Marlins Open To Making Changes
The further out of contention the Marlins fall, the more willing they'll be to entertain trading their veteran players, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. According to Frisaro, Florida could listen to offers for anyone besides Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez.
Frisaro names Jorge Cantu as the most likely Marlin to be dealt before the trade deadline, since the 28-year-old will be eligible for free agency after this season and may be out of the Marlins' price range. The club could also explore what's available in exchange for arbitration-eligible players such as Dan Uggla, Cody Ross, and even Ricky Nolasco, as Ken Rosenthal suggested yesterday. Nate Robertson and Wes Helms might appeal to some teams as well, though Frisaro notes that the Marlins like Helms a lot, and picture him becoming a coach in their system when he retires.
We've heard that the Marlins are searching for bullpen help, and they may also look to add offensive pieces. Presumably though, if they decide to trade veterans like Cantu or Uggla, the team would be looking less for immediate help and more to the future.
Rosenthal On Padres, Uggla, Blue Jays, Nats
Let's dive into the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- The Padres are seeking a durable starting pitcher as they approach the deadline. The Padres know that they need a bat but their offense is so weak that they fear a lack of quality starting pitching might derail them faster than a lack of hitting. Durable starters are hard to come by on the trade market, but the Diamondbacks' Edwin Jackson could be a fit.
- The Marlins changed skippers thinking that they were a better team than they've shown, but that hasn't been the case thus far. Unless they rally, the club will end up as sellers. Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross, and Ricky Nolasco all hold value. Nolasco's name hasn't come up much, but he could be one of the better starting pitchers on the market. Uggla and his big bat are still sought after, even though his salary could rise to about $10MM in arbitration next season.
- Toronto's Shaun Marcum could still be a trade chip, even after going on the disabled list with inflammation of the right elbow. The club expects him to be back before the All-Star break and if so, he should be one of the better starters available. The Jays could be active sellers as they have several more attractive pieces. Relievers Scott Downs and Jason Frasor are both potential free agents. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez and outfielder Jose Bautista could also get some bites.
- Nats GM Mike Rizzo told Rosenthal that the club is getting interest in five or six players in trade discussion. While Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham are getting all the buzz, Cristian Guzman and Adam Kennedy could be attractive to teams in need of infield help. Matt Capps could be a trade chip as well now that he has recovered from his slump. They control the closer through next season, though they may look to cash in on his value while it is peaking.
Odds & Ends: Gomes, Coffey, Nolasco, Vazquez
Links for Thursday…
- Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that team sources have told him that the Cubs are looking at Jonny Gomes as a fourth outfielder. Gomes – who proved to be one of the best minor league deals of 2009 – confirms.
- The Brewers signed arbitration-eligible reliever Todd Coffey for $2.025MM, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. That's just short of the midpoint.
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro writes that a strong 2010 season would lead the Marlins to explore a multiyear deal with Ricky Nolasco. Nolasco is under team control through 2012, and will earn $3.8MM in his second arbitration year.
- Yankees pitcher Javier Vazquez spoke to Puerto Rican newspaper La Perla del Sur. MLBTR's translator Nick Collias supplies this interesting quote: "I don't have much playing time left…I go year by year, and I don’t know if it will be one, two or three years, but I'm definitely not going to play until 40." Vazquez is eligible for free agency after the season.
- Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler switched to Scott Boras in November, Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post wrote in a Monday blog post. Fowler's been added to our Scott Boras client list, which can always be found on the sidebar.
- MLBTR missed this January 14th signing: the White Sox added Daniel Cabrera on a minor league deal. Cabrera, 29 in May, posted a 0.55 K/BB ratio and 6.00 ERA in 51 big league innings last year.
- The Mets and Diamondbacks haven't had any new discussions for catcher Chris Snyder, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Piecoro examines the debate about whether to trade Snyder.
- Luke Scott wants to play defense, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Scott says he's "taking one for the team" by serving as DH, and it hurts him in contract negotiations.
- Slugger Jim Thome continues to keep the door open for the White Sox, writes Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. However, in comments to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, manager Ozzie Guillen indicated a preference to avoid a permanent DH.
Marlins Rumors: Johnson, Nolasco, Pinto, Uggla
The Marlins spent big yesterday. Here are the details on their plans for the rest of the offseason:
- Josh Johnson tells MLB.com that he always wanted to stay with the Marlins long-term. Yesterday the right-hander agreed to an extension that buys two of his free agent years out.
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets that the Marlins didn't consider a long-term deal for another one of their young right-handers, Ricky Nolasco.
- The Marlins may trade Renyel Pinto before the season begins, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.
- Capozzi hears that the Marlins are talking regularly with Dan Uggla in hopes of agreeing on the infielder's 2010 salary without going to arbitration.
Ricky Nolasco Agrees To Deal
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweets that arbitration-eligible starter Ricky Nolasco agreed to a one-year, $3.8MM deal with the Marlins for 2010. That means Nolasco gets a $1.4MM raise (58%) for his second arbitration year. By comparison, Joe Blanton received a 48% raise in his second arb year (going from $3.7MM to $5.475MM). Nolasco's deal could be a comparable used by Zach Duke's agent Mark Pieper, as Duke is also entering his second arb year.
Scott Baker is named as Nolasco's top comparable on Baseball-Reference. Baker signed a long-term deal, but he'll get $5MM in what would've been his second arb year. Same for Gavin Floyd. So in Nolasco's case he had a down year (at least in terms of a basic stat like ERA) and it cost him a million or so.
Players Tendered Contracts
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.
- Washington tendered contracts to Josh Willingham, Jesus Flores, Wil Nieves, Jason Bergmann, and Sean Burnett.
- Zach Duke was tendered an offer by the Pirates.
- The Marlins reached an agreement with Ronny Paulino. The deal will be for one-year, $1.1MM.
- The Royals avoided arbitration by reaching one year deals with Brian Bannister ($2.3MM) Roman Colon ($660K), and Kyle Davies ($1.8MM).
- Dioner Navarro will remain with the Rays on a one-year deal worth $2.1MM.
- The White Sox will offer contracts to Bobby Jenks, John Danks, Carlos Quentin, and Tony Pena.
- Milwaukee will tender offers to six players: Dave Bush, Carlos Villanueva, Todd Coffey, Jody Gerut, Corey Hart, and Carlos Gomez.
- Toronto will tender an offer to Jeremy Accardo.
- Kevin Correia will remain with the Padres for one-year, $3.6MM.
- The Rangers have signed Esteban German to a 2010 contract. He'll earn $600K in the majors and $200K in the minors. They offered contracts to their other arbitration-eligible players including Scott Feldman, Chris Ray, Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson, Dustin Nippert, Brandon McCarthy, and Josh Hamilton.
- Tampa Bay avoided arbitration with Lance Cormier by inking him to a one-year deal. The contract will pay Cormier $1.2MM.
- The Twins will tender contracts to all 30 unsigned players on their 40-man roster. That means Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier, J.J. Hardy, Brendan Harris, Francisco Liriano, Pat Neshek, Delmon Young, and many more figure to be in the Twins' plans in 2010.
- The following eight Cubs will receive offers from the team: Carlos Marmol, Ryan Theriot, Jeff Baker, Angel Guzman, Sean Marshall, Koyie Hill, Tom Gorzelanny, and Mike Fontenot.
- Atlanta tendered offers to relievers Peter Moylan and Boone Logan.
- The Marlins will tender offers to almost all of their arbitration-eligible players – Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Ricky Nolasco, Cody Ross, Josh Johnson, Leo Nunez, and Renyel Pinto.
- The Astros will tender offers to all remaining arbitration-eligible players. This means Michael Bourn, Hunter Pence, Wandy Rodriguez, Matt Lindstrom, Tim Byrdak, Chris Sampson, Jeff Keppinger, and Humberto Quintero are invited back.
- Matt Albers and Cla Meredith have agreed to terms with the Orioles. Albers' deal is worth $.68MM for one-year. Meanwhile, Meredith will recieve $.85MM in 2010.
- Randy Choate agreed to a one year deal. Terms of the deal are one-year, $700K.
Marlins Meeting Notes: Uggla, Bullpen, Free Agents
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."
Nolasco Not On The Market
Despite listening to offers for Matt Lindstrom and Renyel Pinto, the Marlins are telling teams that starter Ricky Nolasco is not available, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel.
Nolasco, who earned $2.4MM this year, is arbitration eligible for the second time after an odd 2009 season. His periperhal stats were outstanding (9.49 K/9, 2.14 BB/9, 3.35 FIP), yet he still finished with a 5.06 ERA. Considering his cost and relative production, you'd have to think the Fish could get a pretty nice return if they made him available in a trade.
Rodriguez adds that the team is in the "early stages" of trade discussions involving Dan Uggla.
Marlins Rumors: Gload, Paulino
After declining his option earlier in the month, the Florida Marlins have offered Ross Gload a lesser contract, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Spencer indicates the offer is similar to the one that Wes Helms signed with the Marlins last winter, which was a two-year deal worth $1.9MM. The option that the Marlins turned down was for $2.6MM.
Gload hit .261/.329/.400 as a pinch-hitter and occasional starter for Florida in 2009, and stated previously that he'd like to stay with the Marlins. As of midnight tonight, of course, any team will be able to negotiate with Gload.
Later in his article, Spencer adds Ronny Paulino's name to the ever-growing list of Marlins players that teams have looked into acquiring. Ricky Nolasco, Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, and Cody Ross have also "received nibbles."
Odds & Ends: Marlins, Rangers, Injuries
Another round of links…
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro takes a more in-depth look at Marlins president Larry Beinfest's comments on the possibility of long-term extensions for pitchers Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson. "With a new stadium set to open in 2012," Frisaro writes, "the Marlins are in a better position to sign players to multi-year deals."
- Matthew Pouliot of NBC Sports continues his "Restoring the Rosters" series with a look at the Rangers' potential 25-man roster. Pouliot is now halfway through the interesting collection of columns.
- Bob Harkins, also writing for NBC Sports, suggests the Phillies are a good match for all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman, who has reportedly been placed on waivers by the Brewers.
- Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post notes, via Twitter, that the payroll "just for Mets players on the DL would be higher than the total budgets of 17 other teams." Tough times in Queens.
- Ben Nicholson-Smith hosted his weekly live chat on MLBTR Tuesday afternoon. If you missed it, we've got it archived for your viewing pleasure.