LET’S MAKE A DEAL
Top free agent Zack Greinke among players who may be on move at winter meetings,
It’s been a long time since anyone was able to say the Jays have set the standard for other GMs heading to the baseball winter meetings in December. But such is the case this year, as GM Alex Anthopoulos boldly made his mega, 12-player deal with the Marlins after the GM meetings, then inked Melky Cabrera, one of the top 10 position players available to a two-year, $16 million deal (all figures U.S.).
How clear has it become that the Jays are intent on swimming with the sharks, looking to compete with the big boys in the AL East?
Consider that the Jays now have 10 players under contract for 2013 with guaranteed contracts worth $5 million or more. The only MLB team with more players set to make $5 million-plus in 2013 is the Dodgers with 13. The Yankees have nine, while the White Sox, Angels, Cardinals and Phillies have eight.
The Jays that are guaranteed at least $5 million in 2013 are Jose Bautista, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, Cabrera, Edwin Encarnacion, Brandon Morrow, Ricky Romero, John Buck and Adam Lind.
Are the Jays done adding payroll? Not according to club president Paul Beeston, who last January promised Jays ticket holders that his team would be in the playoffs three of the next five seasons. That’s now down to three of four after last season’s disaster. Beeston recalled the promise earlier this week in a meeting with the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Following is a division-by-division list of opening day payrolls in 2012. The second number is the top payroll for each team since 2000, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts (amounts are listed by the millions). This is accompanied by a preview for how each division is shaping up heading into the meetings, which get underway Monday in Nashville.
PREVIEW: The Yankees’ goal over the next 24 months, for the first time in decades, is to cut payroll. The Bombers want to be below the luxury tax threshold of $189M by 2014 and as such have signed one-year deals with Andy Pettitte, Hiroki Kuroda and Mariano Rivera. It will also be the last guaranteed season for Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano, who will be re-signed long term at some point. Don’t look for GM Brian Cashman to be seeking long-term years and dollars in Nashville. They lost C Russell Martin, who took the Pirates’ offer of two years and $17M. The Sox and GM Ben Cherington talk a good game, but their attention is on free agents like C Mike Napoli, OF Nick Swisher, OF Cody Ross and OF Shane Victorino. Oh, I forgot, they insist they could have done the Marlins deal if they wanted. The Rays extended 3B Evan Longoria, but lost CF B.J. Upton and traded RH Burke Badenhop. They may listen to offers for RHP James Shields or RHP Jeremy Hellickson and now insiders insist, even LH David Price is in play. They would love to re-up 2B Jeff Keppinger. The O’s need to avoid taking a step backwards. They have interest in RH Koji Uehara and Japanese closer RH Kyuki Fujikawa. What about LH Joe Saunders? They non-tendered powerhitting 1B Mark Reynolds. The Jays are still talking trade with as many GMs as will listen. 1B Adam Lind, OF Rajai Davis and possibly a catcher are available.
PREVIEW: The Tigers moved in a hurry to shore up left field, signing OF Torii Hunter for two years. They are looking for a closer. Agent Scott Boras got them Prince Fielder last year and has already spoken to owner Mike Ilitch about RH Rafael Soriano, who declined a Yankee option. They dumped Jose Valverde and right now RH Bruce Rondon will close. Not good enough. The Twins traded CF Denard Span to the Nats and still have 1B Justin Morneau with one year left on his deal. They rebuffed Red Sox interest in C Joe Mauer, but if they trade Morneau, then Mauer could move to first. The Twins crave good prospects. The Jays have many. The Chisox have a new GM and over $90M tied up in eight players. After a disappointing season, the Indians have availability with stars like SS Asdrubal Cabrera, OF Shin-Soo Choo, RH Justin Masterson and RH Ubaldo Jimenez. The Royals seem to be setting up to make a move in a division that can be had. They have a huge trading chip in OF Wil Myers and want a frontline starter like LH Jon Lester, RH James Shields or RH R.A. Dickey to go with RH Ervin Santana and RH Mark Guthrie. Untouchables include C Sal Perez, DH Billy Butler and SS Alcides Escobar. They’re loaded with young bullpen arms.
PREVIEW: The Angels aren’t so sure any more that they can keep RH Zack Greinke, who wants to take over from Matt Cain as the biggest RH contract in MLB history (at least six years). That, of course, leaves the Jays out. The Angels signed RH Ryan Mad-
son to be closer so RH Jordan Walden was dealt to the Braves for RH Tommy Hanson. The surplus of outfielders includes Pete Bourjos, a useful chip in a trade. Oh, and Vernon Wells. The Rangers would like to keep C Mike Napoli, but on their terms. They non-tendered former NL Rookie-ofthe-Year Geo Soto. The Rangers are the fallback for OF Josh Hamilton, who is having trouble getting more than four years, but they might have interest in OF Shane Victorino. They could also be in on Greinke. The
M’s are interested in C Napoli and could have an inside track if they offer four years. They released INF Chone Figgins, but still owe him $8M. How bare is the Astros’ cupboard? The highest-paid player still on their roster from last year is SS Jed Lowrie at $1.15M. Second was RH Wilton Lopez and both are very available in trade. The A’s need a shortstop and Yunel Escobar, Stephen Drew, Asdrubal Cabrera and Lowrie are on the radar. They have six arbitration-eligible players. One or two may have to go to keep payroll low.
PREVIEW: The Phils need a CF and some say Josh Hamilton could be their man. They would have to clear some payroll, even if it turns out they prefer CF Michael Bourn. They also lust after CF Angel Pagan. The top four pitchers, LH Cliff Lee, LH Cole Hamels, RH Roy Halladay and CL Jonathon Papelbon will cost $77.5M in 2013. GM Ruben Amaro may listen to offers for Lee. C Carlos Ruiz will miss the first 25 games on suspension. They eventually want to sign him longterm. The double-dealing Marlins cleared the deck of pesky payroll, but still have some talent in OF Giancarlo Stanton. Instead of trading him, they may seek to add a CF in Peter Bourjos or FA Nate McLouth. Apparently free agent RH Carl Pavano would love to come back to Florida. No promises. 3B Yunel Escobar could be on the move again, maybe to the A’s. The Mets have been busy extending 3B David Wright, which makes him the highest-paid Met with $138M over the next eight years, and are likely to hang onto RH R.A. Dickey, but LH Jon Niese has superior trade value. The Mets are another team that needs a CF. The Braves are loaded with MLB-ready arms, some of whom could be available in a trade. Frustrated at their inability to reach the next level, the Braves signed CF B.J. Upton, preferring him to Bourn. Bourn will now look for Upton money elsewhere. The Braves are also talking about Ryan Ludwick, Shane Victorino, Cody Ross and if it comes down to a monster, Justin Upton from the desert maybe with SS Andrelton Simmons as the key. The Nats should only get better as RH Stephen Strasburg is unshackled, OF Bryce Harper moves to an OF corner and Denard Span takes over in CF. Will they re-sign 1B Adam LaRoche or go hard after Greinke? With LaRoche the hangup is reported to be they only want him a max two years.
PREVIEW: The Cardinals still believe they have a team capable of a World Series, led by RF Carlos Beltran. GM John Mozeliak will be looking for another LH reliever to join Marc Rzepczynski. They need a rotation replacement for RH Kyle Lohse, a free agent. Cubs GM Theo Epstein signed RH Scott Feldman for a year and would love 2B Jeff Keppinger. Would RH Ryan Dempster be a nice fit in a comfortable North Side return? The Brewers are interested in OF Josh Hamilton for no more than four years and maybe Dempster for three. GM Doug Melvin needs bullpen help and guys like RH Carlos Villanueva and RH Jason Frasor are a fit. They grabbed RH Burke Badenhop, but still need bullpen help. The Reds inked RH Jonathon Broxton for three years and can now make a decision on LH Aroldis Chapman as a possible starter. If not, they will be looking for rotation help and maybe OF Shane Victorino. The Pirates have a huge trade chip in CL Joel Hanrahan and have locked up C Russell Martin for two years. GM Neil Huntington could easily listen to offers for RH A.J. Burnett and LH Wandy Rodriguez, the two highest-paid Bucs.
PREVIEW: The Giants have a huge selling point — they won the World Series with a great clubhouse. Free agent 2B Marco Scutaro is a priority. They could upgrade with CF Shane Victorino over Angel Pagan. If RH Brian Wilson heads elsewhere, it would probably be the West Coast, maybe the Dodgers. Thanks to a new TV deal, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti will likely walk through the lobby at the Opryland hotel making it rain Benjamins. Their 13 contracts worth $5M+ add up to $165.4 million. The Dodgers will seek a top-tier SP like Zack Greinke, Kyle Lohse or Ryan Dempster. The scope and number of offers for Greinke will mean it’s not likely he signs in Nashville. He’s not one to make rash decisions. As such, the other FA starters may wait to see what the market is. The Rockies are dangling CF Dexter Fowler but are reaching for the stars. They may not actually want to trade him unless overwhelmed. The Diamondbacks are said to be interested in 2B Jeff Keppinger or Japanese CL Kyuji Fujikawa, who instead is set to sign with the Cubs. The Padres made a strong offer for RH Hiroki Kuroda and are still looking for a legit starter — maybe Dice-K Matsuzaka, Dan Haren, Shaun Marcum or Ubaldo Jimenez. Dice-K started for Japan in that park when they won the first World Baseball Classic. The Padres are moving the fences in for 2013.