Off-season FA news (non-NYM edition)

[Frayed Knot]

Thirteen FAs received the $14.1mil "qualifying offer" from their teams meaning that an outside team signing them would forfeit a draft pick.

Jacoby Ellsbury
Mike Napoli
Stephen Drew
Robinson Cano
Curtis Granderson
Hiroki Kuroda
Carlos Beltran
Shin-Soo Choo
Nelson Cruz
Ubaldo Jimenez
Brian McCann
Kendrys Morales
Ervin Santana


A player accepting one of these offers would, in effect, be agreeing to a one-year contract for that amount. They could also accept and continue to negotiate toward a multi-year deal but would lose the ability to talk to other teams.

The Mets' 1st round pick (10th overall) is exempt from being lost if they were to sign one of the above,. They would forfeit their 2nd round pick instead - probably around pick #50




Other than that, no real news so far.
Jeter re-upped with the Yanx. Giambi signed a minor league deal to stay with Cleveland.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suspect that Beltran will accept the offer from St. Louis.

[Edgy MD]

I suspect the Yankees are drawing up a two-year-plus-an-option deal for him as we speak (or type).

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I suspect that Beltran will accept the offer from St. Louis.

Unless he thinks this is his last best chance to get a multi-year deal - even if 'multi' means no more than two.

Only Ortiz and I think one other player in this same situation last season (there were about nine players offered the cut-off number last year) remained with their own team and both did so via a negotiated settlement. No players has accepted the one-year offer so far, although last season was the first time this particular system was in effect.

[Frayed Knot]

Last night was the deadline for players accepting the "qualifying offer" (see above) from their teams and, although nothing is official yet, for the second year out of two, apparently none of the players have chosen to do so.
So all on the above list are free to negotiate with any team but it will cost the signing team a 1st, or in some cases 2nd, round draft pick.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Marlon Byrd headed back to the Phillies, Rosenthal reports.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

wow. how much $$?

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: wow. how much $$?

Two years, $16 million.

[seawolf17]

lolphillies

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's some scratch! Could be the Phillies best outfielder now...

[duan]

Not sure where I'd have stood if the mets had signed him at that rate.
I won't like him being on the Phillies though, because despite being a *insert expletive used about Alex Rodriguez* Cheat he was a likeable one.
Before last year he did have some decent years in the past, but he's been all over the charts from season to season.

[Edgy MD]

Seems reasonable... for the right team in the right position. Whether that's the Phillies is hard for me to answer. Beats Delmon Young, surely.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Good for Marlon; hopefully not good for Phillies.

This seems like an early (in the offseason) signing, doesn't it?

[Zvon]

Gah. I want Byrd to do well but on the Phillies? You've alienated me Marlon. Have an awful year.

[Zvon]

Actually, when you think about it, he did do good. 16 mill. 2 yrs? That's pretty damn good in his position. He worked hard for that contract. Now relax and have a shitty year Mr Byrd. At least against the Mets.

[ashie62]

Good for Marlon...He had quite a run with Pittsburgh after the trade...he earned the 16 million he has signed for.....

[Edgy MD]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Good for Marlon; hopefully not good for Phillies. This seems like an early (in the offseason) signing, doesn't it?

Maybe, but he's the sort of guy who gets gobbled up during the GM meetings. Not a Type A, but no minor-league/camp-invite guy either. Two years, decent but not pre-emptive money. The sort of guy that happens while they feel out the market.

[Edgy MD]

Meanwhile, Dick Young is alive and well.

[MFS62]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Marlon Byrd headed back to the Phillies, Rosenthal reports.

Shame. And he seemed like such a nice young man...

Later

[metirish]

Heyman

Hal and Cash meet with agents for Beltran, Choo, Elsbury, Drew and McCann


surely they sign 3 out of that 5?, at least.

[metirish]

Martion had an interesting article the other day.....a few things,, 1) the Mets are looking for nicer players, avoid the surly ones...and the players need to buy in the Mets offensive philosophy...interesting jabs here at Byrd....sound slike someone in management feeding needless info to Martino.

In selecting new players, NY Mets need fewer sourpusses, and want more people to buy in to offensive philosophy
BY ANDY MARTINO

The Mets are trying to spend more money than in recent winters, acquire more power, and ultimately win more games. But the team has identified other goals, too, which need to remain high priorities: Avoid divisive personalities, and increase player buy-in to its offensive philosophy. In Sandy Alderson�s previous three offseasons, the GM was shackled by budget constraints, and forced to choose from an undesirable pile of free agents. In many cases, he did not choose well, signing guys who brought a sour vibe into the clubhouse, in some cases creating more trouble than was justified by their limited contributions. It began with catcher Ronny Paulino and reliever D.J. Carrasco in 2011; the former was uninterested in following game plans, and the latter drove the coaching staff crazy with frequent whining about his usage. Subsequent years brought Jon Rauch�s unrelenting surliness and Frank Francisco�s unwillingness to pitch, along with attempts to dissuade youngsters from doing so. Shaun Marcum was, well, not charming, and while Marlon Byrd arrived with a questionable reputation, he was generally a pleasant surprise in the clubhouse -- save for what many Mets people saw as his overcoaching of teammates. It is that latter point that the Mets want to address, in addition to bringing in more pleasant people. On every level of the organization up to major league hitting coach Dave Hudgens, Alderson�s staff has spent three years working to instill a hitting philosophy that stresses plate discipline and on-base percentage. Agree or disagree with that view -- many baseball folks criticize it for making hitters less aggressive, a characterization that proponents dispute -- it is one that the GM insists on. Players like Byrd and Daniel Murphy are good hitters, but operate in a mode that is far from Aldersonian. Byrd is an aggressive swinger, unwilling or unable to draw many walks (his walk rate last year was a lowly 5.4 percent), and more than willing to encourage teammates to follow his own ideas while they worked pregame in the batting cage. That is one of the reasons the Mets did not pursue a reunion with the outfielder, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal with Philadelphia on Tuesday. The Mets are open trading Murphy for similar reasons. Murphy has earned the respect of the front office by working to turn himself into a passable second baseman, but he is another aggressive hitter, whose style does not fit what the general manager, hitting coach, and organizational instructors teach. This is one of the reasons that the team might be ready to move him. It's not that every Met has to be the same player, but the front office would like to see a higher percentage of the lineup mirror its overall philosophy. As club officials note, it is easier to enforce standards on minor leaguers and rookies if those youngsters see veterans modeling the program. Byrd and Murphy have many strong qualities as hitters, but they will never do that. Both Curtis Granderson and Nelson Cruz, free agents outfielders in whom the Mets are interested, would be better fits from both a personality and performance standpoint. Both have reputations as nice people; the only knock on Granderson is that he is pleasant, but not a leader, and while Cruz carries Biogenesis baggage, he is known as a nice, if quiet, guy. On the surface, Granderson does not seem like Alderson�s type of hitter. Although his career on-base percentage is a respectable .340, that number sunk to .317 in 2012, the outfielder�s most recent full season. When I pointed this out to a Mets official, that person immediately mentioned being impressed by Granderson�s walk rate, which at 10.2 percent is better than Byrd�s, Murphy�s (5.6 percent) Cruz�s (7.9 percent), or Jhonny Peralta (8.3 percent). The Mets might not sign either Granderson or Cruz, after seeing the frenzied outfield market develop; a trade for an Andre Ethier or Nick Markakis is also possible. Either way, it is time to end the era of sourpuss imports, and free swingers -- time to be more selective about the people invited to Queens. (Photo by Mark Bonifacio/New York Daily News)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Philling up his Phigurative off-season rucksack, Ruben Amaro is; Ruiz heads back to the Philadelphia-citizens for 3/$26M.

[Guest sharpie]

Tim Hudson to Giants. 2 years/$23 mil.

[Frayed Knot]

So the Phils currently have contracts and/or some kind of option/vesting option through 2015 or later for:
- Hamels thru 2019
- Howard thru 2017
- Rollins thru 2015
- Cliff Lee thru 2016
- Papelbon thru 2016
- Utley thru 2018
- Byrd thru 2016
- Ruiz thru 2017

Of that group: none are under 30; only Hamels is under 33; and Rollins, Ruiz, Utley, Byrd, & Lee will be 35+ on opening day 2014

Good luck with all that, Cheesesteaks.

[Lefty Specialist]

Boy, that's a lot of geezer money for the Phils. What if they can't stay awake for all the night games or someone steals their dentures?

Is it harder to pick up a curveball with bifocals?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Tim Hudson to Giants 2/23

[MFS62]

If that sets a figure for 38 year old starters, maybe a 2/21 for a Bronson Arroyo isn't out of the question.
Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Josh Johnson to Padres for 1 year $8 mills

[Frayed Knot]

How the mighty have fallen.
Couple of years ago the guy was on his way to either having the best pitcher in baseball tag hung on him was at least going to be in the class picture.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Also, David Murphy (Muffy's longlost twin brother doncha know) signs with the seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians" for 2 years/ 10 mills.