Asking Price Drops For Oswalt, Kuroda, Jackson
The asking prices for top free agent starters have dropped significantly, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets. Roy Oswalt is said to be asking for $8MM, Hiroki Kuroda’s asking for $10-11MM and Edwin Jackson’s asking price has also dropped.
Oswalt and Kuroda seek one-year deals, while Jackson’s agent, Scott Boras, seeks a five-year deal. Each of the three starters is one of the top five players remaining on MLBTR’s list of Top 50 Free Agents. Last week MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes explained which teams could be looking for starting pitching.
An $8MM investment Oswalt seems more than reasonable for a team in need of pitching help. Though the 34-year-old struggled with back issues in 2011, he finished the season with six strong September starts and a season ERA of 3.69 with 6.0 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9. Similarly, a one-year deal in the $10-11MM range for Kuroda seems team-friendly. The right-hander posted a 3.07 ERA in 202 innings with 7.2 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9. Kuroda's less than a month away from his 37th birthday, but a one-year deal would protect teams' long-term interests.
AL East Notes: Damon, Maddon, Scott, Kuroda
On this date in 2009, the Red Sox signed John Smoltz to a one-year contract. He struggled through 40 innings in Boston before moving on to St. Louis, where he pitched to considerably better results in seven starts. Here's the latest on the AL East…
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com wonder if Johnny Damon could be a fit for the Orioles in 2012.
- The Rays and Joe Maddon have made progress in extension talks for the skipper, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Maddon’s contract expires after the 2012 season, but both sides have expressed interest in working an extended agreement out before then.
- Luke Scott told reporters that he won’t be ready to play the outfield until May or June, because his shoulder injury is still healing, Topkin tweets. Scott, whose deal with the Rays became official today, will DH right away and may play some first base.
- Scott says the Orioles never made him a firm offer after non-tendering him, Kubatko tweets.
- The Red Sox are still in talks with the agent for Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.
- Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein addressed his departure from Boston and other related topics on WEEI this morning and we have the details here.
Heyman On Cordero, Pena, Kotchman, Reds
More than 100 free agents remain unsigned, as MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker shows. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com offers updates on a handful of them; here are the details:
- Heyman could see the Phillies checking in on Francisco Cordero, but suggests Brad Lidge and Kerry Wood are more likely targets for Philadelphia.
- Casey Kotchman and Carlos Pena seem to be the most likely offensive options for the Indians and both are also in play for the Rays, Heyman tweets.
- Six or more teams are looking for infield depth, so Heyman examines the market for free agent infielders such as Eric Chavez, Aaron Miles and Jack Wilson.
- The Reds are looking for an infielder and an outfielder, Heyman tweets. He suggests Ryan Ludwick, who played under GM Walt Jocketty in St. Louis, would be a “perfect fit” in Cincinnati, where the Reds would like to add depth in left field. The Reds have some interest in Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Cody Ross.
- The Red Sox remain interested in Joe Saunders, Hiroki Kuroda and Roy Oswalt, Heyman tweets.
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Maddon, Blue Jays
The Orioles officially signed Wei-Yin Chen today and we caught up on the left-hander's new team earlier this evening. Here’s the latest on the rest of the AL East…
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com hears from multiple sources that the Red Sox are not near a deal with Hiroki Kuroda.
- The Red Sox continue searching for low-cost pitching help, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes.
- The Rays have started extension talks with manager Joe Maddon and plan to resume discussions soon, Jon Heyman of CBSSports tweets.
- Agent Scott Boras told Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times that free agents Carlos Pena and Johnny Damon could return to Tampa Bay. However, both players are drawing interest from other clubs.
- Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos hasn’t ruled out adding a reliever, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com writes. However, the GM says he doesn’t want to force a deal. “There's a lot of things we could have done this past offseason to say that we did it, but I just don't ultimately believe they would have been good signings or good trades for us,” he said. “I think they would have been bad.”
Olney On Free Agents, Yankees, Nationals
The latest from ESPN's Buster Olney…
- Some agents are showing renewed aggression, with spring training five weeks away. One executive Olney spoke to noted, "There are some good value buys out there. If you've got some extra cash, there are some good pitchers left." Among free agent starters, I think Bartolo Colon, Jeff Francis, Jon Garland, Rich Harden, Edwin Jackson, Hiroki Kuroda, Kevin Millwood, Roy Oswalt, Brad Penny, Joel Pineiro, and Joe Saunders will land big league deals, with a few more in the running.
- The Yankees will determine in the next couple weeks whether to expand their budget. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says they're still talking to Kuroda, Jackson, and Oswalt, but nothing is close.
- The Nationals seek another reliever, and Olney suggests someone in the Todd Coffey mold if not Coffey himself.
Kuroda To Remain In MLB For 2012
Hiroki Kuroda has informed the Hiroshima Carp he intends to pitch in the Major Leagues again in 2012, according to the Jiji Press and other Japanese outlets, as translated by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. Newman adds that "Masatoshi Kimura of the Chugoku Shimbun reports that Kuroda is expected to decide on a destination within the next couple of days."
A few days ago, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweeted that Kuroda sought a one-year deal in the $13-14MM range. The Yankees and Red Sox are among the possibilities, but both AL East superpowers seem gunshy of his asking price.
Quick Hits: Rhodes, Kuroda, Ludwick, Padres
Let's jump into the weekend with one last batch of news items….
- Arthur Rhodes is close to deciding where he will play in 2012, reports Anthony Andro of Fox Sports Southwest (Twitter link). Rhodes also confirms that he will play next year, making it 21 Major League seasons for the 42-year-old southpaw. The Cardinals and Mariners have both shown interest in Rhodes this offseason.
- Some teams aren't convinced that Hiroki Kuroda will pitch in the majors next season and will instead return to Japan, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Kuroda's asking price is reportedly $13-$14MM on a one-year deal, which is a slight increase from last month.
- Also from Heyman (via Twitter), Ryan Ludwick has received offers from at least four teams. The Reds, A's and Giants have been linked to Ludwick this winter, though it's unknown if any of those clubs actually offered the outfielder a contract.
- Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune covers such Padres topics as a possible Carlos Quentin extension, the team's lack of interest in Eric Chavez and the Friars' plans for the newly-acquired Andrew Cashner in his weekly online chat with fans.
- The Tigers appear to be satisfied with Ramon Santiago and Ryan Raburn as their second base platoon, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck.
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says his team is looking for at least two "low-cost" starting pitchers to compete for the back end of the Boston rotation next year, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. As Cafardo notes, this would seemingly take the Red Sox out of the running for more expensive free agent pitchers like Kuroda, Edwin Jackson or Joe Saunders. We heard earlier today that the Sox were among several teams interested in Paul Maholm.
AL East Notes: Yankees, Kuroda, Laffey
The Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles could use rotation upgrades and the Rays could use a first baseman and/or designated hitter. Here’s the latest on the American League East as the 2012 portion of the offseason continues and Spring Training draws a little closer…
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times explains that Cole Hamels and Matt Cain could make more sense for the Yankees next offseason than Edwin Jackson or C.J. Wilson would have this winter. The Yankees have shown uncharacteristic restraint so far this offseason, but Cain and Hamels are set to hit free agency after 2012 if they don’t sign extensions first.
- The Yankees would offer Hiroki Kuroda a one-year deal, but they say he’s too expensive at the moment, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- Kuroda would prefer to sign with a West Coast team, but the Red Sox have maintained interest in him, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. So far, the right-hander’s asking price hasn’t dropped.
- The Red Sox had interest in free agent left-hander Aaron Laffey before he signed with the Blue Jays over the weekend, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.
Quick Hits: Braun, Aoki, Kuroda, Nationals
Links for Monday night, as we await word on Coco Crisp’s next team…
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com that the club doesn't know if an appeal date has been set for Ryan Braun. The 2011 NL MVP faces a 50-game suspension for using a banned substance.
- The Brewers are in the process of setting up a meeting with Norichika Aoki that will occur within a week or so, McCalvy reports. The Brewers won the rights to the Japanese outfielder last month via the posting system.
- Agent Steve Hilliard told Sponichi last week that free agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda is working toward a decision and considering options in Japan and with MLB teams, Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker notes.
- Jim Margalus of South Side Sox points out that the White Sox have reduced their payroll by at least $20MM and suggests the club faces a steep, potentially messy climb back to respectability.
- Mark Zuckerman of NatsInsider.com breaks down the latest Prince Fielder rumors and explains that the Nationals may be wary of committing $20MM or more to three players at once. Jayson Werth will earn $20MM-plus starting in 2014 and Ryan Zimmerman will be a candidate for a salary in that range after 2013, when he hits free agency.
AL East Notes: Orioles, Kuroda, Nakajima, Guthrie
On this date in 1996, the Red Sox signed veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer, who at that time had a 4.51 ERA in 1116 2/3 MLB innings over the course of nine MLB seasons. Though he appeared in just 23 games for Boston, he enjoyed a career renaissance in Seattle and hasn't stopped yet. Moyer, now 49, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and has drawn some interest from MLB teams. Here's the latest on the AL East…
- The Orioles are expected to hire former Mets, Brewers and Athletics pitching coach Rick Peterson as an organizational pitching guru this week, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Red Sox have maintained interest in Hiroki Kuroda, but his asking price figures to exceed Boston’s budget unless they make another move to free up payroll, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. Kuroda is open to pitching on the East Coast, Bradford notes.
- The Yankees have until Friday to negotiate a deal with Japanese infielder Hiroyuki Nakajima and the sides continue discussing possible contracts, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Earlier reports had suggested the deadline was Tuesday, rather than Friday. Depending on whether the Yankees sign Nakajima, they could have interest in bringing back Eric Chavez or trading Eduardo Nunez.
- Orioles right-hander Jeremy Guthrie told Jeff Joyce and Todd Hollandsworth on MLB Network Radio that he hopes trade rumors surround him next year, since other teams won't be interested if he's pitching poorly. Guthrie is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility and will hit free agency after the 2012 campaign.
- Jason Frasor says he was confused when he saw Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos had texted him over the weekend, according to Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. "I thought he might have wanted to talk,” Frasor said. “He likes to talk. He's a talker." In fact, the GM was calling about the trade that sent Frasor back to the Blue Jays for Myles Jaye and Daniel Webb. Frasor's optimistic that Sergio Santos, his teammate in the minors and majors, will fit well in Toronto.