Odds and Ends: LaCava, Colletti, Andruw
Links for Wednesday…
- I did a Q&A with the Roselle Press. The article includes a sweet picture of me hacking the Internet.
- Greg Cote of the Miami Herald speculates on the new-look 2009 Marlins. If defense is a goal, they could look to acquire Adrian Beltre and try Jorge Cantu at first base. Randy Winn could improve the defense in right.
- John Fay runs through the Reds’ nine free agents. He believes Jerry Hairston Jr. wants to return.
- Brian Cashman wants to acquire a real first baseman, rather than have Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui spend time there.
- The Mariners received permission to interview Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, according to Geoff Baker.
- It’s still not known whether the Dodgers will bring GM Ned Colletti back for the final year of his contract. Interesting note from ESPN’s Buster Olney – the Andruw Jones signing was engineered by owner Frank McCourt rather than Colletti.
- Olney feels Brian Cashman is more likely to pursue Derek Lowe than Mark Teixeira.
- Will Joe Girardi’s presence discourage free agents from signing with the Yankees?
- McCovey Chronicles sees the Giants trading for a second or third baseman this winter. I tossed out a bunch of names in my Offseason Outlook.
- Pedro Alvarez clammed up when asked precisely what time he accepted the original deal from the Pirates.
- MetsBlog tries to figure out whether Ryan Church loves or hates New York.
- Oliver Perez predicts a tough offseason following the Mets’ final-day elimination. On the bright side, he stands to earn a ridiculous amount of money as a free agent.
Padres Rumors: Greene, Team Needs
New Padres articles over at the San Diego Union-Tribune and MLB.com…
- The Padres filed a grievance against Khalil Greene based on his self-inflicted broken hand bone. They may seek to recover over $1MM. The Padres must be really tight on cash, as I’ve never heard of a team doing this (especially against a player under contract). Greene is owed $6.5MM in ’09.
- GM Kevin Towers admitted payroll may be lower than $58MM in 2009. Towers will surf the trade market for a veteran backup catcher and perhaps a reliever.
Olney: Young Starters On Trade Market
ESPN’s Buster Olney names three young starting pitchers who might be available this winter: Jake Peavy, Zack Greinke, Matt Cain, and Edwin Jackson.
Peavy is 27; his trade value is off the charts. He’s under contract for the next four seasons at a below-market $59MM total. In 2013, his $22MM club option could be seen as a discount as well – remember when A.J. Burnett at $11MM a year was crazy? The A’s received a six-prospect bounty for three years of Dan Haren; Peavy suitors will have to top that. Peavy will also need to be compensated to waive his no-trade clause.
Greinke would require a package of players rivaling return the Orioles received for Erik Bedard. Middle infield, catcher, and center field could be areas the Royals look to address.
It’d be three years of Cain, so put his price somewhere between Greinke and Peavy. Jackson is also under team control for three years, but he’d be the easiest to acquire of the four.
How To Fix The Mets
I will offer my own opinions on how to improve the Mets in the Offseason Outlook, due within a few weeks. Many journalists have already weighed in – let’s take a look.
- Newly added bullet: John Harper of the New York Daily News. He advises the Mets to decline Delgado’s option while signing Orlando Hudson, Raul Ibanez, and Derek Lowe and trading for J.J. Putz. Say goodbye to Castillo, Perez, and Martinez in this plan.
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday: Sign free agents Francisco Rodriguez, Darren Oliver, Juan Rivera, Fernando Tatis, and Wes Helms. Also sign one of Jon Garland, Derek Lowe, or Oliver Perez. Exercise Carlos Delgado‘s $12MM option. Trade/release Aaron Heilman, Duaner Sanchez, Scott Schoeneweis, and Luis Castillo.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post: Sign C.C. Sabathia, even if it takes $150MM over six years. Sherman notes this would lessen the load on the bullpen (Sabathia averaged 7.23 innings per start in ’08). I prefer this plan to spending $100MM on K-Rod and a mid-tier starter.
- Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog: Buy Delgado out for $4MM rather than exercise his $12MM option. Interesting, unconventional thought by Cerrone. Cerrone, like Davidoff, finds the idea of trading David Wright or Jose Reyes to be misguided.
Possible Manny Destinations
Manny Ramirez ranked fourth in all of baseball with a .430 OBP, and second with a .601 SLG. This makes him a very attractive free agent, and he won’t require the massive term of a Mark Teixeira. However it’s possible questions about Ramirez’s Boston departure will limit suitors.
Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire tried to determine possible destinations for Manny next year, talking to an MLB manager, a leading agent, and a national baseball writer. The results of this survey:
- All three mentioned the Mets. On Monday, SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote the Mets appear "disinclined" to go after Ramirez. Yesterday, however, Heyman said on WFAN that Manny was a "real option" and the Mets are "thinking about it."
- The agent named the Giants and Phillies as other possibilities. The Phils had interest in Manny this summer, but didn’t make the best offer. They could give Pat Burrell‘s money to Ramirez, but it could cost an additional $10MM. Meanwhile Giants GM Brian Sabean says Fred Lewis is his left fielder.
- The agent and the writer both expect the Dodgers to make a play to re-sign Ramirez. GM Ned Colletti says he’ll give it a shot, but will the Dodgers pay top dollar? Question for commenters – can you think of any other reasonable destinations for Ramirez?