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Jorge Soler

Quick Hits: Madson, Phillies, Orioles, Hanrahan

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It was on this day in 2009 that the Mets signed Jason Bay to a four-year, $66MM contract.  The deal was almost immediately panned as one of the worst moves of the 2009-10 offseason and time has proven the critics right; Bay has hit just .251/.337/.386 in two injury-plagued years in New York.

Some news items as we head closer to 2012…

  • Ryan Madson is "the loser of the offseason," writes Fangraphs' Eric Seidman.  With no obvious teams still in need of a long-term closer, Seidman thinks Madson may have to settle for a one-year contract and try again for a multiyear deal next winter.  32.36% of MLBTR readers polled believe Madson will sign with the Angels, with just under 21% picking 'other' and 17.55% picking the Reds.  Though LAA and Cincinnati have cheaper closing options in the fold already, they're also looking to win now.  They'd both surely jump at Madson on a one-year deal and are probably Madson's only realistic suitors for a multiyear contract, though who knows what Scott Boras may yet pull out of his hat.  (The 'other' voters clearly know all about Boras' relationship with the Mystery Team.)
  • The Phillies aren't likely to bid on Yoenis Cespedes and Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that Jorge Soler (the other intriguing Cuban outfield prospect on the market the winter) is also too unproven and expensive for the potential $20MM+ contract he could receive from a team.
  • Also from Brookover, he lists Jonny Gomes and Scott Hairston as potential targets for the Phillies as the team looks for a fifth outfielder.  If the Phils want to spend more to fill the spot, Brookover suggests Cody Ross and Ryan Ludwick.
  • The Rangers' January 18 deadline for signing Yu Darvish is also the day the "logjam will break" for Prince Fielder, opines Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post.  If the Rangers can't sign Darvish, they "will be all over Fielder" to counter the Angels' signing of Albert Pujols.
  • There are "roughly six teams that have shown consistent interest" in Wei-Yin Chen, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.  The Orioles are one, the Pirates presumably still another, and the other four are yet unknown.  
  • Also from Connolly's piece, he predicts Edwin Jackson will find at least a four-year contract on the free agent market and notes that while "Jackson's upside intrigues the Orioles," team management has shied away from that long a commitment to free agent pitchers in the past.
  • Pirates closer (and MLBTR fan) Joel Hanrahan tells Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he doesn't expect to receive a long-term contract offer from the Bucs this winter.  Hanrahan is projected to earn around $4MM this winter in his second trip through the arbitration process.  He said the team hasn't made contact with him or his representatives yet about his 2012 contract, but this was also the case during his first taste of arbitration last year.

Athletics Interested In Jorge Soler

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The Athletics have strong interest in five-tool Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  She says Yoenis Cespedes' price tag is too high for the A's, and his desire for either a four or ten-year deal doesn't work for them.

Soler, 19, has also been linked to the Yankees, Phillies, Nationals, Cubs, and Rangers this offseason.  Nationals Director of International Scouting Johnny DiPuglia has watched Soler for years, and told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, "He’s got a Hanley Ramirez-type body.  Plus arm. Plus bat speed. He’s a good kid, a good-energy kid."  Though Soler would need more minor league seasoning, it's been written he could have more upside than Cespedes.  Soler is younger and more talented than the Rangers' Leonys Martin, wrote Baseball America's Jim Callis, so he figures to beat Martin's $15.6MM contract.  Callis notes that the $2.9MM international signing cap installed in the new CBA doesn't begin until the 2012-13 signing period, so as long as Soler signs before July 2nd, there are no limitations.

Slusser also adds to the A's-San Jose story in another article.  She talked to former Giants general managing partner Peter Magowan, who thinks San Jose is "wishful thinking" for the A's.  She also learned from A's owner Lew Wolff and others that the stadium issue is not on the agenda for the owners' meetings in two weeks.

International Notes: Darvish, Soler

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The Orioles are nearing a deal with Tsuyoshi Wada, but they’re far from the only team that’s eyeing players on the international market. Here’s the latest, starting with another Japanese pitcher…

  • If the high bid for Yu Darvish is substantial, "he will be far less likely to settle on a contract he believes fair," Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes. Darvish, who believes the posting system is unfair, would prefer to play for a West Coast team, Passan reports. 
  • Some teams prefer Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler to Yoenis Cespedes, Jim Callis of Baseball America writes. Had Soler been available in the 2010 amateur draft, Callis expects he would have been a top-five selection. Callis compares Soler to Royals outfield prospect Bubba Starling and says he's more talented than Leonys Martin of the Rangers.

NL East Rumors: Soler, Bay, Chavez, Jones, Braves

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The latest from the NL East:

  • Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel hears that bidding for Jorge Soler could end up over $20MM and doesn't expect the Marlins to be involved at that price (Twitter link).
  • The Mets have asked around and not received "even minor interest" for Jason Bay, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • A reunion of Endy Chavez and the Mets seems less likely following the club's acquisition of Andres Torres, tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. The Mariners, Rangers, or Orioles could be landing spots for Chavez, says MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
  • ESPN's Adam Rubin tweets a similar notion, stating that a reunion between Chavez and the Mets is "not impossible" but that he's also not forecasting it (Twitter link).
  • GM Mike Rizzo told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that the Nationals are "definitely" interested in Adam Jones and have done their homework on him (Twitter link). Orioles GM Dan Duquette has said he doesn't plan to deal Jones, however.
  • The Nationals did add one outfielder today, according to Amanda Comak of the Washington Times, who says the Nats signed Brett Carroll to a minor league deal (Twitter link).
  • While the Winter Meetings have been quiet for the Braves, GM Frank Wren points out that there will still be plenty of time left in the offseason to make deals after this week. David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution has the quotes.
  • O'Brien also shares a Q&A with Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez that touches on trade rumors, Jason Heyward, and a few other topics.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

The Latest On Yoenis Cespedes And Jorge Soler

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ESPN's Jerry Crasnick posted a must read feature on a pair of Cuban outfielders today, 26-year-old Yoenis Cespedes and 19-year-old Jorge Soler. You do not need Insider to view the article. Here's a roundup of the pertinent hot stove news…

  • Cespedes is moving closer to establishing residency in the Dominican Republic, which will then allow him to apply for free agency through MLB. His agent, Adam Katz of the Wasserman Media Group, declined to pinpoint a timetable for when that might happen.
  • "The buzz in baseball circles is that it will take north of $50 million to sign Cespedes," says Crasnick, who notes that estimates have climbed higher in recent weeks.
  • A large number of teams have expressed interest in signing Cespedes, and Crasnick says about two-thirds of those teams project him to play center field. The rest expect him to shift to right.
  • Some clubs have turned their attention to Soler as Cespedes' price climbs, but Pirates director of Latin American scouting Rene Gayo says Soler is "not in the same class."
  • "[Cespedes is] more likely to hit 30 homers than hit .300 and probably compares best to somebody like Cameron Maybin, but with more power if less range and speed," said one executive. "He's stronger and more stocky and may end up on an outfield corner in a few years, but for now he can play center field … For a club like the Yankees or Boston who can afford those investments, he makes some sense.''

Quick Hits: Pena, Zumaya, Soler, Peterson

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Some news items to wrap up the evening as we inch closer to the Winter Meetings….

  • Carlos Pena would be a fit with the Blue Jays, Brewers, Cubs, Mariners, Nationals, Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees, opines SBNation's Rob Neyer.  The Yankees tried to claim Pena on waivers last August but the Cubs pulled him back.
  • Joel Zumaya said the Red Sox expressed an interest in him as soon as he hit free agency, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck.  Boston will be one of the 10 or more teams present when Zumaya throws a mound session in two weeks.  The right-hander underwent elbow surgery in March and didn't pitch last season.
  • Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter) lists, in order, the Yankees, Rangers and Phillies as the top candidates to sign Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler.
  • The Orioles interviewed Rick Peterson for their open minor league pitching coordinator's position, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Peterson (former pitching coach of the Brewers, Mets and Athletics) is also a candidate to be Bobby Valentine's new pitching coach with the Red Sox.
  • Also from Rosenthal, the Royals "backed off" pursuing free agent starters due to their large number of minor league pitching prospects and also because the club wants to remain flexible since they know not every young arm will properly develop.  The Royals re-signed Bruce Chen and their other major starting acquistion this winter (Jonathan Sanchez) came via a trade.
  • The Cardinals could make an acquisition or look internally to fill their middle infield needs, writes MLB.com's Matthew Leach, but the team won't know how much they have to spend until Albert Pujols makes his decision.

NL East Notes: Cespedes, Soler, Mets, Posada

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Here's the latest from the NL East…

  • The Braves are not planning to bid on Yoenis Cespedes, despite having some front office officials at one of the Cuban outfielder's recent workouts in the Dominican Republic, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Atlanta officials were making the trip to visit the team's Latin American operations (both Twitter links).
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo was scouting Cespedes in the Dominican, but Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports Rizzo was also there to check out Cuban outfielders Jorge Soler and Henry Urrutia, plus right-hander Armando Rivero.  Rizzo predicts Soler will receive a richer deal than Leonys Martin's $15.5MM contract with the Rangers.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson talked to reporters today (including Andrew Keh of the New York Times) and said he had had no contact with Jorge Posada's representatives.  It was reported earlier today that Posada approached the Mets about a job and been rejected, though Posada's agent Seth Levinson denied the rumor.   
  • "The reliever market right now is a little bit hard to predict,” Alderson said. “The signings that have taken place so far I think have emboldened agents to this point.”  Alderson was still confident the Mets will obtain some bullpen help at a reasonable price, pointing out that the number of quality arms still on the market.
  • An unnamed NL executive tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the Marlins have been "very active.  It'd be no surprise to me if they opened [their] new stadium with Jose Reyes, C.J. Wilson and a new good closer."  The Marlins got the first piece of that puzzle tonight by agreeing to terms with Heath Bell. 
  • Wilson Valdez is a non-tender candidate, but Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks the Phillies should hang onto the utilityman.

Phillies Interested In Jorge Soler

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Add the Phillies to the list of clubs interested in 19-year-old Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler.  Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Phils scouting director Marti Wolever "was extremely impressed" by Soler during a recent workout in the Dominican Republic.  Yoenis Cespedes also took part in that workout and while Philadelphia is known to be looking at the high-profile Cespedes as well, Soler would come at a much cheaper price than what Cespedes will command.

Soler, of course, is cheaper because he's still just 19 and at least a few years away from being a Major League player.  In addition to the Phillies, the Yankees, Nationals, Cubs, Marlins and Rangers have also shown interest in Soler. 

As Brookover notes, "the Phillies have almost never been a team that gets in bidding wars for international players," though this winter's activity will be limited by the $2.9MM cap on international bonuses under the new collective bargaining agreement.  Given the impressive scouting reports on Soler (including how he "might have more offensive upside" than Cespedes, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan), one would think a team would've spent more than $2.9MM on Soler alone were it not for the new cap.

East Notes: Ortiz, Braves, Soler, Sizemore, Yankees

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The Red Sox traded Coco Crisp to the Royals for Ramon Ramirez three years ago today, and four years prior to that the Nationals traded Maicer Izturis and Juan Rivera to the Angels for Jose Guillen. Here's the latest from baseball's two East divisions…

  • Infielder Matt Antonelli will undergo a physical on Monday to finalize his major league deal with the Orioles, tweets Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun.
  • Orioles GM Dan Duquette didn't sound terribly interested in signing a high-priced DH such as David Ortiz during an interview on WEEI (audio link, 9:00 mark).
  • If Liberty Media decided to sell the Braves, Mark Cuban wouldn't pursue the franchise, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  A recent AJC poll showed 95% of readers would like Cuban to buy the team but the eccentric owner told O'Brien that he would prefer to buy a team that is in need of a lot of help.  Liberty Media has the right to sell the team after the current CBA expires on December 11th, but there's no evidence that a sale is imminent.
  • The Marlins have already scouted Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. The 19-year-old has been working out for teams in the Dominican Republic, and yesterday we heard that the Rangers have scouted him as well.
  • The Indians and Grady Sizemore are in "serious discussions" about a reunion, but the Phillies had interest in the outfielder according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Current GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and former GM Pat Gillick visited Sizemore in Arizona on the first day of free agency.
  • “The free agent guys haven’t made me any offers,” said Yankees GM Brian Cashman to Dan Martin of The New York Post. “The free agent [market] is moving at a glacial speed. And the category I’m shopping in, I don’t believe guys are jumping off the board this week. The players I’m interested in won’t be coming off the board anytime soon."

West Notes: Soler, Padres, Arenado, Mariners

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Let's look at some news from both the AL and NL West….

  • The Rangers have scouted 19-year-old Cuban defector Jorge Soler, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.  Texas is one of a few teams who have interest in Soler, who Sullivan says "might have more offensive upside" than the heavily-scouted Yoenis Cespedes.
  • Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Adrian Gonzalez has been lobbying the Red Sox to check in on several Padres, including Heath Bell and strength/conditioning coach Jim Malone.  Boston is known to have an interest in Bell as a possible replacement for Jonathan Papelbon in the Red Sox bullpen.  Center also discusses San Diego's own closing situation among other topics as part of his weekly online chat with Padres fans.
  • Rockies third base prospect Nolan Arenado has hired Scott Boras as his agent, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.  Arenado was represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council when Colorado picked him in the second round of the 2009 draft.  Arenado, 20, has enjoyed a strong start to his pro career, compiling an .829 OPS in his first three seasons ranging from rookie league to high-A ball.
  • The Mariners can afford Prince Fielder, writes Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times and "aversion to risk is how mediocre teams stay bad a long, long time."  Baker figures that if the Mariners "eat most of the remaining cash on the Chone Figgins contract" and deal Jason Vargas or Brandon League, the club can afford the slugging first baseman.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes picked Seattle as Fielder's landing spot in his top 50 free agent predictions.
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