Quick Hits: McClellan, Berkman, Reyes
Dan Meyer, Matt Anderson, Luis Castillo and Robb Quinlan probably didn't like it very much when the Phillies released them this spring, but they may not have realized that they have something in common with their former GM. The Blue Jays released Ruben Amaro Jr. on this date in 1996, before he ever played a Major League game for them…
- Kyle McClellan has become a valuable cog in the Cardinals’ rotation, as Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains.
- McClellan's teammate, Lance Berkman, told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that he was disappointed with the way his tenure with the Astros ended. “They basically said, 'You're bad. We're bad. Let's cut ties and get on down the road.' And that was hurtful.”
- International scouts tell Melissa Segura of SI.com that this year's Dominican July 2 class of amateur free agents is the best they've seen in years (Twitter link).
- Anthony DiComo of MLB.com presents ten possible destinations for trade candidate Jose Reyes, some (Milwaukee) more plausible than others (the Bronx).
- Former Reds and Nationals GM Jim Bowden also weighs in on the market for Reyes. He has the Giants, Cardinals, Red Sox, Reds and Angels as possible suitors on his list at ESPN.com.
New York Notes: Ortegano, Hughes, Reyes
The Yankees and Mets both face off against strikeout artists tonight, as Max Scherzer and Tim Lincecum take the mound against New York's two teams. In the meantime, here are some related links…
- Five days after releasing him, the Yankees re-signed left-hander Jose Ortegano to a minor league deal, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter).
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Chad Jennings of the Journal News that Phil Hughes' shoulder is feeling better after a cortisone shot. It appears that it will be at least a couple of weeks before Hughes starts throwing again.
- Giants GM Brian Sabean last spoke with Mets GM Sandy Alderson in January, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). Sabean strongly dismissed Jose Reyes trade rumors, speaking to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Though the Giants have reportedly discussed Reyes, a deal is not at all imminent. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes examined how Reyes could fit on the Giants yesterday.
- Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles weighs in on whether the Giants should deal for Reyes and concludes that he's probably not worth what the Mets will want for him.
Heyman On Pujols, Reyes, Feliz
SI's Jon Heyman leads his latest column with a discussion of Albert Pujols' impending free agency. Three GMs Heyman spoke to speculate that Pujols will re-sign with the Cardinals after the season. One significant factor could be the lack of involvement from the Yankees and Red Sox, big spenders who already have long-term solutions at first base. A Yankees person told Heyman there was "no chance" of a pursuit, while a Red Sox person agreed that his club is unlikely to get involved. Cardinals GM John Mozeliak didn't have much to say on the topic, other than, "Nothing's changed." On to Heyman's other notes…
- Mozeliak told Heyman the Cardinals "have a pretty good idea" of what they'll do when Adam Wainwright's two-year, $21MM club option comes up after the season. Heyman takes that to mean that the Cardinals will pick up the option, the expected course of action.
- Heyman feels that the Cubs and Orioles could be possibilities for free agent Kevin Millwood, though I heard yesterday that it's doubtful the Cubs get involved.
- One Giants person said, "There's nothing to it," regarding the recent Jose Reyes speculation. Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News explained today that "If any conversations have happened at all, it’s nothing more than tire kicking." That makes sense, since trading season begins about two months from now. For a look at who the Giants might have to give up to get Reyes at that point, click here.
- Heyman finds the Rangers likely to move Neftali Feliz into the rotation next year, despite the righty's recent comments. Heyman feels that a strong free agent closer market is a factor.
- The Tigers have decided this will be Joel Zumaya's last year in Detroit, according to Heyman. That was written prior to today's report that Zumaya will have exploratory elbow surgery.
Giants Have Discussed Jose Reyes
The Giants have discussed Jose Reyes as a possible trade target, according to Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com. San Francisco is considering addressing its shortstop problems with a trade and Urban hears that the Mets have decided to field offers for Reyes and his $11MM salary this summer.
Miguel Tejada struggled at short and at the plate before the Giants moved him to third base, where he’ll cover for the injured Pablo Sandoval and Mark DeRosa. Mike Fontenot is now starting at short for the Giants, so Reyes would represent a definitive upgrade.
Tim Dierkes analyzed the Giants-Reyes connection earlier today, suggesting which players the Mets might target and which players the Giants should hold onto. It's not surprising that the Giants have discussed Reyes – fans and media members have also wondered if he'd be a fit in San Francisco – and it doesn't mean he's available now or that the Giants would meet the Mets' asking price.
Urban hears that Reyes could look to match Carl Crawford’s seven-year, $142MM deal when he hits free agency this winter. The 27-year-old shortstop has two hits and two walks against the Giants tonight, for what it's worth.
Stark On Beltran, Jimenez, Millwood
The latest from ESPN's Jayson Stark…
- The addition of two playoff teams could have a big effect on the American League, with certain clubs being able to aim for 89 or so wins.
- The Mets seem more eager to trade Carlos Beltran than Jose Reyes or David Wright, says Stark, perhaps with a June deal possible for the outfielder. The Mets appear willing to take on a portion of Beltran's $18.5MM salary to improve the return.
- Stark says "don't be surprised" if the next labor deal makes DUIs grounds for suspension. Yahoo's Jeff Passan tweets that Shin-Soo Choo's Monday DUI makes it six already for MLB players this year.
- Several scouts feel that Ubaldo Jimenez's shoulder is bothering him, despite the team's denials. Jimenez hasn't been very impressive in any of his four starts this year.
- An official of one team that monitored Kevin Millwood feels that he "might be done" and his stuff has regressed. Millwood hopes to sign this week after opting out of his Yankees contract Monday.
Mets Notes: Sale, Mejia, Reyes, Santana
With 17% of their season in the books, the Mets are 12-16. That's good for last place in the NL East, 6.5 games back of the Phillies and Marlins. The latest on the club:
- The sale of a minority stake in the Mets is likely to be completed by the end of this month, though it's not imminent, according to ESPN's Adam Rubin. On April 22nd, Josh Kosman and Lenn Robbins of the New York Post reported that the Mets were a few weeks from choosing the winning bidder, with Ray Bartoszek, Steve Cohen, Steve Starker, and Anthony Scaramucci the finalists. According to Rubin, the sale should bring the Wilpons $200MM, with which they can pay off $47MM worth of debt.
- Yesterday the Mets announced that top prospect Jenrry Mejia has "a complete MCL tear of the right elbow," and planned to seek a second opinion after Dr. David Altchek recommended surgery. Today Andy Martino of the New York Daily News tweets that Mejia will see Dr. James Andrews soon, and Tommy John surgery is "highly likely" for the 21-year-old. Joel Sherman of the New York Post calls the injury "devastating" for a team that "needs some breaks with their more talented youngsters."
- Sherman says much has gone right for the 2011 Mets, and they're still 12-16. He thinks it's practical to start talking about trading Carlos Beltran, Francisco Rodriguez, and Jose Reyes. Sherman wonders whether retaining Reyes would even improve the Mets' chances of re-signing him, if that's something they're interested in. By the way, Sherman doesn't see the Yankees as a July suitor for Reyes but won't rule out an offseason pursuit. For my take on what the Giants could offer for Reyes in July, click here.
- Kevin Kernan of the New York Post talked to rehabbing lefty Johan Santana, who hasn't set a date for his return. Santana threw on flat ground yesterday, and the next step is throwing from the slope of the mound possibly next week. Santana, 32, is guaranteed $55MM for 2012 and '13.
The Giants And Jose Reyes
After being shut out by Tom Gorzelanny last night, the Giants rank second to last in the NL with 3.54 runs scored per game. "We're awful right now," manager Bruce Bochy told reporters last night. Pablo Sandoval, Andres Torres, and Mark DeRosa are currently on the disabled list. Aubrey Huff, Miguel Tejada, and Cody Ross have been terrible so far, while Buster Posey has failed to meet lofty expectations in the early going.
Chatter for the Giants to recall Brandon Belt is increasing, as he's killed the ball in nine games for the Fresno Grizzlies. CBS' Danny Knobler wondered this morning whether Belt can be the Posey of 2011, providing the team's offense with a jolt.
ESPN's Buster Olney speculated on another possibility this morning in his blog, a potential acquisition Giants fans inquire about every week in my chats. Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is off to a .309/.348/.439 start, similar to his career averages and a big upgrade over Tejada offensively and defensively. The Giants would have to accommodate Reyes' $11MM salary, $3.57MM of which will still be owed to him if he's acquired on July 31st. Also, the Giants "would have to give up a really, really good young player — the Mets presumably would ask for a top-of-the-line young pitcher," in Olney's opinion. Interesting side note: Olney guesses that Reyes "could be convinced to stay by a solid multi-year offer," rather than test free agency.
One factor determining the Mets' asking price for Reyes will be how many other teams are seriously in the mix for him. The Twins could make an offer, but only if they pull themselves up out of the AL Central gutter. The Athletics could use a boost at shortstop. The Brewers are a nice match, though their farm system is depleted.
The cost of renting a star position player has varied in recent years. A few examples:
- In July of 2009, the Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday and $1.5MM from the Athletics for Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen, and Shane Peterson. Prior to the '09 season, ESPN's Keith Law ranked Wallace 19th among all prospects, while Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein had him 37th.
- In July of 2008, the Angels acquired Mark Teixeira from the Braves for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek. Marek wasn't a top 100 prospect, but he ranked sixth among Angels prospects before that season according to Baseball America. BA ranked the Halos' farm system tenth in baseball. Kotchman was 25 at the time, coming off a strong '07 season. He was under team control through 2011 and owned a career line of .274/.337/.426. Prior to his time in the Majors, BA had ranked Kotchman among their top 22 prospects four separate times.
These aren't great comparables, since Wallace was a top position player prospect and Kotchman was a decently-regarded first baseman headed for his second arbitration year. Technically the Giants have a top position player prospect in Belt, who is universally considered among the top 25 prospects in the game. I can't picture the Giants considering trading Belt's career for a couple months of Reyes, however.
If the Mets do focus on pitching, as Olney suggests, they'd have to ask for Zack Wheeler. The righty was drafted sixth overall in '09 and is one of the 55 best prospects in the game on all lists.
At the big league level, the Giants have two established starters the Mets could try to acquire. One is Jonathan Sanchez, a solid lefty with a walk problem. He's under team control through 2012; how much value would his '12 season at a salary of $8MM or so be of to the Mets? Perhaps GM Sandy Alderson could flip Sanchez for longer-term players. The Giants also have southpaw Madison Bumgarner, who is more valuable than Belt and controlled through 2016. Like Belt, Bumgarner is way too much for Reyes.
The Giants do have the pieces to acquire Reyes, depending on how far they are willing to go. I don't think it would take much more than Wheeler, if the Giants make that sacrifice. Using Wheeler to get Reyes would at least allow the Giants to keep their big league rotation intact. Building a deal around Sanchez would be easier to stomach long-term, but would leave a pretty big hole in the team's rotation. And since Sanchez is only controlled through '12, the Giants might have to further dip into their stash of prospects to appease the Mets. Though the Giants' farm system is considered among the bottom ten in the game, they do have interesting prospects beyond Belt and Wheeler.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Quick Hits: Rangers, Mejia, Bell
May 2nd was a busy day for transactions 25 years ago, back in 1986. Current Red Sox manager Terry Francona signed with the Cubs and the Yankees signed Tommy John as a free agent. Here’s the latest from around the league…
- Cuban outfielder Leonys Martin is working out at extended Spring Training in Arizona and his deal with the Rangers should be completed this week, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- The Mets announced that top pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia has a complete MCL tear of the right elbow. Though surgery has been recommended, Mejia will likely seek a second opinion before having an operation.
- Heath Bell told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he helps his kids with their homework instead of reading trade rumors. Unfortunately for Bell, the rumors will really be heating up in July once school’s out. Of course trade rumors are nothing new for the Padres’ All-Star closer.
2012 Contract Issues: New York Mets
The Mets are next in our 2012 Contract Issues series. Here's what the team faces after the 2011 season:
Eligible For Free Agency (9)
- Jose Reyes has spent his entire career with the Mets, and Beltran has been with them since the '05 season. There seems little chance of either player being re-signed. Both are playing well on the young season and should do well in free agency. They're also midseason trade candidates, with Reyes expected to fetch more given his lower salary. At $18.5MM, Beltran might be mostly a salary dump even if he's healthy and hitting.
- Sandy Alderson imports Chris Capuano, Chris Young, Tim Byrdak, Jason Isringhausen, Scott Hairston, and Willie Harris are up for free agency again, as well as Ryota Igarashi. Several of the pitchers may be traded this summer if healthy and pitching decently.
Contract Options (1)
- Francisco Rodriguez: $17.5MM club option with a $3.5MM buyout. Guaranteed with 55 games finished. K-Rod needs 47 more games finished to cause his option to vest. It can be done; he finished 57 from May onward in 2009. The Mets will either have to trade him to a team with an established closer or be very careful about his usage.
Arbitration Eligible (4)
- First time: None
- Second time: Mike Pelfrey
- Third time: Ronny Paulino, Taylor Buchholz
- Fourth time: Angel Pagan
Pelfrey has posted one good start in six tries this year. A lousy platform year might hold down his arbitration raise, but he could still reach $6-7MM. The Mets could consider trading or even non-tendering the 27-year-old righty. Pagan has been brutal and Paulino has been out of the picture, though Buchholz has been a nice find. For the sake of argument, I could see Pelfrey, Pagan, and Buchholz earning $14MM in total in 2012.
2012 Payroll Obligation
The Mets' 2012 payroll obligation, according to Cot's, is $66.83MM, including Rodriguez's buyout. If the Mets save $10MM+ by unloading Reyes, Beltran, and Rodriguez at the trade deadline, will that money go to next year's payroll? Will Pelfrey be worth keeping around next year at $6-7MM? Even if the Mets' financial problems result in a payroll drop to the $100MM range, Alderson should still have $20MM to play with. A minority stake in the team could be sold by July, but Mets ownership will likely still be embroiled in a billion-dollar lawsuit when the 2011-12 offseason arrives. When the Mets finally have a clean financial slate, there should be a lot of payroll space to work with.
New York Notes: Lowe, Reyes, Mets Ownership
The Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the hill today in the rubber match against the Blue Jays, while the Mets will need to beat Cliff Lee tonight to avoid a sweep in Philadelphia. Before those games get underway, let's check out the latest on New York's two teams….
- The Braves could look to trade Derek Lowe even if they're still in the playoff hunt, according to a scout who follows the team. Ken Davidoff of Newsday says the Yankees, who "negotiated seriously" with Lowe when he was a free agent, would be an obvious candidate to kick the tires on the right-hander if he's available.
- Another scout told Davidoff that it's been years since he's seen Jose Reyes, who can be a free agent at season's end, play as hard as he's playing now.
- Through the season's first month, both the Yankees and Mets are receiving production from unlikely sources, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- Discussing the Yankees' unexpected production from veteran players, GM Brian Cashman told Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News, "When I fix things on the run I have a lot more success than doing the obvious slam-dunk things."
- Vitaminwater co-founder Mike Repole likely isn't interested in investing in the Mets unless 100% of the team is for sale, he tells Dylan Butler of the New York Post.
- According to Newsday's Steven Marcus, the Mets' future minority partner would be in position to take over the team if the Wilpons eventually decided to give up control of the franchise.