West Notes: Ethier, Marcum, Ruggiano, Ankiel
Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier has been the subject of trade rumors all winter, but the veteran isn't buying into the notion that he'll be playing elsewhere come Opening Day, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times. “I haven’t looked too much into it,” Ethier said. “It’s something I see as rumors. I think Ned was pretty quick to say there was nothing to it. That was enough to ease my mind, even though obviously there was a lot following that."
Here's the latest news and headlines from both the AL and NL West…
- The Mariners and Rangers both had discussions with Shaun Marcum before the veteran elected to sign with the Mets, writes Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com (via Twitter). As a result, each team remains in the hunt for starting pitching.
- Astros GM Jeff Luhnow has some regrets for trading Justin Ruggiano to the Marlins last spring, but likes the player he received in Jobduan Morales, says Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (on Twitter).
- Houston manager Bo Porter believes Rick Ankiel will make the big league roster out of Spring Training if he can play up to his potential, writes Dave Zangaro of CSNHouston.com. “He will add leadership. He will add a veteran presence in the lineup. You look at his ability to play defense, I watched him make some throws and make some catches that make you shake your head. This guy’s phenomenal.”
Rangers Sign Jeff Baker
The Rangers announced that they have agreed to terms with infielder/outfielder Jeff Baker while officially announcing the signing of left-handed pitcher Nate Robertson. Baker is represented by Scott Boras
Baker, 31, hit .248/.287/.405 with four homers in 68 games for the Cubs, Tigers, and Braves last season. The veteran drew interest from the Yankees earlier this winter as they were looking to add a right-handed bat to the mix in the outfield. Baker owns a career slash line of .296/.344/.498 against left-handers.
Quick Hits: Rangers, Furbush, Aviles, Free Agents
A few notes from around the Majors as we wrap up a very busy Thursday…
- The Rangers are "not looking at anything major" in terms of further offseason moves, general manager Jon Daniels tells MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. If the club does make any additions, it will be bench depth or another candidate to fight for the fifth starter's job.
- Left-hander Charlie Furbush wasn't part of the package the Mariners offered to the Diamondbacks for Justin Upton, Larry Stone of the Seattle Times reports. The two teams had agreed on a package that included Taijuan Walker, Nick Franklin and Stephen Pryor before Upton blocked the deal with his no-trade protection. Stone isn't sure if just those three were offered to Arizona or if another pitcher besides Furbush was also part of the proposed trade.
- Mike Aviles hasn't heard updates from his agent about his contract status with the Indians but tells MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that "as far as I know, everything is progressing and I don't see why it wouldn't be settled" before the two sides reach an arbitration hearing. Aviles is the Tribe's only remaining arb-eligible player who hasn't yet agreed to a deal. MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker indicates that Aviles is looking for a $3.4MM contract while Cleveland is offering $2.4MM.
- Michael Bourn and Kyle Lohse are still unsigned, which many attribute to the draft pick compensation tied to them as players who turned down qualifying offers from their former teams. Andrew Miller, the Red Sox MLBPA representative, told Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal that the two players' situations "clearly means more fine-tuning" is needed for the new free agency rules. "It's not an open market for these guys….It's just unfortunate that those guys can help teams but teams are hesitant to go after them because of a draft pick," Miller said.
- Center field has been the busiest position of the offseason, as MLB.com's Andrew Simon notes the large number of teams who have made changes in center this winter.
- The Royals don't have an out clause in their TV contract with FOX Sports Kansas City, Royals senior VP of business Kevin Uhlich tells Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star. The club's current broadcast deal runs through the 2019 season.
Michael Bourn Rumors: Thursday
Suitors are starting to show up for Michael Bourn, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Mets, it appears, are one of them. They’re interested in Bourn, but they remain hesitant to meet his asking price and don’t want to surrender the 11th overall selection in the 2013 draft to complete a deal. Here are the latest Bourn-related rumors as the market for the center fielder picks up…
- The Rangers aren't involved at all in the Bourn talks, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter). This leaves the Mets and Mariners as favorites for Bourn, Nightengale writes.
Earlier updates
- Heyman suggests it’ll take a five-year deal worth $15MM or so per season to sign Bourn, a Scott Boras client. B.J. Upton obtained a five-year, $75.2MM contract that could be a comparable for Bourn’s next deal.
- Bourn is an “outside possibility” for the Orioles, Heyman reports. The Cubs are thought to like Bourn “very much” and have some level of interest.
- Heyman writes that at least one prominent Dodgers player contacted Bourn encouraging him to sign in Los Angeles. Braves players made similar calls, as did Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez. However, the Braves don’t need an outfielder now that they’ve traded for Justin Upton.
- The Rangers seem like the best fit for Bourn assuming the Tigers don’t get involved, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick writes (on Twitter). However, it’s not certain how often the Rangers have been talking to Bourn, Heyman writes. MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reported today that the Rangers don't expect to sign either Bourn or Kyle Lohse. The Rangers have been in talks with Boras, however.
Braves Acquire Justin Upton
After years of trade talk, the Justin Upton rumors finally amounted to a deal. The Braves and Diamondbacks have officially agreed to a seven-player trade that will send Upton to Atlanta. The Braves obtain Upton and third baseman Chris Johnson for third baseman Martin Prado, right-hander Randall Delgado, shortstop prospect Nick Ahmed, right-handed pitching prospect Zeke Spruill and minor league first baseman Brandon Drury.
The Braves now have a new-look outfield that will also feature B.J. Upton and Jason Heyward. Justin's older brother signed with Atlanta as a free agent earlier in the offseason, agreeing to a five-year, $75.2MM contract. GM Frank Wren added balance to what had previously been a lefty-heavy lineup by acquiring the right-handed hitting Upton brothers.
Upton, the first overall selection of the 2005 draft, followed up a breakout 2011 season with a solid but unspectacular 2012 campaign. The 25-year-old hit 17 home runs and posted a .280/.355/.430 batting line in 628 plate appearances last year, his sixth season at the MLB level.
There are now three years and $38.5MM remaining on Upton's contract, including a $9.75MM salary in 2013. The contract includes a no-trade list which allows him to block trades to the Red Sox, Cubs, Blue Jays and Mariners. He exercised his no-trade rights earlier in the winter, blocking a proposed trade that would have sent him to Seattle.
Prado has provided the Braves with versatility on defense and steady offensive production in recent years. He posted a .301/.359/.438 batting line in 690 plate appearances in 2012 while playing five positions. Though Prado was Atlanta's primary left fielder, he played at least ten games at second base, shortstop and third base.
The 29-year-old is arbitration eligible for the third time this winter. He asked for $7.05MM with the Braves, a file and trial team, offering $6.65MM, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. The Braves were willing to trade Prado once they learned that his asking price on a multiyear deal was $11-12MM, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (on Twitter). Prado, a client of The Legacy Agency, remains on track to hit free agency following the 2013 season.
Johnson hit a career-best 15 home runs last year while playing for the Astros and Diamondbacks. The 28-year-old posted a .281/.326/.451 batting line in 528 plate appearances in 2012. He'll earn $2.875MM in 2013 and will remain under team control as an arbitration eligible player through 2016.
As a consequence of the trade, Johnson and Juan Francisco project as Atlanta's primary third basemen. The Braves plan to use the pair in a platoon at third, O'Brien reports (on Twitter). The trade will also take Atlanta out of the running for center fielder Michael Bourn and other free agent outfielders.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks still have considerable outfield depth. Cody Ross, Jason Kubel, Gerardo Parra and Adam Eaton provide Arizona manager Kirk Gibson with various options, even without Upton, who had been the team's primary right fielder since 2008. Prado figures to play at third base in Arizona given the team's crowded outfield and the departure of Johnson.
Teams such as the Orioles that had interest in trading for Kubel will now have to look elsewhere for offense. Though Arizona GM Kevin Towers was willing to listen to offers on Upton and Kubel, there's no indication he'd actually trade both players.
Upton drew interest from multiple MLB teams this offseason, as the Diamondbacks were evidently listening to trade offers. The Rangers, one of Upton's many suitors, offered Mike Olt in a trade, but did not include right-hander Cody Buckel in their proposal, Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports (on Twitter).
Delgado started 17 games for the Braves in 2012 after entering the season as the 46th ranked prospect in MLB, according to Baseball America. The 22-year-old posted a 4.37 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 92 2/3 innings.
Ahmed, 22, played at Class A this past season in his second year as a professional. The 2011 second rounder posted a .269/.337/.391 batting line in 571 plate appearances. Baseball America named him the best defensive infielder in Atlanta's minor league system.
Spruill ranked ninth on BA's list of top Braves prospects this winter. The 23-year-old spent the 2012 season at Double-A Mississippi, posting a 3.67 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 161 2/3 innings.
Drury played at Class A in 2012. The 20-year-old posted a .229/.270/.333 batting line in 480 plate appearances in his third professional season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the teams were nearing an agreement, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first reported the teams had agreed to a trade (on Twitter) and Mark Bowman of MLB.com first reported the specifics of the deal.
Justin Upton Rumors: Wednesday
Here's a look at the latest Justin Upton rumors with all links going to Twitter..
- Arizona GM Kevin Towers is going on vacation this Friday, Rosenthal reports. While Towers would prefer to trade Upton or Kubel by then, it's not a deadline.
- The Braves are now waiting to hear back from the Diamondbacks about their offer, Rosenthal reports. It's a "sensitive" time in the trade talks. For much of the offseason, the Braves had trouble getting the Diamondbacks to return their calls, Rosenthal reports. Things have evidently changed.
Earlier Updates
- The Rangers haven't talked to the Diamondbacks about Upton in weeks, Heyman reports.
- The Diamondbacks could make a trade involving Upton or Kubel with the next few days, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Heyman notes that the Braves seem seriously interested in Upton and adds on Twitter that they're trying hard for him and have offered a "strong" package of players. The Rangers, Rays and Padres have also shown interest, Heyman writes.
- The Diamondbacks have an offer on the table for Upton, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The offer is believed to be from the Braves, Rosenthal writes. Arizona likes Evan Gattis' power, but the team continues weighing various options. For example, Diamomdbacks executives discussed Kubel with the Orioles today.
- The Diamondbacks want to make a decision on trading Jason Kubel or Upton by Friday, people involved in the process tell ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Arizona had an agreement with the Mariners on an Upton deal earlier this offseason but the 25-year-old used his limited veto power to shoot the trade down.
- Meanwhile, Arizona's talks with the Braves on Upton have resumed (Twitter link). Atlanta is said to be aggressive about acquiring Upton and they're likely the frontrunner for the outfielder if he is dealt. The D'Backs have been reviewing the Braves' offer and some folks involved believe that it's a strong proposal, according to Olney.
- The asking price for Kubel is dropping and Baltimore would be a logical landing spot for him, Olney tweets. Earlier today it was reported that the O's are pursuing Kubel but talks are not yet at an advanced stage.
Red Sox To Sign Mike Napoli
It took a while, but the Red Sox have officially signed Mike Napoli. The sides have completed a one-year deal worth $5MM plus incentives. The Paragon Sports International client could earn up to $13MM in 2013.
The sides had agreed to a three-year, $39MM contract earlier in the offseason, but the deal didn’t go through as expected. Napoli has a hip issue that prompted the Red Sox to seek protective language in the deal.
However, the 31-year-old remained a top first base target for Boston throughout the process. Despite the hip issue, Napoli expects to be ready for Opening Day, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Napoli drew interest from other teams after the initial delay in finalizing the agreement. Meanwhile, the Red Sox considered other options for first base such as Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse.
The Rangers had re-opened talks with Napoli, ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM's Ben Rogers reports. The Red Sox could offer more playing time, however, and he ended up agreeing to terms with Boston.
Napoli posted a .227/.343/.469 batting line in 2012, reaching the 20-home plateau for the fifth consecutive season with 24. The right-handed hitter made the All-Star team for the first time in his career, but missed time with a quadriceps injury. Ultimately Napoli fell short of the career-best numbers he posted in 2011: 30 home runs and a .320/.414/.631 batting line. The Red Sox project to rely on Napoli as their primary first baseman, but he did catch 72 games with Texas in 2012.
Napoli ranked 14th on MLBTR's list of top 50 free agents entering the offseason. He wasn't linked to draft pick compensation, as the Rangers decided not to make him a qualifying offer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Rob Bradford of WEEI.com first reported the agreement, and the value of the incentives. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first reported the value of the guarantee (Twitter links).
Rosenthal On Felix, Upton, Rangers, Nationals
The Mariners continue discussing an extension with Felix Hernandez, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The sides aren’t close to a deal, and are now “dancing.” However, Seattle is at least considering a four-year, $100MM offer, according to Rosenthal. It’s not clear if the Mariners have offered a nine-figure deal to Hernandez, whose current contract expires at the end of the 2014 season. The 26-year-old Octagon client would presumably want a longer commitment, as Rosenthal points out. Here are more of Rosenthal’s notes from around MLB…
- The Mariners’ willingness to add veterans approaching free agency suggests GM Jack Zduriencik senses an urgency to win now in the view of some rival executives.
- Justin Upton won’t be traded for Chase Headley, an official from one of the teams involved told Rosenthal. Headley is two years away from free agency, however, and Rosenthal suggests that the Padres figure to move him eventually. Upton, another trade candidate, is under contract through 2015.
- The Diamondbacks and Rangers haven’t revived Upton-centered trade talks since the Mariners’ failed attempt at acquiring the 25-year-old right fielder. Rosenthal reports that the sides agreed to “move on.” When the teams were last in contact the Rangers offered a four-played package led by Mike Olt that would have included shortstop prospect Leury Garcia and either Martin Perez or Cody Buckel plus a fourth prospect.
- The Rangers continue pondering one significant move. They are viewed as possible destinations for Kyle Lohse and Michael Bourn, and could also pursue relief help. The Rangers discussed right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard with the Nationals earlier this offseason, Rosenthal reports.
- The Nationals could trade Clippard or Drew Storen now that they’ve signed Rafael Soriano. One rival executive suggested Washington could sign Lohse, but Rosenthal writes that a deal with free agent right-hander Javier Vazquez seems more likely.
Rangers, Murphy Have Talked Long-Term Deal
The Rangers have had discussions with Mike Moye, the agent for David Murphy, assistant general manager Thad Levine tells MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Murphy agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.775MM earlier today, avoiding arbitration for the final time before hitting free agency. According to Levine, the team preferred to "get through [arbitration] first and then continue that dialogue later."
"Later" could mean Spring Training, writes Sullivan. As he points out, the Rangers have hammered out significant extensions for both Derek Holland and Ian Kinsler during Spring Training in recent years. That line of thinking also allows the Rangers to have a better sense of their long-term outfield picture. As it stands, the team is still interested in both Justin Upton and Michael Bourn. Acquiring either could impact potential extension talks for Murphy.
According to Sullivan, the team is also interested in discussing a long-term deal for Nelson Cruz, but no talks have taken place as of yet. Those, much like talks with Murphy, are likely to occur during Spring Training. Cruz signed a two-year, $16MM contract with the Rangers last offseason that bought out his final two years of arbitration. The 32-year-old is eligible to become a free agent following the 2013 season.
Rangers To Sign Nate Robertson
The Rangers have signed Nate Robertson to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The 35-year-old southpaw is a client of Steve Canter.
Robertson's last Major League action came back in 2010 when he spent most of the season with the Marlins and also pitched one ill-fated inning for the Phillies. He was a staple in the Tigers' rotation from 2004-07, starting 126 games and totaling 779 2/3 innings of work.
In 1,152 1/3 career innings, Robertson has a 5.01 ERA, 6.1 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. We heard earlier this month that he was looking for a Minor League contract with a chance to come to a big league camp and compete for a bullpen spot. Crasnick adds in a second tweet that Robertson will do just that.