Mike Axisa | MLB Trade Rumors

Padres Reluctant To Move Chase Headley

By Mike Axisa | November 12, 2011 at 12:53pm CDT

The free agent market for third basemen drops off after Aramis Ramirez, which is why Ben Nicholson-Smith highlighted potential trade candidates late last month. One of those trade candidates may not be available however, as sources tell Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Padres will be reluctant to move Chase Headley this offseason.

Headley, 27, projects to earn $3MM through arbitration this winter, his second time through the process as a Super Two. His .289/.374/.399 batting line in 2011 masks a drastic home/road split; the switch-hitter hit just .243/.348/.326 at Petco Park but .330/.399/.465 on the road. His career split is just as pronounced. The various advanced metrics rate Headley's defense as comfortably above-average at the hot corner.

The Marlins, Cubs, Tigers, Angels, and Rockies all figure to be in the market for third base help this offseason. Logan Forsythe and James Darnell both made their big league debuts in 2011, but retaining Headley would allow the Padres to be patient with the young duo. They've combined for just 373 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.

Cespedes May Not Become Free Agent For Two Months

By Mike Axisa | November 12, 2011 at 12:09pm CDT

It could take two months for MLB to declare Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes a free agent, reports Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The 26-year-old became a household name last week thanks to the his 20-minute showcase video.

The Red Sox, Phillies, Indians, Blue Jays, Pirates, Rangers, Tigers, Nationals, Athletics, Marlins, and Yankees are among the teams with interest in Cespedes. There is some belief within baseball that he could wind up with a contract in excess of the $30MM Aroldis Chapman received two offseasons years ago. Cespedes is represented by Adam Katz of Wasserman Media Group.

Relievers Notes: Wood, Madson, Papelbon

By Mike Axisa | November 12, 2011 at 11:11am CDT

Jonathan Papelbon became the first major free agent to change teams yesterday, agreeing to a four-year contract worth $50MM with the Phillies. Reactions to the contract were generally mixed, though almost everyone agreed that the size of the deal was staggering. Let's round up the latest from the relief pitcher market…

Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune reports that Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has had preliminary talks with Kerry Wood, who is expected to return next season. The 34-year-old righty pitched to a 3.35 ERA in 51 IP after returning to Chicago's north side on a below-market one-year, $1.5MM contract last winter.
Despite reports of a four-year, $44MM offer, MASN's Jen Royle hears from a source that the Phillies only offered Ryan Madson a three-year contract. They were unwilling to give him the extra year he wanted (Twitter link).
The Red Sox, meanwhile, were not willing to give Papelbon a guaranteed fourth year according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
MLB.com's Peter Gammons reports (on Twitter) that the Red Sox offered Papelbon to the Braves in exchange for Javier Vazquez two offseasons ago. Atlanta rejected the offer, then traded Vazquez to the Yankees shortly thereafter.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports wrote about how the rest of the closers' market is shaping up and the impact of Papelbon's contract. Here is our look at the trade and free agent markets for right-handed relievers.

Marlins Rumors: Reyes, Pujols, Buehrle, Madson

By Mike Axisa | November 12, 2011 at 9:45am CDT

The Miami Marlins were officially born yesterday, and they grabbed some headlines by extending contract offers to free agents Jose Reyes, Albert Pujols, and Mark Buehrle. They also expressed some interest in Ryan Madson. Let's round up the latest from South Beach…

MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reports that Reyes "loved his visit" to the team's new ballpark this past Wednesday, and he would like to play in Miami. SI.com's Heyman hears that Reyes is the team's top free agent target (Twitter link).
Within the same piece, Frisaro says that people connected to the team have told him that their offer to Pujols "probably isn’t close to being enough" to land the free agent slugger.
Talks with Reyes, Pujols, Madson, and Buehrle are "preliminary" according to Heyman (on Twitter), so there's no threat of all four players accepting offers.
ESPN's Buster Olney called the Marlins' strategy fascinating (on Twitter), but cautions that it is risky. The 1997 team also went for quick fixes, then had to tear it all down immediately after winning the World Series.

Rockies Express Interest In Grady Sizemore

By Mike Axisa | November 12, 2011 at 8:23am CDT

The Rockies have expressed interest in free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore, reports Troy Renck of The Denver Post. The team is casting a wide net as they look for offensive help, but Renck says they are not expected to aggressively pursue Sizemore until they exhaust all trade options with the Braves for Martin Prado.

The Red Sox and Phillies have checked in on Sizemore, but the Mets are unlikely to get involved. Yesterday we heard that the 29-year-old outfielder is looking for a one-year contract in order to rebuild his value, similar to Adrian Beltre's stint with the Red Sox. The Rockies need help in left field as Tim Dierkes wrote in his Offseason Outlook, and Coors Field is a pretty good place to hit. Obviously the key for Sizemore at this point is staying healthy.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Marlins, Phillies, Fielder

By Mike Axisa | November 11, 2011 at 12:06pm CDT

On this date in 1997, Mike Kelly became the first Major Leaguer ever traded to the Devil Rays franchise. The Reds sent the 27-year-old outfielder to Tampa Bay for a player to be named later, and that player eventually turned out to be Dmitri Young. Kelly hit .240/.295/.401 in 303 plate appearances for the '97 Devil Rays, then was released at the end of Spring Training the following season.

Here is this week's collection of links from the baseball blogosphere…

Rum Bunter posted a podcast interview with Pirates GM Neal Huntington.
Jays Prospects interviewed Jacob Anderson, Toronto's highest signed pick from this year's draft.
Camden Crazies wrote about Dan Duquette's hiring and what it means for the Orioles.
Nick's Twins Blog is intrigued by the recent change in the Twins' front office.
The Outside Corner wonders if the Marlins are serious about spending this offseason.
Only Baseball Matters believes the Melky Cabrera–Jonathan Sanchez deal only makes sense for the Royals.
Call to the Pen also likes the deal from Kansas City's perspective.
Royals Authority, on the other hand, believes it was a fair trade for both sides.
Bay City Ball broke down the pluses and minuses of the swap trade for the Giants.
McCovey Chronicles tries to figure out what the rest of the Giants' offseason will look like.
Jays Journal wonders if the Blue Jays and Giants could get together for a Matt Cain trade.
Rooftop View isn't sure that Carlos Zambrano is an expendable piece for the Cubs.
Baseball Time In Arlington wrote about Prince Fielder and the Rangers.
Prospect Insider also wrote about Fielder, except about how he would fit with the Mariners.
Ol' Ball Game wonders if C.J. Wilson is worth all the money he is likely to get.
Crashburn Alley took a look at Phillies' free agent target Michael Cuddyer.
We Should Be GMs believes the Phillies should go cheap for their next backup catcher.
Brotherly Glove examines some Phillies' pitching options.
Orioles Nation did the same, just from the Orioles' perspective.
Halos Heaven tries to find a potential replacement for Joel Pineiro.
Giants Nirvana called Andrew Brackman a potential free agent option for the Giants.
Redleg Nation says the Reds need to make a push for James Shields.
Yankees Fans Unite looked at John Danks as a trade target for the Yankees.
Rant Sports Yankees adds Josh Johnson as a potential trade target for New York.
BoSox Injection says the Red Sox don't have much to offer in trades.
Pirates Prospects believes the Pirates should trade Joel Hanrahan.
DRays Bay tries to figure out what an extension for Matt Joyce would look like.
Rays Insider looks at some potential DH candidates for the Rays next year.
Wahoo's On First says the Indians made the right move by picking up Fausto Carmona's option.
FanSpeak lists three move the Nationals should make this winter.
Chicken Friars revisited last offseason's Cameron Maybin trade.
Motor City Bengals wonders if Guillermo Moscoso is the next Jair Jurrjens, from the Tigers' point of view.
Swingin' A's tries to figure out who should play first base for the Athletics.
Royals Review mused about trading top prospect Wil Myers.
M.C. Antil wrote about what the Braves have left following the Mark Teixeira trades.
Gaslamp Ball wonders if all the Padres' prospects get caught in identity fraud cases is a problem.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.

Mets Notes: Reyes, Wright, Alderson

By Mike Axisa | November 10, 2011 at 12:10pm CDT

Let's round up some links from Flushing. Here's the latest on the Mets…

In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Mets will not engage in a bidding war for free agent shortstop Jose Reyes. They will make him an offer they feel comfortable with, then move on if he rejects it.
Within the same piece, Olney says that David Wright will be gone by the time the Mets are ready to compete for a championship, so trading him now could produce players that lead to contention sooner.
MetsBlog.com's Matt Cerrone spoke to GM Sandy Alderson last week about the team's spending and overall strategy. "Considering where we are now with respect to revenues, in order for us to approach a break-even proposition, we have to keep our payroll at a lower range than it has been in the last few years," said Alderson. "Now, as the team performs better and the revenues increase, there will be the opportunity to increase payroll."
Alderson also spoke about the need to "rebalance" the organization after years of spending big on free agents while receiving little impact. "You can only have so many players on your team making $15 to $20 million," he added. "And so the farm system becomes important to the success of any team, including teams in big markets as evidence of the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies."

Yankees Notes: Sanchez, Catchers, Pitching, Posada

By Mike Axisa | November 9, 2011 at 8:10pm CDT

Yankees GM Brian Cashman spoke to reporters while at a charity function earlier today, and Marc Carig of The Star Ledger provided a recap. Here are the highlights…

The Yankees were aware that Jonathan Sanchez was on the trade block, but Cashman said the team did not have discussions about acquiring him. The Giants traded Sanchez to the Royals for former Yankee Melky Cabrera earlier this week.
Clubs have already inquired about the Yankees' young catchers, such as Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, and Francisco Cervelli. "I've had a lot of teams express 'Hey, if you're ever going to do something there, mark us down,' that type of things," said Cashman.
Cashman said it's too early to know if the best pitching options are available via trade or free agency. "I haven't talked to every team and I haven't talked to every agent yet," said the GM. "And I certainly haven't had any agent tell me what they want financially. So, no one's made any demands to me, no one's made me an offer, so I don't know what these current free agents are looking for yet in terms of years and dollars."
The Yankees have requested the medical information for some players, which Cashman said is standard procedure.
Cashman has not had any talks with Jorge Posada or Eric Chavez yet, and he doesn't know if either will continue playing or retire. Posada told Carig that he's undecided about playing in 2012, but he's resigned to the fact that it would not be with the Yankees. He believes he can still serve as a backup catcher and DH, and he told Newsday's Erik Boland that he's been contacted by five or six teams (all Twitter links).
Posada's wife hinted that the Marlins could be a fit, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). "We live in Miami, so… We love Miami. Nice transition," she said.
The Yankees have the flexibility to stretch the budget, if needed. "There's no set number where you can't exceed it that obviously exists in other environments," said Cashman.
The team has a ton of scouts in the Dominican Republic this week, and they are there to see more players than just Yoenis Cespedes.

Duquette Links: Quotes, Free Agents, Drafts

By Mike Axisa | November 8, 2011 at 7:10pm CDT

The Orioles officially introduced Dan Duquette as their GM today. Let's round up the latest from his press conference, plus more from Charm City…

"This is right up my alley, turning around a ballclub and building a farm and scouting system," said Duquette to reporters (including MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli) at today's press conference. "This is what I love to do. This is a great opportunity. I'm thankful for it, and I'm ready to go to work."
“Dan had a real grasp of where we were as an organization,” said manager Buck Showalter to reporters (including CSNBaltimore.com's Rich Dubroff). “He’s always been on everybody’s lists.”
In an Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney provided some quotes from former Expos and Dodgers GM Kevin Malone, who worked with Duquette in Montreal. "The Orioles made an excellent decision in hiring Dan Duquette," he said. "[He's] a talented, proven and experienced GM that knows how to build winning and successful ML teams and organizations."
"I don’t know that it’s a terrific use of the club’s resources to go into the free-agent market just to say that I’m out there," said Duquette to The Baltimore Sun's Matt Vensel when asked about possibly signing Prince Fielder or C.J. Wilson.
WEEI.com's Alex Speier looked back at Duquette's drafts with the Red Sox, the team he ran from 1994-2001. He brought Nomar Garciaparra, Kevin Youkilis, and others into the organization.

Red Sox Managerial Links: Maddux, Martinez

By Mike Axisa | November 7, 2011 at 7:10pm CDT

Let's round up some links about the Red Sox's still-ongoing search for Terry Francona's replacement…

GM Ben Cherington confirmed that Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux has withdrawn his name from consideration for the job, reports WEEI.com's Alex Speier. Speier says it had to do with family concerns, as Maddux did not want to be so far away from his home in Texas.
MLB.com's Peter Gammons says (on Twitter) that Maddux has not yet been to Chicago, where he is also a candidate for the Cubs' managerial position.
Cherington confirmed to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe that the team plans to expand its search, something that was in the works even before Maddux pulled himself out of the running. "Haven’t ruled out internal candidates but [we're] not focused there right now," said the GM.
Former Red Sox exec and current Padres GM Josh Byrnes spoke to WEEI.com's Rob Bradford about the process of hiring a new manager. "There are steps," he said. "You lay out the criteria you want with the club, the market, the impact on the players, the impact on the fans and the media and the impact on scouting and development. All the things a manager is going to touch. Then you start calling around, asking opinions you trust, and I think that part is a little underrated."
The Tampa Tribute reports (on Twitter) that the Sox have not yet asked the Rays for permission to talk to bench Dave Martinez about their manager's job.

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