Stark On Greinke, Jeter, Phillies, Uggla
It's looking more and more likely that MLB will add a second wild card team to each league, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. He also has the latest rumblings from around the league; here they are:
- Clubs that have spoken to the Royals say Kansas City would only accept a bunch of front-line players for Zack Greinke. One of those players must be a pitcher with a Greinke-like ceiling, so GM Dayton Moore expects a lot for his ace.
- Clubs that have checked in with the Royals believe Greinke would veto a deal to any major market East Coast team. However, one official says the pitcher “would at least think about the L.A. clubs.”
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently suggested that the Yankees make Derek Jeter a Yankee for life with a 25-year contract that would keep him involved in the organization once his playing days end, but Stark hears that Jeter’s next deal will be “a baseball contract. Period.”
- A Phillies source summed up the chances of Jayson Werth returning to Philadelphia concisely: "No chance. None. Zero.
- "The Phillies are working aggressively to re-sign Jose Contreras, according to Stark.
- GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Stark that he has been working the phones this week. "We've made contact with 40 free agents, predominantly bullpen guys." He said. "Left-handed relief is a priority for us."
- Teams that have contacted the Marlins about Dan Uggla see definite signs that if extension talks don’t go anywhere, the second baseman could soon become trade bait.
A’s Acquire DeJesus For Mazzaro, Marks
The A’s acquired David DeJesus from the Royals for right-hander Vin Mazzaro and left-hander Justin Marks, the teams announced today. Royals GM Dayton Moore says Mazzaro will join the team’s rotation and Marks will start the season at high Class A Wilmington.
Mazzaro, 24, posted a 4.27 ERA in 122 1/3 innings for the A's this year with 5.8 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9. He became expendable when Oakland won the bidding for Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma earlier in the week. If the A's reach a deal with Iwakuma, he'll join Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Dallas Braden in the team's rotation.
DeJesus batted .318/.384/.443 in 394 plate appearances this year, but he missed the final two months of the season because he required surgery on his right thumb. The 30-year-old, who has spent all of his eight-year career with the Royals, has experience in left, center and right. He joins Rajai Davis, Coco Crisp, Ryan Sweeney, Conor Jackson and Jack Cust in a crowded Oakland outfield that could clear up if Jackson and Cust are traded or non-tendered.
Marks, 22, posted a 4.87 ERA as a starter in the lower minors in 2010. The 2009 third rounder posted 9.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 as he picked up his first significant experience as a pro.
DeJesus will earn $6MM in 2011 and qualify for free agency after the season. Mazzaro may qualify for arbitration as a Super Two next winter, but he cheap for now and won't hit free agency until after the 2015 campaign.
Brian Bannister Becomes A Free Agent
Brian Bannister is officially a free agent, according to the Royals. Kansas City reinstated Jason Kendall and David DeJesus from the 60-day DL and made room by outrighting Bannister to Triple-A and designating right-hander Brian Anderson for assignment. Bannister refused his assignment and became a free agent.
Bannister, 29, pitched to a 6.34 ERA in 127 2/3 innings last year. His walk rate rose to 3.5 BB/9 and his strikeout rate dropped to 5.4 K/9, so it's not surprising that the Royals let him go. If they had offered arbitration, Bannister would have made something like $2.3MM, his 2010 salary. When Mike Axisa identified Bannister as a non-tender candidate last month, 71% of MLBTR readers correctly predicted that the Royals would cut him loose.
Anderson, a longtime outfielder in the major leagues, started making the transition to the mound this year. He logged 17 1/3 innings across three levels in the Royals system, striking out 17 and walking 5.
Non-Tender Candidate: Kyle Davies
Kyle Davies was a well-regarded young pitcher in the summer of 2007, when the Royals acquired him from the Braves for a few months of Octavio Dotel. Since then Davies has had an extended opportunity in Kansas City. Over 469 2/3 innings spread across 86 starts, he sports a 5.15 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 4.1 BB/9, and 1.11 HR/9. He also logged another 104 innings at Triple-A.
Davies, 27, just hasn't made much progress in the bigs. The best that can be said is that he's been healthy and is good for 170-180 innings with an ERA around 5.00. That has value, in that it's better than the production of most fifth starters, but you'd prefer to pay the league minimum for it. Davies, however, could make more than $2MM as a third-time arbitration eligible player.
Davies is still young, and he throws relatively hard with a 92.6 mph average fastball this year. With improved control and a move to the NL, you can picture him as a solid #4 starter. In that sense Davies is more of a trade candidate than a non-tender possibility. Still, you have to wonder if the Royals will give him one more shot given their rotation uncertainty. Zack Greinke could be traded, though he'd likely bring back a Major League ready arm. Brian Bannister is a non-tender candidate, and Bruce Chen is a free agent. If the Royals do give up on Davies and Bannister, they'll probably have to add at least one free agent starter.
Your turn: will Davies be non-tendered? Click here to make your prediction and here to view the results.
Royals Claim Lance Zawadzki
The Royals claimed infielder Lance Zawadzki off of waivers from the Padres, according to a team press release. Kansas City outrighted Jai Miller to Triple-A and the outfielder will become a free agent tomorrow afternoon. It's the second consecutive day the Royals have made a waiver claim; GM Dayton Moore claimed Joaquin Arias from the Mets yesterday.
Zawadzki, 25, appeared in 20 games for the Padres in May and June. He spent most of the season in the upper minors, where he played second, third and short and batted .225/.291/.316. Miller, 25, batted .236/.300/.345 in 60 big league plate appearances this year. He has a .239/.322/.401 line in eight minor league seasons.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gonzalez, Pirates, Elias
On this date way back in 1976, the Mariners and Blue Jays each selected 30 players in the expansion draft. Seattle drafted outfielder Ruppert Jones from the Royals with the first pick, then Toronto grabbed the versatile Bob Bailor from the Orioles with the second pick. The full results of the expansion draft can be found here.
We had to do some expanding of our own this week – get ready for what I'm certain is the largest BBWI in MLBTR history…
- Baseball Time In Arlington thinks the Rangers need to wave goodbye to Vladimir Guerrero after declining his option.
- Royals Review asks what Kansas City should do, and will do with their arbitration eligible players.
- The Friarhood breaks down the trade market for Adrian Gonzalez.
- Pirates Propects examines what the impact would be if Andrew McCutchen qualified as a Super Two next year.
- Capitol Avenue Club looks at some options to address the Braves' need for a fourth outfielder.
- Amazin Avenue explains why they don't want the Mets to hire Wally Backman to serve as manager.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. wonders if the Pirates should start spending on free agents this winter.
- Meanwhile, Wahoo Blues believes the Indians are poised to make a free agent splash.
- Crashburn Alley says the Phillies need to give Domonic Brown 600 plate appearances in 2011.
- Disciples of Uecker explains why Justin James was an interesting waiver claim.
- Prospect Insider thinks that the Elias free agent ranking system needs to go.
- The Process Report tries to find a fit for Matt Garza with the Mets.
- Randall on Baseball reviews Jack Zduriencik's moves as the Mariners GM.
- SD Sports Net thinks the Padres should go out and acquire Dan Uggla.
- The Love Of The Game likes what the Yankees have in 2010 rookie Ivan Nova.
- Fan Speak tries to figure out what the Nationals should do with Josh Willingham (part one, part two).
- Cubs Billy Goat Blog (formerly Cubs Pack) asks what the Cubbies can learn from more successful teams.
- 1 Blue Jays Way re-lives Toronto's 2010 season, top ten style.
- River Ave. Blues comes up with a list of the players the Yankees shouldn't even think about acquiring this winter.
- MLB Depth Charts is putting together early looks at each team's 2011 roster.
- Baseball Prospectus' Analyze This reviews how the World Champion San Francisco Giants were built in a two part series (part one, part two). No subscription is required.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
O’Dowd On Payroll, De La Rosa, Gonzalez
Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd told readers of the Denver Post that he’d like to trade for top players, but is not willing to sacrifice significant organizational depth to make an acquisition. Fans wanted to know whether Zack Greinke could be pitching in Colorado, but O’Dowd chose not to comment specifically on the Royals ace. Here are some more noteworthy comments from the GM:
- The Rockies are likely to have a similar payroll next year, but they could go a little higher than $85MM.
- The team is “actively engaged” in talks with Jorge de la Rosa’s representatives. It won’t be long before the lefty can negotiate with all 30 teams.
- The Rockies would like to lock Carlos Gonzalez up long-term, but O’Dowd pointed out that it’s a “two-way street.” Scott Boras represents Gonzalez, so it probably won't be easy for the Rockies to sign him to an extension. There's no rush though – Gonzalez is under team control through 2014.
Royals Claim Joaquin Arias
The Royals claimed Joaquin Arias off of waivers from the Mets. New York acquired Arias from the Rangers in the Jeff Francoeur trade after the Rangers designated the infielder for assignment in August.
The Rangers acquired Arias in the 2004 Alfonso Soriano–Alex Rodriguez trade. He did have a solid 2008 campaign as a reserve for the Rangers, but this year he hit just .258/.280/.320 between the Rangers and Mets. The 26-year-old is not yet arbitration eligible.
Odds & Ends: Indians, Jeter, Ellis, Giants, Chen
Happy 92nd birthday to one of baseball's all-time great pitchers, Bob Feller. "Rapid Robert" piled up 266 wins and 2581 strikeouts in his Hall of Fame career. In tribute to Feller, it's only appropriate that we start this batch of news items with something from Cleveland…
- Infielder Drew Sutton is eligible for free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A by the Indians, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The article notes that Andy Marte is expected to be removed from the Cleveland roster before the Rule 5 draft deadline. Also from Hoynes (via Twitter), the Phillies claimed shortstop Carlos Rivero on waivers from the Tribe. Rivero has a .676 OPS in 2156 minor league plate appearances, none above the Double-A level.
- Hal Steinbrenner's recent comments about the Derek Jeter talks strike ESPN's Buster Olney "as if he's preparing the NYY fans for an ugly Jeter negotiation" (Twitter link).
- Now that the A's have exercised Mark Ellis' option for 2011, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that the team will look into an extension for the veteran second baseman.
- Buster Posey and Brian Wilson are the key reasons why the Giants have a chance to win another World Series, says Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. "How many teams can say, right now, they have zero interest in upgrading at the need-to-have positions of catcher or closer?", Morosi asks. He cites just the Phillies and Twins, and even those two clubs come with question marks.
- Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com thinks the Giants should sign Eric Chavez to a minor-league contract. (Twitter link)
- Bruce Chen wants a multiyear deal but the Royals are "unlikely" to make the left-hander such an offer, tweets The Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton.
- It could be a bad omen for David Ortiz's $12.5MM option that another slugging DH (Vladimir Guerrero) had his $9MM option for 2011 declined by Texas earlier today, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
- Tampa Bay added Elliot Johnson to its 40-man roster, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Without the move, Johnson would've become a free agent. Johnson had a breakout minor league campaign in Triple-A last season, posting a .319/.375/.475 line and winning the International League MVP award.
- In response to a fan mailbag question about Adam Dunn, MLB.com's Bill Ladson warns about the dangers of the Nationals offering a long-term deal to a defensively-challenged slugger. He points out how fans were also wishing the Nats signed Alfonso Soriano to an extension, but in hindsight Washington made the right move.
- Nationals right-hander Collin Balester is looking for members to join his 'Movember' team. Click here to sign up and join Balester in raising money and awareness in the fight against prostate cancer.
Odds & Ends: Crawford, Thome, Rowand, Greinke
On this date in 1974, the Braves traded Hank Aaron to the Brewers for Dave May. Today, the Braves made some less memorable moves. Here are the day's links…
- The Giants will at least entertain the idea of signing Carl Crawford, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News.
- Twins GM Bill Smith confirmed to ESPN Radio 1500 that he'd like to bring Jim Thome back to Minnesota in 2011. The slugger hit 25 homers in 2010.
- Jhonny Peralta told the Detroit Free Press that he'd like to return to the Tigers for more than one year. GM Dave Dombrowski was also optimistic about reaching a deal when he turned down the infielder's 2011 option earlier today.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the Phillies might consider bringing Aaron Rowand back to Philadelphia if the Giants took on most of his salary (Twitter link).
- People close to Zack Greinke tell Heyman that there's no chance the pitcher would accept a trade to New York (Twitter link). For more on Greinke's no-trade clause, click here.
- The Pirates obtained permission to interview former Rockies manager and current Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
- The Rockies got a fourth minor league option for Greg Reynolds because the pitcher was injured in 2009, according to Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post draws a parallel between Alex Rodriguez and Tom Hicks and Cliff Lee and Chuck Greenberg.