Quick Hits: MVP, V-Mart, Wang, Bullpens
A few stray items of note on this Thursday evening …
- MVP voters who omit pitchers from their ballots should be recused from voting, opines Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com. Voting rules stipulate that all players, including pitchers and DHs, be considered for the MVP, so Justin Verlander and Roy Halladay are legitimate candidates, explains Ringolsby.
- The Tigers' signing of Victor Martinez to a four-year contract is proving to be one of the better moves of the offseason, opines Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
- Nationals righty Chien-Ming Wang has been durable upon returning to the big leagues after missing two-plus years to injury, but he has trouble warming up his surgically repaired right shoulder before starts, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Because of this, Wang, a free agent at season's end, has been struggling early in his starts before settling in.
- Each of the eight likely playoff teams boasts a strong relief tandem, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. Half of them were formed in the past year: Last offseason, the Diamondbacks traded for David Hernandez and signed J.J. Putz, and the Tigers signed Joaquin Benoit. In July, the Brewers traded for Francisco Rodriguez and the Rangers acquired Mike Adams.
Mets Acquire Rosario, Herrera To Complete Trade
The Mets announced that they acquired Adrian Rosario and Danny Ray Herrera to complete the trade that sent Francisco Rodriguez and cash to Milwaukee in July. The Mets and Brewers initially agreed that two players to be named would join the Mets in the deal, which is now complete.
Rosario, a 21-year-old right-hander, spent the 2011 season at Class A. He started 14 games and worked out of the bullpen for a 4.32 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9.
Herrera, a 26-year-old, left-hander, has a 3.94 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 93 2/3 innings of work for the Reds and Brewers in his four-year MLB career. He spent most of the 2011 season at Triple-A, where he posted a 2.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 61 1/3 innings.
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy first reported the deal (on Twitter).
Mets Links: Einhorn, Payroll, Herrera, Capuano
Earlier today we learned that Wilpons' deal with David Einhorn is dead, so now let's recap the rest of the news surrounding the Amazins…
- In the wake of the Einhorn non-deal, the team may now try to sell ten ownership shares for $20MM each to match the $200MM they were expected to receive from Einhorn, report Gregory Zuckerman, Matthew Futterman, and Brian Costa of The Wall Street Journal.
- GM Sandy Alderson indicated to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York that the team's payroll will go down next year. "[The] fact is, even at $100 million or $110 million, we're still in the upper echelon of payrolls," said Alderson. The Mets started the year with a payroll of about $140MM.
- Rubin reports (via Twitter) that lefty reliever Danny Ray Herrera was on the list of players the team chose from to complete the Francisco Rodriguez trade. The Mets have two players to be named later coming from the Brewers, though the identities of both are still unknown.
- "If there's something like that out there, that would be great," said Chris Capuano to Rubin when asked about signing a multi-year deal as a starting pitcher after the season. "If it's a one-year deal or something, at this point in my career I'm excited to have the opportunity to go out there as a starting pitcher. I’m not as concerned with the contracts and everything else. As long as I have an option next year to start, I"ll be happy." Capuano has a 4.38 ERA in 26 starts this year.
Mets Links: K-Rod, Capuano, Pelfrey
The Mets roared back from a 7-1 deficit through 6 1/2 innings today, scoring eight runs in two frames against Milwaukee at Citi Field. Unfortunately for the Mets, the Brewers enjoyed their own comeback, scoring four times in the ninth off closer Jason Isringhausen to cinch the 11-9 victory. Picking up the win for the Brewers (despite allowing three runs in an inning of work) was ex-Met Francisco Rodriguez, who is the subject of the first of these Amazin' news items…
- Rodriguez said he would consider returning to the Mets as a free agent this winter, reports Matt Ehalt for ESPN New York. "I understand this is a business, they did what they needed to do and feel what they need to early in the year to trade me, (but) the door is still open," Rodriguez said. "I'm not the type of person that is going to burn bridges and say, no, I'm not coming this place because they trade me or whatever. I'm open-minded and open to come here to New York once again in the future."
- Chris Capuano's 2011 salary currently stands at around $2.65MM, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York. Capuano signed with New York for a base salary of $1.5MM last winter, but he is on pace to more than double that total thanks to incentives. Rubin notes that Capuano will receive $75K for each of his next seven starts, plus $550K if the southpaw can reach the 170-inning plateau. Capuano threw 5 2/3 innings today, bringing his total to 145 1/3 innings pitched for the season. (both Twitter links)
- Four unnamed opposing executives describe Mike Pelfrey as "a back-of-the-rotation cog," reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Despite this middling evaluation, Sherman feels the Mets will tender Pelfrey a contract for next year, pay him roughly $6MM after an arbitration bump and then perhaps try to move him at the trade deadline. The executives all feel, however, that both Pelfrey and the Mets "know they are not in a long-term marriage."
2012 Vesting Options Update
Bobby Abreu's $9MM option for next season vested last weekend, so let's look around the league to see where some other players with vesting options stand…
- Rafael Furcal, Cardinals: $12MM option vests with 600 plate appearances. Injuries have limited Furcal to just 179 plate appearances this year, so this one won't be vesting.
- Jon Garland, Dodgers: $8MM option vests with 190 innings pitched. Garland is unlikely to pitch the rest of the season due to a shoulder issue, and he's only thrown 54 innings. The Dodgers won't have to worry about this one.
- Koji Uehara, Rangers: $4MM option vests with either 55 appearances or 25 games finished. Uehara has appeared in 46 games and finished 20, putting him on pace for 67 and 29, respectively.
- Arthur Rhodes, Rangers: $4MM option vests with 62 appearances and if he's not on the disabled list at the end of the season. Rhodes made 32 appearances with the Rangers before being designated for assignment earlier this week. Even if another team picks him up in short order, he's still unlikely to appear in enough games for the option to kick in.
- Joakim Soria, Royals: $6MM option vests with 55 appearances. With 47 appearances already to his credit, Soria is on pace to pitch in 68 games this year.
- Dan Wheeler, Red Sox: $3MM option vests with 65 games; increases to $3.25MM with 70 games. Wheeler has appeared in 34 games this year with a disabled list stint mixed in. He'd have to appear in 31 of the team's final 51 games for the option to vest, which seems unlikely.
Francisco Rodriguez agreed to waive his vesting option in exchange for additional compensation following the trade that sent him to the Brewers. He would have been guaranteed a $17.5MM salary for next season had he finished 55 games this year and been declared healthy by doctors.
Adam Wainwright's 2012 ($9MM) and 2013 ($12MM) options will not vest because he will finish the season on the disabled list after having Tommy John surgery. Aramis Ramirez's option depends on MVP Award finishes and whether or not he's traded, not plate appearances or another counting milestone.
Mets Notes: K-Rod, Starters, Capuano
Carlos Beltran is getting most of the attention, but there are still plenty of other Mets that could be dealt before the deadline. Here's the latest from Flushing…
- Before trading Francisco Rodriguez to the Brewers, the Mets spoke briefly to his former agent (Paul Kinzer) about reworking the closer's contract to include a "bi-level mutual option" according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter).
- Adam Rubin of ESPN New York hears that the recent signings of Miguel Batista and Gustavo Chacin don't necessary mean the Mets will trade a starting pitcher (Twitter link). Both Batista and Chacin are starting for the team's Triple-A affiliate.
- Andy Martino of The New York Daily News reports (on Twitter) that it is "unlikely" the Mets will move any players other than Beltran, even free agents to be like Chris Capuano. They have interest in re-signing the lefty, who has a 4.16 ERA in 110 1/3 innings.
Rosenthal On Phillies, Adams, Royals, Guthrie
It's been a busy weekend for FOX's Ken Rosenthal, who brought us a pair of rumor-packed videos yesterday. He shared a few more tidbits this morning in his newest column, so let's check out the highlights….
- The Phillies are telling teams that they can add about $2MM in salary, which would keep them below the luxury tax threshold. They would also prefer to trade for players they can control through at least 2012, which makes rentals like Carlos Beltran or Heath Bell less appealing.
- Mike Adams is one player under control past this season who has drawn "serious interest" from the Phillies, as we heard yesterday. But the Yankees and Rangers, among other teams, are also very interested in the righty.
- The Royals are pushing to trade Melky Cabrera rather than Jeff Francoeur.
- The Mets attempted to restructure Francisco Rodriguez's contract before sending him to the Brewers, ultimately deciding that trading their closer was the "cleaner" solution.
- When John Danks comes off the disabled list this week, trade talks involving Edwin Jackson could heat up. Given Jake Peavy's injury history though, moving Jackson would be a risky move for a White Sox team just four games back in the AL Central.
- The Orioles are willing to listen to offers for Jeremy Guthrie, but would want pitching back in any trade.
- While they'd like to add a bat, the Indians may need a starting pitcher even more, since they have some question marks at the back of their rotation.
Rosenthal On Nolasco, Rays, Upton, Jimenez
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brought us another edition of Full Count today while sporting yet another fantastic bow tie. Here are some highlights..
- The Marlins could wind up trading Ricky Nolasco if they fail to get back to the .500 mark. The Rangers have shown interest in Nolasco since last winter and the Yankees could look to reunite him with manager Joe Girardi. If the Fish make such a deal, it won't be in one of their classic salary dumps, it will be instead for baseball reasons. They're looking to increase their payroll ahead of their move into a brand new stadium and they could be major players for free agents this winter.
- The Rays still could end up as sellers but right now they appear to be buyers as they were looking to get Francisco Rodriguez before the Brewers swooped in at the final hour. If Tampa Bay sells, it's doubtful that they'll move any of their starters but B.J. Upton is another story. In theory, the Nationals, Phillies, and Braves could all be potential destinations for the outfielder.
- The three teams with the best chance of meeting the Rockies' asking price for Ubaldo Jimenez are the Yankees, Tigers, and Reds. The concerns with Jimenez are that he's not back to his 2009/early 2010 form and that his velocity has dropped. One scout told Rosenthal that he's not back to his ace form yet but he's getting close.
- The first-place Pirates are after upgrades but they should also improve from within. They have a number of injured players returning such as Jose Tabata, Evan Meek, and Ross Ohlendorf. The Bucs continue to search for a bat but they're not terribly interested in the Cubs' Carlos Pena.
Francisco Rodriguez Waives Vesting Option
5:05PM: Rodriguez's buyout will now increase from $3.5MM to $4MM with the Mets paying the original buyout and the Brewers paying the remainder, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. K-Rod's vesting option now kicks in with the same 55 games finished, though the clause is now meaningless (via Twitter).
4:10PM: Francisco Rodriguez has agreed to waive his $17.5MM vesting option for 2012 in exchange for additional compensation, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The reliever will hit the open market at the end of the 2011 season.
The Brewers can now use Rodriguez without worrying that they'll have to pay him $17.5MM in 2012. The reliever's option would have become guaranteed for that amount if he had finished 55 total games this season, and he finished 34 with the Mets before heading to Milwaukee.
Rodriguez had the Brewers on his no-trade list, but his former agent did not properly submit the list, so it was not in effect when the Mets sent the 29-year-old to the Brewers. Rodriguez recently hired Scott Boras, who will represent him this fall. The last time the closer hit free agency, he signed a three-year $37MM deal with New York on the heels of his 62-save season.
Heyman’s Latest: K-Rod, Jackson, Twins, Reyes
Let's round up the latest from SI.com's Jon Heyman…
- The Mets were telling interested clubs that Francisco Rodriguez would be with a new team "within 48 hours" of the reliever's decision to switch agents and hire Scott Boras. The trade with the Brewers was announced four days later.
- Heyman lists 40 players that could be traded before the deadline, headlined by the usual suspects: Carlos Beltran, Heath Bell, B.J. Upton, and Josh Willingham.
- "Calls are coming in" about Edwin Jackson, and the White Sox will have the rotation depth to move him once John Danks returns from the disabled list.
- Jose Reyes has told the Mets he won't negotiate a contract extension during the season, but he hasn't completely ruled out an extension with a new team if traded.
- The Mets are "unlikely" to trade Mike Pelfrey, despite his climbing salary.
- The Twins are telling teams they're going for it.
- Beltran's salary would be an issue for both the Indians and Reds, though Cleveland is looking for an outfield bat.
- In a tweet, Heyman notes that the Reds and Phillies match up well with the Padres for a trade, since both teams are looking for a right-handed outfield bat and bullpen help. San Diego has Ryan Ludwick and a stable of quality relievers to offer.