Players To Avoid Arbitration: Tuesday
Noon ET today was the deadline for both the team and player to submit their salary figures for arbitration, however the two sides can come to an agreement at any point before the actual hearing. The hearings are scheduled for the first week of February.
We'll keep track of the players who avoid arbitration today by agreeing to deals here. Make sure you check back in for updates, and be sure to click the "Continue Reading" link to see today's full list of settlements. Yesterday's list can be found here.
- Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Angels avoided arbitration with Mike Napoli and Reggie Willits by signing the duo to one-year deals. Napoli will earn $3.6MM in 2010 with a $100K bonus if he makes 120 starts. Willits' contract is worth $625K.
- Zach Duke's one-year contract with Pittsburgh is worth $4.3MM with no performance bonuses, tweets Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- The Padres and reliever Mike Adams have agreed to a contract, reports MLB.com's Corey Brock (via Twitter). Brock's follow-up tweet says Adams' deal is worth $1MM, virtually splitting the difference between San Diego's $875K offer and Adams' $1.2MM demands.
- Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune tweets that the Twins have agreements in place with all eight of their arbitration eligible players. In a follow-up tweet, Christensen reports that Francisco Liriano agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.6MM and Jesse Crain agreed to a one-year contract worth $2MM.
- Marc Carig of the New Jersey Star-Ledger reports that the Mets avoided arbitration with reliever Sean Green (via Twitter). The one-year deal was worth $975K, according to the New York Daily News' Anthony McCarron.
- The Tigers avoided arb with Gerald Laird and Zach Miner as well according to James Jahnke of The Detroit Free Press. MLB.com's Jason Beck tweets the details on the one-year contracts: Laird will earn $3.95MM, Miner will earn $950K.
- Christensen tweets that the Twins avoided arb with Brendan Harris, signing him to a two year deal worth $3.2MM with another $650K in possible incentives.
- The Tigers and Bobby Seay avoided arbitration according to MLB.com's Jason Beck (via Twitter), agreeing to a one year deal worth $2.475MM.
- Thesier tweets that Matt Guerrier agreed to a one year deal worth $3.15MM with the Twins, avoiding arb.
- Amalie Benjamin of The Boston Globe tweets that the Red Sox have avoided arbitration with Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen, with Delcarmen getting $905K plus incentives according to Joe McDonald of The Providence Journal. Boston avoided arb with Jonathan Papelbon as well.
Odds & Ends: Webb, Griffey, Hoffman
Links for Monday…
- The NCAA is cracking down on the adviser/agent distinction for future draftees, presumably in response to the Andy Oliver ruling. ESPN's Jerry Crasnick has the story.
- Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic suggests parameters for a new Brandon Webb contract.
- Ken Griffey Jr. still isn't talking about 2010, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin shares Trevor Hoffman's interest in a 2010 contract, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus says Cubs GM Jim Hendry is "blatantly pandering to the disgruntled fan base" with the Milton Bradley suspension.
- David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution discusses the possibility of the Braves re-signing Adam LaRoche.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star wonders if Robinson Tejeda's recent performance is for real.
- Pirates GM Neal Huntington is not pleased to have so many players declining to play winter ball, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- We'll be keeping a close eye on Kevin Millwood's start tonight in Oakland. His $12MM option for 2010 vests if he records 13 outs.
Royals Claim Robinson Tejeda
The Royals snagged 26 year-old pitcher Robinson Tejeda today off waivers.
The story on Tejeda: poor control, mid-90s heat. Carlos Silva‘s build, according to Baseball America. Not a bad project for KC to take on. Speaking of Silva…Royals fans must be happy they didn’t sign him last winter!
Rangers Expected To Waive Tejeda
The Texas Rangers are expected to place Robinson Tejeda on waivers today, reports Evan Grant in the Dallas Morning News.
It would be Tejeda’s second trip through waiver wires this year. He cleared waivers at the end of spring training, and if he does so again, he can refuse an assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma and file for free agency.
The move is contingent on the Rangers not having to place Joaquin Benoit on the DL.
Tejada is 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA in four appearances this year.
By Alejandro A. Leal. Heard a rumor? Email me: alexo05 [at] umpbump [dot] com
Robinson Tejeda Clears Waivers
WEDNESDAY at 6:29pm: Surprisingly, Tejeda passed through waivers unclaimed. He’s headed to Oklahoma.
TUESDAY at 9:07am: We discussed 26 year-old starter Robinson Tejeda here. Imagine Carlos Silva with poor control and mid-90s heat (hmm, doesn’t sound too much like Silva actually). Anyway, the Rangers designated Tejeda for assignment last week and have until Wednesday to trade him. Jon Daniels doesn’t expect a deal, meaning Tejeda may simply be plucked off waivers. He’s a project, so he might make more sense for a rebuilding team. Jayson Stark saw no indications that the Mets were after Tejeda; David Lennon did.
The above-linked article from Anthony Andro also notes that outfielder Nelson Cruz passed through waivers unclaimed and is headed to Triple A. The 27 year-old seems to have earned the Quad-A tag.
Stark’s Latest: Bonds, Howard, Vargas
ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings up; let’s take a look.
- Stark surveyed execs from three teams about why Barry Bonds remains unemployed. They provided the answers you’d expect, and collusion isn’t one of them. One of the team officials believes a major injury to one of the 14 DHs could very well result in a Bonds signing. Related note: Gary Sheffield just tore a tendon in his finger. Meanwhile, Joel Sherman speculates that Bonds would be a nice match with the Blue Jays.
- There are signs that Ryan Howard wants an unprecedented contract – he won’t be using Miguel Cabrera as his model. A trade before he reaches free agency (after the 2010 season) seems likely.
- Stark says the Mets are eyeing Claudio Vargas but would want him to work at Triple A for a while first. They’re not showing interest in available guys like David Wells, Jeff Weaver, or Robinson Tejeda. David Lennon of Newsday counters by saying the Mets do have interest in Tejeda, though nothing is close.
Davidoff: Tejeda Makes Sense For Mets
Newsday’s Ken Davidoff has an idea for the Mets: 26 year-old recently DFA’d starter Robinson Tejeda of the Rangers. Davidoff notes that the Mets have had interest in him in the past, and now he could be had for very little via trade or even a waiver claim.
Tejeda’s main problem has been control. Back in ’05, Baseball America compared Tejeda to Carlos Silva "in build and repertoire." One big difference – Tejeda averages almost 95 mph with his heater.
I discussed some other Pedro replacement options in this post.
