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Why are y'all so surprised about the money Matt Holliday is about to make?
The Major League Baseball Offseason Post
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by wildkycat,
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Yeah but they have to show Pujols they're willing to do everything to win. What's silly is them giving Brad Penny 7.5 million guaranteed.
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Juan Pierre to the White Sox for two players to be named later.
The three-team blockbuster continues to be unofficial for now. Roy Halladay was originally set to sign a three-year extension at about $20 million per, but nowthere's a possibility for a fourth year.
The three-team blockbuster continues to be unofficial for now. Roy Halladay was originally set to sign a three-year extension at about $20 million per, but nowthere's a possibility for a fourth year.
Roy Halladay and the Phillies have come to an agreement on a contract that would put in motion a three-team trade that would send the Toronto Blue Jays ace to Philadelphia, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
Halladay was taking his physical Tuesday morning, sources said.
The status of the other portions of a companion deal that would include the Seattle Mariners, however, is still uncertain at this point.
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[h4]Olney: Multiple Options[/h4]
The Phillies had multiple options in their pursuit of Roy Halladay. Buster Olney examines some of the paths Philadelphia could have traveled and the one it eventually decided to take. Blog
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As of early Tuesday morning, the Phillies were to send their Cy Young Award winner, Cliff Lee, to Seattle, in exchange for pitching prospect Phillippe Aumont and outfielder prospect Tyson Gillies, sources told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3973
In addition, ProspectInsider.com reported that the Phillies would get a third Mariners prospect, right-hander Juan Ramirez.
The Phillies were to send outfielder Michael Taylor, catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and pitcher Kyle Drabek to Toronto, sources told ESPN.com.
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If all of the names being bandied about wind up in this deal, the Phillies would get back what Baseball America rates as the Mariners' top two pitching prospects, plus Gillies, an outfield prospect they view as being similar to Taylor. So although the Phillies would be giving up two of their most highly regarded prospects in Drabek and Taylor, they would look at this deal as not significantly depleting their system for the long haul.
In effect, the Phillies would be trading one Cy Young (Lee) for another (Halladay). And while that may seem difficult to understand from afar, the Phillies clearly view it as a swap that enables them to keep one of those Cy Youngs well into the future -- a less likely scenario if they held on to Lee.
Although the Phillies have done next to no actual negotiating with Lee, they heard enough rumblings that Lee wanted a CC Sabathia-type contract that they believed it would take a five-year or six-year deal to keep the 31-year-old left-hander. And the Phillies have an organizational philosophy that precludes deals longer than three years for starting pitchers.
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[h4]Trading Aces[/h4]
It looks as if the Phillies might be dealing one ace for another. It still could be an upgrade for Philadelphia, though, as Roy Halladay fared slightly better than Cliff Lee last season.
[table][tr][th=""][/th] [th=""]Halladay[/th] [th=""]Lee*[/th] [/tr][tr][td]W-L[/td] [td]17-10[/td] [td]14-13[/td] [/tr][tr][td]ERA[/td] [td]2.79[/td] [td]3.22[/td] [/tr][tr][td]K[/td] [td]208[/td] [td]181[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Opp BA[/td] [td].256[/td] [td].272[/td] [/tr][tr][td]CG[/td] [td]9[/td] [td]6[/td] [/tr][tr][td]*7-4, 3.39 ERA with Phillies[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]• Roy Halladay's career stats[/td] [td]
[/td] [td]• Cliff Lee's career stats[/td] [td][/td] [/tr][/table]
The Mariners, meanwhile, were looking for a top-of-the-rotation starter to pair with Felix Hernandez. And Halladay, who has a no-trade clause, wasn't an option because he wouldn't approve a trade to Seattle. So the Mariners opted to deal for Lee after it became clear their other top target, John Lackey, was bound for Boston as a free agent.
Before turning to Seattle, multiple sources say, the Phillies first attempted to complete a two-team deal with Toronto alone for Halladay. However, the Phillies refused -- as they had last summer -- to include both Drabek and top position-player prospect Domonic Brown in that trade. So they began looking for another team that could help them meet the Blue Jays' price.
Halladay, 32, is 148-76 lifetime with a 3.43 ERA. He won the 2003 Cy Young Award and finished in the top five in the Cy Young voting four other times.
Halladay went 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts for Toronto last season. He threw 239 innings and led the league with nine complete games.
The Phillies acquired Lee from the Indians on July 29 for four minor leaguers.
Lee quickly became Philadelphia's ace. He posted a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts for the Phillies and then went 4-0 with a 1.56 mark in five postseason outings, including 2-0 in the World Series.
Lee, the 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner with Cleveland, will make $8 million in 2010 and then be eligible for free agency.
Multiple avenues for Philly
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 | Feedback | Print Entry
Dominoes fell rapidly throughout the majors Monday, with deals and trades setting up more deals or negotiations or questions.
The Phillies: The primary debate that flamed around baseball Monday evening was built around this question: Is the Phillies' decision to acquire Roy Halladay and trade Cliff Lee the best way to go? They could have taken two other routes.
- Avenue No. 1: Even while the Phillies know internally that Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, wants a CC Sabathia-like payday and doesn't want to sign an extension this winter, Philadelphia could have kept Lee, who was so good in the three months after joining the Phillies. They could have kept the prospects that they are dealing to the Jays and, after Lee walked away as a free agent next fall, they could have pursued the best free-agent pitchers next fall with the $20 million annually that they are willing to pay Halladay. Maybe that would mean signing Halladay. Maybe that would mean signing Lee, or even Josh Beckett.
Getty Images
Lee's goal of a massive deal next summer made him riskier to take on than Halladay.
That's the way a number of talent evaluators and some executives I spoke with Monday night would have gone: Keep Lee for 2010, keep the payroll flexibility, and take a calculated gamble that you could land a front-line starter by the start of the 2011 season. This way, they wouldn't have to pay the double-barreled cost of the prospects and the contract extension for Halladay.- Avenue No. 2: The Phillies could have had both Halladay and Lee. They could have traded Joe Blanton (moving the approximately $8 million salary he will make in 2010), signed a cheaper option at third base than Placido Polanco, traded for Halladay and opened next year with an unbeatable rotation of Halladay, Lee and Cole Hamels at close to the same payroll figure. They wouldn't have gotten the prospects from Seattle for Lee, but they would have positioned themselves for a powerhouse. What they chose:
- Avenue No. 3 (assuming the Lee-Halladay trade gets done, and as of late Monday there still wasn't an agreement on the players involved in the deal). One executive with another team likes the Phillies' logic in all of this, in light of the fact they know they probably won't re-sign Lee. You shouldn't understate the value of a three-year extension for Halladay, the executive believes, because even at $20 million, it would take a four- to six-year deal to sign a top-of-the-rotation starter on the free-agent market. Halladay fits Philadelphia's park better than Lee, which would translate better as each pitcher declines in the years ahead (Lee is a fly-ball pitcher). "I understand the move for all parties," the executive said.
The debate will continue into the 2010 season. It begins Tuesday.
Ruben Amaro was tenacious in going after Halladay, writes Bob Elliott. This just seems like a Cy for a Cy, writes Bill Conlin. The Roy Halladay trade is good for the Jays, writes Richard Griffin. An important name to remember in all this is Cole Hamels, writes Phil Sheridan. It is seemingly a good move for the Yankees, writes George King, because Roy Halladay appears to be on his way out of the AL East.
Some perspective on Roy Halladay from Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information:
[table][tr][td]Roy Halladay, Since 2006[/td] [/tr][tr][td][/td] [td][/td] [td]MLB Rank[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Wins[/td] [td]69[/td] [td]1st (Sabathia 2nd with 67)[/td] [/tr][tr][td]IP[/td] [td]930 1/3[/td] [td]1st (Sabathia 2nd with 916 2/3)[/td] [/tr][tr][td]ERA[/td] [td]3.11[/td] [td]4th (min. 500 IP)[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Opp OPS[/td] [td].655[/td] [td]4th (Tim Lincecum 1st, .60[/td] [/tr][/table][h3]Elsewhere[/h3]
The Red Sox: As Manny Ramirez forced his way out of Boston and age began to take its toll on David Ortiz, the Red Sox seemingly tried to recreate the missing offense -- and in this effort to patch and fill Boston had created a lineup of 1B/DH types who are defensively challenged. Now the Red Sox have clearly taken the Seattle route of pitching and defense. They moved to sign the best free-agent pitcher on the market in John Lackey to a five-year deal. And as we wrote on our site early Monday afternoon, Mike Cameron was talking to the Red Sox, and by the end of the day he had an agreement with Boston to play left field.
The Red Sox have tried to sign Adrian Beltre -- widely regarded by talent evaluators as the best third baseman in the majors -- but they may not be successful in reaching the middle ground between what they want to pay Beltre and what agent Scott Boras is asking for (an eight-figure annual salary). If they can't get a Beltre deal done, they will go with Casey Kotchman at first base and Kevin Youkilis at third. Either way, the Red Sox will be in position to fight it out with the Mariners about who has the best pitching-and-defense team in the majors. A rotation of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Clay Buchholz could be backed by an infield of Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Marco Scutaro and Beltre (or Kotchman), and an outfield of Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew.
Conversely, the Boston lineup could have the least amount of impact we've seen in Theo Epstein's time as general manager. The Red Sox have posted the following team OPS marks over the past seven seasons, starting in 2003: .851, .832, .811, .786, .806, .805, .806.
These are the OPS numbers of 2009 for what the Red Sox lineup might look like:
SS Scutaro -- .788
2B Pedroia -- .819
1B Youkilis -- .961
C Martinez -- .861
RF Drew -- .912
LF Cameron -- .794
DH Ortiz -- .794
3B Beltre -- .683 (or Kotchman, .721)
CF Ellsbury -- .770
It's possible that the lineup would be pretty good -- if Drew stays healthy, if Cameron continues to be productive at age 37, if Ortiz hits more consistently than he did in the first half of 2009. Keep in mind that the Red Sox (and other big-market teams) always will have flexibility to go out and make in-season deals. Are the Red Sox as good as the Yankees, in the aftermath of the Lackey and Cameron agreements?
Maybe not.
It seems fairly clear, though, with more moves to come, that Boston is one of the four best teams in the AL, with a couple of months to go in the offseason.
Dan Shaughnessy likes the move for Boston. Red Sox tickets are moving fast, writes Thomas Grillo.
From Katie Sharp of ESPN Stats & Information: Lackey's deal is the 19th free-agent deal of more than $80 million. In total, these are the $80 million-plus deals by division.
AL East -- 8
NL West -- 4
AL West -- 3
NL East -- 2
NL Central -- 2
The Mariners: Make no mistake -- Seattle has gotten better as the Angels have gotten worse, and on paper the odds of the Mariners' winning the division have gotten better. But there is also a major gamble in play here, because Seattle's acquisition is a win-now trade, and the deal comes at the expense of a farm system that is not seen as having a lot of depth.
The Mariners might get Lee, and the Angels suffered a triple blow Monday, write Geoff Baker and Larry Stone. A possible deal for Lee (and the return of a quarterback) are just what Seattle sports fans need, writes Steve Kelley.
Joel Pineiro: With Lackey off the board, Pineiro is the top pitcher left on the board, coming off a season in which he averaged the fewest pitches per inning and had very strong secondary numbers, with a greatly improved ground-ball/fly-ball ratio. The Angels could be in play here, along with the Cubs; Pineiro is said by club executives to be looking for a four-year deal.
Matt Holliday: The question asked most often, in the aftermath of the Lackey signing, was this: What happens to Holliday? Well, circumstances seem to be driving him back toward the Cardinals; talks between his agent and St. Louis are heating up, writes Joe Strauss, in a potential deal worth about $16 million a season.
The Mets: They have a four-year offer on the table to Jason Bay, at a time when it appears the Red Sox and other potential bidders are out of the running. One of the questions asked about Bay is whether he would be a major defensive liability in Citi Field, and four talent evaluators not with the Mets chimed in, and overall they think the concern over his defense is overstated.
Evaluator No. 1: "Some of his defensive issues with the Red Sox were with The Wall -- judging the depth of whether the ball was going to hit the wall. He wouldn't have that problem in Citi Field, because the fence is so far back that it really wouldn't be in play, anyway. If he does go from the Red Sox to the Mets, you might see his power drop -- he's a 30 to 32 home run a year guy, and he probably would drop to 26 to 28 homers. But he'll steal you some bases -- maybe 15.
"If I were the Mets, his defense wouldn't stop me from signing him. I definitely wouldn't expect it to be very good, but remember, they were running Gary Sheffield out there last year."
Evaluator No. 2, via e-mail: "The vast outfield in Citi Field should prove challenging for Bay, especially as he ages. But if he hits 30-plus homers, no one will care."
Evaluator No. 3: "He'll be challenged, to say the least. He'll have more ground to cover there than in Fenway, and he doesn't move around as well as he used to. What the Mets would do with him after the first three years of the contract is certainly worth asking, considering he'll likely be making more than $15M a year and they don't have the DH spot at which to hide his glove."
Evaluator No. 4: "PNC Park in left field was just as big as Citi Field, and he wasn't a big liability. His lack of arm strength will show up some, and he will be below average, but he will be playable for sure. I like the defensive metrics, but don't think he is as bad as the numbers say."
A year ago, the Mets started the season with Daniel Murphy in left field and Carlos Delgado at first base. Internally, they believe that if they start the year with Bay in left, Murphy at first and Bengie Molina at catcher, they will be better than they were at the outset of 2009. If they get Bay and Molina, their lineup could look like this:
SS Jose Reyes
CF Carlos Beltran
3B David Wright
LF Bay
C Molina
1B Murphy
RF Jeff Francoeur
2B Luis Castillo
The Mets still need to land at least one more starting pitcher, and they assume they can get one out of the second-tier group of starters still on the board, whether it be Jon Garland or Doug Davis or others.
There was nothing the Mets could have done about the Halladay deal and this speaks volumes about their chaotic situation, writes John Harper. For the Mets, the glass is half-full.
The Angels: It has not been a good offseason in Southern California. The Dodgers are frozen in place, and while the Angels had established lines that they would not cross in contract talks for both Lackey and Chone Figgins and will now live with those decisions, the only conclusion that you can draw, as these bodies trade places, is that the gap between the Angels and the other teams in the West has shrunk. The Angels didn't re-sign Figgins, or Lackey, and didn't get Halladay in trade. They are signing Hideki Matsui and will add others this offseason, and they have maintained payroll flexibility, but so far this has been a winter of body blows for the Angels.
Now the Angels will find out Lackey's real value, writes Mark Whicker. Matsui was smart in not waiting to make a decision. He had become the third option, at best, for the Yankees, and now he lands on a good team with a clearly defined role for decent money. From Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information: "Matsui's .876 OPS last season would have been second-best on the Angels' team, behind Kendry Morales. He's a .325 career hitter with a .967 OPS in 'late and close' situations (for the purposes of comparison: Derek Jeter is a .295 hitter with an .813 OPS in such spots)."
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Houston businessman Jim Crane might be the front-runner to buy the Rangers, writes Jeff Wilson.
2. Frank McCourt and Jamie McCourt, Chapter 36.
3. Johnny Damon is making it clear that he does not want a cut in pay from the $13 million annual salary he made over the past four seasons. It's hard to see where else he would get that in this market -- not Boston, not the Angels, etc. -- and in the end, the Yankees have the highest offer on the table. A question that presumably will be asked is this: If circumstances force Damon to go back and deal with the Yankees on the team's terms, will he be an unhappy player?
4. Aroldis Chapman will throw for scouts Tuesday. The Twins will be there, among other teams, writes Joe Christensen.
5. Matt Capps is drawing a lot of interest as a free agent, writes Dejan Kovacevic. What the Pirates have probably learned, through the situations with Jack Wilson and Capps, is that it's better to make a lesser deal early than wait for the perfect deal down the road. The Marlins are one of the teams inquiring about Capps, writes Joe Capozzi.
6. Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan would be interested in acquiring Chien-Ming Wang.
7. Craig Counsell worked out a one-year deal with the Brewers.
8. The Cubs and White Sox are sitting back and watching others spend money, writes Dave van Dyck.
9. Jonny Gomes is open to re-signing with the Reds, writes John Fay.
10. The Rays signed eight players to minor league deals.
11. The Diamondbacks expressed interest in a couple of free agents.
12. The Astros re-signed Jason Michaels.
[h3]A five-year plan?[/h3]
Mr. Simon sent along this Lackey-related note: "Here's a list of every starting pitcher to sign a free-agent deal of five-plus years since 1990, the list that GMs likely reference when pondering whether a deal for John Lackey is worth the risk."
[table][tr][td]The Five-Year Plan[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Year[/td] [td]Player[/td] [td]Team/Deal[/td] [td]Starts[/td] [td]ERA[/td] [td]Park-Adj. ERA[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2008[/td] [td]CC Sabathia[/td] [td]NYY (7-$161M)[/td] [td]34 (thru 1 yr)[/td] [td]3.37[/td] [td]127[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2006[/td] [td]Barry Zito[/td] [td]SF (7-126)[/td] [td]98 (thru 3 yr)[/td] [td]4.56[/td] [td]97[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2000[/td] [td]Mike Hampton[/td] [td]COL (8-121)[/td] [td]147[/td] [td]4.81[/td] [td]96[/td] [/tr][tr][td]1998[/td] [td]Kevin Brown[/td] [td]LAD (7-105)[/td] [td]164[/td] [td]3.23[/td] [td]130[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2000[/td] [td]Mike Mussina[/td] [td]NYY (6-88.5)[/td] [td]187[/td] [td]3.80[/td] [td]116[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2008[/td] [td]A.J. Burnett[/td] [td]NYY (6-82.5)[/td] [td]33 (thru 1 yr)[/td] [td]4.04[/td] [td]106[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2001[/td] [td]Chan Ho Park[/td] [td]TEX (5-65)[/td] [td]98[/td] [td]5.56[/td] [td]82[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2005[/td] [td]Kevin Millwood[/td] [td]TEX (5-60)[/td] [td]125 (thru 4 yr)[/td] [td]4.57[/td] [td]100[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2006[/td] [td]Gil Meche[/td] [td]Royals (5-55)[/td] [td]91 (thru 3 yr)[/td] [td]4.12[/td] [td]108[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2000[/td] [td]Darren Dreifort[/td] [td]LAD (5-55)[/td] [td]26[/td] [td]4.64[/td] [td]87[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2006[/td] [td]Daisuke Matsuzaka[/td] [td]BOS (6-52)[/td] [td]73[/td] [td]4.00[/td] [td]117[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2000[/td] [td]Denny Neagle[/td] [td]COL (5-51)[/td] [td]65[/td] [td]5.57[/td] [td]91[/td] [/tr][tr][td]1997[/td] [td]Wilson Alvarez[/td] [td]TB (5-35)[/td] [td]63[/td] [td]4.62[/td] [td]103[/td] [/tr][tr][td]1996[/td] [td]Alex Fernandez[/td] [td]FLA (5-35)[/td] [td]64[/td] [td]3.59[/td] [td]117[/td] [/tr][tr][td]1992[/td] [td]Greg Maddux[/td] [td]ATL (5-2
Some added info: "When you're looking at Park Adjusted ERA+ (courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com), think of it as a comparison of a pitcher's ERA to the league average, adjusted for ballpark. A 100 means he performed like an average pitcher. A number of 101-plus means he performed better than average (Maddux's 198 is all-time-great caliber). A number of 99 or below means the pitcher was below average. "A couple of notes -- and we'll lump the two A.J. Burnett signings together into one, since he cut the first contract short to sign the second one. Of the pitchers listed above who completed their contracts, only Greg Maddux and Mike Mussina averaged 30-plus starts per season. Kevin Millwood would join them if he makes 25 starts in 2010 with the Orioles, though his ERA+ indicates average performance. Gil Meche has averaged 30 starts through three seasons with the Royals and has performed at a level slightly above average. Barry Zito has averaged 33 starts per season through three years and performed below average. CC Sabathia has shown that he's durable. But will that last through the whole deal? That remains to be seen.
"The average fan would probably, based on these numbers, find six 'busts' in the group out of the 16 pitchers listed, based on performance -- Zito, Hampton, Park, Dreifort, Neagle and Igawa. You could also argue that Alvarez and Fernandez should be included, based on their averaging 13 starts per season through the overall length of the deal, due to injury issues. So that equates to half of these deals having significant issues. The average fan would probably -- again based solely on the numbers -- find two pitchers who were worth it (Maddux and Mussina), and a third in Brown who put up great numbers, but couldn't sustain his performance over the entire length of the deal.
"The jury is still out on Sabathia, Burnett and Matsuzaka, and will be for a while. But based on history, the chance of all three falling into the category of 'success story' seems unlikely."
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Drayton McLane blamed the Astros' troubles on the lack of a salary cap, and Richard Justice thinks McLane should look in the mirror.
• A former ASU coach wants to clear his name, writes Jeff Metcalfe.
• David Freese has had multiple alcohol-related incidents, writes Joe Strauss.
• Jim Leyland thinks Magglio Ordonez will bounce back.
• The Dodgers seem to be content in a holding pattern, writes Ramona Shelburne.
• Tigers announcer Jim Price is cancer-free.
• Ron Santo worked out a three-year deal with the Cubs.
http:// [h3][/h3][h3]What's next for Philly?[/h3]
12:00PM ET
[h5]Philadelphia Phillies[/h5]
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Since losing the World Series to the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyyNew York Yankees, the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=phiPhiladelphia Phillies have signed http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3888Placido Polanco to play third base and are close to finalizing a deal to acquire right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3973Roy Halladay.
Where else can the Phillies make upgrades? The bullpen, for one, and as ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported last week, right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5111Fernando Rodney could be high on their list.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5642Mike Gonzalez and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5504Jose Valverde are still on the market, as are several trade possibilities, invluding White Sox closer http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5910Bobby Jenks.
Adding Halladay and saying goodbye to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5353Cliff Lee may or may not change the club's desire to move http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6132Joe Blanton, but if the final details of the Halladay trade includes sending J.A. Happ out, too, the Phillies would have just three starters -- Halladay, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6216Cole Hamels and Blanton -- making a Blanton deal unlikely.
http:// [h3]Cards take swing at Holliday[/h3]
11:39AM ET
[h5]Matt Holliday | Cardinals[/h5]
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The Cardinals apparently are taking their best shot at keeping free agent outfielder Matt Holliday in St. Louis.
Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch writes today that the Cardinals have tweaked the offer made by general manager John Mozeliak to agent Scott Boras at the end of the winter meetings. The deal is worth around $16 million a season and the Cardinals have attempted to address Boras' displeasure with the proposal's average value by adding years to the deal.
The latest proposal could be for as many as eight seasons and the average value would be the highest offered in club history, topping a seven-year, $100 million deal given to Albert Pujols.
Boras is famous for playing the waiting game when it comes to signing free agents, but it may be time to act. Any chance of the Red Sox getting into the Holliday chase likely disappeared when Boston moved to acquire John Lackey and Mike Cameron on Monday. The New York Mets also have set their sights on Bay over Holliday.
Strauss says the New York Yankees may represent the most dangerous variable to the Cardinals. Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune wrote Sunday that the Yankees are flying under the radar regarding Holliday and adds "a lot of rival executives are suspicious of the Yankees' leaked plans to cut payroll."
[h5]Rob Neyer[/h5]
Too much for Holliday
http:// [h3]Adrian to Boston talks back on?[/h3]
11:21AM ET
[h5]Adrian Gonzalez | Padres[/h5]
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[h5]Highest Padres salaries for 2010[/h5]
- Chris Young, RHP -- $6.25 million
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B -- $4.75 million
- No other Padres roster member is guaranteed more than $1 million with the exception of arbitration eligible right-handers Heath Bell and Kevin Correia.
As of Sunday, the trade talks between the Red Sox and Padres regarding star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez were "going nowhere," according to the Boston Globe.
Plenty has changed in the last 24 hours, with the Red Sox landing John Lackey, the top free agent pitcher on the market. The Providence Journal reports today that Lackey's arrival could mean the departure of Clay Buchholz, potentially in a deal to San Diego for Gonzalez.
The Globe's Nick Cafardo wrote Sunday that Padres GM Jed Hoyer, who worked under Theo Epstein in Boston, is asking for Buchholz and pitching prospect Casey Kelly or outfielder Ryan Westmoreland. Boston, at least for the time being, has balked at including Kelly or Westmoreland.
http:// [h3]Johnson to Boston in bargain hunt?[/h3]
11:19AM ET
[h5]Nick Johnson | Marlins[/h5]
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Assuming the Mike Lowell trade eventually gets done, the Red Sox still need a corner infielder. They're pursuing free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, but might they also look at a cheaper alternative?
Instead of signing a third baseman, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com says the Red Sox could also move Kevin Youkilis across the diamond to third and sign a first baseman. One free agent that stands out is Nick Johnson, a left-handed hitter who had an .831 OPS last season for the Nationals and Marlins.
Edes reports that Johnson's agent, Rex Gary, acknowledged this morning that he has spoken to the Red Sox. Boston's level of interest, however, is still unknown.
http:// [h3]Are Mets better positioned for Bay?[/h3]
10:57AM ET
[h5]Jason Bay | Red Sox[/h5]
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Has the market for Jason Bay changed following the proposed blockbuster deals involving Roy Halladay and John Lackey?
The New York Mets remain the top suitor for Bay and Brian Costa of the Star-Ledger writes today that the team's chances might have improved. The Red Sox are likely out of the race following the acquisition of Lackey and Mike Cameron and the Mariners may no longer be in the hunt since they will have to budget a contract extension for Cliff Lee.
While the Mets' chances may have increased, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney talks to several talent evaluators in today's blog as to whether Bay would be a defensive liability at spacious Citi Field.
Bay's agent, Joe Upton, said earlier this week his client would prefer to sign outside of Boston. That could be good news for the Mets, who are believed to have offered a four-year deal for about $65 million. Bay's final destination could hinge on which team is willing to make a five-year offer.
Where else could Bay land? The Boston Globe reported Sunday that the Giants also have interest and have indicated a willingness to make a five-year commitment.
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Top bats being punished
http:// [h3]Mets make offer to Escobar[/h3]
10:54AM ET
[h5]Kelvim Escobar | Angels[/h5]
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The New York Mets reportedly have offered Kelvim Escobar, a minor league contract.
"They are super aggressive," Escobar told a Venezuelan newspaper via the New York Daily News.
The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported via Twitter on Monday that both the Yankees and Mets were interested in the injury-plagued Escobar, who has made just one start since 2007. It appears now that the more serious interest is coming from the Mets.
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
If he's healthy, Escobar can help
http:// [h3]Law: Seattle didn't overspend[/h3]
10:50AM ET
[h5]Seattle Mariners[/h5]
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One of the questions circulating for Mariners fans is whether the team went too far in trying to exploit their good fortune. Knowing that John Lackey was headed east, and the AL West suddenly seemed more vulnerable, did they give up too much talent to grab Cliff Lee, who could very well end up a one-year rental?
We checked in with Keith Law for a take on the prospects Seattle gave up:
Emails Law: "They're giving up two of their top pitching prospects in Aumont and Ramirez, but there's a good chance both end up in the bullpen, with Aumont already there after hip problems and some makeup questions (he broke his non-throwing hand by punching a locker in August).
"Ramirez has electric stuff but hasn't missed a lot of bats in full-season ball and his ultra-skinny build has raised long-term durability questions, although unlike Aumont he continues to start and should remain there until he proves otherwise. Gillies is among the fastest men in baseball and has a decent approach at the plate, but guys with below-average power often find their ability to work the count compromised by higher-level pitchers who realize they can challenge those hitters in the zone with some impunity.
"So it's a large price to pay for one year of Lee, but Seattle sees an opportunity for 2010 with the Angels losing Lackey and Figgins, and while the losses do deplete Seattle's system, they're not barren (they still have Dustin Ackley and Alex Liddi) and making a legitimate run at a division title is a pretty good reason to empty out your farm."
UPDATE: Buster tweets: "One veteran talent evaluator's take: Only clear winner in the deal is Seattle. Prospects sent to Philly iffy, Blue Jays got OK haul." Law responds: "Seattle got lots of short-term value, but it's one year of Lee for six years each of three major leaguers. I like their angle, but 'clear winner' overstates the case."
http:// [h3]Twins looking at Chapman[/h3]
10:37AM ET
[h5]MLB[/h5]
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[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
Have the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=bosBoston Red Sox decided left-hander Aroldis Chapman is worth the money?
ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure, Jr. writes that the Red Sox have made a three-year offer for $15.5 million to the Cuban defector.
Add another team to the mix. The Star Tribune reports that the Twins will have two scouts in attendance when Chapman works out for teams in Houston. The Yankees and Angels are reportedly among other teams that will be there.
Chapman's original asking price was rumored to be in the $40-60 million range, but that has since sunk down into the range of $20 million, or below, according to Arangure, Jr.
The consensus seems to be that Chapman will need time in the minor leagues, so his signing may not impact the big leagues in 2010.
http:// [h3]Latest on the Halladay deal[/h3]
10:09AM ET
[h5]Roy Halladay | Blue Jays[/h5]
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UPDATE: Buster has emailed over that the Halladay extension with Philly is done. And he's in Philly for a physical. We'll follow soon with some analysis on how this affects the FA and trade markets.
Earlier this morning, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that Halladay would agree to a three-year extension through 2013, with a vesting option that could lengthen the deal by another year or two, one source said. The extension is expected to guarantee Halladay in the neighborhood of $60 million, plus the $15.75 million he would make in 2010, the final year of his current contract.
The specifics of the trades took some twists and turns on Monday. The latest structure would send Phillies outfielder Michael Taylor, Phillies catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and Kyle Drabek to Toronto, sources said. There was speculation that the deal might include Drabek or J.A. Happ, but ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports this morning that it is indeed Drabek who is part of the deal.
The Phillies would not have to include their top position-player prospect, Domonic Brown, and they would receive Seattle's top pitching prospect, Phillippe Aumont, who originally appeared ticketed for Toronto.
Did the Jays get enough value in return? Dave Perkins of the Toronto Sun writes today that it will be a Blue Christmas north of the border.
With Halladay in Philadelphia and John Lackey in Boston, that should accelerate the signings of the next level of available starters. Look for the interest in free agents Joel Pineiro and Jason Marquis to pick up quickly.
http:// [h3]A dozen teams eye Capps[/h3]
9:55AM ET
[h5]Matt Capps | Pirates[/h5]
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Reliever Matt Capps already is drawing plenty of interest following the surprising decision of the Pittsburgh Pirates to non-tender their closer on Saturday night.
Capps' agent, Paul Kinzer, told the Post-Gazette that more than 12 teams have expressed interest in his client, and the list includes the Yankees, Rangers, Cubs, Marlins, Cardinals and Diamondbacks.
The Cubs are looking at Capps for a set-up role, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Pirates were reluctant to give Capps a huge raise in arbitration, but the interest in the reliever suggests the Bucs misread the market and could have gotten something in return.
http:// [h3]Pineiro now at top of pitching market?[/h3]
9:26AM ET
[h5]Joel Pineiro | Cardinals[/h5]
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With John Lackey off the board and headed to Boston, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney writes in today's blog that Joel Pineiro is now the top free agent pitcher left on the market.
Buster writes that Pineiro is looking for a four-year deal and that the Angels and Cubs could be among the suitors. Good starting pitching is a scarce commodity, so Pineiro, coming off a season in which he averaged the fewest pitches per inning, should be in line for an expensive Christmas present.
http:// [h3]How do the Halos counter?[/h3]
9:16AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Angels[/h5]
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With the Seattle Mariners close to acquiring left-hander Cliff Lee in the three-way trade that will also send Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies -- and the Monday signing of John Lackey by the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Angels are left with a hole in their starting rotation.
The Angels were after Halladay and wanted to retain Lackey, and with neither apparently on the market at this stage, where could L.A. turn for pitching?
Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times writes today that the Angels the Angels could pursue a trade for Atlanta Braves veteran right-hander Derek Lowe, who has $45 million left on his contract, or sign free-agent right-handers Joel Pineiro or Ben Sheets.
The Angels are reportedly close to signing Hideki Matsui, which may remove them from the Jason Bay or Matt Holliday sweepstakes, or it may simply mean no more Valdimir Guerrero.
http:// [h3]No Beltre in Boston?[/h3]
9:01AM ET
[h5]Adrian Beltre | Mariners[/h5]
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Monday was a busy day for the Red Sox, who are on verge of bringing pitcher John Lackey and outfielder Mike Cameron to Boston.
The signings could be an indication that third baseman Adrian Beltre might not end up in Massachusetts. ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney writes in today's blog that the Red Sox "may not be successful in reaching the middle ground between what they want to pay Beltre and what agent Scott Boras is asking for (an eight-figure annual salary)."
Buster says that if the Red Sox can't get a Beltre deal done, they will go with Casey Kotchman at first base and Kevin Youkilis at third. That also assumes the Red Sox complete the deal that sends third baseman Mike Lowell to Texas.
Beltre could decide to stay in Seattle. Larry Stone of the Seattle Times reported last week that the interest of GM Jack Zduriencik in Beltre is serious.
http:// [h3]Dodgers' frozen in inaction[/h3]
8:40AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers[/h5]
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The McCourt divorce saga has called into question how effectively the Los Angeles Dodgers can function this offseason.
Another indication that the Dodgers are stuck in neutral comes in today's Los Angeles Times, which reported that Frank McCourt has accused his estranged wife of undermining the Dodgers' business operations.
As the winter meetings began, team president Dennis Mannion told the LA Times that there would be no immediate changes to the payroll.
ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney wrote last week that the Dodgers were "frozen in inaction" at the recent winter meetings.
http:// [h3]Cameron, Red Sox on verge of deal?[/h3]
8:29AM ET
[h5]Mike Cameron | Brewers[/h5]
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The Boston Red Sox have reached a tentative agreement on a two-year deal, $15.5 million deal with free-agent outfielder Mike Cameron, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.
If the deal is finalized, our earlier discussions of Theo Epstein essentially dumping out of what many assume he feels is an overpriced market for Jason Bay and Matt Holliday seems more and more likely.
Cameron, of course, has been a great defensive CF for years, though a regular strikeout victim at the plate. He does provide power, however, and as a cheap depth option in the outfield, would be about a night and day difference in LF from Bay, who most AL teams would plug into a DH role. In Fenway, of course, he drew wall ball duty.
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Cameron over Bay?
http:// [h3]Matsui in, Vlad out?[/h3]
8:17AM ET
[h5]Hideki Matsui | Yankees[/h5]
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The Los Angeles Angels are in serious discussions with Hideki Matsui about supplanting Vladimir Guerrero as their designated hitter, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.
A league source told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney that the Angels and Matsui were closing in on a one-year deal for about $6.5 million.
The 35-year-old Matsui had hoped to return to the Yankees after a season in which he hit 28 home runs and eventually became the World Series MVP. However, the Yankees appear to be prioritizing left field and starting pitching. So the talks with the Angels indicate he wasn't prepared to wait any longer for the Yankees to determine whether to pursue him.
Other potential suitors for Matsui include the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=seaSeattle Mariners, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=texTexas Rangers and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=chaChicago White Sox, and the Oakland Athletics have been mentioned in recent reports.
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Matsui an upgrade over Vlad
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I don't get why the Phillies just didn't keep Lee. They would have won the World Series next year.
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What they doing about Pierre's salary?
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The Red Sox have tried to sign Adrian Beltre -- widely regarded by talent evaluators as the best third baseman in the majors -- but they may not be successful in reaching the middle ground between what they want to pay Beltre and what agent Scott Boras is asking for (an eight-figure annual salary)
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Nick Johnson gets more repulsive with every profile picture.
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Who in the world would call Adrian Beltre the best 3rd basemen in baseball? He's had one good year, which was probably influenced by steroids.
David Wright
Ryan Zimmerman
Chone Figgins
A-Rod
are all light years ahead of him.
David Wright
Ryan Zimmerman
Chone Figgins
A-Rod
are all light years ahead of him.
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Defensive? But Beltre aint worth more than 7-8 if you ask me...
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Add the beard/neck beard and that's dead on. I use the term "neck beard" loosely because it's hard to decipher where his face ends and hisneck begins.
I haven't seen Full Metal Jacket in far too long.
darthska
Staff member
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I'm still sick from everything I learned yesterday.
Our offseason plans:
- sign away our ace
- sign away the spirit of our team and my favorite Angel (Chone)
- send our old guy w/ a big bat packing by signing a less old guy w/ a big bat (Vladdy out, Matsui apparently in)
- go after an aging pitcher (Lowe)
If that doesn't add up to 'championship' to you, then you don't know sports equations.
*shrugs*
Our offseason plans:
- sign away our ace
- sign away the spirit of our team and my favorite Angel (Chone)
- send our old guy w/ a big bat packing by signing a less old guy w/ a big bat (Vladdy out, Matsui apparently in)
- go after an aging pitcher (Lowe)
If that doesn't add up to 'championship' to you, then you don't know sports equations.
*shrugs*
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^ word.
Our team has been completely dismantled
Oh well, can't last forever.
Our team has been completely dismantled
Oh well, can't last forever.
darthska
Staff member
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Thing is, a very small part of me puts faith in our skipper that we'll still be in the mix for the AL West crown.
I mean, when we won the WS, it was w/ a bunch of virtual nobodies. When they all left (Washburn, Erstad, Garret, Spiezio, Kennedy, Glaus, the Molinas, etc.),it's not like they left and tore it up on their new teams.
Sure, Jose Molina is awesome for the Evil Empire, and Eckstein went on to be a WS MVP (major props to him on that
), but no one else really didanything. And Chone won't either.
Lackey will, but... d'ah well. You know?
We'll see what Scoscia and Moreno have in store, I guess.
I mean, when we won the WS, it was w/ a bunch of virtual nobodies. When they all left (Washburn, Erstad, Garret, Spiezio, Kennedy, Glaus, the Molinas, etc.),it's not like they left and tore it up on their new teams.
Sure, Jose Molina is awesome for the Evil Empire, and Eckstein went on to be a WS MVP (major props to him on that
Lackey will, but... d'ah well. You know?
We'll see what Scoscia and Moreno have in store, I guess.
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so with the moves the phils and sox just made, does anyone else have a feelin the yanks are gonna overpay for ben sheets
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so they trade lee and get only one top 100 player?
seriously justtake the picks next year
i don't know if it was said but toronto would send taylor to oakland for brett wallace
i don't know if it was said but toronto would send taylor to oakland for brett wallace
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I wondered the same exact thing. Also, I think Holliday turns down the Cards offer.
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Philly should take the picks... SMH
How much money on average does a WS title gain you?
How much money on average does a WS title gain you?
bkmac
Banned
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ska, enjoy Matsui. No seriously, he might be the best DH in the league.
I was upset that you guys took Abreu away from us, but learned to deal. I don't know if I can stomach seeing Hideki in an Angels uniform. Yes, it'sthat serious.
I was upset that you guys took Abreu away from us, but learned to deal. I don't know if I can stomach seeing Hideki in an Angels uniform. Yes, it'sthat serious.
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Seriously, no other team is going to give him an 8 year deal. He must really be hoping Bay signs with Anaheim or Seattle and the Mets have nochoice but to overpay.
darthska
Staff member
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