AL West Notes: Young, Sweeney, Angels
Some news items from the western side of the American League…
- Michael Young has said he's open to being a primary DH in the wake of the Rangers' acquisition of Adrian Beltre, but ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan wonders if the career infielder will get "bored" from not playing in the field. Caplan talks to Lance Berkman, who signed with St. Louis in part because he disliked being a designated hitter, about the transition away from fielding.
- As part of an MLB.com mailbag, Greg Johns reports the Mariners ended up receiving cash from the Phillies in the Mike Sweeney trade last August, rather than a player to be named later. From the same piece, Johns also shoots down the idea of Seattle trading Felix Hernandez or signing Jermaine Dye.
- In regards to the Angels' lack of major free agent signings, manager Mike Scioscia said "These contracts just ran away from what our team can do," during an interview on 710 ESPN Radio's Mason & Ireland Show (as reported by ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon). Scioscia noted the club might have "some other minor things" in the works.
- Eric Denton of LAAngelsInsider.com wonders if the Angels would be better served by rebuilding and putting "some long term pieces in place for the Mike Trout era."
Orioles, Angels, Rays Interested In Vladimir Guerrero
The Orioles, Angels and Rays have shown different levels of interest in Vladimir Guerrero, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com. Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles heard this week that the Halos weren’t talking to the DH, but a return to Anaheim remains possible for the longtime Angel.
A return to Texas is no longer a possibility, as Rangers GM Jon Daniels said the team is not pursuing Guerrero. Vlad, who turns 36 next month, hit .300/.345/.496 with 29 homers last year. He made his ninth All-Star team and earned his eighth Silver Slugger, finishing 11th in MVP balloting.
The Orioles would have to play Luke Scott in the outfield if they were to sign Guerrero. That would create a logjam with Scott, Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold battling for one outfield spot (assuming Adam Jones and Nick Markakis play every day). The Angels would have to play Bobby Abreu or Juan Rivera in the outfield on a daily basis if they sign Guerrero instead of a player who can patrol the outfield. The Rays could offer Guerrero a full-time DH job and they appear to be a better fit than the O's or Angels.
Discussion: The Angels’ Offseason
Three months ago, who would've guessed that the Dodgers would have the most active winter of any Los Angeles ballclub? Following a barrage of criticism from fans and media over how the McCourts' divorce and ownership dispute was hurting the franchise, the Dodgers added a bullpen arm in Matt Guerrier, rebuilt their catching corps following Russell Martin's departure, and re-signed all three of their free agent starters (Hiroki Kuroda, Ted Lilly, Vicente Padilla), also adding Jon Garland to the rotation to boot. Not every move has been well-received — the Juan Uribe contract jumps to mind — but overall, it's been a solid offseason for the Dodgers.
Compare their situation to that of L.A.'s other team. The Angels suffered their first sub-.500 season since 2003 and looked primed to add at least one top-tier free agent to their roster. Almost all of the Halos' top targets, however, went elsewhere: Carl Crawford signed with Boston, Adrian Beltre signed with Texas and some longer-shot targets that the Angels at least mildly explored (Cliff Lee, Derrek Lee, an Adrian Gonzalez trade) failed to pan out. The club added left-handers Scott Downs and Hisanori Takahashi to the bullpen, but those have been GM Tony Reagins' only major moves of the winter.
In the wake of Beltre signing with a division rival, the knives have come out in regards to the Angels' underwhelming winter. Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com says "not only have the Angels shown they're not prepared to compete financially with the big boys, but they've shown they can't even compete financially with the big boys in their own division." Fanhouse.com's Tom Krasovic says the club has had "one stinker of an offseason…so far" and quotes an unnamed AL executive who says that missing out on Crawford was a big mistake.
"If [the Angels] are being scared off from premium players in the market, they're in big trouble," said the AL executive. "They don't have a lot of talent coming up. They are known for being difficult to trade with. They are going to have to spend wisely in free agent to make up that difference, but that's getting harder and harder to do with what's out there."
Reagins told MLB.com's Lyle Spencer during the Winter Meetings that the Angels wanted to stay away from "unaffordable bidding wars" over players who were asking for more than the Halos thought they were worth. This policy certainly has merit, and given that L.A. had signed the likes of Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu in recent years, Los Angeles can't be criticized for ignoring the free agent front. As Knobler points out, however, it doesn't make the team look good when owner Arte Moreno promises to spend and then comes up short.
Spencer also notes that the Angels didn't do anything this winter to combat the perception that they aren't "capable of engaging [Scott] Boras in meaningful dialogue," which is an obvious issue given the number of top players Boras represents. Rafael Soriano, for instance, is a Boras client, though even if the Angels went after the top-rated free agent left on the market, a top closer is a much less pressing need for the Halos given the Downs and Takahashi signings and the presence of Fernando Rodney.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes identified a third baseman, an outfielder/DH type and a leadoff man as the primary "unfinished business" the Angels had to address before Opening Day, mentioning recent rumors tying the club to the likes of Scott Podsednik and Johnny Damon. The Rangers' signing of Beltre also may open the door for Vladimir Guerrero to return to Los Angeles, while Spencer suggests the Angels might consider trying to re-acquire another former Halo in Chone Figgins.
There's still plenty of time for the Angels to make moves that will make their team better next year, but barring something surprising, it will be hard for the team to shake the perception (or perhaps its own feelings) that the 2010-11 offseason was a missed opportunity.
AL West Notes: Beltre, Rangers, A’s, Guerrero
Needless to say, the Adrian Beltre signing is the biggest news of the day in the AL West. Here are some other items from the division with the longest World Series title drought (albeit only since 2002) in baseball…
- There isn't any deferred money in the five guaranteed years of Beltre's contract, reports Evan P. Grant of the Dallas Morning News. (Twitter link) Grant says the Rangers are "trying to do away with deferrals."
- Beltre's signing could push the Rangers' payroll over the $100MM mark for the first time since 2003, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Team president Nolan Ryan says the team is not only prepared for the possibility, but says Beltre's deal won't affect plans to explore extensions with players like Josh Hamilton.
- Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com thinks the Beltre signing "isn’t necessarily a loss for the jilted A’s" since the Rangers didn't solve their main need of pitching, and Beltre's production last year "represents a wash offensively" with the departed Vladimir Guerrero.
- Speaking of Guerrero, Angels manager Mike Scioscia discussed the veteran slugger with Jim Duqette and Kevin Kennedy of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM. (MLB.com's Lyle Spencer has a fuller recap of Scioscia's appearance.) Scioscia said his team isn't looking for a long-term contract with Guerrero, but admitted that "he's definitely a guy that's very interesting to look at." We've heard mixed reports about the Angels' interest in bringing Guerrero back to Anaheim, but with Texas out of the picture, the Halos probably won't have to offer more than a one-year deal to sign the possible Hall-of-Famer.
Scot Shields Still Undecided About Retirement
Scot Shields sounded as if he was closing the door on his baseball career last September, but while the veteran reliever says he is still "not leaning any way" about whether or not he wishes to continue pitching, Shields seemed a bit more open to returning in an interview with Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
"If something comes along that seems like it's a good deal in a good place, I will play. If not, I'll be happy to stay home and spend time with my family," Shields said. "I feel really good….It doesn't take me long to get ready for the season. If I do play, I'll have a lot of desire to prove I can still pitch."
DiGiovanna speculates that if Shields does return, either with the Angels or another team, it will be on a minor league contract given Shields' injury-plagued 2009 and 2010 seasons. If Shields is healthy, he could provide a team with a nice right-handed bullpen option. The 35-year-old posted a 2.93 ERA, a 2.53 K/BB ratio and an 8.2 K/9 rate in 428 appearances with the Halos between 2001 and 2008, earning a "set-up man of the decade" distinction from Sports Illustrated.
The Significance Of The Adrian Beltre Deal
Adrian Beltre agreed to a deal that guarantees him $80MM over five years. It's the biggest contract of Beltre's career and the fourth biggest free agent deal of the 2010-11 offseason.
The left side of the Rangers' infield should improve when Beltre joins defensive whiz Elvis Andrus. Since Andrus became a regular in 2009, he ranks seventh among MLB shortstops in UZR/150 and Beltre ranks second among MLB third baseman for that same time period. Beltre has had his highs ('04 and '10 stand out) and lows ('01, '05, '09) at the plate, but he has been an above average hitter and defender more often than not.
Beltre joins the defending American League champions on what will presumably be the last major contract of his career (he'll be at least 36 when the deal expires). For what it's worth, Beltre has a career .306/.336/.521 line in 229 plate appearances in Texas.
Here's what it means for the others involved:
- This could be the end of Young's tenure in Texas, but he won't be easy to trade and he adds value as a utility player, so the Rangers may keep him. Young, who has already proven that he can adjust to big league position switches, may have to play shortstop for the first time since 2008 and second base for the first time since 2003.
- With Young likely slotted for a DH/utility role, the Rangers' need for Guerrero decreases significantly. Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times said yesterday that a deal between the Rangers and Beltre would "greatly increase the chances of slugger Vladimir Guerrero returning to Anaheim." However, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com hears that the Angels are not talking to Vlad.
The Angels
- The Angels could have used Carl Crawford and Beltre, yet they did not sign either player. While the A's and Rangers have made a number of acquisitions, the Angels have been relatively quiet, adding left-handers Scott Downs and Hisanori Takahashi.
The A's
- The A's opened the bidding for Beltre with a five-year, $64MM deal. They'll now face him many times per year with Kevin Kouzmanoff at the hot corner.
The Red Sox
- The Red Sox will obtain two top draft picks next year since they offered arbitration to Beltre, a Type A free agent, and he turned it down. One draft choice will be a supplementary first rounder and the other will come from the Rangers. It will be Texas' first rounder as long as the Rangers don't sign Rafael Soriano. If they do sign the closer, the Rays would get the Rangers' top pick and the Red Sox would get their second rounder.
Jose Bautista & Aramis Ramirez
- Bautista and Ramirez are set to enter free agency after the season. They're far from perfect comps for Beltre – Bautista may end up playing right field next year – but this deal could play in their favor if they hit free agency after strong 2011 seasons at third base.
Scott Boras
- Did anyone expect Jayson Werth to sign for $126MM and Beltre to sign a deal that could make him $96MM? Finding the right deal for Rafael Soriano is another major test for Boras, who has found unexpectedly big paydays for his clients so far this winter.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI
Heyman On Crawford, Pavano, CarGo
There’s word that many Angels people were in favor of offering Carl Crawford a seven-year deal worth $142MM or so, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. The Red Sox won the bidding for the All-Star left fielder with a $142MM offer that left the Angels without one of their offseason targets. Owner Arte Moreno has said that his team never made Crawford an offer, but he acknowledged the Angels' interest. Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors:
- There are thought to be one or two teams looking at Carl Pavano other than the Twins and Nationals, according to Heyman. The Mariners and Rangers have been linked to Pavano this winter, but it's not clear if those clubs are currently interested.
- Heyman reports that the Rockies are still trying to lock up Carlos Gonzalez. Meanwhile Troy Renck of the Denver Post hears that the Rockies could move closer to an extension with the 25-year-old this week
Rangers Talking With Adrian Beltre
10:30pm: After talking to Rangers officials, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan writes, "There appears to be some mutual interest on both sides, but nothing is remotely imminent."
6:52pm: Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports that the two sides are close to agreeing to a deal (link in Spanish). An agreement "appears imminent" according to one of Rojas' sources, while another tells him it will "probably" be a five-year contract with an option for 2016.
SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that nothing is done, but "there appears to be some hope." Jeff Wilson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram echoes Heyman's report (Twitter link).
3:14pm: While the two sides have no deal in place, the Rangers remain in contact with Adrian Beltre, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi and Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) have both shot down a report out of the Dominican Republic earlier today that said the Rangers had signed Beltre to a six-year deal.
With Michael Young, Elvis Andrus, and Ian Kinsler all entrenched in the Texas infield, it would seem an unlikely match at first. However, the Rangers had some discussions at the Winter Meetings about sending Young to multiple teams, and this is far from the first time we've seen them linked to Beltre. Young could also be shifted into a designated hitter role in the event of a Beltre signing.
As WEEI.com's Alex Speier points out, Texas landing Beltre would represent a best case scenario for the Red Sox, as the Rangers' first round pick is unprotected, while other suitors such as the A's and Angels would only net Boston a second-round selection. In a poll just before New Year's, 11.55% of the near-12,000 MLBTR readers who voted thought Beltre would land in Texas.
According to Morosi, Scott Boras is seeking a five-year deal worth at least $85MM for his client, which is on par with ESPN's Buster Olney's take in late December. Despite ongoing discussions with the Rangers, Morosi says the Angels are still viewed as the favorite to land Beltre.
Cafardo On Blanton, Beltre, Indians, LaRoche
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe names ten teams who might reap the benefits of bargain shopping as the winter winds down. The Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Angels top the list of clubs Cafardo thinks could make discounted moves in the coming weeks. Here are the rest of his hot stove notes:
- While the Mets will be hunting for affordable starting pitching options, don't expect the Phillies to trade Joe Blanton within the division.
- The Angels are making sure they don't bid against themselves on Adrian Beltre, and could eventually land the third baseman for a lesser price than Scott Boras is seeking.
- The Indians could make some more moves if they want to continue stockpiling prospects. Other teams would have interest in players like Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, and Fausto Carmona, while Cleveland would "love to trade" Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner.
- The Nationals "know it’s tough to get players to buy into the future of the team," writes Cafardo. As such, they may eventually commit to Adam LaRoche for the three years he's looking for.
- Jim Masteralexis, Manny Delcarmen's agent, says several teams are interested in his client, and Cafardo warns not to bet against the Rays.
- Carl Pavano may make a decision this week, and it appears that while he'd prefer to return to Minnesota, the Nationals will offer the better contract. Of course, we already saw one top free agent pitcher choose comfort over more guaranteed money, when Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies.
Lots Of Arb Cases For Angels, Jays, Giants, Padres
The Angels and Blue Jays have more upcoming arbitration cases than any other major league teams. Toronto and Los Angeles both have eight remaining arbitration eligible players, one more than the Giants, Padres and Rockies, who lead the National League with six apiece.
Teams and arbitration eligible players file for arbitration early next month in the first part of the process that determines players' 2011 salaries. If teams and players don't reach an agreement by January 18th, they exchange salary figures. If the sides don't reach a deal by the end of the month, they schedule a February hearing that would take place in front of a panel of arbitrators who decide between the player's pitch and the team's.
The Blue Jays avoided arbitration with their eligible players last offseason, the team's first under GM Alex Anthopoulos. The organization has avoided arbitration hearings for 13 consecutive offseasons, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team settle with Jose Bautista, Shawn Camp, Rajai Davis, Yunel Escobar, Casey Janssen, Jesse Litsch, Carlos Villanueva and Brandon Morrow.
The Angels have as many arbitration eligible players; the club faces potential hearings with Erick Aybar, Alberto Callaspo, Howie Kendrick, Jeff Mathis, Kendry Morales, Mike Napoli, Jered Weaver and Reggie Willits.
Most teams have 3-5 arbitration eligible players, but the Red Sox, Phillies and Pirates have just two. Kyle McClellan is the Cardinals' lone remaining arbitration eligible player.
Be sure to keep track of every arbitration case using MLBTR's new Arb Tracker, which you can find under the Tools tab at the top of the site.