Rumors for December, 2009
Pirates avoid arbitration by signing Cedeno to 1 year deal
Posted by: | CommentsThe Pittsburgh Pirates have signed starting shortstop Ronny Cedeno to a $1.125 million, 1 year contract according to mlb.com. This is an intriguing signing given that the Pirates just signed shortstop Bobby Crosby to 1-year deal on Thursday. Cedeno, 27 on Opening Day 2010, will battle Crosby for the starting shortstop position.
In 5 seasons with the Cubs and Pirates, Cedeno has batted .240, with 26 home runs and 126 RBI’s. You can see Cedeno’s stats here.
Yankees to non-tender Wang
Posted by: | CommentsThe New York Times reports that the Yankees will non-tender Chien-Ming Wang a contract by tonight’s deadline. The former ace has gone through several injuries over the last couple of season with the most recent being a right shoulder problem. The Yankees would like to have Wang back next season, but only if he sign a minor league contract. That seems unlikely now. Wang made $5 million in 2009, the largest pay reduction the Yankees could offer him if they tendered a contract would be 20 percent, or $4 million. Wang will test the waters as a free agent and see what contract he can get for 2010.
Wang has a 55-26 record with a 4.16 ERA over 5 seasons with the Yankees. You can see his stats here.
Holliday offer less than $18 million per season
Posted by: | CommentsYesterday’s offer to Matt Holliday from the Cardinals is supposedly less than $18 million per season according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This offer is similar to the deal the Colorado Rockies offerred to Holliday in 2008.
Holliday and his agent Scott Boras will have to decide by sometime on Sunday whether to accept or decline the offer. It is believed that Boras is asking for a deal similar to Mark Teixeira’s deal with the Yankees (8-year, $180 million).
Arizona signs pitcher Blaine Boyer to 1 year contract
Posted by: | CommentsUSA Today reports that the Arizona Diamondbacks have signed RHP Blaine Boyer to a 1-year, $750,000 contract.
Boyer made $432,500 (you can see his contract details here) in 2009 and has a career record of 6-10 with a 4.76 ERA over 174 games.
Mariners linked to free agent pitcher Jason Marquis
Posted by: | CommentsKen Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reports that the Seattle Mariners have added former Rockies starting pitcher Jason Marquis to their wish list. Marquis has been a target of teams needing starting pitching that are making contingencies in the event they cannot sign John Lackey or offer a king’s ransom for Roy Halladay. Those teams include the Orioles, Nationals, Phillies, Mets, Angels, and Rockies.
Other second tier free agent pitchers not named John Lackey that have drawn interest this off season include Joel Pineiro, Doug Davis, Jon Garland. A trade for Gil Meche of the Kansas City Royals is also a possibility albeit and expensive one given his contract (see Meche’s contract details here).
Tigers and Indians are interested in Marcus Thames
Posted by: | CommentsJon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com reports that the Tigers and Indians are interested in free agent Marcus Thames. Both teams are in need of a power hitting right handed hitter that can play the outfield (specifically left field).
Thames, 33 on Opening Day 2010, hit 13 home runs, drove in 36 RBI’s and batted .252 in 86 games for the 2009 Tigers as a designated hitter.
Yankees giving Johnny Damon 2 weeks to decide
Posted by: | CommentsUpdate 13:08PST: Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated Tweets that the Yankees and Damon are as much $34 million apart. Yankees are offering $18 million for 2 years vs. Damon and Boras wanting $52 million over 4 years. Translates to $9 million per year vs. $13 million per year. Way off!
Yahoo Sports (via The New York Post) is reporting that GM Brian Cashman is giving Johnny Damon and agent Scott Boras 2 weeks to decide if he want to come back on a 2 year deal. Damon is seeking a 3-4 year deal, and with Boras behind him he expects to get it. The Yankees want Damon to fill in their DH spot, but he’s appealing because he also has the ability to play the outfield. Free agent Hideki Matsui, the Yankees DH in 2009, is open to a 1 year deal, but his inability to play the outfield deters the Yankees. Others Yankee targets include Mark DeRosa or Mike Cameron in addition to Triple-A first baseman Juan Miranda as their DH.
Torrealba and Rockies are close to signing 2 year deal
Posted by: | CommentsThe Denver Post reports that catcher Yorvit Torrealba and the Colorado Rockies are about $400,000 off in completing a deal. Torrealba is asking for a 2-year $6 million contract (similar to Ivan Rodriguez’s deal) and the Rockies are offering 2-year $5.6 million.
Torrealba still has leverage as long as the Mets and Giants are continuing to recruit him and others such as Bengie Molina, Miguel Olivo and Ramon Hernandez.
Cardinals make offer to Holliday
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to ESPN Insider, the St. Louis Cardinals have made Matt Holliday an offer. They expect to hear back from Holliday and his agent, Scott Boras within 48 hours. If Holliday accepts the offer, this could trigger a signing of Jason Bay as a consolation prize.
White Sox Sign J.J. Putz to 1 year deal
Posted by: | CommentsESPN.com reports that the Chicago White Sox have signed reliever J.J. Putz to a 1-year, $3 million contract. He can make another $3.25 million in incentives based on him closing games all season.
Putz went 1-4 with a 5.22 ERA in 29 1/3 inning over 29 games last season with the Mets before he suffered season-ending elbow surgery in July. He had a $9.1 million team option for 2010 but it was not exercised by the New York Mets. He was bought out for $1 million.
