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Jose Lopez Likely Staying Put In Seattle

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The Seattle Mariners appear ready to head into 2010 with Jose Lopez as their starting second baseman, according to Larry LaRue of The News Tribune.

The Mariners considered Lopez, who turned 26 yesterday, one of their few trade chips heading into the offseason, but they've received very little interest. Although Lopez is still young and provides power from second base (25 homers last season), his 2009 OBP was exactly in line with his subpar career rate of .303. LaRue also notes that "other teams have seen his lack of range and quickness in the field," though Fangraphs is more forgiving of Lopez's defense (+1.5 UZR/150).

With Lopez virtually "untradeable" and the team unlikely to acquire a better alternative, it looks like the 26-year-old will return to Seattle as their everyday second baseman next year.

Olney On Halladay, Wagner, Bay

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In his ESPN.com column today, Buster Olney notes that many teams are waiting to get involved in the free agent market, meaning there might not be many moves made in the next couple weeks. Here are a few other highlights from Olney's blog:

  • One executive tells Olney that the Blue Jays' chances of moving Roy Halladay are no better than 50/50. Another source suggests that the Jays could have had three top prospects for Halladay last summer, whereas now they could probably only land one star prospect and a second with some major-league potential.
  • Billy Wagner's Type A status could make him undesirable to clubs not wanting to give up any draft picks to sign him. However, Wagner could make himself more attractive by lowering his contract demands. If a team thought they were getting a potentially elite closer at a discount, they'd be more willing to part with a draft pick.
  • Olney hears from a pair of execs that the Red Sox will continue to take the Jason Bay negotiations slowly, and that the team would ultimately prefer to sign Matt Holliday.
  • The Padres likely won't want to pay Kevin Correia a raise through arbitration. The team will try to work out a "moderate-sized deal" with him, and if they can't do it, the right-hander could be non-tendered.
  • Olney reiterates what he wrote in yesterday's blog: it doesn't seem like Adrian Gonzalez is going anywhere.
  • Randy Wolf has received plenty of interest from teams looking at starting pitching.

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Tigers, Mariners

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A few Sunday links to peruse….

Rays Rumors: Crawford, Upton, Zaun

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Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times has the latest on the Rays' offseason plans. The highlights:

  • The Rays are said to be interested in discussing a long-term extension with Carl Crawford. If the team does decide to move him, however, the Mets and Braves have expressed interest.
  • The Rangers and White Sox are among the teams interested in acquiring B.J. Upton.
  • Executive VP Andrew Friedman on his team's offseason targets: "We have a list of guys on other teams we have an interest in, and a list of free agents as well. And depending on how the market evolves on both fronts, it will go a long way toward shaping our thought process…. We feel like there are a lot of talented names out there."
  • Smith notes that the Rays have a history of signing relievers who are coming off injuries or down years. He mentions Kevin Gregg and J.J. Putz as a couple of possibilities in that realm.
  • The club could be open to bringing back Gregg Zaun and giving last season's catching platoon of Zaun and Dioner Navarro another try.

Athletics Sign Dallas McPherson

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The Oakland Athletics have signed Dallas McPherson to a minor league contract, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.

McPherson, selected by the Angels in the second round of the 2001 draft, was once considered an elite prospect, but injuries and strikeout woes have slowed him in recent years. After slugging .586 in his minor league career, he has hit .245/.298/.458 in 399 major-league plate appearances, homering 18 times and striking out 126.

Crasnick indicates that the 29-year-old is expected to compete for the A's third base job in the spring.

Cafardo On Lackey, Sheffield, Pavano

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In his usual Sunday morning column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo passes on some hot stove talk from around the majors. Let's check out the highlights….

  • The fate of John Lackey could potentially affect the offseason plans of each of the AL East powers. Both the Yankees and Red Sox have interest, and Cafardo suggests that landing Lackey would allow the Red Sox to turn around and move Clay Buchholz in a deal for a coveted bat, like Adrian Gonzalez.
  • Cafardo relays this quote from an AL GM: "The Red Sox could be the major player this offseason if certain things fall together for them. They still have enough chips in their farm system to make something big happen."
  • The Yankees, meanwhile, appear willing to part with Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in the hunt for Roy Halladay, though they'd like to hang on to Austin Jackson.
  • Gary Sheffield will return in 2010 and has softened his stance on DHing since his Tigers days. He now says he'd accept a DH role, though he'd still like to play in the field occasionally. Cafardo names a handful of teams that could find a spot for Sheffield, noting that the 41-year-old would love to return to Atlanta or play in his hometown of Tampa Bay.
  • The Twins and Brewers are "very interested" in Carl Pavano.
  • The Brewers could also be players for John Smoltz, though the Cardinals would like to bring him back.

Mets Rumors: Holliday, Bay, Guillen

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Bill Madden of the New York Daily News doesn't expect the New York Mets to make too big a splash in free agency this winter. Madden notes that a left-handed hitter and a couple of starting pitchers are "absolute necessities" for the Mets, but he projects they'll only have about $20MM to spend.

Based on his payroll projections, Madden declares "you can count [the Mets] out right now" on top free agents such as John Lackey, Matt Holliday, and Jason Bay. Instead, he feels the Mets should be, and will be, focusing on second-tier free agents, such as Mark DeRosa, Randy Wolf, Jason Marquis, and Marlon Byrd.

In a separate article, Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News suggests that, if they're unable to sign a big bat like Holliday or Bay, the Mets might be interested in acquiring Jose Guillen from the Kansas City Royals. Rubin says that a potential deal isn't close, and it seems hard to believe that one could happen.

Rubin himself points out multiple roadblocks, including Guillen's lack of fielding ability and the $12MM that the 33-year-old is owed in 2010 (the Mets would want the Royals to take on a huge chunk of that figure). If Madden is right about the Mets' limited spending money, I can't imagine the club investing in a player like Guillen.

Odds & Ends: Bay, Orioles, Padres, Lo Duca

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Let's round up some leftover Thursday links….

  • The Boston Globe's Amalie Benjamin spoke to Joe Urbon, Jason Bay's agent. Urbon suggested that discussion would continue with the Red Sox, but that interest in his client so far has been "extraordinary."
  • Larry Stone of the Seattle Times warns Mariners fans not to get too excited about rumors of a three-way deal involving Brandon Morrow and the Tigers' Edwin Jackson. He thinks Morrow could be a valuable trade chip for Seattle though.
  • In a Baltimore Sun column, Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly point out that the Baltimore Orioles' lack of big contract commitments puts them in a great spot if they want to pursue free agents this winter. The article also examines what players the Orioles might go after.
  • MLB.com's Corey Brock writes that the San Diego Padres could have a little bit of "wiggle room" to sign players this winter, though their payroll will once again be minuscule.
  • The Mets need to take the same approach this offseason that the Yankees did last year, according to Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
  • Marty Noble shares his own thoughts about the Mets' offseason strategy in his latest MLB.com mailbag.
  • Paul Lo Duca wants to make a comeback after spending last year out of the league. Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News passes on the comments Lo Duca made on Sirius XM about returning.
  • The Chicago Cubs might not be done moving arbitration-eligible players to save money, according to the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan.
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson recaps some of the big names that the Washington Nationals have already been linked to this month.
  • Speaking of Ladson, be sure to follow him on Twitter for the latest Nats updates.

Marlins Rumors: Gload, Paulino

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After declining his option earlier in the month, the Florida Marlins have offered Ross Gload a lesser contract, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Spencer indicates the offer is similar to the one that Wes Helms signed with the Marlins last winter, which was a two-year deal worth $1.9MM. The option that the Marlins turned down was for $2.6MM.

Gload hit .261/.329/.400 as a pinch-hitter and occasional starter for Florida in 2009, and stated previously that he'd like to stay with the Marlins. As of midnight tonight, of course, any team will be able to negotiate with Gload.

Later in his article, Spencer adds Ronny Paulino's name to the ever-growing list of Marlins players that teams have looked into acquiring. Ricky Nolasco, Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, and Cody Ross have also "received nibbles."

Rockies Notes: Atkins, Barmes

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The Colorado Rockies will keep Garrett Atkins on their 40-man roster for now, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Not releasing Atkins yet will give the Rockies a few more weeks to attempt to trade him, before the non-tender date of December 12th (coincidentally, Atkins' 30th birthday).

Renck mentions that interested teams, such as the Rangers and Orioles, have been reluctant to deal for the corner infielder, since the Rockies will almost certainly be forced to part ways with him anyway. Atkins is in his final year of arbitration, and made $7.05MM in 2009. After losing his starting role last season, Atkins isn't worth nearly that much to Colorado. This move, however, suggests the club is still hoping to salvage some return, rather than letting him go for nothing.

In the same piece, Renck mentions that the Rockies have started discussing a multi-year contract with Clint Barmes. The Rockies are hoping to sign Barmes, who earned about $1.6MM last year, to a two-year deal with a club option for a third year.

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