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Reactions To The Carlos Ruiz Signing

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Earlier today it was reported that the Phillies have re-signed Carlos Ruiz to a three-year, $26MM contract. The deal is significantly costlier than many pundits predicted, so let's check in with some reactions and related news…

  • ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that the Red Sox were in on Ruiz until the very end, which is what caused Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. to guarantee the third year and give a slight boost in terms of average annual value (Twitter link).
  • The Rockies topped out at two years and $15MM plus a club option for the third year, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. (on Twitter). Ruiz's priority was to secure a three year deal. Renck praises agent Marc Kligman for securing a larger guarantee than Russell Martin.
  • Chooch's deal sets the bar even higher for free agent backstops, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. BN-S adds that the three-year, $26MM pact makes Martin’s two-year, $17MM contract with the Pirates look even more team-friendly.
  • ESPN's Keith Law feels that (Insider subscription required and recommended) "giving a 35-year-old catcher with platoon problems who's coming off a PED suspension a three-year deal is absolute lunacy." The Phillies continue to create a bigger mess for themselves going forward, writes Law.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs takes the opposite stance from Law, opining that the deal isn't nearly as bad for the Phillies as most initial reactions make it out to be. Cameron points out that most free agent contracts at this point are intended to deliver value up front before declining at the end, and Ruiz's floor is roughly that of a 2 WAR player in 2014, which is a bargain at $8.5MM.
  • ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett discusses the Ruiz deal with B.B. Abbott, Brian McCann's agent. “There are certainly teams that are probably looking at the deal and think it has to impact what they’re going to do in this market,” Abbott said. “It doesn’t change what we think of him. But it’s significant in that another catcher is off the market. It’s another puzzle piece that isn’t out there.”  Abbott also noted that he is willing to be patient to find a good deal for McCann.
  • MLBTR's own Tim Dierkes called the contract "a clear win" for Ruiz and Kligman "and an offer they were unlikely to beat if they waited."  While Dierkes is surprised at the size of Ruiz's contract, the deal is a reasonable one for the Phillies.

Phillies Pay Premium To Retain Ruiz Early

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The Phillies made an aggressive strike today, agreeing to a three-year, $26MM contract with catcher Carlos Ruiz.  From the point of view of Ruiz and agent Marc Kligman, this is a clear win and an offer they were unlikely to beat if they waited.  I felt that with Ruiz turning 35 in January, a third guaranteed year was unattainable unless they made a major sacrifice on average annual value.  However, the $8.67MM AAV is strong and in line with what some thought Ruiz might get on a two-year deal.  I am surprised to see Ruiz top Russell Martin's deal from last winter in both years and AAV, especially since Martin was five years younger and coming off a better year.  It's too early to say whether the Ruiz contract is an anomaly, a trend toward rising salaries for catchers, or even a sign that most of the top free agents will beat expectations.

The contract is acceptable for the Phillies in terms of dollars per wins above replacement, as Ruiz is still at least an average regular.  Dollars per WAR isn't the right metric on which to judge a free agent contract, however, especially since the free agent market generally doesn't pay full price for catchers.  How far beyond the runner-up did the Phillies go?  Ideally, you'd only go a little bit beyond the runner-up, especially with a player who had a strong preference to remain in Philadelphia.  According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, the Phillies guaranteed the third year and hiked the AAV to get the deal done with Ruiz.  If the Phillies were the only team willing to guarantee three years, and it does seem that way, then a hardline stance would have been with a reduced AAV, perhaps around $7.5MM.  Something like three years and $23MM was probably possible, which would have made the third year less painful since Ruiz might have approached $20MM on a two-year offer from the Red Sox, Rockies, Blue Jays, or Yankees eventually.

It's easy to say Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. should have played hardball with Ruiz to save $3-4MM, and that might have been possible.  Still, Ruiz is worth more to the Phillies because of his familiarity with their pitching staff, and Amaro would have faced limited alternatives had he tried to wait Ruiz out.  Brian McCann would have required a much larger commitment, and it appears Jarrod Saltalamacchia will get more than $30MM.  McCann, Saltalamacchia, and A.J. Pierzynski all bat left-handed, and the Phillies likely sought a right-handed bat for lineup balance even after signing Marlon Byrd.  That basically leaves Dioner Navarro, a switch-hitter who hasn't been a regular since 2009.  The trade market is even more questionable, and the Phillies don't have good internal options at catcher.  The Phillies paid a premium to lock up Ruiz this early in the offseason, but the contract is still acceptable.  The Winter Meetings are still three weeks away, and Amaro has already addressed two major holes in his lineup.

Coaching Notes: Joyner, Phillies, Tigers, Renteria

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Wally Joyner has left his post as the Phillies' assistant hitting coach, CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reports. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweets that Joyner will head to Detroit, where he'll serve as the Tigers' new hitting coach under manager Brad Ausmus. Joyner served under head hitting coach Steve Henderson in 2013. Salisbury writes that the Phillies will stick with two hitting coaches in 2014. One possibility might be former big-league infielder Mickey Morandini, who managed in the Phillies system at Class A Lakewood in 2013. Here are more notes on coaches and managers.

  • Joyner isn't the only Phillies coach heading to the Tigers. Also bound for Detroit is former Phillies catching coach Mick Billmeyer, who will serve as the Tigers' bullpen coach, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck (via Twitter). The Phillies announced in October that Billmeyer's contract would not be renewed.
  • New manager Rick Renteria did a five-plus-hour interview with the Cubs while wearing sweatpants, MLB.com's Corey Brock writes. With Renteria recovering from hip replacement surgery, the Cubs — along with the Mariners and Tigers, with whom he also interviewed — traveled to talk to him, rather than the other way around. "At that point, I'm just wearing loose sweats," says Renteria of his interview with Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer. "They started asking me different questions: How do you deal with players? How I would handle different situations."

Quick Hits: Rangers, Phillies, Andrus, Ruiz

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Here's a quick look around the majors..

Cafardo On Bautista, Sandoval, Ellsbury, Wieters

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The posting system standoff between MLB and Japan's NPB could temporarily benefit the Red Sox if Masahiro Tanaka is kept away from the Yankees, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  The dispute over the posting system could drag on long enough for Tanaka to not make it over to the U.S. in 2014.  The Bombers are going to improve one way or another and upgrade their rotation, but Tanaka is the one potential addition they consider to be an elite pitcher.  Here's more from today's column..

  • The Blue Jays need at least two starting pitchers and dealing Jose Bautista could land them one. “It’s a name we’re hearing through backchannels right now, but wouldn’t be surprised if he’s available,” said an NL general manager.  Red Sox skipper John Farrell is a fan of Bautista from his days in Toronto, but it’s doubtful the Blue Jays would deal within the division, even though Boston has pitching to spare.
  • Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval can be had in a deal, but his weight issues are of concern to clubs.  The Giants have tried everything to get Sandoval to slim down and it's worked at some points, but not last season.  Cafardo notes that Sandoval can also play first base and may have a market at either position.
  • For Jacoby Ellsbury to re-sign with the Red Sox, he would have to be willing to accept a five-year deal that likely would not surpass $100MM.  The Mariners, Rangers, Yankees, Tigers, Giants, and Phillies seem to have some level of interest, but whether they dive into the 6-8 year range at $20MM plus per year remains to be seen.
  • The Orioles likely won’t deal Matt Wieters unless it’s in a blockbuster that would improve their pitching.
  • Even though there’s been talk about an extension, there's growing sentiment that the Padres will trade Chase Headley this offseason to improve in a couple of different areas.  New CEO Mike Dee says that he's willing to spend in order to strengthen the club long-term. 
  • Alfredo Aceves re-hired agent Tom O'Connell to represent him recently, as shown in the MLBTR Agency Database.  According to O'Connell, the pitcher called and apologized for firing him in the first place.  There's now a "good possibility" that the pitcher will land with the Mets.

NL East Notes: Mets, Phillies, Howard, Maholm

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Here's today's look at the National League East..

  • Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson insisted in a pair of interviews that he fully intends on making a notable move this offseason and isn't just sticking his toe in the water, writes Marc Carig of Newsday.  Alderson said next season will be "a new day" for the franchise, but questions persist about whether the Mets can afford meaningful upgrades, either through free agency or the trade market.
  • Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the $125MM deal signed with Ryan Howard in 2010 is making the Phillies cautious this winter.  GM Ruben Amaro has spent on a big-ticket item in each of the last three seasons but he does not sound like a man willing to splurge this winter.  With that said, Gelb notes that Amaro's public face tends to differ from his true intentions.
  • Jordan Hall of CSNPhilly.com sizes up Paul Maholm and Jason Vargas as possible targets for the Phillies.

Phillies Sign Clete Thomas, Cesar Jimenez

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The Phillies announced that they have signed outfielders Clete Thomas and Leandro Castro and left-hander Cesar Jimenez to minor league deals with invitations to Spring Training. The team also confirmed its previously reported signing of right-hander Shawn Camp.

Thomas, 30, batted .214/.290/.307 with four homers in a career-high 322 plate appearances for the Twins last season. The former Tiger is a career .250/.326/.423 hitter in parts of six Triple-A seasons and can play a solid defensive center field, making him a nice depth pickup for the Phils.

Jimenez, who turned 29 on Tuesday, posted a 3.71 ERA with 11 strikeouts and 10 walks in 17 innings for Philadelphia in 2013 and has a 4.96 career ERA in 65 1/3 Major League innings. Opposing lefties have batted .250/.311/.361 against Jimenez in 120 plate appearances over his big league career.

Castro, 24, spent the 2013 season with Philadelphia's Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley, batting .256/.280/.368 with eight homers and 20 stolen bases in 458 plate appearances.

Phillies Links: Mujica, Ruiz, Amaro, Byrd

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Here are some notes out of Philadelphia…

East Notes: Rays, Red Sox, Ellsbury, Phillies, Tanaka

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Agent Scott Boras believes the Rays should relocate, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. When asked to describe the Rays' status, Boras replied, "I would say the Tale of Two Cities, the one they're in and the one they should be in.'' Boras says the Rays have built a team that fans should want to see, but so far, the Tampa area hasn't provided the team with attendance to match. "I don't know, maybe New Jersey would like that winning percentage," Boras says. Here are more notes from the East divisions.

  • Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says teams have been calling about Boston's starting pitching, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets. The Red Sox have six solid starting pitching options in Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Jake Peavy, Ryan Dempster and Felix Doubront.
  • The Red Sox are preparing for what might happen if they can't re-sign outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, MLB.com's Paul Hagen reports. "Whether it's Ellsbury or any of our free agents, I don't think you find a carbon copy where you're exactly replacing the skills," Cherington says. "The challenge then is to try to make the team just as good in other ways." Boras, Ellsbury's agent, often is in no hurry for his clients to sign, so it makes sense that the Red Sox would be formulating backup plans, even if they aren't ruling out the possibility that Ellsbury will return.
  • The Phillies might be willing to trade outfielder Domonic Brown, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. Such a move would create an opportunity for them to add another free agent outfielder to pair with Marlon Byrd. Rosenthal cites Brown's poor defense as one reason the Phillies might want to deal him. Some of the available free agents, like Nelson Cruz and Carlos Beltran, aren't much better defensively, but at least dealing Brown might help the Phillies upgrade at other positions. The Phillies deny that they are interested in dealing Brown, Rosenthal notes.
  • One reason the Yankees are so interested in starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is that his posting fee would not count account their luxury-tax threshold, Rosenthal writes. Tanaka therefore is more appealing to teams like the Yankees and Dodgers who have luxury-tax issues.

NL East Rumors: Brown, Mets, Aceves, Phillies, Price

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The latest from the NL East..

  • The Phillies are willing to listen on Domonic Brown, but a rumored Brown-for-Jose Bautista swap isn't happening, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.
  • Jeff Wilpon said the Mets are close to making some sort of transaction earlier today, but GM Sandy Alderson seemed genuinely surprised when that was relayed to him by reporters, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post.
  • The Mets are among the clubs with interest in former Red Sox hurler Alfredo Aceves, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro isn't eager to move young talent, tweets Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  "Everybody is looking for the same thing, and that's young controllable players. There is no reason for us to be moving any of them," the GM said.
  • A trade to land Rays ace David Price would probably call for the Nationals to part with Anthony Rendon, Lucas Giolito, and another prospect or two from the club's top-tier, writes Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider.  Because of the steep price, it's probably not worthwhile.
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