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Joe Beimel

Beimel Still Has Offer From Mets

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The Kiko Calero signing doesn't mean the Mets are done adding relievers. They are still interested in signing Joe Beimel to a major league deal, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. The contract would guarantee the lefty significantly less than the $2MM he earned last year with the Nationals and Rockies.

Beimel logged 55.1 innings between with those teams last year, posting a 3.58 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. If the Mets move on from Beimel, who turns 33 next month, they could pursue Ron Mahay.

Discussion: Joe Beimel And Ron Mahay

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A look at the remaining 2010 free agents reveals only a handful of left-handed relievers still available. Of the small group, two names stand out as more reliable options than the rest: Joe Beimel and Ron Mahay.

The 32-year-old Beimel has been one of the more consistent lefties in the majors over the last few seasons, posting a 3.17 ERA in 287 relief appearances since 2006. Mahay, 38, has been nearly as effective, compiling a 3.50 ERA in 234 games over the same period. Both pitchers, however, showed warning signs in 2009: Beimel was tough on left-handed hitters, but walked more righties than he struck out, while batters hit nearly .300 against Mahay.

So where might these veteran relievers land? The Mets have been connected to both recently and seem like favorites to sign at least one of the two, but they've yet to compromise on a price with either pitcher. The Phillies had some interest in Mahay earlier in the offseason, and could still use another left-handed arm in their bullpen, but there haven't been any reports linking the two sides since January.

Do you see Beimel and Mahay exercising a little more patience, perhaps in hopes that a few spring injuries force a team to meet their demands? Or will they have to lower their expectations and sign cheap ($1MM or less) one-year deals, or even minor league contracts?

Joe Beimel Considering Mets’ Offer

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SATURDAY, 11:19am: Joel Sherman of The New York Post tweets that Beimel is still seeking something similar to the $2MM he earned in 2009, but the Mets aren't going there.

FRIDAY, 5:20pm: Joe Beimel has confirmed that he is weighing a contract offer from the New York Mets, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. We heard earlier in the week that the Mets would like to add a left-hander like Beimel (or Ron Mahay) to their bullpen at an affordable price ($1MM or less), and it seems they've extended an official proposal to Beimel.

"We've been talking to them for a good part of the offseason. I am still just being patient, waiting for the right deal," said Beimel.

A patient approach to free agency is nothing new for Beimel, who waited until March 18th to sign with Washington last spring. The 32-year-old lefty pitched 71 games for the Nationals and Rockies in 2009, compiling an overall 3.58 ERA in 55.1 IP.

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Brewers, Mets, Paulino

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Some links for Tuesday evening…

Rockies Unlikely To Sign Beimel Or Wellemeyer

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The Rockies are not likely to re-sign Joe Beimel or add Todd Wellemeyer. Beimel tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post that he doesn't expect to re-sign with the Rockies, despite a successful stint with the team last year. The lefty, who didn't sign until March 18th last spring, says he's happy to wait for the right offer.

Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd tells ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that the club has 'no interest' in Todd Wellemeyer (Twitter link). Wellemeyer listed the Rockies as a possible fit last week, but the 31-year-old right-hander will have to look elsewhere for a job. The Giants, Mets, Phillies and D'Backs have all been linked to Wellemeyer.

The Rockies have plenty of starting pitching already. Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, Jorge de la Rosa, Jason Hammel and Jeff Francis should figure prominently in a rotation that could also include Franklin Morales and Tim Redding.

Odds & Ends: Lowe, Bay, Gonzalez

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News and notes from around the big leagues tonight…

  • Derek Lowe tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman that he doesn't expect to be back in Atlanta in 2010 and feels rather disrespected by being put on the trade market just a year after signing with the Braves: "I would have never even considered going there if I knew that ultimately this was going to happen."
  • The Providence Journal's Joe McDonald considers Theo Epstein's comments from the Mike Cameron press conference to be a virtual farewell to Jason Bay's time in Boston.
  • As if the Mike Gonzalez and Garrett Atkins signings weren't enough, the Orioles also "made a pretty good run" at trading for Adrian Gonzalez at the winter meetings, tweets ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes.
  • Scott Merkin of MLB.com is reporting (via Twitter) that Jason Botts has been given an invitation to spring training by the White Sox.  Botts played in Japan last season after posting a .230/.325/.344 line in 326 plate appearances with Texas from 2005 to 2008.
  • MLB.com's Todd Zolecki (via Twitter) quoted Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. as saying "Right now, it doesn't look good," in regards to Chan Ho Park re-signing with Philadelphia.
  • ESPN's Jayson Stark talks with Baseball America's John Manuel about how the Phillies' farm system looks in the wake of the big Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee deal.
  • Jose Contreras wanted a three-year contract from the Rockies, but the club "didn't bite," reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com.  Harding notes that Colorado may have to wait to see what happens with Rafael Betancourt's possible arbitration case before they can make a move toward signing relievers like Contreras or Joe Beimel.
  • If the Nationals can't sign any relief help, they will move a willing Collin Balester into the bullpen, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Jake Westbrook seems fit after his stint Puerto Rican Winter League, reports MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.  It was rumored that the Tribe would have been in the market for a veteran starter (maybe Carl Pavano) to anchor their staff had Westbrook suffered a setback from his Tommy John surgery in 2008.

Rockies Offer Arb To Betancourt, Marquis, Not Torrealba, Beimel

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The Rockies offered arbitration to reliever Rafael Betancourt (Type A) and starter Jason Marquis (Type B), according to Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies.  They did not offer to Yorvit Torrealba (B) or Joe Beimel (B).

The Marquis decision comes as a mild surprise.  Ringolsby says there are indications he will reject the offer in search of a multiyear deal, which would net the Rockies a supplemental pick. 

Betancourt rejected the Rockies' two-year, $7MM offer earlier in the offseason, so this arbitration offer gives them a chance to either keep him on a one-year deal or receive two draft picks for their loss.  The Rox already rejected Betancourt's $5.4MM club option, so they might be thinking he'd get less than that in arbitration.  From Betancourt's point of view, he'll be a lot less attractive to other teams if he turns down the Rockies' offer.

Rockies Decline Option On Rafael Betancourt

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The Rockies declined their $5.4MM club option on reliever Rafael Betancourt, tweets Ed Price of AOL FanHouse.  Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post he'll continue to negotiate with Betancourt.

Betancourt, 35 in April, found the NL to his liking after coming over in a trade with the Indians.  He posted a 1.78 ERA with 29 strikeouts and five walks in 25.3 innings for the Rockies.  Betancourt is a Type A free agent, and if he gets to December 1st unsigned it'll be interesting to see if the Rockies offer arbitration.  Other teams would find Betancourt much less appealing with a draft pick cost attached.  Troy Renck of the Denver Post feels that the Rockies will offer, as does Tracy Ringolsby of Inside the Rockies.

Saunders also mentions that the Rockies will "explore re-signing" Jose Contreras and Joe Beimel.

Colorado Re-Signs Matt Belisle, Randy Flores

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8:42 PM: The Denver Post's Troy Renck has an update on the contract details. 

6:25 PM: The Rockies re-signed relievers Matt Belisle and Randy Flores to one-year contracts on Thursday.  Terms of the deals weren't announced, though both pitchers were eligible for salary arbitration.  Belisle, a right-hander, posted a 5.52 ERA but a strong 4.4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 24 appearances last year with Colorado after spending his first five big-league seasons in Cincinnati.  Southpaw Flores appeared in 27 games for the Rockies last season, recording a strong 10.5 K/9.

Tracy Ringolsby believes that with Belisle and Flores back in the fold, Joe Beimel is the odd man out in the Rockies' bullpen.  Beimel had a 4.02 ERA in 26 games with Colorado after being acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, but Ringolsby thinks that Colorado will stick with Flores and Franklin Morales as their main left-handed relief options.

In other Rockies news from Thursday, the club outrighted reliever Joel Peralta and infielder Omar Quintanilla,  Peralta (who is now a free agent) is still being pursued for a minor-league contract while Quintanilla is on the Triple-A Colorado Springs roster.

Rockies Rumors: Betancourt, Marquis, Hawpe

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With the Rockies' 2009 season over, Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post is already discussing 2010.  Here's the latest:

  • Look for GM Dan O'Dowd to receive a new contract soon.  O'Dowd will then attempt to re-sign manager Jim Tracy.
  • Rafael Betancourt has a steep $5.4MM club option for 2010.  The reliever wants to return, and Renck finds it possible.  He says catcher Yorvit Torrealba, who has a $4MM mutual option, is less certain to remain with the team.
  • The Rockies are expected to let free agent starter Jason Marquis leave and replace him with Jeff Francis.  Presumably the Rockies will not offer arbitration to Marquis, a probable Type B free agent.  Jason Giambi, Jose Contreras, and Joe Beimel are possibilities to re-sign.
  • Renck sees Garrett Atkins as a trade or non-tender candidate.  It wouldn't make much sense for a team to acquire Atkins prior to the non-tender deadline in mid-December.
  • Renck considers right fielder Brad Hawpe a trade candidate given the Rockies' outfield depth.  Hawpe will earn $7.5MM in 2010, but he can void his $10MM option for 2011 if traded.  During the last four seasons, Hawpe has posted OBPs of .381 or better and SLGs of .498 or better.  The knock is that he can't hit lefties, but he did a tolerable job against them in 2008-09.  The other knock against Hawpe is his subpar defense.  He still might fit with the Cubs or Mets, in my opinion.
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