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Josh Johnson

Josh Johnson Recap

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Back in November, speaking to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, Josh Johnson's agent Matt Sosnick ruled out the chance of the Marlins signing his client long-term this winter:

"Based on our conversations, there's no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins.  We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn't going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed."

One issue at the time was the Marlins' unwillingness to add a fourth year, according to Sosnick.  About a week later Marlins GM Michael Hill said publicly that Johnson would still open the 2010 season with his team.

A ray of hope surfaced on December 1st, when ESPN's Jayson Stark learned that the Marlins were still optimistic about signing Johnson (but they still didn't guarantee that fourth year).  Later that day Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggested Johnson would accept a four-year, $42MM deal ($4MM more than Zack Greinke's deal).  However, Sosnick said a few weeks later that Johnson would not sign a deal that did not "far exceed" Greinke's.

MLB.com's Joe Frisaro talked to Sosnick today.  The agent sounded a bit more optimistic:

"We're doing everything we can to try to bridge the gap, and get a deal done.  And we're wanting to do something that will keep J.J. in Florida for the long term."

Failing a long-term deal, the Marlins still need to hammer out a 2010 salary for Johnson as he enters his second arbitration year.  Sticking with Greinke, he earned only $3.75MM in what would've been his second arb year.  Cole Hamels will get $6.65MM.  Scott Kazmir earned $6MM.  Joe Blanton, who's been going year-to-year, earned $5.475MM.  It will be interesting to see where Johnson lands; as a young ace in his second arb year he's in the same boat as Justin Verlander and Felix Hernandez.

Agent: Johnson Likely To Be Traded After Season

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Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post spoke with Matt Sosnick, the agent for Josh Johnson, who believes Johnson will be on a new club before the start of the '11 season.

"My hope is that he signs a long-term deal and stays in Florida,' Sosnick said. "But I would say it's much more likely that we'll do a one-year deal this year and he's playing for somebody else in 2011.'

Sosnick also made it clear that Johnson is seeking a deal that "far exceeds" the deal that Zack Greinke's four-year, $38MM contract signed last winter. Sosnick notes that Johnson's '09 season was better than the season Greinke had prior to signing his contract.

Earlier this month we learned that Johnson would accept a four-year, $42MM extension, but the Marlins are only offering three years and $23MM. Marlins GM Michael Hill was emphatic that Johnson would not be traded this off-season.

Players Tendered Contracts

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Midnight ET is the non-tender deadline, so we'll keep track of all the players who are offered and/or agreed to contracts today in this post. Keep coming back throughout the day for updates.

Rangers Tuesday Recap

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Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas rounds up some Texas Rangers-related rumors from the second day of the winter meetings. We've heard one or two of these already, but let's check out the highlights of Durrett's recap….

  • The Rangers are looking to bolster their bullpen, and names of interest include J.J. Putz, Matt Lindstrom, and Brett Myers. Ramon Ramirez and Chris Ray are also on their radar.
  • As FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi indicated earlier today, no Kevin Millwood trade appears imminent. A few teams are interested, but the Rangers will pull the trigger only on "the right deal." Presumably the "right" return is more about money than talent.
  • If the club is able to move Millwood, they'd look to fill the hole in their rotation with another veteran starter. Ben Sheets and Rich Harden are potential options, with the Rangers hoping to meet with Sheets' agent this week.
  • Dealing Millwood would also allow Texas to free up some money to pursue a right-handed bat. Perhaps Vladimir Guerrero or Jermaine Dye.
  • The team is looking for a catcher as well. Durrett names Jason Kendall, Rod Barajas, Jose Molina, and Yorvit Torrealba as targets.
  • Durrett and others heard earlier that the Rangers offered top prospects Neftali Feliz and Justin Smoak to Florida in exchange for Josh Johnson. Another official denies that Texas made that proposal, but suggests that the team does have interest in Johnson.

Odds & Ends: Unit, Rhodes, Crisp, Valverde

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More links for the evening…

Rangers Offered Smoak & Feliz For Johnson

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The Rangers must be confident in their chances next year. Both T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com and Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com are reporting that the team offered Justin Smoak and Neftali Feliz to the Marlins for Josh Johnson.

If that offer didn't get it done, then the Marlins truly are committed to starting the season with their 25-year-old ace. Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post says the Marlins are still open to an extension with Johnson.

Marlins Meeting Notes: Uggla, Bullpen, Free Agents

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Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald looks at what's in store for the Marlins as the Winter Meetings approach:

  • No surprise here, but the Marlins won't be players for any reputable free agents. In fact, were you aware that over the past three offseasons, the most the Marlins have spent on any one free agent was the $2MM they gave Luis Gonzalez in 2007? Needless to say, Matt Holliday and Jason Bay aren't headed to South Florida.
  • The Giants have been one of the most outspoken suitors for Dan Uggla, but the Marlins have asked for Madison Bumgarner in any deal for Uggla. The Giants top pitching prospect is a hefty price to pay, and could lead the Giants to pursue other avenues to add some thunder.
  • As we've heard before, Renyel Pinto and Matt Lindstrom could very well be moved at the Winter Meetings.
  • Even if Pinto and Lindstrom stay put, the Marlins will be on the lookout for affordable bullpen help now that Kiko Calero and Brendan Donnelly have departed.
  • The Marlins will turn to internal options such as Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison to replace departed free agent Nick Johnson and his monstrous OBP.
  • Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco are the team's two locks for the starting rotation. From there, a combination of Anibal Sanchez, Andrew Miller, Sean West, Rick VandenHurk, Chris Volstad, and Hayden Penn will fill out the final three spots.

Spencer closes, quoting Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest: "We'll definitely be active… There's no reason to go there and not do anything. Whether that leads to anything is anyone's guess."

Odds & Ends: Crawford, Hernandez, Tigers

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Some news tidbits that aren't arbitration-related on this busy day in the majors…

  • Rays general manager and executive VP Andrew Friedman told Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times that the team has no plans to deal Carl Crawford, and said that the "mutual goal" of both Crawford and the Rays was to work out a long-term contract.
  • From Topkin's same post, he notes that Tampa Bay won't go after an established free agent closer this winter but relief pitching is still the club's top need.
  • Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi use the Marlins' negotiations with Josh Johnson as a springboard to speculate about how much it would cost Seattle to sign Felix Hernandez to an extension.
  • CBS Sports' Danny Knobler discusses how the Tigers aren't acting very desperate for a team that's allegedly having a fire sale.
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson says that Ron Villone might be the only Nationals free agent who the team would want back in 2010.
  • Marc Carig of the New Jersey Star-Ledger reports that if any free agents are curious about playing for the Yankees, Derek Jeter says they're welcome to call and ask him any questions they might have.  Jeter could save himself some time by simply mailing every prospective free agent a picture of his hand wearing five World Series rings.

Marlins Still Optimistic For Josh Johnson Extension?

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3:19pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say Johnson would accept a four-year, $42MM extension, but the Marlins offered three years and $23MM.  It seems to me that both the Marlins and Johnson's agent Matt Sosnick are using Zack Greinke's deal as a baseline.  The writers note that Johnson and Felix Hernandez have some similarities, but Felix might require four years and $40-50MM to extend.

2:17pm: ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Marlins are "telling other teams they still believe they'll wind up signing [Josh Johnson] to a long-term deal," despite reaching an apparent impasse in the talks last month.  Furthermore, Stark talked to a source who spoke to a Marlins exec who says that the Fish offered three guaranteed years with an easy vesting option for a fourth.  If that vesting option is the only real stumbling block, maybe the two sides can reach an agreement.

Rangers Rumors: Marlins Talks, Dye, Millwood

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The latest Rangers hot stove buzz, courtesy of MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan…

  • The Rangers were told by the Marlins that Josh Johnson is not available, which jives with Michael Hill's recent comments.  Texas also inquired on other Marlins pitchers, and Sullivan says "there doesn't appear to be a match."
  • Sullivan says the teams had "absolutely no discussions" about Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla.  On November 19th, ESPN's Jayson Stark had written that talks with the Giants and Rangers for Uggla had gotten hot and heavy at the GM Meetings.
  • The Rangers will need to add a utility infielder, with Omar Vizquel signing with the White Sox.
  • Jermaine Dye remains a top Rangers target as they search for a right-handed middle of the order bat.  Dye's willingness to play first base appeals to the Rangers.  Despite the nice fit, Sullivan believes Dye will land in San Francisco.
  • The Rangers "are not trying to move" veteran starter Kevin Millwood.  Millwood under contract for 2010 after recording "The $12 Million Out" on September 21st.
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