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Week In Review

Week In Review: 1/17/10 – 1/23/10

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Let's take a look back at the week that was:

Week In Review: 1/10/10 – 1/16/10

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Here's your look back at the signings, trades, and other rumors of the past week:

  • Things kicked off with a bang last Sunday, as the Reds made a surprising surge for Aroldis Chapman and signed the coveted lefty to a six-year, $30.25MM deal. While it's a lot of money for someone who's never thrown a pitch in the Majors and still needs development, I like the gamble for Cincinnati. As many have pointed out, the future of the Reds' rotation is impressive to say the least.
  • One big trade this week, as the Athletics acquired Kevin Kouzmanoff from the Padres in a four-player deal. Kouzmanoff and minor leaguer Eric Sogard make their way to Oakland, with Scott Hairston being sent back to San Diego along with Aaron Cunningham. Kouzmanoff's a nice player, but a prospect like Cunningham is a steep price to pay. San Diego got a much nicer return than I'd have expected for Kouzmanoff.
  • After all the talk about not wanting to guarantee Josh Johnson four years, the Marlins did just that, locking up their ace on a four-year extension. Johnson's contract will pay him $39MM, nearly the exact same deal signed by AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke last offseason. This comes on the heels of some criticism from the MLB and MLBPA, though the Marlins had re-opened negotiations with Johnson prior to that news.
  • Another of the NL's best young players signed a multi-year deal this week, when Matt Kemp signed a two-year, $11MM contract with the Dodgers, avoiding arbitration. Kemp's just one of several arbitration-eligible Dodgers, who are said to be discussing two-year deals for Andre Ethier, Jonathan Broxton, and James Loney.
  • Shortly after declining a two-year, $17MM deal from San Francisco, Adam LaRoche signed a one-year deal worth just $6MM with the Diamondbacks. LaRoche has said he prefers Chase Field's dimensions to those of AT&T Park, which is understandable. However, he's going to find himself on a free agent market that includes several other productive first basemen next year. Even with a big year, the competition on the market could limit his payday. Arizona DFA'ed Eric Byrnes to make room for LaRoche.
  • The Giants acted quickly after being turned down by LaRoche. San Francisco signed Aubrey Huff to a one-year deal worth $3MM. Given the team's other versatile options such as Pablo Sandoval and Mark DeRosa, it's tough to say that this move is a legitimate upgrade for the Giants. Still, it's a low-risk deal and if Huff can rediscover some of the magic he's shown with the Rays and O's in the past, the deal has the potential to be a great one.
  • After several years of less-than-stellar closers in Detroit, the Tigers landed a big name for the ninth inning when they agreed to terms with Jose Valverde on a two-year, $14MM deal with a $9MM option for a third year. Detroit sacrifices its 19th overall pick in the draft next season. Houston will also receive a supplemental round pick for their loss, the 34th overall.
  • The Pirates also added to their bullpen this week. They agreed to terms with both Brendan Donnelly and D.J. Carrasco, and are close to signing Octavio Dotel. Dotel will presumably fill the ninth-inning void in Pittsburgh. It was a busy week for the Buccos, who also added Ryan Church on a one-year, $1.5MM deal this week.
  • The Rangers agreed to a two-year, $5MM contract with Colby Lewis this week. Lewis was flat-out dominant for the past two seasons in Japan; several teams had interest, but Lewis ended up back in Texas, where he was drafted.
  • Perhaps the most talented pitcher left on the market, though also one of the riskiest, will throw for teams on Tuesday this week. Ben Sheets says that teams are "going to like what they see," and if he's healthy, then he's probably correct. The Rangers, Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, Brewers, and Mets will all be in attendance, in addition to some other unnamed teams.
  • MLBTR keeps coming up with new ways to bring you all of the news and rumors about your favorite teams. This week, we introduced team-specific RSS and Twitter feeds, for those who would prefer not to sift through every last rumor for info on their favorite clubs.

Week In Review: 1/3/10 – 1/9/10

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Busy day here at MLBTR with all of the buzz around Aroldis Chapman's agreement with the Reds. Let's take a look back at the week leading up to it:

  • The biggest name on the free agent market wound up staying put, as Matt Holliday signed a seven-year, $120MM deal with the Cardinals. Interestingly, the contract pays him through the year 2029. The annual salary is fine for now, but you've got to wonder if Holliday will be worth that much in his mid-30s. Still, the Cards are looking good for the foreseeable future, though they're only left with about $6MM-$7MM to spend this season. Here's some other reactions to the deal.
  • One of the greatest pitchers any of us will ever see announced his retirement this week, as Randy Johnson officially hung it up. Congratulations to the Big Unit on a phenomenal career.
  • The Red Sox signed Adrian Beltre to a one-year, $7MM deal (plus a $2MM signing bonus) with a $5MM player option for 2010 that could hit $10MM with 640 plate appearances. Surprisingly, Beltre turned down three-year, $24MM deals from both Oakland and Philadelphia to play in Boston. If he has a big season, however, he should be able to hit free agency and earn far more than $24MM total over the course of 2010-2012.
  • The Giants are looking to add a left-handed bat to their lineup, but they're apparently not trying hard enough if you ask Adam LaRoche. He turned down a two-year, $17MM deal from the Giants this week. This decision surprised me, as I can't see LaRoche getting more than that anywhere else, especially not with the Mariners acquiring Casey Kotchman this week. Kotchman fits Jack Z's defense-first mold, but I'd have thought the M's would seek someone like LaRoche to add some power to that lineup.
  • Speaking of Seattle, they announced a four-year, $20.5MM extension for Franklin Gutierrez this week. Gutierrez was one of baseball's most underrated players last season, and this deal should prove to be a great value for Seattle. His defense alone is worth that much.
  • Staying in the AL West, the Rangers inked Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year, $5MM deal with incentives. Vlad will serve as the primary DH in Texas. He'll be joined by fellow newcomer Khalil Greene, who was also signed by the Rangers this week.
  • The Astros agreed to terms with Brett Myers on a one-year, $5MM deal. I'm surprised to see him get $5MM after allowing 18 home runs through just 70.2 innings last season. Myers has regressed steadily over the past few seasons, but he's been effective in the past.
  • A couple of catchers in the news this week, as Kelly Shoppach agreed to a two-year extension with the Rays worth $5.55MM, and Miguel Olivo signed a one-year deal with the Rockies. We heard some more details about Olivo's contract earlier today.
  • Big thanks to Brendan Bianowicz for all of the work he's done compiling the GM Trade History Series. Brendan's excellent work thus far has been broken down by division: NL West, NL Central, NL East, AL Central, AL East.

Week In Review: 12/27/09 – 1/2/10

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Happy 2010 to everyone! I hope the rest of your holidays were great as well, and you're off to a good start in the new year. Let's take a look back at the past week here around MLBTR:

  • One of the biggest names in free agency found a home this week, as Jason Bay agreed to terms with the Mets on a four-year, $66MM deal with a vesting option for a fifth year. While it's probably not what Bay had envisioned going into the offseason, he still managed to secure himself at least four years that average out to more than double his 2009 salary. Here's some initial reactions to the deal (I'm with Keith Law on this one, for the record).
  • The Cubs dished out the next-biggest contract of the week, when they signed Marlon Byrd to a three-year, $15MM contract. Byrd had a career year in 2009, though his home/road splits and inconsistent defense in center field would've been enough to deter me. Still, it's not an outrageous price to pay, and he'll likely perform well enough to justify the contract in end.
  • The Giants added some offense to their lineup as well, signing Mark DeRosa to a two-year deal worth $12MM. DeRosa predictably fell far short of his initial three-year, $27MM asking price, and the Giants got him on a much more reasonable deal. He'll be joined in San Francisco by Juan Uribe, who agreed to return to the Giants this week after a great 2009 season.
  • The Giants weren't the only NL West team to ink two players. The Diamondbacks added both Bob Howry and Kelly Johnson on one-year deals. Howry will earn $2MM in 2010 with a $3MM option for 2011. Johnson will earn $2.35MM with the D'Backs. Both low-cost signings make sense for the Diamondbacks, and Johnson still has some upside.
  • Sticking in the NL West for one more bullet point, the Rockies are nearing a deal with Miguel Olivo. After spending weeks trying to work things out with Yorvit Torrealba, the Rox seem to have moved on. Olivo is likely to receive a one-year deal with a club option for 2011.
  • The A's made their signing of Justin Duchscherer official this week. Duchscherer will receive just $2MM guaranteed, with another $3.5MM in incentives. Based on his tremendous 2008 campaign, the A's are getting a fantastic value on this deal.
  • The Phillies agreed to a two-year deal with Danys Baez this week. Coming off a mediocre season, I wasn't expecting Baez to fetch multiple years. However, in a world where Brandon Lyon gets three years, I suppose anything's possible.
  • The Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes may be heating up. The Blue Jays hosted a private workout for the phenom this week, while the Angels appear to be gearing up for an offer. 
  • Tim offers up his take on the best and worst signings of this offseason so far, while Ben and Mike compiled all of the multi-year deals and trades so far, respectively.

Week In Review: 12/20/09 – 12/26/09

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Let's take a look back at the biggest stories of the week..

Week In Review: 12/13/09 – 12/19/09

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Let's take a look back on the week that was…

  • The biggest news of the week was, of course, the Roy Halladay–Cliff Lee blockbuster.  The four-way deal landed Doc and prospects in Philly, Lee in Seattle, a trio of youngsters (including Kyle Drabek) in Toronto, and Michael Taylor in Oakland.  Halladay also agreed to a three-year extension that will pay him $20MM annually through 2013.  The contract will not affect his 2010 salary ($15.75MM) and will include a vesting option.
  • The BoSox signed the market's top starter, John Lackey, to a five-year deal worth $82.5MM.  This matches A.J. Burnett's deal with the Yanks from a year ago and includes no incentives or bonuses.
  • Boston also took care of their vacancy in the outfield, signing Mike Cameron to a two-year deal worth approximately $15.5MM.  The soon-to-be 37-year-old is expected to be slotted in left field.
  • After Johnny Damon and the Yanks were unable to come to terms on a new deal, the club welcomed Nick Johnson back to the Bronx.  Johnson will earn $5.5MM plus incentives next season, with a $5.5 mutual option for 2011.
  • The Halos signed Hideki Matsui to a one-year pact for about $6.5MM.  The deal will pay him roughly half of the $13MM he made with the Yanks in the final year of his contract.
  • Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik turned the less-than-stellar Carlos Silva into outfielder Milton Bradley. The Cubs also receive $9MM in the transaction, but only net $5MM as Silva will earn $4MM more than Bradley over the next two seasons.
  • The trade of Mike Lowell to the Rangers was called off on Saturday as a physical revealed that the third baseman would require surgery on his right thumb.  The deal, which had been talked about for quite a while, would have sent Max Ramirez to Boston in exchange for Lowell and $9MM to help cover his $12MM salary.
  • The Dodgers shipped Juan Pierre to the White Sox, in exchange for pitchers Jon Link and John Ely.  Ned Colletti & Co. will eat $10.5MM of Pierre's contract as part of the deal.
  • The Orioles signed former Braves reliever Mike Gonzalez to a two-year deal worth $12MM guaranteed.  Since Atlanta offered the 31-year-old Type A free agent arbitration, the O's will surrender their second-round pick to them (currently #44).
  • The O's also inked Garrett Atkins to a one-year deal worth $4.5MM.  The contract has a club option for 2011 worth $8.5MM with a $500K buyout.
  • The Reds restructured Scott Rolen's contract, extending his deal through 2012.  Rolen will receive a shade under $24MM through the remainder of the pact while giving the club an additional $5MM in payroll flexibility this winter.
  • While Jason Bay's options have shrunk considerably this past week, some feel he may be hesitant to play for the Mets.
  • It sounds as though Adrian Gonzalez will be staying put– for now, at least.  Although it has been widely reported that the BoSox covet the slugger, the Padres aren't expected to move him this winter.
  • The Nats are making a run at free agent pitcher Jon Garland, who is seeking a three-year deal.  Washington, however, would prefer to limit him to two years.
  • Jamey Carroll agreed to a two-year deal with the Dodgers for just under $4MM total.  Carroll is expected to see time at multiple positions while serving as insurance for Blake DeWitt at second base.
  • Arbitration-eligible Ricky Nolasco came to terms with the Marlins on a one-year deal worth $3.8MM.  This represents a 58% pay raise for the 27-year-old.
  • Tim polished off his crystal ball and looked ahead to the free agent class of 2011.

Week In Review: 10/29/09 – 12/5/09

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Just hours away from one of the most exciting hot stove times of the year! Remember, MLBTR is offering 24/7 coverage of the Winter Meetings this year. Let's take a look back at the week leading up to the meetings, as there was plenty of action to go around already:

  • The Mariners reached a preliminary agreement with Chone Figgins on a four-year, $36MM deal, with a $9MM option for a fifth year. Jack Zduriencik has put together a fantastic defensive team, and adding Figgins to the top of the lineup alongside Ichiro will certainly set the stage for their offense. Figgins signed for less than what I thought he'd get; got to like it for the Mariners.
  • The next biggest signing of the week went to Placido Polanco, who received three years and $18MM plus an option from the Phillies. I'd expected the Phils to pursue Adrian Beltre, so this one confused me. Polanco's a nice player, but three years seems too long, and why sign a Gold Glove second baseman only to put him at third? They must not have liked Beltre's $10MM per season asking price.
  • Not much of a surprise to see the Red Sox sign Marco Scutaro this week; it'd been rumored for quite some time. Scutaro got two years and $12.5MM guaranteed. Interestingly, he was also offered a two-year deal by the Jays and a three-year deal by the A's. Looks like he wanted the more clear shot at the postseason. Reactions to the signing can be seen here.
  • The Braves bolstered their bullpen, adding Billy Wagner for $7MM with a $6.5MM option for 2010, and inking Takashi Saito to a one-year, $3.2MM deal. With the Braves in need of some offense, I was surprised to see them throw $10MM at their bullpen. I love the value for Saito, though I was surprised to see Wagner get $7MM. Still, if they stay healthy, that should be a solid combo to shut down games.
  • On the trade front this week, the Rays acquired Kelly Shoppach from Cleveland for a player to be named later. Potentially a steal for the Rays, if Shoppach can find a way to return to his 2008 form. Unfortunate for the Indians that his value fell so far in 2009; he could've fetched some value a year earlier.
  • The A's acquired Jake Fox and Aaron Miles in exchange for minor leaguers Jeff Gray, Ronny Morla, Matt Spencer, and $1MM cash from the Cubs. I'm sure the Cubs are thrilled to be rid of Miles and his .466 OPS, and the A's get a decent bat to go along with it, but I don't see the appeal in this one for Oakland as much.
  • Roy Halladay placed a Spring Training deadline on any trades, putting some pressure on the Blue Jays and new GM Alex Anthopolous. Here's a look at some of the latest on Doc's situation.
  • In total, 23 players were offered arbitration this week. 
  • Offseason Outlook updates this week featured the Red Sox and Phillies.

Week In Review: 11/22/09 – 11/28/09

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Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrated this week! Here's your weekly look back at all things Hot Stove from MLBTR:

Week In Review: 11/15/2009 – 11/21/2009

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As Sunday afternoon crawls along at a slower-than-usual pace, we'll take a look back at the past week here on MLBTR:

  • We saw one trade this week, as the Diamondbacks acquired Aaron Heilman in exchange for minor leaguers Scott Maine and Ryne White. We saw several reactions to the trade shortly after; personally, I feel like getting anything for Heilman is a solid move, as he was a likely non-tender candidate.
  • The Cubs made more headlines this week, signing John Grabow to a two-year, $7.5MM extension. This move left me scratching my head, as there will likely be better options on the market, for better prices. It's hard to see Grabow fetching $7.5MM elsewhere. While he posted a solid ERA for the Cubs, his walk rate of nearly 5.0 per nine innings for the season should be a red flag.
  • Sticking within the division for now, the Reds also extended a veteran, inking Ramon Hernandez to a one-year, $3MM deal with a vesting option for $3.25MM. As Tim pointed out in the post, it's a bit surprising, considering we've heard the Reds are trying to slash payroll in the past.
  • Updates on the Roy Halladay sweepstakes: The Blue Jays are willing to grant teams a window to discuss a contract extension for their ace in order to increase his value. This week, we've heard that they've contacted the Cubs and that they're talking with the Dodgers. The Dodgers interest in Halladay is clear, though they're reportedly not pursuing John Lackey.
  • Not surprisingly, Jason Bay rejected his initial extension offer from the Red Sox. Bay will hit the open market as one of the most highly-demanded players this offseason, and will likely listen to offers from multiple teams before deciding. Boston had offered four years and roughly $60MM for the outfielder's services.
  • One team that will likely make a bid for Bay is the Angels, who consider Bay an option but have bluntly declared that top free agent Matt Holliday "will not be an Angel."
  • Bad news for Marlins fans this week, as it looks like extension talks for ace Josh Johnson have failed. Johnson has stated he'd like to remain with Florida, but is that the best move at this point? The Marlins could hold onto Johnson, who's under team control for two more seasons, until the deadline or until next offseason before looking to move him for prospects. What's the best play?
  • The Royals made several minor league signings this week, including contracts to Brad Thompson, Jorge Campillo, and Vance Wilson. Nice moves to add some depth to the organization, with some upside in Thompson and Campillo.
  • Fresh off the heels of a fantastic 74-42 run in the NL West, the Rockies extended manager Jim Tracy for three seasons this week. It's certainly been a good couple of weeks for the NL Manager of the Year.
  • MLBTR's list of the Top 50 Free Agents has been out for awhile now, and if you'd like a second opinion, check out Keith Law's list, which was released earlier in the week.
  • Tim covered the Cardinals in his Offseason Outlook series this week, while Ben added to the Trades of the Decade series by revisiting the deal that sent Mark Teixeira to Atlanta. The other series update this week was the trade market for lefty relievers.

Week In Review: 11/8/09 – 11/14/09

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Time once again for a look back at the highlights from the past seven days here at MLBTR. Let's take a look:

  • The Mariners inked Jack Wilson to a two-year, $10MM deal this week. Wilson's glove alone is worth that money; Jack Zduriencik is putting together a terrific defensive team. For what it's worth, Wilson seems to absolutely love it in Seattle. The Mariners also reached an agreement this week with Ken Griffey Jr. for a $2MM base salary plus incentives. Griffey's numbers took a sharp decline in 2009, but he says he's looking forward to helping out in whatever role he's given in 2010. One Mariner isn't quite ready to return though; Russell Branyan rejected Seattle's initial one-year offer, stating that he wants two years guaranteed.
  • Despite missing nearly all of 2009, Tim Hudson signed a three-year, $27MM extension with an option for a fourth year. If Hudson is healthy, this gives the Braves a tremendous amount of pitching depth to deal from to fill other holes. Hudson threw 42.1 innings at the end of the season to the tune of a 3.61 ERA, though his .295 opponent average could be a caution flag. The Braves may not stop with Hudson either. Talks of an extension for Javier Vazquez surfaced this week as well.
  • Tim Wakefield also received an extension, signing for two years and $5MM. Wakefield's average annual salary will take a hit, but he's guaranteed another two years right now, which must be nice at the age of 43.
  • Several new (and in some cases, surprising) names emerged on the trade market. The Tigers have announced that they'll listen on both Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson, while the Pirates would be open to dealing Ryan Doumit, and the Nationals are getting a lot of calls about Josh Willingham.
  • Speaking of the Nationals, they announced this week that interim manager Jim Riggleman will take over the job as the club's official manager for 2010.
  • We saw a lot of options picked up or declined this week. The Red Sox picked up Victor Martinez's $7.1MM option for 2010, while the Rays picked up their $10MM option on Carl Crawford but declined to bring back Gregg Zaun or Brian Shouse. The Brewers wisely declined their $6.5MM option on Braden Looper, and the Rockies did the same with Rafael Betancourt's $5.4MM option. And after much drama, Jason Varitek exercised his $3MM player option with the Red Sox.
  • Tim released his list of the Top 50 Free Agents this offseason, as well as his predictions for where each will land.
  • In his Trades of the Decade series, Ben takes a look at the deal that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida and Josh Beckett to Boston.
  • If you're wondering who's available on the trade market, Tim's got you covered. This week's posts in the trade market series include starting pitchers, closers, and designated hitters.
  • Offseason Outlook updates this week include the Rangers and Giants.
  • And in case you missed it, the 2009 Elias Rankings have been officially released. 
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