Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Dodgers Rumors

Olney On Selig, MLBPA, Key Contract Situations

By | at

In Buster Olney's New Year's Day column (Insider link), the ESPN senior writer covered his ten top MLB storylines for the coming year. While I recommend a full read of the piece, here are a few of Olney's notes that are of particular interest from a transactional perspective:

  • Both MLB and the MLBPA face leadership questions owing to the announced retirement of commissioner Bud Selig and the untimely death of union chief Michael Weiner. Olney says that he has heard three possible scenarios regarding the commissioner's chair: first, that Selig could be enticed to stay on; second, that COO Rob Manfred will be the hand-picked successor; and third, that a new leader has yet to be chosen (and could be the subject of disagreement due to increasing unrest from middle- and small-market clubs). On the union side, Olney says that much remains unknown about how the leadership transition to Tony Clark will impact the organization's power structure and approach.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman is only under contract through the 2014 season, and Olney hints that his fate could be tied to the club's transition as it faces a "crossroad season" with aging star Derek Jeter. Across the country, a veritable "cold war" between the Dodgers and manager Don Mattingly will also be worth close attention, says Olney.
  • Meanwhile, several front offices are dealing with financial pressures and high expectations that could result in major changes if things don't break right. Olney lists the Phillies, Royals, Diamondbacks, Orioles, and Blue Jays as clubs that are facing high-stakes seasons.
  • Several key contract situations are reaching points of decision around the game. Clayton Kershaw and Hanley Ramirez of the Dodgers have been the subject of extension rumors. The Rays still have to decide how to proceed with ace David Price. And extension speculation is set to ramp up for the Tigers, who have cleared future payroll space but will soon need to chart a path on two of their best players in Max Scherzer and Miguel Cabrera. Finally, says Olney, Braves closer Craig Kimbrel is set to reach new heights in arbitration salary — indeed, his unique statline has already busted MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz's arbitration model — that could force Atlanta to consider a trade.

NL West Notes: Butler, Rockies, Dodgers, Wright

By | at

The NL West makes a strong showing on Jim Bowden's list of the offseason's seven most underrated transactions (ESPN Insider account required).  The Giants and Dodgers combine for three of the seven moves, while the Diamondbacks find themselves on possibly the wrong end of one of the deals — Bowden believes the White Sox got the best end of the three-team Sox/D'Backs/Angels trade since Adam Eaton fills a big need in Chicago and Bowden doesn't rate Hector Santiago too highly.

Here are some more items from around the NL West…

  • The Rockies didn't push harder for more fifth starter depth since they didn't want to block right-handed pitching prospect Eddie Butler, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Sulia link).  Butler, the 46th overall pick of the 2012 draft, pitched very well last season, including an 0.65 ERA in 27 2/3 Double-A innings.  If he continues to progress next year, the Rockies could call Butler up by late May or early June.  Juan Nicasio and Jordan Lyles are currently slated to battle for the fifth spot in the Colorado rotation behind Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Tyler Chatwood and Brett Anderson, though Anderson's health history will create a need for depth.
  • The Rockies added Raul Fernandez to the 40-man roster rather than risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft, as Colorado has been cautious about losing even low A-ball prospects to the Rule 5 draft since the Padres took Everth Cabrera from their roster in 2008.  Baseball America's Jack Etkin profiles Fernandez, who owns a 96-mph fastball and projects as a back-end reliever.
  • Jamey Wright signed his first Major League contract since 2005 when he agreed to a one-year, $1.8MM deal with the Dodgers last week.  Fangraphs' Mike Petriello looks at how Wright has revived his career by adding a cutter to his arsenal, which led to more strikeouts and more success against right-handed batters.
  • Right-hander Javy Guerra has become little more than a minor league depth option for the Dodgers, and Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times opines that Guerra could become trade bait.  Guerra (who is out of options) emerged as the Dodgers' closer in 2011 but hasn't been nearly as effective since, pitching in just 10 2/3 Major League innings in 2013.

Cafardo On Tanaka, Jimenez, Cruz, Lackey, Ichiro

By | at

In this week's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that the Orioles owe it to their fans to take a shot at a championship by bolstering the roster.  The O's moved Jim Johnson to save on his expected $10MM salary for 2014 but the nixing of Grant Balfour's deal leaves them without a proven closer.  The Orioles, with a few fixes, could be exciting and fun to watch, but they need more if they want to win it all.  More from this week's column..

  • Cafardo cautions not to sleep on the Red Sox in the Masahiro Tanaka hunt and one AL scout says it’s the perfect time for the Red Sox to strike. “They have veteran pitchers in the final year or two years remaining on their deals,” he said. “They’ll be clearing out a lot of payroll soon. I know they feel they have good young pitching on the horizon, but Tanaka should be a very good No. 2 or No. 3 starter on any staff. I would think with their emphasis on pitching, they would get into it.” The Yankees, Cubs, Rangers, and Dodgers figure to be the most aggressive and the Angels, Phillies, Royals, and Blue Jays are expected to get into it.
  • Will the Red Sox's experience with Daisuke Matsuzaka scare them off of Tanaka?  “I don’t think that can enter their thinking. I’m sure they would have gone after Yu Darvish in retrospect,” said one National League GM.
  • Cafardo recently spoke with a few GMs who feel the Yankees may wind up with Ubaldo Jimenez, even if they land Tanaka.  “He had an excellent second half, has great stuff, and he has the type of personality that would fit New York,” one GM said. “He doesn’t let things get to him. He’s good at shrugging off things and turning the page.”  If the Yankees ink both pitchers, it's pretty difficult to see them staying under the $189MM mark.
  • Nelson Cruz is the best available free agent among position players, but his demand of four years at $75MM has turned off teams.  While other PED guys such as Jhonny Peralta have cashed in, teams are worried that Cruz, who more relies on his power is of greater concern for teams who worry that being off the stuff could hurt his power numbers.
  • John Lackey’s name has come up consistently this winter, but the Red Sox aren’t motivated to deal him.  That could change, but the club is enthused about his $500K option for 2015.
  • It'll be interesting to see if the Yankees can move Ichiro Suzuki given their crowded outfield.  The Giants remain a possibility, Cafardo writes.
  • The Dodgers could still trade from their outfield surplus.  When it comes to Matt Kemp, of course, teams want to see how he rebounds from shoulder and ankle surgeries.
  • With Brian McCann aboard and Francisco Cervelli as backup, Yankees catcher Austin Romine is very much available.  
  • Johan Santana is getting closer to making a decision on a minor league deal with a team. There’s been some speculation about the Twins since Santana still resides in Fort Myers, Fla., where the Twins have spring training.  A small-market team such as the Astros could also have some interest.

Masahiro Tanaka Links: Thursday

By | at

After the Rakuten Golden Eagles made the long-awaited decision to post ace Masahiro Tanaka, the posting period opened this morning. Any team that is willing to pay his former club a posting fee of $20MM will have the right to negotiate with Tanaka over the next 30 days (a full refresher on the new rules can be found here). Tanaka's posting period comes to a close on Jan. 24 at 4pm CT, meaning that there could be as many as 700 more hours of drama, rumors and speculation regarding his ultimate destination. Here are today's Tanaka-centric links…

  • MLB.com's Richard Justice writes that teams see Tanaka not as a seven-year deal but rather as an investment to make an immediate impact that could yield a spot in the 2014 playoff picture. The Yankees would like to make an offer to close the bidding process before it truly begins, writes Justice, but several other teams likely feel the same.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes that while Tanaka's new agent, Casey Close, does not have Scott Boras' public reputation of bargaining hard, he does have that reputation within the industry. Close is no stranger to large deals, as he represents Derek Jeter and Zack Greinke among others.
  • Sherman also runs down a list of eight teams that he feels to be the Yankees' most serious competition for Tanaka: the Dodgers, Angels, Red Sox, Phillies, Rangers, Cubs, Diamondbacks and Mariners.
  • In a piece for FOX Sports, Gabe Kapler writes that he spoke to one Major League GM who thought Tanaka would sign for something in the six-year, $105MM neighborhood (not including the posting fee). Kapler feels that Tanaka's age and the potential bidding war will up the price to something in the range of seven years and $125MM (plus the $20MM posting fee). He also cautions that Tanaka is far from a sure thing and will need to display impeccable command of his fastball or add some movement to it in order to flourish in the Majors.
  • Troy Renck of the Denver Post can't imagine Tanaka signing for anything less than $100MM (Sulia link).
  • The next 30 days will tell us if the Dodgers are hitting their spending limit — self-imposed or otherwise — or if their lack of big spending thus far in the offseason has merely been as a result of waiting for Tanaka, writes Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times. Hernandez notes that the team already has five players under control through 2017 and would like that number to rise to seven with extensions to Clayton Kershaw and Hanley Ramirez.

Dodgers Notes: Wright, Colletti, Kemp

By | at

Here's a look at the NL West after the Dodgers finalized deals with free agents Juan Uribe, Chris Perez, J.P. Howell and Jamey Wright on Tuesday..

  • Wright posted a 3.72 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 2012 but the Dodgers didn't re-sign him and watched him have an even better year with the Rays.  It's a wrong that GM Ned Coletti says he's glad to have corrected.  "A lot of times this year I looked up and wished I had been more aggressive bringing him back last year," Colletti said, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.  
  • Wright went into camp on minor league deals in each of the last eight springs, but he got his big league deal this offseason with the Dodgers, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. As an added bonus for the veteran, the $1.8MM deal became official on his 39th birthday.
  • Colletti is confident that Matt Kemp will be ready to play when the Dodgers open their season against the Diamondbacks in Australia on March 22nd, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.  Kemp, who has been mentioned frequently in trade rumors thanks to the club's outfield surplus, is recovering from shoulder and ankle operations.

Ned Colletti On Tanaka, Perez, Relievers

By | at

The Dodgers made a host of signings official today and GM Ned Colletti spoke to reporters about a variety of topics this afternoon.  A look at some of the highlights..

  • The Dodgers wouldn't commit on whether the club will pursue Masahiro Tanaka if he's posted, tweets Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.  Los Angeles has long been said to be high on the Japanese sensation.
  • Colletti says he's "pretty much done" for the offseason unless something especially appealing presents itself, Gurnick tweets.  However, a utility infielder is a possibility.
  • The GM met with Chris Perez at the WInter Meetings and came away with no qualms about signing him despite his previous marijuana arrest, tweets Gurnick.
  • Colletti said he's not stockpiling relievers with the intention of trading them, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

Dodgers Re-Sign Juan Uribe

By | at

DECEMBER 24th, : Uribe gets a $2MM signing bonus with $6.5MM in year one and $6.5MM in year two, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

4:30pm: The Dodgers confirmed the signing.

DECEMBER 14th, 7:17pm: Uribe will receive $15MM in the deal, ESPN's Buster Olney tweets.

3:52pm: The Dodgers are set to re-sign Juan Uribe to a two-year deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Uribe is represented by Praver/Shapiro, according to the MLBTR Agency Database.  Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.Uribe

Earlier today, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said that he was hopeful that he could bring the third baseman back to Los Angeles.  It was a mild surprise to hear that given the reports indicating that the Dodgers were set to move on after a lack of responsiveness from Uribe's side to their latest offer.  The Dodgers were said to be seeking a one-year deal with an option for year two but it would appear that the veteran has secured two guaranteed years.

Uribe hit .273/.331/.438 for the Dodgers last season, a dramatic improvement over the .199/.262/.289 line he gave L.A. in the previous two campaigns.  The new deal keeps the 34-year-old in a comfortable spot – he's spent the last three years in L.A. and thanks to stints in Colorado and San Francisco, he's spent all but five of his 13 big league seasons in the NL West.

Uribe made over 100 starts for the Dodgers in 2013 and was incredibly valuable, posting the fourth-best WAR among all free agents.  It's a far cry from his position prior to the '13 season when some wondered if the Dodgers might look to cut Uribe and eat the $7MM remaining on his deal.

The Dodgers were looking at re-signing Michael Young to be their everyday third baseman as a contingency plan and while he could still return to L.A., it would appear that he'd have to sign on in a different role.  The Marlins and Rays were also among the clubs with interest in Uribe.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes predicted that Uribe would land a two-year, $12MM deal at the outset of the offseason.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dodgers Sign Jamey Wright

By | at

TUESDAY, 8:23pm: Wright's deal is worth $1.8MM, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

1:55pm: The Dodgers confirmed the signing via press release.  Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter) confirms that it's a big league contract.

MONDAY, 4:38pm: The Dodgers are in agreement with right-hander Jamey Wright on a one-year deal, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Wright is represented by agent Casey Close of Excel Sports Management.

Wright, who will celebrate his 39th birthday tomorrow, was excellent in his age-38 season with the Rays, pitching to a 3.09 ERA with 8.4 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 50.8 percent ground-ball rate. The 70 innings were the most Wright had thrown since his 2009 campaign with the Royals. This will mark Wright's second stint with the Dodgers, as he also spent the 2011 season in Los Angeles' bullpen. Earlier this month it was reported that the veteran was choosing between returning to the Rays or returning to the Dodgers.

Wright is the second right-hander with whom the Dodgers have reached a one-year agreement today, as GM Ned Colletti also brought Chris Perez into the fold this morning. Wright will serve primarily a middle relief option for manager Don Mattingly, who continues to see his bullpen depth bolstered. The Dodgers parted ways with Ronald Belisario this offseason but re-signed Brian Wilson to pair with Kenley Jansen late in the game. The Dodgers' strong bullpen will also feature the likes of Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell. Brandon League will be in the mix as well, and while he struggled in 2013, he pitched to a 3.14 ERA over a three-year span from 2010-12. Right-hander Chris Withrow, who was outstanding as a rookie in 2013, is another option or could be included in a trade for a more established pitcher with Wright now on board.

Dodgers To Sign J.P. Howell

By | at

DEC. 24: The Dodgers officially announced the signing.

DEC. 20: Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links) that Howell will receive a $3MM signing bonus and be paid $4MM in both guaranteed years of the deal. The option is a $6.25MM club option with a $250K buyout, but Howell can void the option when exercised, if he's willing to forfeit the buyout. The option becomes a player option if he pitches 65 games in 2015 or totals 120 games between 2014-15 and is not on the disabled list at the end of the season.

DEC. 17: The Dodgers have agreed to re-sign left-handed reliever J.P. Howell, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The deal includes two years at a guaranteed $11.25MM, plus a mutual option for 2016 that would convert to a player option if it is "triggered," Heyman reports. (Twitter links.)

Howell

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported earlier this evening that Howell was close to a two-year deal for $11.25MM with a $6.25MM third year option that would vest with 120 appearances over 2014-15. Though final details on the option remain unknown, it could be that the mutual option would vest to become a player option at an appearance threshold.

Howell, 30, gets a significant raise on last year's $2.85MM salary. His $11.25MM guarantee falls shy of those received by Javier Lopez (Giants, $13MM) and Boone Logan (Rockies, $16.5MM), but Howell's representatives at the Legacy Agency secured their client a higher average annual value on his deal. And, if he makes good on the contract, Howell will presumably either trigger the vesting option, have the club pick it up anyway, or hit the market at 32 in good position to land another payday.

Last year, Howell registered a 2.03 ERA in 62 innings for the Dodgers, including 7.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 and just 6.1 hits per nine innings. Advanced metrics were a fan of his work in 2013 as well, with his FIP landing at 2.89 and xFIP at 3.48. 

In spite of Howell's excellent 2013 campaign, there were issues that may have held down his value to some extent. Low HR/9 and BABIP numbers last year drove his stellar results to some extent, and anticipated regression in those areas lead Steamer and Oliver (via Fangraphs) to project Howell's ERA in the mid-3.00 range for 2014. Going further back, moreover, though he managed a 3.04 ERA in 2012, it was accompanied by a 4.78 FIP and 4.17 xFIP. And in 2011, similarly unfavorable analytical marks resulted in a 6.16 ERA. 

MLB.com's Ken Gurnick first reported that the sides were closing in on a two-year, $11.25MM deal with a third-year option.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dodgers Sign Chris Perez

By | at

TUESDAY, 1:47pm: The Dodgers confirmed the deal via press release.

"Chris expressed an interest in coming here and pitching in any role Don asks of him,” said Colletti. “We see him adding depth and experience to our bullpen and while Kenley [Jansen] and Brian [Wilson] will close games, we play so many tight games that we couldn’t pass up the chance to add another reliever who has experienced success in the 7th, 8th and 9th inning. It’s a great opportunity for both Chris and the Dodgers."

MONDAY, 7:44pm: Perez's base salary will be $2.3MM, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets.

7:16pm: Perez will make a base salary of around $2.25MM, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. The deal is also heavy on incentives, and Fletcher notes Perez might be able to make up to about $6MM in a setup role, or $8MM if he becomes the Dodgers' closer.

10:18am: The Dodgers and free agent right-hander Chris Perez are in agreement on a one-year deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Perez will take his physical today, according to Rosenthal. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times first reported last night that the Dodgers were nearing a deal with Perez, who is represented by Nez Balelo of CAA Sports.

Perez-Chris

The 28-year-old Perez looked to be on his way to another strong season with the Indians in 2013, having gone 17-for-19 in save opportunities and pitched to a 2.52 ERA with a 30-to-13 K/BB ratio through his first 35 2/3 innings. However, Perez unraveled in an Aug. 5 outing that saw him surrender four earned runs without recording an out. He would go on to allow 16 earned runs over his final 18 1/3 innings with the Indians.

Because he was projected to earn as much as $9MM via arbitration this winter, the Indians made the decision to release him shortly after season's end rather than pay him that lofty salary. Instead, Indians GM Chris Antonetti elected to bring in John Axford on a one-year, $4.5MM pact.

Perez's salary and on-field performance may not have been the only contributing factor to that decision. He also plead no contest to drug charges after he and his wife had a small package of marijuana shipped to their home. He also spoke out against the Indians' lack of spending on the free agent market following the 2012 season.

Despite those issues, there's no denying that Perez has the ability to succeed in a late-inning role for the Dodgers. From 2010-12, Perez served as Cleveland's primary stopper, posting a 2.84 ERA with 98 saves, 7.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. That strikeout rate is a bit misleading, as it's weighed down by an abnormally low 5.9 K/9 in 2011. Perez whiffed rougly a batter per inning in both 2010 and 2012, and he's averaged 8.7 punchouts per nine innings in his career as a whole.

Perez will likely slot into the seventh inning for the Dodgers, given the presence of Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen at the back-end of the bullpen. J.P. Howell, Paco Rodriguez, Brandon League and Chris Withrow will round out manager Don Mattingly's relief corps in 2014.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top