Marlins Eyeing Will Ohman, Chad Cordero
According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, the Marlins continue to have interest in free agent lefty Will Ohman. Back on February 16th, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick said Ohman had offers in hand from the Marlins, Padres, and Pirates. The Pirates are still involved, while the Padres are seen as a long shot. Ohman doesn’t figure to get more than $1MM as the lefty reliever market continues to drag.
Frisaro adds that the Marlins were one of about 15 teams watching Chad Cordero‘s recent workout. Frisaro’s read on the audition:
The reports are Cordero likely won’t be ready until perhaps the second half. His fastball was clocked around 80 mph, and the ball wasn’t coming out of his hand like it did when he was healthy pitching for Washington.
Cordero’s agent Larry Reynolds, however, suggested his client would be at "full tilt" sometime in March.
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report
Here’s my latest fantasy baseball closer report over at RotoAuthority.
Red Sox Contract Notes: Okajima, Drew
According to WEEI’s Alex Speier, when Hideki Okajima‘s 2009 vesting option triggered it also guaranteed that the reliever is under team control through 2012 if the Red Sox want him. There had been some debate about whether Okajima would become arbitration-eligible after his current contract; the answer is yes.
Also, WEEI’s Rob Bradford notes that J.D. Drew is entering the phase in his five-year contract where certain injury situations would allow the Sox to void the last two years of this deal. It seems unlikely, though.
Odds & Ends: Arbitration, Bay, Manny
Links for Tuesday…
- Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball has all the info and analysis about this year’s salary arbitration class you could possibly need.
- The updated June draft order from Baseball America.
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe discusses Jason Bay‘s future.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney provides analysis of the Manny Ramirez situation in this video.
- More Hardball looks at the best minor league contracts of the offseason.
- RotoAuthority discusses the possible fantasy impact of those from Baseball America’s top 100 list who have a 2009 ETA.
Rays Lack Payroll Flexibility
Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times talked to Rays owner Stu Sternberg, who said the Rays lack payroll flexibility to make an in-season acquisition. Still, Sternberg left the door open to change his mind midsummer. I wonder if the Rays could move a reliever and trim $3MM or so.
Braves Sign Garret Anderson
Garret Anderson passed his physical; he’s a Brave on a $2.5MM deal. Do you like the move? Will he be better than Ken Griffey Jr. this year?
Ricciardi Discusses Halladay
Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi is tired of the Roy Halladay rumors, even though they are entirely his fault. He told ESPN’s Jayson Stark:
"Roy Halladay is not going anywhere," Ricciardi says, as emphatically as he can possibly say it without grabbing a bullhorn or splashing it on a billboard. "This has become kind of a hot topic in baseball, but we’re not trading him. We have no intention of trading him. He allows us to be good. And we feel we are going to be good. And he’s going to be The Guy." So there. It’s settled, right? Trading his ace has never entered the GM’s mind? "Nope," the GM says succinctly.
But here’s Ricciardi about a week ago, to Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
"Ownership wants no part of trading Roy at this time. He’s the face of the organization. Right now we are not thinking about going down that road. But that is what we feel in February. Who knows how you feel in June? We have thought about it, this has not escaped us [that Halladay could leave as a free agent, and trading him might be best for the long-term health of the organization]. In June, we may have to say. ‘Is this the way we want to go?’ It will be up to ownership, and ownership has a strong attachment to Doc."
Ricciardi left the door wide open in his quotes to Sherman, and that was his choice. Ricciardi also had this to say to CBSSports.com’s Scott Miller:
"The only way we’d trade him, I’d say, is if all hell broke loose and the stock market went nuts and (ownership) said we’ve got to take the payroll down to bare bones. And if that was the case, then we’d be trading a lot of people."
If Ricciardi had made his emphatic statements to Sherman or Miller, we wouldn’t be talking about Halladay.
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects
Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list is up. Voters were tabulated from six BA regulars to form the results. Matt Wieters, David Price, and Colby Rasmus snag the top three spots.
Nomar Garciaparra To Decide Soon
According to ESPN’s Buster Olney:
It’s expected that Nomar Garciaparra will make his decision by mid-week on whether he wants to play in Oakland, or in Philadelphia, or if he’d prefer to walk away from the game.
Garciaparra, 35, hit .264/.326/.466 in 181 plate appearances for the Dodgers last year while playing first base, shortstop, and third base and earning $8.5MM. Ken Rosenthal wrote about Nomar yesterday, saying the Phillies are pessimistic about signing him because the A’s are offering an opportunity for more at-bats.
Konerko Discusses Trade Possibility
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times asked White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko about the possibility of being traded. As a 10-and-5 player, Konerko has the ability to veto any deal. Here’s what Konerko had to say:
"You never know because the answer could be you help them by leaving. I would never be opposed to that. It doesn’t have to be a breakup that’s antagonistic. It doesn’t have to be a thing where heads are butted."
Konerko also spoke about "going through hell" to earn the 10-and-5 rights.
Sox manager Ozzie Guillen indicated Konerko would only be a trade candidate if the team disappoints this year. At $12MM in each of the ’09 and ’10 seasons, he’d need a big first half to become marketable. Konerko will be 33 in March.