Athletics Negotiating With Bartolo Colon
The Athletics are in negotiations with Bartolo Colon, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Yesterday we learned that the pitcher has also attracted the interest of the Diamondbacks.
The 38-year-old right-hander turned in a 4.00 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 for the Yankees in 2011. General Manager Brian Cashman expressed interest in bringing the veteran back this offseason, but the club's moves this week might satisfy their need for pitching.
Selig Prioritizing A’s Stadium Resolution
Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News writes that commissioner Bud Selig, who was recently extended through 2014, has placed the A's and their pursuit of a new stadium and a move to San Jose on the front burner.
The special committee Selig put together to examine the dilemma has delivered a "comprehensive" report but has yet to be presented to all 30 owners. Still, Selig says they're "proceeding at a rather quick pace" and seemed to agree to the suggested analogy that if the stadium issue were a baserunner, he'd be on third base.
Standing in the way of the transition is that the Giants claim San Jose — part of Santa Clara County — as part of their territory. The Giants have supported an organziation called Stand For San Jose that has protested the building of a stadium in downtown San Jose. The Giants' territorial claim can be overturned by a 75 percent vote from MLB owners.
The Giants could fight back by supporting an anti-ballpark campaign in San Jose, where a special ballot referendum (partially financed by MLB) would need to pass, or perhaps even by persuading one of their sponsors to sue MLB (the Giants cannot sue MLB themselves). There's also nothing preventing the Giants from filing a lawsuit against the city of San Jose itself.
As Purdy points out, if the Giants were to file any lawsuit, we'd see "the awkward situation of one MLB franchise spending money to defeat a project supported by another MLB franchise in an election partially paid for by MLB itself."
A's owner Lew Wolff said he's "delighted" to hear that Selig is prioritizing the situation and that MLB is moving toward a decision.
Minor Moves: Powell, Mattingly, Hu, Phillips, Herrera
Here’s where we’ll keep track of the latest minor moves…
- Athletics catcher Landon Powell has accepted his assignment to Triple-A, MLB.com's Jane Lee tweets. Powell cleared waivers about a week ago.
- The Yankees signed Preston Mattingly to a minor league deal, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. The 24-year-old former first rounder posted a .232/.281/.354 line in the lower minors last year. He is the son of current Dodgers manager and former Yankees star Don Mattingly.
- The Indians signed former Dodgers and Mets shortstop prospect Chin-lung Hu, Goldstein tweets. The 27-year-old has a .296/.339/.412 line in nine minor league seasons. He appeared in 22 games with the Mets last year and also has MLB experience with the Dodgers.
- The Brewers announced that they signed catcher Paul Phillips to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. The 34-year-old has MLB experience with the White Sox, Royals and Rockies. He spent the 2011 season with the Indians' top affiliate, posting a .237./281/.305 line.
- Danny Herrera cleared waivers and will remain in the Mets’ organization as a non-roster player, ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin tweets. The 27-year-old sidearmer joined the Mets in last summer's Francisco Rodriguez trade. He pitched 9 2/3 innings in the Major Leagues in 2011 and spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a 2.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9.
- The Angels signed outfielder Doug Deeds to a minor league deal, Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweets. Deeds posted a .249/.304/.444 line for the Rangers' top affiliate in 2011.
- The Angels also signed outfielder Drew Macias, Eddy tweets. Macias, 28, has a .249/.363/.376 line in four Triple-A seasons and picked up some MLB experience with the 2007-09 Padres.
AL West Notes: Dipoto, Hamilton, Mariners, Beane
Here's the latest news and notes out of the AL West…
- The Angels have reached their payroll limit and any further moves will have to come via the trade market, GM Jerry Dipoto tells Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. Dipoto says the club would need "a fairly compelling reason" to trade either Kendrys Morales or Mark Trumbo, but "there are scenarios you could envision."
- Dipoto tells Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times that the Angels' signing of infielder Jorge Cantu isn't a sign that the Halos have new concerns about the health of either Morales or Trumbo.
- Josh Hamilton's hard-nosed style of play (and subsequent injuries) will make it hard for the outfielder to earn top dollar either in free agency or from an extension with the Rangers, writes MLB.com's Lyle Spencer.
- The Mariners recently turned down inquiries about Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda from Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. This doesn't really represent a failed attempt for Anthopoulos since, as Rosenthal explains, the Toronto GM "routinely asks about the best players on every team. He almost always is told no."
- The Mariners have addressed most of their offseason wish list, notes MLB.com's Greg Johns, except their biggest need: an impact bat. Johns says there has been no indication that the biggest name the M's have been connected to this winter, Prince Fielder, has any interest in coming to Seattle.
- Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle finds it "astounding" that Billy Beane is remaining with the Athletics through this latest rebuilding period, but the A's GM isn't just looking ahead to the club's potential move to San Jose. "I'm too competitive to 'punt' anything," Beane said. "It's not part of my DNA. I've got an emotional investment in this team, and if we're playing in Oakland, then let's make the best of the situation. I don't leave for clear skies as soon as I start seeing the clouds. I keep thinking something will get better."
West Links: Dodgers, Rangers, A’s, Mariners, Pujols
Time for some links from baseball's two West divisions…
- "I think so," said Dodgers GM Ned Colletti when asked if he was done with his free agent shopping, reports Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). They re-signed Mike MacDougal to a one-year deal today, the tenth free agent they've signed this winter.
- The Rangers continue to have dialogue about long-term contract extensions with core players like Ian Kinsler and Derek Holland, reports Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas. "Our general feeling is to try not to negotiate during the year, but we've made exceptions," said GM Jon Daniels.
- Daniels also refused to comment about the Rangers' talks with Yu Darvish, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. "It's best for us to lay low," said the GM. "The less noise around that, the better."
- Athletics GM Billy Beane told MLB.com's Jane Lee that he has some interest in a few free agent outfielders, and he's also exploring trade possibilities (Twitter link). Bullpen help is another possibility, says Joe Stiglich of The Bay Area News Group (on Twitter).
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said they are "still keeping our ears open" regarding veteran starters even after signing Hisashi Iwakuma, reports Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com (on Twitter).
- ESPN's Buster Olney says (on Twitter) that the union calculated the value of Albert Pujols' contract with the Angels at $246,841,811. Ronald Blum of the AP has a breakdown of the perks in the contract, such as a suite on road trips.
- Troy Renck of The Denver Post has the details of Wil Nieves' minor league contract with the Rockies (on Twitter). The backstop will earn $700K in the majors and $14K per month in the minors. He's also been invited to Spring Training.
Athletics Sign Coco Crisp
The Athletics have officially signed Coco Crisp to a two-year, $14MM deal that includes a club option for 2014, the team announced. News of the agreement ended 24 hours of rumors and speculation about Crisp's destination. He decided to return to Oakland despite interest from the Orioles, Cubs, Cardinals and many other teams.
The deal will pay Crisp $6MM in 2012 and $7MM in 2013. The A's can exercise a $7.5MM option for 2014 or pay the center fielder a $1MM buyout. If the A's trade the Steve Comte client, he gets a one-time bonus of $250K.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Crisp 21st among MLB free agents at the beginning of the offseason. The switch-hitter led the American League with 49 stolen bases in 2011, hitting .264/.314/.379 with 27 doubles as Oakland's center fielder. The California native seemed to prefer West Coast teams, but explained in September that he was also looking to play on a winner and find a good "financial situation" for himself.
Crisp joins Michael Taylor and Josh Reddick in the Athletics' new-look outfield. Josh Willingham signed with the Twins and David DeJesus signed with the Cubs, leaving Billy Beane, David Forst & Co. with the unenviable task of filling out an entire outfield. The A's sent Jai Miller to the Orioles today and may still be on the lookout for outfield depth.
ESPN's Buster Olney first reported the agreement. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio heard from an unconfirmed source that Crisp was nearing a deal with the A's (Twitter link). Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Landon Powell Clears Waivers
Athletics catcher Landon Powell has cleared waivers, reports Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle (all Twitter links). She notes that Powell can refuse the outright assignment to the minors, but he's unlikely to do so because he'd forfeit his $620K contract for 2012. That contract is not guaranteed, however. Jane Lee of MLB.com says (on Twitter) he has eight days to make the decision.
Powell, 29, was designated for assignment following the Gio Gonzalez trade late last month as Oakland needed to clear 40-man roster space. He told Slusser back then that he hoped to get picked up by another club or traded. Powell is a .207/.284/.328 career hitter in 406 big league plate appearances, and he's thrown out 29 of 73 attempted basestealers during his career, a stellar 39.7%.
Seth Smith Continues Drawing Interest
Rockies outfielder Seth Smith remains a coveted trade chip, though the Braves’ interest in him has cooled, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reported yesterday. The Rockies would like to trade Smith for a back-of-the-rotation starter or a second baseman, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes.
The Rays are not in the hunt for Smith, though the Rockies covet Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann, Renck reported. The Athletics and Mariners have interest in Smith, according to Rosenthal, who reported along with Jon Paul Morosi last month that the Mets have expressed interest as well. Rosenthal now adds the Indians and Red Sox to the list of teams that have shown at least some interest in Smith.
Smith, a left-handed hitter, posted a .284/.347/.483 line with 15 homers in 533 plate appearances this past season, playing left and right field. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz estimates a 2012 salary of $2.6MM for the 29-year-old via the arbitration process. He’ll remain under team control through 2014.
Minor Moves: Jacobs, Gaudin, Delaney, Fields, Mather
We'll keep track of today's minor moves right here..
- The Pirates announced that they signed right-hander Logan Kensing to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training. The 29-year-old spent the 2011 campaign with the Yankees' top affiliate after recovering from elbow surgery in 2010.
- The Reds signed catchers Brian Esposito and Brian Peacock to minor league deals, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
- The Tigers signed utility player Eric Patterson to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.
- The Mets signed right-hander Jeff Stevens and utility player Corey Wimberly to minor league deals, tweets Eddy.
- The A's signed right-handers Travis Schlichting and Merkin Valdez and left-hander Fabio Castro to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
- The Yankees signed right-hander Adam Miller and outfielders Cole Garner and Dewayne Wise to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
- The Diamondbacks signed first baseman Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy. Before playing, Jacobs still must serve a 50-game suspension for positive a HGH test in August. He was cut by the Rockies following the test.
- The Marlins picked up right-handers Chad Gaudin and Rob Delaney on minor league deals, Eddy tweets. In nine big league seasons, Gaudin has a 4.63 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9. Delaney spent most of 2011 with the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 1.86 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.
- The Dodgers signed third baseman Josh Fields, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).
- The Cubs signed Joe Mather as Triple-A outfield insurance, according to Goldstein (via Twitter). Mather spent 36 games on the Braves' major league roster in 2011.
- The Nationals have signed right-hander Dan Cortes, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter).
- Speaking of the Braves, Atlanta released former Rangers draftee Marcus Lemon, Goldstein tweets. Lemon was acquired in a March trade for a PTBNL.
- P.J. Phillips, the younger brother of Brandon Phillips, agreed to a deal with the Reds, tweets Goldstein. The younger Phillips' career never got going due to plate discipline issues.
- The Blue Jays signed former Angels/Braves relief prospect Stephen Marek, Goldstein tweets. The right-hander was outrighted by Atlanta in November and underwent Tommy John surgery in May.
- The White Sox signed 2000 first-round pick Corey Smith, Goldstein tweets. The 29-year-old has never reached the Majors.
Athletics Still Interested In Ludwick, Ross, Jackson
The Athletics recently committed $14MM to retain center fielder Coco Crisp, but they'll continue to talk to free agent outfielders such as Ryan Ludwick, Cody Ross, and Conor Jackson, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Oakland's corner outfield depth chart currently features Josh Reddick, Collin Cowgill, and Michael Taylor after losing Josh Willingham and David DeJesus to free agency and trading Jai Miller and Ryan Sweeney.
Ludwick, 33, shouldn't cost much after a .237/.310/.363 performance in 2011. Jackson had a similar line. Ross was somewhat more useful at .240/.325/.405. His asking price appears to have come down to the two-year, $10MM range. Other unsigned outfielders include Rick Ankiel, Johnny Damon, J.D. Drew, Kosuke Fukudome, Scott Hairston, Brad Hawpe, Raul Ibanez, Magglio Ordonez, Luke Scott, and Ryan Spilborghs.
ESPN's Buster Olney writes today that some executives believe $40MM is the unofficial budget floor MLB and the union would like to see from teams. As such, the Crisp signing may allow the A's to avoid a slap on the wrist. Including projected salaries for Crisp, Brandon McCarthy, and Joey Devine, the A's appear to have about $33MM in commitments to 11 players.