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Archives for March 2010

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Jays, Bell, Davis, Dunn

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On this date in 2002, the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network launched. Although the regional network barely broke even that year, YES has gone on to generate millions in revenue, much of which goes right into the Yankees' pockets. As recently as 2008, there was talk that the network was worth more than the team itself.

After you wrap your head around that, here are some links to check out from around the baseball blogosphere…

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

Twins Eyeing Heath Bell

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The Twins are scouting Heath Bell extensively for a possible trade, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Closer Joe Nathan may have to undergo Tommy John surgery, so the Twins are looking at possible replacements, including Bell and Blue Jays reliever Jason Frasor.

The Twins won't necessarily have to make a trade at all, though. Nathan will throw Saturday, Sunday or Monday and the Twins will have a clearer sense of his ability to pitch with a torn ulnar collateral ligament after his bullpen session.

Bell led the National League with 42 saves last year. He posted 10.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 69.2 innings. The 32-year-old righty makes $4MM this year and won't be a free agent until after 2011.

Latin Links: Ortiz, Tejada, Mora, Guzman

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Spring draws in baseball writers from around the globe to Arizona and Florida, including plenty of beat writers from players' home countries who are eager for a full-page interview. Links are, you guessed it, in Spanish.

  • David Ortiz comes close to acknowledging that his career may end outside of Boston in an interview with Dionisio Soldevila at the Dominican daily Hoy. He disputes recent reports that he is unhappy the team hasn't preemptively picked up his option for 2011, as they did for Pedro Martinez in 2003, and predicts that the outcome will depend on his performance this season. "Boston will know when they want to approach me to talk about the contract, if they want it," Ortiz says. "I only think about playing baseball, and if I have a good season, they'll make me an offer, but if it's not them it will be another (team)." Terry Francona recently told ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes that other teams' personnel have commented to him that Ortiz looks great this spring.
  • Get used to the idea of Miguel Tejada at third. Tejada tells Soldevila that he, rather than the Orioles, made the choice, and he predicts the change will extend beyond his single-season contract. "I think it was time for me to move," Tejada explains. "I decided to change because I'm not the same age and I don't want it said that I don't have the same range." Tejada has been working with both Cal Ripken and Brooks Robinson during spring training to learn the fine art of the five-hole.
  • At the other end of the position-hopping spectrum, Melvin Mora tells Carlos Valmore Rodriguez at Lider en Deportes that he relishes Rockies manager Jim Tracy's plan to use him all over the infield and outfield, as it gives the 38-year-old "nostalgia for the excitement I used to feel when I arrived in the majors and did everything." Mora says he was in discussion with the Red Sox, Mets, Rangers, Mariners and Blue Jays during the winter but chose the Rockies because he saw there his best opportunity to return to the playoffs.
  • Angel Guzman tells Manuel Lira at Lider that his upcoming shoulder surgery won't spell the end of his career, but not having it would have. "Dr. Andrews told me, this is the same problem we had last year," Guzman says. "I had to stop in September after having rehabilitated for four-and-a-half months, so it made no sense to return to rehabilitation, and the only way to return to baseball is by doing the surgery."

D’Backs Looking For Rotation Depth

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A National League executive tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the D'Backs are exploring trades for rotation depth. Brandon Webb is recovering from a shoulder injury, so the D'Backs have some concern about their starting five. Right now, that group consists of Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson and some combination of Ian Kennedy, Billy Buckner, Kevin Mulvey and Rodrigo Lopez. 

Sherman says the Yankees are "almost certain" to trade Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre before the season starts. Like their division rivals, the Blue Jays could trade starting pitching. The D'Backs had interest in Jays pitcher Dana Eveland earlier in the offseason. Sherman says the Blue Jays would be very happy to move Eveland or Brian Tallet.

The D'Backs added Kris Benson on a minor league deal this week, but the righty has only pitched in eight major league games since 2006.

Adrian Gonzalez Would Accept Deferred Money

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According to a report by Dan Hayes of the North County Times, Adrian Gonzalez would accept deferred money in a contract offer from the Padres, as long as the offer was at market value.

However, that is a confusing bit of information. Market value is likely starting with Mark Teixeira and his eight-year, $180MM contract. So would San Diego merely have to reach this number, but some could be deferred? Or would the Padres need to exceed this to make up for the deferred money?

More to the point, it is far from clear that San Diego can afford Teixeira-type money, even if the money is deferred. But it is worth remembering, especially if talks start to heat up, the Padres might have a little extra cushion there.

Indians Notes: Brantley, Grudzielanek, Peralta

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MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince has a terrific Inbox column that addresses a number of Cleveland issues raised by fans, present and future.

Among the goodness:

  • Castrovince notes that it will be unlikely the Indians call up Michael Brantley for the majority of the season. The less that Brantley plays in 2010, the less likely he is to qualify for arbitration after the 2012 season. Less time in 2010 should stretch non-arb years to 2013.
  • Mark Grudzielanek has really impressed Castrovince, and he believes the 39-year-old has a very good chance of making the roster.
  • Though he's often mentioned as a trade candidate, Castrovince isn't at all certain Jhonny Peralta will be traded this summer. Also uncertain: if Cleveland will pick up Peralta's $7MM option after the season.

The whole piece is worth a read.

Mets, Rockies Interested In Joe Beimel

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5:35pm: Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Mets continue to talk with Beimel, while other clubs remain in the mix.

9:25 am: The Rockies expressed interest in free agent lefty Joe Beimel, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.  Southpaw Franklin Morales is slated to close while Huston Street is out with a shoulder injury, creating an opening in left-handed relief.

Beimel, 33 in April, posted a 3.58 ERA, 5.7 K/9, and 3.1 BB/9 in 55.3 innings for the Nationals and Rockies last year.  The excellent FanGraphs splits pages show us that Beimel still handles lefties quite well, but had home run problems against them last year.  He is not to be used against righties.

Today is the one-year anniversary of Beimel's one-year, $2MM deal with Washington, so he's not afraid to wait for the right situation.  At the trade deadline the Nats traded Beimel and cash to Colorado for Robinson Fabian and Ryan Mattheus.  The Rockies chose not to offer arbitration to Beimel on December 1st.  Last we heard Beimel received an offer from the Mets in recent weeks.

Cardinals Return Jukich To Reds

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The Cardinals have returned Rule V draftee Ben Jukich to the Reds, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Jukich, 27, pitched as a swingman in the Cincinnati system last season. His 4.10 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 123 innings were good, not great at Triple-A Louisville. And considering he's actually allowed a higher batting average to lefties (.270) than righties (.256) in his career, he didn't figure to be a lefty specialist, either.

St. Louis GM John Mozeliak said he tried to work out a deal to keep Jukich, but couldn't "find a fit", Goold writes.

According to a report by the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fayman, Reds manager Dusty Baker is happy to have Jukich back.

John Smoltz Lands TBS Job

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5:00pm: Smoltz's contract with TBS contains outs if wants to resume his baseball career, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  No surprise there.  Rosenthal notes that the Phillies "have shown a strong interest in Smoltz as a possible midseason addition."

THURSDAY, 12:24pm: Smoltz put the odds of pitching again at 50-1, talking to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution yesterday.

TUESDAY, 12:31pm: Free agent pitcher John Smoltz will join TBS as a regular season and playoff analyst, according to a press release.  Smoltz's statement on the career move: "Joining Turner Sports' Major League Baseball coverage is a great opportunity for me to stay immersed in the game that I love and I'm really looking forward to this experience."

Smoltz told the AP he is not officially retired, though ESPN's Buster Olney talked to some club execs who read his career move that way.  Smoltz was still able to demonstrate strikeout and control skills in his 78 big league innings last year and generated interest from ten teams as a free agent.  A few days ago, Smoltz told Murray Chass he hasn't ruled out pitching but hasn't made any decisions.

D’Backs Sign Reynolds To Three-Year Deal

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The Diamondbacks officially signed third baseman Mark Reynolds to a three-year, $14.5MM deal today.  The deal includes a $1MM signing bonus, $500K this year, $5MM in 2011, $7.5MM in '12, and an $11MM club option for '13 with a $500K buyout.  Reynolds also received a limited no-trade clause.

Reynolds narrowly missed Super Two status, so 2011 would've been his first arbitration year.  This extension overwrites Reynolds' 2010 renewal, meaning the club option is on his last arbitration year.  The D'Backs get Reynolds' first two arbitration years at roughly $14MM, so the cost savings don't appear to be great.  Piecoro finds Reynolds comparable to Dan Uggla, who will receive $13.15MM for his first two arbitration years and is not on a multiyear deal.  The 26-year-old Reynolds broke out with a 44 home run campaign in 2009.

Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic first reported the agreement, and MLB.com's Steve Gilbert added details (via Twitter).

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

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