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Jonny Gomes

Reds Likely To Decline Orlando Cabrera’s Option

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"All indications are that" Cincinnati will decline its end of the $4MM mutual option on Orlando Cabrera for 2011, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.  The move isn't exactly a surprise (over 80 percent of MLBTR readers polled last week thought Cabrera's option would be declined), but the Reds are interested in re-signing Cabrera at a lower price.  Earlier this week, Reds GM Jocketty told WKRC Local 12 Sports Director Brad Johansen that Cabrera's option is "probably more than we want to exercise, we'll try to find a happy medium..if not, [Paul] Janish would be our SS." (Twitter link)

Cabrera could be amenable to staying since it appears as though he'd be given at least a share of the starting shortstop job and his lackluster 2010 season — a .263/.303/.354 slash line in 537 plate appearances — will make it hard to find a larger offer or regular playing time elsewhere.  If the Reds pass on the option, they owe Cabrera a $1MM buyout.

Jocketty also told Sheldon that the club also has interest in Ramon Hernandez and Jonny Gomes.  Hernandez is a free agent, while Cincinnati has a $1.75MM team option on Gomes.  MLBTR's Luke Adams recently examined Hernandez's value on the free agent market, while MLBTR's Steve Adams did the same with Gomes yesterday.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Jonny Gomes

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The Reds hold a $1.75MM option on Jonny Gomes, and he'd like to return to Cincinnati, but as last year showed us, there's no guarantee that the team retains the 29-year-old left fielder. He was non-tendered following a more productive 2009 season, so it's entirely possible that Gomes hits the market once again. In a recent poll, MLBTR readers were split fairly evenly on whether or not the Reds would retain Gomes (58% said yes). Let's take a closer look at Gomes, now that his season is over:

The Good

  • Gomes has always crushed left-handed pitching. For his career, he owns a .276/.371/.507 line against southpaws.
  • Gomes is affordable. He signed for just an $800K base salary in 2010, though he did make an additional $500K in incentives due to exceeding 500 plate appearances. A team seriously interested in Gomes could have him for a couple million dollars at the most, and there's probably no need to commit multiple years.
  • At age 29 (30 in November), Gomes isn't likely to be in line for a sharp decline.
  • He's always been prone to strikeouts (career 30.2%), but this season that number dropped to a more respectable 24.1%. He also posted his highest line drive percentage (20.7%) since 2007.

The Bad

  • For as tough as he is on left-handed pitching, Gomes is rather pedestrian against right-handers. His .233/.309/.438 line isn't going to bring fear to the hearts of same-handed pitchers, but he does homer once every 20 PAs against them.
  • Defensively, Gomes is no wizard. Primarily a left fielder, he's only posted a positive UZR one time at the position; he rated slightly above average in 2009's small sample, but owns a -19.0 UZR/150 there for his career.
  • Gomes cut down on his K's this season, but also posted a career-low walk rate. His mark of 6.8% is likely the result of seeing more time against right-handers, which also accounts for his overall drop in slugging.

The Verdict

If the Reds buy out Gomes' option, he has a contractual clause stating that he must be released, making him available to all 30 teams. For all his flaws, Gomes is a useful player if utilized correctly. He punishes left-handed pitching and is respectable enough against right-handers to add reasonable depth to any club's bench. His ideal role is probably as a platoon DH and backup corner outfielder. The overall drop in his numbers should keep his 2011 salary in the $1MM-$2MM range, meaning he can be an affordable source of depth to interested suitors.

Rhodes, Gomes Want To Return To Reds

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Both reliever Arthur Rhodes and left fielder Jonny Gomes would like to return to the Reds in 2011, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. 

Rhodes, 40, is coming off of a two-year, $4MM deal.  The veteran turned in one of his best seasons to date, recording a 2.29 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in a career-high 69 apperances.  After earning his first career All-Star nod, the lefty told the Reds that he would "love to come back".  Rhodes has yet to receive an indication from the Reds one way or another.

Gomes' future is also up in the air as Cincinnati holds a $1.75MM club option on his contract.  While his service time dictates that he would be arbitration-eligible this winter, Gomes' deal calls for him to be released if his option is not exercised.  The soon-to-be 30-year-old didn't re-up with the Reds until just before Spring Training last year and says that he's prepared for that scenario again this year.  He earned $800K in 2010 as he hit .266/.327/.431 with 18 HRs in 148 games.  The Reds have until two weeks after the World Series to decide on Gomes' option but like Rhodes, the outfielder has yet to hear anything from the club.

Five Non-Tenders That Shaped The 2010 Pennant Race

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Some non-tendered players end up performing like stars in new cities, but the best contract offer possible is sometimes the one a team doesn't make. Here's a look at five players who were non-tendered last year and impacted the 2010 pennant race:

  • Matt Capps – Capps has been excellent in 24 appearances for the Twins since coming over in a deal that sent catching prospect Wilson Ramos to Washington. The Pirates non-tendered Capps last December and the Twins and Nationals profit because of Pittsburgh's decision.
  • Dustin Moseley – Hey, he's pitched 60.1 innings for one of the best teams in baseball and even stepped into a starting role when Andy Pettitte went down. The Angels’ decision to non-tender Moseley isn’t necessarily one they would like to do over, but the swingman has added value for the Bronx Bombers, posting a 4.77 ERA so far.
  • Jonny Gomes – The Reds non-tendered Gomes only to re-sign him later in the offseason. The left fielder has a .761 OPS and 17 homers for the playoff-bound Reds.
  • Garrett Atkins – The Rockies guaranteed the combination of Melvin Mora, Jason Giambi and Miguel Olivo less than it would have cost to retain Atkins through arbitration. Instead of paying Atkins more than $7MM, GM Dan O'Dowd wisely non-tendered him and spent on other needs.
  • Kelly Johnson – Omar Infante and Martin Prado have produced well, so the decision to non-tender Johnson didn't necessarily hurt the Braves. Still, we can say with confidence that this year's Braves team would have seemed much different with more of Johnson (25 homers and .860 OPS in Arizona) and less of Prado and Infante.

Jonny Gomes’ 2011 Option

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Jonny Gomes has already set career highs in games (126), plate appearances (482), runs (63), hits (112), doubles (22) and RBI (77). Reds manager Dusty Baker has been calling on Gomes more than ever and the left fielder has seen his slash line dip, possibly because he's facing more right-handed pitching than usual. Gomes' .262/.328/.436 line is about average, but his power has dropped off this year, especially in the second half.

The Reds can retain him for $1.75MM in 2011 or buy him out for $200K. They don't have the option of turning the option down and trying to re-sign him more cheaply through arbitration; Cincinnati must release the 29-year-old if they turn his option down. The Reds could sign Gomes after releasing him, but all 30 teams would be able to make bids, too.

Despite Gomes' struggles against right-handed pitching and less-than-brilliant defense (he posted negative UZRs every year from 2005-10), the Reds will likely have some interest in retaining him for a net cost of $1.55MM. However, they non-tendered him last winter after a season in which he hit 20 homers and posted an .879 OPS, so history suggests they aren't afraid of letting Gomes hit the open market. What do you think the Reds will do? Click here to take the survey and here to view the results.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Lee, Orioles, Gomes, Loewen

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On this date back in 1996, catcher Chris Anderson delivered a run scoring single for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the short season New York-Penn League. It was the first hit ever recorded by a member of the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization. Anderson was the team's 66th round draft pick that year, but he never made it out of A-ball and hit just .170/.236/.298 in 432 plate appearances before calling it a career in 1999. Every team starts somewhere.

Here are a few links from the baseball blogosphere…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Griffey, Texeira, Arguelles, Burrell

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Friday night linkage..

Odds & Ends: Green, Oswalt, Mets, Gaudin, Werth

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Links for Saturday….

Reds Re-Sign Jonny Gomes

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The Reds officially re-signed outfielder Jonny Gomes to a one-year, Major League deal with a club option for 2011.  John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer broke news of the agreement, and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweeted details.

Gomes, 29, hit .267/.338/.541 in 314 plate appearances for the Reds in '09 before being non-tendered.  35% of his plate appearances came against lefties, and his defense was suspect.  Gomes had a hard time finding a job as a free agent, and perhaps the Reds saw that coming.  He will be arbitration-eligible again if the Reds decline his 2011 option.

Reds Still Waiting On Decision From Gomes

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SUNDAY, 12:01pm: We may have to wait another day or two for closure on the Reds and Gomes. Fay tweets that there is still no word on whether the outfielder will accept Cincinnati's offer. MLB.com's Mark Sheldon quotes Jocketty as saying, "We'll know something by tomorrow."

FRIDAY, 1:11pm: It looks like the holding pattern between the Reds and Jonny Gomes could come to an end this weekend. Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he expects to know whether the outfielder will return by Sunday.

"He wants to come back," Jocketty said. "But he's taking a last look at what's out there."

The Reds have a minor league offer out to Gomes, who hit 20 homers for them last season. The Indians were connected to the 29-year-old earlier in the month, but there has been little reported interest in Gomes this winter.
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