TODAY, 1:25pm: Mulder's deal includes no guaranteed money, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. He will have to make the opening day roster to guarantee his $1MM base, and must stay active and in the rotation for the full season to reach the $6MM in incentives, according to Fletcher.
YESTERDAY, 6:36pm: Mark Mulder has agreed to a minor league deal with a big league invite with the Angels, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The veteran, who is represented by Brian Charles of Big League Management Company, LLC, can earn more than $6MM if all incentives are met, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The deal comes with a guaranteed $1MM base salary, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. 
Mulder, 36, hasn't pitched since 2008 because of shoulder issues, and has been working as an analyst with ESPN since 2011. Mulder began his comeback in Arizona in November and auditioned for the Giants, Diamondbacks, and numerous other clubs before reaching agreement with the Halos. In nine seasons with the Athletics and Cardinals, Mulder owns a 4.18 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9.
The veteran will get an opportunity to compete for a starting job while also training near his home in the Phoenix area, tweets Crasnick. The Halos have Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson atop the rotation, with Joe Blanton, Garrett Richards, and lefties Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago also in the rotation mix. The agreement with Mulder shouldn't preclude them in their pursuit of Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka or Matt Garza. The baseball world will be rooting for Mulder, who last pitched in '08 and hasn't spent a full season as a starter since '05.
While it's a minor league deal, Mulder's agent won't commit to the left-hander actually pitching in the minors. "Mark will evaluate that if and when the time comes," Charles told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (via Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe first reported that Mulder was nearing agreement with the Angels.
Who needs Tanaka when you can have Mulder? Unlike Tanaka, Mulder has proven that he can pitch in the big leagues. Where was Tanaka in 03?
not sure if srs
They’ve already got 3 players from the 2001 playoffs in Pujols, Ibanez, and Mulder. Now they can sign Freddy Garcia, Barry Zito, trade for Ichiro, and call it an offseason.
Is it bad that I can actually see them making those moves? Hahaha
Zito is trying to come back next year, and right now he is surfing in So-Cal, so I wouldn’t be totally shocked to see Zito sign with them.
Its funny how people have jokes
That’s the point of jokes..
Aren’t you smart I bet you learned that in 2014
That was painful to read..
how painful? from a 1-10
That’s the point of jokes..
Tanaka was 15 lolol
Middle school
Highschool
Mariners could use a Tanaka, Garza, or Jimenez (if still available) as second or third starting pitcher.
(Insert one of the 29 other teams here) could use those guys as well, particularly as #2 or #3 starters.
Wow, never thought of that before. Did you think of that just now?
Mariners could use a Tanaka, Garza, or Jimenez (if still available) as second or third starting pitcher.
Can’t imagine a scenario where he makes the big league roster.
Right, with that superb rotation the Angels have
Mulder hasn’t pitched a full season since 2005
The Astros were still good then. . .
Well it could be worse, Tommy Hanson and Joe Blanton could still be in it.
Ken Bottenfield or Oil Can Boyd would be a better option than those two.
point taken
Bullpen maybe? If he accepts that.
Angles got promising arms In that three team deal but there rotation still is far from competitive right now, nice veteran pick up.
I still think their going hard on tanaka or garza…. Its gonna be a much improved rotation and their actually going to have a first round pick so not bad well c how everything works out
Do I assume properly that the $1 million base salary guarantee only applies if he makes the big league team?
Bad deal if he makes the team. 1 million base salary? He hasnt pitched since 2008!!! That plus up to 6 million with incentives? I guess it depends on how easy they are to hit, but either way Mulder should have only gotten a minor league deal and the mlb minumum if he made the team.
It is a minor league deal and there’s never any harm in moves like this. I’s only $1 million and if he makes the squad that means he earned it.
He hasn’t pitched since 2008 but still an upgrade over Blanton.
My grandma is an upgrade over Blanton.
What would it take to sign her?
Not 15 million, that’s for sure.
So, say, 5/45 and she’s in the rotation?
If Boras is her agent, she will sign right before spring training with a 5/60 and a no-trade. Don’t discount the “mystery” team.
And sadly he won’t even make as much as Blanton, even if he hits all of his incentives
A tee-ball tee might be an upgrade over Joe Blanton.
I read this at first as a “tree-ball tree” and still agreed.
Just watch…Blanton has a suburb bounce-back year in preparation for his next contract. That’s often how it goes.
Huddy to the Giants and Muldy to the Angels. All our guys are joining sworn enemies. Your move, Zito. Texas maybe?
The most harmful thing Barry Zito could do would be to go back to Oakland
Couldn’t have said it better myself
Not a bad idea at all. Low risk. Wonder if he accepts a AAA assignment if he doesn’t make the squad. My biggest (realistic) hope is that he accepts a role in their bullpen if he has to. That idea intrigues me the most about this signing. They can deepen their bullpen even more with this move. We’ll see.
If he’ll agree to go to the bullpen, it becomes a potentially terrific move.
The deal comes with a guaranteed $1MM base salary… why may I ask?
That’s a lot of cheese for someone who hasn’t pitched really since 2005.
I dunno! Heck though, I am interested to see what he has in the tank.
Maybe he feels if Colon can do it, why can’t he (Mulder).
I’m drawing a blank on how many players have come back from a 5 year hiatus.
Besides Minnie Minoso and Satchel Paige, I believe Jose Rijo tried a comeback around 10 years ago.
That he did (Jose Rijo). And he did it while throwing low 80’s after three Tommy Johns and virtually no ligament in his arm.
Jim Bouton retired in 1970, and logged 29 innings for Atlanta in 1978. He was far from amazing, but I suppose it qualifies as a comeback, since he did pitch in the majors.
Jim Palmer tried it for the Orioles after he had been elected to the Hall of Fame. I think it was a year after he was enshrined, but he never made it out of Spring Training.
Either way, this is my favorite story of the offseason by far. If it works, great it is a terrific story…if not, then nobody loses anything and we get a chance to say goodbye to one of the best pitchers of the early 2000s. It kind of reminds me of Ben Sheets coming back with the Braves a couple of years back.
Dave Stieb did as well.
WOW so he going to be a SP or RP.
I think he’d really only be a SP, unless he can’t gain back his stamina.
i agree, that why im confuse with the 6MM incentives for a LRP.
It would be an interesting story if he comes back strong, simply because it is so improbable. Hope he does it though. If he does, I might start warming up and try to be the first 56 yo rookie of the year,
Has anyone heard anything about velocity? Dude obviously knows how to pitch… I’m just curious to see what kind of zip is on the ball.
Fastball touched 92 in his early showings this winter
This is a risk free move for the Angels. They’re not sure how the bullpen and rotation are going to shore up, so why not create some more competition with a solid vet/retiree that can only benefit the team, whether on the field or in the clubhouse during Spring Training. Lots of LH options for the pen and rotation, but it’s not likely that Blanton starts. Richards should finally get a full season of being a SP, but knowing Sciosch we could see him back in the pen. And if nothing works out with Mulder, we didn’t lose anything. If he makes the team, he is a cheap, veteran guy who has to earn the dollars agreed on, besides the $1 mil.
Don’t forget Mark Mulder!
He’s automatically higher on the depth chart then Joe Blanton. Surprised he settled for anything less then 2 years $14M
Angels digging into the eX Files to bring Mulder into ST.
It will be interesting to see what Mark Mulder has if anything in the left arm.
As I understand it, he (Mulder) was covering the Dodgers and Cardinals on the Radio this past postseason and saw something in Paco Rodriguez’s delivery that he wanted to mimic. Supposedly, Mulder returned to his hotel room and repeats Paco’s delivery in the mirror and experiences no pain in his throwing shoulder. Later in the offseason he and Kyle Lohse play catch at a family party
Lohse told Mulder that he had movement and velocity. Mulder than calls a scout and he throws for three MLB teams. He was said to have throw 88-91 with “run” and didn’t suffer any setbacks after throwing.
I guess he couldn’t find a spot on the Phillies/Yankees.
Yanks felt, that at 36, he would lower the average age of their roster.
He might want to wear something more suitable to baseball than that
for a one year, incentive-laden deal, what’s not to like here?
I Want To Believe.
Geez. They must be really desperate for pitching. The guy’s shoulder virtually fell off of his torso. But okay: low risk, unlikely reward.
Seriously though; congrats, Mark. Loved you in Oakland.
Geez. They must be really desperate for pitching. The guy’s shoulder virtually fell off of his torso. But okay: low risk, unlikely reward.
Seriously though; congrats, Mark. Loved you in Oakland.
Nice low cost addition that will automatically give them a good clubhouse guy and his production can’t be as bad as Blanton’s
They should add Barry Zito and Freddy Garcia to add to that pitching staff. And for right field acquire Ichiro from the Yanks!
JK
First throwing money away on Madson, now Mulder……
It’s peanuts if he doesn’t make the team, and if he does make it, the only way he earns MORE than peanuts is if he performs well. Who cares?
Good move for the Halos. $1M is basically nothing in the game today. The Halos are setting themselves up for a rotation of; 1. Weaver. 2. Wilson. 3. Tanaka or Garza. 4. Richards. 5. Mulder, Santiago, or Skaggs. It’s good to have options and Santiago could be a nice bullpen piece if he loses the competition for the 5th spot. Building depth… that’s all they’re doing and I like it.
If he revives his career, I think he owes Paco Rodriguez & his funky delivery a really big Prize.
Great, now when they get to ST, Mulder can brag to Trout that he still makes more than him.
I remember a couple of years ago when the Yankees signed Raul Ibanez to a 1.1 Million Dollar Contract over the much more popular choice, Johnny Damon for DH.
We all know how well that worked out for the team and Ibanez resurrected career.
My hope to Mark Mulder is a very similar resurgence in LA for only 1 Million.
Wasn’t long ago that Zito, Hudson, and Mulder were shut down Aces.
…it was pretty long ago.
It was 11 years ago. That’s a long time.
Babe is gone dan?
Only until the Tanaka fiasco is over.
If Tanaka goes elsewhere, Babe returns.
If Tanaka comes to New York, Tanaka stays!
Can the angels just sign garza to a deal now and save themselves the fiasco of bidding on tanaka and going up against competition for garza aswell.
Garza would be silly to sign before Tanaka sets the market. The holdup is not on the team-side. The free agents know that demand for them will increase after Tanaka has signed
Where’s Grady Sizemore?
Angels with 84 wins this year.
The new information makes this signing even more awesome for the angels. Yes its a longshot but they are putting 0 out on mulder, which is way better then the risk that they took with madson.especially in the fact that he isnt injured at the time of the signing, and as to the fact that mulder has to work toward being in the rotation.
Almost zero risk here and the potential to acquire a cheap back of the rotation starter/ long reliever. Great depth move!
no guaranteed money? yeah, this was a no brainer. I’m surprised another team didn’t have a better offer.
curious to see the breakdown of the incentives
Not sure why people have such a hard time grasping the concept behind this deal. It’s a great move for the Angels. If he does nothing (most likely scenario) they pay him nothing. If he has anything left and can contribute at the big league level then he makes a $1M. If he can contribute substantially at the big league level his earnings are capped at $6M.
So long as the team is not depending on him (which they aren’t) there is absolutely no reason to hate on this deal.
I’ll be interested to see how he pitches on 5-year’s rest.
The last time Mark Mulder won a game Jose Bautista was batting lead off for the Pittsburgh Pirates {June 15, 2006}
Best of luck to MM! Hope he makes a contribution in the big leagues. If he does, this could be a nice pickup for the Angels.
MLB teams need arms. If you think you can pitch at all, somebody will take a looksee at you. Mulder might still be able to get big league hitters out. Even if he has, say, 120 innings in him it would be worth signing him.