Archive for December, 2007

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Sources: Twins, Everett reach deal

Friday, December 14th, 2007

One day after losing his job with the Houston Astros to Miguel Tejada, shortstop Adam Everett has agreed to a one-year, contract with the Minnesota Twins, according to major-league sources. The Astros declined to offer Everett a contract on Wednesday after acquiring Tejada from the Orioles for five players. The Twins have been seeking a shortstop since trading Jason Bartlett to the Tampa Bay Rays in the Delmon Young deal.

Everett, considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the majors, missed more than three months last season with a fractured fibula, returning for three games in late September. The Orioles did not want him included in their deal for Tejada.

The knock on Everett is his offense; he has a .248 career batting average, .299 on-base percentage and .357 slugging percentage in seven major-league seasons.

The Twins, however, value defense, and Everett likely will be a favorite to win a Gold Glove, an award he never won in the National League. In 2006, Everett had a .990 fielding percentage, the fourth best in history by a National League shortstop. He had 53 straight errorless games and finished the season with just seven errors.

Everett earned $2.8 million with the Astros last season. His salary with the Twins is expected to be at that level or slightly above.

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Jays get Eckstein for $4.5 million

Friday, December 14th, 2007

The Blue Jays have been mostly quiet this off-season, waiting for the right player to become available at a reasonable price. That player finally has emerged — free-agent shortstop David Eckstein. The Jays have reached a preliminary agreement with Eckstein on a 1-year, $4.5 million contract, according to a major-league source.

Eckstein, a two-time World Series champion, likely will become the team’s everyday shortstop and leadoff man, returning John McDonald to a backup role.

Eckstein, who turns 32 on Jan. 20, struggled to find the right fit in free agency, and the squeeze became tighter after the Cardinals declined to offer him arbitration.

The White Sox and Tigers acquired shortstops through trades early in the off-season. The Mets signed Luis Castillo to play second base after a brief flirtation with Eckstein. The Rockies, too, considered Eckstein at second, but the Jays offered a better opportunity.

Eckstein, a seven-year veteran, batted a career-high .309 for the Cardinals last season with three homers, 31 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. His career on-base percentage is .351.

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Rowand leaves Phillies for Giants

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

Aaron Rowand agreed to a five-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, giving the club the starting center fielder it sought this winter. The 30-year-old Rowand is expected to bat fifth for San Francisco after spending the last two seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. He is coming off his best season yet, earning his first Gold Glove award and All-Star selection while helping the Phillies to the NL East title. He batted .309 with 27 home runs and career bests of 89 RBIs, 105 runs, 189 hits, 45 doubles in 161 games.

While manager Bruce Bochy had said Rajai Davis would get a chance to earn the job come spring training, Rowand was brought in to start in center. That means Dave Roberts likely will shift from center to left field to replace departed home run king Barry Bonds, Randy Winn will stay put in right while Davis and some of the other young outfielders share time in a reserve role.

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Miguel Tejada is traded to Astros

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

Former American League MVP Miguel Tejada was traded Wednesday from the Baltimore Orioles to the Houston Astros for five players. The Orioles got outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Michael Costanzo.

Tejada hit .296 with 18 home runs and 81 RBIs this season. At 31, he’s a four-time All-Star shortstop, but the Orioles were worried about his range.

Tejada had resisted efforts by the Orioles to move him over to third base. It’s uncertain where he’ll play for Houston, which has an unsettled left side of the infield.

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Cubs, Japanese OF Fukudome reach deal

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

The Cubs, landing their biggest off-season target, have signed Japanese free-agent outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to a four-year contract, major-league sources confirmed to FOXSports.com.
The deal, first reported by WGN Radio in Chicago, is expected to be for approximately $12 million per season, sources said.

Fukudome, 30, gives the Cubs a left-handed hitter who will balance their heavily right-handed lineup. He is expected to be the team’s everyday right fielder.

Fukudome had a .305 career batting average in Japan, averaging 29 homers between 2003 and ’06. He appeared in only 81 games for the Chunichi Dragons last season due to a right-elbow injury that required surgery.

The Padres, Giants and White Sox were among the teams that bid for Fukudome. The Padres are now expected to turn their attention to re-signing free-agent center fielder Mike Cameron, who also is entertaining offers from other clubs. The Giants and White Sox are among the teams competing for free agent Aaron Rowand.

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Fukudome coming to majors

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome told the Chunichi Dragons he will not return next season, saying he wants to make a move to the major leagues. Fukudome, who became a free agent last month, informed the Central League club of his decision Tuesday.

Fukudome is regarded as one of the best outfielders in Japanese professional baseball. The 30-year-old was a key member of the Japan team that won the inaugural World Baseball Classic in

He had surgery on his right elbow in August and sat out the Japan Series, but has 192 homers and a .305 batting average over nine seasons with the Dragons, who won their first championship in 53 years on Nov. 2.
Fukudome has drawn interest from the Chicago Cubs, the San Diego Padres and the Chicago White Sox.

The Padres have made an offer to Fukudome, calling it “one of the two or three biggest offers” in team history.

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Reports: Lo Duca, Nats agree to deal

Monday, December 10th, 2007

Paul Lo Duca and the Washington Nationals agreed to a one-year contract pending a physical, according to several reports Monday. Lo Duca, a free-agent catcher who played for the New York Mets the past two seasons, would give the Nationals a veteran to replace Brian Schneider behind the plate. Washington traded Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church to the Mets last month in the deal that sent outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Nationals.

A four-time All-Star from 2003-06, Lo Duca hit .272 with nine homers and a .311 on-base percentage this season that was the lowest of any Mets regular — and lower than Schneider’s .326. Both Lo Duca and Schneider drove in 54 runs.

The agreement was first reported on The Washington Post’s Web site, citing an unidentified source; MLB.com and ESPN.com also said Lo Duca and the Nationals have a deal in place.

In 10 major league seasons with the Dodgers, Marlins and Mets, Lo Duca has batted .288 with 80 homers and 466 RBIs.

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Gagne, Brewers finalize $10M, 1-year deal

Monday, December 10th, 2007

Eric Gagne has a chance to become a closer again. Gagne and the Brewers finalized a $10 million, one-year contract on Monday, giving the Brewers a potential replacement for All-Star reliever Francisco Cordero.

The 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner, Gagne finished last season with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox. He was acquired from Texas at the trade deadline in a deal that grabbed headlines, but struggled in a setup role with the Red Sox and was rarely used in tight situations down the stretch. Gagne was a disappointment in Boston, which traded for him in July. He was 2-2 with a 6.75 ERA in 20 games for the Red Sox, finishing 4-2 with 16 saves and a 3.81 ERA overall.

With the Brewers, he can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses: $250,000 each for 50, 55, 60 and 65 games finished.

The 31-year-old Gagne joins a bullpen that lost Cordero, who agreed to a $46 million, four-year contract with Cincinnati after saving 44 games for Milwaukee this season. Derrick Turnbow and Gagne are the top candidates to close for the Brewers next year.

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Padres’ Wolf can make $4.25M in incentives

Monday, December 10th, 2007

Randy Wolf will get a nice payday if he can make 30 starts and pitch 200 innings for the San Diego Padres. The left-hander, coming off shoulder surgery in September, and the Padres finalized a one-year deal on Monday that will top out at $9 million if Wolf reaches all his incentives.

Wolf was 9-6 with a 4.23 ERA in 18 starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. He didn’t pitch after July 3 due to soreness in his left shoulder. He had surgery in September.

Wolf will make $4.75 million in base pay. He will earn $175,000 for starts 11-30, or $3.5 million. He’ll get $250,000 if he pitches 190 innings, and another $500,000 if he pitches 200 innings. He hasn’t pitched that many innings since 2003, when he hit the number exactly.

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Yankees close to signing reliever Hawkins

Sunday, December 9th, 2007

The Yankees, rebuilding their setup corps, are close to signing free-agent right-hander LaTroy Hawkins to a one-year contract believed to be worth approximately $3.75 million, according to major-league sources.

Hawkins, 35, will help fill the void created by the loss of righty Luis Vizcaino, who declined salary arbitration from the Yankees, and righty Joba Chamberlain, who is expected to move into the starting rotation.

The Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers were among the teams that bid for Hawkins, who went 2-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 62 games for Colorado last season. He also made four appearances in the postseason, allowing one run in five innings.

A 13-year veteran, Hawkins spent his first nine seasons with the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees will be his sixth team and fifth in the past four seasons.
The Rockies are now expected to turn their attention to Vizcaino.

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