Tigers Unlikely For Beimel
According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, Joe Beimel‘s agent Joe Sroba is focusing elsewhere after the Tigers failed to make an offer at the Winter Meetings. The lefty reliever probably won’t sign until after the New Year.
Several of Beimel’s previous suitors already locked up their lefties – the Reds, D’Backs, and Rockies are probably out of the picture.
Yankees To Avoid Sheets?
Joel Sherman of the New York Post is "hearing from multiple sources that the Yankees will have nothing to do with Ben Sheets" given his health concerns. They don’t want another health risk in the rotation after signing A.J. Burnett. Aside from cautious interest from the Rangers, it’s been quiet on the Sheets front.
Mark Teixeira Rumors: Thursday
9:58pm: Red Sox owner John Henry said:
"We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him. After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor."
Wow. From favorites to out of the bidding.
9:16pm: Gordon Edes says Boston’s eight-year offer is more than $160MM but less than the $184MM figure Lynch mentioned. In a newer article, Edes talked to a Red Sox exec who called the idea of a $25MM salary for Tex "ridiculous." This info gels with the Gammons/Olney suggestion of $22MM per year. Edes adds that it won’t be a "take it or leave it" type of meeting.
Edes says the Angels haven’t budged off their original offer, which is north of $160MM. The Nationals have been told by Boras that they’d have to pay extra.
8:38pm: The Red Sox "aren’t close to getting a deal done" with Teixeira according to an updated report by Dan Roche of WBZTV.
8:34pm: When asked whether the Angels might improve their offer to Teixeira, Tony Reagins simply repeated that he had already made him a "fair offer."
6:55pm: Dan Roche of WBZTV also confirms the meeting. He suggests an eight-year Red Sox offer in the $180MM range, but hears that Boston doesn’t expect anything "conclusive" tonight.
6:38pm: Buster Olney and Peter Gammons confirm Lynch’s report. ESPN has heard from major league sources that Boras may soon meet with Red Sox executives. Olney and Gammons heard from another team’s executive who expects the offer to be for "about $22MM" per year for eight years, or about $176MM in total.
5:21pm: Mike Lynch from Channel 5 in Boston reports John Henry and Theo Epstein will meet with Scott Boras tonight with the aim of signing Teixeira tonight or Friday morning. Lynch says the Sox are offering eight years and $184MM.
1:59pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman on rumored offers for Tex:
One source said he believed that Boston was in for close to $180 million over eight years and the Angels in for about the same. The Nats may be as high, or even higher than that. Some suggest they have either hit the $200 million mark, or gotten very close. Or that someone else has.
Heyman expects Teixeira to sign next week, and agrees that the Red Sox are the favorites. He provides odds of each bidding team signing Teixeira.
8:55am: Yesterday’s Mark Teixeira post focused on the Orioles – they seem to be falling behind, though Andy MacPhail said there’s flexibility with their offer.
We learned today from Kat O’Brien of Newsday today that the Yankees have not made an offer to Teixeira, and may not if the bidding gets too high.
Nick Cafardo’s been talking to a GM involved in the bidding, and that person says the Red Sox have the highest offer on the table. The offer could be eight years at the highest average annual salary. Sean McAdam says the Red Sox have their own ceiling and won’t get into a bidding war. He adds that there’s no backup plan for Boston – "it’s Teixeira or bust."
Rockies Sign Glendon Rusch
According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies signed lefty reliever Glendon Rusch to a one-year minor league deal worth $750K. He’ll be the swingman and second lefty in the pen.
Braves Won’t Be Dealing With Kinzer, Tellem
8:17pm: Tim Brown reacts to Tellem’s statement and breaks down the drama. Brown heard from one American League GM who would be “furious” if something similar happened to him.
7:51pm: Tony Jackson received a statement, apparently from agent Arn Tellem, about the events of the past couple days. It suggests there was “never an agreement reached” between Furcal and the Braves. The statement says Furcal’s agents “will continue to present opportunities to the Braves” when it’s in a client’s best interest. It concludes by asking that the event not color the Braves’ “better judgment” once “emotions have subsided.”
4:17pm: Braves president John Schuerholz comments on the situation.
3:02pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman talked to Wren, who said he’s notified the Wasserman Media Group the Braves will no longer be doing business with them. It’s a bold move, as the agency has a robust client list.
9:27am: Based on Frank Wren’s comments, the Braves won’t be dealing with agents Paul Kinzer and Arn Tellem anytime soon due to the recent Rafael Furcal drama. Dylan Hernandez transcribes:
When WIFN talk show host Bill Shanks prefaced a question by saying that he knew Wren couldn’t burn bridges with Kinzer and Tellem, Wren interjected, "That bridge is gone. I don’t have to worry about burning it. The bridge is gone."
Most remaining clients represented by these agents don’t fit for the Braves this offseason anyway. But Tellem does represent Randy Wolf. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick has a source saying it’d be "next to impossible" for the Braves to pursue Wolf now. You can find the full client list for Tellem’s Wasserman Media Group here (click Management, then Baseball). Current Brave Peter Moylan is also represented by the firm.
Odds and Ends: Abreu, Millwood, Wigginton
Links for Thursday…
- Luke Hudson agreed to stay with the Royals on a minor league deal. And because Braves fans keep emailing it…the Braves signed Lance Niekro as a pitcher, as noted in the minor league transactions we linked yesterday. Talking Chop and Henry Schulman have more.
- Along similar lines, here’s a link to Joel Sherman’s December 12th story about the Orlando Hudson and Adam Dunn being the Nationals’ backup plan for Mark Teixeira. That came four days before the Jon Heyman report people keep emailing.
- C.C. Sabathia‘s preferred teams heading into free agency: the Yankees, Brewers, and Angels.
- Dave O’Brien tries to figure out what the Braves should do with all their money.
- John Fay explains why the Reds may attempt to acquire a young shortstop.
- The Orioles may move on to Gregg Zaun now that Matt Treanor is off the board.
- Geoff Baker speculates on a possible Mariners-Brewers trade match, though nothing seems to be cooking currently.
- RotoAuthority looks at the biggest losers, comparing ’09 fantasy baseball mock draft positions to ’08.
- I did a Q&A with Called Safe At Second.
- ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick writes about how teams view free agent outfielder Bobby Abreu.
- Kevin Millwood has twelve million reasons to pitch 180 innings in 2009. I never understood that phrase. Why is each dollar a reason?
- Dejan Kovacevic says Ty Wigginton has no wish to return to Pittsburgh.
- Roch Kubatko is hearing the Orioles may have reached a settlement with Sidney Ponson regarding the grievance.
- Pitcher Jon Leicester is the latest to head to Japan.
- Might not read about this on MLBTR, eh? Chico Harlan says the Nationals signed 16 year-old Dominican prospects Bill Pena and Gregory Baez.
Four Teams Pursuing Redding
According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies, Rangers, Mets, and Orioles have been the most aggressive suitors for free agent starter Tim Redding. Redding, 31 in February, posted a 4.95 ERA in 33 starts for the Nationals this year while earning $1MM. They decided to non-tender him.
Other notes from Renck…the Rox have had productive talks with Glendon Rusch, and Ray King has drawn interest from the Phillies, Marlins, and Pirates.
Brewers Sign Trot Nixon, Chris Duffy
The Brewers announced they’ve signed two outfielders to minor league deals: Trot Nixon and Chris Duffy.
Nixon, 35 in April, hit .309/.434/.558 in 181 Triple A at-bats before a trade to the Mets. He played eleven games for the Mets before hitting the DL for a strained groin and then hernia surgery.
Duffy, 29 in April, amassed only 109 minor league ABs this year as he was limited by September ’07 shoulder surgery.
Heyman’s Latest: Perez, Greinke, Dye, Garland
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman, non-Teixeira department…
- Heyman describes the Mets’ chance of signing Oliver Perez as "remote for now." He names other "potential suitors" – the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds, and perhaps Mariners.
- Apparently some Yankees people wouldn’t mind if Andy Pettitte passed on their $10MM offer, as they’d be able to pursue Ben Sheets or Derek Lowe.
- The Red Sox "looked into" trading for Zack Greinke but didn’t like the price.
- Heyman says the Reds, Braves, and Rays are still showing interest in Jermaine Dye.
- He says the Dodgers, White Sox, and Mets "could be possibilities" for Jon Garland. A return to Chicago?
Astros Sign Aaron Boone
According to MLB.com’s Alyson Footer, the Astros signed third baseman Aaron Boone to a one-year deal today. Boone may get a chance to platoon with Geoff Blum at third base.