Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Reed Johnson

Rosenthal’s Latest: Roberts, Horacio, Willits

By | at

Rumor guru and baseball insider Ken Rosenthal has a new column at FOX Sports.  Let’s discuss.

  • Rosenthal does not see the Cubs taking on the salaries of both Brian Roberts and Coco Crisp, even if they shed their Jason Marquis commitment.  Roberts remains the focus.
  • Horacio Ramirez’s agent says seven clubs have already expressed interest in his client.  Perhaps he meant to say 0.7.
  • Rosenthal runs through many Rocco Baldelli replacement options for the Rays: Reggie Willits, Kenny Lofton, Gabe Gross, and Reed Johnson.  Only Willits seems the perfect fit, and the Angels aren’t making him available. Willits and his .393 career OBP could be headed to Triple A.
  • The Phillies are looking for middle relief help; Rosenthal suggests a possible match with Arizona.  Or, how ’bout signing Bob Wickman?  Is he officially retired?

Mets Inquire On Reed Johnson, Shannon Stewart

By | at

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets have checked in on Blue Jays outfielders Shannon Stewart and Reed Johnson.  Nicely done, Drunk Jays Fans.  Although you spelled "rumor" incorrectly.

Sherman says Stewart is a long shot since he can’t handle right.  The Mets want someone who can handle both corners, and Johnson could be that someone (he’s played 64 games in right in ’06 and 13 in ’07).  The 31 year-old will earn $3.275MM this year.  He could be useful if last year’s back problems are behind him.

No Market For Reed Johnson

By | at

According to a source of Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, the market for left fielder Reed Johnson is "non-existent."  This is not a big surprise – Johnson was a candidate to be non-tendered this winter.  He had back surgery in April and is set to earn $3.27MM in ’08.

Blair speculates that the Jays may be inclined to listen to offers for Adam Lind.  Back in November, ESPN’s Keith Law had this to say about Lind:

Lind has a classic left-hander’s swing and good hand-eye coordination. His power is fringe-average but projects to above-average. He’s best suited to play first base, but it’s possible to live with his defense in left because of how he’ll hit.

Odds and Ends: Closers, Benson, Reed Johnson

By | at

Some random links for the day…

  • I have created a Fantasy Baseball Closers page at RotoAuthority.  With the help of readers it will be constantly updated with current closers and the pecking order of each team.
  • Kris Benson will throw for teams again, probably a week from now.  The Phillies will again be in attendance.  Benson may only get a minor league deal this time around.  I remember when he set the standard with his three-year, $21MM deal.  Also, the Phils could look to move Wes Helms or Greg Dobbs now that they’ve signed Pedro Feliz.
  • The Red Sox had their eye on Reed Johnson, perhaps thinking he would be non-tendered.  He wasn’t, and Joe McDonald says Bobby Kielty and Eric Hinske will probably sign elsewhere as well.  That leaves Brandon Moss for the bench job, unless the Sox sign Tony Clark, Sean Casey, or Brad Wilkerson.

Jays Re-Sign Reed Johnson

By | at

Today, the Jays inked arbitration-eligible left fielder Reed Johnson to a one-year, $3.27MM deal.  I had considered Johnson a non-tender candidate a couple of weeks ago after he posted a .625 OPS in an injury-shortened 2007.  He was much better in ’06, posting a career-best .869 OPS as the team’s leadoff hitter.

The Jays have six outfielders on their 40-man roster: Buck Coats, Johnson, Adam Lind, Alex Rios, Matt Stairs, and Vernon Wells.  Since Frank Thomas can only DH, Johnson, Stairs, and Lind will all have to battle for playing time in left field.  Lind could be the odd man out.  The 24 year-old might yet become an above average hitter, even for a left fielder.

Blue Jays, Nationals, Rays Notes

By | at

We’ll start with the Blue Jays. Jordan Bastian has an article up on MLB.com reporting that the Jays have been in contact with Matt Clement. He says that the team has "always liked Matt,"  but added that he think "it depends on what Matt’s looking for a this point."

Indeed, Bastian opines that the club "would likely take a shot on Clement if the pitcher agreed to a Minor League contract with a chance at competing for a job with the Jays." With interest from a few other clubs, that seems unlikely. So this is likely one big non-rumor.

The article also quotes Ricciardi saying that Reed Johnson will be the team’s leadoff hitter in 2008, "for the most part." This would indicate that Matt Stairs is indeed a backup, and it certainly doesn’t bode well for Adam Lind. It surely fuels the speculation that Lind could be traded, as Keith Law noted yesterday.

Finally, the Jays are looking to bring back Sal Fasano to back up Gregg Zaun, though that might not happen until Fasano shops his services at the Winter Meetings, beginning December 3. Note that I am disappointed that Sal doesn’t have his own category here at MLBTR.

On the Rays end, we have reports that Nationals manager Many Acta has attended Elijah Dukes’s games in the Dominican this winter. Dukes’s team is managed by Tim Tolman, the Nats’ third base coach. 7dias.com reports that Dukes has said that "he desperately needs to leave Tampa Bay in order to resuscitate his career."

There’s a note on the Rays possibly being interested in Michael Barrett, but then mentions the forfeiture of the team’s second round pick as a deterrent. Indeed, Barrett may have few options beyond the Padres because of his free agent classification.

Speaking of catchers, if anyone was hoping that the Rays would leave catcher John Jaso (.316/.408/.484 at AA this year) off their 40-man roster, you’re going to be disappointed. The Rays plan to add him prior to Tuesday’s deadline for the Rule 5 draft.

Joe Pawlikowski is co-author of River Ave. Blues.

Blue Jays Sign Stairs For Two Years

By | at

According to ESPN’s Amy K. Nelson, the Blue Jays have signed Matt Stairs to a two-year, $3.5MM deal.  The price seems about right.  J.P. Ricciardi has predicted a quite offseason, so we may not see much else.

Nelson says the plan is for Stairs to mainly platoon with Adam Lind in left field.  That seems to leave Reed Johnson as a non-tender candidate.  The arbitration-eligible Johnson made $3.075MM in 2007 but his a miserable .236/.305/.320 in 275 ABs.  That was a far cry from his ’06 performance of .317/.388/.477.  It should be noted that Johnson had back surgery in April, which probably explains the decline. 

Let’s Make A Deal: Reed Johnson

By | at

Reed Johnson.  He’s a 30 year-old outfielder who can play all three positions.  He posted a .391 OBP as the Jays’ leadoff hitter last year.  He doesn’t need to be platooned.  He makes $3.075MM this year and has two years of service time left before free agency.

If there’s one team that can afford to compromise a little outfield defense, it’s the Jays.  They’ve got two excellent athletes in Vernon Wells and Alex Rios.  The DH spot is blocked with Frank Thomas, leaving no spot for young Adam Lind.  Lind appears Major League ready – his PECOTA is .289/.349/.493 and he projects to be more valuable than Johnson in 2007.  Lind’s defense is lacking, but the Jays can stomach that.

So which teams could use Reed Johnson?   The Twins, Braves, Cardinals, and Marlins are possibilities.  I think he could be a decent center fielder for the Fish, but they’d hesitate to take on his salary.  The Braves seem content with their left field platoon, though I think Johnson would fit.  The Cards also have some outfield questions, though Ricciardi hasn’t traded with John Schuerholz or Walt Jocketty before.  The Dodgers had interest in Johnson in the past but the Brady Clark acquisition removes their need.

That leaves the Twins as my choice.  They’re relying on the health of Rondell White and/or Jason Kubel in left, and they may want to trade Torii Hunter midseason.  Alexi Casilla is ready to replace Luis Castillo as well, and Johnson could be used at leadoff while Casilla gets acclimated. 

In return, the Twins could send one of their young starters to the Jays.  Asking for Glen Perkins or Kevin Slowey seems like too much, but Scott Baker is buried on their starting pitching depth chart.  He seems to have fallen out of favor after a half-season of 6.37 ball last year.  While his home run tendencies are a poor fit for Rogers Centre, Baker did have a promising 3.9 K/BB last year.  He’s 25 years old and seems like an appropriate bounty for Johnson.  Thoughts?

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top