We've got first baseman rankings up over at RotoAuthority. Check 'em out and debate in the comments.
Archives for February 2010
Russell Branyan Down To Indians, Rays
Free agent slugger Russell Branyan is down to the Indians and Rays, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The FOX writer says the Red Sox are "no longer a factor."
Yesterday, Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi made the Boston connection. The Rays' interest was characterized as "mild," with the Tribe considered the frontrunner. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets agreement that the Indians are the favorite. MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince said the Indians made a Major League offer.
Odds & Ends: Lincecum, Cashman, Orioles, Wang
Links for Tuesday…
- Tim Lincecum passed his physical according to Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). Presumably his two-year, $23MM deal is official now.
- Yankees' GM Brian Cashman sat down for an interview with NoMaas.org. He discussed what went into some of their decision making this offseason, among other things.
- Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun projected the Orioles' Opening Day roster.
- Chien-Ming Wang has already passed his physical with the Nationals, reports Chico Harlan of The Washington Post. Given the righty's recent shoulder surgery, it was far from a formality.
- Joe Torre tells Mike Francesa of WFAN that the Dodgers are on the lookout for a fifth starter (audio here). Torre says the Dodgers could find that starter within their organization. He also says he and the Doders are talking about adding a year onto his contract, which expires after this season.
- Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Batter's Box that the Blue Jays will draft the best players available this June. Anthopoulos also said the Jays will be open to dealing from their pitching depth.
- MLB.com's Doug Miller shows that baseball's executives are getting younger as owners take a business-first approach to winning.
- Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says he'd be willing to guarantee Joe Mauer eight or ten years if that's what it takes to keep the catcher in Minnesota, despite the fact that Mauer would almost certainly be playing another position by the end of a contract that long.
- Padres GM Jed Hoyer tells MLB.com's Corey Brock that he's pleased with his first offseason as a GM and the process that the Padres used this winter.
- Giants officials believe "the day is coming when legions of talented hitters will follow" Pablo Sandoval's path to the majors, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney says Felipe Lopez would be a "great, great fit" for the Mets.
Johnny Damon Rumors: Tuesday
7:54pm: Rosenthal takes back his previous tweet, and says that the White Sox did not make Damon a second offer. Their original offer still stands, though it is not believed to be as high as Detroit's.
Rosenthal adds that Damon and his wife "would prefer him to play in a more cosmopolitan city than Detroit," for what it's worth. What's more, Damon played golf Monday with Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski and broadcaster Hawk Harrelson.
7:39pm: The White Sox have made a second offer to free agent outfielder Johnny Damon, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. The terms of the offer are unknown, but Rosenthal says a deal may be gaining momentum.
Yesterday we heard that there was only a "very small" difference of opinion between the Tigers and Damon's camp on salary, though this new offer from the ChiSox may have changed that dynamic.
Nationals Have Interest In Kris Benson
TUESDAY, 7:33pm: Ladson reports (via Twitter) that the team and Benson's agent haven't spoken yet because both sides have been busy working on Brian Bruney's arbitration case. Bruney and Benson share an agent.
SATURDAY, 12:01pm: The Nationals have not confirmed their interest in Benson according to Ladson, however they did attend his "impressive workouts" over the last few weeks.
FRIDAY, 3:18pm: The Nationals have some interest in free agent righty Kris Benson, tweets MLB.com's Bill Ladson. GM Mike Rizzo and Benson's agent Gregg Clifton are hoping to meet early next week after a snow storm got in the way this week (link goes to Twitter).
Benson, 35, is apparently 100% after battling arm injuries for the better part of the last three seasons. In 22.1 innings for the Rangers last season, he allowed 23 runs with more walks (12) than strikeouts (11). It was his first big league action since 2006. As long as they don't guarantee him a roster spot, there's nothing wrong with seeing what Benson has to offer in Spring Training.
Yankees Sign Dustin Moseley
The Yankees signed Dustin Moseley and invited him to Spring Training, according to a team press release. The Angels non-tendered the right-hander after he pitched in just three games last season. Moseley had forearm and elbow injuries before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left hip in August.
In parts of four seasons as a swingman, Moseley, 28, has a 5.41 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over the course of 168 innings.
Branyan Has Offer From Indians
2:53pm: Castrovince hears (via Twitter) that the Indians offered Branyan a major league deal.
10:19am: The Indians have an offer out to Branyan, though it's not clear whether it is for a major league deal, according to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. The club could platoon Branyan with Matt LaPorta, who has been cleared to resume baseball activities after undergoing surgeries on his left hip and left big toe.
7:59am: The Rays and Red Sox are in the mix for Russell Branyan, but neither one of those clubs has progressed as far as the Indians, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Rays have "mild interest" in the 30-homer man and the Red Sox are keeping tabs on him even though they don't appear to have room for the slugger unless they trade Mike Lowell.
The 33-year-old Branyan could play a variety of corner positions for the Indians, the club he broke in with in 1998. Branyan hit 31 homers and slugged .520 last year, but a slow second half and a back injury have limited interest in him this offseason. The Marlins aren't interested, though the Blue Jays could be.
Nationals DFA Doug Slaten
The Nationals designated Doug Slaten for assignment to make room for new acquisition Adam Kennedy, according to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The Nationals picked the 30-year-old Slaten up off waivers from the D'Backs in November.
The lefty pitched just 6.1 innings in the majors last year. He pitched more in 2008, logging 32.1 innings for the D'Backs with 3.9 BB/9 allowed and 5.6 K/9. Slaten added 43.2 Triple A innings last year and his rates were better in the minors. He walked just 3.1 BB/9 with 8.1 K/9 for a 3.09 ERA.
It has been a busy day for the Nats, who agreed to sign Chien-Ming Wang.
Papelbon Hopes To Stay In Boston Long-Term
Jonathan Papelbon told reporters that he’s comfortable without a long-term deal even though he wants to be in Boston long after the Red Sox lose control of him following the 2011 season. As Alex Speier of WEEI.com notes, Papelbon can see himself closing games at Fenway for a while.
“Of course I would love to be with Boston for a long time,” Papelbon said. “But this is the way it is right now. I’m happy going one year at a time. I would love to stay here for 15 years.”
By then, Papelbon will be 44 years old, but he can envision himself pitching into his forties. And when it comes to closers succeeding late into their careers, Papelbon doesn’t have to look any further than 40-year-old division rival Mariano Rivera.
“Mo, he just makes it look easy. He makes it look easy,” Pabelbon said. “Hopefully I will be able to, but only time will tell.”
Papelbon is under contract for $9.35MM this year. He says he didn’t ask the Red Sox about his place in their long-term plans this winter.
Amaro Jr. On Payroll, Lee, Howard
The Phillies have already committed $132MM to next year’s payroll, but GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that there are limits to how much the NL Champs can spend.
“The payroll can’t continue to go north,” Amaro said. “When you get to a point where you’re basically at 100 percent capacity in your ballpark and 100 percent capacity almost in your revenues, somewhere it’s got to stop.”
Payroll was a consideration in the Cliff Lee deal, but Amaro said potential compensation picks figured into the club’s decision to trade the left-hander. The Phillies expect Lee to sign with a high-payroll club and worried that the compensation picks would be late first rounders at best.
“You get after the 10th or 15th pick in baseball, you’re kind of rolling the dice,” Amaro said.
Amaro knows he’s going to have to filter young players onto his team’s roster at some point, but he wants to keep Ryan Howard around “forever.” The first baseman is under team control through 2011, so the Phillies have more time to determine their course of action with Howard than they have for Jayson Werth, who hits free agency after this coming season.
