» Free Agent Signings, Managerial Extension, Trades, Etc.

Free Agent Signings, Managerial Extension, Trades, Etc.

Firstly, it appears that two big free agent signings took place on Wednesday.

Sources indicate that lefthanded stand-out starter CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees have agreed in principle to a 7 year, $161 million contract, the richest for a pitcher in MLB history.

Sabathia, who finished last season with a combined 17-10 mark and 2.70 ERA was traded by Cleveland to the Milwaukee Brewers in mid-July last serason after compiling a 6-8 mark with the Indians. Sabathia went 11-2, including 7 complete games, with the Brewers over the last 2 1/2 months of the season finishing 4th in 2008’s NL Cy Young balloting.

The previous high contract for a pitcher was lefthander Johan Santana’s 6 year, $137.5 million deal with the Mets last winter.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the “Big Apple”, the Mets have inked free agent closer Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez who set an all-time record with 62 saves last season with 77 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings and a 2.24 ERA for the L.A. Angels. The 7 year veteran, who has logged 40 or saves in each of his last 4 seasons, signed on to a 3 year, $37 million deal which fills a huge void in the Mets’ closer spot left by former All Star closer Billy Wagner who may miss all of next season rehabbing following following elbow ligament replacement surgery. Personally, I’ll take our Phillies closer Brad Lidge over “K-Rod” anyday. Further, reports near the end of last season indicated that Rodriguez was over-used and de-accelerated near the end of the season.

In the Junior circuit, former Cub closer and free agent Kerry Wood, who has a long history of injuries, and the Cleveland Indians have apparently agreed to a 2 year, $20 million deal pending Wood’s passing the club’s physical.

The Mets also acquired middle reliever J.J. Putz as the cornerstone of a massive 3 team, 12 player deal in their efforts to shore up what was a terrible bullpen last season. Those gone from the Mets in the deal include reliever Aaron Heilman who was pounded throughout 2008, lefthander Jason Vargas who missed all of 2008 after hip surgery, outfielder Endy Chavez and reliever Joe Smith who was clobbered as the Mets again faded in the September stretch.

All the while, our World Series champion Phillies rewarded manager Charlie Manuel with a contract extension as reported by Delaware Online’s Scott Lauber;

The Phillies picked up Manuel’s 2010 option and tacked on an extra season. So, now, Manuel is under contract to lead the Phillies through 2011. He’ll make $1.5 million in 2009, $1.7 million in 2010, and is expected to make more than $2 million in 2011. Manuel has a 354-294 record in four seasons with the Phillies.

The Phils also moved to solidify their catcher corps in swapping catching prospect Jason Jaramillo to the Pittsburgh Pirates for 3rd year catcher Ronnie Paulino who has a career BA of .278 with 19 homers and who was sparingly used in 2008.

As the Jake Peavy trade rumor mill (to the Cubs?) and the Derek Lowe watch continue and Phillies fans watch to see if Cubs righthanded hitting 2nd baseman/ leftfielder Mark DeRosa comes to Philly in a Peavy deal to spell rehabbing Chase Utley and/or possibly replace free agent Pat Burrell in leftfield, Yahoo’s Tim Brown indicates that the Phils are close to signing 16 year veteran Japanese starter/reliever Chan Ho Park as a possibble “fifth starter if they don’t re-sign left-hander Jamie Moyer.”