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Ryan Zimmerman Talks Next Contract

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Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman opened up about his next contract, talking to beat writer Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post on Sunday.  Zimmerman, who has repeatedly stated his desire to remain with the Nationals beyond his current contract, expressed confidence that a new deal will get done.

Kilgore lays out the many factors sure to figure into the negotiations.  Troy Tulowitzki and Ryan Braun will come up as comparables, which is cool since the three players were drafted so close together in 2005.  The new portion of Tulo's contract averages $19MM per year over six free agent years, while Braun received $21MM per year over five.  Braun received more per year than Tulowitzki partly because he was closer to free agency, so will Zimmerman receive more than Braun since he's just two seasons away?  Zimmerman told Kilgore he's going to need a contract longer than his current five-year pact, and that 29-year-old free agents get seven to ten years.  Noted Zimmerman, "You only get one shot to try to get a big deal; if you’re lucky enough to get one shot, that’s the time you have to get it."    

Kilgore touches on Zimmerman's injury history, a major factor.  Out of six full seasons in the bigs, Zimmerman has missed large chunks of two of them.  He had a shoulder injury in 2008, after which he signed his five-year, $45MM contract.  This year, he had surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle.  The Nationals know better than anyone whether these two injuries were isolated occurrences.

Back in March, Zimmerman remarked that "if you have one year before free agency, you might as well play your year out and see what happens."  That feeling hasn't changed much, as he told Kilgore Sunday that while he wouldn't completely rule out an extension with one year left before free agency, when a player gets to that point in his career he wants to make teams compete against each other.  If the Nationals want to hammer out an extension with Zimmerman and his agent Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA Sports, they've probably got a year or less to do so, since he's signed through 2013.

Zimmmerman is thinking at least seven years, which would take him through the 2020 season and tie him with Braun and Tulo for the latest any player is currently under contract.  Kilgore tosses out an eight-year, $175MM figure if Zimmerman wants to exceed Jayson Werth by $1MM through 2017 and then continue for another four years at $22MM per.  Such a contract would be the sixth-largest in baseball history, and he'd be the only player signed through 2021.  Zimmerman doesn't think his injury this year affects his contract situation at all, and if Washington matched Kilgore's estimate it'd suggest they feel the same.

Quick Hits: Wang, Marlins, Dunn

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The Nationals signed Livan Hernandez to a one-year deal worth $1MM on this date last year. He has a 4.36 ERA with 5.4 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and 41.7% ground ball rate in 163 innings for the Nats this season – well worth the investment Washington made a year ago. Here’s the latest from around MLB, starting with a note on the Nats…

  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson suggests that there's a strong chance Chien-Ming Wang returns to the Nationals in 2012 if he continues providing quality outings down the stretch.
  • The Marlins could take a run at C.J. Wilson if the money doesn’t get crazy, Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes (on Twitter).
  • Top Marlins executives will start preparing for the 2012 season Wednesday, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.
  • White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen met with slumping slugger Adam Dunn today to discuss a reduction in playing time, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

Nationals Don’t Intend To Pursue Prince Fielder

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The Nationals don't intend to go after Prince Fielder once he reaches free agency, a team source told MLB.com's Bill Ladson.  The primary reason is that first basemen Michael Morse and Adam LaRoche are already under team control for 2012.  Instead, the Nats may be more focused on finding a center fielder and a leadoff hitter.

Earlier this month Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com expressed similar feelings about the Nationals sitting out the Fielder bidding.  He provided additional reasons: GM Mike Rizzo loves defense at first base, and the team might need to earmark money for a future Ryan Zimmerman extension.

Now, as I mentioned on Monday, having LaRoche under contract for a year at $8MM wouldn't be a huge roadblock if the Nationals wanted Fielder, and Morse could play left field.  Scott Boras has been cozy with Rizzo in recent years, and the agent will probably try his damnedest to get them involved on Fielder.  However, if the two beat writers are correct and the Nationals don't get involved, that's one less team capable of doing a $150MM+ contract in a market that probably already excludes the Red Sox, Yankees, and many others.

NL East Notes: Braves, Morrison, Rodriguez

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Jason Heyward hit his first MLB grand slam at Wrigley Field tonight, helping the Braves in their attempt to strengthen their hold on the NL Wild Card. Here are the rest of today’s links from Heyward’s division… 

Quick Hits: Davis, Marlins, Draft

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The Rangers beat the Orioles 30-3 on this date four years ago. In one of the most bizarre statistical quirks in recent memory, Rangers reliever Wes Littleton actually picked up a save in the game. Here are today's links, starting with an update on Texas and Baltimore… 

  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels reached out to Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail when he heard about Chris Davis' strained shoulder, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The Orioles, who obtained Davis from Texas in a trade late last month, haven't had serious talks about reworking the deal, according to Sullivan. Daniels says the sides could revisit the trade at some point, though.
  • Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says it's doubtful that the Marlins would allow president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest to interview for the Cubs' GM opening (Twitter link). 
  • The Nationals, D'Backs, Red Sox, Pirates and Rays had the best drafts this year, Jim Callis writes at Baseball America.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Hamels, Pelfrey, Braves

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Jimmy Rollins announced on Twitter that he has a mild grade 2 groin strain and will be on the disabled list until September. Here's the latest on the 81-44 Phillies and the rest of their division…

  • Ryan Zimmerman repeated to MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he'd like to spend his entire career in Washington. The third baseman is set to hit free agency after the 2013 season.
  • Scouts tell Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Nationals will be powerful in a couple of years and would compete in the NL West right now (Twitter link).
  • The Phillies and Cole Hamels want to work out a long-term deal this offseason, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Gelb shows that Jered Weaver is about as statistically similar to Hamels as possible and suggests that the Phillies and Hamels could agree to a contract that mimics Weaver's recent five-year, $85MM extension. Hamels should earn more than Weaver, given his higher 2011 salary and proximity to free agency. 
  • Mets manager Terry Collins asked starter Mike Pelfrey if he'd be up for becoming the team's closer in 2012 and Pelfrey said he "absolutely" would, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. However, it's unlikely that Pelfrey will become the Mets' closer, since GM Sandy Alderson is opposed to the idea, Martino writes. Check out CloserNews.com for more on each team’s bullpen. 
  • Braves GM Frank Wren told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he has focused on adding speed in recent years, bringing in players such as Jose Constanza and Michael Bourn.
  • Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty switched agents and is now a client of Dan Lozano's Icon Sports Group, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown (on Twitter). Steve Canter formerly represented the left-hander, who will be arbitration eligible for the second time after the season. Keep track of each player's representation with MLBTR's Agency Database.

Nationals Notes: Pudge, Flores, Wang, Fielder

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Down 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth last night, the Nats rallied back to tie the game against Phillies closer Ryan Madson and then won it on Ryan Zimmerman's walkoff grand slam.  Here's the latest from Washington as the Nationals continue their series with the first-place Phils….

  • Ivan Rodriguez's chances of returning to Washington next season depend on Jesus Flores' ability to stick as the Nats' backup catcher, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.  Manager Davey Johnson called Rodriguez "a valuable asset" who he'd like to see back in 2012, but "it's also a valuable time for Flores to try to regain the status that he had a couple of years ago. That will weigh more than Pudge coming back. Everybody knows what Pudge can do."
  • Johnson is also interested in seeing Chien-Ming Wang pitch for the Nationals in 2012, reports Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com.  Wang is finally back after two injury-plagued years, and Johnson hopes his club's patience with Wang would help convince him to return next season.  I think a key for Wang this offseason will be to look for a team who can give him a clear path to a starting job, whereas in Washington he would be one of "seven or eight options" for the Nats' rotation in Spring Training. 
  • There are some similarities between how the Phillies built their World Series-caliber team and how the Nationals are trying to turn themselves into contenders, writes The Washington Post's Dave Sheinin.
  • Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington doesn't think the Nationals will be one of the teams bidding on Prince Fielder this winter.  Zuckerman notes that the Nats already have Mike Morse and Adam LaRoche under contract next season, plus GM Mike Rizzo "loves defense at 1B."  Also, Zuckerman says that between Jayson Werth's contract and a possible extension for Zimmerman, Washington won't be able to afford Fielder.  (Both Twitter links)

Brewers Notes: Fielder, Lopez, Arnett

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As the Brewers do battle with the Mets at Citi Field this afternoon, here's the latest news out of Milwaukee…

  • Prince Fielder's suitors this winter could include the Brewers, Nationals, Cubs or, as a "possible sleeper," the Rangers, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter links).  Both of the Los Angeles teams aren't likely to get involved — the Dodgers because they likely won't have new owners in time and the Angels possibly due to their lack of a strong relationship with Fielder's agent Scott Boras.  
  • MLB.com's Adam McCalvy looks at how the Brewers may have to make a 40-man roster move between games of their double-header with the Pirates on Monday.  Manager Ron Roenicke said top prospect Wily Peralta won't be called up, while McCalvy speculates that right-hander Michael Fiers will instead get the call.
  • As to who could be removed from the 40-man roster with Chris Narveson returning from the disabled list, both McCalvy and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) think Felipe Lopez could be the odd man out.  Lopez, acquired last month to help fill in for the injured Rickie Weeks, has hit just 186/.250/.186 in 50 plate appearances with Milwaukee.
  • Right-hander Eric Arnett is struggling in Class A ball, but the Brewers are still confident in the 2009 first-round draft pick, reports McCalvy.  "You have to remember that Eric was a late bloomer at Indiana. It took him until his third year to kind of put it together," says Milwaukee amateur scouting director Bruce Seid.  "I think Eric got into our organization, and, as we've talked about many times before, he put a lot of pressure on himself. He got off to a slow start, and it kind of tailspinned for him."  Arnett has a 5.31 ERA in 11 combined starts at Class A and rookie ball this season.

Rosenthal’s Full Count: Cubs, Zimmerman, Minor, Rox, Span

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Ken Rosenthal has his weekly Full Count Video up over at FOXSports.com, so let's take a look:

  • All GMs — past, present, and prospective — would love a crack at the Cubs' recent opening, says Rosenthal. Some GMs who are in their last contractual year, like Brian Cashman of the Yankees, line up better than others. Rosenthal feels the Rays might let Chicago interview Andrew Friedman, but finds it highly unlikely that the Red Sox would allow the Cubs to interview Theo Epstein, who is under contract through 2012.
  • While the Nationals have spent almost $40MM on the Amateur Draft in the past three seasons, Rosenthal says they'd be wise to check in with their first draft pick ever: Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman is controlled through 2013, but Rosenthal likens him to another prominent young star, saying that Zimmerman is to the Nats what Troy Tulowitzki is to the Rockies. He feels the Nats should approach their cornerstone about a similar extension before he gets so close to free agency that he considers testing it.
  • The Mets were far from the only team interested in Mike Minor at the July 31st trade deadline. The Indians offered the Drew Pomeranz to the Braves in exchange for Minor, thinking that with Atlanta trying to acquire Hunter Pence at the time, the Astros may prefer Pomeranz to Minor. Cleveland would get a more Major League-ready arm in return, but the Braves had no intention of dealing Minor.
  • The Rockies will look to add a big bat this winter, preferably at third base or a corner outfield spot. If they can find a third baseman despite a weak market, they may be inclined to pursue a leadoff hitter like the Twins' Denard Span. Rosenthal says the Rox have long coveted Span, and almost drafted him in 2002, but instead took Jeff Francis due to concerns over Span's asking price. Minnesota grabbed Span 11 picks later at No. 20 overall, though they showed a willingness to move him at this year's deadline when negotiating with the Nats.

Draft Notes: Austin, Pirates, Hultzen

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The deadline for signing draft picks has passed, but there’s still lots of news about 2011 draftees. The latest: 

  • Padres draftee Brett Austin turned down $1.5MM from San Diego to play for North Carolina State, according to Tom Krasovic of Inside the Padres (Twitter link). San Diego selected the catcher with the 54th overall pick in the draft.
  • As Jim Callis of Baseball America shows, the Pirates, Nationals and Royals lead all MLB teams in bonus expenditures from 2007-11. Four AL East teams – everyone but the Yankees – are next on the list. 
  • Callis also details this year's expenditures, with the Pirates, Nationals and Royals again leading the way. 
  • 2011 draftees Gerrit Cole, Bubba Starling and Danny Hultzen obtained three of the top five bonuses in draft history, according to Callis.
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