Angels Notes: Wells, Hunter, Bourjos, Pujols
A swap of bad contracts may be the Angels' best way to move Vernon Wells, opines MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, who lists a few other players with bloated deals that could be acquired in exchange for the remaining two years (and $42MM) on Wells' contract. Even when taking on the likes of John Lackey, Chone Figgins or Barry Zito, however, the Angels would still have to cover the difference on Wells' deal. Gonzalez addressed some other offseason possibilities for the Halos in a reader mailbag….
- Gonzalez predicts the chances of Torii Hunter re-signing with Los Angeles "lean slightly toward him coming back," though the Rangers and Yankees should be interested in the veteran outfielder. Gonzalez predicts Hunter will end up with a one- or two-year contract worth around $9MM per season.
- If Hunter is re-signed, Peter Bourjos could become expendable and would attract attention from several teams in need of center field help.
- The Angels could be better served finding a closer through the trade market than through free agency, Gonzalez opines. He also thinks the Halos should look to add a left-handed reliever.
- The Angels' 2013 payroll should be $10-$15MM lower than last season's $159MM total.
- "The similarities have long been unmistakable" between Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols' contracts, Gonzalez writes. While Pujols' numbers have been declining over the last few seasons, there are reasons that Pujols (33 next season) could age more gracefully than Rodriguez, whose future as an everyday player for the Yankees is in question at age 37.
Quick Hits: Trout, Indians, Giambi, Mets
Mike Trout's outstanding rookie season earned him Baseball America's Rookie of the Year award, but that's not all he won. The publication named Trout the 2012 Player of the Year ahead of Buster Posey, Miguel Cabrera and others. Check out Jerry Crasnick's piece for a more complete look at Trout and continue reading for more of today’s links…
- The Angels have promoted Gary DiSarcina, and the former MLB shortstop will now report to GM Jerry Dipoto as a special assistant, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports. The Angels added a second special assistant to Dipoto, hiring Rays national cross-checker Tim Huff.
- Sandy Alomar Jr. will have a spot as an Indians coach when Terry Francona's staff is officially announced, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.
- The Rockies seem to be taking Jason Giambi seriously as a managerial candidate and while some executives chuckle at the possibility, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com asks 'why not?'
- The Mets expect catcher Josh Thole to be eligible for arbitration this coming offseason, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $1.2MM salary for the backstop.
Olney On Hamilton, Brewers, Lohse
The Brewers could pursue Josh Hamilton this offseason if the free agent outfielder doesn’t get any offers for four-plus years and more than $100MM, ESPN.com's Buster Olney writes. Here are more notes from Olney’s column…
- The Brewers aren’t positioned to give Hamilton a massive contract, but they can offer him a comfortable place to play where he’d be supported. Johnny Narron, his former mentor, works as Milwaukee’s hitting coach, and Brewers bench coach Jerry Narron also knows the 31-year-old. While many outsiders lack detailed information about Hamilton’s off-field issues, the Narron brothers know the outfielder well enough to make a determination about his ability to continue producing.
- At this point the Brewers intend to pursue multiple starters this offseason.
- General managers expect free agent starting pitchers to do well this year, since there’s a shortage of viable options at a time that many teams are flush with dollars. The Blue Jays, Royals, Cubs and Angels are among the many teams known to be seeking starting pitching.
- Some agents and general managers believe free agent starter Kyle Lohse could command a deal in the $60-75MM range, Olney reports.
Quick Hits: Showalter, Angels, Cardinals, Ludwick
Sunday night linkage..
- Orioles manager Buck Showalter is signed through next season, and he told Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com that he has interest in remaining with the team beyond then. Team owner Peter Angelos told Dubroff that he is interested in keeping Showalter around long-term as well.
- Mike Lupica of The New York Daily News wrote about Yankees' ace CC Sabathia, the rare big money free agent pitcher who is living up to his contract. Sabathia threw a complete game in the team's ALDS Game Five win over the Orioles yesterday.
- In an interview with Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, commissioner Bud Selig said that Angels owner Arte Moreno has never mentioned the idea of moving on from Angels Stadium when he can opt out in 2016. The Halos were able to fuel their winter spending spree behind a brand-new television contract and could conceivably look for a new revenue boost in the form of a new ballpark.
- Despite the Orioles' surprising success this season, executive vice president Dan Duquette told reporters that he doesn't expect to chase top-tier free agents this winter, writes Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com. Duquette declined to talk about individual contract situations like Mark Reynolds and his $11MM option but praised his second-half play and overall toughness.
- Today's news on Sean Burnett requiring surgery could be of interest to the Cardinals as they will be in the market for a left-handed reliever this winter, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Burnett has a $3.5MM mutual option with the Nationals for 2013 but he is likely to decline it given the going rate for lefty bullpen arms.
- The Cardinals will be without Jaime Garcia for at least the early portion of the 2013 season as the left-hander is set for shoulder surgery, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. General Manager John Mozeliak confirmed that he expects Garcia to have an "exploratory" procedure but wouldn't comment on what it might mean for his availability.
- Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News writes that the Reds might not be able to match the best offers that come in for Ryan Ludwick, but the club may be able to come close enough to make the outfielder want to give them a discount out of loyalty. Ludwick and the Reds have a $5MM mutual option for 2013 but he is expected to decline it.
- The Red Sox will need much more out of their underachieving rotation in 2013 if they expect to turn things around, opines John Tomase of the Boston Herald.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Quick Hits: Braves, Leyland, Soriano, Phillies, Rays
Depending on what happens with Michael Bourn, the Braves could potentially have two major holes to fill in their lineup. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) offers some suggestions for replacing Bourn and Chipper Jones and notes that the club could have some added flexibility if Martin Prado can be shifted from left field to third base. Ben Revere of the Twins, Peter Bourjos of the Angels, and Chris Young of the Diamondbacks could all be trade targets in center field. There aren't a lot of great third base options on the open market but Atlanta could zero in on guys like Mike Olt of the Rangers, Chase Headley of the Padres, and maybe even the Mets David Wright. Here's more from around baseball..
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been telling people in recent days that he has no plans to retire, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Given his desire to return, it's likely that Leyland will be managing the Tigers in 2013. Leyland's contract expires at the end of the season.
- Even though he has been linked the Marlins opening, Mike Lowell tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he has no interest in managing at this point in his life. The former third baseman is currently working for the MLB Network as an on-air analyst.
- The Yankees' desire to keep their payroll under $189MM in 2014 could complicate their chances to sign Rafael Soriano to a long-term deal once he opts out, writes Heyman. Soriano's three-year, $35MM deal seemed like a stretch last year but it now seems like the Bombers view the possibility of a last year at $14MM more favorably than the right-hander.
- The members of the Philadelphia Daily News staff bring us their suggestions for retooling the club heading into 2013. David Murphy believes that Ruben Amaro & Co. should start by revamping the bullpen while Marcus Hayes writes that the club should stick to making small moves while allowing the younger players to flourish.
- Bill Parker of DRays Bay looks in the rear view mirror to discuss what the Rays could have done differently in 2012. The trade of John Jaso to the Mariners for Josh Lueke was among the missteps highlighted.
Cafardo On Johnson, Soriano, Hernandez, Hamilton
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there are some General Managers who have a few regrets regarding last winter. Red Sox GM Ben Cherington wishes he had done more for the rotation. Angels GM Jerry Dipoto probably would have liked to boost the bullpen more during the team's spending frenzy which netted Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd was asked to assess his own mistakes and said, “How long is this article? Just kidding. We all have regrets. When you make the amount of decisions we do, you make mistakes. So this year [Jeremy] Guthrie was acquired to give us innings, but Coors [Field] got him and that hurt us. We had such a lack of experience everywhere else. There was no margin for error, and I screwed up.” Here's more from today's column..
- Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson will be trade bait, despite talk to the contrary. Miami could get a ton from teams like the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Royals, Rangers, Twins, and Dodgers. On the whole, the Marlins look like they're ready to clean house again.
- Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano would make a lot of sense for the Rays as a DH, especially since the Cubs would pick up the bulk of his final two years under contract. Soriano could also help the Blue Jays, Orioles, or Indians.
- Indians GM Chris Antonetti says that he expects Shin-Shoo Choo to be back with Cleveland next season as he enters his walk year, but he will also listen to offers for the 30-year-old. Choo could make sense for Boston as they face a similar situation with Jacoby Ellsbury. Cafardo suggests a deal involving a pitcher like Justin Masterson.
- Teams have offered the moon for Felix Hernandez in the past but there’s no chance that Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is going to trade him now. King Felix is under contract through 2014 and the M's have the money to keep him beyond that. For his part, Hernandez is well-paid and loves playing in Seattle.
- Josh Hamilton says that he won't take a discount to stay with the Rangers, but that's where he's likely to land as it's hard to read the market for him. The Tigers, Nationals, Pirates, Phillies, Angels, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Orioles shouldn't be ruled out. The Yankees and Red Sox also can't be crossed off the list but neither market is a strong fit for Hamilton.
- Jake Peavy would appear to be a target for the Red Sox once his $22MM option is declined by the White Sox. The 31-year-old could also end up staying put in Chicago or returning to the NL.
- Former catcher Brad Ausmus, currently serving as a special assistant to the GM in San Diego, said that he would have interest in the Red Sox managerial vacancy. As of Friday, however, he has yet to be contacted. Ausmus turned down a chance to be interviewed for the Astros job earlier this fall.
- The Red Sox are pursuing John Farrell, but Ryne Sandberg could be on their list, even though he was just named as the Phillies' third base coach and is likely being groomed for Charlie Manuel's job. Cherington tried to get Sandberg to take Boston's Triple- A job a couple of years ago.
- While some have accused Bobby Valentine of ignoring advanced scouting reporters, Cafardo says that he saw the manager reading them every time he visited his office.
Minor Moves: 28 Players Elect Free Agency
A total of 28 players — all with big league time under their belts — recently elected free agency after finishing the year in Triple-A. Here is the full list, courtesy of the International League and Pacific Coast League transaction pages…
- Infielders: Brian Bixler (Astros), Sean Burroughs (Twins), Blake DeWitt (Cubs), Alberto Gonzalez (Rangers), Angel Sanchez (Astros), Nate Spears (Red Sox), Drew Sutton (Pirates)
- Outfielders: Travis Buck (Astros), Ryan Langerhans (Angels), Mitch Maier (Royals), Darnell McDonald (Yankees), Jai Miller (Orioles), Trent Oeltjen (Dodgers), Jason Pridie (Phillies), Mike Wilson (Mariners)
- Right-handed Pitchers: Roman Colon (Royals), Mike Ekstrom (Rockies), Jack Egbert (Mets), Ryota Igarashi (Yankees), Evan Meek (Pirates), Scott Richmond (Blue Jays), Kip Wells (Padres), Randy Wells (Cubs), Dan Wheeler (Indians)
- Left-handed Pitchers: Alex Hinshaw (Cubs), Cesar Jimenez (Mariners), Zach Kroenke (Diamondbacks), Garrett Olson (Mets)
Angels Extend Chris Iannetta
The Angels have agreed to sign catcher Chris Iannetta to a three-year extension, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports (Twitter links). The contract is worth $15.5MM, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The deal keeps Iannetta off of the free agent market for the foreseeable future and provides the Angels with certainty behind the plate.
Iannetta's previous contract included a $5MM club option for 2013. He had the right to void the option as a result of the 2011 trade that sent him to Anaheim. Now it's academic, as his new deal covers the 2013-15 seasons. Octagon represents the 29-year-old.
Iannetta missed most of May, June and July to undergo wrist surgery. When healthy he appeared in 79 games, hitting nine home runs and posting a .240/.332/.398 batting line in 253 plate appearances. He prevented 26% of stolen base attempts, a rate that's slightly better than average.
This offseason's class of free agent catchers still includes the likes of Russell Martin, Mike Napoli and A.J. Pierzynski. MLBTR's Extension Tracker offers a look back at some recent extensions for other catchers.
Angels To Pursue Pitching, Hunter
The Angels will make significant changes to their roster following a season that included many positive developments before ending in disappointment, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. The team enters the offseason with a number of top priorities: re-signing free agents Zack Greinke and Torii Hunter, adding at least one more starting pitcher, improving the bullpen and trading Vernon Wells.
The Angels will likely let Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, LaTroy Hawkins, Jason Isringhausen and Maicer Izturis go, DiGiovanna reports. Haren has said he’d consider returning for less than the value of his $15.5MM option. Santana recently suggested he’s prepared for a change if the Angels decline his 2013 option, as expected.
The Angels have “a tremendous interest” in re-signing Hunter, general manager Jerry Dipoto said. The GM confirmed that the Angels would “like to explore” contract talks with the agent for Greinke. Both players have significant leverage after playing well in 2012, but Dipoto pointed out that the Angels have “never been short of resources." Just don’t expect them to use those resources on relief pitchers. Spending lavishly on relievers "is akin to going to Las Vegas and throwing it down on double-zero green," Dipoto said.
Haren Open To Re-Signing With Angels
The Angels are expected to decline their $15.5MM club option for Dan Haren after the season, so his Angels career may end before long. But the right-hander said he’d consider returning to Anaheim on a cheaper one-year deal, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
"I'm not looking to break the bank, I'm not looking to sign a Zack Greinke deal," Haren said, referring to the offseason’s top free agent pitcher. "I'm looking for whatever is fair. I'll have to see what happens. Players work hard to get to free agency. I've played nine years, and if I become a free agent, it would be stupid not to take advantage of that."
Haren’s contract includes a $15.5MM club option for 2013 with a $3.5MM buyout. If the Angels decline the 32-year-old’s option, they’ll still be able to make him a qualifying offer and set themselves up for future draft pick compensation.
Haren said part of him “feels a little guilty” for not pitching better, according to DiGiovanna. He posted a 4.33 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 176 2/3 innings over the course of 30 starts in 2012.