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Olney’s Latest: Bargains, Melky, Dodgers, Upton

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In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney wrote about several key market forces in play this offseason, including clubs clinging to their prospects perhaps a little too tightly. "They're still prospects, meaning that anything can happen. You still don't know whether they can play in the big leagues," said one GM. Here's the rest from Olney…

  • High asking prices have teams scrambling for bargains early this offseason. One-year deals for Bartolo Colon and Scott Baker are the types of signings we usually don't see until January, but this winter the big name players could be the last to sign.
  • The Blue Jays have driven the market so far, but other clubs starved for success figure to be big players as well. Olney listed the Mariners and Indians as two candidates.
  • Olney is surprised Melky Cabrera took a two-year contract from the Blue Jays only because a one-year deal would have allowed him to re-establish his value and seek a bigger payday next winter.
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti is working under orders to make the team better regardless of cost. "Cost is no object for them," said a GM. "They are playing a different game than the rest of us right now."
  • Olney says it would be a shock if the Marlins don't trade Giancarlo Stanton at some point in the next 20 months. He's not happy with the team and is unlikely to sign a long-term contract.
  • The Nationals have made contact with B.J. Upton, but he is an imperfect fit for their already right-handed heavy lineup.

NL East Notes: Stanton, Upton, Mets, Salcedo

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We've already had one collection of NL East Notes today, but there's no shortage of news coming out of the division.  Here's the latest…

  • Giancarlo Stanton is still upset about the Marlins' sudden rebuild, telling Peter Gammons of MLB.com that "former Marlins come back and they warn us" about the club's history of firesales and that it is a constant source of discussion amongst current players.  "This is the 'winning philosophy?' Then to say it's not about money? What is the motivation? There comes a breaking point. I know how I feel. I can't imagine how the city and the fans feel," Stanton said.
  • The Marlins and Blue Jays have officially filed the paperwork about their big 12-player trade with the league, reports Rogers Sportsnet's Shi Davidi (via Twitter).  Monday is the most likely date for the trade to be finalized, though it could happen over the weekend.
  • The Nationals have been in contact with free agent outfielder B.J. Upton, reports Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, and are "expected to have increased communication" as the offseason progresses.  Upton visited the Braves and Phillies earlier this week.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson said his team will need "a little more clarity" on the contract situations of David Wright and R.A. Dickey by the time the Winter Meetings roll around, reports Newsday's Marc Carig.  "At some point we need resolution on these discussions to be able to move on. But that time is not now," Alderson said, aiming at the 10 days between Thanksgiving and the start of the Winter Meetings on December 3 as a prime negotiating period.
  • Edward Salcedo received a $1.6MM bonus from the Braves as an 18-year-old in 2010, though the 21-year-old hasn't yet lived up to his potential in the minors, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Minor Moves: Wagner, Angels, Rhymes, Wood

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Some minor league deals from around the baseball world…

  • The Blue Jays have signed right-hander Neil Wagner to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training, MLBTR has learned.  Wagner has a 3.77 ERA, 2.95 K:BB ratio and 10.2 K/9 rate in 312 career minor league relief appearances in the Padres, A's, and Indians' systems, plus pitched five Major League innings with Oakland in 2011.
  • The Angels signed Billy Buckner, Luke Carlin, Brendan Harris, Trent Oeltjen, Jo-Jo Reyes and J.B. Shuck to minor league contracts with invites to the Major League Spring Training camp, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez.
  • The Nationals have signed infielder Will Rhymes to a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite, reports the Beverly Hills Sports Council's Twitter page.  (Rhymes is represented by the BHSC.)  Rhymes was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay in September and has a .266/.328/.343 line in 449 career plate appearances over three seasons with the Tigers and Rays.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America recaps the week's minor league transactions, including news of Brandon Wood signing a minor league deal with the Royals.  Wood, the former Angels third baseman who was once considered one of the top prospects in the game, last appeared in the Majors with the Pirates in 2011 and posted a .722 OPS for the Rockies' Triple-A team in 2012.

Offseason Outlook: Washington Nationals

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The Nationals will pursue at least one position player while seeking rotation help.

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Free Agents

Much has changed for the Nationals in the last 12 months. A year ago the team had yet to finish better than .500 since moving to Washington, Bryce Harper was playing in the Arizona Fall League, and Gio Gonzalez was still a member of the Athletics. Now, as the Nationals prepare to defend their NL East title, their offseason plans are closely tied to a player — Adam LaRoche — who seemed all but forgotten a year ago this time.

Adam LaRoche - Nationals (PW)

If the Nationals sign LaRoche, they could rely on Michael Morse, Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth in the outfield and bypass a deep class of free agent outfielders to focus on other needs. If the Nationals don't re-sign LaRoche then Michael Morse and Tyler Moore would become the team's primary first base options, and the search for outside outfield help would intensify.

It's also possible that the Nationals could re-sign LaRoche and pursue a free agent center fielder. GM Mike Rizzo could elect to create roster space by trading Morse at a time that many teams are seeking offense. The Rays, Indians and Red Sox are among the many teams that could have interest in trading for the first baseman.

A robust center field market includes B.J. Upton, Shane Victorino, Michael Bourn and others, so the Nationals figure to stay informed in case the right deal emerges. Though Harper handled center field nicely this past season, moving him to right field might make more sense long-term. However, they have some interest in Nick Swisher, an indication that they'd be comfortable spending at a corner position and relying on Harper in center field. The Nationals are also interested in Bourn, who has seemed like a fit in D.C. for a while.

LaRoche, the lone Nationals free agent to obtain a qualifying offer, has had talks with the team about returning for 2013 and beyond. Because of the weak class of free agent first basemen LaRoche has considerable leverage, even though he's tied to draft pick compensation. Still, there's no reason for Washington to spend desperately to retain him given their in-house alternatives.

The Nationals also need help in the rotation, so I found it somewhat surprising when they decided not to make Edwin Jackson a qualifying offer. He pitched well this past season, earning $11MM on a one-year contract. The Nationals could have created the possibility of draft pick compensation by offering a modest raise to $13.3MM on a low-risk one-year deal. Instead Jackson hits free agency and the Nationals' search for starting pitching continues.

The Nationals had a tremendous rotation this past season and with the exception of Jackson it'll stay together in 2013. Still, the Nationals need another starting pitcher this offseason. Ryan Dempster seems like a fit for the Nationals if he doesn't require a long-term commitment. Even though he's 35, the right-hander continues pitching effectively. Dan Haren and Hiroki Kuroda are among the veteran starters who could be available on short-term contracts this winter. Let's not forget about Zack Greinke, who would give Washington a formidable rotation if they could overcome the odds and find a way to sign him. Though there's always the possibility of a trade, the asking price for quality starting pitching figures to be high this offseason.

Washington's bullpen remains relatively young and affordable for now. Most of the relievers will return, yet left-handers Sean Burnett and Mike Gonzalez are free agents. While Rizzo could rely on southpaws such as Tom Gorzelanny, it makes sense for the Nationals to add a lefty specialist if possible. That would add depth and allow Gorzelanny to continue as a multiple inning reliever.

Rizzo addressed one of the team's biggest needs earlier this month when he brought Davey Johnson back for another season. It's possible owner Ted Lerner could look to extend Rizzo, who has just one guaranteed deal remaining on his contract with Washington (the deal includes options for 2014-15).

The Nationals have a large class of arbitration eligible players that includes two non-tender candidates. John Lannan figures to be cut loose after earning $5MM to play at Triple-A in 2012 and Jesus Flores could also lose his roster spot.

After extending three players last offseason the Nationals could pursue more long term deals with their top players. Tim Dierkes has suggested a five-year deal in the $45MM range could work for Jordan Zimmermann. Such a deal would resemble Gonzalez's recent extension and preserve the Nationals' rotation depth long-term. Ian Desmond also has a case for a multiyear deal following a breakout season at shortstop. Some will wonder about the possibility of an extension for Harper, but to me the timing doesn't seem right given the contract he signed after Washington drafted him.

The Nationals project as a scary team in 2013, assuming Rizzo adds a position player and obtains depth for his pitching staff. After years of building, this franchise's time to contend has arrived.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Quick Hits: Scutaro, Stanton, Hunter, Reyes, Tolleson

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The Marlins’ colossal deal with the Blue Jays has some wondering if Giancarlo Stanton will be the next big name shipped out of Miami, but that may not be the case.  Outside executives tell Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) that of all the players the Marlins floated at the GM meetings, Stanton was not among them.  Here’s more from around baseball..

  • Multiple sources tell Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that the Giants are confident that they’ll be able to re-sign Marco Scutaro.  The veteran would likely return on a two-year deal.
  • Torii Hunter left his meeting with the Tigers today without a deal or a formal offer, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (Twitter link).  Several officials still see Detroit as the frontrunner for him, however.  We kept track of the latest on Hunter in one handy post on Tuesday.
  • The Red Sox made a push for Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes, but the Blue Jays just blew the Marlins away, a source tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
  • Infielder Steven Tolleson agreed to terms on a minor league deal with the White Sox, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (via Twitter).  Kubatko adds that the Orioles would have liked to retain him.
  • More than a dozen teams have checked in on free agent pitcher Jeremy Bonderman, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  Bonderman has an offer in hand from the Tigers and the Nationals are among the dozen teams with interest, Olney tweets.
  • The Red Sox are among the teams in contact with Jason Bay as he considers his options for 2013, tweets Olney.  Bay is looking for a solid opportunity as well as familiarity and Boston would obviously provide the latter.

Quick Hits: Gomes, Burnett, Hamilton

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On this date four years ago the Rockies officially sent Matt Holliday to the Athletics for a package of players including Carlos Gonzalez and Huston Street. The A's didn't get what they were hoping for in the deal, but Gonzalez has since become a cornerstone player for the Rockies. Here are today's links…

  • The Orioles are indeed interested in Gomes, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • Before acquiring Chris Young from Arizona, the Athletics had extensive talks with free agent outfielder Jonny Gomes about a possible two-year deal, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). Olney suggests the Orioles could be a fit for Gomes now.
  • Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post explains that Jeremy Affeldt could help set the market for Sean Burnett by agreeing to terms with the Giants. Both free agent left-handers have positioned themselves for multiyear deals.
  • Free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton seems pretty risky to one NL executive who spoke with ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark (Twitter link). "He's going to break somebody's bank — and probably break somebody's heart," the person said.

Trout, Harper Win Rookie Of The Year Awards

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Angels center fielder Mike Trout and Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper have been named AL and NL Rookies of the Year, respectively, the Baseball Writers Association of America has announced.

Trout becomes the youngest player in league history to become the AL Rookie of the Year and joins Tim Salmon as the only Rookie of the Year winner in Angels history. He batted an incredible .326/.399/.564 with 30 homers and a league-leading 49 stolen bases in his age-20 season. Yoenis Cespedes, Yu Darvish, Wei-Yin Chen and Jarrod Parker rounded out the ballot (in that order).

The 19-year-old Harper is the second-youngest National League player to ever win the award behind Doc Gooden. He recovered from an extended slump over the summer with a monstrous final month that pushed his season batting line to .270/.340/.477. He also added 22 homers and 18 stolen bases. Wade Miley, Todd Frazier, Wilin Rosario, Norichika Aoki, Yonder Alonso, Matt Carpenter and Jordan Pacheco rounded out the ballot (in that order). Harper finished with 16 of 32 first-place votes. His 112 points gave him a narrow victory over Miley, who finished with 105 points.

Last year's honors went to Jeremy Hellickson and Craig Kimbrel. The BBWAA has posted the full ballots of all voters in both the AL and NL races on its official web site.

Quick Hits: AL Rookies, Nationals, Indians, Valentine

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On this day in baseball history in 1941, Joe DiMaggio won his second American League MVP award. The runner-up was Ted Williams, who had batted .406 on the season and lost the award thanks to a writer who left him off the ballot. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league…

  • The American League, more specifically the AL West, served as home this season to a talented crop of rookies beyond just Mike Trout, writes Paul Hagen of MLB.com. Hagen points to Yoenis Cespedes, Jesus Montero and Yu Darvish as players who have strong cases that would easily win AL Rookie of the Year any other year, but Trout's not only a finalist for being the top rookie as he looks to take home league MVP as well.
  • While the Nationals failed to collect the hardware that comes with winning the World Series, the team's manager, top rookie and ace look to make up for it this week as the BBWAA award winners are announced, says Amanda Comak of The Washington Times. Strangely enough, Washington manager Davey Johnson was fired the same day he last won a Manager of the Year award thanks to a contract dispute with the Orioles back in 1997.
  • Count the Indians among the teams interested in pursuing Jason Bay's services, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer in his latest mailbag. Beyond Bay, Hoynes suggests the team could be in play for Melky Cabrera as the pressure-free environment in Cleveland could help him rebound next season.
  • Bobby Valentine's future may not take shape in a dugout, but Peter Gammons of MLB.com believes the veteran manager would be an asset to Major League Baseball by working for commissioner Bud Selig.

Quick Hits: Rays, LaRoche, Orioles, Kinsler, Ryu

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The strategic question for the Rays is whether they can get more by being pre-emptive and making a trade with a team that doesn't want to get shut out of a high-priced open market or instead waiting on  those teams that do miss out in free agency, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  Here's more Sunday afternoon linkage..

  • Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo told Jim Bowden of ESPN Radio (via Twitter) that Adam LaRoche is the club's number one priority right now as signing him would help make the rest of the winter easy for them.  The first baseman declined the Nats' qualifying offer on Friday.
  • While some have wondered if the Orioles could be interested in Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun doesn't see it happening.  For starters, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette likes the Orioles' options at second base which include Ryan Flaherty, Brian Roberts, Robert Andino, and the recently-acquired Alexi Casilla.
  • A scout in Korea told David Lennon of Newsday (via Twitter) that the teams most aggressive in scouting Hyun-Jin Ryu were the Rangers, Cubs, Tigers, Indians, Blue Jays, Twins, and obviously the Dodgers.  The Yankees and Mets were not in on the left-hander.
  • New Rockies manager Walt Weiss is expected to be demanding right off the bat in his first foray into the job on a professional level, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post.

NL East Notes: Phillies, Braves, Nationals, Burnett

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Rival executives and agents say that Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro is being very aggressive in pursuit of a center fielder and plans to work quickly, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd). Amaro knows Michael Bourn well, but agent Scott Boras likes to wait and let the market percolate.  The Phillies may make B.J. Upton their plan B if they can't land Bourn.  The club has been doing a lot of background work on Upton, asking questions about his personality and whether he would be a good fit in that market.  Here's more out of the NL East..

  • The Braves sensed that David Ross might land a lucrative two-year deal elsewhere and have been checking out other backup catchers on the open market in recent weeks, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com.  The Red Sox came to terms on a two-year, $6.2MM deal with Ross earlier today.
  • Nationals reliever Sean Burnett has a case for a three-year deal in the mold of Scott Downs, but some at the GM meetings have wondered aloud if he may be in line for a four-year pact, tweets Ben Nicholson-Smith.
  • Nationals bench coach Randy Knorr is widely viewed as the top candidate to take over for manager Davey Johnson after 2013, but Knorr believes that Johnson could have a change of heart and choose to manage beyond next season, writes Amanda Comak of the Washington Times.  Yesterday, Johnson and the Nats agreed to a one-year deal that will turn the skipper into a consultant in 2014.
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