Mets Designate Aaron Laffey For Assignment
The Mets have designated Aaron Laffey for assignment, according to Marc Carig of Newsday (on Twitter). The left-hander saw less than an inning of work against the Nationals last night as he allowed a walk and a double to set up a three-run homer from Adam LaRoche.
Laffey, 28, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in December. The veteran pitched to a 4.56 ERA with 4.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 16 starts and six relief appearances for the Blue Jays last season. He also made eleven starts for Triple-A Las Vegas, posting a 4.52 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9.
Mets Sign Aaron Laffey
The Mets announced that they have signed left-hander Aaron Laffey to a minor league contract with an invite to major league spring training. The Kohm/Pasti client elected free agency from the Blue Jays in October.
Laffey, 27, pitched to a 4.56 ERA with 4.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 16 starts and six relief appearances for Toronto last season. The veteran also made eleven starts for Triple-A Las Vegas, posting a 4.52 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. Laffey signed a split contract with the Blue Jays right around this time last year that paid him $800K for making the big league roster.
Quick Hits: Baker, Hunter, Kershaw, LaRoche
Congratulations to Miguel Cabrera, who was named the Sporting News MLB Player of the Year. Here are some more links from around MLB on an off day for Cabrera's Tigers and the NL Champion Giants…
- The Twins will decline Scott Baker's $9.25MM option for 2013, but he remains a "high priority" for the team, Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN reports. Baker's agent has been speaking regularly with the Twins and the sides could agree to an incentive-laden one or two-year deal.
- The Twins haven't yet called to inquire about minor league free agent Aaron Laffey, according to Wolfson.
- Teams are standing by to see if the Angels make Torii Hunter a one-year qualifying offer, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter link). If the Angels make Hunter a qualifying offer and he declines, other teams will have to surrender a draft pick to sign the outfielder. Otherwise, he'll be coveted as a free agent. Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com suggested today that the Angels won't extend Hunter a qualifying offer (Twitter link).
- Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said he will probably think about a long-term contract for Clayton Kershaw this coming offseason, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports (on Twitter). The left-hander's under contract for 2013 and under team control as an arbitration eligible player through 2014.
- The Nationals and Adam LaRoche have made “some progress” toward a new contract, the first baseman told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. There’s nothing definitive at this stage, but the sides have started to establish parameters for a possible new deal.
Jesse Litsch Elects Free Agency
Right-hander Jesse Litsch has elected free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to the minor leagues, the Blue Jays announced. The team reinstated Litsch from the 60-day disabled list today at which point he elected free agency.
Left-hander Aaron Laffey and right-handers Shawn Hill, Bobby Korecky and Scott Richmond also elected free agency, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports (on Twitter). The Blue Jays had outrighted Hill, Korecky and Laffey last week.
Litsch missed the entire 2012 season due to injuries. He experienced a "career threatening" shoulder infection early in the year and underwent biceps surgery in June. The 27-year-old pitched 75 innings in 2011, posting a 4.44 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. In five MLB seasons he has a 4.16 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. Litsch earned $975K in 2012 and would have been under team control through 2013.
Blue Jays Outright Laffey, Hill, Korecky
Today’s outright assignments..
- The Blue Jays announced that they have outrighted left-hander Aaron Laffey, right-hander Shawn Hill, and right-hander Bobby Korecky off of the 40-man roster. The move leaves Toronto with 37 players on the 40-man roster. Laffey, 27, would have been arbitration-eligible this offseason. That leaves Colby Rasmus, Jesse Litsch, J.A. Happ, and Rajai Davis (if his club option is declined) as the remaining arb eligible cases in Toronto.
AL East Notes: Yankees, Pettitte, Rays, Blue Jays
The last time the Yankees and Red Sox both started the season 0-3 was all the way back in 1966. Boston finished 9th in the AL while New York wound up 10th. The World Series champions that year? – the Orioles. Here's a look at what's happening in the AL East today..
- Yankees Manager Joe Girardi told reporters including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com that Andy Pettitte will make the first start of his comeback attempt on Monday for Class-A Advanced Tampa. The left-hander has said that he hopes to join the big league team in May.
- Even though it's (very) early in the season, the Rays' decision to hold on to their pitching depth appears to be a wise one at the moment, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay was widely expected to add a bat by dealing Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis, but Davis has helped to provide bullpen support with Kyle Farnsworth sidelined.
- The Blue Jays promoted Aaron Laffey from Triple-A to join the bullpen, tweets Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. Laffey's minor league deal with the club calls for him to earn $800K for making the big league roster.
Contract Details: Tejeda, Blue Jays, Phillies, Pirates
MLB.com's beat reporters have been digging up details on some recent minor league deals. Here are the latest updates:
- Robinson Tejeda will earn $825K if he makes the Indians' roster and can earn $50K for pitching in 50 games, 55 games, 60 games and 65 games, Jordan Bastian tweets. Tejeda would earn a $100K bonus for pitching in 70 games.
- Aaron Laffey will earn $800K if he makes the Blue Jays, Gregor Chisholm tweets. Brian Bocock would earn $480K at the Major League level.
- Todd Zolecki has the details on the Phillies' deals with Dontrelle Willis and Luis Montanez. Willis has many incentives, including bonuses for winning the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.
- Jenifer Langosch reports what Anderson Hernandez ($500K), Logan Kensing ($675K) and Jose Morales ($650K) will earn if they make the Pirates' roster.
AL East Notes: Yankees, Kuroda, Laffey
The Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles could use rotation upgrades and the Rays could use a first baseman and/or designated hitter. Here’s the latest on the American League East as the 2012 portion of the offseason continues and Spring Training draws a little closer…
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times explains that Cole Hamels and Matt Cain could make more sense for the Yankees next offseason than Edwin Jackson or C.J. Wilson would have this winter. The Yankees have shown uncharacteristic restraint so far this offseason, but Cain and Hamels are set to hit free agency after 2012 if they don’t sign extensions first.
- The Yankees would offer Hiroki Kuroda a one-year deal, but they say he’s too expensive at the moment, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- Kuroda would prefer to sign with a West Coast team, but the Red Sox have maintained interest in him, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. So far, the right-hander’s asking price hasn’t dropped.
- The Red Sox had interest in free agent left-hander Aaron Laffey before he signed with the Blue Jays over the weekend, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.
Blue Jays Sign Aaron Laffey
The Blue Jays have signed left-hander Aaron Laffey to a split contract, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has learned. The Royals non-tendered Laffey earlier this month.
Laffey, 26, turned down a pre-tender deal with the Royals in order to find an opportunity to pitch as a starter. Three teams told Laffey that he could compete for a spot in the rotation and ultimately the pitcher decided that the Blue Jays presented him with the best opportunity to do that.
Laffey made 47 appearances for the Yankees and Mariners in 2011, posting a 3.88 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. In 49 major league starts, Laffey owns a 4.35 ERA with 4.3 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9.
American League Non-Tenders
Today's American League non-tenders are below, but you can keep track of all teams in our non-tender tracker.
- The Mariners announced that they non-tendered Dan Cortes and Chris Gimenez.
- The Orioles announced that they non-tendered Willie Eyre, the right-handed reliever who was designated for assignment last week. They non-tendered Jo-Jo Reyes, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The Orioles also non-tendered Luke Scott, tweets Connolly. Scott, who battled a shoulder injury in 2011 and underwent surgery this summer, projected to earn $6MM through arbitration.
- The Rays non-tendered Andy Sonnanstine, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (Twitter link).
- The Rangers non-tendered right-hander Fabio Castillo, according to Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com (Twitter link).
- The Red Sox announced that they non-tendered Rich Hill.
- The Royals announced that they will non-tender left-hander Aaron Laffey.
- The Twins announced that they've non-tendered left-hander Jose Mijares (Twitter link).
- The Tigers non-tendered second baseman Will Rhymes, announced the team. Rhymes is not yet close to being arbitration eligible, as he has less than one year of big league service time. Rhymes, 28, hit .306/.377/.390 at Triple-A this year.