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Pirates Notes: Payroll, McCutchen, Bixler

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The Pittsburgh Pirates won't raise their payroll, but have increased spending in other areas, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Biertempfel details how the Pirates are committing money to areas less obvious to fans than player contracts, including facilities, scouting and player development.

In a separate article, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks back at the Jason Bay trade from Pittsburgh's perspective, and adds a few more Pirates-related nuggets:

  • The Pirates haven't talked to Andrew McCutchen about a long-term extension yet, but have him under team control until 2015, so there's plenty of time.
  • The team is hoping that Brian Bixler will develop into a super-utility type, since they like his defensive versatility.
  • Given the number of free agents still available, the club would prefer to "wait for what it sees as the best value."
  • In particular, the Pirates will be looking at value signings for their outfield and bullpen.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Twins, Beltre, Giants

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On New Year's Day 49 years ago, the stadium on the corner of Michigan Ave. and Trumbull Boulevard in Detroit was officially renamed Tiger Stadium. The then 49-year-old park had previously been known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium. Tiger Stadium would serve as the home of Detroit's ball club until the 2000 season, and was demolished completely in 2009.

Here's a look at what's being written around the baseball blogosphere…

  • Bucco Fans takes a look at what could have happened if the Pirates had kept their 2008 roster together.
  • Twins Overlook runs down Minnesota's top seven prospects, led by outfielder Aaron Hicks.
  • Meanwhile, Nick's Twins Blog examines the current state of the Twinkies' starting rotation.
  • The Bottom Line looks at how signing Adrian Beltre could affect the big picture in Boston.
  • DRaysBay compares Matt Joyce to Matt LaPorta, and finds that the gap between the two may not be as big as you think.
  • Jorge Says No! looks at the potential risk and reward of the Mark DeRosa signing.
  • El Lefty Malo guesses that the Giants will wait to see how Jonathan Sanchez's arbitration case turns out before deciding on whether or not to move a starter for a bat. 
  • Pinstripes Published suggests David DeJesus as a possible left field solution for the Yankees. 

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Bay, Byrd, Liriano, Duchscherer

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Some links on the last day of a year we'll remember for Joe Mauer, Albert Pujols and the World Series Champion New York Yankees…

  • Tigers catcher Gerald Laird and his younger brother Brandon Laird, a prospect in the Yankees farm system, were arrested following a brawl at the Celtics-Suns NBA game in Phoenix, Arizona, according to the Associated Press.  Gerald lives in Arizona during the offseason while Brandon played in the Arizona Fall League this past year.
  • Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (via his newly minted Twitter account) that Chan Ho Park's name has come up in the Giants' front office.
  • Alex Speier of WEEI.com hears that Jason Bay was indeed interested in joining the Mets. The two sides didn't go longer than a day without talking once negotiations got started. An interesting note: Speier hears that the Mets never offered Bay a guaranteed five-year deal.
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs considers Marlon Byrd an average player, but likes the Cubs' decision to sign him.
  • Cameron tweets that the Mariners are "kicking the tires" on Francisco Liriano.
  • Mike Lowell's thumb surgery was a success, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Lowell appears to be available, but health concerns may prevent the Red Sox from dealing the third baseman and some of his $12MM salary (the D'Backs face a similar challenge with Chris Snyder). 
  • Just because Lowell's still in Boston doesn't mean the Red Sox won't consider other third basemen. Adrian Beltre is one option and R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs doesn't think $10-15MM is an unfair asking price for the Scott Boras client. 
  • Justin Duchscherer tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he returned to the A's because he's comfortable in Oakland and appreciates the club's support through his struggles with depression. Slusser also has details on the incentives in the righty's contract. 
  • Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues wants the Yankees to stay away from free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd. 
  • Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Pirates' failure to sign Dominican prospect Miguel Angel Sano was one of the club's low points this year. As Kovacevic says, "not every signing can be an absolute steal."  

The Market For Jose Valverde

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Jose Valverde and Juan Cruz have a lot in common. The two relievers were born within months of each other in the same country; they both pile up big strikeout totals; they even anchored Arizona's bullpen together for a couple seasons. Now Valverde's Type A status is limiting interest from potential suitors, just as Cruz's did a year ago.

Valverde has struck out over a batter per inning every year of his major league career, so he'd be a difference maker in any bullpen. The only season in which he has allowed more hits than innings pitched came in 2006 when he surrendered 50 hits in 49.1 innings. His fastball has been extremely effective and consistently hits the upper nineties.

The 31-year-old right-hander is one of the top free agents available, but he hasn't generated much buzz this offseason, partly because he'll cost teams a high draft pick. He could return to the D'Backs, who are keeping an eye on him, and it's too early in the winter to rule out a surprise bidder, but so far the market doesn't appear to have developed.

The Marlins, Pirates and Tigers could use closers, but as ESPN.com's Buster Olney recently pointed out, those three teams seem unlikely to spend big on Valverde or any other reliever. Plus, Valverde would cost the Tigers and Marlins their first round picks and the Pirates would have to give up a second rounder to sign him. The Nationals and Orioles were connected to Valverde earlier in the month, but they've moved on and signed Matt Capps and Mike Gonzalez, respectively.

The market for Valverde doesn't look good now, but there's some hope for him: Cruz did sign a multi-year deal in the end.

Odds & Ends: Uggla, Marlins, Pirates

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Let's check out some links on this Sunday evening…

  • In his column this morning, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that there is "no doubt" the Marlins are planning another salary dump with Dan Uggla at the center of it.  Cafardo adds that the club, which receives a ton in revenue-sharing and central-fund money, is looking to keep its profit margin high. 
  • Meanwhile, the Marlins are eager to stay just below $40MM in payroll, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.  Considering their $36.8MM payroll entering last season and the mass of players owed raises in arbitration, moving Uggla would likely put them where they want to be.
  • Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette estimates that the Pirates' offer to Matt Capps was about $500K shy of what he received from the Nationals.  With Washington, Capps will earn a base salary of $3.5MM with the chance to make an additional $425K in performance bonuses.

Odds & Ends: Cubs, Valverde, Phillies, Hanrahan

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Just because it's Christmas Eve doesn't mean the hot stove is taking a holiday. Let's check out some links….

Pirates Talking To Dotel, Gregg

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The Pirates have had conversations with free agent relievers Octavio Dotel and Kevin Gregg, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Earlier tonight, Kovacevic shot down a report that Dotel was offered a deal in the vicinity of $3MM.  According to a team source, the club has had conversations with the reliever, but has yet to make an offer.  Last year for the White Sox, Dotel posted a 3.32 ERA and 10.8 K/9 in 62 appearances.

Meanwhile, Gregg posted a 4.72 ERA and 9.3 K/9 in 72 games for the Cubs in 2009.  The 31-year-old was the team's closer until mid-season, when the mantle was given to Carlos Marmol.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Lackey, Yankees

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Another round of Wednesday links:

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Justin Duchscherer is leaning towards an NL team, although he is not sure which one.
  • Now that free agent Matt Capps appears to be leaning towards the Nationals, the Rockies are looking into other hurlers on the open market.  A major league source tells Thomas Harding of MLB.com that the club is negotiating with free agent Tim Redding.  The Rockies flirted with signing him last winter before he signed with the Mets, where he posted a 5.10 ERA in 30 games, including 17 starts.
  • The group selected to purchase the Rangers could be in financial trouble, says Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports.
  • Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com thinks that Mark DeRosa could become more valuable to suitors after Matt Holliday and Jason Bay sign, with few other big bats available.
  • The Javier Vazquez trade can't be properly evaluated until the Braves spend all of the $8MM they saved in the deal, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Still, Rosenthal points out that the Braves should be concerned about the health histories of their free agent signings so far.
  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe relays some details of John Lackey's contract with Boston, including an interesting conditional option: If an old elbow injury forces Lackey to miss significant time over the course of his contract, he'd have to play for the league minimum in 2015.
  • Mark Carig of the Star-Ledger passes on this quote from Yankees GM Brian Cashman, regarding the team's outfield opening: "It won't be a big name situation. I can promise you that."
  • Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik says that the two recent trades involving the Mariners and Blue Jays were "complete, separate entities," according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.

Pirates Talking To Octavio Dotel

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5:42pm: The Pirates have not offered Dotel a contract in the vicinity of $3MM, a source involved in the talks tells Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  While there have been talks between the parties, there has been nothing "to that extent."

1:46pm: The Pittsburgh Pirates have made Octavio Dotel an offer to be their closer, according to Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports. Calcaterra writes that the offer is worth about $3MM, plus incentives for games finished.

Dotel has posted solid numbers over the past two seasons in a setup role for the White Sox, but has not been asked to close since 2007, when he saved 11 games for the Royals. Over his career, Dotel has recorded 83 saves in various stints as the closer in Houston, Oakland, and Kansas City.

If Dotel were to accept the Pirates' ninth-inning job, it would be another blow to a closing market that has an excess of free agents and not enough teams in need. While the Pirates were never expected to splurge on Jose Valverde or Fernando Rodney, a Dotel signing could close another door on fringe closing candidates such as Mike MacDougal and Kevin Gregg.

Pirates Sign Jack Taschner

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The Pirates have signed Jack Taschner to a minor league deal, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. The lefty will earn $835K if he makes the Pirates' opening day roster and could earn up to $465K more in incentives based on appearances.

Taschner allowed 38 hits and 20 walks in 29.1 innings for the Phillies last year, striking out 19. The former Giant mixes a 90 mph fastball with a slider and a change-up. Taschner is left-handed, but lefties have a .293/.366/.408 line against him in his career.

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