Odds & Ends: Renteria, Huff, Takahashi
Four years ago today, the Padres traded Josh Barfield to the Indians for Andrew Brown and Kevin Kouzmanoff. Only Kouzmanoff panned out to any extent; he was sent to the A's with Eric Sogard in January for Aaron Cunningham and Scott Hairston. With Kouzmanoff and Hairston non-tender candidates, Sogard and Cunningham could be the remaining threads of the deal. Links for Monday…
- Do you have experience in online ad sales, ideally for sports websites? MLBTR is looking to bring someone aboard to sell ad inventory on commission. Email mlbtradrep@gmail.com and explain your qualifications if you're interested.
- Edgar Renteria would prefer to return to the Giants, he told Claudia Aguilar Ramirez of El Tiempo. Thanks to Nick Collias for the translation.
- Aubrey Huff hired Ed Hayes as his agent, reported Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports last night.
- The Tigers re-signed catcher Max St. Pierre to a minor league deal, reports Morosi.
- Sanspo has the Angels in the mix for Hisanori Takahashi, tweets Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. It seems likely that the Halos will add a left-handed reliever this winter; I went with Pedro Feliciano in my Top 50 list.
- Carlos Torres, released by the White Sox last month to pursue a job in Japan, has landed with the Yomiuri Giants according to this Newman tweet.
- Kevin Goldstein's top 11 Pirates prospect list is free to all over at Baseball Prospectus. BP is definitely worth subscribing to for Goldstein's work and much more. We also recommend ESPN Insider, which you'll need to read Keith Law's new starting pitcher buyer's guide.
- Speaking of the Pirates, SI's Jon Heyman says they seem active in early free agent calls and "are believed to be showing interest in some surprising free agent prizes such as [Adrian] Beltre."
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs believes the Padres should trade Adrian Gonzalez now rather than in July.
Olney’s Latest: Gonzalez, Lee, Crawford, Jeter
Two days ago we learned that Padres GM Jed Hoyer is willing to listen to trade offers for Adrian Gonzalez (and Heath Bell), unsurprising since the first baseman is reportedly seeking close to $22MM annually when he becomes a free agent next offseason. In today's blog post (Insider req'd), ESPN's Buster Olney lists a few reasons why the Pads are more likely to wait until the trade deadline to move their franchise player…
- Ticket sales. After surprising success in 2010, the team doesn't want to lose the trust of the fans by dealing their best player before the season.
- The Padres have a chance to compete in 2011 with Gonzalez in the middle of their lineup, but without him it'll be close to impossible.
- Other clubs wanting to acquire Gonzalez might be more desperate during the summer, which could result in a better package for San Diego.
- Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe points out that Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod worked for the Red Sox before joining the Padres, so they have strong first-hand knowledge of Boston's prospects.
Here are the rest of Olney's rumors…
- Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, and Jayson Werth will dominate the headlines when free agency begins at 12:01am ET Sunday morning, but Olney lists ten more interesting free agents, led by Joaquin Benoit, Pedro Feliciano, and Orlando Hudson.
- The Yankees could place their first bid on Lee very soon, perhaps within 72 hours. Anthony McCarron of The New York Daily News hears something similar.
- Crawford is in a unique situation because he's an elite player that could have six or more teams bidding for his services. Usually players of that caliber only have three or so teams after them.
- The Yankees operate with the knowledge that no matter how popular the individual player is, the team and its fan base will move on. This of course refers to Derek Jeter.
Odds & Ends: Mets, Webb, Galarraga, Ring, Rasner
Some links to check out on the 11th anniversary of the Indians signing Danys Baez to the largest amateur signing bonus in team history…
- Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that Terry Collins' name has popped up in connection with the Mets' managerial search. Collins spent the 2010 season as minor league field coordinator with the organization.
- The Rockies have not expressed interest in Brandon Webb, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
- Armando Galarraga qualified as a Super Two, which puts him in a unique spot according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
- Anthony McCarron of The New York Daily News reports that Royce Ring has elected free agency after being outrighted off the 40-man roster by the Yankees (Twitter link).
- Former Yankee right-hander Darrell Rasner has signed a one-year deal with an option for 2012 with the Rakuten Golden Eagles, reports Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. Rasner has played in Japan since 2008.
- Heyman spoke to Adrian Gonzalez's agent, who mentioned Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira, and Ryan Howard are contract comparables (Twitter link). It's pretty clear that they're seeking upwards of $22MM annually.
- Meanwhile, Padres GM Jed Hoyer has spoken to Jerry Hairston Jr.'s agent about bringing the utility player back to San Diego next season according to MLB.com's Corey Brock. Hairston has indicated that he'd like to return to the team.
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday tweets that a competing executive sees the Nationals signing Carlos Pena. The team is emphasizing defense, which Pena excels at, and GM Mike Rizzo has a strong relationship with his agent Scott Boras.
- Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post hears from a source close to the team that the Nats will in fact pursue Brandon Webb this offseason. We heard rumblings about potential mutual interest between the two sides last month.
- Boras indicated that he's received "a lot of early calls" about Magglio Ordonez according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. If the outfielder is going to return to Detroit, it won't happen quickly; he and Boras are going to see what the market has to offer.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gonzalez, Pirates, Elias
On this date way back in 1976, the Mariners and Blue Jays each selected 30 players in the expansion draft. Seattle drafted outfielder Ruppert Jones from the Royals with the first pick, then Toronto grabbed the versatile Bob Bailor from the Orioles with the second pick. The full results of the expansion draft can be found here.
We had to do some expanding of our own this week – get ready for what I'm certain is the largest BBWI in MLBTR history…
- Baseball Time In Arlington thinks the Rangers need to wave goodbye to Vladimir Guerrero after declining his option.
- Royals Review asks what Kansas City should do, and will do with their arbitration eligible players.
- The Friarhood breaks down the trade market for Adrian Gonzalez.
- Pirates Propects examines what the impact would be if Andrew McCutchen qualified as a Super Two next year.
- Capitol Avenue Club looks at some options to address the Braves' need for a fourth outfielder.
- Amazin Avenue explains why they don't want the Mets to hire Wally Backman to serve as manager.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. wonders if the Pirates should start spending on free agents this winter.
- Meanwhile, Wahoo Blues believes the Indians are poised to make a free agent splash.
- Crashburn Alley says the Phillies need to give Domonic Brown 600 plate appearances in 2011.
- Disciples of Uecker explains why Justin James was an interesting waiver claim.
- Prospect Insider thinks that the Elias free agent ranking system needs to go.
- The Process Report tries to find a fit for Matt Garza with the Mets.
- Randall on Baseball reviews Jack Zduriencik's moves as the Mariners GM.
- SD Sports Net thinks the Padres should go out and acquire Dan Uggla.
- The Love Of The Game likes what the Yankees have in 2010 rookie Ivan Nova.
- Fan Speak tries to figure out what the Nationals should do with Josh Willingham (part one, part two).
- Cubs Billy Goat Blog (formerly Cubs Pack) asks what the Cubbies can learn from more successful teams.
- 1 Blue Jays Way re-lives Toronto's 2010 season, top ten style.
- River Ave. Blues comes up with a list of the players the Yankees shouldn't even think about acquiring this winter.
- MLB Depth Charts is putting together early looks at each team's 2011 roster.
- Baseball Prospectus' Analyze This reviews how the World Champion San Francisco Giants were built in a two part series (part one, part two). No subscription is required.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Hoyer Willing To Listen To Offers For Gonzalez, Bell
Padres GM Jed Hoyer said in an interview on XX1090 Sports Radio that the club will listen to offers for Adrian Gonzalez though he expects to start the season with him, tweets Dan Hayes of the North County Times. The GM even said that the club has yet to make the star slugger an offer as they are far apart on compensation and he will likely go elsewhere, tweets Marty Caswell of XX1090 Sports Radio. Hoyer added that it is a near-certainty that Gonzalez will explore the open market after 2011, says Hayes (via Twitter).
While the Padres have yet to submit an offer to Gonzalez's agent, the two sides reportedly made plans to meet this week. However, a long-term deal seems unlikely in the wake of CEO Jeff Moorad's comments last month and Hoyer's remarks this evening.
Hoyer will also listen to offers on Heath Bell as he believes that the club has two closer candidates in Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson, Hayes tweets. Bell earned $4MM in 2010 and is due a raise in arbitration.
The Padres GM also confirmed that Mets GM Sandy Alderson has asked for permission to speak with Paul DePodesta but hopes that he will stay with San Diego, tweets Caswell.
Padres Rumors: Gonzalez, Torrealba, Eckstein
The Padres exercised their 2011 option for Adrian Gonzalez today and saw Yorvit Torrealba and Jon Garland turn down their sides of their respective mutual options. Here's the latest on those three players, plus other updates on the Padres' offseason plans:
- The Padres will meet with the agent for Gonzalez, John Boggs, this week, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (on Twitter). Presumably the meeting will help the sides determine whether a long-term deal is possible. It certainly doesn't seem likely.
- Torrealba told Hayes that he'd love to return to San Diego, but is seeking a two-year deal (Twitter links). The catcher is a Type B free agent, so the Padres could get a draft pick if they offer arbitration and Torrealba turns it down to sign elsewhere.
- David Eckstein, a free agent, probably won't return to the Padres in 2011, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.
- Brock points out that Jon Garland will likely make more on the open market than he would have with the Padres (Twitter link).
Padres Exercise Option On Adrian Gonzalez
The Padres announced today they've exercised their $6.2MM club option for 2011 on first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. The option reached that amount due to incentives, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. Given Gonzalez's production, this was an obvious decision.
Gonzalez, 28, hit .298/.393/.511 with 31 home runs this year in 692 plate appearances. He'll earn over $100MM as a free agent after the 2011 season, but the Padres' willingness to trade him this winter might be affected by their unexpected success in 2010.
Adrian Gonzalez’s Trade Suitors
The Padres' surprising 2010 campaign might ensure that Adrian Gonzalez at least starts next season in San Diego, since the club will want to see if they can capture the same lightning in a bottle in 2011. But if the Padres fall out of contention early (as they were expected to do last year), the simmering Gonzalez trade market will again catch fire.
Don Norcross of the San Diego Union-Tribune recapped the difficulty — or impossibility — that the Padres will have in signing Gonzalez to the expensive, long-term contract that he'll no doubt command when he reaches free agency after the 2011 season. Norcross named three "favorites" and two dark horses as possible homes for Gonzalez come Opening Day 2012, so let's take a closer look at these options…
- The Red Sox. Boston has been at the forefront of Gonzalez rumors for over a year, and there's no question the Sox will be involved in trade talks for the slugger right down to the wire.
- The Giants. Norcross somewhat surprisingly adds them to his favorites list, pointing out that Aubrey Huff could be moved to the outfield (if he's re-signed at all) to accommodate Gonzalez at first base. It's hard to picture San Diego dealing Gonzalez to a division rival, plus San Francisco isn't the kind of big market that could afford A-Gon's future contract. That said, the Giants are rewriting their own history right now in the World Series. They might decide to just go for broke and acquire Gonzalez while their window of contention is open.
- The Angels. As Norcross notes, L.A. is close to home for the San Diego-born Gonzalez, and the Halos will pay the money for top talent. Kendry Morales is relegated to the outfield or the DH spot in Norcross' scenario, but Morales could also be the centerpiece of the Angels' trade package to San Diego.
- The Dodgers. One of the darkhorse contenders depending on if a new owner takes control of the team and wants to make an instant impact. Gonzalez could be in a new uniform well before the Dodgers' ownership situation is settled, so we can probably write off at least one L.A. team.
- The Cubs. Gonzalez himself has shown some interest in playing in Chicago, but the Cubs might be looking to add Adam Dunn to play first base this winter.
Besides these five teams, a number of other clubs can and will arise in the market depending on how this offseason pans out. The White Sox might need first base help if Paul Konerko departs, and could be interested in a long-term answer at first anyway given Konerko's age. Texas might try to undo their infamous Gonzalez/Chris Young for Adam Eaton/Akinori Otsuka swap in 2006 and make a play for the first baseman. Teams like Toronto, Baltimore, Washington or Seattle don't seem like candidates now, but could dive into the free agent market next winter if they think they're close to contention. Even St. Louis could be considered a possibility if they're unable to come to terms on an extension for Albert Pujols.
Odds & Ends: Ross, Hale, Daniels, Mets, Coaches
Some links to check out as Cody Ross attempts to follow up yesterday's two-home run performance and the Phillies look to even the score…
- Speaking of Ross, Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News reports that Giants GM Brian Sabean left a "clear impression" before tonight's game that the outfielder will be tendered a contract this offseason.
- Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe tweets that Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale is getting a second interview for the Blue Jays managerial position.
- SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that the Mets have been "asking around" about Rangers GM Jon Daniels, and things could get interesting. Daniels can opt out of his contract after the season since the team was sold.
- Steve Popper of The Bergen Record says that the Mets might not be making the popular choices right now, especially with Francisco Rodriguez, Oliver Perez, Carlos Beltran, and Luis Castillo, but they're the right moves.
- Popper also reports that the Tigers denied the Mets permission to talk to assistant GM Al Avila about their GM vacancy.
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Eric Young will be named the D'Backs first base coach later this week. In a second tweet, he says Eric Wedge's former pitching coach Carl Willis will likely play a big role on his new staff in Seattle.
- Despite the expected heavy interest from the Yankees and Rangers, Michael Silverman from the Boston Herald thinks the Red Sox should make a serious run at Cliff Lee.
- In the second page of that same article, Silverman quotes an unnamed executive in saying that a package consisting of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and prospect Anthony Rizzo wouldn't be enough to pry Adrian Gonzalez away from the Padres. He speculates the names that would be mentioned next would include Casey Kelly and Jose Iglesias.
- Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports says it makes more sense for the Orioles to trade for a middle-of-the-lineup hitter and an ace starter than seek one in free agency, and asks readers whether or not the O's should pursue Zack Greinke. In his blog post earlier today, ESPN's Buster Olney didn't see Baltimore as a fit for the Kansas City ace.
- Reduced payroll will force the Rays into some tough decisions, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. As Topkin points out, nearly the entire bullpen is entering free agency. Rafael Soriano, Grant Balfour, Randy Choate, Joaquin Benoit, and Chad Qualls are only signed through 2010, while Dan Wheeler's $4MM option will be declined and Lance Cormier could be non-tendered. Balfour and Choate are most likely to return, while Benoit will likely look to capitalize on his monster season.
- Richard Griffin from the Toronto Star spoke with Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, who could be a candidate for the Jays' managerial opening, about the difficulty of getting a foot in the door as a manager. As Griffin says, part of the reason they continue to interview candidates while other teams are filling their managerial positions could be because they have a high level of interest in someone like Mackanin, whose team is still playing.
- The Phillies' worst nightmare isn't losing to the Giants in the NLCS or losing to the Yankees in the World Series, according FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. It's going to the World Series and facing the ace they traded away last offseason, who now sports a Rangers uniform — Cliff Lee.
Signing Gonzalez “Doesn’t Appear To Be Practical”
The Padres will likely explore an extension with their star first baseman this offseason, but the team’s CEO isn’t optimistic about reaching a long-term agreement with Adrian Gonzalez. Jeff Moorad told Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune that it may not make sense for the Padres to keep Gonzalez after 2011.
“While we’d still love to have Adrian here long-term, it doesn’t appear to be practical from a financial standpoint,” Moorad said. “So I’m certainly not counting on that. But we’ll engage and see if there’s a deal that can be made."
Gonzalez will earn $5.5MM next year in the final year of his contract, assuming the Padres exercise their option. That’s a safe assumption since Gonzalez hit 31 homers this year and posted a .298/.393/.511 line in 692 plate appearances.
“At this point, I expect him to be on our roster next season,” Moorad said. “I think [GM Jed Hoyer is] committed to sit down with [agent] John Boggs at some point and I’m sure we’ll get a feel about Adrian’s view of the future.”
Moorad said the team’s payroll will likely be in the $40-50MM range, so paying Gonzalez market value (likely over $15MM per season) seems unrealistic at this point.