Quick Hits: Jackson, Fielder, Rollins, Hall, Ortiz
Here's a wrap-up of news from around the majors on the day that Edwin Jackson and Casey Kotchman both found new teams…
- The Indians had interest in Jackson but "were not close" to matching the contract Jackson received from the Nationals, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
- Jackson turned down a three-year, $30MM offer to sign his one-year deal with Washington, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks at how Jackson, Ryan Madson and Francisco Rodriguez (all Scott Boras clients) settled for "pillow contracts" this winter to better position themselves for larger deals next year.
- Prince Fielder, however, never considered a one-year deal, Boras tells James Schmehl of MLive.com. Boras also says Fielder could have signed earlier in the offseason but was on vacation with his wife, delaying his meetings with interested teams.
- Jimmy Rollins' $11MM option for 2015 will vest if he makes 600 plate appearances in 2014, or if he makes a combined 1100 PAs in 2013 and 2014, reports Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link).
- Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall says he has been contacted by some potential Dodgers owners about a job in Los Angeles, but Hall tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that he's very happy with the Snakes. Hall has four years remaining on his contract with Arizona.
- David Ortiz's arbitration case with the Red Sox is analyzed from both sides by former Astros president Tal Smith, in conversation with Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
- Fangraphs' Wendy Thurm begins a series looking at which players were the best values at each position over the last two decades, starting with catcher, first base and second base.
- "The Indians’ bullpen has much more flexibility and depth heading into camp this year," writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian in his breakdown of the Tribe's relief options.
Notes On The Edwin Jackson Signing
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo held a conference call with media this afternoon to discuss his team's agreement with right-hander Edwin Jackson. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post has some of the pertinent details…
- "We did not acqire Edwin Jackson to trade another starting pitcher," Rizzo said. "In spring training or before spring training, if a deal comes up we can’t pass up that positively impacts our ball club, we’d certainly be open-minded to it.” We heard earlier today that the Nats were shopping John Lannan in order to free up some room for Jackson in the club's rotation.
- In regards to Lannan, Rizzo said that though the southpaw has a minor league option remaining, Washington won't send him down to Triple-A. "We feel that he’s a major league-caliber starting pitcher,” Rizzo said. “He’s a major league starter, and he’s ready to help a contending team. That’s what we’re going to use him as.”
- Rizzo noted that six of last year's playoff teams had at least two starters with 200 innings pitched, and Jackson's presence will help correct the "innings shortage" Rizzo said the Nationals suffered last year. This would seem to be a point in favor of the Nats keeping Lannan, as Kilgore notes Chien-Ming Wang's injury history, Stephen Strasburg's 160-inning limit and the fact that Jordan Zimmermann has never thrown more than 161 frames in a season.
- The Nationals began talking with Scott Boras about Jackson within the last two weeks, and Jackson's willingness to accept a one-year contract was the turning point in negotiations. “The term and the value was too good to pass up," Rizzo said. "We felt it improved our club immensely. There comes a point where his value was such that we were comfortable making the deal.”
Nationals Aggressively Shopping John Lannan
After beating John Lannan in an arbitration hearing this week, the Nationals are now aggressively shopping the left-hander according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The move would potentially clear $5MM in payroll, and Rosenthal says (on Twitter) they are targeting Edwin Jackson (not Roy Oswalt). Signing Jackson is contingent on trading Lannan, he adds. The Nationals would like to get a position player in a trade for Lannan, MLB.com's Bill Ladson tweets.
Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and Jordan Zimmermann are locks for Washington's rotation, and Chien-Ming Wang is a safe bet as well given his $4MM salary. That leaves Lannan and Ross Detwiler for the final spot, though Detwiler is out of options. He could potentially shift to the bullpen if the team is able to move Lannan and sign someone like Oswalt or Jackson.
Lannan, 27, is the team's highest paid pitcher. He posted a 3.70 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings last year. It marked the third time in four seasons that he has started 30 games, pitched 180-plus innings and kept his ERA under 4.00. He will be under team contract as an arbitration-eligible player in 2013.
Roy Oswalt Rumors: Wednesday
Free agent righty Roy Oswalt, his wife Nicole, and his agent Bob Garber met with Rangers GM Jon Daniels and CEO and president Nolan Ryan for an exploratory lunch meeting in Arlington yesterday, reported Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. The latest on Oswalt:
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington won't rule out adding a starter before Spring Training, but he says it's unlikely at this point, Alex Speier of WEEI.com tweets. "I wouldn't expect any major changes between now and the report date," the GM said.
- The Red Sox are still talking to free agent pitchers, including Oswalt and Edwin Jackson, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports.
- The Red Sox appear to be waiting for Jackson or Oswalt to say yes to the offers they've extended, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets.
- The Red Sox still have a great chance of signing Oswalt, a Major League source tells Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. However, this is the same source that told Edes on Friday that Oswalt would sign with the Cardinals soon, and that did not materialize.
- The Cardinals have not made Oswalt a financial offer anywhere close to what he considers sufficient, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal reiterates that Oswalt seeks a one-year, $10MM deal. Rosenthal questions Oswalt's leverage, if he remains adamant about pitching for two teams with full rotations in the Cardinals and Rangers.
Red Sox Out Of Picture On Edwin Jackson?
In Edwin Jackson, agent Scott Boras has a 28-year-old free agent innings eater with a touch of upside. Weeks before pitchers and catcher report, Boras has been unable to work his usual magic. Rumor has it a one-year deal is more likely than multiyear; here's the latest…
- The Red Sox are "most likely out of the picture" for Jackson, a baseball source tells Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reported yesterday Boston was in the $5-6MM range on a one-year deal, and Edes says Jackson has "better deals on the table from other clubs." Though it happened with Carlos Pena, a pay cut for Jackson would be a tough pill for Boras to swallow. The righty earned $8.35MM last year. If Jackson lands under $10MM on a one-year deal, his signing will likely be heralded as one of the offseason's best from a team point-of-view.
One-Year Deal Likely For Edwin Jackson
2:45pm: The Red Sox offered a one-year deal in the $5-6MM range and remain in the hunt for Jackson, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports.
1:09pm: Edwin Jackson has multiple three-year offers, but clubs are being told that the free agent right-hander is much more likely to sign a one-year deal than a multiyear contract, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports. The Orioles like Jackson and have made him an offer, but Connolly suggests it won't be enough to sign him.
The Orioles would consider a four-year deal for Jackson, though they seem more comfortable with a three-year deal that includes a fourth option year, Connolly writes. If Jackson seeks a one-year deal, Baltimore would seem to be an unlikely destination given its hitter-friendly park, remote chances of contending and division.
Howard Megdal compared Jackson and Jason Schmidt earlier today, suggesting that Jackson could be a bargain signing.
AL East Notes: Orioles, Jackson, Uehara, Red Sox
Here's a look at some items out of the American League East..
- Earlier this week, Rangers reliever Koji Uehara rejected a trade that would have sent him to the Blue Jays. It appears that the 36-year-old would instead prefer a return to Baltimore and Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun writes that the O's have had sporadic conversations with Texas.
- Connolly also writes that he is unsure if the Orioles were one of the teams to make a three-year offer to Edwin Jackson, but says that it would make sense if they were. The club may be hesitant to go to four years for the hurler but hasn't completely dismissed the idea.
- Commissioner Bud Selig says that there's no timeframe for working out a compensation agreement between the Red Sox and Cubs over Theo Epstein's move, writes Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune. Selig seemed unhappy with the idea of having to intervene in the talks between the two clubs.
Edwin Jackson Has Multiple Three-Year Offers
12:35pm: It doesn't look like the Orioles will offer Jackson a four-year contract, but three years plus an option is possible according to Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). It's all expected to come down to money.
9:33am: Free agent right-hander Edwin Jackson has multiple three-year offers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Rosenthal says he could also take a one-year pillow contract and re-enter the market next offseason, when he'll still be just 29 years old.
We know the Red Sox have made Jackson an offer, and it's believed that he'll take a one-year deal to pitch in Boston. The Orioles also have interest and the Cardinals checked in on him recently. They're reportedly closing in on a deal for Roy Oswalt, however.
AL East Notes: Kuroda, Blue Jays, Camp, Selig
Some news from the AL East…
- Hiroki Kuroda's one-year, $10MM deal with the Yankees includes a full no-trade clause, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link).
- Kuroda said he received offers from five or six Major League clubs and he eventually narrowed his choices down to the Yankees and the Hiroshima Carp, his former Japanese team, reports Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times. Kuroda's desire to play for a contender led to his Yankee contract, as he turned down some more expensive offers to sign with New York.
- MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm doesn't think Manny Ramirez is a fit with the Blue Jays, as the Jays weren't interested in Ramirez last year since they want flexibility with the DH spot. Toronto did send scouts to see Ramirez hit in an indoor cage earlier this month.
- Also as part of Chisholm's fan mailbag, he thinks the Jays' bullpen additions spell the end of Shawn Camp's days with the club, though Camp should find Major League work elsewhere.
- Commissioner Bud Selig told reporters at the Chicago SoxFest event (including CSNChicago.com's Jim Owczarski) that he would like to get the issue of the Theo Epstein compensation package between the Red Sox and Cubs solved "as expeditiously as possible." Since the two teams weren't able to settle on compensation, it's now up to Selig. "It’s in my lap and I have information from both clubs and we’ll take it from there," the commissioner said.
- The Red Sox would use any extra payroll space on a player later in the season, rather than spend it now in "a bidding war" for Roy Oswalt or Edwin Jackson, a source tells WEEI.com's Rob Bradford.
- In case you missed it earlier today, the Rays signed Jeff Keppinger and designated Russ Canzler for assignment to create 40-man roster space.
Red Sox Notes: Edwin Jackson, Conor Jackson, Payroll
Some news items out of Fenway Park…
- The Red Sox weren't close to a deal with Edwin Jackson as of late Thursday evening, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. It was reported two days ago that the Sox had offered contracts to both Jackson and Roy Oswalt.
- Oswalt is Boston's "No. 1 target," reports Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston, and if Oswalt signs elsewhere, the Red Sox will then explore a trade for White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd. Jackson would be "a long-shot option" to sign.
- Manager Bobby Valentine is satisfied with his current rotation and admits another starting pitcher is "not at the top of my wish list," reports Joe McDonald of ESPN Boston.
- "Free agency is not fun these days," Conor Jackson tells WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. "Obviously at the end of the day you have to be a realist. That’s the big thing. I just want people to be honest with me where I stand with them. I understand nothing is going to be handed to me. I’ve had a couple of bad years so I have to prove I can play everyday again.” Jackson is looking to find a backup spot and doesn't think it will be in Boston since the Red Sox now have Cody Ross in the fold.
- The Red Sox are already projected to pass the luxury tax threshold, reports WEEI.com's Alex Speier as part of his breakdown of the club's 2012 payroll and what the Sox hope to gain by sticking to their budget.