Non-Tendered Players

Non-Tendered Players

By Tim Dierkes [December 12 at 10:05pm CST]

Here is a list of players who were non-tendered today, and therefore became free agents.

• Doug Mathis
  
• Daniel Cabrera
  
• Denny Bautista
  
• Ty Wigginton and Reggie Abercrombie
  
• Jonny Gomes
  
• Willy Taveras
  
• Takashi Saito, Scott Proctor, Yhency Brazoban, Angel Berroa
  
• Clay Hensley and Charlie Haeger
  
• Chris Britton and Justin Christian
  
• Tim Redding
  
• Matt Belisle and Gary Majewski
  
• Chris Capuano
  
• Kevin Cash
  
• Chuck James
  
• Chris Burke, Robby Hammock, Wil Ledezma, Jeff Salazar
  

Interesting Non-Tenders

By Tim Dierkes [December 13, 2008 at 1:20am CST]

More than 30 new free agents entered the pool tonight as the non-tender deadline passed. A few of the more interesting names:

• Ty Wigginton, 1B/2B/3B/LF. I don't know what
  the Astros are going to do at third base now, but they decided they
  couldn't afford Wigginton. The 31 year-old hit a strong .285/.350/.526
  in 429 plate appearances. He probably doesn't mind reaching free
  agency early in a weak third baseman market. The Indians and Twins
  still have vacancies.
  
• Joe Nelson, RP. Wow...a 2.00 ERA still gets you
  non-tendered in Florida. He's not that good, but he had a huge
  strikeout rate and is definitely a useful reliever.
  
• Daniel Cabrera, SP. This guy was once considered
  very nasty to face, at times posting big strikeout and groundball
  rates. With a fresh start, who knows.
  
• Joey Gathright, Willy Taveras, OF. For a couple of burners their recent plus/minus ratings in center field are poor. And you can't steal first base.
  
• Jonny Gomes, OF. He's got pop, and destroyed lefties outside of this year. That's about it though.
  
• Takashi Saito, RP. Dominant big league numbers, but he's a huge question mark after having platelet-rich plasma injected into his elbow in an experimental procedure. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie.
  
• Tim Redding, SP. Probably good for a sub-5.00 ERA as a fifth starter.
  
• Chris Capuano, SP. The Brewers may re-sign him.
  Capuano had his second Tommy John surgery in May. He was a useful
  mid-rotation guy in 2005-06.
  

12/13/08 2:41 AM EST
Non-tender list

MLB.com

The players who became free agents when their clubs did not tender them contracts for 2009 before midnight ET.

Astros
Ty Wigginton, 3B; Reggie Abercrombie OF.

Braves
Chuck James, LHP.

Brewers
Chris Capuano, LHP.

Cardinals
Randy Flores, LHP; Tyler Johnson, LHP; Aaron Miles, 2B.

Diamondbacks
Chris Burke, INF; Robby Hammock, C; Wil Ledezma, LHP; Jeff Salazar, OF.

Dodgers
Mario Alvarez, RHP; Angel Berroa, SS; Yhency Brazoban, RHP; Scott Proctor, RHP; Takashi Saito, RHP.

Mariners
Jamie Burke, C.

Marlins
Joe Nelson, RHP.

Nationals
Tim Redding, RHP.

Orioles
Daniel Cabrera, RHP; Lance Cormier RHP.

Padres
Clay Hensley, RHP; Charlie Haeger, RHP.

Phillies
Scott Mathieson, RHP.

Pirates
Denny Bautista, RHP.

Rangers
Doug Mathis, RHP.

Rays
Jonny Gomes, OF.

Red Sox
Kevin Cash, C.

Rockies
Jonathan Herrera, IF; Willy Taveras, OF.

Royals
John Bale, LHP; Jairo Cuevas, RHP; Joey Gathright, OF; Jason Smith, IF.

Yankees
Chris Britton, RHP; Justin Christian, OF.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I wonder if Joe Nelson, RP is worth the Tigers looking into...

Quote :

Joe Nelson, RP. Wow...a 2.00 ERA still gets you non-tendered in Florida. He's not that good, but he had a huge strikeout rate and is definitely a useful reliever.

He also would be a low cost, strike throwing closer:

Quote :

Nelson appeared in 59 games for Florida this past season, and he was 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 54 innings. The right-hander was a reliable option in the late innings. He was at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, and he was approached by Florida officials about his contract desires. The Marlins were offering about $650,000, and Nelson was seeking about $800,000.

Lopez left out as Tigers offer contracts
Relief pitcher becomes free agent; Santiago signs one-year deal

DETROIT -- Aquilino Lopez stuck with the Tigers for all but about a month of the 2008 season, finding a home at the long end of Detroit's bullpen. As an arbitration-eligible player, however, he was not going to stick on the Tigers' roster through the offseason.

With a slew of potential arbitration cases and Friday night's midnight ET non-tender deadline approaching, the Tigers tendered contracts to all of their eligible players except for Lopez.

Infielder Ramon Santiago agreed to a one-year contract worth $825,000 on Friday afternoon. Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya, Marcus Thames, Fernando Rodney, Edwin Jackson and Bobby Seay all were tendered contracts, allowing them to continue to negotiate deals or file for arbitration in the coming weeks. Detroit tried to work out a contract with Lopez in the remaining hours on Friday but couldn't reach an agreement.

Lopez immediately becomes a free agent who can sign with any team. The Tigers could also re-sign him -- probably to a Minor League deal -- but he's expected to look at his options elsewhere first.

The 33-year-old Lopez spent the past two years in the Tigers system, but his 2008 season included the most Major League innings of his 10-year professional career. In 78 2/3 innings, he posted a 4-1 record and a 3.55 ERA, allowing 86 hits while walking 22 and striking out 61. Opponents batted .252 against him before the All-Star break before hitting .301 with an .869 OPS off of him down the stretch.

Those solid numbers, however, came in more long work than setup duty. Just 12 of his 48 appearances came in the late innings of close games, while 26 were in games that had a margin of more than four runs either way.

With the Tigers enjoying a potential influx of relief help from both their farm system and from those who don't make the rotation, Detroit could afford to make the move and trim a little bit of salary from its payroll. That was less of a case with the other arbitration-eligible players.

Thames was a potentially intriguing situation. The veteran outfielder and impact slugger finished second on the team with 25 home runs, trailing only Miguel Cabrera, but is set for a pay raise above his $1,275,000 salary and is arbitration-eligible for the second time. Without a starting spot, his name popped up among the buzz at baseball's Winter Meetings earlier this week, but the Tigers ended up trading the younger Matt Joyce instead. That whittled down the competition for the fourth outfield spot, though Detroit is expected to continue listening to trade talks.

The Lopez move leaves the Tigers with two open spots on their 40-man roster. One of those is expected to go to shortstop Adam Everett, who agreed to terms on a one-year contract earlier this week.

Nelson is one guy we should definiterly look into.....