Marlins Sign Jose Reyes
Anyone still wondering if the Miami Marlins are serious about making a splash this offseason? The Marlins officially signed star shortstop Jose Reyes to a six-year, $106MM deal today. Reyes will receive a heavily backloaded $102MM over six guaranteed years, and has a $4MM buyout on a seventh year option worth $22MM. The backloaded nature of the deal could serve as a no-trade clause, something the deal does not include. Reyes is represented by Peter E. Greenberg & Associates.
As a free agent shortstop in his prime, Reyes was a rarity. The 28-year-old had one of the finest seasons of his nine-year Mets career in 2011, winning his first batting title and posting the fourth season in which he was worth about six wins above replacement. Mets owner Fred Wilpon famously told a reporter in April that Reyes wouldn't get Carl Crawford money, and while Reyes fell one year and $36MM short of that benchmark, he did join Crawford as just baseball's second $100MM player without a 20 home run season on his resume. Reyes' contract was depressed by his injury history, as he hasn't played 135 games in a season since '08. I still like the deal for the Marlins, as Reyes doesn't have to be amazing or play 162 games a year to be worth $17.67MM annually.
The signing means that the Marlins will ask Hanley Ramirez to move to third base, an idea that may not thrill him.
The Mets were willing to offer Reyes a five-year deal for $75-85MM with a sixth year option, but felt that they could not push their offer any further, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). At today's press conference, Reyes suggested the Mets never made an offer. GM Sandy Alderson made the decision not to trade Reyes this summer partly because he hoped to re-sign the team's longtime shortstop. The new collective bargaining agreement did not affect Reyes' status as a Type A free agent, and the Mets will receive the Marlins' third-round pick as well as a supplemental pick in the 2012 draft for their loss (unless the Marlins sign C.J. Wilson or Albert Pujols, among others). It appears that although the Marlins did not give their second-round pick to the Padres for Heath Bell, Bell's higher Elias ranking still pushes the Mets' pick to the third round. In addition to the Mets, the Brewers were expected to be in on the 28-year-old and had planned to meet with his agents this week.
Armed with deeper pockets and the appeal of a brand new ballpark, the Marlins have been aggressive in their courtship of top free agents this winter. They signed closer Heath Bell a few days ago, have an offer out to C.J. Wilson, and remain in the mix for Mark Buehrle and even Albert Pujols.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports broke news of the agreement and the absence of a no-trade clause, ESPN's Jayson Stark added contract deals, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com first reported the length of the offer, and other details were also provided by Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated and Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Tim Dierkes contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Jose Reyes Signing Reactions
Before the Winter Meetings officially got underway, the Marlins struck the week's first major blow, agreeing to terms with Jose Reyes on a six-year, $106MM contract. Despite the shortstop's injury history, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes likes the signing for Miami, since Reyes "doesn't have to be amazing or play 162 games a year to be worth $17.67MM annually." Here's a round-up of a few more instant reactions to the deal:
- While the Marlins took a risk committing over $100MM to Reyes, he has the potential to turn into a genuine bargain, writes Dave Cameron of Fangraphs.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan thinks the contract matches up favorably to Carl Crawford's deal, although "the idea of budget-conscious Mets and free-spending Marlins takes a minute to process."
- ESPN.com's Keith Law (Insider link) views the contract as a big risk for Miami, arguing that, given Reyes' injury history, it seems "wildly optimistic" to assume he'll still be a viable shortstop by the end of the deal.
- In another Insider piece, ESPN's Jim Bowden writes that Reyes provides the Marlins with a "much-needed dose of star power." Whereas Law saw the Mets as major winners in the process for avoiding a long-term risk, Bowden considers them the big loser in the deal.
- The Mets have to rebuild their credibility along with their roster after losing Reyes, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The Mets are justified in letting Reyes go, but their approach made it look like they intended to finish second in the bidding, writes John Harper of the New York Daily News.
- Adam Rubin of ESPN New York assigns the blame for Reyes' departure from New York on the Wilpons and Bernie Madoff, among others, rather than the player or GM.
- When Reyes and Hanley Ramirez are both healthy and productive, they'll be perfect fits for the style of play preferred by new manager Ozzie Guillen, says Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider link).
- Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog respects GM Sandy Alderson's approach on Reyes, but is disappointed to see the Mets star snapped up by a division rival.
- Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer takes a look at what Reyes' signing means for the new top shortstop on the market, Jimmy Rollins.
East Links: Damon, Reyes, Nats, Orioles, Manny
Some links pertaining to baseball's Eastern division teams as the Winter Meetings draw near…
- Don't rule out Johnny Damon for the Orioles, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- Marlins people are saying it's still possible Hanley Ramirez could move to center field but a source close to Ramirez says he's already agreed to play third base, tweets Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.
- Ramirez's agent will not comment on the Marlins' signing of Jose Reyes, writes Tim Brown of Yahoo. The Fish are expected to ask Ramirez to shift from shortstop to third base to accommodate Reyes.
- The Orioles are looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder who can back up in center field and possibly platoon in left field, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
- The Nationals center field targets include Peter Bourjos, B.J. Upton, and maybe Angel Pagan if he is non-tendered, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn't think he'll have any interest in Manny Ramirez if he makes a comeback, tweets Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal.
- The Nationals are one team that is maintaining interest in Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes despite his increasing price tag, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Their pursuit of the center fielder may hinge on their negotiations with Mark Buehrle, C.J. Wilson, and Prince Fielder though.
- Former Red Sox first base coach Ron Johnson will manage the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, according to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo (on Twitter).
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out (via Twitter) that it was new Orioles GM Dan Duquette who signed Manny Ramirez to his eight-year, $160MM contract with the Red Sox and wonders if he might sign Ramirez once more.
- SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Duquette called Ramirez's attempted comeback an "interesting development." The Orioles are in the market for a designated hitter.
Mets Notes: Wright, Reyes, Finances
Tonight, the Marlins reached agreement with Jose Reyes on a six-year, $106MM deal. Shortly before that news broke, Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke to the press and confirmed what was widely assumed: the Mets would not be able to compete with such a deal. Here's more on the Mets..
- The Mets didn't get a final courtesy call before Reyes agreed to the deal with Miami, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- Alderson said that the Mets will not trade David Wright, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Roughly three weeks ago, Alderson said that he would have to be blown away by an offer in order to move the third baseman.
- Alderson remarked that the team lost $70MM, not counting any money they may have lost in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme, Rubin writes. The GM declined to say if that figure was just for the 2011 season or for a longer period of time.
- Alderson also stressed that he doesn't have a hard-and-fast rule for deals that are for five years or more.
Brewers’ GM To Meet With Reyes’ Agents
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin will meet with the agents for Jose Reyes this coming week at the Winter Meetings, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
Reyes' main suitor this offseason has been the suddenly free-spending Marlins, who have a reported offer of six years and perhaps as much as $90MM on the table to lure Reyes to Miami. Recently, it's been said that Reyes may be down to only the Marlins and the Mets, but he figures to be a popular topic of discussion throughout the Winter Meetings.
Reyes captured his first batting title in his age-28 season by hitting .337/.384/.493. He stole 39 bases and led the league with 16 triples despite hitting the disabled list two different times with hamstring injuries.
Marlins, Reyes Agree To Six-Year Deal
8:54pm: Reyes' deal does not include a no-trade clause, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.
8:47pm: The Marlins and Reyes have agreed to a six-year, $106MM deal, pending a physical, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
8:35pm: Mets GM Sandy Alderson addressed the media and confirmed that if the Marlins are offering a six-year, $111MM deal, the Mets won't be able to compete, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Furthermore, the Mets have yet to make a concrete offer to the shortstop, tweets Mike Puma of the NY Post.
8:21pm: Reyes to the Marlins appears to be imminent, but Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter) continues to hear that the numbers are less than those being reported.
7:57pm: The Marlins and Reyes are close on a six-year deal, believed to be for $110MM, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
7:49pm: The reported terms of $111MM over six years are definitely not correct, an American League source tells Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter). Rodriguez stresses that this doesn't mean that the Marlins aren't closing in on Reyes.
6:37pm: The Marlins came to the meetings with the idea of bumping their offer to Reyes and setting a deadline, but now they've upped the offer so much that they may not need to give the shortstop a deadline, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.
6:29pm: The Mets are now aware of the Marlins $100MM+ offer and are out of the bidding, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. Barring a change of heart, it would seem that Reyes is leaving New York. The Mets were willing to go to a five-year deal for $75-85MM with an option for a sixth year to take the deal over $100MM, but felt that they were stretching for the five-year deal and won't extend to a sixth, Sherman tweets.
6:15pm: The Mets have not been alerted yet by the Reyes camp of the reported six-year, $111MM deal and if the numbers are accurate, it would mark a dramatic increase from what the Mets heard 48 hours ago, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links).
The Mets and Brewers had planned to offer Reyes something in the range of $75-80MM, says Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter).
5:53pm: The Marlins have offered Jose Reyes a six-year, $111MM deal, a source tells Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com (Spanish link). The deal would pay $106MM for six years with a $22MM option for a seventh season with a $5MM buyout.
This marks a significant increase from Miami's offer a few weeks ago, which was reportedly in the neighborhood of $90MM over six years. It was recently reported that Reyes might be down to just the Marlins and Mets, but the Brewers have also made plans to meet with the shortstop's agents this week.
Rojas' source also says that the Marlins are the favorite to land Albert Pujols if he does not return to St. Louis.
Jose Reyes Rumors: Friday
Earlier today we learned that the Marlins are "putting an all-out press" on Jose Reyes, and they are considering increasing their initial offer from the $75-90MM range. Here's the latest on the free agent shortstop…
- The Marlins have not given Reyes any kind of deadline or ultimatum according to Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel (on Twitter). They are prepared to wait him out beyond the winter meetings if necessary.
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson did touch base with Reyes' representatives today, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post (all Twitter links). Andy McCullough of The Star Ledger says the team is still waiting for Reyes' side to come back with an offer for them to match, a right they expect to have. The Mets would reportedly offer five years and $80MM, but not a sixth guaranteed year.
- Adam Rubin of ESPN New York points out that if Reyes signs with the Marlins, the Mets would only receive Florida's third round pick as compensation. The Marlins' first round pick is protected, and their second rounder is technically going to the Padres since Heath Bell is a higher ranked free agent than Reyes. The Fish will keep their second rounder with a made-up pick going to San Diego, but an MLB official confirmed that it will be treated the same way as previous years.
- It does not appear that Reyes will be signing with anyone before the winter meeting start on Monday, reports Newsday's David Lennon (on Twitter).
Marlins Eyeing Aramis, Pursuing Reyes, Buehrle
The Marlins have discussed the possibility of signing Prince Fielder and some of their front office executives like the idea of pursuing the 27-year-old free agent, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. However, Miami is more active in its pursuit of Albert Pujols and other top free agents. The latest:
- The Marlins are putting an all-out press on Jose Reyes and hope to sign him before next week's Winter Meetings, according to Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio (Twitter link).
- However, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark hears that the Marlins have made so little headway with Reyes that they could make a push for Aramis Ramirez (Twitter links). Agent Paul Kinzer acknowledges he has had some discussions with the Marlins, but says talks are now becoming serious with four teams.
- The biggest obstacle preventing Mark Buehrle from signing in Miami is the team's reluctance to give him a no-trade clause, according to Rosenthal. The holdup in the talks may push the Marlins to pursue another free agent lefty, C.J. Wilson. The Rangers and Angels are also in the mix for Wilson, while the Nationals like both Wilson and Buehrle. Though Buehrle prefers the Midwest, he'd be happy to join former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in the National League, Rosenthal reports.
Rosenthal On Capuano, Fielder, Marlins, Red Sox
The Twins offered Chris Capuano a two-year deal before he accepted the Dodgers' offer, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Here are more of Rosenthal's notes from around MLB…
- The Marlins have discussed Prince Fielder internally and some team officials like the idea of pursuing him, according to Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi. However, they're more focused on Albert Pujols. Agent Scott Boras is telling teams that Fielder is the last available young power bat until Mike Stanton hits free agency.
- The Pirates were also pursuing Capuano before he signed, Morosi tweets.
- One GM says other teams backed off from Jose Reyes after the Marlins offered him $90MM over six years.
- The Cardinals offered Albert Pujols a nine-year deal worth $190-200MM in Spring Training and haven’t changed their proposal since.
- The Red Sox are exploring every trade possibility and considering every free agent closer, according to Rosenthal. Boston is hoping to find a bargain somewhere in the crowded market for top-tier relievers.
Heyman On Braves, Wilson, Reyes, Astros, Minaya
The Marlins agreed to sign Heath Bell last night and they may make more major free agent signings later this month. Here’s the latest from Jon Heyman of SI.com, starting with a note on the Marlins (Twitter links):
- The Braves want a young outfielder and shortstop plus other players for Jair Jurrjens.
- The Yankees have looked at free agent left-hander Mike Gonzalez.
- The Nationals will push for C.J. Wilson, according to Heyman. They want a left-handed starter and Wilson appears to be their top target.
- The Marlins are optimistic about signing Jose Reyes and they are considering upping their initial bid (it was in the $75-90MM range). The Mets and Marlins appear to be Reyes' two main suitors, but interested teams view the Tigers as a threat to sign the shortstop. “They are good poker players,” one exec said.
- The Astros are shopping Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers and Carlos Lee. I’d guess it’s unlikely they make a move before they hire a new GM.
- The Astros "will do whatever it takes'' to hire Rays executive Andrew Friedman, according to Heyman. Friedman is unsure if he wants to leave the Rays, however.
- The Padres and Brewers are showing interest in former Mets and Expos GM Omar Minaya and he may make a decision soon.
- Jorge Posada would like to play if he can find the right job and Heyman suggests the Marlins are a possible fit for the switch-hitter.