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Michael Weiner, who lost his courageous battle with brain cancer Thursday, was executive director of the Major League Baseball Players’ Association for barely four years. But like Bart Giamatti, who presided over the other side of baseball as commissioner for just five months in 1989, he made the most of his brief stewardship by winning the universal respect and downright affection from everyone in the game even as he never strayed from its “best interests.”
Weiner, who was only 51 years old and leaves his wife, Diane, and three daughters, Margie, Grace and Sally, had as much a positive impact on the game — albeit in a much different manner and during a much shorter time period — as Marvin Miller, the first executive director of the Players Association. Miller fought for free agency, arbitration and licensing-revenue rights in the ’70s and ’80s, while Weiner will not only be remembered for protecting players’ rights but as an advocate for cleaning up the game from the steroid scourge that threatened to tarnish them all.
“Words cannot describe the love and affection that the players have for Michael, nor can they describe the level of sadness we feel today,” said MLBPA deputy executive director Tony Clark, who will assume the role of acting executive director.
By the time Weiner came into the job in December of 2009, most of the rights issues had already been won through a series of rancorous and near ruinous strikes, lockouts and labor confrontations over the decades.
In contrast to his predecessor, the cold Donald Fehr, Weiner brought a kinder, gentler, wittier persona to the baseball labor arena, not to mention an unconventional sense of executive style — jeans, flannel shirts, Chuck Taylor sneakers — more suited to a day at the ballpark than a labor negotiation in an office boardroom.
“Our strong professional relationship was built on a foundation of respect and a shared commitment to finding fair solutions for our industry,” commissioner Bud Selig said. “I appreciated Michael’s tireless, thoughtful leadership of the Players and his pivotal role in the prosperous state of Baseball today.”
While Miller and Fehr had taken the view that drug testing was an invasion of privacy, the players’ attitudes began to change when an investigation into the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in south Florida revealed that players were still trying to beat the system despite increased penalties in the Joint Drug Agreement for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
In meeting after meeting with the players in spring training last March, Weiner was told to do whatever he had to do protect the integrity of the game and put the issue of steroids — and those who were still cheating — behind them.
When MLB modified the Joint Drug Agreement in January of 2011 to include blood testing for human growth hormone, as well as including automatic (as opposed to sporadic) use of the highly sophisticated Carbon Isotope Ratio testing that immediately identifies the existence of exogenous testosterone in a sample, Weiner said: “The players are determined to do all they can to continually improve the sport’s Joint Drug Agreement. Players want a program that is tough, scientifically accurate, backed by the latest proven scientific methods, and fair; I believe these changes firmly support the players’ desires while protecting their legal rights.”
It was Weiner’s mission to protect the enhanced drug agreement he helped craft and to deal with the steroids issue just as vigorously as management, even if it meant taking a contrary union stance of not defending those who with credible evidence were found to have had involvement with PEDs.
Speaking to the Daily News on July 17 about the looming suspensions in the wake of the Biogenesis scandal, Weiner said: “I can tell you, if we have a case where there really is overwhelming evidence, that a player committed a violation of the program, our fight is going to be that they make a deal. We’re not interested in players with overwhelming evidence that they violated the (drug) program out there."
It was that stance by Weiner which prompted Ryan Braun not to fight his suspension for his connection to Tony Bosch and the Biogenesis scandal and to make a deal for a 65-game suspension. More than anything, it was Weiner who cast a light on the players as being concerned about the integrity of the game as well as protecting their collectively bargained rights.
He repeatedly made a point of saying it was the players who wanted to clean up the game; the players who wanted tougher penalties; the players who were acting in the best interests of the game.
“Some players’ reaction is just throw the book at (the cheats),” Weiner said. “We have to explain what rights those players have. But at the same time, we have a drug agreement to enforce.”
“I think it’s fair to say the players are saying they want a clean game and they don’t want an environment where players have to do illegal things in order to compete,” agreed MLB VP Rob Manfred, Weiner’s adversary in the labor negotiations. “I would also say that could not have been accomplished without the courageous leadership of Michael."
Weiner always said he learned his persuasive, non-confrontational negotiating skills from watching his father, the owner of a construction company in Paterson, N.J., settle disputes with union bosses, developers and subcontractors.
“You have to understand there are times when, in the interest of the long-term relationship, you don’t need to exert the maximum leverage you have every time,” he told Baseball America in 2010.
As a result, Weiner continued to seek common ground with Manfred on issues such as the World Baseball Classic, a world draft and amateur draft slotting.
Meanwhile, he worked to the very end. Despite his rapidly deteriorating condition, in which he lost the ability to walk and the use of much of the right side of his body, Weiner was front an
Weiner, who was only 51 years old and leaves his wife, Diane, and three daughters, Margie, Grace and Sally, had as much a positive impact on the game — albeit in a much different manner and during a much shorter time period — as Marvin Miller, the first executive director of the Players Association. Miller fought for free agency, arbitration and licensing-revenue rights in the ’70s and ’80s, while Weiner will not only be remembered for protecting players’ rights but as an advocate for cleaning up the game from the steroid scourge that threatened to tarnish them all.
“Words cannot describe the love and affection that the players have for Michael, nor can they describe the level of sadness we feel today,” said MLBPA deputy executive director Tony Clark, who will assume the role of acting executive director.
By the time Weiner came into the job in December of 2009, most of the rights issues had already been won through a series of rancorous and near ruinous strikes, lockouts and labor confrontations over the decades.
In contrast to his predecessor, the cold Donald Fehr, Weiner brought a kinder, gentler, wittier persona to the baseball labor arena, not to mention an unconventional sense of executive style — jeans, flannel shirts, Chuck Taylor sneakers — more suited to a day at the ballpark than a labor negotiation in an office boardroom.
“Our strong professional relationship was built on a foundation of respect and a shared commitment to finding fair solutions for our industry,” commissioner Bud Selig said. “I appreciated Michael’s tireless, thoughtful leadership of the Players and his pivotal role in the prosperous state of Baseball today.”
While Miller and Fehr had taken the view that drug testing was an invasion of privacy, the players’ attitudes began to change when an investigation into the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in south Florida revealed that players were still trying to beat the system despite increased penalties in the Joint Drug Agreement for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
In meeting after meeting with the players in spring training last March, Weiner was told to do whatever he had to do protect the integrity of the game and put the issue of steroids — and those who were still cheating — behind them.
When MLB modified the Joint Drug Agreement in January of 2011 to include blood testing for human growth hormone, as well as including automatic (as opposed to sporadic) use of the highly sophisticated Carbon Isotope Ratio testing that immediately identifies the existence of exogenous testosterone in a sample, Weiner said: “The players are determined to do all they can to continually improve the sport’s Joint Drug Agreement. Players want a program that is tough, scientifically accurate, backed by the latest proven scientific methods, and fair; I believe these changes firmly support the players’ desires while protecting their legal rights.”
It was Weiner’s mission to protect the enhanced drug agreement he helped craft and to deal with the steroids issue just as vigorously as management, even if it meant taking a contrary union stance of not defending those who with credible evidence were found to have had involvement with PEDs.
Speaking to the Daily News on July 17 about the looming suspensions in the wake of the Biogenesis scandal, Weiner said: “I can tell you, if we have a case where there really is overwhelming evidence, that a player committed a violation of the program, our fight is going to be that they make a deal. We’re not interested in players with overwhelming evidence that they violated the (drug) program out there."
It was that stance by Weiner which prompted Ryan Braun not to fight his suspension for his connection to Tony Bosch and the Biogenesis scandal and to make a deal for a 65-game suspension. More than anything, it was Weiner who cast a light on the players as being concerned about the integrity of the game as well as protecting their collectively bargained rights.
He repeatedly made a point of saying it was the players who wanted to clean up the game; the players who wanted tougher penalties; the players who were acting in the best interests of the game.
“Some players’ reaction is just throw the book at (the cheats),” Weiner said. “We have to explain what rights those players have. But at the same time, we have a drug agreement to enforce.”
“I think it’s fair to say the players are saying they want a clean game and they don’t want an environment where players have to do illegal things in order to compete,” agreed MLB VP Rob Manfred, Weiner’s adversary in the labor negotiations. “I would also say that could not have been accomplished without the courageous leadership of Michael."
Weiner always said he learned his persuasive, non-confrontational negotiating skills from watching his father, the owner of a construction company in Paterson, N.J., settle disputes with union bosses, developers and subcontractors.
“You have to understand there are times when, in the interest of the long-term relationship, you don’t need to exert the maximum leverage you have every time,” he told Baseball America in 2010.
As a result, Weiner continued to seek common ground with Manfred on issues such as the World Baseball Classic, a world draft and amateur draft slotting.
Meanwhile, he worked to the very end. Despite his rapidly deteriorating condition, in which he lost the ability to walk and the use of much of the right side of his body, Weiner was front an
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2006/12/07
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Alex Rodriguez has always been the ultimate drama queen, so it’s no surprise, really, that it came to this: A theatrical tantrum in the midst of his grievance hearing on Wednesday, ending with him stomping out of the room, right on cue.
I’m not sure if he screamed, “You can’t handle the truth!” but that would have been too rich even for A-Rod, who has spent his career mired in artifice.
This week’s tawdry spectacle in New York, where Rodriguez has been fighting for his baseball life, might beg to be characterized as “rock bottom” for the would-be home run king.
But considering that this circus will likely be transferring to federal court once arbiter Fredric Horowitz rules on Rodriguez’s 211-game suspension some time in January, there’s still the potential for much degradation to come.
As orchestrated by his team of lawyers and P.R. handlers – brilliantly described by Yahoo’s Jeff Passan as “the army of by-the-hour fix-it flacks with the sorts of fancy degrees he always wanted” – Rodriguez’s outburst directly followed Horowitz’s ruling that commissioner Bud Selig didn’t have to testify.
The fact that Team A-Rod had a statement ready almost immediately blasting MLB and the grievance process and concluding, “The absurdity and injustice just became too much,’’ seemed way too convenient. Rodriguez then went on WFAN radio to continue his assault on Selig, declaring that his pursuit of Rodriguez “is 100 percent personal” and “he hates my guts.”
In a perverse way, it is a brilliant strategy. For one thing, it allowed Rodriguez to stake claim to the moral high ground, thus providing cover for his decision to abandon the hearing before having to take the stand himself.
Second, it reframed the combatants as A-Rod versus Selig, which is a much fairer fight than A-Rod versus the full weight of MLB’s anti-drug policy. I mean, the commish is not exactly Mr. Popularity amongst the sporting public.
But there are a couple of problems likely to sink Rodriguez in the end. For one thing, the nexus of “Rodriguez” and “moral high ground” is pretty much an oxymoron. It’s hard to believe there’s any circumstance by which he’ll get the sympathy vote, though Rodriguez told ESPNNewYork-com on Friday “I have never had a more positive reaction in the streets.” (This right after he asserted that his legal team “crushed it” in their closing arguments while MLB “had nothing.” )
More important, the Selig attack is ultimately just a diversion. While there are certainly some troubling aspects to MLB’s case against Rodriguez – like paying $150,000 for documents linking Rodriguez to Biogenesis – the fact is that all 13 other players fingered by the same down-and-dirty investigation (including Seattle’s Jesus Montero) all accepted their penalties.
That included Ryan Braun, who had been absolved from a previous suspension via the same arbitration process derided by Rodriguez as a sham. The fact is, arbitration has historically been of great benefit to the players in mitigating what had been the dictatorial power of management.
Rodriguez’s case is partly based on what he claims is the injustice of getting such a stiff penalty for a first offense (his acknowledged failed drug test in 2003 came before baseball’s drug policy was formalized). But union chief Michael Weiner, who died on Thursday, admitted in July that the commissioner is not bound by the standard terms for those who test positive – 50 games for a first offense, 100 games for a second, lifetime ban for a third. Because MLB is making its case against Rodriguez without any testing — via what is called non-analytical positives — Weiner said they were free to impose any penalty they wanted. And any player was free to contest it.
Only A-Rod has, and only on Wednesday did he finally, for the first time, declare his total innocence.
“I shouldn’t serve one inning,’’ he said on WFAN.
Even if Horowitz reduces the suspension, as many believe he will, Rodriguez’s people have indicated they will take their case to federal court. A-Rod’s scorched-earth policy already includes lawsuits against MLB, the Yankees team physician and the hospital where he was treated for a hip injury in 2012.
Many legal strategists believe Rodriguez has little chance of prevailing in federal court. But facing an increasingly bleak baseball future at age 38, with his biological clock ticking and his enemies list growing more militant, he has clearly decided to go out, if that’s where he’s headed, with fists flying.
And feet stomping.
A-Rod continues to rage against the MLB machine | Larry Stone | The Seattle Times
I’m not sure if he screamed, “You can’t handle the truth!” but that would have been too rich even for A-Rod, who has spent his career mired in artifice.
This week’s tawdry spectacle in New York, where Rodriguez has been fighting for his baseball life, might beg to be characterized as “rock bottom” for the would-be home run king.
But considering that this circus will likely be transferring to federal court once arbiter Fredric Horowitz rules on Rodriguez’s 211-game suspension some time in January, there’s still the potential for much degradation to come.
As orchestrated by his team of lawyers and P.R. handlers – brilliantly described by Yahoo’s Jeff Passan as “the army of by-the-hour fix-it flacks with the sorts of fancy degrees he always wanted” – Rodriguez’s outburst directly followed Horowitz’s ruling that commissioner Bud Selig didn’t have to testify.
The fact that Team A-Rod had a statement ready almost immediately blasting MLB and the grievance process and concluding, “The absurdity and injustice just became too much,’’ seemed way too convenient. Rodriguez then went on WFAN radio to continue his assault on Selig, declaring that his pursuit of Rodriguez “is 100 percent personal” and “he hates my guts.”
In a perverse way, it is a brilliant strategy. For one thing, it allowed Rodriguez to stake claim to the moral high ground, thus providing cover for his decision to abandon the hearing before having to take the stand himself.
Second, it reframed the combatants as A-Rod versus Selig, which is a much fairer fight than A-Rod versus the full weight of MLB’s anti-drug policy. I mean, the commish is not exactly Mr. Popularity amongst the sporting public.
But there are a couple of problems likely to sink Rodriguez in the end. For one thing, the nexus of “Rodriguez” and “moral high ground” is pretty much an oxymoron. It’s hard to believe there’s any circumstance by which he’ll get the sympathy vote, though Rodriguez told ESPNNewYork-com on Friday “I have never had a more positive reaction in the streets.” (This right after he asserted that his legal team “crushed it” in their closing arguments while MLB “had nothing.” )
More important, the Selig attack is ultimately just a diversion. While there are certainly some troubling aspects to MLB’s case against Rodriguez – like paying $150,000 for documents linking Rodriguez to Biogenesis – the fact is that all 13 other players fingered by the same down-and-dirty investigation (including Seattle’s Jesus Montero) all accepted their penalties.
That included Ryan Braun, who had been absolved from a previous suspension via the same arbitration process derided by Rodriguez as a sham. The fact is, arbitration has historically been of great benefit to the players in mitigating what had been the dictatorial power of management.
Rodriguez’s case is partly based on what he claims is the injustice of getting such a stiff penalty for a first offense (his acknowledged failed drug test in 2003 came before baseball’s drug policy was formalized). But union chief Michael Weiner, who died on Thursday, admitted in July that the commissioner is not bound by the standard terms for those who test positive – 50 games for a first offense, 100 games for a second, lifetime ban for a third. Because MLB is making its case against Rodriguez without any testing — via what is called non-analytical positives — Weiner said they were free to impose any penalty they wanted. And any player was free to contest it.
Only A-Rod has, and only on Wednesday did he finally, for the first time, declare his total innocence.
“I shouldn’t serve one inning,’’ he said on WFAN.
Even if Horowitz reduces the suspension, as many believe he will, Rodriguez’s people have indicated they will take their case to federal court. A-Rod’s scorched-earth policy already includes lawsuits against MLB, the Yankees team physician and the hospital where he was treated for a hip injury in 2012.
Many legal strategists believe Rodriguez has little chance of prevailing in federal court. But facing an increasingly bleak baseball future at age 38, with his biological clock ticking and his enemies list growing more militant, he has clearly decided to go out, if that’s where he’s headed, with fists flying.
And feet stomping.
A-Rod continues to rage against the MLB machine | Larry Stone | The Seattle Times
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Chuck Armstrong, who has been the president of the Mariners for 28 of the franchise's 37 seasons, announced his retirement on Monday.
Armstrong, 71, was one of the driving forces in helping keep the Mariners in Seattle when former owner George Argyros attempted to sell the club to an out-of-state buyer in 1989 and again when Jeff Smulyan sold the team in 1992.
Armstrong will work through Jan. 31 and the team said a search for his replacement will begin immediately.
"Thirty years ago, my family and I were given a wonderful opportunity to move to the Seattle area and become associated with the Seattle Mariners," Armstrong said. "We quickly grew to love this community and this team. Through all the good times and the not-so-good times on the field since 1984, the goal always has been to win the World Series. My only regret is that the entire region wasn't able to enjoy a parade through the city to celebrate a world championship together."
Armstrong said his decision was fueled by a desire to spend more time with family.
"After much thought and reflection, it is now time for me to retire and enjoy as much time as possible with my wife, Susan, and our family," he said. "The recent deaths of several good friends have really had an impact on me and helped crystallize my decision. This was a very difficult, very personal decision, but I know in my heart that it's time to turn the page and move to the next chapter of my life.
"Thanks to our outstanding ownership, the franchise is stable and will remain the Northwest's team, playing in Safeco Field, a great ballpark and great example of a successful public-private partnership. The team is in good hands and positioned for future success. I am thankful for this important part in my life and I will always bleed Mariners Blue. Susan and I plan to continue to live here and remain involved in many community events and causes."
Armstrong has worked as team president under two ownership groups. The Kentucky native originally served as team president and chief operating officer for Argyros from 1983-89, then was let go after the club was sold to Smulyan.
Armstrong remained in the Seattle area and was interim athletic director at the University of Washington in 1991 before returning to the Mariners in '92 after working as a consultant during the sale from Smulyan to the current Nintendo ownership group.
Armstrong has remained team president the past 21 years. He has been active during that time both in Seattle and in Major League Baseball, where he has served on the board of directors of MLB Enterprises, Inc., the 14-member Commissioner's Special Committee for On-Field Matters, MLB International Committee and the Commissioner's Ticketing Review Committee.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig described Armstrong as "a great baseball man" and wished him well in his retirement.
"Chuck was one of the key leaders who secured the national pastime's future in the Pacific Northwest, guiding the Mariners as they became a model franchise in a wonderful ballpark," Selig said. "His knowledge and experience on both the baseball and business sides was an asset to our entire sport in numerous ways, including on my Special Committee for On-Field Matters and our International Committee, and he always kept the best interests of our game in mind.
"I and Chuck's many friends throughout the game will miss him both personally and professionally. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I wish Chuck, his wife, Susan, and their family all the best, and I thank him for his many contributions to the game he loves."
Armstrong received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University in 1964 and graduated from Stanford University's law school in 1967 before serving three years of active duty in the U.S. Navy. He then worked for a Los Angeles law firm, was president of a furniture manufacturing company and then president and CEO of a real estate investment company owned by Argyros in California.
When Argyros purchased the Mariners, he brought Armstrong to Seattle to help run the franchise, and he and his wife have made their home in the Northwest since.
"When the Baseball Club of Seattle purchased the franchise in 1992, it was clear that Chuck Armstrong was uniquely qualified to lead the organization," said Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln. "Since Day 1, he has given his heart and soul to Mariners baseball. He sincerely cares about the game of baseball, this organization, this city and this region. On behalf of ownership and everyone who has worked here for the past 30 years, I thank Chuck for his tremendous contributions. We wish him all the best in retirement with Susan and his family."
Mariners president Chuck Armstrong announces retirement | MLB-com: News
Armstrong, 71, was one of the driving forces in helping keep the Mariners in Seattle when former owner George Argyros attempted to sell the club to an out-of-state buyer in 1989 and again when Jeff Smulyan sold the team in 1992.
Armstrong will work through Jan. 31 and the team said a search for his replacement will begin immediately.
"Thirty years ago, my family and I were given a wonderful opportunity to move to the Seattle area and become associated with the Seattle Mariners," Armstrong said. "We quickly grew to love this community and this team. Through all the good times and the not-so-good times on the field since 1984, the goal always has been to win the World Series. My only regret is that the entire region wasn't able to enjoy a parade through the city to celebrate a world championship together."
Armstrong said his decision was fueled by a desire to spend more time with family.
"After much thought and reflection, it is now time for me to retire and enjoy as much time as possible with my wife, Susan, and our family," he said. "The recent deaths of several good friends have really had an impact on me and helped crystallize my decision. This was a very difficult, very personal decision, but I know in my heart that it's time to turn the page and move to the next chapter of my life.
"Thanks to our outstanding ownership, the franchise is stable and will remain the Northwest's team, playing in Safeco Field, a great ballpark and great example of a successful public-private partnership. The team is in good hands and positioned for future success. I am thankful for this important part in my life and I will always bleed Mariners Blue. Susan and I plan to continue to live here and remain involved in many community events and causes."
Armstrong has worked as team president under two ownership groups. The Kentucky native originally served as team president and chief operating officer for Argyros from 1983-89, then was let go after the club was sold to Smulyan.
Armstrong remained in the Seattle area and was interim athletic director at the University of Washington in 1991 before returning to the Mariners in '92 after working as a consultant during the sale from Smulyan to the current Nintendo ownership group.
Armstrong has remained team president the past 21 years. He has been active during that time both in Seattle and in Major League Baseball, where he has served on the board of directors of MLB Enterprises, Inc., the 14-member Commissioner's Special Committee for On-Field Matters, MLB International Committee and the Commissioner's Ticketing Review Committee.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig described Armstrong as "a great baseball man" and wished him well in his retirement.
"Chuck was one of the key leaders who secured the national pastime's future in the Pacific Northwest, guiding the Mariners as they became a model franchise in a wonderful ballpark," Selig said. "His knowledge and experience on both the baseball and business sides was an asset to our entire sport in numerous ways, including on my Special Committee for On-Field Matters and our International Committee, and he always kept the best interests of our game in mind.
"I and Chuck's many friends throughout the game will miss him both personally and professionally. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I wish Chuck, his wife, Susan, and their family all the best, and I thank him for his many contributions to the game he loves."
Armstrong received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University in 1964 and graduated from Stanford University's law school in 1967 before serving three years of active duty in the U.S. Navy. He then worked for a Los Angeles law firm, was president of a furniture manufacturing company and then president and CEO of a real estate investment company owned by Argyros in California.
When Argyros purchased the Mariners, he brought Armstrong to Seattle to help run the franchise, and he and his wife have made their home in the Northwest since.
"When the Baseball Club of Seattle purchased the franchise in 1992, it was clear that Chuck Armstrong was uniquely qualified to lead the organization," said Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln. "Since Day 1, he has given his heart and soul to Mariners baseball. He sincerely cares about the game of baseball, this organization, this city and this region. On behalf of ownership and everyone who has worked here for the past 30 years, I thank Chuck for his tremendous contributions. We wish him all the best in retirement with Susan and his family."
Mariners president Chuck Armstrong announces retirement | MLB-com: News
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Tuesday's headlines were dominated by the Hall of Fame. The BBWAA released their 2014 ballot and Deadspin-com managed to buy a vote from a member. Voting results will be released on Jan. 8.
For the day's hot stove news, the first place to go is Jon Heyman's blog. He has updates on C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, 3B Chase Headley, OF Nelson Cruz, the Twins' search for pitching and the Mets' pursuit of outfielders. They called the Brewers about OF Ryan Braun. Now here's a round up of the rest of the day's news.
TRADES
• Cubs: Acquired C George Kottaras from the Royals for cash considerations. He's the favorite to back up C Welington Castillo at this point.
SIGNINGS
• Pirates: Signed both RHP Cody Eppley and C Nevin Ashley to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training, the team announced.
ROSTER CUTS
• LHP Jose Mijares: Outrighted off the 40-man roster by the Giants to clear a roster spot for fellow LHP Javier Lopez, whose three-year contract is official. Mijares elected free agency. (Mercury News)
• Reds: Designated OF Derrick Robinson for assignment. The move clears a 40-man roster spot for UTIL Skip Schumaker, whose two-year contract is not official. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
RUMORS & SPECULATION
• Marlins: Discussed 1B Mike Napoli internally. He is a South Florida native, but it's hard to think Miami will field a competitive offer given all the interest around the league. (Fox Sports)
• Orioles: Consider 2B Mark Ellis an option, but they've yet to reach out to him. Baltimore needs a second baseman now that Brian Roberts' contract is expired. (MASNSports-com)
• Rays: Have interest in 1B Mitch Moreland. The Rangers could make their incumbent first baseman available in a trade now that they've acquired Prince Fielder. (New York Daily News)
• Reds: Have interest in OF Carlos Beltran. The AL figures to be a better fit for the 36-year-old with bad knees, but Cincinnati would give Beltran a good chance at a World Series title. (Primera Hora)
• Twins: One of five teams with interest in C Dioner Navarro. Joe Mauer is moving to first base full-time starting next season, so the club needs a replacement catcher. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
• Yankees: Met with representatives for 2B Robinson Cano. It's unclear if the two sides made any progress, but there is said to be a substantial gap in contract talks.
All you need to know: MLB rumors, news roundup for Nov. 26 - CBSSports-com
For the day's hot stove news, the first place to go is Jon Heyman's blog. He has updates on C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, 3B Chase Headley, OF Nelson Cruz, the Twins' search for pitching and the Mets' pursuit of outfielders. They called the Brewers about OF Ryan Braun. Now here's a round up of the rest of the day's news.
TRADES
• Cubs: Acquired C George Kottaras from the Royals for cash considerations. He's the favorite to back up C Welington Castillo at this point.
SIGNINGS
• Pirates: Signed both RHP Cody Eppley and C Nevin Ashley to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training, the team announced.
ROSTER CUTS
• LHP Jose Mijares: Outrighted off the 40-man roster by the Giants to clear a roster spot for fellow LHP Javier Lopez, whose three-year contract is official. Mijares elected free agency. (Mercury News)
• Reds: Designated OF Derrick Robinson for assignment. The move clears a 40-man roster spot for UTIL Skip Schumaker, whose two-year contract is not official. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
RUMORS & SPECULATION
• Marlins: Discussed 1B Mike Napoli internally. He is a South Florida native, but it's hard to think Miami will field a competitive offer given all the interest around the league. (Fox Sports)
• Orioles: Consider 2B Mark Ellis an option, but they've yet to reach out to him. Baltimore needs a second baseman now that Brian Roberts' contract is expired. (MASNSports-com)
• Rays: Have interest in 1B Mitch Moreland. The Rangers could make their incumbent first baseman available in a trade now that they've acquired Prince Fielder. (New York Daily News)
• Reds: Have interest in OF Carlos Beltran. The AL figures to be a better fit for the 36-year-old with bad knees, but Cincinnati would give Beltran a good chance at a World Series title. (Primera Hora)
• Twins: One of five teams with interest in C Dioner Navarro. Joe Mauer is moving to first base full-time starting next season, so the club needs a replacement catcher. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
• Yankees: Met with representatives for 2B Robinson Cano. It's unclear if the two sides made any progress, but there is said to be a substantial gap in contract talks.
All you need to know: MLB rumors, news roundup for Nov. 26 - CBSSports-com
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The Twins agreed to terms with right-hander Ricky Nolasco, according to a report from MLB Daily Dish.
The club has not confirmed the deal. Nolasco, however, changed his Twitter avatar to a Twins logo shortly after news broke that he had agreed to sign with the Twins on Wednesday afternoon. Minnesota is expected to announce the signing once he passes his physical.
According to Yahoo Sports, the contract is a four-year deal worth $49 million with a club option for 2018. The option is worth $13 million and can vest into a player option based on innings pitched in 2016-17.
The contract would be the largest free-agent signing in the club's history, surpassing Josh Willingham's three-year, $21 million deal signed before the 2012 season.
Nolasco, who turns 31 on Dec. 13, is a major addition to a rotation that finished with the worst ERA in the Majors last season. Nolasco posted a 3.70 ERA with 165 strikeouts and 46 walks in 199 1/3 innings with the Marlins and Dodgers last season.
He was a solid addition for the Dodgers down the stretch after being acquired in a trade with Miami on July 6, as he posted a 3.52 ERA in 16 appearances. He also made one start in the National League Championship Series against the Cardinals, giving up three runs over four innings.
Nolasco is known for his durability, as he's averaged 31 starts per season over the last six years. He's made at least 30 starts in five of the last six seasons, missing the mark in '10, when he made 26 starts because of surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. He hasn't been on the disabled list since that season.
Nolasco has a career 89-75 record with a 4.37 ERA in 229 career appearances, including 212 starts. He's struck out 7.4 batters per nine innings over his career, which was his exact mark in '13, as well.
The Corona, Calif., native was originally drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, but was traded to the Marlins before the 2006 season.
Twins have deal with free-agent pitcher Ricky Nolasco | MLB-com: News
The club has not confirmed the deal. Nolasco, however, changed his Twitter avatar to a Twins logo shortly after news broke that he had agreed to sign with the Twins on Wednesday afternoon. Minnesota is expected to announce the signing once he passes his physical.
According to Yahoo Sports, the contract is a four-year deal worth $49 million with a club option for 2018. The option is worth $13 million and can vest into a player option based on innings pitched in 2016-17.
The contract would be the largest free-agent signing in the club's history, surpassing Josh Willingham's three-year, $21 million deal signed before the 2012 season.
Nolasco, who turns 31 on Dec. 13, is a major addition to a rotation that finished with the worst ERA in the Majors last season. Nolasco posted a 3.70 ERA with 165 strikeouts and 46 walks in 199 1/3 innings with the Marlins and Dodgers last season.
He was a solid addition for the Dodgers down the stretch after being acquired in a trade with Miami on July 6, as he posted a 3.52 ERA in 16 appearances. He also made one start in the National League Championship Series against the Cardinals, giving up three runs over four innings.
Nolasco is known for his durability, as he's averaged 31 starts per season over the last six years. He's made at least 30 starts in five of the last six seasons, missing the mark in '10, when he made 26 starts because of surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. He hasn't been on the disabled list since that season.
Nolasco has a career 89-75 record with a 4.37 ERA in 229 career appearances, including 212 starts. He's struck out 7.4 batters per nine innings over his career, which was his exact mark in '13, as well.
The Corona, Calif., native was originally drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, but was traded to the Marlins before the 2006 season.
Twins have deal with free-agent pitcher Ricky Nolasco | MLB-com: News
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For the first time in history, online shopping is poised to be the No. 1 method for gift buyers in a holiday season. And MLB-com is ready for you right now, whether you're looking for a Bronze Coin Photo Mint, more youth outerwear to replace outgrown items, the latest women's ballpark fashion or a new Hall of Fame Bobblehead to commemorate this week's announcement of the latest ballot.
Take as much as 30 percent off all MLB-com Shop orders through Black Friday. Get ready for sales galore like that through New Year's Day, as Major League Baseball fans lead the way in helping the online shopping experience finally surpass the traditional brick-and-mortar route for holiday orders, based on a survey by the accountancy firm Deloitte. It interviewed more than 5,000 U.S.-based consumers in September and found that 47 percent of them said the Internet would be their top shopping destination, while last year's favorite -- discount department stores -- slipped seven percentage points to second place (37 percent).
"Online shopping overtook traditional retailing for the first time in the survey's 15 years as consumers seek lower prices available over the Internet and the convenience of shopping anytime, anywhere," said Deloitte, citing mobile phones and social media as catalysts for the elevation of online shopping, which was viewed by many a decade ago as a novelty.
There is a lot of chatter about earlier store openings on Thanksgiving these days, but the beauty of online shopping is that it's 24/7/365 and constantly updated with the latest choices. What should you do first? Relax. The MLB-com Shop Gift Guru is back to help you sort out the must-haves, the projected big sellers and the staples for men, women and kids everywhere. There are 28 jam-packed pages in the newest MLB-com Shop Virtual Catalog, or you can just go straight to the MLB-com Shop and its constantly moving array of goodies for fans of all 30 clubs. Here are 13 ideas for '13:
1. A&E Home Video Red Sox Commemoration Videos: The "Decade of Champions" is not complete without diving into the Boston World Series title merchandise, and that includes the videos about to become available. Single-disc versions will be released Nov. 26 and the Collector's Edition eight-disc sets are out Dec. 3.
2. Sparo watches for him or her. Great for counting down the moments until pitchers and catchers report.
3. Prince Fielder No. 84 Authentic Rangers Home Jersey: It's the hot new look in Texas. Meanwhile, we're waiting on Ian Kinsler's jersey number in Detroit.
4. Sublimated Pint Glass Two-Pack: Toast the holidays in style with these dishwasher-safe glasses.
5. "Wacha! Wacha! Wacha!" Ah, yes, the familiar chant of October 2013. Got that T-shirt yet? Maybe you'd like your tee to brag about a rivalry, or you just want to mix a T-shirt with a hoodie for only $54.99.
6. Wordmark Scarf: Page 20 of the catalog features plenty of garments to help you through a cold winter without baseball, and this or the '47 Brand Breakaway Scarf will keep you snuggly.
7. Authentic Collection Double & Triple Climate Jackets: It wasn't as noticeable last month because it was an unseasonably warm postseason, free of threatening elements. But Majestic Athletic equipped on-field personnel with a new type of outwear, a 3-in-1 jacket. You can get this same look for someone, giving the flexibility to stay warm, stay dry, or both.
8. Fan for Life: That's what it says on the new Inbounds T-shirts from the touch by Alyssa Milano collection, and how can you argue with that?
9. Starting Lineup Gift Sets: This should be your first present in life. After, you know, the gift of life.
10. Metallic Team Logo Hood: For something different this holiday season, order this unique look from Majestic Athletic. There's also the Women's Pep Rally Full-Zip Hood from '47 Brand or the Skyline Hood from Majestic Threads.
11. Alex Woo Jewelry Collection: Want some great bling? Look at the necklaces from this New York-based designer, with all products custom made in the Big Apple. If you really want to bling out, there's a four-figure diamond necklace for your favorite team.
12. Diamond Era 59FIFTY Caps: These New Era authentic lids arrived on fields in 2013, and at just $34.99 they are perfect gifts for anyone. Just make sure you know the person's size, otherwise go for any of the countless adjustables in the MLB-com Shop caps collection.
13. Art Glass Tree Topper: If you celebrate Christmas, then this is a pretty cool way to finish your decorating.
When in doubt or after the last shipping deadline has passed in December, remember that MLB-com online gift certificates in any denomination via e-mail are safe bets for any fan.
Savings multiply at the MLB-com Shop with Black Friday sale | cardinals-com: News
Take as much as 30 percent off all MLB-com Shop orders through Black Friday. Get ready for sales galore like that through New Year's Day, as Major League Baseball fans lead the way in helping the online shopping experience finally surpass the traditional brick-and-mortar route for holiday orders, based on a survey by the accountancy firm Deloitte. It interviewed more than 5,000 U.S.-based consumers in September and found that 47 percent of them said the Internet would be their top shopping destination, while last year's favorite -- discount department stores -- slipped seven percentage points to second place (37 percent).
"Online shopping overtook traditional retailing for the first time in the survey's 15 years as consumers seek lower prices available over the Internet and the convenience of shopping anytime, anywhere," said Deloitte, citing mobile phones and social media as catalysts for the elevation of online shopping, which was viewed by many a decade ago as a novelty.
There is a lot of chatter about earlier store openings on Thanksgiving these days, but the beauty of online shopping is that it's 24/7/365 and constantly updated with the latest choices. What should you do first? Relax. The MLB-com Shop Gift Guru is back to help you sort out the must-haves, the projected big sellers and the staples for men, women and kids everywhere. There are 28 jam-packed pages in the newest MLB-com Shop Virtual Catalog, or you can just go straight to the MLB-com Shop and its constantly moving array of goodies for fans of all 30 clubs. Here are 13 ideas for '13:
1. A&E Home Video Red Sox Commemoration Videos: The "Decade of Champions" is not complete without diving into the Boston World Series title merchandise, and that includes the videos about to become available. Single-disc versions will be released Nov. 26 and the Collector's Edition eight-disc sets are out Dec. 3.
2. Sparo watches for him or her. Great for counting down the moments until pitchers and catchers report.
3. Prince Fielder No. 84 Authentic Rangers Home Jersey: It's the hot new look in Texas. Meanwhile, we're waiting on Ian Kinsler's jersey number in Detroit.
4. Sublimated Pint Glass Two-Pack: Toast the holidays in style with these dishwasher-safe glasses.
5. "Wacha! Wacha! Wacha!" Ah, yes, the familiar chant of October 2013. Got that T-shirt yet? Maybe you'd like your tee to brag about a rivalry, or you just want to mix a T-shirt with a hoodie for only $54.99.
6. Wordmark Scarf: Page 20 of the catalog features plenty of garments to help you through a cold winter without baseball, and this or the '47 Brand Breakaway Scarf will keep you snuggly.
7. Authentic Collection Double & Triple Climate Jackets: It wasn't as noticeable last month because it was an unseasonably warm postseason, free of threatening elements. But Majestic Athletic equipped on-field personnel with a new type of outwear, a 3-in-1 jacket. You can get this same look for someone, giving the flexibility to stay warm, stay dry, or both.
8. Fan for Life: That's what it says on the new Inbounds T-shirts from the touch by Alyssa Milano collection, and how can you argue with that?
9. Starting Lineup Gift Sets: This should be your first present in life. After, you know, the gift of life.
10. Metallic Team Logo Hood: For something different this holiday season, order this unique look from Majestic Athletic. There's also the Women's Pep Rally Full-Zip Hood from '47 Brand or the Skyline Hood from Majestic Threads.
11. Alex Woo Jewelry Collection: Want some great bling? Look at the necklaces from this New York-based designer, with all products custom made in the Big Apple. If you really want to bling out, there's a four-figure diamond necklace for your favorite team.
12. Diamond Era 59FIFTY Caps: These New Era authentic lids arrived on fields in 2013, and at just $34.99 they are perfect gifts for anyone. Just make sure you know the person's size, otherwise go for any of the countless adjustables in the MLB-com Shop caps collection.
13. Art Glass Tree Topper: If you celebrate Christmas, then this is a pretty cool way to finish your decorating.
When in doubt or after the last shipping deadline has passed in December, remember that MLB-com online gift certificates in any denomination via e-mail are safe bets for any fan.
Savings multiply at the MLB-com Shop with Black Friday sale | cardinals-com: News
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2006/12/07
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Eight men out, for stimulants: that was the story of Major League Baseball’s drug program in 2013, according to data the league published Friday.
There was not a single positive steroid test in the season that was shadowed by headlines about Biogenesis, the Florida clinic that allegedly dispensed drugs like testosterone and HGH to more than a dozen players.
Out of 5,391 urine and blood samples submitted over the past year, eight were reported by the league’s laboratory to have tested positive for stimulants and resulted in discipline for the player.
Seven of the tests reflected unapproved use of Adderall, the common attention-deficit disorder drug. The other positive test was for methylhexaneamine.
A much higher number of samples presumably showed evidence of banned substances but were set aside because the player who submitted them had filed paperwork ahead of time for an exemption based on therapeutic use of the drug in question.
The number of samples in that category is not published, but MLB said some 119 big leaguers had such an exemption for ADD, while three were officially diagnosed with hypogonadism.
MLB has published the annual numbers since 2008 at the recommendation of former Senator George Mitchell, who recommended more transparency in MLB’s testing system.
Since the practice began, the test numbers have shown how rare it is to test positive for steroids and how popular ADD drugs, which are chemically similar to amphetamines, have become among ballplayers.
This report covers the offseason ahead of the 2013 season as well as the season itself. The number of urine samples collected and analyzed was 4,022, while another 1,369 blood samples were screened for human growth hormone.
The numbers mean for the first time, a majority of the players disciplined for violations of the drug policy was the result of evidence gathered outside of labs.
In 2013, 13 players were given bans based on their involvement with the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami. Alex Rodriguez is contesting his ban in an arbitration case that has not yet been settled.
Read more: In MLB, there were no positive steroid tests out of 5,391 samples - NY Daily News
There was not a single positive steroid test in the season that was shadowed by headlines about Biogenesis, the Florida clinic that allegedly dispensed drugs like testosterone and HGH to more than a dozen players.
Out of 5,391 urine and blood samples submitted over the past year, eight were reported by the league’s laboratory to have tested positive for stimulants and resulted in discipline for the player.
Seven of the tests reflected unapproved use of Adderall, the common attention-deficit disorder drug. The other positive test was for methylhexaneamine.
A much higher number of samples presumably showed evidence of banned substances but were set aside because the player who submitted them had filed paperwork ahead of time for an exemption based on therapeutic use of the drug in question.
The number of samples in that category is not published, but MLB said some 119 big leaguers had such an exemption for ADD, while three were officially diagnosed with hypogonadism.
MLB has published the annual numbers since 2008 at the recommendation of former Senator George Mitchell, who recommended more transparency in MLB’s testing system.
Since the practice began, the test numbers have shown how rare it is to test positive for steroids and how popular ADD drugs, which are chemically similar to amphetamines, have become among ballplayers.
This report covers the offseason ahead of the 2013 season as well as the season itself. The number of urine samples collected and analyzed was 4,022, while another 1,369 blood samples were screened for human growth hormone.
The numbers mean for the first time, a majority of the players disciplined for violations of the drug policy was the result of evidence gathered outside of labs.
In 2013, 13 players were given bans based on their involvement with the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami. Alex Rodriguez is contesting his ban in an arbitration case that has not yet been settled.
Read more: In MLB, there were no positive steroid tests out of 5,391 samples - NY Daily News
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The Orioles acquired catcher Johnny Monell from the Giants on Saturday in exchange for cash considerations.
The 27-year-old Monell hit .275 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs in 121 games for Triple-A Fresno last season. He also played in eight games for the Giants in 2013, batting .125 with one RBI.
"He's a pretty good hitter, had a good year with bat, [is] a left-handed hitter with some pop," Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette told The Baltimore Sun. "We like the way he swings the bat. … He continues to improve his skills and he looks like he is ready to contribute in the Major Leagues."
During his time in the Giants' organization, Monell hit .267 with 77 home runs and 332 RBIs in 641 games. Monell was selected by the Giants in the 30th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Seminole Community College in Florida.
"He's a capable receiver; he threw out 40 percent of baserunners a couple years ago," Duquette told the Sun. "And he knows his way around a batter's box."
Orioles acquire catcher Johnny Monell from Giants for cash | MLB-com: News
The 27-year-old Monell hit .275 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs in 121 games for Triple-A Fresno last season. He also played in eight games for the Giants in 2013, batting .125 with one RBI.
"He's a pretty good hitter, had a good year with bat, [is] a left-handed hitter with some pop," Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette told The Baltimore Sun. "We like the way he swings the bat. … He continues to improve his skills and he looks like he is ready to contribute in the Major Leagues."
During his time in the Giants' organization, Monell hit .267 with 77 home runs and 332 RBIs in 641 games. Monell was selected by the Giants in the 30th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Seminole Community College in Florida.
"He's a capable receiver; he threw out 40 percent of baserunners a couple years ago," Duquette told the Sun. "And he knows his way around a batter's box."
Orioles acquire catcher Johnny Monell from Giants for cash | MLB-com: News
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The Twins have agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract with free-agent right-hander Phil Hughes, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
The team has not confirmed the deal.
Hughes is expected to be in the Twin Cities within the next few days for a physical, which is the final step before the deal is officially announced.
The 27-year-old right-hander will join a revamped starting rotation that includes Ricky Nolasco, who agreed to a four-year, $49 million contract earlier in the week.
After going 16-13 with a 4.23 ERA in 2012 with the Yankees, Hughes went just 4-14 with a 5.19 ERA in 2013, surrendering 170 hits in 145 2/3 innings.
In three career starts at Target Field, Hughes is 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA over 21 1/3 innings.
Twins reportedly agree to three-year deal with Phil Hughes | MLB-com: News
The team has not confirmed the deal.
Hughes is expected to be in the Twin Cities within the next few days for a physical, which is the final step before the deal is officially announced.
The 27-year-old right-hander will join a revamped starting rotation that includes Ricky Nolasco, who agreed to a four-year, $49 million contract earlier in the week.
After going 16-13 with a 4.23 ERA in 2012 with the Yankees, Hughes went just 4-14 with a 5.19 ERA in 2013, surrendering 170 hits in 145 2/3 innings.
In three career starts at Target Field, Hughes is 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA over 21 1/3 innings.
Twins reportedly agree to three-year deal with Phil Hughes | MLB-com: News
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The number of Major League Baseball players cleared to use Adderall to fight attention deficit disorder has nearly reached the 10% mark.
MLB and the Players' Association joint release of a report on its drug-testing program revealed that 119 players received therapeutic use exemptions to treat attention deficit disorder, up from 116 one year ago. In addition, three players received exemptions to treat hypogonadism, a condition in which the body does not produce sufficient testosterone.
Baseball banned stimulants after the 2005 season, and Adderall, used to treat ADHD, is on MLB's list of banned substances. A panel of three experts must approve an exemption for a player, a recommendation from the 2007 Mitchell Report that baseball fully implemented in June 2011.
Still, the scrutiny hasn't curbed the number of TUEs granted.
In 2007, 103 exemptions for Adderall were granted, and the number was 105 in both 2010 and 2011. It leaped to 116 last year.
This year's 119 exemptions means that 9.9% of players on 40-man rosters received exemptions, almost exactly double the 4.4% of the general adult population that suffers from ADD and related disorders.
MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred has said the game's population makes it likelier its players will receive treatment for ADD.
"Our population doesn't look like the nation," Manfred told USA TODAY Sports in 2012. "We are younger. We are higher income, and there's no question attention is a key part of what these athletes do. So the idea that we would have a higher incidence rate than the general rate is really not that surprising."
In all, 5,391 tests for PEDs were administered in 2013, including 1,369 blood tests for human growth hormone. Eight players were disciplined for use of stimulants, seven for Adderall, including Phillies starting catcher Carlos Ruiz.
No players tested positive for steroids or HGH, but 13 players were suspended for non-analytical positives related to the Biogenesis clinic scandal. New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez's appeal of his suspension remains in arbitration.
MLB exemptions for Adderall use on the rise
MLB and the Players' Association joint release of a report on its drug-testing program revealed that 119 players received therapeutic use exemptions to treat attention deficit disorder, up from 116 one year ago. In addition, three players received exemptions to treat hypogonadism, a condition in which the body does not produce sufficient testosterone.
Baseball banned stimulants after the 2005 season, and Adderall, used to treat ADHD, is on MLB's list of banned substances. A panel of three experts must approve an exemption for a player, a recommendation from the 2007 Mitchell Report that baseball fully implemented in June 2011.
Still, the scrutiny hasn't curbed the number of TUEs granted.
In 2007, 103 exemptions for Adderall were granted, and the number was 105 in both 2010 and 2011. It leaped to 116 last year.
This year's 119 exemptions means that 9.9% of players on 40-man rosters received exemptions, almost exactly double the 4.4% of the general adult population that suffers from ADD and related disorders.
MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred has said the game's population makes it likelier its players will receive treatment for ADD.
"Our population doesn't look like the nation," Manfred told USA TODAY Sports in 2012. "We are younger. We are higher income, and there's no question attention is a key part of what these athletes do. So the idea that we would have a higher incidence rate than the general rate is really not that surprising."
In all, 5,391 tests for PEDs were administered in 2013, including 1,369 blood tests for human growth hormone. Eight players were disciplined for use of stimulants, seven for Adderall, including Phillies starting catcher Carlos Ruiz.
No players tested positive for steroids or HGH, but 13 players were suspended for non-analytical positives related to the Biogenesis clinic scandal. New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez's appeal of his suspension remains in arbitration.
MLB exemptions for Adderall use on the rise
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Why wait for the Winter Meetings?
That seemed to be the message across Major League Baseball on Tuesday, by far the busiest day of the offseason thus far. The Red Sox agreed to terms with A.J. Pierzynski to start the day, and Jacoby Ellsbury's pending deal with the Yankees served as the other major bookend.
Meanwhile, the Rays traded for a catcher and a potential closer they'd been interested in for years. The Tigers found a closer. The A's bolstered their bullpen -- twice, actually -- and added to their outfield mix. The Astros made their first big move. The Marlins zeroed in on a big-name catcher. And that's just the start of it.
Seriously, given the way Tuesday played out, what's left to do next week at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort? Hang out with Mickey and Minnie?
There's a lot left to be settled, of course. Robinson Cano and Shin-Soo Choo are among the high-profile free agents available, and there's still an expectation that Rays ace David Price will be traded. But before we look too far forward, let's recap the busy stretch that left baseball's Hot Stove completely ablaze, as MLB-com's Richard Justice writes.
AL East
The Yankees paid up for Ellsbury amid a spending spree reminiscent of their 2008-09 offseason, raising some questions about their pursuit of Cano, as MLB-com's Bryan Hoch writes. Ellsbury's deal is for seven years and $153 million, with an eighth-year option.
While they were at it, the Bombers officially announced their five-year, $85 million deal with catcher Brian McCann. He'll be introduced in the Bronx on Thursday. According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, New York also is close to signing Kelly Johnson, who could play some second base if Cano signs elsewhere.
The Red Sox made their first big move of the offseason, as MLB-com's Ian Browne reports the World Series champs have agreed to a one-year contract with Pierzynski, reportedly worth $8.25 million.
The Rays pulled off a three-team trade with the Reds and D-backs, reeling in catcher Ryan Hanigan and reliever Heath Bell. Tampa Bay also agreed to a three-year extension with Hanigan, as MLB-com's Bill Chastain reported. With Jose Molina and Jose Lobaton already on board, Andrew Friedman might have an extra catcher to deal. He also has the game's hottest commodity in Price.
AL Central
The Tigers reportedly found their closer in veteran Joe Nathan, as MLB-com's Jason Beck writes.
Could Carlos Beltran return to Kansas City? MLB-com's Dick Kaegel wrote about the free agent's meeting with the Royals. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, opposing clubs are convinced that Beltran is bound for a KC reunion. The Twins officially announced the acquisition of Ricky Nolasco on a four-year, $48 million deal, the largest free-agent signing in club history.
AL West
The A's had another busy day, as MLB-com's Jane Lee reports, trading for outfielder Craig Gentry and right-hander Josh Lindblom before acquiring setup man Luke Gregerson. They could stay busy at the Winter Meetings, as Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports that Oakland is likely to trade starter Brett Anderson.
On the other side of that deal with Oakland, Texas acquired its leading left-field candidate in Michael Choice, according to MLB-com's T.R. Sullivan. Also, the Rangers are looking at Kurt Suzuki to pair with Geovany Soto behind the plate.
The Astros checked a big item off their offseason to-do list by trading for Dexter Fowler, as MLB-com's Brian McTaggart writes. The former Rockies catalyst should hit atop their order and start in center field.
MLB-com's Greg Johns writes that the Mariners could make some noise at the Winter Meetings. Meanwhile, ESPNNewYork-com reported that Seattle has emerged as a major player in the bidding for Cano.
NL East
The Marlins made a big splash, agreeing to terms on a three-year, $21 million deal with former Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, according to MLB-com's Joe Frisaro.
Curtis Granderson met with Sandy Alderson on Sunday, and MLB-com's Anthony DiComo took a look at how the power-hitting outfielder would fit with the Mets.
The Phillies added a reliever in Brad Lincoln and a backup catcher in Wil Nieves, reports MLB-com's Todd Zolecki.
NL Central
Free-agent first baseman/outfielder Corey Hart told MLB-com's Adam McCalvy that he's been medically cleared for full baseball activities. Hart previously said he's heard from several interested teams, including the Brewers, Rays, Red Sox and Rockies.
Despite plenty of speculation, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports and MLB Network tweeted that the Reds are unlikely to trade second baseman Brandon Phillips.
NL West
The Dodgers are making progress toward retaining free-agent reliever Brian Wilson, reports MLB-com's Ken Gurnick.
Colorado has reportedly agreed to terms with a new first baseman in Justin Morneau, as MLB-com's Thomas Harding writes. The Rockies also picked up right-hander Jordan Lyles and outfielder Brandon Barnes by parting with Fowler.
The Padres bolstered their offense, particularly against right-handed pitching, by acquiring outfielder Seth Smith from the A's.
Hot Stove roundup: Jacoby Ellsbury joins Yankees on wild day around MLB | MLB-com: News
That seemed to be the message across Major League Baseball on Tuesday, by far the busiest day of the offseason thus far. The Red Sox agreed to terms with A.J. Pierzynski to start the day, and Jacoby Ellsbury's pending deal with the Yankees served as the other major bookend.
Meanwhile, the Rays traded for a catcher and a potential closer they'd been interested in for years. The Tigers found a closer. The A's bolstered their bullpen -- twice, actually -- and added to their outfield mix. The Astros made their first big move. The Marlins zeroed in on a big-name catcher. And that's just the start of it.
Seriously, given the way Tuesday played out, what's left to do next week at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort? Hang out with Mickey and Minnie?
There's a lot left to be settled, of course. Robinson Cano and Shin-Soo Choo are among the high-profile free agents available, and there's still an expectation that Rays ace David Price will be traded. But before we look too far forward, let's recap the busy stretch that left baseball's Hot Stove completely ablaze, as MLB-com's Richard Justice writes.
AL East
The Yankees paid up for Ellsbury amid a spending spree reminiscent of their 2008-09 offseason, raising some questions about their pursuit of Cano, as MLB-com's Bryan Hoch writes. Ellsbury's deal is for seven years and $153 million, with an eighth-year option.
While they were at it, the Bombers officially announced their five-year, $85 million deal with catcher Brian McCann. He'll be introduced in the Bronx on Thursday. According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, New York also is close to signing Kelly Johnson, who could play some second base if Cano signs elsewhere.
The Red Sox made their first big move of the offseason, as MLB-com's Ian Browne reports the World Series champs have agreed to a one-year contract with Pierzynski, reportedly worth $8.25 million.
The Rays pulled off a three-team trade with the Reds and D-backs, reeling in catcher Ryan Hanigan and reliever Heath Bell. Tampa Bay also agreed to a three-year extension with Hanigan, as MLB-com's Bill Chastain reported. With Jose Molina and Jose Lobaton already on board, Andrew Friedman might have an extra catcher to deal. He also has the game's hottest commodity in Price.
AL Central
The Tigers reportedly found their closer in veteran Joe Nathan, as MLB-com's Jason Beck writes.
Could Carlos Beltran return to Kansas City? MLB-com's Dick Kaegel wrote about the free agent's meeting with the Royals. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, opposing clubs are convinced that Beltran is bound for a KC reunion. The Twins officially announced the acquisition of Ricky Nolasco on a four-year, $48 million deal, the largest free-agent signing in club history.
AL West
The A's had another busy day, as MLB-com's Jane Lee reports, trading for outfielder Craig Gentry and right-hander Josh Lindblom before acquiring setup man Luke Gregerson. They could stay busy at the Winter Meetings, as Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports that Oakland is likely to trade starter Brett Anderson.
On the other side of that deal with Oakland, Texas acquired its leading left-field candidate in Michael Choice, according to MLB-com's T.R. Sullivan. Also, the Rangers are looking at Kurt Suzuki to pair with Geovany Soto behind the plate.
The Astros checked a big item off their offseason to-do list by trading for Dexter Fowler, as MLB-com's Brian McTaggart writes. The former Rockies catalyst should hit atop their order and start in center field.
MLB-com's Greg Johns writes that the Mariners could make some noise at the Winter Meetings. Meanwhile, ESPNNewYork-com reported that Seattle has emerged as a major player in the bidding for Cano.
NL East
The Marlins made a big splash, agreeing to terms on a three-year, $21 million deal with former Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, according to MLB-com's Joe Frisaro.
Curtis Granderson met with Sandy Alderson on Sunday, and MLB-com's Anthony DiComo took a look at how the power-hitting outfielder would fit with the Mets.
The Phillies added a reliever in Brad Lincoln and a backup catcher in Wil Nieves, reports MLB-com's Todd Zolecki.
NL Central
Free-agent first baseman/outfielder Corey Hart told MLB-com's Adam McCalvy that he's been medically cleared for full baseball activities. Hart previously said he's heard from several interested teams, including the Brewers, Rays, Red Sox and Rockies.
Despite plenty of speculation, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports and MLB Network tweeted that the Reds are unlikely to trade second baseman Brandon Phillips.
NL West
The Dodgers are making progress toward retaining free-agent reliever Brian Wilson, reports MLB-com's Ken Gurnick.
Colorado has reportedly agreed to terms with a new first baseman in Justin Morneau, as MLB-com's Thomas Harding writes. The Rockies also picked up right-hander Jordan Lyles and outfielder Brandon Barnes by parting with Fowler.
The Padres bolstered their offense, particularly against right-handed pitching, by acquiring outfielder Seth Smith from the A's.
Hot Stove roundup: Jacoby Ellsbury joins Yankees on wild day around MLB | MLB-com: News
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You have to keep reminding yourself teams wouldn't be spending this kind of money if they didn't have it.
Jacoby Ellsbury's seven-year, $153 million deal with the New York Yankees sent shock waves throughout baseball partly because it signaled the club is back in spending mode after supposedly embracing austerity, but just as much because of the size of the contract.
Making that kind of investment in a 30-year-old outfielder who relies heavily on his speed and has an extensive history of injuries seems at best a risky proposition, at worst a fool's errand.
And yet, the magnitude of the deal shouldn't be that surprising anymore. Ellsbury's new contract is hardly trendsetting, becoming the 18th in baseball worth at least $150 million. Heck, three other current Yankees have signed bigger deals – Alex Rodriguez has done it twice – and that's before Robinson Cano cashes in on what's sure to be this offseason's largest payout, whether it comes from the Yankees or another team.
With clubs getting an extra $25 million a season from the national TV deal, doubling their previous intake, more of these monster deals are in store in the near future.
Will they prove wise investments? A look back at the previous 17 contracts valued at $150 million or more shows mixed results, with plenty of cautionary tales and warning signs for the parties doling out the dough, but also several instances of worthwhile expenditures.
Here's our breakdown of those deals:
Money Well Spent
Miguel Cabrera, eight years, $152.3 million with Detroit Tigers: The gold standard for getting maximum value from a mega-deal. The Tigers handed this extension to Cabrera, about to turn 25, less than four months after trading for him. He has rewarded them with two MVP seasons, including the majors' first Triple Crown since 1967, while averaging 38 homers and 123 RBI in his six seasons in Detroit. Plus, he's under contract for two more years. Bravo, Tigers!
Derek Jeter, 10 years, $189 million with Yankees: Worth every penny, as Jeter made eight All-Star Games and helped the Yankees reach three World Series – though winning only one – during the length of the contract. Jeter signed the deal at 26, entering his prime, and batted .310 with a .824 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the next 10 seasons.
Alex Rodriguez, 10 years, $252 million with Texas Rangers: In the seven years after signing his contract heard 'round the world at 25, A-Rod produced three MVP seasons and an average of 53 homers and 149 RBI. However artificially enhanced, those numbers justified the yearly salary of $25 million. What came later, after he opted out and re-signed with the Yankees, is a different story.
Manny Ramirez, eight years, $160 million with Boston Red Sox: Say what you will about his antics, but Ramirez helped bring Boston two World Series crowns and was the MVP of the curse-breaking 2004 championship. Only once in those eight seasons did Ramirez fall short of driving in 100 runs or post an OPS below .980. His departure was ugly, but Ramirez more than earned his keep, and his yearly salary was more than reasonable by contract's end.
CC Sabathia, seven years, $161 million with Yankees: This one gets a qualified endorsement because Sabathia was the horse who carried New York to the World Series championship in 2009, and he was highly effective in his first four seasons in the Bronx. The mistake was to rework the contract after the 2011 season, tacking on another year and increasing the annual salary from $23 million to $24.4 million. Sabathia's ERA ballooned to 4.78 last season, a sign that all those innings are starting to take their toll.
Albatrosses
Albert Pujols, 10 years, $240 million with Los Angeles Angels: The leader in the clubhouse for worst contract in baseball history. Pujols' disappointing first season as an Angel in 2012, when he had career-low figures to that point in home runs (30), batting average (.285) and OPS (.859), looks suspiciously like the best one he'll ever have in Anaheim. Pujols will enter the 2014 season at 34, coming off surgery on his plantar fascia and with $212 million still owed him over the next eight years. And his contract prevents the Angels from other business, such as improving their pitching staff or locking up their true franchise player, Mike Trout. Yikes.
Rodriguez, 10 years, $275 million with Yankees: The New York brass knew it would have to accept diminished production at some point in this deal. Nobody figured that decline would start right away. A-Rod's OPS decreased by 102 points to .965 the year after he was the 2007 MVP, opted out and got the new contract, and it has dwindled every season since, to .771 in 2013. A substantial part of the $86 million (plus bonuses) he still has coming is now under dispute as Rodriguez fights a 211-game MLB suspension. Guess which side the Yankees are pulling for.
Joe Mauer, eight years, $184 million with Minnesota Twins: The contract would only work out for the Twins if Mauer continued to provide elite offensive production, as he did in his MVP season of 2009, while playing most of his games as a catcher. But Mauer's OPS hasn't come close to that year's 1.031 mark, and aftereffects of a concussion will force him to move to first base next season. Now his huge salary is hamstringing the small-market franchise.
Mark Teixeira, eight years, $180 million with Yankees: In his first season in New York, Teixeira finished second in the AL MVP race and helped the club win the championship. Even as his batting average and OPS kept decreasing, Teixeira delivered big power numbers the next two years, then fell victim to injuries and slumps in 2012 and '13. Last season he played in 15 games, batting .151, and needed wrist surgery. Teixeira turns 34 early next season and is owed $67.5 million. As with Rodriguez's second huge contract, his decline has come much too quickly to justify the investment.
YANKEES: 10 questions in the wake
Jacoby Ellsbury's seven-year, $153 million deal with the New York Yankees sent shock waves throughout baseball partly because it signaled the club is back in spending mode after supposedly embracing austerity, but just as much because of the size of the contract.
Making that kind of investment in a 30-year-old outfielder who relies heavily on his speed and has an extensive history of injuries seems at best a risky proposition, at worst a fool's errand.
And yet, the magnitude of the deal shouldn't be that surprising anymore. Ellsbury's new contract is hardly trendsetting, becoming the 18th in baseball worth at least $150 million. Heck, three other current Yankees have signed bigger deals – Alex Rodriguez has done it twice – and that's before Robinson Cano cashes in on what's sure to be this offseason's largest payout, whether it comes from the Yankees or another team.
With clubs getting an extra $25 million a season from the national TV deal, doubling their previous intake, more of these monster deals are in store in the near future.
Will they prove wise investments? A look back at the previous 17 contracts valued at $150 million or more shows mixed results, with plenty of cautionary tales and warning signs for the parties doling out the dough, but also several instances of worthwhile expenditures.
Here's our breakdown of those deals:
Money Well Spent
Miguel Cabrera, eight years, $152.3 million with Detroit Tigers: The gold standard for getting maximum value from a mega-deal. The Tigers handed this extension to Cabrera, about to turn 25, less than four months after trading for him. He has rewarded them with two MVP seasons, including the majors' first Triple Crown since 1967, while averaging 38 homers and 123 RBI in his six seasons in Detroit. Plus, he's under contract for two more years. Bravo, Tigers!
Derek Jeter, 10 years, $189 million with Yankees: Worth every penny, as Jeter made eight All-Star Games and helped the Yankees reach three World Series – though winning only one – during the length of the contract. Jeter signed the deal at 26, entering his prime, and batted .310 with a .824 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the next 10 seasons.
Alex Rodriguez, 10 years, $252 million with Texas Rangers: In the seven years after signing his contract heard 'round the world at 25, A-Rod produced three MVP seasons and an average of 53 homers and 149 RBI. However artificially enhanced, those numbers justified the yearly salary of $25 million. What came later, after he opted out and re-signed with the Yankees, is a different story.
Manny Ramirez, eight years, $160 million with Boston Red Sox: Say what you will about his antics, but Ramirez helped bring Boston two World Series crowns and was the MVP of the curse-breaking 2004 championship. Only once in those eight seasons did Ramirez fall short of driving in 100 runs or post an OPS below .980. His departure was ugly, but Ramirez more than earned his keep, and his yearly salary was more than reasonable by contract's end.
CC Sabathia, seven years, $161 million with Yankees: This one gets a qualified endorsement because Sabathia was the horse who carried New York to the World Series championship in 2009, and he was highly effective in his first four seasons in the Bronx. The mistake was to rework the contract after the 2011 season, tacking on another year and increasing the annual salary from $23 million to $24.4 million. Sabathia's ERA ballooned to 4.78 last season, a sign that all those innings are starting to take their toll.
Albatrosses
Albert Pujols, 10 years, $240 million with Los Angeles Angels: The leader in the clubhouse for worst contract in baseball history. Pujols' disappointing first season as an Angel in 2012, when he had career-low figures to that point in home runs (30), batting average (.285) and OPS (.859), looks suspiciously like the best one he'll ever have in Anaheim. Pujols will enter the 2014 season at 34, coming off surgery on his plantar fascia and with $212 million still owed him over the next eight years. And his contract prevents the Angels from other business, such as improving their pitching staff or locking up their true franchise player, Mike Trout. Yikes.
Rodriguez, 10 years, $275 million with Yankees: The New York brass knew it would have to accept diminished production at some point in this deal. Nobody figured that decline would start right away. A-Rod's OPS decreased by 102 points to .965 the year after he was the 2007 MVP, opted out and got the new contract, and it has dwindled every season since, to .771 in 2013. A substantial part of the $86 million (plus bonuses) he still has coming is now under dispute as Rodriguez fights a 211-game MLB suspension. Guess which side the Yankees are pulling for.
Joe Mauer, eight years, $184 million with Minnesota Twins: The contract would only work out for the Twins if Mauer continued to provide elite offensive production, as he did in his MVP season of 2009, while playing most of his games as a catcher. But Mauer's OPS hasn't come close to that year's 1.031 mark, and aftereffects of a concussion will force him to move to first base next season. Now his huge salary is hamstringing the small-market franchise.
Mark Teixeira, eight years, $180 million with Yankees: In his first season in New York, Teixeira finished second in the AL MVP race and helped the club win the championship. Even as his batting average and OPS kept decreasing, Teixeira delivered big power numbers the next two years, then fell victim to injuries and slumps in 2012 and '13. Last season he played in 15 games, batting .151, and needed wrist surgery. Teixeira turns 34 early next season and is owed $67.5 million. As with Rodriguez's second huge contract, his decline has come much too quickly to justify the investment.
YANKEES: 10 questions in the wake
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Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka's baseball future was thrown into flux Thursday when the president of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles told a newspaper that the team might not make the prized starter available to major league teams as a free agent this winter.
Yozo Tachibana told Sponichi that the Golden Eagles might refrain from making Tanaka available through the posting process. Under a proposed system, major league teams would submit maximum bids of $20 million for rights to negotiate with Tanaka, and Tanaka would be free to sign with the club of his choosing among those that meet the threshold.
Previously, major league teams would submit bids and the club with the highest offer would receive exclusive rights to negotiate with the player.
"We have an obligation to explain to our stakeholders whether it's fair," Tachibana reportedly told Sponichi. He added that if Rakuten shareholders do not think the proposed rules are fair, "There's a possibility we won't take the next step."
Tanaka, 25, is a prime target for multiple big league clubs that hope he can have an impact similar to the one Yu Darvish has had with Texas. When Darvish came to the U.S. in January 2012, the Rangers gave him a six-year, $60 million contract on top of the $51.7 million posting fee they paid to his former club, the Nippon Ham Fighters. Darvish led the American League with 277 strikeouts this past season and finished second to Detroit's Max Scherzer in Cy Young Award balloting.
Tanaka is 99-35 with a 2.30 ERA in seven seasons with Rakuten. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels are among the clubs expected to have interest in him.
The proposed rules would result in a significantly lower payout to the posting club -- in this case, Rakuten -- while giving Tanaka a wider range of teams in the bidding. According to reports out of Japan, 11 of Nippon Baseball's 12 teams agreed to the $20 million maximum fee and the proposed system, while Rakuten was the dissenter.
Changes to the posting system have been an ongoing topic of discussion between MLB and Nippon Baseball, with the respective players unions in Japan and the U.S. also having significant input in the process. Last week, officials from Nippon Baseball traveled to New York for conversations with MLB senior vice presidents Dan Halem and Kim Ng, who are overseeing talks on behalf of MLB.
Officials from MLB and its players' association are hoping to get Tanaka's situation resolved as quickly as possible, because his status could have an impact on Matt Garza, Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez and other top free agents who might have to wait in line to see how the market for their services shakes out.
If Rakuten ultimately decides to make Tanaka available through the posting process, he will have a 30-day window to negotiate a deal with a major league club.
Masahiro Tanaka may not be made available to MLB teams by Rakuten Golden Eagles - ESPN
Yozo Tachibana told Sponichi that the Golden Eagles might refrain from making Tanaka available through the posting process. Under a proposed system, major league teams would submit maximum bids of $20 million for rights to negotiate with Tanaka, and Tanaka would be free to sign with the club of his choosing among those that meet the threshold.
Previously, major league teams would submit bids and the club with the highest offer would receive exclusive rights to negotiate with the player.
"We have an obligation to explain to our stakeholders whether it's fair," Tachibana reportedly told Sponichi. He added that if Rakuten shareholders do not think the proposed rules are fair, "There's a possibility we won't take the next step."
Tanaka, 25, is a prime target for multiple big league clubs that hope he can have an impact similar to the one Yu Darvish has had with Texas. When Darvish came to the U.S. in January 2012, the Rangers gave him a six-year, $60 million contract on top of the $51.7 million posting fee they paid to his former club, the Nippon Ham Fighters. Darvish led the American League with 277 strikeouts this past season and finished second to Detroit's Max Scherzer in Cy Young Award balloting.
Tanaka is 99-35 with a 2.30 ERA in seven seasons with Rakuten. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels are among the clubs expected to have interest in him.
The proposed rules would result in a significantly lower payout to the posting club -- in this case, Rakuten -- while giving Tanaka a wider range of teams in the bidding. According to reports out of Japan, 11 of Nippon Baseball's 12 teams agreed to the $20 million maximum fee and the proposed system, while Rakuten was the dissenter.
Changes to the posting system have been an ongoing topic of discussion between MLB and Nippon Baseball, with the respective players unions in Japan and the U.S. also having significant input in the process. Last week, officials from Nippon Baseball traveled to New York for conversations with MLB senior vice presidents Dan Halem and Kim Ng, who are overseeing talks on behalf of MLB.
Officials from MLB and its players' association are hoping to get Tanaka's situation resolved as quickly as possible, because his status could have an impact on Matt Garza, Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez and other top free agents who might have to wait in line to see how the market for their services shakes out.
If Rakuten ultimately decides to make Tanaka available through the posting process, he will have a 30-day window to negotiate a deal with a major league club.
Masahiro Tanaka may not be made available to MLB teams by Rakuten Golden Eagles - ESPN
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Who needs the MLB winter meetings?
Teams evidently didn't want to wait until the second week of December to complete major offseason transactions. Impact players like Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Carlos Beltran all made decisions about their baseball futures on Thursday and Friday.
Grades for the latest signings and trades hinged on the financial consequences, of course, but also the "goodness of fit." Adding experienced, talented (and, often, expensive) individuals is only appropriate when there are rosters that can be markedly improved by their presence. We've exposed a few violators of that concept.
Let's recap and evaluate this exhilarating wave of moves.
Grading Newest Wave of MLB Major Offseason Transactions | Bleacher Report
Teams evidently didn't want to wait until the second week of December to complete major offseason transactions. Impact players like Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Carlos Beltran all made decisions about their baseball futures on Thursday and Friday.
Grades for the latest signings and trades hinged on the financial consequences, of course, but also the "goodness of fit." Adding experienced, talented (and, often, expensive) individuals is only appropriate when there are rosters that can be markedly improved by their presence. We've exposed a few violators of that concept.
Let's recap and evaluate this exhilarating wave of moves.
Grading Newest Wave of MLB Major Offseason Transactions | Bleacher Report
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The Baseball Hall of Fame has just endured one of its leanest years in which no “live bodies” were elected. That is all about to change Monday when the results of the Expansion Era Veterans Committee election are announced at the winter meetings from the 10-man ballot that included surefire Hall of Fame managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox.
Torre, who won four titles with the Yankees; La Russa, who ranks third all-time in victories for a manager with 2,728; and Cox, who won 14 straight division titles with the Braves, are the marquee names on a loaded ballot that also includes Marvin Miller, the first executive director of the Players’ Association who won free agency rights for the players, and George Steinbrenner, who turned the Yankees from an $8.8 million investment into a billion-dollar entity.
Among the players on the ballot are Dave Parker, the Pirates’ 1978 National League MVP who hit 339 career homers, and Tommy John, who won 288 games and revolutionized the game when he received the elbow ligament transplant surgery that bears his name. Also on the ballot: former Royals closer Dan Quisenberry, who logged 244 career saves; Dave Concepcion, the Reds’ nine-time All-Star shortstop; and Billy Martin.
Those on the 16-member committee are allowed to each vote for at least five candidates, so it would not be surprising if as many four people got elected. Then will come the Baseball Writers’ Association Hall of Fame election in January in which Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas are eligible for the first time.
Read more: MLB veterans set to make Hall of Fame call - NY Daily News
Torre, who won four titles with the Yankees; La Russa, who ranks third all-time in victories for a manager with 2,728; and Cox, who won 14 straight division titles with the Braves, are the marquee names on a loaded ballot that also includes Marvin Miller, the first executive director of the Players’ Association who won free agency rights for the players, and George Steinbrenner, who turned the Yankees from an $8.8 million investment into a billion-dollar entity.
Among the players on the ballot are Dave Parker, the Pirates’ 1978 National League MVP who hit 339 career homers, and Tommy John, who won 288 games and revolutionized the game when he received the elbow ligament transplant surgery that bears his name. Also on the ballot: former Royals closer Dan Quisenberry, who logged 244 career saves; Dave Concepcion, the Reds’ nine-time All-Star shortstop; and Billy Martin.
Those on the 16-member committee are allowed to each vote for at least five candidates, so it would not be surprising if as many four people got elected. Then will come the Baseball Writers’ Association Hall of Fame election in January in which Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas are eligible for the first time.
Read more: MLB veterans set to make Hall of Fame call - NY Daily News
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Major League Baseball's lawyers say in a court filing that the Oakland Athletics' request to move to San Jose was turned down in June by Commissioner Bud Selig.
The decision was included in a joint case management statement filed Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose as part of a lawsuit filed by the City of San Jose against MLB and Selig on June 18.
"MLB denied the Athletics' relocation request on June 17, 2013, one day before this lawsuit was filed," an MLB portion of the filing said. "On that date, Commissioner Selig formally notified the Athletics' ownership that he was not satisfied with the club's relocation proposal."
MLB declined comment. Athletics owner Lew Wolff said in an email "I do not comment on legal proceedings" and "I continue to follow the process that MLB has set forth."
While MLB decided there was not a proposal it could approve last June, it's unclear whether that stance could change in the future.
MLB defines San Jose and its suburbs in Santa Clara County as the exclusive territory of the San Francisco Giants.
The city of San Jose in its suit accused MLB of conspiring to stop the team's proposal to move to a planned ballpark in downtown San Jose.
U.S. District Judge Ronald M. Whyte decided in October to dismiss San Jose's antitrust claims, citing the sport's antitrust exemption created by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1922. He allowed the city to pursue allegations of contract interference.
MLB denied Oakland's move to San Jose in June
The decision was included in a joint case management statement filed Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose as part of a lawsuit filed by the City of San Jose against MLB and Selig on June 18.
"MLB denied the Athletics' relocation request on June 17, 2013, one day before this lawsuit was filed," an MLB portion of the filing said. "On that date, Commissioner Selig formally notified the Athletics' ownership that he was not satisfied with the club's relocation proposal."
MLB declined comment. Athletics owner Lew Wolff said in an email "I do not comment on legal proceedings" and "I continue to follow the process that MLB has set forth."
While MLB decided there was not a proposal it could approve last June, it's unclear whether that stance could change in the future.
MLB defines San Jose and its suburbs in Santa Clara County as the exclusive territory of the San Francisco Giants.
The city of San Jose in its suit accused MLB of conspiring to stop the team's proposal to move to a planned ballpark in downtown San Jose.
U.S. District Judge Ronald M. Whyte decided in October to dismiss San Jose's antitrust claims, citing the sport's antitrust exemption created by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1922. He allowed the city to pursue allegations of contract interference.
MLB denied Oakland's move to San Jose in June
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After a series of injuries and several comeback attempts, it appears Mark Prior is ready to call it a career.
The right-hander, now 33, was in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Monday for the Winter Meetings, where he told reporters he was retiring. Prior also indicated he could take a job in the Padres' front office, although the club has not confirmed it.
The San Diego native signed a Minor League deal with the Reds during Spring Training last season and made seven relief appearances at Triple-A Louisville, posting a 4.66 ERA over 9 2/3 innings. But he sustained a right shoulder strain and went on the disabled list in late April. He did not appear in another game and was released in June.
The Cubs made Prior the second overall pick of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of USC, and he made his Major League debut the next May, at age 21. After going 6-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie, Prior enjoyed a breakout '03 season. In 30 starts, he went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 211 1/3 innings. An All-Star selection, he finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting, then posted a 2.31 ERA in three postseason outings.
The injuries then started to pile up. Prior made 21 starts in 2004, 27 in '05 and just nine in '06. His last big league appearance came Aug. 10, 2006, and he then had reconstructive shoulder surgery.
Prior tried to make it back to the Majors, pitching in the Minors for the Rangers, Yankees, Red Sox and Reds.
He finishes his career with a 42-29 record and a 3.51 ERA in 106 Major League starts. He also struck out 10.4 batters per nine innings, the second-highest rate in history for a starting pitcher with at least 500 career innings, trailing only Randy Johnson.
After years of injuries, former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior retires | MLB-com: News
The right-hander, now 33, was in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Monday for the Winter Meetings, where he told reporters he was retiring. Prior also indicated he could take a job in the Padres' front office, although the club has not confirmed it.
The San Diego native signed a Minor League deal with the Reds during Spring Training last season and made seven relief appearances at Triple-A Louisville, posting a 4.66 ERA over 9 2/3 innings. But he sustained a right shoulder strain and went on the disabled list in late April. He did not appear in another game and was released in June.
The Cubs made Prior the second overall pick of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of USC, and he made his Major League debut the next May, at age 21. After going 6-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie, Prior enjoyed a breakout '03 season. In 30 starts, he went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 211 1/3 innings. An All-Star selection, he finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting, then posted a 2.31 ERA in three postseason outings.
The injuries then started to pile up. Prior made 21 starts in 2004, 27 in '05 and just nine in '06. His last big league appearance came Aug. 10, 2006, and he then had reconstructive shoulder surgery.
Prior tried to make it back to the Majors, pitching in the Minors for the Rangers, Yankees, Red Sox and Reds.
He finishes his career with a 42-29 record and a 3.51 ERA in 106 Major League starts. He also struck out 10.4 batters per nine innings, the second-highest rate in history for a starting pitcher with at least 500 career innings, trailing only Randy Johnson.
After years of injuries, former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior retires | MLB-com: News
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Pitcher Brett Anderson's surgically repaired left elbow is as good as new. He suffered a stress fracture of the right foot in 2013, but that's healed. It was a good time for a fresh start -- one he received Tuesday, when the Rockies acquired him and cash from the Athletics for left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz and right-handed Minor League pitcher Chris Jensen.
Anderson, who turns 26 on Feb. 1, has struggled with injuries throughout his career -- most significantly an elbow issue that led to Tommy John surgery in 2011 and the foot problem last season -- but he is a ground-ball pitcher with a high strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.98. Anderson went 1-4 with a 6.04 ERA last season in 16 games, including 10 relief appearances after returning from the foot injury.
Anderson is 26-29 with a 3.81 ERA in 84 games (73 starts) over five seasons, but his 2009 rookie year (11-11, 4.06 ERA in 30 starts) was his only season not interrupted by injury. "I like baseball too much to be hurt, which is kind of cheesy," Anderson said. "But I like to be out there competing. I want to be one of those guys. It's tough to say because of my track record, but I want to be one of those guys you depend on to take the ball every fifth day and give the team an opportunity to win. As long as I'm healthy I don't see any problems with that."
There is more to Anderson than an injury history. The A's thought enough of him to start him on Opening Day in 2013. The Rockies, who are close to being able to call their starting rotation a strength, thought enough to make a significant financial investment. Anderson is due $8 million in 2014. A Major League source said the A's will pay $2 million of that amount.
"Anderson puts us in position to perform better out of the rotation right now," said Bill Geivett, the Rockies' senior vice president of Major League operations. "And that was the biggest thing. As far as his health, he's been through the last couple years with injuries, the last one being the foot. But we're comfortable with that and the progress he's made. We feel like we're getting an impact starter in this deal."
The Rockies went 74-88 and finished last in the National League West in 2013. However, they were 49-32 in games started by left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and righties Jhoulys Chacin and Tyler Chatwood, but 25-56 with all other starters.
"This is a guy that's been a top-of-the-rotation starter for the A's, who were a playoff club," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
The addition of Anderson pushes Juan Nicasio, who struggled at times but managed a 9-9 record in 31 starts, to the fifth spot, with competition from righty Jordan Lyles, whom the Rockies acquired last week from the Astros, and lefty Christian Friedrich, who didn't pitch in the Majors last season because of back issues.
By trading Pomeranz, (4-14, 5.20 ERA in 34 Major League appearances, 30 starts) the Rockies part with their last Major League roster link to the trade that sent former Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians in 2011. But the Rockies have more concerns than making an old, if highly publicized, swap look good.
"We still believe in Drew, but there's a timing issue with a younger pitcher and where they're at in their career," Geivett said. "We felt like Anderson helped solidify us for next year with a little bit more certainty.
"We're just looking to make our club better. That's all we do."
The A's had seven Major League starters and became younger with Pomeranz, 25.
"Brett's been with us for several years, and someone obviously with that kind of talent we think very highly of, but with the amount of guys we have, we could use that to get younger guys with less service time, and that was attractive," A's general manager Billy Beane said.
Originally drafted by the D-backs out of Stillwater (Okla.) High School in the second round of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft and sent to the A's in the Dan Haren deal (the one that sent current Rockies star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to Oakland), Anderson relies on a biting slider that he mixes with four-seam and two-seam fastballs, a curve and a developing changeup.
The numbers have been strong but durability has been a question. The elbow problems limited him to 32 starts in 2010 and 2011 before he underwent surgery. He returned in 2012 but made just six starts before suffering a season-ending oblique injury. Last year he suffered a right ankle injury, and the stress fracture was discovered during an X-ray.
The good news was he finished last year on the mound. Geivett said Rockies scouts believe all his pitches are back. Anderson is ready to be healthy.
"It's frustrating," Anderson said. "There are times when you're not 'Why me?' but 'Why did this happen?' But it's commonplace that tons of people have Tommy John and they come back just as strong if not stronger.
"Dealing with the injury this past year to my foot, that was more frustrating. My foot was in a boot for eight weeks. But you've got to look glass half-full and realize it's going to work out for the best and you have a healthy year the next year and good things will happen."
Anderson said he is looking forward to a new league ("I'll have to get more than two bats for Interleague this year -- maybe even a bat bag") and a new start.
"It's always good to be wanted," he said. "Dating back to a week or maybe a little less, you hear the rumors rumbling and stuff. Like I said, it's always good to be wanted. It's a fresh start with a new organization and hopefully I can prove myself and show why they traded for me."
The trade is the latest effort in the Rockies' active offseason.
They spent $2.5 million for free-agent righty LaTroy Hawkins, who will be the closer. They dealt center fielder Dexter Fowler to the Astros for Lyles and right-handed hitting outfielder Brandon Barnes. They're soon expected to officially announce signing left-handed-hitting first baseman Justin Morneau for two year
Anderson, who turns 26 on Feb. 1, has struggled with injuries throughout his career -- most significantly an elbow issue that led to Tommy John surgery in 2011 and the foot problem last season -- but he is a ground-ball pitcher with a high strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.98. Anderson went 1-4 with a 6.04 ERA last season in 16 games, including 10 relief appearances after returning from the foot injury.
Anderson is 26-29 with a 3.81 ERA in 84 games (73 starts) over five seasons, but his 2009 rookie year (11-11, 4.06 ERA in 30 starts) was his only season not interrupted by injury. "I like baseball too much to be hurt, which is kind of cheesy," Anderson said. "But I like to be out there competing. I want to be one of those guys. It's tough to say because of my track record, but I want to be one of those guys you depend on to take the ball every fifth day and give the team an opportunity to win. As long as I'm healthy I don't see any problems with that."
There is more to Anderson than an injury history. The A's thought enough of him to start him on Opening Day in 2013. The Rockies, who are close to being able to call their starting rotation a strength, thought enough to make a significant financial investment. Anderson is due $8 million in 2014. A Major League source said the A's will pay $2 million of that amount.
"Anderson puts us in position to perform better out of the rotation right now," said Bill Geivett, the Rockies' senior vice president of Major League operations. "And that was the biggest thing. As far as his health, he's been through the last couple years with injuries, the last one being the foot. But we're comfortable with that and the progress he's made. We feel like we're getting an impact starter in this deal."
The Rockies went 74-88 and finished last in the National League West in 2013. However, they were 49-32 in games started by left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and righties Jhoulys Chacin and Tyler Chatwood, but 25-56 with all other starters.
"This is a guy that's been a top-of-the-rotation starter for the A's, who were a playoff club," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
The addition of Anderson pushes Juan Nicasio, who struggled at times but managed a 9-9 record in 31 starts, to the fifth spot, with competition from righty Jordan Lyles, whom the Rockies acquired last week from the Astros, and lefty Christian Friedrich, who didn't pitch in the Majors last season because of back issues.
By trading Pomeranz, (4-14, 5.20 ERA in 34 Major League appearances, 30 starts) the Rockies part with their last Major League roster link to the trade that sent former Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians in 2011. But the Rockies have more concerns than making an old, if highly publicized, swap look good.
"We still believe in Drew, but there's a timing issue with a younger pitcher and where they're at in their career," Geivett said. "We felt like Anderson helped solidify us for next year with a little bit more certainty.
"We're just looking to make our club better. That's all we do."
The A's had seven Major League starters and became younger with Pomeranz, 25.
"Brett's been with us for several years, and someone obviously with that kind of talent we think very highly of, but with the amount of guys we have, we could use that to get younger guys with less service time, and that was attractive," A's general manager Billy Beane said.
Originally drafted by the D-backs out of Stillwater (Okla.) High School in the second round of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft and sent to the A's in the Dan Haren deal (the one that sent current Rockies star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to Oakland), Anderson relies on a biting slider that he mixes with four-seam and two-seam fastballs, a curve and a developing changeup.
The numbers have been strong but durability has been a question. The elbow problems limited him to 32 starts in 2010 and 2011 before he underwent surgery. He returned in 2012 but made just six starts before suffering a season-ending oblique injury. Last year he suffered a right ankle injury, and the stress fracture was discovered during an X-ray.
The good news was he finished last year on the mound. Geivett said Rockies scouts believe all his pitches are back. Anderson is ready to be healthy.
"It's frustrating," Anderson said. "There are times when you're not 'Why me?' but 'Why did this happen?' But it's commonplace that tons of people have Tommy John and they come back just as strong if not stronger.
"Dealing with the injury this past year to my foot, that was more frustrating. My foot was in a boot for eight weeks. But you've got to look glass half-full and realize it's going to work out for the best and you have a healthy year the next year and good things will happen."
Anderson said he is looking forward to a new league ("I'll have to get more than two bats for Interleague this year -- maybe even a bat bag") and a new start.
"It's always good to be wanted," he said. "Dating back to a week or maybe a little less, you hear the rumors rumbling and stuff. Like I said, it's always good to be wanted. It's a fresh start with a new organization and hopefully I can prove myself and show why they traded for me."
The trade is the latest effort in the Rockies' active offseason.
They spent $2.5 million for free-agent righty LaTroy Hawkins, who will be the closer. They dealt center fielder Dexter Fowler to the Astros for Lyles and right-handed hitting outfielder Brandon Barnes. They're soon expected to officially announce signing left-handed-hitting first baseman Justin Morneau for two year
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Home plate collisions, the type of plays that wrecked the career of former All-Star Ray Fosse and injured Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila in last October's playoffs, will be banned starting with the 2014 season.
New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, chairman of Major League Baseball's rules committee, said at the winter meetings a resolution in that regard had been approved Wednesday afternoon after consultation with managers. In November, general managers had expressed an interest in the rules change.
"The result of the vote was we will eliminate collisions at home plate by governing both catchers and runners in that situation,'' Alderson said. "The exact language and how exactly the rule will be enforced is subject to final determination.''
The enforcement figures to come in the form of an out call for runners violating the new rule and possibly a fine and/or suspension, Alderson said.
Alderson added that the committee would review the plays that occur at the plate before deciding which ones to forbid. A rule will be drafted and, after it is approved by the committee, it will be submitted to the team owners in January and subsequently to the players union for their OK.
The movement toward eliminating the collisions began after San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey sustained a broken leg and torn ankle ligaments in a brutal crash with Scott Cousins of the then-Florida Marlins in May 2011.
Posey missed the rest of the season, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy – a former major league catcher – became an outspoken advocate for modifying the rules to enhance safety.
"I think most of us feel that isn't a big part of the game anymore,'' Bochy said Tuesday. "There's been adjustments everywhere, and I think it's time in baseball that we do change the rule and protect these catchers.''
Alderson said the incidence of injuries that occur from home-plate collisions, along with increased awareness about the dangers of concussions – which several catchers have sustained in these plays – led to the ban.
"Ultimately what we want to do is change the culture of acceptance that these plays are ordinary, routine and an accepted part of the game,'' Alderson said. "The individual risks and costs associated in terms of health and injury no longer warrant the status quo.''
MLB banning home plate collisions starting in 2014
New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, chairman of Major League Baseball's rules committee, said at the winter meetings a resolution in that regard had been approved Wednesday afternoon after consultation with managers. In November, general managers had expressed an interest in the rules change.
"The result of the vote was we will eliminate collisions at home plate by governing both catchers and runners in that situation,'' Alderson said. "The exact language and how exactly the rule will be enforced is subject to final determination.''
The enforcement figures to come in the form of an out call for runners violating the new rule and possibly a fine and/or suspension, Alderson said.
Alderson added that the committee would review the plays that occur at the plate before deciding which ones to forbid. A rule will be drafted and, after it is approved by the committee, it will be submitted to the team owners in January and subsequently to the players union for their OK.
The movement toward eliminating the collisions began after San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey sustained a broken leg and torn ankle ligaments in a brutal crash with Scott Cousins of the then-Florida Marlins in May 2011.
Posey missed the rest of the season, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy – a former major league catcher – became an outspoken advocate for modifying the rules to enhance safety.
"I think most of us feel that isn't a big part of the game anymore,'' Bochy said Tuesday. "There's been adjustments everywhere, and I think it's time in baseball that we do change the rule and protect these catchers.''
Alderson said the incidence of injuries that occur from home-plate collisions, along with increased awareness about the dangers of concussions – which several catchers have sustained in these plays – led to the ban.
"Ultimately what we want to do is change the culture of acceptance that these plays are ordinary, routine and an accepted part of the game,'' Alderson said. "The individual risks and costs associated in terms of health and injury no longer warrant the status quo.''
MLB banning home plate collisions starting in 2014
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This is, of course, of major interest to the Toronto Blue Jays, who are faced with the task of addressing several pressing issues in a market flush with cash but lean on impact free agents. Not in the sense of any interest the Blue Jays might have had in either player – second base is third on general manager Alex Anthopoulos’s list of priorities, and Fielder was a pie-in-the-sky talking point for Blue Jays fans when he was a free agent – but for the fallout from the deal itself.
Rangers and Tigers kick-start the MLB trade market - The Globe and Mail