Results tagged ‘ nationals ’

Roundup: Webb to Texas

He’s not Cliff Lee, but he’s a late Christmas gift for the Rangers nonetheless.
Right-hander Brandon Webb and the Rangers have reached on a one-year, incentive-heavy deal, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan confirmed on Sunday.
Webb narrowed his choice to Texas and a National League Central mystery team according to an ESPN.com report from earlier the day. The Cubs and Nationals were thought to be in the running.
The Rangers hadn’t made their interest in the right-hander a secret after losing out on Cliff Lee. Among the NL Central teams, the Reds were likely the principal challenger to Texas, FoxSports.com reported.
Webb won the 2006 NL Cy Young but hasn’t pitched in a regular season game since 2009 because of injury. A successful stint on a one-year deal this season would allow him to re-establish his value and set himself up for a larger multiyear deal next year.
For Texas, Webb could fill a spot in a starting rotation that already includes C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter.
Here’s a look at some of the post-Christmas odds and ends from around the league on Sunday:
- While the Yankees had internal talks about adding Manny Ramirez earlier this offseason, they currently have no interest in signing him, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted on Sunday. With three starting outfielders and Jorge Posada set to serve as the designated hitter, there’s currently no place for Ramirez’s bat in the Bronx. 
- Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma has re-signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles for next season, Jason Coskrey of the Japan Times tweeted on Sunday. Iwakuma seemingly doesn’t want to discuss a move to MLB any further until he qualifies for international free agency after the 2011 season, Coskrey added. Earlier this offseason, Iwakuma could not reach an agreement with the Athletics after Oakland won the right to negotiate with him.
- Free agent Carl Pavano will continue to hold out for a three-year deal, the Boston Globe reported on Sunday. The Twins, Rangers, Nats and Mariners are among the teams who continue to have interest, the paper reported with the stipulation that Seattle would have to free up some money first. Pavano could be nearing a decision as MLB.com’s Bill Ladson reported on Friday that he would decide after Christmas.
– Bailey Stephens

Roundup: Garcia, Pavano, Webb still on market

Several big-name arms have already been spoken for in the Hot Stove market, but there are still plenty of starting pitching options left including Carl Pavano, Freddy Garcia and Brandon Webb.
With the Brewers now out on Pavano, the market for the veteran is seemingly down to the Twins and Nationals at this point. 
Garcia, who went 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA for the White Sox last season, is coming off a season in which he suffered back pain. The Yankees and Mets have asked for the 35-year-olds medical records, SI.com’s Jon Heyman tweeted. The White Sox also have reportedly have checked in Garcia. 
Garcia’s situation isn’t altogether different from Webb, who is trying to prove he is healthy and can still be effective on a Major League mound. While several teams have expressed interest in the 30-year-old, including the Cubs, Rangers and Nationals, Chicago doesn’t appear to be a good fit for the right-hander, according to MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat. For a deal to be struck, Webb would likely have to take a Kerry Wood-type discount, Muskat suggested.
Here’s a look at Monday’s other happenings around the league: 
- The Nats added some outfield depth on Monday by adding veteran Rick Ankiel with a one-year deal, pending a physical. Ankiel will likely compete with Roger Bernadina for playing time in left field, a source confirmed to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson.
-Infielder Craig Counsell agreed to a one-year deal with his hometown Brewers on Monday.  The deal, which has not been made official as of yet, essentially was a win for both sides as Counsell remains close to home while the Brewers retain a veteran presence in their clubhouse who also is a strong utility player off the bench. Counsell batted .250 in 2010, but put up a .333 (13-39) mark as a pinch-hitter.  
- Royals GM Dayton Moore has no plans to part with his closer Joakim Soria, even after sending ace Zack Greinke to Milwaukee, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.com tweeted on Monday. The club has been getting calls on the closer, but for many reasons isn’t intersted in moving him, according to the report.
-One of the bigger bats still left on the free agent market, first baseman Derrek Lee, is looking for a deal in the neighborhood of $8-$10 million, Rosenthal tweeted Monday. At that price, he notes, the Padres are probably priced out, but it might not be too high for the Nats.
- The Indians added two free agent outfielders to the fold on Monday, in Austin Kearns and Travis Buck. While Buck agreed to a one-year Minor League deal with a Spring Training invite, Kears accepted a one-year big league deal. Buck, whose deal has not been made official as of yet, has appeared as an Opening Day outfielder for the Athletics in each of the last three seasons. For Kearns, the deal brings him back to Cleveland where he began last season before a midseason trade sent him to the Yankees. 
“We think [Kearns is] a great fit for our team,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. “We recognized the makeup and composition of our team would be predominently left-handed, especially in the outfield. Austin provides great balance to that with his ability to play all three outfield spots and the fact that he’s a right-handed hitter.
–Bailey Stephens

12/20 Cubs & Brandon Webb

Don’t start fitting Brandon Webb for a Cubs uniform. There was a report that the Cubs and Rangers have jumped ahead of the Nationals in the bidding for the right-hander, who has not pitched since one start in April 2009. The Cubs have checked Webb’s medical records — he’s been sidelined with shoulder issues — but it doesn’t appear to be a good match. Webb may want to pitch in Chicago but he most likely would have to give the Cubs the type of discount Kerry Wood did (one year, $1.5 million plus incentives).

– Carrie Muskat

Roundup: Pavano next chip to fall?

As the Brewers added an ace to their deck with the acquisition of Zack Greinke on an otherwise quiet Sunday, attention turned to the next top-tier pitcher on the market: free agent Carl Pavano.
While the Twins have been seen as the favorite to land Pavano this offseason, the addition of Greinke to the Brewers may have only increased that possibility, as FoxSports.com suggested on Sunday. 
Milwaukee was another team that had reportedly been in contention for Pavano’s services, but with their No. 1 starter taken care of, the Brewers are likely out of the fray.
The Nationals and Rangers, who had been seriously working to land Greinke, haven’t seriously pursued the 34-year-old starter, sources told Fox Sports.com.
Here’s a look at other moves from around the league: 
- Greinke’s disappearance from the trade market could have boosted interest in Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco, who is arbitration eligible this offseason and next, but the Marlins put the kibosh on that. Nolasco is near to signing a three-year extension worth $27 million, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reported Sunday night. The deal, which runs through 2012, is pending a physical.
- Guillermo Mota is returning to the Giants for a second season, ESPN Deportes reported. Mota, who won a World Series ring with San Francisco in 2010, did not receive a Major League deal, but will have an invite to big league Spring Training.
- ESPN Deportes reported that the Braves have signed 25-year-old southpaw Yohan Flande and invited him to Spring Training. Flande went 10-8 with a 4.38 ERA in 27 starts at Double-A for the Phillies last season. 
- The Blue Jays have signed catcher Ryan Budde to a Minor League deal, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com tweeted on Sunday. Budde, who has seen limited Major League action with the Angels over the last several years, owns a career average of .212.
- Right-hander Anthony Lerew has signed a one-year deal with the Softbank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League according to the NPB tracker. Lerew struggled in six starts with the Royals last season. 
- The Yankees have given right-hander Luis Vizcaino a Minor League deal and an invite to big league camp, The Star-Ledger reported. Vizcaino, 36, has been out of pro ball since 2009, but pitched well this offseason in the Dominican Winter League.
- The Nationals had reached a deal with the Royals for Greinke, before the right-hander exercised his no-trade clause to veto the deal, a source confirmed to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. No reason was given for Greinke’s decision, but the ace had previously expressed a desire to play for a title contending team.
– Bailey Stephens

Orioles reportedly made Gregg an offer

The Orioles, according to The Baltimore Sun, made free-agent reliever Kevin Gregg a two-year offer worth $8 to$10 million during the Winter Meetings.

Gregg, who served as the Blue Jays’ closer last year, also has interest from the Nationals, Pirates, Mariners and Red Sox, FOXSports.com reported recently.

The 32-year-old right-hander posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.390 WHIP and went 37-for-43 in save chances through 59 innings with Toronto in 2010. The Sun said Gregg is still negotiating with the O’s, who “still think they have a shot.”

One big factor in the negotiations could be whether Gregg would have the opportunity to close. Baltimore may choose to go with Koji Uehara in that spot.

– Alden Gonzalez 

Roundup: Winter Meetings Day 2

While Day 2 of the Winter Meetings brought the continuation of talks for some big free agents like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford, it also surfaced the names of other players such as Delwyn Young and Ronny Paulino.
Here’s a rundown of the day’s bigger rumors and speculation. 
- The Rays and Orioles have been discussing a trade, possibly involving Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett for outfielder/first baseman Nolan Reimold. While the talks are serious, the names involved vary and nothing is imminent, according to MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli. The Rays are interested in more than Reimold, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersberg Times. 
- The Nationals are continuing their aggressive offseason on Day 2 of the Meetings. Tuesday morning brought rumors from all corners that Washington was making a hard charge for Lee, possibly offer a seven-year deal. While other reports have contradicted that, a baseball source told MLB.com’s Bill Ladson that “The Nationals are not out of it by any means.” 
Several afternoon reports, including one Twitter report from SI.com’s Jon Heyman indicated that while there was a seven-year market for Cliff Lee, it wasn’t the Nationals. By all accounts on the Yankees side,  the club isn’t willing to go to a seventh year. 
- Free agent left-hander Mark Hendrickson is drawing some interest from the Rays and Mariners, FoxSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweeted on Tuesday. He added that the Orioles have kept tabs as well on the pitcher, whose value now is primarily as a reliever. 
- Add the Orioles to the list of teams who have talked to the Braves about Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami, according to the Baltimore Sun. But Baltimore isn’t likely to pick up Kawakami from Atlanta, as the Braves are looking for outfield help, a baseball source told Dan Connolly of the Sun. 
-Left-hander Dennys Reyes could decide on a team within the next 48 hours, Morosi tweeted on Tuesday. The Phillies, Marlins, Mariners and Athletics have all been known to have interest. 
-Several teams are interested in utility man Delwyn Young, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweeted. The Brewers, Marlins and Phillies are all talking to Young, who played second base, third base and right field last season. The 28-year-old elected free agency after being designated by the Pirates before the non-tender deadline. 
-After Monday’s news that the Royals were asking a very high price for Zack Greinke, it appears that teams are upping their offers for the ace, Ed Price of Yahoo Sports tweeted. While the Blue Jays and Rangers have been known to have serious interest in Greinke, the Nationals also recently inquired about him, CBSSports.com reported.
-Infielder Jorge Cantu has multiple teams interested, including the Padres, Mariners and D-backs, tweeted Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown. The 29-year-old split last season between the Marlins and Rangers, hitting .256. 
- The Mets are having serious discussions with reliever D.J. Carrasco, according to an ESPN New York.com report. The report characterizes the negotiations to bring the right-hander to New York as “fruitful.”
-While it’s just discussion at this point and considered quite unlikely, the Red Sox are at least talking internally about a potential Carlos Beltran trade, ESPN New York reported. Boston would consider the outfielder a last option if their other outfield pursuits fall part, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted. 
- The Mets are seemingly looking for a catcher to back up Josh Thole as on Tuesday morning ESPN New York reported the Mets were “closing in” on free agent Ronny Paulino. Other reports, including a tweet from Sherman, indicated the club was still talking to several backstops, but Paulino was one of them.
–Bailey Stephens

Nationals sign Jayson Werth

The Washington Nationals have long been in pursuit of top free agents — remember their play for Mark Teixeira? — without success.

But it was Werth the wait — Jayson Werth, to be exact, who on Sunday came to terms on a seven-year contract.
The 31-year-old outfielder and agent Scott Boras had hoped to land a deal for five or six years, and Washington GM Mike Rizzo stepped up with a seventh season to make the quick agreement happen.
The Phillies — Werth’s club the last four seasons — Tigers, Rangers and Red Sox had also been interested in the eight-year veteran.

List of inquiring minds about Greinke growing

Bob Elliott, the distinguished Toronto Sun columnist, has added to the Zack Greinke rumor fuel by saying the Blue Jays had inquired about the Royals’ right-hander a month or so ago. Boxer Bob adds that other teams who have inquired include the Twins, Rangers, Braves, Reds, Mariners and Nationals. We’re guessing that there are several more on the “inquired” list.

Inquiring and putting proposals on the table are two entirely different things and there’s been no indication that Kansas City is seriously considering any offer right now.

The report that the Royals won’t trade Greinke within the AL Central just isn’t true. They’d rather not, of course. As GM Dayton Moore put it the other day: “If you get the type of deal that’s necessary to improve your team, you don’t worry a whole lot about that. I don’t say you don’t consider it because you do. Everything being equal, you’d love to get him out of the division and out of the league.”

But if the Twins bundle up a rich package laden with top prospects and it’s the right deal, those who know Moore know that the in-division factor won’t stop him.

–Dick Kaegel.

Roundup: Tigers snatch V-Mart from Red Sox

The arbitration deadline was expected to rule the day, but
it wound up being the Tigers that made the big splash. In a rather surprising
turn of events in this offseason, coveted free-agent catcher Victor Martinez
said no to the Red Sox and wound up agreeing to a four-year,
$50 million contract with the Tigers.

The agreement, which a baseball source confirmed to MLB.com, is probably still pending a
physical and should be completed shortly.
At that point, the Tigers would officially be able to add Martinez to a middle
of the lineup that includes fellow Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera.

Here’s more from around the league Tuesday …

* After a bounce-back year that saw him make $3 million, Aubrey Huff inked
a two-year contract reportedly worth $22 million with the Giants. The
deal also includes a club option for 2013.

* Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers told MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert that
of all the clubs expressing interest in outfielder Justin Upton, only
“two or three” teams have the players to make a deal work. Towers
says he seeks Major League-ready players in return, not just prospects.

* The Yankees prefer to give standout free-agent closer Mariano Rivera
just a one-year deal worth upwards of $18 million, according to Yahoo! Sports.
But Rivera, 41 next week, seeks two guaranteed years at that rate.  

* As for the Yankees’ other aging pitcher, Andy Pettitte is leaning towards a return to the Bronx, according to the Twitter account of Newsday’s Kevin Davidoff.

* And as for the free-agent pitcher the Yankees hope to land, an industry source told Yahoo! Sports on Monday that New York offered Cliff Lee a six-year contract worth nearly $140 million. But Lee seeks a seventh year.

* Jarrod Washburn, the 36-year-old left-hander who sat out all of last season, “continues to generate interest as a free agent,” according to Yahoo! Sports. The Brewers are believed to be one of the teams that have contacted his agent.

* Arbitration Day is in full swing. So far, Jayson Werth, Adam Dunn, Adrian Beltre and Paul Konerko have been among the ranked free agents being offered arbitration, while Derek Jeter, Mike Lowell, Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon have been among those who have not. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET.

– Alden Gonzalez 

Cliff Lee’s payday is coming

It is no secret that the Yankees are willing to dig deep to get Cliff Lee into pinstripes for next season and beyond, but the Boston Globe has a ballpark number for the contract the Bombers are thinking of right now – five years at approximately $115 to $120 million, the newspaper reported Sunday.

It is generally thought that no one will be able to outbid the Yankees for Lee – not even the Rangers, as team president Nolan Ryan acknowledged last week. That doesn’t necessarily mean Lee will decide to head to the Bronx, and his agent, Darek Braunecker, has said that he expects the process to go on a while longer. The Nationals are also thought to be interested.
Lee’s friend, CC Sabathia, squeezed an extra year out of the Yankees when his contract was being negotiated after the 2008 season. New York pounced out of the gate to deliver a six-year, $140 million deal to Sabathia, which eventually became a seven-year, $161 million pact that was agreed upon at the Winter Meetings.
– Bryan Hoch
« older posts | back to blog home | newer posts »
Theme: MLB “pro” | Get a free blog at WordPress.com
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 410 other followers