Tony Clark Rumors

Odds and Ends: Guillen, Patterson, Clark, Andruw

Let's keep things rolling along with a morning Odds and Ends collection.

• U.S.S. Mariner is not amused with the Ms' decision not to offer arbitration to Jose Guillen.
• Andruw Jones hasn't been getting much player, and his camp initiated contact with the Royals yesterday. The mutual interest may have been what pushed Guillen to sign.
• With the David Riske to Milwaukee signing not official, the Orioles apparently had talks with his agent yesterday.  He'll be too pricey for them, anyway.  By the way, the Cubs checked in on Brian Roberts, but nothing is really stirring right now on that front.
• Corey Patterson seems a little down, as he's no one's first choice in center field.  The Orioles are apparently moving on.  Patterson wouldn't say whether he'd take a one-year deal.  As a Scott Boras client, I imagine he won't.
• Summing up the Rockies' external second base candidates: Chris Burke, Marcus Giles, and Mark Loretta. The agents for both Giles and Loretta have contacted the Rockies, and Loretta would play there at a discount.
• Evan Grant has his Rangers column up, but we already hit upon most of the points yesterday (he was the source then, too).  One new note is that the Rangers don't want to give Tony Clark anything more than one year plus an option, while Clark wants a two-year deal.  The Rays, Dodgers, and Twins are said to like Clark.

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Odds and Ends: Colon, Clark, Gagne

Random rumors, let's round 'em up.

• How about Bartolo Colon to the Mets?  David Lennon notes that Omar Minaya sold the farm to acquire him in 2002 as the Expos' GM.
• Scott Lauber says Aaron Rowand is insisting on a five-year deal.  He adds that the Phils have interest in Geoff Jenkins but he might be too expensive. 
• Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller are considered untouchable, so don't look for the Tigers to make any big trades.
• Patrick Saunders runs down some free agents the Rockies may consider for the back end of their rotation: Tony Armas, Matt Clement, Steve Trachsel, Josh Fogg, Jason Jennings, Jon Lieber, Mark Redman, Brett Tomko, and Kip Wells.
• The Rays may go after Tony Clark, in large part because they're seeking leadership.  Marc Topkin agrees, and also rattles off Geoff Jenkins, Brad Wilkerson, Cliff Floyd, Mike Lamb, Mark Sweeney, Corey Koskie, and Greg Nortion as other possibilities.
• It's expected that Eric Gagne will not accept Boston's offer of arbitration, because he wants to close.  One place he could do so is Texas, who like him if he'll take one year.
• The Marlins' new marketing materials exclude Miguel Cabrera.
• The Rangers have interest in Sean Casey and Mike Lamb.

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Odds and Ends: Riske, Bedard, Wolf

And now for your daily jumble o' rumors.  More to come.

• The Twins cleared several spots on their 40-man roster...will they be active next week?
• The Yankees have "reached out" to free agent reliever David Riske.  Troy Percival and Ron Mahay have also been linked to the Yanks this offseason.
• The Dodgers have an interest in Tony Clark, which has to bum out James Loney.  Dylan Hernandez also notes that the Dodgers' talks for Erik Bedard have stalled because the Orioles want to see what happens with Miguel Cabrera first.  Ned Colletti expects Jeff Kent back, by the way.
• The Cards won't be afraid to trade their young pitching (Anthony Reyes, Tyler Johnson, and Brad Thompson) for veteran pitching.  They also still like Carlos Silva and Kyle Lohse, if the price is right.
• Bob Dutton reports that the Royals' Yasuhiko Yabuta signing will be finalized at week's end.  Meanwhile nothing is imminent with Jose Guillen.
• Linked to this earlier in a D'Backs post...the Phils are in "serious talks" with Randy Wolf.  As I said there, that shouldn't stop them from going after a more reliable starter.
• Things are heating up between the Twins and Red Sox for Coco Crisp, but that's all Gordon Edes has for us on the topic.
• As expected, the market for Mike Cameron has picked up now that Torii Hunter signed.

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Odds and Ends: Glavine, Rowand, A-Rod Clark, LoDuca

Hi. I'm Joe. Tim is busy today, so I'll be filling in. You can send any tips right to my email. So onto a few morning tidbits.

• Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution hears that the Braves are "close" to a deal with

  Tom Glavine. His agent, Gregg Clifton, thinks "it's a good possibility" that a deal gets done today.

• Aaron Rowand's agent Craig Landis says that the "interest is definitely mutual" between his client and the Dodgers.
• Since I run a Yankees site, I suppose I can't finish an odds and ends post without a mention of Alex Rodriguez. Ed Price of the Star Ledger says that the soon-to-be MVP's deal is "intricate," and that we shouldn't expect a deal until "perhaps after Thanksgiving."
• The Twins are said to be interested in Tony Clark. Not quire sure adding another low-OBP bad in addition to Craig Monroe is very smart here. Plus, this would make Clark the de-facto DH, and we know he's looking for a starting gig.
• Mike Puma of the New York Post speculates that recently displaced Paul LoDuca could swap with Yorvit Torrealba and catch on as the Rockies' starter for 2008.

 

Joe Pawlikowski is a co-author of River Ave. Blues, a New York Yankees blog.

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Odds and Ends: Kuroda, Hunter, Crede

What'd I miss recently?  Here are some odds and ends.

• The Tigers have expressed interest in Hiroki Kuroda.  They join the Phillies, Mariners, Dodgers, Royals, Rangers, Cubs, and Mets in that pursuit.
• 10 teams are interested in Aaron Rowand!  That's almost 1/3 of all baseball teams!
• Torii Hunter is after a seven-year deal.  Most feel he's saying that because he wants six.  Clever!
• The Twins are taking a look at Tony Clark as a cheap DH option.  He's supposedly looking for something like two years, $4MM and more playing time.  This would be a very Twins-like signing. 
• T.R. Sullivan has a Rangers update.  Apparently Jon Daniels is checking in on big names like Johan Santana, Erik Bedard, and Miguel Cabrera.  More realistically Daniels may go out to Japan for players such as Kosuke Fukudome and Hiroki Kuroda (we knew that already).  We also knew the Rangers had Kerry Wood and Eric Gagne on their radar.  Sullivan speculates that Scott Linebrink and LaTroy Hawkins could also be in the mix.
• Barry Rozner expects Joe Crede to be traded. It seems like Crede is a Plan B or C for a lot of teams and Kenny Williams may have to wait til a few dominoes fall first. 

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Rosenthal's Latest: Cordero, Livan, Jenkins

Somehow, I missed a Ken Rosenthal column.  This thing is already 14 hours old.  I'm slipping.

• A Mystery Team has already made a four-year offer to Francisco Cordero.  We know the Brewers made an offer on Monday but Rosenthal may be referring to another club.
• Rosenthal suggests Scott Linebrink could be reunited with Bruce Bochy to become the Giants' closer.  It's known that the Astros already have an offer out to Linebrink.
• Teams interested in Geoff Jenkins: the Cubs, Padres, Giants, Rangers, and Royals.  Several of those are new to me.
• The Tigers' payroll is expected to exceed $115MM.  Time to head over to Cot's and do some math.  By my count the Tigers are around $105MM right now (includes some arbitration guesses).  That leaves room for one starting pitcher signing, be it Kenny Rogers, Carlos Silva, or whoever.
• The Cardinals, Astros, and Mets have their eye on Livan Hernandez.  Mets' management is divided on signing him, since he's a back-rotation guy.
• Rosenthal believes the Reds could shop Joey Votto or Josh Hamilton a year from now in hopes of acquiring starting pitching.
• Tony Clark is gaining in popularity as a cheap power source.  He might be looking at two years, $4MM plus more playing time.

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Odds and Ends: Clark, Izturis, Clemens

First day for teams to negotiate with free agents, always a good time.  Here are today's odds and ends.

• Jeff Blair notes that one athlete may still be better paid than Alex Rodriguez: Kimi Raikkonen, a Formula One driver, earns $51MM per year.  No need to debate on whether race car drivers should be considered athletes, I just thought it was interesting.
• The D'Backs don't figure to spend much on free agents, because they're a smart team. Tony Clark wants two years, $4MM, and the team is thinking it over.
• The Bucs will probably hold onto Jack Wilson this winter, as they're cutting Cesar Izturis loose rather than pay him $5.45MM.  The Cardinals have interest in Izturis, by the way.
• Confirming what we already knew: the Yankees will pursue Mike Lowell and Johan Santana.
• Marty York has a source saying the Blue Jays might pursue Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.  Say what?
• Doug Melvin isn't planning on moving Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun from third base unless the Brewers acquire another "legitimate, bona fide third baseman."
• Mark Gonzales notes that the White Sox tried to acquire Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel in 2006, implying that Kenny Williams might go after one of them now.  Linebrink is going to be a costly sign, as he's a Type A and I imagine the Brewers will offer him arbitration.
• Scott Gregor places odds on various center field possibilities for the White Sox.  He thinks they have a decent chance of trading for Coco Crisp.

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Latest D'Backs Rumors: Bonderman, Ervin Santana

Nick Piecoro has the scoop regarding all things Diamondbacks.  Let's dive in.

• It had slipped my mind that the D'Backs don't do incentive-laden contracts when I suggested they'd sign Randy Wolf. Bad prediction on my part.
• The team's best trade chip: outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.  The 22 year-old hit .286/.330/.476 in Double A last year, and has star potential.  Kevin Goldstein recently ranked Gonzalez third among corner outfield prospects behind Travis Snider and Chris Marrero.  Gonzalez could bring a coveted starter in a trade.  Carlos Quentin is also talked about as a trade candidate, but he needs to get healthy and hit a little first.
• Conor Jackson is also a trade candidate, more so if the D'Backs can sign Tony Clark.  They're thinking something close to the two years, $3.25 Matt Stairs received.  Meanwhile Clark's agent is thinking he could get a near full-time role elsewhere.
• Piecoro brings up the intriguing idea of shopping Jose Valverde.  He's getting pricey soon, and could be at peak value.  I like it.  A safer trade option from the team's strong pen is Juan Cruz.
• All these great young players to trade, but who to target?  Piecoro tantalizes by telling us Ervin Santana and even Jeremy Bonderman are in the D'Backs' sights.  Santana is known to be available for a bat.  Bonderman would be attractive to many teams if not for his late-season elbow woes.  He's signed through 2010.
• I could see the A's poking their head in on all of this, with Joe Blanton and even Dan Haren to offer.

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Odds and Ends: Lincecum, Wakefield, Schilling

More random rumors.  You know you love it.

• Tracy Ringolsby has some hot stove musings.  It's a fairly sloppy article with one new tidbit: "Tim Lincecum can be had for a quality bat."  Either Ringolsby is misinformed, or Brian Sabean has lost it.  Lincecum has Cy Young potential.
• A couple of Red Sox mainstays will stay for '08 - Tim Wakefield and Julian Tavarez.  Wake was a no-brainer at his perpetual $4MM, while Tavarez was debatable at $3.85MM.  Tavarez expected it to be declined, since the team left him off the World Series roster.
• The Ms will decide very soon whether to exercise Jose Guillen's $9MM option.  Even if they do, Guillen then can decline it and forfeit a buyout.  He most certainly will pass since he can get a two or three-year pact on the open market, mercurial nature and all.
• Re-signing Tony Clark is appearing more difficult than the D'Backs anticipated.
• Reliever Masahide Kobayashi filed for free agency and is interested in MLB offers.  He'd prefer to close but it's not a dealbreaker.
• The Cardinals contacted Curt Schilling today to express interest, apparently after hearing him on a St. Louis radio show.  Schilling has a minor update on his blog.  Also, he posted the recruiting letter the Red Sox sent to him in 2003.
• Scott Boras client Eric Gagne may return to the Rangers; there's mutual interest according to Evan Grant.
• Buster Olney points out that Jorge Posada could finish his next contract as the Yankees' DH, and would probably thrive in that role. 
• Don Burke speculates that Tom Glavine might be interested in finishing his career in Boston.

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Odds and Ends: Abreu, Beckett, Helton, Schilling

Friday afternoon rumor tidbits...

• The Indians will probably let Kenny Lofton leave while exercising Joe Borowski's $4MM option.  No big surprise there.
• Nor is it a surprise that the Yankees are heavily leaning towards exercising Bobby Abreu's $16MM option.
• From the what might've been department: Red Sox owner John Henry was in favor of signing A.J. Burnett instead of trading for Josh Beckett.  One could make a solid argument that the Red Sox would be better off if Henry had gotten his wish.  Beckett and Julio Lugo combined for 8.6 wins at $14MM this year while Burnett and Hanley Ramirez combined for 14.8 wins at $12.4MM (according to WARP).
• From that same department - Tom Gage notes that the Tigers once nearly acquired Todd Helton for Tony Clark.  There were many Clark rumors from 1999-2001 before the Red Sox claimed him off waivers.  I heard Buck and McCarver talking recently about how Helton is not a product of his home park.  For the record Helton has hit .368/.474/.668 at home in his career and .304/.409/.515 on the road.  He probably belongs in the Hall but it would be a lot tighter if his career OPS was .924 instead of 1.014.
• Nick Cafardo makes his case for the Red Sox to re-sign Curt Schilling.
• A scouting look at Hiroki Kuroda, plus other Japanese pitchers who may come over (hat tip to MetsBlog).  Jason Churchill estimates a three-year deal for Kuroda at $9-11MM per.
• How would you like to face a 125 mph fastball?

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