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Braves, Jose Veras Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Braves and right-hander Jose Veras have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league Spring Training, reports MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (on Twitter).

With the exception of a 13 1/3 inning stint as the Cubs’ closer, Veras has been largely effective over the past two seasons. The Praver/Shapiro client pitched to a 3.02 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 62 2/3 innings between the Astros and Tigers in 2013, registering 21 saves while serving as Houston’s closer. Upon his release from the Cubs in 2014 (which came on the heels of a ghastly 12 earned runs allowed in those 13 1/3 innings), Veras went back to Houston and worked to a 3.03 ERA with 37 strikeouts against 16 walks in 32 2/3 innings of work.

Veras had previously said he hoped to return to the Astros — an organization that has come to feel like home for him. However, Houston was but one of four teams with whom he was speaking at the time, and it appears that the Braves presented a better opportunity for the 34-year-old. He’ll compete for a spot in a revamped bullpen that has seen David Carpenter, Jordan Walden and David Hale depart via trade. In their place, Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson and Josh Outman have been added on Major League deals. Veras will look to join that trio, as well as elite closer Craig Kimbrel, lefty James Russell and righty Shae Simmons in manager Fredi Gonzalez’s bullpen.

Victor Martinez Has Successful Knee Surgery

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FEBRUARY 10: The news out of the surgery was positive, with Detroit announcing that Dr. James Andrews performed a successful medial menisectomy on Martinez’s left knee that will leave the star DH able to “resume full activity in 4-6 weeks.” GM Dave Dombrowski expressed that he expects Martinez to be ready to go at the start of the season.

The club had been advised that the timeline for recovery would not be known until after the procedure was started. With the time missed now expected to land on the lighter side, it would appear that the Tigers will not need to find a temporary replacement for Martinez.

FEBRUARY 5: The Tigers announced that Victor Martinez tore the medial meniscus in his left knee during his offseason workout program and will undergo surgery next Tuesday. The team did not give a timeline regarding his recovery, stating that they will provide further updates next week after Dr. James Andrews performs the operation.

While a meniscus tear isn’t as severe as the torn ACL that Martinez suffered three winters ago (thus facilitating the Prince Fielder signing in Detroit), the injury will likely sideline him for the entirety of Spring Training, and his status for Opening Day with the Tigers is certainly in doubt. However, because the injury is less severe than the ACL tear, a significant addition to replace Martinez seems unlikely.

The Tigers signed the 36-year-old Martinez to a four-year, $68MM contract shortly after free agency began. The switch-hitter was coming off arguably the best offensive season of his career, having batted .339/.409/.565 (168 OPS+) with a career-best 32 homers. His injury further clouds the 2015 outlook for a Tigers team that is banking on health rebounds from former MVPs Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander, both of whom saw their production diminish in 2014 as they played through injuries (the latter more so than the former).

MLB Draft Order Set

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With James Shields reportedly headed to San Diego, the last moving parts in the coming year’s amateur draft are now fixed in place. The Padres will wave goodbye to the 13th overall pick — the same slot the team used last year to take the since-promised-away Trea Turner — in order to add Shields.

The draft order was originally established at the close of the regular season, of course. But with twelve players receiving and rejecting qualifying offers, plenty of shuffling remained. This year, at least, no compensation-bound free agents will drag the uncertainty into the season.

The results of that rarefied sector of the free agent market are in. As Baseball America documents, the first-round (or, if you prefer, pre-second-round) draft order that results is as follows:

1. Diamondbacks     [Protected First-Round Picks]
2. Astros
3. Rockies
4. Rangers
5. Astros
6. Twins
7. Red Sox
8. White Sox
9. Cubs
10. Phillies
11. Reds
—
12. Marlins             [Unprotected First-Round Picks]
13. Rays
14. Braves
15. Brewers
16. Yankees
17. Indians
18. Giants
19. Pirates
20. Athletics
21. Royals
22. Tigers
23. Cardinals
24. Dodgers
25. Orioles
26. Angels
—
27. Rockies            [Compensation Picks]
28. Braves
29. Blue Jays
30. Yankees
31. Giants
32. Pirates
33. Royals
34. Tigers
35. Dodgers
36. Orioles
—
37. Astros              [Competitive Balance Round A]
38. Rockies
39. Cardinals
40. Brewers
41. Padres
42. Indians

Note that there were other picks lost in the free agent process, not reflected above, which impact the rest of the draft order. Namely, the Red Sox (second round, competitive balance Round B) and White Sox (second and third round) each gave up two picks while the Twins forfeited their second-rounder.

BA also tabulates the resulting projected total draft pool allocations, which provide important parameters for each team and also serve as a general guide to how overall drafting power is spread across the league this time around. (Precise pick-by-pick pool allocations remain to be released by the league.)

Astros – $17.98MM
Rockies – $14.55MM
D’backs – $14.18MM
Rangers – $9.47MM
Braves – $8.70MM
Yankees – $8.21MM
Reds – $8.09MM
Brewers – $8.06MM
Orioles – $7.99MM
Giants – $7.82MM
Pirates – $7.69MM
Twins – $7.69MM
Cardinals – $7.69MM
Cubs – $7.55MM
Indians – $7.53MM
Royals – $7.50MM
Tigers – $7.40MM
Phillies – $7.36MM
Dodgers – $7.24MM
Marlins – $7.04MM
Rays – $6.86MM
Red Sox – $6.48MM
Athletics – $5.67MM
Blue Jays – $5.63MM
White Sox – $5.54MM
Angels – $5.42MM
Padres – $5.39MM
Mariners – $4.36MM
Mets – $3.74MM
Nationals – $3.70MM

Cardinals Sign Jon Jay To Two-Year Deal

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1:57pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick has the full breakdown of the deal (Twitter link). In addition to his $3.5MM salary for 2015, Jay received a $1.25MM signing bonus. On top of that, he’ll earn $6.225MM in 2016, making for a $10.975MM total.

1:50pm: Jay’s contract is a two-year, $10.975MM deal, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). The exact breakdown isn’t quite clear, though Goold notes that Jay’s base salary in 2015 is $3.5MM, and he also received a yet-undisclosed signing bonus (which is already included in the $10.975MM sum).

1:37pm: The Cardinals announced today that they’ve signed center fielder Jon Jay to a two-year contract, thereby avoiding arbitration (Twitter link). As can be seen in MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker, Jay had filed for a $5MM salary, while the Redbirds countered with a $4.1MM offer. With a two-year deal now in place, Jay’s salaries are locked in until he is eligible for free agency following the 2016 campaign.

Jay, a client of CAA Sports’ Nez Balelo, had been projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $4.5MM in 2015, which was roughly the midpoint of the figures exchanged by the two sides. The 29-year-old (30 in March) enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2014, hitting .303/.372/.378 in 468 plate appearances with above-average defense in center, per Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved.

The offensive output is more or less indicative of what one can expect from Jay in a typical season; Jay has never hit below .276 or above .305, and his OBP has fallen between .344 and .373 each season as well. The former second-rounder can be counted on for plus marks in both average and OBP with below-average power on a yearly basis. Previously, Jay has been a threat to steal as well, though after swiping 19 bags in 2012, he stole just 10 in 2013 and six in 2014.

While Jay is largely consistent at the plate, he is less so in the outfield, where defensive metrics fluctuate on his performance from year to year (with the net result being roughly average). Jay struggled defensively in the 2013 postseason, which was one likely reason that the Cardinals felt the need to acquire Peter Bourjos from the Angels last offseason. One of baseball’s most gifted defenders, Bourjos cut into Jay’s playing time a bit early in the season before Jay reclaimed the everyday role. He’s ticketed for everyday duty in center field again in 2015, which prompted some to speculate on the availability of Bourjos earlier this winter. However at this point, it seems that both center fielders will be in camp with St. Louis.

Padres Planning Aggressive Pursuit Of Yoan Moncada

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If there’s one thing this offseason has taught us, it’s that as soon as the Padres complete one big move, their sights apparently shift to another significant target. In this instance, on the heels of their agreement on a four-year deal with James Shields, the Padres are shifting their focus to Yoan Moncada. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the Padres are having a private workout with Moncada today and plan to bid aggressively on the 19-year-old Cuban phenom (Twitter link).

Moncada is the most coveted international amateur in recent history, as the switch-hitting, five-tool infielder is rumored to be in line for a bonus of anywhere from $30-40MM. Under the latest collective bargaining agreement, international prospects under the age of 23 and with less than five years of professional experience are subject to international bonus pools. Each team is assigned a bonus pool by MLB (based on their record from the previous season) and can spend up to that amount without penalty. However, the maximum penalties, which trigger at a 15 percent overage, include a 100 percent tax on every dollar spent over the pool limit as well as the loss of the ability to sign an international amateur for more than $300K in any of the two subsequent signing periods. Because of the overage taxes, a $30-40MM bonus would really mean a $60-80MM commitment.

Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets that he’s heard the Padres aren’t necessarily scared of having a $300K max signing bonus for the next two years if it means adding Moncada to their ranks. To this point, the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox have been believed to be the favorites for Moncada. However, the Padres have shown an increased willingness to spend under new ownership and under the watch of new GM A.J. Preller, who specializes in the acquisition and evaluation of international talent. This would mark the second private workout the Padres have held for Moncada, as MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reported last week that the Padres had already seen him once. Other clubs to have held private workouts for Moncada include the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Brewers, Braves, Rays, Giants and Tigers.

James Shields’ Decision Expected “Soon”

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FEBRUARY 8TH, 7:52pm: The Padres’ offer to Shields four years and between $72-80MM, tweets FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi.

11:46am: People around baseball think it will wind up somewhere in the $72-$75MM range across four years, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.  The Cubs are still a long shot, according to Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM (on Twitter).

10:45am: Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (on Twitter) expects Shields’ deal to be a four-year deal worth around $72-$80MM.

10:32am: Depending on the number of years, Shields, could sign for an annual average value of a little less than $20MM, according to Lin.

10:10am: The Cubs are seen as the major outside threat as things appear headed toward a resolution between Shields and the Padres, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Shields isn’t expected to come close to early $100MM projections and at this late juncture, baseball people say they believe he would do well to get anywhere close to $20MM per year.  It is believed multiple teams have showed a willingness to extend a three-year offer, and one interested GM said agent Page Odle suggested he had at least one four-year offer.

9:40am: A Padres source that spoke with Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (on Twitter) expressed confidence that San Diego sign Shields.

9:20am: Shields’ decision could come either today (Sunday) or Monday, according to Dennis Lin of U-T San Diego (via Twitter).  Lin hears that Shields was informed early on Saturday that the Padres has made their final offer.  Lin adds (link) that he’d be surprised if another team comes in and steals him away.

FEBRUARY 7TH, 7:04pm: Shields never rejected a five-year, $110 million offer, tweets Nightengale. While not pertinent to the present situation, it’s an interesting revelation. Earlier in the offseason, it was rumored that such an offer had been extended. When Shields didn’t sign, it was widely assumed the deal was rejected.

6:32pm: The outcome of the Padres offer is expected to be known within 24 hours, tweets Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

4:20pm: It’s not known which teams remain involved in the bidding, but one involved club was told that a decision is expected soon, tweets Nightengale.

4:07pm: The Padres “badly” want Shields and remain the favorites, but they’re being told that there are other teams still heavily involved in the bidding, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Meanwhile, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio tweets that there’s no “impasse” between the two sides, but rather that Shields simply must decide whether or not to accept San Diego’s “last and final offer.”

2:43pm: The Padres and Shields are currently “at an impasse” after several hours of negotiations, tweets Miller. The ball is Shields’ court at this point, he adds.

1:31pm: The Padres are indeed the favorites to sign Shields, “if not a lock already,” reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro (on Twitter). Frisaro covers another team, the Marlins, who have been linked to Shields throughout the offseason.

11:15am: Talks between the Padres and James Shields “have heated up and are gaining momentum,” according to Scott Miller of FOX Sports San Diego/Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Shields, a native of Santa Clarita, Calif. (just 150 miles from San Diego), very much likes the idea of pitching in San Diego, Miller adds.

Last night, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that nothing was imminent between the two sides at this point, though he added that things could change quickly. Within his piece, Lin noted that Cole Hamels (a San Diego native himself) could be the team’s top target, but no club had yet come close to matching an asking price that many clubs believe to be exorbitant.

Rumors have been connecting the Padres and Shields for quite some time now. Adding an arm of his caliber to an already-strong rotation would be the icing of the cake, so to speak, on what has been a nearly unfathomably active offseason for first-year general manager A.J. Preller. The former Rangers executive was named GM in August and set out to transform the Padres’ low-scoring offense not with a lengthy rebuild, but by using his farm system to acquire several win-now bats. San Diego has added Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, Derek Norris and Will Middlebrooks this winter as well as relievers Shawn Kelley and Brandon Maurer while keeping the big league roster largely intact. The most notable subtractions from last year’s 25-man roster are Seth Smith, Yasmani Grandal and Jesse Hahn.

Shields, the prize of the remaining crop of free agents, is reportedly expected to make a decision on a destination before the weekend is complete. If signed, he’d join Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross and Ian Kennedy atop a strong group of starters and further the Friars’ chances of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2006.

Marlins Sign Mike Dunn To Two-Year Deal

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The Marlins have avoided arbitration with reliever Mike Dunn agreeing to a two-year, $5.8MM deal, tweets Dunn’s agency, O’Connell Sports Management. The contract buys out Dunn’s remaining arbitration years, but keeps him on track for free agency after the 2016 season.

Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports Dunn will receive $2.35MM in 2015 ($50K more than projected) and $3.45MM in 2016. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman tweets Dunn can earn an additional $100K in the second year of the pact by reaching the thresholds of 55 and 60 innings pitched. The Marlins are a “file and trial” team (the strategy of going to an arbitration hearing with a player once arbitration figures have been exchanged), but they make an exception for multi-year deals, according to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. The left-hander filed for $2.6MM while the Marlins countered with $2.355MM, per MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker. Dunn’s signing leaves David Phelps as the Marlins’ lone unresolved arbitration case.

Dunn has been a workhorse in the Marlins’ bullpen appearing in at least 60 games in each of the past four seasons, including 75 the past two years. The 29-year-old posted a line of 3.16 ERA, 10.6 K/9, and a career-best 3.5 BB/9 covering 57 innings of work in 2014.

Reds, Todd Frazier Agree To Two-Year Deal

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The Reds and Todd Frazier have avoided arbitration with a two-year, $12MM deal, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Frazier will receive $4.5MM in 2015 and $7.5MM in 2016, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets. Frazier is a client of CAA Sports.

Frazier had filed for $5.7MM in his first year of arbitration eligibility, with the Reds countering at $3.9MM, according to MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker. With $4.8MM as the midpoint between those two figures, $12MM for this year and next accounts for what would have been a fairly typical arbitration-year raise for 2016, to the $7MM range. After the contract ends, Frazier will be under Reds control for one more year, and he will be eligible for arbitration after 2016.

Frazier, who will turn 29 next week, was one of the Reds’ top performers in the team’s tough 2014 season. Frazier hit .273/.336/.459, led the team with 29 homers and played in his first All-Star Game. He also received good marks for his defense at third base, posting an above-average UZR at the position for the third straight season.

With Frazier’s case now settled, the only remaining Reds player with a pending arbitration case is closer Aroldis Chapman.

Pirates Win Arbitration Hearing Against Neil Walker

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The Pirates have won an arbitration hearing against second baseman Neil Walker, reports MLB.com’s Tom Singer (on Twitter). Walker, who had filed at $9MM as opposed to the club’s $8MM figure (as shown in MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker), will earn that $8MM sum in 2015. He’d been projected to earn $8.6MM in arbitration by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz — a figure he may have approached had team and player been able to find a middle ground.

The 29-year-old Walker has now gone through the arbitration process three times, and the Super Two player will be eligible once more next winter before hitting free agency in the 2016-17 offseason. Walker had a breakout season in terms of power in 2014 but missed time due to both an appendectomy and lower back pain. He batted .271/.342/.467 with a career-high 23 homers, however, despite appearing in just 137 games.

Durability has long been an issue for the Excel Sports Management client, as Walker went through two turns on the 15-day DL in 2013 (though one was for a lacerated hand upon being spiked) and missed significant time in 2012 due to a herniated disc in his lower back. However, there’s been little question about his productivity when on the field; since establishing himself as Pittsburgh’s everyday second baseman in 2010, the hometown hero has batted .274/.341/.435, averaging 15 homers per season and an adjusted OPS of 116+ (indicating that he’s been 16 percent better than a league-average hitter when adjusting for league and park).

With Walker’s case out of the way, the Pirates have to remaining situations to settle, as both Pedro Alvarez and Vance Worley have unresolved cases.

Reds Sign Burke Badenhop, Designate Ismael Guillon

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1:03pm: Badenhop will earn $50K for reaching 45 appearances, $100K for 50 appearances and another $100K for 55 appearances, reports WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford. He’s made 63 or more appearances in each of the past three seasons, making those bonuses seem highly attainable.

12:02pm: MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon adds (via Twitter) that Badenhop can earn up to $250K via performance bonuses.

11:45pm: Grantland’s Jonah Keri reports that Badenhop is guaranteed $2.5MM, as he’ll earn $1MM in 2015 and has a $1.5MM buyout on a $4MM mutual option for the 2016 season (Twitter links).

11:33pm: The Reds announced today that they have signed right-hander Burke Badenhop to a one-year contract with a mutual option for the 2016 season. Lefty Ismael Guillon has been designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

The contract should serve as a fine birthday present for Badenhop, who turns 32 years old tomorrow. The ground-ball specialist has been quietly excellent over the past three seasons despite being traded twice in that time, posting a combined 2.90 ERA with 5.7 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 55.3 percent ground-ball rate. Badenhop, a client of ACES, has totaled 195 1/3 innings over that three-year stretch, spending one season each with the Rays, Brewers and Red Sox.

Badenhop was one of the top remaining arms on a relief market that still features right-handers Francisco Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano and Joba Chamberlain. He’ll slot into a bullpen that features lights-out closer Aroldis Chapman, setup man Sam LeCure and lefties Sean Marshall and Manny Parra. Reds fans looking to get to know their newest reliever can check out the MLBTR Podcast from Oct. 30, in which Badenhop himself was a guest and chatted with host Jeff Todd. Badenhop was an excellent interview, sharing insightful answers about his strengths and weaknesses as well as his knowledge of advanced metrics and experiences from pitching in multiple roles out of the bullpen.

As for Guillon, the soon-to-be 23-year-old has struggled over the past two seasons at two Class-A levels, pitching to a combined 4.82 ERA with 248 strikeouts against 150 walks in 244 2/3 innings of work. He ranked among Baseball America’s Top 30 Reds prospects following the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, topping out at No. 9. Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel recently pegged him 21st among Reds farmhands, noting that his changeup is a 60-65 on the 20-80 scale, but his curve is below average, and his upside comes with maddening inconsistency. One Reds source described Guillon as a “pull your hair out kind of guy” to McDaniel, who noted that Guillon would be an intriguing waiver pickup should Cincinnati part ways with him.

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