Curtis Granderson Rumors: Monday
10:31pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Yankees spent "much of the day" trying to acquire Granderson. They still haven't offered Johnny Damon a contract.
9:49pm: MLB.com's Doug Miller hears from one source who says the Mariners "might" be in the mix for Granderson. That's hardly a surprise, given that they've been linked to him in recent weeks.
5:14pm: Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times talked to a Cubs source who's heard nothing to support rumors that the Tigers are trying to move Granderson this week.
4:05pm: With USA Today's Bob Nightengale suggesting the Tigers hope to trade Curtis Granderson this week, the center fielder requires his own post.
ESPN's Peter Gammons says the Tigers wanted shortstop prospect Starlin Castro and two others from the Cubs. That price is too high for the Cubs. Gammons' colleague Buster Olney says the Tigers want Phil Hughes and Austin Jackson from the Yankees for Granderson.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Monday
10:29pm: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports that the Rays have checked in on Halladay, as they do on most players, but didn't even talk to the Jays today.
9:37pm: Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that the Jays and Dodgers talked about a possible Halladay deal today and don't appear to match up well.
5:50pm: SI's Jon Heyman says the Angels are interested in Doc only if he'll sign a long-term deal with them.
5:17pm: The Rays "flatly denied" interest in discussing Davis and Upton for Halladay, reports ESPN's Peter Gammons.
4:20pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say the Rays inquired on Halladay, and "might be willing to offer Wade Davis and B.J. Upton." So far the most surprising rumor of the day.
10:05am: A couple of tweets from ESPN's Buster Olney prompt our first Roy Halladay post of the morning. Olney says the Blue Jays are in discussion mode on Doc, and no trade is close currently. He also says not to rule out the Angels even though they hold Spring Training in Arizona rather than Halladay's reported preference, Florida.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tells us that Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is "limiting the number of people in his suite for any talks," which should cut down on leaks. Something tells me the rumors will keep coming.
Edwin Jackson Rumors: Monday
9:43pm: D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes told Piecoro that team execs are heavily involved in trade talks and currently "talking about a lot of guys." He didn't mention Jackson specifically, but you have to think Byrnes would have squashed this rumor if the D'Backs and Tigers weren't talking about a possible Jackson deal.
8:27pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic thinks the D'Backs are making a push for Jackson, but doubts they'd include Max Scherzer in a deal. As Piecoro points out, Scherzer's under team control for three more years than Jackson, who can become a free agent after 2011. Those three extra years add lots of value.
8:03pm: MLB.com's Steve Gilbert wonders whether the Tigers and D'Backs could complete a deal without a third team. Do you see a potential fit?
6:26pm: The Tigers approached the Rockies about Jackson, but Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the asking price was too high for Colorado.
3:58pm: Rosenthal and Morosi say talks for Jackson have been more serious with the D'Backs than the Mariners, and the Angels are in on both Jackson and Granderson. The Red Sox are not in on Jackson, tweets Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says the D'Backs are not close to getting Jackson.
3:27pm: Price is back with something a little more concrete: he says the Tigers are sorting through offers from 12 teams for Jackson.
2:26pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports agree with Nightengale – the Tigers are close to trading Jackson. They say the Brewers, Mets, and Dodgers "are not on Jackson."
2:09pm: Ken Davidoff of Newsday tweets that a Mets official denied a Jackson trade.
1:54pm: Cryptic tweet from Ed Price of AOL FanHouse: "Rumor that Mets acquire Edwin Jackson." Price then updated that the rumor was "heard in the lobby" but not confirmed.
12:57pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets that the Tigers are close to trading Jackson, "perhaps as early as today." No word on the potential destination, but we'll keep you apprised in this post. What's more, Nightengale says the Tigers hope to trade Curtis Granderson this week.
The Tigers acquired Jackson from the Rays during the Winter Meetings last year, on December 10th.
Jason Bay Rumors: Monday
8:31pm: Reagins told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that talks with Bay are "new and developing."
2:36pm: ESPN's Gordon Edes tweets that Angels GM Tony Reagins has not yet arrived in Indianapolis. So if the Halos did open talks with Bay's agent Joe Urbon, either they didn't involve Reagins or they happened by phone.
12:26pm: The Angels have opened talks with free agent outfielder Jason Bay, according to Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports. Earlier today, SI's Jon Heyman said the Angels were thought to be dangling Juan Rivera as they entertain Bay. With Bay expected to earn at least $10MM more per year than Rivera, is the upgrade worth it? Or can the Angels afford to have both players under contract?
We learned earlier today that the Mariners might not get involved on Bay, despite his reported desire to play near home.
Milton Bradley Rumors: Monday
8:20pm: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Rays haven't backed off on a possible Milton Bradley deal, even though talks with the Mets involving Pat Burrell are now dead. Money is currently the biggest obstacle between the two clubs and a deal. Two or three new teams have apparently expressed interest in Bradley since the meetings began this morning.
7:51pm: Royals GM Dayton Moore tells MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that the Bradley-Meche rumors are "unbelievable." However, no player on the Royals is untradeable, though Zack Greinke and Billy Butler are among the Royals who are almost certainly staying put.
1:06pm: The Cubs shot down Levine's report of meeting with the Royals about Bradley, tweets Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
12:44pm: Danny Knobler of CBS Sports says two new teams approached the Cubs about Bradley, aside from the Rays and Rangers. Perhaps the Royals, mentioned below, are one.
11:46am: ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine says the Cubs and Royals met last night to discuss Bradley-Gil Meche scenarios. The money matches up pretty well here, as both players are signed through 2011. And don't forget the Cubs tried to sign Meche as part of the 2006-07 offseason spending spree. On the flip side, the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton tweets that the Royals would have to be "overwhelmed" to trade Meche. Bradley could technically be described as overwhelming, but not in the way the Royals meant.
11:00am: The Cubs are dead-set on trading Milton Bradley, and Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has the latest.
Sullivan says the Cubs are letting Bradley's agents, the Levinson brothers, talk to other teams in an attempt to repair Bradley's reputation. Sullivan adds that the Cubs are focused on the Rays moreso than the Rangers.
As you might expect, it's all about money: the Rays would want the Cubs covering most of the $15MM difference (Cot's has the difference at $12.2MM) between Bradley and Pat Burrell's contracts. Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times sees Bradley's commitment as $24MM due to incentives, but most of those are awards bonuses. We've heard Rosenthal calling the Rays frontrunners for Bradley, but Joel Sherman said a few hours ago that the Rays were "growing less hopeful of swapping Burrell to the Cubs."
The Rangers want the Cubs assuming most of the remaining money owed to Bradley. What's more, Sullivan found one potential Rangers bidder who would want no part of Bradley if he gets the team.
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Dodgers Notes: Sherrill, Pierre, Payroll, Torre
Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times spoke to Dodgers GM Ned Colletti; here's the latest.
- Colletti shot down the FOX Sports report that the Dodgers are shopping set-up man George Sherrill.
- The Dodgers would want pitching in return for Juan Pierre. The White Sox and one other team are apparently interested.
- Colletti suggested that, for now, the Dodgers aren't planning on decreasing payroll.
- Colletti finds it unlikely that the Dodgers will make a signing at the Meetings.
- Hernandez says the Dodgers "are talking to Joe Torre about extending his contract by one year and having him move into a role in baseball operations in 2012."
- The Dodgers have had more discussions with Brad Ausmus than with any of their other free agents.
Red Sox Sign Fabio Castro, Kason Gabbard
The Red Sox signed pitcher Fabio Castro, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Castro, 25 in January, posted a 4.01 ERA in 29 starts in the Blue Jays organization between Double and Triple A, with a 5.8 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9. He's bounced around in the Phillies, Rangers, and White Sox organizations, last pitching in the bigs in '07.
Earlier today Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe noted that the Sox re-upped Kason Gabbard, who they'd reacquired from Texas in April.
Tigers Re-Sign Adam Everett
7:05pm: ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Everett will receive $1.55MM.
4:13pm: The Tigers signed shortstop Adam Everett to a one-year deal, according to the team's Twitter account. The defensively-skilled Everett, 33 in February, had also drawn interest from the Pirates. Everett gets a one-year deal, according to John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press.
As far as starting shortstop candidates still on the free agent market, there's Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Tejada, and perhaps Bobby Crosby and Khalil Greene.
Royals Eyeing Jason Kendall, Rod Barajas
The Royals are considering catchers Jason Kendall and Rod Barajas in addition to Ivan Rodriguez, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. These three, as well as Bengie Molina, Yorvit Torrealba, and Miguel Olivo, are part of a catching musical chairs game that involves the Royals, Giants, Mariners, Rangers, Mets, Nationals, and Rockies to varying degrees and combinations. It's a low-OBP group as usual; what's your preference?