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Rays Avoid Arbitration With David Price

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The Rays have reached agreement on a one-year, $14MM deal with ace David Price to avoid arbitration, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports on Twitter. Price, who is represented by Bo McKinnis, will qualify for arbitration one more time before hitting free agency in 2016.

Price's deal represents a nearly $4MM raise over his 2013 salary. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected him to  earn $13.1MM, though Swartz explained that Price had a somewhat higher ceiling to aim for. As FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal notes on Twitter, the southpaw stands to constitute about twenty percent of the club's approximately $70MM payroll for the coming year. $14MM also makes for the highest single-season salary in club history, though Tampa has already promised higher paydays over the 2019-22 portion of Evan Longoria's extension.

The agreement should not have a substantial impact on the possibility of Price being dealt. While salary certainty knocks out one minor variable, Price's rights are enormously valuable either way. Of course, the latest chatter has suggested that Price is increasingly likely to pitch for the Rays in 2014 anyway, at least to start the year.

Rays Notes: Price, Odorizzi

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The Rays face a dilemma with regard to David Price, writes Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs. They could keep him this season, a season in which they project to be competitive, and try to trade him again next offseason. The problem is that his surplus value is likely to decline by then — not only because he'll be a year closer to free agency, but because he doesn't project to improve and because he'll almost certainly be paid more in 2015 than he will be in 2014. Here are more notes out of Tampa.

  • The Rays are currently focused on "tinkering" with their roster and building depth, GM Andrew Friedman tells the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin (via Twitter).
  • Jake Odorizzi was impressed with the Rays after joining their organization via the James Shields / Wil Myers trade, he tells Sam Dykstra in a long interview at MILB.com. "You hear things about how good this organization is, and it really lived up to that. Everyone here is great on communication, and the program they put you on is one-of-a-kind," Odorizzi says. "You can see why they're so successful and continue to be that every year." Odorizzi also says he became closer to Myers and fellow Royal-turned-Ray Mike Montgomery as a result of the trade.

 

Gammons On Top Starters, Shields, Blue Jays, Drew, Polanco

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In two pieces today for GammonsDaily.com, Peter Gammons discusses a variety of hot stove topics. In particular, even before Clayton Kershaw's market-busting extension earlier today, Gammons noted that the price of starting pitching has been a hot topic among baseball GMs.

  • The two key situations driving market pricing, he writes, are the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes and how the Rays handle David Price. Tanaka could command $120MM or more from the Yankees or Dodgers, says Gammons. As for Price, Tampa is increasingly inclined to hold onto their ace at least until the trade deadline, when they can try to extract a higher price or hold onto him for a postseason run. 
  • These situations could have a substantial impact on several other high-end starters that are set to become free agents next year. James Shields has let the Royals know that he is looking to score a contract on the magnitude of Zach Greinke's six-year, $147MM deal.
  • Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Reds do not plan on approaching key extension candidates Jon Lester and Homer Bailey, respectively, until Spring Training.
  • After disappointing returns on some of their major pitching acquisitions last year, the Blue Jays are not going to engage in any bidding wars for starting pitching, Gammons says. The club will instead "build on youth and rehabs," and will only jump into the mix for arms like Ervin Santana or Ubaldo Jimenez if they "fall down to [Toronto]."
  • Agent Scott Boras has increasingly given indication that free agent Stephen Drew is willing to play positions other than shortstop, says Gammons, which may increase his appeal to both the Yankees and Red Sox. As Andy Martino of the New York Daily News writes in a separate piece, Boras says that Drew has suitors other than the Sox and Mets, though he declined to name them.
  • Already considered one of the game's top prospects, Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco has raised his stock even further with big numbers (including a .428 OBP) in he Dominican winter league. Polanco, 22, could have an impact by the mid-season of 2014. More importantly for the Bucs' long-term plans, one National League GM tells Gammons that the prospective Pittsburgh outfield of Polanco, Andrew McCutchen, and Starling Marte "will be the best outfield in the game." 

AL East Notes: Price, Tanaka, Yankees, Almanzar

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When the offseason began, many speculated that David Price's time with the Rays was coming to an end, as the ace southpaw would be traded at the height of his remaining value (two years of team control) and Tampa Bay could save money and add even more quality prospects to their system.  The perception amongst rival executives now, however, is that Price will stay put through the coming season, ESPN's Buster Olney reports in his latest Insider-only column.  "Ninety percent chance he stays," one rival executive said. "The [trade] market hasn't materialized."  MLBTR readers seem to agree with that sentiment — according to a recent poll, less than 31% of respondees feel that Price will be pitching elsewhere by Opening Day.

Here's some more news from around the AL East…

  • Also from Olney's piece, some executives believe the Yankees and Dodgers will be the two final players in the race for Masahiro Tanaka.  The Yankees have the greater need for pitching and perhaps even more pressure to sign Tanaka now that most of Alex Rodriguez's salary is off the books for 2014.  The Dodgers, meanwhile, have shown they'll pay any price for a player they want, and are "more shameless in their bidding," according to some rival executives.
  • If the Yankees can't sign Tanaka, they could again focus on staying under the $189MM luxury tax limit, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford speculates.  Rodriguez's suspension could make the Yankees' payroll decision more difficult, as had A-Rod's 2014 salary still been fully owed, New York could've added Tanaka and other needed upgrades with the assumption that they'd be well over the $189MM threshold.  If Tanaka signs elsewhere, however, Bradford isn't sure that the Yankees would be willing to pay another big luxury tax penalty for one of the other big free agent starters (Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana or Matt Garza) and they surely wouldn't go over $189MM just to sign a closer.
  • If recent signees Delmon Young and Alexi Casilla make the Orioles' roster, it could hurt their chances of keeping Rule 5 Draft selection Michael Almanzar, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes.  Almanzar was taken by the O's from the Red Sox in last month's draft, and if Almanzar isn't on the Major League roster for the entire 2014 season, Baltimore has to offer him back to Boston for $25K.
  • CSNBaltimore.com's Rich Dubroff predicts 24 of the 25 players who he feels will make the Orioles' Opening Day roster.  The 25th spot is being left open for a starting pitcher from outside the organization, as Dubroff feels the O's will add a starter between now and the start of Spring Training.

Minor Moves: Rodriguez, Golson, Christian, Martinez, Donald, Marrero, Carroll

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Here are today's minor moves and outright assignments from around the league…

  • The Rays have signed catcher Eddy Rodriguez to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, MLB.com's Corey Brock tweeted earlier today. Most recently a Padres farmhand, Rodriguez has just seven MLB plate appearances to his name. (Notably, he appears on the short list of players to have hit a home run in their first trip to the plate, sandwiched chronologically between Starling Marte and Jurickson Profar.) Playing at the Double-A and Triple-A level last year, Rodriguez managed a .231/.271/.374 line in 299 plate appearances.
  • Outfielder Greg Golson has signed a minor league pact with the Brewers, the club announced via Twitter (hat tip to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Golson, 28, has seen sporadic big league action over parts of four seasons, but hasn't had a crack at the show since 2011. A first round pick of the Phillies back in 2004, Golson spent time in the Rockies and Braves systems last year, putting up a composite .249/.313/.392 line with 19 stolen bases.
  • The Rays have inked outfielder Justin Christian to a minor league deal that includes a Spring Training invite, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The 33-year-old has not seen MLB time since 2012, and has a career .203.255/.266 line in 155 plate appearances over three seasons. Last year, playing at Triple-A for the Cardinals organization, Christian put up a .270/.332/.353 triple-slash in 411 plate appearances.
  • The Marlins acquired minor league shortstop Hiram Martinez from the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations last week, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports in his latest minor transactions roundup. The 21-year-old played in the Mexican League last year and batted .222/.265/.254 in 56 games (just 69 plate appearances).
  • Also from Eddy, the Royals have signed former Indians infielder Jason Donald to a minor league deal. One of the four players acquired by Cleveland in the trade that sent Cliff Lee to the Phillies, Donald is a career .257/.309/.362 hitter that hasn't appeared in the bigs since 2012. The 29-year-old batted .219/.268/.319 in 271 plate appearances for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in 2013.
  • The White Sox have signed first baseman Christian Marrero to a minor league deal and re-signed right-hander Scott Carroll to a minor league pact as well, per the team's transactions page. The ChiSox originally drafted Marrero in 2005, but he spent the past two seasons in the Pirates and Braves organizations. The 27-year-old is a career .273/.361/.434 hitter in the minors, but he has just 76 games at the Triple-A level. The 29-year-old Carroll has a 5.14 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 232 2/3 innings in his Triple-A career.
  • As can be seen in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, the Yankees' Vernon Wells is the only player that is currently in DFA limbo.

Ohio Notes: Reds, Indians, Carroll, Axford

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Here's the latest from both teams in the Buckeye State…

  • The Reds are lacking in shortstop depth behind Zack Cozart and MLB.com's Mark Sheldon wonders if the club will address this issue before Spring Training.  The pickings are slim on the utility backup shortstop market, and they became even slimmer when Jamey Carroll recently signed with Washington.  The Reds weren't in on Carroll, Sheldon reports.  (The Indians, however, were one of Carroll's suitors.)
  • It's been a quiet offseason for the Reds, and ESPN's Dave Cameron (Insider subscription required) argues that the team has done little to keep pace in the NL Central.  Cameron suggests three moves involving Homer Bailey, the rotation and the backup outfield spot that would help upgrade the Reds' roster for 2014 and beyond.
  • After he was traded to the Cardinals last summer, John Axford was surprised to learn from St. Louis coaches that he was tipping his pitches, the reliever told John Lott of the National Post.  Axford discusses the adjustments that led to turning his season around as a Cardinal, and his subsequent signing with the Indians.
  • The Indians may have a few million dollars in remaining payroll to spend, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.  The front office plans to wait until right before Spring Training and then use these potential funds if a player they like is still on the market.
  • Also from Pluto, David Cooper also received a Major League contract offer from the Rays before the first baseman chose to re-sign with the Indians in December.
  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer covers a number of Indians-related topics in a reader mailbag, including whether or not there's a spot for Michael Young on the Tribe's roster.
  • Roto Authority, MLBTR's fantasy baseball-focused sister site, has relaunched for 2014 with all-new content.  One of the many articles from RA's opening week was Alex Steers McCrum's piece about how the Tribe's plan to give Yan Gomes the bulk of playing time behind the plate makes Gomes a strong fantasy catching option.

Quick Hits: Bailey, Mulder, Rays, Betancourt

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Homer Bailey says he does not want to leave the Reds, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports. "To say that I 'want out of Cincinnati' is not true," says Bailey, who is eligible for free agency after the season. "If I am in the organization's future, my priorities are that things make sense for me on the business end, that we are a team that continues to be a highly competitive team in the league and a team that plays the game the right way." Reds GM Walt Jocketty says that extension negotiations with Bailey are on "hold," and Rosenthal writes that they may not pick up until there's more clarity on the free-agent pitching market. Here's more from throughout the big leagues.

  • The Angels signed Mark Mulder because they were impressed with his new delivery, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com, who describes in detail the series of events that led Mulder to begin a surprising comeback attempt after not pitching more than 11 innings in a big-league season since 2006. "I haven't had the ball come out of my hand like this in a very long time, and it's fun," says Mulder of his recent workouts. "I never threw like this in all my years in St. Louis. And I mean that. It was smoke and mirrors that first year in St. Louis. … My arm action was kind of deteriorating. And I'm gonna run with it. I'm gonna see what happens."
  • Jeff Niemann and Sam Fuld would have interest in returning to the Rays, MLB.com's Sam Chastain writes. Niemann is rehabbing a shoulder injury and plans to be ready by mid-2014. The Rays non-tendered Fuld last month after he hit .199/.270/.267 in 200 plate appearances for them last year.
  • Rafael Betancourt is making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. He believes he could pitch in 2014 despite only having the surgery only late last season. The Dodgers had interest in him as a free agent, but he wants to stay with the Rockies. "If I pitch again, it will be with the Rockies. I can’t see myself anywhere else at this point in my career. I have really enjoyed five years there," Betancourt says.

Minor Moves: Sands, Mills, Fontenot, Patterson

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Here are today's minor moves from around the league…

  • Scout.com's Kiley McDaniel reports that Jerry Sands has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Durham by the Rays (Twitter link). The 26-year-old Sands was designated for assignment earlier in the week when the club claimed Pedro Figueroa.
  • The Brewers and lefty Brad Mills have agreed to a minor league contract, according to MLB Daily Dish's Chris Cotillo (on Twitter). Mills, 29 in March, posted a 3.87 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 97 2/3 innings for Triple-A Round Rock in the Rangers' organization in 2013. He requested his release midseason to sign with Nippon Professional Baseball's Orix Buffaloes. Mills has a 7.76 ERA in 53 1/3 career big league innings.
  • Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports that the Nationals have signed Mike Fontenot to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training (Twitter link). Last year marked the first season since 2006 in which Fontenot didn't appear at the Major League level. He spent the duration of the campaign with the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, batting .264/.335/.379 in 120 games.
  • The White Sox have signed infielder/outfielder Eric Patterson to a minor league contract, tweets Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. The 30-year-old began last season with the Atlantic League's York Revolution, batting .275/.342/.527 with 13 homers in 294 plate appearances. That production led to him getting picked up by the Brewers, but he slashed just .204/.291/.235 in 111 plate appearances at Double-A Huntsville. Patterson has not appeared in the Majors since 2011.

Rays To Sign Jayson Nix

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The Rays are set to sign infielder Jayson Nix to a minor league deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Nix is represented by Turner Gary Sports.

The 31-year-old Nix has spent the past three seasons in the AL East, playing for the Blue Jays in 2011 and then the Yankees in 2012-13. Over the past two seasons in the Bronx, Nix has totaled 505 plate appearances, batting .239/.307/.340 with seven home runs and 19 stolen bases (in 23 attempts).

Nix offers a great deal of versatility in the field, an asset that surely attracted the Rays in particular. He has experience at second base, shortstop, third base, left field and right field in parts of six Major League seasons split between the Rockies, White Sox, Indians, Jays and Yankees.

Rays Claim Pedro Figueroa, Designate Jerry Sands

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The Rays have claimed Pedro Figueroa off of unconditional release waivers, according to Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune (via Twitter).  To make room on the roster, the club has designated outfielder Jerry Sands for assignment.

Figueroa, 28, has 24 big league appearances to his credit over the last two years with the Athletics.  He spent the bulk of last year at Triple-A Sacramento, posting a 4.10 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 in 45 relief appearances and one start.

Sands, 26, was claimed off waivers from the Pirates just before Christmas and didn't get a chance to go house hunting in Tampa Bay.  Sands batted just .207/.311/.329 with seven home runs in 106 games (397 PAs) at the Triple-A level in 2013.  Once a favorite in the Dodgers' farm system, he became one of the players in the Adrian Gonzalez/Carl Crawford/Josh Beckett blockbuster of August 2012.  The Red Sox included him in another notable trade last offseason – the deal that sent Mark Melancon to Pittsburgh and Joel Hanrahan to Boston.  In his minor league career, Sands is a .276/.366/.526 hitter with 128 homers in 2433 plate appearances. 

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