Quick Hits: Hamilton, Reds, Francis, Rays, Nady
Wednesday night linkage..
- Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton said that it will be “miraculous” if he and the club come to terms on a new deal before Opening Day, writes Drew Davidson of the Star-Telegram.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty told Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com that while the club is making progress in multi-year contract talks with Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto, nothing is imminent.
- Pitcher Jeff Francis has decided not to exercise his opt-out clause with the Reds, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. Francis told the club that he’d be willing to go to Triple-A and start.
- The Rays are a thorn in the side for people those who contend that teams with limited budgets can’t win, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Tampa Bay is bumping up their payroll this year in an effort to spark attendance and revenue at Tropicana Field.
- After spending just one day in major league camp, it looks like Xavier Nady may have a chance to crack the Nationals’ roster, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. One spot is up for grabs between Nady and Jason Michaels, who has an out clause. The out clause may actually work against him as the player that the Nats choose will likely be sent to the minors once Michael Morse returns.
AL East Notes: Maxwell, Moore, Red Sox
If the Dodgers are worth $2.15 billion, what are the Yankees worth? Here are some AL East-related notes, starting in the Bronx…
- The Astros and Orioles have some interest in Yankees outfielder Justin Maxwell, but haven’t discussed a possible deal with GM Brian Cashman, George A. King III of the New York Post reports. Maxwell is out of options and could be available in trades before Opening Day.
- Andrew Simon explores the risks and rewards of long-terms deals for unproven players in a piece for MLB.com. Left-hander Matt Moore thought his options over carefully before signing long-term with the Rays this offseason. "Matt came at it from a very, very intellectual standpoint, and we gave him all the information," agent Matt Sosnick said.
- Red Sox right-hander Vicente Padilla said through a translator that he would prefer to pitch in relief for Boston than go to another team, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com (Twitter link).
- Chris Carpenter, the right-handed reliever who joined the Red Sox as compensation for Theo Epstein, will undergo surgery to remove a bone spur from his pitching elbow, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com writes.
AL East Notes: Bush, Snider, Roberts, Valentine
We've already published one batch of AL East Notes today, but there's plenty more happening in the division….
- "I think it's safe to say that he's not going to play for us on the field," Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman said in regards to Matt Bush. Speaking to media (including The Tampa Tribune's Roger Mooney) for the first time since Bush was charged with a DUI with bodily injury for his alleged role in a car accident, Friedman said he was surprised at the incident given how well the troubled Bush had performed in his battle with alcholism. Bush, the first overall pick of the 2004 draft, signed a minor league deal with the Rays in 2010 and has yet to reach the Major Leagues in his pro career.
- Travis Snider is becoming the kind of "devalued asset" that Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos usually tries to acquire from other teams, writes Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi. Even if the Jays feel Snider won't be able to perform for them, dealing him for fair value will be difficult given that Snider's trade value is at a low point.
- Brian Roberts tells reporters (including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com) that the Orioles will put him on the 15-day disabled list to start the season as he continues to recover from concussion symptoms. The fact that it's the 15-day DL and not the 60-day DL is a positive sign for Roberts' chances of returning to playing.
- Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine told reporters (including Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston) that he was satisfied with his roster and didn't think the club needed any new acquisitions before Opening Day. Valentine also denied rumors of a "potential rift" between he and general manager Ben Cherington.
- Ben Badler of Baseball America runs down each AL East team's international signings of the past year.
- In case you missed it earlier today, the Blue Jays signed Dustin McGowan to a contract extension.
AL East Notes: Rays, Bard, Snider, Chamberlain
The Tigers released Carlos Pena on this date in 2006. The first baseman spent most of the year in the minors with the Yankees and Red Sox then broke out with a 46-homer season for the Rays the following season. Here are today's AL East-related links…
- Gustavo Cabrera worked out for the Rays recently, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. The 16-year-old Dominican outfielder is one of this summer's top eligible amateurs and could command a bonus in the $1.5-2.5MM range, Mayo writes.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if Daniel Bard can successfully transition to Boston's rotation this year and explains that in a perfect world he wouldn't have to become a starter. A number of baseball people are skeptical that the Red Sox right-hander will succeed in the rotation, Rosenthal writes.
- Executives monitoring the outfield market say the Blue Jays are inclined to keep Travis Snider, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. The Blue Jays optioned the left-handed hitting 24-year-old to Triple-A over the weekend.
- Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he's optimistic Joba Chamberlain will pitch in the Major Leagues this year, Jeff Bradley of the Star-Ledger reports. The right-hander dislocated his right ankle last week and will likely wear a cast for six weeks.
- It doesn't appear that the Yankees have any intention of releasing Chamberlain in an attempt to save money, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes.
AL East Notes: Suzuki, Yankees, Rays, Lawrie
With Opening Day right around the corner, the Yankees are set to enter the 2012 season with tremendous pitching depth. Yesterday, we learned that the Bombers offered Freddy Garcia to the Marlins but couldn't get the Fish to bite on a deal. Here's more on the Yanks' pitching and other items out of the American League East..
- The Rays say that they haven't talked with the A's about Kurt Suzuki, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Earlier today, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that the Rays have been pushing hard to land the catcher.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes the Yankees' wealth of left-handed pitching this season is a change of pace from what they've had in years past. Aside from a David Wells here or a Sabathia there, Sherman argues that the club hasn't been successful when it comes to developing and importing lefty arms.
- Players' union president Michael Weiner is happy about the Rays increased payroll and hopes to see the club's attendance numbers rise along with it, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Owner Stuart Sternberg has said they made the increase essentially as an investment, hoping that spending beyond their means will lead to more wins, and, in turn, better attendance.
- Brett Lawrie told Jayson Stark of ESPN.com that he wasn't thrilled with the way that the Brewers were looking to develop him and happy to be dealt to the Blue Jays.
Cafardo On Suzuki, Oswalt, Correia, Zimmermann
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe argues that two best players at catcher and shortstop positions in camp with the Red Sox organization are Ryan Lavarnway and Jose Iglesias and believes that they absolutely should be on the final 25-man roster. There could be disagreement from different factions of the club about what to do with the two players and it'll be interesting to see how it all turns out. Here's more from Cafardo..
- The Rays have been trying hard to get A's catcher Kurt Suzuki but Oakland isn’t crazy about getting Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann in return. One National League GM points out that those are the type of pitchers that Billy Beane winds up trading and would want a higher grade of pitcher. Right now, the Rays aren’t willing to pay that price.
- The idea that Roy Oswalt wants to play in the Midwest or South can be overcome with money, according to a major league source. To get him, Cafardo writes that the Red Sox have to loosen their purse strings.
- Major league sources say that the Pirates would entertain a deal for right-hander Kevin Correia.
- The Angels asked the Nationals about Jordan Zimmermann, but there’s no chance unless they part with someone like Mike Trout, and that’s not happening.
- Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald could get some bites if he gets squeezed out in Boston. The Indians, Giants, and Braves are all looking for a righthanded-hitting outfielder.
- The Yankees are being a little careful about trading their pitching depth, but it appears Freddy Garcia would be available at the right price, which may be high.
- White Sox pitchers Gavin Floyd and John Danks are both available in the right deal, but according to one GM, Kenny Williams will want at least "two A-level prospects and a third that’s a notch below, and that might not get it done."
Beeston Talks Fielder, Rogers, Rays, AL East
Blue Jays president Paul Beeston recently discussed the Blue Jays’ path to contention with Stephen Brunt of Sportsnet.ca. Here are some highlights from their conversation, which touched on many off-field topics:
- Beeston says Rogers Communications, the telecommunications company which owns the team, intends to invest in the Blue Jays. “As much as they were maligned for not giving money for Yu Darvish or not giving money for Prince Fielder, the fact of the matter is: where we've needed a lot of money in the farm system and scouting, they've never held back,” Beeston said.
- Fans can count on Rogers reinvesting money into the team, even if they don't fill the Rogers Centre every night, Beeston said. “That's the difference between us and the Tampa Bay Rays,” Beeston continued. “They're looking to bring their salaries down. We're looking to take our salaries up, because we know we have the resources to do it.”
- Beeston intends to be more open with fans at times, though he and GM Alex Anthopoulos agree that leaking information to the public via the media is a competitive disadvantage.
- The AL East features its share of contenders, but Beeston says he prefers the division to all others because it’s so competitive.
Minor Moves: Phillies, Barfield, Dodgers, Smit
A look at today's minor moves..
- The Phillies released former Rangers first-round pick Kasey Kiker, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. The left-hander spent six seasons in the Texas farm system, posting a 4.53 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9.
- The Orioles signed second baseman Josh Barfield to a minor league deal, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Barfield, 29, last appeared in the majors with the Indians in '09.
- More from Eddy (via Twitter), who reports that the Dodgers signed right-hander Kyle Smit. Los Angeles originally drafted Smit in ’06 and sent him to the Cubs in the Ted Lilly deal in 2010.
- The Rays released a number of minor leaguers, including left-handers Sergio Espinosa and Robert Dickmann, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
AL West Notes: Crisp, Martin, Kuo, Luetge
Mike Napoli could bring a bit of added intensity to the plate when he faces C.J. Wilson this season. Wilson recently posted Napoli's phone number on Twitter, a response to an alleged comment made by Napoli about how he was looking forward to homering off of Wilson this season. Napoli was not amused by the joke and, though he didn't recall making the initial statement, vowed to indeed try and take Wilson yard. Eighty years after Babe Ruth hit his famous "called shot" in the World Series, if Napoli does indeed homer off of Wilson this season, can we call it the Prank Called Shot?
Some (more serious) news from around the AL West…
- Coco Crisp said he wouldn't have re-signed with the Athletics had he known he was going to be moved to left field, reports USA Today's Bob Nightengale. Yoenis Cespedes will start the year as Oakland's center fielder, and Crisp said the promise of the center field job was one of the reasons he signed with the A's over the Rays, who couldn't promise Crisp regular time in center due to B.J. Upton's presence. Crisp did say that he was glad to be back with the A's and, in regards to the position switch, says he has to "go out here and just accept it."
- The Rangers feel Leonys Martin needs more development and are "concerned about [his] lack of instincts," tweets Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, though the club still recognizes his talent. The Cuban outfielder signed a five-year, $15.5MM deal with Texas last May and hit .295/.362/.421 in 343 minor league PAs, going all the way from rookie ball to an eight-plate appearance cup of coffee with the Rangers in September.
- Hong-Chih Kuo was released earlier today by the Mariners, though if the southpaw clears waivers, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times believes the M's could re-sign Kuo to a minor league contract.
- Also from Condotta, the Mariners are still figuring out what to do with Lucas Luetge, a left-handed reliever taken from the Brewers in last winter's Rule 5 draft. Kuo's release could help Luetge find a spot in the Mariners' bullpen, though the M's also have Charlie Furbush, Cesar Jimenez and George Sherrill competing for roles as left-handed relief options.
- For some news about the Angels, check this compilation of Los Angeles Notes from earlier tonight on MLBTR.
Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Rays
Surprisingly, the Rays augmented their offense through free agency.
Major League Signings
- Carlos Pena, 1B: one year, $7.25MM.
- Luke Scott, DH: one year, $6MM.
- Kyle Farnsworth, RP: one year, $3.3MM. Club option exercised.
- Fernando Rodney, RP: one year, $2MM.
- Jose Molina, C: one year, $1.8MM.
- Jeff Keppinger, 2B: one year, $1.525MM.
- Total spend: $21.875MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Extensions
- Matt Moore, SP: five years, $14MM. Includes three club options.
- Joe Maddon, manager: three years, about $6MM
Trades and Claims
- Acquired RP Josh Lueke and a player to be named later or cash considerations from Mariners for C John Jaso
- Acquired RP Burke Badenhop from Marlins for C Jake Jefferies
- Acquired $100K from Indians 1B/3B/OF Russ Canzler
Notable Losses
- Johnny Damon, Casey Kotchman, John Jaso, Kelly Shoppach, Juan Cruz, Andy Sonnanstine, Adam Russell, Jake Jefferies, Russ Canzler
For some MLB teams, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, Alex Torres, and Alex Cobb would all have rotation spots. For the Rays, they rank #5-8 on the depth chart. After fielding offers for various starting pitchers for the offseason's first few months, the Rays chose to maintain their rotation depth and simply sign a pair of free agents to bolster the offense.
The Rays inked Pena and Scott for a total of $13.25MM in January to replace first baseman Kotchman and designated hitter Damon. Damon didn't understand why the two positions were considered means to upgrade the offense, but the increased power potential from Pena and Scott is obvious. The Rays can't afford to pay full sticker price for free agent power. Pena was available on a one-year deal because he's batted .216 over the past three seasons and slugged .402 when he was last in the American League in his previous Rays stint. Scott had been non-tendered by the Orioles after an ugly 2011 season was cut short by July shoulder surgery, and he's limited defensively. Damon and Kotchman were far from sure things themselves, but Pena and Scott have higher offensive ceilings.
The team's unheard-of rotation depth is likely to be fully utilized in the course of the season, as most teams need seven starters in a good year. Almost all pitchers want to remain starters as long as possible, and whether Davis or Niemann goes to the bullpen to start the season, the move will be temporary.
The Rays' bullpen needed some tinkering, and executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made some unpredictable acquisitions in Rodney, Badenhop, and Lueke. In the Rodney signing press release, Friedman provided a euphemism for Rodney's control issues, saying, "Fernando's pure stuff is top-notch and can beat hitters both in and out of the strike zone." Having walked almost eight batters per nine innings in a 2011 season shortened by a back injury, I thought Rodney was in line for a minor league deal. He still throws over 95 and gets tons of groundballs, and it's likely the Rays feel pitching coach Jim Hickey can get Rodney's walk rate down to a tolerable level. Badenhop is an extreme groundballer as well, a nice fit for the best defensive team in baseball. The 29-year-old allowed just one home run in 63 2/3 innings last year for the Marlins.
Though light on experienced big league catching, the Rays also traded Jaso to the Mariners for Lueke. The Rays are no strangers to controversial players, and Lueke comes with the baggage of the 2008 rape charge for which he later pled no contest for false imprisonment with violence. Friedman said upon the trade, "We researched the 2009 incident that Josh was involved in thoroughly and in great detail. We’re satisfied that he is going to be the kind of person and teammate that we look for and we expect him to contribute positively to our group." The Rays may have lowered the bar in their search for undervalued players, suggested John Romano of the St. Petersburg Times in November.
The Rays appear to be aiming for improved defense behind the plate, having traded Jaso and declined Shoppach's option. Since they didn't receive offense from the position anyway in 2011, it made sense to double-down on defense. Using the 36-year-old Molina as more than a backup is an interesting experiment given his strong defensive skills, but if he breaks down, inexperienced catchers Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos, and Chris Gimenez could be handling the American League's best rotation with regularity. Expect the Rays to keep a close eye on the catching market this summer. There's also uncertainty at the shortstop position currently, but Hak-Ju Lee may be ready as early as next season.
The Rays kept the well-regarded Friedman-Maddon duo in place, as Friedman declined to interview for the Astros GM job and Maddon signed a three-year extension. Friedman authored yet another precedent-setting contract for pitching phenom Matt Moore, signing him to a five-year deal despite just 17 days of Major League service. There's risk in guaranteeing $14MM to a pitcher so green, but barring injury the Rays probably saved tens of millions of dollars and snagged a pair of free agent years, at their option. Some young players are less receptive to this type of contract, perhaps including young Rays Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson, who are represented by the Boras Corporation.
The Rays hope they've found a way to improve their offense without affecting their rotation depth. If the offense sputters, Friedman will still be in a strong position this summer, as few clubs can part with quality starting pitching without missing a beat.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.