Braves Won’t Be Dealing With Kinzer, Tellem
8:17pm: Tim Brown reacts to Tellem’s statement and breaks down the drama. Brown heard from one American League GM who would be “furious” if something similar happened to him.
7:51pm: Tony Jackson received a statement, apparently from agent Arn Tellem, about the events of the past couple days. It suggests there was “never an agreement reached” between Furcal and the Braves. The statement says Furcal’s agents “will continue to present opportunities to the Braves” when it’s in a client’s best interest. It concludes by asking that the event not color the Braves’ “better judgment” once “emotions have subsided.”
4:17pm: Braves president John Schuerholz comments on the situation.
3:02pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman talked to Wren, who said he’s notified the Wasserman Media Group the Braves will no longer be doing business with them. It’s a bold move, as the agency has a robust client list.
9:27am: Based on Frank Wren’s comments, the Braves won’t be dealing with agents Paul Kinzer and Arn Tellem anytime soon due to the recent Rafael Furcal drama. Dylan Hernandez transcribes:
When WIFN talk show host Bill Shanks prefaced a question by saying that he knew Wren couldn’t burn bridges with Kinzer and Tellem, Wren interjected, "That bridge is gone. I don’t have to worry about burning it. The bridge is gone."
Most remaining clients represented by these agents don’t fit for the Braves this offseason anyway. But Tellem does represent Randy Wolf. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick has a source saying it’d be "next to impossible" for the Braves to pursue Wolf now. You can find the full client list for Tellem’s Wasserman Media Group here (click Management, then Baseball). Current Brave Peter Moylan is also represented by the firm.
Odds and Ends: Abreu, Millwood, Wigginton
Links for Thursday…
- Luke Hudson agreed to stay with the Royals on a minor league deal. And because Braves fans keep emailing it…the Braves signed Lance Niekro as a pitcher, as noted in the minor league transactions we linked yesterday. Talking Chop and Henry Schulman have more.
- Along similar lines, here’s a link to Joel Sherman’s December 12th story about the Orlando Hudson and Adam Dunn being the Nationals’ backup plan for Mark Teixeira. That came four days before the Jon Heyman report people keep emailing.
- C.C. Sabathia‘s preferred teams heading into free agency: the Yankees, Brewers, and Angels.
- Dave O’Brien tries to figure out what the Braves should do with all their money.
- John Fay explains why the Reds may attempt to acquire a young shortstop.
- The Orioles may move on to Gregg Zaun now that Matt Treanor is off the board.
- Geoff Baker speculates on a possible Mariners-Brewers trade match, though nothing seems to be cooking currently.
- RotoAuthority looks at the biggest losers, comparing ’09 fantasy baseball mock draft positions to ’08.
- I did a Q&A with Called Safe At Second.
- ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick writes about how teams view free agent outfielder Bobby Abreu.
- Kevin Millwood has twelve million reasons to pitch 180 innings in 2009. I never understood that phrase. Why is each dollar a reason?
- Dejan Kovacevic says Ty Wigginton has no wish to return to Pittsburgh.
- Roch Kubatko is hearing the Orioles may have reached a settlement with Sidney Ponson regarding the grievance.
- Pitcher Jon Leicester is the latest to head to Japan.
- Might not read about this on MLBTR, eh? Chico Harlan says the Nationals signed 16 year-old Dominican prospects Bill Pena and Gregory Baez.
Heyman’s Latest: Perez, Greinke, Dye, Garland
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman, non-Teixeira department…
- Heyman describes the Mets’ chance of signing Oliver Perez as "remote for now." He names other "potential suitors" – the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds, and perhaps Mariners.
- Apparently some Yankees people wouldn’t mind if Andy Pettitte passed on their $10MM offer, as they’d be able to pursue Ben Sheets or Derek Lowe.
- The Red Sox "looked into" trading for Zack Greinke but didn’t like the price.
- Heyman says the Reds, Braves, and Rays are still showing interest in Jermaine Dye.
- He says the Dodgers, White Sox, and Mets "could be possibilities" for Jon Garland. A return to Chicago?
Twins Still Exploring Shortstop Options
According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins are still exploring shortstop options despite signing Nick Punto.
Two of the team’s targets do not seem available – J.J. Hardy and Yunel Escobar. The Braves were hard-pressed to discuss Escobar even when they thought they had Rafael Furcal, though the Twins inquired. And Doug Melvin is sticking to his stance on Hardy.
We talked about other failed Twins infield pursuits yesterday.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Markakis, Johnson
We have a new column from Ken Rosenthal this evening.
- Mark Teixeira is holding up many areas of the free agent market, as guys like Brian Fuentes and Milton Bradley know the Angels will be interested if Tex signs elsewhere.
- Rosenthal believes the Yankees should continue to be aggressive and make a competitive bid for Teixeira.
- The "poor working conditions and occasionally unruly crowd behavior" make it hard for the A’s to attract free agents. Their move in 2012 should help.
- Rosenthal believes Chase Utley‘s seven year, $85MM deal could provide a framework for a Nick Markakis extension.
- The A’s will wait for free agent bargains now that they’ve lost Rafael Furcal.
- The Red Sox and Mets are the main suitors for Derek Lowe, with the Yankees less likely.
- The Braves have been shopping Kelly Johnson for an outfielder. Attempts to acquire Ryan Ludwick or Corey Hart did not work out.
19 Teams Interested In Joe Nelson
There’s a good chance your favorite team has inquired on free agent reliever Joe Nelson. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro learned that Nelson’s agent has received inquiries from 19 teams. A few teams have topped a $1MM in their offer. The known suitors: the Royals, Cardinals, Red Sox, Braves, Rays, and Mets. Nelson is hoping to sign before Christmas.
On Friday, the Marlins made the thrifty decision to non-tender Nelson, a positive development for the 34 year-old reliever. He hasn’t ruled out the Marlins, but a return doesn’t seem likely.
Furcal Close To Deciding Between Braves, Dodgers
11:40pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says a Braves person said Furcal had a "gentleman’s agreement" with the team. Talks continued with the Dodgers nonetheless.
7:00pm: Matthew Leach is reporting that the Royals are no longer pursuing Furcal. Leach says the Royals were unable to fit Furcal’s demands into the payroll. Dayton Moore added that if the Royals are to add a player at this point, the team "would have to subtract [someone] because of where [the Royals] are financially." We previously heard that the Royals were one of four teams Furcal was considering offers from.
4:43pm: Tim Brown explains that while some Braves people believed they had a deal with Furcal, Kinzer and Arn Tellem are still talking to the Dodgers. The Braves probably aren’t terribly amused with the agents.
3:13pm: Ned Colletti says he’s still talking to Kinzer about Furcal, while Yahoo’s Tim Brown talks about the Dodgers and A’s shifting their focus to Orlando Cabrera.
1:00pm: Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer says there’s no agreement yet. He says that if Furcal chose right now, it’d be Atlanta. Jerry Crasnick says it’d be a three-year, $30MM deal with a fourth-year vesting option. However, Kinzer will call the Dodgers today to give them a final chance to sign Furcal. Furcal will probably accept an offer today, and it’ll be the Braves or Dodgers.
10:51am: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves have no intention of trading Johnson or Escobar – they are moving Johnson back to left field. Bowman believes Furcal will play second base.
9:42am: Crasnick now says the Braves have a preliminary agreement with Furcal. Dave O’Brien thinks the signing points to an Escobar trade.
8:35am: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick has a source saying no agreement has been reached, but the Braves are confident and interest is mutual.
7:50am: According to Ken Rosenthal, shortstop Rafael Furcal has reached an agreement with the Braves. He came up with Atlanta, of course. Furcal just needs to pass a physical. Rosenthal believes the Braves offered three years with a fourth-year vesting option, and Furcal chose that over Oakland’s guaranteed four years.
Now we’re left to wonder what happens with Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson. Dave O’Brien notes that the Braves have inquired on young starters such as Zack Greinke and Paul Maholm. Danny Knobler says the Braves will likely put Furcal at second base and Johnson in left field.
Derek Lowe Rumors: Tuesday
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has the latest on the market for free agent starter Derek Lowe. Heyman says "some baseball people think" the Cubs might get in on Lowe, since his price tag may be similar to the four years and $63MM left on Jake Peavy‘s contract.
Heyman believes the Yankees will resume discussions with Lowe if they fail to sign Andy Pettitte. However, he says they expect Pettitte to accept their $10MM offer.
Heyman indicates the Braves, Red Sox, Mets and Angels are also on Lowe’s radar.
Rafael Furcal Rumors: Monday
10:42pm: The fourth team is the Braves, according to Ken Rosenthal. Kinzer told Rosenthal the Braves are "in deep" and Furcal is seriously considering their offer. Rosenthal believes it’s a three-year offer with a vesting option. Rosenthal spoke to an exec who felt the same as Joel Sherman, that Furcal does not want to sign with the A’s.
Adding Furcal would give the Braves a middle infield surplus. Good shortstops are hard to find and the Braves would have two.
4:40pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown talked to Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer, who said his client will sign by Tuesday. He’s mulling offers from the Dodgers, Royals, A’s, and…a mystery team.
1:32pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Blue Jays have dropped out of the bidding for Furcal (now confirmed by Furcal’s agent). Sherman adds that Furcal prefers the A’s the least but they are offering the most money.
1:10pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the A’s offered four years and $40MM, up about $4MM from their previous offer.
8:10am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the A’s appear to be the frontrunners for free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. Joel Sherman said the same on Friday. Rosenthal says the A’s have upped their initial four-year offer to Furcal, and it appears to be the only four-year proposal on the table. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan suggested on Wednesday that the Royals believe it will take four years and $44MM to sign him. The A’s were reportedly in the $35-40MM range previously.
The Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Royals were identified as other finalists last week by Furcal’s agent. Those teams all have issues coming up with the money or years Furcal desires. Rosenthal suggests Orlando Cabrera, Angel Berroa, and Jack Wilson as possible alternatives for the Dodgers.
Mets Considering Randy Wolf, Oliver Perez
10:14pm: Wolf told MLB.com’s Marty Noble tonight that the Mets have shown "some interest." Noble says the Yankees, Orioles, Dodgers, Braves, and Giants are also "thought to have interest."
7:58am: According to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News, the Mets have checked the bullpen off their list and will now look to upgrade the rotation. It seems that Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf are the top targets, with the pricey Derek Lowe a less likely possibility. McCarron notes that the Mets have a strong relationship with Wolf’s agent Arn Tellem, who brokered the Francisco Rodriguez contract.
With A.J. Burnett off the board, perhaps the market for Lowe will heat up this week. The free agent starting pitching options remain strong – look at what was available on this date a year ago.
Offensively, McCarron doesn’t see much more than an Alex Cora addition on the horizon for the Mets.