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Marcus Thames Retires

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Marcus Thames has been hired as the hitting coach for the Yankees' high A-ball affiliate in Tampa, the club announced via its Twitter feed, effectively ending the outfielder's ten-year Major League career.  Thames last appeared in the majors in 2011, posting a .576 OPS in 70 plate appearances for the Dodgers.  According to Baseball Reference, the 35-year-old Thames made a little over $6.2MM in his career.

Thames was originally drafted by the Yankees in the 30th round of the 1996 amateur draft and had two separate stints in New York, also playing for the Dodgers, Rangers and Tigers, where he spent six seasons.  Thames didn't offer much in the way of batting average or on-base skills but he possessed strong power from the right side of the plate, hitting .246/.309/.485 with 115 homers in 2016 career plate appearances.  His best single season came in 2006 when he posted an .882 OPS in 390 PA and helped the Tigers reach the World Series.

AL East Notes: Jeter, Morse, Red Sox, Duquette

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The Yankees could have another tricky negotiation with Derek Jeter on the horizon, writes Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York.  Jeter is entering the last guaranteed year of his current deal and he holds a 2014 player option worth $9.5MM ($8MM in base salary plus $1.5MM that Jeter has thus far earned in incentives).  If Jeter comes back from offseason ankle surgery and continues to hit well, the Yankee icon will surely be looking for a longer commitment beyond 2014.  Knowing the Yankees' stance on extensions, however, I'd expect the team to not discuss another deal with Jeter until after the 2014 season, when Jeter will be 40 years old and the Bombers will have a better idea if their captain is worth another multiyear contract.

Here are the latest items from around the AL East…

  • The Yankees have "nothing alive" with the Nationals in regards to a deal for Michael Morse, reports Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees blog (Twitter link).  New York was one of several teams interested in Morse, who has been on the trade block since the Nats re-signed Adam LaRoche.
  • In an interview on WEEI radio's Hot Stove Show (partial transcription from WEEI.com's Kirk Minihane), Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said that there is no news about the team and Mike Napoli.  The Sox are continuing to talk with Napoli while also exploring other options at first base.
  • Speaking of those first base options, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox "have explored" signing Casey Kotchman and Nick Johnson and also checked in with the Mariners about a trade for Justin Smoak.
  • The Orioles are looking for pitching depth as they head into Spring Training, executive VP Dan Duquette tells MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.  Though the O's haven't made any major transactions this winter, Duquette believes his team has improved itself, though he did vaguely mention a few deals that didn't happen.  "We looked around the industry for that middle-of-the-order bat," Duquette said. "There was one free agent that was a significant player. There have been some other players available in a trade that I'm not sure they were better than what we had, and the cost of the acquisition has been a little pricey for us."

Steinbrenner On Cano, Girardi, Payroll, Free Agents

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Yankees co-owner Hal Steinbrenner talked to reporters (including Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal) about a number of topics related to the club.  Here are some of the hot stove-related items….

  • The Yankees haven't had any "real significant dialogue" with Robinson Cano and agent Scott Boras about a contract extension.  Cano is a free agent next winter and said last month that he won't give the Yankees a "hometown discount" on a new deal.
  • There also doesn't appear to have been any talks between the Yankees and manager Joe Girardi about a new contract.  Girardi is heading into the last year of his three-year deal with New York.  The Yankees' reluctance to discuss contracts before they expire is well-known, as Steinbrenner explains that he is "not a big believer in extensions," though "there are exceptions to every rule."
  • The team's quest to get under the $189MM payroll limit by 2014 to avoid a major luxury tax payment isn't just a short-term goal, but rather about "being fiscally responsible" in general.  "I believe that you don’t have to have a $220 million payroll to win a world championship, and you shouldn’t have to," Steinbrenner said.
  • That said, Steinbrenner also left some room that the team's payroll could grow next year if the Yankees' young players don't perform as expected: "All I can continue to tell everyone is our commitment to the fans is never going to change. We will always field a championship-caliber team. Is our goal 189 [million] next year? Yes. But only if I’m convinced that the team I see we put together is a championship-caliber team."
  • Steinbrenner is pleased with the team's offseason, noting that Andy Pettitte, Ichiro Suzuki, Hiroki Kuroda were all re-signed and Kevin Youkilis was brought into the fold.  New York isn't done its winter shopping, as Steinbrenner said the Yankees "need another bat."  The Yankees have recently been linked to free agent outfielder Scott Hairston and Nationals first baseman Michael Morse.

New York Notes: Yankees, Mets, Hairston

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Earlier today we learned that while the Mets are in need of outfield depth, they won't be considering high-priced free agent Michael Bourn.  That doesn't come as a huge surprise given their financial constraints, but they could be closing in on a much more affordable outfield piece.  Here's the latest out of the Queens and the Bronx..

  • While the Mets continue to talk to Scott Hairston, it would appear that the Yankees are not as involved at the moment, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.  The Mets have a leg up over the Yankees in that they can offer him a starting job.
  • Despite rumblings to the contrary, Rafael Soriano did not offer to return to the Yankees on a one-year deal, Heyman tweets.  Soriano wants to close in 2013 and that's not an option with the Bombers.
  • The Mets picked up Terry Collins' 2013 option at the end of the 2011 season to avoid making him a lame duck, but they won't give the skipper a contract extension to circumvent that prior to the season, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  General Manager Sandy Alderson acknowledged that there is the possibility that it could become an issue, but he expressed confidence that Collins would handle it in stride.
  • Alderson also told Rubin that regardless of whether Travis d'Arnaud starts the season in Triple-A or in the majors, the team's Opening Day catchers are likely already on the 40-man roster.  If the former Blue Jay opens the season in the minors, John Buck will probably start with waiver claim Anthony Recker in support.

Nationals Discussing Morse With Several Teams

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In the wake of re-signing Adam LaRoche, the Nationals are speaking to 5-6 teams about a trade involving Mike Morse according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 30-year-old right-handed hitter will earn $7MM in 2013 before qualifying for free agency after the season. He's hit .296/.345/.516 over the last three years. Here's the latest on Morse…

  • Morse is opposed to being a designated hitter, major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Trouble is, Morse isn't highly regarded defensively. 
  • The Yankees are indeed among the interested teams, Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • The Nationals are seeking a left-handed reliever and/or prospects in any Morse swap, reports ESPN's Jim Bowden (Twitterlinks). Amanda Comak of The Washington Times hears the asking price was high at the Winter Meetings.
  • The Nationals believe the Rays would make a great trade partner for Morse, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson (on Twitter). Tampa has a strong prospect base from which to build a package.
  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com points out that the Mariners, Indians, Rays, Rangers, Yankees, Phillies, and Mets all need a bat and could target Morse (Twitterlinks). Rosenthal doubts Washington would trade him within the division to Philadelphia.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Hairston Choosing Between Yankees, Mets

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TUESDAY: The Yankees are pessimistic about signing Hairston, Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). The outfielder could get more playing time elsewhere.

MONDAY: It appears unlikely that Scott Hairston will be leaving New York this offseason, but that doesn't mean he won't change teams. ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews spoke to Hairston's agent Casey Close and was told that Hairston is in ongoing talks with the Yankees and Mets. Close told Matthews that his client will likely make a decision in "a matter of days."

Hairston would likely have to settle for a fourth outfielder's role with the Yankees, in which he'd back up Ichiro Suzuki and Brett Gardner while providing manager Joe Girardi with a lethal weapon against left-handed pitching off the bench. The 32-year-old batted .286/.317/.550 against southpaws in 2012 and boasts a career line of .276/.325/.500 against opposite-handed pitching.

The Mets, on the other hand, could use Hairston every day, but don't offer the same hope of reaching the postseason in 2013 having finished 74-88 in 2012 and traded away Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey. General manager Sandy Alderson told Matthews' colleague Adam Rubin that the team might not make another outfield addition, but did concede that Hairston is one of the remaining "meaningful" free agents the team will consider signing. A trade for an outfielder is unlikely, according to the GM.

Hairston is known to be seeking a multiyear deal, which could pose a problem for the Yankees, as Matthews points out. The team has shied away from multiyear commitments all offseason as they look to get under the $189MM luxury tax threshold by 2014.

Quick Hits: Mariners, Lohse, Soriano, Gerut

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Kyle Lohse placed tenth on MLBTR's list of the offseason's top free agents, a reflection of the fact that Tim Dierkes expects the right-hander to help his next team. But unless something has changed in the last three days, Lohse hasn't received a single contract offer this winter. He’s tied to draft pick compensation after turning down a qualifying offer, and that has no doubt limited his leverage. Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs argues that the hate has gone too far, showing convincingly that Lohse adds value at the plate, on the field and, of course, as a pitcher. Here are more links from around MLB…

  • The Mariners would like to add a lefty to the rotation to replace Jason Vargas, but don't expect it to be Joe Saunders or Erik Bedard, writes MLB.com's Greg Johns in a Mariners Inbox piece. If a lefty joins the rotation, it's more likely to be one of Seattle's top prospects like James Paxton or Danny Hultzen.
  • It’s still early to be assessing the way the new collective bargaining agreement shapes the market for free agents such as Lohse, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post writes. While the market for certain players linked to draft pick compensation does seem slow, Davidoff points out that every one of these players declined a $13.3MM qualifying offer.
  • Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record hears that agent Scott Boras asked the Yankees last month if they'd consider re-signing free agent closer Rafael Soriano to a one-year contract (Twitter link). The Yankees flatly denied the request, Klapisch writes. ESPN.com's Buster Olney says the Yankees prefer the value of the draft pick and accompanying spending limit increase to the on-field value of Soriano (Twitter link).
  • Former MLB player Jody Gerut is working to reduce athlete bankruptcy in his new role as an agent with Wasserman Media Group, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports. Gerut's focusing on educating athletes, particularly Latin Americans, about how to manage their finances.

Rosenthal On Berkman, Sizemore

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The latest notes from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • The Yankees were in on Lance Berkman before he signed a one-year, $11MM contract with Texas, Rosenthal reports (on Twitter). Two people tell Rosenthal the Yankees made Berkman an offer, while a third source says the sides simply talked.
  • Free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore doesn’t want to sign a new contract until he’s ready to play again, agent Joe Urbon told Rosenthal. The 30-year-old underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee in September, and isn’t ready to commit to a team just yet. “It could be Opening Day. It could be midseason,” Urbon said. “Midseason is more likely.” The CAA agent added that a number of teams have expressed interest in Sizemore. Some of those teams have offered to sign the 30-year-old and let him rehab on his own schedule.

New York Notes: Hairston, Pavano, Francisco

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Mark Hale of the New York Post has a number of updates related to New York’s two teams. Here’s the latest (all links go to Twitter)…

  • The Mets remain interested in Scott Hairston, Hale reports. GM Sandy Alderson has checked in on a number of outfielders, including Jason Kubel and Justin Upton of the Diamondbacks.
  • Agent Dave Pepe, who represents free agent right-hander Carl Pavano, said there’s some mutual interest between the Mets and his client. "We clearly have an interest and I think they do too,” Pepe told Hale. “We’ll see where it goes.” The agent added that Pavano’s workouts are going well and that he’s drawing interest from multiple teams.
  • The agent for Scott Podsednik said the Mets haven’t shown any interest in the free agent outfielder, Hale reports.
  • Agent John Boggs said the Yankees and Mets are among five teams to express interest in free agent outfielder Ben Francisco. Playing time will figure into Francisco’s decision, according to Boggs. The right-handed hitting Francisco has a career line of .252/.329/.414 against left-handed pitching.
  • The Yankees don’t have interest in Jim Thome, Hale reports.

Quick Hits: Posey, McCann, Berkman, Mets, Yankees

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In today's column, Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) writes that it would make sense for the Giants to look into a Joey Votto-type deal for catcher Buster Posey.  The Reds locked Votto up on a ten-year contract extension in April of last year, keeping him in Cincinnati through 2023.  In the meantime, the Giants have a fascinating arbitration case on their hands when it comes to Posey and Matt Swartz broke it all down with some interesting comparables last week.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • Braves GM Frank Wren told Jim Duquette (Twitter link) and Jim Bowden of SiriusXM that the team and catcher Brian McCann have agreed to table contract talks until the end of the year.  McCann is entering the final year of his contract and will earn $12MM.  Wren also told the duo that the club hasn't closed the door on free agent Michael Bourn.
  • Olney also writes that some rival officials were surprised by the $10MM deal Lance Berkman signed with the Rangers.  However, Texas likely reasoned that in an offseason where Mike Napoli got $13MM per season (assuming his deal goes through) and David Ortiz got a two-year deal for $26MM, Berkman at $10MM isn't an overpay.
  • Several unresolved questions linger for the Mets and Yankees at this stage of the offseason, writes Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.  The Mets are in the market for pitching and outfield help and they're more likely to get a notable name in the former than the latter.  The Yankees are also in search of some extra pieces but GM Brian Cashman hasn't had any trouble finding gems in mid-to-late winter before.
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