As reported by Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, free agent Chad Cordero will hold another workout for interested teams on Friday.
The Rangers will be in attendance. You can bet the Twins will also be there. The Marlins, Royals and Brewers are also likely to send scouts. Cordero, who will turn 27 in March, missed most of the 2008 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He racked up 113 saves for the Nationals between 2005 and 2007.
According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Twins have ended their pursuit of right-handed reliever Juan Cruz.
Cruz rejected the Twins’ contract offer before talks ever evolved into the sign-and-trade stages, and it doesn’t sounds like the club plans on making another run at him. Cruz, 30, posted a 2.61 ERA in 51 2/3 innings last season.
Neal suggests that the Twins might now focus their attention on free agent Chad Cordero, who threw for several teams on Wednesday.
According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, the Marlins continue to have interest in free agent lefty Will Ohman. Back on February 16th, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick said Ohman had offers in hand from the Marlins, Padres, and Pirates. The Pirates are still involved, while the Padres are seen as a long shot. Ohman doesn’t figure to get more than $1MM as the lefty reliever market continues to drag.
Frisaro adds that the Marlins were one of about 15 teams watching Chad Cordero’s recent workout. Frisaro’s read on the audition:
The reports are Cordero likely won’t be ready until perhaps the second half. His fastball was clocked around 80 mph, and the ball wasn’t coming out of his hand like it did when he was healthy pitching for Washington.
Cordero’s agent Larry Reynolds, however, suggested his client would be at "full tilt" sometime in March.
Some links for your Thursday night viewing pleasure…
8:48 Neal has another update, reporting that Ayala’s contract is indeed guaranteed. Ayala will get the previously-reported $1.3MM base salary, along with $250K of appearance incentives. $50K for 50 appearance, and then another $50K for every five games after that – up to 70 games.
Ayala also has bonuses for finishing games, which would require an injury to All-Star closer Joe Nathan. He also has bonuses for making the All-Star team, winning ALCS or World Series MVP honors, or finishing in the Top 3 of the Rolaids Relief Award.
Aside from his appearance incentives, none seem plausible. Nothing further on Cruz or Cordero in this update.
9:52am: La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune learned that newly-signed reliever Luis Ayala does not have a guaranteed contract:
The Twins can cut Ayala up until 16 days before Opening Day and be on the hook for just 1/6th of his $1.3MM salary [about $217K]. If they cut him 15 days from the first pitch on in, they are on the hook for about 1/4th of the salary [$325K]. The Twins have a little protection if Ayala doesn’t have a good spring.
That’s good to hear, because Ayala wasn’t really deserving of a guaranteed contract based on his ’08 and the current market. Neal also has more on Juan Cruz:
If Cruz is moved as part of a sign and trade deal, Arizona is out a first-round pick and sandwhich round pick as compensation. That should influence the types of players the D’Backs would want in return for Cruz. It also stands to reason that several teams, and not just the Twins, would be in on Cruz if draft picks aren’t a factor. But there are indications that Arizona can’t just sit back and demand a lot for Cruz. Cruz is making noises about sitting out until after the June draft, so Arizona would get nothing for compensation once Cruz signs with a club. So there’s motivation on their part to get something in return for him. The Twins have made a call to the league office to check on the change in the sign-and-trade rules. If they haven’t already been informed of the changes they should know today.
Sitting out is Cruz’s only leverage…is he bluffing? A bit more on the relief front: Neal was unable to confirm that the Twins attended Chad Cordero’s audition yesterday.
Anthony Andro of the Dallas Morning News talked to Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who said the team will be represented at Chad Cordero’s audition this week.
Other teams rumored to have interest at various points: the Royals, Brewers, Marlins, Dodgers, Twins, Angels, Mets, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Nationals, and Tigers. We know the Mets will probably pass.
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers will have a scout on hand for Chad Cordero’s next throwing session.
"We have interest in him,” said GM Doug Melvin. "This will be his first workout off the mound. We’ll wait until we get the report."
Cordero, 27, missed most of the 2008 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He has a 2.78 career ERA and 128 total saves in six MLB seasons. He’ll throw for several teams on Wednesday in California.
Links for Monday…
Word from a source around the Royals’ mini-camp in Arizona is that the team is taking a long look at free agent reliever Chad Cordero. Cordero will be conducting a showcase on February 18th.
The Royals join a long list of teams connected to the rehabbing righty this winter. Teams rumored to have interest at various points: the Brewers, Marlins, Dodgers, Twins, Angels, Mets, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Nationals, and Tigers. A few of those clubs may have since spent their bullpen budgets. Cordero, 27 in March, had surgery to fix tears in his labrum and biceps tendon in July of 2008. On Monday, Cordero will throw his first private bullpen session (off a mound).
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…
