Minor Rumblings

Well, it looks like the Giants’ second catcher the next year or so may well be Yorvit Torrealba.  At least, he’s the one still available.

Torrealba apparently came very close to agreeing with the Rockies on a two-year $6 million deal, but the sides couldn’t agree on how the money would be split over the two seasons.  So writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

If Renck is right, then Torrealba and his agent made a big mistake.  If the $6 million is guaranteed, failing to reach an agreement over the how the money will be paid out over time is a dumb move, at least in this market.

The Rocks have now reportedly reached a deal with former Royal Miguel Olivo for one year, with a team option for a second year.  This is a good move for the Rockies.  Olivo’s one offensive skill is the long-ball, and Coors Field is a good home park for power hitters.

Olivo hit 23 HRs in 2009, a career high; but with totals of 16, 16 and 12 HRs the three preceding seasons, he’s got real power for a catcher.

I doubt that Torrealba will find another team willing to give him $6 million split anyway, which should improve the Giants’ chances of re-signing him (Yorvit was a Giant from 2001-2005).  There is talk that the Mets are interested in Torrealba as a back-up plan to Bengie Molina, but I still expect that the Mets and Molina will finally reach an agreement, as the Mets did with Jason Bay.

I’d much rather have Molina on a two-year deal than Torreabla, and I suspect that Molina can still squeeze a two-year $12 million deal out of the Mets.  I also doubt that any other team would make Molina a similar offer.

I also saw a rumor that the Tigers are interested in former Dodgers 2Bman Orlando Hudson.  Having lost Placido Polanco, the Tigers need a 2Bman and have a $4.6 million salary slot open.  Hudson signed with the Dodgers last year for $3.38 million guaranteed, but with performance incentives that probably brought the deal very close to the $8 million maximum possible, given the fine year he had as a Dodger (149 games played, .357 on-base percentage and .774 OPS).

Given the current market and the fact that Hudson will be 32 in 2010, I would think that Hudson could be signed to another one-year deal for right around the $4.6 million the Tigers payed Polanco last season.

The Tigers have a semi-legitimate 2B prospect in Scott Sizemore.  He had a combined OPS of .889 last year, split between the AA Eastern League and the AAA International League.  However, Sizemore will be 25 in 2010, and his 2009 season was his best as a minor leaguer in spite of the step up in talent (he had a .766 OPS in Class A ball in 2007 and a .774 OPS in A+ ball in 2008).

Sizemore might be major-league ready in 2010, but he just as well might not be.  As such, Orlando Hudson would certainly be a good fit for the Tigers on a one-year contract.