Tigers Will Listen On Edwin Jackson
WEDNESDAY, 9:38am: FOX's guys continue to work this story, stating that the Dodgers "have some interest" in bringing Jackson back to the organization. The writers add that the teams have not discussed a Jackson-George Sherrill swap, though the Tigers liked Sherrill at the trade deadline.
TUESDAY, 6:59pm: Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal are reporting that Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski is at least listening to (and possibly making) offers involving right-hander Edwin Jackson. Though Jackson is coming off of a breakout season and is still until Detroit's control through 2011, Morosi and Rosenthal note that payroll considerations may force the Tigers to include Jackson in trade talks.
Cot's Baseball Contracts lists Detroit as committed to paying over $100MM to ten players for next season, and Morosi and Rosenthal note that $20MM could be added to that total once arbitration raises are factored. With staff ace Justin Verlander due for free agency after 2011, the Tigers may simply not have enough money to afford to sign both Verlander and Jackson to long-term deals.
In his first season in Detroit after being dealt from Tampa Bay last winter, Jackson posted a 3.62 ERA and proved himself to be a more-than-solid number-two starter behind Verlander in the Tigers' rotation. Jackson's 5.07 ERA after the All-Star break, however, might have been enough of a red flag that the team wants to sell high on the 26-year-old while it still can.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Webb, Soria, Red Sox, Pirates, Verlander, Felix
On this date five years ago, Carlos Delgado hit his 300th career home run. He would go on to hit three more home runs that game to become just the 15th big leaguer to hit four in one game. Now in the final year of a five-year, $60MM contract, Delgado has a season average of .298 with four homers and 23 RBI in the 26 games he played before his hip surgery. Jon Heyman reported that the Mets are open to bringing him back next year. However, Adam Rubin wrote that the Mets will not offer Delgado arbitration. With one week remaining before the off-season starts for most teams, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- MLB Notebook looks at where Brandon Webb could end up if the D'Backs decline his option.
- Royals Authority wonders if the Phillies would be a good trade partner to land Joakim Soria.
- The Bottom Line writes that the Red Sox either have to re-sign Jason Bay or pick up Matt Holliday.
- Bucco Fans says the Pirates have money to spend this off-season and speculates on where that money might be spent.
- Jorge Says No! speculates on what it might take to sign Justin Verlander to an extension.
- Prospect Insider looks at what it might take to sign Felix Hernandez to an extension.
- Blogging Mets lists Omar Minaya's worst moves.
- Sports: A Game Of Inches compares Jonny Gomes to Adam Dunn. Gomes will be arbitration-eligible after the season.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Tigers Could Make Trade
Lynn Henning of the Detroit News expects the Tigers to make a trade before the regular season, "perhaps a big one." Henning writes that the team could trade away starting pitching if Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis are healthy. Henning also mentions Marcus Thames and Ryan Raburn as possible trade candidates.
Willis and Robertson each have considerable negative trade value, as they’ll both make at least $7MM in 2009 and 2010. Unless the Tigers are willing to pay most of that, they’d have to trade one of their other starters: Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Armando Galarraga, Edwin Jackson or Zach Miner. Trading one of those starters would leave the Tigers with a thin rotation.
The Tigers don’t have a starting spot for Thames if Gary Sheffield stays healthy.
Tigers, Verlander Avoid Arbitration
According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Tigers avoided arbitration with Justin Verlander by signing him at $3.675MM for ’09. Verlander had submitted $4.15MM, while the Tigers were at $3.2MM.
Verlander, Tigers Working To Avoid Arbitration
Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said Monday that he’s hopeful the club can reach agreement with right-hander Justin Verlander before a February 13 arbitration hearing.
"We’re really still hopeful that we can get a deal negotiated and not go to arbitration," Dombrowski said. "We continue to have conversations."
Verlander asked for $4.15MM while the Tigers submitted a $3.2MM bid. Dombrowski hasn’t required an arbitration hearing since he took over as general manager in 2002.
Odds and Ends: Hearings, Anderson, Selig
Links for Monday…
- MLB.com’s Tom Singer looks at the effects of arbitration hearings on players. He found that most players don’t experience a post-hearing performance decline, but they do change teams at the first opportunity.
- MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer says the Angels and Ervin Santana are $725K apart with a hearing scheduled for later this month and "no progress" according to GM Tony Reagins.
- The Tigers are hopeful about bridging the $950K gap with Justin Verlander.
- Athletics Nation’s conversation with MLB.com’s Mychael Urban, Part 2.
- Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald wouldn’t be surprised to see the White Sox trade Brian Anderson.
- Murray Chass reflects on the Homestead camp for unsigned players heading into the 1995 season.
- Commissioner Bud Selig earned $18.35MM in the last fiscal year, according to Eric Fisher of Sports Business Journal.
- The latest minor league transactions from Baseball America, including the Nationals’ signing of Alex Cintron and the Rockies’ addition of Scott Munter.
- Even with a new stadium, the Marlins will continue to prefer going year-to-year with most players.
Tigers Could Deal Pitching?
According to Lynn Henning of the Detroit News, the Tigers could trade a starting pitcher. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski listed off seven Tigers starters and said "trade possibilities come up" involving the team’s pitching.
This doesn’t mean Dombrowski seriously considered dealing pitching. The Tigers go to Spring Training with Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Armando Galarraga, Edwin Jackson, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis and Zach Miner. They have more arms than rotation spots, but this is by no means a deep rotation.
Stark On The Arbitration Class
ESPN’s Jayson Stark says we’re headed for a historic arbitration class. Players file today, and the dollar submissions become known on Tuesday. If the sides can’t come to an agreement, they go to a hearing and an arbitrator chooses one of the two salary submissions. Be sure to read the article, but here are a few highlights.
- Ryan Howard‘s dad may be behind the player’s unprecedented salary expectations. Howard may ask for $15-17MM in his second arbitration year. He could be a trade candidate in the 2009-10 offseason.
- Prince Fielder‘s numbers and accolades don’t match up to Howard’s, so Scott Boras may have difficulty matching Howard’s first arb year record award of $10MM.
- Cole Hamels could ask for $5MM or more, but seems more amenable to a long-term deal than Howard. Will the Phillies offer him more than three years?
- Other interesting names: Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Felix Hernandez, Dan Uggla, Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, Russell Martin, B.J. Upton, Ryan Zimmerman, Jeff Francoeur, and Ervin Santana.
- Looking for a surprise summer trade candidate? Stark talked to one AL exec who wondered if Verlander could be made available if the Tigers are out of contention.