Misc. Free Agent News

[Little Slide Rooter]

Rockies To Acquire Guthrie For Hammel, Lindstrom

By Tim Dierkes [February 6 at 7:58am CST]

"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Baltimore anymore," tweeted righty Jeremy Guthrie this morning after learning he'd been traded from the Orioles to the Rockies. The clubs reached an agreement that sends Guthrie to Colorado for pitchers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun first reported the near-deal. Connolly believes a third piece for the Orioles was discussed, but the sides settled on Hammel and Lindstrom. Guthrie's arbitration hearing was scheduled for this morning, but is believed to have been postponed. With submissions of $10.25MM and $7.25MM, the righty's arbitration case has a sizeable spread.

 

[Tryptamine]

Well this out to piss off the entirety of Oriole's Hangout. Some of them were envisioning Bourjous, CJ Cron etc in return for Guthrie.

[SouthSideRyan]

What a weird trade

[Clem Fandango]

Well this out to piss off the entirety of Oriole's Hangout. Some of them were envisioning Bourjous, CJ Cron etc in return for Guthrie.

 

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/243/837/f7e.gif

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

What a weird trade

 

Seriously +1

[Little Slide Rooter]

It is odd. Guthrie has had 3 seasons with a WAR over 4, and if nothing else is a strong mid rotation guy and leaving the AL East is always a plus for pitchers. I know he's a FA after this year but they easily could have got a lot more than a once somewhat touted almost 30 year old pitcher and a reliever who's had a decent season or 2.

[davell]

I just went over to Orioles Hangout and that place is in crisis lockdown mode. It would suck to be a fan of Baltimore though. Toughest division in baseball, worst owner in baseball probably, they kill every pitcher they draft, they change directions all the time.......Personally, I don't know why they wouldn't keep Guthrie and hold out for more at the deadline. Hell, if he had another solid season, it's conceivable they could have offered arb and a team could have given them a pick even.

[Clem Fandango]

I just went over to Orioles Hangout and that place is in crisis lockdown mode. It would suck to be a fan of Baltimore though. Toughest division in baseball, worst owner in baseball probably, they kill every pitcher they draft, they change directions all the time.......Personally, I don't know why they wouldn't keep Guthrie and hold out for more at the deadline. Hell, if he had another solid season, it's conceivable they could have offered arb and a team could have given them a pick even.

 

A few years back I said I would love the Cubs to be in the position the Orioles were in because they didn't have any real huge contracts tying them down, they had Markakis and Jones starting to develop, and they had guys like Wieters, Matusz, Tillman, Britton, Bell, Reimold, and Arrieta coming up through their system. The were still several years away from being a contender, but the future looked bright. I think our best prospects were Josh Vitters or Andrew Cashner. I was envious. I mean that list alone...

 

Wieters: 2009 #1 Overall Prospect

Matusz: 2010: #5 Overall Prospect

Tillman: 2009 #22 Overall Prospect

Britton: 2011 #28 Overall Prospect

Bell: 2010 #37 Overall Prospect

Arrieta: 2009 #67 Overal Prospect

Reimold: 2008 #91 Overall Prospect

 

These were all Top 100 prospect guys at one point. A few of them really highly regarded. They must have some terrible development coaches because it's a shock that they've had so many prospects that range from average (Arrieta/Reimold) to elite (Matusz, Wieters), who still have yet to come close to reaching their potential. There's too much talent there for them to be so mediocre (though Wieters took some big steps this season). And the fact that Markakis looked like he was primed to be an elite RF'er and he's pretty much regressed while entering his prime. It's weird. I really like the O's and would love to see them a succeed in that division, but something stinks over there and I'm not so sure it's the players. To have that much of a "meh" turn around on that much talent is unsettling. There's still room for a them to continue to develop, but it'sstill sad how so much talent has produced so few results.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I'd love to take and fix Matusz, another bump in the road young arm I'd love to make a Cub.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Let me second that the implosion on OriolesHangout is delicious.

[javy knows my name]

Let me second that the implosion on OriolesHangout is delicious.

 

Why the vindictiveness? Still salty from Bigbird/Brian Roberts?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Let me second that the implosion on OriolesHangout is delicious.

 

Why the vindictiveness? Still salty from Bigbird/Brian Roberts?

 

Nothing against them. Sports fan misery porn is awesome in all its forms.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Padres To Sign Jeff Suppan

By Tim Dierkes [February 8 at 12:07pm CST]

The Padres will sign righty Jeff Suppan to a minor league deal today, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. Suppan is represented by Lapa/Leventhal.

 

Suppan, 37, posted a 4.78 ERA, 5.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 1.25 HR/9, and 10.1 H/9 in 165 2/3 innings for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate last year. The 16-year MLB veteran has 138 wins and a 4.69 ERA in his career.

 

And just when we thought that he'd finally accepted the fact that he can no longer pitch at any professional level.

[b_wiggy_66]

This isn't FA news, but I also don't think it deserves its own thread. Peter Gammons just said on MLB Network that the Cubs are part of a handful of teams that have interest in A.J. Burnett.

 

First off, NO! Second, I really hate when these reporters just throw out rumors sometimes. There is nothing that Theo and Co. have done so far this off season to give even the slightest indication they would have interest in Burnett. Cubs are rebuilding and trimming payroll - not bringing in old and overpaid veterans.

[SouthSideRyan]

We should give up our #3 prospect since it wouldn't be top 40 in the Yankees system.

[Clem Fandango]

This isn't FA news, but I also don't think it deserves its own thread. Peter Gammons just said on MLB Network that the Cubs are part of a handful of teams that have interest in A.J. Burnett.

 

First off, NO! Second, I really hate when these reporters just throw out rumors sometimes. There is nothing that Theo and Co. have done so far this off season to give even the slightest indication they would have interest in Burnett. Cubs are rebuilding and trimming payroll - not bringing in old and overpaid veterans.

 

Do you really think if the Cubs brought in Burnett they would do so by taking on his bad contract? If the Yankees move him, they're moving him along with a sizable chunk of what's left on his contract.

 

A.J. Burnett on the Cubs would not be the end of the world if, say, the Cubs were only paying him a few million per year. It would give the Cubs cushioning to trade Garza or, if Burnett has a nice rebound by being back in the NL, could make him reasonable trade bait.

 

I'd have no problem with the Cubs going after him if the Yankees are picking up a majority of the tab

[Backtobanks]

From MLBTR:

 

Word from Joel Sherman of the New York Post is that the Yankees are "quietly — but diligently — still working to trade" Burnett to create additonal payroll flexibility for both Eric Chavez and one of Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, or Raul Ibanez. GM Brian Cashman lacks leverage, as Burnett hasn't pitched well over the last two seasons and will be battling this spring to crack the Yankees' rotation. So if Burnett's free agent value is around $12MM over two years, Cashman might have to let a team take him for $8-10MM over that span. That could be the possible savings for the Yankees against the $33MM owed to the 35-year-old.

[Post Count Padder]

At the beginning of the offseason I would've been all for some kind of Soriano for Burnett trade, or just taking him on if the Yanks picked up most of his salary. But now, given our direction and full rotation, it makes no sense.

[Illini Iceman]

At the beginning of the offseason I would've been all for some kind of Soriano for Burnett trade, or just taking him on if the Yanks picked up most of his salary. But now, given our direction and full rotation, it makes no sense.

 

I agree - Soriano is actually more useful to this team as currently contructed than Burnett would be. I would say just ride it out with him this year and hope he has a bounce back season that increases his value. If nothing else the one less year left on Soriano's contract could make it easier to trade him next offseason when we hopefully have a better option to replace him with.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

At the beginning of the offseason I would've been all for some kind of Soriano for Burnett trade, or just taking him on if the Yanks picked up most of his salary. But now, given our direction and full rotation, it makes no sense.

 

I'd still do that trade.

 

Seen a whole lot of Burnett and he's just someone who needs to get out of the AL East. He's adjusting to throwing the changeup more often in the best offensive division in the league after being mostly a two pitch power pitcher his whole career. I think he'd be a good reclamation guy for the new coaches.

 

Plus, they get away from Soriano, though he'd probably do really well as a DH in that Yankees lineup. Hm...I'd flip flop on this trade idea then...Both of these guys would be really good veteran reclamation projects if they came cheap IMO...and Soriano does work better here now in this otherwise HR-less lineup.

[Rob]

For the umpteen millionth time, the Yankees have Andruw Jones... who is better than Soriano at everything the Yankees might ask Soriano to do.

 

They'd have to really want Burnett of the team to take a guy already made obsolete by another player on the roster.

[Post Count Padder]

For the umpteen millionth time, the Yankees have Andruw Jones... who is better than Soriano at everything the Yankees might ask Soriano to do.

 

They'd have to really want Burnett of the team to take a guy already made obsolete by another player on the roster.

Which is why I said at the beginning of the offseason. The trade makes little sense for either team now.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Rich Harden To Miss 2012 Season

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [February 9 at 7:27am CST]

Rich Harden will miss the 2012 season while he recovers from an arm operation, Peter Gammons of MLB Network reports on Twitter. Harden had surgery last week to repair a torn capsule and aims to come back healthy in 2013.

 

The free agent right-hander started 15 games for the 2011 Athletics, but he's no stranger to serious injuries, having spent much of the 2006 and 2007 seasons on the disabled list. Harden, 30, posted a 5.12 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 82 2/3 innings for the A's in 2011. He drew interest as a starter and as a reliever this offseason from teams such as the Rockies.

 

 

30 years old, and I think he's pitched a full season twice in his career. Is it pretty safe to say that he's done, or does he have a chance to re-invent himself as a doiminant late inning reliever?

[dew1679666265]

Man, I was thinking Harden was around 33 or so. If only he could stay healthy.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Yankees, Pirates Talking A.J. Burnett Trade

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [February 10 at 7:57am CST]

The Yankees and Pirates continue discussing a possible A.J. Burnett trade, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Yankees are willing to pay a substantial portion of the $33MM remaining on the right-hander’s contract through 2013, but the teams are still a few million apart. The Yankees first offered to pay less than one third of Burnett's salary, Heyman tweets.

 

The Yankees want to create payroll room for a designated hitter and appear to be leaning toward Raul Ibanez, perhaps because they prefer his ability to play the outfield. Johnny Damon and Eric Chavez also intrigue the Yankees as possible free agent additions, according to Heyman. The Pirates rejected the Yankees’ request for Garrett Jones, Heyman writes.

 

 

Why on earth would the Pirates reject a deal in which they's acquire an established starter, who could potentially be a front end guy for them if the price is Garrett Jones and the Yankees paying a big chunk of A.J.s salary? I'd take that deal for Bryan LaHair without thinking twice, and that's basically what Jones is.

 

The Pirates are a dark horse for the division, but they could still contend and adding a veteran starter, who'd be going from the AL East to the NL Central could really help their cause.