Archives for December 2009

When your team hits the fewest home runs in baseball (95, 27 fewer than anyone else), there's only one thing to do: Sign the player who hit the ninth-most homers (36), the most among available free agents.

At least, that's the New York Mets' strategy. According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the Mets and Jason Bay have agreed on a four-year, guaranteed $66 million contract, pending a physical that will take place next week. The deal includes a vesting fifth-year option -- presumably based on games or plate appearances -- that would push the value of the deal past $80 million, a strategy that makes sense when you consider the Mets suffered a barrage of unexpected injuries in 2009.

Not that the deal overall entirely makes sense. Bay's best asset is his power, as he's hit at least 30 homers in four of the past five seasons, but he's a defensive liability in left field. Neither of those things makes him an ideal fit for Citi Field, with its spacious outfield and high fences.

Read the complete story

The Baywatch is set to begin at Citi Field. Free agent slugger Jason Bay and the New York Mets have reached a preliminary agreement, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Bay must pass a physical for the deal to be completed. The three-time All-Star is expected to sign a four-year contract for about $65 million.

Bay set career highs with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs last season for Boston. The 31-year-old outfielder is a lifetime .280 hitter and has averaged 30 homers and 99 RBIs in his six full seasons in the majors. Bay fills a huge hole in left field for the Mets, who skidded to a 70-92 mark during an injury-plagued year. They especially needed a bopper after hitting a major league-low 95 homers in the first season at their spacious, new ballpark. The deal was first reported by WFAN.

Read the complete story

Reliever Matt Capps reached a preliminary agreement early Thursday on a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Washington Nationals. Capps can earn an additional $425,000 in performance bonuses for games finished under the deal, which was reached about 12:30 a.m. The pitcher's agent, Paul Kinzer, said the agreement is subject to a physical that will take place in the first week of January.

"This was the opportunity for him to be a closer and he decided the wanted to stay in that role," Kinzer said. The 26-year-old Capps became a free agent this month when the Pirates decided not to offer him a contract for 2010. The right-hander earned 27 saves last season, while going 4-8 with a 5.80 ERA. He struck out 46 batters in 54 1-3 innings. Kinzer said the bidding lasted through Wednesday night and that Capps turned down a two-year offer from the Nationals, believing he will have a good season and put himself in position for a higher 2011 salary. While Washington was the favorite, other teams also tried to sign Capps.

Read the complete story

Nick Johnson was surprised the New York Yankees wanted him back. "Mark Teixeira's a great first baseman and a great player," he said. "I just thought there'd be no chance."Johnson became the second player in two days to return to pinstripes, finalizing a $5.75 million, one-year contract Wednesday to be a designated hitter and No. 2 batter.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman called Johnson "a cheaper alternative at the DH slot" and "one of the better offensive-oriented players in the game.""Obviously the big issue is to try to keep him on the field and stay healthy," Cashman said. "Is there a risk in signing him? Sure there is.

Read the complete story

When Javier Vazquez last threw a pitch for the New York Yankees, it was a nadir in the team's storied history. He gave up two homers to Johnny Damon, including a key grand slam, as the Yankees lost Game 7 of the 2004 AL championship series to Boston. Now Vazquez is back, acquired Tuesday from the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Melky Cabrera as New York tweaks its championship roster in an effort to win back-to-back titles.

"Hopefully, I can erase those memories," Vazquez said. And while Vazquez has returned to fortify a rotation headed by CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, there still appears to be no room on the 2010 Yankees for Damon, a key to this year's World Series win.

Read the complete story

Winning came with a hefty price for the New York Yankees. The World Series champions were hit with a luxury tax of nearly $25.69 million Monday, according to information received by clubs and obtained by The Associated Press.

New York is the only team to pay a tax for this season and has crossed the threshold in all seven years since the tax started. According to the collective bargaining agreement, the Yankees must send a check to the commissioner's office by Jan. 31.

The Yankees have been billed $174 million of the tax's $190 million total since 2003. The only other teams to pay have been Boston ($13.9 million for 2004-7), Detroit ($1.3 million for 2008) and the Los Angeles Angels ($927,059 for 2004).

Read the complete story

Scott Rolen agreed Saturday to a two-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds that guarantees him an additional $13 million while converting almost half of his 2010 salary to a deferred signing bonus.

The deal, which runs through 2012, clears a little bit of payroll room for the Reds and shows how much they value the 34-year-old third baseman as a clubhouse leader. Rolen missed time with a concussion last season, batting .305 with 11 homers and 67 RBIs in 128 games with Toronto and Cincinnati.

A seven-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, Rolen had been due to make $11 million next season, the final one in an eight-year, $90 million deal he got from St. Louis. Instead, he gets a $5 million signing bonus that will be paid over the next three years, a $6 million salary next season and $6.5 million in each of the following two seasons. Cincinnati is expected to trim its opening-day payroll from the $71 million it had last season. The Reds drew 1.7 million fans during their ninth straight losing season, their smallest attendance since 1986.

Read the complete story

The Chicago Cubs and Mariners traded headaches Friday, with mercurial outfielder Milton Bradley heading to Seattle for underperforming pitcher Carlos Silva.

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry had been trying to deal Bradley since the team suspended him for the final two weeks of last season, shortly after he criticized the atmosphere surrounding a club that hasn't won a World Series since 1908.

"I'm ready to move forward and not make any statements about Chicago. I'm a Seattle Mariner," Bradley said. "I'm trying to put everything in the past and I'm not interested in rehashing old news."

Bradley had signed a $30 million, three-year deal with the Cubs last offseason. "I bear the responsibility for that not working out," Hendry said. "Obviously, in this case, it did not work out how we planned, which was also the reason I sent Milton home. (That's) not going to be tolerated, to treat our fans, teammates and members of the media the way he did.

Read the complete story

Cliff Lee thought he was staying in Philadelphia for the rest of his career. The Phillies' postseason star proposed a routine counteroffer on a contract extension Wednesday, then headed for the Mississippi River near his Arkansas home to hunt.

He got some stunning news on the drive there. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. called to tell Lee he had been traded to Seattle for three prospects in a four-team deal that brought Roy Halladay to the Phillies. It was the first time that two Cy Young Award winners were dealt on the same day.

Speaking by cell phone Thursday night while beginning a long-planned vacation in Puerto Rico, the 2008 AL Cy Young winner said he was in "disbelief and shock." The 31-year-old left-hander had been excited to rejoin the Phillies for a run at another World Series.

Instead, he's headed to his third team in five months. "At first, I didn't believe it. I thought we were working out an extension with the Phillies," Lee said. "I thought I'd be spending the rest of my career there. ... I was under the impression they wanted to keep me there for a long time.

Read the complete story

The blockbuster trade sending Roy Halladay to Philadelphia and Cliff Lee to Seattle could be completed Wednesday, and it's become a four-team swap that involves Toronto shipping a prospect to Oakland.

The Blue Jays would send Halladay and $6 million to the Phillies for three minor leaguers: catcher Travis d'Arnaud, right-hander Kyle Drabek and outfielder Michael Taylor.

Philadelphia would also deal Lee to the Mariners for a trio of prospects: right-hander Phillippe Aumont, outfielder Tyson Gillies and right-hander Juan Ramirez. Toronto would then trade Taylor to the Athletics for third baseman Brett Wallace, obtained by Oakland last July from St. Louis in the deal for outfielder Matt Holliday.

Read the complete story