Nolasco Not On The Market
Despite listening to offers for Matt Lindstrom and Renyel Pinto, the Marlins are telling teams that starter Ricky Nolasco is not available, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel.
Nolasco, who earned $2.4MM this year, is arbitration eligible for the second time after an odd 2009 season. His periperhal stats were outstanding (9.49 K/9, 2.14 BB/9, 3.35 FIP), yet he still finished with a 5.06 ERA. Considering his cost and relative production, you'd have to think the Fish could get a pretty nice return if they made him available in a trade.
Rodriguez adds that the team is in the "early stages" of trade discussions involving Dan Uggla.
Braves Intend To Trade A Starter For A Bat
The Braves intend to trade a starting pitcher in order to get the bat they need, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. Derek Lowe and Javy Vazquez appear to be the two most likely candidates to be moved.
After shoring up the back of their bullpen with Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito, GM Frank Wren can turn his attention to the lineup. The Braves have expressed interest in Josh Willingham in the past, and Tim outlined some potential options back in October. Nelson Cruz, who is drawing interest despite not necessarily being on the block, could be a fit as well.
Given the shorter commitment and superior 2009 performance, Vazquez would have more value on the trade market, but stranger things have happened.
Rays, Reds Interested In Nelson Cruz
The Rays and Reds are among the teams that have contacted the Rangers about outfielder Nelson Cruz, according to FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi. We first heard that teams were contacting Texas about Cruz late last month.
Given Cruz's immense production (.260/.332/.524 with 33 homers) at a bargain basement price ($408K in 2009 according to Cot's), the team doesn't have much incentive to move him. Cruz is under team control through 2013. In fact, Texas has reportedly been on the look out for righty hitting middle-of-the-order bat, such as Jermaine Dye.
Morosi adds that the Rangers have considered such free agent options as Dye, Jim Thome, and Vladimir Guerrero, however their spending ability may be limited.
Multiple Teams Interested In Juan Pierre
Steve Henson of Yahoo! Sports says that three or four teams are interested in Juan Pierre, and that a three-team trade is being explored to bring a bad contract starter to the Dodgers in return. Henson says the bad contract starter wouldn't be ex-Dodger Derek Lowe.
The 32-year-old Pierre is still owed $18.5MM over the next two years, however he boosted his value a bit by hitting .308/.365/.392 with 30 steals in 2009. It was his best offensive season since 2004, and the second best of his career. UZR/150 pegged Pierre as excellent in LF (+16.4) but awful in center (-19.4).
Can you think of any "bad contract starter" fits? Maybe one of the Detroit guys (Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis), or Jeff Suppan?
Lackey Looking To Exceed Burnett’s Deal
Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports says that a club engaged in talks with John Lackey indicate that the free agent righty is looking for a contract longer, and with a greater average annual value than A.J. Burnett's five year, $82.5MM pact.
If true, Lackey could be seeking $17MM+ per year over a period of six or more years, which would put the total value of a potential contract in the nine figures. When Burnett signed his deal, he was coming off two seasons in which he posted a 3.93 ERA with a 2.68 K/BB ratio in 387 total innings. In Lackey's last two seasons, he's thrown 339.2 innings with a 3.79 ERA and a 3.07 K/BB ratio.
What do the readers of MLBTR think, is Lackey worth that kind of cash?
Discussion: Winter Meetings
The 2009 edition of baseball's Winter Meetings officially start tomorrow in Indianapolis, however after attending last year's meetings in Las Vegas, I can assure you reporters are already staking out in the hallways trying to get their hands on any scoop possible.
As fans, the Winter Meetings are the zenith of the Hot Stove League, when most major trades and free agent signings will be made, or at the very least put into motion. As Peter Abraham reminds us, actual business gets addressed at the meetings as well. We really don't care about that stuff though, that's for someone else to worry about.
What do you folks want to see happen at the Winter Meetings this week? Are you hoping to see a big Roy Halladay deal? Matt Holliday or Jason Bay or John Lackey choose a new team? Maybe a smaller deal to help your favorite team shore up a weakness? Let us know in the comments.
Four Teams Interested In Pudge?
3:32pm: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times says not to expect any interest in Rodriguez from the Rays.
11:56am: Yesterday we heard that the Royals were interested in free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez, and today SI.com's Jon Heyman adds the Rangers, Giants, and Rays to the mix.
Texas could be looking to bring Pudge back for depth after Jarrod Saltalamacchia left winter ball with a shoulder injury, while the Giants and Royals are looking to replace the departed Bengie Molina and Miguel Olivo, respectively. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, currently has both Kelly Shoppach and Dioner Navarro under contract, however both are prime non-tender candidates if the Rays don't like price tags.
The 38-year-old catcher hit .249/.280/.384 last year, and is a Type-B free agent. If he signs elsewhere, the Rangers will receive a supplemental first round draft pick, somewhere around 50th overall.
Odds & Ends: Holliday, Phillies, Marquis, Navarro
Some Saturday morning links…
- Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post Dispatch says the Cardinals blew it by telling the fans and media that they'd make an aggressive attempt to re-sign Matt Holliday. How could they have blown it when there's still a chance he could come back?
- Both David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News and Scott Lauber of The News Journal looked at the Phillies' long-term payroll now that Placido Polanco is on board for the next three years.
- The Mets are among the teams on Jason Marquis' wish list, writes Ben Shpigel of The NY Times, and the team has reciprocated that interest. Shpigel adds that the Mets are trying to find a "sturdy starter" from a group that includes Marquis, Joel Pineiro, and Randy Wolf.
- The Rays have a week to decide whether they'll tender a contract to Dioner Navarro, and executive vice president Andrew Friedman "indicated this week he might need every hour until that deadline to make a decision," according to Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune.
- In a highly recommended feature by Tim Sullivan of The San Diego Union Tribune, former Padres' GM Kevin Towers indicated that he'd like to learn more about the AL, saying "I’d like to see how they do business, how you put an American League team together."
- Lynn Henning of The Detroit News says that the Tigers got nothing in return for Placido Polanco, but they could have if he hadn't played so well in the second half.
- With Chone Figgins on the verge of going to Seattle, the Angels may finally give Brandon Wood a chance to play, writes Bill Shaikin of The LA Times.
- ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes says that if Terry Francona has his way, Mike Lowell won't be moving to first. Lowell said he wouldn't rule out a move across the diamond earlier this week.
- The Orioles have been downplaying the posssibility of any major moves during the Winter Meetings, according to The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck.
Latest On Roy Halladay
Last night we heard from former Blue Jays' GM J.P. Ricciardi that Roy Halladay wants to be traded, adding that whenever you have a player of that magnitude, any decision to move him is one ownership makes. The Halladay talk figures to get hot and heavy during the Winter Meetings next week, so let's see what's being written about the situation right now…
- The Jays are looking for "top prospects at pitcher, shortstop and catcher in any deal," says Phil Rogers of The Chicago Tribune. He adds that the White Sox surely would have been in on Halladay if they didn't acquire Jake Peavy at the deadline.
- Anthony McCarron of The NY Daily News says the Yankees will "see what's there," referring to potential trade talks with Toronto.
- ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes says "it's starting to sound like [the Red Sox] have considerable qualms about the kind of money and players it will take to land" Doc.
- Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus says that a trade to the Angels will not happen because Halladay wants to train in Florida, and that's "absolute." The Halos train in Tempa, Arizona. If true, this demand would also eliminate the Cubs, Dodgers, and Rangers, all of whom train in Arizona and have been linked to Halladay at various times.
Cubs Interested In Cameron, Byrd
The Cubs have discussed bringing in free agent outfielder Mike Cameron according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Chicago Sun Times, however they must first unload Milton Bradley to see how much payroll that frees up.
Manager Lou Piniella, who knows Cameron from their days in Seattle, said he anticipates meeting with Cameron's agent during the Winter Meetings next week. They also have interest in Marlon Byrd, according to Wittenmyer.
Cubs centerfielders hit .260/.358/.417 in 2009, however their -16.7 UZR was third worst in baseball.