Winter 2011-2012 FAs

[Frayed Knot]

Add Roy Oswalt and Brad Lidge to the list.

The Phils today declined options on both of them saving themselves some $16 & $12.5 mils along the way.
They did not shut down the possibility of re-signing either one of them to new deals at a later date but of course would have to then deal with the open market unless some such agreement were to pop up in the next week or so.

[metirish]

That Oswalt trade didn't work out for the Phillies I guess, IIRC they gave up a few good to very good prospects and Happ?

[Ceetar]

Joe Nathan officially is available as well.

[Edgy MD]

metirish wrote: That Oswalt trade didn't work out for the Phillies I guess, IIRC they gave up a few good to very good prospects and Happ?

I don't know. I'm a fan of Happ, but the Oswalt trade sure looked good in 2010.

[metirish]

Edgy DC wrote: That Oswalt trade didn't work out for the Phillies I guess, IIRC they gave up a few good to very good prospects and Happ? I don't know. I'm a fan of Happ, but the Oswalt trade sure looked good in 2010.

my mistake, I thought he was traded this year, and his 2010 numbers after the trade were great



http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oswalro01.shtml

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yep. They got a season or so of steeply-discounted Oswalt (including a Brewers-Sabathia-like second half from him last year) for Happ and "meh" prospects. Happ's really not THAT good-- more like destitute-man's-Randy-Wolf than poor-man's-Cliff-Lee (with his regressing K-rate and line-drive rate, last year looked comparable to, say, Pelf's rookie season), and they held onto their tippy-top prospects to keep (Brown, e.g.) or deal for Halladay (Drabek, D'Arnaud). Basically, another exhibit in the mounting case for "Ed Wade, Phillies Double-Agent."

Also available, officially:

DeWayne Wise and Formerly-Metly Chris Woodward (still [crossout]alive![/crossout]active!).

Edited October 25, 2011 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians" wave bye-bye to Grady Sizemore by opting for a 1/2 mil buy-out instead of picking up his $9mil option

Still just 29 y/o, I thought this guy was the next Carlos Beltran when I first saw him. Unfortunately in some ways I was right, right down to the micro-fracture knee surgery he needed only at a far younger age.
Then, after three AS/GG/Top-12 MVP seasons at age 23, 24, and 25, he's totaled only around 800 ABs in the three seasons since due to the knee and a variety of other injuries.

[Edgy MD]

If the defense is there, I imagine he'll be on Sandy's watch list.

[Frayed Knot]

When he could move he was a terrific defensive player.
I don't know how much of that was/will-still-be compromised by his physical problems.

[Edgy MD]

House-cleaning Sawx decline options on Dan Wheeler and Scott Atchison.

You figure they could've at least gotten Adam Seuss for him.

[Edgy MD]

Pirates decline a buncha options and Paul Maholm, Ronny Cedeno, Ryan Doumit, and Chris Snyder become free agents.

That's two good-hitting catchers on that list. Doumit also plays first and right.

[Frayed Knot]

Ranked FAs

Type A:
Josh Willingham
Kelly Johnson
Prince Fielder
Francisco Rodriguez
Takashi Saito
Octavio Dotel
Albert Pujols
Carlos Beltran
Jose Reyes
Ryan Madson
Roy Oswalt
Jimmy Rollins
Colby Lewis
Darren Oliver
C.J. Wilson
Kyle Farnsworth
David Ortiz
Jonathan Papelbon
Francisco Cordero
Ramon Hernandez
Brandon Phillips
Matt Capps
Michael Cuddyer
C.C. Sabathia
Rafael Soriano



Type B:
Clint Barmes
David DeJesus
Shawn Camp
Frank Francisco
Jose Molina
Jon Rauch
Alex Gonzalez
Yuniesky Betancourt
Rafael Furcal
Edwin Jackson
Arthur Rhodes
Carlos Pena
Aramis Ramirez
Kerry Wood
Aaron Hill
Rod Barajas
Hiroki Kuroda
Pat Burrell
Cody Ross
Vladimir Guerrero
Aaron Harang
Raul Ibanez
Brad Lidge
Ryan Doumit
Derrek Lee
Ryan Ludwick
Chris Snyder
Jason Varitek
Dan Wheeler
Mark Ellis
Bruce Chen
Wilson Betemit
Magglio Ordonez
Jason Kubel
Mark Buehrle
Jason Frasor
Juan Pierre
Freddy Garcia


Now keep in mind that not all of the above will qualify for compensation -- 1st or 2nd round pick + supp for Type A; Supp only for Type B -- only that [u:1x49jwzm]IF[/u:1x49jwzm] they become FAs and reject arbitration and/or options that these are the ones who reached Type A (top 20% at their position) & Type B (Top 21-40%) status.

[Edgy MD]

You can cross out C.C. Peniston.

[metirish]

Was surprised to see Josh Willingham as a Type A but then looked up his numbers and was even more surprised to see what he did in Oakland.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willijo03.shtml

[smg58]

Edgy DC wrote: That's two good-hitting catchers on that list. Doumit also plays first and right.

They've both had trouble staying healthy, but either might be worth one year and an option.

[smg58]

The Reds had a $12M option on Brandon Phillips, which they picked up.

[Guest attgig]

Yep. They got a season or so of steeply-discounted Oswalt (including a Brewers-Sabathia-like second half from him last year) for Happ and "meh" prospects. Happ's really not THAT good-- more like destitute-man's-Randy-Wolf than poor-man's-Cliff-Lee (with his regressing K-rate and line-drive rate, last year looked comparable to, say, Pelf's rookie season), and they held onto their tippy-top prospects to keep (Brown, e.g.) or deal for Halladay (Drabek, D'Arnaud). Basically, another exhibit in the mounting case for "Ed Wade, Phillies Double-Agent." Also available, officially: Patron OF Saint of Perfect Games DeWayne Wise and Formerly-Metly Chris Woodward (still [crossout]alive![/crossout]active!).

they flipped one of the guys they got from the phillies (Gose) for Brett Wallace, who looks like he'll be their 1bman for the time being. Gose, btw, is the 5th ranked prospect in the BlueJays system. so, not ALL horrible prospects.

It was definitely a good trade for the Phils though at the time especially with the 13 or so million that they got along with Oswalt to help pay for the contract.

[Frayed Knot]

Carlos I (that is, of course, Beltran) prepares for his 2nd trip into FA-gency by ... dumping Scott Boras


Veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran has left Scott Boras' agency and is now represented by Dan Lozano, a baseball source told ESPN.com.
Beltran, 34, is a .283 hitter with 302 home runs in 14 big league seasons. He is expected to be one of the most highly pursued players on the free-agent market this off-season.
San Francisco acquired Beltran in a trade with the New York Mets in July, and Beltran hit .323 with seven home runs in 44 games, but the Giants fell short in their bid to make the playoffs and repeat as the World Series champion.
The source said Beltran had interviewed several agencies this summer before deciding on Lozano, who also represents Albert Pujols and Jimmy Rollins among this winter's free-agent crop.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Just looking over that list, David DeJesus is one name that pops out. If he accepts a backup role at this point of his career (and he probably should) he brings a little powa and acceptable defense in all 3 slots. Plus, he's a Brooklyn/Rutgers guy and maybe a MLBS in real life. He will be 32 and could have Jason Pridie's job or maybe platoon with RH hitting Cody Ross, also on the above list.

Neither guy would come with a big price tag, I wouldn't think.

[ashie62]

Almost time for the guess the FA destination contest.

[Frayed Knot]

Add the name of Andrew Brackman to the FA pile as the Yanx have declined the option of a guy who many MLDBs simply assumed was destined for greatness because he was, after all, a Yanqui.

The 6'10" RHP was a basketball player and only part-time baseballer at UNC when the Yanx spent a 1st round pick (30th overall) and a pile of money ($4.5 guaranteed/up to $13mil conditional) on him back in 2007 despite knowing in advance that he needed TJ surgery.
That minor fact, along with the one where he really never pitched that often in college, not only set his progress back somewhat and pushed his debut into 2009 but things weren't real pretty once he started.
After pitching better at times in 2010 - where he jumped up to high-A & AA ball while cutting his walks drastically - he regressed in 2011 [33 games; 13 starts; 6.00 ERA; 7 BB/9].

This is the classic example of where drafting for "upside" didn't work. No doubt the Yanx save part of that potential bonus money by releasing him now. He's 25 y/o, a flame-thrower but, just that, a thrower and not a pitcher as evidenced by the results not matching his stuff [75 K + 75 BBs in 96 IP this year]. Someone will shirley take a chance on him still for a lower amount of money. Not sure if I want it to be the Mets.
He pitched 2 inning for the big club this past summer.

[Edgy MD]

Rod Barajas finds a new home with Pittsburgh.

One year plus an option.

[MFS62]

According to ESPN radio, Jason Pridie signed with the A's. No terms mentioned.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

No toothbrush holder for him!

[TransMonk]

[MFS62]

Mike O'Connor signed by the MFYs.
http://www.metsblog.com/2011/11/16/yankees-sign-mike-oconnor/

Later

[Guest sharpie]

Ryan Doumit to the Twins. 1 yr/$3mil

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That's probably the league in which Doumit belongs. (He would've been an interesting fit as a transition-Astro-- succeed this year as a C/1B/OF, come back as a DH.)

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: That's probably the league in which Doumit belongs. (He would've been an interesting fit as a transition-Astro-- succeed this year as a C/1B/OF, come back as a DH.)

Have to agree, Doumit has shown to be brittle but the guy can hit and isn't that old.

[bmfc1]

Joe Nathan to the Texas Rangers.

seawolf17 weeps.