The Major League Baseball Offseason Post

[kiddin like jason]

A lot of nice non-tendered names:

Garrett Akins
Jose Arrendando (out for 2010)
Matt Capps
D.J. Carrasco
Jack Cust
Jonny Gomes
Kelly Johnson
Mike MacDougal
Adam Miller (out for life)

Chien-Ming Wang

 

[kiddin like jason]

Can someone post this?

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blo.../blog/index?entryID=4738701&name=olney_buster

 

[proshares]

Slew of signings lie ahead

Sunday, December 13, 2009 | Feedback | Print Entry

Thirty-nine more players were not tendered contracts Saturday night, so as of Sunday, this is the number of free agents who are looking for jobs, according to the list compiled by the esteemed Tim Dierkes at mlbtraderumors.com:

Catchers: 18
First basemen: 22
Second basemen: 13
Shortstops: 9
Third basemen: 16
Left fielders: 23
Center fielders: 17
Right fielders: 14
Designated hitters: 6
Starting pitchers: 54
Relief pitchers: 74

By my count, this means there are 266 free agents. Two hundred sixty-six. And keep in mind that many free agents already have agreed to terms, from Rafael Soriano to Brandon Lyon to Henry Blanco to Alex Cora to Pedro Feliz to others -- about 29 others, according to ESPN.com's Free Agent Tracker. In all, the free-agent pool for this offseason is just a few ticks under 300.

This is why, as the winter meetings broke up on Thursday, one veteran baseball talent evaluator predicted that we are about to witness a slew of signings in the days ahead. Dozens and dozens. "Once we get past the non-tender date, everybody will know exactly what the lay of the land is in free agents," he said. "And the agents will be pushing this, too, because they're going to want to place their clients. The next to go" -- the next wave to sign, he meant -- "will be the best of the lowest tier."

In other words, in this massive game of musical chairs, there will be a flurry of job-grabbing if you're not named John Lackey, Matt Holliday or Jason Bay.

During the general managers meetings in early November, after early forecasts said there would be many non-tenders and free agents, new union chief Michael Weiner fired a shot across the bow in the labor wars, sort of wondering out loud whether there were collaborative efforts in play to depress the market.

I wrote here then that although Weiner was just doing his job to represent the players, the baseball decisions that are being made these days have a lot more to do with the Spawn of "Moneyball" than any collusion. Simply put, club executives have become more adept at assessing the value of players in the current market.

Consider some of the decisions made by teams on Saturday:

1. The Pirates did not tender a contract to closer Matt Capps. A surprise? Well, it shouldn't be. He had a 5.80 ERA last season and gave up 90 hits and walks in 54.1 innings while making $2.425 million. The Pirates assessed internally that had Capps gone through arbitration, he could've received a raise to almost $4 million, probably about $3.8 million.

Capps showed real signs of regression this past season, the current market is flush with relief pitching and the Pirates probably will finish well out of first place in 2010. Would it make sense for them to pay Capps $3.8 million when somebody else would have a reasonable chance of being at least as effective -- and maybe more effective -- for less money? No.

2. The Rays did not tender a contract to veteran outfielder Gabe Gross, as Marc Topkin writes. Gross is regarded as a very solid defensive performer but last season had a .355 slugging percentage and 79 strikeouts in 282 at-bats. He posted a .681 OPS while making $1.255 million, and the Rays' front office figured that he would've been in line to earn about $1.5 million through arbitration next season.

Could the Rays reasonably expect to find somebody else who would have a chance to either match or improve upon Gross' production for less money? And the answer, of course, would be yes.

3. The most prominent player not tendered a contract is third baseman Garrett Atkins, who batted .226 with eight homers and a .308 on-base percentage for the Rockies last season while making $7.05 million. Atkins could've gotten a $9 million arbitration award, considering that he averaged 110 RBIs a season from 2006 to 2008. That's the same salary that Chone Figgins, the best free-agent infielder of this offseason, will get after signing a four-year, $36 million deal with the Mariners.

Would it have made sense for the Rockies to pay Atkins $9 million when there are serious questions about his performance and when they can pay Ian Stewart much less to do the same job? Absolutely not.

Atkins will have suitors in free agency. Maybe the Giants or some other team will go after him. He has value. But the Spawn of "Moneyball" have determined that Atkins' value in the current market is much less than $9 million (and we know this because no other general manager was willing to trade for him, having made the same value judgment as Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd).

Teams made decisions to keep players, too. Early in the week, the Padres made it clear that their intention was not to tender a contract to pitcher Kevin Correia, who was coming off a pretty decent season of 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA. Some rival executives hoped that the Padres would cut him loose, and San Diego ascertained that there was interest in the pitcher. So on Saturday, Barry Axelrod, Correia's agent, negotiated a one-year, $3.6 million deal.

Dioner Navarro, who was an All-Star catcher in 2008 but had a miserable season in 2009, signed a one-year, $2.1 million deal with Tampa Bay. The Yankees did not tender Chien-Ming Wang a contract because they determined that in the current market, he is probably worth less than the $5-7 million salary he might have commanded through arbitration, as he rebounds from physical problems. They'd like to keep him, though, writes Ken Davidoff.

The next nine weeks will be an ugly time for a lot of fringe players, who will wait for the phone to ring with word of job offers. For a lot of older players who have had long and productive careers, the phone probably won't ring. This is not a time when teams are willing to throw a token $1 million, or even $700,000 offer at a guy just because he has put in a decade of good service. Within the front offices of almost all teams, hard decisions are being made based on hard data in a way that we have never seen before.

The Pirates' decision not to tender a contract to Capps was seen as a stunner in Pittsburgh Sunday morning. Clay Condrey, coming off a solid season for the Phillies, was not tendered a contract, as Andy Martino writes.

Katie Sharp of ESPN Stats & Information offered up this note on Kelly Johnson, whom the Braves didn't tender a contract, as David O'Brien writes: Johnson had the lowest batting average of a left-handed batter versus right-handed pitcher last season (minimum 200 plate appearances against a right-handed pitcher).
[table][tr][td]Lowest BA by LHB vs. RHP 2009 MLB season * min. 200 PA[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Name[/td] [td]Batting Average[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Kelly Johnson[/td] [td].188[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Jason Giambi[/td] [td].196[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Ken Griffey Jr.[/td] [td].215[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Ramon Vazquez[/td] [td].220[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Mitch Maier[/td] [td].224[/td] [/tr][/table] From Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information: [table][tr][td]Garrett Atkins outside of Coors Field, in his career[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
[/td] [td]Home[/td] [td]Road[/td] [/tr][tr][td]BA[/td] [td].327[/td] [td].252[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Slugging Pct.[/td] [td].507[/td] [td].411[/td] [/tr][tr][td]OPS[/td] [td].892[/td] [td].735[/td] [/tr][tr][td]ABs per K[/td] [td]8.2[/td] [td]5.7[/td] [/tr][/table][h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Jason Bay turned down a four-year, $60 million offer from the Red Sox, and he seems ready to move on, writes Peter Abraham. To put this in perspective, Simon notes the free-agent outfielders who signed for at least four years and $15 million a year:
[table][tr][td]
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Year[/td] [td]Player[/td] [td]Team[/td] [td]Years[/td] [td]Salary[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'00[/td] [td]Manny Ramirez[/td] [td]Red Sox[/td] [td]8[/td] [td]$160 million[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'06[/td] [td]Alfonso Soriano[/td] [td]Cubs[/td] [td]8[/td] [td]$136 million[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'04[/td] [td]Carlos Beltran[/td] [td]Mets[/td] [td]7[/td] [td]$119 million[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'06[/td] [td]Carlos Lee[/td] [td]Astros[/td] [td]6[/td] [td]$100 million[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'07[/td] [td]Torii Hunter[/td] [td]Angels[/td] [td]5[/td] [td]$90 million[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'01[/td] [td]Barry Bonds[/td] [td]Giants[/td] [td]5[/td] [td]$90 million[/td] [/tr][tr][td]'04[/td] [td]Magglio Ordonez[/td] [td]Tigers[/td] [td]5[/td] [td]$75 million[/td] [/tr][/table]
2. The Mets might have to strengthen their offer to Bay, writes Bart Hubbuch.

3. The Giants didn't tender a contract to Ryan Garko, writes Andrew Baggarly, and they are aggressively looking for a first baseman. Word within this piece is that Adam LaRoche is looking for three years and $31.5 million.

4. What we've seen in Pittsburgh has been a purge, writes Dejan Kovacevic.

5. Oakland didn't tender a contract to Jack Cust, but the dialogue continues, writes Susan Slusser.

6. The Nationals cut ties with two pitchers, writes Mark Zuckerman. One of those is Mike MacDougal, who was coming off a decent season, as Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information notes:
[table][tr][td]Highest save pct., 2009 regular season (minimum 20 saves)[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Name[/td] [td]Pct.[/td] [td]Saves[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Fernando Rodney[/td] [td]97.4[/td] [td]37[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Mariano Rivera[/td] [td]95.7[/td] [td]44[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Mike MacDougal[/td] [td]95.2[/td] [td]20[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Huston Street[/td] [td]94.6[/td] [td]35[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Jonathan Papelbon[/td] [td]92.6[/td] [td]38[/td] [/tr][/table]
7. Concern about Mike Lowell's thumb is holding up the deal between the Red Sox and Rangers, writes Nick Cafardo.

8. The Royals reached a series of pre-tender agreements while not tendering deals to two players, writes Bob Dutton.

9. The Reds unloaded Jonny Gomes, as John Fay writes, and this decision tells you how tight their budget is.

10. Adam Miller, who not long ago was regarded as one of the best pitching prospects in the majors, was not tendered a contract, Paul Hoynes writes. There are real questions about whether Miller will pitch in the majors again because of his finger injury, but if any team sees hope, it should jump on him, stow him away in the minors and see what happens.

11. The Cubs cut loose Neal Cotts.

12. Heard this: A handful of teams are willing to give veteran outfielder Brian Giles a deal for 2010, and the Reds and Yankees might be among those. The primary question about Giles' future employment is whether he'll get a major league contract before spring training or a minor league deal.

13. The White Sox non-tendered reliever .J. Carrasco.

14. The Brewers didn't tender contracts to three different players, writes Tom Haudricourt.

15. The Rangers landed Rich Harden with a realistic but aggressive approach. I'm curious to see how Harden fares in 2010, specifically how consistent he is. His fastball's velocity varied dramatically from inning to inning as he pitched for the Cubs last season, and I'm not smart enough to know whether that's a function of his mechanics or a reflection of how he was feeling physically on a given day.

16. Alfredo Amezaga became a free agent.

17. The current chances for a Milton Bradley-Pat Burrell swap are 50-50, writes Marc Topkin.

18. Ken Kendrick says the D-backs' budget is flexible.
[h3]Winter ball update[/h3]
From Jonathan Gonzalez:

Dominican Republic: Rangers OF Nelson Cruz has received good news about his recent injury. An MRI has revealed no fracture in his ankle; he has only inflammation, and will only require rest to heal.

Puerto Rico: Indios de Mayaguez manager Mako Oliveras has revealed that the team is in talks with Gigantes de Carolina over the rights to first baseman Carlos Delgado, who is rehabbing from hip surgery in his hometown of Aguadilla. Delgado has said he'd prefer to play for Mayaguez, which plays its home games in nearby Aguadilla.

Venezuela: Mariners second baseman Jose Lopez has debuted for the Cardenales de Lara after two weeks of drawn-out contract negotiations. Lopez, who hit .272 with 25 homers with the Mariners, went 0-for-4 as a designated hitter.
[h3]A tip in the "Art of Catching"[/h3]
From Brent Mayne: "In a past tip, we explored the importance of keeping a blocked ball close to your body so you could bounce on it and stop an advancing runner. That pointer included the technique of exhaling when the wild pitch hit your chest in order to insure a soft, pillow-like ricochet. Here's another great way to keep a blocked ball close. Upon impact with the pitch in the dirt, roll your shoulders forward a bit.

"Done correctly, this creates an air gap between your body and the chest protector which will deaden the blow. Imagine the different reactions of a ball thrown off a wall vs. a ball thrown off a chain link fence. The ball off the wall will come back to you while the ball off the fence will drop dead. Obviously, you want to be the fence instead of the wall.

"Take note ... you may need to fiddle with the fit of your chest protector to make sure it comes off your body and creates that gap of air when you roll your shoulders. Once you have that taken care of though, you're off to the races."
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• A suggestion for Major League Baseball and the players' association: Move up the contract tender deadline to 4 p.m. rather than midnight. A few years ago, the July 31 trade deadline was shifted from midnight to 4 p.m., and this helped make life easier for all involved -- the teams, players and folks in the commissioner's office who must sort through the transactions and the media. Teams have months to decide whether they'll tender contracts and will make decisions only when they need to leading up to a deadline. If the deadline were 4 p.m. rather than midnight, the decisions on the non-tenders would've come down at 3:45; that is just the way it works in the business of baseball. MLB should spare its world of the hours of late-night anxiety.

• Almost 100 women who are employed within baseball met during the winter meetings, writes David Waldstein.

• Charley Walters voted for both Bert Blyleven and Jack Morris for the Hall of Fame, and he didn't vote for Mark McGwire.

• Angels fans couldn't forget Nick Adenhart, writes Bill Shaikin.

• The Yankees have quite a catch in Curtis Granderson, writes Anthony McCarron. Mitch Albom wonders whether the trade was about feeling versus fact.

• A golden age for managers is nearing its end, writes Phil Rogers.

• Tommy Henrich was truly Old Reliable, writes !+%$ Heller.

• FYI: No blog on Monday.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Lackey to have a physical with Boston eh?

 

[scott frost]

Originally Posted by CincoSeisDos

Lackey to have a physical with Boston eh?

Buddy of mine just emailed me saying WEEI, Boston Sports station, is reporting this.

 

[alleniversonfan01]

Originally Posted by CincoSeisDos

Lackey to have a physical with Boston eh?

I like that. Just read it on MLBTR. But its not confirmed either. Just a rumor that they are working on confirming.

 

[cincoseisdos]

He'll be solid in the East IMHO.

EDIT:

[h1]John Lackey Rumors: Monday[/h1]
By Tim Dierkes [December 14 at 11:52am CST]

11:52am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Lackey had a physical today with the Red Sox, which is "an indication that he is close to an agreement with the team." Rosenthal expects the deal to be in the range of A.J. Burnett's five-year, $82.5MM contract, yet the FOX reporter is unsure the Sox would guarantee five years.

 

[HIM]

Vladdy, Figgins, Lackey and potentially Aybar, SAunders+more all gone in one offseason.

One step away from the WS one day, 3rd best team in the division the next.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

I HATE the MLB compensation system.

EDIT

 

[onewearz]

sox got lackey for 5 yrs $ 85 mil.


eh, lackey dont scare me so it's whatever .......

 

[osh kosh bosh]

http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/land...-for-Halladay-Hea=1&blockID=103216&feedID=704

CSN's Jim Salisbury reports today that the Phillies are "actively talking" about a contract extension with Roy Halladay's agent, according to two baseball sources. One of those sources told Salisbury Doc is likely to take a physical with the Phillies this week. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Andy Martino adds that Halladay and his agent have checked into a Philadelphia-area hotel.

What's more, Salisbury writes of "indications that pitcher Cliff Lee could be traded." SI's Jon Heyman wrote today that Lee would take no discount to sign an extension. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports write that "a three-team blockbuster that would send Halladay to the Phillies and Lee to another club is under discussion." They add that the Mariners have "contemplated dealing for Lee in recent days," but a straight Phillies-Jays trade is also possible. The writers say these complex talks involve the Phils receiving money to put toward Halladay's $15.75MM salary next year.

Questions: would Halladay command a C.C. Sabathia contract, even though he'll be 33 in May? And which teams could match up for Lee aside from the Mariners? The Angels, Dodgers, Brewers, Rangers, Rays, and Red Sox were linked to Lee in July trade talks, but things have changed since then.

 

[durden7]

Anyone who has ESPN Insider and would like to post the latest rumor on Halladay to the Phillies?

 

[CP1708]

Why get Halladay and get rid of Lee?

Don't get me wrong, I hope they do get rid of Lee if they bring in Doc, just wondering why they would do that. Lee was incredible last year for them.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Why get Halladay and get rid of Lee?

Don't get me wrong, I hope they do get rid of Lee if they bring in Doc, just wondering why they would do that. Lee was incredible last year for them.

Because they don't want to empty out there farm system to do it, so they need to trade Lee to get more prospects to give to the Jays.

I swear, Roy Halladay will win 25 games in the NL you can book that.

 

[kiddin like jason]

Well, this took an interesting turn...

 

[p mac one]

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

Originally Posted by CP1708

Why get Halladay and get rid of Lee?

Don't get me wrong, I hope they do get rid of Lee if they bring in Doc, just wondering why they would do that. Lee was incredible last year for them.

Because they don't want to empty out there farm system to do it, so they need to trade Lee to get more prospects to give to the Jays.

I swear, Roy Halladay will win 25 games in the NL you can book that.

I feel like you'd be the last person to mention wins like they meant something significant..

and

at the thought of anyone winning 25 games when Brad Lidge is thecloser.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Originally Posted by P MAC ONE

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

Originally Posted by CP1708

Why get Halladay and get rid of Lee?

Don't get me wrong, I hope they do get rid of Lee if they bring in Doc, just wondering why they would do that. Lee was incredible last year for them.

Because they don't want to empty out there farm system to do it, so they need to trade Lee to get more prospects to give to the Jays.

I swear, Roy Halladay will win 25 games in the NL you can book that.

I feel like you'd be the last person to mention wins like they meant something significant..

and

at the thought of anyone winning 25 games when Brad Lidge is the closer.

It's not significant, I'm just saying he will.

AL east to the NL, plus a great offense and defense playing behind him, he is going to dominate.


Roy Halladay had the highest opponents OPS of any pitcher in baseball, he faced the highest quality hitters every start, and dominated, Cliff looked like godwhen he went to the NL, I shudder to think what Halladay will do.

 

[JD617]

Lester-Beckett-Lackey

Not that I think Lackey is all that great, but as a #3 starter?

 

[kiddin like jason]

Why wouldn't every team in baseball be interested in signing Kelvim Escobar to a minor league deal?

Sign me up immediately.

 

[dsk aka illoquent]

Well...better the Phillies than the Sawx or Angels.

And Lackey just looks like a Masshole.

 

[proshares]

http:// [h3][/h3]

[h3]Latest on Halladay, Phillies[/h3]
3:28PM ET

[h5]Roy Halladay | Blue Jays[/h5]
Top Email


According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=phiPhiladelphia Phillies' chase of right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3973Roy Halladay is heating up quickly.

Ken Rosenthal and 710 ESPN in Seattle are both reporting that Seattle could be a third team in the Halladay talks that could involve left-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5353Cliff Lee being part of the trade -- presumably heading to Seattle.

SI.com's Jon Heymantweets that the Philly Inquirier is reporting a Halladay sighting in the city, too.

Rosenthal reported last week that the Phillies were offering a package of young players, likely including left-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28817http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28817http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28817J.A. Happ and one of two outfielders, Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor.

The Angels reportedly offered Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar and a prospect for Halladay last week, and Rosenthal adds that the Halos could also be that third team.

http:// [h3]Matsui, Halos nearing deal?[/h3]
2:58PM ET

[h5]Hideki Matsui | Yankees[/h5]
Top Email


Hideki Matsui is apparently tired of waiting for the New York Yankees and is in serious talks with the Los Angeles Angels, reports ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports the sides are nearing a 1-year deal for about $6.5 million.

"If the Angels sign Matsui," Stark writes, "it would close the door on http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3576Vladimir Guerrero's six-year run as an Angel, where he won an MVP award in 2004 and had two other top-three MVP finishes. Guerrero, who turns 34 next February, also is a free agent. But lower-leg injuries limited him to just 383 at-bats, 15 homers and only two games in the outfield last season."

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 doesn't make a ton of sense for A's

"Usually, the DH role is something you generally wait to fill, so the timing is a little odd. The biggest worry for me are Matsui's knees, and his ability to stay healthy. His ability to continue to hit for power if his legs aren't working for him is a significant question. As for the A's -- they just acquired a possible DH in http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28830http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28830Jake Fox, and already have Brett Wallace, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28657http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28657Chris Carter, and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6397http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6397Daric Barton in the organization. Even if they think one of those four guys can play left field, that's still four guys for three spots, including first base, so adding Matsui would seem to serve no purpose."

http:// [h3]Lackey linked to Boston[/h3]
1:11PM ET

[h5]John Lackey | Angels[/h5]
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We've heard the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=seaSeattle Mariners, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nymNew York Mets and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=laaLos Angeles Angels connected to right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5203John Lackey this offseason, but the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=bosBoston Red Sox may be moving quickly on the top free-agent pitcher on the market, according to AOL Fanhouse's Ed Price.

Price tweets that a source tells him Lackey is to take a physical with the Red Sox, suggesting that perhaps a signing could be on the horizon.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark has confirmed the initial report. Let's talk about what this could mean.

Such a signing -- Lackey with the Red Sox -- could set a lot of other things in motion, and would likely eliminate the Red Sox from contention for http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3973Roy Halladay. It could also mean the end of the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5496Jason Bay chase for Boston.

It's been reported that the Mets have enough payroll available for Bay or Lackey but not both, and if Lackey signs in Boston, the Mets may be inclined to go ahead and guarantee Bay the fifth year that some are reporting will be necessary.

The Angels are in on both players, but if Lackey officially leaves the team, L.A. may be forced to include top prospect Travis Reckling in an offer for Halladay, something they'd prefer to avoid.

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Mostly good, but warning signs on Lackey

"Lackey is the only bona fide No. 1 starter on the market this offseason; although others have the capacity to pitch at that level, they're all either hurt, struggled in 2009 or lack a major league track record. ... The one negative on his resume is minor arm trouble that limited him to 51 starts over the past two years, which would make me hesitant to pay him like a 33-start workhorse."

http:// [h3]Sox moving on Cuban?[/h3]
12:52PM ET

[h5]MLB[/h5]
Top Email

[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? Kevin Goldstein tweets Monday that the club has made an offer, suggesting they like what they see in the Cuban.

ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure, Jr. writes today that offer is for $15.5 million.

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]Glaus hopes to prove good health[/h3]
12:19PM ET

[h5]Troy Glaus | Cardinals[/h5]
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Free agent Troy Glaus traveled to Los Angeles last week to see Dr. Lewis Yocum for a physical exam, and he's making the records available to all 30 clubs to show teams he's healthy, says ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

"We wanted Troy to get an updated physical so clubs could be more comfortable with his condition," said Glaus' agent, Mike Nicotera. Glaus, who owns a horse farm in New Jersey, has been lifting weights and working out at big leaguer Jack Cust's facility in Flemington, N.J., with "no restrictions," according to Nicotera.

Glaus missed most of 2009 after undergoing shoulder surgery last January. He returned to play 14 games for St. Louis in September and October. Although Glaus is willing to log some DH at-bats next season, Nicotera said his preference is to land a full-time job at first base or third base. Glaus hit 27 homers and drove in 99 runs in 151 games with the Cardinals in 2008.

http:// [h3]O's Hernandez getting new role?[/h3]
11:52AM ET

[h5]David Hernandez | Orioles[/h5]
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The Baltimore Orioles haven't publicly made any decision, nor is there a reason to believe one is coming anytime before spring training, if ever, but Jeff Zrebiec opines that at some point it might make sense to move right-hander David Hernandez into the bullpen.

Hernandez just completed his rookie season, and struggled with his control and did not show the ability to miss bats the way he did in the minors.

"If the Orioles are going to keep him -- and it appears that way -- they're going to need to make a decision on his role," Zrebiec writes. "Plenty of baseball people -- both inside and outside the organization -- think the 24-year-old would make a pretty effective seventh- or eighth-inning guy."

With prospects Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman scheduled to join Jeremy Guthrie and Kevin Millwood in the rotation in 2010 -- and three capable prospects within a year of a big-league trial -- there's not a whole lot of room for Hernandez, unless he starts repeating his minor league performances.

http:// [h3]Escobar set to pitch[/h3]
11:18AM ET

[h5]Kelvim Escobar | Angels[/h5]
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The http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nymhttp://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nymNew York Mets and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyyhttp://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyyNew York Yankees both have checked in on right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3680http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3680Kelvim Escobar, reports the New York Post's Joel Sherman, via Twitter.

ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure, Jr. tweeted Sunday that there are "reports free agent Kelvim Escobar-who missed last year with shoulder problems- is scheduled to pitch Friday for Lara."

Escobar could be targeted as a starter or reliever, probably depending on the status of his arm, but which role he'd fit in either NYC clubhouse is unclear, particularly considering the decisions that loom for the Yankees regarding http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28638http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28638Phil Hughes and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28847http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28847Joba Chamberlain.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports via the Hot Stove that "Kelvim Escobar received positive report from Dr. David Altchek last Tuesday."

Crasnick mentions the Mets, Rays, Yankees, Mariners, Brewers and O's "among clubs keeping tabs" on Escobar.

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
If he's healthy, Escobar can help

"The problem is we still just have no idea how healthy he is. He's a guy where you'd love to take a shot (at the right price), put him in the pen and see what you have based on the fact that he's always had a live arm. What he does in Winter Ball will obviously be telling. But maybe not a bad upside shot if you're not breaking the bank."

http:// [h3]Olney: Wang could sign late[/h3]
11:02AM ET

[h5]Chien-Ming Wang | Yankees[/h5]
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6209http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6209Chien-Ming Wang had back-to-back 19-win seasons pitching for Joe Torre and the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyyhttp://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyyNew York Yankees in 2006 and 2007.

Wang is now a free agent after the Yankees decided not to tender him a contract and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com writes that the Dodgers, currently managed by Torre, might have some interest in the injury-plagued pitcher.

The Yankees would like to sign Wang to a minor league deal, but agent Alan Nero said "I think it's difficult to rationalize a non-tender as further building a bridge with a team, but we'll see."

[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Wang could be late signing

"Wang will meet with Dr. James Andrews in early January, and after returning to his homeland of Taiwan for a two-week stay, he will return to work out in Arizona. Six teams -- three from the American League, and three from the NL -- made contact with Nero on Sunday, through e-mail, to express interest in the pitcher, and Nero said early Monday that he expects to hear from more teams in the days ahead, and he did not rule out the possibility that Wang could eventually re-sign with the Yankees."

http:// [h3]Mets on Bay watch[/h3]
10:10AM ET

[h5]Jason Bay | Red Sox[/h5]
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Jason Bay apparently wants out of Boston and the Mets are waiting to hear if New York could be the next home for the free agent outfielder.

The chances of Bay signing elsewhere seemed to improved dramatically over the weekend when he turned down the latest offer from the Red Sox. That offer is believed to be similar to the four-year, $60 million contract he turned down over the summer and Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reported that the Red Sox have no intention of offering Bay a fifth year.

Bay's agent, Joe Upton, said his client would prefer to sign elsewhere. 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 will likely hinge on which team is willing to make a five-year offer.

Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News writes today that the Mets want to make a move quickly, but it is unsure if they will increase the offer to five years.

Where else could Bay land? The Boston Globe reported Sunday that the Mariners remain in the mix while the Giants also have interest and have indicated a willingness to make a five-year commitment.

We reported last week that Bay was not a priority for the Angels.

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Best overall hitter on market

"Bay is the best overall hitter on the market this winter, with more offensive potential than Matt Holliday but less defensive value. Bay is extremely patient and has shown he can hit American League pitching."

http:// [h3]Yankees, Reds looking at Giles?[/h3]
10:08AM ET

[h5]Brian Giles | Padres[/h5]
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ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney hears that a handful of teams are willing to give veteran outfielder Brian Giles a deal for 2010, and the Reds and Yankees might be among those.

The primary question about Giles' future employment is whether he'll get a major league contract before spring training or a minor league deal. Giles hit just .191 in an injury-plagued 2009 season for San Diego.

Giles has three seasons of 100 or more RBI, but none since 2002.

http:// [h3]Where will Cust end up?[/h3]
9:50AM ET

[h5]Jack Cust | Athletics[/h5]
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The Oakland Athletics say they are still open to bringing back Jack Cust after deciding to non-tender him before Saturday's deadline.

Cust is likely to draw some interest after hitting 25 homers each of the last three seasons for a team that plays in a pitcher-friendly park. The San Francisco Chronicle writes that Cust's reputation as a mediocre defensive outfielder will hurt his chances of getting a job in the National League.

One possibility is the Chicago White Sox, who are looking for a left-handed bat.

http:// [h3]Atkins not worth the price[/h3]
9:35AM ET

[h5]Garrett Atkins | Rockies[/h5]
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The most prominent player not tendered a contract by Saturday's deadline might have been third baseman Garrett Atkins, who batted .226 with eight homers while making $7.05 million.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney writes that it made no sense for the Rockies to tender Atkins since he could have made about $9 million in arbitration, which is the same annual salary Chone Figgins got from the Seattle Mariners via free agency.

Atkins will still have plenty of suitors looking for a discount, and Buster says the Giants could go after him. The Daily Dish adds some other teams who might kick the tires on Atkins, and the list includes the Red Sox, Twins and Orioles.

http:// [h3]Yankees eye Sheets, Duchscherer[/h3]
9:33AM ET

[h5]New York Yankees[/h5]
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The Yankees already have a formidable rotation led by CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, but are still interested in adding more starting pitching.

One priority of general manager Brian Cashman is to add another starter so Joba Chamberlain and/or Phil Hughes could be moved to the bullpen, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News writes today.

Ben Sheets and Justin Duchscherer, two starters coming back from arm surgery, appear to be on the Yankees' radar.

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Sheets could be a good get

"I had Sheets about 20 places higher in my Free Agent Rankings, so -- at least in a vacuum -- I'd try to land him over Duchscherer. I think the extra time Sheets took off to recover could be really valuable, this for a guy that's shown he can have the upside of a No. 2 starter, and now he seems more capable of giving you 160-180 innings."

http:// [h3]LaRoche a fit in Seattle?[/h3]
9:20AM ET

[h5]Adam LaRoche | Braves[/h5]
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Add free agent Adam LaRoche to the list of first base candidates for the Seattle Mariners.

Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reports that the Mariners are talking to the well-traveled LaRoche, who played for the Pirates, Red Sox and Braves this past season. A deal is not close, but Baker notes that LaRoche is a younger and more durable alternative to Russell Branyan.

LaRoche also is believed to be drawing interest from the San Francisco Giants.

An MLB.com report says Branyan wants to re-sign with Seattle, although he already has turned down a one-year offer.

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
LaRoche is the better call

"Given a choice between the two (Branyan or LaRoche) Seattle should take LaRoche. For one, Branyan hasn't proven he is or will be healthy. That said, if LaRoche is serious about getting a deal that would pay him somewhere in the neighborhood of $31 million for a few years, then Seattle should skip it."

http:// [h3]Olsen stays with Nats[/h3]
9:17AM ET

[h5]Scott Olsen | Nationals[/h5]
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Scott Olsen agreed to a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals, one day after he was non-tendered by the team, reports ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

Crasnick reports that the deal for the left-hander has a one-year base salary of $1 million and incentives that could increase the value to almost $4 million if he makes 33 starts for the Nationals.

Olsen underwent season-ending shoulder surgery, but is expected to be ready to compete for a rotation spot in spring training.

http:// [h3]Cabrera could stay in Minnesota[/h3]
8:34AM ET

[h5]Orlando Cabrera | Twins[/h5]
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When the Twins acquired J.J. Hardy from Milwaukee, it seemed like Orlando Cabrera's days in Minnesota were over.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday says Cabrera, a free agent, could still end up in the Twin Cities because he enjoyed his brief time with the Twins and is open to playing second base or third base.

http:// [h3]-backs, Cubs eye Capps[/h3]
8:17AM 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 Arizona Republic that seven or eight teams have inquired about his client and the Diamondbacks are one of them.

The Cubs are looking at Capps for a set-up role, according to the Chicago Tribune.

http:// [h3]Thumbs down on Lowell deal?[/h3]
7:14AM ET

[h5]Mike Lowell | Red Sox[/h5]
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The winter meetings ended with the Boston Red Sox reportedly reaching a preliminary deal to send former World Series MVP Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for catcher/first baseman Max Ramirez.

A few days have passed, so has the deal hit a snag? According to Sunday's Boston Globe, Texas is further examining Lowell's right thumb, an injury that hampered him near the end of last season. Lowell also had hip surgery, but that is not believed to be a problem.

"There are still things to go over," Red Sox assistant general manager Ben Cherington told the Globe. "It would not be a complete surprise if it didn't happen."

According to WEEI.com, the Rangers will take a look at Lowell's thumb at some point this week and a deal will not be completed until there is an exam.

 

[philballa09]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Why get Halladay and get rid of Lee?

Don't get me wrong, I hope they do get rid of Lee if they bring in Doc, just wondering why they would do that. Lee was incredible last year for them.

Phils cant resign Lee. He'll be a Yankee because theyre the only team that is able to offer the contract he wants

 

[bkmac]

No link, but the Angels apparently offered Hideki Matsui 1 year $6.5 million.

If he signs with them for that price, I will flipa****. I will hunt Cashman down.

 

[philballa09]

Doc, Lee, Werth, and Vic are due to be FA after this season. they'll prolly sign two of the four so i wouldnt be surprised if Werth/Vic getstraded.

 

[kwh3]

Originally Posted by bkmac

No link, but the Angels apparently offered Hideki Matsui 1 year $6.5 million.

If he signs with them for that price, I will flipa****. I will hunt Cashman down.

story's up on ESPN now.