Mike Gonzalez Rumors

Mike Gonzalez, Duaner Sanchez Avoid Arb

According to the AP, relievers Mike Gonzalez and Duaner Sanchez have avoided arbitration and signed for '09. Gonzalez, closer for the Braves, will earn $3.45MM. He'll join Jose Valverde, Billy Wagner, and others on the free agent market after the season. Sanchez will make $1.6875MM with the Mets.   Continue Reading

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Braves, Cardinals Talk Ankiel

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Braves and Cardinals discussed a trade for outfielder Rick Ankiel. However, the Braves did not want to give up Mike Gonzalez. I'm surprised; one year of Gonzalez for one of Ankiel sounds like a good swap for the Braves. Rosenthal says the two teams also talked about swapping Blaine Boyer for Joe Mather, but that didn't pan out either.   Continue Reading

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Molony's Latest: Francoeur, Bay, Blalock

MLB.com's Jim Molony has a new column up. The Braves will listen to offers for Jeff Francoeur and Will Ohman, and maybe Mark Teixeira if the Braves struggle in the next week. The Royals are said to be interested in Francoeur. Mike Gonzalez is unavailable. The Braves have scouted Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, in case they decide to become buyers. The Phillies had an exec scouting the Pirates recently. The Phils are looking for a lefty reliever. The Phillies also may be looking at relievers on the Jays and Orioles. Molony rattles off Freddy Garcia suitors: Astros, Cardinals, Phillies,...   Continue Reading

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Braves Rumors: Mike Gonzalez, Ohman, Teixeira

Despite recent speculation about Mike Gonzalez's availability, MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the Braves reliever is not going anywhere. Bowman talked to a team official who seemed adamant about keeping Gonzalez. That is no surprise, since Gonzalez is under team control for '09 and Rafael Soriano is of questionable health. Bowman adds that interest has picked up in another Braves lefty reliever, Will Ohman. The Braves apparently see Ohman as a Type B free agent and want a return better than the supplemental draft pick they could receive by letting him walk. Similarly, the Braves will keep Mark Teixeira if they...   Continue Reading

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Will Carroll's Latest: Blake, Mike Gonzalez, Fuentes

Baseball Prospectus' Will Carroll checks in with a slew of rumors. Carroll believes Orioles relievers Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford would clear waivers. Bradford isn't striking anyone out, but he does have a 2.45 ERA by virtue of good control and tons of grounders. He has a reasonable $3.5MM commitment for '09. Casey Blake suitors: Mets, Rays, and Twins. Carroll wonders if the Rangers could send an outfielder to Atlanta for closer Mike Gonzalez. MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan also linked the Rangers to Gonzalez. Gonzalez is under team control through '09; I'd be surprised to see him traded. The Marlins are...   Continue Reading

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Blocked Prospects: Brent Lillibridge

One of the key components of the Adam LaRoche to Pittsburgh deal in early 2007 was shortstop Brent Lillibridge, who came over to the Braves along with Mike Gonzalez. Lillibridge, who had a decent shot of making the Braves as a utility player this spring, was one of the team's final cuts and will start the year in Richmond. Lillibridge's instincts have always drawn raves and he's matured quickly. Many would argue he's Major League ready now. But for the foreseeable future he's blocked by Yunel Escobar, himself a newly appointed starter. Lillibridge managed a .400 OBP during two Class-A...   Continue Reading

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Pirates Acquire LaRoche For Gonzalez

UPDATE: A source tells me the Pirates included shortstop Brent Lillibridge in the trade, and it's a four-player deal. That's quite a price - Baseball Prospectus's PECOTA system indicates that the college product would be baseball's ninth best shortstop in 2007 (based on projected WARP). The above info is now confirmed by John Perrotto of the Beaver County Allegheny Times. The Braves are sending outfielder Jamie Romak to the Bucs to complete the deal. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have agreed to send Mike Gonzalez and another unknown player to the Braves for first baseman Adam LaRoche. Nice..   Continue Reading

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Pirates Still Chasing LaRoche, Tracy

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tells us that Pirate GM Dave Littlefield is under pressure to acquire a power bat before the season begins. The two main targets are still Adam LaRoche and Chad Tracy, but will Littlefield include a second Major Leaguer along with Mike Gonzalez? And if Kovacevic's report of Littlefield's mandate is true, isn't that leak detrimental to the GM's efforts? The Bucs still refuse to include Chris Duffy or Paul Maholm in a two-for-one deal. Kovacevic speculates that another reliever might represent a compromise; if the Pirates need to include Salomon Torres they should do..   Continue Reading

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Pirates, Braves Still Talking Swap

The Mike Gonzalez for Adam LaRoche trade rumor lives on. However, as we've read at Bucco Blog numerous times, John Schuerholz has always wanted to add Paul Maholm or Jose Castillo to the deal. Bucco Blog recently sat down with an NL East scout to discuss LaRoche and whether he'd be a good fit in Pittsburgh. Take a look   Continue Reading

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Red Sox Targeting Closer?

The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has a J.D. Drew update for us. It may be that Boras does not want to revise Drew's contract given that Boras's surgeon gave Drew's shoulder the thumbs up. More intriguing is a line at the end of the post - the Red Sox are targeting a trade for a closer and are targeting one of Chad Cordero, Brad Lidge, and Mike Gonzalez   Continue Reading

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