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Stark’s Latest: Young Players, Giles, DeJesus

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Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings and Grumblings column is chock full of information.

  • Stark rattles off Dan Uggla, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Russell Martin, Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Felix Hernandez, Jeff Francoeur, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia as youngsters who do not have long-term deals in the works.  With Uggla and Greinke, the opposition seems more on the team’s side.  With Hamels and Howard neither side wants a long-term deal.  With the rest, the player is resisting.
  • The Padres’ top trading chip is probably Brian Giles, though a deal would further deplete a weak offense.
  • The A’s are willing to deal, with pitching considered the surplus.  Billy Beane might be able to snag one good prospect for Rich Harden.
  • There’s some doubt as to whether the Rockies will make Matt Holliday this year’s Mark Teixeira as we approach the deadline.
  • Teams other than the Royals are speculating that center fielder David DeJesus might be available.
  • The Marlins and Hanley Ramirez battled over a no-trade clause…and the Fish won.  He has none.

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.

Odds And Ends: Bellhorn, Astros, Scheppers

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Like most Saturdays at this time of year, it’s a bit slow. So here are a few links to pass the time.

  • The Dodgers have signed veteran IF Mark Bellhorn to a minor league deal. Tony Jackson from Inside the Dodgers says this happened a few weeks ago, but was well under the radar. After some extended spring training, Bellhorn has reported to AA, where he will simply fill a roster spot. He is not expected to help the major league team this year.
  • Richard Justice says he wouldn’t change a thing about the surprisingly-good Houston Astros.
  • Fresno State ace and potential top-10 pick Tanner Scheppers has gone down with a stress fracture somewhere in his shoulder. Jonathan Mayo suspects he could fall to a big market team in the latter portion of the first round, a la Andrew Brackman last year.

Joe Pawlikowski writes for River Ave. Blues, a Yankees blog, and can be reached here.

Dodgers Looking For Emergency Shortstop

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The Dodgers placed shortstop Rafael Furcal on the DL today, and MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick says they’re trying to acquire an emergency replacement.  Furcal will be eligible to return on May 21st.  He’s been perhaps the game’s best hitting shortstop to date.

Perhaps the Rays’ Andy Cannizaro would make sense?  The Dodgers have been using Chin-lung Hu at short; despite his lack of offense it may be best to just stick with him.   

Odds and Ends: Doue, Furcal, Kuroda

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Here are today’s links.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Hudson, Turnbow, Laird, Kershaw

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Rumorland Ambassador Ken Rosenthal has posted yet another Full Count video.  Let’s get sifting:

  • Rosenthal thinks Orlando Hudson could be shown the money this offseason if he opts to explore free agency.  Hudson most likely won’t be offered market value by the Dbacks.  Rosenthal posits the Orioles, Cards, Dodgers, and Mariners as potential buyers.
  • 4 unnamed teams are interested in Derrick Turnbow, who is making $3.2MM this year.  According to KR, the Brewers would need to throw money in a deal or get a comparable salary in return – as the saying goes, you trade contracts, not players.  Turnbow needs a fresh start and middle relief is always in demand; however, a lot of teams have better internal options and could see Turnbow as a project for better or worse.
  • Gerald Laird update: Reds, Yankees, and Brewers all passed.  But Rosenthal still expects Laird to end up somewhere and notes that whoever gets him has him through 2010.
  • The Dodgers are planning on "integrating" Clayton Kershaw soon to throw a limit of 150 IP; however this doesn’t (yet) make Esteban Loaiza expendable as they would alternate the two in the rotation, Kershaw starting twice, and then Loaiza twice, and so on.  I say "(yet)" because Rosenthal doesn’t mention that the rotation will get crowded if/when Jason Schmidt returns in early June.  I would expect they’ll explore options, but be content using Loaiza out of the bullpen.  By the way, Kershaw has a 1.40 ERA with 31 K in 25.2 IP for Double-A Jacksonville.

By Nat Boyle

Juan Pierre Not Happy Being A Bench Player

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Juan Pierre, who has been the odd man out in the crowded Dodgers outfield this year, said following the team’s 5-3 victory over the Florida Marlins on Thursday that he still has not accepted his current role with the club as a bench player:

"I don’t see myself as a bench player.  I haven’t accepted that. I know if they don’t want me to play out there, that’s their decision. But I don’t see myself as a bench player."

One reporter asked Pierre if he wanted to remain with the Dodgers to which the 30-year old responded:

"I’m not going to answer that one.  It is what it is. I’m not going to touch that one."

Pierre is currently behind young outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, along with offseason acquisition Andruw Jones, in the Dodgers’ depth chart. His deal is guaranteed for four more years including 2008 (at a combined $36.5MM) with a limited no-trade clause.

One difficult aspect of this situation is that Pierre is essentially still the same player he always was offensively. He has never hit for power and his OBP has always been fairly reliant on maintaining a high batting average (a dicey proposition year in and year out). The Dodgers knew what they were getting when they signed him in November 2006. Now Pierre is left to wonder what changed.

Paul Moro is a writer for UmpBump.com and can be reached via e-mail at Paul@UmpBump.com.

Rockies Sign Juan Castro

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FRIDAY: The Rockies win the Castro sweepstakes.  Ken Rosenthal notes in a sidebar that the silver lining to the Tulo injury could be Barmes getting a chance to build up trade value.  Rosenthal doesn’t see the Rox pursuing Brian Roberts for second base help unless they battle their way into contention first. 

THURSDAY: Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News has been all over the Juan Castro situation.  The 35 year-old shortstop became a free agent today, and four clubs are in pursuit.  The Dodgers, Padres, Orioles, and Rockies are all after him.  Jackson says the Dodgers and Rockies would want him to do a brief Triple A stint.  Troy E. Renck confirms Colorado’s interest.

The Rockies received devastating news today – star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki could be out until July with a torn tendon in his quad.  Clint Barmes will assume the starting shortstop position.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Rafael Furcal

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Indicators predicting a big year for Rafael Furcal included his impending free agency, a return to health, and a strong Spring Training performance.  After 28 games, he sits at .371/.459/.586 (tops among shortstops).

When Furcal first reached free agency after the 2005 season, he was only 28 and was coming off a .284/.348/.429 season.  He chose to maximize his yearly salary rather than take a four or five-year deal.  The three-year, $39MM contract Furcal signed with the Dodgers allows him to re-enter free agency at age 31.

Furcal is in line for a monster contract even if he can’t maintain his MVP performance.  Jimmy Rollins is signed at a well below-market price, so he’s a poor comparable.  The high-end comp is Derek Jeter, who gave up nine free agent years for a bit less than $20MM per season.  Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, could reasonably ask for $75MM over five years.

Furcal and the Dodgers are open to a midseason extension, according to Ken Rosenthal.  That’d make Chin-Lung Hu a valuable trade chip.  Back in ’05, the Cubs and Braves competed with the Dodgers for Furcal.  The White Sox, Blue Jays, Nationals, and Cardinals could enter the mix next winter if Furcal reaches free agency.

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