Enjoy the cold weather everyone, spring training is just around the corner! Here are a few of the smaller but tastier bits of baseball news and activity over the past week:
O Commissioner, My commissioner:
Bud Selig, unfortunately, has received a 2 year extension to continue being the baseball commissioner. His over $20 million dollars a year waste of a salary will continue through the 2014 season. Many people applaud Selig’s tenure as the most stable of ones for MLB, but I beg to differ. I will instead point out how badly he dealt with the steroids and PED issues, helping make the steroid era last much longer than it should have. Also, many owner issues have occurred during his “leadership” which have dramatically hurt organizations. Selig has NOT been a good commissioner by any standard used.
Trainer’s Table:
Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers outfielder, is recovering nicely from off-season surgery he had after the World Series. It was obvious to anyone watching the playoffs that Hamilton was hurting while playing, often seen limping and running at half speed. It turns out he was playing with a torn abdominal muscle and several detached adductor muscles. Those are the muscles used to coordinate the knees and thighs! Ouch! Hamilton says he is right on target for spring training and the 2012 season. The former AL MVP will be a free agent after 2012, so he obviously wants to prove he can stay healthy.
Ian Kinsler, the Texas Rangers 2nd baseman, had a unique injection into his troublesome ankle shortly after the World Series. His ankle had been giving him issues over the past two seasons. Issues that, while still letting him play, sapped his ability to push off the ankle and create power in his swing. Kinsler had 32 home runs last year, so if what he says is even remotely the case, how many home runs will he hit in 2012? Kinsler didn’t want to go through another season with it and says his ankle is feeling as good as it ever has. The injection is a special platelet rich plasma formula designed to work wonders with weak ligaments.
Arbitration News:
Friday was the official day for players to file for arbitration. A total of 142 players filed. Next week is when both the team and the player submit their salary figures. The highest profile player to file was 2 time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. Lincecum made $13.1 mil last season and might submit the highest salary ever. The record is $22 mil by Roger Clemens in 2005. The team with most arbitration eligible players is the San Diego Padres with 11. After the players and teams submit their salary figures, usually a good amount come to agreements, (and never actually go through the arbitration process) with the salary landing somewhere in the middle of the two submitted figures.
Kendrys Morales and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a 1 year deal to avoid arbitration. Morales hasn’t played a game since May 29, 2010. You may remember he broke his ankle while jumping onto home plate during his celebratory game winning home run trot. The Angels are hoping that he will finally be healthy and ready to play this year, which will give them the roster flexibility to trade Mark Trumbo or Bobby Abreu. His valuable left handed bat’s return would also mean Albert Pujols will get the proper protection in the lineup.
Kyle Kendrick and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided arbitration by signing a one year deal worth $3.58 mil. The 27 year old Kendrick figures to be at the back end of the Phillies’ rotation this year. He had a very effective year in 2011 bouncing between long relief and starting, with 15 GS, 8 wins, 1.22 WHIP and a 3.22 ERA.
Martin Prado signed a one year deal with the Atlanta Braves for $4.75 mil to avoid arbitration. The 28 year old Prado is a very versatile player on defense as he can play multiple positions very well. He has played 1st, 2nd, 3rd and LF over the past two years when needed. And having him on the team makes it much easier to rely on the aging Chipper Jones at third base with out worry. The Braves are also hoping Prado returns to his offensive form, where he hit .300 for 3 straight years, 2008 through 2010 (last year he was down to .260).
Free Agent Signings:
Paul Maholm signed a one year deal with the Chicago Cubs for a reported $4.25 mil. There is also a club option for 2013, for a reported $6.5 mil. The 29 year old starting pitcher had his best season last year while pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Maholm is a soft tossing lefty who can throw 200 innings as a number 3 or 4 starter. The small market Pirates didn’t even attempt to bring the lefty back. His 2011 season: 26 GS, 162.1 IP, 50 BB, 97 K, 6-14 record, 1.29 WHIP, 3.66 ERA, .262 Avg against, .711 OPS against.
The Baltimore Orioles have decided to go international and signed Taiwanese lefthander Wei-yin Chen to a three year deal worth $11.3 mil. Chen has played the last 4 years in the Central League in Japan. The 26 year old Chen went 36-30 over that span with a 2.48 ERA, including 88 starts and 29 relief appearances. The Orioles have had very little success this off-season in attracting free agents, so “going international” makes sense for them.
Kerry Wood re-signed with the Chicago Cubs for one year, $3 million dollars. The deal also includes a team option for 2013 for the same salary. Wood has long been a fan favorite at Wrigley since his rookie phenom season with the Cubs. After years of battling injuries as a starting pitcher, the 34 year old Wood reinvented himself as a closer. As he has gotten older and suffered through more injuries, he has transformed again into being a solid set up man. I am not sure why it took the Cubs so long to officially sign Wood, as he really should retire a Cub, in my opinion.
Luke Scott signed a 1 year deal to be the DH and backup OF/1B for the Tampa Bay Rays. The deal is for $5 mil in 2012 with a club option of $6 mil for 2013. The 33 year old Scott averaged 25 homeruns between 2008 and 2010 for the Baltimore Orioles. Scott had a shortened seasoned in 2011 when he underwent surgery on his right shoulder. There is a good chance Scott won’t be healthy enough to play the field at the beginning of the season, making him an expensive DH for the Rays. His OF defensive range has always been poor to begin with, so maybe the Rays aren’t counting on him taking the field anyway?
Ryan Vogelsong came to an agreement with the San Francisco Giants on a 2 year contract worth $8 mil total. The team also has an option for 2014. There are also performance bonuses based on his number of innings pitched each year. The 34 year old Vogelsong was a pleasant surprise for the Giants last year, making their starting rotation one of the deepest in baseball. He went 13-7 with a 1.25 WHIP and a 2.71 ERA in 28 starts while making the All-Star team. Not too shabby!
Hall Of Fame:
Barry Larkin received over 86 percent of the writers' votes and was elected to the HOF (see my article). A vote of 75 percent or greater was needed. The next closest was Jack Morris at just under 67 percent. Congratulations Barry Larkin!
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