Heyman’s Latest: Crede, Ethier, Teixeira
SI.com rumor guru Jon Heyman has a new column up; let’s take a gander.
- Heyman talked to an NL scout who considers Joe Crede a below average third baseman right now. If that scout’s opinion is the consensus, it makes sense that Kenny Williams is inclined to wait for Crede to build more value.
- The Rangers pushed hard to acquire Andre Ethier from the Dodgers, both in a Mark Teixeira deal and after L.A. signed Andruw Jones. If I were a Dodger fan, I’d be angry to see the team put its pride ahead of winning by playing Juan Pierre over Ethier.
- Heyman talked to a general manager who felt the Braves have no chance of signing Tex. That GM named the Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees, Giants, Mariners, Dodgers, and Angels as potential suitors. In a survey of almost 1,700 MLBTR readers, the Yankees were picked as the team most likely to sign Teixeira (followed closely by the Braves).
Braves Shopping Thorman
Scout.com writer Bill Shanks is reporting that the Braves are shopping backup first baseman Scott Thorman and are considering other options at first base, including Mark Kotsay, Brayan Pena, Matt Diaz, and Joe Borchard.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution baseball writer David O’Brien confirms this report in the comments section of his blog.
Thorman is out of options, so this makes sense. Shanks points out that Pena is also out of options, "but with his time at first and his ability to be a third catcher he could have more value than Thorman." O’Brien says he doesn’t think Pena will make the team. Nor does he think Kotsay will see time at first.
Atlanta’s once strong bullpen took a few hits this offseason. They traded Oscar Villarreal to the Astros in November for outfielder Josh Anderson. Ron Mahay signed with the Royals. And Mike Gonzalez is out until mid-season after having Tommy John surgery. So Atlanta is most likely looking to land a reliever.
Odds and Ends: Thames, Sosa, Inge, Crisp
Here’s today’s link roundup.
- MetsBlog passes along a Jon Heyman WFAN appearance tidbit. The SI.com writer said the Mets and Tigers are discussing a Marcus Thames for Jorge Sosa swap. Thames definitely fits the Mets’ needs, though Sosa seems a little light for him.
- I did a fantasy baseball mailbag for Hardball Times.
- Brandon Inge tries to explain his comments about catching.
- John Smoltz has advice for Cole Hamels.
- Nice to see a popular player legitimately spending time to sign fan mail.
- Buster Olney says the Red Sox and A’s are still discussing Coco Crisp.
- Olney also notes that "talent evaluators say the Reds have demonstrated a clear willingness to deal Homer Bailey."
Francoeur Not Expected To Sign Long-Term
The odds that Jeff Francoeur and the Braves agree on a long-term deal "appear to be getting dimmer" says Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Instead, Francoeur seems to favor year-to-year deals followed by arbitration. Carroll adds,
"Players who are renewed might make $10,000 or so less than they would have had they reached a deal, but sometimes they do it to make a point in negotiations. Wren said another renewal wouldn’t negatively affect any future dealings with Francoeur."
This is standard procedure. Francoeur made $427,500 in 2007 and is eligible for a contract renewal any day now.
By Nat Boyle
Best Fit For Bonds: Atlanta?
UPDATE: Martin Johnson at The Root is taking a path-less-tread by calling for a "happy ending" to the Barry Bonds saga. He says Bonds can still hit, and where better than Pittsburgh, a city in need of attendance since Bonds left in 1992. Personally, I can’t see how Bonds can be anything more than a DH, which nixes this suggestion. Further, San Fran teammate Dave Roberts was quoted saying Bonds "is going to want to be in a situation where he can win," and the Pirates are not that. Still, Martin says,
"Bonds should offer his services to his first pro team, The Pittsburgh Pirates, and offer to play for the league minimum salary… Bonds has made $188 million playing baseball; in the name of boosting his public image, he can afford a pay cut."
What better way to start your week than with a Barry Bonds update? I’ll start by pointing to Tim’s recent survey that the majority of MLBTR readers (60.2%) don’t think Bonds will play for a Major League team in 2008.
Still, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune explores the best fits for Bonds. Somehow, the Rays are still being considered an option here. We’re going back and forth at this point, as Peter Gammons had last reported there was nothing there, so I’m sorry if I’m beating a dead horse.
"Last week’s mini-firestorm about the Tampa Bay Rays’ interest in Bonds was not a smoke screen. Despite general manager Andrew Friedman saying this was a "non-story" there’s no doubt the St. Petersburg Times had it right. The Rays, especially principal owner Stuart Sternberg, are monitoring the availability of Bonds, who still might be capable of a 40-homer season at Tropicana Field."
Rogers notes payroll isn’t a hurdle for Tampa Bay. And he tosses in his opinion:
"If Friedman wanted to really roll the dice, he would sign Bonds and then trade his most marketable chip, Carl Crawford, for pitching and prospects."
Rogers then explores the idea of Atlanta being the best possible destination, "The best fit of all for Bonds could be in Atlanta, however, with a hole in left field and Bobby Cox to keep him in line."
Managers On The Hot Seat
It is a slow news day, so we are going to venture a bit off the beaten path…As spring training is now in full swing, a number of managers may have their jobs on the line during the ’08 season. Three managers are in the final year of their deals and another 12 managers have two years left on their contracts. This second group will be due either an extension or a pink slip next winter as few teams are willing to play out a season with a lame-duck manager. Therefore, any manager with two years remaining on their contracts (including options) will likely have their fate determined prior to the ’09 season.
Ignoring managers that may be on the hot seat for other reasons (i.e. Willie Randolph), here is a list of managers that could potentially have their jobs on the line in ’08 based on their current contract situations. (Numbers in parentheses represent the number of years remaining on current contract)
- Cecil Cooper, HOU (2)
- Bob Geren, OAK (1+1 team option)
- John Gibbons, TOR (1)
- Bobby Cox, ATL (1)
- Ned Yost, MIL (1+1 team option)
- Tony LaRussa (2)
- Bruce Bochy (2)
- John McLaren, SEA (1)
- Fredi Gonzalez, FLA (2)
- Dave Trembley, BAL (1+1 team option)
- Bud Black, SD (1+1 team option)
- Joe Maddon, TB (2)
- Clint Hurdle, COL (2)
- Jim Leyland, DET (2)
- Ron Gardenhire, MIN (2)
Taking a closer look at the list…Of the managers in the final year of their deal, Cox will be back if he chooses. LaRussa and Leyland may very well enter ’09 without new deals considering their ages. Yost, Gardenhire, Hurdle and Black look like locks for extensions prior to ’09. However, the remaining eight names on the list (Cooper, Geren, Bochy, Gonzalez, Trembley, Maddon, Gibbons, McLaren) may very well be managing for their jobs in ’08.
By Cork Gaines
Where Will Teixeira Sign?
In today’s Baltimore Sun, Dan Connolly hashes out the oft-rumored idea of the Orioles signing hometown boy Mark Teixeira after this season. He opines:
If Peter Angelos sets a club salary record, it would be for Teixeira.
Connolly also notes the team’s repaired relations with Scott Boras and the agent’s occasional tendency to push clients to bad teams to maximize paydays. For his part, Teixeira’s not saying much. There’s plenty of reason to stay in Atlanta if they offer something competitive.
If Teixeira has a huge 40 HR, 120 RBI year, he’d seemingly be in line for at least Connolly’s predicted six years, $120MM. In my mind, the legitimate possible suitors are the Orioles, Braves, Red Sox, Yankees, Royals, Mariners, Mets, and Giants. You could throw the Los Angeles teams into the mix, though they have solid young first basemen.
Your turn: which of the above-mentioned teams will Teixeira sign for, if any? Take the survey here; view the results here.
Odds and Ends: Crisp, Stewart, Meyer
Let’s round ’em up!
- I’m doing a fantasy baseball mailbag feature at The Hardball Times. Check out the first entry.
- Nothing really new from Coco Crisp…if he loses the center field battle, he’ll probably prefer a trade.
- The Brewers are close to a minor league deal with Russell Branyan, who might have a hard time sniffing the big league roster anytime this season.
- The Toronto Star relays from J.P. Ricciardi that the Blue Jays no longer have an offer on the table for Shannon Stewart.
- Turns out Oakland’s Dan Meyer has a fourth option, meaning he’s likely to lose the fifth starter battle to Dana Eveland.
- I can’t help it…I love the Juan Gonzalez story. I’m rooting for him for no apparent reason.
- Mark Teixeira didn’t offer much info regarding extension talks with the Braves. He did refute that report about building a home in Atlanta and another about a rift with Scott Boras.
- Peter Abraham thinks the Yanks should trade Hideki Matsui.
Odds and Ends: Kelly Johnson, Nathan, Crede
Time for some early Monday odds and ends.
- Remember how White Sox GM Ron Schueler embarrassed Cubs GM Ed Lynch in 1998 by acquiring Jon Garland for Matt Karchner? Rany Jazayerli sees a parallel to that heist with the Royals’ acquisition of Daniel Cortes as part of the July ’06 Mike MacDougal trade.
- Mike Berardino’s blog continues to entertain; this time with a Dan Miceli story. Ah, knife fights with siblings. Who among us can say they haven’t had one or two?
- Buster Olney learned from Braves GM Frank Wren that Kelly Johnson has been the team’s most asked-for player in trade talks this winter.
- The look on Kyle Kendrick‘s face is priceless.
- Extension talks with the Twins and Joe Nathan have gone dormant. Nathan still thinks the gap can be bridged but wants it done before the season begins.
- Andy Marte and Shin-Soo Choo are both out of options; when Choo comes back from elbow surgery a month into the season one of them could be traded.
- Henry Schulman says the White Sox may accept prospects from the Giants for Joe Crede.
- Derek Lowe is entering his walk year, and he hasn’t had any extension talks with the Dodgers yet.
Odds and Ends: Velocity, Santana, Teixeira
Make sure to check out these links.
- Baseball America admits that fastball velocity is important, and does a Where Are They Now with all those who had reached 98 mph from the ’02 prospect handbook. The success rate was solid. They have an even bigger list of guys who topped 98 from their upcoming ’08 handbook, some of whom will be aces one day. Did you know Felipe Paulino reached 102? Hat tip to Depressed Fan on the link.
- Joe Posnanski writes about how the Royals are leading the Johan Santana race. Funny stuff. Would be refreshing to see the Royals in there.
- White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson busts out the ol’ "best shape of my life" cliche. He’s trying to ditch the negative attitude, but still wants out of Chicago so he can have a shot at a full-time role.
- Not sure what to make of this…did Mark Teixeira buy a house in north suburban Atlanta? If so does it mean anything? Hat tip to Braves Love for the discovery.