Mike Jacobs Rumors

Odds and Ends: Holliday, Takahashi, Lincecum

By Tim Dierkes [November 12, 2008 at 4:00pm CST]

Links for Wednesday... Richard Justice says the Astros should offer Andy Pettitte $7-8MM to come back. Joe Christensen doesn't see Huston Street landing in Minnesota. Larry Beinfest dismissed a "cyberspace rumor" that the Marlins are planning a run at Manny Ramirez. Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs could fit both Jake Peavy and Ryan Dempster into the payroll, and that the Peavy situation will be resolved first. Today is the deadline for MLB.com's Free Agent Frenzy. You have until 4pm CST to submit your picks for 15 free agents. Here are my predictions from November 3rd...I would change the Furcal and... Continue Reading

Royals Payroll Could Reach $70 Million

By Tim Dierkes [November 11, 2008 at 5:51pm CST]

Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City talked to Royals GM Dayton Moore recently. Moore hopes to sign Zack Greinke long-term. Greinke, however, is comfortable going year to year to maximize his earnings. Moore named three free agent bats he ranked above Mike Jacobs: Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and Bobby Abreu. He implied those three are out of the Royals' price range. Moore feels that Jacobs will continue to improve. Moore says he has flexibility to extend payroll toward $70MM or even higher. He notes that last year the Royals tried to sign Jose Guillen and Torii Hunter, which would've pushed... Continue Reading

Odds and Ends: Burrell, Atkins, Ohmura

By Tim Dierkes [November 10, 2008 at 5:15pm CST]

Links for Monday... Even after signing LaTroy Hawkins, the Astros would like to re-sign Doug Brocail. They already chose a $250K buyout over his $3.25MM option. Further complicating matters, Brocail is a Type A free agent. The Royals signed pitcher Brandon Duckworth and then outrighted him to Triple A. Yahoo's Jeff Passan ranks all the free agents, from C.C. Sabathia at #1 to Vance Wilson at #183. The Giants seem likely to hit the free agent market for a reliever. Pat Burrell hasn't heard from the Phillies yet. John Brattain battles Scott Boras on his Manny Ramirez claims. Aaron Gleeman... Continue Reading

Odds And Ends: Saltalamacchia, White Sox, Ludwick

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [November 9, 2008 at 10:27am CST]

Links for Sunday... Jarrod Saltalamacchia says playing with Jason Varitek for the Red Sox would be a "dream come true." Ken Davidoff writes that the White Sox would like to trade Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko or Jim Thome. Bernie Miklasz asks whether the Cardinals believe in Ryan Ludwick. According to the Chicago Tribune, 19-year-old Cuban prospect Dayan Viciedo has raw tools and questionable commitment. Yesterday, the Chicago Sun-Times suggested the Sox were interested. Mike Jacobs doesn't expect to walk more than he did last year. Tim Cowlishaw thinks the Rangers should try to sign Manny Ramirez. Phil Rogers says that... Continue Reading

Royals May Be Done

By Tim Dierkes [November 6, 2008 at 9:55am CST]

Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star talked to Royals GM Dayton Moore, who suggested he might not be able to do much more this winter due to payroll limitations. After arbitration raises, the Royals should be close to their $60MM budget. So don't look for any big free agent signings unless a player is moved to create payroll room. Dutton says rumors continue to link the Royals to outmakers Jeff Francoeur and Yuniesky Betancourt. Dutton asked Moore why he seemingly ignored his OBP plan for Mike Jacobs, and Moore said he can only take advantage of the players who... Continue Reading

Odds and Ends: Pudge, Ohman, Manny

By Tim Dierkes [November 3, 2008 at 11:47am CST]

Rounding up linkage for Monday... The Jays claimed two players off waivers: shortstop Angel Sanchez and pitcher Kelvin Jimenez. The Cubs and Nationals swapped minor leaguers. The Cubs sent pitcher Matt Avery to the Nats for another pitcher named Ryan Buchter. Good stuff from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick - he surveyed 15 front-office people on the top stories of the offseason. One of a million conversations taking place at the GM meetings: Brian Cashman chatting with Walt Jocketty. Tony Massarotti's top five lies told during free agency. Ken Davidoff names his top ten GMs. Joe Posnanski on the Mike Jacobs-Leo Nunez... Continue Reading

Odds and Ends: Jacobs, Howard, Renteria

By Tim Dierkes [October 31, 2008 at 2:25pm CST]

Links for Friday... The A's claimed infielder Joe Dillon off waivers from the Brewers. Dave Cameron criticizes the Royals' acquisition of Mike Jacobs. ESPN's Keith Law also panned the move, suggesting Jacobs was a non-tender candidate for the Marlins. Peter Abraham breaks down the different types of hot stove stories and sources. Derrick Goold looks at Ryan Howard's arbitration case. MLB.com's Chris Haft talked to various scouts about Matt Cain's trade value. Edgar Renteria hopes to remain in Detroit, saying "Next year, we are going to win everything." ESPN's Tim Kurkjian names his top ten offseason storylines. Ken Davidoff says... Continue Reading

Royals Acquire Jacobs For Nunez

By Tim Dierkes [October 30, 2008 at 11:36am CST]

THURSDAY: It's official: the Royals have acquired Jacobs for Nunez, according to Dutton. It now seems that the Royals have a surplus of 1B/DH types. WEDNESDAY, 10:38pm: Joe Frisaro of MLB.com says the deal would be Jacobs for Nunez, and it could be announced this week. Nunez, 25, posted a 2.98 ERA in 48.1 innings. His strikeout rate was weak, but he managed to keep the ball in the yard despite flyball tendencies. He threw quite hard, averaging 94.4 mph on his heater. He missed some time with a strained lat. Rany Jazayerli considers the Royals acquiring Jacobs a terrible... Continue Reading

Marlins Raise Payroll Limit To $40 Million

By Tim Dierkes [October 28, 2008 at 10:17am CST]

Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel talked an industry source who says Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has authorized a payroll of up to $40MM for 2009. This means they won't be forced to trade any of their 16 arbitration-eligible players. Greg Cote first suggested this on September 30th, and Buster Olney reiterated it on October 15th. However, Berardino confirms Olney's note from Friday: Kevin Gregg, Mike Jacobs, and Scott Olsen are available. The Marlins discussed sending Jacobs to the Royals for righty Carlos Rosa, but the Fish are worried about Rosa's August forearm soreness. A thought: why would the... Continue Reading

Cubs Offseason Targets

By Tim Dierkes [October 28, 2008 at 9:12am CST]

Recently I wrote a Cubs Offseason Outlook, where many reasonable acquisition targets were discussed. If the Cubs re-sign Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood, they'll be limited by payroll unless the salaries of Jason Marquis ($9.875MM) or Derrek Lee ($13MM) are moved. Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune names his possible Cubs targets: Brian Roberts, Adam Dunn, Jeremy Hermida, Mike Jacobs, Rafael Furcal, Jake Peavy, and Brian Fuentes. Some fun names in there, many of which could only be added if payroll space is created. Dunn would be an interesting choice for a regular right fielder, while Jacobs would represent a... Continue Reading

Jacobs To Royals Fell Through

By Nat Boyle [October 26, 2008 at 9:47am CST]

Change is brewing in the Marlins front office this offseason. Not only have they decided to increase payroll to $30-35MM but also they are actively shopping Mike Jacobs, Scott Olsen, and Kevin Gregg this offseason; so actively, that a deal with Kansas City fell apart last week according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The deal collapsed, according to Jackson, due to "a medical issue involving a minor-league pitcher" from Kansas City. If, or when, Jacobs is dealt, the Marlins feel Gaby Sanchez can take over at first, and Olsen's spot in the rotation is expected to be occupied... Continue Reading

Marlins Will Discuss Jacobs, Olsen, Gregg

By Tim Dierkes [October 24, 2008 at 1:06pm CST]

From ESPN's Buster Olney this morning: Wrote here recently that the Marlins intend to keep the vast majority of their arbitration-eligible players, including Dan Uggla, unless they are completely overwhelmed by trade offers. Three of the Marlins' arbitration-eligible players who they are more willing to discuss: first baseman Mike Jacobs, left-hander Scott Olsen and reliever Kevin Gregg. Olsen looks like a sell-high candidate. The 24 year-old posted a 4.20 ERA in 201.2 innings this year. His strikeout rate has declined every year he's been in the bigs, falling to 5.04 per nine innings this season. He also benefitted from an... Continue Reading

Scout's View Of Marlins Trade Targets

By Tim Dierkes [October 23, 2008 at 11:21am CST]

Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel talked to a veteran scout this week about the Marlins' possible trade chips. The reviews were on the positive side for Scott Olsen, Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla, and Alfredo Amezaga. The scout apparently recommended against Jeremy Hermida, Kevin Gregg, and Josh Willingham. Hermida's report was particularly damning, with the scout claiming the right fielder has "no passion for the game." For more on the Fish, check out our Offseason Outlook. Continue Reading

Perrotto's Latest: La Russa, Offseason Moves

By Steve Adams [September 7, 2008 at 3:18pm CST]

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

Rosenthal's Latest: Hendry, Burnett, Laird

By Tim Dierkes [September 3, 2008 at 9:55am CST]

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

Many Marlins Due Raises

By Tim Dierkes [August 26, 2008 at 10:44am CST]

Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel discusses the Marlins' difficult situation this winter, with as many as 18 players facing arbitration. Berardino projects salaries for these players in this chart. As you may know, players typically reach arbitration the offseason after they cross the three-year service time mark. The resulting raise can be as much as 1000%, with Ryan Howard's case last year the most drastic example ($900K in '07, $10MM in '08). The Marlins' biggest jump figures to be second baseman Dan Uggla - $417K in 08, perhaps $5MM or more in '09. Most players face arbitration three... Continue Reading

Marlins Could Be Set For Another Fire Sale

By Cork Gaines [August 17, 2008 at 10:03am CST]

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the Marlins will be forced to trade away some of their arbitration-eligible players this offseason unless management is willing to double their payroll into the $50MM range. Jackson takes a closer look at which players may be on the move... Two scouts and a GM told Jackson that the Marlins will likely explore the market for Mike Jacobs, noting they have other options at first base. Jackson feels the Marlins won't want to give Dan Uggla a long-term deal and will look to trade him. With Cameron Maybin ready to take over, Jackson... Continue Reading

Mike Jacobs Pulled From Lineup

By Tim Dierkes [July 30, 2008 at 9:57pm CST]

9:56pm: The early pull raised a few eyebrows, amid the Bengie Molina speculation. It remains speculation for now though. 9:18pm: Just heard from Will Carroll that the Marlins' Mike Jacobs was pulled from the lineup this evening. Could just be a defensive substitution though. Continue Reading

Giants Like Adrian Beltre

By Tim Dierkes [July 30, 2008 at 12:28pm CST]

According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle: The Giants like Adrian Beltre, believing he would thrive in the more fastball-oriented National League, but a source said they have not exchanged names with the Mariners. Schulman explains that Giants GM Brian Sabean is open to acquiring players who can help in 2009. Hank Blalock was also on the radar, but now he's back on the DL. The Rangers told a white lie to the public regarding Blalock's injury earlier this week. The Rangers had their eye on Jonathan Sanchez, but I doubt the Giants would've entertained a one-for-one swap... Continue Reading

Marlins Looking For Catcher, Reliever

By Tim Dierkes [July 29, 2008 at 8:44am CST]

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

Perrotto's Latest: Ross, Jacobs, Kent, Burnett

By Tim Dierkes [July 27, 2008 at 6:39pm CST]

Baseball Prospectus' John Perrotto has a new column. The Mets are looking at relievers Huston Street, Brian Fuentes, Arthur Rhodes, and Eddie Guardado. On the radar for outfielders: Jason Bay, Raul Ibanez, and Randy Winn. A new suitor for Fuentes has emerged: the Diamondbacks. Would they really make another move for a reliever? Other known suitors were named here. The Marlins would consider trading Cody Ross or Mike Jacobs for relief help. New name on the Rays' radar: Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent. They're better off with Akinori Iwamura aren't they? George Sherrill suitors: Cardinals, Tigers, Dodgers, Marlins, and Phillies.... Continue Reading

Marlins Looking For A Starter?

By Tim Dierkes [March 19, 2008 at 11:22pm CST]

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez originally said he'd announce the team's Opening Day starter and entire rotation on Tuesday, but then changed his mind. Both Joe Capozzi and Joe Frisaro wonder whether that's because the Marlins may yet acquire a starter. Frisaro implies that first baseman Mike Jacobs could be a trade candidate. The free agent market offers Jeff Weaver and David Wells, neither of whom are more deserving than Mark Hendrickson for an Opening Day nod. Otherwise, potentially available starters include Kyle Snyder, Kei Igawa, Dave Bush, Claudio Vargas, Jason Marquis, Daniel Cabrera, Matt Morris, Woody Williams, Matt Belisle, Justin... Continue Reading

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