Rumors for December, 2010
Colorado Rockies officially agree to contract with Ty Wigginton
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The Colorado Rockies have officially agreed to a two-year contract with Ty Wigginton with a club option for 2013, according to a team press release.
FOXSports’ Tracy Ringolsby was the first to report the deal on December 7, 2010. Ringolsby said that the deal is for two-years, $7.5 million with a $500,000 buyout and a 2013 option.
Wigginton, 33, will be a right handed bat coming off the bench for Colorado. Troy Renck of the Denver Post believes that Wigginton could help at first base in case Todd Helton sustains a significant injury. Wigginton hit for .248 with 22 HR and 76 RBI’s last season for the Orioles.
Derrek Lee does NOT sign with the San Diego Padres
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While it’s still possible that Derrek Lee could sign with the San Diego Padres, down the road, it appears that this rumor has no legs. Sources close to PRO Rumors say that D.F. Oliveria of The Spokesman-Review is not credible.
You can see the original report by Oliveria here.
GM Jed Hoyer was on The Darren Smith show on XX1090 and he mentioned that their first base situation was going to be solved through a signing and not a trade. During the show he denied signing Lee.
New York Yankees officially sign Russell Martin
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The New York Yankees have officially signed Russell Martin, according to a Buster Olney of ESPN. The deal includes a $4 million base salary. A source close to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times says the deal could be worth as much as $5.7 million ($4.2 million base plus $1.1 million in incentives based on the number of games caught).
Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com was the first to report that the Yankees and Martin agreed to terms on December 14.
FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal reminds us that Marins is under club control through 2012, so the team could get him for two years.
The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays were making a strong push for the free agent catcher. The New York Mets were interested too, but they expressed last week that Martin was too expensive and too much of an injury risk.
Martin, 27, spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s a career .272/.365/.396 hitter. The catcher was limited to 97 games for Los Angeles last season due to injuries.
Kansas City Royals designate RHP Philip Humber for assignment
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According to Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star, the Royals have designated right-handed pitcher Phil Humber for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster for outfielder Jeff Francoeur.
Humber, 28, was 2-1 in 8 appearances (1 start) with a 4.15 ERA for the Royals in 2010. He previously had stops with the New York Mets and Minnesota Twins in his five-year career.
Florida Marlins sign Randy Choate to two-year deal
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The Florida Marlins have signed left-handed reliever Randy Choate to a two-year deal, according to a team press release.
FOXSports Ken Rosenthal was the first to report that Choate and the Marlins agreed to a $2.5 million, two-year deal. Rosenthal adds that Choate will receive $1 million in 2011 and $1.5 million in 2012 with $150,000 in performance bonuses each year based on appearances.
Choate, 35, was offered salary arbitration by the Rays in November, but he eventually rejected it. Because he’s a Type-B free agent, the Rays will receive a supplemental draft pick.
The left-hander was 4-3 witha 4.23 ERA in 85 games while making $700,000 for the Rays last season.
MLB to raise 2011 minimum wage by $14,000
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With Major League Baseball’s revenue increasing on a year-over-year basis (2010 figures are not available), it only makes sense that some of the money trickles down to the minimum wage earners. According to Commissioner Bud Selig (via The Associated Press), the minimum salary will be raised $14,000 to $414,000.
The commissioner also announced that the minimum wage for Minor League players in their second year in the 40-man roster, or with at least one game played in the Majors, will jump from $65,000 to $67,300 annually.
The collective bargaining agreement calls for the minimum to rise as the same rate as the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index-Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers from November 2008 through November 2010.
The Major League Baseball Players Association recently announced that the average salary for the 912 players on the 2010 season rosters averaged $3,014,512. It was the first time that the league’s average salary surpassed $3 million.
Pedro Martinez Rumors: Martinez leaning towards retirement
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As if Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay weren’t enough for one team’s rotation, the Philadelphia Phillies inquired about right-handed pitcher Pedro Martinez during the Winter Meetings, according to Christian Red of the New York Daily News.
Martinez said on an interview with primerahora.com that he won’t likely make a comeback to the Majors. “I’ll probably won’t return as an active player,” said Martinez. “I’m gonna stay home spending time with my family.”
He said he feels good, and that he’s a new man, dedicated to his family, and he thinks he won’t try to make a comeback.
Martinez did not pitch in 2010, but he hasn’t officially retired yet. In August Martinez was receiving and rejecting offers from several teams to stay retired. Martinez told The Associated Press at the time that he was “really happy” to receive the latest offers and calls them “very tempting.” Red said he had offers from the Texas Rangers and Phillies in 2010, but decided against accepting them.
He last pitched in 2009 with the Phillies where he went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts to help the team get to the World Series.
New York Yankees officially sign Mark Prior to Minor League deal
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According to a source close to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick the New York Yankees have reached an agreement on a Minor League deal with Mark Prior. The deal was made official on December 15, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated adds that Prior will receive a split contract. He can make $750,000 in the Major Leagues with up to $750,000 in performance incentives. Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that Prior can get up to $800,000 in performance bonuses based on innings pitched. Prior will also receive an invitation to the team’s Major League Spring Training.
Prior was a great pitcher for the Cubs organization, but injury-plagued seasons left him sidelined almost his entire career. He has a 42-29 record and a 3.51 ERA in 106 career appearances, all as a starter. He will likely pitch as a relief pitcher in his comeback attempt to the Major Leagues.
Diamondbacks sign Andy Tracy
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Veteran first baseman Andy Tracy has agreed to terms with the Diamondbacks according to Baseball Americas’ Matt Eddy. Tracy spent three years as a Lehigh Valley IronPig. He has 278 HR in 15 seasons in the minors.
Baltimore Orioles and Adam LaRoche continue to talk
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Free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche remains the Baltimore Orioles’ top candidate, and the sides continue to talk, according to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun.
As of December 9th, no formal offers had been made yet, but Connolly said that it’s only a matter of time.
If LaRoche falls through, the Orioles could go after free agent Derrek Lee. Connolly says that Lee is believed to be seeking a one-year deal while LaRoche is looking for a two-year contract. The Orioles went as far as checking Lee’s medical records last week.
LaRoche, 31, hit .261/.320/.468 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs for the Diamondbacks in 2010, but his big drawback are his strikeouts. The left-handed hitter struck out 172 times last season.
Lee, 35, hit .259/.365/.370 with 19 home runs and 80 RBIs with the Cubs and the Braves in 2010.
