Orioles Day One Recap
The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec takes a look back at Baltimore's first day of the Winter Meetings:
- The O's targeted pitching heavily, inquiring on Kevin Millwood and attaining the medical record for former Baltimore ace Erik Bedard. The O's would want Texas to eat some of Millwood's $12MM salary. They won't go after Bedard (or any other pitcher) if they're not 100% for Opening Day.
- Andy MacPhail will meet with Bedard's agent in the next couple of days.
- The Orioles were interested in Rafael Soriano prior to his decision to accept arbitration from the Braves.
- Kevin Gregg is an option for relief help, but Baltimore sees him as a 7th or 8th inning guy, not a closer.
- Felix Pie has drawn a lot of inquiries, but MacPhail points out that none of Pie, Nolan Reimold, and Adam Jones have played a full, healthy season yet, and the depth is probably a good thing for the Orioles when taking that into consideration.
- Lots of young O's pitching has come up, including Zach Britton and David Hernandez.
- MacPhail met with Joe Urbon, agent for Mark Hendrickson. Zrebiec says it's only a matter of time before a deal is done.
- There hasn't been much in the way of talks for Dan Uggla recently.
- Baltimore won't be bidders for John Lackey, but they like Hank Blalock, Nick Johnson, and Carlos Delgado as options for first base. Luke Scott is not a full-time first base option. Pedro Feliz is their primary third base target.
- Baltimore isn't in on talks for Edwin Jackson or Matt Lindstrom, but they did meet with the agent for Aroldis Chapman.
- Baltimore may sign another catcher, but it's not a priority.
Multiple Teams In On Putz
J.J. Putz is drawing interest from several clubs, according to Jon Paul Morosi. The Cubs, White Sox, D'Backs, Rangers, Nationals, and Tigers have all shown varying levels of interest.
After being acquired by the Mets in a big three-team trade at last year's meetings, Putz was a disappointment in New York, posting a 5.22 ERA before going down for the season on June 4. The former All-Star recently held a throwing session for scouts in Arizona following bone spur removal surgery on his throwing elbow this season.
Brandon McCarthy Drawing Interest
Jon Paul Morosi is reporting that Rangers right-hander Brandon McCarthy is drawing interest from multiple clubs.
McCarthy was limited to 22 starts in 2009 because of injuries, and posted a 4.53 ERA (4.70 FIP) through 97.1 innings, striking out 65 and walking 36. After earning $650K last season, McCarthy is arbitration-eligible for the second season. And, when you've got a staff as young as the Rangers, that's good enough to make him one of the more expensive starting options they've got.
The Rangers find themselves in an unusual position, with a surplus of starting pitching options including McCarthy, Kevin Millwood, Scott Feldman, Matt Harrison, Derek Holland, Tommy Hunter, and Dustin Nippert, to say nothing of flamethrowing phenom Neftali Feliz, who started 13 games in Oklahoma City prior to being called up and placed in the Ranger bullpen.
They could certainly afford to move McCarthy if teams are interested. What teams make sense? The Brewers and Orioles are both known to be looking for pitching, though McCarthy in the AL East may not be the prettiest picture one could paint.
Marlon Byrd Turns Down Arbitration
Marlon Byrd turned down arbitration from the Rangers, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. So did Ivan Rodriguez, who just agreed to sign with the Nationals. The Rangers will obtain a supplemental round draft pick for Rodriguez and they will get a second one if Byrd leaves Texas, too.
Milton Bradley Rumors: Monday
8:20pm: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Rays haven't backed off on a possible Milton Bradley deal, even though talks with the Mets involving Pat Burrell are now dead. Money is currently the biggest obstacle between the two clubs and a deal. Two or three new teams have apparently expressed interest in Bradley since the meetings began this morning.
7:51pm: Royals GM Dayton Moore tells MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that the Bradley-Meche rumors are "unbelievable." However, no player on the Royals is untradeable, though Zack Greinke and Billy Butler are among the Royals who are almost certainly staying put.
1:06pm: The Cubs shot down Levine's report of meeting with the Royals about Bradley, tweets Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
12:44pm: Danny Knobler of CBS Sports says two new teams approached the Cubs about Bradley, aside from the Rays and Rangers. Perhaps the Royals, mentioned below, are one.
11:46am: ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine says the Cubs and Royals met last night to discuss Bradley-Gil Meche scenarios. The money matches up pretty well here, as both players are signed through 2011. And don't forget the Cubs tried to sign Meche as part of the 2006-07 offseason spending spree. On the flip side, the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton tweets that the Royals would have to be "overwhelmed" to trade Meche. Bradley could technically be described as overwhelming, but not in the way the Royals meant.
11:00am: The Cubs are dead-set on trading Milton Bradley, and Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has the latest.
Sullivan says the Cubs are letting Bradley's agents, the Levinson brothers, talk to other teams in an attempt to repair Bradley's reputation. Sullivan adds that the Cubs are focused on the Rays moreso than the Rangers.
As you might expect, it's all about money: the Rays would want the Cubs covering most of the $15MM difference (Cot's has the difference at $12.2MM) between Bradley and Pat Burrell's contracts. Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times sees Bradley's commitment as $24MM due to incentives, but most of those are awards bonuses. We've heard Rosenthal calling the Rays frontrunners for Bradley, but Joel Sherman said a few hours ago that the Rays were "growing less hopeful of swapping Burrell to the Cubs."
The Rangers want the Cubs assuming most of the remaining money owed to Bradley. What's more, Sullivan found one potential Rangers bidder who would want no part of Bradley if he gets the team.
Millwood Interests A Few Teams
Kevin Millwood is drawing interest from "a few" teams, according to Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com, but that doesn't mean the Rangers have to deal the veteran righty. GM Jon Daniels told Durrett that the team doesn't have to shed payroll.
We heard that the Orioles are interested in Millwood. Who else might have an eye for the 34-year-old and his $12MM salary? The Mets, perhaps?
Marlins To Deal Lindstrom At Meetings?
4:58pm: MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets that about ten teams are in on Lindstrom, and nothing is imminent.
12:21pm: Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald downplays the Rangers' and Rays' interest in Lindstrom. He notes that the Marlins contingent won't arrive in Indianapolis until tonight.
MONDAY, 6:58am: Buster Olney tweets that the Rangers may be the most serious team interested in Lindstrom. Two teams have fallen out of the running, but two other teams are now interested.
SUNDAY, 8:48pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says two teams besides the Rays and Rangers are in on Lindstrom as well. Any ideas?
8:06pm: Rosenthal says the Rangers are among the interested teams.
7:39pm: ESPN's Buster Olney says a deal is imminent, though we're not sure where Lindstrom is headed.
6:58pm: MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets that the Rays are "exploring interest" in Lindstrom.
9:33am: Matt Lindstrom is "virtually certain" to be traded at the winter meetings, if not before, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Of the six teams that have expressed interest in the soon-to-be 30-year-old, three have stepped to the forefront in recent days.
Lindstrom, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career, makes sense as a Marlins trade candidate. Earlier this week we heard that the righty was part of a trio of Florida relievers who could be dealt.
The Idaho native had a down year in 2009, as he was slowed down by an elbow injury. In his third big league season, he posted an ERA of 5.89 and threw just 47.1 innings.
What clubs should be burning up Florida's phone lines in regards to this fireballer?
Twitter Rumors: Doumit, Mahay, Wolf, Jenkins
Collecting some tweets I couldn't quite turn into posts…
- Four unknown teams are in on Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit, says Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
- The Nationals have interest in free agent catcher Brad Ausmus, says MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- The Red Sox have interest in free agent lefty Ron Mahay, says Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. The 38-year-old posted a 4.29 ERA, 7.5 K/9, and 3.9 BB/9 in 50.3 innings for the Royals and Twins this year. Two years ago he was quite a hot commodity on the free agent market.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick says Brett Myers is seeking a two-year deal. The Rangers and other teams are interested at one year. Crasnick wrote a few days ago that the Astros are also interested, while Andrew Baggarly named the Giants as a suitor today.
- Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times shoots down Danny Knobler's rumor that the Pirates have interest in Juan Pierre. Nonetheless, MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets of interest from the Pirates, White Sox, and a third team.
- ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Yankees want to resolve the Andy Pettitte/Johnny Damon situations before moving on to Hideki Matsui and other starting pitcher options.
- White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune that the Sox are not in the market for a pure DH.
- The Brewers are making a "strong run" at Randy Wolf, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Ruben Amaro Jr.'s comment that "those are guys we will probably count on" implies relievers Chad Durbin and Clay Condrey will be tendered contracts by the Phillies (Andy Martino reporting).
- Crasnick says Geoff Jenkins wants to make a comeback in 2010 and has been working out at first base and outfield in hopes of landing a bench role.
- Crasnick says to expect the Cubs to tender a contract to Mike Fontenot on Saturday.
- Bill Shanks quoting Braves manager Bobby Cox: "clubs are knocking on the door for Kelly Johnson." I imagine Johnson will be dealt by Saturday.
- ESPN's Gordon Edes says that while Red Sox owner John Henry is a big fan of Miguel Cabrera from their Marlins days, the Red Sox "don't have the Major League-ready position players Detroit wants in return."
- Crasnick expects Elmer Dessens to re-sign with the Mets, though the pitcher has talked to the Dodgers and Padres.
- Yahoo's Steve Henson says the Braves want to move Derek Lowe or Javier Vazquez, but not Kenshin Kawakami.
- Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the Phillies will meet with Chan Ho Park's agent today "and attempt to resolve their differences over Park's value." The Phils did not offer arbitration to Park, a Type B free agent. Park craves another shot at starting, which won't happen in Philly.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Phillies like Brandon Lyon, but aren't "willing to pay the price for him." Lyon is said to be seeking a multiyear deal. He is expected to turn down the Tigers' offer of arbitration today. The Yankees have been named as another suitor.
- Crasnick says the Astros "have very little money to spend, unless Drayton McLane suddenly has a change of heart."
Marlon Byrd Planning To Decline Arbitration
Free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan he's planning to decline the Rangers' arbitration offer. That'll set up the Rangers for a supplemental pick if Byrd signs elsewhere, though the outfielder does hope to re-sign. The Braves, Cubs, and Mariners have been linked to Byrd so far. Coming off a solid year, he figures to seek a multiyear deal.
Rangers Acquire Clay Rapada
The Rangers acquired lefty reliever Clay Rapada from the Tigers for a player to be named later or cash considerations, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Rapada, 29 in March, spent most of the year in the minors. He had a 2.76 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and 3.4 BB/9 in 45.6 Triple A innings.