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Pirates Sign Aaron Heilman

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Aaron Heilman's free agency stint didn't last long. After being released by the Phillies yesterday, the veteran right-hander inked a minor league deal with the Pirates, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch (on Twitter). He will report to the club's Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis.

Heilman struggled mightily as a member of the Diamondbacks' bullpen this year, pitching to a 6.88 ERA through 35 1/3 innings. His brief time with the Phillies didn't go any better, as he posted an 8.38 ERA through 9 2/3 innings for their Triple-A affiliate.

Heilman maintaned solid strikeout numbers (8.4 K/9) in Arizona, and was predominantly plagued by a fluky HR/FB rate of 20%. League average is around 10%, roughly Heilman's career mark entering 2010. He can still miss enough bats to contribute in the future if he can get back to keeping the ball in the park.

NL Central Links: Taillon, Maholm, Schumaker, Crane

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The Brewers have gone 8-2 over their last 10 games to pull away in the NL Central race, currently leading by 8.5 games. There's more to this division than just the standings though, as shown in this collection of links:

  • MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch has some quotes from Pirates GM Neal Huntington on top prospect Jameson Taillon. Huntington says that while the 2010 No. 2 overall pick's numbers aren't spectacular — a 4.52 ERA through 79 2/3 innings — he's been working heavily on his fastball command. Huntington says Taillon can overpower Low-A hitters with his breaking ball but has gotten hit trying to improve his heater.
  • In the same piece, Langosch reports that Paul Maholm will see Dr. James Andrews for a second evaluation of his shoulder. Huntington cautions not to read too much into it, but Maholm's shoulder is worth keeping an eye on as it could impact a major financial decision; the Buccos hold a $9.75MM option on Maholm for 2012 that comes with a $750K buyout.
  • Skip Schumaker's 2012 contract status is questionable, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cardinals could non-tender Schumaker this offeseason.
  • In Nick Cafardo's Sunday column for the Boston Globe, he says that Major League owners are "wading through a lot of personal stuff" on prospective Astros buyer Jim Crane before approving him. Crane has had complaints filed against him in the past by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Pirates Extend Jose Tabata

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The Pirates have locked up one of their core players for nearly a decade. The team officially announced today that outfielder Jose Tabata has signed a six-year contract extension with option years for 2017, 2018, and 2019.

114100719037_Brewers_v_Pirates The guaranteed portion of the deal runs through 2016 and includes contract restructuring for 2011. Tabata will receive a $1MM signing bonus, and his 2011 salary increases to $500K. He will then earn $750K in 2012, $1MM in 2013, $3MM in 2014, $4MM in 2015, and $4.5MM in 2016. The three options total $22.5MM – $6.5MM in 2017, $7.5MM in 2018, and $8.5MM in 2019. The Pirates will have the opportunity to buy out Tabata for $250K in any of the three option years, which brings the outfielder's guarantee to $15MM. If the Pirates exercise all three options, the contract could be worth up to $37.25MM.

The contract covers Tabata's three remaining pre-arbitration seasons and his three arbitration seasons. Prior to the completion of the contract, the outfielder amicably parted ways with ACES, his previous agency.  He returned from a stint on the DL with a strained quadriceps this week. Tabata is in his second MLB season, and the 23-year-old has a .264/.351/.362 line with 14 doubles, four homers and 14 stolen bases this year.

He finished eighth in National League Rookie of the Year balloting last year and has played all three outfield positions in the Major Leagues. In just shy of 1500 innings, Tabata's outfield defense is league average, according to UZR. The Pirates acquired Tabata, Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen and Ross Ohlendorf from the Yankees for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady at the 2008 trade deadline.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes first reported that the two sides were discussing a long-term deal (all four Twitter links). Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch, and Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes (multiple links) added details.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Quick Hits: Anthopoulos, Marlins, Harden, Bogusevic

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Todd Helton celebrated his 38th birthday with a 3-for-6 performance (that included a homer) against the Dodgers today.  Best of all for Helton, the Rockies picked up a 7-6 win in a 13-inning affair against their NL West rivals.

Some news from around the majors….

  • "There is a strong belief" that the Blue Jays have discussed a contract extension with general manager Alex Anthopoulos, writes Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star.  The catch is, the terms of Anthopoulos' original deal in 2009 were never made public, so the end date of the GM's current contract is unknown to all but himself and the club.  Anthopoulos' quotes to Griffin would seem to indicate that he is staying in Toronto for years to come. 
  • The Marlins have denied several requests from teams to interview GM Michael Hill and VP of player personnel Dan Jennings for open front office positions over the last few years, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  Rodriguez feels the two men have earned the right to run their own team since Larry Beinfest calls the shots in Florida, though in Hill's case, he would have to be offered a president position to leave since he's already a general manager.
  • If Rich Harden is traded this month or just reaches the end of his one-year contract, he's still a candidate to return to the Athletics in the offseason, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Harden has family in the Bay Area, enjoys pitching in Oakland and has "a great relationship with pitching coach Ron Romanick."
  • Slusser also notes that the A's were looking for a first baseman for Harden at the deadline (like Lars Anderson from Boston), but since they've acquired Brandon Allen in the interim, the A's could ask for an outfielder or third baseman in a potential Harden trade package.
  • Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle looks at how Brian Bogusevic went from a failing minor league pitcher to a productive member of the Astros' outfield.
  • "It's important to have talented players in uniform in Pittsburgh," Pirates owner Robert Nutting told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  "That's exactly what we're trying to do, whether it's through a long-term assurance in a contract or whether it's bringing in great talent (through the draft)."  The Bucs have had an expensive week, spending $17MM on draft picks, signing Jose Tabata to a contract extension and closing in on another multiyear deal with Neil Walker.
  • The Rockies have dealt some notable right-handed prospects in recent years, but as Rich M of Inside The Rockies details, the club hasn't lost any significant arms.
  • Scott Van Slyke's impressive minor league campaign should earn him a chance at the Dodgers' first base job in Spring Training, argues Jon Weisman of ESPN Los Angeles.  Van Slyke, 25, has a .343/.424/.576 line in 474 plate appearances for Double-A Chattanooga this season.  Incumbent first baseman James Loney is expected to be non-tendered by L.A. this winter.
  • Ryan Madson's meltdown against the Nationals on Friday night is a sign that the Phillies need to stop using him on three consecutive days, opines Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  You can catch up on all the latest info about the Phillies' bullpen and every other late-game situation in baseball on MLBTR's sister site, Closer News.

Pirates Links: Cole, Draft, Attendance, Maholm

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A few links for all of you Bucco fans out there to enjoy on your Saturday afternoons:

  • No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole is excited to be joining the up-and-coming Pirates, writes MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. Cole will pitch in the Pirates' instructional league next month, and GM Neal Huntigton says Cole could head to the Arizona Fall League after that.
  • Tyler Kepner of the New York Times looks at the Pirates' decision to build for the future by investing in the draft rather than spending on Major Leaguers. The Pirates' total spends of $17MM this summer and $47MM over the past four seasons are both more than any organization in baseball.
  • Langosch points out the success of this process by highlighting that the Pirates are just 57,108 fans shy of matching 2010's attendance mark. Tonight's sellout at PNC Park is the club's 16th this season, which is just three sellouts shy of their single-season record.
  • The Pirates may make a 40-man roster move in the coming days to call up a starting pitcher that will replace the injured Paul Maholm, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Biertempfel speculates on Sean Gallagher and Brian Burres. Ross Ohlendorf is also available to return after missing most of the season due to injury.

NL Central Notes: McCutchen, Astros, Berkman

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Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel reports that MLB has suspended Brewers right-hander Mark Rogers 25 games for a second positive test for a stimulant in violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Rogers' season was already over due to carpal tunnel syndrome, however. Here's the latest from baseball's only six-team division. ..

Draft Notes: Austin, Pirates, Hultzen

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The deadline for signing draft picks has passed, but there’s still lots of news about 2011 draftees. The latest: 

  • Padres draftee Brett Austin turned down $1.5MM from San Diego to play for North Carolina State, according to Tom Krasovic of Inside the Padres (Twitter link). San Diego selected the catcher with the 54th overall pick in the draft.
  • As Jim Callis of Baseball America shows, the Pirates, Nationals and Royals lead all MLB teams in bonus expenditures from 2007-11. Four AL East teams – everyone but the Yankees – are next on the list. 
  • Callis also details this year's expenditures, with the Pirates, Nationals and Royals again leading the way. 
  • 2011 draftees Gerrit Cole, Bubba Starling and Danny Hultzen obtained three of the top five bonuses in draft history, according to Callis.

Pirates Discussing Extension With Neil Walker

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The Pirates are deep into extension talks with Neil Walker, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Talks between the two sides are proceeding well, but a final agreement isn't imminent. The Pirates would like to sign Walker to a long-term deal similar to the one Jose Tabata is nearing.

Walker, 25, projects to be arbitration eligible after the 2012 season as a super two player. He is on track to go to arbitration four times and hit free agency after the 2016 campaign. The former first rounder has a .271/.333/.396 line this year with 10 homers and 21 doubles in 507 plate appearances this season.

Heyman On Pirates, Orioles, Buehrle, Hultzen

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The Astros placed Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers on waivers, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Here are Heyman’s other notes from around MLB…

  • Commissioner Bud Selig singled out the Pirates and Nationals for overspending in the draft and is more determined than ever to add slotting for draft bonuses, according to Heyman.
  • Union people suggest to Heyman that current Major Leaguers oppose the idea of capping bonuses for amateur players, however.
  • Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail admitted that pitchers like Jake Arrieta and Brian Matusz have disappointed this year. "The starting pitching has really gone backward." he said. "We've got to get these guys back to where they were before."
  • Suggestions that Mark Buehrle may retire after the season are off-base, Heyman reports. The left-hander’s contract expires after the season.
  • The Mariners assured top pick Danny Hultzen that he’ll arrive in Spring Training 2012 with the chance to make the team, according to Heyman.

Pirates, Jose Tabata Nearing Extension

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5:32pm: Rojas reports that the total value of the contract would be $37.25MM if the three options are exercised (link in Spanish). Tabata would receive a $1MM signing bonus, and his salary in 2011 would increase to $500K. He would then earn $750K in 2012, $1MM in 2013, $3MM in 2014, $4MM in 2015, and $4.5MM in 2016. That puts the guarantee at six years and $14.75MM, and the value of the three options years at $22.5MM combined. 

4:01pm: The Pirates are putting the finishing touches on Tabata's deal, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. An announcement could come as soon as tomorrow.

1:48pm: MLBTR's Tim Dierkes hears that Tabata's deal with the Pirates will include three team options (Twitter link). Denard Span's five-year, $16.5MM deal presumably figured prominently in to the discussions.

12:47pm: The sides are nearing a six-year agreement, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com (on Twitter). The deal would run through 2016 and include contract restructuring for 2011, according to Rojas. Such a deal would cover Tabata's three remaining pre-arbitration seasons and his three arbitration seasons. 

12:32pm: The Pirates are discussing a multiyear deal with Jose Tabata, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has learned (all Twitter links). The outfielder recently amicably parted ways with ACES, his previous agency.  Tabata returned from a stint on the DL with a strained quadriceps this week.

Tabata is in his second MLB season, but he didn't debut until last June, so he doesn't project to be arbitration eligible until after 2013 or eligible for free agency until after 2016. The 23-year-old has a .264/.351/.362 line with 14 doubles, four homers and 14 stolen bases this year.

He finished eighth in National League Rookie of the Year balloting last year and has played all three outfield positions in the Major Leagues. In just shy of 1500 innings, Tabata's outfield defense is league average, according to UZR. The Pirates acquired Tabata, Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen and Ross Ohlendorf from the Yankees for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady at the 2008 trade deadline.

This post was originally published on August 19th.

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