tendered and hence become free agents.

Indians Rumors: Haren, Blanton, Bedard, Inge

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Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer gets the Indians rumor mill churning.

  • As we mentioned earlier today, the Indians have spoken to the A’s about Dan Haren and Joe Blanton.  They’ve also inquired on Erik Bedard.  The Tribe is quietly looking to pair C.C. Sabathia with another ace.  Such an acquisition would soften the blow if Sabathia leaves after the ’08 season.  Hoynes says a Haren acquisition might require one player from the Indians’ 25-man roster plus at least one near MLB-ready guy.
  • The Tribe had brief talks with Detroit about Brandon Inge, but they’ve moved on.  Doesn’t seem to be much interest in Inge.
  • Cliff Lee and Kelly Shoppach weren’t part of the Jason Bay discussions.  Instead, the Pirates were looking for a slew of the Indians’ best prospects.  It seems the Bay talks have since cooled.

Odds and Ends: Mench, Kent, Durbin, Wang

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Rounding up this morning’s Odds and Ends, to be updated periodically…

Willis Wants Extension With Tigers

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Now that he’s on a club with the financial resources for it, Dontrelle Willis would like to talk contract extension.  Willis is only 26 in January.

The model would apparently be Jeremy Bonderman’s four-year, $38MM deal.  That deal was signed two years prior to Bonderman being eligible for free agency, as Willis is now.  Add a little inflation and maybe it’s 4/40 or 4/42 for Willis.  A few years from now that might be the going rate for a guy with a high-4’s ERA who can eat 200 innings.  So even if Willis doesn’t bounce back the extension could be reasonable.  If he does, it’s a bargain.

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