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Jason Bay

Rosenthal On Mets, Cubs, Yankees, Hawkins

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders how Mets GM Omar Minaya and Cubs GM Jim Hendry will untangle themselves from their respective messes. Both execs have overpaid for players in the recent past, but both can point to recent successes. Here are the details:

  • The Mets are expected to lower their payroll from the $150MM range next season.
  • The Rockies obtained Carlos Gonzalez from the A's in last winter's Matt Holliday trade and, for all of Holliday's heroics in St. Louis, Gonzalez is out-slugging Holliday by 142 points since the A's flipped him to the Cards.
  • A Yankees official says it's "very likely" the team will bring Johnny Damon back after the season if he's willing to take a paycut.
  • Like their cross-town rivals, the Yanks are expected to be operating on a lower payroll next year.
  • The Yankees figure to be in the mix for Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, or both.
  • Alex Gonzalez could have vetoed the trade that sent him to Boston.
  • The Astros placed LaTroy Hawkins on waivers and Rosenthal expects the Rockies, Cardinals and Dodgers to at least consider him.

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Wagner, Holliday, Brewers

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Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has a new Full Count video up. Let's dive in…

  • Don't expect the Mets to just give away Billy Wagner as a salary dump. He'll have "actual trade value" this winter, and his $8MM club option would not be outrageous money on a one year deal if he's healthy.
  • Even if his team declines the option, they could offer him arbitration and receive two high draft picks if he signs elsewhere since he projects to be a Type-A free agent. Wagner would be much more than a six-week rent in that case.
  • Matt Holliday's performance with the Cardinals has undoubtedly boosted his stock as an impending free agent. One GM still thinks Jason Bay is a comparable player on the open market, but Holliday is better defensively, younger, and better at hitting breaking balls than Bay.
  • The real question is how each player will age, which is impossible to say at this point.
  • The Brewers have yet to place veterans like Mike Cameron and Trevor Hoffman on trade waivers, but with the team now out of contention, Rosenthal asks "why not?"
  • GM Doug Melvin is disinclined to make such deals because he knows the return may not be significant, but Hoffman in particular would be attractive. The Rockies have already discussed him internally.
  • Craig Counsell, Braden Looper, and Jason Kendall could have value as well.
  • Earlier this season there was talk that Mark Mulder and Ben Sheets could help teams in the second half, but that hasn't happened. Sheets has decided that the risk of a setback isn't worth the reward of an accelerated return, but he should be healthy for next season.
  • Mulder has only thrown 12.2 IP over the last two seasons, but he's been working with his former pitching coach Rick Peterson and supposedly wants to pitch this season.

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Heyman On White Sox, Mets, Bay, Holliday

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Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Blue Jays asked for a player currently on the White Sox in exchange for Alex Rios before asking for a prospect and eventually settling for salary relief. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi didn't get MLB talent back for his right fielder, but executives around the league say they understand the thought process behind the trade. Here are the rest of Heyman's rumors:

  • One GM says Rios would be a good gamble at $30-35MM, but the $60MM remaining on his deal is too much.
  • White Sox GM Kenny WIlliams says he's fully confident that Jake Peavy will transition into the American League and help the White Sox down the stretch.
  • It's uncertain whether Gary Sheffield and Pedro Feliciano were claimed off waivers. Two AL teams were interested in Sheffield before his hamstring injuries popped up. 
  • Teams are claiming more cheap, young players than ever. 
  • The Red Sox would love Marco Scutaro, but aren't likely to get the chance to acquire him since teams with worse records would presumably claim him. 
  • Heyman hears that Matt Holliday could press for a no-trade clause and may not take the biggest deal he sees as a free agent this offseason. 
  • Some estimate that Jason Bay could make about $60MM over four years when he hits free agency after the season. 
  • The Nats could name a new GM by the end of the month. Acting GM Mike Rizzo is receiving praise around the league for acquiring Nyjer Morgan. 
  • Most execs believe John Smoltz is more likely to land in the NL.

Odds And Ends: Volquez, Hamilton, Pirates

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Time for some afternoon links…

  • Over at SI.com Jonah Keri looks back at a win-win trade that lost its luster. Josh Hamilton and Edinson Volquez seemed like perfect fits for their new teams just last year, but injuries have shelved both.
  • In his MLB.com chat, Pirates president Frank Coonelly defended the organization's choice to flip Jason Bay for prospects last summer. FanGraphs values Andy LaRoche's 2009 performance more than Bay's, believe it or not.
  • Coonelly says the Pirates are the only club to have offered Miguel Angel Sano "significant dollars." Don't expect Sano to sign until the investigation into his age is complete, however.
  • Brandon Phillips would consider playing short if the Reds want him to, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Yankees, Dodgers, Pirates

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The tireless Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has a new Full Count video up. Let's dive in…

  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Rosenthal that he was "very aggressive" going after pitching help, whether it be high-end starters, low-end starters, or relievers. "I was on all of it," Cashman said.
  • Cashman specifically targeted Jarrod Washburn, but the Mariners asked for top prospect Austin Jackson in return. The Yankees were also "one of several clubs" to inquire about Felix Hernandez.
  • Rosenthal says Heath Bell was their primary target among relievers, as the idea was to make him the primary setup man for Mariano Rivera, and possibly put Phil Hughes or Alfredo Aceves back into the rotation.
  • The Dodgers "never got close" in their attempted blockbuster for Adrian Gonzalez and Bell. The deal would have helped Los Angeles' rotation by shortening the game from the back end with another elite reliever.
  • They still have issues in the rotation however, as Jason Schmidt topped out at 87 last night. Only two National League clubs have gotten fewer innings out of their starters than the Dodgers.
  • We won't know the true result of the Pirates' firesale until 2011 or 2012, but the early returns on the Jason Bay trade are not good. Rosenthal says the Rays may have been willing to pay more for Bay at the time, possibly including the since-traded Jason Hammel and/or Edwin Jackson in a package.
  • Hitters and relievers will be in "ample supply" during the August waiver period, but quality starting pitchers … not so much. Doug Davis might be one of the best available starters, and the Diamondbacks will need to be realistic about a return since they are unlikely to offer him arbitration after the year.
  • There was "precious little action" on Davis in July. When Rosenthal mentioned to a club official that the offers for Davis might not be much better in August, the official responded "they can't be much worse."

Bay, Red Sox Put Extension Talks Aside

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3:53pm: Adam Kilgore of the Globe says Theo Epstein characterized his offer as "aggressive," and has no hard feelings towards Bay. It looks like talks will resume after the season.

3:37pm: Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe says the Red Sox and Jason Bay won't discuss a contract extension until after the season. The two sides had been talking since May, and the Red Sox made an offer about a week ago, but the talks will stop until the season ends, at which point the Red Sox have 15 days of exclusive negotiating rights with Bay.

9:18am: During the All-Star break Jason Bay's agent spoke with the Red Sox about extending his client's stay in Boston, but talks didn't develop significantly, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. However, the two sides would like to keep the free agent-to-be on the Red Sox.

Earlier in the year WEEI.com reported that Bay was seeking a three or four year deal worth about $14MM per season. The Red Sox, however, pointed to Adam Dunn's two-year $20MM deal as a point of reference for the discussions. The market for outfielders hasn't settled since then and that has contributed to the slow pace of the talks.

Bay, who will head this year's class of free agents with Matt Holliday, hasn't imposed any deadlines on the negotiations and appears to want to stay in Boston.

Rosenthal On Halladay, Frasor, Rios, Bay

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Angels and Cardinals will have a hard time assembling a package enticing enough for the Blue Jays to part with Roy Halladay. One GM said the Angels have "zero chance" at acquiring the Jays ace. Players like Brandon Wood and Howie Kendrick have lost some of their appeal and prospect Jordan Walden finds himself on the DL for the second time this season.

Halladay would be a good fit in St. Louis, and Brett Wallace could be the centerpiece of a deal, but the Cards may not have the young pitching the Jays seek.

The Phillies have enough prospects to make a deal and Rosenthal suggests we should never rule out the Yankees. Here are a few more rumors:
  • The Dodgers are interested in Halladay, Jason Frasor and George Sherrill.
  • The White Sox would probably have to part with Gordon Beckham to acquire Doc. 
  • The Jays and White Sox haven't discussed an Alex Rios deal recently, but the White Sox have long been interested in the Jays outfielder.  
  • Jason Bay is close to setting a cutoff date for negotiations on an extension with the Red Sox.  

Odds And Ends: Strasburg, Huff, Pedro

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Some links to read through this afternoon…

Heyman On GMs, Mulder, Bay, Reds

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SI.com's Jon Heyman identifies the GMs facing the most pressure heading into the second half of the season and passes along some rumors, too:

  • Despite "occasional rumblings" about Omar Minaya's job security, injuries are to blame for the Mets' disappointing start, so Minaya's bosses aren't about to blame him for the season.
  • The Nats plan on hiring a permanent GM soon and acting GM Mike Rizzo is in the running for the position.
  • Giants GM Brian Sabean saved one of his best showings for his walk year. He's put together a playoff contender and a talented crop of minor leaguers just as his deal's about to expire.  
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore and Braves GM Frank Wren are expected to have some time to work with.
  • It doesn't look like Indians GM Mark Shapiro will ascend to club president this year.
  • Heyman likes the Phillies' acquisition of Pedro Martinez.  
  • Mark Mulder could be the next pitcher to sign, as he's 95% ready, according to his agent. 
  • Heyman thinks the Red Sox will be able to lock Jason Bay up once they start talking extension. 
  • Look for the Reds to continue their hunt for outfielders. 

Bay, Red Sox To Begin Negotiations

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According to the Boston Globe's Tony Massarotti, contract negotiations between the Red Sox and outfielder Jason Bay are expected to pick up later this week.

Bay is batting .260/.380/.527 this season with 20 home runs and 72 RBI.  He has spoken openly about feeling comfortable in Boston and the club would definitely love to keep him around.  He's just 30 years of age and has shown no signs of slowing down offensively.  What might the outfielder command?  A five-year, $50MM deal similar to the contract handed to teammate J.D. Drew?  The Red Sox don't have an abundance of outfield talent on the farm, so their hand may be forced.

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