Rays Offer Arb To Zaun And Shouse, Not Springer
10:31pm: Topkin tweets that the Rays declined to offer arbitration to Springer.
6:53pm: Tampa Bay has made arbitration offers to two of its three Type B free agents, reports Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Topkin tweets that catcher Gregg Zaun and reliever Brian Shouse were given offers, while no decision has yet been made about pitcher Russ Springer. Topkin notes that "it appears unlikely" the Rays will make an offer to the veteran right-hander.
The offers to Zaun and Shouse come as a bit of a surprise, though both players had decent years. Shouse's innings were limited due to an elbow strain, but he continued to shut down lefties.
Mariners Targeting Gregg Zaun
Gregg Zaun was offered arbitration by Tampa Bay today, but the free agent catcher has at least one serious suitor in the Seattle Mariners. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports report that the M's are looking to sign Zaun as a veteran platoon mate for prospect Adam Moore. Rob Johnson, the only other catcher on the Seattle 40-man roster since Kenji Johjima's opt-out, is coming off of surgeries to both hips and may not be ready for Spring Training.
Both Moore and Johnson are right-handed batters, so the switch-hitting Zaun would provide Seattle with a lefty bat for a platoon situation; Zaun had an .801 OPS against right-handed pitching last season. Should Zaun and Moore end up in a platoon, Zaun would find himself sharing time with a highly-regarded prospect for the second consecutive year. He began 2009 in Baltimore in a platoon with Matt Wieters.
Earlier today, we learned that Zaun expects to sign by the end of the week.
Gregg Zaun To Sign By Week’s End
Free agent catcher Gregg Zaun did an interview with Canada's The Sports Network (hat tip to DRays Bay). Asked when we'll hear news of his signing, Zaun replied:
It'll be done before the end of this week, before the Winter Meetings. All I can say right now is there is more than one club involved and not all of them are in the American League.
Today we'll learn whether Zaun, a Type B free agent, is offered arbitration by the Rays. My guess is they won't, mainly because they already turned down his $2MM club option. Where do you think Zaun will land? The Blue Jays, Royals, Mariners, Giants, Astros, Nationals, and Mets might consider offering up a starting job.
Rays Rumors: Crawford, Upton, Zaun
Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times has the latest on the Rays' offseason plans. The highlights:
- The Rays are said to be interested in discussing a long-term extension with Carl Crawford. If the team does decide to move him, however, the Mets and Braves have expressed interest.
- The Rangers and White Sox are among the teams interested in acquiring B.J. Upton.
- Executive VP Andrew Friedman on his team's offseason targets: "We have a list of guys on other teams we have an interest in, and a list of free agents as well. And depending on how the market evolves on both fronts, it will go a long way toward shaping our thought process…. We feel like there are a lot of talented names out there."
- Smith notes that the Rays have a history of signing relievers who are coming off injuries or down years. He mentions Kevin Gregg and J.J. Putz as a couple of possibilities in that realm.
- The club could be open to bringing back Gregg Zaun and giving last season's catching platoon of Zaun and Dioner Navarro another try.
Rays Pick Up Crawford’s Option, Decline Options On Zaun and Shouse
2:47pm: The team picked up Crawford's option, but declined Zaun's and Shouse's according to Smith. Zaun will received a $500K buyout, Shouse $200K.
11:35pm: The Rays have three player options they must make decisions about in the not too distant future, and Joe Smith of The St. Petersburg Times reports that those decisions may come as soon as today.
Carl Crawford's $10MM option appears likely to be picked up according to Smith, but he says "an even bigger question is whether Crawford and the Rays can come to an agreement on an extension during the offseason." The longest tenured Ray has already indicated that he's open to signing a long-term extension.
The two other club options of interest belong to Gregg Zaun and Brian Shouse. If Tampa picks up Zaun's $2MM option, he has the right to void it as per a clause in his contract, However, Zaun has already said that he hopes to return to the team in 2010, and $2MM isn't unreasonable for a veteran catcher that can give you a .340 OBP and a .400 SLG.
With the emergence of Randy Choate late last season, Shouse's $1.9MM option might be a little rich for Tampa. Buying him out for $200K seems likely.
2009 Elias Rankings Released
The 2009 Elias Rankings have been released, and Ed Price of AOL FanHouse has a full list of the Type-A and B free agents.
Our 2010 MLB Free Agent list has been updated, and below is a summary of differences between the official rankings, and those projected by Eddie Bajek.
- Chone Figgins qualifies as a Type-A, not a Type-B as projected.
- Vladimir Guerrero qualifies as a Type-B, not a Type-A as projected.
- Gregg Zaun goes from no compensation to Type-B.
- Jerry Hairston Jr. goes from Type-B to no compensation.
- Hideki Matsui goes from Type-B to no compensation.
- Aubrey Huff goes from Type-B to no compensation.
If you're not sure how free agent compensation works, or if you just forgot, make sure you check out our primer.
Cafardo on Gonzalez, Martinez, Webb, Lackey
In his column today, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo brings us a great deal of tidbits from around the majors:
- Former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi and ex-Padres GM Kevin Towers will "likely surface somewhere soon."
- Cafardo wonders aloud if new Padres GM Jed Hoyer could work out a deal with his former club and send Adrian Gonzalez to Boston. One AL GM identified Gonzalez and Heath Bell as major chips that could be moved as part of a rebuilding effort. Hoyer is obviously familiar with Boston's assets, but Theo Epstein might be reluctant to part with Casey Kelly, Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard.
- Boston must act on Victor Martinez's $7.1MM option within five days of the World Series ending, but Cafardo wonders if they would prefer to sign him to a long-term deal in advance of Joe Mauer's talks with the Twins. Martinez's rep says that he and his client are "up for either scenario."
- If the Red Sox choose to part ways with Jason Varitek ($5MM club option or $3MM player option for '10), there are a number of options available to the BoSox to replace him. One player mentioned is Rays catcher Gregg Zaun, whose $2MM option may not be picked up. Zaun has already said that he wants to return to Tampa Bay in 2010.
- The "latest thinking" indicates that Arizona will pick up Brandon Webb's $8.5MM option as his rehab from shoulder surgery is reportedly going well.
- John Lackey is in line for a big contract this winter, but it doesn't appear that he'll get it from the Angels. The Angels could instead use that money on an upgrade over Brian Fuentes. Cafardo says to look for the Rangers and Mets to show interest.
- More on the Angels as Vladimir Guerrero could stay on with the club if he is willing to take a reasonably priced one-year deal. Guerrero has already publicly stated his desire to remain with the Halos.
- It will be difficult for the Phillies to find the cash necessary to retain Pedro Martinez.
- Dan Duquette was considered for the Blue Jays CEO/President position but doesn't appear to be atop current CEO Paul Beeston's list.
Rays Rumors: Zobrist, Iwamura, Kapler
MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez provides the latest on a few Tampa Bay Rays:
- If Ben Zobrist becomes the team's everyday second baseman, the club may decide to bring free agent-to-be Gabe Kapler back as a backup outfielder. Kapler made $1MM this year and hit .239/.329/.439 in 245 trips to the plate.
- If the club keeps Zobrist at second, it appears highly unlikely that the Rays would pick up Akinori Iwamura's $4.25MM option.
- Other club options to watch: Carl Crawford at $10MM, Gregg Zaun at $2MM and Brian Shouse at $1.9MM.
- It's likely that the team will look for affordable late-inning relief help.
Zaun Hopes To Return To Rays In 2010
With Dioner Navarro struggling immensely, Tampa Bay hoped to improve its catching situation down the stretch by acquiring Gregg Zaun from Baltimore. Zaun held up his end of the bargain, hitting .286/.323/.495 for the Rays, but the team has faltered, going just 23-29 since the trade.
Regardless of the club's late season struggles, Zaun said he hopes to return to Tampa in 2010, and maybe even beyond, according to Joe Smith of The St. Petersburg Times.
"I'm very interested. I know this team is going to be a competitive group of guys," Zaun, 38, said. "I love the coaching staff. Home is here. I don't see any reason why, if the terms are agreeable, that I would want to go anywhere else."
"Tampa is at the top of my list right now," Zaun said. "I'd love to come back."
The team holds a $2MM option for Zaun next year, but a clause in his contract gives him the right to void that option and forfeit the $500K buyout if he was traded before November 1st of this year, which he obviously was. That doesn't seem like it'll be an issue, though.
A 15-year big league veteran, Zaun has hit .252/.347/.414 in over 1,300 plate appearances over the last three years.
Odds & Ends: Orioles, Angels, Ackley
Some Sunday morning odds and ends from around the league:
- The Orioles received first baseman Rhyne Hughes from the Rays to complete the August 7 deal for Gregg Zaun, says Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The O's also sent more than $300K to the Rays. According to Connolly, the 25-year old Hughes "hit .313 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 56 games at Triple-A Durham and .252 with 15 homers and 46 RBIs in 58 games at Double-A Montgomery this season. He struck out 149 combined times in 440 at-bats this year."
- Ed Eagle of MLB.com reports the Angels signed University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, their tenth round pick. Locker wants to pursue a career in pro-football but views the opportunity with the Angels as a backup plan. According to Eagle, "Locker is considered a potential high-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft."
- Larry Stone of the Seattle Times chimes in on the latest with Dustin Ackley and the Seattle Mariners who need to reach an agreement by midnight tomorrow.
- Miguel Tejada is willing to move to third if it keeps him in Houston, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.