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Ryan Madson

Overnight Notes: Masterson, Twins, Rockies, Myers

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Acknowledging that he'd listen to offers for anyone and everyone on his roster in the right scenario, Indians GM Chris Antonetti suggested it'd be difficult to move Justin Masterson, as Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer details. Antonetti declined to comment on the possibility of offering Masterson an extension, but added, "What I can say is how much we appreciate the contributions that Justin has made to our organization and we’d love for him to be an Indian long term."

Here are a few more overnight links from around MLB:

  • If Bronson Arroyo decides he wants to be in Minnesota, he'd be the Twins' top choice of their potential starting pitching targets, says Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).
  • The Rockies have expressed interest in free agent reliever Ryan Madson, but remain more likely to trade for a bullpen arm than sign one, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
  • After missing most of last season, Brett Myers is healthy and is seeking a job this winter, tweets Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.
  • The Diamondbacks' acquisition of Mark Trumbo is the latest example of how the team operates, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. As Piecoro points out, Arizona generally doesn't care about getting what the industry would consider "full value" for their trade chips.
  • The uncertainty surrounding Masahiro Tanaka continues to slow the pace of negotiations for the top starting pitchers already on the market, tweets Berardino.
  • A Monday report suggested another NPB starter, Kenta Maeda, could play for an MLB team as soon as 2015, but the latest word on Maeda indicates the right-hander might even be posted this winter. Ben Badler of Baseball America has the details.
  • Badler also writes that changes are coming to the limits on international spending in 2014, with MLB teams set to lose up to $300K in signing money that had previously been exempt from bonus pools.

Ryan Madson Changes Agents

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Embattled right-hander Ryan Madson has left the Boras Corporation in favor of Damon Lapa and Scott Leventhal's All Bases Covered Sports Management, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).

It's been two years since Madson, who turned 33 in August, has thrown a Major League pitch. After nearly agreeing to a four-year deal to remain with the Phillies following the 2011 season, he found himself on the outside looking in as GM Ruben Amaro Jr. instead brought Jonathan Papelbon to Philadelphia. Madson would ultimately sign with the Reds on a one-year, $8.5MM guarantee, but Tommy John surgery that Spring caused him to miss the entire 2012 season.

Of the reported near-agreement, Boras told Crasnick in Jan. 2012 that they never rejected a four-year offer from Philadelphia, but rather told Amaro that they would agree to such a deal, and Amaro elected to go in a different direction. Likewise, Amaro said no agreement was ever reached.

Madson signed with the Angels for one year and $3.5MM this past offseason but persistent setbacks in his rehab prevented him from ever taking the field. He was released in early August and is currently a free agent.

Madson was a strong setup man for the Phillies from 2007-10, posting a 3.01 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 before taking over as the team's closer in place of Brad Lidge in 2011. In his lone full season as the team's stopper, Madson piled up 32 saves with a 2.37 ERA and a stellar 62-to-16 K/BB ratio in 60 2/3 innings. Even more impressive is that eight of those free passes were intentional, demonstrating how well he had honed his command over the years in Philadelphia.

Lapa and Leventhal represent a number of Major Leaguers, including Kevin Correia, David Robertson, Eric Chavez, Nate Schierholtz and Brian Dozier. Madson is the second notable free agent to switch representation in the past 24 hours, as outfielder Chris Young made the switch from CAA to Reynolds Sports Management last night.

For more info on nearly 2,000 Major League, Minor League and international players, check out MLBTR's Agency Database. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know by emailing mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

Angels Release Ryan Madson

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The Angels have released reliever Ryan Madson, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports (on Twitter). Madson signed a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Angels last November to bolster what turned out to be a weak bullpen. The investment didn't pay dividends, however, since Madson hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2011 — he spent all of 2012 recovering from Tommy John surgery, and has not yet pitched in 2013, except in one May rehab appearance with Class A+ Inland Empire. Madson threw bullpen sessions in Arizona last month.

Madson has a 3.59 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 630 career innings pitched. He posted a 2.37 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 2011 with the Phillies.

AL West Notes: Cabrera, Athletics, Garland

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The baseball community is buzzing over Michael Bourn's four-year pact with the Indians, but there's more news than just that in the baseball world. Here's a collection of links pertaining to the AL West…

  • Right-hander Fernando Cabrera, who signed a minor league contract with the Angels in January, can opt out of his deal if he is not on the Major League roster by July 31 according to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (Twitter link).
  • John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group tweets that Athletics manager Bob Melvin called Hiroyuki Nakajima and told him not to worry about the club's acquisition of Jed Lowrie. The A's traded for Lowrie a week ago.
  • There's no bad blood between Bartolo Colon and his teammates, writes CSN Bay Area's Casey Pratt. The Athletics have welcomed Colon back with open arms, and his teammates are glad to have him back in the fold as they look to defend their AL West title.
  • A scout texted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and praised the Mariners for their minor league pact with Jon Garland. The scout tells Rosenthal that Garland looks healthy and was impressive in a recent workout. Garland told Rosenthal that his decision not to go to camp with the Indians after agreeing to a minor league deal with them last winter may have been the best decision of his career because it helped him finally get back to 100 percent. Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti called Garland's decision "very classy."
  • Kenji Nimura, who served as Hiroki Kuroda's intepreter for the Yankees last season, will now assume that role with Yu Darvish of the Rangers, Newsday's David Lennon tweets.
  • Ryan Madson suffered a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, which means he probably won't be ready to take the reins as the Angels' closer on Opening Day, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times. Remember fantasy baseball players, you can keep track of all the latest closer-related injuries and news this season by following Tim Dierkes' @closernews on Twitter.

Contract Details: Madson, Hunter, Longoria

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Here are some details on three recently-signed contracts…

  • Ryan Madson's one-year contract with Angels will pay him $500k each for 45, 90, 135, and 180 days on the roster as long as he is not on the DL with a right arm injury, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He will also receive $250K each for 35, 40, 45, and 50 games finished.
  • Torii Hunter's two-year, $26MM contract with the Tigers is slightly backloaded, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck. He'll earn $12MM in 2013 and $14MM in 2014, plus $100K bonuses for each All-Star selection, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, LCS MVP, and World Series MVP he wins.
  • Evan Longoria's salary for 2013 has been reduced from $6MM to $2MM as part of his new contract with the Rays, reports Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. The remaining $4MM was converted into a signing bonus. Topkin also has information on the deferments and escalator clauses in the deal.
  • The players' union values Longoria's new contract with the Rays at ten years and $131MM according to Rosenthal (on Twitter). The present day value ($136.6MM) has been reduced due to deferred money.

Angels To Sign Ryan Madson

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WEDNESDAY: The deal is expected to be worth $3.5MM in guaranteed money, plus $2.5MM in roster bonuses and $1MM in incentives for games finished, Yahoo's Tim Brown writes (Twitter link). Madson passed his physical, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports (on Twitter).

TUESDAY: The Angels have agreed to sign Ryan Madson to a one-year contract, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports. The deal is pending a physical.

Madson, a client of the Boras Corporation, missed the 2012 season to undergo Tommy John surgery. In parts of nine seasons with the Phillies from 2003-11 the 32-year-old posted a 3.59 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 47.7% ground ball rate. His numbers improved once he settled into a late inning relief role, and he evolved into an impact closer by 2011, when he posted a 2.37 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 48.8% ground ball rate in 60 2/3 innings. The Long Beach, California native had an average fastball velocity of 94.0 mph in 2011, his last full season before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The Angels had been looking for relief help, but didn't want to commit significant long-term dollars for a closer. GM Jerry Dipoto told the LA Times earlier this offseason that spending big on relievers is like "going to Las Vegas and throwing it down on double-zero green." Assuming the Angels rely on Madson as their closer, Ernesto Frieri would move into a setup role.

The Phillies and Reds also showed interest in Madson, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Madson's contract with the Reds included an $11MM mutual option for 2013, which he declined in favor of a $2.5MM buyout. Madson ranked 36th on MLBTR's list of top 50 free agents this offseason.

Heyman first reported the Angels were nearing a one-year deal with Madson.

Angels, Ryan Madson Nearing Deal

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11:56am: The deal is expected to be formalized after Madson takes his physical later today, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (on Twitter). It is a low-base salary, incentive-laden contract.

7:18am: The Angels are nearing an agreement with free agent right-hander Ryan Madson, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The sides appear to be nearing a one-year deal that would make Madson the Angels' new closer.

Madson, a client of the Boras Corporation, missed the 2012 season to undergo Tommy John surgery. In parts of nine seasons with the Phillies from 2003-11 the 32-year-old posted a 3.59 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 47.7% ground ball rate. His numbers improved once he settled into a late inning relief role, and he evolved into an impact closer by 2011, when he posted a 2.37 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 48.8% ground ball rate in 60 2/3 innings. The Long Beach, California native had an average fastball velocity of 94.0 mph in 2011, his last full season before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The Angels had been looking for relief help, but didn't want to commit significant long-term dollars for a closer. GM Jerry Dipoto told the LA Times earlier this offseason that spending big on relievers is like "going to Las Vegas and throwing it down on double-zero green." Assuming the Angels rely on Madson as their closer, Ernesto Frieri would move into a setup role.

The Phillies and Reds also showed interest in Madson, according to Heyman. Madson's contract with the Reds included an $11MM mutual option for 2013, which he declined in favor of a $2.5MM buyout.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post. This post was first published on November 27th.

Angels Notes: Madson, Greinke, Morales, Callaspo

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Earlier today, we learned the Angels are interested in Ryan Madson. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports the Angels are indeed in talks with Madson about a possible deal. MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez adds, via Twitter, that GM Jerry Dipoto loves Madson, a Southern California native, and isn't afraid to take a chance on a closer coming off Tommy John surgery, as evident by last offseason's pursuit of Joe Nathan. Gonzalez also tweets any deal will probably be incentive-laden. Here are some more Angels notes from Gonzalez, who recently cleaned out in his inbox and answered emails from his readers:   

  • Gonzalez advances the idea the Angels may be better off not re-signing Zack Greinke. The argument goes since the Angels already have one ace in Jered Weaver, they will have more financial flexibility to fill the two holes they have in their rotation and to rebuild their bullpen, if Greinke signs elsewhere. Either way, the Angels are handcuffed until Greinke makes his decision.
  • The Yankees, Red Sox, and Braves will not be factors in the Greinke derby, but the Dodgers and Rangers could really mess up the Angels' plans.  
  • Free agency will be the Angels' best bet to fill their holes because they don't have much minor league talent to offer in trade.
  • Gonzalez would be shocked if Kendrys Morales is traded because he is viewed as a bargain in arbitration and is a crucial left-handed presence in a lineup that leans heavily to the right.
  • Look for Alberto Callaspo, who provides solid defense and draw walks, to man third base in 2013 with top prospect Kaleb Cowart taking over in 2014. 

Angels Interested In Ryan Madson

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The Angels have interest in free agent closer Ryan Madson, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).  The Phillies reportedly have interest in the right-hander, but Salisbury says that a reunion doesn't seem likely.

The 32-year-old declined his half of a $11MM mutual option for 2013, opting instead for a $2.5MM buyout.  Madson missed the 2012 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery but a team willing to roll the dice could sign him with the hope that he will return to his 2009-2011 form.  Madson wants to close for a team in 2013, but he won't be ready to pitch when the season begins.

A return to Cincinnati could still be in the cards for Madson as well as GM Walt Jocketty confirmed that the two sides have talked.  The Reds are also exploring a return for Jonathan Broxton and have spoken with free agent Joakim Soria.

Jocketty Discusses Reds Offseason Rumors

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Reds GM Walt Jocketty spoke to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer about some of the free agent names connected to his club this winter…

  • The Reds' first priority is trying to find a leadoff hitter, though Jocketty said that Michael Bourn is too expensive for his club and the same could be true about Angel Pagan.  Jocketty said that the team hasn't contacted Pagan yet and "not that we wouldn’t but I wonder about the money.”
  • Jocketty confirmed that the Reds have talked to Jonathan Broxton and Ryan Madson about returning to Cincinnati, while the team has also spoke to free agent Joakim Soria.  Broxton is the only one of the trio who would be able to pitch on Opening Day, as Madson and Soria are both recovering from Tommy John surgery.  The Reds are likely one of the eight contenders who Soria's agent, Oscar Suarez, says has shown interest in his client.
  • The Reds talked to Torii Hunter's agent "but the money was too much," Jocketty said.  The general manager doubted that Hunter's two-year, $26MM contract with the Tigers would impact Ryan Ludwick's price since "they're different kind(s) of players."  The Reds have had "preliminary" talks with Ludwick about a new deal.
  • Jocketty told FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi last week that the Reds could deal one of their shortstops (Zack Cozart and Didi Gregorius) if the right deal came along, but Jocketty said that neither player is being shopped.  "We’re not taking offers,” Jocketty said. “That gets out and then we have to call Cozart and call Didi.”
  • The Reds have no plans to extend Jay Bruce's contract.  "We control him for five more years,” Jocketty said. “It’s so far off. It’s something we haven’t talked about.”  Matt Sosnick, Bruce's agent, raised the possibility of an extension beyond 2016 for his client earlier today.
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