D’Backs Still Looking To Trade Snyder, Ojeda
The Diamondbacks are still looking to trade catcher Chris Snyder and infielder Augie Ojeda, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
Piecoro says Snyder has looked healthy this spring, after having back surgery in September. The Blue Jays called off a Snyder-Lyle Overbay swap in November because of concerns about the catcher's back. Snyder is owed a hefty $11.25MM over the next two years. According to Piecoro, the Brewers have shown interest in Snyder. Milwaukee currently has Gregg Zaun and George Kottaras behind the dish. They're facing a pitching roster crunch, and the D'Backs could use another arm.
Ojeda, owed $825K this year and under team control through 2011, would obviously be easier to move. Piecoro says Ojeda became available once Tony Abreu demonstrated the ability to play shortstop. The Rangers probably aren't a fit anymore, having acquired Gregorio Petit today.
Odds & Ends: Orioles, Harper, Hanley
Links for Wednesday…
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports presents a slideshow of ten trades he thinks would make sense.
- In another article, Morosi says Bryce Harper is "one terrible role model." Morosi contrasts Harper with Joe Mauer, who he says had an "uncontrived upbringing" but still became a well-paid star.
- The Mariners acquired minor league infielder Edgar Trejo from the Brewers for a player to be named later or cash considerations, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- Over at RotoAuthority, I took a look at 2009's top position players and pitchers in terms of fantasy baseball earnings, and what rounds those players were drafted in.
- The Orioles are replacing farm director David Stockstill, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Tony Pente of Orioles Hangout first hinted Monday of impending front office changes.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes that March 31st at 2pm is "the deadline to release players with non-guaranteed contracts and owe just 45-day’s pay." The Yankees' Chad Gaudin is one example, though a year ago with the Cubs Gaudin had a guaranteed contract.
- In light of the news that the Giants are shopping infielder Kevin Frandsen, Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner explains why the Mariners acquiring him "seems like the most obvious move ever."
- Marlins president David Samson told Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post he'd like Hanley Ramirez to retire a Marlin. Fortunately, Ramirez is already signed through 2014.
Brewers Release Scott Schoeneweis
The Brewers released lefty reliever Scott Schoeneweis, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Schoeneweis had signed a minor league deal on February 9th, with hopes of complementing Mitch Stetter as the team's second bullpen lefty. Schoeneweis was upset by the release, and doesn't feel he should have to prove himself again because his wife died last year from a drug overdose. He sounded off further to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
Schoeneweis, 36, handled lefties well for the Mets back in '08. He joins free agent southpaw relievers Ron Mahay, Glendon Rusch, and Ron Villone.
Could Mauer’s Deal Impact Fielder?
Joe Mauer's contract sent a ripple though baseball over the weekend, as it effectively shed Minnesota's "small market team" label. Not only was it fourth largest contract in baseball history, but it was also the largest contract ever signed by a catcher. As Satchel Price at Beyond The Box Score shows, it's not even close.
Could Mauer's deal have a trickle down affect on Prince Fielder, who is two years away from free agency? Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel spoke to several members of the Brewers' organization about the possibility, including Prince himself. When asked if he thought about how Mauer's deal effects him, Fielder replied "Not really because I don't really think about it. I'm just focused on getting ready. It doesn't really make me think about myself. It's just cool for him."
GM Doug Melvin responded with the rather boring (yet true) line of “You can keep anybody if you want to pay the market price." Milwaukee already has its other franchise player, Ryan Braun, locked up through 2015 at more than affordable annual salaries, though if they give Fielder a Mauer-esque contract, they'll have roughly 40% of their payroll tied up in just two players, assuming they maintain the same $80MM payroll they've had the last two seasons.
Of course, the differences between Mauer and Fielder are obvious. Mauer plays the more premium position and doesn't share the same long-term concerns about his size and athleticism. He also has more hardware, and doesn't employ Scott Boras as an agent. Both are among the best young players in the game, no doubt, but in the end, we're talking about a unique situation when it comes to Joe Mauer because of his status as a true homegrown player.
Rangers Acquire Matt Treanor
The Rangers have acquired catcher Matt Treanor from the Brewers in exchange for infielder Ray Olmedo, tweets Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel. Jeff Wilson of The Forth Worth Star Telegram says (via Twitter) that the Rangers don't expect Treanor to exercise the March 30th opt-out clause in his contract.
Texas had been looking for some catching depth all offseason as Jarrod Saltalamacchia recovers from shoulder surgery. The 34-year-old Treanor missed most of the 2009 season with a bone spur in his right hip, and is a career .232/.318/.311 hitter in the big leagues.
Olmedo, 29 in May, is a .228/.276/.293 career hitter in 442 big league plate appearances, but at least he can play all over the infield. He last appeared in the majors in 2007, and he's spent the last two years playing in Triple-A for the Nationals and Rays. He was promptly sent to minor league camp.
Brewers Notes: Edmonds, Fielder, Schoeneweis
Let's check out some Brewers tidbits courtesy of MLB.com's Adam McCalvy..
- An article from Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel seemed to indicate that Jim Edmonds might not want to play in 2010. However, McCalvy writes that Edmonds reiterated his desire to make the squad in Milwaukee. He adds that it would be something of a surprise if Milwaukee didn't offer the 39-year-old their final roster spot.
- In McCalvy's view, it is unlikely that Milwaukee will deal Prince Fielder mid-season. As he points out, contract negotiations would first have to fall apart before the club would even consider such a move. If they do look to move him, expect them to do so next offseason.
- McCalvy also writes that three players in camp with the Brewers can elect for free agency if they are not added to the 40-man roster: the aforementioned Edmonds, catcher Matt Treanor, and lefty Scott Schoeneweis. Treanor is battling with George Kottaras for the backup catcher position and the club may not have room for Treanor in the minor leagues. Meanwhile, in the event that Schoeneweis doesn't make the cut, he has said that he is unwilling to accept a minor league assignment.
No Recent Talk Between Washburn, M’s
Jarrod Washburn told ESPN Seattle's Mike Salk, via text message, that to his knowledge there have been no recent conversations with the Mariners. Seattle's rotation has some question marks, with the most recent bump in the road being an abdominal strain to newly-acquired Cliff Lee.
Lee will be re-evaluated on Friday, and Salk speculates that if the injury proves to be more serious than initially thought, the Mariners may then reach out to replacements. As it is, Washburn would likely take about a month to get himself into decent game shape, so he wouldn't be available for immediate help anyway.
Washburn, 35, has had a peculiar offseason. He initially stated that he'd prefer to pitch close to his home in Wisconsin, but reportedly turned down a one-year, $5MM offer from the Twins and watched as the Brewers signed Randy Wolf and Doug Davis. ESPN's Buster Olney revealed that Washburn also turned down $5MM from Milwaukee. Since then, Washburn's stated that he's simply waiting for the right offer, but would also be happy to retire.
Odds & Ends: Cardinals, Brewers, Willis, Guardado
Links for Sunday….
- The Cardinals are considering Adam Ottavino, their 2006 first-round pick, as an option for the bullpen, writes Derrick Goold. The 24-year-old has improved his delivery and hurled 8.1 innings so far this spring, allowing just one run with five strikeouts, though he also has five walks to go along with them.
- The Brewers will have some decisions to make this week on players such as Jim Edmonds, Matt Treanor, and Scott Schoeneweis, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Each signed a minor league deal with an out clause. McCalvy opines that "it would be a surprise" if Edmonds didn't factor into the Crew's 2010 Major League plans.
- Lynn Henning of the Detroit News thinks that the Tigers will release Dontrelle Willis in the near future.
- Eddie Guardado hasn't officially announced his retirement, but he tells Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas "I think I'm done." Durrett reports that, even if Guardado doesn't pitch again, the lefty would like to stay in baseball in some capacity.
- The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has a few interesting notes in his latest column. He names Jake Westbrook as an intriguing trade-deadline pitching option, and says that Mark Mulder could still work toward a comeback this season.
- The Rangers may try to trade for a utility infielder, according to Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn't think it's a foregone conclusion that Adrian Gonzalez will be playing in Fenway Park by August.
- Heath Bell, another Padre who has been the subject of trade rumors, is staying in San Diego for the time being, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times. The Bell-to-Minnesota rumors have been swirling lately, following the news of Joe Nathan's season-ending injury.
- For the latest updates on Bell, and the rest of the closing situations around baseball, be sure to follow our @closernews account on Twitter.
Offseason In Review: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are next in our Offseason In Review series.
Major League Signings
- Randy Wolf, SP: three years, $29.75MM. Includes $10MM club option for 2013 with a $1.5MM buyout.
- Trevor Hoffman, RP: one year, $8MM. Includes $7MM+ mutual option for 2011 with a $500K buyout.
- LaTroy Hawkins, RP: two years, $7.5MM.
- Doug Davis, SP: one year, $5.25MM. Includes $6.5MM mutual option for 2011 with a $1MM buyout.
- Gregg Zaun, C: one year, $2.15MM. Includes $2.25MM club option for 2011 with a $250K buyout.
- Craig Counsell, IF: one year, $2.1MM.
- Claudio Vargas, RP: one year, $900K.
- Total spend: $55.65MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Chris Capuano, Scott Schoeneweis, Matt Treanor, Jim Edmonds, Trent Oeltjen, Adam Stern, Norris Hopper, Tim Dillard, Kameron Loe
Trades and Claims
- Acquired CF Carlos Gomez for SS J.J. Hardy
- Claimed C George Kottaras off waivers from Red Sox
- Claimed SS Luis Cruz off waivers from Pirates
- Claimed Rule 5 pick P Chuck Lofgren from Indians, later traded Omar Aguilar to retain him
- Claimed P Marco Estrada off waivers from Nationals
Notable Losses
- Mike Cameron, Jason Kendall, J.J. Hardy, Felipe Lopez, Frank Catalanotto, Mike Rivera, Chris Duffy, Brad Nelson, Braden Looper, Seth McClung, David Weathers, R.J. Swindle, Hernan Iribarren, Jason Bourgeois, Omar Aguilar
Summary
Brewers GM Doug Melvin was active in free agency this offseason, adding seven players for over $55MM. The focus was understandably on pitching, as the Brewers finished 15th in the NL with a 4.83 ERA in 2009. $35MM was committed to the rotation for lefties Wolf and Davis, with a hefty $15.5MM going to the back end of the bullpen.
The Brewers' finances were limited in part by a pair of free agent pitching mistakes Melvin made previously, Jeff Suppan and David Riske. Melvin was again aggressive in giving an extra year each to Wolf and Hawkins. The latest additions at least come with better peripheral stats. Bullpen-wise, the 37-year-old Hawkins and 42-year-old Hoffman received top of the market money. Risky expenditures, but at least the Brewers weren't alone in making sizeable free agent reliever commitments.
The problem with the rotation upgrades is that the Brewers' rotation is still ugly after Yovani Gallardo and Wolf. Playing around with CHONE's innings projections for the team's expected six starters (and limiting Suppan's impact) gives me a projected rotation ERA of 4.46. That would've ranked ninth in the NL last year.
Given his desire to spend his available funds on pitching, Melvin swapped Hardy for Gomez and allowed Cameron to leave. The Brewers had the best available shortstop in Hardy, but four years of Gomez is a solid return. Even in 2010, Gomez might be Cameron's equal.
Can the 2010 Brewers bash their way to a division title? They've got monsters in Braun and Fielder, but the keys might be a healthy season from Weeks and minimal regression from McGehee.
Brewers Release John Halama
The Brewers released pitcher John Halama, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Halama allowed ten hits in six spring innings. The 38-year-old southpaw signed with the Brewers in November after tossing 159.3 innings in '09 between the Braves' Triple A club and the independent Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.