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Heyman On Abreu, Fielder, Hoyer

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman says the Angels and Bobby Abreu are still far apart on a new contract.  Abreu earned $6MM this year.
  • The Brewers will attempt to sign Prince Fielder to a long-term deal this winter.  Fielder, a Scott Boras client, is signed through 2010 and under team control through 2011.  Given the way teams pay for power, Fielder might expect $20MM+ to buy out free agent years.
  • Heyman sees Red Sox senior VP/assistant GM Jed Hoyer as the favorite for the Padres GM job.   

Abreu Wants To Remain With Angels

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Perhaps the biggest benficiary of last year's depressed free agent market was the Angels, who received a .293/.390/.435 batting line and $11.8MM of production (according to FanGraphs) out of outfielder Bobby Abreu. It's a marriage made in halo heaven, and Abreu wants it to be a marriage that lasts beyond this season, according to Jill Painter of The LA Daily News.  

"Of course I want to be back," [Abreu] said. "I have a good time over here. This organization, the team, the manager and the fans, too, they've treated me very well here. I think they really appreciate the job that I've been doing all year round.

"Of course I want to come back. I don't want to go nowhere else. I want to stay with the Angels."

Abreu earned just a $5MM base salary in 2009, although bonuses tied to plate appearances put another $1MM in his pockets. Despite his production, Abreu's .825 OPS was the second lowest full season mark of his career, and his defense was as bad as ever, checking in at –4.6 UZR/150 between left and right fields.

What kind of contract do you think Abreu, 36-years-old on Opening Day 2010, has coming to him this offseason? Would two-years and $18MM be too much, not enough, just right?

Heyman On Holliday, Giambi, Lackey

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman says the Braves "may consider going after Matt Holliday."  So maybe I shouldn't rule out Holliday and Jason Bay for the Braves' right-handed power bat options.
  • Jason Giambi hopes to play another year as a DH.  There will be fewer than 11 open DH spots this winter.
  • John Lackey wants A.J. Burnett money ($82.5MM over five years) and the Angels aren't confident about re-signing him.

Odds & Ends: Blue Jays, Braves, Indians, Jenks

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Some more links for the afternoon…

  • You heard all about one big trade that the Blue Jays didn't make, but Rob Bradford of WEEI.com hears the Jays were talking about another blockbuster. The Blue Jays made a play for Victor Martinez before the trade deadline this year, with an eye to contention in 2010.
  • Rival GMs expect the Braves to pursue a right-handed hitter to play a corner infield or outfield position, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
  • The Indians are considering "eight to 10" possible managers, according to the AP (via ESPN). GM Mark Shapiro says he hasn't asked permission to speak with candidates in other organizations. He says MLB experience is "helpful, but not a necessity."
  • ESPN.com's Jayson Stark says Bobby Jenks will be tough to trade this offseason. In fact, Jenks is as much a non-tender candidate as he is a trade candidate.
  • The Boston Globe reports that the Padres will consider Red Sox execs Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington "very seriously" for the team's GM vacancy.
  • Bill Shaikin of the LA Times wonders if John Lackey might see offers worth $100MM if he pitches well in October.
  • Lynn Henning of the Detroit News wonders if the Tigers will consider moving Curtis Granderson this offseason.

Heyman On Padres, Rockies, Abreu

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman talked to Padres CEO Jeff Moorad, who is looking for a disciplined and strategic general manager rather than an intuitive exec like Kevin Towers.  Heyman says the new GM will be hired within weeks.  Boston's Jed Hoyer is in the mix, and Oakland's David Forst fits the profile.
  • The Rockies will offer new contracts to GM Dan O'Dowd and manager Jim Tracy.
  • The Angels made an offer to Bobby Abreu, who is finishing up a one-year deal that will pay him at least $6MM.  Heyman says "no progress has been reported thus far."  Abreu said in September that he wants to return.

Discussion: What Late Additions Could Have Big Playoff Impact?

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With the 2009 postseason picture nearly in place, it's time to identify some of the late-season pickups that can make a huge splash in this year's playoffs. 

In 2002, the Angels may not have won the championship without the help of a young pitcher by the name of Francisco Rodriguez.  Because of multiple injuries to their bullpen, the Angels called up the 22-year-old in mid-September.  Rodriguez was able to pitch in just five regular season games for the club before being thrown into the postseason fire.  The hard-throwing righty responded to the pressure beautifully, posting an ERA of 1.93 and fanning 28 batters in just 18.2 innings. 

Here are some of the key late-season additions by playoff-bound squads:

What other playoff-bound players added to the big league roster after the trade deadline could be poised to have a memorable postseason?

Olney On Type A Free Agents

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ESPN.com's Buster Olney looks back to last winter when players like Juan Cruz saw their value tumble because the Elias rankings classified them as Type A free agents. Some players are good enough to qualify, but not tantalizing enough for teams to give up the high draft pick that Type A free agents cost if their teams offer arbitration. Olney quizzed a group of executives about this year's likely Type A free agents; here are the details you need to know:

  • Vladimir Guerrero makes $15MM this year, so Olney's execs doubt the Angels will offer arbitration.
  • The executives polled said the Braves seem likely to offer Mike Gonzalez arbitration. It may make sense for Gonzalez to accept, since teams may be reluctant to give up millions of dollars and picks when there are other good relievers available. It doesn't appear that the Braves will offer Rafael Soriano arbitration.
  • Four of the six execs Olney asked say the Cubs won't offer Rich Harden arbitration. He'd be in a position to command $10MM on a one-year deal. Is that such a huge risk for a big-market club like the Cubs to take? Harden has started 51 games since 2008 and could yield a top draft pick.
  • None of Olney's respondents expect the Astros to offer Miguel Tejada arbitration.
  • The execs are split on the Dodgers' plans for Orlando Hudson. The club is cost-conscious, but Hudson is still a talented player who could net the team a draft pick if he signs elsewhere.

Got it? You can find explanations of arbitration, free agent compensation and related terms in our hot stove glossary if it's still a little hazy.

Bidding On Jason Bay

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WEEI.com's Alex Speier hears from multiple sources that the bidding for Jason Bay will reach at least four years at $14-15MM per season. The 31-year-old outfielder has been "pleasantly surprised" by his first contract year. Bay didn't know what to expect at the beginning of the season, but he's produced, as usual.

He has 36 homers and a .266/.385/.538 line that overshadows his 159 strikeouts and below average defense (according to UZR/150). A return to Boston appears to be a "legitimate possibility," but other teams will have interest if the two sides can't agree to a deal.

As Speier notes, the Angels, Cardinals, Giants, Mariners, Mets, White Sox and Yankees could all have interest in Bay and the resources to sign him.

Yahoo's Gordon Edes and MLBTR's Mike Axisa each compared Bay to Matt Holliday last month, so check out their articles to see how Bay fits in to the rest of the free agent market.

Odds & Ends: Blue Jays, Wedge, Sweeney

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Some more links for the morning…

  • Multiple major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that many Blue Jays are fed up with manager Cito Gaston and don't want him to return. One source says it's "nearly a mutiny" in the clubhouse.
  • Eric Wedge wants to manage again at some point, according to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.
  • Marlins prospect Mike Stanton still projects as a middle-of-the-order 40 homer threat, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. gets high marks from his predecessors, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Former Phillies GMs Ed Wade and Pat Gillick praised Amaro's moves.
  • Mike Sweeney is having the most fun he's ever had in the big leagues, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. He wants to return and play one more year for the Mariners or the Angels.
  • As Jon Heyman of SI.com notes, players chose Michael Weiner as the next executive director of the MLBPA.
  • Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune doesn't expect Jermaine Dye, Josh Fields or Octavio Dotel to return to the White Sox next year.

Red Sox To Pursue Aroldis Chapman; O’s?

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7:12pm: It sounds like the Orioles will be quick to bow out if Chapman's price tag is driven up by high-budget bidders like the Red Sox and Yankees.  Here's Andy MacPhail, the O's president of baseball operations, courtesy of MASN's Roch Kubatko:

"I have not talked to [owner Peter Angelos] about it because I have no idea where this one is.  I haven't broached the subject with him because I am so uncertain as to the level of interest among other clubs because there will be a certain time where you measure the risk-reward."

"…If some of the big boys are going to go after him, like the Red Sox did with Dice-K, that's not a risk that I would be willing to take."

11:41am: Expect the Red Sox to have interest in 21-year-old lefty Aroldis Chapman when he becomes a free agent, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald and ESPN's Amy K. Nelson.  The Yankees are also expected to be in the mix.  Will the Sox attempt to buy up all the hotel rooms in Andorra?

Chapman may be granted free agency before the playoffs.  The bidding could exceed $40MM, and Chapman could potentially sign before the regular free agent signing period begins.  Nelson talked to Chapman's agent Edwin Leonel Mejia, who plans to hold private workouts in Europe.  Aside from the Red Sox and Yankees, Silverman names the Angels and Rangers as likely suitors.  The Orioles were connected to Chapman in July, but the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec didn't expect them to join a bidding war.  Mejia explained Chapman's preference to Silverman: "He simply wants to go with whatever team wants him the most."

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