Odds and Ends: Hearings, Anderson, Selig
Links for Monday…
- MLB.com’s Tom Singer looks at the effects of arbitration hearings on players. He found that most players don’t experience a post-hearing performance decline, but they do change teams at the first opportunity.
- MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer says the Angels and Ervin Santana are $725K apart with a hearing scheduled for later this month and "no progress" according to GM Tony Reagins.
- The Tigers are hopeful about bridging the $950K gap with Justin Verlander.
- Athletics Nation’s conversation with MLB.com’s Mychael Urban, Part 2.
- Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald wouldn’t be surprised to see the White Sox trade Brian Anderson.
- Murray Chass reflects on the Homestead camp for unsigned players heading into the 1995 season.
- Commissioner Bud Selig earned $18.35MM in the last fiscal year, according to Eric Fisher of Sports Business Journal.
- The latest minor league transactions from Baseball America, including the Nationals’ signing of Alex Cintron and the Rockies’ addition of Scott Munter.
- Even with a new stadium, the Marlins will continue to prefer going year-to-year with most players.
What’s Next For Brian Anderson?
White Sox center fielder Brian Anderson has had a roller coaster career, though he’s only 26. The former first-round pick entered the ’06 season as Chicago’s starting center fielder, but he didn’t hit enough to keep the job. BA didn’t make much noise in ’07 (aside from comments he made to Scott Merkin).
Now Anderson is making the good kind of noise, hitting .351/.442/.568 in 37 spring ABs. He’s battled his way into the Opening Day picture, especially with Jerry Owens and Carlos Quentin ailing. Anderson is leading all players in spring ABs, which would almost indicate a showcase. All sorts of teams have had interest in the past, including the Marlins and Rangers. However, Anderson still has two options so there’s no pressing need to trade him.
Odds and Ends: Colon, Koskie, Atkins
We take a break from your regularly scheduled Erik Bedard drama to bring you some random links.
- The White Sox made an incentive-laden offer to Bartolo Colon, but Colon apparently physically disappeared at the thought of it. There’s a joke here, somewhere. Kenny Williams also almost kind of hinted at implying that he made some kind of effort to acquire Bedard.
- A brief note from the Sun-Times – outfielder Brian Anderson may be traded to an NL team (Marlins?).
- It’s possible that Corey Koskie makes another comeback attempt. He’s gone through a postconcussion syndrome nightmare.
- The Denver Post’s Troy Renck is always going over to Rockies players’ houses and chilling in their living rooms. This time, it was Garrett Atkins. Atkins says the Rox made a multiyear offer to him a year ago more similar to Jeff Francis‘ (4/13.25) than that of Aaron Cook (3/30) or Troy Tulowitzki (6/31). That offer was to cover Atkins’ three arbitration years and have a club option for his first of free agency.
- I recently did a Q&A with Science Fiction Baseball.
- Website note: I am leaning toward doing a full redesign. New logo, widen this baby, brighten her up, increase the font size, and yes, do away with the white on black type. Lots of room for improvement with this clunky old design, we all know it.
Odds and Ends: Velocity, Santana, Teixeira
Make sure to check out these links.
- Baseball America admits that fastball velocity is important, and does a Where Are They Now with all those who had reached 98 mph from the ’02 prospect handbook. The success rate was solid. They have an even bigger list of guys who topped 98 from their upcoming ’08 handbook, some of whom will be aces one day. Did you know Felipe Paulino reached 102? Hat tip to Depressed Fan on the link.
- Joe Posnanski writes about how the Royals are leading the Johan Santana race. Funny stuff. Would be refreshing to see the Royals in there.
- White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson busts out the ol’ "best shape of my life" cliche. He’s trying to ditch the negative attitude, but still wants out of Chicago so he can have a shot at a full-time role.
- Not sure what to make of this…did Mark Teixeira buy a house in north suburban Atlanta? If so does it mean anything? Hat tip to Braves Love for the discovery.
Rockies Rumors: Fuentes, Fogg
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 11:28am: More from Renck. He confirms the Red Sox’ interest in Fuentes and adds the Astros to the mix. While the Rox like Burke, the teams don’t really match up because that’s not enough.
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 12:01am: The Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck has more.
- Brian Anderson – remember him? – is on the radar as a lefty swingman. The 35 year-old hasn’t pitched in the bigs since ’05.
- Renck ponders whether the Rox might revisit talks for Matt Morris, a sentiment echoed by Jenifer Langosch.
- Nothing seems to be imminent on the Fuentes-Lowrie rumor.
UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 9:21pm: A suitor for Fuentes has emerged. ESPN’s Amy Nelson says the Red Sox are interested and the Rockies could seek Jed Lowrie. Lowrie would be a nice fit at second base.
FROM 12-3-07 at 8:28pm:
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding checks in with some Rockies nuggets.
- The Rockies have no pressing need to trade Brian Fuentes, so they’ll sit pretty with two closers unless an impressive and helpful offer comes along. Dan O’Dowd believes four or five clubs might have the goods and need to get Fuentes. We’ll see.
- The Rox let Josh Fogg‘s agent know they’d like to explore bringing him back. No figures were exchanged.
- The team still hopes to bring LaTroy Hawkins back, but they’d have to go to two years to pull that off. They already chose not to exercise an effective $3.5MM option on him. It seems the Rockies may have underestimated the interest in Hawkins.
Odds and Ends: Cabrera, Blanton, Haren, Sabathia
Let’s round ’em up.
- Indians GM Mark Shapiro will soon get a contract extension offer for C.C. Sabathia approved by ownership. Then he’ll put that in front of Sabathia’s agent, with an eye on resolving the situation one way or another before Spring Training. Shapiro’s model will not be Johan Santana‘s upcoming deal but rather Jake Peavy‘s three-year, $50MMish extension.
- White Sox outfielders Ryan Sweeney and Brian Anderson might be on the fringe. The Marlins, if I recall correctly, once had interest in Anderson as a center field option.
- Miguel Cabrera is out to prove he’s a good athlete and can stay at third base – he’s beginning a rigorous workout program like nothing he’s ever done before.
- The D’Backs could pursue Joe Blanton or Dan Haren, while the Yankees may turn to Haren if they fail to acquire Johan.
- The Yankees are receiving a lot of interest in The Farnz, according to Brian Cashman.
Kenny Williams Ready To Deal
This is going to be an incredible offseason, I just know it. This is going to be a hot stove season for the ages. White Sox GM Kenny Williams seems ready to dive right in, starting with the GM meetings on Monday.
Interesting notes from the above-linked Mark Gonzales article:
- Josh Fields‘ position for 2008 will be revealed shortly, which seems to indicate a trade of Joe Crede on the horizon. Fields will end up at third base or left field next year.
- Outfielders Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney may be shopped. Anderson is doing a nice job talking his way out of Chicago, and Williams notes that Anderson must be "disappointed over the opportunities he hasn’t maximized." Ouch. Maybe the Marlins will take a flier.
- Gonzales throws down the Crede for Johnny Damon idea I’ve been pushing here repeatedly. This idea is spreading!
Marlins, Brewers Scouting White Sox
According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, the Marlins and Brewers have been scouting the White Sox lately.
Gonzales believes the Marlins may be looking at Triple A center fielder Brian Anderson. He mentions that the Fish have been fans of BA for quite a while. Anderson is currently a member of the Charlotte Knights, but did not play in today’s blowout against Pawtucket. Anderson is 25 now and hitting just .239/.302/.364 in Triple A. A fresh start in a new organization could help.
Gonzales says the Brewers have been scouting Chicago’s pitching. Not sure how a team that just demoted Yovani Gallardo to the bullpen would be in need of pitching, but you can never have too much.
Brian Anderson Trade Near?
Between Ozzie Guillen’s words and actions, it’s safe to say he does not like Brian Anderson. I don’t know if it’s BA’s attitude or something else, but he’s had his chance and he’s not getting another one with the White Sox. He did get 365 ABs last year, so you can’t say he didn’t get a legitimate shot. Anderson seemed to be making some progress offensively in July and August of ’06, but regressed in September.
Nathaniel Whalen of the Daily Southtown reads between the lines, and thinks a change of scenery might make sense here. Anderson’s minor league record is still contributing to a healthy PECOTA projection: .265/.324/.447. That’s pretty good for a CF, especially if he’s a plus defender.
In the past, the Giants and Rangers have inquired about Anderson. I feel like the Marlins did too, but can’t find a record of it. The Fish in particular can afford to let Anderson develop at the big league level. Perhaps the Padres, A’s, or Nationals would get involved as well. They haven’t been major deals, but Jim Bowden has been Kenny Williams’s most frequent trading partner over the years.
Assorted updates: Alou, Hudson, Garland, Okajima
Earlier today, we found a report that Moises Alou was about to sign with the Mets. Now Rosenthal is saying that it could be a two-year deal. With Carlos Gomez right behind Lastings Milledge, putting two established vets in the outfield through 2008 would seem to make Milledge expendable.
Yesterday, Phil Rogers speculated that Mark Buehrle could be headed to Texas. Rosenthal says it’s Jon Garland, and hints (as Rogers did) that John Danks and Brian Anderson could be part of the package, especially if the deal gets bigger.
And, Buster Olney is reporting chatter about Tim Hudson heading to the Orioles. If, as Olney speculates, the return could include Adam Loewen or Hayden Penn, it would seem to be ideal for Atlanta: free up payroll for Tom Glavine, and get another (cheap) potentially decent starter in the deal as well.
And here’s something out of nowhere: Hideki Okajima, a lefty reliever, may be coming to the states. Okajima, a longtime Yomiuri Giant and recently a Nippon Ham Fighter, had a great 2006 but a mediocre ’05. Sounds like your typical middle-bullpen fodder.
By Jeff Sackmann