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Odds and Ends: Lane, K-Rod, Adam LaRoche

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Random linkage…

White Sox Interested In Figgins?

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THURSDAY: Angels GM Tony Reagins says he hasn’t talked to Williams and has no interest in trading Figgins at this time.  It may be true that Figgins is on Williams’ wish list, but perhaps that’s where it ended.

WEDNESDAY: Joe Cowley lights up the rumor mill with some rumblings about the White Sox.  His source says Kenny Williams is inquiring about leadoff hitters who can play second base, aside from the apparently overpriced Brian Roberts.  Williams’ main target may be Chone Figgins; he called Figgins "an interesting name."

Figgins, 30, is hitting .306/.421/.355 in 145 plate appearances.  He’s a free agent after the ’09 season.  Despite Chicago’s interest, it’s hard to picture the first-place Angels parting with him.  Figgins is expected to be activated from the disabled list today after a hamstring strain.  The team’s other third basemen have not hit well in his absence.

I’m not sure how well he plays second these days, but Ryan Freel could fit as a Plan B.  Freddy Sanchez, Cristian Guzman, Felipe Lopez, David Eckstein are other possibilities (pure speculation on my part).

One other note from Cowley – he’s heard whispers that the Angels will be making a push for Joe Crede this winter.  Crede is pretty much the only credible free agent option at third base.

Locking Up Young Stars: Martin, Kendrick, Kotchman, Pedroia, Uggla

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Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times takes a look at the spate of recent long-term deals for young stars.  Talking to different players and agents, Shaikin found no consensus on whether such contracts are a good idea.

  • Some folks (including Shaikin and Pat Gillick, apparently) believe it’s wise for richer clubs to go year-to-year to avoid getting stuck with a bad contract.  I’m sure teams have done comprehensive studies on these types of contracts, but my guess is that flops are few are far between.  I can only think of a handful (Angel Berroa, Eric Hinske come to mind).  As Scott Boras says, teams usually choose players who will succeed.
  • Boras advises his clients to go year to year and maximize their total earnings.  He suggests young players signing long-term are getting "30 cents on the dollar."  Paul Cohen, author of the Troy Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria contracts, preaches security over maximum earnings.
  • Ned Colletti revealed that he has twice approached catcher Russell Martin about an extension, and has been denied.  Martin will be arbitration-eligible after this season and should add an extra zero to his $500,000 salary, at least. 
  • Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick would consider a long-term offer, and GM Tony Reagins isn’t opposed to long-term deals for young players.
  • First baseman Casey Kotchman is a year-to-year guy.  He astutely notes that in most professions employees aren’t even guaranteed one year.
  • Jumping over to the Boston Herald – the Red Sox have twice approached Dustin Pedroia about a deal.  Pedroia is amenable to the idea. 
  • It’s not known if the Marlins are planning to buy out Dan Uggla’s arbitration years, but he seems open to it.

Angels Open To In-Season Talks For K-Rod

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Angels owner Arte Moreno said today that the team is flexible and is willing to negotiate a contract extension with closer Francisco Rodriguez during the season.  K-Rod and his agent were strongly leaning toward putting talks off until after the season after an agreement could not be reached by Opening Day.

Twins closer Joe Nathan inked a four-year, $47MM deal in March.  The total is the highest ever for a reliever, though Mariano Rivera earns $15MM annually on a three-year pact.  Another comparable is Francisco Cordero’s four-year, $46MM deal.  Nathan and Cordero both have fifth-year club options.

Assuming they hit the open market, the big name closers for the winter of 2008-09 are K-Rod and Brad Lidge.  Will one top the $50MM mark or get five guaranteed years?  Brian Fuentes and Brandon Lyon seem to fit into the second tier of free agent closers.

Odds and Ends: Jacque, Lee Hak-ju, Tavarez

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Here’s today’s collection of links.

Braves, Angels Scouting Cardinals

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Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch mentioned in a Wednesday chat that the Braves are scouting the Cardinals heavily and the Angels have also been watching recently.

One rumor that’s been floating about consistently is that the Cardinals are willing to trade pitcher Anthony Reyes.  Yesterday Jayson Stark relayed that John Mozeliak wants "an upper echelon prospect back, plus another piece."

Free Agent Stock Watch: Jon Garland

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One thing Jon Garland has going for him is his age.  He’ll spend the 2009 season as a 29 year-old.  Only a few other free agent starters will be under 30 that year: Oliver Perez (27), Mark Prior (27), and C.C. Sabathia (28).  A team that can’t afford Sabathia but misses out on Perez might turn to Garland.

Garland is an innings eater, having topped 210 in each of the last three seasons.  His low strikeout rate leads to plenty of hits, but he balances that with good control.  His groundball rate had been on the decline from 2005-07, but he’s at an elite 55% this year.  On the other hand, he’s whiffed just four in 30.3 innings (easily the worst K/9 in baseball). 

If the oddities balance out and he has a typical Garland season, Carlos Silva’s four-year, $48MM deal might be the comparable.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Juan Rivera

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Angels outfielder Juan Rivera is in a tough situation, fighting for playing time in his contract year.  So far he has eight ABs in the team’s first 16 games.  He’s just not getting starter consideration at the DH or corner spots.

Rivera seems like an interesting buy-low candidate, whether via trade during the season or free agency after it.  The one time he received more than 400 ABs, in 2006, he hit .310/.362/.525.  He broke his leg in a winter league game that year and has barely played since.  The Angels aren’t in any hurry to trade him, despite interest.

If the ’08 season continues to depress Rivera’s value, perhaps he could be had one a one-year, $5MM deal.  He turns 30 in July and could be quite a bargain if he returns to form.

Olney’s Latest: Lidge, Shields, Eveland, Lahey

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Here are some trade-rumor-tidbits from Buster Olney this morning:

  • For the first time in his career, Scot Shields was activated from the DL and rookie pitcher Rich Thompson was sent down to Triple A.  The Angels had hoped to keep the kid around but last friday’s 1 inning, 5-run meltdown assured his ticket out.
  • A likely story:  Dana Eveland is making Billy Beane look smart.  He shut down the Indians for 7 innings yesterday, striking out 7.  When Dan Haren was sent to Arizona for 6 prospects, Tim thought the Dbacks won and suggested Eveland could be a back of the rotation starter of the David Wells-variety as was the common consensus around the league.  Eveland hadn’t shown anything at the major league level; however, it seems Eveland might be realizing his potential (413 minor league IP, 8.84 K/9).  Then again, it’s been one start and Olney notes Jhonny Peralta just thinks Eveland got lucky.  Time will tell, but Beane has a funny way of making time work in his favor.
  • As Brad Lidge comes back, reliever Tim Lahey is designated for assignment to make room.  Lahey’s path is a bit of a head-scratcher.  He was selected by the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft from the Twins before being claimed off waivers by the Phillies.  He’s now back on waivers, and if he clears, he’ll have to be offered back to the Twins who apparently do want him back.  So an imminent Twins/Phillies deal could be in the works.

By Nat Boyle

K-Rod Won’t Negotiate During Season

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The Daily News LA has a brief update on the Angels and their attempt to re-sign Francisco Rodriguez.  Apparently neither party has made much headway on getting a deal done before the season and now that Spring Training is ending K-Rod and his agent, Paul Kinzer, won’t negotiate during the season.

"…Kinzer said he has ’absolutely not’ given the Angels a deadline or ultimatum to sign Rodriguez before the season starts or watch him leave as a free agent next fall.

Rodriguez conceded Saturday that seems to be the likely outcome.

’Everything’s headed that way,’ he said. ’But there’s going to be six long months of the season and I can’t predict what’s going to happen in one week or one month or six months.’"

MLBTR suggests $50MM over 4 years is not unreachable for K-Rod, given Joe Nathan’s recent $47MM over 4 years.  Still both sides are distant at this point as the Angels best offer has been $34 over 3 years.  K-Rod argued for $12.5 in the arbitration case he eventually lost, so the Angels contract offer falls short of what Rodriguez feels he deserves now in arbitration.  K-Rod is only 26, seven (!) years younger than Nathan, and for that should be able to command a 4+ year deal easily.

By Nat Boyle

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