Rumors for contract
Why the price is high on Kansas City Royals Joakim Soria?
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The New York Yankees have been targeting Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria over the past few weeks. Yesterday, we found out that the Yankees are on Soria’s no-trade list (in addition to the Red Sox, Tigers, Phillies, Cardinals and Cubs). It got us scratching our heads as to why somebody wouldn’t want to play for the Yankees. Today, Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports fills us in on the financial motivation to NOT play in New York.
Morosi says that Soria’s $6 million contract for 2012 will vest if Soria finishes 55 games in 2011. It would be tough to finish that many games if he’s not the closer. Mariano Rivera, the current Yankees’ closer, is likely to keep that job at least through 2011 (assuming he re-signs with the Yankees after this season), so Soria will be the 8th inning setup guy at best until Rivera retires.
So the Yankees want Soria, but Soria doesn’t want to go unless he gets paid. So what are the Yankees going to do?
Morosi says that the no-trade clause will give Soria leverage to negotiate terms on his contract. A possibility would be for Soria to demand that his options are guaranteed as a part of the trade. Soria also has options for $8 million in 2013 and $8.75 million 2014. Read More→
Dan Uggla switches agents to join Terry Bross of Gaylord Sports Management
Posted by: | CommentsA source close to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that Florida Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla has switched agents. He has left Jeff Borris of the Beverly Hills Sports Council to join Terry Bross of Gaylord Sports Management.
Marlins GM Larry Beinfest told reports earlier this week that he plans to explore multi-year deals with more than one of his current players.
Uggla is currently making $7.8 million this season, and has one more year of salary arbitration before he becomes a free agent. His salary for 2011 could top $10 million.
Pittsburgh Pirates sign P Travis Chick
Posted by: | CommentsDejan Kovaacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets that the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed pitcher Travis Chick out of the independent Atlantic League. He will take a spot at Triple-A Indianapolis.
Chick, 26, is a right-handed pitcher was with the Los Angeles Angels this Spring. He made three appearances for the Seattle Mariners in 2006. He is 48-45 with a 4.25 ERA in 189 appearances (142) in his Minor League career.
(Source: Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Los Angeles Dodgers sign Juan Castro to Minor League contract
Posted by: | CommentsEd Price of AOL FanHouse says infielder Juan Castro who was released by the Philadelphia Phillies on July 17, has signed a Minor League deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Castro, 38, hit .198 with 13 RBIs in 54 games with the Phillies this season. He was released by the Phillies when Placido Polanco was activated off the 15-day disabled list.
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com says the Florida Marlins want to keep second baseman Dan Uggla not only for the short term but for the long run. The team is strongly considering signing the two-time All Start to a multi-year contract after the season.
“If it’s true, it feels good,” Uggla said of the chance to sign for several seasons. “I think everybody knows that I’d love to stay in South Florida. It’s my second home. I love the people down there. I love everything it has to offer. It would make me a very happy man.”
Uggla will be in his final year of salary arbitration after the season, and it’s been expected that he would receive a salary in the $10 million range. If the Marlins sign him to a long-term deal, they’ll buy out that year of arbitration eligibility and sign him several years into his free agency eligibility.
Uggla has been mentioned in trade rumors with teams that desperately need infield help such as the Colorado Rockies.
Here’s are a few highlights from Sunday’s article from Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe
Cafardo wonders how to handle the contracts of Prince Fielder, Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols as they all approach free agency. Fielder is approaching free agency soon, his weight is a big issue especially if you’re a GM and you need to valuate a 7 or 8 year contract. The consensus is “buyer beware” with Fielder, but that hasn’t stopped the White Sox or Angels. Carfardo says that a team needing a splash could give Fielder a Mark Teixeira deal and the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles could be in the market for the pudgy first baseman in the off season.
Jeter is a free agent after this season, and he’s 36-years-old. Cafardo wonders if you pay the Yankee icon $25-$30 million each for the next five years? The same goes for Pujols. He’s been great for his first 10 years, but do you pay him $30 million per year for the next 10?
Former Arizona Diamondbacks’ GM Josh Byrnes has received “15 job offers” according to a close friend of Cafardo.
It would make perfect sense for Joe Torre to manage the Chicago Cubs next year. He wraps up his current three-year deal with the Dodgers after this season.
Adrian Gonzalez 2011 option has gone from $5.5 million to $6.2 million because of escalators triggered from 2008-2010. Still a bargain.
Cafardo reminds us that the Yankees may be interested in Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria as a setup guy, and a catching prospect Jesus Montero would be a good fit for the Royals.
Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Livan Hernandez could be a half-year solution some teams may begin to consider.
Ben Sheets of the Oakland Athletics was placed on the disabled list, lessening the likelihood that he’ll be dealt.
Baltimore Orioles closer Mike Gonzalez could be a target of the Boston Red Sox.
Cafardo wonders if Red Sox infielder Jed Lowrie could be traded to the San Diego Padres for a pitcher.
Look for Padres owner Jeff Moorad to pull the trigger on an Adrian Gonzalez deal this winter.
Cafardo says it’ll be interesting to see what the Marlins do with second baseman Dan Uggla. Uggla has one more year of arbitration eligibility. Uggla has drawn a lot of interest from a lot of teams, and some think he could move to left field.
San Diego Padres outfielder/pinch hitter Matt Stairs thought he was going to retire after last year. He enjoys San Diego. Maybe he’ll be back for another season.
San Diego Padres sign infielder Nick Green to a Minor League contract
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to Corey Brock of MLB.com, the San Diego Padres have signed infielder NIck Green to a Minor League contract. Green will report to Triple-A Portland.
Green was signed by the Blue Jays in mid-June to a Major League contract, but was designated for assignment last week. Green was also apart of the Dodgers organization this year but was designated for assignment at the end of May.
Los Angeles Dodgers release Kiko Calero
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7/23 20:25: According to baseballamerica.com, Kiko Calero has been released by the Dodgers. Calero pitched 15 innings with a 3.00 ERA for the Dodgers Triple-A team.
6/11 10:51: According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, the Dodgers have signed right-handed pitcher Kiko Calero to a Minor League deal.
Colero signed a deal with the New York Mets this Spring, but he did not make the big league club this year. Calero pitched for the Marlins in 2009 going 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA over 67 games. You can see Calero’s statistics here.
Jim Riggleman will manage the Nationals in 2011
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Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told Bill Ladson of MLB.com on Friday afternoon that Jim Riggleman will manage the club in 2011. Last offseason, Riggleman signed a one-year deal with a team option for 2011.
Entering Friday’s action, Washington was 42-54 but on pace to improve from last season, when it went 59-103. It was Riggleman who brought accountability back into the Nationals’ locker room for the first time since Frank Robinson managed the club from 2002-06.
“Yes, he will be back next season. He has done a terrific job,” Rizzo said. “We have a great relationship. He is a baseball rat. I can’t beat him to the ballpark. One of these days, I’m going to beat him to the ballpark. He runs at 8:00 a.m. and he is at the ballpark by 11.
“He is a terrific baseball manager. He has great respect from his peers in this game. When the game starts, he is as good as anybody in the game. He has the respect in the clubhouse. He is a diligent worker and he is a loyal employee.”
