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AL West Notes: Hamilton, Moreland, Angels

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It was on this date in 1990 that Mariners right-hander Brian Holman just missed out on perfect game immortality.  Holman had set down the first 26 Athletics batters he faced, but allowed a pinch-hit homer to Ken Phelps to ruin the perfecto.  Adding to the history of the moment, that homer ended up being Phelps' last of his 11-year career in the Majors.  

Here's the latest from the AL West…

  • If the Rangers win the World Series, Ian Kinsler feels it would be "really hard" to let Josh Hamilton leave for free agency, he tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  Kinsler's gut feeling is that his good friend Hamilton will return to play for Texas in 2013.
  • Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland talks to Fangraphs' David Laurila about his pitching experience in high school and college and how Moreland would be interested in coverting to relief pitching in the Majors "if I could no longer hit."
  • The Angels' recent signings and extensions have left the team with relatively little open payroll space over the next few seasons, writes MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez.  L.A. is already committed to $74.2MM in 2016 to just four players (Albert Pujols, Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and the newly-extended Erick Aybar). "The easiest way you're going to create flexibility, and both forms of flexibility [on the payroll and on the roster], is to build from within," said GM Jerry Dipoto. "You have to do it. It's how this organization got where it was 10 years ago, and it's how we're going to maintain that position."
  • The Angels' slow start could be caused by a lack of stability caused by the club's surplus of roster options, writes Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times.  Including tonight's game against Baltimore, the Halos have used 12 different lineups in 14 games.
  • In case you missed it earlier today, the Athletics claimed Australian right-hander Rich Thompson off waivers from the Angels.

West Notes: Hamilton, Athletics, Giants, Rockies

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The Athletics wrap up a four-game series with the Angels tonight and are looking to take a third straight game from the Halos.  Here’s more on Oakland and other items out of the Western divisions..

  • The Rangers are likely to insist on a clause in any contract with Josh Hamilton that would offer them at some protection against major injury, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
  • Commissioner Bud Selig wouldn’t set a timetable for settling the territorial dispute between the A’s and the Giants but insisted that the A’s will need a new ballpark to compete, according to the Associated Press.  Selig added that the last time he attended a game in Oakland, the park reminded him of County Stadium and Shea Stadium, which is “not a compliment.”
  • A’s owner Lew Wolff reiterated that San Jose remains the club’s sole focus for ballpark relocation, tweets Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group.
  • Though A’s skipper Bob Melvin hoped to hang on to Brandon Allen, he’s happy to see the the first baseman find another opportunity with the Rays, writes MLB.com’s Jane Lee.  The 26-year-old has a .205/.291/.375 line in 274 career plate appearances with the Diamondbacks and Athletics.
  • The Rockies’ release of Albert Campos this week surprised Ben Badler of Baseball America as the right-hander was ranked as the club’s No. 13 prospect entering the 2011 season before dropping out of the top 30 this year.  Campos originally signed with the Rockies as a 16-year-old in July of 2007.  According to a source familiar with the pitcher, he was involved in a physical incident off the field.

Quick Hits: Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers, Vazquez

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The latest links from around MLB…

  • Placido Polanco, John Mayberry Jr. and Jim Thome aren't hitting, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News points out that this puts the Phillies in an uncomfortable situation. Murphy looks back at some of the Phillies' offseason decisions and wonders if the team should have prioritized a hitter over a closer.
  • Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald points out that two of Boston's primary offseason additions – Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon — are no longer contributing on the big league roster just two weeks into the season. Bailey is recovering from thumb surgery and the Red Sox optioned Melancon to Triple-A.
  • Ken Davidoff of the New York Post says the Rangers might have the best 25-man roster in baseball. Davidoff believes Texas can sustain its success even if prominent players leave as free agents.
  • Infielder Ramon Vazquez is looking to make a comeback and some teams are showing interest, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. The 35-year-old hasn’t played in the Major Leagues since 2009.

Latest On Rangers, Mike Napoli

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The agent for Mike Napoli says his client fits somewhere between Victor Martinez and Yadier Molina on the spectrum of baseball’s best catchers, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. In other words, Napoli’s asking price appears to fall in the range between Martinez’s $52MM contract and Molina’s $75MM extension.

"Depending on how he performs this year, he could be closer to Molina or Martinez," agent Brian Grieper told Heyman.

Napoli, who hit two homers in Boston last night, is on track for free agency this coming offseason. He'll earn $9.4MM this year after hitting 30 homers and posting a .320/.414/.631 line last year.

The Rangers don’t appear to have discussed an extension with Napoli recently, but Heyman suggests they offered less than $52MM over the offseason. The 30-year-old is willing to discuss an extension during the season, Grieper said.

Rangers Notes: Ryan, Hamilton, Chavez, Pettis

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The 8-2 Rangers have the American League's best record and look like they'll once again be contenders for the pennant.  Here's the latest from Arlington…

  • In an interview with ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM's Galloway and Company show (ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett has a partial transcript), Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan said the team is still in the early stages of negotiations with Josh Hamilton about a long-term contract.  “There is no timeframe in which we’re dealing with. There hasn’t been a deadline given or anything of that nature," Ryan said.  “It’s getting a feel for what their expectations are, where they feel like this should go and then it falls back on us discussing what we think is in our best interest and realistic. It’s very preliminary. There aren’t strong negotiations where something’s going to get done in a short period of time.”
  • Ryan is satisfied with Yu Darvish's performance thus far and the pitcher's transition to North American baseball.  "We’re also hopeful he would be more efficient with his pitches, but that’s all part of it," Ryan said. "I’m not disappointed in the least. I see things that makes me feel like he’s making adjustments."
  • It was Endy Chavez's choice to leave the Rangers and sign with the Orioles last winter, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan as part of a mailbag piece.  Chavez felt he could find more playing time with the O's than in the Rangers' increasingly crowded outfield.
  • Also from Sullivan's piece, he praises Texas first-base coach Gary Pettis as an excellent future managerial candidate.

Rangers Notes: Hamilton, Wilson, Daniels

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The 5-2 Rangers send Matt Harrison to the mound in Minnesota tonight. Here are some Rangers-related notes…

  • While GM Jon Daniels isn't wild about mid-season contract talks he told Jim Duquette and Mike Ferrin of MLB Network Radio (audio link) that the club is still open to getting a new deal done with Josh Hamilton.  Hamilton is also open to talking about a deal during the season.
  • Hamilton has suggested to the Rangers that he should be paid like an elite player, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com says the outfielder will have to make some compromises on his next contract. The Rangers may seek contract language that protects them against drug or injury issues and probably wouldn't feel comfortable offering a nine or ten-year deal. Yesterday we asked readers about Hamilton’s next contract.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that he's appreciative of C.J. Wilson's years with the Rangers, but doesn't want to discuss last offseason's contract negotiations publicly. Wilson said on The Dan Patrick Show that the Rangers "wasted" his time over the winter (audio here via sportsradiointerviews.com).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Poll: Josh Hamilton’s Next Contract

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The Rangers have signed Ian Kinsler, Derek Holland, Nelson Cruz and Elvis Andrus to multiyear contracts in recent months, but Josh Hamilton — possibly the Rangers’ best player — is still on track to hit free agency after the regular season. The Rangers recently met with Hamilton’s agent, so there’s a chance they’ll keep him off of the open market.

Even if Hamilton does reach free agency, the Rangers could re-sign him. They know he’s one of the best players in the game when he’s healthy. But they also know he’s had trouble staying on the field and that he’s dealing with serious off-field issues. And Hamilton has suggested he won’t be offering any hometown discounts.

“I’m not going to sit here and say I owe the Rangers,” he said in February. “I don’t feel I owe the Rangers.”

Hamilton’s chance for a massive free agent contract is approaching. Now the Rangers have to decide whether to commit to the 30-year-old long-term or let him leave as a free agent.

Quick Hits: Hamilton, Baker, Phillips, Martinez

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Angels right-hander Michael Kohn will have Tommy John surgery tomorrow and will miss the season according to Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Here are some assorted links for Wednesday…

  • The Rangers recently met with Mike Moye, agent for Josh Hamilton, but the two sides didn't get too deep into contract extension talks according to Jeff Wilson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • The Twins hope to replace Scott Baker internally, but there's a chance he might not pitch for them again according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger (Twitter links). Baker will miss the year with elbow surgery and the team holds a $9MM option for next season.
  • Talks between the Reds and Brandon Phillips about a contract extension started last March according to ESPN's Jim Bowden. Phillips' agreed to a new deal this week.
  • The Tigers have some hope that Victor Martinez will return late this season, according to Tom Gage of the Detroit News (Twitter links). The switch-hitting DH didn't need ACL reconstruction on his injured knee, and may return before the season's up. The Tigers won't know whether Martinez can play until they get MRI results in July.
  • Tom Krasovic of Inside the Padres reports that Padres owner John Moores initially sought $600MM for the team in 2008 and explains why it may sell for more this time around. The Padres are up for sale again, Moores announced yesterday.
  • Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the year-by-year breakdown for Ian Kinsler’s recent contract extension (Twitter link). The Rangers have a $10MM option for 2018 with a $5MM buyout.
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America reports that most teams believe Georgia high school outfielder Byron Buxton is the best prospect available in this year's amateur draft. There's a growing sense the Astros don't want to make a risky pick, yet there's no obvious second choice behind Buxton.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Rangers Extend Ian Kinsler

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The Rangers and Ian Kinsler have officially agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep the second baseman in place through 2017. The deal is worth $75MM and includes an option for a sixth year.

Kinsler obtains $70MM in salary plus a $5MM buyout for the club option. The BBI Sports Group client doesn't obtain additional no-trade protection, though his ten and five rights will take effect midway through the deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.

The two sides were first said to be discussing an extension earlier in the offseason, but talks appeared to pick up steam over the last few weeks. The 29-year-old said he would prefer not to negotiate during the season, but the sides eventually resumed talks. The Rangers held a $10MM option for Kinsler's services next season, which is when the extension will kick in. The deal will keep him in Texas through 2017 and possibly 2018.

Kinsler is a .276/.356/.470 career hitter, though he put together his second 30-30 season in 2011. He also walked (89) more than he struck out (71) and finished 11th in the MVP voting. Kinsler is a two-time All-Star and has thrice finished in the top 26 of the MVP voting. UZR says his defense at second has been among the best at the position over the last three seasons. It's worth noting that 2011 was the first time Kinsler managed to avoid the disabled list in his six full big league seasons.

The contract easily surpasses Dan Uggla's five-year, $62MM with the Braves and may have impacted extension talks between the Reds and Brandon Phillips. Cincinnati recently locked Phillips up to a six-year, $72.5MM contract. Kinsler's deal could also serve as framework for an extension between the Yankees and Robinson Cano. At $14MM per year, Kinsler's contract is largest ever for a second baseman in terms of average annual value, at least until the Yankees exercise Cano's $15MM option for 2013. Chase Utley's seven-year, $85MM contract is still the richest total deal at the position.

Jeff Wilson of The Fort-Worth Star Telegram first reported the agreement (on Twitter) and Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News added the terms of the deal. Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.

Extension Notes: Masterson, Kinsler, Santana

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Ian Kinsler (five years, $75MM), Carlos Santana (five years, $21MM) and Brandon Phillips (six years, $72.5MM) are the latest star players to sign long-term extensions. Here's more extension chatter from around MLB…

  • The Indians have spoken to the representatives for Justin Masterson about an extension, but the sides appear to remain far apart, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. Talks seem to be on hold for the time being. Tim Dierkes suggested in January that a four-year deal in the $27MM range could work for the Indians and the Randy Rowley client.
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs shows that the aging curve for second basemen is pretty steep, but says the Kinsler contract was a deal worth doing for the Rangers.
  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has the year-to-year breakdown for Santana's deal (on Twitter).
  • Mike Axisa explains that the Santana extension doesn't provide the Indians with a substantial discount in a piece at FanGraphs. However, the Indians did extend their control over the catcher.
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