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Orioles Turn to Japan, Koji Uehara for Pitching

Andrew Johnson — 2009-01-07T02:15:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonBaltimore entered the offseason with exactly one rotation spot filled, so to say it needs pitching help would be an understatement of epic proportions. The Orioles signed journeyman Mark Hendrickson last week. Now they've erased another of the question marks after Jeremy Guthrie by agreeing to two-year deal with Japanese pitcher Koji Uehara, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.

Uehara, who will be 34 on Opening Day and who has an outstanding international resume, will be the first Japanese player in franchise history -- a strange thought considering the impact talent from the Far East that currently resides in the AL East.

The signing certainly could pay future dividends, as Peter Schmuck writes, but the question in the short-term is just how he'll fit in at Camden Yards and how he'll cope with pitching in the toughest division in baseball.

His agent thinks he'll be outstanding:

"I have a lot of confidence in this guy. He'll take the ball every fifth day and can be a No. 2 or 3 in a very difficult division," [Mark] Pieper said. "This will be a challenge for him but he is clearly up for it."

Of course, agents are paid to think and talk like that about their clients.

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Should Orioles Get More Than Gavin Floyd for Brian Roberts?

Andrew Johnson — 2009-01-06T15:10:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonFor the second straight winter Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts is at the center of a number of trade rumors. Roberts has been linked with Cubs both last winter and this one, but more recently, the White Sox have engaged the Orioles in talks about the two-time All-Star.

In those talks, Chicago offered pitcher Gavin Floyd for the second baseman, but negotiations broke down when the O's asked for more, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman.

"They wanted Floyd plus,'' one person familiar with the talks said.

While the talks aren't necessarily considered dead, White Sox GM Ken Williams said to Chicago media outlets through a spokesman that he hasn't spoken to the Orioles since November. And one other person told SI.com that the chances for a deal were "pretty iffy,'' based on Baltimore's requests.

Floyd is six years younger than Roberts and coming off of a 17-8 campaign in 2008, so it might seem silly for the pitching-starved Orioles to request more than a young top-of-the-rotation starter in return for Roberts, who is only under contract for one more season.

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Barry Bonds' Attempted Comeback Just Got (Even More) Complicated

Andrew Johnson — 2009-01-01T21:30:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonWhen we last heard from home run king Barry Bonds, he was telling a ~~annoying~~ pesky reporter from TMZ that he wasn't retired outside a of Los Angeles restaurant.

Well Bonds hasn't let go of his desire to play again, according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, but there's now a complicating factor -- the slugger recently had surgery on his hip. He underwent the procedure so that he'd be able to play in 2009, but it could negatively affect his chances to actually make a timely comeback.

A source familiar with the operation said it was conducted by Dr. Arthur Ting and that Bonds won't be 100 percent before spring training but that he could be recovered by Opening Day.

Barry Bonds is not retired in the same way that I'm not retired. We'll both put on a uniform for any team that wants to pay us, but no one's actually calling. To be clear, I think Bonds got a raw deal last year. He should have gotten a chance to keep playing somewhere. But he's another year older. He actually is going to go on trial this March. And now you can add a serious health ailment to the list of concerns that come with offering him a contract.

Bonds is nothing, if not defiant until the very end, but even for him, it's probably time to put to bed the idea of him ever donning a major league uniform again.

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The Nationals Are Still Trying to Make a Splash

Andrew Johnson — 2009-01-01T19:20:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonIn an attempt to buy some credibility after a 102-loss season, the Nationals made a very serious run at Mark Teixeira, becoming one of the final three bidders for the slugger before ultimately losing out on him because they couldn't offer a chance to win right away.

That doesn't mean they're through trying to improve though, as MLB.com's Bill Ladson writes. Not only are the Nationals in serious pursuit of Milton Bradley -- who seems destined to sign with the Cubs sooner or later -- but they're in on second baseman Orlando Hudson and first baseman/outfielder Adam Dunn.

It seems unlikely that the Nats will be able to secure all three players, and the interest in Bradley doesn't seem to make a ton of sense since their outfield is already pretty full, but it doesn't seem all that crazy that they'd come away with two of the three.

It's clear that Washington has money to spend, and in a cautious market like this, that makes them awfully powerful. Put Hudson and Dunn on the right side of the Nationals' infield and suddenly there's a semblance of respectable offense in the nation's capital. It wouldn't be enough to take them seriously as a contender -- not with such a lousy pitching staff -- but at least they wouldn't be a laughingstock.

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Giants Making Play for Manny Ramirez?

Andrew Johnson — 2009-01-01T16:15:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonIt's no secret that the Giants need offensive help. They've finished 15th in the National League in scoring two years running. It's also become abundantly clear that they're gearing up for a run at the NL West crown in 2009, having signed Randy Johnson, Edgar Renteria, Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry this offseason.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise then, that San Francisco is making a run at the biggest and best bat still available.

The Giants, the NL West's most active team this winter, are quietly making an aggressive play for free agent Manny Ramirez, according to a major-league source.

Acquiring Ramirez would come with a number of headaches -- from simply having the mercurial slugger on their roster to likely having to trade one of their incumbent outfielders (Randy Winn, Aaron Rowand, Dave Roberts). But all in all, he'd probably be worth it for a team that isn't all that far from seriously contending. They play in a soft division where 85 wins could easily equal a playoff berth.

That's especially true when you consider three factors: (1) the market for Ramirez is severely depressed because of the number of all-hit, no-field corner bats on the market, (2) signing him would simultaneously improve the Giants' offense and weaken the rival Dodgers and (3) it would save GM Brian Sabean from having to engineer a complex trade for a bat that would cost him one of his top young pitchers like Jonathan Sanchez.

Sign Manny? Sure, why not? It's not like folks in San Francisco aren't used to having a sometimes-surly, Hall of Fame slugger prowling around in left field after all.

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Jason Marquis Is Headed to the Rockies

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-31T02:20:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonThough it isn't likely to be announced until next week, the Cubs and Rockies have agreed in principle to a trade that will send starting pitcher Jason Marquis to Colorado in exchange for reliever Luis Vizcaino.

In a vacuum, Marquis is probably the more valuable player, if for no other reason than he's a starter, but of course moves like these don't happen in a vacuum. The Cubs aren't losing much in Marquis other than mediocrity, and while that has very real value in the major leagues, they have the depth to easily replace him. It's been a rocky couple of years for Vizcaino, who Chicago is receiving in return, but he still misses bats, and he's sliding into one of the deepest bullpens in the league, meaning he won't have to shoulder too much responsibility.

Perhaps more importantly, the Cubs are shedding $10 million in salary by dealing Marquis. Lightening the payroll is the first domino that needed to fall for GM Jim Hendry to round out the rest of the roster. Hendry now has the flexibility to add an outfielder like Milton Bradley or Bobby Abreu and maybe even revisit the Jake Peavy trade talks.

As for the Rockies, Marquis gives them another low-ceiling groundball pitcher to go alongside Aaron Cook in their rotation. He's probably not going to win them the division, but he won't keep them from doing so either.

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Diamondbacks Hand Chris Snyder Extension

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-30T19:25:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonAfter a disappointing end to the 2008 season, it's been a quiet winter for the Arizona Diamondbacks. With a stockpile of young talent and rumors that the team it looking to cut payroll, they've largely stood pat, content to bank on that young core to keep them in contention next year and into the next decade.

They took a key step toward keeping that core intact Tuesday, agreeing to a three-year, $14.25 million contract extension with starting catcher Chris Snyder, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The deal also includes a club option for a fourth year that could raise the total value of the pact to more than $20 million.

Snyder is often overlooked, both alongside the other top young catchers in the game, like Joe Mauer and Brian McCann, and alongside the impressive young talent on Arizona's roster, but he's turned into one of the better backstops around. Even in a year in which he hit .237, Snyder still managed to post a .348 on-base percentage and career highs in home runs, extra-base hits and RBI in 2008, and, at 27, he's just entering his prime.

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Giants Willing to Listen on Jonathan Sanchez

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-30T04:10:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonLost in the radical makeover under way in the Bronx this winter is the similarly stark turnover taking place in San Francisco. No, the Giants haven't spent 10 times the Opening Day payroll of the Tampa Bay Rays on a handful of players, but they have added shortstop Edgar Renteria, pitcher Randy Johnson and relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry.

With Johnson, reigning Cy Young Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, they've got the starting rotation to win the NL West, but probably not the offensive firepower just yet.

In fact, the signing of Johnson might serve another purpose besides bolstering an already strong rotation, it might allow GM Brian Sabean to deal some of his pitching depth -- namely Jonathan Sanchez -- to give San Francisco's lineup more punch.

Having resisted offers of corner infielders for Jonathan Sanchez, general manager Brian Sabean hinted that he might at least listen to trade proposals involving the left-hander, now that Johnson's aboard. "We're going to have to be open-minded," Sabean said, although he repeated that he wouldn't obtain a player who's eligible for free agency after 2009.

There's hardly a more valuable commodity in baseball than cost-controlled starting pitching, but the Giants have that in spades, especially if you factor in high-upside prospects Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson.

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Pair of Cuban Baseball Stars Defect

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-30T03:30:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonIn a year where the vast majority of free agents will be unsigned on New Year's Day, what's two more? According to Enrique Rojas of ESPNdeportes.com, pitcher Yadel Marti and outfielder Yasser Gomez have defected from the communist island nation.

Both played for the top team in Cuba, Industriales, but were thrown off the club recently for an earlier attempt to leave the country and are now in an undisclosed location, planning their route to the Dominican Republic.

A talent scout who has seen Marti and Gomez playing at international events told ESPNdeportes.com that both are ready to play in the majors.

There is certainly reason to be skeptical of the talent coming out of Cuba. Are Marti and Gomez really 29 and 28, respectively, as they say? What kind of competition did they face in their homeland? How much can we really know about them from a small sample of international games?

On the flip side, what we do know about them is impressive. Marti didn't allow an earned run over 12 2/3 innings at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and Gomez is a former Rookie of the Year in Cuba. They certainly wouldn't be the first international stars from the island nation to succeed in the majors -- look no further than Alexei Ramirez, Jose Contreras and Livan Hernandez for a few recent examples.

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Who Will Be Boston's Catcher in 2009?

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-30T02:30:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonThe minute Mark Teixeira signed on the dotted line with the Yankees, Boston's top offseason priority shifted from bolstering the middle of their order to finding a starting catcher. Teixeira was a unique commodity on the free agent market, but the Red Sox don't need a corner bat like they need a steady catcher.

Incumbent Jason Varitek is a free agent, and despite possible acrimony over the way agent Scott Boras handled the Teixeira sweepstakes, Boston is continuing to talk to him about a potential return, according to the Boston Globe. There has been very little interest in Varitek, the catching market -- whether in trade or free agency -- is weak and for the sake of continuity it may make sense for both sides to reunite.

On the other hand, the Red Sox seem to be sending out signals that they'll go in a different direction. The team is close to a non-guaranteed deal with Josh Bard. He had a short, unsuccessful stint in Boston in 2006 and an abysmal season last year, hitting .202 in 57 games. But he also posted the highest line drive rate of his career in 2008, and also the second lowest batting average on balls in play, suggesting he's a good bounceback candidate.

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From the Windup: Gifts for Every Baseball Fan

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-25T10:00:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonFrom the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.

Season's Greetings. Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

As baseball fans across the country gather to celebrate the holiday season with their loved ones, we here at MLB FanHouse have come up with a present we'd like to give to fans of every team -- even the ones who root for the Yankees, it turns out you folks don't have quite everything just yet.

On a day like Christmas, baseball season can seem an awfully long way off, especially here in the Northeast, where the snow banks are piled four and five feet high. In reality, pitchers and catchers can report to Spring Training in a mere 52 days.

Enjoy the hypothetical gifts for now; it won't be very long before we can all unwrap a very tangible one -- a brand spanking new baseball season.

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What Now for Teams That Lost Out in Mark Teixeira Sweepstakes?

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-23T19:30:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonIt is only a surprise that the Yankees wound up with Mark Teixeira in the end when viewed through the prism of the last few weeks. Unlike with CC Sabathia, New York general manager Brian Cashman lurked quietly in the weeds as the Angels, Nationals, Orioles and Red Sox bid for the first baseman.

Had you taken a straw poll of baseball insiders at the outset of the offseason, the Yankees very well may have been the favorites to land him.

So while the baseball operations people in Anaheim, Baltimore, Boston and Washington might be feeling stunned today, they can't be all that surprised that Teixeira is being fitted for pinstripes.

Things change quickly in baseball and now the hard-working folks who lost out on Teixeira will have to shift their focus to Plan B, whatever that may be. Before running down what each team will do now, let's state the obvious. Now is not the time to panic for any of these clubs.

Teixeira was a singular force in this free-agent class. There are certainly plenty of bats available that can roughly replicate his offensive production, but there is no complete package like him on the market -- splurging for one of the pretenders out there (Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell, even Manny Ramirez) won't solve the problem that losing out on Tex created.

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Mere Thought of Mark Teixeira Inspires Boundless Optimism in Washington

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-22T14:50:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonThankfully for bloggers and baseball fans alike, the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes will likely draw to close in the next few days, if not the next few hours.

The Red Sox say they will not be "a factor" in the bidding, but they probably will be. The Angels are out of the running, and seem much more serious about it than Boston. The Yankees are lurking, but appear unwilling to get involved unless Teixeira's demands drop considerably, and the Orioles are lagging behind everyone else, hoping against hope that Tex will sign at a huge discount just to play in his hometown.

All of which brings us to the Nationals, who, despite finishing with the worst record in baseball this year, remain a factor. Considering the massive rebuilding project they're facing, that's no small achievement, and it's enough to make pitcher Collin Balester awfully optimistic about the state of baseball in the nation's capital.

Every month, Washington pitcher Collin Balester appears on a satellite radio show (MLB Home Plate, Sirius 210 and XM 175). It's called "Minors & Majors with Grant Paulsen." When Paulsen asked Balester this week about his feelings if the Nationals sign Mark Teixeira, here's what Balester said...

"If that happens it's going to be a dream come true. That guy is a great player and if he comes to the nation's capital, watch out, we're going to the World Series and we are winning it all. I'm calling it right now. We're playing four games in the World Series, sweep, see ya!"

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Apparent Deal for Mark Teixeira Fizzles; What Happened Between Red Sox, Scott Boras?

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-19T11:45:00+00:00

by Andrew Johnson
Just as quickly as the Red Sox appeared on the verge of a blockbuster deal for Mark Teixeira, owner John Henry, president Larry Lucchino and general manager Theo Epstein boarded a plane in Dallas and returned home with no deal in hand.

In fact, all they seem to have is the complete opposite, an indication from Teixeira and Boras that an agreement will never be reached.

"We are not going to be a factor," said Henry in an e-mail Thursday night.

If we take that statement at its face value, then Boston has been outbid for Teixeira. That's certainly a possibility, even considering the Red Sox's rumored eight-year, $184 million offer to the first baseman. He's a special player. The Yankees and Angels have the resources to best the Sox. The Nationals seem so wildly intent on landing Teixeira that they too could have topped Boston as well.

But this could all be a negotiating ploy on the part of Henry and the Red Sox.

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Report: Boston on Brink of Mark Teixeira Deal

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-18T20:00:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonJust like that, the Red Sox appear to be in the homestretch of their quest to sign prized free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira to a long-term deal.

Via the Boston Globe comes a report from a local Boston television station that Red Sox officials are in Texas at this writing and in face-to-face negotiations with Teixeira's agent Scott Boras.

According to [television reporter Mike] Lynch, who cited unnamed sources, the Red Sox were offering an eight-year, $184 million contract (average annual value -- $23 million) and are hopeful they can wrap up a deal tonight.

The Globe's Adam Kilgore has confirmed that Boras is in Dallas tonight. We are presently trying to confirm the rest of the information.

Boston has long been the rumored destination for Teixeira despite the lack of any concrete offer that had been leaked to the media. If true, that's a whopper of an offer, especially for the current Red Sox regime, which has, generally speaking, balked at handing out deals of that length or value.

If you recall, this isn't the first time this Red Sox ownership stride has taken a cross-country flight to seal a deal. Boston took similar steps to ink Daisuke Matsuzaka in the 2006 offseason and Curt Schilling in 2003. Usually, when the Sox take a long trip away from home in Hot Stove season, they wind up coming back with something pretty special.

Also of note: Depending on who you talk to, the terms of the deal may have already been agreed upon.

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Jimmy Rollins Volunteers for World Baseball Classic, Brandon Webb Latest to Bow Out

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-18T16:50:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonOn Wednesday, Josh Beckett officially announced he wouldn't pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and John Lackey announced that he would. Another day, another pair of players announcing their intentions for the WBC.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins has come out and said he will play for the U.S. this spring, should he "make the final cut." Given the dearth of quality American-born shortstops, Rollins should be a slam dunk, though it might be an uphill fight for his rightful starting spot with team captain Derek Jeter blocking the way. (Here's a hint to manager Davey Johnson: Take the great glove over the great intangibles.)

Diamondbacks ace and 2007 NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, on the other hand, has taken himself out of consideration for the team, saying he wants to focus on preparing for the regular season.

If I'm running Team USA right now, I'm getting a little concerned that Webb's decision could become a trend among the top-tier American pitchers. In the age of pitch counts and innings caps, pitchers have become Major League Baseball's most valuable and protected commodity. As such, most teams are probably going to frown on their arms being used in high-leverage innings during an international tournament before the season.

Beckett's shaky health at the end of last season is certainly reason not to participate in the WBC, but Webb doesn't really have a reason like that to not don a U.S. uniform next March -- other than, of course, loyalty to the team that actually pays him.

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The Mark Teixeira Rumor Mill Churns On

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-17T13:45:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonFree-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to make a decision on his new team in the very near future, potentially even in the next 24-to-48 hours. In the meantime, we're all stuck devouring the latest scraps from the rumor mill.

On Tuesday, I wrote that Teixeira should choose the Orioles. Now, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, Baltimore has essentially dropped out of the bidding, by refusing to upgrade its initial seven-year offer.

"The Orioles are out of it, unless Teixeira really, really wants to play there," said one source.

It's not all that surprising that the O's are falling behind in the chase for Teixeira. They can't offer him the chance to be on a winner, at least right away, they don't have the financial resources that the Red Sox, Angels or Yankees do and they aren't a Tom Hicks-esque wild card in the bidding like the Nationals appear to be.

On the flip side of things, the Red Sox appear to have moved to the front of the line for Teixeira's services. A general manager of one of the five teams involved in the bidding told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe as much.

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J.J. Putz's Stay in New York Could Be Short

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-16T18:45:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonWhen J.J. Putz was first traded to the Mets, there was some noise about him being unhappy pitching in a setup role. That's and understandable reaction considering how dominant he's been as a closer in the past, if not an entirely rational one since setting up for Francisco Rodriguez in New York gives him a much better chance at winning than closing in Seattle does.

Nevertheless, Putz could get another shot at closing as soon as 2010 writes John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Putz, who gets $5.5 million this year, is due to get $9.1 million next year under a club option.

Even a free-spending team like the Mets might balk at paying that much for someone to perform setup work, and speculation already is rising before Putz has ever thrown a pitch for New York that the club might not pick up the hefty option for 2010.

Look, 2010 is a long way off. Putz could get hurt again, in which case the Mets definitely will not pick up his option, or K-Rod's violent pitching motion could finally result in an injury, in which case they almost certainly would pick it up. The Mets could be hurt by the downturn in the economy and the Wilpons' link to a major fraud case or shiny new Citi Field could become an enormous windfall for the club.

There are simply too many unforeseen variables that could have an impact on the decision to pick up Putz's option between now and next offseason. But if things stay roughly the same between now and then, and he's as dominant as they expect him to be, well, it's a little hard to see the Mets being scared off by a couple million dollars, especially if it means keeping the K-Rod-Putz tandem intact.

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From the Windup: Christmas Is Coming, Where Should Mark Teixeira Go?

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-16T15:15:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonFrom the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.

Mark Teixeira, merely the best free agent left on the market, is set to choose a team before Christmas. It's probably fitting then that there are four calling birds (and maybe a fifth looming giant) in pursuit of his services.

Teixeira is the ideal Scott Boras client. First and foremost, he's a tremendous ballplayer, but he's also calm and collected with the press, a family man, and, most critically for Boras' purposes, seemingly completely willing to go to the highest bidder.

Let's assume for a second that Teixeira isn't a Boras-bot sent from the future to ~~destroy humanity~~ lighten up some billionaire owner's wallet. Let's assume that big Tex will consider a wide variety of factors as he makes the most important decision of his baseball-playing life.

Which team, then, should he sign on the dotted line with?

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Notes From Sin City: Winter Meetings Wrapup

Andrew Johnson — 2008-12-12T13:30:00+00:00

by Andrew JohnsonOur MLB editor files dispatches from the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas in Notes From Sin City.

This city was built on the potential of winning big, and the reality of losing in the same manner, so its fitting to take a look at who won and lost this week at the Bellagio Hotel.

Winners

New York Baseball Fans: Let's see, the Yankees added the best pitcher on the market, and just maybe the best pitcher on the planet, in CC Sabathia and they aren't done yet. A.J. Burnett could be added to the rotation by the end of the week and they'll add another hurler before the end of the winter. Suddenly it looks like they're right there with the Rays and the Red Sox.

Omar Minaya was, by far, the most visible GM in Las Vegas, and that's because he made major upgrades to the Mets' wretched bullpen, signing Francisco Rodriguez and trading for J.J. Putz and Sean Green. The Mets biggest weakness coming into Las Vegas now appears to be a strength.

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