UPDATE: Melvin signed sidearmer Randy Choate this afternoon to start things off. This MLB.com article also quotes Cordero’s agent Bean Stringfellow that "numerous" teams have shown serious interest in the closer. The Astros may be making a strong push.
Tom Haudricourt checks in with some names among the eight or nine free agent relievers on Brewers GM Doug Melvin’s radar. And to think, they cut this part out of Haudricourt’s newspaper article.
Melvin is currently interested in righties Matt Herges and LaTroy Hawkins, as well as southpaw Ron Mahay. The Rockies have one-year offers on the table for Herges and Hawkins in the $1.5-2MM range. Any team guaranteeing two years can probably have Herges or Hawkins. Mahay’s in the three-year, $12MM class. Haudricourt suggests David Riske, another 3/12 type, might also be a consideration.
The Brewers have an offer out to Francisco Cordero, and haven’t decided whether to make a proposal to Scott Linebrink. Both are Type A free agents, so at least the Brewers should offer them arbitration. I say let ’em both walk and reap the draft picks. (The Mets, by the way, seemingly won’t be in on Linebrink).
