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Archives for January 2010

Giants Re-Sign Bengie Molina To One-Year Deal

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Bengie Molina rejected a $5MM offer from the Mets and chose instead to take a one-year $4.5MM deal to return to San Francisco. The move, which is now official, increases the likelihood that top prospect Buster Posey will start the season back in the minors.

Molina returns to the Bay Area despite reports that GM Brian Sabean said he believed the backstop had received a multi-year offer elsewhere. Molina, whose brother Jose is still a free agent, earned $16MM as part of the three year deal he signed with San Francisco back in 2007. He hit .278/.302/.440 with 55 homers while with the Giants. 

Now, the Giants have reached their payroll limit, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

Dennis O'Donnell of CBS 5 Sports first reported the deal and SI.com's Jon Heyman added that Molina turned down a superior offer from the Mets.

Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.

Dodgers Lock Up Andre Ethier, Jonathan Broxton

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FRIDAY, 1:38pm: We now have the details of Ethier's contract, courtesy of Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.  The 27-year-old's deal includes incentives and escalator clauses that could boost the total value of the pact to $15.625MM. 

Ethier is guaranteed $6MM this year, including a $500K signing bonus.  The escalators are tied to plate appearances, with the benchmarks at 600, 650, and 675.  Last season, the outfielder made 685 plate appearances.

THURSDAY, 12:36pm: The Dodgers avoided arbitration with two of their core young players, officially signing outfielder Andre Ethier and closer Jonathan Broxton to two-year deals. Broxton will hit free agency once his $11MM deal expires at the end of the 2011 season. Ethier is under team control through 2012, so the Dodgers will be able to retain him after his $15.25MM deal expires. Ethier's deal pays him $6MM next season and $9.25MM in 2011, with more money attainable through incentives. Broxton gets $4MM in 2010 and $7MM in 2011, plus escalators.

In his first full season as closer, Broxton saved 36 games and stuck out a ridiculous 13.5 batters per nine innings. He earned $1.825MM in 2009, and was eligible for arbitration for the second time this offseason. Huston Street, who just signed a long-term deal of his own, will earn about $12MM for those two same seasons of his career, so his deal may have been a point of reference for Broxton's deal.

Ethier, a Super Two, earned $3.1MM last season. He hit .272/.361/.508 with a career high 31 homers last season, finishing sixth in the NL MVP voting. Los Angeles locked Matt Kemp up to a two-year deal just last week, so the Dodgers have established some security in their outfield for the next two seasons.

MLB.com's Ken Gurnick tweeted the news of Either's deal and Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times followed up with the news of Broxton's agreement. Gurnick, Hernandez, Jon Heyman of SI.com and KCAL 9 added details, all via Twitter.

Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.

Stark On Holliday, Lee, Phillies, Rockies, Cubs

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ESPN.com's Jayson Stark says the Baseball Writers' Association of America needs to establish an award for relief pitchers. He also provides plenty of rumblings from around the league; here they are:

  • Stark hears that the only offers Matt Holliday had in-hand when the Cardinals signed him were one-year deals worth $18MM or so.
  • The Phillies offered Cliff Lee a three-year extension worth $60MM or so before trading for Roy Halladay. It's unclear whether Lee and agent Darek Braunecker formally turned the offer down, but others believe Lee will seek a longer-term deal once he hits the open market after this season.
  • The Phillies are "plenty interested" in Pedro Martinez on a half-season deal similar to the one he signed last year, but one NL club hears that Pedro is looking for a full-season job at "market" dollars.
  • The Phillies have backed off on John Smoltz, who wants to start, but they are interested in Jose Contreras.
  • The Rockies talked actively to the Marlins about Dan Uggla. Now, the Rockies are more intent on free agent options including Miguel Tejada, Orlando Cabrera and Orlando Hudson.
  • They'd also like to bring Jason Giambi back.
  • Scouts who have seen Carlos Delgado play first base in Puerto Rico say the slugger should look for a DH job, since his fielding is suspect.
  • Stark has the impression that the Cubs have set aside their interest in Ben Sheets as they pursue a bench bat and a setup man.

Mets To Acquire Gary Matthews Jr.

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The Mets will acquire Gary Matthews Jr. and cash from the Angels for Brian Stokes. Matthews, who receives $500K for being traded, is set to make $11MM in 2010 and $12MM in 2011. The Angels will pick up all but $2MM of the $23.5MM remaining on the deal.

Matthews joined the Angels before the 2007 season, signing a $50MM deal. He leaves without much fanfare, as he's coming off a season in which he combined poor defense with a .250/.336/.361 line. That's far from the .866 OPS he posted in his 2006 walk year.

The 30-year-old Stokes allowed 72 hits and 38 walks in 70.1 innings last year, striking out 45 for a 3.97 ERA.

Jon Heyman of SI.com first reported the deal. Heyman, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports and ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick followed up with details, all via Twitter.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Felix, Phillies, Reds

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Seven years ago today, Ivan Rodriguez signed a one-year deal with the Marlins worth $10MM, ending a 12-year stint with the Texas Rangers. Pudge hit .297/.369/.474 with 16 homers in his lone season with Florida, leading the franchise to its second World Championship. He signed a little earlier this offseason, landing a two-year deal with the Nationals in early December.

Here's a look at what fans around the web are saying….

  • Lookout Landing re-lives five of Felix Hernandez's career-defining starts in honor of his new deal.
  • TAUNTR thinks the Phillies did well by locking up Joe Blanton and Shane Victorino, even if they didn't receive tremendous discounts.
  • Blue Sox Baseball previews the Reds' starting rotation heading into 2010.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse looks at what's left for the Cubs this offseason.
  • TYU wonders why the Yankees used the top pick in the Rule 5 Draft on Jamie Hoffmann instead of John Raynor.
  • Capitol Avenue Club projects the Braves' depth chart.
  • The Ghost of Moonlight Graham examines the rotations in the NL East.
  • TurnTwo has some suggestions for how the Mariners could use the last $10MM left in their budget.
  • Dodgers Rumors considers the Vicente Padilla signing a big win for Los Angeles.
  • AdamAdkins.net reacts harshly to the Bengie Molina deal.
  • River Ave. Blues wonders how the Yanks might be able to extract some value from Kei Igawa.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Multiple Clubs Contacted Jim Edmonds

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Jim Edmonds would like to return to the St. Louis Cardinals, but he's open to playing elsewhere and three or four other teams have at least some interest in him. The 39-year-old outfielder told the Team 1380 in St. Louis that the Yankees are one of the teams that has contacted him (transcription from Rob Rains of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat).

Edmonds maintains that he would like to return to the Cardinals, but says he has no illusions about taking the everyday center fielder's job from Colby Rasmus.

"Colby is the center fielder. My job would be to help him and replace him when he needed help," Edmonds said. "I wouldn’t get in Colby’s way."

Edmonds, who is open to playing for the MLB minimum, says he needs a couple weeks to start hitting.

Jason Bay’s Negotiations With The Red Sox

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Jason Bay gives Rob Bradford of WEEI.com a blow-by-blow account of his contract negotiations with the Red Sox. The process was complex, frustrating and drawn out, according to Bay. Peter Gammons reported earlier in the week that the Red Sox pulled their four-year $60MM offer to the left fielder over health concerns last summer.

But as Bay tells WEEI.com, “That is just one-tenth of the story.”

Bay underwent numerous physical inspections after the Red Sox voiced concerns over the outfielder's knees and shoulder. Bay says his health checked out, but the Red Sox offered one deal that was contingent on Bay having knee surgery after the 2009 season.

“I was shocked, to say the least," Bay said. "Particularly since I wasn’t hurt.”

The sides continued to talk, but Bay ultimately signed for four guaranteed years with the Mets and has "no regrets" about his decision.

Mets Interested In Sheets, Wang, Tracy

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The latest on the Mets' search for starting pitching:

  • Ben Sheets appears to be the team's top target, according to Ken Davidoff of Newsday.
  • The Mets have been in touch with Sheets since watching him throw Tuesday, according to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.
  • Alan Nero, one of Chien-Ming Wang's representatives, tells McCarron that the Mets are one of 15 teams interested in the former Yankee.
  • McCarron hears that the Mets have had discussions about Chad Tracy.
  • Remember, Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog tweeted this morning that the Mets are close to making a deal.

Blue Jays Sign Shawn Hill

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The Blue Jays signed righty Shawn Hill to a minor league deal, according to the team's official Twitter account. The 28-year-old Canadian has pitched for the Expos, Nationals and Padres in his five-year MLB career. He has pitched 218.1 innings in total, allowing 249 hits and 70 walks, striking out 137 for a 4.95 ERA. His best season came in 2007, when he posted a 3.42 ERA in nearly 100 innings for the Nats.

As MLB.com's Jordan Bastian notes (via Twitter) Hill had a second Tommy John surgery last year.

Phillies Sign Victorino To Three-Year Deal

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The Phillies have officially signed Shane Victorino to a three-year, $22MM deal.  The contract, which buys out Victorino's two remaining arbitration years and one free agent year, will keep Victorino in Philly through 2012. Craig Calcaterra of Circling The Bases first reported the agreement. 

Victorino earned $3.125MM in 2009, when he hit .292/.358/.445 with 10 HRs.  In the field, the Flyin' Hawaiian posted a slightly below average UZR/150 of -4.2.  Calcaterra writes that if Joe Blanton's deal is any indication, Victorino's contract will likely be backloaded. 

With Victorino back in the fold, catcher Carlos Ruiz is the only remaining arbitration-eligible Phillie.  However, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com writes that GM Ruben Amaro expressed optimism that a multi-year deal could be reached with him as well.  Assistant GM Scott Proefrock believes that the team will come to an agreement on a one-year or multi-year deal with Ruiz within the week.

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