Rangers Sign Endy Chavez
The Rangers signed outfielder Endy Chavez to a minor league deal. The outfielder will earn $1MM if he makes the team and the Rangers have a $1.25MM option for Chavez's services in 2011.
The 32-year-old's season ended prematurely last year when he collided with Yuniesky Betancourt and tore his ACL.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, who first reported the deal (via Twitter), noted last week that Chavez could be ready in April or May. Jon Heyman of SI.com added the terms of the contract (via Twitter).
Chavez has hit .270/.312/.367 in his nine-season career. However, he is better known for his defense, as demonstrated by his lifetime UZR/150 of 15.7 and his famous catch in game seven of the 2006 NLCS.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Five Teams Eyeing Endy Chavez
Five teams are eyeing free agent outfielder Endy Chavez, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports: the Mets, Mariners, Blue Jays, Astros, and Royals. Chavez had surgery for a torn ACL in July, and Morosi says he could be ready in April or May.
Chavez, 32, doesn't offer much offensively. His calling card is his defense, which has historically been strong at all three outfield positions. The question is whether his defense will still be an asset post-knee surgery.
Endy Chavez Willing To Sign A Minor League Deal
Endy Chavez is ahead of schedule rehabbing from a torn ACL and MCL, and his agent Peter Greenberg said they'd be willing to consider a minor league deal according to Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. Chavez will likely be "90 percent or so" in March, at which time he would hold a showcase for interested teams.
Greenberg indicated that the Mariners "as well as many other teams" have shown interest in the free agent outfielder. Jack Zduriencik confirmed that his club is watching Chavez's progress closely, and it's possible he could sign by the end of the month if the right situation pops up.
Chavez, 32 in February, is a career .270/.312/.367 hitter, though his outfield defense is top-of-the-line at all three spots. He earned $2.05MM in 2009 as part of the two-year, $3.85MM extension he signed with the Mets in 2008.
Mariners Not Adding Third Baseman Yet
Larry Stone sat down with Jack Zduriencik following the Ryan Langerhans acquisition today, to ask if anything else was on the horizon in the wake of Adrian Beltre's injury. Zduriencik said that for the time being, nothing is in the works:
Zduriencik has not received any calls offering a third baseman yet, and says the Langerhans acquisition is more related to the loss of Endy Chavez than to Beltre's surgery.
Stone also reports that Zduriencik sat with Scott Boras in the first row behind home plate at Dodger Stadium. The two discussed Beltre, Jarrod Washburn, and Dustin Ackley, but nothing too formal on any of the three.
Mets Acquire Putz In Three-Team Deal
THURSDAY, 12:56am: Rosenthal raises the question of whether the Mets will exercise Putz’s 2010 option for $9.1MM now that he’s a setup man. I think if he’s worth that amount pitching the ninth he’s worth it pitching the eighth.
Putz seems excited about the trade, even if his agent says otherwise. Ben Shpigel explains how the deal came together while reporters were in an adjacent room.
WEDNESDAY, 11:02pm: Geoff Baker says the Mariners got three additional minor leaguers from the Mets: pitcher Maikel Cleto, outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, and pitcher Jason Vargas.
10:17pm: MLB.com’s Jim Street confirmed the deal. The Mariners give up Putz, Green, and Reed and get Heilman, Chavez, Carp, and Gutierrez. The Indians give up Gutierrez and get Valbuena and Smith. The Mets give up Heilman, Chavez, Carp, and Smith to get Putz, Green, and Reed.
The Mets succeeded in overhauling their bullpen without giving up premium pieces. Assuming Putz and K-Rod are healthy, they’ll be playing seven-inning games.
The Mariners can try Heilman the rotation, and add good outfield depth. I’m kind of lukewarm on the Indians’ benefit.
10:02pm: Geoff Baker says a previous incarnation with the Rays instead of the Mets fell apart. In that deal, the Tigers would’ve included Jeff Larish.
9:27pm: Rosenthal has an update:
Under terms of the deal, the Mets would get Putz, outfielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green. The Mariners would receive reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez and first baseman Mike Carp from the Mets. They’d also get Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians and minor leaguers. The Indians would get reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and infielder Luis Valbuena from Seattle.
David Lennon seems to agree.
9:06pm: Jon Heyman says the Mets would surrender six players in this blockbuster.
8:40pm: MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince says the three teams "appear to be on the verge" of a deal. He says that if the deal goes through the Mariners would get Gutierrez and the Indians would get Joe Smith and Mariners prospect Luis Valbuena. Heilman and Jeremy Reed would also be involved in some capacity. Graziano suggests not all of the players in the trade have been decided upon. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik admitted a proposal is on the table.
8:06pm: Rosenthal softened the language of his post – he now says the Mets are trying/working to acquire Putz rather than close to a deal. He also mentions that the deal would involve one or more prospects.
8:00pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Mets are close to acquiring Mariners reliever J.J. Putz in a three-team trade. Putz and K-Rod will be quite a late inning tandem. The Indians are also involved in the trade. Other players in the mix: Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Mike Carp, and Franklin Gutierrez. Rosenthal is not sure yet who’s heading where.
Dan Graziano has the story as well, but does not mention the Indians.
Endy Chavez Signs For Two Years
The AP reports that the Mets signed fourth outfielder Endy Chavez to a two-year deal for $3.85MM. Chavez will be 30 in February; he’s spent time with the Royals, Nationals, and Phillies. He has a career line of .271/.311/.375; he missed most of ’07 with injuries.
The Mets have seven outfielders on the roster: Chavez, Moises Alou, Marlon Anderson, Carlos Beltran, Ryan Church, Carlos Gomez, and Angel Pagan. I’m not sure why Omar Minaya decided to sign Chavez for two years when he seems to have a cheaper version in Pagan. At any rate I wouldn’t say that locking in Chavez for two years instead of one makes Gomez or Fernando Martinez any more or less likely to be traded.
Would Mets Consider Marquis?
On November 29th, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick mentioned that the Cubs are "listening on Jason Marquis." This would clearly be a salary dump, as Marquis will earn $16.25MM over 2008-09.
Since then we haven’t heard of any teams interested in the 29 year-old righty. However, Mets manager Willie Randolph brought up Marquis yesterday as a consideration for the team’s rotation. The article’s author, Adam Rubin, added that the Cubs are fans of Endy Chavez. It wouldn’t be fair to equate the two players, however.
Hat tip to MetsBlog on this one.