Odds & Ends: Lackey, Phillies, Mets, Greinke
Here's another collection of links…
- Larry LaRue of The News Tribune writes about why you shouldn't get your hopes up about Seattle landing John Lackey, if you're a Mariners fan.
- Andy Martino of The Philadephia Inquirer says that it's clear the Phillies want to add a free agent reliever or two, although GM Ruben Amaro said that Scott Eyre "may have priced himself out of our range.”
- The Mets have to balance two different sets of priorities this offseason, writes Ben Shpigel of The NY Times.
- As The KC Star's Bob Dutton notes, today's AL Cy Young Award win triggered a bonus that put $100K in Zack Greinke's pocket.
- FoxSports.com's Dayn Perry lists his ten offseason moves the need to happen. The Twins locking up Joe Mauer long-term tops the list.
- Brewers' assistant GM Gord Ash shot down the idea of the club taking on Eric Gagne as a reclamation project, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. We learned of Gagne's desire to return to the big leagues late last week.
Eric Gagne Will Attempt A Comeback
Diamond Leung passes along a report which indicates that Eric Gagne told Canadian reporters that he will attempt to get back into the big leagues next year, and wouldn't rule out a return to the Dodgers. Gagne reportedly said that he is willing to sign a minor league contract, and wouldn't mind pitching in Double or Triple-A.
Gagne, 34 in January, last pitched in the majors with the Brewers back in 2008, spending last season with the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can Am League. Working as a starter for the first time since 2001, Gagne threw 102.2 innings (17 starts), striking out 64 and posting a 4.65 ERA for the team with the best record and highest attendance in the league.
Eric Gagne Signs With Can-Am League Team
WEDNESDAY: Talking to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times, Gagne said he wants to come back to the Majors and would love a Dodgers reunion.
TUESDAY: According to Stephane Cadorette of Canoe.ca, pitcher Eric Gagne signed with the Can-Am independent league Quebec Capitales. He'll need some time to get his arm game-ready. Gagne signed a minor league deal this spring with the Brewers, but they released him on March 8th when an MRI showed shoulder damage. Last we heard, he was going to throw for scouts in April.
Eric Gagne Hopes To Throw For Scouts
According to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick, free agent reliever Eric Gagne is rehabbing a slight rotator cuff tear and plans to throw for scouts once he's healthy. He hopes to begin throwing within the next two weeks. Gagne was released by the Brewers earlier this month. Gurnick says Gagne made an appearance today at the Dodgers' Arizona camp, but he only came to check out the new complex.
Twins Still Eyeing Chad Cordero
According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins offered $3MM guaranteed to Eric Gagne before signing Luis Ayala. That would’ve been a mess, given the damage found in Gagne’s shoulder. But perhaps the Twins would’ve balked after giving Gagne a physical.
Christensen adds that the Twins continue to monitor free agent reliever Chad Cordero, who is coming back from shoulder surgery.
Brewers Release Gagne
Tom Haudricourt writes that the Brewers have released Eric Gagne from the minor-league deal he signed with the club earlier this Spring.
An MRI revealed that Gagne has damage to his rotator cuff and labrum in his right shoulder. He would have made $1.5MM if he had been added to the Major League roster by March 26.
Brewers Assistant General Manager Gord Ash said that there was no animosity between Gagne and the Brewers, and that if his health improved they would consider signing him to a new deal in the future.
Brewers Rumors: Gagne, Roberts
3:48pm: McCalvy has more on the outfield topic. The Brewers have heard from Roberts’ agent, but not Edmonds’.
2:15pm: MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy talked to Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash, who said it’d be "impossible" for reliever Eric Gagne to make the big league roster. Gagne is getting a second opinion on his shoulder; he’s in camp on a minor league invite. Ash added that the Brewers don’t have interest in Gagne rehabbing in the minor leagues for them.
In other Brewers news, Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the team is "keeping a casual eye on the market for outfielders since Tony Gwynn Jr. is out until further notice and Ryan Braun is gone at the World Baseball Classic." Remaining free agents include Luis Gonzalez, Jay Payton, Dave Roberts, and Jim Edmonds.
Odds and Ends: Pirates, Royals, Gagne
Links for Wednesday…
- Joe Torre plans to retire as a manager after the 2010 season, learned MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick.
- Braves blog Talking Chop talked to ESPN’s Keith Law about the farm system.
- Baseball America’s Jim Callis spoke to one assistant GM who believes teams will cut back in the international market, partially because they can do so without a major backlash from fans. Callis also has the ’09 draft order at that link.
- Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball looks at the $69MM+ teams spent on first-round draft picks last year.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Pirates have anywhere from $41.75-$75.15MM tied up in Nate McLouth, Paul Maholm, and Ryan Doumit, all of whom were signed this winter. In a blog post, Kovacevic notes how the McLouth talks did a 180 when Frank Coonelly stepped in.
- Alex Speier of WEEI talked to Red Sox execs John Henry and Larry Lucchino about the salary cap idea as well as the team’s offseason.
- Aubrey Huff, a free agent after the season, isn’t worried about the future according to Roch Kubatko of MASN.
- Chris Forsberg of the Boston Globe relays quotes from Jonathan Papelbon about the long-term deal that did not materialize this winter.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star discusses the idea of releasing Mark Teahen and John Buck to sign Orlando Hudson, which some Royals fans are pushing for.
- Pitcher Kevin Correia turned down better deals to sign with his hometown Padres, according to MLB.com’s Corey Brock.
- Newly signed Brewers reliever Eric Gagne hopes to atone for his 2008 season, says Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Brewers Sign Eric Gagne
8:09pm: Haudricourt has the details on Gagne’s contract:
If he makes the Brewers’ roster, he will receive a $1.5 million base salary. He could make another $2 million in incentives, based on games pitched from 25 to 60. He’d get another $1 million based on games finished from 50-65, but something really bad would have to happen to Trevor Hoffman for that to happen.
5:02pm: Brewers GM Doug Melvin backed up the Gagne signing this afternoon in a conversation with Haudricourt, saying:
"He’ll have to come in and make the club. He pitched a lot better at the end of the year last year. He pulled me aside afterward and basically apologized for not performing the way we expected… We’ve got a long spring training this year. You never know when you might have an injury. Another veteran arm doesn’t hurt."
Gagne’s contract includes an opt-out near the end of Spring Training if he’s not on the 40-man roster.
3:45pm: Surprisingly, the Brewers signed Eric Gagne to a minor league deal today (Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporting). Perhaps Gagne wants to finish what he started, after the Brewers paid him $10MM in ’08.
The Scott Boras Corp. still has Garret Anderson, Joe Crede, Manny Ramirez, Ivan Rodriguez, and Ron Villone on the free agent market.
Twins End Talks With Gagne
According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins have broken off talks with Eric Gagne. Christensen reports that the Twins are now turning their focus to finding eighth-inning relief help through a trade. Gagne’s talks with the Twins had advanced pretty far – he was ready to accept a one-year deal with a $3MM base and $500K in incentives. Hopefully we’ll find out why the Twins slammed on the brakes.