Uncategorized News & Rumors

The nine-figure contract is still a relatively new phenomenon in baseball. There have only been 26 contracts worth $100MM or more given out in baseball history, and we're just now starting to see the first wave of those deals expire. Here are the eight such contracts that have expired…

• Alex Rodriguez (ten years, $252MM) – A-Rod originally signed this deal with the Rangers, then opted out of the last three years and $81MM while with the Yankees. He hit .304/.400/.591 and won three MVP awards during the seven years of the deal, then landed another ten-year contract worth $275MM.
• Derek Jeter (ten years, $189MM) – The Yankees' captain hit .310/.380/.445 during this contract, then signed another three-year pact worth $51MM this past offseason.
• Manny Ramirez (eight years, $160MM) – Manny spend the vast majority of this contract with the Red Sox, hitting .315/.415/.595 in the process. He then signed a two-year deal worth $45MM.
• Mike Hampton (eight years, $121MM) – This deal didn't go as well as the first three; Hampton pitched to a 4.81 ERA in 147 starts, missing time with numerous injuries. He spent most of the contract with the Braves after originally signing it with the Rockies.
• Jason Giambi (seven years, $120MM) – Giambi's time with New York was tainted by injury and PED controversy, but he still hit an impressive .260/.404/.521.
• Ken Griffey Jr. (nine years, $112.5MM) – Another big money deal marred by injury, The Kid hit .269/.361/.510 almost entirely with the Reds during the contract.
• Kevin Brown (seven years, $105MM) – Brown dealt with some injuries during the life of the contract, but pitched to a 3.23 ERA for the Dodgers and Yankees before retiring.
• Albert Pujols (seven years, $100MM) – The guaranteed portion of this deal is over,though the Cardinals exercised their $16MM club option to keep him around this season. Pujols hit .334/.443/.635 with three MVP awards during the first seven seasons of the contract.

Carlos Beltran's seven-year, $119MM deal with the Mets will expire after season. Todd Helton's nine-year, $141.5MM deal with the Rockies would have expired as well, but he agreed to a restructured deal last March that tacked on two guaranteed years in exchange for a lower salary in 2011. 

Cot's Baseball Contract was used for this post.

The day before the season started, MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at how each team acquired their Opening Day starter. Let's fast forward to the end of the game, and do the same for each team's current (not necessarily Opening Day) closer…

Trades (10)

• Brandon League, Mariners – Acquired from the Blue Jays with Johermyn Chavez in a December 2009 trade for Brandon Morrow.
• Chris Perez, Indians – Acquired from the Cardinals with Jess Todd in a June 2009 trade for Mark DeRosa.
• Sean Burnett, Nationals – Acquired from the Pirates with Nyjer Morgan in a June 2009 trade for Joel Hanrahan and Lastings Milledge.
• Joel Hanrahan, Pirates – Acquired in the trade that sent Burnett to Washington.
• Huston Street, Rockies – Acquired with Carlos Gonzalez and Greg Smith from the Athletics for Matt Holliday in November 2008.
• Leo Nunez, Marlins – Acquired from the Royals for Mike Jacobs in October 2008.
• Neftali Feliz, Rangers – Acquired from the Braves with four others in a July 2007 trade for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay.
• Heath Bell, Padres – Acquired with Royce Ring from the Mets for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson in November 2006.
• Matt Thornton, White Sox – Acquired from the Mariners for Joe Borchard in March 2006.
• Joe Nathan, Twins – Acquired with Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser from the Giants for A.J. Pierzynski in November 2003. Nathan has since signed a long-term contract extension.

Free Agent Signings (10)

• Francisco Cordero, Reds – Signed a contract worth $46MM over four years in November 2007.
• Francisco Rodriguez, Mets – Signed a contract worth $37MM over three years in December 2008.
• Brandon Lyon, Astros – Signed a contract worth $15MM over three years in December 2009.
• Jose Valverde, Tigers – Signed a contract worth $14MM over two years in January 2010.
• Brian Fuentes, Athletics – Signed a contract worth $10.5MM over two years in January 2011.
• J.J. Putz, Diamondbacks – Signed a contract worth $10MM over two years in December 2010.
• Kevin Gregg, Orioles – Signed a  contract worth $10MM over two years in January 2011.
• Jose Contreras, Phillies – Signed a contract worth $5.5MM over two years in November 2010. Originally signed with Philadelphia in January 2010.
• Ryan Franklin, Cardinals – Signed a contract worth $1MM over one year in January 2007. Franklin has since signed two extensions to remain in St. Louis.
• John Axford, Brewers – Signed a minor league contract in March 2008. 

Draft Picks (5)

• Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers – Selected in the second round of the 2002 draft.
• Craig Kimbrel, Braves – Selected in the third round of the 2008 draft.
• Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox – Selected in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.
• Jordan Walden, Angels – Selected in the 12th round of the 2006 draft.
• Brian Wilson, Giants – Selected in the 24th round of the 2003 draft.

International Free Agent Signings (2)

• Carlos Marmol, Cubs – Signed as an amateur free agent in July 1999.
• Mariano Rivera, Yankees – Signed as an amateur free agent in February 1990.

Rule 5 Draft Picks (1)

• Joakim Soria, Royals – Selected from the Padres in December 2006. 

A few of these guys are just temporary fill-ins. Andrew Bailey (draft pick), David Aardsma (trade), and Brad Lidge (trade) will take over for Fuentes, League, and Contreras, respectively, once healthy. The Blue Jays haven't had a save opportunity yet, so we don't know for sure who will fill in for the injured Frank Francisco (trade). The Rays haven't had a save opportunity yet either, and we don't know if Joel Peralta (free agent), Kyle Farnsworth (free agent), Jake McGee (draft pick), or someone else will get the call. 

If you prefer your MLBTR fix limited to only your favorite team, we've got you covered.  Below are links to our team Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds.

AL East

• Orioles: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Red Sox: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Yankees: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Rays: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Blue Jays: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

AL Central

• White Sox: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Indians: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Tigers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Royals: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Twins: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

AL West

• Angels: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Athletics: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Mariners: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Rangers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

NL East

• Braves: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Marlins: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Mets: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Phillies: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Nationals: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

NL Central

• Cubs: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Reds: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Astros: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Brewers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Pirates: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Cardinals: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

NL West

• Diamondbacks: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Rockies: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Dodgers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Padres: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Giants: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

MLBTR's Agency Database is only getting better, as we're making additions and changes every week.  Bookmark it today!

Currently we're trying to determine the representation for Tim Collins, Nathan Adcock, Jay Gibbons and Tom Wilhelmsen.  If you represent any of these players, please email mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com!  Also, if you see a 40-man roster or top prospect client of yours who is not in the database, emails are welcome.

Last month we looked at the best players who will be arbitration eligible for the first time in 2012, including Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, and David Price.  While the top names in that group will be well-compensated, none project to earn $10MM or more for the '12 season.  Which arbitration eligible players are headed toward that level of a payday?

• Jered Weaver, Angels.  Even after losing an arbitration case to the Angels, Weaver stands to jump past $10MM with another $3MM+ raise.
• Hunter Pence, Astros.  Pence won his arbitration case against the Astros, netting an extra $1.75MM.  Another $3MM+ jump will put him right around $10MM, and he's arbitration eligible twice more if he's not non-tendered.
• Matt Garza, Cubs.  He's at $5.95MM currently, so a jump to $10MM seems unlikely.  He'll be arbitration eligible again after '12.  Jeremy Guthrie and Joe Saunders are working from similar salaries, while Francisco Liriano is over $1MM behind.
• John Danks, White Sox.  Danks is paid $6MM this year, so he and Garza face a similar challenge in trying to make the leap to $10MM.
• Carlos Quentin, White Sox.  Much is riding on Quentin's 2010.  If he has another 2008 he could get to $8MM or more and the White Sox won't mind.
• Andre Ethier, Dodgers.  Ethier sees a non-tender after the season as a possibility, but that seems unlikely.  But whether it's the Dodgers or another club, Ethier should get around $12MM next year.
• Matt Kemp, Dodgers.  Kemp will be coming from a $6.95MM salary, so he should also see his first $10MM+ payday.
• Tim Lincecum, Giants.  Extension talks between Lincecum and the Giants are not expected during the season.  He'll be building on a $13MM salary, which might be even higher had he not signed a two-year deal previously.  This is a case to watch next offseason.  Lincecum's teammate Jonathan Sanchez probably won't make it to $10MM next year but he could be close.
• Shin-Soo Choo, Indians.  Choo is operating from a strong $3.95MM first-time salary, which he could double next time around.  Nelson Cruz will operate from a slightly lower salary.
• Luke Scott, Orioles.  Scott is not someone you usually think of as a $10MM player, but he's already at $6.4MM.  Another nice year will put him in the eight-figure range.    
• Cole Hamels, Phillies.  Like Lincecum, Hamels signed a multiyear extension but left at least one arbitration year open.  He's already at $9.5MM this year.  Next year might cost $12-13MM, and then each free agent year should be priced at $20MM+. Hamels hopes to stay with the Phillies.
• Mike Napoli, Rangers.  Napoli is already at $5.8MM, so the Rangers will have a tough decision as to whether to tender him a contract for '12.
• Delmon Young, Twins.  Young will be paid $5.375MM this year, and another 100 RBI year should push him close to $10MM.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.

We are seeking a head moderator to be active in regulating our forums. Duties include approving new users on the back end and completing other related tasks on a daily basis. Past bulletin board administrative experience is preferred.

If you're interested, please send a short email to mlbtrmods@gmail.com explaining your credentials for and interest in the position. Unfortunately, we will not be able to respond to all applicants.

With Opening Day so close I'm having hot dog-based fever dreams, I decided to face a pair of problems squarely. One is how to properly organize my thoughts about the critical storylines we'll be following on MLB Trade Rumors this season. The other? How to entertain my daughter, who just turned one. Let's face it: after a while, even an infant turns to you with a look that says: "I get it. Pat the Bunny is both a proper name and a suggestion. What else you got?"

So to help her to sleep at night, let's take a look at what will keep the rest of us up, furiously refreshing the page:

A is for Albert, El Hombre's contract year

Who will show him the money? Should Cardinals fans have fear?

B is for Beltran, the limping Met in right

Look for New York to deal him to someone in the fight

C is for Crawford, who Sox got with late swoop

Did Boston overpay? And how do Rays regroup?

D is for Doug Davis, a story sweet and true

He'll soon help some rotation, and tears will flow on cue

E is for Ethier, who Dodgers may soon deal

While stardom is elusive, his production is for real

F is for Fielder, first baseman oversized

Who may lead Brew to pennant, then be free agent prize

G is for Gerrit, Cole should go first in draft

Consensus is a different pick would be extremely daft

H is for Houston, where Drayton's leaving town

New boss must reverse trend of Astros heading down

I is for Iannetta, catcher a mile high

Will he fulfill potential? Or will Rockies say goodbye?

J is for Javy, the once (and future?) stud

Will move from Yanks to Marlins revive this Gotham dud?

K is for K-Rod, will his huge option vest?

If he finishes 55, the Mets have failed their test

L is for Lee, last winter's big to-do

If Cliff's performance dips, how soon will Philly boo?

M is for McCourt, whose divorce battle rages

Will it affect the Dodgers' ability to pay their wages?

N is for Nathan, who's back from elbow woes

A large amount of money will ride on how he throws

O is for Orioles, with new faces from the past

In league's toughest division, they still should finish last

P is for Pirates, where hope is finally seen

Will record, after years of losing, mirror Charlie Sheen?

Q is for Quentin, Pale Hose need him to bash

With strong walk year, by winter's end he'll be awash in cash

R is for Reyes, a decent bet to go

A bidding war this summer will deal Mets fans a blow

S is for Sabathia, opt-out can make him free

But who'll outbid the Yankees? No one that we can see

T is for Tampa, in division nonpareil

Rays spent sparingly this winter, but what they spent, spent well

U is for Utley, who battles Wounded Knee

If he cannot recover, who will his stand-in be?

V is for Victor, who Tigers signed for bat

But now they'll catch Avila? I mean, what's up with that?

W is for Wilpon, who faces massive debts

The smart money says he will be forced to sell the Mets

X is for Xavier, left fielder at Chase 

Expect him to have 25 home run pace

Y is for Yankees, and here is some advice

When you deal them a pitcher, make Montero the price

Z is for Zambrano, half-pitcher and half-storm

Says here that he will recapture his earlier ace form

Even though former top picks such as Zack Greinke, Adam Wainwright and Stephen Strasburg are currently sidelined, a substantial number of one-time first rounders will open their teams' seasons this week. Half of baseball's 30 Opening Day starters were once first round selections.

Five Opening Day starters - Felix Hernandez, Ubaldo Jimenez, Fausto Carmona, Livan Hernandez and Edinson Volquez – were not drafted, which means 60% of the starters who were at one point draft eligible came from the first round (15/25). As Keith Law recently pointed out at ESPN.com, "the vast majority of impact players" who enter pro ball through the draft were selected early on.

Of the 15 first rounders to become 2011 Opening Day starters, David Price (2007) was drafted most recently and Chris Carpenter (1993) was drafted longest ago. The opening round of the 2006 draft produced the most Opening Day starters, with four. Luke Hochevar (1st overall), Clayton Kershaw (7th), Tim Lincecum (10th) and Ian Kennedy (21st) all went early on in the '06 draft.

Roy Halladay (1995), C.C. Sabathia (1998), Brett Myers (1999), Jeremy Guthrie (2002), Tim Stauffer (2003), Justin Verlander (2004), Jered Weaver (2004), Ricky Romero (2005) and Mike Pelfrey (2005) join Price, Carpenter, Hochevar, Kershaw, Lincecum and Kennedy in the group of first rounders who got the Opening Day nod this year.

This isn’t to suggest that becoming an Opening Day starter is the standard that draft prospects like Gerrit Cole, Jed Bradley and Sonny Gray should aspire to. Clearly, there are more effective ways of measuring a pitcher’s value than the day on which his manager asks him to throw his first pitch. But it’s worth noting that so many Opening Day starters come from the first round and it'll be worth watching which starters get selected early this June.

Nine MLBTR writers give 2011 predictions!  Click here to see postseason and award picks from Tim Dierkes, Ben Nicholson-Smith, Mike Axisa, Luke Adams, Mark Polishuk, Zach Links, Dan Mennella, Howard Megdal, and Steve Adams.  Make your predictions in the comments and we'll check back here in November.

You can define a No. 1 starter in any number of ways, but in one respect, managers around the game have already done the work for us. Here's a list of the pitchers who got the Opening Day nod this year and how their current teams acquired them:

Draft Picks (15)

• Luke Hochevar, Royals – Selected in the first round of the 2006 draft (1st overall).
• David Price, Rays – Selected in the first round of the 2007 draft (1st overall).
• Justin Verlander, Tigers – Selected in the first round of the 2004 draft (2nd overall).
• Tim Stauffer, Padres – Selected in the first round of the 2003 draft (4th overall).
• Ricky Romero, Blue Jays – Selected in the first round of the 2005 draft (6th overall).
• Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers – Selected in the first round of the 2006 draft (7th overall).
• Mike Pelfrey, Mets – Selected in the first round of the 2005 draft (9th overall).
• Tim Lincecum, Giants – Selected in the first round of the 2006 draft (10th overall).
• Jered Weaver, Angels – Selected in the first round of the 2004 draft (12th overall).
• Jon Lester, Red Sox – Selected in the second round of the 2002 draft.
• Yovani Gallardo, Brewers – Selected in the second round of the 2004 draft.
• Trevor Cahill, Athletics – Selected in the second round of the 2006 draft.
• Josh Johnson, Marlins – Selected in the fourth round of the 2002 draft.
• C.J. Wilson, Rangers – Selected in the fifth round of the 2001 draft.
• Mark Buehrle, White Sox – Selected in the 38th round of the 1998 draft and later extended.

Free Agent Signings (8)

• C.C. Sabathia, Yankees – Signed a free agent contract worth $161MM over seven years in December, 2008.
• Derek Lowe, Braves – Signed a free agent contract worth $60MM over four years in January, 2009.
• Ryan Dempster, Cubs – Signed a free agent contract worth $52MM over four years in November, 2008.
• Carl Pavano, Twins – Signed a free agent contract worth $16.5MM over two years in January, 2011. The Twins originally traded for him in 2009, but Pavano has since hit free agency.
• Kevin Correia, Pirates – Signed a free agent contract worth $8MM over two years in December, 2010.
• Brett Myers, Astros – Signed a free agent contract worth $5.1MM for one year in January, 2010 and later extended.
• Livan Hernandez, Nationals – Signed a free agent contract worth $900K for one year in February, 2010 and later extended.
• Chris Carpenter, Cardinals – Signed a free agent contract worth $500K for one year in December, 2002 and later extended.

International Free Agent Signings (3)

• Felix Hernandez, Mariners – Signed as an amateur free agent in July, 2002.
• Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies – Signed as an amateur free agent in April, 2001.
• Fausto Carmona, Indians – Signed as an amateur free agent in December, 2000.

Trades (3)

• Roy Halladay, Phillies – Acquired from the Blue Jays in a December, 2009 trade that sent Michael Taylor, Travis d'Arnaud and Kyle Drabek to Toronto and later extended.
• Edinson Volquez, Reds – Acquired from the Rangers in a December, 2007 trade that sent Josh Hamilton to Texas.
• Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks – Acquired from the Yankees in a December, 2009 trade involving the Yankees and Tigers.

Waiver Claims (1)

• Jeremy Guthrie, Orioles – Acquired from the Indians in a January, 2007 waiver claim.