Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Jack Wilson

Jack Wilson Will Waive No-Trade Clause

By | at

Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson has a six-team limited no-trade clause, but he recently let the team know that he’ll waive it for any deal.  Apparently he just wants out of Pittsburgh. Dejan Kovacevic isn’t sure if the team has placed him on waivers yet.  But I’m sure they will and he should get through unclaimed.  As far as I’ve read, almost every player in baseball is put on waivers in August just to mask those that the team is actually trying to trade.  There’s no risk to this because you can pull a player back if he’s claimed.

Kovacevic says talks with the Tigers about Wilson are still ongoing.  Bucco Blog had heard that Jair Jurrjens and Brent Clevlen were involved also.

Jack Wilson May Still Be Dealt

By | at

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported yesterday that the Tigers and Pirates continue to discuss shortstop Jack Wilson.  Passing Wilson through waivers shouldn’t be a problem; no team would want his entire contract dumped on them.  Kovacevic describes the current state of the deal:

"One source intimately familiar with the matter said that a deal was virtually done Tuesday and that the Pirates would receive two of Detroit’s top six prospects, including an unnamed pitcher ready to join the major-league staff. But the sides haggled on how much of Wilson’s contract the Pirates would pick up, the source added, and the delay was on."

Kovacevic’s report doesn’t mention it, but there has to be more going to Detroit than just Wilson.  Probably one of the Pirates’ relievers, a group that was oddly retained at the deadline.  Such an addition might compel the Tigers to take on most or all  of Wilson’s contract.  But who are the two prospects?  Bucco Blog believes they’re starter Jair Jurrjens and outfielder Brent Clevlen, and Jake provides a scout’s take.  Jake is not a fan of such a trade.

Personally I think Jurrjens would be a fantastic return on Wilson if he becomes a #3-4 starter one day.  Clevlen seems a long shot to me to realize his potential.  The two prospects might not become Pirates until after the season, as they might not pass through waivers.

Tigers Could Acquire Jack Wilson

By | at

UPDATE: My source may have jumped the gun here, because talks are still ongoing.

UPDATE: An insider tells me Wilson has indeed just been traded, though he could not confirm the recipient or any details yet.

According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson may be traded to the Tigers today.  Wilson and his agent were getting phone calls about possible deals all day yesterday, making a trade seem likely.

The Tigers wouldn’t assume all of the $16.3MM Wilson still has coming to him through the 2009 season.  But they might eat a larger portion of it if the Pirates throw in one of their relievers – Shawn Chacon, Damaso Marte, or Salomon Torres. 

The plan: use Wilson as a middle infield defensive replacement this year and make him the starting shortstop next year, moving Carlos Guillen to first base. 

Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press adds that Wilson has a limited no-trade clause, but would probably wave it to finally player for a winner.  Wilson can only block trades to six teams anyway; not sure if the Tigers are one of them.

Blue Jays Not Interested In Jack Wilson

By | at

It sounded dubious when it first surfaced, and now J.P. Ricciardi has spoken: the Blue Jays are not interested at all in Jack Wilson.  Did the Pittsburgh front office plant that one?

Ricciardi does seem open to trading Josh Towers.  As far as I can tell, Towers doesn’t reach free agency until after 2009.  For an NL team, Towers could help at the back end of a rotation.  Thing is, no one seems to be actively searching for a backend rotation guy. 

Pirates Ask For Glaus In Jack Wilson Deal

By | at

The Pirates are shopping shortstop Jack Wilson, and the Blue Jays are known to be interested.  One would expect the Bucs to be happy with the salary relief and maybe ask for a token prospect.  Instead, Dave Littlefield asked about Troy Glaus.

Now, it was just an inquiry, and the Jays quickly shot it down.  Obviously we don’t know how the phone call went, so Littlefield might’ve devised a reasonable trade scenario involving additional players.  The Pirates could definitely use a big bat like Glaus, but he does not seem likely to approve a trade to Pittsburgh even if the two sides did agree on the players.

It’s hard to tell just how available Glaus is, but a recent report indicates that he can be had.  A return to the Angels still seems most likely.    

Blue Jays Interested In Jack Wilson

By | at

Previously on this site we have questioned why any team would want to acquire Pirates’ shortstop Jack Wilson (no offense to him).  Now comes word that at least one team is in on him – the Blue Jays.  But Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes a deal couldn’t be reached by the July deadline because the money issues could get tricky.

Wilson makes $6.5MM in ’08, $7.25MM in ’09, and a $0.6MM buyout for ’10.  He can block trades to six teams each season.  Kovacevic thinks a deal would most likely occur in the offseason, as Wilson might not pass through waivers in August.  Still, no harm in trying it if you’re Dave Littlefield.  Personally I’d be surprised if any team would risk having that contract dumped on them in its entirety.  Bucco Blog thinks Wilson is a lock to be traded.

Wilson has hit .252/.305/.347, pretty much in line with his career numbers.  Blue Jays’ shortstops have hit .233/.272/.314 this year (mostly Royce Clayton and John McDonald).  So Wilson is an upgrade, but that’s only because shortstop has been such a ridiculous black hole for Toronto.  You do have to credit Wilson’s defense, among the best in the game at the position by one metric. 

J.P. Ricciardi’s options this winter: Omar Vizquel, David Eckstein, and probably Juan Uribe and Cesar Izturis.  Technically you could include Kaz Matsui and Alex Rodriguez as other free agents who can play short.

Slick-Fielding Shortstops Available

By | at

If you’re looking for an all-glove type shortstop this summer, you have plenty of options.

  • The Giants could move Omar Vizquel, but only if they feel that he can’t help them in ’08.  According to Tim Brown, he loves the city and would stay if they made an offer.  The Giants talked extension with him in March but his offensive performance this year may have changed their mind.  He has $1.8MM in salary left.
  • With Ryan Theriot performing OK this year and Ronny Cedeno tearing up Triple A, the Cubs may deem Cesar Izturis expendable.  Giving Cedeno the starting shortstop job to begin last year was questionable, but it might make some sense now.  Izturis makes another $1.8MM this year, plus probably another $300K to buy out his ’08 option.
  • Juan Uribe may no longer deserve the slick-fielding tag, but he’s been an awful hitter so I have to call him something.  Even his customary low OBP/decent SLG is slipping.  His salary situation is pretty much the same as crosstown counterpart Izturis.
  • Jack Wilson makes another $2.3MM this year, $6.5MM in ’08, $7.25MM in ’09, and a $600K buyout for ’10.  He has a limited no-trade clause allowing him to block trades to six clubs each year.  About a month ago, Tim Brown spoke to a baseball source who thought he’d draw interest.  Wilson is back to playing every day currently.

What team would want any of these guys?  The Red Sox would probably be the only contender in need of a shortstop, and they’re probably stuck with Julio Lugo.

Could Bucs Trade Jack Wilson?

By | at

The Pirates have benched shortstop Jack Wilson in favor of Jose Castillo for the time being, and Pirate fans are quite pleased with the decision.  Wilson, 29, is signed through 2009.  Here’s his contract situation:

2007: $5.25MM
2008: $6.5MM
2009: $7.25MM
2010: $8.4MM club option with $0.6MM buyout
Limited no-trade clause: Wilson can block trades to six teams each season

Is Wilson a $7MM player?  He is if you really like his defense.  Yahoo’s Tim Brown spoke to a baseball man who seemed to think there would be interest in Wilson.  I don’t know.  His defense had better be really, really good to put up with a sub-.700 OPS.  Cesar Izturis could do that, and the Cubs probably won’t exercise his $5.45MM option for ’08.

I was going to list some possible suitors here but I can’t really think of any teams in need of an overpriced, all-glove/no-hit starting shortstop.

In Defense Of The Jack Wilson Signing

By | at

Yesterday I noticed that the contract extension given by the Pirates to Jack Wilson was universally panned throughout the Internet.  Maybe someone somewhere liked the deal, but I haven’t seen it in print yet.

While I won’t go as far as to say I liked this extension, I will say that I don’t mind it.  Faint praise, yeah, but let’s not tear the Bucs a new one over this just yet.

I have to admit that the Pirates didn’t do a good job exploiting Wilson’s lousy year with the bat.  He hit .257/.299/.363 in his age 27 season last year, right at career levels.  You’d think they could’ve gotten him for 3/15 because of this.  It’s not as if he was coming off his 2004 Silver Slugger season.  But his agent snagged three years and $20.2MM with an $8.4MM option for 2010 and most folks chalked this one up as a typical Pirate mistake.

Let’s turn to my favorite new toy, Baseball Prospectus’s Marginal Value Over Replacement Player.  That metric says he’ll be worth $15,650,000 over the next three seasons.  BP has him as on average a 3.6 win player over the next three seasons.  Wilson was worth 6.9 wins in 2004 and 4.6 last year, so he can easily beat that projection.  He only needs to beat their projection by four and a half million bucks worth of value spread out over the next three seasons. 

Topping 2005 offensively shouldn’t be too tough for Wilson.  He added 20 pounds this offseason, typically a good thing for hitters. I will admit, this could have an effect on his range in the field.  Keep in mind that Wilson’s ’05 season was definitely affected by a December 2004 emergency appendectomy.  He lost fifteen pounds during that surgery.

There are a million defensive stats out there; just take my word for it that Wilson is a defensive whiz.  His glove probably comprises 90% of his value, so any offensive value is gravy.  It’s not like there’s anything in the Pirates’ farm system that could possibly replace Wilson, even in year three of the deal.  And it’s not like the market is bursting with 4.6 win shortstops; only eleven shortstops were better in 2005.

You want to pan a long-term contract?  Start with Paul Konerko, Kevin Millwood, A.J. Burnett, and Johnny Damon.  There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell their teams break even on those deals.  Of course, breaking even overall matters a lot more to the Pirates than it does to the Yankees.

The Biggest Games. The Best Tickets. StubHub.com

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top