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Olney On Chapman, Dodgers, Cabrera, Tigers

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"[Aroldis] Chapman stands to lose millions of dollars by committing himself to a relief role," writes ESPN's Buster Olney in his latest column (Insider subscription required).  The fact that Chapman likes closing enough to risk these future riches, however, makes Olney think the Reds are making the right move by keeping Chapman in the bullpen as the club pursues a World Series title.  "Chapman doesn't have a plow horse's show-me-the-direction approach; he's known to be a complicated guy, and if he were to fight [starting] internally all year, it would be a mess," Olney says.

Here are some more items from Olney…

  • Rival executives think Asdrubal Cabrera will be on the trade block if the Indians get off to a slow start.  Olney speculates that the Dodgers could be players for Cabrera in the wake of Hanley Ramirez's thumb injury, though for now the Dodgers are satisfied to use internal options on the left side of their infield.
  • The Tigers "have not made a single specific proposal to another team, asking for a particular player" in exchange for Rick Porcello.  Detroit has told teams that they will listen to offers for the right-hander but only in exchange for Major League players, not prospects.  Several teams have been linked to Porcello, with the Padres and Rangers showing the most recent interest.
  • "Nothing is close" between the Giants and Buster Posey on a long-term extension.  We heard earlier this week that the two sides were still deciding the length of the possible new contract.  Olney believes that Joey Votto's recent extension with the Reds could be a model for Posey's new deal since Posey is athletic enough to handle playing third base or first base later his career.

Giants Release Wilson Valdez, Ramon Ramirez

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The Giants have released Wilson Valdez and Ramon Ramirez, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (on Twitter). Both players are now free agents.

Valdez and Ramirez had opt outs in their contracts with the team, Andrew Baggarly ‏of CSNBayArea reports (Twitter links). The Giants would like to re-sign Ramirez to a minor league deal if he doesn't find a better opportunity elsewhere.

Valdez, a client of Wasserman Media Group, appeared in 77 games for the Reds in 2012, playing shortstop, second base, third base and even center field. The 34-year-old posted a .206/.236/.227 batting line in 208 plate appearances with Cincinnati.

The Giants signed Ramirez to a minor league deal last month. He appeared in 58 games for the Mets in 2012, posting a 4.24 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 in 63 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. The 31-year-old had a 46.7% ground ball rate and his fastball averaged 91.1 mph, according to FanGraphs.

Quick Hits: Padres, Wainwright, Posey, Theriot

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Cubs starting pitcher and extension candidate Jeff Samardzija struggled on the hill at times tonight, but showed a new way to add value by launching his second long ball of the spring and adding another base hit (along with a sacrifice bunt). Indeed, Samardzija's work on offense was so impressive that he was allowed to take his final plate appearance before being lifted for a reliever in the bottom of the inning. Elsewhere in the National League …

  • With the first four spots in the Padres rotation all but locked down by Edinson Volquez, Clayton Richard, Jason Marquis, and Eric Stults, the club could be eyeing outside options for starter number five, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. Brock notes that in-house options include Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner, Tim Stauffer, and Freddy Garcia. San Diego was also recently linked to the Tigers' Rick Porcello. GM Josh Byrnes was not shy in acknowledging his interest: "Our scouts are out there, and we're talking to a few clubs." 
  • Extension discussions between the Cardinals and starter Adam Wainwright still appear to be moving in a positive direction, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Said Wainwright: "I think both sides feel confident something could get done." We learned earlier today that talks were progressing.  
  • An extension agreement between the Giants and star catcher Buster Posey could take many forms, which serves to complicate negotiations, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants and Posey will likely discuss "a three-year deal that buys out arbitration, a different mid-range deal that cuts into free agency and the so-called 'megadeal' that locks Posey into San Francisco for a decade."
  • Infielder Ryan Theriot remains unsigned after playing last year with the world-champion Giants, and San Francisco GM Brian Sabean says that the club has "lost contact" with the 33-year-old, reports Schulman. Theriot remains interested in playing, but so far has not received an offer that is "exactly what I'm looking for playing-time-wise." If the right opportunity does not come along, the easy-going Theriot seems to be at peace with moving on from the game to spend time with his young family.

NL West Notes: Theriot, Kershaw, Kunz

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Free agent infielder Ryan Theriot is interested in playing this season, but only if he's likely to get substantial playing time, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. If Theriot doesn't find a job he likes as a player, he is open to retiring, or becoming an agent. "I’ve had some stuff come up, no doubt. It’s not really exactly what I’m looking for playing-time-wise," Theriot says. Theriot collected 384 plate appearances for the Giants in 2012, and the Giants are currently looking for infield help. But after the signing of Marco Scutaro, they appear unable to provide Theriot with as much playing time as he'd like. Here are more notes from the NL West.

  • Clayton Kershaw's agents, Casey Close and J.D. Smart, were at the Dodgers' training site Wednesday, which could mean that Kershaw and the Dodgers are negotiating a contract extension, MLB.com's Ken Gurnick suggests. Close and Smart also represent Zack Greinke, however, and the pair watched Greinke pitch a minor-league game Wednesday. (10:15: Kershaw's agents were on hand at the Dodgers' training facility to watch Greinke pitch, and not to negotiate an extension for Kershaw, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports.)
  • The Padres have released pitcher Eddie Kunz, MLB.com's Corey Brock reports (on Twitter). The Mets made Kunz the No. 42 overall pick in the 2007 draft. He pitched in 2012 for Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A Tucson, posting a 5.77 ERA in 87 1/3 innings. He made four appearances in the big leagues with the Mets in 2008.

Orioles, Giants Seek Bench Players

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The Orioles are still hunting for catching depth, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports. Matt Wieters will, obviously, start for the O's, and Taylor Teagarden will be his backup, but the team would like an extra backstop in case Teagarden can't stay healthy. The Orioles would prefer a defense-first catcher, but Connolly suggests that market conditions aren't ideal to find that sort of player, with several other clubs in the catching market as well.

The Giants, meanwhile, are looking for a bench infielder, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes (on Twitter). Joaquin Arias may be needed at third base if Pablo Sandoval's elbow injury holds him back, and as MLB.com's Chris Haft notes, the Giants' other middle infield reserve candidates have been underwhelming. Ryan Theriot, who played second base for the Giants in 2012, remains a free agent, and Ronny Cedeno is on the market after being released by the Cardinals.

Giants, Posey Begin Extension Talks

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The Giants have begun talking with Buster Posey's representatives about a potential mega-deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Jeff Berry of CAA Sports represents Posey, who will earn $8MM in 2013 as a first-time arbitration eligible player.

There’s a “decent-sized gap” between the Giants and Posey’s representatives, Heyman reports. Neither side has given up, however, and the possibility of a long-term deal still exists. Heyman suggests that Posey would like to sign for ten years or more, adding that the Giants aren’t opposed to this notion. It’s possible the Giants will simply sign Posey through his arbitration years, Heyman reports. First the team will see if there’s a fit long-term.

Posey, a super two player, will go to arbitration three more times. If he doesn't sign a long-term deal, he'll be eligible for free agency following the 2016 season. Still just 25, Posey has two World Series titles, a Rookie of the Year award and an MVP on his resume. In parts of four MLB seasons he has a .314/.380/.503 batting line.

A ten-year deal that begins in 2013 would buy out six free agent seasons and would cost well over $100MM. Buster Olney of ESPN.com has suggested Joey Votto's 12-year deal could provide a framework for the Giants and Posey. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports recently estimated that adding a seven-year, $120MM deal to Posey's 2013 salary could work for both sides.

West Notes: Headley, McClellan, Petit, D-Backs

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The Padres received some bad news earlier today when they found out that Chase Headley will miss a month of action with a fractured thumb, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). Here's some more out of baseball's Western divisions…

Giants Outright Yusmeiro Petit

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Pitcher Yusmeiro Petit has been outrighted off the Giants' 40-man roster, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly reports (on Twitter). Petit, 28, spent most of the 2012 season with Triple-A Fresno, posting a 3.46 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 166 2/3 innings. He pitched 4 2/3 innings in the majors in 2012, allowing two runs while striking out one and walking four. Baggarly reports that Petit will decide on Monday whether to accept an assignment to Fresno or become a free agent.

West Notes: Dodgers, Mariners, Bonderman, Giants

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Here's a look at items out of the Western divisions..

  • The Dodgers look great on paper, but Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com wonders if chemistry issues could hurt them in 2013.  Plenty of players, coaches, and executives associated with the Marlins say that Hanley Ramirez will become a problem with the Dodgers just as he did in Florida.  Same goes for people tied to the Red Sox who feel that Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford aren't as great for a team as some people believe.
  • Mariners pitching coach Carl Willis says that he has no doubt that Jeremy Bonderman's comeback attempt will be a success, Knobler writes.  Bonderman, who inked a minor league deal with the M's this winter, hasn't decided whether he will agree to go to Triple-A if he's asked to.  However, Knobler writes that it seems likely that he would if it's a short term thing.
  • Yesterday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle suggested that Brett Pill could be a trade candidate for the Giants given their depth at first base.  However, a deal isn't in the cards right now as he is set to undergo knee surgery tomorrow that will sideline him for three weeks, according to Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter).

Quick Hits: Giants, Cabrera, Rangers, Rondon, Tigers

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Despite reports to the contrary, the Giants never discussed nor offered a deal to Melky Cabrera in the range of $75-85MM prior to the outfielder's 50 game suspension for performance enhancing drugs, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).  Cabrera was expected to be in line for a major pay day up until that point but a softened market led him to take a two-year, $16MM deal with the Blue Jays over the winter.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels told reporters, including Ron Matejko of ESPNDallas.com, not to expect any additions between now and Opening Day.  "I would expect the 25 will come out of [the Rangers clubhouse]," said Daniels.  "I won't 100 percent rule out an outside acquisition, and we do our due diligence and make our calls, things can come about, but you have to be prepared to go in house."
  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland says that it is "possible" that rookie Bruce Rondon will open the season as part of a bullpen by committee, writes MLB.com's Jason Beck.  The Tigers have reportedly been looking to acquire a proven closer via trade in recent weeks but using Rondon with other relievers already in-house would be a less-costly middle ground.
  • The Pirates released former first-round pick Aaron Poreda, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter).  Pittsburgh picked up the left-hander in last winter's Rule 5 draft but he made just three Double-A starts for the organization in 2012.
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