Peralta and Mets not a great fit?
November, 14, 2013
NOV 14
3:01
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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On Tuesday night, the New York Mets sat down with Jhonny Peralta to begin the negotiation process and see if the two sides might end up being a good fit.It's not typical for free agents to attend the annual GM Meetings, but given Peralta's 50-game suspension last season due to his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal, it probably didn't hurt the shortstop's cause.
No deal was struck, but even if the talks went well, the fact that Peralta's asking price is in the range of $45 million for three years might cause the Mets to balk on pursuing Peralta. The Mets are also believed to be interested in Nelson Cruz and Curtis Granderson, but it would be premature to say that the team is ready to make any offers to any free agents at this time.
Adam Rubin
That's all from the GM Meetings
"They began meeting with teams considering acquiring Ike Davis, with the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros all having had at least preliminary dialogue with the Mets, according to team sources. The Mets may also deal Daniel Murphy this offseason. He is due for a salary of about $5.1 million next year and is eligible for free agency after the 2015 season. If Murphy is dealt -- not a foregone conclusion, unless it can address other needs -- Eric Young Jr. potentially could slide to second base."
Tags:Curtis Granderson, New York Mets, Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta
Yankees exploring all options
November, 14, 2013
NOV 14
2:18
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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While the New York Yankees are expected to be quite active in free agency this winter, with the team very likely to make offers to Brian McCann and at least one of the top outfielders on the market, don't expect any huge announcements just yet.
For now, the Yankees are prepared to take their time before plunging into a spending spree. To that end, the team is reportedly doing their due diligence on Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew. Given the injuries that Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter suffered in 2013, the Bronx Bombers don't want to be without any alternatives at first base and shortstop, should those players end up shelved again at some point in 2014.
The team is also said to be close to a deal to bring defensive shortstop stalwart Brendan Ryan back, though that contract is expected to be small enough that it would not preclude the Yankees from continuing to court the likes of Drew or Jhonny Peralta going forward.
Andrew Marchand
Source: Yankees not expecting quick strike
"The source said the Yankees are keeping their options open and have not ruled out Shin-Soo Choo or Jacoby Ellsbury as possibilities, though, Carlos Beltran is their top outfield choice because the length of his contract would be shorter. The Yankees also have interest in Stephen Drew as crutch for Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. "
Tags:New York Yankees, Kendrys Morales, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Stephen Drew, Brendan Ryan
Tanaka's arrival could be delayed
November, 14, 2013
NOV 14
2:05
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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One of the hottest pitchers on the market this winter may not be on the market after all. Masahiro Tanaka's arrival in the United States is at risk of being put on hold until the 2015 season after baseball officials could not come to a new agreement on the posting process.
It was originally reported that the Japanese players union approved a two-year deal that would continue the practice of major league teams bidding for the right to negotiate with players who want to come over to the United States, but have not yet become free agents with nine years of service time in Japan.
Under that deal, as had been the case in the past, only one team would "win" the chance to negotiate with players like Tanaka, who went 24-0 with Rakuten in 2013. A new wrinkle in this agreement was that major league teams that failed to come to terms with a player for whom they won bidding rights would be fined. This change was just one of the things that did not sit well with major league baseball officials, so at least for now, there is no deal in place.
Tanaka is still pitching with Rakuten in the Asia Series, a tournament of league champions from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Europe. That competition will end on November 20, so as long as a new deal is indeed worked out before then, there shouldn't be any problems. However, if a stalemate ensues, Tanaka may still end up coming to the United States in 2014 -- just not until November.
Tags:Masahiro Tanaka
The top free agent starting pitchers are...
November, 14, 2013
NOV 14
1:53
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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Continuing our ongoing tour of the top free agents on the market at each position, and the early speculation of where each might potentially end up, today we examine the available crop of starting pitchers.
The free agent starting pitcher market is sure to be impacted, at least somewhat, by the two-year, $35 million deal that Tim Lincecum signed with the San Francisco Giants in October. At the very least, it's probably going to urge some of the bigger available names to seek a bigger contract than perhaps they would have been able to get before Lincecum's huge contract was agreed upon.
With some veteran pitchers, such as A.J. Burnett and Hiroki Kuroda, chances are they'll either sign a one-year deal to stay where they are, or else retirement beckons. With Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka, it all comes down to which team wins the right to negotiate with him through the posting fee process. However, for the rest of the free agent starters, here's a look at what they reportedly are looking for in a contract and where they might end up for 2014 (and beyond):
Ubaldo Jimenez: First he declined an $8 million option for 2014, then he turned down the $14.1 million qualifying offer given to him by the Cleveland Indians. Clearly this is a player looking for a multi-year deal and a huge raise after earning only a little more than $15 million in his entire six-year career. There's still a chance he and the Indians come to terms on a deal, but the first team that offers him a four-year contract could end up winning his services. Early favorites: Cleveland, NY Yankees, San Francisco.
Ervin Santana: Even though he has had three straight losing seasons, Santana is reportedly looking for a five-year, $112 million contract. Couple the high asking price with the loss of a draft pick that comes with a Santana signing, due to the Kansas City Royals having made a qualifying offer to the pitcher, and those demands might well have to drop significantly before a deal is struck here. The Minnesota Twins have expressed some interest in the pitcher, but if Santana sticks to his $100 million guns, he could turn into this year's version of Kyle Lohse. Early favorites: NY Yankees, Minnesota, Kansas City.
Ricky Nolasco: Because Nolasco was traded from the Miami Marlins to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2013 season, he was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer. That certainly makes him a bit more appealing on the free agent market, as teams won't have to forfeit a draft pick to sign a pitcher who has thrown at least 190 innings in each of the past three seasons. Still, Nolasco is said to be asking for a five-year, $80 million deal, and that might be too much for a pitcher better suited for the back end of a rotation rather than as an ace. Early favorites: NY Yankees, NY Mets, Minnesota.
Matt Garza: Coming off of an elbow injury, Garza faded down the stretch for the Texas Rangers after getting traded to the team in late July, so the luster on him has faded a bit as he enters free agency. However, he's going to be only 30 years old in 2014, and his career 3.84 ERA will no doubt be attractive to teams. Texas is all but out on Garza, but the San Francisco Giants might be interested in adding a pitcher of his caliber to their rotation. Early favorites: San Francisco, LA Angels, Baltimore.
Bartolo Colon: One of the few pitchers left in the game over the age of 40, there's no way Colon should be expecting a multi-year contract, even if he might think he deserves one after posting a stellar 18-6 record in 2013. He earned only $3 million last season, and a big raise is certainly a reasonable request, but there was no way the Oakland Athletics were going to tender him a qualifying offer. Colon wants to pitch three more years, and wants to stay in Oakland, so perhaps a reasonable compromise can be reached here. If not, maybe he'll find a home with a team looking for a veteran to help anchor an otherwise youthful staff. Early favorites: Oakland, Atlanta, Miami.
Scott Kazmir: The door is all but closed for a return to Cleveland for Kazmir, who resurrected his career with the Indians in 2013 thanks to a 9.2 K/9, his best rate since 2008. Kazmir's insistence on a multi-year deal is likely to be the deal-breaker there. If Kazmir is willing to be a bit flexible, Baltimore has expressed interest and could well be a solid landing spot. Early favorites: Baltimore, NY Mets.
Scott Feldman: Arriving in Baltimore in early July via trade, Feldman went 5-6 with a 4.27 ERA in 15 starts with the team. Both player and team seem to want the relationship to continue, so odds are looking good that a deal can be struck here, even given the Orioles' aforementioned interest in Kazmir. Early favorite: Baltimore.
Tim Hudson: Quite frankly, Hudson can pretty much go where he wants, as upwards of 15 teams -- including the Atlanta Braves -- have already been linked to the pitcher through various rumors. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports feels that the Boston Red Sox may have the inside track, citing Hudson's relationship with David Ross. Any team that proposes a three-year deal could move to the head of the line. Early favorites: Boston, Kansas City, Colorado.
Dan Haren: After a 10-14 season with the Washington Nationals, Haren's asking price makes him one of the bigger bargains on the free agent market, if a team believe he can regain his All-Star form. Certainly the New York Yankees are going to have Haren on their wish list if they end up passing on the pitchers looking for $80-$100 million paydays, but what about the Chicago Cubs? Remember that Chicago thought they had a deal in place to acquire Haren from the Los Angeles Angels around this time last season, and with the team said to be looking to trade Jeff Samardzija, they're going to need a starting pitcher or two. Why not Haren? Early favorites: NY Yankees, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco.
Bronson Arroyo: Even at the age of 36, Arroyo had no problem reaching the 200-inning milestone in 2013, making him one of the most reliable pitchers on the market. Arroyo has said he'd be interested in joining the New York Mets and has expressed a desire to be on the East Coast, if possible. However, interest from teams west of the Mississippi, especially in Minnesota, has been increasing of late. Early favorites: Minnesota, NY Mets, Philadelphia.
Roy Halladay: Interest in Halladay isn't expected to be all that great until much later on in the free agent process, after all the pitchers who didn't miss most of 2013 due to shoulder surgery sign their deals and teams that still have rotation holes end up calling on Doc. The Phillies say they're still interested in a deal, though at far less than the $20 million he made last season. As it stands, until the field thins a bit, there won't be any requests for house calls. Early favorite: Philadelphia.
Josh Johnson: To say Johnson's 2013 was a disappointment would be an understatement. His 2-8 record and 6.20 ERA in 16 starts for the Toronto Blue Jays made the decision to let the veteran pitcher walk a very easy one indeed. That said, he turns just 30 in January, and the hope is that October surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow will be enough to restore the pitcher to his All-Star form. Expect a one-year deal for Johnson to get a chance to prove himself, with the Royals being a very likely fit. Early favorites: Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs.
Next five names: Jason Vargas, Phil Hughes, Paul Maholm, Jason Hammel, Jake Westbrook.
Tags:Matt Garza, Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Scott Kazmir, Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Ubaldo Jimenez, Scott Feldman, Bronson Arroyo, Bartolo Colon, Tim Hudson, Ervin Santana
Wolf back on teams' radar?
November, 14, 2013
NOV 14
11:56
AM ET
By Joe Kaiser | ESPN.com
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At 37, Randy Wolf is coming off a season missed due to Tommy John surgery, but there's a good chance he'll be back in 2014.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that Wolf will throw for interested teams later this month near his home in Los Angeles, and "is likely to generate considerable interest among teams in search of a veteran No. 4-5 starter."
This is only speculation, but Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees are some of the teams that could show interest in the veteran lefty with a career 4.20 ERA.
Tags:Randy Wolf
Boston eyeing Chris Young?
November, 14, 2013
NOV 14
10:36
AM ET
By Joe Kaiser | ESPN.com
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ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports this morning that Boston is targeting former Arizona and Oakland outfielder Chris Young.
Crasnick tweets that Young "is on the Red Sox list of fallback CF options if they don't re-sign Jacoby Ellsbury."
According to Crasnick, the Red Sox are said to also be considering three or four other candidates aside from Young, though it remains unclear who they are.
The bottom line here: Boston doesn't appear to be 100 percent sold that Jackie Bradley Jr. is ready given his struggles in the big leagues last season, and could very well sign a free agent outfielder to help bridge the gap until Bradley is ready.
Tags:Boston Red Sox, Chris Young
Orioles might be willing to deal
November, 13, 2013
NOV 13
2:31
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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Reports are that the St. Louis Cardinals rejected a deal that would have sent Shelby Miller to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for shortstop J.J. Hardy, winner of back-to-back Gold Gloves. That's not surprising, given Miller's huge long-term upside, combined with the fact that Hardy will be a free agent at the end of the 2014 season.
Baltimore Orioles beat writer Brittany Ghiroli claims that although those reports do indeed have a ring of truth to them, the team is not actively shopping shortstop J.J. Hardy "who is in the last year of a very affordable contract extension, and would have to blown away by a deal to move him."
However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Orioles are willing to trade away Matt Wieters, explaining that the catcher is, like teammate Chris Davis, "two years away from free agency and represented by Scott Boras." The implication here is that negotiating a new deal with Boras might prove to be too expensive, and like what the Tampa Bay Rays are doing with David Price, the return value for a player in that kind of contract situation will never be greater.
Tags:Baltimore Orioles, Matt Wieters, J.J. Hardy
Bringing the Beard to Detroit?
November, 13, 2013
NOV 13
1:22
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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With Joaquin Benoit departing via free agency and Bruce Rondon probably still at least a season away from making the jump to closer, the Detroit Tigers are busy shopping around or a little help at the back end of the bullpen.
On Tuesday. Jon Morosi of FOX Sports suggested that Joe Nathan would be a good fit for the Tigers, especially noting that by signing the soon-to-be 39-year-old, at the very least they would not have to face him. "Nathan has a career 1.44 ERA against Detroit and more saves (36) than against any opponent other than the Kansas City Royals," Morosi wrote.
However, another option that appears to be entering the conversation is Brian Wilson. Wilson, in his return from Tommy John surgery, looked very strong in his 24 appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of the regular season and the playoffs. That's probably why, in addition to the Tigers, teams interested in the Beard are said to include the Cleveland Indians, who have moved on from Chris Perez, and the Colorado Rockies, who had scouted Wilson before he ultimately ended up signing with the Dodgers.
Tags:Colorado Rockies, Brian Wilson, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Joe Nathan
Mets fielding offers for Davis
November, 13, 2013
NOV 13
12:18
PM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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The New York Mets appear to have decided internally that they'd prefer to deal first baseman Ike Davis and stick with Lucas Duda at the position, barring any free agent signings that may fall into their lap to change the situation in Flushing.
According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, Davis was the topic of trade talks between the Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers, with outfielder Norichika Aoki's name mentioned as a possible player moving in the deal. Though this particular rumor was said to be unlikely to happen right now, as free agent options start to dry up at first base, Davis's market value will certainly rise.
Other teams mentioned by Martino as being interested in Davis were the Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports adds the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros into the mix as well. Given the high volume of teams entering the conversation, it does seem very likely that Ike Davis will be playing for someone other than the Mets in 2014.
Adam Rubin
Salary projection: Ike Davis
"Considering a midpoint between the Mets’ likely offer and Davis’ goal of $3.85 million, Davis’ true value hovers slightly below that midpoint. To argue he is worthy of a $4.0 million salary when his average and power dropped tremendously after 2012 proves difficult. A lower batting average can be overlooked when a player is putting the ball over the fence. However, with significant questions remaining about Davis’ power, and with Lucas Duda challenging his spot on the depth chart, Davis will be penalized in arbitration."
Tags:New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Ike Davis, Norichika Aoki
Diamondbacks over Hill?
November, 13, 2013
NOV 13
11:53
AM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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Could the Arizona Diamondbacks be considering a deal that would send second baseman Aaron Hill packing? Hill, who hit .291 over 87 games in 2013 after missing close to two months of the season with a fractured left hand, is about to get a huge boost in salary starting in 2014.
Hill, who made just $11 million combined over the last two seasons, will be paid $35 million over the next three seasons. As Arizona Diamondbacks beat writer Nick Piecoro points out, that might be an appealing price tag to teams that end up missing out on the far more expensive Robinson Cano.
"If they were to deal Hill... they could slide third baseman Martin Prado to second to make room for prospect Matt Davidson, or they could keep Prado at third and shift shortstop Chris Owings to second," Piecoro said.
Still, with the Diamondbacks having only one starter last season finish over .500 -- Patrick Corbin, who went 14-8 -- using Hill as a trade chip to acquire some help in the rotation might be a better allocation of resources going forward.
Buster Olney
10 biggests holes on contenders
"The Diamondbacks need someone who can front their rotation in 2014, along with Patrick Corbin, and help to buy time for top prospect Archie Bradley. This is why they are picking up the threads of their midsummer talks with the Cubs and resuming their pursuit of Samardzija. He isn't a star, in the way that Price is, but they can afford Samardzija; they cannot afford Price."
Tags:Arizona Diamondbacks, Aaron Hill, Martin Prado, Chris Owings
And the top free agent outfielders are...
November, 13, 2013
NOV 13
11:38
AM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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Continuing our ongoing tour of the top free agents on the market at each position, and the early speculation of where each might potentially end up, today we examine the available outfielders.
The bar has already been set pretty high in terms of how much money it might take to come to terms with even the lesser names on the outfield free agent list. Hunter Pence signed a five-year, $90 million extension to avoid free agency in September, which means we're probably looking at $100 million-plus deals for the outfield elite. Plus, considering the Philadelphia Phillies just signed Marlon Byrd to a generous two-year, $16 million deal, it appears that true outfield bargains will be tough to find this offseason.
Here's a look at a few of the key outfielders that teams are going to be competing for:
Jacoby Ellsbury: Clearly the gold medal in terms of free agents this offseason, Ellsbury is a career .297 hitter who has averaged 55 stolen bases per 162 games. He turned down a qualifying offer on the Red Sox, which was as much of a no-brainer as they come. With more than a third of the league believed to have already inquired about his price tag, Ellsbury can pretty much choose where he wants to play for the rest of his career, and get paid handsomely at the same time. Although there has been a lot of buzz regarding a hard sell by the Seattle Mariners, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick thinks they might not be as gung ho on Ellsbury as previously thought. Expect renowned agent Scott Boras to let this bidding heat up a bit. Early favorites: Texas, Seattle, Boston.
Shin-Soo Choo: We may have to wait a while to see Choo's name on a new contract, as reports suggest he's seeking a contract worth more than Jayson Werth's seven-year, $126 million contract, which was signed in 2010. Certainly Choo's ability to get on base -- he was one of only four players to have an OBP of .420 or higher in 2013 -- makes him worthy of asking for such a lucrative deal, though the asking price likely cuts out a majority of potential suitors. If the New York Yankees decide to shell out the big bucks to replace Curtis Granderson, they could end up winning this auction. Early favorites: NY Yankees, Boston, Detroit.
Curtis Granderson: There's a chance that Granderson will stay in New York, but he might have to head over to Flushing in order to do so; the Mets appear to be serious in their pursuit of the outfielder. That said, given his Chicago roots, chances are good that if he's not going to be able to play for a team that will immediately contend, he could choose to play close to home. Early favorites: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, NY Mets, NY Yankees.
Carlos Beltran: He turns 37 in April, so this contract is likely the last multi-year deal he'll ever sign. After seeing what Byrd just got with Philadelphia, Beltran probably won't sign for less than three years and $40 million. That probably takes teams like Baltimore and Kansas City out of the running, but the Yankees and Rangers are both believed to be stepping up negotiation efforts. Seattle has also been linked to Beltran, but unless the "big spenders" drop out of the running by signing a different outfielder, it's hard to see the M's coming out on top here. Early favorites: NY Yankees, Boston, Texas.
Nelson Cruz: According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Cruz was close to signing with the Phillies, but was looking for a five-year, $75 million deal. Philadelphia clearly thought that was too much, and moved on to Marlon Byrd. If that experience causes Cruz to drop the asking price a bit, he could be signed somewhere fairly soon. It's worth noting that the qualifying offer the Rangers made to Cruz, which adds the cost of a lost draft pick to the equation for outside teams, is doing the outfielder no favors right now. Early favorites: Oakland, NY Mets, Seattle.
Franklin Gutierrez: After winning a Gold Glove award in 2010, Gutierrez appeared in just 36 percent of Seattle's games over the past three seasons, visiting the disabled list six times. That's why it's not surprising to see Seattle decline his $7.5 million option and allow him to explore free agency. Maybe the team will end up inviting him back for a lot less money to give him a chance at redemption. That is, unless some other cost-conscious team doesn't take a shot at him first. Early favorites: Seattle, Houston, Baltimore.
David Murphy: Although he hit a career low .220 for the Rangers last season, he did hit double-digit home runs for the sixth consecutive season. That batting average might keep his asking price down, but Murphy could still end up with a two-year, $14 million deal, given the inflation in the outfield market. And if he rediscovers his stroke -- he is a career .275 hitter -- he could end up being a steal. Early favorites: Baltimore, NY Mets, NY Yankees.
Next four names: Chris Young, Nate McLouth, Michael Morse, Andres Torres.
Tags:Curtis Granderson, Franklin Gutierrez, Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Murphy
Phillies still looking for Bats?
November, 13, 2013
NOV 13
10:50
AM ET
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
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The Philadelphia Phillies raised more than a few eyebrows when they signed free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd to a two-year, $16 million deal. The size of the contract was a bit of a surprise, but certainly, the fact that the team felt it needed an outfielder upgrade was not a big shock. In fact, they might not be done in that regard.
Philadelphia's expected 2014 starting outfield prior to the Byrd signing was Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf and Ben Revere. According to Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News, Ruben Amaro said it was possible the team was going to continue to pursue outfield bats going forward. However, a rumored trade of Brown to the Toronto Blue Jays seems very unlikely to come to pass.
Bautista-to-Philadelphia buzz began thanks to a tweet from Philadelphia sportscaster Howard Eskin, who said late Tuesday night that "serious talks" between the teams was underway. However, on Wednesday morning, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports dismissed the idea that any such deal would happen, saying the teams were "not even close."
Such is the ebb and flow of the hot stove time of year, but even if the Bautista deal ends up bearing no fruit, expect the Phillies to continue to be on the market for bats as the winter progresses.
Buster Olney
10 biggests holes on contenders
"Bautista is 33 years old and has missed 114 games the past two seasons, and is under contract at $14 million annually for each of the next two years with a club option of $14 million for 2016. Brown is 26 years old and coming off a season in which he hit 27 homers and posted a .324 on-base percentage. If this trade talk is real and actually made, it'll be a case of two teams trying to deal a player before his respective value sinks. There would be no other reason for the Phillies to trade a younger, cheaper player for a veteran with a significant injury history."
Tags
hiladelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Ben Revere, Marlon Byrd, Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf, Joey Bautista
How much will Nelson Cruz command?
November, 12, 2013
NOV 12
4:07
PM ET
By Joe Kaiser | ESPN.com
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Despite the many reasons why teams could shy away from Nelson Cruz this winter, which we pointed out yesterday, the reality is that Cruz is one of the bigger corner outfield bats available. That, according to ESPN Insider Jim Bowden, will be enough to land him another big deal.
Bowden lists the 33-year-old Cruz as the No. 12 ranked free agent in this year's class, and still expects him to land a three-year deal valued at $48 million. In Bowden's estimation, potential suitors include Texas, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Kansas City, the New York Mets, Arizona, Seattle and the Chicago Cubs.
Here's Bowden to explain why Cruz is still so highly in demand.
Jim Bowden
With a low supply of corner outfielders, Cruz is in demand
"Cruz is beginning his decline years, but is still capable of batting .260 with 25 home runs. With an industry shortage of corner outfielders with plus power, he'll easily get a multiyear contract despite his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal."
Tags:Nelson Cruz
Philadelphia's backup plan to Ruiz
November, 12, 2013
NOV 12
3:57
PM ET
By Joe Kaiser | ESPN.com
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If the Philadelphia Phillies can't reach a deal with Carlos Ruiz, the team's primary backstop for the past eight seasons, they know who they want to replace him.
ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets on Tuesday: "Sources say #Phillies making A.J. Pierzynski No. 1 catching option if can't reach deal w Carlos Ruiz."
Today, ESPN Insider Jim Bowden listed the 36-year-old Pierzynski as the No. 36 free agent in this year's class, and predicted that he'll sign a one-year deal worth $8 million. For the record, he predicted that Ruiz will get a two-year deal worth $16 million.
Tags
hiladelphia Phillies, Carlos Ruiz, A.J. Pierzynski
Cleveland's stance with Kazmir
November, 12, 2013
NOV 12
3:35
PM ET
By Joe Kaiser | ESPN.com
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Scott Kazmir reclaimed his baseball career in Cleveland this past season, one of several feel-good stories in a feel-good season for the Indians. But will Kazmir's Cleveland career last beyond 2013?
According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the chances of that may be slim.
"The Indians would be interested in a one-year deal for Kazmir but believe he's certain to have multi-year offers after resurrecting his career in Cleveland this past year, going 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA. Cleveland is in a better position with much better rotation depth than in past years; the Indians are said to have seven potential starters."
Believe it or not, Kazmir will only be 30 on Opening Day, and after a season where he struck out 162 batters in 158 innings and finished with a very respectable 4.04 ERA, the Indians are probably correct in anticipating that the veteran left-hander will get at least one multi-year offer this winter. We'll be sure to keep you posted when potential suitors emerge, but the Minnesota Twins are one team that reportedly has already shown interest.
Tags:Cleveland Indians, Scott Kazmir