Jose Reyes Rumors: Tuesday
While many are wondering if Yu Darvish's stock could be affected by Japanese imports' past success, or lack thereof, Dave Cameron of Fangraphs wonders if Carl Crawford's poor 2011 could affect Jose Reyes' next contract. As Cameron writes, the two players are similar in many ways, and teams may have second thoughts about committing so many years and dollars to a player in Crawford's mold. Still, in this morning's poll, approximately 63% of MLBTR readers predicted Reyes would sign for $100MM or more. Let's check out today's Reyes-related rumors, with the latest additions on top….
- Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio (Twitter link) hears that Reyes only has two legit offers so far, but cautions that it's still early. Bowden guesses the offers are from the Marlins and Mets, but Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (Twitter link) spoke to a Mets person who suggests no offer has been extended to Reyes.
- Andy Martino of the New York Daily News talked to Mets people who continue to find it unlikely that the club would go as high as six years for Reyes. SI.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter) says the reported six-year, $90MM offer for Reyes could be in the Mets' ballpark, but no one expects that to ultimately be the best offer.
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio (Twitter link) that, while he loves Reyes, "I don't think we're going to shop at that store."
- GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudicourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he thinks the Brewers' interest in Reyes has "probably" been overstated (Twitter link).
Brewers Rumors: Furcal, Aramis, Barmes, Reyes
Here's the latest on the Brewers, including what's happening at the GM meetings in Milwaukee:
- The Brewers are much more interested in Rafael Furcal than Aramis Ramirez, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports adds that the Brewers have strong reservations about Furcal and may stick with Yuniesky Betancourt. Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke admitted that he likes both Furcal and Ramirez today on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM with Jim Bowden and Casey Stern.
- Clint Barmes is another possibility for the Brewers at shortstop. MLB.com's Adam McCalvy writes that GM Doug Melvin will meet with Barmes' agent tomorrow.
- Milwaukee is considering whether funds are available for the top shortstop on the market, Jose Reyes, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com.
- The Brewers inquired on Gaby Sanchez at season's end, tweets Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. If the first baseman becomes available, Milwaukee could make a play for him.
- Melvin says he hasn't given up on signing Prince Fielder, and will meet with Scott Boras today. However, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thinks the GM has moved on, meaning Mat Gamel could get a chance to start the season at first base (all Twitter links).
- The Brewers will not attempt to re-sign Milwaukee native Craig Counsell, tweets Haudricourt.
- In another tweet, Haudricourt adds that outrighted players Mitch Stetter and Josh Wilson have elected free agency.
Brewers Notes: Fielder, Reyes, Betancourt, Hairston
This week's GM meetings are being held in Milwaukee, so let's round up some news from the local team…
- GM Doug Melvin confirmed to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that they will not extend an offer to Prince Fielder during this week's GM meetings. “We won’t do that here,” said Melvin, who is open to meeting with Fielder's agent, Scott Boras.
- Melvin told McCalvy that he has not decided if he will make more phone calls or have a face-to-face meeting with Jose Reyes' agent, Peter Greenberg. “[We've made] one phone call … No numbers," said the GM.
- The Brewers declined Yuniesky Betancourt's $6MM option for 2012, but Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel that he's "very interested" in bringing the shortstop back at a lower salary.
- Melvin has also spoken to Jerry Hairston Jr.'s agent about returning, according to Haudricourt (on Twitter).
Jose Reyes Rumors: Monday
The latest on free agent shortstop Jose Reyes…
- The Tigers like Reyes, but don't expect to sign him, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- Heyman hears that Reyes is the Brewers' top target (Twitter link).
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson said he has spoken with agent Peter Greenberg since Reyes visited the Marlins last week, according to ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin. Greenberg is currently out of the country, so he won't be meeting with teams at this week's GM Meetings. "I still think it’s early, notwithstanding all the background noise from the last week," Alderson said.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin told reporters, including Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, that he has spoken with Reyes' representatives and hasn't decided whether to initiate more talks (Twitter link).
- "There is an expectation [the Marlins] will work something out with Reyes for something in the range of five years, $18-20MM a year," said ESPN's Buster Olney on Sportscenter. Olney sees the Marlins as Reyes' most aggressive suitor.
- The Marlins are very confident on signing Reyes, a baseball source tells Kevin Burkhardt of SNY (Twitter link). Burkhardt says not to be shocked if Hanley Ramirez winds up in center field if the Marlins sign Reyes.
- One executive interested in Reyes told Joel Sherman of the New York Post Reyes is targeting a minimum of $100MM (Twitter link).
NL Central Links: Matheny, Little, Fielder
Earlier tonight, the Cardinals hired Mike Matheny as their new manager, despite the fact that he's never managed at any professional level. Here's some more on that and other news from around the NL Central:
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com calls it a "fascinating hire"and a tough job for Matheny to follow a legend that went out with a title. Knobler also wonders if the Cardinals will hire an experienced bench coach for their rookie manager, something the White Sox didn't do with Robin Ventura (Twitter links).
- Former Red Sox and Dodgers manager Grady Little is an possible candidate for such a role, tweets Knobler.
- Matthew Leach of MLB.com tweets that he hasn't covered a player in the last 10 seasons who was "better-regarded by EVERYONE" than Matheny.
- The Brewers' financial situation has changed drastically since the club offered Prince Fielder a five-year, $100MM extension in the spring of 2010, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Several players have been extended or traded for since then, and a big salary for Fielder no longer makes sense. Haudricourt says some in the organization feel it's time to let Mat Gamel have a shot at first base. The 26-year-old hit .310/.372/.540 with 28 homers in Triple-A last year.
Minor Moves: White Sox, Indians, Valdes
The latest minor moves…
- The White Sox announced that they signed left-handers Donnie Veal and Jose Quintana. Veal, 27, posted a 4.22 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in the Pirates' system this past season. Quintana, 22, posted a 2.91 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 for the Yankees' Class A team in 2011.
- The Indians announced that they signed catcher Michel Hernandez to a minor league contract and invited him to Spring Training. The 33-year-old hit .273/.384/.381 in the upper minors of the Indians' and Orioles' systems in 2011.
- The Phillies have signed left-handed reliever Raul Valdes to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Valdes pitched 12 total innings for the Yankees and Cardinals in 2011 after spending the 2010 season with the Mets. In 63 2/3 innings at Double-A and Triple-A this past season, Valdes posted a 4.38 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9.
- The Twins re-signed Brian Dinkelman to a minor league deal, according to Morosi (on Twitter).
- The Brewers re-signed Erick Almonte, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 33-year-old utility player appeared in 16 games for the Brewers in 2011, playing first base and right field. Almonte spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he hit .303/.380/.447.
- The Mariners signed right-hander Jeff Marquez to a minor league deal, according to his agency, Sosnick Cobbe Sports (via Twitter). Marquez, a first-round pick in 2004, was granted free agency by the Yankees last week.
NL Central Notes: Cubs, Marte, Brewers
On this date in 2004, 42-year-old Roger Clemens won his seventh and final Cy Young Award. The Astros right-hander became the oldest pitcher to win the award and the first to win it with four different teams. Here are some links from Houston's division…
- Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux told reporters, including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, that he likes Chicago and is honored to be considered for the Cubs' managerial opening. As for Chicago executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, Maddux says they're young and bright like Jon Daniels and others in the Rangers' front office. "Highly educated, very motivated, but very true and very honest and that's about all you can really ask for," Maddux said.
- If the Pirates decide to address needs at first, catcher and shortstop via trade, Starling Marte's name could come up, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.
- At this stage in the offseason, "everybody has interest in everybody," Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Until teams and agents start exchanging figures, it's hard to say which players fit in which payrolls. Jose Reyes is a possible fit for the Brewers, who declined their club option on Yuniesky Betancourt last week.
Red Sox Notes: Manager, Varitek, Ortiz, Papelbon
Red Sox GM Ben Cherington suggested today that the Red Sox don't need wholesale changes. "This offseason is more about fixing what's under the hood than buying a new car," he told reporters. Here’s the latest on the team, starting with a note on their ongoing managerial search…
- Cherington doesn't expect to interview additional managerial candidates after he meets with Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo and Tigers third base coach Gene Lamont, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (all Twitter links).
- The Red Sox have asked the Brewers to extend their window to talk with hitting coach Dale Sveum, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
- Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr., a candidate for Boston's managerial opening, is "going to be a Major League manager, whether that's in 2012 or sometime after that," Cherington said, according to Speier.
- Cherington has exchanged messages with free agents David Ortiz, Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald (Twitter links). However, he hasn't spoken with the representatives for Jonathan Papelbon recently.
- There's no resolution on compensation between the Cubs and Red Sox for Theo Epstein, but the commissioner's office has given the sides more leeway, according to Lauber.
- Speier explains how Ryan Madson's possible deal with the Phillies affects Papelbon and suggests the likelihood that Papelbon has thrown his last pitch for the Red Sox would increase "if Papelbon wants to dig in for a contract that clears the bar set by Madson."
Offseason Outlook: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers could compensate for the probable loss of Prince Fielder by acquiring corner infielders, a shortstop, and a few late-inning relievers, but payroll flexibility may be limited.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Zack Greinke, SP: $13.5MM through 2012
- Randy Wolf, SP: $11MM through 2012
- Corey Hart, RF: $19MM through 2013
- Rickie Weeks, 2B: $31MM through 2014, plus 2015 vesting option
- Ryan Braun, LF: $131.5MM through 2020
- Yovani Gallardo, SP: $25.1MM through 2014
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)
- Shaun Marcum, SP: $6.8MM
- Casey McGehee, 3B: $3.1MM
- Kameron Loe, RP: $2.8MM
- Nyjer Morgan, CF: $1.9MM
- Carlos Gomez, CF: $1.8MM
- Manny Parra, SP/RP: $1.2MM (non-tender candidate)
- George Kottaras, C: $800K
Free Agents
- Prince Fielder (Type A 1B), Yuniesky Betancourt (Type B SS), Mark Kotsay (unranked OF/1B), Craig Counsell (unranked IF), Jerry Hairston Jr. (unranked IF/OF), Josh Wilson (unranked SS), Felipe Lopez (unranked 3B), LaTroy Hawkins (unranked RP), Francisco Rodriguez (Type A RP), Takashi Saito (Type A RP)
Prior to a stellar 2011 season, Brewers GM Doug Melvin had a fantastic offseason. He put together a team that won a franchise-record 96 games, set an attendance record, and fell just two wins shy of a World Series appearance. He also managed to lock up Braun and Weeks within a two-month span. Melvin's follow-up act will be challenging — he's likely to lose first baseman Prince Fielder, and he drained his farm system of trade chips and potential impact players last winter.
Though Fielder said in September this was "probably" his last season with the Brewers, owner Mark Attanasio said, "We're planning on participating in the sweepstakes." There is one scenario where I can see the Brewers retaining Fielder. Say Fielder and agent Scott Boras do their thing all throughout December, visiting mystery teams and such, and all the offers fall short of Adrian Gonzalez's seven-year, $154MM deal. Also say the Brewers refrain from making a major commitment to someone like Jose Reyes and keep first base open. Then, in theory, they could jump in for around $120MM in January. However, I can't remember Boras failing with a free agent in his prime. There's no obvious candidate to overpay for Fielder right now, but the smart money is on Boras.
26-year-old Mat Gamel hit .310/.372/.540 with 28 home runs in 545 Triple-A plate appearances this year, and the Brewers hope he's a late bloomer and potential Fielder replacement. Otherwise, the free agent market features Michael Cuddyer, Carlos Pena, Casey Kotchman, and Derrek Lee as potential regulars for Milwaukee.
The left side of the infield presents another opportunity for the Brewers to improve. The smart move at third base just might be hoping McGehee bounces back from a dismal season, because the market is bleak outside of the potentially pricey Aramis Ramirez. McGehee would represent an arbitration gamble of $3.1MM or so. If the Brewers do not intend to use McGehee as a starter, they should consider trading him. Minor leaguer Taylor Green could be an internal option at third base. Shortstop offers many opportunities to upgrade over Betancourt. There's Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins at the high end, with Clint Barmes and Jamey Carroll also representing improvements on both offense and defense.
The Brewers' final need is at the back end of the bullpen, with Hawkins, Saito, and Rodriguez now free agents. Melvin could re-sign Hawkins and/or Saito or look at many other free agent options.
The problem with all these upgrades is cost. Perhaps the Brewers' record attendance will result in a payroll increase, but right now they appear to have less than $10MM in flexibility. The fact that the Brewers are willing to entertain re-signing Fielder suggests they could fit in a $20MM player and still address other needs. However, we don't know if money potentially earmarked for a franchise player like Fielder would be reallocated to players like Reyes, Ramirez, or Cuddyer. The Brewers gave up a lot to acquire Greinke and Marcum last winter, and the moves paid off. With both pitchers eligible for free agency after 2012, the Brewers should take advantage of this window of rotation riches and stretch payroll as far as possible in an attempt to make another playoff run.
Heyman On Posada, Dodgers, Beltran, Morrison
The latest rumors tweeted from SI's Jon Heyman…
- The Yankees haven't been in touch with free agent Jorge Posada so far this offseason, according to Heyman.
- A person with knowledge of the Dodgers sale says bidding will definitely go over $1 billion, and Frank McCourt may well reach his $1.2 billion target.
- The Phillies and Ryan Madson are now engaged in serious discussions, and Heyman expects the two sides to reach an agreement soon. This fits with what was written about Madson and the Phillies yesterday.
- The Red Sox are interested in free agent right fielder Carlos Beltran. I ranked Beltran ninth on my top 50 free agents list, predicting Boston as his destination.
- One executive who spoke to the Marlins tells Heyman 24-year-old left fielder Logan Morrison is off-limits. The executive could see the Fish making an exception for James Shields, however.
- The Brewers believe they have almost no hope to re-sign Prince Fielder and are now targeting free agent shortstop Jose Reyes. The Marlins will meet with Reyes in South Florida tomorrow, tweeted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Brewers would have to give the Mets the 28th overall pick in next year's draft to sign Reyes, while the Marlins would only have to surrender a second-round pick.
- The Yankees were disappointed Jonathan Sanchez went to the Royals, as they believed they had more to offer to the Giants. The Royals acquired Sanchez and a minor leaguer from the Giants for Melky Cabrera yesterday.
- The Yankees are impressed by what they've seen so far of Cuban center fielder Yoenis Cespedes, though it's mainly limited to video. Cespedes' bizarre showcase video mostly shows off the player's athleticism and style. For a rundown of Cespedes' suitors, click here, and for a scout's view of him, check out the latest from MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.
- Yankees executive Billy Eppler grew up with free agent lefty C.J. Wilson, for what it's worth. The Yankees will talk to Wilson, who GM Brian Cashman acknowledged is the "best pitcher on the marketplace right now."