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Pirates Rumors: Nady, Capps

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I always enjoy Dejan Kovacevic’s Q&As for Pirates insight.  Let’s take a look at today’s edition.

Snell And Pirates Agree To Three-Year Deal

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SUNDAY, 7:13pm: Paul Meyer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette clears things up.  It is a guaranteed contract of $8MM for three years, with a $600K signing bonus.  The two option years are worth at least $16MM, not including "standard incentive clauses."  That’s a great deal for the Bucs, wouldn’t you say?

SUNDAY, 6:23pm: The three-year deal is worth at least $8MM, according to a CBSSports.com wire report.

SUNDAY, 4:22pm: It has just been announced on MLB.com that the Pirates have signed starting pitcher Ian Snell to a three-year guaranteed contract, with club options for 2011 and 2012.  Salary amounts have not yet been released, though Tim has surveyed the range of possible contract amounts here and here.

This season is Snell’s last before becoming arbitration eligible.  As Tim pointed out earlier, $13-14MM is the the going rate for a talented young pitcher’s arbitration eligible years.

Pirates fans have to be encouraged by this announcement, as Senior VP and GM Neal Huntington has been held out as a reason for true optimism in The Land of the Three Rivers.  Additionally, Snell is one of the more talented young starting pitchers in the NL, ranking sixth in strikeouts in the league since the beginning of the 2006 season.

Said Huntington, "This is another example of the organization’s commitment to build a championship caliber club. Retaining talented young players developed in our system will help us achieve our goal of bringing championships back to Pittsburgh."

Posted by Matt Birt

Blocked Prospects: Steve Pearce

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During 2007 Pirates prospect Steve Pearce hit a combined .333 with 31 home runs, 40 doubles, 113 RBI, and a .622 slugging percentage. The soon-to-be 25 year-old was named both Offensive Player of the Year by MiLB.com and the Topps Minor League Player of the Year. He ranks #43 on Kevin Goldstein’s Top 100 Prospects list for 2008 and received a callup last September. Yet, as of Monday he was reportedly sweating it when the team announced several cuts.

Pearce had played first base since he was drafted, but with the Pirates looking to locking up Adam LaRoche long term the team rerouted him to the outfield. The Pirates flirted with the transition late last year, giving Pearce 10 games in right prior to his call-up. Once in Pittsburgh he started 17 games in right field and only two at first. He hit .294/.342/.397 over 68 plate appearances; his bat appears nearly Major League ready.

Jason Bay and Xavier Nady await, each simmering on the hot stove. It’s a poorly guarded secret the Pirates would love to ditch Nady, but a recent chat with the Mets didn’t go anywhere. Bay was also the subject of several trade talks during the offseason and would likely come closer to fetching the young pitching prospects GM Neal Huntington craves (his short list is unlikely to include Scott Schoeneweis).

This all puts Huntington in a fairly comfortable position. He can afford to send Pearce back to Indy to get a few more reps at the new position while he waits for the right deal. But with Pearce’s bat looking to be big league ready, how long are Pirates fans willing to wait?

Aaron Shinsano writes for East Windup Chronicle and can be contacted at eastwindupchronicle@gmail.com

Cafardo’s Latest: Inge, Marte, Fuentes, Lohse

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TUESDAY: Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post has an update to Cafardo’s Yankees/Fuentes item.  Renck says that while the Yanks have scouted Fuentes, Rockies’ GM Dan O’Dowd says there’s "zero chance" of a trade at this time.  I imagine he wants to see a healthy Luis Vizcaino before considering it.

MONDAY: Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe checks in with plenty of rumors in his Sunday column.

  • The Red Sox checked in on Brandon Inge during the Winter Meetings, but found his contract prohibitive.  Most teams seem to feel the same way.
  • The Yankees are eyeing southpaw relievers Damaso Marte and Brian Fuentes, who’ve seemingly been on their radar for months.  Fuentes makes $5.05MM this year, Marte makes $2MM this year with a $6MM club option for ’09.
  • Cafardo believes the Noah Lowry injury could cause the Giants to swoop in on Kyle Lohse, and could also get in the way of a Joe Crede acquisition.  Lowry’s only supposed to miss two to three weeks though.  Kenny Williams says exactly two clubs have talked to him about Crede, but he’s saying Crede may still be his Opening Day third baseman.

Pirates Make Offer To Snell

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Dejan Kovacevic noted on Saturday that the Pirates have made a formal long-term offer to righty Ian Snell.  As I wrote last Wednesday, the going rate for three arb years of a good young starter is $13-14MM.  Kovacevic believes it was a four-year offer, probably tacking on the ’08 season for less than a million bucks before covering Snell’s arb years.

Though the going rate is pretty well established, there is definitely still room for negotiation.  Look at the differences between the three comparable deals:

  • Jamie Shields (signed January ’08) – extra money for pre-arb years, third arb year a club option, club options to buy out two possible free agency years.  Also includes performance bonuses.  Shields took a little more cash upfront for possibly a lot less down the road.  The most team-friendly deal.
  • Chris Young (signed April ’07) – third arb year guaranteed, club option for one free agency year.  The middle ground deal between Shields and Cain.
  • Matt Cain (signed March ’07) – club option for third arb year, but it may vest.  Also a $1MM signing bonus and another $600K in incentives.  The Giants don’t get in the way of Cain’s free agent payday after the 2011 season.

Contract info from Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Mets Dangle Relievers For OF Help

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Scott Schoeneweis is miffed that the Mets may be considering using him as bait to snag an outfield replacement for Moises Alou.

The Mets have hinted they’d like to remove Schoeneweis and Jorge Sosa from their payroll, but the Alou injury situation makes the departure of the two relievers even more likely.  Schoeneweis will make $7.2MM in 2008 and ’09 to complete his current three-year deal. Sosa makes an even $2MM in a one-year pact. Schoeneweis disappointed Omar Minaya last year with a 5.03 ERA in 70 games.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Mets called the Pirates to chat about Xavier Nady. New York may not have the pitching prospects the Pirates would want in return. Pittsburgh also may figure Nady’s value will increase toward the trade deadline.

By Big Mike Glab

Odds and Ends: Johnson, Ponson, Nady

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Ever lose a contact in the bathroom and scour for it for hours?  That was my morning.  Good times.  On to the links.

  • Friend of MLBTR Susan Slusser notes that the Giants had two scouts watching the A’s on Wednesday.  One guy they might have been eyeing is first baseman Dan Johnson.  It seems that Johnson, who is out of options, may be able to linger around on the A’s roster until at least mid-April given the expanded rosters for the Japan series.  And since Slusser’s article we’ve learned that Daric Barton’s hand injury is more serious than initially thought.  That could buy Johnson even more time if the A’s aren’t ready to trade him.
  • The Cardinals, Mariners, Royals, and Diamondbacks, Astros, and Rangers were among teams with scouts watching Sidney Ponson touch 94mph today.  He’s stopped drinking and lost some weight; who knows, maybe he can help an NL club.
  • Peter Abraham views Joba Chamberlain’s recent comments with a little skepticism.
  • MLB.com’s Marty Noble calls a Mets trade for Xavier Nady "quite unlikely," though an anonymous Mets player likes the idea.

Pirates Talking Long-Term With Snell, LaRoche

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According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have reached out to Ian Snell’s agent about a long-term deal.  Snell’s salary will increase drastically in 2009 as he reaches arbitration.  For that reason, I’ve wondered whether he might be next offseason’s available young ace.  Jamie Shields’ deal could serve as a guide if the Bucs just want to buy out Snell’s three arb years from 2009-11.  Shields gave up his arb years for $13.75MM, though the last of those involves a club option.  $13-14MM (not necessarily guaranteed) seems to be the going rate for a young pitcher’s arb years, looking at Shields, Chris Young, and Matt Cain.

Additionally, the Bucs are talking to first baseman Adam LaRoche about an extension.  LaRoche is set to reach free agency after the ’09 season.  I was surprised to see that LaRoche’s career numbers aren’t much different from Justin Morneau’s (granted Morneau has played in the tougher league and has an MVP trophy).  Morneau recently gave up four free agent years at $14MM a pop; LaRoche should ask for at least $10MM per year for 2010 and beyond.  Looking at Morneau’s contract reminds me that he is far from a bargain. 

Finally, Kovacevic says talks with Matt Capps have "fizzled" because Manny Corpas’ deal raised the bar.  That’s odd, because Corpas has a team-friendly contract. He gets $12.25MM over his arb years, with the last of those a club option.  Then the Rockies have a club option on Corpas’ first potential year of free agency at $8MM.

Odds and Ends: Ponson, Inge, Papelbon

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Let’s round up some Monday morning links.

  • The Cardinals are taking another look at Sidney Ponson.  Insert your own punchline in the comments.
  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun could see the O’s making a minor trade for a veteran second baseman if they acquire Ronny Cedeno but not Eric Patterson in a Brian Roberts deal with the Cubs.
  • Brandon Inge is trying his best to talk his way out of town.  The Dodgers’ recently reported nibble hasn’t been publicly shot down, so that’s a plus.
  • South Side Sox thinks speedy infielder Eugenio Velez is the type of player the White Sox could desire for Joe Crede.
  • Jonathan Papelbon wants $900K in his last year before arbitration eligibility.  Ryan Howard set a scary precedent last year.  If Papelbon doesn’t get offered something close, he’d rather make a statement and be renewed near the minimum.
  • Buster Olney suggests Dan Johnson and Doug Mientkiewicz could be possibilities for the Mets in their quest for a backup first baseman.  Olney speculated on Nick Johnson, Scott Hatteberg, Richie Sexson, Tony Clark, and Kevin Millar the day before.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Gross, Weaver, Encarnacion

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Ken Rosenthal is on the scene with some new rumors.

  • Astros president Tal Smith arguing other teams’ arbitration cases.   Rosenthal finds it a bit awkward, while Keith Law finds it to be a hilarious conflict of interest.
  • Possible trades of Matt Murton to the Padres or Rangers seem to have fizzled.  The Padres may turn to the Brewers’ Gabe Gross, a player who previously caught the eye of the A’s, Indians, and Braves.  Our good friend PECOTA sees a .267/.366/.467 line from Gross this year.  With Gross and various veteran starters, the Brewers have some surpluses to work with.
  • Rosenthal believes the Cardinals’ interest in Jeff Weaver to be not especially serious.  They’ve got in-house candidates to start, and Matt Clement needing some time is not a revelation.
  • We’ve read about extension possibilities for Matt Capps and Alex Rios.  To that mix, Rosenthal adds Edwin Encarnacion.  The Reds might want to do it now; he seems primed for a big year.
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