Whitesox re-sign Thomas

[nyy26wc]

1) The Whitesox re-signed Frank Thomas to a new contract. It's a 1 year deal with 3 mutual options and guarantees him $22.5 million.

After 72 RCAA/1.061 OPS and 0 RCAA/.758 OPS (just 20 games) seasons, Thomas hit .472 SLG, .361 OBA, .834 OPS, 17 RCAA in 148 games. He has a 1.000 career OPS, compared to his league average of .762, and 722 RCAA.

There are plenty of players who have bad seasons that are inaccurately referred to as good ones. But, Thomas had one of those productive, albeit far from his prime, seasons inaccurately referred to as bad.

2) The Indians traded C Einar Diaz and P Ryan Drese to the Ranges for 1B Travis Hafner and P Aaron Myette.

Sometime during the summer, I wrote that the worst thing the Rangers could do was to be the ones who waste their money overpaying for Ivan Rodriguez. I was wrong. Re-signing him would still be a mistake, but a bigger one is to trade a good prospect for Einar Diaz. Even trading a bad prospect for Einar Diaz would be a mistake.

After -11 RCAA/.715 OPS and -10 RCAA/.714 OPS seasons, Diaz hit .284 SLG, .258 OBA, .542 OPS, -30 RCAA in 102 games. He has a .667 career OPS, compared to his league average of .774, and -71 RCAA in 456 games.

After a 3.44 ERA/4 RSAA in 9 games (4 starts) in 2001, Drese had a 6.55 ERA/-31 RSAA in 26 starts and led the AL in worst RSAA. He serves an important role in this deal. Maybe he's being acquired so his performance can distract attention from Diaz's ineptitude.

Can Drese continue bad pitching? Let's see, his record consists of performances like 4.07 ERA in Rookie ball, 4.93 ERA all the way in A, 4.01 in AAA. Sure. He may never have a season as bad as 2002, but he's got a lot of potential for mediocrity.

Myette's also been terrible in his time in the majors. After starting his career with 6 games with the 1999-2000 Whitesox, he had a 7.14 ERA/-24 RSAA in 19 games (14 starts) in 2001 and then a 10.06 ERA/-27 RSAA in 15 games (12 starts). Myette has a 7.88 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.53, and -52 RSAA in 40 games.

Hafner hit .387 SLG, .329 OBA, .716 OPS, -2 RCAA in his first 23 games. The 25 year old led the PCL (AAA) with a .463 OBA, while he's also had .447 and .396 figures in the past 2 years and his .559 SLG was his 4th consecutive year with at least .545. Indians GM Mark Shapiro says he'll go into spring training competing with Ben Broussard for the starting 1B job.

Meanwhile, Mark Shapiro denied reports that the team was close to trading for Sean Casey.

3) According to the LA Times, the Giants signed free agent OF Marquis Grissom to a 2 year, about $4.5 million contract.

After -36 RCAA/.640 OPS and -25 RCAA/.654 OPS seasons, Grissom had a surprise .510 SLG, .321 OBA, .831 OPS, 11 RCAA in 111 games with the Dodgers. He has a .728 career OPS, compared to his league average of .758, and -66 RCAA in 1827 games. Grissom had 5 consecutive years, and 6 out of 7, with a double digit negative RCAA prior to 2002. He turns 36 in April and is a bad risk to be productive.

4) John Olerud's new contract is for 2 years, $15.4 million.

5) The Reds re-signed P Jimmy Haynes to a 2 year, $5 million contract. The deal is for $2.5 million a year and he has the option to void the 2nd year.

After 5.33 ERA/-19 RSAA and 4.85 ERA/-9 RSAA seasons with the Brewers, Haynes had a 4.12 ERA/7 RSAA in 34 starts. He has a 5.24 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.56, and -90 RSAA in 204 games. With his bad track record, he's a good bet to revert back to mediocrity.

6) The union has approved the Expos playing 22 home games in Puerto Rico next season.

7) The Braves re-signed free agent P Darren Holmes to a 1 year, $750,000 contract.

After sitting out the entire 2001 seasons, due to back problems, Holmes had a 1.81 ERA/14 RSAA in 55 games. He has a 4.25 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.22, and 35 RSAA in 509 games.

There is no reason to believe Holmes is going to be able to duplicate his career year. But, at that price, he's a good risk. If he doesn't do the job, the Braves won't have to keep him around just because he's got a sizeable contract.

8) The Cardinals re-signed P Jeff Fassero to a 1 year, $1.5 million contract, with a team option for 2004.

After 4.78 ERA/2 RSAA and 3.42 ERA/6 RSAA seasons, Fassero had a 5.35 ERA/-10 RSAA in 73 games (first 57 with the Cubs). He has a 3.93 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.37, and 90 RSAA in 559 games.

Only 3 other pitchers pitched more games in a season in which they had a double digit negative RSAA--

GAMES                         YEAR      G      RSAA
1    Bill Campbell            1983       82      -11
2    Brad Clontz              1996       81      -12
3    Larry Hardy              1974       76      -14
4    Jeff Fassero             2002       73      -10
5    Juan Agosto              1991       72      -13
T6   Scott Sullivan           2002       71      -14
T6   Norm Charlton            1997       71      -20
T8   Rob Murphy               1990       68      -14
T8   Brian Edmondson          1999       68      -16
T8   Scott Service            1999       68      -10

9) The Rangers re-signed free agent P Rudy Seanez to a minor league contract and he will make $750,000 if he's in the majors.

After 4.29 ERA/1 RSAA and 2.75 ERA/6 RSAA seasons, Seanez had a 5.73 ERA/-3 RSAA in 33 games. He has a 4.49 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.33, and -9 RSAA in 275 games.

10) The Padres signed OF Brady Anderson to a minor league contract.

After 9 RCAA/.796 OPS and -16 RCAA/.611 OPS seasons, Anderson was hitting .250 SLG, .327 OBA,. 577 OPS, -6 RCAA in 34 games before the Indians released him in May. He has a .787 career OPS, compared to his league average of .759, and 175 RCAA in 1834 games.

11) The Pirates re-signed INF Abraham Nunez to a 1 year, $675,000 contract. He would have been eligible for salary arbitration.

After .547 OPS/-9 RCAA (40 games) and .662 OPS/-9 RCAA (115 games), Nunez hit .320 SLG, .311 OBA, .631 OPS, -14 RCAA in 112 games. He has a .613 career OPS, compared to his league average of .780, and -60 RCAA in 400 games.

12) The Dodgers sold P Kevin Beirne to the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and P Jeff Williams to the Hanshin Tigers.

After a 6.70 ERA/-8 RSAA and 12.86 ERA/-6 RSAA with the Whitesox and BlueJays, respectively, Beirne had a 3.41 ERA/1 RSAA in 12 games (3 starts). He has a 6.09 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.61, and -13 RSAA in 46 games.

After a 6.29 ERA/-6 RSAA in 15 games in 2001, Williams had a 11.70 ERA/-9 RSAA in 10 games. He has a 7.49 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.41, and -21 RSAA in 37 games.

13) The Pirates re-signed P Ariel Prieto to a minor league contract.

Prieto, who has pitched more than 8 games in the majors since 1997, had a 4.85 ERA, compared to his league average of 4.78, and -2 RSAA in 70 games with the 1995-2000 A's (minus 1999) and 2001 Devil Rays.

14) The Braves signed C Lee Evans to a minor league contract.

15) The Angels signed OF Julio Ramirez, who they had released last month, and P Jose Garcia to minor league contracts.

16) The Marlins signed P Doug Bochtler to a minor league contract.

Bochtler had a 4.57 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.36, and -12 RSAA in 220 games with 4 teams, from 1995-2000.

17) The Royals re-signed P Rick DeHart to a minor league contract.

DeHart had a 5.68 ERA, compared to his league average of 4.23, and -10 RSAA in 52 games with the 1997-99 Expos.

18) According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles are interested in Ivan Rodriguez and are attempting to re-sign free agent SS Mike Bordick.

19) According to multiple reports from Cincinnati, Reds owner Carl Lindner has given permission for the team to trade Ken Griffey Jr.

19) Reds P Elmer Dessens got an extra year older. He was really born on 1/13/71, not 1972. The jump in age is being blamed on an error in the media guide.

After 4.28 ERA/12 RSAA and 4.48 ERA/-4 RSAA seasons, Dessens had a surprise 3.03 ERA/28 RSAA in 30 starts. He has a 4.29 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.34, and 16 RSAA in 165 games.

20) Angels P Scott Schoeneweis's agent, who is Scott Boras, has confirmed he's asked for a trade to someplace who will let him return to the rotation. But, the LA Times reports the Angels aren't interested in honoring the request.

After 5.45 ERA/-9 RSAA and 5.08 ERA/-7 RSAA seasons, Schoeneweis had a 4.88 ERA/-7 RSAA in 54 games (15 starts). He has a 5.19 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.65, and -26 RSAA in 144 games.

21) According to reports from New York, the Yankees made 2 year, $4.6 million and then $5 million offers to free agents Mike Stanton, Chris Hammond and Mark Guthrie, with the first to accept being signed. All three players were given just 15 minutes to make a decision and none took the offers.

22) BlueJays GM J.P. Ricciardi confirms that the team has trade talks with the Giants and they are interested in P Russ Ortiz. Jose Cruz Jr. and Orlando Hudson have been rumored to be part of a possible deal for Ortiz.

23) The Mets reportedly made a multiyear offer to free agent 3B Edgardo Alfonzo, which he rejected. In spring training, the Mets made him an offer which he called "kind of offensive" and the Newark Star Ledger reports yesterday's offer was lower than that one.

24) Manny Ramirez's agent denies a rumor that he's asked to be traded.

25) On Thursday, Angels minor league P Randy Burden died in his sleep, at the age of 23. The cause of death hasn't been determined.

Burden had a 7.45 ERA in 10 games in Rookie ball.

26) Midnight is the deadline for teams to offer salary arbitration to their free agents. If they don't, they can't sign them to a major league contract until May 1.