Padres formulating ‘long-term’ offer for Headley

The previously highest paid player in franchise history was Carmelo Martinez, who made $490,000 back in 1989.

Chase Headley said he “didn‘t know how to respond” Wednesday afternoon after learning that the Padres are planning to offer their star third baseman a multi-year contract that would make him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

“To be honest, this is not something we’ve discussed,” Headley said at Wrigley Field.

Earlier Wednesday, Ron Fowler, the executive chairman of the Padres, told U-T San Diego that a “multi-year” deal will be offered to the reigning RBI champion of the National League “before midseason” that would make Headley the highest-paid player in franchise history.

“Will it be 10 years? No,” said Fowler. “We’re not going to do something like that. But we will do an offer that will be the largest offer we’ve ever made to a player in San Diego history and think it will be very close to some of the numbers I read in the press.”

Murray Chass: ABOUT SALARIES AND THEIR EVOLUTION

More than two decades later I do not feel the need to keep up with every signing. I don’t need the information as immediately as I did previously, my wife periodically reminds me that I am supposed to be retired and there are others who mine the free-agent fields for contract data, though there is actually only one reporter whose information I trust.

That is Ron Blum of the Associated Press, who has been the AP’s reporter on baseball’s business and labor matters for years. I once suggested to a New York Times sports editor that he talk to Blum and consider hiring him, basically to do what I was doing, as I moved on to other matter, but he concluded that Blum’s experience and interests were too narrow.

That was probably 20 years or so ago, and Blum is still with the AP churning out salaries. Perhaps the attraction for him is having such a profound effect on the publication of salaries and their widespread use. When you see a player’s salary in the newspaper or on the Internet, you can safely assume it was reported by Blum. When salary lists appear at the start or end of each season, again it’s Blum’s work.

In recent years, a Web site called Cot’s Baseball Contracts appeared on the Internet, then several years into its existence joined Baseball Prospectus. It lists the contracts of all major league and some minor league players. I don’t know where it gets its information, but I suspect probably like everyone else – from the AP.

I cite as evidence for this belief some of the lowest salaries. They are always the hardest to get, and I found in a spot check that Cot’s didn’t have a few of the lowest-paid Yankees until a couple of days after the AP ran its salaries on its wire. Suddenly, Cot’s had Cesar Cabral ($490,000), Cody Eppley ($510,350) and David Phelps ($512,425).

But I give Cot’s credit for its idea and its effort to become a repository for contracts. I’m sure a lot of baseball writers appreciate it. Thirty-six years ago, at the advent of free agency, they didn’t have anyone doing their work for them.

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants agree to 9-year contract

Buster Posey and Justin Verlander could team up to buy the Royals!

At 26 years old, Buster Posey already is a two-time World Series champion and the National League’s Most Valuable Player. Now he could be a Giant for life.

Posey and the Giants agreed to a nine-year contract on Friday, one that covers his three remaining arbitration years and buys out his first five years of free agency. The deal includes an option for 2022.
Posey had previously signed a one-year, $8 million deal to avoid arbitration and wasn’t eligible to be a free agent until after the 2016 season. But the Giants have spent much of spring training quietly negotiating with Posey’s agent, Jeff Berry, in an effort to lock the franchise catcher into a long-term deal.

Cashman: Yanks make ‘significant offer’ to Cano

TAMPA, Fla.—The Yankees have made a “significant offer” to Robinson Cano, according to general manager Brian Cashman, who is hoping to lock the All-Star second baseman into a contract extension before he reaches free agency.

Cashman confirmed on Thursday that an offer has been presented to Cano and agent Scott Boras. There have been negotiations between the two sides in recent weeks, but Cashman declined to comment further on the state of the talks.

Mariners, Felix Hernandez agree to $175 million deal

Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract that should be finalized before spring training, making him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, a person familiar with the contract details told USA TODAY Sports.

WEEI.com: Speier: Offseason Odyssey of Mike Napoli Comes to an End as Red Sox Deal Becomes Official

An update on why the negotiations between the Red Sox and their new Tower of Power took so long.

When Napoli arrived in Boston for a physical on Dec. 10, he expected the procedure to be routine. Certainly, he had no way of knowing that an MRI on his hips — regions that had never hindered him, and that had come up clean as recently as his physical with the Rangers last March — would lead to a renegotiation, a host of medical consultations and the ultimate revelation that he has avascular necrosis (AVN) in both hips, a degenerative condition in which a lack of blood flow to the region creates the potential for arthritis or even the destruction of the hip joint.

“I didn’t know I had it. It was definitely a shock to me,” said Napoli. “I’m able to put things behind me, and there’s nothing I can really do about that. I put it behind me, and I’m going to do whatever I can to keep myself healthy and move forward. I’m just going to have to deal with it and put it behind me and try to do the best I can to keep myself on the field and help us win in any way.”

[...]

Still, Napoli and his agent, Brian Grieper, suggested that at this stage of the condition, it should not be an impediment to his ability to stay on the field. Given that an MRI of the hips 10 months ago did not reveal evidence of AVN, that the catcher was asymptomatic during the season and even the offseason (he has been unhindered in his offseason workouts) and that Napoli is now being treated by Dr. Joseph Lane of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York (and receiving medication intended to slow the progress of the condition), both had an optimistic outlook while discussing the now-official one-year, $5 million deal with the Red Sox that includes incentives that could increase Napoli’s earnings to $13 million in 2013.

Oliver seeking raise or trade to Rangers

The Blue Jays picked up Oliver’s $3 million option for 2013 after he went 3-4 with a 2.06 ERA in 62 games this past season. The 2.06 ERA was the lowest in Oliver’s career, but his $3 million salary is far less than the three-year, $18 million contract that the Giants gave left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt this offseason.

Oliver, 42, pitched for the Rangers in 2010-11 and his family still lives in Tarrant County. He would prefer to pitch for the Rangers or retire if the Blue Jays aren’t willing to address his contract situation.

“The facts are the facts,” Oliver’s agent Jeff Frye said on Thursday. “It’s going to take a lot more money for Darren to play in Toronto than play in Texas. We’re waiting on the Blue Jays to pay him what he deserves. If not, we have asked them to trade him to Texas if the Rangers are interested.

“If not he’ll ride off into the sunset after a great 19-year career and enjoy his family.”

At this point there have been little in the way of trade discussions between the Rangers and the Blue Jays. But the Rangers are still looking to upgrade their bullpen after signing right-handed reliever Jason Frasor on Thursday.