A’s Unlikely To Trade Gio Gonzalez At Meetings
The latest on Athletics lefty Gio Gonzalez, a 26-year-old who is under team control through 2015…
- Talks between the Phillies and A's on Gonzalez were brief, tweets Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group. Stiglich says the A's didn't like Domonic Brown enough as a centerpiece.
- The Blue Jays are one of 12 teams in on Gonzalez, reports Susan Slusser (Twitter links).
- Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News hears from multiple sources that the Rangers inquired on Gonzalez, but moved on after the A's asked for Martin Perez, Mike Olt, and Leury Garcia.
- The D'Backs were kicking the tires on Gonzalez but don't expect it to go any further, a source tells Nick Piecoro. Jon Paul Morosi would be shocked if Gonzalez is not traded by Opening Day.
- The A's will not trade Gonzalez at the Winter Meetings, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post, as they're using their Dan Haren haul as parameters and no one has come close yet. Four years ago, A's GM Billy Beane acquired Brett Anderson, Carlos Gonzalez, Chris Carter, Aaron Cunningham, Dana Eveland, and Greg Smith from the Diamondbacks for Haren and Connor Robertson.
- The Phillies are definitely out on Gonzalez now, tweets Danny Knobler. They would have dealt Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton had they acquired him.
- The A's seek players with zero or little big league experience for Gonzalez, tweets Danny Knobler.
- The Diamondbacks are pushing hard to acquire Gonzalez, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Danny Knobler tweets that the Tigers inquired but did not like a price tag that included Jacob Turner, while the Phillies don't look like a match. Ken Rosenthal says the Nationals, Tigers, Reds, D'Backs, Phillies, and Marlins are pursuing Gonzalez.
- There is some buzz about A's reliever Craig Breslow being of interest to the Phillies as well, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- The Phillies and Athletics discussed a package deal involving Gonzalez and outfielder Domonic Brown, tweets Jim Bowden of MLB Network and ESPN.com.
Tim Dierkes and Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Marlins Out Of Running For Albert Pujols
The latest on free agent superstar Albert Pujols…
- Marlins people are saying they withdrew their offer to Pujols, not the other way around, tweets ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Either way, the end result is the same: the Marlins are out.
- Bob Nightengale of USA Today confirms (via Twitter) the Marlins are no longer involved, but says Pujols still has three offers in excess of $200MM. It's hard to imagine which teams besides the Cardinals would be offering that much.
- Well, it looks like the Marlins won't sign every top free agent on the market. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick hears that Dan Lozano has told the Marlins they're out of the running for Pujols, though there are still clubs involved besides the Cardinals (Twitter links).
- The Cardinals' offer currently on the table is for nine years, not ten, according to Buster Olney (via Twitter). Meanwhile, the Marlins aren't completely out on Pujols, but won't increase their offer, tweets MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
- Pujols appears headed back to the Cardinals and the two sides are believed to be only a few million dollars apart on a ten-year deal, reports Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.
- The Marlins are moving on emotionally from the Pujols talks, tweets Buster Olney, though they haven't necessarily pulled their offer.
- Pujols' camp is attempted to extract every possible nickel in an offer from Miami so they can take that to the Cardinals, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- The Marlins are still in on Pujols, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Angels GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters his focus has not been on Pujols.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick hears lots of buzz in Dallas that the Pujols decision is shifting in the Cardinals' direction.
- Pujols is likely heading back to the Cardinals, tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. He says the Marlins are shifting their attention to Prince Fielder, while several others say they'll turn to pitching targets.
- A Cardinals source sees a good chance of a resolution one way or another today on Pujols, tweets Jon Paul Morosi. Buster Olney says there's a growing sense among some officials involved in the Pujols talks that he's staying with the Cardinals.
- The Cubs are still involved in the Pujols talks, tweets Ken Rosenthal, though the extent is unclear.
- The Marlins say they've made their final offer to Pujols, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, though an additional meeting with agent Dan Lozano remains possible.
- The Cardinals are meeting with Pujols' camp this morning, tweets MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Heyman believes the Marlins' ten-year offer is in the $200-220MM range.
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that the Cardinals' newest offer to Pujols is believed to approach $220MM over 10 years. The Cards didn't place a deadline on their offer, and general manager John Mozeliak said this wouldn't necessarily be the club's final offer. Strauss is unsure if all 10 years are guaranteed, or if the tenth year involves some kind of option.
Tim Dierkes and Luke Adams contributed to this post.
NL Central Notes: Brewers, Betemit, Wood, Young
Some tidbits from the NL Central….
- Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, GM Doug Melvin and agent Scott Boras (who represents Prince Fielder) had a meeting late last night that Melvin tells Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was unplanned and more of a check-in session. "Scott just said he wanted to give us an update," Melvin said. "You never really close the door on anything because you don't know what's going to happen. You can't really read anything into it."
- Haudricourt doesn't think the meeting is a sign that the Brewers could re-sign Fielder, believing that "Boras basically was giving them a chance to jump in and make an offer that he could shop around to other clubs….More likely, [the team] gave an indication of what they might be willing to do if Fielder decided he wanted to seriously entertain the possibility of staying in Milwaukee."
- Boras also represents Francisco Rodriguez, and Haudricourt reports the Brewers "got the feeling" in speaking to the agent that Rodriguez will reject the club's arbitration offer today.
- The Pirates are no longer pursuing Wilson Betemit, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). Biertempfel reported yesterday that the Bucs were close to deals with both Betemit and Nate McLouth, and the club agreed to terms on McLouth's contract today.
- Kerry Wood wants to return to the Cubs but wants a raise, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Wood has said he will either pitch for Chicago next season or retire, and last winter signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Cubs that was well below what other teams offered him.
- The Reds have spoken to the un-retired Dmitri Young, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). Young, 38, has lost 70 pounds and is looking to make a comeback in either the Major Leagues or Japan. Young played in Cincinnati from 1998-2001.
- The Astros are looking at Marlins assistant GM Dan Jennings as a candidate for their open general manager's job, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). Jennings' name has been connected to several GM openings in recent years but the Marlins have turned down at least four clubs' requests for interviews. Jennings is under contract to Miami for four more years.
Marlins To Sign Mark Buehrle
The Marlins' heavy offseason spending continued today, as they agreed to sign lefty Mark Buehrle to a four-year, $58MM deal, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The durable lefty will head to the National League for the first time in his career to bolster Miami's rotation. Buehrle, who spent his entire career with the White Sox after being drafted in the 38th round in 1998, follows former Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to Miami. This offseason, the Marlins have shocked baseball by committing $191MM to Buehrle, Jose Reyes, and Heath Bell in preparation of the opening of their new stadium next year.
The contract represents a slight bump from Buehrle's previous deal. He's represented by Jeff Berry of CAA Sports. Buehrle, 32, has been remarkably consistent, pitching at least 201 innings in every season since 2001. Buehrle has a pitch-to-contact style, as his 5.1 career strikeout rate attests, and his career ERA is 3.83. He joins Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez, and Ricky Nolasco in what could be an excellent Marlins rotation.
The Nationals were the other finalist for Buehrle, reportedly offering three years and $42-45MM. The Rangers also topped out at three years. In addition to Buehrle, the Marlins had been bidding on C.J. Wilson. Buehrle was quickly priced out of the White Sox' range, and they'll get a supplemental draft pick for losing the fan favorite.
MLBTR writers Steve Adams and Zach Links correctly predicted in November that Buehrle would sign with the Marlins. Check out our free agent prediction contest leaderboard here.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Nationals, Marlins Finalists For Buehrle
The latest on free agent southpaw Mark Buehrle…
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo made it pretty clear Buehrle is his only free agent pitching target, reports Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com. The Nationals are waiting for Buehrle to make a decision, tweets MLB.com's Bill Ladson. The Nationals offered three years and $42-45MM, tweets Pete Kerzel of MASNSports.com.
- The Nationals and Marlins are finalists for Buehrle, tweets Ken Rosenthal. Rangers president Nolan Ryan does not expect to land Buehrle, tweets Jon Paul Morosi.
- The Nationals are still in play and talks have intensified, tweets MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- The Marlins are definitely still in on Buehrle, tweets Danny Knobler.
- Buehrle has narrowed the field to three teams and is expected to decide within 24 hours, tweets Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.com.
- Look for the Marlins to go hard after Buehrle as soon as possible if they don't land Albert Pujols, tweets Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.
Marlins Not Looking To Trade Hanley Ramirez
3:25pm: Ramirez did not ask to have his contract restructured and is not getting traded, Marlins president David Samson told Ken Rosenthal.
3:10pm: The Marlins didn't seem interested in trading new third baseman Hanley Ramirez at today's Jose Reyes press conference, but ESPN's Buster Olney says they're now looking to move Hanley after his agent asked for a restructured contract. Olney says that if the Marlins can move the $46.5MM owed to Ramirez over the next three years, they hope to use that money on Prince Fielder.
Ramirez, 27, had the worst season of his career in 2011, slumping to .243/.333/.379 in 385 plate appearances. His shortstop defense is considered below-average. Still, it was just a year ago that Hanley was a four-to-seven wins above replacement player.
Mets Will Get Marlins’ Second-Round Pick For Reyes
WEDNESDAY: The Mets have been told they'll receive the Marlins' second-round pick for Reyes, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday. For losing Bell, the Padres will get an extra pick right before the Mets' second-round compensation pick (plus a supplemental round pick). I presume the Mets' pick from the Marlins can still be downgraded if the Marlins sign Pujols or Wilson.
MONDAY: The Mets will receive the Marlins' third-round pick as compensation for Jose Reyes, based on an article three days ago from ESPNNewYork's Adam Rubin. The Mets will also receive an earlier, supplemental round pick in the 2012 draft. Reyes agreed to a six-year, $106MM contract with the Marlins last night.
One might think that since the Marlins did not have to surrender a pick to the Padres to sign Heath Bell, the Mets would get the Marlins' second-rounder. However, an MLB official told Rubin that Bell's higher Elias ranking still pushes the Mets' Reyes pick to the Marlins' third-rounder. We'll have to see if Mets GM Sandy Alderson confirms, or even if MLB will make an exception given this strange situation.
At 77.249, Reyes was a lower Type A free agent, and the Mets' pick from the Marlins could be pushed back an additional round if the Marlins also add a higher-ranked Type A such as C.J. Wilson, Prince Fielder, or Albert Pujols.
Marlins Sign Jose Reyes
Anyone still wondering if the Miami Marlins are serious about making a splash this offseason? The Marlins officially signed star shortstop Jose Reyes to a six-year, $106MM deal today. Reyes will receive a heavily backloaded $102MM over six guaranteed years, and has a $4MM buyout on a seventh year option worth $22MM. The backloaded nature of the deal could serve as a no-trade clause, something the deal does not include. Reyes is represented by Peter E. Greenberg & Associates.
As a free agent shortstop in his prime, Reyes was a rarity. The 28-year-old had one of the finest seasons of his nine-year Mets career in 2011, winning his first batting title and posting the fourth season in which he was worth about six wins above replacement. Mets owner Fred Wilpon famously told a reporter in April that Reyes wouldn't get Carl Crawford money, and while Reyes fell one year and $36MM short of that benchmark, he did join Crawford as just baseball's second $100MM player without a 20 home run season on his resume. Reyes' contract was depressed by his injury history, as he hasn't played 135 games in a season since '08. I still like the deal for the Marlins, as Reyes doesn't have to be amazing or play 162 games a year to be worth $17.67MM annually.
The signing means that the Marlins will ask Hanley Ramirez to move to third base, an idea that may not thrill him.
The Mets were willing to offer Reyes a five-year deal for $75-85MM with a sixth year option, but felt that they could not push their offer any further, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). At today's press conference, Reyes suggested the Mets never made an offer. GM Sandy Alderson made the decision not to trade Reyes this summer partly because he hoped to re-sign the team's longtime shortstop. The new collective bargaining agreement did not affect Reyes' status as a Type A free agent, and the Mets will receive the Marlins' third-round pick as well as a supplemental pick in the 2012 draft for their loss (unless the Marlins sign C.J. Wilson or Albert Pujols, among others). It appears that although the Marlins did not give their second-round pick to the Padres for Heath Bell, Bell's higher Elias ranking still pushes the Mets' pick to the third round. In addition to the Mets, the Brewers were expected to be in on the 28-year-old and had planned to meet with his agents this week.
Armed with deeper pockets and the appeal of a brand new ballpark, the Marlins have been aggressive in their courtship of top free agents this winter. They signed closer Heath Bell a few days ago, have an offer out to C.J. Wilson, and remain in the mix for Mark Buehrle and even Albert Pujols.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports broke news of the agreement and the absence of a no-trade clause, ESPN's Jayson Stark added contract deals, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com first reported the length of the offer, and other details were also provided by Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated and Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Tim Dierkes contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Rojas Source: Hanley Prefers Trade Over Position Change
WEDNESDAY: The Marlins have every intention of Hanley being their third baseman next year, president Larry Beinfest said at today's Jose Reyes press conference.
TUESDAY: Hanley Ramirez isn't on board with the idea of moving to third base and would rather be traded than switch positions, a "credible source" told Enrique Rojas at ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com (link in Spanish).
"Hanley doesn't want to play third base and the Marlins were informed of that," the source told Rojas. "Rather than ask for a trade, what he has done is to inform (the team) that he does not want to play another position other than shortstop." Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post has also verified with a Marlins official that Ramirez did not ask to be traded (Twitter link).
Ramirez's agent Andy Mota told Rojas he had no comment about the situation, but the player himself posted a resigned-sounding Tweet this morning, saying, "What I am gonna do is work hard and get ready for next season because that is the only thing I can control I love y'all!!!!"
Rojas also spoke with Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen yesterday in Dallas, and the skipper said he had spoken with Ramirez before Reyes was signed and plans to revisit the discussion soon. "He has to understand what is best for the club, and he'll be a better player with those two guys [Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio] in front of him in the lineup," Guillen said. "The last thing we would do is smack the kid and tell him, 'You've got to move.' That's not the way… I think the boy will have the opportunity to be an All-Star third baseman. We have the opportunity to have two all stars in those positions."
Both owner Jeffrey Loria and president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest suggested recently that Ramirez would ultimately defer to Reyes, and that a trade wasn't on the table. A week ago, before Reyes had signed, Ramirez expressed deference toward the possibility in an appearance on Dominican TV, saying "the front office has the last word." Ramirez played just three games worth of third base while in the Red Sox system, most recently in 2005. His -4.8 UZR in 2011 was firmly in the bottom half of NL shortstops, directly behind Reyes and in front of Bonifacio, who took over the six-hole when Ramirez underwent shoulder surgery in August.
Albert Pujols Deciding Between Cardinals, Marlins
The competition for the biggest prize on the free agent market doesn't appear to be the two-horse race we expected. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that the Angels are also pursuing Albert Pujols. Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that an AL official insisted to him today that the Angels were in on Pujols, though an official with the Halos denied it (Twitter links).
In today's mammoth recap of Pujols rumors, we heard that three teams have extended offers of ten years and at least $200MM to Pujols — the Marlins, the Cardinals, and a mystery team. While the Cubs were also reported to still be interested, the Angels may represent that mystery club. Here are the latest updates on Pujols, with the newest on top:
- Yahoo's Tim Brown tweets that the Angels are "definitely not in on Pujols," but that the Cubs have made contact.
- The Marlins offer to Pujols includes provisions that would link Pujols to the Marlins beyond his playing career as a way to show their long-term commitment without including no-trade protection, writes Stark.
- Pujols' future "won't be decided tonight," tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark.
- Juan C. Rodriguez of the Miami Sun-Sentinel tweets that a Marlins source told him they're not expecting an answer tonight.
- The Marlins haven't given Pujols a deadline or ultimatum, says Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post (on Twitter). A decision may come before sunrise, and Capozzi hears the Marlins are "very confident" (Twitter link).
- Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.com hears from a source that Pujols is down to the Marlins and Cardinals, "period" (Twitter link).
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi have a complete story up at FOX Sports on the status of the Pujols negotiations, including the Angels' interest. Within the piece, the FOX scribes say the dollar figure the Marlins are offering is acceptable to Pujols, but the two sides are "trying to work through no-trade issues."
- Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times spoke to an AL GM who said "no way" to the Angels' rumored interest, while Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the Cubs are "definitely not" in on Pujols (Twitter links). Whether or not those two clubs are involved, the Cardinals and Marlins still appear to be the favorites.
- Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (Twitter link) spoke to two Angels people who were "shocked" to hear they were considered the mystery team for Pujols. However, Danny Knobler of CBS Sports and Jon Heyman of MLB Network are both hearing that it is, in fact, the Angels (Twitter links).
- Joe Frisaro of MLB.com tweets that the Marlins were hoping for resolution on Pujols soon, but it's looking less likely it will happen tonight.