Mets Notes: Pagan, Flores, Wright
The latest on the Mets, who have agreed to terms with David Wright on a long-term deal and are considering an extension for R.A. Dickey…
- A Mets insider told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com that the team will likely spend on one outfielder. It’s even too early to rule out a return for Angel Pagan, not that a reunion seems likely. Ryan Ludwick and Cody Ross are among the right-handed hitting free agent outfielders who could draw interest from the Mets, Rubin writes.
- The Mets have also made a list of backup catchers they might target, according to Rubin. Nationals catcher Jesus Flores, a non-tender candidate with a projected salary of $1.2MM, is among the catchers on the team’s list.
- The Mets will likely address their needs via free agency, team insiders told Rubin.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post heard that it was “vital” that Wright’s contract with the Mets surpass Johan Santana’s $137.5MM contract in terms of total value (Twitter link). Wright's eight-year deal will pay him $138MM in total.
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs applauds the Mets for not giving up on the team in the short term.
Nationals Could Trade Michael Morse
The Nationals’ trade for Denard Span will impact the entire Washington roster, not only in the outfield, but on the infield. The Nationals are “definitely shopping” first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse a little bit, an American League executive told Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (Twitter link). If the Nationals trade Morse, they could re-sign free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche and rely more on Tyler Moore.
The Nationals have considerable leverage, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney explains (on Twitter). Speaking of the Span trade, some executives believe the Twins didn’t get enough in the deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Though pitching prospect Alex Meyer is highly regarded, Span had three years of team control remaining.
Zack Greinke Rumors: Friday
Dodgers executives met with Zack Greinke in Los Angeles yesterday, Yahoo's Tim Brown reported last night. Here’s the latest on Greinke, who is also drawing interest from the Angels, Nationals and Rangers, according to the most recent rumors…
- The Nationals could pose a major threat to the Dodgers in the sweepstakes for Greinke, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes. One GM wonders if both the Dodgers and the Nationals could bid “at all costs.” One friend of Greinke’s said the right-hander will consider winning, comfort and money.
- The Angels remain in on Greinke after acquiringTommy Hanson, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports (on Twitter).
- The Rangers can only sign one of Greinke and Josh Hamilton, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
- Greinke will also meet with the Angels, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (on Twitter).
- The Dodgers view Greinke as critical to their pitching staff, Brown reports. Greinke is believed to have enjoyed pitching for the Angels during the second half of the 2012 season, which could increase his interest in staying in the Los Angeles area. It’s not known if Greinke has met with the Angels, Nationals or Rangers, Brown writes.
NL East Notes: Wright, Upton, Raburn, Lannan
Zack Greinke turned down a potential trade to the Nationals two years ago when he was a member of the Royals, but now that the Nats are the defending NL East champs and have added Denard Span as their latest upgrade, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal thinks that Greinke (or any free agent) would see Washington as a prime destination. The Nationals have been mentioned as one of Greinke's top suitors this winter, along with the Dodgers, Angels and Rangers, so there's a possibility the right-hander could yet end up in D.C. two years later.
Here are some items from around the division…
- David Wright may wait under after the Winter Meetings to decide on the Mets' seven-year, $124MM extension offer, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. A Mets source speculates that Wright and his representatives may wait due to their unhappiness that negotiations were made public. Wright and agent Seth Levinson told MLBTR earlier this week that rumors about the contract talks were inaccurate.
- The Phillies' best offer to B.J. Upton was a five-year, $55MM contract, tweets MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Upton agreed to a five-year, $75.25MM pact with the Braves yesterday.
- The Braves and Marlins are two of a half-dozen teams interested in free agent utilityman Ryan Raburn, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark (Twitter link). The Rays and Rangers are two of the other known teams.
- The Nationals still have a minor league option remaining on left-hander John Lannan, reports Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider. Washington could keep Lannan at Triple-A as rotation insurance again, though MLBTR's Tim Dierkes thinks Lannan will be non-tendered rather than earn a projected $5MM in his third year of arbitration eligibility.
- Shane Victorino "might actually represent the best value on the market," writes David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News, though Murphy doesn't think the Phillies will look for a reunion with their former outfielder. The Phils haven't been linked to Victorino this offseason, though at least seven teams are known to be interested in the Hawaiian.
The Denard Span Trade: Reaction & Fallout
The Nationals avoided the busy free agent center field market by acquiring Denard Span from the Twins today in exchange for highly-touted pitching prospect Alex Meyer. Here is some of the early buzz about the trade and how it affects the Nationals, Twins and several other teams around the league…
- The trade seems to leave Adam LaRoche without a spot in the Nationals' lineup, meaning the first baseman could go elsewhere as a free agent. In a conference call with reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider), Washington GM Mike Rizzo said the trade "gives us some options" with player moves and noted that the team is still talking to LaRoche. Rizzo said teams have called about Michael Morse, so the Nats could potentially re-sign LaRoche and deal Morse instead.
- While a Morse trade is a possibility, some executives feel the Span deal will lead to LaRoche signing with the Red Sox, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports looks at how the trade impacts LaRoche, Michael Bourn, Josh Hamilton and the Phillies.
- The trade was "a huge win" for the Nationals, opines Fangraphs' Dave Cameron, who thinks Minnesota could've gotten more than Meyer in exchange for an affordable center fielder. "The Twins got a real talent back in return for Span, but it’s a talent with too many question marks to be the piece they’re getting back in return for a three win player under team control at a fraction of his market price," Cameron writes.
- Conversely, ESPN's Keith Law (Insider subscription required) likes the trade for the Twins. The club sorely needs young pitching and Meyer's potential is worth "an average regular in center whose value will fluctuate with his BABIP," as Law describes Span. Law also notes that this deal should help the Rockies get more in a trade for Dexter Fowler, as Fowler is younger and has more power than Span.
Red Sox Notes: LaRoche, Gonzalez, Ross, Aceves
Here's the latest news from Fenway…
- The Red Sox are talking to Adam LaRoche, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. With the Sox reluctant to go beyond a three-year contract for Mike Napoli, LaRoche could be the team's fallback plan. A three-year deal would top the Nationals' best offer to the free agent first baseman, as the Nats "have been fairly steadfast" in not offering LaRoche more than two years. The Rangers have also been linked to both LaRoche and Napoli this offseason.
- Also from Heyman's piece, he notes that the Red Sox have "checked in" on Alex Gonzalez and Stephen Drew, though Jose Iglesias will get first priority at shortstop.
- Jacoby Ellsbury's name hasn't been mentioned in trade talks, team president Larry Lucchino said during an appearance on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan radio show today (partial transcript from WEEI.com's Kirk Minihane). Lucchino also said that while the Sox haven't closed the door on any free agents, "what we have ruled out is the kind of long-term, gigantic commitment to players if at all possible….We are more concerned about years than we are dollars."
- From that same radio appearance (courtesy of The Boston Herald's Scott Lauber), Lucchino said the team is still interested in re-signing Cody Ross. Though Boston recently signed Jonny Gomes, Lucchino said the team wants to build "deep depth" after last year's injury-plagued season.
- The Red Sox will tender Alfredo Aceves a new contract before tomorrow's non-tender deadline, reports Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. The pitching-needy Sox value Aceves' versatility as a starter and reliever too much to let him go for nothing, despite Aceves' disciplinary issues in 2012. Lauber thinks Aceves could still possibly be a trade candidate.
Nationals Acquire Denard Span
The Nationals announced that they acquired center fielder Denard Span from the Twins for minor league right-hander Alex Meyer. The Twins have confirmed the deal.
Span, 28, provides the Nationals with an established center fielder. His presence will presumably keep Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth in outfield corners. It could also impact the Nationals' interest in Adam LaRoche, since Michael Morse's primary position might now be first base. Alternatively, the Nationals could move Morse to a team seeking offense and continue pursuing LaRoche.
Span posted a .283/.342/.395 batting line in 568 plate appearances with Minnesota in 2012, numbers that compare closely to his career mark of .284/.357/.389. The five-year MLB veteran will earn $4.75MM in 2013 and $6.5MM in 2014. His contract includes a $9MM club option for 2015 with a $500K buyout.
Meyer, the 23rd overall selection of the 2011 draft, pitched well in 2012, his lone season as a pro. He pitched at Class A, posting a 2.86 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 129 innings. The 6'9" 22-year-old might rank sixth among Twins prospects, John Manuel of Baseball America notes (on Twitter).
Angels Continue To Pursue Pitching
The Angels could shift their focus away from top free agent starting pitching and pursue relief depth if Zack Greinke’s asking price increases beyond their limit, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports. Adding Japanese right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa to the bullpen might provide the Angels with enough depth to avoid spending on Greinke and other free agents whose asking prices could increase when Greinke signs.
Instead, DiGiovanna writes, the Angels might pursue less costly starters such as Ryan Dempster and Joe Saunders. They appear to have interest in Dempster, who seeks a three-year contract.
The Angels are one of the top suitors for Greinke, along with the Dodgers, Nationals and Rangers, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio reports (all Twitter links). However, the Angels haven’t made a play on Anibal Sanchez or Kyle Lohse, according to Bowden. The Angels, Rangers, Red Sox and White Sox are among the teams in play for free agent reliever Mike Adams, Bowden reports.
Nationals Notes: LaRoche, Bourn, Harper
Here's a look at the latest on the Nationals..
- The Nats and first baseman Adam LaRoche are still far apart on hammering out a new deal, tweets Bill Ladson of MLB.com. The 33-year-old would like to return to the Nationals but is also looking to land a three-year deal. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter) also hears that there hasn't been much movement on a new contract for LaRoche, which would indicate that they are more outfield-focused at the moment.
- With the LaRoche negotiations stalling, the Nats are seriously considering changing course and going after Michael Bourn, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN.com. The speedster is No. 3 on Tim Dierkes' list of the Top 50 free agents.
- In an interview on 106.7 The Fan, General Manager Mike Rizzo seemed keen on finding a leadoff hitter/centerfielder to allow Bryce Harper to move to one of the corner positions, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. When asked about what he wants to upgrade, Rizzo said that he will be targeting a "dynamic" player in centerfield (Twitter link).
- The Nationals, along with the Tigers, have benefited from learning how to do business with super-agent Scott Boras, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Boras advised Nats owner Mark Lerner back in 2007 to "lose for a couple more years" and focus on building through the draft rather than spending big on free agents.
Minor Moves: Quintero, Orr, Phillies, Bramhall
We'll keep track of tonight's minor moves here..
- The Phillies signed catcher Humberto Quintero to a minor league deal, according to Jim Salisbury of of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter). The veteran will be in the mix for backup catching depth in spring training. Quintero was cut loose by the Royals in July and finished out the year with the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate.
- The Phillies also re-signed second baseman/third baseman Pete Orr on a minor league deal, according to Salisbury (via Twitter). Orr played in 35 major league games last season and hit .258/.314/.354 in 81 Triple-A games.
- The Nationals signed left-hander Bobby Bramhall to a minor league pact, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com (via Twitter). The 27-year-old posted a 3.17 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 30 minor league outings for the Marlins organization last year.