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Archives for October 2008

Dallas Morning News: Jon Daniels Q&A

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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 option for ’09.
  • Daniels sees a "good possibility" of making a trade involving one of his four young catchers, but adds that it depends on the market.  Daniels wouldn’t be opposed to trading both Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia in separate deals.  He also admitted that the Red Sox inquired about catching. 
  • Daniels will attempt to improve the bullpen via free agency this winter.

Marlins Will Discuss Jacobs, Olsen, Gregg

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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 abnormally low batting average on balls in play.  Lastly, his average fastball velocity dropped two miles per hour (now a touch below 88). 

Odds and Ends: Yankees, Pena, Epstein

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Let’s round ’em up for Friday…

Ringolsby’s Latest: Fuentes, Atkins, Holliday

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Let’s take a look at the latest column from Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News.

  • Rockies "closer of the future" Casey Weathers will miss the ’09 season due to elbow surgery.  However, the Rox are still not likely to re-sign Brian Fuentes.  Joel Sherman expects Fuentes to sign for three years, $36-39MM.  Brad Lidge signed for three years, $37.5MM in July, but that was not on the open market.  The Mets will be in on Fuentes.
  • The Rockies are expected to trade one of Garrett Atkins or Matt Holliday this winter.  The Phillies will inquire on both (they tried to acquire Holliday this summer).  Ringolsby says the Red Sox have discussed Holliday internally and considers the Angels a match for Atkins.  The Red Sox, however, are set at the corners with Jason Bay and J.D. Drew.
  • Brothers Jayson and Laynce Nix are both free agents.  Jayson, 26, hit .303/.373/.591 in Triple A.  Laynce, 28, hit .284/.348/.539.  Jayson plays second base, Laynce plays outfield.

Lowe Too Pricey For Red Sox?

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Accordig to Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald, Derek Lowe’s strong finish to the 2008 season may have priced him out of the Red Sox’s range.  McAdam believes Lowe will sign for $14-15MM a year over three or four years.  He suggests the Red Sox would’ve been more open to the idea at $10MM or so.  The Red Sox are believed to be Lowe’s preferred destination, but Nick Cafardo says a dozen other teams are interested (the Mets among them).

Lowe, a Boras client, was never getting paid less than Carlos Silva on the open market.  Silva, a far inferior pitcher, has a $12MM average annual salary.  I imagine that once the bar for Jon Garland/Carlos Silva level mediocrity is raised again this year, Lowe will find himself more in the $16-18MM range.  And Boras should be able to get that fourth year guaranteed.  The Red Sox could handle that.

Rockies Talking With Glendon Rusch

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According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies have begun preliminary discussions with free agent-eligible pitcher Glendon Rusch.

Rusch, 34 in November, posted a 5.16 ERA in 83.2 innings with the Padres and Rockies this year.  His peripheral numbers were respectable, and he held lefties to a .257/.261/.376 line.  Rusch missed all of the ’07 season due to a blood clot in his lung.

Mets Eyeing Lowe, Fuentes

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post talked to an NL executive who has spoken to Mets officials.  That official says the Mets plan to pursue free agent pitchers Derek Lowe and Brian Fuentes this winter.  Sherman believes they will check in on C.C. Sabathia and Francisco Rodriguez, but won’t be willing to match their prices.

Lowe and Fuentes would fill two of the Mets’ three offseason needs for roughly $30MM in ’09 salary.  That could be all of the available money, unless the Mets backload the contracts, raise payroll, or shed salary via trades.  Left field would be the team’s remaining question mark.

Davidoff’s Latest: Mussina, K-Rod, Manny

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Ken Davidoff of Newsday has some new hot stove info in a blog post.

  • Davidoff would be shocked if Mike Mussina does not retire.  He expects a news conference after the World Series, and gives a 1% margin of error for his prediction.  Bold prediction; Buster Olney felt differently in his blog a week ago.  Yankees beat writer Peter Abraham agrees with Davidoff that Mussina will retire.
  • The Mets apparently do not believe Francisco Rodriguez is worth his asking price.  They’re also not intending to pursue Manny Ramirez.  Not exciting news for fans, but Omar Minaya can’t acquire players based on media or fan pressure.

Jake Peavy Rumors: Thursday

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2:05pm: Braves GM Frank Wren spoke to the AP today about the Peavy rumors.  He still says the Braves will not trade their top prospects.  He notes that much of the talk lately is based on questionable speculation by rival executives.

12:27am: Let’s kick things off with the freshest Jake Peavy rumors.

  • Dan Hayes of the North County Times says "as many as 14 clubs" inquired about Peavy so far, with some teams taking an aggressive approach.  Barry Axelrod and Kevin Towers want to slow things down now, have some meetings.  A trade will not be announced during the World Series and is not likely until the November 3-6 GM meetings at the earliest.  Axelrod and Towers again suggested Peavy could stay in San Diego.
  • Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says at least three Padres scouts watched Braves pitching prospect Tommy Hanson in the Arizona Fall League recently.
  • J.C. Bradbury explains that the only team that benefits from Peavy’s below-market contract is the Padres.  Is it too early in the morning for econ?
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak "all but dismissed" the idea of being in the mix for Peavy.  They have their ’08 rotation locked in, pending Chris Carpenter’s health.  They’ve already got more than $32MM committed to the current group of starters.
  • ESPN’s Keith Law does not feel that a package of Tommy Hanson, Jordan Schafer, and one of Kelly Johnson/Yunel Escobar is a reasonable expectation for Peavy.

Massarotti On The Red Sox

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Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe takes a look at the upcoming offseason for the Red Sox.

Massarotti says the Sox have had internal discussions about Mark Teixeira, which is not a surprise.  The Red Sox definitely have the money for him.  Signing Tex would necessitate trading Mike Lowell and moving Kevin Youkilis to third base.    Lowell is owed $24MM over the next two years, and he has no-trade protection.  He had hip surgery recently and is expected to be ready for spring training.  My guess at possible suitors: the White Sox, Indians, Twins, Angels, Brewers, Reds, Dodgers, and Giants.

I thought the Sox would be players for C.C. Sabathia, but Massarotti suggests that is unlikely.  He says Boston officials have concerns about Sabathia’s long-term durability.  Massarotti does not see the Red Sox as players for any big name starter.

One other note: the Sox have yet to discuss an extension with Jason Bay’s agent.

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