Nationals Rumors: Free Agents, Lee, Pavano
The challenge for the Nationals, writes Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post, is convincing elite players to come to D.C. Zack Greinke, Jorge de la Rosa and Derrek Lee are among the players who declined Mike Rizzo’s overtures this offseason; the GM says luring players to Washington isn’t easy.
"It shows the difficulty of trying to build something," Rizzo said. "The only thing that convinces players to come is winning. It's the chicken and the egg. Which comes first? Do you win and then the players come, or do the players come and then you win?"
The Nationals have agreed to deals with top free agents like Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche this offseason. But the team faced rejection along he way.
“We liked [Derrek] Lee a lot,” Rizzo said. “I don't know why he went to Baltimore over us."
The Nationals have been linked to Carl Pavano for months, but Rizzo says he hasn’t talked to the right-hander at all. The Nationals last spoke to agent Tom O’Connell at the Winter Meetings, so they don’t appear to be frontrunners. Conflicting reports about the Nationals’ interest in Pavano emerged yesterday.
NL Notes: Pavano, Young, Cubs, Brewers
Some notes from the senior circuit…
- Carl Pavano is still "entertaining interest" from a handful of teams according to MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling. The Nationals remain very much in that mix, and Goessling's source indicates that there is no timetable for Pavano's decision.
- Meanwhile, Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post gets the sense from team officials that the Nats are "lukewarm" on Pavano (Twitter link). He says not to expect a deal until Pavano's asking price comes down.
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Mets' offer to Chris Young "likely includes guaranteed money over $1 million." A team offical said that yesterday's Chris Capuano pickup will not take the team out of the running for other free agent starters.
- The Cubs are not planning to upgrade at second base, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). That makes it unlikely that they'll pursue Michael Young.
- The Brewers have signed right-hander Jesus Sanchez to a minor league deal, reports Baseball America's Matt Eddy (on Twitter). The 23-year-old posted a 2.99 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 129 1/3 Single-A innings for the Phillies last season. They originally acquired him from the Yankees in the Bobby Abreu trade, back when Sanchez was a catcher.
- Eddy tweets that the Brewers also signed outfielder Brandon Jones to a minor league deal. The 27-year-old hit .231/.333/.325 in the minors last year, bouncing from the Braves to the Pirates to the Tigers.
Nationals, LaRoche Nearing Two-Year Deal
TUESDAY, 7:49am: The Nationals are closing in on a two-year deal with LaRoche, according to Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio (on Twitter). Bowden was GM Mike Rizzo's predecessor in Washington.
MONDAY, 10:38pm: Confidence is growing on both sides that LaRoche will end up in Washington, a person with knowledge of the talks told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
4:44pm: The Nationals are still discussing potential contracts with Adam LaRoche and talks are progressing, according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. Ladson reports that the sides are not far apart on a deal and may continue negotiations today.
The Nationals recently offered LaRoche a two-year deal that appears to be worth $8-9MM per season. Washington appears to be a fit for LaRoche, since there aren't many reliable first basemen available. They could use a first baseman and LaRoche lost a serious suitor when the Orioles agreed to sign Derrek Lee.
As MLBTR's Steve Adams explained yesterday, the Nationals are just one of the options for LaRoche and his representatives at SFX. It appears to be an option that appeals to the first baseman, though - LaRoche told Ladson in December that he likes the Nationals’ direction.
Heyman On Crawford, Pavano, CarGo
There’s word that many Angels people were in favor of offering Carl Crawford a seven-year deal worth $142MM or so, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. The Red Sox won the bidding for the All-Star left fielder with a $142MM offer that left the Angels without one of their offseason targets. Owner Arte Moreno has said that his team never made Crawford an offer, but he acknowledged the Angels' interest. Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors:
- There are thought to be one or two teams looking at Carl Pavano other than the Twins and Nationals, according to Heyman. The Mariners and Rangers have been linked to Pavano this winter, but it's not clear if those clubs are currently interested.
- Heyman reports that the Rockies are still trying to lock up Carlos Gonzalez. Meanwhile Troy Renck of the Denver Post hears that the Rockies could move closer to an extension with the 25-year-old this week
Odds & Ends: Greinke, Young, Rangers, MacLane
Links for Sunday….
- SI.com's Jon Heyman says the "word is" that the Nationals offered Zack Greinke a big contract extension in an effort to entice him to join their team (Twitter links). He simply didn't believe the Nats could win, so he instead waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers.
- A source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Rangers and Rockies have not had any serious talks about Michael Young in the last week, so if he does get traded, it will likely be to a team that did not show much interest in him at the Winter Meetings (Twitter links).
- Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News offers a "semi-educated guess" that if the Rangers do sign Adrian Beltre, they'll shift Young to a DH/utility role rather than trade him (Twitter link).
- NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman passes along a Japanese report that has the Orix Buffaloes set to acquire Evan MacLane from the Cardinals. An official announcement is expected soon.
- Cole Hamels and the Phillies haven't yet begun discussions for a multiyear extension, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted when he examined the Phillies' four aces, Hamels is arbitration eligible after next season and can become a free agent after 2012.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider required) shares a list of 36 potential MLB storylines for 2011. Olney's list includes the Albert Pujols negotiations, Heath Bell trade talks, and C.C. Sabathia's out clause.
- The Jason Bartlett trade potentially opened up a spot on the 25-man roster for long-time Rays' farmhand Elliot Johnson, according to Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
- WEEI's Rob Bradford and Alex Speier attempt to determine whether Hideki Okajima is likely to rebound for the Red Sox in 2011.
- Roch Kubatko of MASN can't see the Orioles signing a full-time DH now that Derrek Lee is on board.
- Police say Alfredo Simon is the primary suspect in a fatal shooting in the Dominican Republic, reports the Associated Press (via the Miami Herald). Simon insists he was not involved in the incident, according to Orioles Dominican representative Felipe Alou Jr.
Cafardo On Blanton, Beltre, Indians, LaRoche
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe names ten teams who might reap the benefits of bargain shopping as the winter winds down. The Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Angels top the list of clubs Cafardo thinks could make discounted moves in the coming weeks. Here are the rest of his hot stove notes:
- While the Mets will be hunting for affordable starting pitching options, don't expect the Phillies to trade Joe Blanton within the division.
- The Angels are making sure they don't bid against themselves on Adrian Beltre, and could eventually land the third baseman for a lesser price than Scott Boras is seeking.
- The Indians could make some more moves if they want to continue stockpiling prospects. Other teams would have interest in players like Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, and Fausto Carmona, while Cleveland would "love to trade" Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner.
- The Nationals "know it’s tough to get players to buy into the future of the team," writes Cafardo. As such, they may eventually commit to Adam LaRoche for the three years he's looking for.
- Jim Masteralexis, Manny Delcarmen's agent, says several teams are interested in his client, and Cafardo warns not to bet against the Rays.
- Carl Pavano may make a decision this week, and it appears that while he'd prefer to return to Minnesota, the Nationals will offer the better contract. Of course, we already saw one top free agent pitcher choose comfort over more guaranteed money, when Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies.
Nats Offer LaRoche Two-Year Deal
4:51pm: Jen Royle of MASN tweets that the two sides are discussing a multiyear deal in the $8-9MM per season range. Even the low end of that range would represent a higher average annual value than the $21MM LaRoche is reportedly seeking over three years. Royle confirmed that the annual payout being discussed is higher than what the Orioles talked about with LaRoche (Twitter link).
2:44pm: The Nationals have offered first baseman Adam LaRoche a two-year deal, Bill Ladson of MLB.com has learned (via Twitter). LaRoche lost a suitor just minutes ago when the O's and Derrek Lee came to terms on a one-year pact.
LaRoche, 31, has been said to be looking for a three-year deal in the range of $21MM. With the O's seemingly out of the bidding, he may have to settle for less. He was the definition of a league average first baseman in 2010, hitting .261 with 25 homers and 100 runs driven in compared to the .263/25/91 average. It was LaRoche's third straight season with 25 homers on the nose.
Examining Orioles, Nationals, LaRoche, Lee
The Nationals and Orioles have seemingly alternated in pursuing first basemen Adam LaRoche and Derrek Lee this offseason, but the position is still vacant for both teams, and each player ranks among the top 15 remaining free agents, as detailed by Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLBTR.
The most recent development has the O's targeting Lee for a one-year deal worth $8MM, but nothing has come to fruition yet on that front. LaRoche rumors, meanwhile, have been relatively quieter since he was more strongly linked to both Baltimore and Washington earlier in December, perhaps because teams are hesitant to commit the three years and $21MM he is thought to be seeking.
Baltimore has already overhauled the left side of its infield this offseason, acquiring Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy in separate deals, and is seeking a proper first baseman to replace departed utility man Ty Wigginton, who started 98 games at first for the O's in 2010.
While the O's seem intent on landing Lee, LaRoche might better fit the team they're currently assembling. Manager Buck Showalter was lauded for getting the most out of his young players in 2010, which is presumably the plan for reinvigorating Reynolds and Hardy, and LaRoche, 31, is closer to his prime than Lee and coming off a bit of a down year (.261/.320/.468) in Arizona.
The Nationals, meanwhile, are seeking a replacement for Adam Dunn at first base, and although Lee, 35, is also coming off a tough season (.260/.347/.428), he could be a better one-year option for the Nats. With the Jayson Werth signing, Washington showed a willingness to spend on top-flight free agents, and there could be a few of them next offseason in Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols and Adrian Gonzalez, assuming they don't sign extensions with their current teams.
Unfinished Business: NL East
The new year is typically when free agent bargains begin, for teams that set a few million bucks aside. Let's examine the unfinished business for each of the NL East clubs today.
- Braves: Backup outfielder who can handle center field. Someone like Dewayne Wise, Scott Hairston, or even Andruw Jones could work within the Braves' limited payroll flexibility. The Braves will also be seeking a taker for Kenshin Kawakami.
- Marlins: Left-handed hitting bench bat. Catcher John Baker is one candidate. Free agency offers plenty of options – Laynce Nix, Jason Giambi, Joe Inglett, Mark Kotsay, Hank Blalock, Jeremy Hermida, Ryan Church, Casey Kotchman, Gabe Gross, and Jody Gerut, for example.
- Mets: Starting pitcher, lefty reliever, fourth outfielder. The Mets will undoubtedly be bargain shopping, and it's not clear whether they'll manage to add Chris Young or Jeff Francis to the rotation. The market for lefty relievers still features useful, affordable names like Mark Hendrickson and Tim Byrdak.
- Phillies: Taker for Joe Blanton. It seems the Phillies' main remaining goal is to unload Blanton's contract. They could add to the right field mix, but may stick with internal options.
- Nationals: Starting pitcher, first baseman, reliever. The Nats remain in the mix for Carl Pavano and Derrek Lee. Failing those two, they could go in significantly cheaper directions. Casey Kotchman's name has been mentioned. Hard to say whether the Nationals are content with Chad Gaudin and Henry Rodriguez as the bullpen additions.
Will Carl Pavano Land A Three-Year Deal?
The Twins and Nationals are still vying for free agent righty Carl Pavano, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. He suggests a decision could come later this week.
On December 15th, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports passed along one GM's word that Pavano sought a three-year deal worth $10-11MM per year. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote yesterday that Pavano is holding out for three years.
Aside from the Twins and Nationals, Cafardo tossed the Rangers and possibly Mariners into the mix for Pavano. Rosenthal's column from a couple of weeks ago said the Rangers were "not on" Pavano, and their agreement with Brandon Webb probably solidified that stance.
So Pavano seems to have two serious suitors, and agent Tom O'Connell could have a problem if one of them makes a deal for Joe Blanton or even signs a remaining free agent on a one-year deal. My guess is that if Pavano received a three-year offer anywhere near $30MM, he would have taken it already. Teams may be comparing Pavano to Joel Pineiro, who was coming off a great 2009 but could only find a two-year deal from the Angels on January 22nd. But while Pineiro was coming off a lone strong season, Pavano was solid in '09 as well and has tallied 433 1/3 innings over 2009-10 including the postseason. Perhaps the spectre of Pavano's Yankees contract is still looming.
Let's get your take: will Pavano sign a three-year deal?
Will Carl Pavano sign a three-year deal?
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No 67% (5,300)
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Yes 33% (2,662)
Total votes: 7,962