Archive for December, 2008

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Red Sox reach deal with Penny and Bard

Monday, December 29th, 2008

The Boston Red Sox and pitcher Brad Penny reached a preliminary agreement on a $5 million, one-year contract, according to several reports Monday. The team also struck a tentative agreement with catcher Josh Bard and both deals are pending physicals, the reports said.

A two-time All-Star, the 30-year-old Penny struggled with injuries to his shoulder and side last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two relief appearances.

Penny pitched well in that series against the New York Yankees, going 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA in two starts. He was the NL starter in the 2006 All-Star game and finished that year 16-9 with a 4.33 ERA. The following season, Penny went 16-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 33 starts covering 208 innings and placed third in NL Cy Young Award voting.

According to the reports, Penny could earn an additional $3 million in performance bonuses with the Red Sox. He is 94-75 with a 4.06 ERA in nine big league seasons.

Bard played seven games for Boston in 2006 but struggled to catch Wakefield’s knuckler and was traded to San Diego. He batted .202 with a homer and 16 RBIs in 178 at-bats for the Padres last season.

The Red Sox need depth behind the plate becase captain Jason Varitek is a free agent.

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Reds sign CF Taveras

Saturday, December 27th, 2008

Willy Taveras and the Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a two-year contract, filling the team’s need for a center fielder and leadoff hitter.

The speedy Taveras is coming off a disappointing season with Colorado. He batted .251 with a paltry .308 on-base percentage, though he did lead the major leagues with 68 stolen bases.

Taveras, who turned 27 on Christmas, became a free agent when the Rockies decided not to offer him a contract by the Dec. 12 deadline. He spent two injury-plagued seasons in Colorado after he was acquired from Houston in December 2006.

Taveras has a .283 career batting average with seven homers, 109 RBIs and 169 stolen bases.

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Randy Johnson Signs with Giants

Friday, December 26th, 2008
Randy Johnson has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, FOXSports.com has learned.

Johnson, 45, needs just five wins to reach 300. He’s also chasing 5,000 strikeouts, entering the season with 4,789.

After an injury-plagued 2007, Johnson bounced back last season to throw 184 innings with a 3.91 ERA for the Diamondbacks.

Johnson joins a San Francisco rotation that already includes 2008 Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Barry Zito.

The Dodgers were also interested in Johnson, who preferred to stay on the West Coast while playing for a team that holds spring training in Arizona.

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Yankees Land Texeria

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

Talk about a stunner. The Yankees have reached an agreement in principle with free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, according to major-league sources. Teixeira’s deal is for eight years and $180 million — a sum that would push the Yankees’ off-season expenditures past $400 million.

The signing of Teixeira will be a stunning blow to the Red Sox, who had identified the switch-hitting first baseman as their No. 1 target and can not effectively counter the Yankees’ move.
The agreement also raises the question of where Teixeira’s agent, Scott Boras, will place his other free-agent slugger, outfielder Manny Ramirez.

The Angels ruled out signing Ramirez on Wednesday, seemingly leaving him with only the Dodgers as an interested suitor. The addition of Teixeira almost certainly will eliminate Ramirez as a possibility for the Yankees.

The Yankees have now made three high-priced additions; Teixeira, left-hander CC Sabathia, and righty A.J. Burnett, as they prepare for their first season at the new Yankee Stadium. Sabathia and Burnett signed earlier this off-season for a combined $243.5 million.

Teixeira, a switch-hitter and Gold Glove defender, might be the most meaningful prize, simply because of the interest that he drew from the Red Sox, the Yankees’ biggest rival.

The Nationals and Orioles also bid for Teixeira, a native of Severna Park, Md., but the Red Sox were considered the favorite, considering their need for a middle-of-the-order slugger.

The Red Sox had a bitter parting with Manny Ramirez last summer and David Ortiz could be on the verge of decline. Without Teixeira, the Sox could attempt to sign another free-agent slugger or bolster their starting pitching with the addition of free-agent right-hander Derek Lowe.

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Angels withdraw offer to Teixeira

Sunday, December 21st, 2008
The Angels are out of the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. The team has withdrawn its offer to the free-agent slugger, according to a source close to the negotiations.

The Red Sox did not necessarily end their bid for Teixeira when owner John Henry said the team “is not going to be a factor” in the negotiations.

The Angels’ decision, however, is more final, the source said.

Keeping Teixeira, 28, was the Angels’ top priority. The team now figures to explore other free-agent pursuits, including the possible signing of left-handed closer Brian Fuentes as a replacement for the departed Francisco Rodriguez.

Without Teixeira, the Angels could install Kendry Morales at first base. Their other possible offensive targets include Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Milton Bradley.

The Angels are believed to have offered Teixeria an eight-year deal in the range of $160 million. However, Teixeira wants to return east for family reasons, according to major-league sources.

The withdrawal of the Angels, then, does not figure to change the basic dynamics of the negotiations.

The Red Sox remain the favorite, despite their recent posturing. The Nationals could end up the high bidder, and Teixeira’s hometown team, the Orioles, also are a factor. The Yankees, meanwhile, lurk on the periphery.

Teixeira helped elevate the Angels’ offense after the team acquired him from the Braves on July 30, posting a batting average/on-base/ slugging line of .358/.449/.632 in 54 games. He also went 7-for-15 with an RBI in the Angels’ Division Series loss to the Red Sox.

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Furcal finally makes up his mind

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

Furcal, the top free-agent shortstop on the open market this year, has decided to sign with the Dodgers, major-league sources said. The Associated Press, citing a person familiar with the negotiations, said the deal is for three years and $33 million.

Furcal gets $7.5 million next season, $9.5 million in 2010 and $13 million in 2011, according to AP. The deal includes a $13 million team option for 2012 with a $3 million buyout.

On Monday night, the Braves were under the distinct impression that they had a deal with Furcal. On Tuesday, the Dodgers re-entered the discussions, and by Wednesday afternoon the Dodgers and Furcal were hammering out the terms of an agreement, sources said.

The Braves on Wednesday were informed that Furcal would not accept their deal.

Atlanta, according to sources, offered Furcal a three-year deal worth approximately $30 million, and included a vesting option for a fourth year that would have pushed the potential value of the deal to approximately $40 million.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, had been reluctant to re-sign Furcal long-term due to medical concerns. On Tuesday, however, they suddenly showed interest in extending their offer beyond two guaranteed years.

Furcal’s reasons for choosing the Dodgers over the Braves are unclear. But he will remain at shortstop with the Dodgers; the Braves, depending upon the outcome of other moves, might have moved him to second base.

The A’s are believed to have made the high offer for Furcal — four years guaranteed in the $40 million range, according to major-league sources.

Furcal, 31, left the Braves for the Dodgers after the 2005 season, signing a three-year, $39 million free-agent contract.

For the Braves, the loss of Furcal represents their third major setback of the offseason.

The first came when they failed to reach a trade agreement for Padres right-hander Jake Peavy after weeks of negotiations.

The second occurred when they were outbid for free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Yankees.

Furcal was less important to the Braves than either of those starting pitchers, but his addition would have created opportunities for the team to trade shortstop Yunel Escobar or second baseman Kelly Johnson for either outfield help or pitching.

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Orioles sign Izturis

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

The Baltimore Orioles agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with free agent shortstop Cesar Izturis on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Izturis batted .263 in 135 games with the St. Louis Cardinals this year. He ranked third in the NL with a .980 fielding percentage.

Izturis won the 2004 Gold Glove for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was an NL All-Star the following year. He fills the void at shortstop left by the trade in 2007 that sent Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros. The Orioles employed six players at the position this year, including Freddie Bynum, Juan Castro and Alex Cintron. Izturis joins a team that has endured 11 straight losing seasons, but hopes to help turn that around in 2009.

A switch-hitter, Izturis batted .290 right-handed and .245 left-handed in 2008. He also led the Cardinals with 24 stolen bases. A career .260 hitter, Izturis broke into the majors with Toronto in 2001. Besides playing for Los Angeles and St. Louis, he spent time with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Izturis gets $2.4 million next year and $2.6 million in 2010. He can earn up to $600,000 each year in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 400 and 450 plate appearances and 100 and 110 games started, and $100,000 each for 500 plate appearances , and 120, 130 and 140 games started.

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Furcal spurns A’s $40M for Braves’ $30M

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

The Braves have scored a major offseason upset, luring free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal back to Atlanta. In a stunning turnaround, Furcal spurned the A’s for a three-year deal with the Braves worth approximately $30 million, according to major-league sources.

The A’s are believed to have made the high offer for Furcal — four years guaranteed in the $40 million range, according to major-league sources. The Braves, however, made a late, rapid push for Furcal, who owns homes in Atlanta and Los Angeles and preferred to rejoin the Braves or stay with the Dodgers.

Furcal, 31, left the Braves for the Dodgers after the 2005 season, signing a three-year, $39 million free-agent contract. His return to Atlanta gives the Braves stunning flexibility in their middle infield, perhaps enabling them to revive their trade talks for Padres right-hander Jake Peavy.

Furcal could switch to second base, a position he has played in winter ball, if the Braves move Kelly Johnson to left field or trade Johnson for an outfielder or pitching help. Or, Furcal could remain at shortstop if the Braves trade Yunel Escobar, either as part of a Peavy package or in a separate deal.

The availability of Peavy, however, is unclear, and Braves officials have not even discussed him in recent weeks, one source said.

The Braves began the offseason intent on landing two quality starting pitchers. They acquired right-hander Javier Vazquez from the White Sox, but failed in attempts to land Peavy and sign free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett.

The addition of Furcal could lead the Braves to continue their pursuits of less prominent free-agent pitchers such as left-hander Randy Wolf and Japanese right-hander Kenshin Kawakami. But it also would give them the option to explore bigger deals.

Kinzer said last week that the A’s, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Royals were the four finalists for Furcal. The Blue Jays and Royals, however, fell out of the running due to economic reasons, according to major-league sources. The Dodgers apparently were not willing to offer Furcal more than two years.

Orlando Cabrera would become the top shortstop on the free-agent market if the Braves complete their deal with Furcal, becoming a prime candidate for the Dodgers. Other options for the Dodgers would include re-signing Angel Berroa, a lesser free agent, or trading for the Pirates’ Jack Wilson.

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A’s up offer to Furcal

Monday, December 15th, 2008

From every indication, the A’s are the front-runner to sign free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal.
MLB Hot Stove. The A’s have improved their initial four-year offer to Furcal, according to major-league sources.

Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, said last week that the A’s, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Royals were the four finalists for his client. Other teams, however, could be in the mix.

The Dodgers will not offer Furcal four years and maybe not even three, sources say. The Jays are unable to compete economically. The Royals might need to trade outfielder Jose Guillen to clear payroll. Guillen, 32, is owed $24 million over the next two seasons, but Royals officials say that moving him would be counter-productive because the team needs his power.

The A’s initial four-year offer to Furcal was believed to be for between $35 million and $40 million. The Dodgers and other clubs have been reluctant to offer him four years due to his injury history.

If Furcal signs with the A’s, the Dodgers could turn to free-agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera or re-sign free agent Angel Berroa, a lesser player. They also could revive trade talks for the Pirates’ Jack Wilson.

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Braves still after Pitching

Friday, December 12th, 2008

The Braves, after losing out on Burnett, might trade for a starting pitcher, but not necessarily Padres right-hander Jake Peavy.

The team is less inclined to trade shortstop Yunel Escobar, the centerpiece of their offer for Peavy, after including shortstop Brent Lillibridge in their trade for Javier Vazquez.

Then again, the Braves still could sign free agent Rafael Furcal to play shortstop, allowing them the opportunity to trade Escobar. Or, they could keep Escobar, sign Furcal to play second base and use Kelly Johnson to fill their void in left field.

To address their pitching, they could target Randy Wolf or Derek Lowe.

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