The career of the Rays' Tim Beckham, who was the first overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft, hasn't gone as planned, but Beckham finally did make it to the Majors at the tail end of the 2013 season. 2014, though, may turn out to be a lost year for him, as he tore his ACL in his right knee, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes (on Twitter). Beckham, who turns 24 in January, hit .276/.342/.387 in 522 plate appearances at Triple-A Durham last season. Here are more notes from around the American Legaue.
- Yankees president Randy Levine's recent comments about Mike Trout and the Angels displeased Major League Baseball, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports. In reference to Robinson Cano's ten-year contract with the Mariners, Levine said, "If Mike Trout was here, I’d recommend the 10-year contract. But for people over 30, I don’t believe it makes sense." That led MLB to investigate whether Levine's comments broke any rules regarding tampering with another team's players. Levine says he called Angels president John Carpino to apologize, and he considers the matter settled.
- The Orioles are still negotiating with free-agent closer Grant Balfour, but Balfour wants three years and the Orioles only want to give him two, Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweets. The Orioles indicate that they are willing to look elsewhere to fill their closer job if they can't find common ground with Balfour.
- The Orioles discussed a big-league deal with Jason Kubel's agency, Wasserman Media Group, MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko reports. Kubel ended up signing a minor-league deal with the Twins, however, and Kubatko suggests that's because Kubel is very confident he'll make the team in Minnesota (Twitter links).
- After adding Robinson Cano, Corey Hart and Logan Morrison, the Mariners still want to add a starting pitcher, a reliever and another catcher, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports. They'd like to add relief help to offset the departure of Carter Capps, who headed to the Marlins in the Morrison trade, and they're looking for a catcher because they have just two, Mike Zunino and Jesus Sucre, on their 40-man.
Mariners should forget Price and go try to get Cliff Lee. If they take on the salary, they could probably do it for Romero, Pike, and an OF. Hernandez, Lee, Kuma, Walker, and Paxton would be amazing with Hultzen coming in sometime in ’15 or ’16.
Might even be able to get Papelbon too if Philly is really looking to shed salary. Someone pointed it out that if the Phillies paid $6M of his salary, that puts him in the same price range as what Rodney and others are looking for as free agents.
I must say I like that plan much more.solves 2 major problems …great starting pitcher and a closer.I do not want to trade Zunino or Walker so this would be way better!!
I agree on Walker and Zunino. It’d be great to have Price, but he already said he wouldn’t sign an extension. I guess if we trade hoping that he will agree to one sometime in that two years. But why risk it. Lee has a vesting option for ’16, at which point you could replace him with Hultzen.
Plus, adding Ruiz will solve the catching position since Zunino is coming off the injury he substained later part of this past season. He has the power that the Mariners can fill in the middle of the batting order and continue working w/ Cliff Lee. The Braves can use David Price as they have enough prospects to trade.
Go get Cliff Lee?
That could mean a lot of things….you might have to elaborate. Cliff Lee…Phillies pitcher, said to be shopping him to get younger….played a little for the Mariners.
He wasn’t Happy in Seattle.
I don’t think Cliff Lee is looking for a second tour.
He was more upset that he was traded from the Phillies during the middle of talks of an extension. He did say he liked Seattle, and they are a better team than they were when they had him. And….even bigger, the Phillies are not at all what they used to be. I bet he’d be okay with a second tour at this point.
Cliff Lee is worth T. Walker, Brad Miller or Nick Franklin, and Mike Zunino….to Amaro.
Right, probably true. It’d be nice too if he actually knew what his plan was. Signs a couple old veterans and then shops his top pitchers for salary relief and to get younger.
But that is way too much to give for Lee at this stage in his career.
Your cynicism for Amaro is lost on this comment page. I’m giving a +1. For those that need interpretation, Amaro is over valuing Lee.
Would rather have Cole Hamels
Yeah, but Hamels will probably cost more than Price. He’s under contract for a lot longer and the Phillies are less likely to want to rid of him.
If the M’s aren’t going to give up one of Walker/Paxton/Hultzen for Lee, then it would probably take more than package you offered. Yes, I know, Lee comes at a steep price (2 years, $62.5 M or 3 years, $77.5 M if the option vests), but in this inflating market, that might turn out to be a decent deal (he’s averaged a 6.8 rWAR, 5.5 fWAR, player the last 3 years in Philly). I could see the Phillies asking for Franklin/Miller (Franklin would by my preference), Jabari Henry, Carson Smith, and Stephen Landazuri. If the M’s balk at Franklin/Miller, then ask for Ty Kelly and another lower level guy (to go with Henry, Smith and Landazuri). Personally, I’d give you Pap for free (and pay $3-5 M a year of his salary). But that’s just me – and 83% of Phillies fans.
If the M’s could get Lee for Kelly, Henry, Smith and Landazuri (who I personally don’t have a high opinion of as a player), I think the majority of us would be perfectly fine with them taking on a ton of that salary. I would under no circumstances, however, take on all of it, even if it was Lee for just Landazuri.
M’s get: Lee, Papelbon, and $15 M
Phils get: Franklin, Henry, Smith, Landazuri, and Victor Sanchez
Fair? Or a stretch? I’m not sure how other teams view Pap right now. In Philly, he’s a sore that almost everyone wants to get rid of (he’s a head case that seems content when winning, but outspoken when losing). Seattle would be taking on $100 M of payroll – $75 M if the options don’t vest. Phillies get back a top 50 prospect with some MLB experience, 2 top-15 system guys in Smith and Sanchez (a reliever and a starter), an OF with middling tools 2+ years away, and a ground ball starter still a couple years away.
I would be good with that if I were the M’s. Especially for Lee and a closer, while most importantly, not giving up one of Walker, Paxton, or Zunino. I like Franklin, but he just doesn’t have a spot anymore. Not sure how he would fit with the Phillies either though now that Utley was extended. That’s easy too though, with the option to swap Franklin with someone like Romero or Kivlehan.
I would love it. Most of the guys on the M’s side are blocked for years to come at the big league level.
Add Carlos Ruiz the catcher from the Phillies for Jesus Montero & a PTBN like Morban or Landry (outfielder).
Probably fair, though I’m not sure the extent of interest Jack Z would have in Papelbon. Tough to gauge based on last season but he’s definitely a capable closer. It’s an interesting trade to discuss though. I wonder how Amaro would view that.
If the M’s could get Cliff Lee as a salary dump without having to give up any real prospects, then they would jump all over that even if they had to pay his full salary. His contract is only for 2 more years plus an option. Remember that we just committed 10 years and $240 million to 31 year old Robinson Cano.
But the problem is the distribution of that money. They are not going to compete with $60M tied up to Lee and $240M to Cano. $105M is the max budget, I believe.
All Howard Lincoln has said about next year’s payroll budget is that it is going to increase from last year’s $95 million (budget was $95 but they only spent $85). Considering how they have signed a mega local TV deal and the league has signed a new national TV deal since last season, I’m assuming that they are going to be much more flexible with the budget this year and willing to pay for talent (like they did with Cano). If they choose to, they could easily afford a significant payroll increase. Then again, I have no idea what they are planning so who knows?
Well he hasn’t outright said it, he alluded to it… but hey, if they go over $105M it’s not a worry of mine. It’s their cash! I’m cool with it. I’d prefer Tanaka over a trade though, personally.
I think I remember him saying in an interview with the Seattletimes or somebody about month ago that payroll was definitely going up but maybe he just alluded to it. He didn’t comment on how much though so it could possibly only be a minimal increase (I hope not).
Yeah Tanaka is target #1 right now in my book too.
Just to let you know, Hultzen’s career may possibly be ruined thanks to his torn rotator cuff. Its not that the M’s won’t trade him, but that now no one would want to trade for him considering the health issue. Also Ty Kelly wasn’t even protected from the rule 5 draft so the Phillies could’ve had him for nothing if they wanted.
M’s arent gonna trade Miller they have no other SS
Dominic Brown would cost James Paxton too as he can fill the outfield spot that the team need. Dominic Brown, Cliff Lee, Carlos Tuiz, and Anthony Bastardo for James Paxton, Nick Franklin, Jabari Henry, Stephen Landazuri, Carson Smith, Ty Kelly, and Jesus Montero w/ a player to be named or internation slot would make a great trade.
Hultzen is not even close to a sure thing anymore since his injury has set him back a ton. He should not be relied on to ever be the star he could have been. I still like the look of that rotation but a lot less without a young starter with the potential of Hultzen healthy waiting his turn.
This is not an endorsement to go after Price, I would just probably prefer a younger guy at this point.
That’s a bad idea. If the M’s are going to spend that kind of dough, I wish it would be on an OF. A good OF. And Paplebon is losing stuff and quit striking guys out. Even if the Phillies kick in money he’d still be expensive. And he’s annoying to boot. Farquhar is good enough to close and he’s “free.”
Anthony Bastardo might be a better option to set up for Farquhar as he’s younger thsn Papelbon.
Add Carlos Ruiz by shipping Jesus Montero and a PTBN like a second baseman in AA that wil be blocked by Cano as the Mariners need a catcher helping Zunino recover from his injury late in the past season. Instead of Papelbon, Bastardo would be a better package as he’s younger and can be a setup man for Danny Farquhar.
The Phillies just signed Ruiz though, and they would have no use for Montero. Montero can’t catch, and would be blocked at 1B for the Phillies, and there would be no DH. I guess maybe if he was their 1B after Howard leaves. And…I still liked our other idea of going after Storen better.
And really, my only thing with the Phillies was getting Lee. I’d prefer the Mariners got relief help elsewhere. Throwing in Papelbon was just an idea, but there are other options I like better.
Relief pitching help and catcher Wieters from the Orioles may not be a bad move for the Mariners & O’s for Ackley, Tyler Pike or Carson Smith & Brandon Maurer, minor league shortstop at AA that is ready to move up at AAA and the 25 man roster in couple years to replace JJ Hardy, and a player to be named. That may be enough to make the deal unless Anthony Fernandez brings more value than Maurer.
The Orioles indicate that they are willing to look elsewhere to fill
their closer job if they can’t find common ground with Balfour. Well, this would be a shame because I am quite confident that Balfour would quickly become a fan favorite.
Also, I hope the Mariners’ plan works because if it doesn’t there will be a bit of a problem somewhere.
Lastly, I hoe the O’s don’t sign players for the sake of it. While signing A.J. Burnett would be very exciting, I am not sure if it would do a blessed thing to help the Oriole rotation. Spend money on Arroyo, spend money on Jimenez and lose the draft pick.
Come on Oriole Management, Get Serious!
this is what happens when you have the worst owner in all of sports. I listen to MLB every day we have become the blunt of almost every joke on there.
I would hardly call Angelos the worst in all of sports. That title belongs to Jeffery Loria of the Marlins. Jerry Jones of the Cowboys. Dan Snyder of the Redskins would round out the top 3.
NO they at least try. Dan Snyder tries to make moves they back fire, Jerry Jones does a lot for his deal hell Jeff Loria signed a ton of players it just didnt pan out. Little Peter on other hand does NOTHING.
That sucks for Timbo. HJL is still out with his torn ACL too.
This is just turrible.
M’s should have gone for John Buck from day 1. Start from the hardest position to fill. Then pour the mo’ to Ubaldo.
Isn’t Montero still on the 40 man?
He’s considered a 1B now.
Yeah I know he was playing first in AAA, but I saw he was still listed as a catcher on the 40 man on the Mariners site so I wasn’t sure
Yeah, that is kinda weird. I haven’t looked in awhile, so I’m not sure. My first thought was what about Hicks? Thought he would be on there.
Hicks, Ackley/Montero/or Smoak, Anthony Fernandez, and PTBL for Drew Storen or Tyler Clippard between the Mariners-Nats trade might be a better option on closer role than acquiring Papelbon should Mike Rizzo & Jack Z can pull off the move.
I’ve always wanted them to get Storen, so I’d be for it. I don’t know that they would deal Clippard, since he is great. Also, not sure the Nats would care for Ackley or Montero. Agree with Smoak and Hicks being a fit though.
The other one I wish they would have done was buildinga package around Franklin to get Aaron Crow and Tim Collins from the Royals. But, now that the Royals have their 2B, I don’t see that happening.
They will deal either Smoak or Montero soon Im sure
Phillies can have Smoak or Montero before moving either of the two to the Pirates or the Brewers for a low level prospect in a seoarate trade (similar to the Blue Jays-Marlins trade that sent John Buck to the Mets from the Blue Jays for Josh Thole & possibly another player last year.
The Nationals could use either of them to backup LaRoche at first base & pinch hit for the pitcher w/ players mentioned above instead of Ackley to acquire Clippard or Storen as a setup man for Farquhar.
Mariners also have Jesue Montero on the 40-man, right? Not just Zunino and Sucre.
They’re moving him to first base, right?
mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/mariners-jesus-monter…
Mariners need to sign Choo still.
Sending Ackley to the Blue Jays for relief help makes some sense.
Yankees would be interested. If it’s relief help you’re looking for, I’m guessing young, affordable, under team control for a few years–how about Preston Claiborne?
With Rivera retiring and Logan now gone (among others) the Yankees need bullpen help, so I doubt they’d be looking to trade any at this point. I suspect they’ll try to use Gardner to address any needs, but they don’t seem to be in any hurry to part with him, nor should they be IMO. He’s a solid, versatile outfielder and a bargain at this point, but he may be under-valued by other teams.
If Claiborne had 2 or 3 solid years behind him, I would agree with you on that point. He doesn’t. He has a good arm but relievers, especially middle relievers, are really (with some exceptions) a crap shoot. The Mariners would be gambling on Claiborne and the Yankees would be gambling on Ackley. That’s what makes it fair.
I find it a little odd that I haven’t heard the M’s mentioned with any of the remaining free agent starters. I figured after passing on Price (or Price passing on them, I guess), they’d have grabbed somebody like Ubaldo Jimenez by now. There hasn’t even been any rumors about them looking at those guys, but you figure they HAVE to be, right?
I believe the same thing happened when tgey didnt get Joe Saunders until January
I bet they’re waiting on Tanaka like every other team. Seattle could be a big player in that if he is posted. Seattle has a huge Japanese market, and they have been successful with them in the past (Ichiro, Sasaki, and now Kuma)
They’ve been connected to Tanaka, who should be their prime target anyways. I’d assume if they can’t get something going with Tanaka or if he doesn’t get posted, then the rumors with other SPs will heat up.
It should also be taken into account that the Mariners FO doesn’t leak out information at all, so any rumors about them are coming from agents or other FO’s. We really have no idea what the Mariners FO is doing.
O’s should give Balfour a 3rd year, sign him, and then trade Tommy Hunter and one of their legion of catchers not named Wieters to Seattle for Smoak.
Randy Levine has a big mouth. Tampering? Only in MLB-world
Big mouth is right. He must have some compromising photos of the ownership to still be around in the organization. Not sure why he wasn’t let go a long time ago. In any case, what he said about Trout wasn’t tampering.
The reason Randy Levine is the president of the Yankees and gets to keep his job is because he’s actually good at his job. Very good. He’s helped the Steinbrenner’s line their pockets with a billion-plus dollars. With his NYC political connections, he helped architect the sweetheart deal with NYC for the new Stadium; he led the restructuring of the organization into multiple legal entities that shields their TV, concessions and licensing money from revenue sharing and other taxes; he helped expand the YES Network during its formative days, still by far the most profitable RSN in the country; he helped negotiate the sale of a portion of YES to FOX Sports netting the Steinbrenner’s upfront a half a billion dollars just for agreeing to the deal, and that doesn’t count the money they’ll get for selling a portion of the network.
I agree, he is annoying, but that’s also part of his role. When the Yankees want to deliver a negative message, they don’t let Hal do it or Cashman. They give it to Levine.
You don’t fire people like Levine. You give them a raise. If only he’d spend the millions he’s making to get a better haircut.
Right. He’s a lawyer with NYC political connections – a mud slinging know-it-all who knows very little else. I believe he’s part of the Yankee/Tampa contingent, whispering into Steinbrenner’s ear. They’ve caused a lot of pain for Yankee fans.
As an Angels fan I have to say that this is the biggest non-issue of the off-season. Seriously, making an off-hand comment about another player is tampering? I think it’s pretty fair to say that anyone who hears that would understand his point. A super young, highly talented player, might be worth a 10 year commitment. As opposed to someone on the wrong side of 30. You could have substituted Trout for Harper, Myers, Kershaw, etc and made exactly the same point.
Yankees should get fined
Should they? Yes. Will they? They haven’t before.
The isn’t the first time the Yankees FO hasn’t been accused of tampering. In 2011 Peter Gammons said The Yankees and others tried to encourage Andrew Miller to opt out of his contract and enter Free Agency. In 2004 Steinbrenner himself said he wished he could have Randy Johnson while he was with the diamondbacks, a year later- he got his wish.
Personally I hope MLB makes an example out of them and sets a zero tolerance policy on mentioning players under contract to other teams and expressing a contractual term of future employment. I don’t care if it’s Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, or Vernon Wells. The MLB can’t allow franchises to influence players under another club.
Exactly. Yankees told Trout their interested, and what they would plan on giving him. This makes it nearly impossible for the Angels to negotiate with him. Now they (if they were not already) have to make a outlandish offer to him for him to even consider signing an extension.
But Levine was not talking specifically about Trout: He was simply using him as a proxy for “young superstar”. You could substitute in Matt Harvey or Bryce Harper and the sentiment would still be the same.
Then he should have said “young superstar” and not Trout by name (or any other player currently under another teams control or contract). While I agree that is what he meant, it is besides the point. You have given additional leverage to a player for negotiations with his CURRENT team which is unacceptable. You cannot use names, and I’m surprised Randy Levine isn’t smart enough to realize that.
They should lose money, and provide draft compensation.
Sure he could have been just making an example but the fact is that he WAS talking specifically about Trout because he mentioned him by name. He could of easily said “a player in his twenties” or “if cano was younger” and then there wouldn’t have been a problem. If he said Harper or Harvey then it would sill be tampering with the player of that name and those clubs and their fans would be upset too.
He was telling Trout nothing. And Trout can’t do ANYTHING for years to come.
If Mike Trout or his agent interpreted that as “The Yankees will give me 10 years and $350M when I become a FA in 3 years” then they both need to have their head checked.
This coming from an Angels fan. There is no tampering. It was a stupid thing to say but hardly newsworthy.
Much ado about nothing. I’m a Yankee fan and I can’t stand Levine, but if anybody thinks this is going to influence Mike Trout in any way they’re kidding themselves. He already knows the Yankees will probably be major players if he hits free agency. Randy Levine was brought on-board to get a new YS built, and now he won’t go away, but this comment is the very definition of “slow news day”.
Might be to much for the. Mariners but Scherzer and Avila for Maurer and Zunino? Mariners get new catcher even though he had a bad year he had a good second half were he batted 300. Also they have a lot of money and could extend Scherzer. Tigers get pitcher who hurt his value but still has plenty of potential and a catcher who is going to be good. Is this fair or bad please comment.
I sorta like it, but I think with the M’s giving up that many years of control, the tigers may have to add someone else in. Maybe a reliever, although the Tigers aren’t in much of a position to give one away right now.
You think the Tigers would have to add more? Scherzer and Avila for Zunino and Maurer? Brandon Maurer with the 4.90 FIP and 6.30 ERA? You’re talking about dealing the reigning Cy Young winner and his catcher for a catcher prospect (albeit a promising one, but one who still hasn’t proven anything in the majors) and a pitching prospect who bombed big-time in his debut.
Yes I do. One year of Scherzer, who was great last year but had never previously been an ace and is no guarantee to do be one again, and two years of a catcher who put up less than 1 WAR last year, in exchange for 6 years of a top 20 prospect in all of baseball at catcher and 6 years of a pitcher who put up a 4.25 xFIP as a 22 year old rookie. I don’t think its too far off, but it is 3 years of control in exchange for 12 years of control. it just seems a bit of a heavy price for the M’s to pay.
Also, the fewer years of control are going to a team that probably is not quite ready to compete for a World Series yet, and unproven players going to a team with a limited window. Can’t see the deal happening from that view.
Yankees will not get fined if you take the comment in context Levine was just giving an example of why 10 year contract for 30 years old are a bad idea. If the Yankees do get fined, it will be a slap on the wrist for them since they have the financials to cover that kind of expense
Levine just said what is on everyone’s mind. Just should have been ambiguous and not used an example.
I believe the comment was completely innocent, but that also doesn’t mean it can’t affect the contracts of players on other teams which is what tampering is all about. And not just for Trout, but for any older players looking for big contracts.
If it does affect the contracts, a statement as obvious as that, something anyone with a brain and has watched baseball in the last 5 years would know is a bad idea, then the team’s GM who that statement sways to not sign a 10 year deal with a 30+ year old shouldn’t be holding any position in the MLB requiring intellect that is higher than an average 10 year old.
It’s pretty silly that anyone would take what the Yankees Pres said for anything other than what it was.
Anyone in their right mind who makes a list of players who they would consider signing to a 10 year deal, start it with Trout.
Just because the public agrees with a statement doesn’t mean it isn’t tampering. Pretty sure public statements about what you would or wouldn’t sign an already contracted player for qualify as tampering.