Dodgers Claim Baxter, Designate Castellanos
The Dodgers announced they have claimed Mike Baxter off waivers from the Mets. To make room on the 40-man roster for Baxter, L.A. designated fellow outfielder Alex Castellanos for assignment.
Baxter, 29 in December, hit just .189/.303/.250 in 74 games for the Mets in 2013. In 2012, however, Baxter slashed .263/.365/.413 with three homers in 211 plate appearances appearances. Baxter has significant experience playing in both left and right field.
Castellanos, 27, has 24 big league games to his credit over the last two years with the Dodgers but spent the bulk of that time in Triple-A. In 199 games at Triple-A Albuquerque, the outfielder hit .291/.382/.525. The Dodgers acquired Castellanos in July 2011 from the Cardinals for Rafael Furcal and cash.
To keep track of Castellanos and all other players in DFA limbo, be sure to check out MLBTR's DFA Tracker. Baxter is the second player to be plucked from the Mets roster this afternoon following the Angels' claim on Robert Carson.
Angels Claim Robert Carson
The Angels announced that they have claimed Robert Carson off waivers from the Mets. The Halos' 40-man roster is now at 37.
Across the last two years, Carson has made 31 relief appearances for the Mets, pitching to a 6.82 ERA with 3.5 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. In parts of two Triple-A seasons, the left-hander has a 3.45 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. Carson was ranked as the 17th best prospect in the Mets' system before the start of the season by Baseball America.
New York Notes: Santana, Murphy, Headley
Here's a look at the latest on the Mets and Yankees..
- The Mets and Johan Santana are very likely to part ways this winter but team insiders say that the door is open a sliver of a crack for a return, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. When Martino suggested to one team source that the Mets would definitely cut bait with the left-hander, the person said, “that’s probably fair, but it’s premature to say never.”
- A source told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com not to expect multi-year deals this offseason for notable players under the Mets' control. The Mets' best candidates for a deal like Jonathon Niese's five-year, $25.5MM pact from last offseason would be the arbitration-eligible Daniel Murphy, Dillon Gee, and Bobby Parnell.
- Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com asks if the Yankees should make a play for Chase Headley this winter. The Padres third baseman could be moved for the right package, but a baseball official familiar with the team's thinking says they'll need a "compelling offer" and the Bombers don't really have the necessary talent in their farm system to do that.
- Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada has returned to The Legacy Agency as a client after spending time with Praver/Shapiro, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal. You can keep track of everyone's representation with the MLBTR Agency Database.
NL Notes: Rockies, Pirates, Mets, Managerial Searches
The NLCS is taking a day off as the scene shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 tomorrow night with the Cardinals leading the Dodgers 2-0. Here is the latest news and notes out of the National League today:
- The Rockies need to improve their talent acquisition via the draft and Latin America in order to overcome the crushing injuries suffered in recent seasons, according to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Tim Hudson, whose free agency was profiled this past week by MLBTR's Steve Adams, would make a perfect middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Rockies, Renck opines.
- The Pirates' payroll will increase significantly in 2014 aiding their efforts to retain free agents Marlon Byrd and A.J. Burnett while also trying to sign Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez to long-term extensions, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Rob Biertempfel.
- The Mets will face a dilemma with their 40-man roster when it comes time to protect minor league players from the Rule 5 draft, reports ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin. The Mets' 40-man roster is currently full and will be so again once the eight players on the 60-day disabled list replace the eight pending free agents on the 40-man. Jordany Valdespin headlines Rubin's list of eight Mets who could lose their roster spot.
- The Reds' managerial search is centered on pitching coach Bryan Price and Triple-A manager Jim Riggleman, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Fay expects Price to get the job; but, if neither candidate impresses ownership in upcoming interviews, the search may be expanded.
- Nationals third-base coach Trent Jewett has an excellent shot to become the team's next manager, reports ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider subscription required).
Quick Hits: Cubs, Piniella, Orioles, Beltran, Scherzer
Cubs prospect Albert Almora declared 12 years ago his intention to become a major league star, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune writes. "I'm a quiet kid, just go out and do what I have to do. I like to just shut up and not say anything, let my game do the talking. It has worked so far," Almora says. The Cubs took the outfielder sixth overall in last year's draft, and though Almora missed time this year with injuries, he's six for 10 with five runs and six RBIs in two Arizona Fall League games. On to more Saturday night links…
- Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune spoke with former Stanford assistant coach Dean Stotz about A.J. Hinch, whom the Cubs are reportedly considering for their open manager position. While Hinch struggled during his previous tenure as manager of the Diamondbacks, Stotz, who coached Hinch in college at Stanford, praised his scouting and player development acumen and predicted that the next team that hires him "will be pleased."
- The Mariners' purported interest in Lou Piniella for their manager vacancy was overblown, Ryan Divish of The News Tribune reports. A team source tells Divish that there was no "full-court press" to bring Piniella back.
- Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun has more on Manny Machado's upcoming knee surgery, reporting that the Orioles initially hoped to rehab the tear to the third baseman's medial patellofemoral ligament but decided that doing so could result in a higher chance of an injury in the future. “The surgery is universally very successful in returning players back to play, including baseball players," Daryl Osbahr, the director of sports medicine research at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, commented.
- The time may be right for Cal Ripken Jr. to accept a managing job outside of Baltimore, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun writes. Buck Showalter has a long-term deal in place as the Orioles' manager, providing cover from fan backlash for both the team and Ripken if the O's legend decides to manage another club. Ripken has been connected to the Nationals in recent days.
- Mutual need for outfield production may lead to a bidding war between the Mets and the Phillies for Carlos Beltran, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says. The Mets have money to spend and will look to improve upon an outfield that posted the worst OPS in the NL, while the Phillies may target Beltran, a switch hitter, for their lefty-heavy lineup, Murphy says.
- Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III discussed his team's success and the support it receives from St. Louis in an interview with MLB.com
- The Tigers may have to decide between keeping Max Scherzer for one more year or signing Miguel Cabrera to a new extension, according to Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz has projected that Scherzer will make $13.6MM this offseason in his final year of arbitration. Recent reports suggest that the Tigers will consider trading Scherzer in the offseason.
NL East Notes: Mets, Phillies, Chris Johnson
The NL East's post-season entrants have disappointed in the playoffs over the last three years, and it now stands as the only division not to get a team into the championship series over that period. As its clubs prepare to bolster their chances for 2014, let's take a look at a few notes from around the division …
- There may be mounting pressure for the Mets to make a splash, but sources tell Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that GM Sandy Alderson will act in characteristic fashion and won't give Robinson Cano the long-term pact that he seeks. And while the Mets like Jose Dariel Abreu's power, sources familiar with their thinking say they won't make a play for the Cuban slugger.
- The Phillies have a variety of needs to address in the coming off-season, and numerous question marks. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki answered a few reader questions about the club's roster, and opined that it may be best served by not rolling the dice on a bounce back from Roy Halladay.
- Though it remains hard to fault Philadelphia for failing to outbid the Nationals for Jayson Werth three years ago, the Phils have yet to find a long-term replacement in right field, notes Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News. Lawrence says the club could consider signing a center fielder such as Jacoby Ellsbury or Curtis Granderson, bumping Ben Revere to left in a platoon with Darin Ruf. Or, it might pursue a pure corner option like Shin-Soo Choo, or look further down the market at comeback hopefuls like Michael Morse and Corey Hart. But Lawrence opines that the switch-hitting Carlos Beltran could be the most attractive option, reasoning that the Phils may need to roll the dice that he will keep producing into and beyond his age-37 season.
- Looking back on the year for the Braves, MLB.com's Mark Bowman notes the contributions of third baseman Chris Johnson, who started the year in a platoon after coming to Atlanta as a minor piece in the Justin Upton trade. Indeed, it is difficult to overstate the importance of the club's surprising Chipper Jones replacement, who was actually worth more fWAR than the player (Martin Prado) who was expected to step in at third until being dealt for Upton. Of course, Johnson's big season also puts him in line for a higher-than-expected salary in his first season of arbitration eligibility. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects that he will cash in for a $4.2MM award.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NL East Notes: Nationals, Choo, Pierre, Johan
The latest out of the National League East…
- Dusty Baker reached out to Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo to inform him that he's interested in taking over as the Nats manager with Davey Johnson stepping down, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Baker said that no interview has been scheduled, and Rizzo declined to comment on the Nats' managerial search. Kilgore adds that the Nationals may prefer a younger manager to replace Johnson, who was the oldest skipper in the Majors this season at age 70.
- Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio tweets that the Nationals are giving serious consideration to Cal Ripken Jr. as a managerial candidate.
- Matt Meyers of ESPNNewYork.com provides a case against the Mets' expected pursuit of Shin-Soo Choo, opining that Choo is a prime candidate to become the next Jason Bay in New York. Choo is much more likely to decline than maintain his production, writes Meyers, adding that Choo would be leaving an environment that favors his skill set for one that would diminish it.
- Juan Pierre wants to keep playing but realizes that 2013 might have been his last season, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Pierre is grateful to the Marlins for both of his stints with the team and says he would be interested in returning if they would like to re-sign him.
- Johan Santana isn't ruling out a return to the Mets, but the two sides haven't talked, agent Chris Leible told Jorge Castillo of the Star-Ledger. Santana resumed throwing last week and expects to be ready for Spring Training. GM Sandy Alderson said two weeks ago that he wouldn't rule out a return for Santana.
Quick Hits: A’s, Morse, Mariners, Abreu, Braves
As the Athletics get ready for Game 5 against the Tigers, owner Lew Wolff is embroiled in a different battle with the Giants for the right to move his team to San Jose. Wolff goes way back with commissioner Bud Selig, but that won’t play a major role in the proceedings. “Well, we were in the same fraternity,” Wolff told Bob Nightengale of USA Today, “but Bud was there to get an education. I was there to have a good time. Bud was involved in so many intramural events, there wasn’t a game or sport he missed. Of course, he was a spectator. I don’t remember him playing any of it.” More from around baseball..
- The Orioles believe that Mike Morse‘s injury “pre-dated” their summer trade with the Mariners, but it’s not an issue they’re pursuing, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). Morse is a pending free agent this winter after posting a combined slash line of .215/.270/.381 with 13 homers this past season.
- The Mariners‘ have a long list of managers that they might pursue this winter, but Joe Girardi is not among them, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. While they surely believe that Girardi is a strong skipper, they know that they won’t be able to compete with the allure of the Yankees or Cubs openings. Three names believed to be on the list are A’s coach Chip Hale, Giants coach Ron Wotus, and newly-minted Phillies third base coach Pete Mackanin.
- A high-ranking Mets official told the Star-Ledger’s Jorge Castillo that scouts came away “impressed” with Jose Dariel Abreu’s power after watching him in Santo Domingo last week.
- There is no telling how the NL East will shake out, but the Braves could be contenders without making a single offseason move, opines Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
- The Rockies announced today that Jorge de la Rosa had his option picked up for 2014, but the pitcher says that he was already assured that it would be exercised last week, writes Rafael Rojas Cremonesi for MLB.com.
NL East Links: Nationals, Bowa, Mets, Harang
The Braves acquired Freddy Garcia from the Orioles in late August in a trade that generated few headlines, yet the veteran right-hander posted a 1.65 ERA in 27 1/3 September innings (three relief appearances, three starts). Now, Garcia will take the mound to save Atlanta's season in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw, who is starting on short rest for the first time in his career.
Here are some notes from around the NL East…
- The bullpen was a disappointment for the Nationals in 2013 and improving the relief corps "is one of the Nationals' biggest offseason priorities," James Wagner of the Washington Post writes. The Nats will particularly be looking for left-handed relief help. Wagner suggests that the team could possibly trade setup man Tyler Clippard due to his rising price tag in the arbitration process. Clippard earned $4MM last season and has two more years of arb-eligibility remaining.
- Larry Bowa is close to a deal to become the Phillies' new bench coach, CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reports. Bowa managed the Phillies from 2001-04, was a coach with the team from 1989-96 and played in Philadelphia from 1970-81, winning five Gold Gloves and winning a World Series in 1980. Bowa and new Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg were actually traded together from the Phils to the Cubs in 1982.
- Marlins third base prospect Zack Cox is profiled by MLB.com's Bernie Pleskoff, who writes that Cox needs to show some consistency in 2014. Cox was taken by the Cardinals with the 25th overall pick of the 2010 draft, then traded to the Marlins for Edward Mujica at the 2012 deadline. Cox was ranked as amongst the top 100 prospects in the sport by Baseball America before the 2011 and 2012 seasons, though he has struggled over the last two years and has been surpassed by Colin Moran as Miami's third baseman of the future.
- This season, the Mets became the first Major League team to work with KinaTrax, a company that tracks pitchers' bio-mechanics via motion-capture technology, Metsblog.com's Matthew Cerrone writes. The purpose is to gather information on how their pitchers' mechanics develop over time, so the Mets can better evaluate their long-term health. The Orioles and Brewers are the only other MLB clubs investing in bio-mechanical evaluations of their players.
- Aaron Harang is a good fit for the Mets on a one-year deal, Metsblog.com's Michael Baron opines. Harang is the type of veteran pitcher that the Mets seem likely to pursue on a short-term contract, as MLBTR's Jeff Todd wrote in his Offseason Outlook entry on the Mets earlier today.
Offseason Outlook: New York Mets
The Mets had hoped to build off of a strong finish to become a sleeper contender in 2014, but an injury to young ace Matt Harvey could change the team’s outlook.
Guaranteed Contracts
- David Wright, 3B: $127MM through 2020
- Jon Niese, SP: $21.5MM through 2017
Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses)
- Scott Atchison, RP: (4.168 years, non-tender candidate) $1.3MM estimated salary
- Dillon Gee, SP: (3.028) $3.4MM
- Bobby Parnell, RP: (4.132) $3.2MM
- Ike Davis, 1B: (3.153) $3.5MM
- Daniel Murphy, 2B: (4.109) $5.8MM
- Omar Quintanilla, SS: (4.171, non-tender candidate) $900K
- Ruben Tejada, SS: (2.170) $1MM
- Justin Turner, IF: (3.045, non-tender candidate) $800K
- Mike Baxter, OF: (2.128, non-tender candidate) $500K
- Lucas Duda, OF: (2.137) $1.8MM
- Eric Young Jr., OF: (3.123) 1.9MM
Contract Options
- Johan Santana, SP: $25MM ($5.5MM buyout)
Former Players Still Entitled To Salary
- Jason Bay, OF: $3MM through 2014
Free Agents
With high-caliber young pitching, a franchise cornerstone in Wright, and several turnaround candidates, the Mets had reason to believe that 2014 would be the year in which the organization began to emerge from a five-year downturn. While the team’s financial doldrums appear to be clearing, Harvey’s arm injury has thrown a major wrench into the club’s offseason plans. Manager Terry Collins will reprise his role after agreeing to a two-year extension.
The Mets opened 2011 with a $142.8MM payroll, only to drop into the low-$90MM level over the last two years. The team has the capacity for a big budget (at least in the long run), particularly now that it can finally pay Santana and Bay the last money owed on their ill-fated deals. And with the fallout from owner Fred Wilpon’s involvement in the Bernie Madoff scandal apparently easing — Wilpon said earlier this year that his family’s financial distress was “all in the rearview mirror” — it could be time to rev up the spending. On the other hand, the team’s poor performance of late has driven down revenues, and things could be less rosy than Wilpon has suggested. A recent look by Howard Megdal suggests that the long-promised wallet opening may still be restrained.
All eyes will be on GM Sandy Alderson, who is entering the last year of his contract, to see how aggressively he pursues impact free agents. Alderson has estimated that the club has around $55MM committed next year (including arbitration-eligible and pre-arb players), and says it could add something in the realm of $40MM more, though Megdal has questioned those estimates and the potential impact that much room could have. The Harvey injury — which will have an impact on the team’s shopping list — could either provide reason for a conservative approach or a ready excuse for the same. Either way, Alderson has indicated that the Mets will be even more disinclined to deal from their young pitching and will likely be forced to open the wallet for a free agent starter.
Niese, Gee, and Zack Wheeler are safe bets for the 2014 rotation, but the club’s other options all come with question marks. Internal possibilities range from Jenrry Mejia, who is coming off bone spur surgery, to spot starter Carlos Torres, to minor leaguers Rafael Montero, Jacob deGrom, and (perhaps less likely) Noah Syndergaard. There is enough youth and uncertainty in that group to make a veteran acquisition a likelihood.
The club could look at another incentive-laden, one-year deal for a veteran hoping to re-establish value, as the club did last time around with Shaun Marcum, and hope for better results. (Roberto Hernandez, recently profiled by MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes, could fit that description.) Or the Mets could look for more of a sure thing at a higher cost; for instance, rumor has it that a Bronson Arroyo signing could make sense for both club and player. Of course, even a limited-upside pitcher like Arroyo will command a substantial commitment; Dierkes recently pegged his market value at two years and $24MM. In addition to Arroyo, MLBTR has recently profiled several other starters — Scott Feldman (link), Scott Kazmir (link), and Paul Maholm (link) — who could make sense for the Mets.
Any dollars spent on starting pitching will eat into the payroll space that the Mets hoped to utilize on an impact bat. After reportedly trying and failing to land Wil Myers and Justin Upton last year, the club is said to covet Shin-Soo Choo. Though Alderson managed to cobble together a surprisingly effective outfield unit this year, the club already traded its best performer, Marlon Byrd, who was set to hit the open market at age 36. The fielding exploits of 24-year-old Juan Lagares made the Mets especially happy to have missed on Michael Bourn, suggesting that Lagares a solid bet to man center. New York seems to like the midseason pickup of Young, but hopes to use him in a reserve role. They could also move him to second base in the event of a Murphy trade. Duda has had success at times at the plate but is a defensive liability in the outfield. Other options, too, lack appeal: Kirk Nieuwenhuis has hit in the minors but not the bigs; Mike Baxter has always been viewed as a reserve; the tumultuous Jordany Valdespin may not even see Spring Training after his PED suspension; and Cesar Puello seemed to be applying his tools in Double-A until he, too, sat out 50 games after the Biogenesis scandal.
A deal for an on-base machine like Choo makes sense, but the Mets don’t wish to exceed four years, which will likely make Choo too pricey. There are other established slugging corner outfielders on the market, of course, including Curtis Granderson and former Met Carlos Beltran. Then, there is the PED-tainted Nelson Cruz, who could be a budget target of multiple teams hunting for pop. But each of these players is 33 or older, has defense or injury concerns, and will benefit to some degree by the market-setting $90MM extension just inked by Hunter Pence. If the Mets do decide to chase after top talent, the team will not have to sacrifice its first-round pick to sign free agents who declined qualifying offers.
At catcher, the Amazin’s figure to give high-end prospect Travis d’Arnaud every chance to earn the regular job in 2014. Though he struggled in his first go at the majors, d’Arnaud is healthy and has nothing left to prove in the minors. A recent report suggests that the club will pursue a free agent alternative to Anthony Recker for the backup role.
In the infield, Wright is a certainty at third base. Murphy is likely to man second base again, though the team will reportedly listen to trade offers for him. Despite shaky defense, Murphy doubled his 2012 home run and stolen base output this year. With two years of control remaining, he could be an extension candidate, though his net production has been marginal enough that he probably does not profile as a sure thing beyond 2015. The most interesting potential replacement at the keystone — Wilmer Flores, who only recently turned 22 — may not be suited for the position. And despite mashing in his first go at Triple-A, Flores has struggled mightily in his first taste of big league action.
That leaves shortstop and first base, both of which pose interesting dilemmas. The aforementioned Duda received a late-season chance to stake a claim on first base duties, but early promise gave way to a late-season swoon. If Duda cannot earn a starting gig, his remaining option does leave the team with some space to develop him further before making an all-or-nothing call. Davis’ huge promise faded this year with performance and injury issues. Entering his second year of arbitration eligibility, the 26-year-old isn’t likely to be non-tendered, but he or Duda could be traded this winter.
Josh Satin hit lefties well enough to make him a platoon option for whichever lefty swinger earns the bulk of the playing time at first. It would be somewhat surprising to see the Mets play in the free agent market at first, but the club could always elect to change course if it fell in love with a player like Cuban first bagger Jose Dariel Abreu.
At short, the Mets have two highly questionable in-house options coming off of sub-.600 OPS years. Quintanilla is a non-tender candidate after failing to grasp his chance at a starting role this year. And Tejada will now work back from a broken fibula after an already-poor campaign. Collins says that the job is Tejada’s to lose going into the spring, but Alderson has cast doubt publicly on Tejada’s work ethic, saying that the team “need[s] to see a commitment to improvement.” Turner has provided consistently average offensive production and defensive flexibility at a low cost, but is not an everyday option at short.
This presents a serious void that could be fixed via free agency or trade. Jhonny Peralta and Stephen Drew are probably the most promising options; of course, the former carries the scarlet letter of Biogenesis while the latter should be in a position to get multiple years after a roughly 3-win season at age 30. Alexei Ramirez is an obvious trade candidate, but his bat is declining at age 32, making the $20.5MM left on his deal look risky. Another possibility, Asdrubal Cabrera, has youth on his side and finished strong in 2013, but he has just one year of team control remaining at $10MM. And though it is popular to speculate on the Rangers’ Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar, there is no indication that either could be had for less than a major haul, and Andrus is guaranteed $15MM annually for the foreseeable future.
The bullpen seems to have most of its pieces already under contract. Led by Parnell, who the club hopes to have ready for 2014 after neck surgery, there are several youthful options to be called upon. Recent trade acquisition Vic Black has pitched well, while fellow live-armed youngster Jeurys Familia also has closer upside. Torres, Josh Edgin, Atchison, Gonzalez Germen, lefty Scott Rice, and several others should also be in the mix, and the team could look to bring back Hawkins or Feliciano for a final go-round.
If, as Alderson maintains, the Metropolitans have $40MM to play with, they can make some impactful additions. But allocating that full amount to new acquisitions would have its limits, even if the team took the risk of back-loading some deals. A legitimate outfield power bat, solid starter, and reliable shortstop would likely exhaust all of those funds and still leave some areas of concern. And achieving that haul without drastically overpaying (in dollars, years, and/or prospects) will be a challenge with a thin free agent crop. Without Harvey leading the way, it is an open question whether even that magnitude of improvement would be enough to give the Mets a realistic chance to compete in 2014.