Article XX(B) Free Agents Update: Monday
As has been previously discussed on MLBTR, Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement contains a provision that allows certain free agents who are signed to minor league contracts to receive a $100K retention bonus if they are not on the team's 25-man roster or the Major League disabled list five days prior to the season.
Free agents who qualify for this distinction are those who have at least six years of Major League service time and had a Major League contract expire at the end of the previous season, but signed a minor league deal ten or more days prior to Opening Day.
MLBTR has confirmed with MLB that the deadline for teams to decide on these players is tomorrow at 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT). In other words, by tomorrow afternoon teams with these players in camp need to decide whether to:
- Add the player to their 25-man roster or Major League disabled list (or agree to do so in writing).
- Grant the player his outright release from the minor league contract so that he may pursue opportunities with other teams.
- Pay the player a $100K retention bonus to keep him in the organization beyond the deadline.
Here's the latest news from around the league on Article XX(B) signees and their roster statuses with their respective teams (newest updates on top)…
- Rangers manager Ron Washington informed infielder Jeff Baker that he has made the Opening Day roster, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
- The Indians announced that Jason Giambi has made the roster but will open the season on the 15-day disabled list with a back strain. Ezequiel Carrera was designated for assignment in order to clear room on the roster.
- The Mariners announced via press release that they have added Kameron Loe to the 25-man roster and transferred Josh Kinney to the 60-day disabled list to create space.
- Smith also tweets that Rick Ankiel is expected to make the team as the everyday right fielder, meaning Houston will have to make a 40-man roster move. Ankiel's base salary will be $750K, and his contract includes incentives based on plate appearances.
- LaTroy Hawkins has been informed that he will make the Mets' 25-man roster, writes ESPN's Adam Rubin. The Mets currently have an open spot on their 40-man roster, meaning no corresponding move would have to be made. Hawkins will earn a base salary of approximately $1MM for making the team.
- Pedro Feliciano, another Mets non-roster invitee, is still deciding whether or not to opt out of his contract or take his $100K bonus and report to Triple-A, Rubin tweets. Feliciano was told he would not make the Mets' roster yesterday.
- Red Sox bench hopeful Lyle Overbay says he has "no idea" as to whether or not the team will add him to the 25-man roster, according to the Boston Herald's Scott Lauber (Twitter link). Overbay has plenty on the line, as he'll earn $1.25MM (with $250K more available via incentives) if he makes the Opening Day roster.
Minor Moves: Kvasnicka, Koyie Hill
Today's minor moves:
- The Twins acquired 24-year-old right fielder/catcher Mike Kvasnicka from the Astros, tweets La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Kvasnicka, a Minnesota native, was drafted by the Twins out of high school but attended the University of Minnesota and was taken 33rd overall in the 2010 draft by Houston. Prior to the 2012 season, Kvasnicka was ranked 25th among Astros prospects by Baseball America. The Astros received 21-year-old righty reliever Gonzalo Sanudo in the deal.
- The Marlins signed catcher Koyie Hill to a minor league deal, tweets MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Hill, 34, spent most of 2012 at Double and Triple-A, posting a .190/.251/.275 line in 221 plate appearances. Needless to say, he's a glove-first backstop.
AL Notes: Blue Jays, Astros, Loe
Former Expos and Orioles GM Jim Beattie, who's now a pro scout for the Blue Jays, says the Jays are looking for help at second base and in their bullpen, Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network notes. "We’re always looking for pitching depth in the bullpen and our situation at second place is a little unsettled," Beattie says. "We have two guys (Emilio Bonifacio and Maicer Izturis) there but they’re not everyday guys." Here are more notes from the American League.
- Astros GM Jeff Luhnow explains the rationale that led the team to replace Jed Lowrie with Tyler Greene, and then to replace Greene with Ronny Cedeno, Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle reports. "When the Cardinals released Ronny Cedeno, he was a player that we had targeted during the offseason. But we had Lowrie most of the offseason, so we weren't aggressive," says Luhnow. "When (Cedeno) became available, we went back to our original plan, which was to try and get him in here." The Cardinals signed Cedeno in late January, while the Astros did not trade Lowrie (to the Athletics) until early February.
- Reliever Kameron Loe is hoping to stay with the Mariners, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times writes. The Mariners need to decide by Tuesday whether to open a roster spot for Loe, or the non-roster pitcher could exercise an out clause in his contract. "I hope we can work something out," Loe says. "I really like it here." Loe posted a 4.61 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 68 1/3 innings for the Brewers in 2012.
Quick Hits: Astros, Phillies, Dodgers
The Astros and GM Jeff Luhnow are drawing polarized opinions this spring, writes Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Luhnow argues that the Astros are closer to building a strong organization than some outside commentators might think, citing Jose Altuve, Jason Castro and Lucas Harrell as players who could be part of a strong core in Houston. "I think the core is already here," says Luhnow. "I really do." Here are more notes from around the majors.
- The Phillies could look outside the organization to fill their last outfield spot, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports. Salisbury cites Casper Wells and Ryan Sweeney as examples of the sorts of players the Phillies might pursue. If the Phillies don't acquire a new player, Rule 5 Draft pick Ender Inciarte might end up taking the job.
- As spring training nears its end, the Dodgers still have all eight of their starting pitchers, Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times notes. The Dodgers had been rumored to be looking to trade at least one of them. Dilbeck projects that the team's rotation will include Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Chad Billingsley, with Chris Capuano, Ted Lilly and Aaron Harang on the outside looking in.
- The Dodgers have signed 16-year-old pitcher Jesus Canizales out of Venezuela, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports (on Twitter).
Cafardo On Norris, Overbay, Mortensen, Dodgers
Here's the latest from the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo:
- Pitcher Bud Norris of the Astros has "drawn interest from at least six teams," but Houston does not appear interested in trading him.
- The Yankees have had discussions about Lyle Overbay, who could platoon with Juan Rivera at first base in Mark Teixeira's absence. Overbay is currently with the Red Sox, but he has an out clause in his contract that he can trigger on Tuesday.
- The Red Sox aren't inclined to deal reliever Clayton Mortensen, even though he is out of options.
- The Orioles, Brewers, Indians, White Sox, and Mets have all had "internal discussions" about surplus Dodgers starters Chris Capuano, Ted Lilly and Aaron Harang, and scouts feel that the Dodgers will ultimately trade at least one of them.
- The White Sox are looking for another starter because John Danks, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, has struggled this spring, allowing 21 runs in 11 innings.
Astros Sign Ronny Cedeno
The Astros have officially signed Ronny Cedeno to a one-year Major League contract, the team announced via press release Sunday morning. The Praver/Shapiro client was released by the Cardinals last week.
After the Astros' February trade of Jed Lowrie to the Athletics, Tyler Greene and Marwin Gonzalez top the organization's depth chart at shortstop, but neither has been impressive this spring. Cedeno also plays second base, although Jose Altuve is entrenched there.
Cedeno hit .259/.332/.410 in 78 games for the Mets last season. He has also played for the Pirates, Mariners and Cubs. After losing Nate Freiman to the Athletics, the Astros have space for Cedeno on their 40-man roster.
MLB.com's Brian McTaggart first reported that the two sides were nearing a deal and also was the first to report the deal was completed.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Astros Shopping Tyler Greene
Tyler Greene, who is out of options, has been told by Astros GM Jeff Luhnow that he will not make the club following the signing of Ronny Cedeno to a Major League deal yesterday, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. As such, the team is exploring trade possibilities with the 29-year-old infielder (Twitter links).
The Astros acquired Greene, a former first-round pick, from the Cardinals in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations last August. Greene hit .246/.278/.460 with seven homers in 133 plate appearances for Houston following the trade. He has significant Major League experience at second base, shortstop and third base, although both UZR and The Fielding Bible caution that he's a below-average defender at all three positions.
Greene has 689 career plate appearances but just a .224/.292/.356 batting line. He's fared significantly better against left-handed pitching (.720 OPS) than right-handed pitching (.601).
AL West Notes: Lohse, Garland, Astros
Here are a few updates from the American League West:
- The Rangers are "among the teams who have a scout watching free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse throw simulated games” at a local community college, but "this may be more due diligence than anything," writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Sullivan further reports that "Rangers officials acknowledged they are keeping an eye on Kyle Lohse," but "are still holding to their stance they will not sign Lohse this spring." According to Sullivan, "the Rangers are ready to go with what they have here in camp," most likely either Nick Tepesch or Michael Kirkman.
- Mariners manager Eric Wedge discussed the team's unwillingness to commit a rotation spot to Jon Garland, as reported by Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. Wedge explained that Garland's out clause created an "unusual situation" because the club has "multiple non-roster guys in this camp that have a chance to make this club." Garland was released on Saturday.
- The Astros are close to deciding whether to keep Rule 5 pick Josh Fields, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Odds look good for Fields, "considering how wide open the bullpen is." Another Rule 5 pick previously in Astros camp, Nate Freiman, has already been claimed by the Athletics.
Athletics Claim Nate Freiman
The Athletics have claimed first baseman Nate Freiman from the Astros, according to the A's (on Twitter). The A's have placed Fernando Rodriguez on the 60-day DL to clear roster space for Freiman. Freiman hit .298/.370/.502 for the Padres' Double-A affiliate in 2012 before the Astros picked him in the Rule 5 Draft. He will need to stick on the Athletics' 25-man roster this season, or the A's risk losing him.
Offseason In Review: Houston Astros
The Astros’ patient approach to building a contender won’t lead to many wins at the MLB level in 2013. The club remains focused on developing a strong base of prospects and young players for future seasons.
Major League Signings
- Jose Veras, RP: one year, $2MM. $3.25MM Club Option for 2014.
- Carlos Pena, 1B: one year, $2.9MM.
- Total Spend: $4.9MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Trades and Claims
- Acquired 1B Chris Carter, C Max Stassi and SP Brad Peacock from Athletics for SS Jed Lowrie and RP Fernando Rodriguez.
- Acquired P John Ely from Dodgers for P Rob Rasmussen.
- Acquired SP Alex White and P Alex Gillingham from Rockies for P Wilton Lopez and PTBNL.
- Claimed P Mickey Storey off waivers from Yankees.
- Claimed P Philip Humber off waivers from White Sox.
- Claimed OF Che-Hsuan off waivers from Red Sox.
- Claimed P Josh Fields from Red Sox in Rule 5 draft.
- Claimed P Sam Demel off waivers from Diamondbacks.
- Claimed IF Jake Delmore off waivers from Diamonbacks.
Notable Losses
- Jed Lowrie, Jordan Schafer, Wilton Lopez, Mickey Storey, Fernando Rodriguez, Chris Snyder.
Needs Addressed
There’s reason to believe general manager Jeff Luhnow will build a contender in Houston. He has a track record of success, the support of ownership, and even an endorsement from Bill James. Be that as it may, Luhnow doesn’t have much proven talent at the MLB level. And as the Astros enter their second full season under Luhnow and owner Jim Crane, they’re expected to finish with the fewest wins in baseball for the third consecutive time.
The Astros took advantage of their status as a non-contender this winter, acquiring players with upside in the hopes that some become part of the team's core. Chris Carter could be one such player for the Astros. Acquired along with prospects Brad Peacock and Max Stassi, Carter provides the Astros with a powerful bat coming off of his strongest season to date. And unlike Jed Lowrie, the primary piece headed to Oakland in the deal, he's controllable for the long-term. The 26-year-old Carter won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season. Lowrie's a talented player, but given his injury history (career high in games: 97), cost ($2.4MM) and proximity to free agency (two years of team control remaining) it made sense to trade him for a controllable player with power such as Carter.
Houston added pitching depth with a series of low-risk acquisitions. Though Alex White struggled as a member of the Rockies' rotation, the former top prospect offers a hint of upside. The Astros parted with Wilton Lopez to acquire White with another decision that emphasizes youth over experience. Luhnow also traded for Peacock, who entered the 2012 season as the 36th-ranked prospect in MLB, according to Baseball America. Like White, Peacock struggled in 2012, posting an unsightly 6.01 ERA in 134 2/3 innings at Triple-A. There's also John Ely, who had a strong season with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in 2012 and now provides Houston with depth as a long man in the bullpen or extra starter.
A team in the Astros’ position must take advantage of the waiver wire, and Luhnow did just that, claiming players often when 40-man roster space became available. Houston used its Rule 5 draft pick to add Josh Fields a 27-year-old right-hander who struck out 78 hitters in 58 1/3 innings in the upper levels of Boston's minor league system in 2012. The 2008 first round selection might never succeed at the MLB level, but the Astros are much better positioned to find out than a club that hopes to contend in 2013. Credit the team for identifying a promising player and giving him the chance to stick.
The Astros claimed Philip Humber, who struggled down the stretch in 2012 after pitching a perfect game in April. With a salary of just $1.3MM and recent success as an MLB starter, Humber is worth a look at the back of the rotation. Erik Bedard, who signed a minor league contract with the Astros, provides intrigue with the familiar ‘health permitting’ caveat.
Luhnow rounded out the team’s roster with veterans such as Carlos Pena, Rick Ankiel and Jose Veras. These players aren’t here to make a long-term impact. Instead, they’re stopgaps who could be flipped for valuable long-term pieces at the 2013 trade deadline. Luhnow, who acquired Matt Dominguez for Carlos Lee last year, could look to make similar trades this coming summer.
Questions Remaining
The Astros' roster is full of question marks, and that’s by design. In order to determine what they have, they must see their players at the MLB level. Luhnow told Keith Law on ESPN's Behind The Dish podcast that he’s ready to embrace the unpredictability of young players and acknowledged that an inexperienced roster means lots of variability (the entire interview is worth a listen). Acquiring too many established players could also prevent younger players from getting the playing time required to develop.
Virtually all of Houston's lineup, rotation and bullpen includes question marks. The roster includes a handful of veterans, and some relatively young players such as Jose Altuve and Bud Norris who have established themselves as productive Major Leaguers. However, most others on this team have lots to prove.
The Astros now face the question of how soon to begin selling. Some owners would find it unseemly to consider trades before June or July, but Crane could be an exception. Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris are already drawing interest and veteran players such as Pena could soon generate interest as well. The Astros could enjoy additional leverage in early-season trade talks, when most teams are dreaming of making a run at the Wild Card and few clubs are willing to sell.
Deal of Note
Like most of the Astros’ recent additions, manager Bo Porter joined the organization because of what he can offer in the long term. Luhnow recently told the New York Daily News that he can envision Porter leading the Astros "for decades, not just years.” For now the former Nationals third base coach has been tasked with creating a culture of opportunity in Houston. “I believe that the number one job you do as a manager is to do what you can to let players play to their potential,” he explained at the Winter Meetings. If Porter can accomplish his goal with Luhnow’s new acquisitions, the Astros will be that much closer to contention.
Overview
Building a contender takes years, and the Astros need more time to become relevant again. Even so, 2013 will be an important year for the Astros as they look to uncover some core pieces for future seasons. They'll select first overall in the upcoming amateur draft and should have a top selection again a year from now. Don’t expect many victories at the MLB level though. This year’s Astros project as one of the worst teams in baseball.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.