Twins Rumors: Nishioka, Pavano, Morneau, Bullpen
As I get ready to settle in for more overnight coverage for our around-the-clock coverage of the 2010 Winter Meetings, here's some Twins info for you fellow creatures of the night, courtesy of the Minneapolis Star Tribune's La Velle E. Neal III:
- It will be up to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire whether or not Tsuyoshi Nishioka will play second base or shortstop if the Twins sign the Japanese batting champ. That decision, of course, will likely impact the club's plans for J.J. Hardy, who is known to be on the trading block. Earlier tonight we learned that the Twins offered Nishioka a multiyear deal.
- Twins GM Bill Smith wouldn't rule out the possibility of Hardy, Nishioka, and Alexi Casilla all being on the roster in 2011, but remember that Gardenhire did voice a desire for more speed (which Casilla has and Hardy does not).
- Neal wonders if the Twins would pursue Joel Hanrahan in a potential Hardy deal with Pittsburgh. It's a logical target, but we heard earlier today that any return for Hanrahan or Evan Meek would need to be "very significant." One year of Hardy doesn't fit that bill if you ask me.
- Smith told Neal that he doesn't think the ship on Carl Pavano has sailed. Pavano and agent Tom O'Connell are in no hurry to sign, though Neal mentions that Twins Assistant GM Rob Antony was supposed to meet with O'Connell today.
- Justin Morneau's doctor doesn't think there's any doubt that he'll be ready to take the field in Spring Training. Morneau was enjoying perhaps the best season in all of MLB prior to suffering a concussion just before the All-Star Break.
- Another injured Twins All-Star, Joe Nathan, is making strong progress in his return. The Twins tendered Matt Capps a contract this past week, likely as insurance for the ninth inning should Nathan not be ready early on in 2011. Even with a healthy Nathan, Minnesota's bullpen needs some work, as four of their relievers are hitting free agency.
- Neal doesn't think the Twins have a chance to bring back Jesse Crain or Matt Guerrier in 2011. Both relievers have been connected to multiple teams. Neither will cost a draft pick to sign.
- Neal heard that the Twins have some interest in Sean White, though he cautions that he's checking to see if that rumor is still current.
Paul Konerko Rumors: Monday
Paul Konerko led all free agents with 39 home runs in 2010. The White Sox are considered the favorites, but the Rangers and Orioles are also in the mix. Here's the latest on the first baseman:
- Talks between Konerko and the White Sox seem to be going well, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). Konerko will likely get $12.5MM per season, potentially for three years.
- The White Sox are awaiting a response from Konerko and agent Craig Landis, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- The White Sox will continue to have conversations with Konerko's representatives, according to Scott Reifert of the White Sox (on Twitter). GM Kenny Williams is neither optimistic nor pessimistic about reaching a deal.
- White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, asked if he expects to sign Konerko by week's end, replied, "I hope so." He also said Konerko "belongs in Chicago." Jon Paul Morosi reported the quotes on Twitter.
- Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers "had extended talks" with Konerko, reports Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports. However, ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the D'Backs have had "virtually no dialogue with Konerko." Konerko lives in the Phoenix area during the offseason. Arizona's first round pick is protected, so they'd give up their second rounder to sign him. The supplementary round is especially large this year, so second round picks will be pretty far down.
M’s Interested In Harden, Zaun, Chavez, Matsui, Cust
11:16pm: The Mariners are also interested in Rich Harden, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
5:28pm: The Mariners are interested in a number of free agents, including two players whose 2010 seasons ended prematurely because of injury. Gregg Zaun, who is on the Cardinals' radar, has caught the Mariners' attention. The team will meet with his agents tonight or tomorrow, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times (on Twitter).
Like Zaun, Eric Chavez spent much of the 2010 season on the disabled list. The Mariners have checked in on the longtime Athletic, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).
In addition to Zaun and Chavez, the Mariners are interested in Hideki Matsui and Jack Cust as DH options, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Dodgers Rumors: Padilla, Broxton, Diaz, Accardo
10:50pm: The Dodgers are in talks to re-sign Padilla, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
4:00pm: The Dodgers are willing to listen to offers for Broxton, according to Scott Miller of CBS Sports.
11:42am: The Dodgers hope to add two relievers, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark, with Vicente Padilla one of them. He says some teams wonder if they'd be willing to move Jonathan Broxton if they add the right arms. The Dodgers have previously been linked to Jesse Crain, Jason Frasor, and Matt Guerrier.
10:14am: The Dodgers are interested in recently non-tendered players Matt Diaz and Jeremy Accardo, reports MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.
Diaz, 33 in March, could serve as a platoon partner for Jay Gibbons in left field. The Phillies, Astros, and Yankees are other potential suitors for him. Accardo, meanwhile, hasn't pitched extensively in the Majors since '07.
Cliff Lee Rumors: Monday
Cliff Lee's agent Darek Braunecker held court today at the Winter Meetings, but didn't say much. The latest on the lefty:
- The Rangers are waiting on Lee before moving on to other top free agent targets, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com, who suggests (on Twitter) that the market for Lee is heating up tonight.
- Seven years is a "dealbreaker" for the Yankees, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who suggests the team would offer six years (Twitter link). Newsday's Ken Davidoff says the Yankees will likely offer a six-year deal.
- The Yankees don't plan to offer Lee a seven-year deal, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter).
- Lee will receive a seven-year offer, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. At least one club has suggested they’re willing to offer a seven-year deal.
- MLB "bigwigs" tell Newsday's Ken Davidoff that they expect Lee to sign a six-year deal (Twitter link)
- Braunecker met with the Yankees today, but the sides did not discuss money, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
- The Rangers were planning to offer Lee a four-year deal, but may have to change their plans, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- Nats GM Mike Rizzo told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he spoke to agent Darek Braunecker recently (Twitter link).
- The Phillies are considering bringing back Lee, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- Asked about the Red Sox, Braunecker told WEEI's Rob Bradford, "We've talked."
- The Yankees are expected to meet with Braunecker again today, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- Braunecker says they have visited with "significantly more clubs" than just the Yankees and Rangers, tweets MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Braunecker is in the process of setting up meetings.
Red Sox Interested In Magglio Ordonez
The Red Sox are interested in Magglio Ordonez, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. The free agent outfielder bats right-handed, a plus for the Red Sox. GM Theo Epstein told reporters that he’s inclined to pursue a complementary right-handed hitter this offseason, and while Ordonez is no complementary player, he could be a fit for the Red Sox in left field.
Two months ago, Ordonez expressed optimism about re-signing in Detroit. The Tigers may add a corner outfielder and the Scott Boras client could be a fit in Jim Leyland's lineup once again. Before fracturing his right ankle last July, the 36-year-old batted .303/.378/.474 in 365 plate appearances.
A’s Do Not Reach Deal With Iwakuma
9:32pm: The A's announced they were unable to reach an agreement with Iwakuma and his representatives.
5:20pm: It would be a surprise if the A's reach a deal with Iwakuma, Billy Beane told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link).
3:53pm: There has been no movement between the A's and Iwakuma today, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The deadline for a deal is just over seven hours away.
9:19am: The Athletics and Iwakuma are still talking today, tweets Slusser. There is a report out of Japan suggesting Iwakuma will return to the Rakuten Golden Eagles, with a press conference due Wednesday.
MONDAY, 12:00am: Slusser hears (Twitter link) that Iwakuma would be able to take his physical after the negotiating deadline, with any agreement being nullified should he fail the physical. As such, talks could continue into Monday.
SUNDAY, 8:46pm: The deal with Iwakuma appears to be dead, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The 29-year-old would need to be in the Bay Area tomorrow for a physical and he is still in Japan. If a deal is not reached, Oakland will be refunded the $19MM posting fee.
9:05am: With less than 24 hours left to reach an agreement, negotiations between Hisashi Iwakuma and the Athletics are "not looking good," tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. While Oakland's window doesn't officially close at midnight tonight, Slusser explains that an agreement must be reached by then to allow time for a physical (Twitter link).
After the Athletics posted the winning bid for Iwakuma, earning the rights to negotiate with right-hander, it appeared the two sides were far apart, with discussions reaching an impasse. While talks have continued since that point, it seems likely that no agreement will be reached and the A's will have their posting fee returned. As for Iwakuma, one source in Japan who spoke to Slusser thinks that remaining in Japan could be the best outcome for the 29-year-old anyway (Twitter link).
Minor Deals: Adams, Ryan, Bass, Santos
We've seen our share of major moves since yesterday, but the minor deals keep streaming in, too. Here they are:
- The Mets signed Russ Adams and Dusty Ryan to minor league contracts, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. The Blue Jays made Adams their first round pick in 2002, but he disappointed in parts of five seasons in Toronto, batting .247/.313/.372. The Blue Jays drafted Adams as a shortstop, but he has big league experience at second base and in left field. Ryan, 26, batted .199/.333/.349 for the Padres' Triple-A affiliate in 2010. He had cameos with the Tigers in 2008 and 2009.
- Oddly enough, the Tigers signed a former Mets backstop today. MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that Detroit added Omir Santos on a minor league deal (Twitter link). The 29-year-old last appeared in the majors on the 2009 Mets.
- The Phillies signed right-hander Brian Bass, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). The 28-year-old has a 5.16 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 183 major league innings.
Nationals, Rangers Interested In Jeff Francis
The Nationals and Rangers have checked in on Jeff Francis, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Previous reports have linked the lefty to the Rockies, Pirates, Mariners, Brewers, Astros and Mets. However, the Mets appear to be more serious about Chris Young than Francis.
A number of the clubs above have been linked to another pitcher who has dealt with shoulder injuries, Brandon Webb. Francis, 30 in January, posted a 5.00 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 104 1/3 innings for the Rockies in 2010.
Red Sox Notes: Buchholz, Gonzalez, Ellsbury, Okajima
Here's the latest on the Red Sox, including some continued fallout from the blockbuster Adrian Gonzalez deal…
- The Red Sox are interested in adding a complementary right-handed bat, GM Theo Epstein tells Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
- The Red Sox have offered Taylor Buchholz a minor league deal and are one of 12 teams to express interest in the right-hander, according to Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal.
- Felix Doubront, Jed Lowrie, and Jacoby Ellsbury's names were all discussed in the Boston/San Diego trade talks, says John Tomase of the Boston Herald. Ellsbury was the only one that drew much interest from the Padres, but they decided against him since Ellsbury's forthcoming arbitration raise would make him too expensive and a trade candidate himself in the near future.
- Also from Tomase, both Chicago teams were "finalists" for Gonzalez and were offering at least one major league player in their trade packages. Ultimately, San Diego decided that it preferred the prospects in Boston's offer.
- John Boggs, Gonzalez's agent, talks to WEEI.com's D.J. Bean about the contract extension negotiations that nearly held up the trade on the weekend. "We’re not working in a spirit to get [the Red Sox] by the jugular or squeeze every nickel, or set a precedent-setting deal," Boggs said.
- The agent for Hideki Okajima tells ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes (Twitter link) that he will talk with the Red Sox "soon," though there has been "pretty strong" interest in Okajima from some other clubs.
- It's not often the Red Sox are priced out of a signing, but FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says Jayson Werth's contract with Washington may have made Carl Crawford too expensive for Boston's liking, especially since the Sox now have to fit a Gonzalez extension ("the parameters" for which are $154MM over seven years) into their budget. The Red Sox may instead focus on acquiring relievers or finding a cheaper outfield option, like trading for Josh Willingham.
- Adrian Beltre's asking price is $85MM over five years, Rosenthal reports. Boston would be interested in re-signing the third baseman if "the market for Beltre collasped," but the plan is to play Kevin Youkilis at third with Gonzalez taking over at first. Rosenthal says the Red Sox aren't considering moving Youkilis to left field to make room for Beltre.