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Olney On Hamels, Hamilton, Quentin

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The free agent market will feature an unusually strong class of outfielders this coming offseason, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes. Josh Hamilton leads a group that includes Michael Bourn, Andre Ethier, Melky Cabrera, Shane Victorino, B.J. Upton and Carlos Quentin. However, teams are looking to avoid unnecessary long-term commitments, so it may not be possible for all of these players to cash in. Here are more notes from Olney:

  • Cole Hamels’ contract talks with the Phillies remain dormant, Olney reports. Hamels is on track for free agency after the season, when he’ll be the top starting pitcher available.
  • One general manager suggested the Orioles could become aggressive bidders for Hamilton, who will likely command an annual salary of $20MM-plus. "But [at that price] I don't think he's got a lot of places to go," the GM told Olney.
  • Some MLB officials guesstimate Quentin could be in line for a deal in the four-year, $48MM range if he stays healthy and keeps hitting. Four years and $60MM isn’t out of the question, according to those officials. 
  • Personally I see Quentin signing for two or three years at an average annual value of $6-9MM. He'll turn 30 before the offseason, his defense isn't particularly well-regarded and injury questions persist, so I believe he'd do well to match Josh Willingham's three-year, $21MM deal.

Heyman On Quentin, Hamilton

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The latest from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com..

  • The Padres haven't given up the idea of signing to Carlos Quentin to an extension even though he figures to be the star hitter of the trade market, Heyman writes.  However, the club's unsettled ownership situation could hurt the team's chances to retain him if it remains in limbo.  Heyman suggests that Michael Cuddyer, who got $31.5MM for three years from the Rockies, and Josh Willingham, who got $21MM for three years from the Twins could be solid comps.  Recently, Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at the veteran's stock on the trade market.
  • The Rangers expect Josh Hamilton to file for free agency at the end of the year but still may try to sign him before the season is through, according to Heyman.  The Rangers are believed to be willing to offer him a big annual salary but do not want to give a long-term deal along the lines of the Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto.  The Rangers have assigned a life coach to chaperone and monitor Hamilton, but people who have spoken to them say it has proven to be a very demanding job.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Morneau, Ruiz, Upton, Hamilton

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up, so let's recap…

  • Don't be surprised if the Twins consider trading Justin Morneau. The first baseman is owed $14MM both this season and next, and Minnesota likely needs the position for Joe Mauer long-term. Denard Span, Matt Capps, and Carl Pavano could also be on the block, but Morneau offers hard-to-find power. He has a no-trade clause but the extent is unknown.
  • The Phillies hold a $5MM option for 2013 on catcher Carlos Ruiz and an extension is warranted, but at 33 years old, Chooch is three years older than Yadier Molina and four years older than Miguel Montero. They aren't contract comparables.
  • This year's crop of free agent center fielders stand to benefit from Adam Jones' new six-year, $88.5MM extension, but age will again be a factor. B.J. Upton will be 28 next season and is two years younger than Michael Bourn and four years younger than Shane Victorino. All three will hit the open market after the season.
  • Josh Hamilton is unlikely to sign a contract extension with the Rangers, and the lack of comparable players (both on and off the field) make him even more likely to hit the open market. It's possible the only way to determine his actual value is to let other teams bid for his services as a free agent.

Quick Hits: McLouth, Padres, Oswalt, Hamilton

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It's never a good sign for a team when its catcher has the game's best pitching line.  Jeff Mathis' scoreless inning of mop-up work made him the only Blue Jay hurler to not allow a run in the Rangers' 14-3 drubbing of the Jays.  Nelson Cruz swung the hottest Texas bat, going 4-for-5 with a home run and eight RBIs.

Here's some more news from around the majors…

  • The Angels have "no real interest" in Nate McLouth, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (Twitter link).  McLouth was designated for assignment by the Pirates earlier today.
  • Major League Baseball has given approval for three ownership groups to review the Padres' financial records as a step towards possibly buying the team, reports MLB.com's Barry M. Bloom.  The groups are respectively headed by Thomas Tull, Peter O'Malley and Steve Cohen.  Tony Gwynn is affiliated with Tull's group, while O'Malley and Cohen also recently bid to buy the Dodgers.
  • Roy Oswalt needs to show some compromise if he really wants to pitch for the Rangers, writes Evan P. Grant for the Dallas Morning News (subscription required).
  • The Rangers should be willing to pay Josh Hamilton $180MM+ to keep him from leaving as a free agent, opines Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  "You don't let immense talent walk. Immense talent always stays. Even if you overpay, immense talent, the best talent in baseball, stays — warts, demons and all," Galloway says.
  • Juan Carlos Oviedo has received his visa and will arrive at the Marlins' minor league headquarters on Monday, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  Oviedo and his representatives have not decided if they will appeal Oviedo's eight-week suspension for playing under a false identity as Leo Nunez.
  • The week's minor league transactions are recapped by Matt Eddy of Baseball America.

Nolan Ryan Expects Hamilton To Test Free Agency

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Rangers president Nolan Ryan spoke to reporters (including MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan) today, saying that he expects Josh Hamilton to test free agency after the season. Ryan said the team will “put their best foot forward” during contract talks, but he expects the situation to drag out until “either at the end of November or December.”

Hamilton, 30, currently leads the American League in batting average (.399), OBP (.452), SLG (.826), homers (18), and RBI (45). Contract talks between the two sides were a hot topic following the outfielder's four-homer game last month, but Hamilton said he would not negotiate during the season this past winter.

AL West Notes: Ross, Hamilton, Angels, League

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Links from the AL West, before the Rangers and Yu Darvish host the Angels and C.J. Wilson in Arlington…

  • The Rangers offered left-hander Robbie Ross to the Mets in a package of players for Carlos Beltran last summer, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link). The Mets ultimately passed on Ross and obtained Zack Wheeler from the Giants.
  • The Rangers would do well to sign Josh Hamilton to a short-term deal at a high average annual value, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. A four-year $100MM deal could work, Rosenthal suggests. The MLBPA views drug and alcohol-related contract provisions as unenforceable, according to Rosenthal, who offers a short history of related disputes between teams and players.
  • The Angels aren't seeking outside catching help now, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com tweets. They'll rely on internal options such as Bobby Wilson until Chris Iannetta returns from wrist surgery one or two months from now.
  • Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner says the Mariners should shop Brandon League before his value drops because Seattle's bullpen could manage without him and rival teams would be interested in potential trades.
  • Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak was once a top prospect, but ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden says we should adjust our expectations for him and accept that he’s not going to be a middle-of-the-order hitter.

Rangers Notes: Hamilton, Moreland

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Josh Hamilton has generated lots of contract chatter this week after hitting four home runs in a single game against the Orioles. Here’s the latest on the Rangers, starting, of course, with Hamilton’s contract status:

  • Agent Scott Boras doesn't represent Hamilton, but he told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that we can expect "one of the most intriguing negotiations in all of sports" leading up to the outfielder's next contract. Nightengale's sources agree that Hamilton will earn at least $20MM per season for five years or more when he signs, whether he obtains an extension from the Rangers or signs as a free agent this offseason. I recommend Nightengale’s entire piece, which includes insights from many on Hamilton’s situation.
  • Jay Franklin, the agent for Ian Kinsler, now represents Mitch Moreland as well, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter link). Moreland had been a client of the Hendricks brothers. Check out MLBTR’s Agency Database for information regarding player representation.

Quick Hits: Indians, Hernandez, Hamilton, Dodgers

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On this day four years ago, the Padres released Jim Edmonds after he hit just .178/.265/.233 through 26 games.  On May 14th, the Cubs picked up the veteran for the prorated portion of the league minimum.  Edmonds proved to be a fantastic bargain as he hit .256/.369/.568 with 19 homers across 85 games.  Here’s a look at tonight’s linkage..

  • Indians manager Manny Acta said that Roberto Hernandez’s camp initially believed that his visa issues would’ve been resolved by now, tweets MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian.  Hernandez remains in the Dominican Republic.
  • Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton doesn’t believe that his past troubles will make his free agency “complicated,” writes Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated.  The soon-to-be 31-year-old added that his relationship with the club his deep and one that he hopes to extend.
  • In order to keep the Dodgers fan base on board, Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times implores the new ownership group to be forthcoming from this point forward.  Dilbeck notes that while Magic Johnson’s ownership stake is known to be roughly 3%, the rest of the breakdown is still under wraps.

Latest On Rangers, Josh Hamilton

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Josh Hamilton provided yet another reminder that he’s one of the game’s elite players last night, hitting four home runs against the Orioles. He already has 14 home runs this year and he leads the American League in batting average (.406), on-base percentage (.458) and slugging percentage (.840). He’s on track for free agency following the 2012 season; here’s the latest on his contract status:

  • The Texas star doesn't believe that the uncertainty will become a distraction this season, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas News.  "I've been completely able to block it out," said Hamilton. "It's out of of my hands. If I end up with Texas, great; I'll be happy to be here. If not, I'll be happy to go wherever God sends us."
  • Hamilton maintains that he knows nothing of the contract talks between the Rangers and his agent Mike Moye, writes Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram.  The outfielder also boasted of his impressive production in limited games versus the numbers of others in full seasons.
  • Jim Bowden suggests Hamilton’s next contract will pay him $23-26MM per season in a piece at ESPN.com. Bowden expects Hamilton to sign a deal that includes vesting options to protect his team from off-field issues or injuries.
  • Hamilton has said he'll talk to the Rangers first if he reaches free agency after the season, Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com reports.
  • The Rangers have reopened negotiations and are discussing a long-term deal, Yahoo’s Jeff Passan reports. However, the team remains wary of handing out a contract such as the ten-year, $240MM deal Albert Pujols obtained or the nine-year, $214MM deal Prince Fielder obtained. 
  • Following yesterday’s performance, three general managers told Passan they’d have trouble giving Hamilton much more than six years, even if he plays a full, healthy season in 2012. GMs believe Hamilton may end up seeking a shorter-term deal at a higher average annual value.
  • Though Hamilton’s asking price is on the rise, he downplayed contract talk, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. "I'm under contract with the Rangers for this season and that's the way I'm treating it," Hamilton said. "I'm getting paid to play baseball for the Rangers and I'm going to give them everything I've got and try to do the best I can for them."
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says last night wasn't about contract talks. "This was a night to celebrate one of the most gifted athletes ever to play the game, to revel in who he is, right now."
  • Hamilton's past addiction and health issues make it tough for the Rangers to commit to him long-term, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets.

Heyman On Montero, Rivera, Rodney, Hamilton

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Though offseason additions such as Albert Pujols and Heath Bell have disappointed so far this year, other free agent signings are playing well for new teams. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com puts together a list of 25 such players, including C.J. Wilson, Bartolo Colon and Edwin Jackson. Here’s more from Heyman:

  • Heyman hears negotiations between the Diamondbacks and Miguel Montero could start up again soon (Twitter link). Montero, a free agent this offseason, has been seeking a four-year, $52MM deal.
  • The Yankees want Mariano Rivera back in 2013, but he'll have to wait until the season ends to discuss a contract, per team policy (Twitter link).
  • The Angels continue seeking relief help, Heyman tweets. However, few teams are looking to sell just yet.
  • Fernando Rodney says he signed with the Rays because they believed in his ability. "With the Angels they tried to change my mechanics to throw more strikes,'' Rodney recalled. "Here they told me, you come here, we're not going to change anything.''
  • Heyman suggests the Mets should extend manager Terry Collins for doing a “terrific job” (Twitter link).
  • One management person suggested a five-year, $100MM deal could work for the Rangers and Josh Hamilton, Heyman reports. One agent says a seven or eight-year deal worth $25-30MM per season seems more appropriate, assuming there’s protection for the Rangers. For more on Hamilton’s next contract, check out this post from earlier today.
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