Heyman On Castillo, Beltre, Belisario, Ackley
Carlos Silva looks like he has earned a release based on his spring performance, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Like Oliver Perez, Silva is set to earn $12MM in 2011. Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors, including the latest on another candidate to be released…
- Heyman hears that Luis Castillo has looked better than the others in competition for the Mets second base job. Castillo's performance and the lack of a standout alternative may reduce the chances that the Mets release him.
- When Rangers GM Jon Daniels asked Adrian Beltre why two of his best seasons came in contract years, Beltre’s response was succinct: “I wish I [expletive] knew.”
- Ronald Belisario is having trouble getting a visa, so the Dodgers aren’t counting on him this year.
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik says Dustin Ackley, the second overall pick in 2009, has “a shot” to make the team out of Spring Training.
Mets Notes: Santana, Duda, Hernandez
Here's a round-up of the morning's Mets news, as the team prepares for an afternoon matchup with Jaime Garcia and the Cardinals.
- Johan Santana and the Mets denied a report by Steve Popper and Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record that suggested Santana's rehab wasn't progressing and the Mets were close to shutting him down. The left-hander, who turns 32 today, told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork, "We're right on the right track and where we're supposed to be. Whoever is saying that I'm not ready I think is lying."
- While pitching coach Dan Warthen was also positive about Santana's progress, a July return is definitely no sure thing. ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider-only) says the Mets consider the southpaw's rehab a long process, and aren't expecting a significant contribution from him this year. If Santana needs more time to recover, he won't be rushed back.
- Olney's piece indicates there's some optimism about the Mets being competitive this season, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post isn't so sure. He runs through all the pieces that would have to fall into place for the Mets to become a contender.
- Within Sherman's column, one scout says he has been pleasantly surprised by Lucas Duda this spring. As Rubin writes in an ESPN.com piece, Duda could be an important contributor for the Mets this season if Carlos Beltran's knees act up.
- You can throw Luis Hernandez's name into the Mets' second base mix, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
NL East Notes: Rodriguez, Amaro, Manuel, Utley
Let's take a look at some items on the Mets and Phillies..
- The Mets are within their rights to limit the number of games closer Francisco Rodriguez finishes this year, opines Joel Sherman of the New York Post. If K-Rod finishes 55 games this year, his $17.5MM option for 2012 will vest. The player's union will reportedly keep a watchful eye on the situation.
- Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter) finds the timing of Ruben Amaro's four-year extension interesting, as it comes shortly after manager Charlie Manuel agreed to a two-year extension. Heyman wonders if the Phillies wanted to avoid giving Manuel "any ideas", presumably meaning that they didn't want to give him a deal of similar length.
- There has been a lot of talk about how the Phillies might look to replace the injured Chase Utley, but the club can survive without him, writes Rich Hofmann of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Meanwhile, the club is still without a clear timetable for when their star second baseman will return, writes Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
- Mets skipper Terry Collins tells Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that his club has plenty of starting pitching depth.
David Wright Would Not Ask For Trade
The Mets are in deep financial trouble and their chances of competing in 2011 seem remote, but David Wright says he isn’t interested in asking for a trade. The third baseman is under team control through 2013 (the Mets have a $16MM option for that year) and he told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that he doesn't intend on demanding a trade before then.
"I can't imagine ever asking out," Wright said. "It would feel like I was jumping ship. I want to be part of the solution.”
Wright grew up a Mets fan and has been a member of the organization since 2001, when the team selected him in the first round of the draft. The Mets made it to the 2006 NLCS after winning 97 games, but they haven't played in the postseason since and the team has posted a losing record in each of the past two seasons.
"You have the good, the bad and the ugly,” Wright told Sherman. “We certainly have had the bad and the ugly. So now I want to be part of the good. I enjoy the challenge. I want to believe that I will endure the bad times for a prize at the end."
Wright, 28, has a .305/.383/.516 line and has made five consecutive All-Star games. He hit .283/.354/.503 with 29 homers last year.
Quick Hits: Feliz, Bonser, Pavano, Mets, Overbay
Links for Thursday, as the White Sox announce that Dayan Viciedo will miss 3-4 weeks with a fractured right thumb…
- Scott Miller of CBS Sports says it's starting to seem likely that the Rangers will move Neftali Feliz to the rotation.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan argues that the Rangers will keep Feliz in the rotation, where he has pitched this spring, if they know what's best.
- Rival teams sense that the Rangers would prefer to move Michael Young before his ten and five rights kick in this May, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). They won't give him away, though.
- Boof Bonser has a clause in his contract that allows him to opt out if he doesn't make the Mets, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). The Mets would love to keep Bonser regardless, but he isn't sure what he'll do if he isn't on the team's Opening Day roster.
- Richard Sandomir and Ken Belson of the New York Times report that the Mets' owners were in financial trouble before Irving Picard filed a $1 billion lawsuit against them.
- One talent evaluator tells Olney that Carl Pavano looks like the best pitcher in Florida this spring (Twitter link).
- Lyle Overbay told Ron Musselman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he signed with the Pirates because "they were going in a better direction" than some of the other interested teams. Overbay, the oldest player on the Pirates roster, says he liked the idea of playing under new manager Clint Hurdle.
Heyman On Phillies, Davis, Molina, Mets
The Phillies are concerned about Chase Utley's injured right knee but, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com they hadn't called the Rangers about Michael Young as of this morning. Here's the latest on the Phillies and notes from around the league:
- Phillies scout Charley Kerfeld had been watching the Rangers and may have been scouting Young.
- Chris Davis has an option left, so the Rangers are expected to send him down to start the season in the minors, despite his strong spring performance so far.
- 22-year-old Dodgers prospect Rubby De La Rosa is impressing with his upper-90s fastball and command.
- Though the Padres would like Bengie Molina to return to action at a bargain price, they're under the impression that the backstop is in "retirement mode." The Padres expressed interest in Molina earlier in the week, after Gregg Zaun retired, but they don't have much left in their budget.
- It remains unlikely that Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo will break camp with the Mets, even though the team doesn't have tremendous depth from the left side out of the bullpen or at second base.
What They Said When The Mets Signed Oliver Perez
Mets GM Omar Minaya signed Oliver Perez to a three-year, $36MM deal in February of 2009, and he's given the team 112 1/3 innings of 6.81 ball over two seasons. There's a good chance he'll be released this month, with the team eating $12MM. It could have been worse, too - Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Mets floated a four-year, $44MM deal, but Perez and Scott Boras wanted the chance to re-enter the free agent market after three years.
It's easy to trash the Perez signing now, but what were reporters and analysts saying at the time of the deal? Don't worry, I am not immune…
Tim Dierkes, MLB Trade Rumors
I think it was about right since he is so young and can be dominant. Maybe a slight overpay but that is OK for a team like the Mets to do.
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Ben Shpigel, New York Times
Perez has agreed in principle to a three-year, $36 million contract to remain with the Mets in a deal that should benefit both parties. Without guaranteeing a fourth year or even including a vesting option, the Mets fortified their rotation Monday with a 27-year-old left-hander who is comfortable pitching in New York; who last season baffled their chief rival, the Philadelphia Phillies; and who has the potential to shine brighter than [Derek] Lowe.
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Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog
The thing i like most about this is that, even if Perez is a total bust, and regresses, the Mets can move this contract…had he ever signed for five years and $60 million, like he was initially looking for, he’d be a total albatross…but, if the Mets were to eat some of the money, there will always be a taker for a 28–year-old lefty earning, say, $16 million over two years.
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Joel Sherman, New York Post
Now the Mets will hope the lack of focus or lack of maturity or whatever it is exactly that detours Perez from consistent excellence will melt away.
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Buster Olney, ESPN
Personally, I like the signing for the Mets.
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Jayson Stark of ESPN listed Perez under his three most outrageous contracts, writing:
The Mets win a bidding war with themselves to reel in Oliver Perez.
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Jon Heyman, SI.com
The Mets had to get Oliver Perez back. They weren't comfortable with their main fallback option, which was [Randy] Wolf.
The Next Steps For Oliver Perez
9:02am: Perez will not be released today, a source tells Martino (Twitter link). Instead, he'll get two bullpen appearances and will be released if they are not stellar.
8:03am: "The end is drawing closer" for Oliver Perez and the Mets, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Perez's Spring Training starts were "mere theater," writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Now, Mets GM Sandy Alderson, manager Terry Collins, and pitching coach Dan Warthen will meet today to decide between giving Perez a shot at relief or releasing him immediately, according to Martino.
Why are the Mets going through these motions with Perez? Some in the organization really want to see him audition for the bullpen, tweets Martino. Otherwise, Sherman has two theories. One is that the new administration must "put on a show" for ownership before cutting Perez. The other is that ownership is aiming to release Perez and Luis Castillo closer to the season, to "get the most positive bump" with fans before Opening Day.
Releasing Perez and Castillo will require the Mets to eat $18MM. Click here for my list of other candidates to be released this month.
Who Could Be Released This Month?
With certain contracts, there comes a time when a team would prefer to pay the player to go away and free up a roster spot. For example, two years ago the Tigers ate $14MM in releasing Gary Sheffield and the Phillies assumed $8MM to let Geoff Jenkins go. Here's a look at some big money players who I think stand a chance of being cut this month.
- Oliver Perez, Mets: one year, $12MM. A team insider told ESPN's Adam Rubin three days ago that Perez is highly likely to be released. Today Perez allowed three runs in the first inning of a split-squad game and followed that with a couple of scoreless frames.
- Luis Castillo, Mets: one year, $6MM. Rubin wrote that Castillo "appears destined for the same fate" as Perez, despite the team's unsettled second base situation.
- Carlos Silva, Cubs: one year, $13.5MM. The Cubs are only on the hook for $8MM to Silva this year, as they're receiving $5.5MM from Seattle. The Cubs' last two rotation spots are too early to call, but if Silva continues to pitch poorly in his next few outings and isn't amenable to long relief, the Cubs might have to let him go.
- Armando Galarraga, Diamondbacks: one year, $2.3MM. The D'Backs would only be on the hook for roughly $380K if they release Galarraga by the 15th, whereas Zach Duke's salary is guaranteed. If Aaron Heilman or Barry Enright makes the rotation, Galarraga or Duke would have to slide to the bullpen or be released.
- Barry Zito, Giants: three years, $64.5MM. Most teams would be thrilled with a low 4.00s ERA from their fifth starter, so the idea of releasing Zito was strange from the start.
- Aaron Rowand, Giants: two years, $24MM. The Giants have a crowded outfield, and cutting Rowand makes sense. They've also got Nate Schierholtz, who is out of options.
- Milton Bradley, Mariners: one year, $12MM. Bradley's legal issues aside, Spring Training seems to be going well enough for him. He's even playing center field today. This one is hard to call right now.
- Danys Baez, Phillies: one year, $2.75MM. Baez had a rough first year for the Phillies, but he can probably squeeze his way onto the Opening Day roster.
- Ryan Doumit, Pirates: one year, $5.6MM. Doumit isn't generating much trade interest, but releasing him would be a last resort and probably won't be necessary prior to Opening Day.
Quick Hits: Rockies, Pagan, Phillies
Links for Tuesday, as fans receive good news on Justin Morneau and concerning news on Carlos Beltran…
- Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post looks at the five-man battle to serve as Chris Iannetta's backup catcher for the Rockies. My speculation: if the job goes to Matt Pagnozzi, perhaps Jose Morales and Chad Moeller would become available.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post tries to determine whether Angel Pagan is a long-term solution for the Mets in center field. Pagan, 29, is under team control through 2012 as an arbitration eligible player.
- The Phillies lost the payroll flexibility to acquire injury replacements earning more than the minimum by signing Cliff Lee, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in a notes column.
- Rosenthal offers more thoughts on the Orioles' direction in a Q&A with Matt Vensel of the Baltimore Sun. Click here to read my review of the team's offseason.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick looks at the culture change new GM Kevin Towers has engineered for the Diamondbacks.