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Odds & Ends: Webb, Griffey, Hoffman

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Links for Monday…

Odds & Ends: Crow, Kearns, Minor Leagues

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A few links to start off your Friday night…

  • Royals GM Dayton Moore said Aaron Crow will be a given a chance to win a spot with the big league team next spring, according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel.
  • Bill Ladson of MLB.com writes that Austin Kearns' time with the Nationals is all but over. The outfielder is out with a thumb contusion, and GM Mike Rizzo said it's unlikely he'll return this year. There's zero chance the team will exercise his $10MM option for 2010, instead paying him a $1MM buyout.
  • According to Baseball America's minor league transactions, the Indians cut ties with reliever Ken Ray. You may remember that Ray made a little noise with the Braves back in 2006.

Odds & Ends: Mateo, Sano, Crow, Ethier

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Some more links for the afternoon or, if you're on the East Coast, the early evening…

  • ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. hears that a vision issue could affect the status of the contract Wagner Mateo signed with the Cardinals earlier in the summer. If Mateo has a degenerative eye condition, the Cards may look to reclaim some of the $3.1MM they awarded the 16-year-old. Mateo's agent says it's a non-issue.
  • Miguel Angel Sano doesn't appear to be near a deal with any club, but Arangure Jr. hears that the shortstop seeks $3.2MM.
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law believes Aaron Crow's long holdout will hurt the pitcher more than it helped him. The Royals completed their deal with Crow just yesterday.
  • ESPN.com's Rob Neyer knows it's painful for the A's to see Andre Ethier's 30-homer season in LA, but he reminds his readers that Milton Bradley helped the A's win a division title after Billy Beane traded Ethier to acquire Bradley before the 2006 season. 

Odds And Ends: Knapp, Crow, Mets

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A few tidbits to start the day…

  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the key prospect in the Cliff Lee deal, Jason Knapp, had surgery yesterday to remove loose bodies from his throwing shoulder. The Indians do not believe the Phillies "pulled a fast one," but do feel that the Phillies misdiagnosed Knapp's original injury (Knapp was on the DL at the time of the trade).
  • Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star is reporting that Aaron Crow's contract ($3MM guaranteed) could be worth as much as $4.5MM depending on how much time he spends in the big leagues the next three seasons. 
  • Sam Mellinger also writes in his blog, that the Royals came out the victors in the negotiations based on MLB slot recommendations and what Crow turned down last year.
  • MetsBlog take a look at the Mets off-season and how the team may approach free agency.

Royals Sign Aaron Crow

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8:54pm: Now Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star is reporting (via Twitter) that the deal is only for $3MM guaranteed including a $1.5MM signing bonus.

8:30pm: Jim Callis of Baseball America is reporting that Crow will make just under $4.5MM and that the deal will be finalized in time for Crow to attend the Royals' instructional league program beginning Saturday. Callis adds that Crow could debut in the Arizona Fall League.

7:47pm: Via a press release, the Royals have signed their first-round pick Aaron Crow to a three-year Major League contract that will begin in 2010. Crow was the 12th overall pick in this year's draft and was not subject to the August 17th signing deadline.

No further details are available at this time. However, earlier today, Buster Olney reported that the deal would be worth $3-4.5MM. Crow reportedly turned down a $3.5MM offer from the Nationals as the ninth overall selection in 2008.

Royals’ Talks With Aaron Crow Intensify

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2:01pm: MLB.com's Dick Kaegel talked to Royals exec J.J. Picollo, who said:

"Apparently Buster Olney knows something we don't know.  There's nothing to report on, there's no confirmed deal or anything. We've picked up the talks with them the last couple of days and that's about it. We're working at it."

Picollo told Kaegel he's pushing to get Crow signed by the end of the week so he can pitch in the Arizona Fall League.  Baseball America's John Manuel says Crow is close to signing.

9:43am: The Royals are on the verge of an agreement with first-round pick Aaron Crow, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.  Olney says Crow's deal will pay between $3MM and $4.5MM.

The Nationals drafted Crow ninth overall in 2008, but GM Jim Bowden couldn't get a deal done with Crow's agents.  The gap was reportedly $900K, with Bowden stopping at $3.5MM and the Hendricks brothers coming down to $4.4MM.  Crow then pitched independent ball for the Fort Worth Cats and re-entered the 2009 draft.  The Royals picked him 12th overall, and the August 17th signing deadline did not apply.  The extra year will probably cost Crow in the long-term; other '08 draft picks such as Brian Matusz, Buster Posey, Gordon Beckham, Ryan Perry, and Daniel Schlereth have already accrued Major League service time.

Odds & Ends: Royals, Zambrano, Pujols

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Time for some afternoon links…

  • Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star would like to hear Royals GM Dayton Moore admit he was wrong to think his team could contend this year.
  • Aaron Gleeman of NBC Sports argues that Carlos Zambrano is simply not an $18MM pitcher anymore, let alone a pitcher clubs would give up worthwhile players to acquire. No argument from me on that one.
  • Tom Verducci of SI.com points out that we won't know the team of the decade until the post-season ends. That doesn't stop him from naming his player of the decade: Albert Pujols.

Heyman’s Latest: Jeter, Wagner, Delgado, Lackey

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No team is successful without good coaching and guidance, so SI.com's Jon Heyman pays homage to those who got the job done behind the scenes by naming his ten most unsung heroes of the 2009 season. Rangers' pitching coach Mike Maddux tops the list, and several other familiar names make an appearance.

Here's the rest of Heyman's rumors…

  • Heyman guesses that the Yankees will resign Derek Jeter for at least $60MM over three years once his contract expires after next season. That's a lot of scratch for a guy who would be entering his age-37 season.
  • The Red Sox have "every intention" of offering Billy Wagner arbitration, and barring something unexpected, Wagner has every intention of turning it down. He's projected to be a Type-A free agent, so Boston would walk away with two high draft picks in that scenario.
  • Out since early May with a hip injury, Carlos Delgado hasn't given up on the idea of playing again this year. The Mets would be happy to accomodate him, because according to Heyman's sources the team has thought about bringing him back on an incentive laden contract. A late season cameo would at least give them a look at what kind of shape he's in.
  • Stop me if you've heard this before: the Mets might consider Orlando Hudson this offseason if they can find a taker for Luis Castillo. That's what, three times in the last 24 hours?
  • The Angels tried to sign John Lackey for four years and $60MM last offseason. Given the lack of impact starting pitching available this year, Lackey's price has gone up.
  • In regards to Ken Griffey Jr. and his .214 AVG, Heyman says "this has to be the end, no?" Griffey hasn't said anything about his future yet, though.
  • Kansas City ownership has "often prevented its baseball people from making deadline trades in order to avoid the dreaded 100-loss season." This strategy probably works against them in the long run, but Heyman suggests it may "make them a tougher team than some also-rans who hit the wall."
  • There's no evidence that Lou Piniella is a candidate to be fired (his $4MM option for 2010 has already been picked up), but the question about whether he wants to return or not has to be asked. Sweet Lou's body language did not look good last weekend.

Odds And Ends: Giambi, Wainwright, Meche

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Some more links for the morning…

  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney believes NL teams should consider Jason Giambi next year if they're looking for a powerful, high OBP bat off the bench.
  • Olney also hears from a scout who raves about Adam Wainwright. In case you're wondering, he won't become a free agent until after 2012 or 2013 (the Cards hold an option).
  • Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports (via Twitter) that Gil Meche is likely done for the year. Like rotation-mate Brian Bannister, Meche has a tired shoulder. Makes sense for the team to play it safe if there's any doubt, in my opinion.
  • Murray Chass points indirectly to this ESPN.com article and argues that some baseball writers rely too much on anonymous sources. Chass believes writers should pass information along to readers without giving too much play to individual biases.
  • Joba Chamberlain and Rick Porcello top the list of young pitchers who won't have the luxury of resting their arms during the season's final month, as ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick shows.

Dayton Moore Chats With Fans

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Royals GM Dayton Moore was not terribly revealing in his MLB.com chat with fans today, but let's take a look anyway.  He deserves props for answering a few tough questions, though it would've been nice to have one about Alex Gordon's service time manipulation (Gordon and his agent didn't consider the demotion devious, though).

  • There are "no immediate plans" to try Joakim Soria as a starter, though Moore did not dismiss the idea outright.
  • Yuniesky Betancourt and Mike Aviles will compete for the shortstop job in 2010.
  • Moore wouldn't reveal much regarding his team's catching situation, though he expressed a desire to improve blocking and receiving skills behind the plate.
  • He was also vague about the idea of signing a power hitter in the offseason.
  • Moore expects to sign Aaron Crow, but has nothing new to report.
  • When Moore was asked, "Mr. Moore, why is this team so bad? Plz answer. Thx," he went with injuries as the explanation.
  • Another funny exchange – Moore was asked why he gave up Dan Cortes for Betancourt, when Betancourt probably would've been designated for assignment.  Moore believes it was "highly doubtful" the shortstop would've been DFA'd.
  • Moore spoke in generalities when asked if he'd try to lock up Billy Butler.
  • Moore says he's focused on pitching, speed, and defense, much like the Angels.
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