Astros Sign Rick Ankiel
The Astros have signed Rick Ankiel to a contract that will bring him to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The 33-year-old is represented by Scott Boras.
Ankiel will be entering camp as a hitter and isn't eyeing a return to the mound, as Boras explained back in November. The deal reunites the veteran with manager Bo Porter, who was in Washington during Ankiel's time there. Ankiel also has a history with General Manager Jeff Luhnow from his playing days with the Cardinals.
In the previous two seasons with the Nationals, Ankiel has posted a .236/.292/.377 slash line with 14 homers. Since returning to baseball as an outfielder in 2007, Ankiel has hit .246 .309/.428 for the Cardinals, Royals, Braves, and Nats.
West Notes: Upton, Bourn, Hairston, Clemens
The Giants expect to begin discussing a "blockbuster extension" with Buster Posey this spring, but that's not the only news coming out of baseball's Western divisions…
- Grantland's Jonah Keri wonders if the Diamondbacks lost leverage in Justin Upton trade negotiations after their deal with the Mariners fell through. Keri also examines several trades from the past 30 years in which a well-regarded player who had fallen out of favor with the franchise was traded.
- The Rangers are "keeping the lines of communication open" when it comes to free agent Michael Bourn and trade candidate Justin Upton, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. If either's price comes down to the liking of GM Jon Daniels, Texas is prepared to take action.
- Jerry Hairston Jr. is in the final year of a two-year, $6MM contract, and he told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that he'll retire if the Dodgers win the World Series this season. Hairston already has one World Series ring, having been a part of the 2009 Yankees and says "you can't get any better" than retiring after a World Series win.
- Roger Clemens sat down with CSN Houston's Steve Bunin to discuss his 2013 role with the Astros and confirmed again that he will not pitch next season. Clemens said he would've had to start training in November to make a serious run at a comeback. Instead, he'll help Houston by mentoring their young arms in Spring Training. For the time being, he's not interested in a full-time role with the organization, however.
- Wendy Thurm of Fangraphs takes a look at a potential Posey extension and notes the risk involved in doling out a massive contract for a player whose career only includes 1255 plate appearances to date.
International Moves: Dodgers, Liberato, Villatoro
We’ll keep track of the day’s international signings here…
- The Dodgers announced the signings of four 17-year-olds from the Dominican Republic (via Twitter): outfielders Deivy Castillo and Ariel Sandoval, shortstop Ravel Hernandez, and right-hander Miguel Urena. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times tweeted the age and positions of each player.
- The Mariners signed Luis Liberato, a 17-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. Liberato obtains a $140K bonus. The 6'1" teenager has gap power with a solid swing and could stay in center field or move to right, according to Badler.
- The Blue Jays signed 18-year-old right-hander Denis Villatoro to a five-year contract, Saúl Carranza of the Honduran newspaper Diez reported over the weekend (translation via MLBTR's Nick Collias). It's a five-year deal, according to La Tribuna. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun notes that it's worth $20K (Twitter link). Villatoro, who worked out for the Blue Jays before signing, said he's "very happy" to have agreed to terms with Toronto, Carranza reports. His fastball reaches 93 mph, and he also drew interest from the Orioles, Yankees, Mets, Astros, Giants and Pirates.
Quick Hits: Blum, Webb, Orioles, Padres
Utility infielder Geoff Blum's ready to call it a playing career after 14 seasons in the big leagues, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. After spending five years with the Astros over two different stints, Blum will return to Houston to join the club's television broadcasting team on a part-time basis. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league…
- The Rockies remain interested in former Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, who plans to set a date to throw in front of teams in the near future, reports the Denver Post's Troy Renck (via Twitter). Webb, 34 this spring, last appeared in the big leagues in April 2009.
- The Orioles have a few free agents for other teams to consider ranging from a sure-fire Hall of Famer to a utility infielder who will most likely use Twitter to announce his next stop, says Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.
- The offseason doesn't always mean vacations or relaxing poolside for younger players in the Padres organization as the salary of a minor leaguer often fails to cover the bills, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com.
AL West Notes: Bourn, Lohse, Rangers, A’s, Astros
Here's a look at some items out of the American League West..
- With five weeks to go before Spring Training, the Rangers have not ruled out free agent outfielder Michael Bourn or pitcher Kyle Lohse, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The newly-signed Lance Berkman is a former teammate of both players and GM Jon Daniels said that he "picked [Berkman's] brain over lunch" about the two players. Texas has been reluctant to chase either player because of their price tags but they both remain unsigned with no clear destination.
- In her latest mailbag, Jane Lee of MLB.com says that she doesn't see the A's making any splashy moves between now and Opening Day as they are satisfied with their current group. Another reader asks if a reunion with Brandon Inge might be in the cards. While the players in the clubhouse would love to have the veteran back, the 25-man roster is at capacity and there is no room for Inge.
- Roger Clemens says that his major league days are over, but the 50-year-old is on the verge of returning to the Astros in a role that would allow him to work with Houston's pitchers, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Reactions To The Lance Berkman Signing
The Rangers and Lance Berkman agreed to a one-year contract with a vesting option earlier today, plugging the team's DH hole. Berkman will receive $10MM in 2013 with a $1MM buyout of the option. Here is a collection of news and reactions to the deal…
- "It never really got past the tire-kicking phase," said Berkman to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart when asked about talks with the Astros (all Twitter links). Houston never made an offer and the two sides only discussed contract parameters. "I have nothing but good things to say about the Astros organization and the way our negotiations went," added Berkman.
- The Red Sox showed interest in Berkman before he signed with Texas, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Talks never gained momentum due to his geographical preferences, however.
- The Orioles also kicked the tires on Berkman according to Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com (on Twitter). They moved on due to his asking price.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Berkman is the type of hitter the Rangers have rarely had, meaning he's patient and willing to use the entire field (all Twitter links).
- Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is "stunned" at the size of Berkman's contract (Twitter link). He assumes the Rangers thoroughly reviewed the medicals.
Yankees, Astros, Rangers, O’s Interested In Berkman
7:18pm: The Yankees also have interest in Berkman, reports Ken Davidoff of The New York Post (on Twitter). Berkman spent time with New York in 2011, but Davidoff says it's unclear if he would consider a reunion since the two Texas teams are involved.
4:17pm: Nolan Ryan confirmed to Berman that the Rangers have an offer out to Berkman (Twitter link). "We are looking for a designated hitter," Ryan said. "We feel like he would fill that bill."
3:27pm: Houston GM Jeff Luhnow told Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston that he has been in contact with Berkman (Twitter link). The sides spoke yesterday and today and talks are ongoing.
2:23pm: The Rangers are trying to talk Berkman into playing next year, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Team president Nolan Ryan is said to be leading the Rangers' pursuit of Berkman, Heyman writes. Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com confirms the Orioles’ interest, noting that they have reached out “informally” (Twitter link).
9:01am: Lance Berkman said he’s “still a little bit in limbo” as he considers his options for 2013, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The switch hitting first baseman/designated hitter received two offers before Christmas and hopes to resume discussions with interested teams.
The Rangers have reached out, and the Rays and Red Sox are also interested. Goold adds a third AL East team to the list of Berkman’s suitors: the Baltimore Orioles. It's clear that Berkman has opportunities, but he suggested he’d have to be well-compensated to return for another season.
“If I’m going to play, I’m going to give my heart and soul to the team,” he told the Post-Dispatch. “But if the carrot’s not big enough, the mule isn’t going to want to go.”
Berkman, a Texas native, added that the Rangers have a geographic advantage. His first MLB team, the Astros, could also have interest. But now that the Astros have added Carlos Pena, Houston’s not an ideal fit.
Berkman missed most of the 2012 season because of knee injuries. When healthy he hit .259/.381/.444 in 97 plate appearances for the Cardinals. Moye Sports Associates represents the 14-year MLB veteran, who turns 37 next month.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Quick Hits: Vazquez, Red Sox, Padres, Astros, Cubs
The Red Sox will scout right-hander Javier Vazquez in Puerto Rico on Friday, according to Victor Ramos of Solo Beisbol (on Twitter, Spanish link). An industry source confirmed the news to Rob Bradford of WEEI, who notes that Vazquez has been throwing a fastball in the 92-93 mph range in recent workouts. Vazquez said earlier this week that he would consider a return to MLB and would like to play for a contender. Here's more from around baseball..
- Speaking of the Red Sox, Andrew Bailey says that he's happy to have Joel Hanrahan on board, even though it means that he won't be closing, Bradford writes. Meanwhile, Bailey believes that he's poised for a strong year thanks to his offseason training.
- Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes indicated today that the team likely won't pick up a starting pitcher in free agency, writes MLB.com's Corey Brock. The Padres signed Jason Marquis to a one-year deal last month, adding him to an already lengthy list of rotation candidates.
- General Manager Jeff Luhnow says the Astros aren't likely to add any additional key players between now and spring training, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Houston's biggest pickups this winter were the signings of slugger Carlos Pena and relief pitcher Jose Veras.
- The Cubs expect free agent Nate Schierholtz to be a regular in right field, writes Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. Chicago inked Schierholtz to a one-year, $2.25MM deal with $500K in performance bonuses.
Olney On Astros, Price, Ethier
ESPN.com's Buster Olney explains that the Angels, Rangers, A's and Mariners could benefit from Houston's presence in the AL West. The Astros, losers of 100-plus games in 2011 and 2012, project as a sub-.500 team again in 2013. Conversely, NL Central teams such as the Reds and Cardinals might miss their former rival. Here’s more from Olney’s ESPN.com column…
- Olney ranks the game's top infields, starting with the Rangers, Tigers and Reds.
- There's an assumption within the industry that the Rays will trade David Price sometime in the next calendar year, Olney writes. The left-hander recently avoided arbitration with Tampa Bay, agreeing to a one-year, $10.1MM contract.
- The Mariners have called the Dodgers repeatedly to ask about potential trades involving Andre Ethier, Olney reports. The Dodgers intend to hold onto Ethier, but would listen to offers on him. The Mariners haven't presented Los Angeles with a formal proposal, according to Olney.
Checking In On Teams In Need Of Pitching
MLBTR’s Zach Links recently checked in on some of baseball’s lowest scoring offenses, noting that clubs such as the Dodgers and Mariners could score more often in 2013 thanks to some of their recent moves. Let’s now turn from run scoring to run prevention and check in on the teams that allowed the most runs in 2012.
Seven teams — the Rockies, Indians, Twins, Red Sox, Astros, Blue Jays and Cubs — posted team ERAs of 4.50 or more this past season, and each club allowed at least 750 runs in total. We'll take a look at those bottom seven teams and see what they've done to improve their pitching and defense so far this offseason. Team name links go to a summary of the moves on MLBTR's Transaction Tracker and 2012 runs allowed totals are in parentheses. For reference, the average MLB team allowed 701 runs this past season.
Rockies (890 runs allowed, 5.22 team ERA) – Jeff Francis, who led the 2012 Rockies with 113 innings pitched, re-signed on a one-year deal. Jorge De La Rosa exercised his player option and Colorado traded for reliever Wilton Lopez. Dan O’Dowd and Bill Geivett must do more to address their run prevention issues in the coming months, or they’ll risk a similarly poor showing in 2013.
Indians (845 runs allowed, 4.78 team ERA) – The Indians started the offseason by exercising Ubaldo Jimenez's 2013 option, and they haven't stopped there. GM Chris Antonetti acquired pitching prospect Trevor Bauer from Arizona along with relievers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw. They have since agreed to terms with Brett Myers, who projects as a starter in Cleveland.
Twins (832 runs allowed, 4.77 team ERA) – GM Terry Ryan has re-worked his team's pitching staff, trading for Alex Meyer and Vance Worley and signing Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey and Rich Harden. The Twins also re-signed a number of pitchers to minor league deals, creating depth. However, the Twins parted with Ben Revere and Denard Span to upgrade their pitching, which creates questions about Minnesota's outfield defense.
Red Sox (806 runs allowed, 4.70 team ERA) – The Red Sox upgraded their rotation by signing Ryan Dempster to a two-year contract. They've also addressed their bullpen, trading for Joel Hanrahan and signing Koji Uehara to a one-year contract. On defense, Shane Victorino will play right field, but defensive standout Jose Iglesias no longer projects as a starter and it looks as though Mike Napoli will replace the sure-handed combination of Adrian Gonzalez and James Loney at first base.
Astros (794 runs allowed, 4.56 team ERA) – The Astros have made some relatively low-profile changes to their pitching staff as they prepare for their first season in the American League. The club acquired Alex White for Wilton Lopez, claimed Philip Humber off of waivers, traded for John Ely, and signed reliever Jose Veras to a one-year deal. At this point it looks as though Houston will have trouble preventing runs again in 2013.
Blue Jays (784 runs allowed, 4.64 team ERA) – The Toronto front office overhauled a starting rotation that lacked depth in 2012. Defending Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey joins newcomers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle in a rotation that now looks like a strength instead of a major weakness. GM Alex Anthopoulos also traded for Esmil Rogers and added numerous others via waiver claims and minor league signings. The future of Darren Oliver still has to be determined, but other than that Toronto's pitching staff seems essentially set.
Cubs (759 runs allowed, 4.51 team ERA) - The Cubs have upgraded their rotation in a meaningful way, adding Edwin Jackson, Scott Feldman, Carlos Villanueva and Scott Baker on free agent contracts. They also retained free agent Shawn Camp and signed right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa and left-hander Hisanori Takahashi. Chicago’s pitching staff could be much stronger in 2013.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.