Cutnpaste: - Ollie, Heath Bell, K-Rod, Rick Peterson, and Taka



Mack Ade

 Ollie:


Oliver Perez made his first winter-league appearance of the 2010-11 offseason on Thursday, pitching a scoreless inning for his native Culiacan in the Mexican Winter League.


Perez retired all three batters he faced, two via strikeout, in a one-inning relief appearance at Mazatlan.


ESPN  

Heath Bell:



Padres GM Jed Hoyer also said he would listen to any offers for Adrian Gonzalez over the winter, but that stance hadn’t been swayed by the results of the previous day’s meeting. “The long-term plan is Adrian will be here unless someone knocks down their door,” agent John Boggs said. Gonzalez isn’t the only valuable chip Hoyer has to offer on the trade market. He also has Heath Bell, who he estimates is one of the top two closers in the National League. Similar to Gonzalez, the Padres are in a difficult position because Bell turned 33 in late September and he’s due to earn between $7-8 million next season. The team isn’t likely to commit to a long-term deal with Bell because of his age and because they feel they have several potential closers on the roster. Hoyer said during his interview that he feels like Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson could take over the role



Maller





Michael G. Baron

 K-Rod:



K-Rod's fastball averaged 92.2 mph in 2008 for the Angels. In 2009, it increased to 92.7, but in 2010, his fastball velocity decreased to 91.1. So, over the past three years, his velocity is down 1 mph. It had dropped by 2 mph from 2007 to 2008, so the decrease in his velocity has slowed down.






The horizontal movement on the pitch has basically remained the same all three years: It moves in on right-handed batters between one and two inches, which is basically cutter-like movement. The vertical movement ("rise"—the amount less the pitch drops than we would expect it to due to gravity alone) of the pitch has decreased from 11.98 inches in 2008 to +10.81 inches in 2009, to 9.02 inches in 2010. In essence, it seems the pitch is dropping slightly more than it did previously (though some of this effect could be caused by stadium calibration differences between Anaheim and Citi Field).


HBT  

Rick Peterson:



Brewers manager Ron Roenicke will inherit hitting coach Dale Sveum, but he has met with Rick Peterson twice and will decide whether to choose his own pitching coach for his first managerial job despite the team already having one under contract. “I had conversations with Doug and (assistant GM) Gord Ash immediately after the season and they expressed pleasure with the progress made, especially with the guys coming up from the minor leagues,” Peterson said. “The feedback was very good. “I signed a two-year contract. When you come in in that regard, you’re not coming in to have a cup of coffee, especially when you bring in a vertical system. . . . That’s an organizational commitment.” Roenicke and Melvin will meet Friday to discuss the coaching staff. Sveum’s is the only job solidified, and Peterson’s position might be the most difficult decision



maller





Michael G. Baron

 Taka:



Takahashi was asking for a multi-year contract with a value of between $4 and $6 million annually, and the Mets were willing to give him only one year. The team’s initial offer was for $1.5 million, with incentives that could allow him to earn close to $3 million.



The sides had until midnight Saturday morning to complete a deal. Without one, Takahashi becomes a free agent and, by rule, cannot re-sign with the Mets until May 15, ensuring that he will sign with another team.



NYT