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Minor Moves: Sisco, Mujica, Russell, Armstrong

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Some Minor League moves of note as some teams try to trim rosters and others look to amass organizational depth.

  • The Yankees released left-handed pitcher Andy Sisco, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Sisco has bounced around in recent years and last appeared in the big leagues with the White Sox in 2007.
  • The Yankees and Braves each inked a veteran international free agent, with New York signing Cuban shortstop Yadil Mujica and Atlanta signing Australian outfielder-turned-pitcher Andrew Russell, a righty, tweets Eddy.
  • The Angels signed catcher Cole Armstrong, who could claim a spot on the Halos' 40-man roster as a defense-first specialist, tweets Eddy.

Heyman: Angels’ Courtship Confuses Crawford

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Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford remains "puzzled" by the Angels' pursuit of him on the free-agent market this offseason, writes Jon Heyman of SI.com.

Many, including Crawford himself and the Angels, saw the speedy outfielder as a good fit for the Halos as he embarked on free agency at the end of 2010, Heyman notes, but Los Angeles of Anaheim's offer of six years (with an option for a seventh) and $108MM, though hardly paltry, was easily surpassed by Boston's seven years and $142MM.

But what Crawford found especially confusing is that in the wake of losing out on Crawford, the Angels then acquired Vernon Wells, who has a higher per-year salary than Crawford, from the Blue Jays. To boot, the Halos' offer to Crawford, 30 in August, was well below the seven years and $126MM the Nationals had already paid to acquire outfielder Jayson Werth, who will turn 32 in May.

Indeed, it was something of an odd offseason for the Halos, as ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick wrote a couple weeks back, and their dealings with Crawford seem to embody that the most.

West Notes: Dodgers, Ludwick, Mariners

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On this day in 1957, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley announced that his team could play as many as 10 exhibition games in California in 1958.  It ended up being a bit of a lengthier stay, as the Dodgers left Brooklyn for Los Angeles following the 1957 season.  Just like O'Malley, we're looking to the west coast (or at least the western divisions) for these news items…

  • If the Dodgers aren't satisifed with their Jay Gibbons/Tony Gwynn Jr./Marcus Thames platoon in left field, ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill lists some of the left fielders that could be available in a trade.  Of the five players on Churchill's list, only Carlos Quentin would seem to be an everyday option, but if he's playing well enough to attract the Dodgers' attention, it's unlikely the White Sox would want to move him anyway.
  • Ryan Ludwick tells Dan Hayes of the North County Times that the two months that followed his trade to the Padres last season were the "worst two months of my big league career."  Ludwick hit just .211/.301/.330 in 239 plate appearances in San Diego last year and admitted he struggled with the pressure of trying to take the Padres to the postseason.
  • The Mariners are likely to keep Dustin Ackley and Michael Pineda in the minors until at least June, writes Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  Both players "have areas of their games that could use further AAA development," but Baker also figures the Mariners want to avoid having either of their prospects qualify for Super Two status.
  • Angels right-hander Rich Thompson seemed to turn a corner last season, but since the Australian is out of options, ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon says the Halos could lose Thompson unless he makes the team.
  • Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers has acquired six players (Henry Blanco, Geoff Blum, Russell Branyan, Sean Burroughs, Xavier Nady and Brian Sweeney) this offseason that played for the Padres when Towers was that club's general manager, writes Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com.  "These are character guys, veterans that I knew would have a strong presence in our clubhouse," Towers said. "I knew what their intangibles are, which I thought was important….When you have history with individuals, you know what they're about as well." 
  • The Rangers have invited Yhency Brazoban to their Major League Spring Training camp, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.  Brazoban signed a minor league deal with Texas in December that didn't include an invite to the team's big league camp.

2012 Vesting Options

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Vesting options are always worth keeping track of during the season, especially since they can often have consequences that are less than desirable. Last year Magglio Ordonez ($15MM), Kerry Wood ($11MM), and Brian Fuentes ($9MM) all had big money options that did not vest, though Darren Oliver ($3.25MM) and Trever Miller ($2MM) had some smaller ones that did. 

Here is a list of 2012 vesting options to keep an eye on this summer…

  • Bobby Abreu, Angels: $9MM option vests with 433 plate appearances. Abreu hasn't come to the plate fewer than 589 times in a season since 1997, his rookie year.
  • Adam Wainwright, Cardinals: His $9MM option for 2012 and $12MM option for 2013 will lock in as long as he does not finish 2011 on the disabled list. His second place finish in the 2010 Cy Young voting was step one of the vesting process.
  • Aramis Ramirez, Cubs: $16MM option vests if he is named MVP of either the regular season or League Championship Series, or if he is traded at some point in 2011.
  • Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: $12MM option vests with 600 plate appearances. Furcal has come to the plate 600+ times just once in the last three seasons (2009) due to injuries.
  • Jon Garland, Dodgers: $8MM option vests with 190 innings pitched. Garland hasn't thrown fewer than 191 1/3 innings since becoming a full-time starter in 2002.
  • Francisco Rodriguez, Mets: $17.5MM option vests with 55 games finished and if doctors declare him healthy at the end of the season.
  • Koji Uehara, Orioles: $4MM option vests with either 55 appearances or 25 games finished. Uehara hasn't reached either milestone in his first two big league seasons, though he came close in 2010: 43 appearances and 22 games finished.
  • Arthur Rhodes, Rangers: $4MM option vests with 62 appearances and if he's not on the disabled list at the end of the season.
  • Joakim Soria, Royals: $6MM option vests with 55 appearances, which he's done in three of his four big league seasons. The chances of it coming into play are microscopic, but Soria has a $6.5MM option for 2012 that could vest with 334 1/3 innings pitched (400 IP in 2010 & 2011). That was obviously put into his contract in case the team ever moved him into the rotation.
  • Dan Wheeler, Red Sox: $3MM option vests with 65 games; increases to $3.25MM with 70 games.  Wheeler reached 64 games in 2010, but had at least 69 in each of the previous five seasons.

Mark Buehrle is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2011 season and although he doesn't have a traditional option in his contract, he gets an extra year at $15MM tacked onto his current deal if he's traded at some point this season. 

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.

Michael Young Rumors: Wednesday

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The Diamondbacks have discussed Michael Young with the Rangers, though a trade to Arizona remains a longshot. The Marlins have interest in Young, too, but like the D'Backs, they aren't eager to assume responsibility for the $48MM remaining on Young's contract. Here's the latest on Young, with the most recent updates up top:

  • Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com spoke to an executive that said the Rangers would have to eat half of the money left on Young's contract to trade him, then predicted they wouldn't (Twitter link).
  • Jeff Wilson of The Star Telegram spoke to GM Jon Daniels, who said the club will try to reach out to Young in the coming days to update him on trade talks and help clear the air. "We're not going to set a deadline or anything like that," said Daniels. "Once he's here (in Spring Training), we're going to move forward with the business of baseball. If something happens after that point, we'll address it. That's where we are." 
  • A source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that there is "nothing really going on" between the Angels and Rangers regarding Young (Twitter link).
  • Morosi adds that talks between the Rangers and Rockies are dormant, though they could restart if Texas offers to take on more money (Twitter link).
  • Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News explored three teams the Rangers could still work out a trade with.
  • The Rangers are still evaluating possible Young deals, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link).
  • A Rockies source tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post that Colorado doesn't have much hope of restarting talks with Texas (Twitter link).

Weaver Remains Open To Long-Term Deal

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Jered Weaver told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that he remains open to extension talks with the Angels, who beat him in arbitration last week. The Halos didn’t make progress on a deal with agent Scott Boras, but the sides could pick up talks after the season.

"From my understanding, it didn't go anywhere," Weaver said. "I'm open to it. I would love to play with the Angels for a long time, and if we can get something done, we will. But I don't want it hanging over my head through the season."

Weaver made $4.625MM last year, when he led the majors in strikeouts. He will earn $7.365MM in 2011, instead of the $8.8MM salary he asked for and won’t hit free agency until after 2012. Arbitration hearings can create or amplify tension between teams and players, but Weaver says he has a “thick skin” and that the Angels weren’t too harsh during the hearing.

"It was kind of fun," Weaver said. "It wasn't like sitting in math class where I wasn't paying attention. It was interesting … You wish you didn't have to do it, but this game has become very business-oriented."

Weaver, 28, posted a 3.01 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 224 1/3 innings last year, making the All-Star team and finishing fifth in Cy Young balloting.

Verducci On Weaver, Lester, Pujols, Young

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Here's the latest from Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci….

  • Though the Angels won their arbitration hearing with Jered Weaver, Verducci thinks the fact that the case went all the way to a hearing is "a bad sign" for Weaver's future with the Halos.  It certainly doesn't help refute the purported hard feelings between the Angels and Weaver's agent Scott Boras.
  • Verducci compares the contracts and basic performance stats of Weaver, Chad Billingsley, Jon Lester and Cole Hamels.  Verducci guesses Boston saved at least $15MM by signing Lester to a multiyear deal before the 2009 season.
  • Just three players (Todd Helton, Raul Ibanez, and Ichiro) aged 36 years old or older managed to play 100 games in the field last season and reach the league average OPS of .728, Verducci writes.  This pronounced decline rate for older players is the reason the Cardinals are hesitant to pay Albert Pujols a $30MM annual salary into his late thirties.
  • The Rangers are still "the best fit" for Michael Young.  Verducci points out that Young should still be able to find lots of playing time with Texas, if not necessarily an everyday spot in the lineup.  Given how thin the trade market for Young appears to be, Young also may not have a choice but to remain in Texas.

Michael Young Rumors: Thursday

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Michael Young wants out of Texas and, despite the $48MM remaining on his contract, some of the Rangers' rivals are interested. The Phillies inquired on Young and though the Angels, Dodgers and Yankees appear to have little interest in the 34-year-old, other clubs could become involved. Here's the latest on Young, with the most recent updates up top:

  • Renck hears that the Rangers want more than they did six weeks ago, but the Rockies are not inclined to change their offer (Twitter link).
  • The Rockies thought they had a deal in place with the Rangers for Young about six weeks ago, writes Renck.  The Rockies would have given up a pair of solid prospects and were to take on about $20MM of Young's contract.  But then the Rangers missed out on free agent DH targets and at this time want more from the Rockies.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that "nobody looks good right now" for a Young trade.  Daniels suggested that "if a deal is going to happen, it's probably going to happen" before Rangers position players report to Spring Training in nine days, though he does not consider February 19th a deadline.  He also told Grant the Rangers are not pursuing free agents to replace Young.
  • The Dodgers and Rangers had serious discussions about Young, but the sides didn't get close to a deal, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  One source told the FOX writers the Dodgers wanted the Rangers to assume "as much as" $36MM of the $48MM owed to Young.
  • The Rangers and Rockies both know the deal they want and seem to be waiting for the other club to blink, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
  • The Rangers don't expect to be able to move Young, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). Teams have inquired, but there's no apparent fit.
  • Troy Renck of the Denver Post has been told multiple times that the Rockies are out unless the Rangers approach them again (Twitter link).
  • Angels GM Tony Reagins told Bill Shaikin of the LA Times that he's "not engaged" with another AL West team in trade talks (Twitter link). It doesn't sound like Young should pack his bags for Anaheim.
  • We heard Tuesday that the Rockies were out on Young, but they may still be interested in him. The Rockies haven't heard they're out of the bidding, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The Rangers asked the Rockies for a "very good player" in exchange for Young and the sides are apart on money.

Angels Rumors: Trout, Weaver, Podsednik

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The Angels aren't talking to the Rangers about a deal for Michael Young, but the Halos are busy on other fronts, as Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports (all links go to Twitter):

  • The Angels will start top prospect Mike Trout at Double-A. GM Tony Reagins says it's "unlikely" that Trout makes the majors this year. The 19-year-old hit .341/.428/.490 with 56 stolen bases last year in his first full season as a pro.
  • Reagins did not offer to meet Jered Weaver at the midpoint before the sides went to an arbitration hearing yesterday. The Angels' decision paid off when they beat the Scott Boras client and saved themselves over $1.4MM.
  • Arbitration hearings can be uncomfortable for teams and players alike, but Reagins points out that some players are still open to extensions after going to arbitration with their clubs. Corey Hart of the Brewers is one player who agreed to an extension soon after going to arbitration (though he won his hearing with Milwaukee). 
  • The Angels are not in discussions with any free agent leadoff hitters, Reagins said. The Angels were interested in Scott Podsednik earlier in the winter.

Angels Beat Jered Weaver In Arbitration

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The Angels won their arbitration hearing with Jered Weaver, MLBTR has learned. As our Arb Tracker shows, the Angels offered $7.365MM, while Weaver and agent Scott Boras countered with an $8.8MM submission.

Weaver earned $4.625MM last year and pitched like an ace. He posted a 3.01 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 224 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old fly ball pitcher made the All-Star team and finished sixth in the voting for the AL Cy Young Award.

Ross Ohlendorf won his hearing with the Pirates earlier in the week, so teams and players have each won one of the two hearings to take place so far this offseason. Ten arbitration eligible players remain unsigned for 2011.

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