Mets Sign Jose Valverde
SUNDAY: Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets the breakdown of Valverde's performance bonuses: $75K for appearing in 40, 45, and 50 games; $100K for appearing in 55, 60, and 65 games; $100K for finishing 30 and 35 games; $250K for finishing 40 and 45 games; and $300K for finishing 50 games. Valverde also has a March 26 opt-out, tweets Sherman.
WEDNESDAY, 10:51am: Valverde can also earn up to $1.5MM in performance bonuses, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
9:11am: The Mets have signed right-hander Jose Valverde to a minor league deal that contains an invitation to Major League Spring Training, the team announced on Twitter. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports (also via Twitter) that the Praver/Shapiro client will earn $1MM if he makes the club.
This marks the second former closer that the Mets have signed to a minor league deal in the past week, as the club has also invited Kyle Farnsworth to camp. Valverde is the more accomplished closer of the two, but his recent struggled are well-documented. "Papa Grande" posted a 3.00 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and 110 saves for the Tigers from 2010-12. However, he began to unravel late in the 2012 season and in the 2012 playoffs. He would eventually return to Detroit in May 2013, briefly solidifying the closer role before allowing six home runs in eight appearances. The end result was a 5.59 ERA that caused the Tigers to designate Valverde for assignment.
Valverde adds another experienced arm to the Mets' bullpen depth, and he'll try to break camp with the team in order to join a bullpen that figures to be headlined by Bobby Parnell and young flamethrower Vic Black.
Edward Creech contributed to this post.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Fregosi, Japan, Orioles
On this date in 2004, the Rangers traded Alex Rodriguez along with cash to the Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later, Joaquin Arias. The trade came on the heels of the union killing the deal that would have sent A-Rod to Boston for Manny Ramirez. Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..
- Angels Win remembers Jim Fregosi.
- NPB Tracker looks at Japan’s independent leagues.
- Camden Depot peers into the Orioles’ future.
- Inside The Zona is less-than-thrilled with the D’Backs’ front office.
- Rays Colored Glasses sat down with Kevin Kiermaier.
- The Giants Cove breaks down the NL West.
- Replacement Level Red Sox is optimistic about Felix Doubront.
- Grading On The Curve is concerned about Archie Bradley.
- Baseball News Source wonders what the Dodgers should do with their outfielders.
- Outside Pitch plays trade matchmaker.
- MLB Reports looks at the A’s payroll.
- Players View talks Hanley Ramirez.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Cafardo On Cabrera, Dodgers, Santana, Hardy
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe ranks the top managers in MLB. Red Sox skipper John Farrell comes in at No. 1 thanks to his communication skills, ability to delegate responsibilities well, and, of course, his 2013 World Series ring. Bob Melvin, Terry Francona, Bruce Bochy, and Joe Maddon round out the top five. More from today's column..
- There have been no talks concerning a contract extension between the Indians and Asdrubal Cabrera. Cabrera can become a free agent at the end of the season, but it appears the Indians want to see how he rebounds from a down season. Cafardo sees the shortstop as a potential target for the Yankees next offseason.
- The Dodgers outfield surplus should work in their favor to start the year with Matt Kemp on the mend, but that doesn't mean GM Ned Colletti won't consider a move later in the season. One National League special assistant believes that Andre Ethier would work out very well with the Red Sox. “He needs someone to kick him in the butt, that’s why he would be perfect in Boston with [Dustin] Pedroia. That’s his buddy, and Pedroia would get the most out of him. He doesn’t have anyone like that in L.A.,” said the exec.
- Don't be surprised if the Yankees' efforts to land Ervin Santana intensify in the coming weeks. Even after landing Masahiro Tanaka, the Bombers could use one more solid starter to round out their starting five.
- J.J. Hardy is in the final year of his contract with the Orioles and they would like nothing more than to keep him. Baltimore will have to pony up some serious cash, however, as he could demand a deal of at least five years, possibly in the $15-17MM range.
Ryan Dempster Won’t Pitch In 2014
Ryan Dempster won't pitch for the Red Sox in 2014 due to physical reasons and a desire to spend more time with his kids, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Red Sox are expected to place the veteran on the restricted list, meaning that Dempster will not receive his $13.25MM salary in 2014, according to Rosenthal (link).
“I don’t feel like I am capable of performing to the ability and standard that I am accustomed to. I feel it’s in the best interest of both the club but most importantly myself to step away from playing baseball at this time," said the 36-year-old (via Twitter links). "The time is right. I’m not saying retirement but I definitely won’t be playing this season."
Dempster's decision could have quite the reverb effect for the Red Sox. If they place him on the restricted list as expected, the club will now have an additional $13.25MM of breathing room with regards to the luxury tax which would free them up to spend elsewhere. While many of this offseason's top free agent draws are off the board, this development could pave the way for Stephen Drew to return to Boston.
The news also means that the Red Sox no longer have a surplus of starting pitching to work with. There was some speculation that Boston would entertain the idea of dealing one of their starters for help in another area but that no longer appears to be a viable option.
In 2013, Dempster posted a 4.57 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 29 starts and three relief appearances. For his career, Dempster owns a 4.35 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9.
Braves, Craig Kimbrel Agree To Extension
9:39am: Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) has the full breakdown of Kimbrel's deal. The closer will earn a $1MM signing bonus, $7MM in 2014, $9MM in 2015, $11MM in 2016, and $13MM in 2017 with a $13MM option for 2018. If the option is not exercised, Kimbrel gets a $1MM buyout.
8:58am: The deal gives Kimbrel a guaranteed $42MM over four years plus the $13MM option in 2015, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter) adds that a potential $3.5MM in performance bonuses bring the total max value of the deal to $58.5MM.
8:36am: The Braves announced that they have agreed to terms with Craig Kimbrel on a four-year contract to avoid arbitration. The contract runs through the 2017 season and includes an option for the 2018 campaign but financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the team. 
There was a sizable gap for the two sides to bridge as they headed towards a hearing. The closer submitted a $9MM figure while the Braves countered at $6.55MM. As MLBTR's Matt Swartz wrote back in October, there's truly no precedent for a closer doing what Kimbrel has at this point of his career. In fact, Kimbrel's numbers to date have been so impressive that they actually proved to be an exception to Swartz's carefully crafted model. Other notable closers going through arbitration for the first time such as Jonathan Papelbon, Bobby Jenks, John Axford, and Brian Wilson, had their stats eclipsed by Kimbrel.
“We are very excited to agree to terms with Craig, who we feel is the best closer in Major League Baseball,” Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren said in the press release. “He is one of the key pieces of our pitching staff and we are happy to keep him in a Braves uniform for at least four more years.”
It has been a busy offseason for Wren, as shown in the MLBTR Extension Tracker. Some might have thought that Atlanta was done after signing Freddie Freeman to a massive eight-year, $135MM extension and carving out a two-year, $12.3MM deal with Jason Heyward, but they found a way to also lock up their superstar closer.
In 68 relief appearances last season, Kimbrel turned in a 1.21 ERA with 13.2 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. In total, the 25-year-old owns a 1.39 ERA with 15.1 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 over the course of four big league seasons in Atlanta. For arbitration purposes, his career 139 saves (50 in 2013) helped his case in a major way.
Kimbrel is represented by David Meter of SportsMeter, according to the MLBTR Agency Database.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Phillies Sign A.J. Burnett
SUNDAY, 9:27am: Burnett's player option for 2015, which starts at $7.5MM, could potentially reach $12.75MM, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.
8:56am: Burnett can also earn $1.75MM in performance bonuses each year, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
8:34am: Burnett's 2014 salary is actually $15MM, though it will come out to $16MM if the Phillies exercise his $1MM buyout, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). If the option is exercised, he'll earn $15MM in '15. If the team declines, he can trigger a $7.5MM option for '15. His limited no-trade protection will allow the veteran to name nine teams that he can be traded to (link).
8:03am: The Phillies announced the deal. Within the press release, the Phillies disclosed that the deal includes a mutual/player option for 2015, performance and award bonuses, and a limited no-trade clause.
WEDNESDAY, 6:53pm: The contract may actually include a player option for 2015, tweets ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, who explains that the final details are still being negotiated.
4:51pm: The deal includes a mutual option for 2015 as well as a limited no-trade clause, reports MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The option value has not yet been reported.
10:53am: The Phillies have agreed to a one-year, $16MM deal with A.J. Burnett, reports Hayden Balgavy of THV 11 in Arkansas (Twitter links). Burnett is represented by Frontline Athlete Management.
Burnett's future was shrouded in mystery for much of the offseason, as he took considerably longer than originally expected to determine whether he would pitch in 2014 or retire. He said near season's end that he was "50-50" on the decision and added that if he pitched again, he would do so in a Pirates' uniform. Clearly that line of thinking changed, perhaps when Pittsburgh declined to make him a $14.1MM qualifying offer. Given his $16MM guarantee from the Phillies, it's also possible that the Pirates simply knew they wouldn't be able to afford Burnett (that would explain their early signing of Edinson Volquez). Burnett earned $16.5MM in 2013, but Pittsburgh was only on the hook for $8MM of that total, as the Yankees paid a large portion of his salary when trading him to the Pirates prior to the 2012 campaign.
In Pittsburgh, Burnett revitalized a career that looked to be on its downswing following the second and third seasons of a five-year, $82.5MM contract he signed with the Yankees in the 2008-09 offseason. Burnett posted a 5.20 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 3777 innings from 2010-11 with New York, prompting GM Brian Cashman to trade him to Pittsburgh in exchange for salary relief and a pair of marginal prospects (Exicardo Cayones and Diego Moreno).
The Pirates paid Burnett just $13MM from 2012-13 and were rewarded for their leap of faith, as Burnett turned in an outstanding 3.41 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 393 1/3 innings. His ground-ball rate soared to 56.7 percent in that two-year span, tying him with Justin Masterson for the second-best mark in all of baseball among qualified starters (Trevor Cahill was first).
While it's a surprise to see the Phillies sign Burnett, it's not a surprise to see general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. swing a deal that few would have anticipated early in the offseason. Amaro himself said early on that he would try to be creative in seeking significant upgrades that few would expect. This isn't the first time he's inked an unexpected free agent either. When Cliff Lee signed his five-year, $125MM contract in Philadelphia, most of the baseball world was anticipating that he would end up with either the Yankees or the Rangers.
Burnett will add to a Phillies rotation that is fronted by Lee and Cole Hamels, slotting in as a strong No. 3 option behind that pair of ace-caliber southpaws. Kyle Kendrick should hold down the fourth slot, while fellow offseason signee Roberto Hernandez and Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonazlez figure to battle for the final spot in manager Ryne Sandberg's rotation.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Phillies Designate Joe Savery For Assignment
The Phillies announced that they have designated Joe Savery for assignment in order to create room on the 40-man roster for the newly-inked A.J. Burnett. Savery, 28, has spent parts of the last three seasons on the Phillies' major league roster.
The left-hander owns a 4.15 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 across 41 career major league relief appearances. He spent the bulk of last season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he posted a 3.80 ERA with 11.0 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 20 outings.
To keep up with every player in DFA limbo, check out MLBTR's DFA tracker.
Quick Hits: Sandoval, Braves, Dodgers, O’s, Tigers
Perhaps notable among this year's wave of stories on early-spring physiques, a trimmer Pablo Sandoval has reported to Giants Spring Training, writes Chris Haft of MLB.com. Sandoval is aware that many will credit the weight loss to his impending free agency, but says he was motivated by his teammates and the desire to win a championship. Haft notes that Giants GM Brian Sabean indicated during the Winter Meetings this year that he'd consider a multiyear deal for Sandoval if he reported to camp in shape. More late-night links from around the majors:
- Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez says he plans to offer encouragement to Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton, who both struggled mightily in 2013 (via MLB.com's Mark Bowman). "I'm going into the season, right now, thinking Danny is going to play second base," Gonzalez said.
- New Dodgers infielder Alexander Guerrero's transition from shortstop to second base "has not come easily," Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Guerrero's struggles at the position reportedly motivated the Dodgers' signings of Chone Figgins and Justin Turner.
- The Orioles will announce their deal with Suk-Min Yoon on Sunday, and both sides expect a press conference on Monday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com writes.
- A deal between the Tigers and free agent reliever Ryan Madson is unlikely, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Detroit had a scout in attendance at Madson's recent workout, but the team's interest is likely "limited to due diligence." While GM Dave Dombrowski has hinted at the possibility of adding another reliever, the Tigers prefer a minor league deal, Beck says.
O’s Considering Comp Free Agents
The Orioles are willing to forfeit the 17th overall pick in 2014 and its associated bonus pool money to sign a compensation free agent, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal writes in his latest column. It would appear that the O's aren't done sorting through external rotation options after adding Suk-Min Yoon earlier this week.
While Baltimore has been connected with pitchers such as Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez in recent weeks, new quotes from baseball operations chief Dan Duquette suggest stronger interest than what's been previously reported. "We do have a little bit better talent base in our organization. Our scouts have done a decent job recruiting internationally as well as domestically," Duquette comments. "With the maturity of our team, we have to take a look at it."
That last quote likely refers to the Orioles' current window for contention, which looks to narrow considerably after the 2015 season, when first baseman Chris Davis and catcher Matt Wieters are scheduled to hit free agency. Augmenting the rotation with a pitcher such as Santana or Jimenez would appear to be the most likely avenue of upgrade, as Orioles starters posted an ERA of 4.57 in 2013, good for 12th in the AL. It's currently not known whether the O's prefer Santana or Jimenez, but payroll flexibility isn't an issue, Rosenthal writes.
Rosenthal's article outlines another intriguing possibility: that the Orioles ink two compensation free agents. Adding Santana or Jimenez and a hitter — say, Kendrys Morales — would cause Baltimore to lose the 55th selection in the draft in addition to its first rounder, and such a move is "probably a long shot," Duquette says. However, losing one pick "makes the second one easier, frankly," he adds.
A’s, Reddick Avoid Arbitration
9:36pm: Reddick will receive $2.7MM, a source tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link).
8:14pm: The Athletics and Josh Reddick have avoided arbitration with a one-year deal, a source tells Jane Lee of MLB.com (via Twitter).
Reddick was set to enter the arbitration process for the first time this year, and was projected to earn $2.2MM by MLBTR's Matt Swartz. Figures on the deal's size aren't yet available. Per a January tweet by John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group, Reddick submitted a $3.25MM arbitration bid, while the A's offered $2MM.
Reddick was the Athletics' lone remaining arbitration eligible player, and was notably absent from the club's FanFest last weekend. However, when asked about Reddick's case at the event, GM Billy Beane didn't appear concerned, commenting, "these things always get done." The outfielder triple-slashed just .226/.307/.379 in 2013, struggling with a wrist injury.