Odds and Ends: Cabrera, Schilling, Stewart

Your daily collection of random rumors and links...

• MLB.com's Free Agent Frenzy has begun.  You can win Opening Day tickets by closely predicting where 15 free agents will land.  A good strategic move would be to wait until deadline day, November 15th, before submitting.  That way you'll have more info (keep your browser right here for all the latest free agent info).  By the way, my Top 50 Free Agents list should be ready around Monday.
• Fielding Bible has their 2007 awards (click the Winners tab).  So much for those who say Andruw is slipping!
• Miguel Cabrera is available, according to Peter Gammons.  Gammons thinks any package would have to begin with a top pitching prospect such as Phil Hughes, Clay Buchholz, or Clayton Kershaw.
• Sounds like the Rockies want to keep the 2007 club mostly intact by bringing back free agents (Kaz Matsui, Yorvit Torrealba, Matt Herges, LaTroy Hawkins).  However Josh Fogg and Jeremy Affeldt may be allowed to leave.
• Though they're on his list, it doesn't sound like the D'Backs can afford Curt Schilling.
• The A's are talking about re-signing Shannon Stewart, but I don't see it.  That would have to cost at least $3-4MM.  Meanwhile, Mike Piazza might retire.  Susan Slusser talks about how the A's would receive compensation for Stewart and Piazza, both Type B free agents.  But that's only if they offer them arbitration, which is questionable.
• Comeback time!  Matt Mantei is all surgically repaired and wants to get back into action.  He feels great!  He'd take a minor league contract and/or play for the minimum.  Can't wait til spring, when we can hear about all the guys who are in the best shape of their careers.  The Tigers might need him with Joel Zumaya's new, odd injury.
• A couple of 40+ southpaws will pitch in '08 - Tom Glavine and David Wells.
• The O's will pass on Kris Benson at $7.5MM next year, no surprise.  He had rotator cuff surgery last March.
• U.S.S. Mariner's "reasonable" offseason plan.

Comments

[theMATTador]

If the Red Sox were going to get Cabrera it would probably be some sort of package like

Bucholz, Lars Anderson, Jed Lowrie, and Masterson/Bowden

[CJax33]

Big news for the Tigers just came over the wire. Joel Zumaya hurt his shoulder while "moving personal items" during the recent San Diego wildfires (guess his offseason home in Chula Vista was threatened). He's going to have surgery and be out until at least midseason. Looks like the Mustachioed One will be back after all as the Motor City Kitties' closer.

[04Forever]

son of a bitch, why does every trade with the Sox involve Bucholz, he inst available! why do they all ask, now that deal is going to fall through for the sox and it would be awesome to have Miggy play third, damn it!

PS - no player in the MLB, including A-Rod or Santana, is worth a 5-1 player trade, its unethical and unfair and if any team gives up 5 over the top talented players for any 1 guy, the gm should be fired and be hung from the stadiums flag poll

[04Forever]

i mean come on, theo would would have to be on crack to give up Bucholz and anyone who disagrees is on crack too. Why would you give up a pitcher, whom in his second major league game, throws a no hitter, the first rookie no hitter in franchise history? It should be an even trade in that case, Cabrera for Bucholz, and that still comes back to bite the Sox

[04Forever]

nobody even wanted clay bucholz in the draft because he was arrested for stealing laptops

[Baseballfan79]

kershaw, kemp laroche and spec works for miguel Cabrera

Personally I think they need a stud catcher and require any deal to start with a young stud catcher but seems Gammons disagrees.

And Kershaw>>> Hughes or Bucholz

[Andrew]

Kershaw hasn't touched the Majors yet. Yes, he's a very high-ceilinged lefty, but he's further away from it than both Hughes and Buchholz are at this point in time.

And Buchholz for Miguel Cabrera straight up is such a horrible deal for the Marlins, considering what they could get for him. Typical Sox fans.

[Baseballfan79]

Miguel Cabrera wont be going to boston. They dont have the right pieces I still dont think.

It would take a 3B, C, CF and SP, in some combination of the 3 with filler prospects.

[bjsguess]

04Forever apparently hasn't seen the list of rookie pitchers who have thrown no-hitters. Most of those guys didn't pan out at all. It is a very undistinguished list. Might also want to check out prior ROY awards. Hit and miss with those guys who at least had a entire season under the belt.

As great as you think Buchholz is please remember that he is still a PROSPECT.

On one hand we have a top 5 hitter in baseball. A guy who is established and can mash as good as anyone. On the other hand we have a prospect who projects (at some point in the next 5 years) to be a #1/#2 pitcher with extremely limited experience.

I know which guy I would rather have.

If you are so high on prospects what would it take to move Ortiz or Beckett? If Miggy isn't worth a prospect what would Ortiz the DH or Beckett (who posted an ERA over 5 last year) be worth? Apparently not very much. I have a couple of middling prospects that I would be happy to trade you in exchange for those guys.

[Ripwa]

Buchholz/Crisp/Masterson doesn't seems relatively fair. Marlins need a SP and CFer they would get both and it would cost less than $5M and another guy that can be a back of the rotation guy come September. The Sox get a 3rd baseman for now and LFer for the future.

I understand that Cabrera is great but personally i wouldn't trade Buchholz straight up for him. The guy is gonna end up eating his way out of the Majors. If he doesn't start legit training than he is doomed to not only not improve but become injury prone.

[soxguyinmd]

As valuable as Cabrera is he will end up costing 11 mil or better in arbitration and god knows what the year after that,,, maybe 15 or better after that because new contracts for lowell and ARod are figured into the numbers. I am not understanding why you would want to give up your 2 or 3 best prospects for a guy who is overweight and could have an injury at any time, and may be a dh in two years because his chair is permanently glued to the buffet table. Sometimes i just dont agree with the market stance of MLB, but someone will pay the price. I just hope Theo does not pay it with Bucholtz and his cache of talent (I dont think he will)

[Baseballfan79]

crisp has almost no trade value specially in a discussion of a player this caliber and a team as cheap as the fish. It would be Ellisbury not Crisp in the deal.

Like I said Boston does not have the right pieces for Miguel.

LAD, Arizona, LAA, even Seattle match up better.

According to WFAN Boston was turned down when they called about him and he might not even be on the block. This will be interesting to see what happens. I would love to hear from the fish or a source near the fish :)

[theMATTador]

first of all clay bucholz may not be availabe in any trade, but this is not a trade for some decent or even star player. Miguel Cabrera is a superstar player who can hold down the red sox line up for years to come. Considering the Sox have virtually no power infielders or outfielders coming up in the minors it makes perfect sense to go after miggy. Bucholz could be traded for him. Its not like their pitching staff will be terrible if they do. Beckett, Dice K, Wakefield, Lester, and whoever is a pretty formidable front 4.

It is possible that the Marlins could ask for bucholz and get turned down in which case hte deal would be worked around ellsbury... one of these trades will get it done

Bucholz, Lars Anderson, Coco, and one or two of Bowden/Masterson/Lowrie

or

Ellsbury, Lars Anderson, Lester, Masterson

[theMATTador]

by the way baseballfan, i dont know why you listen to WFAN in boston but if your looking for your red sox info your infinitely better off listening to WEEI

[Ripwa]

4 players for 1? That isn't going to happen for a guy that the team basically needs to get rid of. The Marlins wouldn't be dealing in a seat of great power. The Sox need him less than the marlins want him.

[johansantana17]

bjsguess is an idiot. Thrying to say Ortiz is only worth a couple of middling prospects just because he's a DH? Take a look at this buddy:http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/2007-10-31-elias-rankings-complete_N.htm

And please don't say Elias doesn't know anything. And, FYI, Buccholz has 4 above average MAJOR LEAGUE pitches (the fastball is always great, the curve is always good, the change is awesome, the slider is above average, and he has good control, and, as evidenced by his no-hitter, he has great mound presence.

[johansantana17]

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/buchholz-clay.htm

This is a perfect description of Buccholz, except it doesn't mention his great control.

[ErroRod1985]

Yeah, 35-40 hrs, and a 120rbis along with a near .300 average isn't worth much except two World Championships. I wouldn't give up Bucholz, or even Lester for Cabrera. He's awesome with the bat, and decent in the field, but all those nights at McDonalds scares me. Sign Mike Lowell already.

[johnbuckformvp]

Miguel Cabrera is on the right side of 30 yrs old, unlike Lowell and Arod. I am in favor of the SOX getting him, but not for Clay "No-No" Bucholtz. I would offer Masterson, Anderson, Lowrie and Coco for Miguel, as long as we could make him agree to a contract where he must lose a few pounds.

[YouthofToday]

Masterson, Anderson, Lowrie and Coco??

You can offer that, but fully expect to get shot down.

Red Sox fans do realize that 28 teams might be interested in MCab right?

[theMATTador]

yeah i like how you conviently left out Ellsbury.. someone who can fill the CF role they need to fill so desperately

[scribbletone]

If Cabrera gets traded, it'll be to a team who can afford to put up a $100+ million contract in two years.
Cabrera to Boston for Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and Jon Lester. Fills huge hole in CF, Lowrie can fill in at 3B, and Lester can be added to their stable of good young starters.
Cabrera to Yankees for Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, Ian Kennedy, Wilson Betemit. Betemit fills in at 3rd until they find another option, Cabrera takes over in CF, and Hughes and Kennedy join the rotation.
Cabrera and Ricky Nolasco to Dodgers for Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Andy LaRoche. The Dodgers would want a little something else for Kemp, Kershaw and LaRoche, and that would add 3 young studs to their lineup.
Cabrera to Angels for Casey Kotchman, Brandon Wood, and Nick Adenhart. They wont need Wood long term with Cabrera at 3B, Kendry Morales can take over at first, and Adenhart is a stud for the Marlins rotation.
Long Shots
Cubs- for Felix Pie, Rich Hill, Ronny Cedeno, and Sean Gallagher. Not the best choice, no full on top prospects, which is why this wont happen. It would be interesting though if they added Josh Vitters to the offer
Cardinals- for Colby Rasmus, Anthony Reyes, and Chris Duncan.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz, Buchholz.

[BaseBallz]

Man i wish the Bluejays had Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury for left field. To bad the Jays suck ass and are in the same division

[Teetz]

Tim,

Would it be a wise move for a team like the Cubs, planning on going into the season with a no-hit SS like Theriot/Cedeno to make a move for Adam Everett based purely on his amazing defensive skills? He could be had for cheap.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

"Man i wish the Bluejays had Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury for left field."

You'd slide Wells to left, trust me.