Results tagged ‘ Cardinals ’

Team Pujols has arrived

With a series of recent moves, the Cardinals moved much closer to cementing their everyday lineup for 2011. That means that the club can turn at least one eye ahead to 2012, by which time the Pujols Question must be resolved — Albert Pujols’ contract ends at the end of the 2011 season.
It’s not entirely clear when full-on negotiations will begin. But a member of Pujols’ representation team said on Monday that the player’s camp expects to meet with the club during this week’s Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Neither the team nor Pujols’ representation has publicly announced a start for negotiations, and in fact they may not. There’s a good chance that any actual negotiations will be kept under lock-and-key as much as is humanly possible.
However, it does appear that dialogue of some sort should begin in the coming days.
–Matthew Leach

Roundup: Jeter chapter closed, plenty others open

The focus of the hot stove season shifted away
from Derek Jeter on Saturday, but not necessarily away from the Yankees.

Jeter and the Yankees finally came to terms — a move almost
universally expected — to the tune of a guaranteed three-year deal, worth $15
to $17 million per. The deal isn’t official until Jeter takes a physical, but the
hard part, the sometimes contentious negotiations, should be a thing of the
past.

Left atop the free agent market are Cliff Lee and Carl
Crawford, and the former’s destination could be what determines the latter’s.

MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer wrote that the Angels are
actually pulling for the Yanks to land Lee: If Texas, the other perceived
contender in the Lee sweepstakes, is able to re-sign Lee, that means the Angels
could be up against not only the Red Sox, but the Yankees in a bidding war for
Crawford. If the Yankees sign Lee, however, New York likely would be
hard-pressed to get seriously involved with Crawford as well.

Boston on Saturday grabbed headlines too when it took a
giant step toward a revamped lineup.

Adrian Gonzalez, the Padres’ first baseman who is a free
agent after the 2011 season, was flown into Boston on Saturday and passed a
physical. The Padres and Red Sox have a trade in place that would bring
Gonzalez to the Sox, but that’s contingent on Gonzalez agreeing to a contract
extension. The reported deadline for the two sides to reach an agreement is 2
p.m. Sunday.

The Cardinals made noise late in the day by announcing the
signing of Lance Berkman. The one-year, $8 million deal brings the 34-year-old
back to the National League Central, where he thrived for so long with Houston.

Another NL Central club, the Reds, might have reason to be
concerned that their slugger — and the league’s MVP — might not want to be
around for long. Joey Votto, who’s arbitration eligible, said on Saturday that
he’s just not sure where he’ll be a few years down the road.

“When [Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki] signed that 10-year
contract, I was blown away,” Votto told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. “I
can’t imagine seeing myself 10 years from now saying I want to be here. It’s an
overwhelming thing to ask a young person like myself and say, ‘Here’s a lot of
money. Be happy with this over 10 years, deal with it.’”

The Dodgers have had a busy start to the offseason, locking
up Ted Lilly, Jon Garland and Hiroki Kuroda. They added Rod Barajas to the mix
on Saturday, signing the catcher to a one-year, $3.25 million deal.

– Evan Drellich

Rockies have interest in Berkman

Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd has said it’s doubtful he can land a big bat, but he’s trying. According to The Denver Post, the Rockies have aggressively pursued switch-hitting Lance Berkman to play the outfield corners and occasionally spell Todd Helton at first base.

The key here would be Berkman’s desire to return to the National League. Berkman saw a dramatic drop in his power with the Astros and Yankees last season, although finished he year with the Yankees as a designated hitter on an upswing as far as average is concerned.

An important aspect of the pursuit of Berkman, according to the Post, is Helton would be on board with bringing in Berkman. The two have the same agent. Helton helped the Rockies recruit Jason Giambi as his backup last season, but by season’s end Helton admitted not playing nearly every game was difficult. Still, the Rockies need a solid alternative, given Helton’s history of back problems and his age.

The Rockies desire a right-handed corner bat, preferably one that can play some first base. Berkman has more power from the left than from the right, but he fits — if the price is right. The Cardinals, Blue Jays and Athletics also have pursued Berkman.

The Mariners’ Jose Lopez, if he’s non-tendered, Jorge Cantu, whom the Rockies considered trading for last season, and Troy Glaus are acknowledged targets. The Rockies also are looking at the Athletics, who appear to be deciding whether to non-tender Edwin Encarnacion or Colorado native Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Some current Rockies will no doubt be watching the situation closely. Third baseman Ian Stewart and outfielders Seth Smith and Ryan Spilborghs could potentially lose playing time, depending on who is signed. Interestingly, the Rockies hired Carney Lansford as hitting coach and charged him with the task of waking up the bats of all three. Stewart and Smith didn’t meet the club’s expectations for production last year. Spilborghs finished strong but struggled with strikeouts early.

– Thomas Harding

 

Roundup: Arbitration decision deadline looms

There are an abundance of dates and deadlines in MLB’s offseason, but Tuesday night’s deadline for free agents to accept or decline arbitration offers could affect Hot Stove action heading into next week. 
Big name free agents, like Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth and Adrian Beltre all were offered and expected to decline.   
With the decisions made one way or the other, teams are better able to gain a sense of which players will be back with the club or conversely where funds might be available. That coupled with the impending Winter Meetings next week could finally get things moving on the free agent and trade markets.
The trade market did see some action on Tuesday afternoon as the Dodgers sent infielder Ryan Theriot to St. Louis in exchange for pitcher Blake Hawksworth. Los Angeles was expected to non-tender Theriot after signing Uribe, so the deal wasn’t altogether surprising. 
Theriot struggled after arriving in L.A. at the Trade Deadline, but owns a strong career batting average of .284. He will also bring some of his speed on the basepaths to the Cards lineup.
In a seperate move on Tuesday, the Cardinals added some pitching depth by inking veteran pitcher Brian Tallet. The 33-year-old left-hander had an off year with the Blue Jays in 2010, but could provide some valuable innings for the Cards.  
 
As we await the midnight arbitration deadline, here’s a look around the league on Tuesday:  
- The Rangers added a veteran pitcher off the International market on Tuesday, signing Japanese right-hander Yoshinori Tateyama. Tateyama, who will be 35 when Spring Training opens, signed a one year deal with two club options. Primarily a reliever in his career, Tateyama sported a career-best 1.80 ERA for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2010. 
-The Yankees have temporarily paused their talks with free agent shortstop Derek Jeter, but negotiations are expected to pick back up shortly. While the talks have stalled a bit, Jeter is still widely expected to been in pinstripes next season. One place he won’t be is Boston, according to SI.com’s Jon Heyman. The Red Sox reportedly have no plans to pursue Jeter with a long wish list of their own. If for some reason Jeter doesn’t return to the Bronx in 2011, the Yankees do have a backup plan, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, who tweeted that the team’s Plan B is Eduardo Nunez. 
- Veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer isn’t ready to call it quits, yet. The 48-year-old will undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow with hopes of making a comeback in time for the 2012 season. A free agent, Moyer originally injured the elbow  in July but had rehabbed with the goal of proving he was healthy in Winter Ball. In his first start this Winter, though, Moyer re-injured the elbow.  ”We are cautiously optimistic superman will make a comeback!” he and his wife wrote on the page.
- The Dodgers have had an active winter, so far, but they might not be done yet. Free agent Johnny Damon is on the club’s radar, FoxSports.com reported Tuesday. Damon isn’t the only player the Dodgers have their eyes on. The club is looking at nearly every free agent catcher, including Jason Varitek and Rod Barajas, with catcher Russell Martin’s status up in the air.  
- The Royals have been pretty clear that they aren’t overly inclined to trade away Zack Greinke. In fact, one source with the club told Heyman that it’d take a blockbuster type deal to move the 2009 Cy Young pitcher. Greinke, though, could have other ideas. An acquaintance of Greinke’s also told Heyman that the 26-year old is “ready to go.” 
- With a particularly ripe market for free agent relievers, multiple teams have reportedly expressed interest in Jesse Crain. There is a mutual interest, between one of those clubs, the Blue Jays, and Crain, Fox Sports.com reported on Tuesday.
–Bailey Stephens

Roundup: Dodgers swipe Uribe from division rivals

With one week remaining until the start of the usually-hectic Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., the busy Dodgers made another move, agreeing to terms with Juan Uribe on a three-year deal reportedly worth about $21 million.

With Uribe, the Dodgers swipe a big piece of the Giants’ World Series championship run away from their division rivals and add a much-needed right-handed power bat to the middle of the lineup. Uribe played 103 games at shortstop, 26 at third base and 24 at second while batting .248 with 24 homers and 85 RBIs in 2010 (not including a postseason run that saw him drive in nine runs in 14 games).

In Los Angeles, he figures to start at second base, which will likely lead to the non-tendering of Trade Deadline acquisition Ryan Theriot. Despite dealing with instability up top, the Dodgers had already locked up their rotation by re-signing Ted Lilly and acquiring Jon Garland. 

Here’s more from around the league …

* The Rangers signed catcher Yorvit Torrealba to a two-year
contract. Torrealba, a 10-year veteran who played in 95 games for the
Padres in 2010 — batting .271 with seven homers and 37 RBIs while
starting 89 games — fills a void left by Bengie Molina (likely retired) and Matt Treanor (free agent). The deal, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, is worth $6.25 million.  

* They also avoided an arbitration hearing with Mark Lowe and agreed on a one-year contract. The deal is worth $1.2 million, plus another $100,000 in incentives.

* A source told ESPNNY.com the Yankees believe Derek Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, need to “drink the reality potion.” The unnamed source told the Web site the Yankees are still not budging from their three-year, $45 million offer, and Jeter still seeks a longer contract between $23 million and $25 million per season. Talks between the two sides did not take place during the holiday weekend and none are currently scheduled, ESPNNY.com added.

* While the Jeter negotiations appear heated, ESPNNY.com added that talks between the Yankees and Mariano Rivera are “progressing much smoother.” Rivera will likely receive a bump from his 2010 salary, probably in the $16-17 million range, but the question remains whether he gets one or two years.

* Free-agent first baseman/outfielder/designated hitter Lance Berkman was originally disappointed the Astros didn’t want him back, but the Texas product told The Houston Chronicle “there’s been a lot of interest” in his services. Berkman specifically named the Cardinals, Cubs, Rockies, Athletics, Pirates and Blue Jays as teams who have been in touch, but added he hasn’t received a formal offer yet. Berkman has said he’d prefer to play in the National League, adding that he’s still capable of serving as an outfielder and first baseman.

* The Astros have talked about the possibility of an extension with right-hander Wandy Rodriguez, general manager Ed Wade told The Houston Chronicle. Rodriguez hits free agency after the 2011 season.    

* The Mets will do their due diligence in shopping shortstop Jose Reyes this winter, but considering his value has never been lower, it would be shocking if they actually went ahead and traded him, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo writes.

* The Twins have until late December to agree on a contract with Japanese middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, who sounds like someone excited to play in Minnesota. In quotes passed along by The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Nishioka told the Japanese press he has no preference between shortstop and second base and said, “I don’t think that I will give up the idea of going to the Majors because of the amount of money.”

“Minnesota Twins has been contending to the playoff every year,” he added. “To play for the good team is one of my wishes. I am happy that I could advance one step forward.” The Twins won their exclusive-negotiating for Nishioka on Friday and could use him to fill their middle-infield needs.

– Alden Gonzalez 

Cardinals add lefty depth

ST. LOUIS —  Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak confirmed on Tuesday that the club has agreed to a Minor League deal with left-handed reliever Raul Valdes, who spent 2010 with the Mets. Valdes will receive a non-roster invitation to Spring Training.
Valdes, 33, hails from Cuba but came to the United States in 2004, when he signed with the Cubs organization as a free agent. He has started and relieved in the Minors, and made one start for New York in 2010 as well. In his only Major League season, Valdes went 3-3 with a 4.91 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 27 walks and seven home runs allowed in 58 2/3 innings.
“We’re trying to add some depth,” Mozeliak said, “and more importantly, we certainly think he’ll have a chance to compete for a job when he comes to camp.”
The lefty had an extreme reverse platoon split in ’10, shutting down right-handed hitters while getting blasted by left-handers. Righties batted .216 with a .339 on-base percentage and a .331 slugging percentage against Valdes, while lefties posted a line of .330/.366/.625.
However, in 36 Minor League innings in 2010, Valdes showed a more conventional split, holding left-handed batters to a .226 average while right-handers hit .265 against him.
The Cardinals are still likely to add a more established left-handed reliever to their bullpen. Currently, only Trever Miller is set as a lefty in the St. Louis relief corps for 2011. Still, Valdes provides some depth to an area of the club where depth had been lacking.
–Matthew Leach

Roundup: Yanks stake their claim on Jeter

On the day the Yankees signed Larry Rothschild to a three-year contract
to be their new pitching coach, New York reportedly reached out to its
shortstop. The Yankees, SI.com reported on Friday afternoon, are about
to offer Derek Jeter a three-year contract worth $45 million.
That may not be enough, though, as several outlets have stated that “The
Captain” seeks a four- or five-year deal.

Here’s more from around the league …

* New Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers is a popular man these
days, considering he recently said his club would listen
in on offers for young star Justin Upton. According to The New York
Post, at least half the league — not including the Yankees — have shown
interest in the outfielder, and five clubs have wanted to move negotiations
forward. The Blue Jays, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Orioles, Red Sox and Rays have
all been linked to Upton recently.

* The Yankees would like another left-hander in their bullpen besides Boone
Logan, so they are showing interest in free agent J.C. Romero,
according to FOXSports.com. New York has also been linked to Pedro Feliciano. 

* The Indians might have re-gained a stud outfielder without having to spend an
extra penny. Shin-Soo Choo has probably avoided
required military service after leading his South Korea club to the gold
medal.

* In need of a shortstop, the Orioles are expected to bid on Japanese infielder
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, according to a Sports Hochi report relayed by NPB
Tracker. The Mariners, Padres, Dodgers and Cardinals have also been linked to
the 26-year-old switch-hitter, who batted .346 with 22 steals last year.

* Veteran designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero is talking to the Rangers and three other American League teams, according to SI.com.   

– Alden Gonzalez  

Webb reportedly on Dodgers’ radar

The Dodgers are among a handful of clubs who have expressed interest in free agent right-hander Brandon Webb. According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Pirates, Twins and Rangers also have checked in on Webb, and the Nationals, Reds and Cardinals are considered possibilities to join in the pursuit.

Webb, 31, was a 22-game winner in 2008 for Arizona before shoulder surgery cost him the past two sesons. He did not miss a start from 2004 through ’08, delivering 226 or more innings in four straight seasons. — Lyle Spencer

 

Terms on Westbrook’s deal

A source close to the negotiations has confirmed the terms of Jake Westbrook’s new contract with the Cardinals.

Westbrook will receive $16.5 million guaranteed — $8 million in 2011 and $8.5 million in 2012. Following that, he has a mutual option.
After the 2012 season, Westbrook has the right to opt out of the deal. If he does so, he’s a free agent with no additional money coming his way — so it is possible that the bare minimum he will receive on the deal is $16.5 million. 
If he does NOT opt out, the option then goes to the Cardinals. They can exercise his 2013 option at a value of $8.5 million, or buy the option out for $1 million. So he would receive $17.5 million total if the club buys out the option, and $25 million total if the third year is exercised.
Additionally, Westbrook received blanket no-trade protection. There are no incentive clauses in the deal.
–Matthew Leach

Cardinals, Westbrook agree

The Cardinals can scratch item No. 1 off of their offseason shopping list.

St. Louis locked up right-hander Jake Westbrook on Tuesday, signing the veteran starter to a two-year deal with a mutual option for 2013. The club did not announce the financial terms.
“Having Jake signed is a great start to our off-season,” general manager John Mozeliak said in a release issued by the club.  ”We witnessed first-hand last season what a terrific competitor he is and how well he fits in with our pitching staff.”
Westbrook, who turned 33 shortly before the season ended, pitched very well for St. Louis after he was acquired in a trade from Cleveland at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. He went 4-4 in 12 starts with a 3.48 ERA, striking out 55 against 24 walks.
Getting Westbrook under contract means that the Cardinals’ starting rotation for 2011 is set for the time being. Westbrook joins Cy Young runner-up Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia and Kyle Lohse in what should be one of the National League’s better starting fives.
It’s still possible that the Cardinals will look to acquire a veteran swingman to provide extra insurance and rotation depth.
– Matthew Leach
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