Gerald Laird Rumors

Tigers Interested In Laird

According to Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers continue to have interest in Rangers catcher Gerald Laird. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News says the Tigers "seem to have the most ardent interest" in Laird, and a trade could save Texas nearly $3MM. Grant believes the Reds are another possibility; would they trade Homer Bailey for him? Laird, a Scott Boras client, is under team control for two more seasons. Morosi says the Tigers also like Miguel Montero of the D'Backs, but the teams don't seem to match up well. Another note - Morosi says...   Continue Reading

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Tigers Rumors: Pudge, Varitek, Lugo, Thames

Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press doles out the latest Tigers rumors. How will the Tigers resolve their catching situation? GM Dave Dombrowski calls an Ivan Rodriguez reunion a longshot, and Scott Boras is asking the moon for Jason Varitek. The Tigers may not have the goods to swing a trade for Gerald Laird. Morosi likes the idea of Henry Blanco, but says the Tigers have yet to contact his agent. Check out the other free agent options here. Morosi considers a bad contract swap for Julio Lugo a viable option for the Tigers. He notes that Dontrelle...   Continue Reading

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Tigers Want Short-Term Shortstop

According to Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers seek a short-term solution at shortstop. The Tigers like the idea of using prospect Cale Iorg in 2010. That means they won't be signing free agents Orlando Cabrera and Rafael Furcal. The Tigers view the relief market in the way - they like their long-term options (Ryan Perry, for example). The Tigers have "mild interest" in Khalil Greene, who is signed through 2009. They don't like his $6.5MM price tag, which might mean Jack Wilson is also too pricey. John McDonald is a more affordable name on the...   Continue Reading

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Yankees Rumors: Sabathia, Marte, Mussina

11:09pm: Brian Cashman sums up the Yankees' plan: "We're going to show a lot of love." 12:15pm: It's about time we check in with Yankees links. The Yankees will make their record-breaking pitch to C.C. Sabathia. If it fails, they'll move on to A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe, and Oliver Perez. Joel Sherman says the Yankees could get involved on Manny Ramirez, but only if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira and manage to trade Hideki Matsui. Sherman says the Yanks are in on the catching market just to be safe, engaging the Rangers about Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. They'll...   Continue Reading

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Red Sox Rumors: Bay, Tazawa, Kawakami, Lugo

Collecting today's Red Sox rumors and links... Nick Cafardo says the Red Sox did not meet with C.C. Sabathia's agent and he doesn't appear to be in their plans. The Sox are eyeing southpaw reliever Billy Traber, according to WEEI's Alex Speier. Scott Boras believes Derek Lowe would be a good fit in Boston or New York. Nick Cafardo says Lowe would like to return to Boston, maybe even at a slight discount. Jason Bay's agents say he's loving Boston and is open to a contract extension. When asked about the possibility of Manny Ramirez signing with the Yankees, Red...   Continue Reading

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Marlins Rumors: Max Ramirez, Pavano, Rhodes

Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald has the latest on the Marlins. The Marlins have had informal talks with the Rangers regarding catcher Max Ramirez. The Fish are willing to trade lefty Scott Olsen, though the Rangers are wary of his makeup and home run tendencies. The Marlins are OK with their in-house options if they can't work out a trade. The Marlins aren't interested in Gerald Laird. The Marlins may consider bringing Carl Pavano back to Florida, the site of his last success. Luis Gonzalez, Mark Hendrickson, Paul Lo Duca, and Arthur Rhodes are the Marlins' free agents. Of...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Tex, Furcal, Johnson, Lofton

Here's a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. If they are to sign Mark Teixeira, the Angels would like to do it quickly. However, it's Scott Boras' custom to let the market develop until late December or so. It's possible the Angels change gears on November 14th. There are other big names to pursue, though none fit as perfectly as Tex. Rosenthal's worst case scenario for the Yankees: C.C. Sabathia goes to a West Coast team while A.J. Burnett re-signs with Toronto. The Jays truly are in the mix for Burnett. ESPN's Keith Law says Burnett...   Continue Reading

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Rangers Want Pitcher For Catcher

The Rangers are seeking to deal one of their three catchers - Gerald Laird, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, or Max Ramirez - for pitching, says Evan Grant of the Dallas News. Grant notes that they would still have Taylor Teagarden, who they're also open to dealing if "the return is great enough." Grant discusses potential matches in the Giants, Red Sox, Brewers, Reds, and Tigers: "San Francisco has pitching depth, and the Rangers love the Giants' arms, but San Francisco has a more pressing need for a corner infielder than a catcher because Bengie Molina is signed for 2009. Getting a pitcher...   Continue Reading

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Dallas Morning News: Jon Daniels Q&A

Mike Hindman of the Dallas Morning News recently conducted a Q&A with Rangers GM Jon Daniels. A few highlights: Daniels thought the Rangers had a great chance to sign Michael Inoa, as ownership made a budget exception to pursue him. Daniels doesn't seem inclined to trade his top pitching prospects for a young big league starter. He still has certain targets though. A contract extension for Josh Hamilton will probably be explored during the first three months of 2009. Daniels knows what he wants to do with Milton Bradley, but wouldn't reveal it. He expects to exercise Hank Blalock's $6.2MM...   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Manny, Laird, Strasburg, Chipper

Let's gather up today's linkage. Andy Pettitte will probably pitch next year, but Mike Mussina remains an unknown. Reader Peter H. reminds us that the Brewers' playoff berth means the Indians get to choose the player to be named later in the C.C. Sabathia deal. Ross Newhan finds it indisputable that the Dodgers and Angels have to re-sign Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira at any cost. Manny generated an estimated $7.6MM in extra revenue for the Dodgers. T.J. Simers snagged all kinds of quotes from Manny in recent articles, including one about Red Sox traveling secretary Jack McCormick dissing Manny...   Continue Reading

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Perrotto's Latest: La Russa, Offseason Moves

John Perrotto at Baseball Prospectus has his Every Given Sunday column up. Here's the highlights from the Rumors and Rumblings section (with some added speculation here and there from yours truly): There's a growing rumor that Cardinals manager Tony La Russa could step down after this season and pursue a job as a general manager. We all know Seattle's looking... The Diamondbacks love Adam Dunn's production so much that they are considering re-signing him and possibly having him play first base. Dunn's racked up a .474 OBP since coming to Arizona... what's not to like about that? The Padres seem...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Hendry, Burnett, Laird

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has a new column up. Rosenthal fills us in on Jim Hendry's contract status: Hendry controls his own fate with an option for '09. If the new Cubs ownership doesn't want to extend him beyond that, he could elect free agency this winter. Click here to download a spreadsheet of Hendry's trade history. Teams with third basemen to trade this winter are at an advantage due to the weak free agent market. Names like Garrett Atkins, Melvin Mora, and Hank Blalock could generate interest. Blalock is a huge question mark though, and the Rangers still...   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Kendall, Laird, Giles, Manny

Today's linkage... A friend pointed out to me how strange it is that the Twins were willing to take on Jarrod Washburn's salary and give up Boof Bonser but chose to trade Johan Santana before the season. If Bill Smith could go back in time, would he still make that deal? A Gary Sheffield acquisition by the Rays is "unlikely but not impossible," according to one Buster Olney source. As expected, Jason Kendall's option for '09 vested. He's off the list! The Rangers were willing to trade Gerald Laird and a solid prospect to the Marlins for Chris Volstad. The...   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Lowell, Carroll, Saltalamacchia

Time to gather up today's links. With Mike Lowell headed to the DL, Jeff Horrigan wonders if a waiver trade for an infielder could be in order. ESPN's Buster Olney mentioned the Indians' Jamey Carroll as a possibility for the D'Backs on Monday, though he noted the two teams have not talked. Evan Grant suggests the Rangers trade Engel Beltre or Elvis Andrus for pitching this winter. Additionally, he thinks the Rangers might end up trading Jarrod Saltalamacchia rather than Gerald Laird. Aaron Gleeman revisits the '03 trade of Bobby Kielty for Shannon Stewart. Patrick Newman runs down some lesser-known...   Continue Reading

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Gammons Chat: Lucchino, Lugo, Manny

The Boston Globe has a Peter Gammons chat transcript up on its blog. Let's take a look at his nuggets of rumor wisdom. Gammons heard from someone close to Larry Lucchino that the Red Sox would not let him leave. The Red Sox could try to unload Julio Lugo in the offseason, or convince him to accept a super-utility role. Gammons says neither Hank Steinbrenner nor Brian Cashman have any interest in Manny Ramirez as a winter signing. He expects the Yankees to chase C.C. Sabathia. Manny apparently wants four years and $100MM, but Gammons expects something more in the...   Continue Reading

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Marlins Pushing For Laird

12:09pm: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick sees Laird staying put, at least until the offseason. 11:22am: Rosenthal says the Fish are pushing for Laird, but won't give up an MLB-ready starter for him. Mike Hindman wonders if the Rangers are demanding Ryan Tucker, putting a wrinkle into the Manny talks. 10:02am: The Marlins can cross Ivan Rodriguez off their list of catching targets, though they did make a concerted effort according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. They obviously couldn't part with a veteran reliever; in fact they just acquired one in Arthur Rhodes. Stark says the Marlins are still looking for catching help....   Continue Reading

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Rangers Rumors: Laird, Greinke, Bonser, Masset

Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has Rangers rumors for us today. Wilson sums up the suitors for catcher Gerald Laird: Yankees, Reds, Marlins, and Brewers. The Giants could also jump in if they trade Bengie Molina. Wilson heard that the Rangers are not shopping Laird, though. The Rangers inquired on three pitchers recently: Zack Greinke of the Royals, Boof Bonser of the Twins, and Nick Masset of the White Sox. Greinke would be near-impossible to pry loose, though Chris Davis would be an interesting offer.   Continue Reading

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Graziano's Latest: Dunn, Putz, Laird

Time to check in with Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger. Graziano calls Adam Dunn "the man without a rumor." Even with his flaws this one is hard to figure out. [UPDATE: SI.com's Jon Heyman is finally hearing a couple of teams are in on Dunn.] John Maine's rotator cuff strain has the Mets looking at pitching. Graziano suggests names like Livan Hernandez, Paul Byrd, and Jarrod Washburn. The Mets have talked to the Tigers about Scott Schoeneweis. They'd have to replace him, maybe with Arthur Rhodes or Eddie Guardado. The Mariners will listen on J.J. Putz, but he won't...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Tejada, Laird, Renteria, Sherrill

New one from Ken Rosenthal... The Padres will ask Greg Maddux again to consider accepting a trade to a team not located on the West Coast. The Dodgers haven't shown interest. One big league source told Rosenthal that the Astros have had "absolutely no dialogue" about Miguel Tejada. The Marlins are the most aggressive suitor for Gerald Laird. The Brewers, Reds, and Yankees are also in on the Rangers' catcher. Rosenthal points out a Doug Melvin connection - Melvin acquired Laird as the Rangers' GM back in '02. [UPDATE: Rangers guru Jamey Newberg tells me that it was actually John...   Continue Reading

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Marlins Looking For Catcher, Reliever

The NL East is a three-team race, with the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins all within a game of each other. Who'd have thought the Marlins would be contending after trading Miguel Cabrera? According to Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Marlins have intensified their search for a catcher. The targets: Bengie Molina, Ramon Hernandez, Gerald Laird, and Ryan Doumit. Molina and Hernandez are the pricey options. Doumit would be especially tough to pry loose; he has a .937 OPS this year as a 27 year-old. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro wonders if Miguel Olivo, Gregg Zaun, and Paul Lo Duca...   Continue Reading

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Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Monday

8:44pm: The Mariners aren't amused with the Yankees, blaming them for the way negotiations have been portrayed publicly. 4:18pm: Media drama? On the Seattle side, Larry LaRue says "arrogant New York writers" and the "near hysteria of the internet and blogs in late July" caused some to believe the Yankees were close to getting Washburn for nothing. LaRue believes GM Lee Pelekoudas "has probably talked to 20 other teams, too." On the New York side, Peter Abraham says the Yankees are the lone team interested in Washburn, and the idea of Seattle having leverage is "a bit comical." 12:05pm: Geoff...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Teixeira, Fuentes, Laird

Here's Ken Rosenthal's latest. Rosenthal firmly believes the Braves will find a match on a Mark Teixeira trade. He finds the D'Backs and Angels as the most reasonable fits. ESPN's Keith Law says the Braves have spoken to at least four teams about Tex within the past two days. Despite yesterday's "highly unlikely" comment from Dan O'Dowd, Rosenthal says the Rockies would trade Brian Fuentes for a young MLB-ready starter. It's still possible that the Mets stand pat on a corner outfielder and just deal with it internally or make a minor trade in August. Rosenthal talked to one club...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Redding, Laird, Wolf

Fresh column from Ken Rosenthal. The Rockies, six games out in the NL West, could certainly become buyers. They offered Clint Barmes for Jeremy Guthrie and were turned down, and continue to monitor Bronson Arroyo and Tim Redding. Closer Brian Fuentes still seems likely to be traded though (the demand: top of the line prospect and a secondary player). Rosenthal cautions us against judging the Pirates' new regime too quickly. The deadline will be a good test for them. The Yankees definitely have interest in Rangers catcher Gerald Laird, but haven't asked the Royals about Miguel Olivo. The Astros are...   Continue Reading

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Yankees Looking At Catchers

Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger says the Yankees have inquired on four catchers: Gerald Laird, Paul Lo Duca, Miguel Olivo, and Rod Barajas. Laird, 28, is expected to rejoin the Rangers Saturday after his hamstring injury. He's a Boras client with a $1.6MM salary this year. He's under team control through 2010, and Ken Rosenthal says the Rangers want young pitching for him. Lo Duca, 36, will be a free agent after the season. He's got about $1.9MM left on his contract this year. He understands that he's a strong trade candidate. Olivo, 30, is splitting time with John...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Laird, Washburn, Nady, Bay

Ken Rosenthal has more new material. I've updated the post, as Rosenthal updated his. The Yankees are looking for catching - Rosenthal and Jon Heyman do not agree with Peter Abraham. Rosenthal says the Yanks have expressed interest in Gerald Laird and Miguel Olivo. The Rangers want young pitching for Laird, however. Jarrod Washburn's limited no-trade protection includes the Yankees. He might want compensation to waive that, putting him out of the Yanks' price range. Washburn, a Boras client, wouldn't mind pitching in New York though. The Mariners are looking for young pitching for him. It sounds like the Yankees...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Hudson, Turnbow, Laird, Kershaw

Rumorland Ambassador Ken Rosenthal has posted yet another Full Count video. Let's get sifting: Rosenthal thinks Orlando Hudson could be shown the money this offseason if he opts to explore free agency. Hudson most likely won't be offered market value by the Dbacks. Rosenthal posits the Orioles, Cards, Dodgers, and Mariners as potential buyers. 4 unnamed teams are interested in Derrick Turnbow, who is making $3.2MM this year. According to KR, the Brewers would need to throw money in a deal or get a comparable salary in return - as the saying goes, you trade contracts, not players. Turnbow needs...   Continue Reading

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Will Salty Callup Lead To Laird Trade?

Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been called up, and GM Jon Daniels has no plans for him to warm the bench. Salty performed well at AAA Oklahoma, and when backup backstop Adam Melhuse broke a bone in his hand on Thursday, the call-up seemed imminent. However, incumbent Rangers catcher Gerald Laird has also been solid to start the season. Given the organization's desire to get Saltalamacchia regular at-bats and the lackluster hitting of first baseman Ben Broussard, I think it's likely that the defensively sub-par Salty will see at least some time at the "cold corner." But with the Rangers off to...   Continue Reading

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Reds Seek Catching Help

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer is hearing a rumor that the Reds are "actively seeking a catcher." He speculates that Ryan Freel could be trade bait. Fay's note conveniently gels with some info from a Jeff Brantley radio appearance that a reader passed along. Brantley reportedly said the Reds have been scouting the Rangers' Gerald Laird. On a not necessarily related note, Brantley also mentioned that they may look to trade Matt Belisle. MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan recently wrote that the Rangers don't intend to trade Laird despite some interest. On the other hand, Jon Daniels admitted in Sullivan's article...   Continue Reading

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Laird Likely To Stay Put

According to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers don't plan on trading catcher Gerald Laird despite some interested parties. In fact, Laird could catch 100+ games this year despite last year's Jarrod Saltalamacchia acquisition. Salty could take a smaller role with the big club or get some Triple A seasoning. It's easy to forget that he skipped that level. The Rangers prefer Laird's strong defense and spotty offense to Salty's subpar defense and offensive potential. And it's not fair to write Laird off offensively quite yet; he hit well in a half-season in '06. '07 was his first year catching full-time....   Continue Reading

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Heyman's Latest: Piazza, Matthews, Milledge

SI.com's Jon Heyman checks in with a new Daily Scoop column full of rumors. A lot of the standard trade talk we've seen regarding Miguel Cabrera, Johan Santana, Miguel Tejada, and Dan Haren. All these guys require two good young players or more in a trade. Mike Piazza is considering DHing in Japan if he doesn't find anything he likes in the U.S. Heyman talked to an AL exec who speculated that the Angels may try to unload Gary Matthews Jr. GMJ makes $9MM in '08, $10MM in '09, $11MM in '10, and $12MM in '11. He currently has a..   Continue Reading

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Rangers Rumors

T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com has some Rangers notes. Of course, much of it revolves around the outfield, since they missed out on Torii Hunter. On that front, they're exploring Kosuke Fukudome, who is reportedly seeking three years and $30 million. Add the Rangers to the Cubs, the Phillies, the Yomiuri Giants and his former team, the Chunichi Dragons. I would toss the Nats and possibly the Twins in that group, and there are probably other teams where Fukudome would fit. The Rangers have a level of interest in both Aaron Rowand and Andruw Jones, but not nearly to the level..   Continue Reading

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Mets Acquire Estrada For Mota

UPDATE: Non-tendering Estrada is still an option for the Mets, but they've unloaded Mota's contract. The Mets may shop around for better options, knowing they have an adequate fallback. According to Jamey Newberg, the Mets found the asking prices for trade targets Gerald Laird and Ramon Hernandez to be unacceptable. The Mets found their catcher today in the person of Johnny Estrada. To get him from the Brewers, Omar Minaya only had to surrender Guillermo Mota. It was a swap of a couple of unwanted guys. The Brewers would've non-tendered Estrada rather than pony up $4MM+ for him. However they'll..   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Kendall, Crisp, Gagne

I'm back in the swing of things, kind of. We're still living out of boxes, but I've got a laptop and I'm digging into all the rumors I missed. Joe did a great job the last couple of days. Be sure to visit his Yankees blog, River Ave. Blues. On to today's random rumors... I'm hearing that Jason Kendall could be a fallback for the Mets if they can't pry Ramon Hernandez loose from the Orioles. The Blue Jays have about $4MM to spend, and J.P. Ricciardi likes the idea of Michael Barrett splitting time behind the plate with Gregg..   Continue Reading

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MetsBlog: Lo Duca The Best Choice

Matt Cerone at MetsBlog takes on the question that's been facing the Mets since mid-day yesterday: Who starts at catcher next year? Ramon Hernandez, who was offered a contract by the Mets two years ago when he was a free agent, is said to be Omar Minaya's top choice. However, this presents a problem. Hernandez won't come cheap, and the Mets would need to retain their best trading chips if they want to acquire a front-line starter. This would seemingly rule Hernandez out, since "word from [B]altimore had bee that [H]ernandez would cost a high-end prospect." A cheaper trade option..   Continue Reading

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Mets Targeting Livan Hernandez?

Ben Shpigel of the New York Times has some new Mets info for us today. Surprisingly, Shpigel believes the one free agent starter the Mets will seriously consider is Livan Hernandez. That is odd because I had read Livan wasn't high on Omar Minaya's list. We've seen the Mets connected to free agents Byung-Hyun Kim, Carlos Silva, Hiroki Kuroda, Kyle Lohse, and Jason Jennings so far this offseason. As far as some unsung trade opportunities, my Mets guy says Ervin Santana, Chris Capuano, Claudio Vargas, and Noah Lowry are being considered. According to Shpigel, the Mets hope to re-sign Ramon..   Continue Reading

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Rangers Rumors: Kinsler, Laird, Padilla

Here's the latest hot stove buzz surrounding the Rangers. The team will try again to lock up second baseman Ian Kinsler long-term. It would be a five-year deal, buying out one year of free agency. Kinsler had an inconsistent 2007. He hit .298/.375/.667 with 9 HR in April and .256/.351/.393 thereafter. Nice to see him draw 62 walks though. Jon Daniels has had several teams ask him about Gerald Laird and Hank Blalock. He's not likely to sell low on Blalock. But Laird is getting more costly and the Rangers want to use Jarrod Saltalamacchia full-time behind the plate. He's..   Continue Reading

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Rangers Rumors: DeJesus, Lamb, Millar

Evan Grant writes for the Dallas Morning News, but he posted this column at night. Go figure. He's got some new info regarding the Rangers. As you know, the Rangers have had difficulty finding a long-term center fielder. That's the main focus of this offseason. The team has already shown interest in Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand, the top center fielders available. Other free agents such as Andruw Jones and Mike Cameron appear to be in play as well. Grant's trade candidates: Coco Crisp, David DeJesus, Mark Kotsay, and Carlos Beltran. We've speculated on DeJesus to Atlanta in the past...   Continue Reading

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Pie For Laird and Mahay?

Phil Rogers has a rumor up on the Tribune blog today, where he indicated that the Cubs are thinking short-term and may be willing to give up Felix Pie in a deal. According to Rogers, Pie for Gerald Laird and Ron Mahay is a possibility. It seems that Mahay has since gone to Atlanta, so perhaps Rogers' post went up before then. Even if it was C.J. Wilson instead of Mahay I'd consider it a horrible deal for the Cubs. Pie is a five-tool center fielder and he's raking at Triple A. Trading him for Laird would be absurd even..   Continue Reading

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Murton Late Scratch; Payton Talks Itensify

UPDATE: While perhaps shopping Murton, the Cubs have had significant talks regarding Baltimore's Jay Payton. The Cubs would send over two mid-level prospects; does Murton fit that criteria? Payton will make $5MM next year to finish his contract. UPDATE 2: RotoWorld says Murton was scratched tonight to allow Cliff Floyd to play and then get Sunday off. Matt Murton was a late scratch for tonight's Cubs-Reds game. Does it mean anything? We should know soon enough. This time of year, every scratch or unexpected mid-game substitution is magnified. The Cubs have been talking to the Rangers about lefty reliever Ron..   Continue Reading

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Backwards Center Field Trade Bait

Most of Joel Sherman's column today is filled with the Mark Teixeira stuff you've been reading about everywhere else. (I, for one, am now absolutely sure of how to spell Tex's name. A couple of weeks ago? Not so much.) But, there are two tidbits buried in the column that are interesting both on their own and juxtaposed. First, Sherman corroborates Buster Olney's claim that the Yankees are hot after Dan Johnson. But he gives us more: Billy Beane asked for Brett Gardner and was rejected. Uh, Brett Gardner? Useful player, perhaps, but the Yanks are interested in Johnson because..   Continue Reading

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Cubs Interested In Gerald Laird?

According to Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus, the Cubs have asked for their scouts' evaluation of Texas catcher Gerald Laird. Laird, 27, has been a disappointment at the plate this year (.237/.296/.353). On the other hand, he's second in baseball with a 40.8% caught stealing rate (Dave Ross is first). A Laird acquisition would indicate a lack of faith in Jason Kendall, so it seems unlikely. The Cubs will probably give Kendall a fair shake. Laird would probably only become available if the Rangers acquired Jarrod Saltalamacchia first, anyway. Hey, Cubs! Give Geovany Soto an extended look! He's not too..   Continue Reading

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