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Discussion: Jonny Gomes

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As teams scour what's left on the free agent market during the dog days of January, they'll be hard-pressed to find a better power hitter from the right side than Jonny Gomes. The 29-year-old hit 20 homers in just 314 plate appearances for the Reds last season, and over the last five years he's averaged close to 30 bombs per 162 games.

Cincinnati non-tendered Gomes instead of giving him a significant raise (through arbitration) over the pro-rated $600K salary he earned in 2009. He owns a career .274/.369/.517 batting line versus left handers, though he doesn't do much beyond mash southpaws. He doesn't steal bases, and his outfield defense can be charitably described as awful. 

The Cubs filled their outfield hole by agreeing to deal with Xavier Nady earlier in the week, and the Yankees did the same by inking Randy Winn today. With his options drying up, do MLBTR's readers see any potential fits for Gomes? Maybe Atlanta or Seattle? 

Discussion: Next Young Pitcher To Be Extended

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One of the game's best young pitchers signed a contract extension yesterday that will take him to his 30th birthday, as the Marlins finally locked up Josh Johnson to a four-year deal worth $39MM. The extension mirrors the deal Kansas City gave Zack Greinke before last season, and is just the latest example of a club willing to assume the risk of a breakdown in exchange for cost certainty.

Paul Maholm, Scott Baker, Ubaldo Jimenez, Adam Wainwright, Matt Cain, Jon Lester, and James Shields are other young arms who have sacrificed the superior earning power of the arbitration process for financial security in recent years. Who do the readers of MLBTR think the next young pitcher to agree to an extension could be?

Leaving aside the big names like Tim Lincecum, Justin Verlander, and Felix Hernandez, here's a few pitchers who already have, or will soon enter into their arbitration years…

  • Yovani Gallardo – the Brewers' young ace struck out 204 batters and allowed just 150 hits in 185.2 innings last season, and will be arb eligible following the 2010 season.
  • Matt Garza – one of Tampa's many young power arms, Garza has struck out 7.3 batters per nine innings in his career, and has made 62 starts over the last two years. He's arb eligible as a Super Two this offseason.
  • Jair Jurrjens – perhaps the best pitcher no one talks about, Jurrjens led the NL in starts last year and owns a 3.21 career ERA. He'll be up for arbitration after the 2010 season.
  • Wandy Rodriguez – his breakthrough season last year included a 3.06 K/BB ratio and 193 strikeouts in 205.2 innings. Wandy is arb eligible for the second time this offseason after earning $2.6MM in 2009.

Discussion: Left Field In The Bronx

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The Yankees finished most of their offseason shopping when they traded for Javier Vazquez and Curtis Granderson, then signed Nick Johnson as a free agent, but the one spot left on the team that warrants an upgrade is left field. 

At the moment, Brett Gardner and Rule 5 Draft pick Jamie Hoffmann are scheduled to start the season in a defense-heavy platoon and hit ninth. GM Brian Cashman has indicated that the team is approaching it's 2010 payroll limit, and it appears they're only willing to spend about $5-6MM for an upgrade. This morning we learned that they're planning to wait out the free agent market before making any moves.

Looking at the list of available free agents, there appears to be plenty of second and third tier outfield options available. What do you think the Yankees should do about their left field situation? Should they stick with the Gardner/Hoffmann platoon, or bring in someone like Reed Johnson or Ryan Church or Rick Ankiel?

Discussion: Which Team Has Improved The Least?

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Earlier today, we discussed which team had improved the most so far this offseason. Based on your comments, the Seattle Mariners appear to be the overwhelming number one choice. Now it's time to examine the other side of coin, and figure out which club has done the least to improve so far this winter.

It hasn't been a great offseason in southern California: The Angels parted ways with top free agents like John Lackey and Chone Figgins, and the Dodgers' budget issues have affected their roster decisions (ie. not offering Randy Wolf arbitration). Elsewhere, Atlanta has lost a handful of impact players, including Javier Vazquez, Mike Gonzalez, and Rafael Soriano, while many of the Braves' new signings (Troy Glaus, Billy Wagner, Takashi Saito) have high upsides, but worrisome injury histories.

If you want to include rebuilding clubs in the discussion, the Blue Jays and Tigers will almost certainly field weaker teams in 2010, after trading away players like Roy Halladay, Curtis Granderson, and Edwin Jackson. Both clubs, however, managed to add some intriguing talent to their farm systems in those deals, aiming to improve their long-term prospects. In Detroit's case, they should still have the pieces to contend in 2010 in a weak AL Central.

It's hard to compare major movers and shakers such as the Red Sox and Yankees to the teams whose payroll restrictions force them to stand relatively pat. But which club's offseason do you think has been the worst, to date?

Discussion: Which Team Has Improved The Most?

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There's still a long way to go this offseason, however that won't stop us from debating which team has improved it's roster the most (so far).

The Red Sox have added the likes of John Lackey, Mike Cameron, Marco Scutaro, and Jeremy Hermida while losing Jason Bay, Billy Wagner, and Takashi Saito. Meanwhile, the Yankees replaced Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, and Melky Cabrera with Nick Johnson, Curtis Granderson, and Javier Vazquez. The Mariners added Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, and Milton Bradley while the Phillies imported Roy Halladay and Placido Polanco.

There are no shortage of teams that qualify for the title of "most improved," however determining which team actually deserves it will be tough. Who do the dedicated readers of MLBTR think baseball's most improved team is?

Discussion: Where Will Johnny Damon Land?

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We've flipped the calendar to 2010 and Johnny Damon is one of baseball's most intriguing names that remains unsigned. Chuck Brownson at The Hardball Times pens an article today that asks why teams seem wary of signing the veteran outfielder. Brownson acknowledges Damon's oft-repeated shortcomings, including his below average arm and his questionable defense (-12.1 UZR/150 last season), but points out that the 36-year-old is still a dangerous offensive player and seems destined to be a bargain this winter.

The New York Yankees seemed like the logical fit for Damon heading into the offseason. After all, Damon was a significant part of the team's World Series run in 2009, and their park's short right field porch helped him match his career high in homers (24). The Yankees' search for a left fielder has them considering more affordable options than Damon though, and they've shown a reluctance so far this winter to deal out multi-year contracts (Damon is seeking at least two years).

So what are Damon's alternatives? The Rangers are looking to add a bat or two, but Damon may be a little too expensive for their liking. The Cardinals have the money and the outfield opening, though if they sign Matt Holliday they'll no longer be in the market for a left fielder. The Giants could sign another hitter and the Braves still have some leftover money from the Javier Vazquez trade, but would either National League team be comfortable paying Damon a sizable chunk of money to play in the outfield every day for the next two years? An American League team that could occasionally DH the 36-year-old might make more sense.

With Jason Bay having signed and Holliday potentially not far behind, the market for Damon could improve in the coming weeks. For now, it doesn't seem that many teams are interested, given his asking price. Where do you see Damon playing in 2010?

Discussion: Los Angeles Dodgers

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Ever since the news of Frank and Jamie McCourt's divorce proceedings broke last October, Dodgers fans have been wondering (and dreading) if the ownership dispute would impact the team's operations.  The first two months of the offseason have been quiet enough in L.A. to make it look like the Dodgers are themselves also still waiting to see how things will play out with the McCourts and have thus been in a holding pattern in regards to next season's payroll.

This isn't to say that Los Angeles hasn't been active.  The Dodgers traded Juan Pierre to the White Sox, were involved in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, tried to acquire Aaron Harang from Cincinnati and signed utilityman Jamey Carroll.  But, as Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports pointed out today, the club is playing even-steven with its offseason moves in order to steady the budget.  For instance, the Dodgers saved $8MM over the next two seasons by dealing Pierre, and spent $3.85MM of those savings to sign Carroll.  Acquiring another notable free agent (such as Rosenthal's example of Joel Pineiro) would require L.A. to make another move to free up the cash to sign the right-hander.

We've already seen a bit of penny-pinching from the team this winter when they didn't offer arbitration to any of their free agents, passing on the chance to acquire compensatory draft picks for Type A free agents Orlando Hudson and Randy Wolf out of fear that Hudson or Wolf might accept the offer.  The bright side for Dodgers fans is that the team is at least keeping the payroll stable, rather than shifting into outright cost-cutting mode.  Rosenthal notes that there are no plans to deal any of L.A.'s young stars before their arbitration years — trading the likes of Andre Ethier, for example, would be "counter-productive" given Ethier's reasonable arbitration number and Manny Ramirez's slight decline. 

This stand-pat strategy will force Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti to be creative in filling the holes on a club that has lost the NLCS to Philadelphia in each of the last two seasons.  Rosenthal said that George Sherrill is "a candidate to be traded," but L.A. wouldn't save much money from the deal and getting rid of Sherrill would weaken their bullpen. There is also a need to sign a veteran like Pineiro to anchor the otherwise young starting rotation.

Discussion: Johnny Damon and Jason Bay

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While its difficult to criticize negotations from the outside, two major free agents appear to have negotiated their way out of ideal situations this year.

In 2009, Johnny Damon closed out his four-year, $52MM contract in style, hitting .282/.365/.489 with 24 HRs.  This offseason it was clear that Damon wanted to re-up with the Yankees, but of course, at the right price.  Early in the offseason, reports suggested that Boras was seeking a three-year contract at roughly the same rate ($13MM/year) as his last deal. 

After the Bombers signed Nick Johnson to take his place, word got out that Damon would have settled for $20MM over two years.  While the Yanks' proposal of $14MM still wasn't quite close enough, it is possible that the two sides could have reached an accord.  The Giants could be a suitor, as they were in on the Johnson chase, but it's doubtful that they would want to put him in the outfield.

Meanwhile, after rejecting a four-year, $60MM offer from Boston in July, Jason Bay appears to be having some trouble finding a new home. 

The signing of Mike Cameron likely means that the Red Sox will be moving on, leaving the Mets as the top suitor.  While some suggest that Omar Minaya & Co. will be willing to fork over the five-year pact that agent Joe Urbon has been asking for, it has been said that he does not want to play in Queens.

Regardless of what kind of contract each player fetches, it is difficult to imagine either player getting the money they wanted from their respective teams.

Discussion: Ben Sheets

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After missing all of 2009 with a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow, Ben Sheets is looking to hook on with a club for 2010.  Reportedly, Sheets' agent is seeking roughly $12MM, similar to what he made in his last major league season in 2008 when he posted a 3.09 ERA.

An item on the ESPN Rumors page titled "The Ben Sheets Five" says there are at least five teams which could use the 31-year-old's services.  The New York Mets are obviously in need of starting pitching and could be willing to gamble on his return.  The Cubs are mentioned as a fit, but they could also afford to stand pat with a rotation headlined by Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, and Ted Lilly.  The Dodgers are also listed, but money is obviously an issue for owner Frank McCourt.

In the American League, the Rays, Mariners, and Angels are mentioned as potential destinations.  The Halos could use Sheets to re-load after losing John Lackey to Boston.  Jack Zduriencik could be looking to add a veteran arm to the rotation as the club has shown a willingness to spend this winter.  Tampa Bay on the other hand might not be willing to spend big on Sheets as they find themselves with a reasonably-priced, yet deep, stable of starters.  The Yankees were once said to be interested, but now that they have acquired Javier Vazquez to round out their rotation, it seems unlikely that they will pursue him.

Now that most of the top starters in a shallow free agent pool have been swallowed up, we're likely to see an increased interest in Sheets.  By the same token, it doesn't appear that there are any great fits for the four-time All-Star.  One has to wonder if he can command anything close to the $12MM he is seeking.

Discussion: Pat Burrell

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Pat Burrell's move to the American League did not go as smoothly as he or the Rays hoped.  Burrell left the World Series-winning Phillies to sign a two-year, $16MM free agent contract with Tampa Bay last January, and then suffered through a season's worth of injuries and inconsistency to finish with a career-worst .682 OPS (.221/.315/.367) in 476 plate appearances.

With $9MM due to Burrell in 2010, the Rays have been openly shopping the slugger this winter.  Rumors of a deal of Burrell-for-Milton Bradley swirled for months before the Cubs dealt Bradley to Seattle last week.  With seemingly their best trade option gone, it appears as if Tampa Bay will go into next season with Burrell back in the DH spot — which, if 2009 was just an aberration, might not be a bad option given Burrell's 251 homers and .852 OPS over his first nine years in Philadelphia.

If the Rays still want to move Burrell and save some cash, however, here are a few of the clubs that are in need of a DH/LF type and might have the payroll flexibility to absorb some or all of Burrell's contract.

  • The Mets.  Should they give up on signing Jason Bay (or lose him to the Red Sox), New York would still have a hole to fill in left field.  The downside of Burrell going to a National League team, however, is his glove.  He played just two games in the outfield last season, and according to Fangraphs, his defense ranged from mediocre to terrible (a -25.2 UZR/150 in 2007) over his last four years in Philadelphia.
  • The Cardinals.  Just as Burrell is a backup plan for the Mets if they don't sign Bay, he can also be a backup plan for St. Louis if they don't sign Matt Holliday.
  • The Braves.  Atlanta's biggest offseason need was a right-handed power hitter.  While they are close to a deal with Troy Glaus, Glaus made just 32 plate appearances in 2009 after undergoing shoulder surgery last January.  Burrell is perhaps a more reliable option, and may regain his batting stroke back in the NL East.  
  • The White Sox.  Ozzie Guillen likes the idea of a rotating designated hitter, but GM Kenny Williams didn't close the door on the possibility of picking up an everyday DH if the right opportunity presented itself.
  • The Giants.  Mark DeRosa may be coming in as San Francisco's new left fielder, but Burrell could be an interesting alternative should DeRosa not accept the Giants' offer.  Or, the power-starved Giants could acquire Burrell to play in left, and then sign DeRosa to play third base, thus moving Pablo Sandoval over to first.  (Or, Sandoval plays 1B, DeRosa plays 2B and Freddy Sanchez moves over to 3B.)  If the Rays pay some of Burrell's contract, then he is a much cheaper option for San Francisco than Johnny Damon.
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