Jayson Stark’s Latest

Jayson Stark has a new column up today with several interesting notes.

• Rafael Furcal may be willing to begin talks about an extension with the Dodgers and forgo testing the free agency waters at the end of this season. Furcal is making $13MM this season and is still owed an additional $4MM after the season. This would be a good time for Furcal to engage in negotiations considering he has an OPS of 1.045.
• Stark notes that the Brewers made a very serious push for Julian Tavarez this past week, but may be willing to settle for Jeff Weaver, who is in AAA.
• The Sox apparently also made Javier Lopez and David Aardsma available last week and several teams expressed interest. Starks states that the Sox would have been willing to move Tavarez or Aardsma, but not both. The asking price of a prospect or a left-handed reliever was apparently too high.
• Stark says to look for Julio Lugo to be dealt in the off-season, not before.
• One anonymous executive says that the Padres are a good candidate to start selling off pieces, sooner rather than later.
• Stark is hearing rumors that the D-Backs will try to trade Chad Tracy once he is healthy.
• One scouting director thinks the bidding for 16-year old pitcher, Michel Inoa, from the Dominican Republic, could reach $6MM, with the Yankees and the Mariners most willing to open the wallets.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.