Derrek Lee Rumors

Cubs Unlikely To Land Halladay

Although the Cubs would "love" to pull off a deal for Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, they are unlikely to do so as they lack the necessary room in payroll, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Cubbies have a combined $42.375MM committed to pitchers Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Ryan Dempster. They would have a hard time finding a taker for Alfonso Soriano as he is owed $18MM per year for the next five years. Same goes for Kosuke Fukudome, who is due to make $26.5MM over the next two seasons. Aramis Ramirez is...   Continue Reading

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Milton Bradley Suitors

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune takes a look at the Milton Bradley situation in an article this morning. Sullivan, like many, sees the Rangers as the favorite. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News looks at all the factors there. Giants GM Brian Sabean was quizzed about a possible bad contract swap for Bradley, and shot down the idea. The Mets and Rays appear in the mix to a certain extent, with Omar Minaya even admitting he'll talk to Jim Hendry about it. Luis Castillo figures to be in that discussion, but Sullivan says reports suggest Mets ownership may...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Bumgarner, Rangers, Kim

Links for Tuesday... Giants top pitching prospect Madison Bumgarner surprisingly gets the big league call today, says John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. The bad news: Cy Young contender Tim Lincecum is out with back spasms. Evan Grant of D Magazine shows how little the Rangers got out of the 2002-05 drafts (including the "DVD" trio), yet they had the game's best farm system coming into the season. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo has the reverse standings, which give an idea of the 2010 draft order. Eddie Bajek looks at various scenarios where Placido Polanco could ascend to Type A status....   Continue Reading

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Odds And Ends: Hardy, Johnson, Mets

More links as we await the next waiver trade... The Brewers put off J.J. Hardy's free agency until after 2011 by keeping him in the minors for 20 days, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel points out. This should boost Hardy's trade value after the season, when the Brewers will presumably listen to trade offers, now that Alcides Escobar is contributing in the majors. Randy Johnson expects to return to the Giants as a reliever, according to the AP (via FOX Sports). MLB.com's Marty Noble suggests Jayson Werth and Derrek Lee would be good fits for the Mets...   Continue Reading

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Cubs Rumors: Fukudome, Dempster, Wood

Let's check in on the Cubs' offseason plans. Cubs manager Lou Piniella says the Cubs will move Kosuke Fukudome to center field to platoon with Reed Johnson. This move implies Jim Edmonds won't be back. Technically Edmonds could play right field, but he also needs a platoon partner. The Cubs figure to be in the market for a lefthanded hitting right fielder. Piniella expects the team to fill their holes via trade. Brian Giles, Randy Winn, and Jeremy Hermida could fit the bill. Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald reminds fans that Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee have no-trade clauses,...   Continue Reading

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Jake Peavy Rumors: Sunday

Jake Peavy, on the block: According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union Tribune, the Braves have told the Padres they will not deal Tommy Hanson in a package for Jake Peavy. This despite heavy scouting of Hanson by the Padres in recent days. MLBTR touched on this topic on Friday, but it seems the Braves are standing pat that even Peavy won't loosen their grip on their prospects. If the Padres are putting something together with the Braves, it's not likely to be structured around Hanson, or Jair Jurrjens, Jason Heyward and Julio Teheran for that matter. As...   Continue Reading

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Cubs Searching For Lefthanded Bat

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune talked to Cubs GM Jim Hendry, while Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times chatted with manager Lou Piniella. Both said the Cubs are looking to add lefthanded hitting. De Luca believes Brian Roberts and Raul Ibanez remain on Hendry's radar. I mentioned most of the feasible names in the Cubs Offseason Outlook. Since right field is difficult to play at Wrigley field, players such as Milton Bradley and Ibanez are a questionable fit. I believe the ideal acquisition would be Brian Giles, but he'd have to be willing to waive his no-trade clause....   Continue Reading

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Giants Discussing Uggla, Konerko And Lee?

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers mentions some names that the offensively-challenged San Francisco Giants are considering acquiring this off-season, specifically, Dan Uggla, Paul Konerko, and Derrek Lee. He writes: San Francisco, desperate for a proven bat, is expected to pursue one-dimensional second baseman Dan Uggla. The Giants also may kick the tires on first baseman Paul Konerko of the White Sox and Derrek Lee of the Cubs, both of whom have full no-trade clauses. They probably would have to deal a young pitcher—Jonathan Sanchez or Matt Cain. I understand why the Giants would want to add some bats. They averaged...   Continue Reading

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Cubs Never Called Torii

I don't have enough for an odds and ends, so this little tidbit gets its own post today. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times learned that the Cubs never put in a call to Torii Hunter's agent this winter before he signed with the Angels. Torii's friend Derrek Lee found this shocking; he could have facilitated some talks. Hunter grew up a Cubs fan because of WGN, like many people outside of Illinois. The Cubs don't quite seem sold on Felix Pie as their center fielder, given their interest in Marlon Byrd earlier this year. He's had about 200 plate...   Continue Reading

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Cubs and D-Lee Close

Cubs fans are breathing a sigh of relief as the Cubs and Derrek Lee are closing in on a contract extension in the range of five years and $65MM. Lee for Hee Seop Choi and Mike Nannini is one of the best trades in the team's history. Lee is a player that I think you can safely call a Baseball Prospectus miss. In 2002, they remarked, "He's not likely to take a big step forward and really be worth five or six wins. The Marlins should get what they can from him this season, then deal him to make room..   Continue Reading

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