Most agents and executives will be flying out of Orlando today, but that doesn't mean there's not still time for teams and players to strike a few deals. Here are the latest American League updates from the 2013 Winter Meetings:
- The Twins are making progress in talks with free agent starter Mike Pelfrey, reports La Velle Neal III of the Star Tribune. The Twins and agent Scott Boras have met since the team offered a two-year, $10MM deal, and appear to closing the gap, though GM Terry Ryan is in no rush to finalize an agreement today.
- Dan Duquette and the Orioles have done "a lot of work" to prepare for the Rule 5 draft, and are very likely to select a player later this morning, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports details.
- The Yankees have several needs on their roster that Brian Cashman is ready to address, but he's dealing with a thin pitching market and still determining which of the team's targets are attainable, writes Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger. "I'd rather go the easier route, and pull something down and everybody's like 'That's a good move!'" Cashman said. "I don't know if that's going to happen. I might have to go the harder, longer route. But we'll see."
- As various reports continue to link the Royals to Omar Infante, the team continues to sing Emilio Bonifacio's praises. GM Dayton Moore indicated Wednesday that the club is "very pleased" with Bonifacio at second base, according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel.
Trade Ichiro!
One of Gardner/Ichiro/Wells will have to be moved this year.
My belief is Yanks won’t move Gardner unless it’s for a 3/4 starter (which I doubt happens) and Wells will probably just be cut since he offers nothing in the way of payroll. Ichiro will be a defensive replacement for Beltran, insurance for Ellsbury/Gardner and a pinch-runner.
I don’t see Gardner getting moved unless it is something of value, but they can’t go into the season with 6 outfielders.
Gardner, Ells, Beltran will be starting. Ichiro will be the 4th OF off the bench. Soriano will be the primary DH, and Wells will be cut.
Don’t see the OF as a problem for the Yanks. I hope they don’t trade Gardner for pitching. The OF right now is their biggest strength.
100% agree.
The Yankees don’t want to trade Gardner but Heyman says Yanks think that Gardy will bolt NY after the 2014 season? Huh!?!
Yes it is, since there is no 2nd baseman, 2 shortstops (one 40 coming off season ending injuries and another that can’t hit), a 3rd baseman who if not suspended can no longer turn on a fastball and as a result will be hitting plenty of balls to the opposite field warning track, and a Tampa Bay .235 hitting reject.
Both two years and $10MM are too high for Pelfrey. He’s terrible. I thought they were crazy last season to sign him for 1/$4MM, and he pitched poorly in 2013. So. . .give him a raise and tack on another year. Wow. Pelfrey should have signed that deal yesterday.
That is the cost of backend starters nowadays.
My point was that he’s barely even that. But after looking at his 2013 fWAR, apparently he was worth 2.1 (which is baffling considering his rWAR was -0.3 and his ERA+ was again 78 and he had a 1.558 WHIP to go along with 6.0 k/9 and 3.1 BB/9), so maybe he is worth it.
Is there no one in the Twins minors who could give you some innings at league minimum salary?
I agree. there seems to be no correlation between how bad a player plays and his salary. Players get raises once in arbitration even when they do not play a year or when they play so bad they are sent to the minors. I realize team owners are smart people or else they would not have amassed such fortunes but I have to wonder when I see owners who overpay and bid against themselves on a frequent basis for players you would think they could find in their own system..
I just don’t understand why they would bring him back…they have plenty of similar arms at a fraction of the cost.
Just what a contending team in the O’s needs, is ANOTHER Rule 5 guy. There’s a reason these players aren’t on the 40 man roster.
Johan Santana agrees