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.
Yankees To Start Contract Talks With Jeter
The Yankees will start contract talks with Derek Jeter within a day or two, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The shortstop will sign a lucrative deal, but as ESPN.com's Buster Olney points out, we should not assume that the Yankees "feel obligated to pay Jeter the way that they paid [Alex] Rodriguez; rather, they are intent on not repeating the mistake of investing huge dollars in an aging player."
That doesn't mean Jeter is going anywhere, however. The Yankees want to keep him around and are willing to pay him more than any other team. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports points out that "Jeter is still Jeter, the Yankees are still the Yankees and no other team will be a factor."
The negotiations could get messy, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post has a suggestion. He says the Yankees should lock Jeter up to a three-year $45MM deal plus a 25-year $75MM contract for Jeter to work in the Yankee organization once his playing days end.
Odds & Ends: Indians, Jeter, Ellis, Giants, Chen
Happy 92nd birthday to one of baseball's all-time great pitchers, Bob Feller. "Rapid Robert" piled up 266 wins and 2581 strikeouts in his Hall of Fame career. In tribute to Feller, it's only appropriate that we start this batch of news items with something from Cleveland…
- Infielder Drew Sutton is eligible for free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A by the Indians, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The article notes that Andy Marte is expected to be removed from the Cleveland roster before the Rule 5 draft deadline. Also from Hoynes (via Twitter), the Phillies claimed shortstop Carlos Rivero on waivers from the Tribe. Rivero has a .676 OPS in 2156 minor league plate appearances, none above the Double-A level.
- Hal Steinbrenner's recent comments about the Derek Jeter talks strike ESPN's Buster Olney "as if he's preparing the NYY fans for an ugly Jeter negotiation" (Twitter link).
- Now that the A's have exercised Mark Ellis' option for 2011, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that the team will look into an extension for the veteran second baseman.
- Buster Posey and Brian Wilson are the key reasons why the Giants have a chance to win another World Series, says Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. "How many teams can say, right now, they have zero interest in upgrading at the need-to-have positions of catcher or closer?", Morosi asks. He cites just the Phillies and Twins, and even those two clubs come with question marks.
- Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com thinks the Giants should sign Eric Chavez to a minor-league contract. (Twitter link)
- Bruce Chen wants a multiyear deal but the Royals are "unlikely" to make the left-hander such an offer, tweets The Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton.
- It could be a bad omen for David Ortiz's $12.5MM option that another slugging DH (Vladimir Guerrero) had his $9MM option for 2011 declined by Texas earlier today, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
- Tampa Bay added Elliot Johnson to its 40-man roster, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Without the move, Johnson would've become a free agent. Johnson had a breakout minor league campaign in Triple-A last season, posting a .319/.375/.475 line and winning the International League MVP award.
- In response to a fan mailbag question about Adam Dunn, MLB.com's Bill Ladson warns about the dangers of the Nationals offering a long-term deal to a defensively-challenged slugger. He points out how fans were also wishing the Nats signed Alfonso Soriano to an extension, but in hindsight Washington made the right move.
- Nationals right-hander Collin Balester is looking for members to join his 'Movember' team. Click here to sign up and join Balester in raising money and awareness in the fight against prostate cancer.
Heyman On Werth, Jeter, Mets
Conventional wisdom says Jayson Werth won’t be playing for the Phillies in 2011, but someone familiar with the team’s thinking tells Jon Heyman of SI.com that he expects the Phillies to try hard to re-sign the outfielder. Here’s the latest on Werth, plus other updates from around the league:
- Heyman hears that the Phillies suggested a Jason Bay-like contract to Werth this summer (four years, $66MM) and he rejected the idea.
- Some baseball people say they would not be surprised to see Derek Jeter seek a six-year deal this offseason. Heyman hears hints that the Yankees are thinking about offering a three-year contract. Hal Steinbrenner said yesterday that negotiations could get messy with Jeter.
- The Mets will have one of baseball’s most expensive front offices. Omar Minaya earns over $2MM, Sandy Alderson makes an estimated $2-3MM and J.P. Ricciardi won’t be cheap either.
Steinbrenner: Jeter Deal Must Work For Both Sides
Derek Jeter is almost certainly going to re-sign with the Yankees this offseason, but the Bronx Bombers aren't going to hand their shortstop a blank check. Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner told Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN that a deal between Jeter and the team would have to work for both sides (Click here to listen in). Steinbrenner says doesn't assume negotiations with the franchise icon will go smoothly.
“There’s always the possibility that things could get messy,” Steinbrenner said.
The Yankees don't expect talks to get ugly and they have been in contact with Jeter's representatives because they want to reach a deal.
“We absolutely want him back. We absolutely want [free agent closer Mariano Rivera] back. They’re career Yankees,” Steinbrenner said. “But having said that, we’re running a business here. So if there’s a deal to be done, it’s going to be a deal that both sides are happy with.”
Steinbrenner said the team's payroll will remain at a similar level in 2011. The Yankees entered the 2010 season with a payroll over $200MM, so they will presumably have the means to offer Cliff Lee, Jeter and Rivera generous deals.
Odds & Ends: K-Rod, Gibbons, Ricciardi, Uehara
Links for Halloween Sunday, as we prepare to take in our last October baseball game of 2010….
- SI.com's Jon Heyman says (via Twitter) the early feeling is that Francisco Rodriguez will be back with the Mets this year. There has been speculation that they would try to trade the closer following his late-season arrest, but that would have proven difficult with his contract.
- John Gibbons has informed the Mets that he's not a candidate for their managerial opening, tweets Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record. The former Blue Jays' manager is happy with his role as Kansas City's bench coach.
- The Mets are still trying to lure J.P. Ricciardi to their new front office, reports ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin.
- Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com notes that it doesn't appear as if the Orioles have made much of an attempt to keep Koji Uehara. Uehara finished 2010 as the team's closer, but he is scheduled to be a free agent in the not-too-distant future.
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun recaps the Orioles' coaching situation, and tells us that if Don Wakamatsu doesn't land a managerial job, he'll likely be Buck Showalter's bench coach. Showalter would like the coaching staff to be finalized by mid-week.
- Dave Eiland, who was fired as the Yankees' pitching coach last week, told Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger that a reported falling out between he and Joe Girardi was "totally, absolutely false," and "ridiculous."
- How potential free agents have been performing, and continue to perform, in the postseason will have an impact on the Giants' offseason decisions, Brian Sabean tells Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe, and Pat Burrell are a few Giants who are facing possible free agency.
- Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer reminds Phillies fans that if Jayson Werth signs elsewhere, it wouldn't be the first time the club has lost a star outfielder to free agency. As Brookover notes, things turned out pretty well for the Phils in 2007, when Aaron Rowand signed with the Giants after having a career year in Philadelphia.
- In a piece for the Detroit Free Press, Josh Huebner explains why signing Carl Crawford should be the Tigers' number one priority this winter.
- Derek Jeter will likely still be playing shortstop in New York in 2011, but as Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes, the Yankees view Eduardo Nunez as Jeter's eventual successor.
Yankees Notes: Jeter, Rivera, Lee, Bullpen
The Yankees may be done for 2010, but general manager Brian Cashman's not taking much of a break to relax. ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand writes that Cashman will meet with co-owners Hal and Hank Steinbrenner on Monday to discuss their plan of attack for 2011, and there will be plenty on the agenda:
- The Yankees need to figure out what to offer Derek Jeter. According to Marchand, Cashman doesn't place any monetary value on Jeter's approaching milestones (such as 3,000 hits) and he's interested only in paying players for what they're worth in the win column.
- The same issue presents itself with Mariano Rivera. Marchand feels that Rivera will top his 2010 salary of $15MM, but is uncertain as to how many years Mo will ask for and how many the Yankees are looking to offer. That's a lot to risk on someone who's over 40, but it's hard to argue with Marchand when he says Rivera "seems ageless."
- There will also be discussions about what the club is willing to spend on Cliff Lee to pair him with C.C. Sabathia atop their rotation. Lee will be 33 next August, and is undoubtedly going to receive a mammoth contract this offseason. Marchand calls Lee the Yanks' #1 priority, but cautions against too lengthy of a deal. He speculates that as many as eight teams could be in the bidding for Lee.
- Given the news of Damaso Marte's injury that will keep him out beyond the 2011 All-Star game, the group will also prioritize a list of left-handers to pair with Boone Logan in the bullpen for next season.
Tigers, Peralta “Expected” To Agree On Extension
The Tigers have already locked up one infielder (Brandon Inge) before the start of the free agency period, and now they may be on the verge of re-signing another. Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that Detroit is "expected" to spend $0.25MM to buy out Jhonny Peralta's $7MM option for 2011 and instead work out a two-year contract with the shortstop. Morosi predicts Peralta's new deal will be worth "a little less" than the $11.5MM that Inge will earn over the two guaranteed years of his contract.
Peralta had a .703 OPS in 2010, including a .253/.314/.396 line in 242 plate appearances as a Tiger. He provides solid power from the shortstop position, which is a big plus on a Detroit team that didn't generate much pop beyond Miguel Cabrera and the possibly-departing Magglio Ordonez. Without Peralta, the Tigers would be forced to explore the very thin shortstop market for a replacement that would've very likely been a downgrade.
Morosi also mentions that Peralta's pending return to Detroit puts an end to any thought of Michigan native Derek Jeter suiting up for his home-state team if he somehow couldn't reach an agreement with the Yankees.
Yankees Notes: Eiland, Girardi, Jeter
The Yankees have fired pitching coach Dave Eiland, GM Brian Cashman told reporters today (Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News seemingly tweeted it first). Cashman said his reasons for the dismissal are private. Other Yankees notes of interest:
- Cashman will meet with Joe Girardi's agent tomorrow about a new contract, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The Yankees and Girardi need each other, says the New York Post's Joel Sherman, though he feels the manager regressed this year.
- Cashman on Derek Jeter, from Feinsand: "He's going to be a part of this franchise. We'll work something out."
- Cashman noted that the team's option decisions on Kerry Wood, Lance Berkman, and Nick Johnson are "all pretty obvious," implying that the three will be declined.
- SI's Jon Heyman previews the Yankees' offseason, guessing they'd gladly sign Cliff Lee for five years and $125MM if he'd take it. Instead, Lee could look for C.C. Sabathia money.
Odds & Ends: Alderson, Marte, Jeter, Mets, Werth
Some links to check out as San Francisco recovers from celebrating Brian Wilson's strikeout of Ryan Howard, which sent the Giants to the World Series…
- Over at RotoAuthority, Tim Dierkes lists some Baltimore Orioles to watch for your fantasy team next season.
- ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin re-posted a selection of questions from a 2008 interview conducted with current Mets' GM candidate Sandy Alderson. Very interesting read.
- Damaso Marte underwent shoulder surgery this weekend and won't begin throwing until after the 2011 All-Star Break, writes MLB.com's Dan Mennella. If the Yankees want to look for some low-budget options, MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at some bargain southpaws last week.
- Joel Sherman looks at the delicate situation that is Derek Jeter's free agency. Sherman concludes that Jeter is more valuable to the Yankees than to other teams, and that the 37-year-old will have to accept that it's not a "divine right" that he hit at the top of the order and play 150 games per season if his production doesn't improve. According to Sherman, Jeter's numbers may only warrant a one-year, $7MM deal or so on the open market, but the Yankees will bid higher. He offers up a speculative three-year, $45MM deal.
- ESPN's Adam Rubin says the Diamondbacks will be pulling for Josh Byrnes to win the Mets' GM opening, as any money the Mets pay him will be deducted from what Byrnes is still owed from his five-year contract with Arizona. Potentially saving $1MM or so annually on their GM may be a factor if the two candidates end up being neck-and-neck, according to Rubin.
- Jayson Werth's teammates don't see him returning to the Phillies next season, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.
- Curt Young has declined the Athletics' offer to return as the club's pitching coach and will pursue another opportunity, according to a team press release. The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser speculates that he might be joining former Oakland colleague Terry Francona in Boston. That would make sense, given Toronto's decision to hire John Farrell. Slusser says the A's offered Young a raise of nearly 40% on a one-year deal.
- The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo, however, tweets that Young is likely on his way to the Diamondbacks' organization.
- For A's fans thinking this could mean a reunion with Rick Peterson, Slusser also tweets a reminder that Peterson has one more year on his contract with Milwaukee.