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Quick Hits: Livan, Grilli, Swisher, Hairston, Rangers

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Condolences go out to the family and friends of former Major League utility man Ryan Freel. The 36-year-old was found dead at his home today after taking his own life according to Chad Cushnir of First Coast News and MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Freel spent most of his career with the Reds, though he also suited up for the Blue Jays, Royals, Cubs, and Orioles.

Here's the latest from around the league as Saturday turns into Sunday…

  • Livan Hernandez told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he plans to play in 2013 (Twitter link). The 37-year-old right-hander posted a 6.42 ERA in 67 1/3 relief innings for the Braves and Brewers last season.
  • Jason Grilli will take over as closer for the Pirates following the Joel Hanrahan trade according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). Heyman notes the right-hander does not have any bonuses based on games finished in his new contract.
  • Nick Swisher is giving "serious consideration" to the four-year, $52MM offer from the Indians according to ESPN's Jim Bowden (on Twitter). The switch-hitting outfielder prefers the Dodgers, Angels, or Yankees though.
  • The Phillies, Braves, Mets, and Yankees are among the teams still in play for Scott Hairston, reports Heyman (on Twitter). Heyman says the Yankees may be at a disadvantage because they already have three starting outfielders.
  • In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney says the Rangers should not overreact and drastically alter their plan after failing to land several top targets this offseason.

Mariners Have “Serious Interest” In Raul Ibanez

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The Mariners have "serious interest" in Raul Ibanez, reports George A. King III of The New York Post. King reiterates that the Yankees, Rangers, and Phillies also have interest in the veteran slugger.

Ibanez, 40, hit .240/.308/.453 with 19 homers in 425 plate appearances for the Yankees last season while playing more outfield than expected due to Brett Gardner's elbow injury. He spent the 1996-2000 and 2004-2008 seasons in Seattle.

The Mariners acquired a DH-type in Kendrys Morales earlier this week, though he could shift to first if the team is willing to give up on Justin Smoak. Playing Ibanez in the outfield regularly is another option, though it's not advisable.

Olney On Saunders, Hairston, Hanrahan, Howell

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In today's column, Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) looks at the best second-tier and third-tier free agents remaining.  Here's a look at the highlights..

  • Joe Saunders is receiving interest from four clubs and the Orioles have ramped up their efforts to retain him.  It seems Saunders would be in position to get more than the two-year, $15MM deal signed by Joe Blanton.
  • Scott Hairston is looking for a significant raise over the $1.1MM he earned last season and he might wind up being too rich for the Mets' blood.  Jonny Gomes is a similar player and got $10MM over two years from the Red Sox.
  • Some teams see the significant increase in walks allowed last season by Joel Hanrahan as a red flag.  After posting a 2.1 BB/9 rate in 2011, Hanrahan jumped to 5.4 in 2012.  There is also some concern among rival evaluators that his diminished control is a sign of an arm issue.  Hanrahan would argue that the control problems may have stemmed from the inconsistent save chances that a Bucs closer gets.
  • Free agent reliever J.P. Howell should sign soon, perhaps with the Nationals.  Other interested clubs include the Phillies, Cubs, Mariners, and Rangers.
  • Travis Hafner would be a classic make-good guy to bring to spring training, but he won't fit all rosters because he can't play a position.
  • Executives have reservations about Lance Berkman, including his health, overall shape, and motivation to play.
  • Some have said that the Cubs overpaid for Edwin Jackson ($52MM over four years), but new financial restraints in the draft and international market have forced clubs to pay more.  In short, the Cubs basically paid the going rate for a 29-year-old healthy pitcher of his caliber.

Phillies Sign Mike Adams

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The Phillies have officially signed veteran reliever Mike Adams, the team announced. It's a two-year contract worth $12MM with a third year club/vesting option worth $6.5MM. The option vests if he appears in 120 games from 2013-2014 with at least 60 appearances in 2014. The right-hander is represented by Josh Yates at ACES.

Uspw_6465088Adams, 34, has been one of the game's very best setup men in recent years. He pitched to a 3.27 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 52 1/3 innings for the Rangers this year, his lone full season in Texas after being acquired from the Padres for two pitching prospects at the 2011 trade deadline. Adams owns a 2.28 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in his eight-year career.

Philadelphia has been seeking bullpen help in front of Jonathan Papelbon this offseason, though they used right-hander Josh Lindblom to acquire Michael Young a few weeks ago. The team was also looking for a low-risk starter after using Vance Worley to acquire Ben Revere, and they have since agreed to sign John Lannan. More outfield help figures to be on the agenda as well.

Adams is returning from October surgery to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a procedure that involved removing a rib. He is expected to be ready in time for Opening Day. Adams also dealt with numerous shoulder problems earlier in his career, including surgery on his labrum and rotator cuff back in 2008. As our Free Agent Tracker shows, he is the ninth reliever to receive a multiyear contract this offseason.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Adams as the 42nd best free agent available in his Top 50 Free Agents List, correctly predicting he would sign with the Phillies. If you signed up for our Free Agent Prediction Contest, check out where you stand with our leaderboard.

Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports first reported the two sides were nearing a deal while Tyler Garrett of KRISTV first reported the agreement. ESPN's Jayson Stark and FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal added details along with Brown (Twitter links). Photo courtesy of USA Sports Images.

Amaro On Outfield Market

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Even after trading for Ben Revere, the Phillies could add another established outfielder. But GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the asking prices of the top free agent outfielders are a deterrent (Twitter link). 

"We feel like the demands are north of where we want to be,'' Amaro said. 

Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher and Cody Ross are the top free agent outfielders available, and presumably Amaro is alluding to some or all of these players. The Phillies, who have Domonic Brown, John Mayberry Jr. and Darin Ruf as internal outfield candidates, are also eyeing trades. They’ve been linked to right-handed hitting trade candidates such as Alfonso Soriano and Vernon Wells.

Yankees Re-Sign Ichiro Suzuki

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The Yankees have officially re-signed Ichiro Suzuki, the team announced. It's a two-year contract worth $13MM.  Agent Tony Attanasio represents Ichiro.

Ichiro - Yankees (PW)

The Yankees have pursued a strategy of signing veterans (such as Kevin Youkilis, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera) to one-year deals this winter, but were forced to make a two-year commitment to the 39-year-old Ichiro due to competing multiyear offers. The Phillies pushed hard for Ichiro and offered him a two-year, $14MM deal, while the Giants were believed to have offered the outfielder a two-year, $15MM contract. While the other offers were larger, Ichiro took the Yankees' contract after telling the team he wanted to remain in New York.  

Ichiro will join two other left-handed hitters in New York’s outfield: Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner. The team is exploring the idea of adding a right-handed complement to the group, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this offseason.

Ichiro ranked 40th on MLBTR’s list of top 50 free agents this offseason. The 39-year-old posted a .283/.307/.390 batting line in 663 plate appearances for the Mariners and Yankees this past season. However, his performance improved considerably after the Yankees acquired him in a midseason trade (he hit .322/.340/.454 with New York). Ichiro has 2,606 hits, two batting titles, ten All-Star Game selections and a career .322/.365/.419 in 12 MLB seasons.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com and WFAN's Craig Carton first reporting the deal was done (on Twitter). Rosenthal, ESPN's Buster Olney, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, Joel Sherman of the New York Post, and the New York Times' David Waldstein all added information about the various aspects of the signing.

Mark Polishuk and Mike Axisa also contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

At Least Five Teams Interested In J.P. Howell

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The Nationals, Phillies, Cubs, Mariners and Rangers are all interested in free agent reliever J.P. Howell, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.  Howell said last month that "a handful" of teams were pursuing him, and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times speculated that the Angels could be one of those suitors.  The Brewers were also known to be looking for left-handed relief help, though Howell was not one of the names recently mentioned as targets by Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin.

Howell posted strong numbers out of the Rays' bullpen in 2008-09 before missing the entire 2010 season due to shoulder surgery and struggling to a 6.16 ERA in 30 2/3 innings in 2011.  The southpaw returned to form in 2012, however, posting a 3.04 ERA, 1.91 K/BB ratio, 7.5 K/9 rate and 48.9% groundball rate, though some advanced metrics (4.78 FIP and a .250 BABIP) indicate that Howell benefited from some good fortune. 

The Legacy Sports Group client has held left-handed batters to a .675 OPS in his career, topping that mark in 2012 when lefty hitters managed only a .200/.306/.306 slash line.

Phils Interested In Vernon Wells, Still In On Cody Ross

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The Phillies are still pursuing free agent Cody Ross and also have interest in acquiring Angels outfielder Vernon Wells, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  As Heyman notes, Philadelphia is looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder who can be slotted behind Ryan Howard in the lineup.  Ross would be the ideal fit for this role, as it's hard to expect Wells to serve as suitable lineup protection given how his production has dropped off in each of the last two seasons.

Besides the Phillies, the Mets, Mariners and Braves have also been linked to Ross this offseason.  The Yankees, Orioles and Red Sox also had interest but may be out of the running now since both clubs have made other outfield signings (Ichiro Suzuki, Nate McLouth and Shane Victorino, respectively).

Wells would be a cheap addition for the Phillies, as the Angels would still have to cover most of the $42MM owed to Wells through the 2014 season.  The Yankees have also been rumored as another possible trade destination for Wells.  It has been presumed that Wells would waive his no-trade clause to receive more playing time and a fresh start away from Anaheim.

There is plenty of room in the Philadelphia outfield, as only center fielder Ben Revere is thus far slated for an everyday spot in the lineup.  Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told media (including Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News) that all options are being considered, including not having everyday corner outfielders.

"We’re still trolling through the possibility of adding another piece there. And we’re also considering the possibility with a double platoon. That’s a possibility as well," Amaro said.  "We’ve done some things that have helped our club at a couple of different levels. I don’t think the process of trying to help improve our club stops until the end of the season."

Phillies To Sign John Lannan

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The Phillies have agreed to sign left-hander John Lannan to a one-year, $2.5MM contract, the team announced today. The deal includes another $2.5M in bonuses according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links). Lannan is represented by Brodie Van Wagenen at CAA Sports.

Uspw_6120092

“Clearly we have a familiarity with John and his past performance and success in this division helps us add depth to our rotation,” GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

The pitching-rich Nationals non-tendered the 28-year-old Lannan last month rather than pay a projected $5MM in his third trip through arbitration. He spent most of last season in Triple-A (4.30 ERA in 148 2/3 innings) despite a $5MM salary, though he did make six big league starts for Washington (4.13 ERA in 32 2/3 innings).

Lannan, a four-pitch finesse left-hander, brings reliability to the Phillies rotation. He's thrown at least 180 total innings in each of the last five seasons and has a career 53.0% ground ball rate, which is well-above-average. He won't miss many bats though (career 4.7 K/9). Philadelphia was reportedly seeking a low-risk starter after trading Vance Worley for Ben Revere, and Lannan qualifies.

Because he was non-tendered in November, Lannan did not qualify for Tim Dierkes' Top 50 Free Agents List.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com first reported the agreement (on Twitter). Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Quick Hits: Phillies, D’Arnaud, Angels, Rays

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The Phillies’ lack of big moves this offseason likely indicate that 2013 will be a transition year, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Soon after trading Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino in July, General Manager Ruben Amaro explained that the moves would allow flexibility to sign at least one major free agent, and possibly even more.  Amaro wound up making his first foray into the open market on Saturday with the signings of Mike Adams and John Lannan.  Here’s more from around baseball..

  • Some have wondered about the condition of Travis d’Arnaud’s knee, but a club source says that the Mets have looked over his medicals and they are fine, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.  D’Arnaud is believed to be a part of the heavily rumored R.A. Dickey trade along with Noah Syndergaard.
  • The Angels are continuing their search for starting pitching and are considering filling the void with mid-level free agent pitchers rather than make trades, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Rays manager Joe Maddon will miss James Shields for a number of reasons, but his chief problem will be making up all the innings that Shields provided, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.   Shields gave the club 30 to 40 more innings than any other starter and averaged 220 over the past six seasons.
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