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Heath Bell

Hoyer On Bell, Contracts, Pitchers, Hawpe, Hudson

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Padres GM Jed Hoyer spoke with Darren Smith of XX1090 Sports Radio about the state of his team yesterday. You can download the mp3 of the 16-minute interview here, and here's a recap of the important hot stove items…

  • Unsurprisingly, Hoyer's primary focus is arbitration figures at the moment. MLBTR's Arb Tracker shows that the team still has five players up for arbitration, including Heath Bell and Ryan Ludwick.
  • Hoyer believes the team will be able to sign Bell before an arbitration hearing. While the two sides are open to and have discussed the possibility of a multiyear deal, right now the focus is on getting a contract for 2011 worked out.
  • Hoyer likes the idea of bringing recently retired players in to just hang around with his young ballclub. Obviously the most notable recently retired player is long-time Padre Trevor Hoffman, who is now working with the club in a front office capacity.
  • "As far as Major League deals, I'd never say never, but I think we're pretty much done," said the GM. The team is closing in on deals with Gregg Zaun and Chad Qualls, and they figure to sign a few more players to minor league contracts before camp opens up.
  • "I think writing guys off after one year is a mistake," Hoyer said, referring to the recently signed Brad Hawpe. He considers age a factor when determining if a player is on the decline for good, and Hawpe is still just 31 and only a year removed from three straight seasons with no worse than a .879 OPS.
  • Free agent pitchers have called Hoyer directly to say they'd love to pitch for the Padres. Hitters aren't as receptive to playing in Petco Park, however.
  • Hoyer doesn't think they overpaid Orlando Hudson when they gave the second baseman a two-year, $11.5MM contract. "I think we got him on a very reasonable two year deal."
  • Gaslamp Ball rounded up the non-hot stove items for those of you interested in learning about how much playing time they plan to give Nick Hundley as well as how much they value defense.

Discussion: Will Padres Give Bell A Multiyear Deal?

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Earlier this week, Padres closer Heath Bell told Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he hopes to remain with the club well beyond 2011.  Bell, who earned $4MM in 2010 after avoiding arbitration, even went so far as to say that a new multiyear deal in San Diego would be his "dream".  However, GM Jed Hoyer was non-committal when asked about Bell's future with the team.

"I'm sure a discussion of a multiyear contract for Heath will come up," Hoyer said. "[Bell's agent] and I have a good working relationship. We've touched on the subject although it's early."

Despite a great deal of speculation to the contrary, the Friars chose not to deal the 33-year-old after sending Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox.  The Padres are willing to fork over between $6-7MM in arbitration to Bell this winter but Center writes that a three-year deal would easily top $20MM.  It's hard to argue that the right-hander isn't worth the money after turning in a 1.93 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 67 games.

Right now the club is more or less done making moves for 2011 and their payroll sits at just over $40MM.  A multiyear deal for Bell would swallow up a significant portion of their budget.  Does it make sense for the Padres to give Bell that sort of contract when considering their limited funds?

Quick Hits: Keppinger, Pettitte, Bell, Molina

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Here are some items of note on this Thursday, a day on which the Reds and Rangers each settled with one of their arbitration-eligible players. Remember to refer to our handy Arbitration Tracker, as those cases will continue to pop up in the coming weeks …

  • The Astros were thought to be mulling the idea of trading Jeff Keppinger this offseason, but the utility infielder is scheduled to undergo left foot surgery next week and will likely miss the start of the regular season, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. This offseason, Houston acquired Bill Hall to play second base and Clint Barmes to man shortstop, so Keppinger has become expendable, but the injury should put a significant dent in the likelihood of him being dealt before the season. Keppinger enjoyed a career year in 2010, hitting .288/.351/.391 in 575 plate appearances. The Astros and Yankees briefly discussed a swap for Keppinger, but those talks went nowhere.
  • The Yankees are willing to offer $12MM or $13MM to Andy Pettitte and are awaiting a decision from the lefty, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com. As Heyman notes, either of those figures would represent a modest raise for Pettitte, who earned $11.75MM in 2010, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. Pettitte, who has been playing on one-year deals in each of the past four seasons, will probably either re-sign with the Yankees or retire.
  • Padres closer Heath Bell hopes to remain in San Diego with a multiyear contract, writes Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Bell is in his final year of arbitration eligibility, and, having turned 33 in September, wants to garner long-term security, notes Center. Padres GM Jed Hoyer didn't offer much, saying that he and Bell's agent have "touched on it."
  • After splitting 2010 between the Giants and Rangers, free-agent catcher Bengie Molina is seeking the "right fit," and one scenario that interests him is backing up his brother Yadier with the Cardinals, tweets Heyman. However, St. Louis already has a solid backup backstop in Gerald Laird, who signed a one-year deal with the Cards in December, so that seems unlikely.

Red Sox, Padres Agree On Adrian Gonzalez Trade

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11:33am: Hayes tweets that the two sides have had the deal in place since Thursday night, which is what prompted the flight to Boston.

11:23am: Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports (via Twitter) that Gonzalez has already taken his physical and his surgically repaired shoulder "should be fine." Some minor tests still need to be completed.

11:13am: MLB.com's Peter Gammons tweets that the player to be named later is not a "prime guy." The two teams determine who exactly it will be later.

10:52am: Morosi tweets that Gonzalez is seeking a Ryan Howard-like contract. Howard signed a five-year contract extension worth $125MM earlier this year.

10:13am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Padres will also receive a player to be named, so it's a 4-for-1 swap. The 40-man roster freeze is in effect until next week's Rule 5 Draft, so it's possible the player is a minor leaguer not on the 40-man that's eligible for the Rule 5.

10:04am: Heyman tweets that there is still work to be done as far as a contract extension for Gonzalez, and that it could take a day or two. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports confirms with a source that the trade is "not completely done." (Twitter link)

9:14am: Hayes tweets that the package includes Kelly, Rizzo, and Reymond Fuentes. ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes says (via Twitter) that Theo Epstein flew from San Diego to Boston with Gonzalez, and MLB.com's Corey Brock says that Jed Hoyer implored his scouts to scour the lower level of the minors in 2010 (Twitter link). The second and third player in the deal are key.

9:01am: SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that negotiations about a contract extension will begin shortly, and that Kelly is in fact in the deal. WEEI.com's Alex Speier adds that multiple Red Sox prospects rumored to be in the deal have yet to hear anything from the team about a trade (Twitter link).

7:39am: Olney tweets that the Red Sox flew Gonzalez into Boston to help move the process along, and he is there now.

6:30am: Adrian Gonzalez is expected in Boston today for a physical, reports Nick Cafardo of the Globe.  Gonzalez had shoulder surgery to clean up his right labrum in October and has a four or five month recovery timeline.  Cafardo says talks have centered around Casey Kelly and Anthony Rizzo, and the deal "would likely involve three or four players from the Sox, including one who is major league-ready."  ESPN's Buster Olney says that all players have been agreed to and the Red Sox are now trying to work out an extension with Gonzalez.  MLB has approved a negotiating window.

SATURDAY, 12:01am: The Red Sox are very close to acquiring Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres, tweets Dan Hayes of the North County Times.  Hayes says the trade would just involve Gonzalez and not Heath Bell, whose name has come up in other rumors.  Hayes adds that the deal will only involve minor leaguers – not players such as Jacoby Ellsbury, Daniel Bard, or Jed Lowrie.  Top Red Sox prospect Casey Kelly would definitely be involved.

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Padres Will “Absolutely” Trade Heath Bell?

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10.22am: Rosenthal now hears from another source that it's "highly unlikely" the Padres will move Bell (Twitter links). They could hold him to keep the fans happy, and because they might be able to fetch more at the trade deadline.

9:38am: Adrian Gonzalez might not be the only Padres star on his way out of San Diego. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from a source that they will "absolutely" trade Heath Bell, who is likely to get a sizable raise from his $4MM salary in his last time through arbitration (Twitter link).

The free agent market includes Rafael Soriano and Bobby Jenks, but Bell could be an alternative for a team not wanting to commit multiple years to a reliever. Rosenthal speculates (on Twitter) that the White Sox, Angels, Rangers, Marlins, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Rays could have interest in Bell, who owns a 10.4 K/9 and a 2.32 ERA as San Diego's closer over the last two seasons.

Red Sox Notes: Bell, Beltre, Martin, Wakefield

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The increase in Adrian Gonzalez trade chatter is the biggest news out of Fenway Park today.  Here's a bit of extra news about those rumors plus some other Boston notes…

Odds & Ends: Bigbie, Jeter, Hoffman, Tigers

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Five years ago today, the Red Sox acquired Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett in the blockbuster trade that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida. As I explained a year ago, that deal worked out pretty well for both clubs. Here are today's links…

  • Seven American League teams watched Larry Bigbie work out recently, MLBTR has learned. The teams have interest in the 33-year-old as a corner outfielder/DH.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com weighs in on the Derek Jeter contract talks and says the Yankees can't take the chance that Jeter walks out on them, even if it costs them an extra year or a few more million.
  • ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick compares the GM-manager relationships for Chicago's two teams.
  • Some baseball people people are convinced that Trevor Hoffman will return to San Diego, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. The expectation among GMs is that the Padres will trade Heath Bell by next year’s trade deadline.
  • The Tigers are still seen as serious bidders for outfielders, according to Olney.

Rosenthal On Greinke, Reynolds, Rhodes

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • Rosenthal wonders if Zack Greinke will change his opinion of the Royals in Spring Training when he sees how close many of their prospects are.  Rosenthal says the Royals have no urgency to deal Greinke, though ESPN's Buster Olney writes that "some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter."
  • Mark Reynolds is a "trade possibility under discussion" for the Orioles, depending on how their offseason unfolds.  We heard from Yahoo's Tim Brown on November 10th that the Diamondbacks are shopping Reynolds and "looking for contact hitters and bullpen help."  You'd have to think the D'Backs would want David Hernandez from the Orioles.
  • Rosenthal feels that a Heath Bell trade would not happen until after free agents like Rafael Soriano and J.J. Putz sign, if at all.
  • The Reds do not want to offer arbitration to Type A free agent Arthur Rhodes, but they could re-sign him this week.  Check out Rhodes' free agent stock watch piece here.     
  • One GM Rosenthal spoke to thought Joaquin Benoit's lucrative contract could discourage teams from offering arbitration to relievers such as Jason Frasor and Grant Balfour, because if they accept they could use Benoit as a comparable for their 2011 salaries.  On the other hand, I think teams could be more inclined to offer arbitration knowing relievers might turn it down in hopes of finding a multiyear deal on the open market.
  • The Rays' payroll is very limited, so they won't be spending much on a free agent closer type.
  • Rosenthal writes, "Suggestions that the Pirates are pursuing major free agents such as outfielder Jayson Werth appear greatly off-base."  I've yet to see any writer make a Pirates-Werth connection, but SI's Jon Heyman has said they've been aggressive in making free agent calls so far.

Hoyer Willing To Listen To Offers For Gonzalez, Bell

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Padres GM Jed Hoyer said in an interview on XX1090 Sports Radio that the club will listen to offers for Adrian Gonzalez though he expects to start the season with him, tweets Dan Hayes of the North County Times.  The GM even said that the club has yet to make the star slugger an offer as they are far apart on compensation and he will likely go elsewhere, tweets Marty Caswell of XX1090 Sports Radio.  Hoyer added that it is a near-certainty that Gonzalez will explore the open market after 2011, says Hayes (via Twitter).

While the Padres have yet to submit an offer to Gonzalez's agent, the two sides reportedly made plans to meet this week.  However, a long-term deal seems unlikely in the wake of CEO Jeff Moorad's comments last month and Hoyer's remarks this evening.

Hoyer will also listen to offers on Heath Bell as he believes that the club has two closer candidates in Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson, Hayes tweets.  Bell earned $4MM in 2010 and is due a raise in arbitration.

The Padres GM also confirmed that Mets GM Sandy Alderson has asked for permission to speak with Paul DePodesta but hopes that he will stay with San Diego, tweets Caswell.

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