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Heyman On Wright, Kuroda, Gonzalez, Marlins

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Here's the latest from MLB Network's Jon Heyman's Twitter feed:

Jose Reyes Signing Reactions

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Before the Winter Meetings officially got underway, the Marlins struck the week's first major blow, agreeing to terms with Jose Reyes on a six-year, $106MM contract. Despite the shortstop's injury history, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes likes the signing for Miami, since Reyes "doesn't have to be amazing or play 162 games a year to be worth $17.67MM annually." Here's a round-up of a few more instant reactions to the deal:

  • While the Marlins took a risk committing over $100MM to Reyes, he has the potential to turn into a genuine bargain, writes Dave Cameron of Fangraphs.
  • Yahoo's Jeff Passan thinks the contract matches up favorably to Carl Crawford's deal, although "the idea of budget-conscious Mets and free-spending Marlins takes a minute to process."
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law (Insider link) views the contract as a big risk for Miami, arguing that, given Reyes' injury history, it seems "wildly optimistic" to assume he'll still be a viable shortstop by the end of the deal.
  • In another Insider piece, ESPN's Jim Bowden writes that Reyes provides the Marlins with a "much-needed dose of star power." Whereas Law saw the Mets as major winners in the process for avoiding a long-term risk, Bowden considers them the big loser in the deal.
  • The Mets have to rebuild their credibility along with their roster after losing Reyes, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • The Mets are justified in letting Reyes go, but their approach made it look like they intended to finish second in the bidding, writes John Harper of the New York Daily News.
  • Adam Rubin of ESPN New York assigns the blame for Reyes' departure from New York on the Wilpons and Bernie Madoff, among others, rather than the player or GM.
  • When Reyes and Hanley Ramirez are both healthy and productive, they'll be perfect fits for the style of play preferred by new manager Ozzie Guillen, says Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider link).
  • Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog respects GM Sandy Alderson's approach on Reyes, but is disappointed to see the Mets star snapped up by a division rival.
  • Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer takes a look at what Reyes' signing means for the new top shortstop on the market, Jimmy Rollins.

East Links: Damon, Reyes, Nats, Orioles, Manny

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Some links pertaining to baseball's Eastern division teams as the Winter Meetings draw near…

  • Don't rule out Johnny Damon for the Orioles, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • Marlins people are saying it's still possible Hanley Ramirez could move to center field but a source close to Ramirez says he's already agreed to play third base, tweets Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.
  • Ramirez's agent will not comment on the Marlins' signing of Jose Reyes, writes Tim Brown of Yahoo.  The Fish are expected to ask Ramirez to shift from shortstop to third base to accommodate Reyes.
  • The Orioles are looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder who can back up in center field and possibly platoon in left field, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
  • The Nationals center field targets include Peter Bourjos, B.J. Upton, and maybe Angel Pagan if he is non-tendered, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn't think he'll have any interest in Manny Ramirez if he makes a comeback, tweets Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal.
  • The Nationals are one team that is maintaining interest in Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes despite his increasing price tag, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Their pursuit of the center fielder may hinge on their negotiations with Mark Buehrle, C.J. Wilson, and Prince Fielder though.
  • Former Red Sox first base coach Ron Johnson will manage the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, according to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo (on Twitter).
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out (via Twitter) that it was new Orioles GM Dan Duquette who signed Manny Ramirez to his eight-year, $160MM contract with the Red Sox and wonders if he might sign Ramirez once more.
  • SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Duquette called Ramirez's attempted comeback an "interesting development." The Orioles are in the market for a designated hitter.

Mets Notes: Wright, Reyes, Finances

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Tonight, the Marlins reached agreement with Jose Reyes on a six-year, $106MM deal.  Shortly before that news broke, Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke to the press and confirmed what was widely assumed: the Mets would not be able to compete with such a deal. Here's more on the Mets..

  • The Mets didn't get a final courtesy call before Reyes agreed to the deal with Miami, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • Alderson said that the Mets will not trade David Wright, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  Roughly three weeks ago, Alderson said that he would have to be blown away by an offer in order to move the third baseman.
  • Alderson remarked that the team lost $70MM, not counting any money they may have lost in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme, Rubin writes.  The GM declined to say if that figure was just for the 2011 season or for a longer period of time.
  • Alderson also stressed that he doesn't have a hard-and-fast rule for deals that are for five years or more. 

Mets Have Contacted Francisco Rodriguez

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After being apart for just half a season, the Mets have reached out to Francisco Rodriguez about a reunion, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (Twitter link).

K-Rod signed a three-year, $37.5MM deal with the Mets almost three years ago to the day (Dec. 9, 2008). He rewarded them with 168 innings of 3.05 ERA ball to go along with 83 saves and a 10.0 K/9 before he was dealt to the Brewers this past summer. He was even better in Milwaukee, striking out 33 in 29 innings and posting a sparkling 1.86 ERA while setting up for John Axford.

Rodriguez has said that he's seeking a three-year deal and a closing job this offseason, and is arguably the top reliever on the market now that Jonathan Papelbon and Heath Bell have signed.

Quick Hits: Lincecum, Bailey, Marlins, Dodgers

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Sunday afternoon linkage..

  • The Giants are seeking middle ground with Tim Lincecum in their contract talks, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.  The club's first offer was for four years but the right-hander would like eight years in a long-term deal.  Lincecum is also comfortable with a one or two-year deal. 
  • The Mets would love to trade for Athletics closer Andrew Bailey but are more likely to sign one or two relievers from a list that includes Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch, Brad Lidge, and Matt Capps, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.
  • The Marlins are in the mix for most of this winter's top free agents but haven't landed a big-name free agent since signing Carlos Delgado after the 2004 season.  Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel caught up with Delgado's agent, David Sloane, to recap how that came to happen.  The slugger was pursued by the Mets, Orioles, Rangers, and Mariners during the Winter Meetings but didn't hear from the Fish until ten days after they concluded.
  • The Dodgers' payroll will be below $90MM, the lowest in years, thanks in part to the backloaded deal they gave to pitcher Chris Capuano, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.

Six Teams Pursuing Luis Ayala

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There are six teams in on free agent reliever Luis Ayala, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN XM radio, including the Mets, Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays, Angels and Red Sox.

Ayala was an excellent value signing for the Yankees in 2011 after inking a minor league contract in February. The right-hander, who did not appear in the Majors in 2010, posted a 2.09 ERA in 56 innings last season and could land a Major League contract this trip through free agency.

Of the clubs listed here, the Mets, Jays and Rays, in particular, have several openings in their respective bullpens, while Ayala could simply provide depth for a team like the Yankees or Red Sox.

Jose Reyes Rumors: Friday

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Earlier today we learned that the Marlins are "putting an all-out press" on Jose Reyes, and they are considering increasing their initial offer from the $75-90MM range. Here's the latest on the free agent shortstop…

  • The Marlins have not given Reyes any kind of deadline or ultimatum according to Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel (on Twitter). They are prepared to wait him out beyond the winter meetings if necessary.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson did touch base with Reyes' representatives today, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post (all Twitter links). Andy McCullough of The Star Ledger says the team is still waiting for Reyes' side to come back with an offer for them to match, a right they expect to have. The Mets would reportedly offer five years and $80MM, but not a sixth guaranteed year.
  • Adam Rubin of ESPN New York points out that if Reyes signs with the Marlins, the Mets would only receive Florida's third round pick as compensation. The Marlins' first round pick is protected, and their second rounder is technically going to the Padres since Heath Bell is a higher ranked free agent than Reyes. The Fish will keep their second rounder with a made-up pick going to San Diego, but an MLB official confirmed that it will be treated the same way as previous years.
  • It does not appear that Reyes will be signing with anyone before the winter meeting start on Monday, reports Newsday's David Lennon (on Twitter).

NL East Notes: Cespedes, Soler, Mets, Posada

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Here's the latest from the NL East…

  • The Braves are not planning to bid on Yoenis Cespedes, despite having some front office officials at one of the Cuban outfielder's recent workouts in the Dominican Republic, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Atlanta officials were making the trip to visit the team's Latin American operations (both Twitter links).
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo was scouting Cespedes in the Dominican, but Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports Rizzo was also there to check out Cuban outfielders Jorge Soler and Henry Urrutia, plus right-hander Armando Rivero.  Rizzo predicts Soler will receive a richer deal than Leonys Martin's $15.5MM contract with the Rangers.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson talked to reporters today (including Andrew Keh of the New York Times) and said he had had no contact with Jorge Posada's representatives.  It was reported earlier today that Posada approached the Mets about a job and been rejected, though Posada's agent Seth Levinson denied the rumor.   
  • "The reliever market right now is a little bit hard to predict,” Alderson said. “The signings that have taken place so far I think have emboldened agents to this point.”  Alderson was still confident the Mets will obtain some bullpen help at a reasonable price, pointing out that the number of quality arms still on the market.
  • An unnamed NL executive tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the Marlins have been "very active.  It'd be no surprise to me if they opened [their] new stadium with Jose Reyes, C.J. Wilson and a new good closer."  The Marlins got the first piece of that puzzle tonight by agreeing to terms with Heath Bell. 
  • Wilson Valdez is a non-tender candidate, but Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks the Phillies should hang onto the utilityman.

Jose Reyes Market May Be Down To Just Marlins, Mets

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The Marlins and Mets may be the last two contenders remaining in the Jose Reyes sweepstakes, and the Marlins "hopes are high" that they will land the free agent shortstop, reports CBSSports.com's Scott Miller (passed on by his CBS colleague Matt Snyder).  Another baseball source tells Miller, "everyone seems to think Reyes is the right fit for the Marlins."

The Braves, Giants and Phillies are out of the bidding, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman, with the Brewers and Tigers seen as "iffy" or very unlikely candidates by Heyman and CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler.  So, unless a fringe suitor like the Red Sox get involved, it may be down to just the two NL East rivals.

Miami has offered Reyes a six-year deal worth somewhere between $70MM and $90MM, and Heyman tweets the Marlins could "bump it a bit" and then set a deadline since the offer has been on the table for a while.  Even with the apparently thin market for Reyes, this kind of hardball tactic could backfire on the Fish since it could allow the Mets or another team to jump into the bidding at a lower price.  The Marlins have openly targeted many top free agents this winter but this high profile only increases the pressure on the club to actually sign at least one or two of these big names.     

The Mets are apparently willing to offer a five-year, $80MM contract.  GM Sandy Alderson told reporters today (including MLB.com's Anthony DiComo) that he wasn't aware of any teams besides Miami in the hunt for Reyes and that he was planning to meet with Reyes' agents before or during the Winter Meetings.  That lack of a sixth year in the offer could ultimately hurt the Mets, even though their offer would give Reyes a larger average annual value than the Marlins' deal, presuming Miami's offer is six years/$90MM.  Maybe a sixth year on a vesting option could bring Reyes back to New York.

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