NL East Notes: Cespedes, Soler, Mets, Posada
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
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.
Angels Notes: Maicer Izturis, Jeff Mathis
The Angels made their first major move of the offseason last night, acquiring Chris Iannetta from the Rockies for Tyler Chatwood. Here’s a look ahead at what GM Jerry Dipoto may do next…
- There are indications that the Angels will either trade or non-tender Jeff Mathis by the December 12th deadline for teams to offer contracts to arbitration eligible players, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times. MLBTR projects a $1.8MM salary for Mathis if the Angels tender him a contract. However, the Angels may be able to trade him.
- The Rockies are expected to pursue Mathis if the Angels non-tender him, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Mets are looking for a relatively young catch and throw guy, so Mathis could be an option for them, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
- The Rockies and Angels discussed Maicer Izturis before completing last night’s trade, according to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). The Tigers are another club with interest in Izturis.
Heyman On Buehrle, Garza, Reyes, Posada, Bell
Heath Bell isn’t close to signing, despite last night’s rumors, but it’s not for lack of interest. Here’s the latest on Bell and a handful of other free agents, via Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter links):
- The Red Sox are content to wait out the market for closers, since so many of them are available.
- Mark Buehrle is drawing interest from 14 teams, Heyman reports.
- Opposing GMs expect the Cubs to trade Matt Garza.
- The Mets would offer Jose Reyes $80MM for five years, but would not guarantee a six or seven-year contract.
- Jorge Posada inquired with the Mets about a job and heard the team wasn't interested, according to Heyman. However, agent Seth Levinson told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that "there is no truth to that report. None" (Twitter link).
- The Marlins met with Bell and seem very aggressive. “This is no publicity stunt,” Heyman writes.
- Miami was interested in meeting with free agent closer Ryan Madson, but the right-hander declined, since their offer “wasn’t right.”
- The Mets and Orioles are among the teams showing interest in Jason Varitek, Heyman writes. The Orioles are definitely looking for backup catching help, but it appeared earlier in the week that they were uninterested in Varitek. GM Dan Duquette favors players who could catch every day if necessary.
Mets Interested In Rauch, Lidge, Bailey
Mets GM Sandy Alderson is searching for a closer, but that’s by no means his team's lone offseason need. Here’s the latest, as the Mets work to build their first playoff team since 2006…
- Free agent relievers Jon Rauch and Brad Lidge are “strong” on the Mets’ radar, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- The Mets inquired on Andrew Bailey, but they don’t seem to be willing to meet Oakland’s asking price, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). The Rangers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Mariners and Reds are also interested in the former AL Rookie of the Year.
- Though previous Mets administrations liked Orlando Hudson and he’s now “very available,” the Mets aren’t currently interested, according to Sherman (Twitter link). The Padres owe Hudson $5.5MM in 2012 and the team has an $8MM option for 2013 ($2MM buyout).
Mets, Cardinals, Reds, Tigers Inquire On Dotel
TUESDAY: The Mets are "strong players" for Dotel, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. The Mets, who signed Dotel as an amateur in 1993, like that he won't cost a draft pick.
MONDAY: The Cardinals, Reds and Tigers are among the teams that have inquired on free agent right-hander Octavio Dotel, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Teams won’t have to surrender a draft pick to sign Dotel, but the Cardinals will obtain a supplementary first round draft choice in 2012 if he signs elsewhere thanks to a recently-announced status change for certain free agents.
Dotel, 38, posted a 3.50 ERA with 10.3 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 30.1% ground ball rate in 54 innings for the Blue Jays and Cardinals in 2011. He's especially effective against right-handed hitters, as this past season's split stats show (.410 OPS vs. RHB, .845 OPS vs. LHB). The Angels also have some interest in Dotel.
Royals To Sign Jonathan Broxton
The Royals announced that they have agreed to sign Jonathan Broxton to a one-year deal, pending a physical. The deal is worth $4MM and includes $1MM in incentives based on games pitched for the 27-year-old right-hander, who will be Kansas City's setup man in 2012.
“We are delighted to add someone as talented as Jonathan to our bullpen,” Royals GM Dayton Moore said. “He will be used in a setup role to closer Joakim Soria and will help solidify what we feel is a young and talented bullpen.”
Broxton’s 2011 season ended in May after just 12 2/3 innings with a 5.68 ERA and nearly as many walks (9) as strikeouts (10). He had arthroscopic elbow surgery in September and was expected to begin an offseason throwing program this month. A dominant reliever for the Dodgers from 2006 to the early part of 2010, Broxton will look to rebuild value on a one-year contract in Kansas City.
Other than the Royals, the Mets, Rangers and Rays pursued Broxton most intently, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links). Overall, at least ten teams expressed interest in Broxton, who's represented by B.B. Abbott of Jet Sports Management.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement (Twitter link) and Jon Heyman of SI.com added the terms of the deal (Twitter links). Dan Mennella explains the fantasy baseball implications of the move at CloserNews.com, the destination for all reliever-related fantasy baseball news and analysis.
Mets May Replace Paulino, Inquired On Jack Wilson
It's been a quiet offseason for the Mets to this point, but we can expect them to pursue help at shortstop whether or not Jose Reyes returns. They'll also look for depth in the rotation, the bullpen and potentially the outfield. Here’s the latest on some possible offseason moves…
- Some Mets officials were displeased with Ronny Paulino’s defense, offense and work habits in 2011, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. “He was supposed to hit for power, and all he did was hit singles,” one Mets person told Martino. Some Mets executives would like to part with Paulino, rely on Josh Thole to catch about 60% of games and add a veteran to handle the remaining catching duties. MLBTR projects a $1.6MM salary for the arbitration eligible Paulino in 2012.
- Agent Page Odle confirmed to Mark Hale of the New York Post that the Mets have expressed interest in free agent infielder Jack Wilson. The Mets’ interest level in Wilson will depend on whether Reyes re-signs. If Reyes obtains better offers elsewhere, as expected, Wilson could provide depth in case Ruben Tejada's transition to shortstop doesn't go as smoothly as the team would like.
- Agent Paul Kinzer told Mike Puma of the New York Post that he hasn’t heard from the Mets about possible interest in Matt Capps since the GM Meetings took place two weeks ago (Twitter link).
Broxton Likely To Sign Soon
2:05pm: Broxton is down to a small handful of teams and will choose before the Winter Meetings next week, says ESPN's Jerry Crasnick in a series of tweets. Crasnick says Broxton seeks a one-year deal to re-establish value, and about a dozen teams requested his medical records. The Rangers were in on him before signing Joe Nathan, and the Rockies discussed him as an option if they trade Huston Street. Crasnick thinks the Rays, Marlins, Red Sox, Twins, and Reds could be in the mix.
MONDAY, 12:13pm: A friend of Broxton tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post that all things being equal, the reliever wants to be close to his Georgia home. Sherman finds the Braves unlikely, but thinks the Marlins or Rays make sense. Abbott told Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times this morning that a tentative deal should be reached in the next few days, but his client won't be returning to the Dodgers.
SUNDAY, 8:40pm: Jonathan Broxton's agent, BB Abbott, doesn't think his client will wind up signing with the Mets but does think that he could sign somewhere soon, tweets Mark Hale of the New York Post. Broxton underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery in September and pitched just 12 2/3 innings for the Dodgers last season.
Last Sunday it was reported that more than ten teams are interested in the 27-year-old and the Blue Jays are among the teams in the mix. Ben Nicholson-Smith took a look at Broxton's free agent stock in late September and predicted a one-year deal with plenty of incentives.
Quick Hits: Harper, Storen, Mets, Moore
It was on this day in 1953 that the Dodgers promoted their Triple-A manager to take over the Major League job on a one-year contract. Walter Alston remained in the Dodgers' dugout for the next 23 years, winning 2,040 games and leading the club to four World Series titles.
Some news from around the Majors as everyone lets the turkey settle…
- The new Super Two regulations in the new collective bargaining agreement shouldn't have much impact on Nationals uber-prospect Bryce Harper, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
- Drew Storen will only become more valuable to the Nationals as the price of closers continues to rise, opines Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com, though "there's a logical argument to be made for moving Storen at the height of his value."
- The Mets are "still in [the] exploratory stage" of their offseason moves and "aren't close on anything," reports Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
- Royals general manager Dayton Moore tells Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that he doesn't think his team will be negatively affected by the new CBA. Dutton notes that the Royals spent much more than usual on draft signings and international prospects in the last year since the club was anticipating both avenues to be limited under baseball's new labor rules.