Nationals Rumors

Capps To Select Finalists Soon

By Tim Dierkes | December 19, 2009 at 7:13pm CDT

SATURDAY, 7:13pm: Capps confirmed to ESPN Radio Chicago today that he has had preliminary discussions with the Cubs about joining the club.

THURSDAY, 6:26pm: The Washington Nationals are one of Capps' finalists, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Of all the interested teams, Washington should provide one of the clearest paths to a closing role for Capps.

4:51pm: The Pirates non-tendered reliever Matt Capps Saturday night, and roughly half the teams in baseball have inquired. Pirates GM Neal Huntington explained the non-tender decision in an MLB.com chat today:

Despite wanting to retain Matt and making an aggressive offer that we believed would be at or near his free-agent value prior to the tender deadline, we felt that the risk of an arbitration award at a substantially higher amount was not a good business decision for us…Obviously, we would have preferred to get something of value in trade for Matt, but given his track record beginning in the second half of 2008, his trade value was limited throughout the summer and again this offseason.

Capps may be able to find a two-year deal. While he'd like to close, his agent Paul Kinzer told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he'd accept a set-up role with a contender. The following teams have been linked to Capps: the D'Backs, Cubs, Orioles, Rangers, Rockies, Marlins, Nationals, Mets, Tigers, and Yankees (we're still about six teams short, five if you count the Pirates). Kinzer told Rosenthal Capps "plans to select five or six finalists by the weekend, then make his decision."

Nationals Making A Run At Garland

By Mike Axisa | December 19, 2009 at 12:18pm CDT

The Nationals are making a "strong run" at free agent hurler Jon Garland according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. The righthander is looking for a three year deal, however the Nats would prefer to limit a contract to two years. Rosenthal also lists Jason Marquis and Doug Davis and possible targets for Washington.

GM Mike Rizzo confirmed the team's interest in Garland earlier this month, saying "He's one of the 10 names we've been talking about throughout the whole winter." The 30-year-old landed just one year and a guaranteed $7.25MM last offseason, so a three year deal may be a little too ambitious.

Odds & Ends: Treanor, Barton, Damon, Kelly Johnson

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 18, 2009 at 9:45pm CDT

More links as the weekend draws closer…

MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports that the Brewers signed catcher Matt Treanor to a minor league deal. The former Tiger struggled to stay healthy this year.
The Dodgers signed outfielder Brian Barton to a minor league deal, according to Hernandez. The 27-year-old has hit just .268/.354/.392 in 179 big league plate appearances, all coming in 2008.
MLB.com's Bill Ladson has learned that the Nationals are not interested in Johnny Damon because they're trying to improve their defense.
David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets that Damon has some interest in signing with the Braves. The outfielder would have to be willing to take a pay cut to join the club, in O'Brien's opinion.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the D'Backs have made Kelly Johnson an offer. The details aren't clear, but Piecoro guesses it's a one-year deal worth $2MM.
Dodgers' GM Ned Colletti said that any talks with Cincinnati are "all but dead," according to Dylan Hernandez of The LA Times. Yesterday we heard the two teams were exploring an Aaron Harang trade.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Tigers, Giants and Royals have interest in Jack Cust. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick says the Mariners may be the favorites to sign Cust.
Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.com hears that Jose Contreras is narrowing his options down and preparing to sign. His agent says "there are some interesting opportunities in the bullpen."
Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com says that with his options dwindling, Miguel Tejada might have to slide over to third to be rewarded with a contract.
Claudio Vargas' deal with the Brewers is worth $900K, says Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel. The righty could also earn another $400K in incentives.
O'Brien mentions that Adam LaRoche said there's been no contact from the Braves that he knows of. Earlier we learned that some teams were put off by LaRoche's asking price.
Corey Brock of MLB.com reports that the Padres have named Jaron Madison scouting director. Madison spent the last two years working as the assistant scouting director in St. Louis.
Venezuelan reporter Efrain Zavarce says that Kelvim Escobar has signed with…a Venezuelan Winter League team. He'll pitch in relief tomorrow, and the Rays will have someone in attendance.

Odds & Ends: Lowe, Bay, Gonzalez

By Mark Polishuk | December 16, 2009 at 10:45pm CDT

News and notes from around the big leagues tonight…

Derek Lowe tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman that he doesn't expect to be back in Atlanta in 2010 and feels rather disrespected by being put on the trade market just a year after signing with the Braves: "I would have never even considered going there if I knew that ultimately this was going to happen."
The Providence Journal's Joe McDonald considers Theo Epstein's comments from the Mike Cameron press conference to be a virtual farewell to Jason Bay's time in Boston.
As if the Mike Gonzalez and Garrett Atkins signings weren't enough, the Orioles also "made a pretty good run" at trading for Adrian Gonzalez at the winter meetings, tweets ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes.
Scott Merkin of MLB.com is reporting (via Twitter) that Jason Botts has been given an invitation to spring training by the White Sox. Botts played in Japan last season after posting a .230/.325/.344 line in 326 plate appearances with Texas from 2005 to 2008.
MLB.com's Todd Zolecki (via Twitter) quoted Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. as saying "Right now, it doesn't look good," in regards to Chan Ho Park re-signing with Philadelphia.
ESPN's Jayson Stark talks with Baseball America's John Manuel about how the Phillies' farm system looks in the wake of the big Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee deal.
Jose Contreras wanted a three-year contract from the Rockies, but the club "didn't bite," reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Harding notes that Colorado may have to wait to see what happens with Rafael Betancourt's possible arbitration case before they can make a move toward signing relievers like Contreras or Joe Beimel.
If the Nationals can't sign any relief help, they will move a willing Collin Balester into the bullpen, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
Jake Westbrook seems fit after his stint Puerto Rican Winter League, reports MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. It was rumored that the Tribe would have been in the market for a veteran starter (maybe Carl Pavano) to anchor their staff had Westbrook suffered a setback from his Tommy John surgery in 2008.

Chapman Works Out In Front Of 15 Teams

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 16, 2009 at 9:03pm CDT

WEDNESDAY, 9:03pm: That workout session must've really turned some heads. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus tweets that "an insider" predicted Chapman's eventual contract may be worth as much as $30MM.

WEDNESDAY, 3:18pm: Arangure Jr.'s latest blog post is a must-read; it contains learnings from the Chapman throwing session yesterday. Among them: Chapman is in good shape, he's made some mechanical adjustments, and he doesn't come off as someone with makeup issues. Chapman is now up for bidding.

TUESDAY, 1:38pm: Cuban lefty Aroldis Chapman worked out in front of about 15 teams in Houston today, according to Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.com. The Astros and Pirates were there, along with the Angels, Marlins, Pirates, Orioles, Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals and others.

The Dodgers weren't there because they don't have the money, according to Arangure Jr.'s Twitter. We shouldn't expect the Pirates to sign Chapman, either. They're not serious players for him according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The teams saw the 21-year-old throw for five minutes two different times. Chapman's fastball topped out at 96 mph and he also threw his slider and change-up. Arangure Jr. expects several teams to meet with him today.

Another note, again from Arangure Jr.: Chapman's previous agency, API, is suing the pitcher's current agency, the Hendricks brothers. The lawsuit alleges that the Hendricks brothers interfered with API.

Mets Notes: Bay, Marquis, Pineiro

By Mark Polishuk | December 16, 2009 at 7:33pm CDT

A few newsbits surrounding the Flushing Meadows nine….

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says the the Mets "are trying to be careful not to bid against themselves" for Jason Bay since they may be the only club with serious interest at this point. Rosenthal notes that the Red Sox are no longer a factor given the Mike Cameron signing, the Angels and Giants have "consistently downplayed their interest" in the free agent outfielder and the Mariners were never a major player in the Bay sweepstakes. We learned earlier today about the Mets' current offer to Bay.
Rosenthal and his cohort Jon Paul Morosi also note that the Mets have interest in Jason Marquis and Joel Pineiro, but may face some competition from division rivals Washington. Rosenthal and Morosi say the Nationals want to add two pitchers, with at least one being a No. 2 starter, and the Nats are also looking at Jon Garland.
Newsday's Ken Davidoff said that (of all things) Bay's long-ago stint in center field with Pittsburgh is the reason that New York rates him as a better defender than Matt Holliday.
While answering e-mails from Mets fans disappointed by their team's lack of big free agent moves, MLB.com's Marty Noble points out that no number of free agents would make the Mets contenders in 2010 unless their large number of injured stars are healthy. Noble also "wouldn't count on a reunion" between the Mets and Joe Torre in spite of the fact that Torre's contract is up in Los Angeles after next year and Jerry Manuel might be on the hot seat.

Marquis May Prefer Nationals

By Cork Gaines | December 15, 2009 at 8:17pm CDT

Last week we learned that the Phillies, Mets, Nationals and Mariners were all expressing interest in Jason Marquis and that he is unlikely to re-sign with the Rockies.

MLB.com's Bill Ladson spoke with Marquis, who seemed very interested in pitching for the Nationals. Marquis indicated that he likes serving as a mentor for younger pitchers and wants to be part of a team that "making the moves that is necessary to get themselves back to being a winning organization." He pointed to several moves the Nationals have made that suggest they are that team.

Marquis, 31, made $9.9MM with the Rockies in '09 and his WAR value was $17.1MM. He was 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA, 4.8 K/9, and 3.3 BB/9 in 216 innings for the Rockies this year. His ERA+ the last three seasons have been 113, 102 and 100.

Multiple Teams Eyeing Matt Capps

By Tim Dierkes | December 15, 2009 at 6:47pm CDT

6:46pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic doesn't think the Diamondbacks will give Capps the two-year deal he is seeking.

2:30pm: The Mets are interested, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Kinzer tells Crasnick that 16 teams have inquired on Capps and four of them see him as a closer. The Cards aren't interested, but the Pirates still are.

TUESDAY, 10:40am: Kovacevic hears that the Yankees are interested. Agent Paul Kinzer told Kovacevic that the interest in his client is "enormous."

MONDAY, 3:42pm: ESPN's Bruce Levine adds the Nationals, and notes that Capps would like a multiyear deal.

2:33pm: Kovacevic adds the Rangers, Rockies, Marlins, and Cardinals to the list of known suitors.

12:20pm: Kinzer's estimated number of suitors for Capps has risen to nine or ten, and he confirmed to Roch Kubatko of MASN that the Orioles expressed interest. Kinzer noted that the opportunity to close "will be a major factor" in Capps' decision.

10:37am: The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro talked to Matt Capps' agent Paul Kinzer, who said the recently non-tendered reliever has already drawn interest from seven or eight teams. Piecoro says the Diamondbacks are one, and we learned yesterday from Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that the Cubs and Capps have mutual interest. Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote today that Kinzer told the Pirates they were planning on submitting an arbitration figure around $3.4MM for Capps' 2010 salary. The free agent market is a different beast, but that amount could still be a jumping-off point for discussions.

The Cubs and D'Backs both have closers for 2010 in Chad Qualls and Carlos Marmol, but Capps could be slotted in for eighth-inning duty with incentives for games finished. Other possible suitors? The Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Phillies, and Cardinals would make sense.

Nationals To Sign Scott Olsen

By Zachary Links | December 13, 2009 at 7:13pm CDT

8:13pm: William Ladson of MLB.com (via Twitter) has received confirmation from the Nats.

6:53pm: One day after being non-tendered by the club, Scott Olsen has agreed to a one-year deal with the Nationals, reports Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.

While the base salary is just $1MM, Crasnick says that the deal could jump to nearly $4MM if he makes 33 starts. Olsen made just 11 starts last season after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. However, the soon-to-be 26-year-old made exactly 33 starts in 2007 and 2008 and 31 starts in '06.

In the aforementioned healthy seasons he spent with Florida, Olsen recorded an ERA of 4.65 with 6.6 K/9.

Last winter, Olsen avoided arbitration with the team by inking one-year, $2.8MM deal with the Nats. The figure was closer to Washington's side as they were set to submit $2.5MM and he was seeking $3.5MM.

Odds & Ends: Diaz, Cedeno, German, Ojeda

By Mark Polishuk | December 11, 2009 at 8:45pm CDT

A few tidbits from around the majors….

Blue Jays reliever Jeremy Accardo hopes to be non-tendered tomorrow, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. The righty, 28 this month, dealt with a groin injury and bounced up and down between Triple A and the Majors this year. He earned $900K.
Cases of players avoiding arbitration and signing for 2010, according to the AP: Matt Diaz of the Braves at $2.55MM, Ronny Cedeno of the Pirates at $1.125MM, and Esteban German of the Rangers at $600K. Diaz gets a 106% raise, heading into his third arbitration year.
The AP also notes that the Nationals signed pitcher Ryan Speier for $425K. The 30-year-old toiled at Triple A for the Rockies this year, mainly.
MLB.com's Steve Gilbert (via Twitter) reports that the Diamondbacks have avoided going to arbitration with Augie Ojeda by re-signing the veteran infielder to a one-year deal. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says the contract is worth $825K. Ojeda, 34, has spent the last three seasons with Arizona and hit .246/.340/.345 in 309 plate appearances in 2009. The defensive specialist is a valuable utilityman, able to play second, third and shortstop.
Twins GM Bill Smith tells Kelsie Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that his traditionally low-spending team has "substantial funds" to cover arbitration raises and potential signings that could raise Minnesota's payroll into the $90MM neighborhood for next season. The general manager was predictably non-committal when asked if "substantial" translated to "enough to extend Joe Mauer."
NPB Tracker passes on news from Japanese site Sanspo.com that the Yakult Swallows will announce next week that they have signed Eulogio De La Cruz. The right-hander was released by the Padres on Wednesday. De La Cruz has an 11.84 ERA in 15 appearances over three seasons with San Diego, Florida and Detroit.
The White Sox seem ready to stick with Randy Williams as the only left-handed reliever (besides, of course, set-up man Matt Thornton) next season, as Chicago GM Kenny Williams told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Gonzales notes that if the club changes its mind, a possible target could be former White Sox reliever Neal Cotts, who will be non-tendered by the Cubs tomorrow.

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