« Varitek, Red Sox Talking | Main | No Offer Yet For Sheets From Rangers »

Olney's Latest: Lowe, Castillo, Hudson

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [December 27, 2008 at 10:35am CST]

Buster Olney focuses his new column on reluctant-to-spend teams and how they've changed the market. He turns up some interesting rumors...

The Rays and A's are in a "bidding war" of sorts over the likes of Jason Giambi, Pat Burrell, Garret Anderson and Bobby Abreu. Both teams are willing to spend, but neither wants to go first since prices are higher now with both teams interested than they will be once the first team signs a player.
The Mets are in a great position since the Cards and Brewers aren't likely to compete for Oliver Perez, Derek Lowe and Randy Wolf. This means they can wait, knowing that bargains will likely surface.
The Mets have "quietly continued to gauge" the Luis Castillo market and are interested in moving him and some of his salary.
If they find a taker, they could pursue Orlando Hudson.
As Joel Sherman predicted, the Nationals are now courting O-Dog.
Olney asks whether aging stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Pedro Martinez will choose to play for the offers they're likely to get.
Brad Penny may soon decide where he wants to pitch next year. He's weighing "an overture from the Cardinals" against other options.

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b9a69e20105369f0d08970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Olney's Latest: Lowe, Castillo, Hudson:

Comments

I think the Angels should give Ken Griffey Jr. a one year deal. He could platoon right field with Vlad and DH. Give some added offense. A lot cheaper than signing Burrell or Abreu.

Posted by: dpncharge | December 27, 2008 at 10:45 AM

PLEASE Tampa, stay away from Anderson and Giambi especially so and get Burrell while you still can. What will it cost now? 10m a year for 3 years? At that rate, why even THINK about those other 3???

Posted by: johns | December 27, 2008 at 10:47 AM

What is Pedro hearing? Would not mind him instead of Pettite if Pettite continues to hold out?

Posted by: NJYankeeFan | December 27, 2008 at 10:50 AM

The A's should stay away from all of those guys, except maybe Giambi. He's the only one that makes sense. The others would only make marginal replacements, as Buck has a decent bat AND a good glove, and none of these guys can field a lick.

At least Barton needs some more AAA seasoning, Buck can't go back to AAA.

Posted by: melonis rex | December 27, 2008 at 10:56 AM

Who is O-dog?

Posted by: letemplay | December 27, 2008 at 11:03 AM

O-dog is Orlando Hudson, the 2B from the Diamondbacks.

Posted by: viteminj | December 27, 2008 at 11:06 AM

"The Rays and A's are in a "bidding war"

Salary cap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | December 27, 2008 at 11:06 AM

I really don't get why Abreu isn't getting much love. Maybe it's because I've never watched him on an every-day basis, but I have always viewed him as a prototypical 3 hole hitter. Great, proven, across-the-board numbers every single year. And for the last 11 years, he hasn't played less than 151 games in a season. Granted, I've seen him shy away from from outfield wall contact many, many times, but don't you think that's what keeps him on the field every day? I'd rather have my 3 hitter on the field every day than that one extra out twice a week.

Posted by: Jason F | December 27, 2008 at 11:11 AM

There were 3 names that kept popping up that I did not want under any circumstances.... Juan Rivera, Ken Griffey, and Garret Anderson.

Rivera signed with the Angels, we don't seem to want Griffey but Anderson wont go away.

We should be trying for 1 of 5 guys, replace Anderson with Bradley and Dunn(whichever one doesn't sign with the Cubs)

Posted by: RaysFan | December 27, 2008 at 11:53 AM

I can see Tampa Bay signing Garret Anderson for the DH spot. They can sign him for cheaper than Giambi or the others. He can put up good numbers, especially in the second half of the season, as he normally does.
Being an Angels fan and having watched GA play his whole career, he can still produce. Joe Maddon has a long past with GA and likes the guy.

Posted by: dpncharge | December 27, 2008 at 11:55 AM

I guess it's too much to ask to use real names unless it's directly referenced..

Posted by: letemplay | December 27, 2008 at 11:55 AM

"Being an Angels fan and having watched GA play his whole career, he can still produce. Joe Maddon has a long past with GA and likes the guy."

The manager "liking" a guy is not a good reason to sign him. GA isn't productive and needs to retire. His only contract opportunity will be with the Angels IMO.

See: Dusty Baker's hard-on for pathetically low-OBP speedsters in CF.

Posted by: melonis rex | December 27, 2008 at 12:07 PM

Oh. RaysFan is right. Bradley and Dunn are the best fits for the Rays, although the Nats will probably be the ones who end up with Dunn.

Signing Anderson or Griffey just won't cut it in that division. The Rays have to have an absolute masher at DH. Unless its as a 4th OF, but that's frivolous wasting of resources.

Posted by: melonis rex | December 27, 2008 at 12:09 PM

It could also be a frivolous waste valuable (and rare) Rays resources to even think of signing Milton "DL" bradley and him go right back to his old hurt 1/3 of the season plus ways again.

Posted by: johns | December 27, 2008 at 12:17 PM

Bring on Dunn, but do not see the bottom falling out on his market with him so much younger than most of the other power options available.

Posted by: johns | December 27, 2008 at 12:19 PM

Adam Dunn of the Oakland Athletics NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

Posted by: PL | December 27, 2008 at 12:54 PM

stl needs a vet SP, but I'm afraid they're not gonna give Motte/Garcia/Todd a decent chance to succeed. They should leave one spot for whoever pitches best in spring training.

Wainwright/Penny/Wellemeyer/Lohse/rookie. with carp as wild card

Posted by: StLknows | December 27, 2008 at 03:01 PM

melonis rex-

"GA isn't productive and needs to retire. His only contract opportunity will be with the Angels IMO."

Uh, that's where you are wrong. Pretty much a career average of .300 (.293 last season) and 15-20 HR's a year. 80-90 RBI's. Someone will sign him.
Retire, I think not. Play next season...yep.

Posted by: dpncharge | December 27, 2008 at 03:43 PM

"they're not gonna give Motte/Garcia/Todd a decent chance"
----
Motte is a reliever not a starter, he'll be the closer or set up man...Garcia is out for all of 2009 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Todd had a very good year last season and will most likely start the year at AAA....There has been talk about moving McClellan back to the starting rotation but I think he's more valuable as a bullpen guy.

Posted by: CardinalFaninIL | December 27, 2008 at 03:51 PM

i think griffey makes sense in atlanta. theyve been talking about a power bat to help in left and center temporarily while heyward and anderson develop.... plus griffey has said in the past that he wouldnt mind atlanta since its close to his florida home. why arent they hooking up?

Posted by: elmedius | December 27, 2008 at 04:25 PM

The Mets will never find someone to take Castillo of their hands.

Posted by: BravoMan | December 27, 2008 at 06:45 PM

I think Mark DeRosa and Jason Marquis would be good acquistions for the Mets (both are in last year of contracts) via trade route instead of going after Lowe. Maybe Cubs would take Castillo?

Posted by: Art | December 27, 2008 at 07:29 PM

Art,

Castillo has a bad contract. DeRosa doesn't. And Marquis, while overpaid, isn't signed for a ridiculous amount of money. Why would Hendry do the Mets (or anyone else) a favor?

Posted by: ink-stained scribe | December 27, 2008 at 09:48 PM

maybe straight up Castillo for Marquis. Marquis is owed 10MM and Castillo 18MM. castillo is a longer term investment, but would lower this years payroll by 4MM. Mets would be happy to rid themselves of two years of bad contract.

Posted by: Fish&Mets | December 27, 2008 at 11:45 PM

castillo straight up for marquis? how does that even make sense? cubs already have derosa, fontenot, and theirot + dont they? why would they add another 18 mil to their middle infield when they have better for less?

Posted by: elmedius | December 28, 2008 at 05:19 AM

I would love for the Rays to sign my favorite player Pat Burrell. I would be able to go and see him play a lot more. Awesome!

Posted by: Charles Burrell | December 28, 2008 at 05:22 AM

Brad Penny to the Mets? Once we sign up Derek Lowe, which at this point seems imminent, maybe Penny will want to come pitch with his teammate?

Santana
Lowe
Pelfrey
Maine
Penny

If Penny returned to half of what he was in 2007, that's a pretty sick rotation right there. How much do you guys think Penny will cost?

Posted by: metsobsessed | December 28, 2008 at 09:07 AM

i think if the mets sign lowe they should sign pedro (how much do you think he would want) for a 1yr contract, have neise and pedro battle it out for 5th spot. then sign manny when the market is dwindling and boras realizes manny wont be getting 23 a yr.

johan
lowe
pelfrey
maine
pedro/neise

reyes
beltran
delgado
manny
wright
church/tatis
murphy/evans
castillo
pitcher

not too shabby

hve manny protecting delgado making them pitch to delgado plus if you sign pedro and he makes it in the rotation he will be happy and hopefully keep manny in check.
*thats a slight possibility seeing omar is interested in manny (from what i hear). i dont think its very likely to happen though...

Posted by: clos79 | December 28, 2008 at 10:15 AM

haha my bad, too many outfielders

reyes
beltran
delgado
manny
wright
church/murphy
castillo
schneider
pitcher

forgot that we neeed someone to catch the pitcher lol

Posted by: clos79 | December 28, 2008 at 10:24 AM

we need lefty to shut down the phils

Posted by: da mets | December 28, 2008 at 11:45 AM

reyes beltran wright delgado manny(wish) church schneider hudson(wish) santana lowe wolf maine pelfrey

Posted by: da mets | December 28, 2008 at 11:53 AM

mets not getting manny is sick...we wont clam up in sept. and oct. with him..but adding 4 more guys on the market(according to my wish list)is immpossible. Lowe,Hudson(2b),Wolf,MANNY

Posted by: da mets | December 28, 2008 at 12:01 PM

Olney's Latest: Lowe, Castillo, Hudson

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

Top Stories

Search MLBTR

MLBTR Mailing List

MLBTR Features

Recent Posts

Rumors By Team

Monthly Archives

Live Chats


Home Contact About Advertise Archives Widget Fantasy RSS Usage