Owner Chuck Greenberg and the Rangers were slower to offer Cliff Lee a competitive deal than other interested clubs, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Lee's camp wanted to keep the Rangers involved in the bidding, though they started with a 'lowball' offer before offering $100MM and, eventually, even more. The Rangers justified their lower offers by pointing out that Texas has no state income tax, but Lee asked around and determined that he wouldn't save that much, since he lives in Arkansas.
Talks between Lee and the Phillies broke off twice before the sides reached an agreement. If the Phillies hadn't completed the deal, the Yankees would have been seen as the favorites to sign the lefty, according to Heyman. Here are the rest of his rumors:
- One GM says Orlando Cabrera isn't being reasonable. "I don't think he gets the position he's in," the GM said, alluding to the lack of job openings remaining for the shortstop.
- The Rangers didn't show serious interest in Vernon Wells, according to Heyman.
- Executives around the game believe that Albert Pujols will sign an extension with the Cardinals. If the sides don't reach a deal by Spring Training, Pujols will be a free agent after the season, in which case the Cubs may be "best positioned" to pursue him, in the opinion of one executive.
- The Angels are still interested in signing or trading for a leadoff hitter. Scott Podsednik is out there, and could be a fit in L.A.
- One executive believes the Rangers will lose to Josh Hamilton if the sides go to an arbitration hearing. Heyman hears that the Rangers won't bring up Hamilton's history of substance abuse in a hearing. Keep track of all the remaining arbitration cases using our Arb Tracker.
Would really loved some new Pujols news, although I understand there isn’t any new info. Really, there is no need to keep posting the same things over and over again about him!
I don’t know, my sources are telling me the Pirates are in pretty good shape to make a run at Pujols next off season.
It’d be pretty sweet if the Nationals made a run at him.
-wtk
I would love that for baseball.
or totally suck for nl east
The one executive that says the Cubs are in the best position to pursue Pujols is the the Cubs executive.
The Cubs? The Mariners need a 1st baseman and are owned by Nintendo, he can DH in the twilight of his career in Seattle.
The Mariners have Justin Smoak. I don’t think they’re going to give up on him to spend 30 million a year on Pujols.
You’re serious, aren’t you?
Is there a reason that I shouldn’t be?
If they had the money, there isn’t a team in baseball that would pass up on Albert Pujols in favor of a prospect.
I mean, if Smoak actually performs in 2011, and hits say, .280/.370/.480, maybe the decision becomes a bit more difficult. But if that happens, sign Pujols anyway and trade Smoak to whoever misses out on Pujols.
That would make sense if Albert Pujols would make the Mariners a contender, but he won’t. I would much rather give Smoak a few years to develop, and spend the money elsewhere. The Mariners need more help than one player.
I understand what you’re talking about though. But after watching the majority of all the M’s games last year, I don’t think signing Pujols would make them a contending team.
Uh, but Pujols wants a long term (7-10 year) deal to sign. Expect a man his age and body shape to be a DH for a good chunk of that deal, so what’s the benefit except a few years at 1B? Pujols is in every likelihood going to be the next Vlad or Carlos Lee. He’ll knock the cover off the ball, but don’t expect him to play the field everyday–or like Lee–play it well.
You cannot seriously be comparing Pujols to Vlad or Lee.
No
Yah, because Pujols wants to go play for the Mariners.. Life long dream of his!
No, that’s Johnny Damon’s dream for next season.
I think Pujols would rather play 1b for Nintendo.
I thought the ms were just owns by a milti billionair
Whaoooooooooooo
I don’t think a heavy hitter in Pujols would want to play in a pitcher friendly ballpark.
didnt the cubs sign Carlos Pena
1 year br4h
Yes but 4 only 1year
thanks for translation
Pujols doesn’t like to DH. He doesn’t even like to do it during interleague play. He says if he’s going to be in the game, he wants to play in the field as well.
The reason the Cubs are in good position is because they have lots of money available this offseason and aren’t much of a move from St. Louis. I highly doubt the Cubs, or anyone other than St. Louis, will have Pujols on the roster next season, but if it isn’t the Cards, it’ll be the Cubs.
This comment just shows you know nothing about Albert Pujols the man and should probably not comment about him in the future.
because you’re best friends with him, right?
no he’s read multiple articles about him and even bought his rookie card from kid down the street. that makes him pretty close
I know you are lying! Pujols never had a rookie season. Rookies struggle in the majors. He came in a seasoned vet! (or at least thats what he numbers tend to show!)
im not sure the guy was even born , just spawned an allstar or created like machine
+1
opinions are like a holes everybody got one , thats what this sight is for
This comment just shows you know nothing about professional athletes’ rich history of being mercenaries and should probably not comment about free agents in the future.
ouch move to the rivals , slap in the face st louis , not even the cardinal fans would be able to get over that one
We got over it when Edmonds did it and he was beloved here as well. In fact, he is one of the only players I’ve ever seen to getting a standing ovation at Busch while wearing the Cubs uniform.
Now if Pujols were to pass up a great offer by the Cardinals to sign with the cubs, that would be different.
Not so sure about that. Pujols wants to win. That’s his top priority. Cubs are not winners. Also, I seem to recall Pujols saying once that he doesn’t like all the day games in Chicago.
i thought you let edmonds go ,but yeah cards fans are great
Edmonds didn’t mean as much as Pujols does.
yeah thats what im saying , check out early post
Sorry about that
its all good , sometimes when you write stuff on here its gets moved around when other people join in and atleast you didnt fly off the handle and call me an idiot like many would do on this website
Hope it is the cubs. That would b awesome.
Why would the Angels bring in yet another OF? Makes zero sense.
Bourjos isn’t major league ready. Brilliant defensively, but boy can’t hit his way out of a paper bag yet. So if Pods is in LF, then Wells and Hunter can take CF and LF. Abreu can spell them defensively (and I use that word loosely in his case) and DH.
When will he be? It’s his time – not everyone lights up their first 193 PAs but the kid should be fine. Wells and Hunter belong at the corners, doesn’t make sense to go after a stop-gap in CF. He’s not Brandon Wood.
Nope, Angels should just rattle Bourjos between MLB and AAA like they did with Wood. That worked wonders for him.
Bourjous IS ready. For his first year, Bourjous hit a pretty decent 6 homers and drove in 15 runs. Sure he barely stayed over the mendoza line, but his defense itself is a huge plus, and if 6 bombs and 15 rbis in 190-something at-bats is Bourjous’ starting point, WATCH OUT! He can only improve, and he has proven he can hit minor league pitching, so the only way for him to improve is giving him at-bats at the MAJOR league level.
Texas can kiss Hamilton goodbye if they bring up his past at an arb. hearing. It would be foolish and very childish. Hopefully Heyman heard correctly.
It won’t go to arbitration. The Rangers and Josh Hamilton are close to agreeing on a multiyear extension via Jamey Newberg on twitter.
Alright, just saying. For it to even be brought up is sad.
It would be, but the Rangers never said they would bring it up, only the writers…
Yeah, that’s true. But why would the writers be hearing it won’t be brought up. Seems to me that there was a good reason they thought it’d be brought up. Regardless, we may never know but it’s worth wondering.
Because writers will be writers. They speculate the dumbest things. Just like writers such as Ken Rosenthal keeps suggesting that M. Young will be traded after the Rangers have said a countless amount of times he won’t be.
yeah, because drug addicts have supper low recidivism rates; so everyone else in the world has to answer for their past except for pro athletes? Negotiations involve risk assesment, If the Rangers don’t weigh that internaly, they are pathetic business men; if they weigh it publicaly they are considered unethical. It’s not as cut and dry as you make it out to be.
I’m not stating I condone his past. Hamilton has been punished already for what he has done. He has been suspended by MLB multiple times. He’s clean now. What he did in the past will not have any barring on what he makes in terms of money in the future. With that being said, the Rangers would be doing themselves a diservice by straining a relationship between them and the teams best player.
It’s not about punishment, or passing judgement, it’s about the fact that it is legitimate concern when considering performance liabilities. Thats like saying it’s tasteless to bring a players health in negotiations. you’ve changed your rationale over all your posts, so I ask, what is the real basis of your objection? “what he did in the past” absolutely has complete barring on his future salary, in every way; his on field performance, his health, his conduct off the field. I think the handling of him with kid gloves has to do with the negotiation process and trying to keep him happy for the purpose of bargining, they have no moral obligation to tip-toe around his indiscretions especialy when drug addiction is considered an illness by modern medicine and should be as subject in considering his health as anything else that no one seems to have a ethical problem with.
Why would Albert leave the cardinals and go to a team that is WORSE than the cardinals…
If he’s going to leave its going to be about winning, not money. He doesn’t have to pick one or the other… he’s good enough that he can demand a chance to win and money
If he’s looking at a 7-10 year deal, he’s foolish to look at the records from the past couple seasons.
I don’t expect him to leave, but if you’re Chicago, here’s your argument: “Look Albert. We have a few bad contracts coming off the books in Zambrano and Soriano. We’re going to have ALOT of money to put talent around you in the very near future. St. Louis just can’t compete with our spending. It’s you, Holliday, and Wainwright there. If you come to Chicago, you might lose more games in 2012. But you’ll have a better chance of winning more 2014-2020.”
Well thats a perfectly valid argument, if it wasn’t about the cubs… what aspect of their front office will lead albert in to thinking they won’t continue to make mistakes.. Why would he take that chance, and get stuck on a team that surrounds him bad contracts instead of good players
Right – that’s the Cards rebuttal.
However, if you’re the Cubs, you just fall back on the fact St. Louis is going to have a serious problem putting a team together when they’re paying Holliday + Pujols + Wainwright.
IMHO, the Pujols contract is a gamble. Even the Yankees would have trouble sustaining a $30M/yr bust. And Pujols is one blown elbow away from becoming an absolute albatross. Perhaps it’s my conservative approach, but I’m never a fan of putting so many eggs in one basket. And definitely not paying a guy perennial-MVP money, when nobody (not even Pujols) can possibly meet those standards. Look at it this way – if Pujols hits .330/.410/.610 every year, he’ll earn $30M a year. What are the chances he can actually maintain that kind of line? The contract will NEVER look team-friendly. I prefer contracts that at least have a chance of looking team-friendly.
Good point. He should come to chicgo
Tru but the cubs will b a lot better this year
The exec that thinks the Cubs will sign Pujols should look into retiring soon because he’s gone senile.
he didn’t say he thought that, they all thought that he’d stay in St. Louis. But if STL can’t keep him, yes, the Cubs would be in the best position to sign him.
Considering how much money they have available next season, and that the Yankees, Phillies, Tigers, etc. all have big-name 1B signed.
The Tigers are an interesting team. They could try to flip Cabrera for a big package and still make a run at Pujols. You’d have to be 99.99% sure he’d be hitting free agency, though.
Yeah the difference between Cabrera and Pujols is surely what’s holding Detroit back.
It was simply in reply to what he said. I wasn’t saying Detroit is being held back because they have Cabrera instead of Pujols, so stop putting words in peoples mouths. I said it to begin with because for 2 years now he’s been rumored to be on the block.
Could, but regardless, people are acting like the Cubs are an insane pick, when really, they have a bunch of money to spend next off-season and are no stranger to spending. They probably have more money available next off-season than Detroit even.
They also could trade Cabrera after getting Pujols though, to be safer.
I like Cabrera during the next 10 years over Pujols.
May I ask why? Just curious.
Cabrera is younger, and has a pretty “reasonable” contract and is just now entering the prime of his career. Cabrera is nowhere near the defender Pujols is, but their offensive output is going to be eerily similar, and lets face it, 1st base is where you put guys that can’t field worth a damn but hit too well to keep off the field, so does defense at 1st really matter that much?
He’s nuts
R u nuts
Good point
Why is there still news about Cliff Lee?
Sportswriters have nothing else to say.
someone spit on his wife!
Just to remind everyone that he signed with the Phillies
If they put howard in left and Albert at first they would be indistructable
O-Cab can’t seriously think he’s going to start somewhere aside from a place like Pittsburgh on a $1.5M deal or so, can he? Come back up 2B and SS for the Twins so we can be spared Tolbert’s awfulness and get at least SOMEONE with some personality on this club Orlando.
As long as he’s a part-time player, I wouldn’t mind having Orlando’s energy and enthusiasm back. And again… ANYONE is better than Tolbert.
You know, it may just be me, but even 1.5mil seems a bit high at this point. He has absolutely no leverage, and I haven’t really heard about any interest from any teams. I’d say if he wants to come play it would probably have to be on a minor league deal. I doubt the Pirates are going to get in on him because I’m sure they want to give Cedeno a chance to win the starting job.
As for the Twins forget about it. I mean seriously, who doesn’t have Tolbert penciled in for 30 bombs this year?
Not to worry…IT’S PLOUFFE TIME!!!
I’m so happy that signing Scotty Pods could possibly be seen as the highlight of the Angels off-season.
Scott Downs is pretty awesome. just an fyi
WHY? HE’S AN ALLSTAR AND HE STOLE 70 BASES!!!!1 PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!1
Somebody better tell Heyman and his executive buddy that the Rangers and Hamilton are currently negotiating an extension. The odds of this going to arbitration aren’t good no matter how much they wish it would just to see if the Rangers lose or not. Sorry, everybody, Hamilton will stay a Ranger for the foreseeable future.
NewbergReport Jamey Newberg
“According to sources, Rangers & Josh Hamilton reach agreement in next few hours avoiding salary arbitration.”
Via Twitter.
I wonder if the Brewers would consider signing Orlando Cabrera to an incentive laden deal. They can’t be too excited about Y. Betancourt as their everyday SS. I’m not certain who they have on the farm that could be ready, but since they are appear primed to make a serious run at the postseason in 2011, maybe OCab might be a nice back-up plan.
“The Rangers didn’t show serious interest in Vernon Wells, according to Heyman.”
Neither did the Athletics, White Sox, Red Sox, Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, etc
I don’t know about the accuracy of Heyman’s Pujols rumors…They don’t make a great deal of sense…probably because they are so musty and ancient. I have it on reliable authority, myself, that after this season Albert has decided to forego baseball completely and will, instead, be joining the Los Angeles Outlaws roller derby team…as a “jammer”…which is what Heyman needs to do with this “new” rumor!!!
You’re absolutely right. Which is why I don’t think any one player is worth 30% of a team’s payroll.
I was roundly criticized for building the “Mauer’s contract is horrible” bandwagon that many others have jumped on lately.
They’re bad contracts on two counts: 1) too many eggs in one basket, and 2) you’re entering a contract you cannot possibly “win” (nobody will ever call it a bargain), at best will “break even” (assuming the player continues at astronomical performance), and most likely will “lose”.
Mauer is better