Blue Jays Place Adam Lind On Outright Waivers?
WEDNESDAY, 8:46pm: As of today, there are no indications that the Blue Jays placed first baseman Adam Lind on outright waivers, writes MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.
If Lind was outrighted, he would have been removed from the 40-man roster after a 48-hour period, but a second source told Chisholm that the 28-year-old was still on the club's official list.
SATURDAY, 6:00pm: The Blue Jays placed recently demoted slugger Adam Lind on outright waivers on Friday, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
If Lind is claimed, the claiming team will assume the balance of the four-year, $18MM extension he signed early in the 2010 season. That deal also includes club options for 2014-16, with corresponding buyouts. If he goes unclaimed, he will remain with Toronto but will be removed from the 40-man roster.
Lind signed his extension on the heels of a breakout 2009 in which he posted a .305/.370/.562 line with 35 homers. The 1B/OF/DH has fallen well short of that since then, however, hitting .238/.289/.420 with 52 homers in 1,287 plate appearances from 2010 till his demotion to Triple-A this week.
Outright waivers are irrevocable, meaning the Jays wouldn't be able to pull Lind back if another team were to claim him. However, an AL executive tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that there's "no chance he gets claimed" (Twitter link).
Quick Hits: Lind, Rhodes, Renteria, Hunter
Saturday evening linkage …
- The Marlins are likely to discuss acquiring Blue Jays DH Adam Lind, but their pursuit will be tempered, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter). Miami optioned struggling first baseman Gaby Sanchez to Triple-A New Orleans today.
- Free agent Arthur Rhodes has remained in playing shape in case a team becomes interested in signing a lefty reliever, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Rhodes last pitched last season for the Cardinals.
- Free agent shortstop Edgar Renteria has turned down two offers and apparently wants to remain retired, according to Heyman (Twitter link). Renteria played for the Reds last year.
- Angels manager Mike Scioscia hopes outfielder Torii Hunter will return from the restricted list during the Halos' ongoing road trip, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Hunter was placed on the RL on Monday to deal with a family matter.
- Indians closer Chris Perez suggested free agents prefer not to sign with Cleveland because of poor attendance at Progressive Field, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Specifically, Perez cited Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran, who turned down an offer from the Indians this offseason in favor of a comparable one from the Cardinals.
- The Padres' youth movement will pay off someday, but things will be tough in the interim, writes Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. The Padres have one of baseball's top farm systems and will have the opportunity to build on it with six of the first 70 picks in this year's draft.
- Former Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal thinks that Dee Gordon will work out for the club in the long-term, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. The Dodgers felt that they could part with Furcal last year in part because of Gordon's presence.
- Indians GM Chris Antonetti doesn't seem to have any regrets over acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies in last year's trade, based on what he told Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer. "Ubaldo's results continue to be inconsistent. His work, his preparation and his commitment hasn't wavered. He's worked tirelessly to solidify his mechanics with [pitching coach] Scott Radinsky, it just hasn't clicked consistently every five days. … With the work he's put in, I believe we'll see more consistency."
MLBTR's Dan Mennella contributed to this post.
Quick Hits: Lind, Gomes, Chapman, Votto
The Blue Jays optioned the struggling Adam Lind to Triple-A earlier today. The 28-year-old has hit just .238/.289/.420 in nearly 1,300 plate appearances since signing his four-year, $18MM contract extension in April of 2010. Toronto recalled Yan Gomes to take Lind's roster spot, and tonight he became the first first Brazilian-born player in baseball history. Here's the latest from around the league…
- Richard Griffin of The Toronto Star notes (on Twitter) that the Blue Jays would not have been able to option Lind after June 29th, when he would have accrued enough service time (five years) to decline an optional assignment.
- “The longer we go, it will be harder to stretch (Aroldis Chapman) to start,” said Reds GM Walt Jocketty to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Chapman has not allowed a run in 20 1/3 innings this season with 34 strikeouts and seven walks. “We may be resigned to the fact that he will have to pitch in the bullpen all year," adde the GM.
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com spoke to Reds manager Dusty Baker about the difference between signing a huge contract with a new team (like Albert Pujols) and signing a huge deal with your current team (like Joey Votto). "You get more tolerance," he said, referring to the slow starts each player has endured.
Make Or Break Year: Adam Lind
There were more than a few Blue Jays fans disappointed that Adam Lind was still the club's first baseman on Opening Day, given the (mostly unfounded) belief in Toronto that the team would make a push to sign Prince Fielder last winter. Playoff-starved Jays supporters were no doubt tired of having to wait at least one more year for the team to fully go "all-in" for a postseason run, but given the cost of acquiring a big first base bat, it's no surprise that the Jays are giving Lind another season to pull himself together.
Lind enjoyed a big breakout campaign in 2009, hitting .305/.370/.562 with 35 homers. That performance earned him a multiyear contract extension worth a guaranteed $18MM from 2010-13, plus club options for each of the 2014 ($7MM), 2015 ($7.5MM) and 2016 ($8MM) seasons, which would have been Lind's first three free agent years.
The extension was so team-friendly that it could still prove to be a bargain for Toronto, despite the fact that Lind has struggled mightily since signing the deal. Lind posted a combined .243/.291/.432 line, 49 homers and 48 doubles in 2010 and 2011 — just 14 homers and two doubles more than he hit in 2009 alone. This poor performance didn't occur in a vacuum, however, as Lind has battled wrist and back injuries, gone through a position shift to first base that he admitted he was physically unprepared to handle and also possibly distracted by off-the-field events like getting married and having his first child.
Now, Lind is healthy and entirely focused on baseball. Even if he doesn't hit as he did in 2009, I think the Blue Jays would simply be satisfied with Lind proving he can be a productive Major League hitter rather than posting another sub-.300 OBP. The Jays' plan is to have Lind play every day against right-handers and he'll be occasionally spelled at first by Edwin Encarnacion when Toronto faces a tough left-handed starter.
The Jays have given themselves flexibility at the 1B/DH spots, between Lind, Encarnacion (the team holds a $3.5MM option on him for 2013), the loser of the long-term left field battle between Eric Thames and Travis Snider, or even Jose Bautista, who the Jays probably have slated to move out of right field within a couple of years' time. Toronto's deep minor league system also provides depth; it's easy to see a scenario where Bautista moves to first to make room for Jake Marisnick or Anthony Gose in the outfield, with Gose could bumping current center fielder Colby Rasmus to right.
As noted, Lind's contract is not a great burden on the Jays' payroll. Even if he does again underachieve, he'll be likely brought back in 2013 as a platoon candidate. A third straight poor season, however, would be the third strike for Lind's place in Toronto's long-term plans. Lind would be facing a $2MM buyout from the club rather than a pickup of his $7MM option for 2014. As we saw last winter, 1B/DH types with much more proven track records than Lind had trouble finding Major League contracts, so it's not a stretch to say that Lind's career could be riding on how he hits in 2012.
It's hard to avoid the parallels to the ignominious end of Aaron Hill's tenure as a Blue Jay. Hill also enjoyed a big 2009 campaign and had a team-friendly contract extension that included a number of option years. Hill's productivity after 2009, however, fell off so sharply that the Jays dealt him to Arizona last summer and moved on with Kelly Johnson at second base. Hill's defensive skill and his premium position made him a more attractive trade candidate than Lind, but his departure confirms that the Jays will only give so much rope to an underperforming player, even one who has a good contract and was very recently thought of as a key part of the club's core.
There are a multitude of reasons why the Jays didn't feel the timing was right to make a play for a big-name first baseman last winter, be it signing Fielder or making a franchise-altering trade (i.e. selling the farm to the Reds for Joey Votto). If all goes well for the Jays in 2012, however, the team will surely be looking to contend for the postseason in 2013, and they know they won't be able to achieve that goal without at least steady production from the first base spot. Toronto has already prepared itself for the post-Lind era, so the pressure is on the 28-year-old to show that he deserves to not just keep his job now, but also that he deserves to play for the contender that the Jays fancy themselves to be in the near future.
Photo courtesy of Michael L. Stein/US Presswire
Blue Jays Rumors: Frasor, Downs, Lind
Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says the organization can afford to be more patient than last offseason, since his team's needs are less pressing than they were a year ago. Here's the latest on the Blue Jays, from MLB.com beat reporter Gregor Chisholm:
- Anthopoulos doesn’t know whether Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, Kevin Gregg and Miguel Olivo will accept arbitration, but he hopes to have the players back in Toronto for the 2011 season. Asked to predict the players’ decisions, Anthopoulos guessed they will decline the team’s offers.
- The club thought Adam Lind played respectably good defense at first base, but has yet to determine the 27-year-old’s position for 2011.
- The Blue Jays are open to acquiring a player with “baggage” under the right circumstances. "It depends, how significant is it? Would it affect other players?” Anthopoulos asked. “If it's the right player, and the right fit, the right talent, at the right price, then you have to be open to it."
- That's good news for fans hoping to see Manny Ramirez in Toronto. ESPN.com's Buster Olney can't envision any team guaranteeing Ramirez $5MM and expects the slugger to sign an incentive-laden deal.
Odds & Ends: Beckett, Lind, Cardinals
Why isn't there more baseball today? Links for Tuesday…
- BoSox manager Terry Francona is glad that the organization hammered out Josh Beckett's extension before it became a media circus, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.
- I'll be joining Jeff & Jeff on KFNS St. Louis today at 1:25pm CST. Click here to listen live.
- SI's Jon Heyman wonders if the Diamondbacks and Rockies will get in on free agent lefty Jarrod Washburn.
- Josh Beckett initially wanted to top Carlos Zambrano's five-year, $91.5MM deal, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford. The market has changed since that deal was signed in August of '07, and the Red Sox secured Beckett for four years and $68MM.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says rival agents are exasperated by Adam Lind's four-year, $18MM extension, given the three club options. Frustrated agents – always a good sign for the team.
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch analyzes changes in the Cardinals' Opening Day payroll compared to '09.
- Steve Sommer of FanGraphs finds the best one-year deals at $2MM guaranteed or less for 2009, with Carl Pavano's Indians contract leading the way.
- The Twins look at seven factors when considering signing a young player to a long-term extension, learned Kelsie Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Baseball America's Will Lingo puts together a list of lesser-known future GM candidates in the latest Ask BA.
Odds & Ends: Brewers, Marlins, Red Sox, Calero
Sunday night links..
- While other clubs did some last minute tinkering today, Brewers GM Doug Melvin decided to stand pat with his lineup, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- For the first time in three years, the Marlins won't have the lowest payroll in baseball on Opening Day, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Florida's payroll of $46MM ranks ahead of the Padres and Pirates.
- Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter) didn't expect Scott Schoeneweis to make the BoSox roster after being released by the Brewers. Edes adds that he expects Alan Embree to make his way to the big league squad after he puts in more work in the minors.
- The Mets have demoted reliever Kiko Calero to their Triple-A affiliate, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Calero's deal – which he signed in early March – does not allow Calero to opt-out upon being assigned to the minors.
- Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun write that O's outfielder Nolan Reimold took ground balls at first base yesterday. Orioles GM Andy MacPhail told the Sun not to read too much into it, as they were only seeking to increase the 26-year-old's versatility. However, an item on ESPN's rumor page wonders aloud if the fielding practice could be about the club's future plans at the position without Luke Scott and Garrett Atkins.
- A major league insider told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com that the extension given to Adam Lind is a good deal for both parties. The Blue Jays signed Lind to a four-year, $18MM pact yesterday morning.
- Ken Gurnick of MLB.com points out that Carlos Monasterios is just the fourth Rule 5 draftee to make a Dodgers Opening Day roster.
Blue Jays Sign Adam Lind To Multi-Year Deal
The Blue Jays have signed Adam Lind to a four year deal worth $18MM, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com tweets that the deal also includes club options for 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Bastian says that Lind will earn $400K in 2010 with a $600K bonus, then $5MM each year from 2011-2013. The 2014 option is worth $7MM with a $2MM buyout, the 2015 option is worth $7.5MM with a $1MM buyout, and the 2016 option is worth $8MM with a $500K buyout (Twitter link). If all of the options are picked up, Lind will earn $38.5MM over seven years.
Lind was entering his final pre-arbitration season in 2010, and wasn't scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2013 season. The deal buys out all three years of arbitration eligibility, and gives the team options for three free agent years.
The 26-year-old Lind broke out in a big way last season, hitting .305/.370/.562 with 46 doubles and 35 homeruns. Even though he's mostly a leftfielder and designated hitter, Toronto appears to get a tremendous bargain here. For comparison's sake, Nick Markakis will earn $62.455MM for the same seven year chunk of his career.
Delgado Not A Fit For Blue Jays
WEDNESDAY, 1:54pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian writes that a Major League source told him Delgado "doesn't fit into the Blue Jays' plans." But if you're concerned about Delgado's health, his agent told Bastian the slugger "would have no problems playing first base on an everyday basis."
MONDAY, 6:59pm: AOL Fanhouse's Ed Price tweets, the Mets have seen Carlos Delgado in Puerto Rico twice, and plan to see him once more. Price adds that Delgado "is not moving well". Price adds that the Blue Jays, Delgado's first team, might be a "more likely landing spot."
One would figure Price mentions this because Toronto plays in the American League, giving Delgado a chance to DH, but it isn't so clear where Delgado fits in there. Adam Lind is Toronto's best hitter, and fields like a DH. Lyle Overbay is left-handed, just as Delgado is. Just how much of a role Toronto can offer Delgado is not at all clear.
Where Delgado fits with the Mets is much more obvious- he stands as far likelier to excel as a hitter while playing first base than Daniel Murphy in 2010. If he can't move well enough to play the position, of course, he becomes a glorified pinch hitter for New York.
For his part, Delgado has been hitting in his time with Carolina, putting a .353 average up in 19 plate appearances, including a home run. He only began playing the field on Sunday night, however.
Bradley Being Discussed In Three-Way Deal
9:01pm: The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan is reporting that Toronto "wants no part of Milton Bradley." Meanwhile, Cubs GM Jim Hendry said that Chicago hasn't given up on Bradley, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin. Of course, Hendry has to say that until the moment Bradley is traded.
5:55pm: A very interesting idea is being reported by Ken Rosenthal: a three-way deal, with Milton Bradley going to the Blue Jays, Luis Castillo to the Cubs, and Lyle Overbay to the Mets. Rosenthal said "The teams indeed have discussed the framework of such a deal, though not in direct fashion, according to major-league sources."
Breaking it down, the trade makes the most sense for the Mets, who would clear second base for long-coveted Orlando Hudson, a free agent. Overbay has also mashed righties for his entire career – .847 OPS career, .905 in 2009 – and could be paired with Daniel Murphy or Nick Evans for a high-reward platoon.
Castillo does block the movement of Ryan Theriot to second base when Starlin Castro arrives, but adding Castillo's on-base percentage would be a boon to the top of Chicago's lineup.
As for the Blue Jays, the deal would open up first base for Adam Lind, with Bradley slotting in as designated hitter. The question is: Overbay slugged .466 in 2009, while Bradley slugged just .397 – so is this an upgrade?