Cafardo On Shields, Twins, Wells, Red Sox, Aceves
After 25 years as a General Manager and president of the Twins, Cubs, and Orioles, Andy MacPhail stepped away from baseball last season to take care of his ailing father. Now, MacPhail tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he wants to return to baseball in some capacity. The executive was often viewed as a future commissioner and it would make sense for him to get involved with the league office. He also won’t rule out working as a GM again, but he has yet do discuss that with any team and most clubs already have their front office leadership in place. Here’s more from Cafardo..
- The Twins have already inquired on Rays pitcher James Shields. Tampa Bay will field plenty of other calls on Shields in the coming weeks but whether they pull the trigger to obtain offense remains to be seen. The Dodgers say they’re not shopping Andre Ethier, but it may make sense to use him to get Shields if they have their eye on Josh Hamilton. The problem there is that the Rays may not be able to carry Ethier’s contract.
- The Angels are shopping Vernon Wells in an effort to clear some of the $42MM still owed to him. The Halos have tried to start talks with the Red Sox and would like to get John Lackey back, but the Sox are curious to see what Lackey looks like after Tommy John surgery.
- There was speculation that the Red Sox were trying to include Alfredo Aceves in a deal for Dan Haren. The Red Sox love Aceves’ arm and stuff, but could do without the high maintenance. Aceves is very much available, but they won’t give him away for nothing. The pitcher can fill different roles, but he still prefers to start.
- The Dodgers would love to reunite with free agent Hiroki Kuroda. The hurler could have more suitors than any other pitcher this winter if the Yankees don’t tie him up quickly.
- Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is taking a wait-and-see approach on his agents, the Levinson brothers. A few clients have already jumped ship but Pedroia noted that they have been good to him and his family.
- The Red Sox would like to re-sign Vicente Padilla, but he is on the radar of a few teams, including the Angels, who are desperately looking to retool their bullpen. Padilla ran out of gas late in the year but turned in a decent year in total.
Dipoto On Haren, Hunter, Santana, Greinke
Earlier tonight, the Angels declined Dan Haren's $15.5MM option for 2013, but not before an interesting week of speculation and a near-deal hours before the deadline. Here's a look at what Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto had to say about Haren and other issues concerning the club..
- Dipoto won't rule out talking with Haren or Torii Hunter, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. "Anything is possible. I can't say anything is likely," said the GM. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) gets the sense that there's almost no chance of Hunter returning after hearing Dipoto's comments.
- The GM said that the apparent departures of Haren, Hunter, and Santana reflect the club's desire for financial flexibility, not shrinking financial resources, Shaikin tweets.
- That financial flexibility won't necessarily give way to a massive deal for Zack Greinke as Dipoto says that the team is not isolated on him, tweets Shaikin.
- If Hunter is not in the picture in 2013, Peter Bourjos will be slotted as the starter in centerfield with Vernon Wells in reserve, Shaikin tweets.
Angels Decline Dan Haren’s Option
The Angels have declined their option on Dan Haren's contract for 2013, according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (via Twitter). The hurler will now enter the open market with a $3.5MM buyout rather than a $15.5MM salary with the Angels next season.
Earlier this evening it seemed as though the Angels were on the cusp of trading Haren to the Cubs for reliever Carlos Marmol. Marmol was apparently willing to waive his no trade clause to go to the Halos but the Cubs ultimately pulled the deal off the table. The Red Sox were one club known to be keen on Haren and the Halos worked to strike a different deal for Haren as the deadline neared, but they were unable to find anything to their liking.
Haren, 32, posted a 4.33 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 176 2/3 innings across 30 games for the Angels in 2012. The right-hander emailed reporters on Thursday and said that he had a feeling that he would be traded before the deadline.
Cubs, Angels Discussed Marmol For Haren Swap
9:39pm: The Red Sox were said to also have interest in Haren but it doesn't appear that they will trade for him either, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Meanwhile, a source tells Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter) that the deal is not necessarily dead but is unlikely at this point.
9:27pm: Marmol would have approved a trade to the Angels, but the Cubs pulled the deal off of the table, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Angels are still talking with other clubs about Haren as they close in on the 11pm CST deadline to exercise his $15.5MM option.
9:20pm: The trade will not take place, a Cubs source tells Carrie Muskat of MLB.com (via Twitter).
8:42pm: The deal will take place if Marmol agrees to join the Angels, a source told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
8:29pm: The two sides haven't agreed to a trade, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Cubs did ask Marmol if he would waive his no-trade clause to go to the Halos, but the Angels are still speaking with other clubs (Twitter link).
8:09pm: The Angels and Cubs may be waiting on MLB approval because of the money being exchanged, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
7:56pm: Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (via Twitter) hears that the deal has not been completed and the Angels are still active in discussions with more than one team.
6:49pm: The Cubs have acquired Dan Haren from the Angels in exchange for Carlos Marmol, confirms Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter). The deal was first reported by Yancen Pujols of El Caribe (via Twitter, Spanish link).
The deal brings an end to an eventful week of rumors surrounding Haren, who was unlikely to see his $15.5MM option exercised by the Angels. The Halos' deadline for picking up Haren's 2013 option is at 11pm CST and it's possible that it has been exercised as a part of the deal, but there is word on that yet. The Halos deadline for picking up the option is 11pm CST. We learned today that both the Cubs and Red Sox were in on the 32-year-old but Theo Epstein & Co. have apparently won out.
Marmol is entering the final year of his contract which will pay him $9.8MM. The 30-year-old turned in a 3.42 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 7.3 BB/9 through 61 appearances last season. Marmol has spent his entire seven-year big league career with the Cubs and has a 3.38 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 6.0 BB/9 during that stretch.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) notes that the Angels could help close the gap in salary by contributing all or part of Haren's $3.5MM buyout.
Rosenthal On Greinke, Free Agency, Trades
With a national television deal in place and labor peace established, MLB teams are ready to spend. Some people in the commissioner’s office are nervous about the possibility of more lavish free agent contracts, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Here are more notes from Rosenthal on the day before free agents can sign with any team…
- The Angels want to sign Zack Greinke, but so do their biggest rivals, the Dodgers and the Rangers.
- Rosenthal points out that the offseason could unfold more quickly this year, partly because of the new MLB calendar. Teams won’t have to wait as long to determine which free agents are linked to draft pick compensation, which should accelerate the free agent market. I discussed the possibility in this week’s MLBTR chat.
- Rosenthal expects almost every free agent who receives a qualifying offer to reject it.
- MLB officials expect the trade market to remain “hot” throughout the winter, according to Rosenthal.
Cubs, Red Sox Interested In Dan Haren
12:06pm: The Yankees don't seem to be involved in the bidding for Haren, reports Heyman (on Twitter).
11:50am: The Angels are still working on trading Haren today, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio reports (on Twitter). They aren't interested in exercising his option and trying to trade him later.
10:40am: The Cubs are among the teams interested in Dan Haren, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Red Sox are eyeing the right-hander and other teams also appear to be involved.
The Angels have until today to exercise or decline Haren’s 2013 option ($15.5MM club option with a $3.5MM buyout). Today is also the deadline for teams to extend qualifying offers to free agents.
The 32-year-old started 30 games for the Angels this past season, posting a 4.33 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 176 2/3 innings. Haren told the Los Angeles Times yesterday that he expects to be traded. "I have no specifics on teams, but that's the vibe I'm getting," he said.
The Cubs' rotation will need lots of attention this offseason. GM Jed Hoyer has had some talks with Ryan Dempster about a potential contract.
Twins Notes: Santana, Casilla, Messenger
The Twins made a push to trade for Ervin Santana before the Royals acquired him this week, Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com reports. The Twins were “in heavily” on Santana, but they wanted the Angels to absorb more than $1MM in salary. Here are some more Twins-related notes from Wolfson…
- Rays starter James Shields could become a target for the Twins in Wolfson’s view.
- Assistant GM Rob Antony was expected to speak with the agent for second baseman Alexi Casilla yesterday. It seems likely that the Twins will non-tender Casilla, who’s arbitration eligible this winter. You can view MLBTR’s full list of non-tender candidates here.
- The Twins have inquired about right-hander Randy Messenger. The 31-year-old last pitched at the MLB level in 2009, but he is coming off of a strong season with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan. Messenger posted a 2.52 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 196 2/3 innings this past season.
Angels Notes: Haren, Greinke, Hunter, Wells
It could be a hectic Friday coming up for Dan Haren and the Angels, as MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (Twitter link) hears that the Halos won't deal the right-hander today. That leaves just a matter of hours tomorrow for the Angels to make a decision on Haren's $15.5MM option for 2013, whether that decision is to exercise the option, buy it out for $3.5MM or trade Haren to another team. Here's the latest from the Big A…
- In an e-mail to reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times), Haren says he expects to be dealt before that Friday evening deadline. "I have had just a bit of dialogue with the Angels about my situation, but I’m kind of getting the feeling that I'll be traded," Haren wrote. "I have no specifics on teams, but that's the vibe I'm getting. It's a little bit disappointing that I won't get to pick where I want to go, but I'm the one who signed on for the option year."
- Haren said he's willing to return to the team on a "fair" one-year contract if he isn't traded and the Halos decline the option. "I think the cost of replacing me as just the No. 4 starter, if they got Zack [Greinke] or someone else, wouldn't be too great, and it would only be for one year," Haren wrote.
- The safest move for the Angels would be to keep Haren until Zack Greinke has been re-signed, opines Fangraphs' Jeff Sullivan. If Haren is traded and then Greinke signs elsewhere, the Angels will suddenly have a thin rotation behind Jered Weaver. Haren is a decent option on a net $12MM contract for 2013 and "if Haren can be traded now, he could probably be traded after Thanksgiving" should Greinke indeed return to Anaheim, Sullivan notes.
- The Angels may only be able to bring back Torii Hunter if they clear payroll space by trading Vernon Wells, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Hunter and the Angels have made "little progress" in negotiations and Hunter tells DiGiovanna that he hasn't spoken to anyone from the Angels in "a couple of weeks." We heard earlier this week that the Halos were unlikely to re-sign the veteran outfielder.
- Hunter also added that he is open to playing for any team, as opposed to his statements in July about retiring if he doesn't end up with the Angels, Dodgers, Yankees or Rangers.
Rangers Considering Zack Greinke
The Rangers are seriously considering the idea of pursuing free agent right-hander Zack Greinke, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. The Rangers are studying the possibility of signing Greinke, though their interest will depend on his asking price.
Not only would signing Greinke provide the Rangers’ rotation with a boost, it would prevent the free agent from returning to Anaheim. Re-signing Greinke is a "huge priority" for the Angels, Danny Knobler reported yesterday. The pursuit of Greinke will get “serious” with the Angels and Rangers involved, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com wrote today (Twitter link). The Dodgers could also be interested, since they need pitching and have the resources to spend big on free agents.
Greinke is MLBTR’s top-ranked free agent for the upcoming offseason. The Excel Sports Management client won’t be able to sign with a team other than the Angels until Saturday morning. Check out MLBTR’s complete list of the year’s top 50 free agents and predict their ultimate destinations while you’re at it.
Red Sox Interested In Haren; Wells Not In Play
11:14am: The Red Sox have no interest in acquiring Wells, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports.
10:15am: Dipoto could try to send Vernon Wells to the Red Sox along with Haren, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times suggests (Twitter link). Perhaps the Angels would obtain John Lackey in an exchange of bad contracts.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Wells is in play for others (Twitter links). The Angels are actively trying to trade Wells, who has a full no-trade clause and $42MM remaining on his contract through 2014.
9:00am: The Red Sox are among the teams interested in Dan Haren, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). The Angels appear to be working to trade Haren and have been weighing possible deals for at least three days.
Haren's contract includes a $15.5MM option with a $3.5MM buyout. The Angels are expected to decline the option if they don’t complete a trade first. Yesterday GM Jerry Dipoto sent Ervin Santana to Kansas City for minor league left-hander Brandon Sisk in a move that could be a precursor to a trade involving Haren.
The 32-year-old started 30 games for the Angels this past season. He posted a 4.33 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 176 2/3 innings, numbers that fall short of his career norms.