Odds And Ends: Royals, Zimmerman, A-Rod
Links for Saturday…
- ESPN.com’s Buster Olney breaks down the 2009 Royals and considers them an improvement over last year’s team.
- According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Brendan Ryan is not yet out of options because of the time he spent on the DL back in 2006.
- Yahoo’s Tim Brown writes that the Nationals lack stability. He wonders "if the organization really is getting anywhere."
- Chico Harlan of the Washington Post heard that Ryan Zimmerman thinks the time is right for a long-term deal with the Nats, despite the weakened market and his 2008 injuries.
- Wallace Matthews of Newsday thinks Hank Steinbrenner should have let Alex Rodriguez sign elsewhere after 2007 because the slugger’s become a "toxic mortgage" to the team. Say what you will about A-Rod, it’s hard to match his production.
- The Tigers don’t have the organizational depth they did when they dealt for Miguel Cabrera, but FanGraphs examines what’s left in the minors.
Nationals Avoid Arb With Ryan Zimmerman
1:49pm: The Nationals and Zimmerman still hope to hammer out a long-term deal, according to Harlan.
8:37am: According to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post, the Nationals avoided arbitration with third baseman Ryan Zimmerman by signing him at $3.325MM for ’09 (the midpoint of the submissions).
The Nationals hope to sign Zimmerman long-term; they have him under team control through 2011. Back on January 26th, Nationals president Stan Kasten noted, "I know it’s just a coincidence that [Zimmerman and Ryan Howard] have the same agent who doesn’t seem to like to do long-term contracts before free agency," in reference to Casey Close.
Nats Talking Long-Term Deal With Zimmerman
According to the Washington Post, the Nationals are working on a long-term contract with third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
The two sides will continue to talk up until a scheduled arbitration hearing on Friday, February 20. If a deal isn’t reached by then, the hearing will be necessary to determine Zimmerman’s ’09 salary. He’ll either get the $3.9MM he requested or $2.75MM, the club’s offer.
Zimmerman, 24, missed 56 games last season because of a shoulder tear, but still managed to hit .283/.333/.442 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI. He’s a .282/.341/.462 career hitter over four MLB seasons.
Odds and Ends: Penny, Koskie, Lowell
Links for Tuesday…
- Chat today, 2pm CST.
- RotoAuthority looks at the pitchers involved in the WBC.
- ESPN’s Keith Law weighs in on the Andy Oliver case.
- Brad Penny talked to Yahoo’s Tim Brown about his last season in L.A. UPDATE: Bowa’s amusing reaction to Penny’s comments.
- Corey Koskie is healthy and hopes to sign somewhere, says La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
- Josh Willingham‘s arbitration hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Ryan Zimmerman‘s for Saturday.
- WEEI’s Alex Speier talked to Mike Lowell about Boston’s pursuit of Mark Teixeira.
- The Sports Business talked to former Dodgers GM Fred Claire.
Nationals Sign 23 To 2009 Contracts
Bill Ladson of MLB.com has a bit of Nationals news for this afternoon.
The team has agreed to terms with 23 of its players, including names like Elijah Dukes and John Lannan.
As for a review of the Nationals’ arbitration-eligible players, Ladson has the list: Jason Bergmann, Mike O’Connor, Alberto Gonzalez, Lastings Milledge, Josh Willingham and Ryan Zimmerman.
Shawn Hill Wins Arb Case
According to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post, Nationals pitcher Shawn Hill has won his arbitration case, and will be paid $775,000 in 2009.
The Nationals had offered $500,000.
Left on Washington’s list of arbitration-eligible players to settle with are Ryan Zimmerman, Scott Olsen, and Josh Willingham.
Nationals Rumors: Zimmerman, Dunn, Bowden
Chico Harlan of the Washington Post has all kinds of observations from NatsFest.
- Nationals president Stan Kasten expressed his distaste for free agent pitching contracts, but might consider it if the team is closer to contention.
- A quote from Kasten regarding the Ryan Zimmerman extension talks: "I know it’s just a coincidence that [Zimmerman and Ryan Howard] have the same agent who doesn’t seem to like to do long-term contracts before free agency." That’s a reference to Casey Close. Currently the two sides have a $1.15MM gap on Zimmerman’s ’09 salary.
- Zimmerman is friends with Adam Dunn, who would love to play for the Nationals.
- GM Jim Bowden expects the free agent market to get moving within the next ten days. Bowden still hopes to add a left-handed middle of the order bat as well as starting pitching.
Nationals Rumors: Zimmerman, Prospects
Chico Harlan of the Washington Post came up with some Nationals rumors at their season ticket holder luncheon today.
- Nationals GM Jim Bowden said he’s working on an extension with Ryan Zimmerman and is "optimistic that it will get done at some point." He mentioned Nick Markakis, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia and Evan Longoria as reference points and said he has a "phenomenal" relationship with Zimmerman.
- Bowden said prospect Jordan Zimmermann could be MLB ready and is in the running for a rotation spot.
- Ross Detwiler could also have an impact on the Nats in 2009.
- Bowden said the Nationals would have had to overpay to sign any major free agents this offseason.
Odds and Ends: Prospects, Alfonzo, Zimmerman
Links for Wednesday…
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak subjected himself to all kinds of questions from fans today in an online chat. It sounds like he might do a little spring tinkering.
- It seems that the Angels will go with internal options for the fifth starter job.
- The Rangers, Rays, and A’s are atop Keith Law’s farm system rankings, with the Tigers, Nationals, and Astros bringing up the rear.
- Orioles infielder Oscar Salazar is likely on the chopping block to make room for Gregg Zaun.
- Kyodo News reports that Edgardo Alfonzo will try out for the Yomiuri Giants.
- Dave Sheinin says Kevin Youkilis is a good comp for Ryan Zimmerman. The midpoint between Zimmerman’s and the Nationals’ arbitration submissions would be a $3.325MM.
- I sincerely appreciate all the submissions for the Saturday evening writer gig. I’m happy to welcome D.J. Blatter aboard as our newest blogger.
Zimmerman Extension Talks Likely After Meetings
MLB.com’s Bill Ladson has the latest on the possibility of a long-term extension for Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman’s agent hasn’t had serious dialogue with the Nats since spring training, but talks are likely to occur after the Winter Meetings.
Zimmerman is arbitration-eligible for the first time, but he said in October that he didn’t expect to go to arbitration. He believes they can reach an agreement on an extension. The Nationals were apparently willing to do something in the range of Troy Tulowitzki‘s six-year, $31MM deal, but Zimmerman wanted more.
Tulo will earn $17.5MM over his three arbitration years, $10MM in his first free agent year, and then has a $15MM club option for the second free agent year. Recently-signed Dustin Pedroia got $17MM over his arb years, gave up two free agent years at $10MM per, and added an $11MM club option. There are plenty of models out there; Zimmerman probably does not deserve to be paid as well as Hanley Ramirez or Chase Utley.