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Figgins Too Expensive For White Sox; Podsednik Talks Heat Up

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Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that White Sox GM Kenny Williams flatly denied that Chicago would have enough money to spend on free agent leadoff hitter Chone Figgins.

''We don't have that kind of money," Williams said. "Sometimes the minor [free-agent deals] are the major ones, in my mind. How many Novembers have you heard that line?"

De Luca does report, however, that "talks between the Sox and incumbent leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik have heated up in recent days." Podsednik obviously wouldn't command the kind of money Figgins will be seeking.

New York Roundup: Mets Sour, Yankees Sweet On Lackey

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It wouldn't be the hot stove season without the two New York teams:

  • Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that the Mets are "concerned about" John Lackey's past injury problems to the point that they won't pursue him. The Yankees, however, are "definitely interested."
  • Newsday's Ken Davidoff believes the Mets will "check in on Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, John Lackey; they have to engage, for public relations' sake."
  • Barry Bloom of MLB.com reports that Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn't plan to sign any of his own free agents during his period of exclusive bargaining rights.

Crasnick Polls Baseball Executives

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Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com has a fascinating piece up discussing how various baseball executives view the emerging free agent and trade market. Among those polled:

  • Of 20 executives, 11 would want Matt Holliday, nine Jason Bay if money or length of deal were not an issue. Despite Holliday being younger, better defensively and having a better career OPS, Bay's success in the pressure cooker of Boston swayed a large number of executives.
  • For John Lackey's destination, eight believe it will be the Yankees, four the Mets, three the Angels, and the Dodgers, Astros, Orioles and Brewers getting one vote apiece. One executive abstained. Prices ranged from three years, $36MM to six years, $100MM.
  • Andy Pettitte is the overwhelming choice of the Yankees' free agents to return, while one executive thinks it will be both Pettitte and Johnny Damon. Just two of twenty executives think World Series MVP Hideki Matsui will be back in The Bronx.

The entire piece is well worth your time.

Discussion: Livan Hernandez

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According to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com's Twitter page, "Livan Hernandez's agent says his client 'would be interested in returning to the Nationals.'"

Hernandez's agent said the Nationals also like Hernandez.

It does raise the question: should they?

Hernandez got off to a strong start with the Mets in 2009, but was released after tossing 135 innings with a 5.47 ERA. Picked up by Washington, his ERA was only slightly better, at 5.36.

Over the past two seasons, Hernandez has thrown 363 2/3 innings- and has a 5.74 ERA to show for it.

On the plus side, he eats innings- hit-filled, run-scoring innings.

So would you bring him in? Is the ability to stay healthy valuable enough to make up for his performance?

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Rangers, Nationals

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Let us entertain you between World Series games…

  • Pitcher Rich Hill, outfielder Jeff Fiorentino and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez all rejected a minor league assignment by the Orioles and elected free agency instead. Alfredo Simon, who was also removed from the 40-man roster last week, accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. Hill could draw some interest this winter.
  • MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports that former Colorado manager Clint Hurdle is likely to be the next hitting coach of the Rangers.
  • Don Mattingly passed on a chance to interview for Washington's managerial opening, according to Alden Gonzalez and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Red Sox To Meet With Beckett

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According to WEEI.com's Rob Bradford, Josh Beckett plans to meet with the Red Sox in the coming weeks to discuss a contract extension.

Beckett's 2010 option for $12.1MM vested when he made 28 starts for Boston in 2009. However, without a new contract, Beckett would be a free agent following the 2010 season.

Alex Speier of WEEI.com had Theo Epstein's take on Beckett. epstein also stressed the importance of bringing back free agent Jason Bay.

“It’s been really fun for us to watch him mature on and off the field during his time in Boston,” Epstein said of Beckett. “He’s put himself in a position to be valued very highly by us. He’s someone we’d obviously like have to be a part of our future. Those things have a way of taking care of themselves. … We’ll see what happens.”

Epstein said he will wait for the last possible day before making a move on Tim Wakefield's option, but that medical reports on the pitcher were positive.

Blue Jays Claim Hoffpauir From Cardinals

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The Toronto Blue Jays claimed infielder Jarrett Hoffpauir off of waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. Left-handed pitcher Bill Murphy was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Hoffpauir.

Hoffpauir, 26, is an intriguing pickup. He posted a .291/.357/.486 batting line in 402 plate appearances for Triple-A Memphis, and also held his own in 16 plate appearances with St. Louis. In other words, he's right around the same part of his career Marco Scutaro was when Oakland gave him a chance to play every day.

One wonders if this is a sign that Toronto doesn't plan to bring Scutaro back. For what it's worth, Hoffpauir has played 10 games at shortstop in the minor leagues, while Aaron Hill, Toronto's second baseman, came through the minor leagues as a shortstop.

Murphy, 28, had posted a 7.59 ERA in Triple-A, so this move can't be considered much of a surprise.

Odds & Ends: Nationals, Braves, Blue Jays

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Some late-afternoon snacks for you…

  • The incomparable Thomas Boswell answers questions on a variety of subjects, including his belief that Jim Riggleman will return as manager of the Nationals next year. As Boswell puts it, "Has any manager in history ever not been retained after he improved a team's winning percentage by .125 and ended the season 7-0? Especially when the team likes him and he's born-raised in that town? I doubt it very much."
  • Rob Neyer discusses Atlanta's options, now that it appears they will bring Tim Hudson back.
  • And former Brave Mike Mordecai will be Toronto's roving minor league instructor, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.

Orioles Roundup: Mora, Moeller, Datz

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The Orioles have declined Melvin Mora's $8MM option for 2010, likely ending his successful tenure with Baltimore.

Mora struggled in 2009, hitting just .260/.321/.358 in 496 plate appearances this past season. He will be 38 years old, and will likely command far less than his option number as a free agent.

However, for teams looking for a third baseman, Mora might be a reasonable option. He is just a year removed from hitting .285/.342/.483, while his Ultimate Zone Rating was still 1.1 runs saved above average per 150 games in 2009.

Mora criticized Dave Trembley, Baltimore's manager, in August over a lack of playing time. Therefore, once Baltimore announced Trembley's return, it became far less likely the team would retain Mora, even at a lesser cost.

Mora hit 158 home runs with Baltimore after coming over from the New York Mets in a deal for Mike Bordick.

Other Baltimore moves this afternoon included declining the $850K option on catcher Chad Moeller and outrighting outfielder Jeff Fiorentino, pitchers Chris Lambert and Jim Miller and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez after each cleared waivers.

And last but not least, Jeff Datz was named bench coach, after spending 19 years in the Cleveland Indians' organization. Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com has some reaction from Trembley to the hire.

Tigers Join Aroldis Chapman Chase

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9:42pm: MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that the Tigers have confirmed interest in Chapman.

Tom Moore, Detroit's Director of International Scouting, said to Beck: "We're basically just at the interest level. Because of the nature, I think it's a situation where they're going to take the time to allow clubs to spend some time with the player and see who he is."

8:18pm: Add the Detroit Tigers to the list of teams in pursuit of Aroldis Chapman, according to a report by Melissa Segura in SI.com.

Segura writes that "several industry sources expect Chapman will command more than the $32 million the Yankees paid Cuban right-hander Jose Contreras in 2002."

Speaking of the Yankees, Chapman was a guest of the team for Game 6 of the ALCS, writes Jon Heyman.

And the Blue Jays new GM, Alex Anthopoulos, has concluded that it is "not realistic" to sign Chapman, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

"We don't have enough background and scouting looks to make a proper offer," Anthopoulos wrote in an e-mail. "Going forward, these will be the types of things we will be more proactive with. I think the way the Red Sox pursued [Daisuke Matsuzaka] is a great model. They were doing homework on him for years."

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