Rangers Offered $140MM To Teixeira
The Rangers made a legitimate offer to first baseman Mark Teixeira before trading him. Apparently they offered him an eight-year, $140MM package. That’s an average annual value of $17.5MM. A little light, but not a bad starting point.
But since the deal covered the 2008 season and Teixeira would’ve gotten around $14MM regardless, it was really a seven-year, $126MM offer – same as Barry Zito‘s contract. $18MM a year for Teixeira sounds reasonable, but who knows how it will seem a year from now? He might be a $22MM player at that point. Teixeira will, of course, hit the open market after the 2008 season.
Red Sox Acquire Eric Gagne
UPDATE: According to NESN’s Tom Caron, Gagne has agreed to come to Boston and will serve as the setup man.
UPDATE: Third player going to Texas, according to Buster Olney. That would be 17 year-old five-tool outfielder Engel Beltre.
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox are the winner of the Eric Gagne sweepstakes pending Gagne’s consent and a review of medical records. Rosenthal says Gagne might share the closer role with Jonathan Papelbon; it would not be shocking to see Papelbon become the setup man for the rest of the year. That would be a hell of a 1-2 punch regardless and a huge asset for the playoffs.
Rosenthal says Kason Gabbard is one of the two players going to Texas in the deal. Jayson Stark thinks David Murphy is the other player, but it’s far from confirmed. The Red Sox still need to talk to Gagne and Scott Boras.
Tim Brown’s Latest: Cordero, Quentin
UPDATE: You can throw Conor Jackson into the mix along with Quentin.
Yahoo’s Tim Brown has some new rumors and info:
- Plan B if the Red Sox can’t get Eric Gagne: Washington’s Chad Cordero. It seems Wily Mo Pena would be a part of that, but I imagine Jim Bowden would want a top prospect as well.
- The Diamondbacks are shopping Carlos Quentin for a starting pitcher; the Indians and Nationals have interest. Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Indians are willing to deal Cliff Lee, so maybe there’s a match there. And keep in mind that former Diamondbacks Director of Scouting Mike Rizzo now works as the Nationals’ Assistant GM and VP of Baseball Operations. Rizzo still has a lot of Arizona connections, and he definitely loves Quentin.
- Interestingly, Will Carroll indicates that Justin Upton may be on the verge of a callup.
Latest On Eric Gagne: Brewers Jump In, Red Sox Leading
Deadline day! I’ll be with you nonstop until the trading is done. Eric Gagne is the big name to watch, unless things heat up with Adam Dunn and Jermaine Dye.
- UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal mentioned in his recent column that the Brewers are one of the 12 teams that can acquire Gagne without his permission. So to review: the Yankees, Mets, Angels, Brewers, and eight other unknown teams can acquire Gagne without his permission. He’d need to consent to trades to the Tigers, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, and 13 other unknown clubs.
- UPDATE: Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe is hearing that the Rangers may prefer to hold onto Gagne and try to sign him to an extension.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin called up Jon Daniels to see what it would take to add Eric Gagne to his bullpen. We don’t know whether Gagne must consent to a trade to Milwaukee, but I’d guess he does have veto power with them. Francisco Cordero leads all of baseball in saves, so would Gagne set up for him? Melvin would have to pay up both in prospects and salary. The Brewers have some pretty good chips like Manny Parra, Carlos Villanueva, and even Rickie Weeks (could he move to center field?) Tom Haudricourt says the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox are also in on Gagne.
- SI.com’s Jon Heyman pegs the latter three as the suitors, with Boston in the lead even though Gagne would need to approve a trade there. The Red Sox will try to find a deal that doesn’t involve Clay Buchholz or Jon Lester. The Yankees won’t give up Joba or Hughes for Gagne, but maybe they’ll crack on Ian Kennedy. The Mets won’t trade Carlos Gomez for him.
- The Boston Herald says the Red Sox made a substantial offer for Gagne, which certainly did not include Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, or Justin Masterson. Jeff Horrigan talked to one GM who said Boston’s offer was the best.
- The New York Daily News has the Cubs in on Gagne as well. Mark Feinsand says the Yankees turned down a weekend proposal from the Rangers that included Alan Horne for Gagne. Feinsand says Kennedy is not up for discussion but guys like Tyler Clippard, Matt DeSalvo, Jeff Marquez, Chase Wright, and Scott Proctor are available. The Yankees have their eye on Al Reyes as a backup plan but the Rays don’t want to trade him within the division. Feinsand believes the Red Sox would do David Murphy and Kason Gabbard for Gagne. Of course they would.
- The New York Post talked to a scout who believes there’s a 75% chance Gagne is dealt today. The Indians and Tigers appear to be out of the mix. Scott Boras remarked yesterday that Gagne only wants to go where he can close. But it’s not entirely up to Gagne now is it, Scott?
- Newsday confirms the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Brewers as the finalists for Gagne. Kat O’Brien adds Dan Wheeler as another name the Yanks will consider if they don’t get Gagne. The Yanks could relent and give up Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner to get Gagne.
Healey’s Latest: Wilkerson, Marte
Gotham Baseball’s Mark Healey has a new post up with some good trade rumors:
- The Mets are talking to the Rangers about Brad Wilkerson, not Eric Gagne. This makes sense, as Wilkerson has hit lefties well this year and can play right field.
- The Mets are also talking to the Reds; could’ve been about Ken Griffey Jr. or David Weathers. From what we’ve heard, though, Weathers is not available. And would Junior approve a trade to the Mets? He vetoed a trade there once before.
- The Pirates want Alan Horne from the Yankees for Damaso Marte. Given that Brian Cashman didn’t seem to want to give him up for Gagne, I don’t see this happening.
- The Orioles are shopping Chad Bradford, but the Yankees aren’t allowed in the store.
The Market For Eric Gagne
Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog has the latest regarding Texas closer Eric Gagne. It seems the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, and Dodgers may all be in on him depending on who you listen to. We’ve heard the Tigers in on him previously but not so much anymore. We’ve heard the Diamondbacks and Cubs connected to Gagne in the past but not as much lately.
There still seems to be some confusion about which teams Gagne can be dealt to without his consent. To review what’s been published:
Gagne can be traded to the Yankees, Mets, Angels, and nine other clubs without his consent.
If Gagne is to be traded to the Tigers, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, or thirteen other unknown clubs, he must consent. That means additional concessions on the part of the acquiring team.
So, we don’t know where the Mariners, Dodgers, Cubs, or Diamondbacks fall. But I don’t know why the Yankees would have to worry about Gagne missing his incentives if they acquire him. Being on the first list is a big plus for the Yanks.
Braves Acquire Mark Teixeira
UPDATE: ESPN adds that one of the pitching prospects is Neftali Feliz.
According to Ken Rosenthal, the deal is finally done, pending a review of medical records. The Braves will receive Mark Teixeira and lefty reliever Ron Mahay, while the Rangers will get Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, and two pitching prospects. Matt Harrison is said to be one of them; his MRI today came up clean.
I’ll have some analysis of the deal once we have all the details. Kind of makes tomorrow anticlimactic, doesn’t it?
Pie For Laird and Mahay?
Phil Rogers has a rumor up on the Tribune blog today, where he indicated that the Cubs are thinking short-term and may be willing to give up Felix Pie in a deal. According to Rogers, Pie for Gerald Laird and Ron Mahay is a possibility.
It seems that Mahay has since gone to Atlanta, so perhaps Rogers’ post went up before then. Even if it was C.J. Wilson instead of Mahay I’d consider it a horrible deal for the Cubs. Pie is a five-tool center fielder and he’s raking at Triple A. Trading him for Laird would be absurd even if Laird threw out 100% of baserunners.
Now if Torii Hunter is in play, the Cubs should at least listen. Not sure if I’d make that move, but at least Hunter would net the Cubs a few extra wins this year.
Yankees To Pass On Gagne?
Jon Heyman wrote yesterday that the Yankees appeared to be the frontrunner for Texas closer Eric Gagne, given the Yanks’ need and Gagne’s lack of veto power.
However, today Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger says the Yankees’ involvement on Gagne is exaggerated. Apparently the Rangers wanted Melky Cabrera in return. Joba Chamberlain has been switched to relief at Triple A; he could be 90% of Gagne without the cost.
Mets Hunting For Reliever, Second Baseman
Pretty much the same old story with the Mets, though Joel Sherman and Mark Hale of the New York Post do have some new tidbits.
- The authors name Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch, Octavio Dotel, and Eric Gagne as relievers on the radar. However it seems the asking price is too high for Gagne and the Indians have become the frontrunner for Dotel (they may have passed the Dodgers). Shawn Chacon doesn’t catch the Mets’ eye, and they don’t want Chad Bradford‘s three-year commitment. They had that option with Bradford this winter. I think that logic is silly – Bradford’s pitched well this year, and acquiring him now would be akin to a two-year contract. Sometimes it seems GMs pass over certain players because they simply want to add a fresh name.
- You can add Al Reyes to the mix for the Mets, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
- The Mets think many of the available starting pitchers could be traded in August – Jose Contreras, Kyle Lohse, and Steve Trachsel for example. I don’t agree on Lohse – he’ll be traded today or tomorrow. But Contreras’s contract would probably get through waivers without a claim.
- The Post reports no substantive talks to the Royals about Mark Grudzielanek. An inquiry has been made on Mark Loretta.
- Meanwhile, Newsday says the Twins are open to trading Luis Castillo but don’t want any of the current Major League Mets. Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger seems to disagree, citing a Twins scout at Shea yesterday. Graziano does not believe Castillo would get through waivers unclaimed. He believes the Twins want Double A starter Kevin Mulvey and then some (perhaps Ruben Gotay).
- Graziano says a deal for Castillo could be expanded to include 28 year-old righty reliever Juan Rincon. Rincon had been consistently solid for three years (perhaps aided by steroids) but has seen his strikeout rate and overall performance plummet in 2007. Rincon is under control next year and will make at least $2MM again.
- Graziano notes that the Mets have talked to the A’s about Joe Blanton, but Billy Beane wants Lastings Milledge. The Mets can’t do that without damaging the current team. The Mets could actually add an outfielder in Jay Payton; the Cubs’ interest has waned. The Sammy Sosa rumor also has some legs, as the Mets could bring him in to platoon with Shawn Green if they decide they can tolerate the sideshow.