Wait 'til next year!
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:36 pm
Let's say the M's ownership comes to its senses and fires Bill Bavasi and John McLaren after the season. Its next move is to announce the new GM: you. Now you have your chance to go all Sam Presti on the organization. What are you going to do?
I'll start it out with the players whom some might view as overpriced and worth moving. Let's discuss our options.
Richie Sexson - I'd like to re-sign Ben Broussard, and we could probably do so for about a third of what Sexson makes per year. Sexson has one year left on his deal, in which he's scheduled to make $14 million. He has performed well in previous years, too. Can a team in a hitter-friendly park that needs a first baseman (I'm looking at you, Yankees) be tempted to rent him for a year? How much salary would we need to eat?
Miguel Batista/Jarrod Washburn - both were bad free agent signings, but also not far from market price. Both are signed for two more years. Could we induce a team to send us a midlevel prospect for one of them? There was a bidding war with KC for Batista, whose stock is probably no higher or lower now than it was at the time. I suspect we're stuck with the two of them at the back of the rotation, but I'd probably try to shop them. There are lots of people (including Ryan Feierabend, Ryan Rowland-Smith and Brandon Morrow) who warrant a shot at the rotation, and there will be more in the near future.
Ichiro Suzuki - he's going nowhere.
Adrian Beltre - two years left on his deal at about $12 million per (having already earned the deferred signing bonus). I'd be inclined to keep him for the rest of his contract, then see where we are with Carlos Triunfel in 2010.
Jose Vidro - he'll make $8.5 million next year and is virtually untradeable as a result. We'd have to eat like half of that salary and take back a non-prospect just to dump him. If Chris Snelling weren't on the 60-day DL, I'd be really mad right now.
Jeff Weaver - we all admire the way you fought through adversity, Jeff, but we're not re-signing you. That's $8.3 million off the books. Good luck to you and Mr. Boras, who undoubtedly will find another sucker for at least one more year.
Jose Guillen - mutual option at $9 million for 2008 and you have to figure he'll exercise it. But I hope he doesn't; I'd rather let Adam Jones and Wladimir Balentien be our corner outfielders for the future. And if one of them falters, then we can always turn to...
Raul Ibanez - due to make about $5.5 million in 2008. He's still a lefty bat and possibly more. Can we all agree he stays?
Chris Reitsma - team option at $2.7 million, or a $700k buyout. Most likely we'll opt for the latter. We should be looking at Mark Lowe and Jon Huber as long-term bullpen mainstays from the right, joining Putz and Green. (Even if Morrow moves to the rotation, that's enough arms for now.)
Arthur Rhodes - $1 million for 2007, no options. Our lefty relievers are Sherrill and O'Flaherty, and we'll also consider Cesar Jimenez.
Horacio Ramirez - $1 would be an excessive contract. He made $2.65 million this year. Can I assume that Ramirez can be non-tendered?
Kenji Johjima - he will make $5.5 million next year and could be the most attractive trade bait in this group. We should think about letting Jeff Clement win the job in 2008. On the other hand, it might make sense to hedge our bets by keeping Johjima around for another year and maybe more; if Clement wins the job then Johjima will be an expensive backup (and occasional starter against lefties) for one year. But that'd mean no Jamie Burke!
Ben Broussard - see above comment re Sexson.
Obviously, if we get rid of too many of these guys, we'll have a lot of holes. For example, if we manage to trade Sexson and don't re-sign Guillen, then we're looking at Ibanez as our everyday DH, with no outfield depth. The idea, of course, would be to put the money to better use. For the DH spot there will be one lefty free agent on the market whom I'd love to pursue with Sexson's money and possibly more.
Discuss.
I'll start it out with the players whom some might view as overpriced and worth moving. Let's discuss our options.
Richie Sexson - I'd like to re-sign Ben Broussard, and we could probably do so for about a third of what Sexson makes per year. Sexson has one year left on his deal, in which he's scheduled to make $14 million. He has performed well in previous years, too. Can a team in a hitter-friendly park that needs a first baseman (I'm looking at you, Yankees) be tempted to rent him for a year? How much salary would we need to eat?
Miguel Batista/Jarrod Washburn - both were bad free agent signings, but also not far from market price. Both are signed for two more years. Could we induce a team to send us a midlevel prospect for one of them? There was a bidding war with KC for Batista, whose stock is probably no higher or lower now than it was at the time. I suspect we're stuck with the two of them at the back of the rotation, but I'd probably try to shop them. There are lots of people (including Ryan Feierabend, Ryan Rowland-Smith and Brandon Morrow) who warrant a shot at the rotation, and there will be more in the near future.
Ichiro Suzuki - he's going nowhere.
Adrian Beltre - two years left on his deal at about $12 million per (having already earned the deferred signing bonus). I'd be inclined to keep him for the rest of his contract, then see where we are with Carlos Triunfel in 2010.
Jose Vidro - he'll make $8.5 million next year and is virtually untradeable as a result. We'd have to eat like half of that salary and take back a non-prospect just to dump him. If Chris Snelling weren't on the 60-day DL, I'd be really mad right now.
Jeff Weaver - we all admire the way you fought through adversity, Jeff, but we're not re-signing you. That's $8.3 million off the books. Good luck to you and Mr. Boras, who undoubtedly will find another sucker for at least one more year.
Jose Guillen - mutual option at $9 million for 2008 and you have to figure he'll exercise it. But I hope he doesn't; I'd rather let Adam Jones and Wladimir Balentien be our corner outfielders for the future. And if one of them falters, then we can always turn to...
Raul Ibanez - due to make about $5.5 million in 2008. He's still a lefty bat and possibly more. Can we all agree he stays?
Chris Reitsma - team option at $2.7 million, or a $700k buyout. Most likely we'll opt for the latter. We should be looking at Mark Lowe and Jon Huber as long-term bullpen mainstays from the right, joining Putz and Green. (Even if Morrow moves to the rotation, that's enough arms for now.)
Arthur Rhodes - $1 million for 2007, no options. Our lefty relievers are Sherrill and O'Flaherty, and we'll also consider Cesar Jimenez.
Horacio Ramirez - $1 would be an excessive contract. He made $2.65 million this year. Can I assume that Ramirez can be non-tendered?
Kenji Johjima - he will make $5.5 million next year and could be the most attractive trade bait in this group. We should think about letting Jeff Clement win the job in 2008. On the other hand, it might make sense to hedge our bets by keeping Johjima around for another year and maybe more; if Clement wins the job then Johjima will be an expensive backup (and occasional starter against lefties) for one year. But that'd mean no Jamie Burke!
Ben Broussard - see above comment re Sexson.
Obviously, if we get rid of too many of these guys, we'll have a lot of holes. For example, if we manage to trade Sexson and don't re-sign Guillen, then we're looking at Ibanez as our everyday DH, with no outfield depth. The idea, of course, would be to put the money to better use. For the DH spot there will be one lefty free agent on the market whom I'd love to pursue with Sexson's money and possibly more.
Discuss.
