Rangers Consider Josh Hamilton Extension
MONDAY: A minor update from Sullivan:
The Rangers have expressed an interest to Hamilton’s agent Michael Moye and got a positive response in return. No offers have been exchanged on either side.
THURSDAY: MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan says the Rangers may attempt to sign Josh Hamilton to a long-term deal this spring. He notes that the Rangers have a history of doing spring deals with pre-arbitration players, with Ian Kinsler, Hank Blalock, and Michael Young serving as examples.
I wonder if Dustin Pedroia‘s recent six-year, $40.5MM extension could be a model, as both players have two years of service time. Nick Markakis has three years service time already. But if you look at his third through his eighth seasons, he’ll earn about $47MM.
Rangers Considering Andruw Jones
8:58pm: Jeff Wilson writes in the Dallas Morning News that Andruw Jones worked out at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington Jan. 26. Rangers GM Jon Daniels confirmed that Jones worked out with Rudy Jaramillo, the Rangers hitting coach.
Wilson writes that Jones would probably be offered a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training.
3:32pm: T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com chimes in on the Andruw Jones rumor.
The article suggests we downgrade from "close to agreement" status, as we reported earlier, to "strongly considering," to quote Sullivan.
1:57pm: Andruw Jones is close to signing a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers, Yahoo! Sports’ Tim Brown reports.
Brown also states that Jones had earlier declined a non-roster invitation to Spring Training from the New York Yankees.
The signing could potentially help the team move Josh Hamilton to right field, which would likely keep him healthier over the course of an entire season. Of course, Jones’ most recent major league showings have indicated a need for drastic improvement before he can contribute at a big league level.
Dallas Morning News: Jon Daniels Q&A
Mike Hindman of the Dallas Morning News recently conducted a Q&A with Rangers GM Jon Daniels. A few highlights:
- Daniels thought the Rangers had a great chance to sign Michael Inoa, as ownership made a budget exception to pursue him.
- Daniels doesn’t seem inclined to trade his top pitching prospects for a young big league starter. He still has certain targets though.
- A contract extension for Josh Hamilton will probably be explored during the first three months of 2009.
- Daniels knows what he wants to do with Milton Bradley, but wouldn’t reveal it.
- He expects to exercise Hank Blalock‘s $6.2MM option for ’09.
- Daniels sees a "good possibility" of making a trade involving one of his four young catchers, but adds that it depends on the market. Daniels wouldn’t be opposed to trading both Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia in separate deals. He also admitted that the Red Sox inquired about catching.
- Daniels will attempt to improve the bullpen via free agency this winter.
Odds and Ends: Hoyer, Denker, Manny
Links for Monday…
- Baseball America ranks the teams by their total draft expenditures. The Royals spent over $11MM, leading the pack.
- SI’s Tom Verducci talked to one "club pitching expert" who considers free agent Chan Ho Park a sleeper starter for next year.
- MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan figures a long-term extension for Josh Hamilton will be a top priority for the Rangers this winter. Sullivan also has a note about Jake Peavy only wanting to go to an NL team, despite the recent article about Peavy being open to three AL clubs.
- Red Sox assistant GM Jed Hoyer turned down a chance to interview for the Mariners job, according to Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald.
- McCovey Chronicles is baffled by the Giants’ decision to let second baseman Travis Denker go.
- Chad Durbin suggests Manny Ramirez charged in aggressively from left field yesterday for show.
- We took a look at Ryan Dempster from a fantasy baseball perspective a few days ago.
Odds and Ends: Sexson, K-Rod, Halladay
Random links for the day…
- We’ll have our weekly live chat here today at 2pm CST.
- R.J. Anderson of DRays Bay writes the Rays Comprehensive Trade Post.
- Brian Cashman confirmed interest in Richie Sexson.
- Danny Knobler quotes Francisco Rodriguez as saying that the Angels offered him three years, $34MM in November.
- Josh Hamilton called all his friends to tell them he was a Cub, then had to call them all back.
- People in Pedro Alvarez‘s neighorhood expect him to sign.
- Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay wants to see the team make some progress.
- Viva El Birdos would like to see the Cardinals acquire Jarrod Washburn.
- Ichiro’s profane, annual AL All-Star team pep talk.
Odds and Ends: Yorman, Hamilton, Ng, Carrasco
Some odds and ends before you fire up the grill…
- The Twins signed their other first round pick, Carlos Gutierrez.
- According to Jeff Passan, 15 year-old Venezuelan center fielder Yorman Rodriguez may have already agreed to a deal with the Reds.
- MLB.com’s Jim Molony notes that the Phillies’ director of Major League scouting watched a recent Red Sox-Astros game.
- Like Brian Bannister, Arizona’s Max Scherzer uses an understanding of BABIP to his advantage.
- Josh Hamilton sensed jealousy in the Reds’ clubhouse. Wayne Krivsky says it wasn’t a factor in the trade but that "there were issues in the clubhouse."
- Yahoo’s Tim Brown has an article on Kim Ng.
- Phillies’ pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco has "mild soreness" in his pitching shoulder.
- Jeff Francoeur has been sent to Double A to reboot his swing.
- I chatted with Eric DeLash over at his blog. I also answered some questions from The Blog Of Champions.
Odds and Ends: Bonds, Davis, Chulk, Ichiro
Time for some random linkage.
- I’ll be on XM Radio today at about 5pm CST – channels 176-189 with Mike Ferrin.
- The Dodgers signed Jerome Williams – remember him?
- Viva El Birdos runs through starting pitchers who might be on the Cardinals’ radar.
- Sam Mellinger of the KC Star takes a look at Dayton Moore’s trade record. Meanwhile, Joe Posnanski explains why the Royals should sign Barry Bonds.
- Ken Rosenthal doesn’t want to let Ed Wade off the hook in the Shawn Chacon dustup.
- Red Reporter thinks the Reds are winning the Edinson Volquez–Josh Hamilton swap.
- Rangers first base prospect Chris Davis is getting the call.
- Russell Branyan has been training his eyes.
- "Unsubstantiated report" – the Phillies might have interest in recently-designated reliever Vinnie Chulk.
- Mariners beat writer Geoff Baker expects the team to shop Ichiro.
- Buster Olney sees the Rays as a sleeper in the C.C. Sabathia derby.
- Omar Minaya defends the Luis Castillo signing.
Volquez For Hamilton Revisited
Recently Bob Nightengale of USA Today revisited the off-season deal that sent Edinson Volquez from the Rangers to the Reds for Josh Hamilton. Nightengale noted that both teams have no regrets and that the deal "continues to reverberate around baseball".
Rarely does a deal work out so well for both teams, especially so soon. Volquez is one of the early candidates for the NL Cy Young and Hamilton is an early leader for the AL MVP. Both are expected to be All-Stars next month.
It is rare for two teams to swap young players of this caliber, although this was just one of two such deals this past winter. The Twins and Rays swapped Matt Garza and Delmon Young. Unlike the Volquez-Hamilton deal, the Garza-Young deal has been more beneficial for the Rays, at least early on.
This got me thinking…Has there ever been another deal in which two young major leaguers with this level of potential were swapped for each other and made such an immediate impact for their new clubs?
Let’s here your thoughts in the comments…
Josh Hamilton Switches Agents
TODAY: The blog It Is About The Money, Stupid got a call from agent Matt Sosnick and learned a little more about Hamilton’s decision.
6-2-08: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Josh Hamilton and the Rangers were closing in on a long-term deal until the player decided to switch agents. Heyman says Hamilton switched from Sosnick Cobbe Sports to Moye Sports Associates because he "wanted to be with a Christian stable."
Hamilton, 27, is the early favorite for the AL MVP award. He won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2010.
Rangers Talking Long-Term Deal For Hamilton
According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers have discussed a long-term deal for center fielder Josh Hamilton internally as well as with his agent. Hamilton, 27, has to be considered the current frontrunner for the AL MVP award. No pair of teammates in the AL has combined for more offensive production than Hamilton and Milton Bradley.
Hamilton’s arbitration years will be from 2010-12. The Rangers shouldn’t be in a huge rush, as Hamilton will make less than a million bucks in ’09.