Russell Martin Rumors: Wednesday
Recently non-tendered catcher Russell Martin is drawing plenty of interest on the open market; here's the latest. He's recovering from a hip fracture, but teams have already examined his medical records.
- Martin has multiple offers, according to Hernandez (on Twitter).
- A return to LA seems unlikely, since the Dodgers are nearing a deal with Dioner Navarro, but Martin has at least one offer from another team, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (on Twitter).
- Boston's interest depends on Martin's willingness to play other positions than catcher, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (on Twitter).
- The Red Sox remain in play on Martin but haven't made a decision, tweets Edes.
- The Dodgers' final offer to Martin was $4.2MM plus $1.5-1.7MM in incentives based on games played, reports Yahoo's Steve Henson. Henson says letting Martin go was a gut-wrenching decision for GM Ned Colletti. Will he match the amount he turned down from the Dodgers?
- Teams are now making offers to Martin's agent Matt Colleran, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and the Yankees and Red Sox are in the center of the mix. Gordon Edes' source says the Red Sox are making a strong push.
Carl Crawford Rumors: Wednesday
Carl Crawford is the biggest free agent prize among position players, but who can afford him? The latest:
- One Red Sox source says the market is likely "too crazy" for Boston to get seriously involved, according to ESPNBoston's Gordon Edes (on Twitter).
- Multiple baseball sources and people close to Crawford tell Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles that they expect the left fielder to sign with the Angels.
- Crawford was at the dinner with GM Brian Cashman and agent Brian Peters, according to Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News. The Yankees are "very interested" in Crawford and could pursue him even if they sign Lee.
- The Rangers met with Crawford's agent, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman had a long Crawford-related meeting yesterday, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. Joel Sherman tweets that Cashman met with his agent Brian Peters at a restaurant away from the meetings. Olney feels the Yankees are "preparing to zig off Cliff Lee if necessary." Meanwhile Olney's colleague Jayson Stark tweets that the Yankees are hinting that if Andy Pettitte retires, it becomes more likely they can afford both Crawford and Lee. One Yankes official described that scenario as "highly unlikely" to Sherman.
Latest On Athletics Designated Hitter Search
5:36pm: The A's are confident they can sign Matsui, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).
2:32pm: This morning, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle posted the latest on the Athletics' search for a designated hitter:
- Vladimir Guerrero is now open to a one-year deal with any AL West team. The Mariners are probably not a match given the Jack Cust signing, and the Angels probably aren't planning a reunion, so this news really only affects the Athletics. Meanwhile, the Rangers still consider Vlad their best DH option and are optimistic about a deal according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
- The A's still have Hideki Matsui atop their list, though he's drawn interest from the Orioles and possibly Rangers.
- Nick Johnson, said to be fully recovered from wrist surgery, is also in the mix for Oakland.
Adrian Beltre Rumors: Wednesday
The latest on the best available third baseman, Adrian Beltre…'
- It doesn't appear that the Blue Jays are pursuing Beltre, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- Boras will meet with many clubs about Beltre today, according to Scott Miller of CBSSports. The Angels are in the mix for Beltre along with the Rangers and others.
- Agent Scott Boras told Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times that negotiations are moving quickly and a decision could be made soon, possibly this week. Talks are "gaining traction," tweets Tom Krasovic of AOL Fanhouse. DiGiovanna says the Angels have serious interest in Beltre. Though Carl Crawford remains their top target, they may have to make a decision on Beltre first. The Halos also have "considerable interest" in Boras client Rafael Soriano.
Luis Vizcaino On The Comeback Trail
Righty reliever Luis Vizcaino, last seen with the Indians in '09, is on the comeback trail. MLBTR has learned that Vizcaino, 36, aims to sign a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite before year's end. Interest has been strong in Vizcaino, who has allowed one run in 10 2/3 Dominican Summer League innings. He has an offer from a National League team in hand.
Diamondbacks Re-Sign Mike Hampton
Lefty Mike Hampton is returning to the Diamondbacks on a minor league deal, tweets Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. He'll compete for a bullpen job.
Hampton, a 38-year-old former Cy Young runner-up, signed with Arizona in August after coming back from rotator cuff surgery. He made four appearances at Triple-A and another ten for the D'Backs.
Phillies Close To Deal With Dennys Reyes?
1:22pm: The Phillies have offers out to Reyes and Sherrill, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly, but it looks like Sherrill might be headed elsewhere. The Phils are "very close" with Reyes, tweets Salisbury.
12:46pm: The Phillies are very close to a one-year deal with a club option with Reyes, tweets Rojas.
WEDNESDAY, 11:45am: The Phillies are not close to signing Reyes and have yet to make a formal offer, reports Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Word is they're not close on any reliever right now.
TUESDAY, 4:27pm: Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears that Reyes will sign with the Phillies (Twitter link).
2:34pm: Reyes could sign within the next 48 hours, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, probably deciding between the Phillies and Marlins. The Mariners and Athletics are also in on Reyes, tweets John Hickey of AOL Fanhouse.
12:14pm: The agent for lefty Dennys Reyes, Oscar Suarez, is meeting with the Phillies today, tweets ESPN's Enrique Rojas. Suarez says at least five to six teams are interested.
The Phillies could be a match for lefty George Sherrill; Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun says they're considered the favorite by most in the industry.
Rays Interested In Edwin Encarnacion
The Rays are interested in Edwin Encarnacion, tweets Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, seemingly as a designated hitter/first base option. Encarnacion, typically a third baseman, was non-tendered by the Athletics this month. He hit 21 home runs in 367 plate appearances this year for the Blue Jays.
Braves Closing In On Deal With George Sherrill
The Braves are closing in on a deal with lefty reliever George Sherrill, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Sherrill, 34 in April, was non-tendered by the Dodgers after a lost 2010 season. He's always been useful and sometimes dominant against lefties in his career. The Braves could be strong on the southpaw relief front, with Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters already in the fold.
Royals Reach Agreement With Jeff Francoeur
The Royals announced they've reached an agreement with outfielder Jeff Francoeur on a one-year deal with a 2012 mutual option. Francoeur will receive a $2.5MM guarantee with another $500K in incentives, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. The option is worth $3MM. The match comes as no surprise, with Royals GM Dayton Moore showing longstanding interest and also a tendency to acquire players who played for his former employer.
Francoeur, 27 in January, hit .249/.300/.383 overall in 503 plate appearances this year for the Mets and Rangers but did have a nice 56 PA Texas stint. Francoeur was once an up-and-comer with the Braves, hitting 29 home runs as a 22-year-old. The Dodgers, Indians, Rockies, and Phillies were also linked to Francoeur, who is represented by Molly Fletcher at Career Sports.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first tweeted a deal was close.