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Phillies Free Agent Notes

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MLB.com's Todd Zolecki runs down the Phillies offseason, looking at how the club is planning to improve coming off back-to-back World Series appearances. Here's some highlights:

  • The Phillies are looking to upgrade at third base, as we've heard before. Chone Figgins figures to be too expensive for their liking, and they'll look for a shorter, more affordable contract. Zolecki names the same possibilities we heard earlier in the week: Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Placido Polanco.
  • Philadelphia has interest in Fernando Rodney, but it may not be mutual, as Rodney likely would prefer a team with whom he can close. As Zolecki writes, that is "not an option" in Philly.
  • The Phillies have seven impending free agents: Paul Bako, Miguel Cairo, Scott Eyre, Pedro Feliz, Pedro Martinez, Chan Ho Park, Matt Stairs, and Jack Taschner. Zolecki says Park and Eyre are the two most likely to return, with Ruben Amaro Jr. already having contacted Park's agent.
  • Bako's return hasn't been ruled out, but Amaro has said that he's seeking a backup catcher. Feliz is in a similar situation, with his return not being ruled out but the team looking to upgrade.
  • If Stairs returns, it will be on a minor league contract. Taschner and Martinez are not expected to return.
  • The futures for Eric Bruntlett, Clay Condrey, and Tyler Walker are in question.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Figgins, Halladay, Uggla

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On this date 31 years ago, Red Sox free agent pitcher Luis Tiant signed a two-year, $875K contract with the Yankees. After eight seasons and 122 wins with Boston, Tiant would go 21-17 with the Yankees before finishing his career with the Pirates and Angels. With this year's free agents looking for new homes, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • UmpBump attempts to determine how much Chone Figgins is worth.
  • The Phrontiersman warns that giving up Cole Hamels is too much for Roy Halladay.
  • We Should Be GMs analyzes the Phillies roster and suggests some names to fill the holes.
  • Camden Crazies looks at what Dan Uggla would mean for the O's and what he might cost.
  • Twins Overlook looks back at the Johan Santana trade and compares the pieces that are left and what the Twins could have gotten from the Red Sox or Yankees.
  • Nick's Twins Blog thinks Adrian Beltre is the missing piece to the Twins infield.
  • Dock of the Rays likes the idea of swapping Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley and wonders if throwing in Andy Sonnanstine can entice the Cubs to add more money.
  • Feeling Dodgers Blue says L.A. needs two pitchers and breaks down the pros and cons of the available talent.
  • Dodgers Rumors feels Brandon Phillips would fit nicely at second base for the Dodgers.
  • Blogging Mets breaks down the Mets' needs and is not very optimistic.
  • The Pinstriper projects the Yankees 25-man roster for next season.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Phillies’ Third Base Targets

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The Phillies have Placido Polanco, Mark DeRosa, and Adrian Beltre on their third base wish list, according to sources speaking to Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Salisbury adds that Chone Figgins and Miguel Tejada are also of interest, but to a lesser degree.

Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Salisbury he'd "rather do something early," but doesn't see that happening.  DeRosa signed early with the Cubs three years ago, specifically on November 14th.  Salisbury debates the merits of Polanco, DeRosa, and Beltre in his column.  Which do you prefer?  By the way, ESPN's Jayson Stark finds Figgins an unrealistic fit for the Phillies for a variety of reasons.

In other Phillies news, Salisbury notes Korean reports suggesting Chan Ho Park wants to start in 2010.  Amaro has heard differently from Park's agent.  Starting was a big factor in Park's decision to sign with the Phillies a year ago.

Orioles Rumors: Bedard, Third Base, Adam Jones

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Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun has the buzz on the Orioles…

  • President Andy MacPhail said he can't see himself trading a young, talented player for a short-term (one or two-year) fix.  He left open the possibility of trading a young player to fill a different, more urgent need long-term.
  • Zrebiec says bringing Erik Bedard back to the organization has been discussed.
  • The Orioles may acquire bullpen help, but Zrebiec adds, "some team officials would be comfortable starting the season with Koji Uehara as the closer."
  • MacPhail admitted the third base supply is strong.  Zrebiec says the O's have interest in free agents Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Pedro Feliz, while Dan Uggla and Garrett Atkins are also known to be available.
  • The Orioles have not yet spoken to Mark Hendrickson's agent, nor have they made an offer for Aroldis Chapman.
  • It was close, but Adam Jones just missed being a Super Two.  Since he won't be arbitration-eligible this winter, the Orioles will save millions.

Phillies Seek A Third Baseman

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4:57pm: The Phils are seriously considering Chone Figgins, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com.

2:45pm: Here's the latest on the NL Champs' hunt for a third baseman:

  • Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Phils are interested in bringing Pedro Feliz back if he's up for a deal worth less than $5.5MM. The club turned down an option worth that much this week.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News that other options are out there, even if he can't sign Feliz. "There are more third basemen available than there are third base positions to be filled," the GM said.
  • Amaro Jr. expects to find a third baseman on the open market. He's open to offering multi-year deals and would consider signing Type A free agents, which is good news for Chone Figgins and Miguel Tejada.
  • Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News says the Phils are more likely to pursue Mark DeRosa than Adrian Beltre.

Heyman’s Latest: Holliday, Lackey, Bay, Trades

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Jon Heyman has a new column up at SI.com, so let's dive on in…

  • Scott Boras said on Sunday that the Cardinals have not made any proposals in an effort to retain Matt Holliday, and Heyman says "the chances for Holliday to remain a Cardinal look slim at this point."
  • A source familiar with the situation said the Angels offered John Lackey an extension earlier this year worth less than $40MM over three years on top of 2009's $10MM salary, so if they wish to re-sign him now, they'll have to completely rethink their original stance.
  • The Red Sox are trying to bring Jason Bay back on a four year, $60MM deal, though his agent maintains that Bay is the "most complete player on the market."
  • The Mets, Giants, Braves, Cubs, Mariners, and Yankees could also be interested in Holliday and/or Bay.
  • The Mets are believed to have Holliday higher on their wish list than Bay, and are also expected to pursue Randy Wolf.
  • There is speculation that Lackey would like to pitch at home in Texas, but the Rangers' interest might depend on how quickly their sale is resolved.
  • Heyman says that "MLB has set a tentative Thanksgiving deadline for the sale of the Rangers, but the price tag is expected to be in the $500 million range, and in cases of such big money there are no guarantees that things will go quickly."
  • Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Bobby Jenks, Dan Uggla, and Milton Bradley should highlight a star studded trade market.
  • Halladay seems like a good bet to be moved, while the Red Sox and Dodgers represent possible suitors for Gonzalez.
  • Tampa has a replacement for Crawford in top prospect Desmond Jennings, while Jenks and Uggla would be moved in cost cutting deals.
  • Teams will certainly inquire on the availability of Felix Hernandez, but Heyman says the team plans to spend the winter trying to lock him up long-term. At the GM Meetings today, GM Jack Zduriencik said "Felix is our property. We're going to have him the next two years."
  • The Yankees have started to think about re-signing both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.
  • Both the Brewers and Mariners are expected to have interest in Jarrod Washburn.
  • If the Angels don't re-sign Chone Figgins, they are expected to pursue Adrian Beltre to fill their third base hole.
  • The Rangers will let Hank Blalock walk as a free agent, and are expected to promote top prospect Justin Smoak next year.
  • Orlando Hudson is expected to leave the Dodgers as a free agent, though Heyman says they could re-sign Ronnie Belliard to compete with Blake DeWitt at second base.
  • Team officials would not be shocked if the Red Sox tried to move David Ortiz and/or Mike Lowell, though it's going to be tough to move them with all the DH-types available on the free agent market.

Olney On What’s Facing The Yankees And Phillies

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We haven't had a World Series rematch since the Yankees and Dodgers squared off in 1977 and then again in 1978, but that doesn't stop ESPN's Buster Olney from looking at what stands in the way of another Yanks-Phils Fall Classic in 2010.

Let's round up some hot stove talk…

  • Olney guesses that the Yankees won't tender Chien-Ming Wang a contract, but they may decide to pursue another starter through trade or free agency.
  • Given Brad Lidge's awful year, Olney thinks the Phillies "will be diligent in internally identifying a solid Plan B." He notes that there are plenty of pitchers available this offseason with experience closing games.
  • The Phillies hold a $5MM option for third baseman Pedro Feliz ($500K buyout), so the team must decide what to do there. He mentions that free agent Adrian Beltre "would be a spectacular fit" for Philadelphia.
  • Olney believes it's a lock that the Yankees will offer Andy Pettitte arbitration. Pettitte had just a $5.5MM base salary in 2009, but he brought home over $10MM thanks to incentives. An arbitration case would be based on the actual money earned, so Pettitte could be in line for $12-14MM if he accepts.

Odds & Ends: Chapman, Padres, Orioles, Coste

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Here's a few links to help you through another baseball-less night…

  • Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus tweets that Aroldis Chapman will throw a bullpen at Fenway tomorrow.
  • ESPN's Keith Law says that firing VP of scouting and player development Grady Fuson was a good move by new GM Jed Hoyer and the Padres. He notes that San Diego's drafts have been among the worst in the game over the last few years, although they did change course last year.
  • Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun says the Orioles need a power hitter at one of the corner infield spots, and mentions that players like Adrian Beltre, Troy Glaus, or Carlos Delgado could represent a decent stop gap.
  • Chris Coste became a free agent after being outrighted by the Astros, says Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
  • Phil Wood of MASNsports.com has news on a few front office hirings by the Nationals.
  • The Phillies added Brett Myers to their World Series roster according to David Murphy of The Philadephia Daily News. The 29-year-old righthander could earn himself a few extra bucks in free agency with a big series.

Odds & Ends: Mariners, Beltre, Ramirez

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Happy birthday to Hall-of-Famer Whitey Ford and (future Hall-of-Famer?) Zack Greinke.  MLBTR's gift to these two star pitchers is this batch of news items…

  • John Hickey of the Seattle PostGlobe outlines some of the holes that the Mariners have to fill for 2010, and speculates that free agent and Los Angeles resident Adrian Beltre might be targeted by the Angels and Dodgers.
  • Peter Gammons thinks that if it weren't for Manny Ramirez's player option, the Dodgers would part ways with the controversial left fielder, reports WEEI's Alex Speier.
  • MLB.com's Steve Gilbert writes that if Conor Jackson can stay healthy in the Dominican Winter League, he can avoid being non-tendered by the Diamondbacks.
  • Joe Mauer's big brother Jake has been named the new manager of the Twins' Class A-Advanced affiliate in Fort Myers, reports Benjamin Hill of MLB.com.
  • Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner discussed Jim Riggleman's chances of being named manager, some recent front office hires and his club's overall plans for the future in a chat with Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

Discussion: Adrian Beltre

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MLB.com's Jim Street talked to Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre about the player's upcoming free agent experience:

"It will be different this year, no doubt.  I didn't put up the numbers everyone expected and then I had shoulder surgery. I am 100-percent healthy right now, but there may be some questions about that. That is something I am going to find out.  I don't know what to expect. Last year, it was a tough free agency for some players because of the economic climate. I don't know what to expect, but for me, it's not about the money anymore. I have already made a lot of money in the sport. I would like to play in the World Series and win one." 

Beltre, 31 in April, hit just .265/.304/.379 in 477 plate appearances this year amid injuries.  He still plays stellar defense at the hot corner.  To his benefit, Beltre projects as a Type B free agent.  Should he turn down an arbitration offer from the Mariners, he won't cost his new team a draft pick.  Another Scott Boras client, Joe Crede, signed for a one-year $2.5MM guarantee in February.  Will Beltre command more?  And where might he land?  Aside from the Ms, the Orioles, Marlins, Astros, Angels, Twins, A's, Pirates, and Cardinals face uncertainty at third base in 2010.

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