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Rosenthal On Butler, Sizemore, Orioles

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • The Phillies have serious interest in free agent Michael Cuddyer, although Rosenthal is skeptical of them adding a player who turns 33 in March.  Rosenthal says other left fielders are in the mix, but none are ideal.  One player Rosenthal did not mention is Josh Willingham, who I can see the Phillies considering.  As for a splash at shortstop, Rosenthal says Jose Reyes' leg problems scare the Phillies.
  • The Orioles were desperate to find a new GM and Dan Duquette was desperate to be a GM again, writes Rosenthal.  A press conference is expected this week to announce Duquette's three-year deal.
  • The Royals view Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer as their 3-4 hitters long-term, so don't look for Butler on the trade market this winter.  The 25-year-old is potentially under team control through 2015 on an extension signed in January.
  • Rosenthal sees Grady Sizemore landing with a high-revenue team for an amount close to the $9MM option Cleveland passed on.  I'd be surprised if he tops $7MM guaranteed.  Sizemore's agent Joe Urbon said his client prefers to play center field, but is open to a corner spot.
  • The Orioles are trying to add pitching depth via the six-year minor league free agent market.  Here's the list of minor league free agents from Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
  • Rosenthal says to look for Ryne Sandberg to be promoted to Phillies bench coach of Pete Mackanin is hired by the Cubs or Red Sox.  He also thinks recently-fired Cubs manager Mike Quade would then be a possibility to manage the Phillies' Triple-A club.

Quick Hits: Ordonez, Rangers, Myers, Cubs

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Remember – the deadline to make picks for MLBTR's first-ever free agent prediction contest is tonight at midnight central time.  Only ballots with picks made for all of the top 50 free agents will be counted; incomplete ones will not be eligible.  So dot your I's, cross your T's, and give yourself a chance at a piece of $1000 worth of great prizes.  For information about the contest rules and prizes, click here.  When you're done with that, check out these links..

  • MLB.com's Jason Beck chatted with Carlos Guillen, who has been talking with Magglio Ordonez since the season ended and the veteran relayed that Ordonez plans on playing again next year.  That news matches up with what we've been hearing recently.  Reportedly, it's very unlikely that Guillen or Ordonez will return to the Tigers next year.
  • In a piece for MLB.com, Peter Gammons praises Rangers GM Jon Daniels, assistant GM Thad Levine, senior director of player personnel A.J. Preller, and the rest of the club's front office for their work in recent years.  Gammons runs down some of the club's best calls, including their 2010 to trade for Cliff Lee which propelled them to win the pennant and reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
  • The Braves had trade talks with the Royals about Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado but talks have stalled, likely because Kansas City does not want to part with top prospect Wil Myers.  Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star believes that Myers is a player with star potential that can be used to net the club a potential impact starting pitcher in a trade.
  • Either Dale Sveum or Mike Maddux would make sense as the Cubs' next manager, writes Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com.  Meanwhile, the club has a huge void in its rotation and pitching figures to be their biggest need this offseason.  In his Offseason Outlook for the Cubs, Tim Dierkes writes the Cubs could easily spread their surplus among four or five veterans rather than go for a big splash.
  • Josh Goldman of Fangraphs brings us three visuals to analyze baseball's previous $100MM contract recipients and how they performed.  Recently, our own Ben Nicholson-Smith checked in on how baseball's newest $100MM players fared in 2011.

Jurrjens Talks Stall Between Royals And Braves

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Yesterday we learned that the Braves are open to moving Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado, and that they've already had trade talks with the Royals. Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star reports that talks have stalled however, likely because Kansas City does not want to include top prospect Wil Myers in the deal.

Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution says (on Twitter) that Atlanta is not actively shopping Jurrjens and Prado, but they will listen to offers for any player on their roster without ten-and-five no-trade protection. Dutton says the Braves offered the Royals a two-for-two deal: Jurrjens and Prado for Myers and Lorenzo Cain. Kansas City is open to moving Cain, he added. That deal would add close to $10MM to the Royals' payroll next season, eating up a big chunk of what they have available to spend this offseason according to Dutton. The Braves are trying to unload some salary, which they managed to do earlier in the week by trading Derek Lowe to the Indians.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports notes (on Twitter) that it shouldn't be tough for Atlanta to find a taker for Prado if they're really motivated to move him. The Blue Jays, Tigers, Twins, Cardinals, and Dodgers could all use an upgrade at second base. Troy Renck of The Denver Post speculates (on Twitter) that the Rockies could get involved, possibly using Dexter Fowler or Charlie Blackmon as trade bait. Both outfielders are from Georgia.

NL East Notes: Wang, Buehrle, Ankiel, Braves

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The Mets are losing confidence that Jose Reyes will return in 2012. Here are some more hot stove notes from the NL East…

  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told reporters, including Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com, that the team discussed possible 2013 options with Chien-Ming Wang's representatives before agreeing to a simple one-year deal.
  • The Nationals will continue searching for pitching. "We want a guy that has shown he's a good leader, that can win in the big leagues," Rizzo said. "It's not about having the best stuff. It's about being able to pitch 200 innings many, many times in your career.” As Goessling and a number of other Nationals reporters have noted, that describes Mark Buehrle quite well.
  • Scouts tell ESPN.com's Buster Olney that they like what Buehrle offers, even though the 32-year-old southpaw doesn't light up any radar guns. Meanwhile, the Marlins are concerned about the command issues C.J. Wilson had in the postseason, according to Olney.
  • The Mets haven’t ruled out free agent Rick Ankiel as a center field option, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. They still have arbitration eligible center fielder Angel Pagan, but they may trade or non-tender him instead.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore acknowledged that he has had preliminary trade talks with the Braves, according to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Braves are open to moving Jair Jurrjens or Martin Prado and the Royals are looking for starting pitching.

Quick Hits: Moyer, Beltran, CBA, Lincecum, Mariners

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It was 10 years ago today that the Diamondbacks set a World Series record for hits in a game, racking up 22 hits en route to a 15-2 rout of the Yankees in Game Six of the 2001 Series.  This set the stage for a legendary seventh game that saw Luis Gonzalez's bloop single in the ninth inning off Mariano Rivera give the D'Backs their first world championship.

Some news from around the majors….

  • The Mariners, Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, Rockies and Royals are among the teams that have sent scouts to monitor Jamie Moyer's throwing sessions, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Moyer now lives in San Diego, so Rosenthal guesses he'd prefer to pitch for a West Coast team — possibly a reunion with the Mariners, where Moyer is the club's all-time wins leader.  The 49-year-old Moyer missed the entire 2011 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but two scouts tell Rosenthal that Moyer is throwing as well as ever.
  • The Blue Jays are getting closer to hiring Chuck LaMar as a scout, tweets Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.  LaMar was the original GM of the then-Devil Rays from 1998-2005 and has since worked in the front offices of the Phillies and the Nationals.
  • Carlos Beltran could be re-signed if the Giants offer him a two-year deal with a vesting option on a third year, or three guaranteed years with a condition that Beltran plays left field, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • A source tells ESPN's Jerry Crasnick not to expect any "meaningful news" about the new collective bargaining agreement until next week at the earliest.  The disagreement about hard slotting for draft picks remains the major point of contention, and Crasnick isn't sure if any other issue is holding up the new deal.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs thinks the Giants could save a lot of money and improve the overall state of their roster if they traded Tim Lincecum.
  • Jack Zduriencik tells Larry Larue of the Tacoma News Tribune that veteran relief pitching and an answer at third base are goals for the Mariners this offseason, plus the broader goals of adding a bat and starting pitching.
  • The Padres have hired Chad MacDonald as their new vice-president and assistant general manager, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  MacDonald had been the Mets' scouting director, and ESPN's Keith Law (Twitter link) reports that the Mets have hired former Blue Jays scout Tommy Tanous to fill the position.
  • Bob Garber, the agent for C.J. Wilson and Roy Oswalt, tells Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York that both his clients would enjoy pitching in New York and fit in well with the Yankees.  We've heard, however, the Yankees are worried about Oswalt's injury history and aren't willing to go all-out to sign Wilson.
  • Prince Fielder sits atop Keith Law's ranking of the top 50 free agents, edging out Albert Pujols for the #1 spot since Fielder is younger.  Law calls this year's free agent class "one of the thinnest I've ever seen."  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes flip-flopped Pujols and Fielder atop his own list of the top 50 free agents.  You can get in on the action by entering MLBTR's Free Agent Prediction Contest for the chance to win several terrific prizes.

AL Central Notes: Chen, La Russa, Buehrle, Tigers

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Justin Verlander was the big winner as the 2011 Players Choice Awards were announced today.  Verlander's peers selected him as both the 2011 AL Outstanding Pitcher and the 2011 Player Of The Year.  Could this be an omen for the AL MVP result in a few weeks?

Here's some other news from the AL Central…

  • Bruce Chen tells Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that he has already received calls from two teams interested in the veteran southpaw.  Despite this outside interest, Chen says he wishes to remain with the Royals.  "Kansas City has expressed numerous times that they would like to sign me back,” Chen said. “We have a real good relationship, and we’re making progress." 
  • There is "some talk" that Tony La Russa could become a consultant with the White Sox, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).  La Russa, who managed the Sox from 1979-86, would work with rookie manager Robin Ventura.
  • Mark Buehrle is "wide-open" to the possibility of joining a number of different teams, his agent Jeff Berry tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Buehrle has said in the past that he only wished to pitch for the White Sox or his home-state Cardinals, but also said last month that he would be interested in pitching in the National League for the first time in his career.
  • Unlike last winter, the Tigers will take their time in perusing the free agent market this offseason, writes MLB.com's Jason Beck.
  • A few tweaks at third base, backup catcher and the bullpen could be all it takes to push the Tigers to a championship next year, writes Jamie Samuelsen of the Detroit Free Press.
  • MLB.com's Jordan Bastian discusses the Indians' plans for third base next year, the chances of Kosuke Fukudome re-signing in Cleveland and other topics in a reader mailbag.

Braves Open To Trading Jurrjens, Prado

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The Braves have told some teams they would be willing to move Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado in a trade, a Major League source tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  Atlanta is known to be looking for a power-hitting outfielder and possibly a new shortstop, so either could be acquired in a Jurrjens/Prado trade, or at the very least the Braves could pick up some salary relief — both Jurrjens and Prado are arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter.

The Braves and Royals have already discussed a Jurrjens trade, and the Braves have an interest in minor league outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Wil Myers, amongst several other prospects in K.C.'s deep farm system.  The Royals are known to be targeting veteran starting pitching on the trade market this winter so the two sides would seem like a fit as trading partners.  As Bowman notes, Cain could be seen by the Braves as a future center field option if Michael Bourn isn't signed to an extension.

Jurrjens was an All-Star in 2011, though the right-hander struggled badly (a 5.88 ERA) in the second half of the season and spent time on the DL with a knee injury.  While Jurrjens' health is a question mark, Myers also took a minor step back (a .745 OPS in Double-A) in 2011 after being ranked as the 10th-best prospect in the sport in Baseball America's preseason rankings.  Myers is still just 20, however, and was converted to the outfield this year after spending his first two pro seasons as a catcher.

After an impressive 2010 season that saw him finish ninth in NL MVP voting, Prado took a step back in 2011, hitting .260/.302/.385 as Atlanta's everyday left fielder.  Prado's ability to play left, third, first and second base would make him an intriguing trade possibility for a number of teams, especially since he could be available at a somewhat buy-low price.

Royals Exercise Joakim Soria’s 2012 Option

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The Royals announced that they exercised their 2012 option for closer Joakim Soria. Soria will earn a $6MM salary, rather than a $750K buyout. Soria would not have been eligible for free agency if the Royals had declined the option. Instead, Kansas City would have gone to arbitration with Soria and he would have obtained a salary in excess of $6MM. “This decision was more of a formality,” Royals GM Dayton Moore said. 

Soria, 27, posted a 4.03 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 60 1/3 innings in 2011. It was an up-and-down campaign for the 27-year-old, who lost his closing job after a rough stretch in late May.

Quick Hits: Pirates, CBA, Cubs, Royals

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Some late-night links on this Saturday night …

  • The Pirates are considering exercising shortstop Ronny Cedeno's $3MM 2012 option, but they will likely pass on options for Chris Snyder ($6.75MM), Ryan Doumit ($7.25MM) and Paul Maholm ($9.75MM), according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. As well, Langosch adds the Bucs have interest in re-signing first baseman Derrek Lee but will probably allow Ryan Ludwick to walk in free agency.
  • MLB and the players union are close on a new collective bargaining agreement, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, although slotting for draft signing bonuses remains an issue of debate. Commissioner Bud Selig and some small-market teams are in favor of hard slotting, according to Heyman.
  • Cubs president Theo Epstein said he wants to talk to starter Carlos Zambrano before deciding how to proceed in handling the right-hander, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, whether that be retaining Zambrano or trying to trade him. As well, Epstein hinted at one of the organization's overarching goals: "We're looking for assets," Epstein said. "We're going to scratch and claw and do everything in our power — in the Draft, internationally, small trades, waiver claims. We need to build assets because we don't have enough of them.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore told Dick Kaegel of MLB.com that he will "explore trade possibilities to add a starter." Moore said the Royals probably won't try to sign a free-agent starter, however.

AL Central Notes: Cabrera, Jimenez, Sizemore

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On this date in 2005, the White Sox won their first World Series since 1917, completing a sweep of the Astros behind a strong outing from Freddy Garcia. Here's the latest news from the AL Central…

  • Royals GM Dayton Moore told Dick Kaegel of MLB.com that he expects to work out a one-year deal with Melky Cabrera instead of exploring a multiyear extension with the center fielder. Cabrera, who will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season, posted a .305/.339/.470 line with 18 homers, 20 stolen bases and 201 hits in 2011. MLBTR projects a 2012 salary of $4.4MM for the 27-year-old.
  • Rany Jazayerli explores the starting pitching trade market from the perspective of the Royals and lists A.J. Burnett, Bronson Arroyo, Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Wandy Rodriguez and Ted Lilly as arms Moore could pursue. These possible targets have substantial contracts to go along with experience and some ability.
  • MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian points out that Justin Verlander rebounded from a disappointing 2008 season to become one of baseball’s best pitchers and wonders if Indians right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez could experience a similar renaissance in 2012. 
  • Bastian also points out that Matt LaPorta doesn’t have a guaranteed job heading into Spring Training and notes that acquiring Mike Napoli would be tremendously difficult for the Indians.
  • The Indians have talked to Joe Urbon, Grady Sizemore's agent, about re-negotiating the center fielder's $9MM option into a multiyear deal for similar money, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It doesn’t look like the sides will re-structure Sizemore’s contract, however.
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