East Notes: Rays, Yankees, Phillies, Mets
The signing of Grant Balfour could indicate that the Rays will keep David Price in 2014, writes MLB.com's Bill Chastain. With the Rays committing to spend $5MM on Balfour in 2014, the reasoning goes, they might as well spend $14MM on Price. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- 21st Century Fox will raise its stake in the YES Network to 80 percent, the Associated Press reports. As Fangraphs' Wendy Thurm indicates (via Twitter), that means more money for the Yankees, perhaps over $150MM per year. An agreement last year dictates how much the Yankees would receive as FOX increased its ownership stake.
- The Phillies have 17 players signed for $158.8MM next season, Ryan Lawrence of Philadelphia Daily News writes in a breakdown of the team's payroll. Unless the Phillies continue making moves, the rest of the 25-man roster will be filled by pre-arbitration players or minor-league signees.
- Mets third baseman David Wright appreciates the team's additions of Curtis Granderson and Bartolo Colon this offseason, Mark Herrmann of Newsday reports. Colon, Wright says, is "aggressive and he's going to come at you. He pitches with a confidence that you don't see much."
Quick Hits: Ryan, Garcia, Diaz, Santiago
After public expressions of interest recently between the Astros and Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan, the stage is set for another step forward. Team owner Jim Crane has arranged to meet Ryan in person at some point next week. Presumably, the two will discuss a role for the former Rangers CEO with a Houston organization that already features his son as its president of business operations. Here are a few more stray notes to round out the week:
- Freddy Garcia does not want to pitch in Triple-A for the Braves, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has an opt-out on March 25 that can be exercised if he has not been added to the MLB roster, but Garcia is confident that he won't need to do so.
- Two of his countrymen were cleared to sign today, but Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz is still ineligible to sign until February 19th due to age misrepresentation issues. He is now training in Arizona, tweets Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, and plans to showcase himself for scouts on at least two occasions in February. The 23-year-old has reportedly drawn wide interest from MLB clubs.
- 34-year-old infielder Ramon Santiago has chosen new representation, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. He will rely on the Beverly Hills Sports Council to find him a home after eight years with the Tigers.
Pitching Notes: Garza, Arroyo, Buyers, Hammel, Williams, Byrdak
There were no new developments today relating to Matt Garza, who looked to have a deal in place with the Brewers yesterday before an unidentified snag held things up. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel provided some updates from the inside, however, reporting that a source said negotiations were "ongoing." When asked whether there were any new developments, GM Doug Melvin told Haudricourt "nothing yet."
Here are a few bits of information elsewhere on the current free agent pitching market:
- Bronson Arroyo and the Dodgers have had discussions since Masahiro Tanaka chose not to sign with Los Angeles, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The level of interest remains uncertain, Heyman notes.
- The Angels have "a bit" of interest in Arroyo but are also content to take their current group to Spring Training, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The Angels acquired Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs this offseason to join Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Garrett Richards in the rotation.
- It's been a different type of offseason for the Angels this year, writes MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, noting the patience and restraint the team has shown on the free agent market. Gonzalez notes that the Angels aren't interested in Matt Garza at the $13MM AAV he would receive in his near-deal with the Brewers, as it would push them up against the luxury tax threshold. He lists Arroyo, Jason Hammel, Chris Capuano, Scott Baker and Paul Maholm as potential rotation options that would leave some cushion between Anaheim's payroll and the luxury tax.
- With a lot of starters still available on the open market, there are plenty of teams that have yet to fill up their slate of rotation candidates. Joining the O's and Jays among the clubs that are looking for starters are both of Chicago's two franchises, according to Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com (via Twitter). Levine indicates that the Cubs are looking over the list of remaining free agents, but he does not say whether the White Sox have any interest in open-market players.
- MLB.com's Greg Johns tweets that Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik thinks the team is done making "major" additions, but tweaks are still possible. However, semantics could come into play heavily, as manager Lloyd McClendon said the team would still like to add a No. 3 starter, per ESPN 710's Shannon Drayer (Twitter link). New team president and COO Kevin Mather indicated today that the club would have the financial resources necessary to make more additions before the start of the season.
- There are five clubs vying for the services of Hammel, tweets Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com. Hammel is expected to choose a landing spot within a week.
- Swingman Jerome Williams has offers on the table from at least three clubs, Cotillo tweets. He, too, appears to be nearing a decision point.
- Southpaw reliever Tim Byrdak will not be re-signing with the Mets, the reliever tweeted (via Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com). The 40-year-old indicated that the team decided against signing him.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Carlin, Rogers, Cousins, Anderson
Here are today's minor moves from around the league…
- The Indians have signed catcher Luke Carlin to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite, according to the MLB transactions page. Carlin, 33, spent last year at Triple-A for the Angels. In 156 MLB plate appearances spread ove four seasons, Carlin has a .179/.263/.286 triple-slash.
- The Mariners have inked a minor league deal with righty Mark Rogers, who will receive a Spring Training invitation, the team announced. Rogers, 27, was the fifth overall pick of the 2004 draft and was once the game's 44th best prospect, according to Baseball America. He has been hampered by shoulder issues over his career, but has been strong (3.49 ERA, 9.6 K/9 vs. 3.1 BB/9) in his eleven big league appearances, nine of which were starts. Rogers recently spent time in the Venezuelan Winter League, registering a 5.16 ERA in 22 2/3 innings (with 17 strikeouts but 15 walks).
- The Red Sox have agreed to terms with Scott Cousins on a minor league deal, per ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). The outfielder is a career .179/.230/.285 hitter in 193 big league PAs but has authored a .276/.337/.422 triple-slash line in parts of four seasons at the Triple-A level. He spent 2013 in the Angels' system.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy reports (via Twitter) that the Cubs have inked first baseman Lars Anderson to a minor league deal. The former Red Sox top prospect spent 2013 in the White Sox organization but batted just .194/.302/.251 before being released.
- Eddy also tweets that first baseman/DH Shelley Duncan inked a minor league pact with the Diamondbacks. Duncan belted 11 homers in three consecutive seasons for the Indians from 2010-12 but slashed just .182/.287/.309 in a cameo with the Rays in 2013. He boasts an .840 career OPS at the Triple-A level.
- More from Eddy, who tweets that the Dodgers have inked outfielder Trayvon Robinson, second baseman Ryan Adams and righty Mark Pope to minor league deals. Robinson is the most notable of the bunch, as the Dodgers originally drafted him and included him in the three-team Erik Bedard trade with the Red Sox and Mariners in 2011. Robinson, 26, has a .602 OPS in parts of two big league seasons but is a .266/.344/.454 hitter in Triple-A. Adams was a second-round pick by the Orioles in 2006 and has a career .770 OPS in the minors. Pope, a former fifth-rounder of the Padres, thrived in 51 2/3 innings in the independent Frontier League last season, prompting his return to affiliated ball.
- The Orioles have signed infielder/outfielder Scott Savastano to a minor league deal, tweets agent Joe Rosen. The 27-year-old has spent six years playing in the Mariners' minor league system where he's amassed a .282/.360/.406 batting line. The versatile Savastano has recent experience at first base, second base, third base, left field and right field.
Dodgers Sign Chone Figgins
FRIDAY: The Dodgers have officially announced the Figgins signing, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
WEDNESDAY: The Dodgers have agreed to sign Chone Figgins to a minor league contract, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter). ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reported earlier this evening that the two sides were close on a deal that includes an invitation for Figgins to join the Dodgers' Major League spring training camp. Figgins, who celebrates his 36th birthday today, is represented by the ACES agency.
Figgins signed a minor league deal with the Marlins last spring but was released in March, leading him to sit out the 2013 season. The veteran utilityman was looking to make a comeback and recently worked out for several teams, including the Dodgers. Figgins played mostly third base and outfield in 2011-12 but he has experience all over the diamond, making him a potentially valuable bench piece if he makes the Los Angeles roster. Most notably, Figgins could provide depth at second base behind rookie Alexander Guerrero.
Figgins is looking to revive his career after three miserable seasons in Seattle. He signed a four-year, $36MM free agent deal with the Mariners following the 2009 season but struggled badly, hitting .227/.302/.283 in 1209 PA with the team before being released with one year remaining on his contract.
Giants Acquire David Huff From Yankees
The Giants have acquired lefty David Huff for cash considerations, the Yankees announced. Huff was designated for assignment on Wednesday to make roster space for Masahiro Tanaka.
Huff, 29, pitched to a 4.67 ERA in 34 2/3 innings for the Yankees last season. He was claimed off of waivers early in the year from the Indians, the only organization he had played for to that point. Of Huff's 69 career MLB appearances, 54 have been starts. But while he received two spot starts for Yankees in 2013, and also made 14 Triple-A starts, Huff spent most of his time in New York working out of the pen.
Huff came to Cleveland as the 39th overall pick of the 2006 draft. Oddly, the southpaw has a significant reverse platoon split over his career: he has allowed a .797 OPS to righties, while lefties have knocked him around for an even .900 mark.
Odrisamer Despaigne Cleared To Sign With MLB Teams
Cuban righty Odrisamer Despaigne can now sign with a MLB club after being cleared by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports (via Twitter). Despaigne is represented by agent Jaime Torres, who also represented players like Jose Contreras, Alexei Ramirez, and Yasiel Puig as they transitioned from Cuban baseball to the big leagues.
Despaigne, a righty, turns 27 in early April. Several clubs were noted as having watched Despaigne throw as of late October, but the list has no doubt grown since. As Sanchez notes, Despaigne has participated in two recent showcases in Mexico. The righty threw eight innings over two starts in the Mexican Pacific League in late December, allowing three earned runs and registering two strikeouts against two walks. Steve Sypa of Amazin' Avenue has a nice profile on Despaigne.
Despaigne could hold another showcase before choosing a team, Sanchez says. Several teams that had been interested in Masahiro Tanaka also showed interest in Despaigne, Sanchez adds in another tweet. Despaigne joins fellow Cuban Yenier Bello – who was also just cleared — on the list of 2014 free agents.
Marlins Sign Ty Wigginton
The Marlins have signed Ty Wigginton to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite, the club announced. The 12-year MLB veteran is an ACES client.
Wigginton, 36, has spent most of his career at the corner infield, though he has seen some time up the middle and in the corner outfield. He has only played several seasons as a regular — most recently, in his 2010 All-Star year with the Orioles — but has seen at least 400 plate appearances in eight seasons. 2012 was Wigginton's last full season of MLB action. He posted a .235/.314/.375 line and eleven home runs in 360 plate appearances for the Phillies.
Wigginton has been a free agent since the Cardinals released him last July. He had signed a two-year, $5MM deal with St. Louis, but was cut loose after struggling to a .158/.238/.193 line in his first 63 plate appearances for his new club.
The Marlins entered the offseason with a hole at third and plenty of roster opportunities to compete during the spring. It could be an uphill battle for Wigginton to earn a roster spot. Among the organization's non-prospect mix, fellow minor league signee Casey McGehee figures to have the inside track at the hot corner, and Greg Dobbs makes sense as a backup or platoon-mate since he swings from the left side. Also under team control is Ed Lucas, who played 61 games at third last year for the Fish and was the team's only infielder to post a positive fWAR.
Kevin Mather Named President Of Mariners
TODAY: Seattle officially announced Mather's promotion to the role of president and COO via press release. Meanwhile, the club announced that fellow executive Bob Aylward will take over as Chairman of the Board of NW Sports Net LLC (the club's TV network). Previously, both roles had been under Armstrong's jurisdiction.
Mather said (through the press release) that he will "support[] Jack Zduriencik as he continues to lead the baseball operation and builds the Mariners both for 2014 and for future seasons." Speaking to reporters later today, Mather said that he views his role as coordinating the business and baseball operations side of the club, Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio Seattle tweets. Mather added that the club has enough payroll flexibility to add additional players this offseason, tweets Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune.
YESTERDAY: The Mariners are expected to name Kevin Mather as the club's new president, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Mather will move up from his current position as VP of finance and ballpark operations, taking charge after a long term at the helm for the outgoing Chuck Armstrong.
Mather has held his role since all the way back in 1996, when he came to Seattle from the Twins organization. This 2012 profile from the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin paints Mather as a shrewd businessman who keeps a close eye on the bottom line. According to the piece, Mather oversaw the building of Safeco Field, and since that time has run the facility, handled its lease, and largely controlled the team's finances.
Mather will take over a club that enjoys a substantial new TV deal and a nice home park that he helped to build. One priority could be to improve the team's lagging attendance figures. (Last year, the Mariners were 25th in baseball at getting people in the seats, with a total draw closer to that of the last-place Rays than the 22nd-place Diamondbacks.) With the Seattle president position reportedly set to oversee both business and baseball operations of the club, Mather (along with GM Jack Zduriencik) will be tasked with building a winner in a tough AL West division after spending big money to extend ace Felix Hernandez and making a huge splash by adding superstar Robinson Cano.
Red Sox To Sign Jose Mijares
The Red Sox have agreed to terms with southpaw reliever Jose Mijares on a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Mijares will earn $1MM if he lands on the MLB roster, MLBTR's Zach Links reports (Twitter links), and could earn around an additional $1MM in incentives tied to games pitched. The deal includes an opt-out date in March, adds Links.
Mijares, 29, spent last season with the Giants. His 4.22 ERA in 49 innings was among the second-highest of his career, but Mijares had attractive rate statistics (9.9 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9). Mijares suffered from a staggering .410 BABIP, the highest mark in all of baseball among pitchers with at least 40 innings. Advanced metrics like FIP (3.05), xFIP (3.90), and SIERA (3.45) thought Mijares outperformed his ERA last year.
Mijares looks increasingly to be a lefty-on-lefty guy. Over his career, he has allowed a .818 OPS to righties and a .623 OPS to lefties. But those splits were even more pronounced last year, as Mijares gave up a .961 OPS to righties and .710 mark to same-handed hitters.