Marlins To Meet With Mark Buehrle
The Marlins, who already obtained manager Ozzie Guillen from the White Sox this offseason, are now pursuing the most dependable starter the skipper had in Chicago, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Marlins will meet with free agent left-hander Mark Buehrle tomorrow.
Rosenthal reported earlier today that adding left-handed starting pitching is the Marlins' top offseason priority. C.J. Wilson, another free agent left-hander, concerns the Marlins because of his postseason control issues, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
The Marlins aren't shying away from other top free agents. They have Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols on their radar and, according to Rosenthal, will meet with Jose Reyes Wednesday and Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes Thursday. Pujols, Fielder, Reyes and Wilson are Type A free agents, while Buehrle qualifies as a Type B. He wouldn't cost the Marlins a 2012 draft pick and neither would Cespedes.
Heyman On Pagan, Braves, Pujols, Madson
Terry Ryan is officially the interim general manager of the Twins, but Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the longtime GM is recharged and may stay a while (Twitter link). Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors from SI.com:
- The Mets have discussed Angel Pagan as a non-tender candidate, but they intend to offer him arbitration, according to Heyman (on Twitter). MLBTR projects a $4.7MM salary for the center fielder in 2012.
- Meanwhile, Chris Capuano is looking for a two-year deal, but the Mets prefer one-year bargains (Twitter link).
- The Braves are looking for a Zack Greinke-like return in a deal for Jair Jurrjens, according to Heyman (on Twitter). The Royals obtained Jake Odorizzi, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jeremy Jeffress for Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt last offseason.
- Twins executive Mike Radcliff and Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer weren’t that interested in the Orioles’ GM job, according to Heyman. The Orioles requested permission to interview them both, but the Twins denied the request and the Orioles hired Dan Duquette before setting anything up with Oppenheimer.
- It's believed that Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava got a raise to stay in Toronto, according to Heyman.
- It’s hard to tell Boston’s list of managerial candidates apart from the one the Cubs have, as Heyman explains.
- It doesn’t appear that the Cardinals will be able to boost their nine-year, $200MM offer to Albert Pujols by much.
- Ryan Madson is drawing lots of interest and the Red Sox, Phillies, Nationals, Rangers and Marlins are believed to be interested.
- C.J. Wilson, Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle and Roy Oswalt are drawing lots of interest, as expected.
- Heyman hears that Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is pushing for Prince Fielder or Pujols. The Marlins have also expressed early interest in Jose Reyes.
Yoenis Cespedes To Gain Free Agency
7:15pm: The Red Sox are "sending everyone" to the Dominican to evaluate Cespedes, according to MLB.com's Peter Gammons. The Rangers are also interested, along with the many teams named below, according to Gammons, who confirms that small-market teams like the A's, Pirates and Indians will be involved.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports names the Marlins, Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, and Nationals as teams with a significant presence at the Friday workout.
5:49pm: Yankees GM Brian Cashman confirmed that he saw the Cespedes video, but wouldn't say whether the Yankees are interested, according to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger (link on Twitter; the video has been removed). Meanwhile, Braves GM Frank Wren told David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he doesn't expect to sign the center fielder, though they're checking in on him (Twitter link).
2:25pm: The Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, Giants, Marlins, Nationals, Indians, Athletics, and Pirates have had a presence at Cespedes' workouts, reports Yahoo's Tim Brown. Giants GM Brian Sabean told reporters today that his team will not be involved on Cespedes, however (via Andrew Baggarly on Twitter).
Agent Adam Katz tells Brown he'll wait until his client is technically declared a free agent before discussing contract terms with teams. The Yankees, Phillies, and Marlins will have private workouts with Cespedes within the next few weeks, with a Marlins contingent heading to the Dominican Republic this week.
8:30am: Cuban center fielder Yoenis Cespedes defected mid-summer and is expected to be cleared for free agency within a matter of weeks, reports Yahoo's Jeff Passan. The 26-year-old is "arguably the best all-around player to come out of Cuba in a generation," according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, who describes Cespedes as "a legitimate centerfielder with plus power and speed." Both Passan and Goldstein expect the 26-year-old to receive a deal in the range of the $30.25MM Aroldis Chapman received in January of 2010. MLBTR first told you about Cespedes' escape from the Cuban National Team in July.
If you really want to get to know Cespedes, though, you need to watch the 20-minute YouTube video sent by his trainer to MLB teams. Goldstein's column provides a full breakdown of this bizarre production, but I'll just note that it includes Cespedes making a 45-inch vertical jump, leg-pressing 1,300 pounds (with two friends atop the weights), catching a flyball behind his back while facing the batter (twice), a thank you to Ahman Green, and the player roasting a pig. Some of the songs used may not be appropriate for your workplace, except for Christopher Cross' 1980 hit "Sailing," which was deemed too tame even for your office's elevator.
Cespedes is represented by Adam Katz of Wasserman Media Group. Passan says the Yankees are "particularly hot" for the center fielder. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post says the Nationals had multiple talent evaluators on hand at Cespedes' workout last week in the Dominican Republic, and a team official said they'd "love to have him." Ownership has been informed about Cespedes and what it would take to sign him. The Marlins and Phillies are also in the mix for Cespedes, writes Kilgore. As with Chapman, this type of player in his prime will draw the interest of almost every club.
The Marlins have the inside track, one American League source who attended the showcase told Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. A Marlins contingent including owner Jeffrey Loria will visit Cespedes in the Dominican Republic later this week, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Fielder, Pujols On Marlins’ Radar
South Florida's MLB team may have changed beyond recognition by the time the 2012 season begins and it has nothing to do with what they'll be wearing. As they prepare to move into a new stadium, the soon-to-be Miami Marlins are targeting baseball's top free agents. They've contacted Jose Reyes and, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, first basemen Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols are also on their radar (all Twitter links).
However, it's not as simple as out-bidding the competition. The Marlins already have Gaby Sanchez stationed at first base and they'd like to move Logan Morrison out of left field, according to Crasnick. Plus, they're hoping to add left-handed starting pitching this offseason, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports points out (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of SI.com reported earlier today that Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is pushing for Fielder or Pujols.
Jose Reyes To Meet With Marlins
3:47pm: The Marlins contacted Reyes one minute into the free agent signing period, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. A group of Marlins executives went to New York this week and it appears they were going to visit Reyes’ agent, Peter Greenberg.
2:38pm: Free agent shortstop Jose Reyes is scheduled to meet with the Marlins, according to WFAN's Mike Francesa (Twitter link). The tweet says that Reyes has received an offer, but my guess is nothing has been formally presented at this early stage.
The Marlins' interest in Reyes is real, so what would become of Hanley Ramirez if they sign Reyes? Marlins president David Samson told MLB.com's Joe Frisaro there have been no conversations about moving Ramirez to another position, but I'd be surprised if the Fish haven't discussed the possibility internally. A trade could be another option.
Major free agents typically sign in December or January, so much remains to be seen about the composition of Reyes' market.
NL East Notes: Wang, Buehrle, Ankiel, Braves
The Mets are losing confidence that Jose Reyes will return in 2012. Here are some more hot stove notes from the NL East…
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told reporters, including Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com, that the team discussed possible 2013 options with Chien-Ming Wang's representatives before agreeing to a simple one-year deal.
- The Nationals will continue searching for pitching. "We want a guy that has shown he's a good leader, that can win in the big leagues," Rizzo said. "It's not about having the best stuff. It's about being able to pitch 200 innings many, many times in your career.” As Goessling and a number of other Nationals reporters have noted, that describes Mark Buehrle quite well.
- Scouts tell ESPN.com's Buster Olney that they like what Buehrle offers, even though the 32-year-old southpaw doesn't light up any radar guns. Meanwhile, the Marlins are concerned about the command issues C.J. Wilson had in the postseason, according to Olney.
- The Mets haven’t ruled out free agent Rick Ankiel as a center field option, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. They still have arbitration eligible center fielder Angel Pagan, but they may trade or non-tender him instead.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore acknowledged that he has had preliminary trade talks with the Braves, according to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Braves are open to moving Jair Jurrjens or Martin Prado and the Royals are looking for starting pitching.
Marlins Will Make Rotation The “Top Priority”
The Marlins are expected to pursue several players in what could be a very busy offseason, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link) says the team's "top priority" is starting pitching. The Fish want to acquire two starters to join Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez in the rotation. Miami believes Javier Vazquez will retire, though Rosenthal reported earlier today that there was a "50-50" chance Vazquez could pitch in 2012.
With the Marlins prepared to raise payroll, there's no shortage of pitching options out there if the Fish want to (pardon the pun) make a big splash for their first season in their new ballpark. Miami could sign a top free agent arm like C.J. Wilson or Edwin Jackson, or the Marlins could try to acquire a starter in a trade. We've already heard James Shields' name connected to Miami, but since the Rays appear intent on keeping Shields, that particular move could be a non-starter.
Chris Volstad is an internal option, and while he hasn't performed spectacularly in his first four big league seasons, he eats innings and is still just 25 years old. Volstad will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter and projects to earn roughly $2.6MM. While it's a cheap enough price for the club to tender him a contract, Volstad may be seen as roster depth at best for next year's Marlins if their offseason plans come to fruition.
Marlins Notes: Payroll, Oviedo, Vazquez
Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest spoke with reporters yesterday; here are the hot stove highlights.
- The Marlins will raise their payroll to at least $85MM in 2012, writes Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. By my calculations they should have over $20MM to spend on '12 salaries, if Juan Carlos Oviedo does not remain with the team.
- Oviedo, the former Leo Nunez, is in the Dominican Republic working through identity-related legal issues. Beinfest hopes for clarity on the situation as soon as possible, but has "contingencies in place." Beinfest noted that there are dates that are sensitive to Oviedo's situation, namely the December 12th non-tender deadline.
- Beinfest told reporters the Marlins' top priority is to add rotation depth. In regard to Javier Vazquez, he said, "I haven't talked with Javy since the season ended. What a great job he did for us, and we will check in with him and his agent. We'll see where his head is, and where his thoughts are. That door was left open when the season ended to at least explore. Javy's mind is wherever Javy's mind is. He's a veteran guy. We'll at least explore and keep and touch, and we'll see."
- Beinfest seems more open to trading young players, saying, "I think we need to become a little more open, just in general. I think we've been very protective of our zero to three [years of experience] players because we've had to be, given our payroll challenges. I think we can open up a little more now."
- This is an important offseason for center fielder Chris Coghlan, says Beinfest, after two disappointing seasons.
- To read my offseason outlook for the new Miami Marlins, click here.
Quick Hits: Moyer, Darvish, Yankees, Tigers
Congratulations to the 2011 Gold Glove winners. Here are some notes from around MLB…
- Brandon Phillips ($250K), Adrian Beltre ($100K) and Adrian Gonzalez ($100K) were among the winners to obtain bonuses for their fielding excellence, according to the AP (via SI.com).
- Jamie Moyer threw for scouts last Thursday, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Reports on the left-hander, who’s nearly a year removed from Tommy John surgery, are excellent.
- Patrick Newman of FanGraphs explains what you need to know about Yu Darvish, the Japanese starter who could be posted this offseason.
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs makes the case that teams should treat Darvish as a super two player by guaranteeing him two or three years at an average annual value of approximately $10MM.
- Jim Margalus of South Side Sox isn't thrilled that the White Sox exercised Jason Frasor’s 3.75MM option and explains what the decision means for Chicago.
- The Yankees expect to be heavily involved in trade talks this offseason because they have prospects to trade and are willing to deal pitching, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told reporters, including MLB.com's Jason Beck, that he'd like to re-sign free agent infielder Ramon Santiago. Though the Tigers like Santiago, they don't see him as an everyday solution.
- Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says he’d like to re-sign free agents Ryan Madson and Jimmy Rollins if possible, according to Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We've had discussions with the agents of both players," Amaro said.
- Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest repeated that he can consider major expenditures this offseason, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.
NL East Notes: Rollins, Nats, Nathan, Marlins
On this day three years ago, the Phillies sewed up a World Series title by finishing off the Rays in the resumption of a rain-suspended Game 5. Here's an item regarding that Philly team's shortstop, and a few others from around the NL East …
- Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins tells CSNPhilly.com that he expects the Phils to make him an offer before he officially hits free agency (video link), though he's not sure what the terms of that offer might be.
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo thinks his club can contend for the NL East title in 2012 with the addition of an outfield bat and a starting pitcher, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Washington might also pursue Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, opines Ladson, as the Nats have made "no promises" to Adam LaRoche.
- Closer Joe Nathan, whose $12MM 2012 option was declined this week by the Twins, said the Mets will be on his radar during his foray into free agency, according to Greg Logan of Newsday. Nathan is a New York native and attended Stony Brook University on Long Island.
- Marlins president David Samson said Florida plans to have a busy but prudent offseason and raise its payroll in 2012, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. "We're going to be very aggressive, but we're not going to be foolish. That's the key. When you raise your payroll, you've got to do it smartly, because if you don't, you are losing 90 games at a higher payroll." Frisaro speculates the Marlins' payroll will be roughly $85MM in 2012, which would be a $27MM increase from 2011's $58MM.