Headlines

Go To Pro Football Rumors
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors

Rays Rumors: Zobrist, Iwamura, Kapler

By | at

MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez provides the latest on a few Tampa Bay Rays:

  • If Ben Zobrist becomes the team's everyday second baseman, the club may decide to bring free agent-to-be Gabe Kapler back as a backup outfielder. Kapler made $1MM this year and hit .239/.329/.439 in 245 trips to the plate.
  • If the club keeps Zobrist at second, it appears highly unlikely that the Rays would pick up Akinori Iwamura's $4.25MM option.
  • Other club options to watch: Carl Crawford at $10MM, Gregg Zaun at $2MM and Brian Shouse at $1.9MM.
  • It's likely that the team will look for affordable late-inning relief help. 

Rays Sign Brian Shouse, DFA Juan Salas

By | at

According to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays’ one-year deal with left-handed reliever Brian Shouse is official. 

Shouse will make $1.35MM in ’09 and has a team option for 2010 worth $1.9MM.  The club designated reliever Juan Salas for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Rays-Shouse Deal Close To Official

By | at

Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times writes that the Rays’ signing of left-handed reliever Brian Shouse is "pretty official." 

Shouse has agreed to a one-year deal with an option for 2010.  The exact financial terms and a corresponding 40-man roster move will be announced Wednesday.  There was some confusion as to the exact length of the deal back when the signing was initally reported.  It appears Topkin had it right all along.

Rays, Shouse Agree To Deal

By | at

SUNDAY: Marc Lancaster has a conflicting report on the Shouse deal. He says it’s a one-year deal with an option, not a two-year deal. Says Lancaster, "ESPN.com first reported the deal, calling it a two-year contract, but our information is that only 2009 is guaranteed, with a team option for 2010." Shouse’s agent, Slade Mead, was quoted saying, "He will get a two-year deal."

SATURDAY 3:37pm: The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a two-year deal with Brian Shouse, reports Buster Olney.

The deal is pending a physical, which is reportedly scheduled for Thursday.

The 40-year-old lefty went 5-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 51.3 innings with the Brewers in 2008.  He held lefties to a .180/.196/.290 line in 104 plate appearances.  Since Shouse declined the Brewers’ offer of arbitration in December, Milwaukee will receive a supplemental pick.

Ken Rosenthal believes that the deal would likely be for somewhere between $1-2MM per season.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Mariners, Young, Shouse

By | at

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports compiles a number of rumors from around the majors:

  • The Mariners need to free up money, but to do so, they’d likely have to trade one of Adrian Beltre, Jarrod Washburn or Miguel Batista. All three will be free agents after the season, but moving one of them would be "extremely difficult."
  • The Mariners and Yankees considered a Hideki Matsui-Washburn swap, but Matsui’s contract ($13MM) pays him more than Washburn’s ($10.35MM) so they didn’t find a match.
  • The Twins are looking to move Delmon Young.
  • They showed interest in Washburn last year, but only some of Rosenthal’s sources believe he and Delmon Young could be the foundation for a larger deal.
  • Rosenthal has a source who says the Yankees are not currently pursuing Juan Cruz. Yesterday, we had a discussion about the rules regarding free agent quotas.
  • The Yanks like their bullpen, but they could try to add an arm if they trade Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher.
  • The Rays are making a strong run at Brian Shouse.
  • The Orioles would not likely have to give up much more than a low-level prospect to deal for Rich Hill.

Rosenthal On Abreu, Garland, Glavine, Sisco

By | at

The latest from Ken Rosenthal…

  • The Mariners and Giants are interested in Bobby Abreu, if the price is right.  Yesterday Buster Olney suggested that Abreu is willing to take a one-year deal.  The A’s and Nationals have other targets, while the Mets, White Sox, and Braves are seen as long shots.
  • Rosenthal examines the nuances of Jon Garland’s December 7th decision to reject arbitration, saying that it wasn’t an obvious mistake at the time.
  • Tom Glavine’s agent Gregg Clifton did not attend yesterday’s meeting with Frank Wren; it was a health update and not a contract negotiation.  Rosenthal says Glavine figures to seek a Freddy Garcia-like deal.  The Braves need to save money to add an outfielder, with Nick Swisher atop their list.  The Yankees’ goal in moving Swisher or Xavier Nady would be to recoup prospects.
  • The Brewers are not interested in projects such as Kris Benson, Jason Jennings, Mark Redman, and Victor Zambrano.  They’re just lukewarm on Mark Mulder.  Benson is drawing interest from the Dodgers, Rangers, and Cardinals; one exec reviewed his audition as "so-so."
  • Rosenthal doesn’t seem to buy the idea that Jason Varitek and Scott Boras feared the Red Sox could cut him if he accepted arbitration, noting that Boras client Travis Lee was advised to accept years ago.
  • The Braves have reservations about re-signing Andruw Jones, who could be a Spring Training cut.
  • The A’s deal for Russ Springer will be worth more than $3MM plus incentives.  They’re also eyeing Brian Shouse and Andrew Sisco as possible pen additions.  Sisco, recovering from Tommy John, has also auditioned for the Rockies and Giants.

Sabathia, Sheets, Shouse Decline Arb Offers

By | at

11:33pm: MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy says Type A free agents Ben Sheets and C.C. Sabathia also declined arbitration.  The Brewers will get two draft picks for each if they sign elsewhere.  Haudricourt says Sheets’ decision "almost certainly ends his association with the Brewers."

11:12pm: According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Type B free agent reliever Brian Shouse declined the Brewers’ offer of arbitration.  The Brewers will get a supplemental pick if he signs elsewhere.  He’s looking for a two-year deal.

Brewers Offer Arb To Sabathia, Sheets, Shouse

By | at

According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Brewers offered arbitration to C.C. Sabathia (Type A), Ben Sheets (Type A), and Brian Shouse (Type B).  They declined to offer arb to Eric Gagne (Type B).

Sheets and Shouse were the question marks.  The Brewers apparently don’t mind getting Shouse back on a one-year deal, though he seeks two years.  Sheets also seems likely to decline and pursue multiple years.  If he declines and signs elsewhere, his new team will lose a draft pick to the Brewers.  Ken Davidoff wonders if Sheets might accept the offer.

Rockies Rumors: Fuentes, Embree, Taveras

By | at

Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post has a few Rockies tidbits today…

  • It deserves another mention – Brian Fuentes has scheduled a visit with the Mets.  If he signs there, the Rockies will add the Mets’ #25 pick to their own #11 pick in the first round while also snagging a sandwich pick.
  • The Rockies want two lefties, probably from the pool of Glendon Rusch, Alan Embree, Brian Shouse, and Joe Beimel.  Renck says the Tigers are aggressively pursuing Beimel, while Embree might have extra appeal if he can be had on a one-year deal.
  • The Rockies hope to trade Willy Taveras, while free agent Cory Sullivan could fit with the Marlins or D’Backs according to Renck.  The Rockies plan to use Ryan Spilborghs in center and perhaps re-sign Scott Podsednik as a reserve.

Perrotto’s Latest: Teixeira, Burnett, Wilson

By | at

John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus has his Sunday article up. Let’s go through it:

  • The Angels may be willing to match the Yankees $140MM offer to CC Sabathia. They won’t offer 10 years to Mark Teixeira. If they can’t land Teixeira, they will consider Pat Burrell for first base.
  • A.J. Burnett is looking at the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Braves, Orioles, and Phillies.
  • The Twins want a left-side infielder for Delmon Young, so they can open a spot for Denard Span in the starting lineup.
  • The Tigers are pursuing Jack Wilson from the Pirates and Matt Treanor from the Marlins. They are also putting high priority on signing Joe Beimel who’s getting interest from a number of teams.
  • The Dodgers will not re-sign Rafael Furcal for health reasons so the Giants, Athletics, and Reds are his most likely destinations.
  • The Cubs will need to offer more than Jason Marquis to the Royals for David DeJesus. If they can’t get it done, they’d sign Raul Ibanez over Bobby Abreu.
  • The Braves are interested in Javier Vazquez and Jermaine Dye…
  • The Reds need to offer more than Homer Bailey to get Dye.
  • The Mets are considering Jon Garland, Vazquez, Edwin Jackson, Andy Sonnanstine. The Rays want more than Aaron Heilman for either of their starters.
  • The Mets could soon become suitors for Manny Ramirez.
  • The Brewers could soon become suitors for Francisco Rodriguez.
  • The Astros are targeting Paul Bako and David Ross as backup catchers.
  • The Rockies are trying to find lefthanders, eyeing Alan Embree, Will Ohman, Brian Shouse, and Glendon Rusch.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Networkscroll to top