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Reactions To The Josh Hamilton Signing

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We've already looked at how the Angels' five-year, $125MM agreement with Josh Hamilton has impacted players and teams around baseball, but now let's look at some analysis of the signing itself, including items about how the deal came together for the Angels and how the Rangers missed out on re-signing their slugger…

  • An American League executive called the move "last-second knee-jerk stupidity" on the part of the Angels, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links). However, an NL executive called it a "brilliant move" since the Angels obtained the best player available and added balance to a largely right-handed lineup.
  • Former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter had some sharp words regarding his free agent talks with the Angels and owner Arte Moreno (Twitter links). “I was told money was tight but I guess the Arte had money hidden under a Mattress,” Hunter wrote. “Business is business but don't lie.” Hunter clarified in a follow-up tweet that he’s “not upset.”
  • One American League executive told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Rangers made the "fatal mistake" of believing no team would go beyond four years for Hamilton.  Also from Stark, Moreno's tactic of making take it-or-leave it offers prevented Hamilton from going back to the Rangers to give them a chance to top Anaheim's offer (Twitter links)
  • Though Rangers GM Jon Daniels will face public criticism for letting Hamilton get away to a division rival, Daniels is being "privately lauded" by other general managers for parting ways with Hamilton, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. 
  • Also from Olney (Twitter link), "Hamilton's medical records have been a concern for other teams."
  • Yahoo Sports' Kevin Kaduk runs down the winners and losers of the Hamilton signing.
  • The signing looks like "an impulse buy" for Moreno and the Halos, as the team reportedly didn't even discuss signing Hamilton during the Winter Meetings, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Rosenthal's colleague Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Angels did meet with Hamilton during the Winter Meetings, though it was kept quiet enough that some within the organization didn't even know the meeting took place (Twitter links).
  • The Angels know they'll have to trade from their position player depth, but aren't close to any deals yet, Yahoo's Tim Brown reports (on Twitter).
  • The Rangers are "really shaken" by losing Hamilton, especially after being unable to sign Zack Greinke or work out trades for Justin Upton or James Shields, writes CBS Sports' Danny Knobler (via Twitter).  "Fair to say they don't love any [other] options out there," Knobler adds.
  • The Hamilton signing elevates the Angels/Rangers rivalry to an even higher level, writes Yahoo's Jeff Passan.
  • My take: I'm not crazy about the signing since the Angels' lineup (and particularly their outfield) wasn't an area of concern, and $125MM is a lot of money to commit to a player with as many red flags as Hamilton.  That said, I can understand why they made the move.  Money seems to be no object to the Angels, so if they can win a World Series over the next few seasons, the team won't care if Hamilton (or Albert Pujols, for that matter) is a payroll albatross by 2016-17.  It also doesn't hurt that the Angels dealt a serious blow to a division rival by keeping Hamilton away from the Rangers.  I'd suggest that the Angels hang onto their outfield depth until at least the trade deadline — given Hamilton and Kendrys Morales' injury histories, it makes sense to have a capable outfielder like Peter Bourjos, who brings much more off the bench than Vernon Wells.  

MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post

Fallout And Impact Of The Josh Hamilton Signing

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Here's the latest on how Josh Hamilton's agreement with the Angels will affect several other players and teams all around the league, including how close some other teams came to signing the free agent slugger themselves…

  • The Rangers have told Geovany Soto he'll be their everyday catcher in 2013, but ESPN's Buster Olney wonders if the Rangers could now pursue free agent backstop A.J. Pierzynski.  Also from Olney, rival evaluators are speculating that the Rangers might now be the best fit for Nick Swisher (both links are to Olney's Twitter account).
  • The Mariners "badly wanted" Hamilton, which means the Angels disappointed two of their AL West rivals today, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).  MLB.com's Greg Johns hears that the M's were heavily courting Hamilton and "had strong hopes" he would sign with them.
  • The Red Sox had interest in Hamilton but weren't willing to offer a contract longer than three years, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford.
  • The Phillies were similarly not interested in Hamilton at such a high price, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Hamilton's signing could increase interest in other free agent outfielders like Swisher and Cody Ross, thus possibly pricing the Phillies out of the market and forcing them to turn their attention to acquiring pitching instead.
  • The Marlins could reverse their stance on trading Giancarlo Stanton, opines MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, if the Rangers are desperate to add another big bat and were willing to offer Jurickson Profar or Mike Olt in a deal.  Frisaro also thinks Miami could be a trade match with the Angels as Peter Bourjos "has been on the Marlins' radar for a while."
  • Fangraphs' Dave Cameron breaks down the value of Mark Trumbo, Kendrys Morales and Bourjos both to the Angels and on the trade market.
  • Bourjos, for his part, tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that he wants to remain in Anaheim and enjoys being an Angel, though he also wants to be an everyday player.
  • ESPN's Keith Law doesn't see Hamilton providing much value in the last two years of his contract, though his signing "makes more sense" if the Angels trade some roster depth to fill the holes in their rotation.  Law also notes that Michael Bourn appears to be running out of suitors, and speculates that Bourn could look for a one-year deal now and then look for a big multiyear contract next winter.
  • Early today, we looked at rumors concerning the possibility of the Angels and Mets working out a trade involving R.A. Dickey.

MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith also contributed to this post

ESPN On Ichiro, Indians, Adams

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Here are some rumors from ESPN.com's baseball writers, starting with a note from Buster Olney (all links go to Twitter)…

R.A. Dickey Rumors: Thursday

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Josh Hamilton’s deal with the Angels will affect the market for many players, including Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Here are the latest Dickey-related rumors, starting with the possibility of a trade to Anaheim…

  • The Angels have shown interest in Dickey, Yahoo's Jeff Passan reported today (on Twitter).  
  • However, the Angels were not the team that jumped back in on Dickey earlier this week, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (on Twitter).
  • Mark Trumbo to the Mets is unlikely, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Angels have said they are keeping Trumbo (on Twitter).
  • Newsday’s Marc Carig reports that Trumbo or Peter Bourjos would not be a fit in a trade for Dickey (Twitter link).

Angels Positioning For Big Move

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12:44pm: Before the Winter Meetings, Dipoto told MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that the team was set in terms of position players (Twitter link). That said, circumstances can change.

12:11pm: The Angels are positioning themselves for a big strike in the market, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn, Anibal Sanchez and Nick Swisher are among the top free agents remaining.

Angels owner Arte Moreno and general manager Jerry Dipoto have moved aggressively and unexpectedly on free agents before. At last year's Winter Meetings the Angels reached a ten-year agreement with Albert Pujols and a five-year agreement with C.J. Wilson. This is speculation on my part, but it's possible Moreno and Dipoto decided to pursue Hamilton now that the market for the free agent outfielder appears to be limited to three and four-year opportunities.

Angels, Josh Hamilton Nearing Deal

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1:21pm: The sides are nearing a five-year deal, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). People connected to the team seem confident a deal will get done, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).

12:59pm: The Angels are getting close to a deal with Josh Hamilton, Yahoo's Tim Brown reports (on Twitter). The deal with the Moye Sports Associates client is not quite done, Brown adds. Joe McDonnell of FoxSportsWest.com first reported that the Angels were involved in serious talks with Hamilton (Twitter link).

This would mark the second time in as many winters that Angels owner Arte Moreno and general manager Jerry Dipoto have signed an elite free agent unexpectedly. The Angels signed Albert Pujols to a ten-year deal at last year's Winter Meetings to the surprise of many.

If the Angels complete a deal with Hamilton, he'd join a lineup that already includes Pujols and Mike Trout. An agreement could put Peter Bourjos and/or Mark Trumbo on the trade block, however.

Hamilton received and turned down a qualifying offer from the Rangers, which means he'll be linked to draft pick compensation. The Rangers would obtain a compensatory selection for losing Hamilton, and the Angels would have to surrender their top 2013 pick (#22 overall) to complete a deal.

This post was first published on December 13th, 2012.

Contract Details: Burnett, Blanton, Choate

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The Angels officially announced their deals with Sean Burnett and Joe Blanton today. Here are details on those contracts and the breakdown of another recently-signed deal…

  • Burnett’s 2015 option vests if he pitches in 110 total games from 2013-14, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports (all Twitter links). The 2015 option is valued at $4.5MM. The Angels recently agreed to sign Burnett to a two-year, $8MM contract that includes incentives. The option becomes a club option with a $500K buyout if it doesn't vest, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). Burnett obtains a $250K signing bonus, $3.5MM in 2013 and $3.75MM in 2014, Rosenthal reports.
  • Blanton’s two-year, $15MM contract with the Angels calls for a $6.5MM salary in 2013 and a $7.5MM salary in 2014, DiGiovanna reports. The deal includes an $8MM club option for 2015 with a $1MM buyout. 
  • Randy Choate will earn base salaries of $1.5MM in 2013, $3MM in 2014 and $3MM in 2015 on his three-year, $7.5MM contract with the Cardinals, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. Langosch has all of the details on the deal, which was agreed upon one week ago.

AL West Links: Rangers, Bourn, Angels

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It was on this day in 1988 that Nolan Ryan became a Texas Ranger, signing a one-year free agent contract with the team after spending the previous nine seasons with the Astros.  Though Ryan turned 42 years old in January 1989, he pitched five more seasons that included the final two of his record seven no-hitters.  Ryan, of course, is now the Rangers' president, CEO and principal owner.

Here are some items from Texas and elsewhere in the AL West…

Zack Greinke Rumors: Friday

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Angels GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters yesterday that he's "prepared to move on from Zack Greinke." Even the Dodgers are considering moving on, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday. The Rangers maintain interest in the free agent right-hander, but there's not much clarity beyond that. Here are the latest rumors surrounding Greinke with the most recent updates up top…

  • The Angels are "very unlikely" to make a last-minute play for Greinke as they did last year with Albert Pujols, a source tells ESPN's Jim Bowden (Twitter link).
  • Also from Bowden's Twitter feed, a Dodgers source says that if the team can't sign Greinke, it will explore a trade for R.A. Dickey or pursue Anibal Sanchez in free agency.  Sanchez is the Dodgers' top choice ahead of Kyle Lohse amongst free agent starters.

Earlier updates:

  • Nolan Ryan and the rest of the Rangers front office blew Greinke away, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio reports (on Twitter). Greinke apparently loves the team's chances of winning the World Series.
  • The Dodgers are pessimistic about their chances of signing Greinke, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports. GM Ned Colletti had a memorable response when asked if he was on the doorstep of signing the free agent right-hander. "We're not on the front lawn. … We're barely out of the car at the curb. It's better than driving around the neighborhood looking for the house. We know where the house is located. We just can't seem to get out of the car."
  • Many trade and free agent possibilities are on hold as teams wait to see where Greinke will sign, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Greinke knows the Dodgers and Rangers are serious about signing him, but he now appears to be uncertain about his next step. The Rangers would prefer to sign Greinke, trade Michael Young to Philadelphia and acquire Justin Upton, Nightengale reports.

Zack Greinke Rumors: Wednesday

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The battle for Zack Greinke might be down to just the Dodgers and the Rangers, and the bidding could exceed CC Sabathia's record $161MM contract. Here's the latest on the market's top free agent, with the newest information listed first…

Earlier updates:

  • There's a growing sense among Dodgers personnel that Greinke will end up with the Rangers, tweets Scott Miller of CBS Sports. They feel that if Greinke really wanted to pitch for them, he'd have signed by now.
  • Greinke's wife Emily, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, could influence her husband to get back to Texas, hears Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Now I'm reminiscing about all the Amber Sabathia-related rumors from four years ago.  Sherman hears the Greinke deal will get done at these Meetings or shortly thereafter.
  • An Angels person told Danny Knobler of CBS Sports a $160MM+ offer for Greinke is "going to blow us out of the water."
  • While the Angels remain in touch with Greinke, an Angels person tells Heyman a Greinke signing would be more shocking than their Albert Pujols deal was a year ago.
  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter) that while the Greinke sweepstakes seem to be a battle between the Dodgers and Rangers, a third team could certainly enter the fray at any time. Could that team be the Angels? Manager Mike Scioscia told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio that L.A. is still involved in negotiations (Twitter link). However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that the Angels appear to be more focused on the tier of free agent pitchers below Greinke. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times agrees, tweeting that it's "highly unlikely" the Angels exceed $20MM+ annually for a pitcher.
  • The Dodgers spoke with Greinke's representatives today, though it's not clear where talks stand, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. According to Rosenthal, the Dodgers hope to sign two starting pitchers, perhaps even aiming as high as Greinke and Anibal Sanchez.
  • There's a "strong belief" by people close to the situation that Greinke could beat Sabathia's $161MM contract, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Heyman adds that a deal is possible within the next couple days (Twitterlinks).
  • The "big buzz" in Nashville this morning is to watch out for the Rangers on Greinke, tweets Jayson Stark.
  • Greinke is more involved in the process than many other free agents who let their representation handle the bulk of the work, writes ESPN's Jayson Stark. He'll take his time to decide, and in the meantime the rest of the starting pitching market will be on hold, as they await his decision. One executive joked to Stark about the amount of money Greinke will make: "I'm not sure it'll all fit in a Brinks truck. It might be a semi trailer."
  • During the 2012 season, the Brewers let Greinke know that they'd be open to discussing an extension in the five-year, $100MM range, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. However, Greinke and agent Casey Close decided to wait, figuring they could do much better on the open market, and it looks like they'll be proven right, says Haudricourt.
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