Prospect Insider - Winter Meetings '10: Day One

Winter Meetings '10: Day One

By Chris Crawford

By 12-06-2010

UPDATE 7:10 PM: Mini Scouting Report: Esteilon Peguero, SS

UPDATE 3:08 PM: Two left-handed bench bats interest M's.

UPDATE 2:30 PM: Fielder trade could effect M's.
Also, Churchill will have a mini-scouting report on SS Esteilon Peguero later tonight, whom the M's have signed to a $2.9 million dollar deal Monday, per Ben Badler of Baseball America.

UPDATE 2:00 PM: Thoughts on Diaz.

UPDATE 1:00 PM: More on the SS thing.

UPDATE 10:59 AM: Seattle wasn't interested in Reynolds.

UPDATE 9:04 AM: The M's and shortstops.

UPDATE 8:47 AM: Executive poll says big things from M's.

Last year's winter meetings saw the M's make a trade for one of the best starters in baseball and the signing of Chone Figgins, and the amount of rumors that accompanied these moves was nothing short of spectacular.

What will Seattle and their AL West brethren do this year? Jason and I will be updating whenever we hear news on trades, free agents, or anything else you could possibly think of.

Subscribers can see all the latest right here.

And if you're not a subscriber -- there's a lil somethin somethin you can do to change that, just go here.

winter-meetings-\'10:-day-one

Comments
The following 34 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: aerichner on 12-06-2010 10:50:40
Great info guys, keep it coming. Thanks!

2. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-06-2010 11:02:35
It's already rolling in!

3. By: msulcer on 12-06-2010 11:06:49
Jason, Think theres any chance the M's go after Yankees catcher Montero, or did the mariners shoot themselves in the foot on that one?

4. By: mymrbig on 12-06-2010 11:25:55
That request by the twins is ridiculous. I understand starting high in trade negotiations, but that request basically says, "don't bother us again." Even coming up with that lopsided of an offer seems like a wast of time on the part of the twins.

5. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-06-2010 11:26:47
msulcer,

First off, Montero may catch for NYY this season, but he's not a long-term catcher, so you're trading for the bat. Rather have Smoak, the switch hitter.

6. By: mymrbig on 12-06-2010 11:29:29
Rather have smoak and montero, can the m's just pony uo to sign Lee, then immediately flip him to the Yankees for Montero? (Obviously joking)

7. By: baseballman on 12-06-2010 11:31:57
I totally agree mymrbig, what a joke that is. They can't possibly believe that player is worth that price. Z must have had a nice chuckle at their expense.

Love to hear what that source that about the Ms in the first rumor today, it gives us fans hope that Z is going to do all he can to get this thing right. Thanks JAC

8. By: baseballman on 12-06-2010 11:34:05
My above post is referring to post 4, btw

9. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-06-2010 11:34:32
The Twins-Hardy thing was probably a first-look asking price. Thing is, Seattle would probably say no to 60% of that, and rightfully so. Not because Hardy wouldn't be worth Saunders, Wilson and League with no cash attached, but because the M's situation doesn't call for such a deal.

10. By: StandinPat on 12-06-2010 11:39:37
It would is most likely a "lost" year, I don't see any point in giving up anything that could help you in 2012 and beyond for Hardy, who will be a FA after this year. Maybe if you deem the potential comp pick equal to or greater than what you feel like you're giving up, but I think League alone, especially at the deadline, brings back more value than that.

11. By: Mackie on 12-06-2010 11:58:55
I wonder about trading for Greinke... I mean, obviously he is one of the better pitchers in baseball, and having him as our #2 SP behind Felix would be fantastic.

Greinke would be under contract for two more years (although at $13.5 million per year through 2012 according to Cot's Baseball Contracts, but considering his skills, that seems not a bad price) AND if we could keep him away from one of our division rivals that would be great.

If some kind of 3- or more-way deal can be arranged in order to get him to Seattle, and if the M's wouldn't have to mortgage too much of their future for it, I would be happy to have Greinke aboard. I would mortgage a bit of the future, but I wouldn't want to give up all three of Pineda, Ackley and Smoak.

12. By: baseballfan on 12-06-2010 12:23:16
Congratulations to former Mariners GM Pat Gillick
on his election to the HOF - Richly Deserved - In my
opinion the best GM in the modern era - took Toronto,
Baltimore,Seattle and Philadelphia to the playoffs and
won 3 World Series. It is a crime that Marvin Miller,
the most influential baseball figure in the last 50
years (in my opinion) fell 1 vote short - I guess crooked
owners can get in but someone who upset the apple cart
is out of luck.

13. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-06-2010 12:26:13
None of Gillick's three former clubs -- Toronto, Baltimore, Seattle, have made the playoffs since he left. Some would say that is an idictment on the way he treats the farm systems, but how many times he trade away young talent in Seattle? Baltimore? Not many.

And Philly is still set to challenge for their division for the next few years, despite aging.

14. By: CyFelix on 12-06-2010 13:03:56
Great stuff, interesting that they could pull off another magic trade. Always works in our favor. I say no to Greinke and Fielder, Greinke would cost to much and Fielder is going to want a big pay day.

15. By: acqb1424 on 12-06-2010 13:07:19
Jason,

Have you heard about the M's possibly having any interest in Andrew Miller? Do you have any idea if they'd be interested.

16. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-06-2010 13:14:05
I haven't heard anything along those lines, acqb1424. I have heard Boston has been talking to him and that there is a solid chance he gets signed in Boston to pitch in relief.

17. By: Rudolf on 12-06-2010 13:20:06
Hey Jason,

What would be the logic in trading for Greinke? I understand the offense is supposed to be better simply by doing nothing, but didn't last year prove that another ace isn't enough?

Would Greinke be the equivalent of buying an old hot rod: pay for it, drive it, sell it for what you paid or more?

Would the team make additional moves to shore up the offense and go for it? That seems a tad far-fetched to me.

Is it to keep the fans interested?

All of the above?

Any insight?

18. By: Jason A. Churchill on 12-06-2010 13:27:50
Greinke is signed for TWO years, and could be traded again in July 2012 if the team isn't contending. There is also the chance that they get two draft picks when he bolts via free agency.

It's very different getting a two-year player in Seattle rather than a one-year player. Not much chance they contend in 2011, but add Greinke and that changes in 2012.

Plus, his presence, along with Felix, could help the club add other free agents. It's probably not worth emptying the farm for, but it's definitely worth looking into. And a three-team deal could work out.

And who knows, maybe Seattle can re-sign Greinke.

19. By: CyFelix on 12-06-2010 13:31:39
No reason to be interested in Reynolds, He K'd more than Halman did at AAA, while he has some nice power to all fields, he won't work to well in Safeco and French has been able to fill in nicely as a spot starter, having good games and also having a very good start in some starts. French is a nice piece and I would like to see him in the 'Pen if he isn't starting.

20. By: John_S on 12-06-2010 13:33:02
Jason,

What are your thoughts on Marcum for Lawrie? Who do you think got the better of the deal?

21. By: Rudolf on 12-06-2010 13:38:16
Thanks, Jason. Makes perfect sense.

22. By: slamcactus on 12-06-2010 14:01:21
You're selling David Hernandez short. He was electric as a reliever running a 10.9 K/9 and a K/BB around 3.5/1, and a FIP right around 3. He has closer potential and is a far more valuable commodity than either French or Fields. The internal equivalent for these two pitchers would be more along the lines of Dan Cortes and Josh Leuke, minus the attitude problems for each.

23. By: slamcactus on 12-06-2010 14:02:11
I should probably say makeup issues rather than attitude problems. By all accounts Leuke is extremely coachable. Ditto Cortes. They've just both done really messed up things that speak pretty damn poorly of their character.

24. By: mazono on 12-06-2010 14:18:16
Any word on the asking price of Grienke. Also any interest in Shields or Garza?

25. By: mymrbig on 12-06-2010 14:33:13
I actually think Reynolds is underrated. No one seems to notice that his BB% has improved 4 straight years: 8.9% -> 10.4% -> 11.5% -> 13.9%. His swinging strike % held steady all 4 years and he's improved his out-of-zone contact%.

His BABIP was a career low (.257 in 2010, .323 career). He actually struck me as a buy-low candidate. He has his warts (lots of K's), but he's mitigated that some with more walks, tons of power, and usable (though below-average) defense.

I also think he's the kind of RH-power hitter who can succeed in Safeco. When he hits it, he hits is so dang far it will still usually go out of the park (unlike Lopez or Beltre). Safeco would hurt him some, but couldn't he still put up Richie Sexson circa-2005/2006 (his 2 good seasons in Seattle)?

That said, if the M's can't move Figgins, he needs to move back to 3rd, so the M's didn't really have room for Reynolds unless they saw a way to move Figgins. If they could have moved Figgins, I would have been fine with buying low on Reynolds.

26. By: Stormton on 12-06-2010 14:46:16
Tim Brown tweet: "Rays and O's were talking Bartlett for similar package that went to Dbacks for Reynolds. Rays still hoping to work something out there. "

If a similar package for the Mariners is Fields and French, would you make that trade for Bartlett?

27. By: safecochatter on 12-06-2010 15:12:57
towers saying he expects to add a closer in the next day or two. but sounds like it'll be jj putz from other tweets.

was hoping m's would get in on marcum,but lawrie is a righty hitting ackley. and i wounldn't trade ackley for marcum. but that's one less team on Greinke.

28. By: Mackie on 12-06-2010 16:44:52
I do like Diaz' career numbers against lefties (.907), and I can see how he might be a decent player to have on the bench (and I would LOVE to see some decent players on the M's bench for a change... depth on the roster would be nice). But I also wouldn't see Diaz as an everyday player.

How much trade value does Saunders have? If there is talk of platooning someone with Saunders, does that speak negatively about his value, or does it say anything about how the Mariners view his development? That is to say, if other teams see the Mariners shoppping for a LF platoon partner for Saunders, does this somewhat diminish any of his trade value?

29. By: Lefty on 12-06-2010 16:52:47
Mariners sign 17 year old SS Esteilon Peguero for 2.9 million, according to Baseball America.

30. By: CyFelix on 12-06-2010 16:54:10
Wouldn't it be best just to play Saunders in 150 games (assuming he stays healthy) and let him work through the growing pains?

Adding 10% would mean the price of a regular or a SP, so could that put us in the market for a #2 or a every day DH.

Jason, if you ever have time could you make a post regarding arbitration and all the service time things? Sort of as a reference, I always forget these things. Thanks. (Unless you have one that was made a while ago.)

31. By: nighthawk180 on 12-06-2010 18:48:26
Jason, Crawford, or Randall

I know you will have a piece up on SS Esteilon Peguero the mariners just signed later on tonight but I just watched some video of him hitting. In one video he had somewhat of a high leg kick and a sway of weight from front to back and front again. I know that the sway could really affect the timing of offspeed pitches. Your thoughts?

The other video didnt have any of the above mentioned. Dont know if he was trying to impress in one video and the other relaxed or what.

Video's from links on ussmariner.com.

Thanks for the feedback either here or on the report later. Thx

32. By: Lailoken on 12-06-2010 19:16:36
The video in the Baseball America link is great. The same 1:08 of him hitting from two different angles. No big leg kick. I would imagine that video is more recent. Impressive swing. Easy, free, & oozing potential. Super-excited to read what JAC & Crawford have to say about Peguero. If he can stick at shortstop he is a major, major piece. The bat alone could make him a major piece at 3B or 2B. Did I mention I cannot wait to hear what the resident experts & their sources think?

33. By: Lailoken on 12-06-2010 19:20:34
Great work. Some surprising votes in the executive poll. Really like the quote about the Seattle front office. GMZ & co could jump in on some interesting tradefronts. Tidbits like that makes one wonder if Saunders is long for Seattle.

34. By: jakemantooth3 on 12-06-2010 22:47:45
Jason, if you get a chance could you please activate my account.

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