Tribune To Choose New Cubs Owner Soon?
The Cubs’ ownership situation may be resolved soon, according to Ameet Sachdev of the Chicago Tribune. Sachdev says the Tribune Co. is close to choosing one of the three finalists. But the decision is no lock to happen quickly, and even then negotiations for the sale would still have to take place. Other complications exist as well. Sachdev fills us in on the finalists:
Three prospective buyers made offers for the franchise at the end of November: Chicago real estate investor Hersch Klaff; the Ricketts family, founders of online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.; and a group led by Marc Utay, a New York private-equity investor who grew up in Chicago.
Mark Cuban is not among the finalists, but here is his take on the whole situation.
Brown’s Latest: Abreu, Manny, Looper
The latest from Yahoo’s Tim Brown…
- Bobby Abreu still wants $48MM over three years, according to Brown and Gordon Edes. Abreu may have lost three potential suitors today in the Cubs, Rays, and A’s. Buster Olney suggests Abreu is "probably out on the ledge, more than any other player in the corner outfield market."
- Brown says the Dodgers, Orioles, Nationals and Mariners "seem to have the most interest in adding an outfielder." Haven’t heard much about the Orioles looking for help there.
- Brown believes the Dodgers are "sitting on their original offer of two years and $45 million guaranteed" to Manny Ramirez. He says Scott Boras still wants four or five years at $25MM per.
- Starters on the Dodgers’ radar: Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, and Braden Looper. Looper might be a new name.
- Kenshin Kawakami is apparently "drawing solid interest from the Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins and Orioles." It’d be surprising to see Boston sign him after getting Brad Penny.
Nationals Sign Wil Ledezma
This one slipped under the radar. Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post reported earlier tonight that the Nationals signed lefty Wil Ledezma to a minor league deal worth $750K. Ledezma, 28 in January, didn’t shut down left-handed hitters in 2008. They batted .255/.359/.364 against him.
Derek Lowe Rumors: Monday
10:20pm: Newsday’s Ken Davidoff learned tonight that the Mets "do not intend to raise their three-year, $36MM offer to [Lowe] at this time." The Mets don’t feel that they have serious competition for Lowe, for some reason. Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf remain the alternatives.
8:28am: According to Kat O’Brien of Newsday, "negotiations are expected to heat up for righthander Derek Lowe" this week for the Mets, who reportedly offered three years and $36MM (though Scott Boras indicated yesterday the proposal was never made). Jon Heyman said recently that Lowe didn’t take this offer seriously; he’s aiming for a $16MM salary. Heyman named the Phillies, Braves, Red Sox, Brewers, and Angels as possible suitors, with the last three more on the speculative side.
Mark Bowman doesn’t believe the Braves are willing to top the Mets’ reported offer, though. In another article, Bowman suggested Jon Garland and Andy Pettitte are more likely options.
Braves Rumors: Pettitte, Glavine, Smoltz
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the latest hot stove info on the Braves.
- The Braves still have roughly $25MM to spend, with a starting pitcher and a power-hitting outfielder on the shopping list.
- Starters of interest: Derek Lowe, Andy Pettitte, and Jon Garland. Mark Bowman of MLB.com doesn’t believe the Braves would exceed three years and $36MM for Lowe, a Boras client.
- O’Brien isn’t sure if the Jake Peavy talks will restart. But Frank Wren did reiterate that he wants to re-sign both Tom Glavine and John Smoltz if they’re able to pitch.
- O’Brien notes that Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn remain on the free agent market, while the Cardinals could part with Rick Ankiel. All three bat left-handed, however.
Dodgers Rumors: Manny, Andruw, Saito
Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times has the latest on the Dodgers, as well as free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez.
- Nothing much to report with Manny Ramirez – there has been no new offer from the Dodgers yet but the two sides are still talking. That two-year $45MM offer Scott Boras dissed isn’t looking too bad anymore.
- Boras is "just looking for a situation" for Andruw Jones. I see. Boras had a meeting in November with Ned Colletti and Joe Torre and the three decided to rework the contract and get him out of L.A.
- Hernandez says Trevor Hoffman remains a possibility but the Dodgers haven’t heard back from Takashi Saito.
- The Dodgers are not pursuing Pedro, but he’s narrowed his choices to two teams in each league according to his agent.
- Diamond Leung tells us the Dodgers signed infielder Juan Castro to a minor league deal.
Twins Rumors: Kawakami, Lyon, Saito, Mota
La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune has the latest hot stove info on the Twins.
- The Twins don’t appear to be currently negotiating with Kenshin Kawakami – starting pitching isn’t top priority currently. Neal says that could change if they need to package a starter in a trade.
- Reliever names on the radar: Brandon Lyon, Takashi Saito, and Guillermo Mota. Lyon may be out of their price range.
Carl Pohlad Passes Away
According to Neal St. Anthony of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Twins owner Carl Pohlad passed away at age 93.
Rays, Burrell Agree To Two-Year Deal
1:51pm: Buster Olney agrees with Rosenthal. He writes that Burrell has agreed in principle to a two-year $16MM deal with the Rays pending a physical.
12:51pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Rays are close to signing Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16MM deal. It’d be a solid move, as the Rays can increase his value by not using him in the field. The ’08 Rays struggled against lefties (.726 OPS) and Burrell crushes them (.952 OPS in ’08).
Rosenthal figures this signing may pave the way for the Cubs to get Milton Bradley and the A’s to sign Jason Giambi. You have to think they’ll also be affordable; Raul Ibanez could be the outlier.
Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times has similar information about the potential signing. He doesn’t get into financial details, but writes that the Rays are nearing a two-year deal with Burrell.
Cardinals Sign Royce Ring
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals signed lefty reliever Royce Ring to a one-year deal. He joins fellow southpaw imports Charlie Manning and Trever Miller. Ring hasn’t really shut down lefthanded hitters in recent years.