Heyman On Wright, A’s, Cabrera
The latest from notes and rumors from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com…
- The Mets are discussing a long-term deal with David Wright, Heyman reports. They'll exercise the third baseman's $16MM option for 2013 by tomorrow, assuming a larger deal isn't completed by then. The sides appear to have made progress, though some say the negotiations are progressing slowly. It appears the discussions will continue after the option's exercised, Heyman writes.
- The Athletics are talking to free agent shortstop Stephen Drew about a new contract, Heyman reports. The A's declined their half of Drew's 2013 mutual option yesterday, but assistant general manager David Forst said the team will continue talking to him about a possible deal.
- Everth Cabrera has hired Scott Boras as his agent, Heyman reports (on Twitter). Cabrera, a former ACES client, will be arbitration eligible for the first time this coming offseason. Be sure to check out MLBTR’s Agency Database for any information about player representatives.
- The Angels are still talking to teams about possible deals involving Ervin Santana and Dan Haren, Heyman reports. In case you missed it, MLBTR reported today that Santana switched agencies again.
Dustin Moseley, Tim Stauffer Elect Free Agency
The Padres announced that right-handers Dustin Moseley and Tim Stauffer have cleared outright waivers and have elected to become free agents, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
Moseley was enjoying a career-best year in 2011 (3.30 ERA in 20 starts) before missing the last two months of the season after dislocating his left shoulder while swinging a bat. The injury bug followed Moseley to this season, as he was limited to just one start in 2012 after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder.
Stauffer posted a 1.87 ERA as a starter and reliever in 2010 and enjoyed a solid full-time return to the rotation in 2011, when he was the Padres' Opening Day starter and posted a 3.73 ERA, a 2.42 K/BB ratio and a 6.2 K/9 in 31 starts. Like Moseley, Stauffer was limited to just one start in 2012 due to injury, in this case elbow problems that required surgery in August. Stauffer tells the Union-Tribune (Twitter link) that he would like to return to San Diego, though it would have to be on a minor league contract.
Both pitchers were entering their third year of arbitration eligibility and both were seen as likely non-tender candidates by MLB.com's Tim Dierkes in his look at the Padres' arb-eligible players. Matt Swartz projected Moseley to earn $2MM in 2013 while Stauffer was on pace to earn $3.2MM.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Berken, Albaladejo, Ransom
We'll keep track of the day's outright assignments right here…
- The Padres outrighted right-hander Thad Weber to Triple-A Tucson, according to Corey Brock of MLB.com (via Twitter). Weber was claimed off of waivers from the Tigers in late August and saw time in two big league games for Detroit in April.
- The Cubs announced that they have outrighted utility man Adrian Cardenas and right-handers Jason Berken, Miguel Socolovich, and Marcos Mateo to Triple-A. Socolovich spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A for the Cubs and Orioles, posting a 2.11 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9. Berken was also claimed off of waivers from the O's and posted a 3.50 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 26 Triple-A starts.
- The Diamondbacks outrighted Jonathan Albaladejo, Tyler Graham, Mike Jacobs, Joe Martinez, and Cody Ransom to Triple-A Reno, according to the official MLB.com transactions page. Albaladejo spent the 2011 season in Japan and saw just three innings of work for Arizona this year. Jacobs, 31, hit .279/.362/.486 with 18 homers for Triple-A Reno. Ransom was claimed off of waivers mid-season from the Brewers and hit .220/.312/.411 in 90 games.
- The Mariners announced that they outrighted first baseman Luis Jimenez to Triple-A. The 30-year-old appeared in seven games with the Mariners this past September after spending most of the season at Triple-A. Jimenez hit 20 homers with Tacoma, posted a .310/.394/.514 batting line, and was named his team's Offensive Player of the Year. The left-handed hitter can become a minor league free agent five days after the World Series ends. Seattle now has two open spots on its 40-man roster.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Super Two Cutoff To Be 2.139
Players with at least two years and 139 days of service time will be eligible for the potentially lucrative arbitration process this offseason, according to the Associated Press (via FOXNews.com). The top 22% of players with between two and three years of MLB service qualify for arbitration under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement.
Nationals reliever Drew Storen, Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, Mets catcher Josh Thole, Rays outfielder Sam Fuld, Rockies outfielder Tyler Colvin and Diamondbacks third baseman Chris Johnson are all eligible.
Mariners outfielder Michael Saunders missed the cutoff by one day. Others, including Justin Smoak, Danny Valencia, Michael Brantley, Jordan Schafer, Giancarlo Stanton, Stephen Strasburg, Daniel Hudson, Dan Runzler, Andrew Cashner, Alex Burnett, Esmil Rogers and Alexi Ogando, came close to super two status without reaching the threshold.
Jonathan Lucroy, whose contract includes escalators related to super two status, will fall three days short of arbitration eligibility. The difference will cost him $2MM, as I explained last month.
Super two status entitles certain players to four years of arbitration eligibility, rather than the usual three. As a result, players who earn the super two designation generally earn more than their peers. The cutoff would have been two years and 144 days under baseball’s previous collective bargaining agreement, according to the AP. In previous years the top 17% of players with between two and three years of MLB service qualified. The players and owners agreed to a new system last fall.
Padres To Release Micah Owings
The Padres have requested unconditional release waivers for right-hander Micah Owings, Corey Brock of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The Legacy Sports Group client will hit free agency after he clears release waivers.
The move amounts to an early non-tender for Owings, who would have been arbitration eligible for the third time this coming offseason. He had been a non-tender candidate after missing most of the season with an elbow injury, so the move doesn't come as a surprise. Owings, 30, appeared in just six games this past season. He underwent season-ending arthroscopic elbow surgery in July and didn't pitch after April.
Maysonet, Hernandez, Palmer Declare Free Agency
Infielders Edwin Maysonet and Luis Hernandez and pitchers Matt Palmer and Juan Perez have declared free agency, according to the transactions page of the Pacific Coast League. All four had seen time on MLB rosters in 2012, before being outrighted to Triple-A.
Maysonet and Perez both saw action with the Brewers this year. Maysonet appeared in 30 games with a slash line of .250/.297/.350, including a game-winning grand slam against the Cubs on May 12, while playing shortstop, second and third base. Perez, a left-hander, appeared in ten games posting 12.9 K/9, 10.3 BB/9, and 2.6 HR/9 in only seven innings of work.
Hernandez played two games for the Rangers in August. He spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Round Rock batting .262/.303/.376 in 129 games, all but one at shortstop and second base. Hernandez also has MLB experience with the Orioles, Royals and Mets.
Palmer, a right-hander, pitched in three games for the Padres in late May before being outrighted to Triple-A. With Tucson, Palmer started 20 of the 21 games in which he appeared posting a 5.66 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9.
Offseason Outlook: San Diego Padres
The Padres will look for starting pitching this offseason as they aim to re-establish themselves as an NL West contender.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Carlos Quentin, OF: $27MM through 2015
- Cameron Maybin, CF: 24.5MM through 2016
- Huston Street, RP: $14MM through 2014
- Cory Luebke, SP: $11.5MM through 2015
- Nick Hundley, C: $7MM through 2014
- Chris Denorfia, OF: $4.25MM through 2014
- Yasmani Grandal, C: $750K through 2013
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)
- Chase Headley, 3B: third time eligible
- Tim Stauffer, SP: third time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Dustin Moseley, SP: third time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Micah Owings, RP: third time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Edinson Volquez, SP: third time eligible
- Clayton Richard, SP: second time eligible
- Luke Gregerson, RP: second time eligible
- Will Venable, OF: second time eligible
- John Baker, C: second time eligible, non-tender candidate
- Joe Thatcher, RP: second time eligible
- Kyle Blanks, OF: first time eligible
- Everth Cabrera, SS: first time eligible
Free Agents
With new ownership and a new television contract in place, there's optimism that the Padres can expand payroll in the relatively near future. Though the newly-approved, Ron Fowler-led ownership group has not revealed precisely where payroll will sit, GM Josh Byrnes recently indicated to Barry Bloom that it could increase. Regardless of how much money he has at his disposal, Byrnes is expected to prioritize starting pitching in the team's first offseason under new ownership.
The Padres have $30MM committed to the 2013 payroll, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. San Diego's class of arbitration eligible players looks unusually large again this offseason, so much of the team's remaining flexibility will go toward players in their arb years.
Chase Headley (pictured) will be of particular interest following a season in which he emerged as an elite offensive producer despite Petco Park's pitcher-friendly tendencies. His salary could reach the $7MM range through the arbitration process, so he's not the bargain he once was. He's only going to get more expensive, and could command $50-80MM on an extension.
There are indications the new ownership group will spend to keep Headley, but if they aren't willing to do so, they should consider trading him. It might be difficult for fans to tolerate the move just one year after the Mat Latos trade and two years after the Adrian Gonzalez trade. Yet there's no sense in losing a franchise player for nothing but a draft pick when multiple MLB-ready prospects would be available in trades. The Padres have helped develop one of the game's top farm systems by trading elite MLB players before they become prohibitively expensive. If the team's new ownership group continues operating on one of the league's smallest payrolls, Byrnes will have to consider parting with Headley. At a time that teams such as the Braves, Phillies, White Sox and Diamondbacks could be in the market for third base help, demand for a player of Headley's caliber would be overwhelming. Hopefully for Padres fans, ownership decides to spend at a level that can accommodate an elite player as he approaches free agency. If not, the Padres must re-consider trading Headley.
Though the Padres out-scored just six teams this past season, they now seem set at most positions. They got an early start on the offseason by signing Carlos Quentin to a three-year contract and extending Chris Denorfia, the right-handed hitting platoon partner for Will Venable, on a modest two-year deal. These signings solidify an outfield that includes Venable, Cameron Maybin and Jesus Guzman, who also thrives against left-handed pitching.
The Padres also have enough internal options to pass on a relatively weak class of free agent infielders. Headley, Yonder Alonso, Logan Forsythe and Everth Cabrera have earned places atop the team’s depth chart, and Jedd Gyorko also figures to get the chance to contribute next year. San Diego struggled against right-handed pitching this past year, so if Byrnes can find a way to supplement Forsythe, yet another lefty masher, with a left-handed hitting second base backup he should do so.
The Padres could cut ties with arbitration eligible pitchers Tim Stauffer, Dustin Moseley and Micah Owings. Stauffer, a valuable contributor from 2009-11, appeared in just one game this past year because of an elbow injury. He'd earn $3MM or so if tendered a contract, so it's hard to argue that a low-budget team should retain him through the arbitration process. Similarly, Moseley appeared in just one game for the Padres in 2012. He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in April and should also be non-tendered given his current salary of $2.01MM.
John Baker could be deemed expendable now that Nick Hundley and Yasmani Grandal are in place at catcher, so he's a non-tender or trade candidate. Kyle Blanks, the former top prospect who underwent season-ending labrum surgery in April, can expect a contract offer despite his lost season.
As mentioned, the rotation will be an offseason focus for San Diego. Presently it includes few sure things other than Clayton Richard and Edinson Volquez. Promising arms such as Andrew Cashner and Casey Kelly could make an impact and Cory Luebke and Joe Wieland could return from injuries midway through the 2013 season. But Byrnes intends to add starters from outside of the organization following a season in which Richard and Volquez were the only pitchers to start more than 15 games.
Fly ball prone free agents such as Carlos Villanueva, Shaun Marcum, Brandon McCarthy and Jeremy Guthrie could succeed in Petco Park and they figure to be in the Padres' price range. Former Padres ace Jake Peavy, another free agent who allows his share of fly balls, could appeal to the Padres on a short-term deal, but he has significant leverage as one of the top pitchers available. An the other end of the spectrum, Carl Pavano and Daisuke Matsuzaka could be worth adding for a minimal commitment.
The Padres had a strong finish to the 2012 season, winning 42 of 75 second half games. To improve the chances that this success continues in 2013, Byrnes must obtain starting pitching depth over the winter. Extending Headley would be a reassuring move, though a new deal doesn't have to be reached at this time. Over the course of the first offseason since the sale of the club was completed we're sure to learn a lot about just how aggressive new ownership intends to be.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Minor Moves: Slaten, Ohlendorf, Conrad
We'll keep track of today's minor moves in this post..
- Pirates left-hander Doug Slaten, Padres right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, and Rays third baseman Brooks Conrad are free agents after recent outright assignments, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (via Twitter). Slaten appeared in ten major league games for Pittsburgh while posting a 2.11 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 40 relief appearances in Triple-A. Ohlendorf had a 7.77 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 24 walks in nine starts and four relief appearances for the Padres over the summer. Conrad saw time in 49 games for the Rays and Brewers in 2012.
Managerial Notes: Red Sox, Rockies
The latest managerial news from around MLB…
- The Red Sox have contacted Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach to determine his interest in their managerial opening, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports. Wallach is interested and the Red Sox are expected to interview him in the coming days.
- Boston continues to target Blue Jays manager John Farrell, Silverman reports. However, hiring Farrell could involve compensation or take a long time, so the club's exploring options such as Wallach, who also drew interest from Boston last offseason. Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus is believed to be on Boston's list of possible candidates.
- The Red Sox intend to start interviews related to their managerial opening on Friday, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. The process will likely continue over the weekend and early next week, Bradford reports.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports outlines the Rockies' managerial options, including Wallach. Under Colorado's new front office structure, director of Major League operations Bill Geivett assumes some of the responsibilities that would traditionally go to the field manager.
- MLBTR had two sets of managerial links yesterday which are worth checking out.
Quick Hits: Braves, Leyland, Soriano, Phillies, Rays
Depending on what happens with Michael Bourn, the Braves could potentially have two major holes to fill in their lineup. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) offers some suggestions for replacing Bourn and Chipper Jones and notes that the club could have some added flexibility if Martin Prado can be shifted from left field to third base. Ben Revere of the Twins, Peter Bourjos of the Angels, and Chris Young of the Diamondbacks could all be trade targets in center field. There aren't a lot of great third base options on the open market but Atlanta could zero in on guys like Mike Olt of the Rangers, Chase Headley of the Padres, and maybe even the Mets David Wright. Here's more from around baseball..
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been telling people in recent days that he has no plans to retire, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Given his desire to return, it's likely that Leyland will be managing the Tigers in 2013. Leyland's contract expires at the end of the season.
- Even though he has been linked the Marlins opening, Mike Lowell tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he has no interest in managing at this point in his life. The former third baseman is currently working for the MLB Network as an on-air analyst.
- The Yankees' desire to keep their payroll under $189MM in 2014 could complicate their chances to sign Rafael Soriano to a long-term deal once he opts out, writes Heyman. Soriano's three-year, $35MM deal seemed like a stretch last year but it now seems like the Bombers view the possibility of a last year at $14MM more favorably than the right-hander.
- The members of the Philadelphia Daily News staff bring us their suggestions for retooling the club heading into 2013. David Murphy believes that Ruben Amaro & Co. should start by revamping the bullpen while Marcus Hayes writes that the club should stick to making small moves while allowing the younger players to flourish.
- Bill Parker of DRays Bay looks in the rear view mirror to discuss what the Rays could have done differently in 2012. The trade of John Jaso to the Mariners for Josh Lueke was among the missteps highlighted.