Tigers To Sign Scott Williamson
According to Danny Knobler, reliever Scott Williamson is close to a minor league deal with the Tigers. Knobler says the Brewers also had interest in Williamson, who pitched in Triple A for the Braves and Mariners last year. You have to look back to a 28.6 inning stint with Boston in ’04 to find his last big league success.
Rosenthal On Perez, Manny, Pirates
Another new column from the hard-working Ken Rosenthal.
- Rosenthal doesn’t believe that the market for Oliver Perez is limited to the Mets; it’s more that they’re the only interested team we know about. Two teams we can cross off are the Rangers and Cubs. The Mets want to do three years for Perez while Scott Boras wants five. The Mets’ plan is to sign one of Perez, Randy Wolf, or Ben Sheets and then add a cheaper arm like Freddy Garcia.
- Rosenthal believes the Giants could justify signing Manny Ramirez as an attempt to "max out" while they still have Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum (they have Cain through 2011, Lincecum through 2013).
- Rosenthal notes that free agents who accept offers of arbitration do not have guaranteed contracts. However, players such as Orlando Cabrera and Jason Varitek would’ve had to be released for clear baseball reasons, not to save money. Otherwise the teams would be in hot water with the Players Association.
- Rosenthal notes that Scott Boras has worked out two-year deals covering arbitration years for past clients such as Matt Holliday and Mark Teixeira, so the current Prince Fielder talks don’t signify a change.
- The Pirates have no need to shed payroll.
Rosenthal On Sheets, Cruz, Cabrera, Reyes
The latest from Ken Rosenthal…
- Rosenthal recommends the Yankees sign Ben Sheets and Juan Cruz, partially because they’d pay less of a cost in draft picks than any other team. One exec predicted Sheets would require a $6-8MM base with the potential to earn at least $14MM, and possibly a "lucrative club option." Despite Rosenthal’s recommendation, the Yanks remain focused on Andy Pettitte (who is not weighing an offer from the Astros).
- Industry sources tell Rosenthal that the Red Sox have kept their payroll flexible in case mid and low-revenue teams need to dump contracts.
- The A’s probably cannot afford both Nick Johnson and Orlando Cabrera, so they’ll wait to see what happens with Cabrera before pursuing the trade with Washington.
- Prince Fielder filed for $8MM against the Brewers’ $6MM; Rosenthal indicates the team feared he’d file higher.
- One chatter mentioned yesterday that Cory Sullivan and Jeremy Reed are the exact same player; one GM said the same to Rosenthal.
- Dennys Reyes has backed off his demand for Jeremy Affeldt money (two years, $8MM). Affeldt seemed like a bargain at the time.
- Expected to be in attendance at Kris Benson‘s upcoming throwing session: the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, Rockies, and D’Backs. Looks like an NL West affair.
Ryan Howard Submits $18MM
According to the AP, Ryan Howard asked for $18MM in arbitration. The Phillies put in a $14MM figure. Prince Fielder requested a pretty reasonable $8MM; the Brewers came in at $6MM.
Prince Fielder Staying Put
Adam Mertz of The Capital Times talked with Brewers GM Doug Melvin yesterday. Melvin was asked whether he would commit to Prince Fielder for the entire year, and the GM replied, "Yeah." Melvin said he never discussed a Fielder trade and hasn’t received inquiries on his first baseman. Melvin doesn’t seem too worried about settling Fielder’s ’09 salary with Scott Boras.
Mertz also learned that Melvin expects Ben Sheets to sign elsewhere, though the door remains open.
Brewers Avoid Arb With Seth McClung
According to Tom Haudricourt, the Brewers avoided arbitration with pitcher Seth McClung by agreeing to a deal for ’09. Ronald Blum says it’s for $1.6625MM. McClung, 28 next month, continued to struggle with his control but had his best season in 2008. The Brewers still have three big ones left in Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, and Rickie Weeks.
Rosenthal On Roberts, Hudson, Counsell
Let’s take a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal.
- The Orioles have their ears open Brian Roberts, whose trade value has diminished as he nears free agency. The White Sox can’t afford him, the Braves are reluctant to give up talent, and the Cubs didn’t discuss him in the Felix Pie talks. The Roberts market may improve once Orlando Hudson signs.
- Rosenthal’s source says the Michael Young–Jermaine Dye discussions did take place. If you read Dave van Dyck’s article, Ken Williams never specifically denied talks with the Rangers.
- Rosenthal believes that if the Cubs make another big move, it’ll be a Jake Peavy trade. They’re not in on Hudson.
- The Dodgers have roughly $50MM in payroll flexibility right now.
- The Giants may be looking at Manny Ramirez, but they’ve also looked in trades for hitters – "presumably" Prince Fielder or Corey Hart included. Those talks with the Brewers didn’t go far. The Giants may be willing to move Jonathan Sanchez, but the Jorge Cantu talks have stalled.
- So far the Dodgers and Russell Martin have only talked about a one-year deal.
- The Mariners are Brewers are eyeing Craig Counsell.
- The Ms "likely are willing" to trade Aaron Heilman.
Odds & Ends: Brewers, Votto, Manny, Montero
A handful of Odds and Ends from around the bigs:
- The Brewers declined to offer a contract to any of the former players that attended their tryout camp last Tuesday in Phoenix, says Tom Haudricourt. Among the auditioning were Mark Bellhorn, Randall Simon, and Robert Fick.
- Mariners new GM Jack Zduriencik may find his patience will pay off as bargains begin to emerge in the free agent market, says Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune.
- Bill Madden of the NY Daily News breaks down the Manny Ramirez market, team by team, including notes on the Dodgers, Mets, Giants, Angels, Yankees, Nats, and Tigers. He notes that if the Yankees failed to land Mark Teixeira, they "were ready to go at least two years and an option for Manny." Madden expects to hear the word "collusion" any day now.
- According to Tom Krasovic, the Padres have a chance at drafting Stephen Strasburg, a San Diego native, in the 2009 draft if the Mariners and Nationals pass on the pitcher.
- Nick Piecoro of azcentral.com says the Diamondbacks are not budging on their price for Miguel Montero: "a legit impact player, like a solid starting pitcher or an everyday bat." The Red Sox remain interested, but Piecoro writes,
"It’s possible the Red Sox are using Montero as leverage to drive down [Jason] Varitek’s cost or get the Rangers to cave on their asking price for Jarred Saltalamacchia or Taylor Teagarden."
- "No chance," says GM Walt Jocketty that Joey Votto will be traded, according to John Fay of the Cincinatti Enquirer.
Fielder To Aim High In Arbitration
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel expects Scott Boras and Prince Fielder to aim sky-high when they file his salary arbitration request. Fielder and Boras turned down an extension of 5 years, $60MM last season to "focus on his first year of arbitration eligibility," says Haudricourt. Last season Ryan Howard won his case for $10MM. Haudricourt makes a statistical comparison of the two sluggers in their first year of salary arbitration:
Fielder: .278 AVG, 114 HR, 312 RBI, .533 slugging percentage and .370 on-base percentage in 513 games.
Howard, as of last season: .291 AVG, 129 HR, 353 RBI, a slugging percentage above .600 and an on-base percentage approaching .400, in 410 games.
Assistant GM Gord Ash said, "The number we put in has to be defendable in the event it goes to a hearing. We’ve been able to settle these situations in the past and that’s our preference, but we’ll go to a hearing if we have to." Haudricourt adds:
"The Brewers budgeted the expected increase in Fielder’s salary into their 2009 payroll and are prepared to pay it. But the expectation of a contentious arbitration hearing as well as Fielder’s likely exodus as a free agent after the 2011 season have prompted some to suggest the Brewers should trade him now. The thinking is that the closer Fielder gets to free agency, the less the Brewers would get in return for a player they have no chance of keeping long-term. But the club also wants to follow up on its 2008 playoff breakthrough and won’t trade Fielder merely to head off financial conflicts in the future."
Brewers Still Considering Cordero
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the Brewers are maintaining interest in Chad Cordero, even after signing Trevor Hoffman to close. Writes Haudricourt,
"[Brewers assistant GM Gordon] Ash said the Brewers were still discussing whether to put in an offer to the agent of former Washington closer Chad Cordero, who held a throwing session in California last week for interested clubs. Cordero is coming off shoulder surgery and is not expected to be ready to pitch until a month or two into the season. ‘It’s a risk decision,’ said Ash. "It’s a matter of how much (financial) risk you want to take. His agent has let it be known he’s going to sign somewhere.’"
Cordero auditioned 10 days ago for 7 teams, one of which was Milwaukee. The Marlins and Dodgers have since expressed interest. Also potentially interested: the Angels, Mets, Cardinals, D’Backs, Rangers, Twins, Nats, and Tigers.