Today the Atlanta Braves announce they have declined to offer Alex Gonzalez arbitration. Gonzalez, the team's starting shortstop for the last year and a half, was a Type B free agent and could have netted the Braves a supplemental draft pick as compensation had they offered him arbitration and he signed with a new team. The decision was financially driven however, as Gonzalez likely would have received a substantial raise over his 2.5 million dollar 2011 salary through the arbitration process. The team is still able to negotiate with him and his chances of returning for 2012 have neither improved nor diminished with this transaction. 2011 was Gonzalez's 13th season in the Major Leagues, and one of his worst offensively, as he hit just .241 with a .642 OPS, 27 doubles, 15 homers, and 56 RBI, though he was outstanding in the field.
The Braves twitter feed just announced that the team has picked up the club option for 2012 in Eric Hinske's contract, but the team declined their option on Nate McLouth. That was what most everyone expected to happen. Hinske had an off year, but he is still a guy who could be very valuable off the bench for Atlanta.
Pinch hitting is such a temperamental art form, and players can seem to excel at it one year and stink at it the next. Hinske knows how to be a pinch hitter without letting these extremes affect him too much. He's also a great clubhouse presence, and almost worth retaining just for that.
Nate McLouth was the hitting equivalent of Mike Hampton during his time with the Braves. He likely won't be missed by anyone, especially with Bourn patrolling center next year for Atlanta.
Those are the only decisions on options the team had to worry about. The next big decision will be whether to offer arbitration to Peter Moylan, who is recovering from yet another surgery.
Infielder Wes Helms was signed by the Atlanta Braves today, after being released by the Florida Marlins last week. Helms will report to triple-A Gwinnett and likely join the Atlanta club when rosters expand in September. He should benefit from some regular at-bats, as he was hitting rather poorly when Florida released him.
This could be the right-handed bench bat that the Braves have been looking for -- the right-handed version of Eric Hinske. Helms is no stranger to being a pinch-hitter, coming to the plate 389 times as a pinch hitter in his career, and compiling a .259/..336/.411 slash line with seven home runs. In 2009, Helms was one of the best pinch hitters in baseball, compiling a .347 average in that role.
Helms started his career with the Braves, making his Major League debut with the team back in 1998, after being drafted by Atlanta in the 10th round of the 1994 draft. He is primarily a first baseman and third baseman, but he has played some left field in his career, though he is not mobile enough to play it on a regular basis. At 35 years old, Helms could be a useful bat of the bench if he can sort out his swing. His 2011 stats with the Marlins are below:
Yesterday the Braves signed outfielder and Cuban defector Yasser Gomez. At 30-years old with plenty of international experience, Gomez could move quickly to earn a spot on the Atlanta roster. Here are some highlights from a conversation AJC beat writer Carroll Rogers had with another Cuban defector, Yunel Escobar:
Escobar, 27, said Thursday he has been friends with Gomez since he was 8-years old and roomed with him every year that they both played for the Cuban national team.
"He was the best player on the team," Escobar said through an interpreter. "A lot of talent with a bat."
Gomez started in center field on the 2000 Cuban Olympic team in Sydney. Escobar compared him to Boston left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, a .295 hitter in his fourth season with the Red Sox.
Gomez [... is] now in the Dominican Republic where he hit .318 in winter ball there this past winter.
Escobar said Gomez told him now, looking back, he wish he had defected sooner.
"If he would have listened to me, he would have been here many years before," said Escobar, who defected from Cuba in 2004 at age 21.
The Braves signed Gomez for $20,000. The club hasn’t yet secured a visa for him to get bacyak to the United States, nor decided where he will play.
Nice move by the Braves. A very low risk signing, but let's not get too excited, especially in light of praise from a friend. Signing for $20,000 is pretty much an indication of what teams think he's worth. It's neat to throw out comparisons like Jacoby Ellsbury, but Yasser is a 30-year old spare parts outfielder with no power and no speed. He also apparently has some bad knees.
My guess is that they'll put him at double or triple-A and see what he can do. In spite of being a no power, no speed guy, he still may be able to hit for a decent average. My guess is that he's a fourth outfielder at best.
After the jump is a video of him at-bat last year in the Dominican Republic.
The Braves made a big plunge into the international market today when they signed Cuban outfielder Yasser Gomez, who had defected from Cuba in late 2008. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Gomez will not receive a big bonus, but is considered by some to be very close to the major leagues.
He is apparently a player who hits for a high average and has good speed. Because of that combination the Braves may look at him as a future leadoff hitter. He is older, at 30 years old, so he should be a very polished player. The Braves will likely stick him in the high minors.
After the last 24 hours saw the Braves beat writers saying that Atlanta still had a stake in the Johnny Damon sweepstakes, the Detroit Tigers have apparently signed the veteran outfielder to a one-year $7 million contract, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.
Consider this blogger vindicated and satisfied. This clears the path for Jason Heyward, and sets up a nice platoon in left with Melky Cabrera and Matt Diaz. I think that's just as good as Damon, and certainly more forward-looking. Nate McLouth will handle the leadoff role just fine.
Carry on.
Here is Jayson Stark on the Johnny Damon situation:
Two sources told ESPN.com that the Detroit Tigers have made the largest offer, amid speculation around the industry that that bid is in the range of one year, $7 million. There were indications the sides were still discussing a possible two-year deal. But even the Tigers' one-year offer appears to be the biggest offer on the table.
The Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays have also remained in the bidding, with both teams talking about one-year contracts for fewer total dollars than the Tigers' offer. MLB.com reported that the Braves' offer was for less than $4 million. A source indicated the Chicago White Sox also have expressed late interest.
That would be not one, but two sources indicating Detroit is the leader with the largest offer. If I know the Braves, they will probably not budge from their original $4 to $5 million offer, nor should they.
[...] speculation in the industry, from people who have spoken with various principals, is that Damon will make a decision by the end of the week.
So I'm hoping this will be finally be over by Friday... or Sunday... what does he consider the end of the week?
[UPDATE 3:55pm]
From Ken Rosenthal, it appears the Tigers now become an even bigger favorite to sign Damon:
Tigers owner Mike Ilitch has authorized a two-year, $14 million offer to free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon, according to major-league sources.
Hallelujah! If two years was what Damon and Boras were waiting for, then it looks like they found it... now TAKE IT!!! Take it and let's end this misery.
From MLB Braves beat writer Mark Bowman:
Early this afternoon a Major League source confirmed the Braves have made a one-year offer to Damon. This source added that the offer included some money that would be deferred.
Shrug.
David O'Brien also weighs in with this comment:
Damon and Boras haven't backed off from demand for two-year deal; Boras says he already has at least one 2-yr offer but won't name team.
Boras has been known to lie through his teeth exaggerate when trying to get the best deal for his client. These certainly seem like words being used to parlay what is likely only a one-year Braves offer into a two-year offer.
I continue to stand opposed to bringing Johnny Damon into the fold. Steadfastly opposed.
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