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Cubs Rumors: Byrd, Capps, Bradley

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After finally trading Milton Bradley, the Cubs are in position to move forward and address the rest of their offseason priorities. Let's round up some Cubs-related links….

  • Jon Heyman tweets that before the Cubs traded Bradley, their choices for center fielders were Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel, Melky Cabrera, and Scott Podsednik.
  • A center fielder and a setup man are two of the Cubs' most pressing needs, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. There is mutual interest between Marlon Byrd and the Cubs, and the team could also be one of two finalists for Matt Capps (the other being the Nationals).
  • Wittenmyer also points out that, of the $9MM coming to Chicago in the Bradley-Carlos Silva swap, $5.5MM will be applied this season, giving the team a little more flexibility for 2010 salaries.
  • Erik Manning of Fangraphs wonders if moving Bradley is actually addition by subtraction for the Cubs.
  • Yesterday we heard via a FOX Sports report that the Cubs might look into acquiring Brett Gardner or Melky Cabrera from the Yankees. LoHud.com's Chad Jennings examines the Yankees' perspective of such a move, arguing that the world champions' center field depth is a necessity, rather than a luxury.

Marlins Rumors: Chapman, Capps, Walker

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Barry Jackson has a couple of Marlins-related notes in his latest piece for the Miami Herald. Here are the highlights:

  • Jackson hears that the Marlins have made a five-year offer worth about $13MM to Aroldis Chapman. Chapman will certainly receive higher offers from other clubs, but it's worth a shot for the Marlins, in case the Cuban defector prefers South Florida.
  • Replacing departed relievers Matt Lindstrom, Kiko Calero, and Brendan Donnelly is a priority for Florida.
  • Among their bullpen targets: Matt Capps, Tyler Walker, and Jose Veras.

Jason Bay Rumors: Sunday

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Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes that Jason Bay can thank his agent, Joe Urbon, for pricing him out of a good situation in Boston. With no obvious bidders remaining for Bay besides the New York Mets, Madden says that Urbon returned to the Red Sox to see if they would revisit negotiations with Bay. The Sox, however, having signed Mike Cameron, no longer appear interested.

Madden thinks that Bay's reluctance to accept the Mets' four-year, $64MM offer suggests the outfielder is wary of playing in Citi Field for a team that "even with him, looks to be no better than a third-place club." Newsday's Ken Davidoff agrees that Citi Field could be a factor, as the Mets pursue Bay and other free agents. Davidoff points out that, statistically, the park doesn't seem all that bad for hitters, but it's hard to shake that perception.

Rangers Resume Search For Bat

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The Texas Rangers will look for alternative options to strengthen their lineup after their acquisition of Mike Lowell fell through, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels declined to discuss Lowell's situation but said, "I expect we'll still add to the club in a few spots. We've been in regular contact with guys we're interested in and I like our options. Fortunately for us, the market is relatively strong in the areas we're looking at."

Sullivan notes that the Rangers have interest in veterans Vladimir Guerrero and Jermaine Dye, but that Vlad is looking for a multi-year deal, while Dye may not want to sign with a team that will use him primarily a DH. Both players have been below-average defenders for years, according to Fangraphs: Dye has recorded a -21.4 UZR/150 or worse for the last four seasons, while Guerrero only played two games in the outfield in 2009 (his 2006-2008 fielding stats aren't good either). It's hard to imagine that any team will be eager to sign either player with the intention of using them frequently on defense.

If the Rangers decide to pursue a left-handed bat instead, Jim Thome is a likely possibility, according to Sullivan.

Cubs Still Not Close To Dealing Bradley

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Although at least three teams are still interested in Milton Bradley, no trade is close, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The FOX duo names the Rays, Rangers, and Mariners as interested parties, but notes that there are roadblocks in each instance.

The Rays have been unwilling to budge for weeks in negotiations involving Bradley and Pat Burrell. The Rangers have some interest, but Bradley's last stint in Texas didn't end on "the best of terms." The Mariners, meanwhile, may be reluctant to acquire a controversial player like Bradley on the heels of making positive news with the Chone Figgins signing and the Cliff Lee trade.

Rosenthal's and Morosi's sources indicate that the Cubs are unwilling to pay the majority of Bradley's contract, or to release the disgruntled outfielder. It's hard to imagine a scenario where Bradley returns to Chicago in 2010, so you have to think that his potential suitors are waiting for the Cubs to bite the bullet and pay for a bigger chunk of the 31-year-old's remaining salary.

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Dodgers, Beltre, Pujols

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Let's round up some Thursday evening links….

New York Rumors: Sheets, Bay, Molina

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After reporting earlier tonight that Nick Johnson and the Yankees are on the verge of an agreement, Newsday's Ken Davidoff looks at what that means for the Yankees, and brings us some Mets tidbits as well….

  • Davidoff acknowledges skepticism about the Yanks entering the season with Melky Cabrera manning left field every day, but points out that the team will be getting above-average production from enough other positions to make it work. As Davidoff speculated earlier tonight, it looks likely that the signing of Johnson will signal the end of Johnny Damon's stint as a Yankee.
  • A starting pitcher is the Yankees' next priority. Although they have interest in Ben Sheets, they probably won't get involved in a bidding war over the righty.
  • The Mets, meanwhile, are hoping Jason Bay responds to their contract offer tomorrow, either with an acceptance or, more realistically, with a counter-proposal. The team's current offer is $65MM over four years. It sounds like they'd be willing to add a fifth year, at a slightly lesser annual salary. SI.com's Jon Heyman wonders, via Twitter, who else could be in on the Bay bidding.
  • The Mets' pursuit of Bengie Molina could still take some time. Davidoff indicates that, with other catchers still in play, the club can afford to wait for Molina's demands to lower a little.

Angels Pursuing Javier Vazquez?

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are focusing on acquiring Javier Vazquez from the Atlanta Braves, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Stark (who credits angelswin.com's Chuck Richter with the initial story) hears from rival executives that, in the wake of missing out on John Lackey, the Angels have turned their attention to the Braves and Vazquez.

The Angels will have an uphill battle, however, attempting to deal for Vazquez, as opposed to his teammate Derek Lowe. In addition to coming off a stronger season and having a more favorable contract than Lowe, Vazquez also has a no-trade clause that allows him to veto a deal to a west-coast club. A trade to the Angels would mean the right-hander would have to waive that clause, which he negotiated in order to stay closer to his family in Puerto Rico.

With Lackey, Roy Halladay, and Randy Wolf all off the market, Vazquez is one of the more interesting names still potentially available. The Braves have maintained all along that once Lackey signed, Lowe would become a more attractive commodity, and the same could be said about Vazquez. I don't expect the Braves to move him, but they could demand a significant return if they did.

Padres Notes: Denorfia, Gonzalez, Payroll

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The San Diego Padres have signed Chris Denorfia to a minor league contract, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock. Denorfia, who will receive an invite to Spring Training, has posted respectable career numbers in the majors (.279/.356/.380), albeit in only 237 plate appearances. The 29-year-old outfielder spent the last two years with the Oakland A's organization.

Meanwhile, Brock also shares some information from Padres CEO Jeff Moorad regarding Adrian Gonzalez. Moorad says that "there's nothing active" or currently "on the table" involving the first baseman. The Red Sox have been linked to Gonzalez most frequently in trade rumors, but Moorad doesn't believe GMs Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have had any conversations since the Winter Meetings. Still, Moorad concedes the Padres would "be silly not to listen" on any Gonzalez offer that would "dramatically improve" the club. The catch there, of course, is that even a strong haul of prospects probably has no chance of dramatically improving the Padres for at least a year or two.

One more note from Moorad: After the Padres slashed payroll by nearly $30MM heading into 2009, the team may have a little more breathing room this winter. Moorad says Hoyer "has money to spend, not a lot, but money to spend." San Diego's 2009 salaries totaled around $43MM, while 2010 could potentially see them up closer to $50MM. This slight flexibility perhaps explains the club's decision to retain Kevin Correia, following rumors that the righty would be non-tendered.

Odds & Ends: Balfour, Orioles, Chapman, Lowe

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Rounding up the first batch of miscellaneous Sunday links….

  • The Rays agreed to terms with reliever Grant Balfour, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Balfour signed a one-year, $2.05MM deal, avoiding arbitration.
  • The Baltimore Orioles are still searching for a closer, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Zrebiec suggests that Fernando Rodney and Kevin Gregg could be atop the O's list of targets.
  • MASN's Roch Kubatko runs down the Orioles' closing options too, adding new free agent Matt Capps to the mix.
  • Meanwhile, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reaction from GM Neal Huntington, who says that media reports of the 26-year-old being non-tendered hurt his trade value.  Huntington also said that the Bucs would "love" to have him back in the bullpen – at the right price.  Capps isn't on the Yankees radar, says Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger (via Twitter).
  • John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Tigers' closer search also continues. The team was looking at J.J. Putz, but backed off because of health questions, not money concerns.
  • Tuesday could be "Judgment Day" for Aroldis Chapman, according to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. Chapman will throw a session with a slew of teams expected to be in attendance.
  • Within a piece which focuses on yesterday's non-tender decisions, ESPN.com's Buster Olney mentions that a handful of clubs are interested in Brian Giles, including the Yankees and Reds. It's still up in the air whether teams will be willing to offer Giles more than a minor league contract.
  • One interesting tidbit from the latest article by Newsday's Ken Davidoff: An AL West official tells Davidoff that he'd like to see Jered Weaver, rather than Joe Saunders, leaving the division in a potential Roy Halladay trade offer. I have to think Jays fans would agree. Both pitchers were selected 12th overall in their respective drafts: Saunders in 2002 and Weaver in 2004.
  • Speaking of the AL West, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports thinks it's the most intriguing division for hot stove news this winter.
  • David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter) says that the Angels are a possible destination for Derek Lowe if they cannot re-sign John Lackey.  Other possibilities include the Mariners, Red Sox and Yanks.  O'Brien also suggests the Mets, provided that the Braves are willing to trade within their division.

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