Twins, Nishioka Agree To Three-Year Deal
The Twins officially agreed to terms with Tsuyoshi Nishioka on a three-year, $9MM deal, the team announced today. The deal, which came together soon after the infielder arrived in Minneapolis, includes a club option for a fourth year.
Last year, Nishioka batted .346 with 22 steals and 206 hits. ESPN.com's Keith Law and Patrick Newman of FanGraphs recently explained the switch-hitter's game in detail. The Twins have traded J.J. Hardy and Orlando Hudson is a free agent, so Nishioka and Alexi Casilla figure to be the team's everyday infielders in 2011.
The Twins won the right to negotiate with Nishioka on November 26th when the Chiba Lotte Marines accepted Minnesota's bid. The sides had 30 days to reach an agreement. The Giants, Dodgers, and Cardinals reportedly had some interest in Nishioka and the Red Sox submitted a bid in the mid-$2MM range, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Minnesota's winning bid was for about $5.3MM, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Odds & Ends: Hudson, Jackson, Lee, Crain
These days it takes more than a dollar to get a can of soda from a vending machine. Back in 1936, a dollar represented the late Bob Feller's signing bonus with the Indians. Pretty nice bargain for the Tribe on that one.
Onto tonight's links…
- Orlando Hudson is running out of suitors, but ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill suggests the Blue Jays could be a potential match, with Aaron Hill moving to third base to accomodate Hudson at second. Hudson was originally drafted by Toronto in 1997 and played four seasons for the Jays before being dealt to Arizona following the 2005 season.
- The White Sox are pushing their payroll to new heights, and ESPNChicago.com's Doug Padilla suggests they might consider trading Edwin Jackson to create some salary breathing room.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (Twitter link) has the breakdown of Cliff Lee's annual salaries with the Phillies. Lee will earn $11MM next season, $21.5MM in 2012, and then $25MM per season from 2013 to 2015, plus the previously-reported vesting option for 2016. Rosenthal tweets that Lee's $27.5MM vesting option in 2016 becomes a club option for the same total if it fails to vest, but in such a situation it seems a lock that Philadelphia would just pay Lee the $12.5MM buyout.
- There was no pressure put on Lee by the players' union to take the largest contract offer, says Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman (Twitter link). "As long as a player makes an informed choice, we're happy," says MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner.
- Jesse Crain spoke about his all-but-official contract with the White Sox in an interview on KFAN 1130 AM in Minneapolis, and MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports on the highlights of the chat. Crain said he was swayed by the chance to close games and Chicago's offer of a three-year deal, also noting that "the Twins didn't really make an offer" to re-sign him.
- Washington GM Mike Rizzo says Oakland's offer for Josh Willingham was better than any of the offers he received for Willingham before last year's trade deadline, tweets MASNsports.com's Ben Goessling.
- The Tigers have the young pitching (Andy Oliver or Jacob Turner) and middle infield prospects (Danny Worth, Will Rhymes, Scott Sizemore) to meet Kansas City's asking price for Zack Greinke, writes Steve Kornacki of MLive.com. Count me as skeptical — it's hard to see the Royals dealing Greinke to a division rival unless they got an absolute monster of an offer, and they'd probably ask Detroit for both Oliver and Turner just as a starting point.
- ESPN's Keith Law covered such topics as Jay Bruce's extension, the 2011 amateur draft and the spate of multi-year contracts for relievers in an online chat with fans today.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com outlines ten of the major holes that various contending teams still need to fill this winter.
Minor Transactions: Morales, Harvey, Red Sox
On a busy day of moves around baseball, here are a few lower-profile transactions…
- The Rockies have acquired catcher Jose Morales from the Twins in exchange for minor league left-hander Paul Bargas, according to a Minnesota team release. Morales hit .297/.370/.354 in 181 plate appearances over parts of three seasons with the Twins, only seeing significant playing time while filling in for an injured Joe Mauer in April 2009. Bargas, taken in the 13th round of the 2009 amateur draft, posted a 3.59 ERA in 58 relief appearances for Colorado's Single-A Asheville affiliate last season.
- Ryan Harvey, picked sixth overall by the Cubs in the 2003 amateur draft, has signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. Harvey is trying to convert to pitching after posting a career .749 OPS as an outfielder in eight minor league seasons in the Cubs and Rockies' systems.
- In addition to Harvey, Boston has also signed left-handers Rich Hill and Randy Williams to minor league deals, as per a team release. Hill signed a minor league contract with Boston last summer and made six relief appearances for the Red Sox after spending the previous five years as a starter with the Cubs and Orioles. Williams spent the last two seasons with the White Sox, where he posted a 5.06 ERA in 52 games out of the bullpen. The two southpaws received invitations to spring training.
- The Rangers have signed right-hander Yhency Brazoban to a minor league contract, according to the Associated Press. Brazoban made 116 appearances for the Dodgers between 2004 and 2008, and last year pitched in the Mexican League and for the Mets' Triple-A team.
- Texas also signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Alberto Triunfel to a contract worth $300K, reports Baseball America's Ben Badler. Trifunel, a Scott Boras client, was ranked eighth on Blake Bentley's list of top prospects heading into the opening of the international signing period.
Nishioka, Twins “Very Close” To Deal
8:37am: The sides are close to a three-year, $10MM deal plus an option, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter links).
THURSDAY, 7:47am: The Twins are "very close" to a deal with Nishioka, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
WEDNESDAY, 6:51pm: Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka is scheduled to arrive in Minnesota early Thursday morning according to Kelsie Smith and John Shipley of The Pioneer Press, which they say is a good indication that the two sides are moving closer to a deal. GM Bill Smith declined to comment on the matter, however…
"I'm not commenting on any of that," said Smith. "There's very little to report. We're still in discussions and negotiations. As I've been saying, we think he can help us, and I'm very optimistic we can sign him."
The Twins won the bidding for Nishioka a little less than three weeks ago, and they recently offered him a multiyear deal. The two sides still have ten days from tomorrow to get a contract worked out (including physical). Minnesota traded J.J. Hardy to the Orioles last week, which tells us they're confident in getting a deal done with Nishioka.
Odds & Ends: Lee, Zambrano, Werth, Mets, Uehara
Baseball lost one of its all-time greats tonight; Bob Feller passed away at 92. Rapid Robert won 266 games in his career, every single one of them with the Cleveland Indians. He probably would have cleared the 300 win plateau if he hadn't served in World War II from ages 23-25. Our condolences go out to the Hall of Famer's family…
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy posted this week's edition of minor league transactions. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports adds (via Twitter) that the Twins have signed infielder Mike Hollimon to a minor league deal. He missed all of 2010 recovering from shoulder surgery.
- SI.com's Jon Heyman says (via Twitter) that Derrek Lee is telling teams he'd consider a one-year deal. At least six teams are interested in the free agent first baseman.
- Carlos Zambrano has not yet given the Cubs his consent to trade him, reports MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. The right-hander has a full no-trade clause.
- MLB.com's Bill Ladson looks at the impact the Jayson Werth signing will have on 2010 first overall pick (and right fielder) Bryce Harper. The Nationals plan to play Werth in center at least part of the time going forward.
- ESPN New York's Adam Rubin provides the contract details for D.J. Carrasco, Ronny Paulino, and Boof Bonser, while Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun does the same for Koji Uehara.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports spoke to Phillies' general partner, president, and CEO David Montgomery about a variety of topics, including the Lee signing.
- Agent Scott Boras said Werth has a full no-trade clause, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (Twitter link).
- Not surprisingly, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has no interest in trading Felix Hernandez, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
- Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond has heard the trade rumors, but wants to stay in Washington, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- Josh Hamilton told Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com that he hasn't thought much about a contract extension.
- MLB's minimum salary will rise to $414K next year, according to the AP (on ESPN.com).
- The A's acquired Jose Rivero, a 20-year-old outfielder selected by the D'Backs in this year's Rule 5 draft, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter).
Carl Pavano Rumors: Tuesday
With Cliff Lee off the market, Carl Pavano is the best available free agent starter – putting aside Andy Pettitte and those trying to bounce back from injury. The Yankees won't be entertaining a reunion, but we can't rule out the Rangers for Pavano now. The latest on the righty:
- The Brewers are definitely in the hunt for Pavano, a source tells Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin spoke with O'Connell yesterday but has yet to make an offer, tweets MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
- The Nationals and Pavano's other suitors are still in, agent Tom O'Connell told MASN's Ben Goessling.
- Pavano is still exploring his options, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, but other suitors think he's going back to the Twins.
Twins Notes: Pavano, Bullpen, Nishioka
La Velle E. Neal III from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is having a busy offseason. Here's his latest on the Twins:
- Neal doesn't think the Twins have to match the best offer to sign Carl Pavano, who's told his teammates and club officials that he really wants to stay in the Twin Cities.
- The Twins' trade of J.J. Hardy isn't enough to shore up the bullpen, writes Neal. They've been in contact with several relievers, including Chad Qualls, Jeremy Accardo, Kevin Gregg, and perhaps Sean White. Neal linked the Twins to Gregg last week as well, but noted that he's probably too pricey. Their in-house candidates include Anthony Slama, Kyle Waldrop, Pat Neshek, Glen Perkins, and Alex Burnett.
- There are rumblings that Tsuyoshi Nishioka is set to fly to Minneapolis to take a physical this week, an obvious sign that the two sides are getting closer to a deal.
Twins Interested In Brendan Ryan
The Twins are attempting to trade for Cardinals shortstop Brendan Ryan according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Minnesota just sent the incumbent J.J. Hardy to Baltimore, and Ryan became expendable when St. Louis acquired Ryan Theriot.
The 28-year-old Ryan isn't much with the stick, just a .256/.308/.344 hitter over the last two seasons, but his defensive skills are second to none. His +18.7 UZR since the start of 2009 leads big league shortstops, just about four full runs ahead of the second best defender, the aforementioned Hardy. The Twins are expected to sign Tsuyoshi Nishioka this month and they also have Alexi Casilla in house, though it's hard to fault them for wanting to create some middle infield depth.
Twins Would Consider Trading Slowey
The Twins would consider trading Kevin Slowey - especially if they re-sign Carl Pavano - reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman says the Twins have actually received inquiries on ace Francisco Liriano from the Yankees and others, but a team official can't imagine moving the lefty.
Slowey, 26, posted a 4.45 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 1.2 HR/9, and 28.3% groundball rate in 155 2/3 innings this year for the Twins, missing time with elbow and triceps injuries. He's a control artist who works around 90 mph, and with one of the highest flyball rates in the game Slowey would be best-suited in a big ballpark. He's arbitration eligible for the first time this winter.
Orioles Acquire J.J. Hardy, Brendan Harris
The Orioles officially acquired shortstop J.J. Hardy, infielder Brendan Harris, and $500K from the Twins for relievers Brett Jacobson and Jim Hoey, the teams announced.
Hardy, 28, hit .268/.320/.394 in 375 plate appearances this year for the Twins after coming over from Milwaukee for Carlos Gomez. He missed time with wrist and knee injuries. Hardy earned $5.1MM this year and is arbitration eligible one last time. He would have been a free agent already, but fell just short of the service time requirement because the Brewers briefly demoted him to Triple-A late in the '09 season. Hardy joins Mark Reynolds in a revamped left side infield for Baltimore. He became expendable for Minnesota with their expected signing of Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka.
Harris, 30, received only 120 plate appearances from the Twins this year after more regular duty in previous seasons. He was outrighted in June due to poor performance, and a $1.75MM commitment for 2011 likely allowed him to clear waivers. Harris is capable of playing all around the infield.
Hoey, 28 later this month, hasn't pitched in the Majors since '07. In a season split between Double and Triple-A, the reliever posted a 3.25 ERA, 12.0 K/9, 5.8 BB/9, and 0.2 HR/9 in 52 2/3 innings in 2010. Prior to his '08 shoulder surgery, Hoey's average fastball velocity exceeded 95 mph.
Jacobson, a 24-year-old reliever, posted a 2.79 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9 in 71 High-A innings this year. Baseball America ranked him 16th among Orioles prospects heading into the season, noting that he came over from the Tigers in the Aubrey Huff deal in August of '09. He's said to have a power repertoire and a setup man profile.
Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.