Arbitration Decisions
Free agents’ decisions on whether to accept their teams’ offers of arbitration are rolling in.
- Eric Gagne told the Red Sox that he won’t their offer of arbitration. The Boras camp had sent signals otherwise, but it was an idle threat. He wants that multiyear deal or at least a chance to close. The Red Sox get a delicious sandwich pick for their dalliance with Gagne. Could’ve been more, if Gagne was lights out for them and snagged Type A status.
- Mark Loretta accepted; Trever Miller declined. Loretta should make $3MM+ to take on a utility role. The Astros could always still trade him to a team looking for second base help. As for Miller, he could still return. The Astros will get a sandwich pick if he leaves.
- Ron Mahay declined the Braves’ offer. No surprise since he’s looking for three years. You have to consider their sandwich pick as an added benefit of the Teixeira trade.
- Aaron Rowand is expected to decline, which is a formality since he’s going to get at least three years. As a Type A, the Phils probably hope he ends up with the Yankees somehow.
Yankees Bullpen Situation
It’s well-known the Yankees want to improve their bullpen. There’s been talk of converting young minor league starters into relief for 2008. Otherwise, who’s on the radar?
- A reliever could be acquired for Hideki Matsui – Tyler Kepner suggests Jonathan Sanchez or Kevin Correia. Brad Hennessey is another possibility.
- Kepner says the Yanks checked in on LaTroy Hawkins, Ron Mahay, and Trever Miller but haven’t made offers. However, Mark Feinsand says the Yanks are talking to Hawkins about a one-year deal worth between $3.25-3.5MM.
- Luis Vizcaino is probably out of the picture. George King adds Jeremy Affeldt to the list of free agents the Yanks are checking out.
- Peter Abraham says the Yanks are competing with the Royals for Mahay and that it might take three years, $9MM. Pete Caldera recently said Mahay wants three years and $12MM though. Bob Dutton notes that it’s Mahay’s agents pushing the Royals; they have little interest.
- Rob Biertempfel says the Yankees and Astros have interest in acquiring Damaso Marte from the Bucs. George King says John Grabow interests the Yanks as well.
ESPN’s Latest: Barrett, Ensberg, Mahay
Who said the Meetings are over? ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Buster Olney, and Jerry Crasnick are still running down rumors.
- The Rays want Michael Barrett, according to Gammons.
- Looks like Kevin Mench will be non-tendered.
- Crasnick says the Marlins may go after Morgan Ensberg, who is also likely to be non-tendered. The Phillies aren’t much interested in him.
- Gammons says Ron Mahay is down to the Yanks or Royals.
- He also says the Padres’ Milton Bradley signing won’t get in the way of their Kosuke Fukudome pursuit.
- Olney backs up the rumor about the Giants’ interest in Hideki Matsui.
Yankees Contact Mahay, Vizcaino
Yankees GM Brian Cashman contacted the agents for free agent relievers Ron Mahay and Luis Vizcaino today. It’s possible he’ll make an offer to Mahay soon.
Mahay is said to be after a three year, $12MM deal, probably the top of the Yankees’ price range for him. Here’s a summary of the other teams pursuing him.
The Viz might look at the Scott Linebrink signing and demand something near four years, $19MM. The only other team I can find linked to Vizcaino is the Rangers.
The Mahay Market
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 5:25pm: The Braves will at least have a discussion with Mahay as a courtesy. They won’t sign him unless his price comes down. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Yankees are the frontrunner, in contrast to Sherman’s note below.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 9:45am: Joel Sherman says the Yankees don’t like the price for Mahay and are considering alternatives such as Damaso Marte or John Grabow.
FROM 12-5-07 at 7:55am:
According to Marc Lancaster, the Rays are "firmly in the mix" for popular 36 year-old lefty reliever Ron Mahay. Four other teams are involved – the Yankees, Royals, Giants, and Astros.
I still haven’t heard San Francisco’s rationale to entertaining a three-year, $12MM pact for a 36 year-old reliever. The Royals being in the mix is a tad perplexing as well.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Mahay, Cordero
Ken Rosenthal busts out a few new ones.
- The Royals have been in touch with Ron Mahay‘s agent. Rosenthal names the Yankees, Giants, and Astros as other interested parties. Why the Giants? The Royals would trade Jimmy Gobble and then sign Mahay. Regarding the Yankees, Rosenthal says that the Santana situation somehow affects their willingness to sign Mahay. Meanwhile, Jayson Stark says the Rays are also in on Mahay.
- The Nationals asked for Chad Qualls and Luke Scott for Chad Cordero and were rebuffed by Ed Wade and the Astros. It’s not the craziest offer but how many outfielders do the Nationals need? 12? We heard two hours ago that Scott was almost a Padre, but haven’t had any follow-up. Buster?
O’Brien’s Latest: Andruw, Marte, James
The AJC’s David O’Brien has a rumor update on his blog. Let’s summarize.
- The White Sox are very reluctant to go after Andruw Jones, because of Scott Boras. They’d offer three years and less than $30MM, which would result in a dial tone. Unless it was a cell phone.
- The Braves need a lefty reliever, and might turn to the Pirates for Damaso Marte. That’d be easier to pull off if the Yankees opt to sign Ron Mahay or Jeremy Affeldt for their lefty reliever.
- O’Brien suggests the Braves have collected a starting pitching surplus, which is a dangerous thought. What do you want to bet there’d be no surplus six months from now, if the current group is maintained? O’Brien believes some team might push hard for Chuck James, anyway.
- Matt Diaz may be available, if Brandon Jones proves MLB-ready. First baseman Scott Thorman may also be on the market.
Rays Interested In Ron Mahay
According to Marc Lancaster, the Rays are looking for a left-handed reliever. Ron Mahay is on the radar, and Jeremy Affeldt is another possibility. The Rays are moving quickly to plug up their holes – will this team finally break .500 in 2008?
Looking through the MLBTR archives, the Yankees, Brewers, and Royals seem to be the main suitors for Mahay. Meanwhile Affeldt interests the Mariners, Braves, and Astros.
Lancaster’s article also indicates the Rays are looking for a left-handed hitter who can handle right field and first base. DRays Bay thinks that means Darin Erstad, Ryan Klesko, or Mike Lamb. I’ll add Cliff Floyd, Luke Scott, Shawn Green, Trot Nixon, Brad Wilkerson, and Eric Hinske to the discussion.
Today’s Arbitration Decisions
The decision whether to offer your own free agent arbitration can affect your team in two ways: you may end up retaining a player you didn’t want, or you may score a draft pick or two as compensation. With that in mind let’s run down the rumors regarding some Type A and B free agents.
- The Red Sox plan on offering arbitration to Type B Eric Gagne. Worst case scenario, they hang onto him for one more year. Best case, they get a sandwich pick.
- The Astros have to decide on Trever Miller and Mark Loretta. Both are Type Bs, but the Astros might not want them back. Richard Justice notes that the old Astro regime made a mistake not offering arbitration to Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
- The Angels decided not to offer arby to Bartolo Colon, because the most they could give him would be a 20% pay cut. So best case scenario they could get him for one year, $11.2MM. Colon is not a Type A or B, so there’s no compensation regardless.
- The Phils will offer arb to Aaron Rowand but not Freddy Garcia. Rowand is a Type A, Garcia a Type B. It’s a no-brainer with Rowand, who will hopefully net them a first-round pick plus a supplemental depending on who he signs with. With Garcia they risked getting burned as he might’ve accepted.
- The D’Backs will offer arbitration to Livan Hernandez, who will likely decline it to pursue a three-year deal. He’s a Type B so they’ll snag a sandwich pick.
- The Padres will offer arbitration to Michael Barrett, and Kevin Towers actually hopes he accepts. No worries if he doesn’t – Barrett is a Type A. The Friars will also offer arby to Mike Cameron and Doug Brocail. Brocail nets them a sandwich pick for sure; Cameron still has a slight chance of accepting.
- The Braves did not offer arb to Andruw Jones but did for Ron Mahay. Both are Type Bs; I’m surprised they didn’t want to risk Andruw returning on a one-year deal.
Braves’ Arbitration Plans
David O’Brien of the AJC writes about the Braves’ arbitration plans.
- No arby for Andruw Jones, meaning no draft pick compensation. Frank Wren must really have thought there was a chance Andruw accepts and they get "stuck" with him for one more year. Would that really have been so bad? Not sure I get this move. Anyway Scott Miller lists the teams in need of a center fielder thusly: Rangers, Phillies, Padres, White Sox, Giants, Dodgers, Royals, and Orioles. We could see the Rangers, Dodgers, or Royals signing Jones.
- Ron Mahay will get offered arby, which he will certainly decline. So there’s some draft pick goodness there.
- Curious who’s a Type A, who’s a Type B, and who’s nothin’? Check out the free agent list.