Nationals Rumors: Dunn, Votto, Greinke
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick talks about the Nationals in today’s column. A few hot stove nuggets:
- Crasnick talked to several agents and execs who just can’t see the Nationals ponying up $20MM+ per year for Mark Teixeira.
- The Nats crave a lefthanded slugging first baseman, so Adam Dunn could fit the bill. Crasnick talked to a couple of officials who suggested Dunn might have to settle in the three-year, $36MM range. However, the Nationals may have to pay a premium to convince any prominent free agent to sign.
- Crasnick says the Nationals have explored many interesting names: Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez, James Loney, Joey Votto, and Zack Greinke. They may not have the young talent to pull off that kind of deal though.
- The Nats are "looking forward to the opportunity" to select Scott Boras client Stephen Strasburg in next June’s draft.
Giants Sign Bob Howry
4:03pm: According to the AP, Howry gets a reasonable base salary of $2.75MM. He can earn an additional $500K based on games and another $1MM based on games finished. Dave Cameron calls it a bargain.
2:45pm: According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants signed Bob Howry to a one-year deal. They moved quickly after the Cubs decided not to offer arbitration to the Type A free agent. If Howry bounces back (the Giants think Lou Piniella overworked him this year), he’ll be a nice complement to Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Wilson in the late innings.
Howry came up through the Giants’ system before being traded to the Sox in the White Flag deal of ’97.
Odds and Ends: Griffey, Springer, Hoffman
Links for Wednesday…
- Common misconception Joe and I keep running into: signing one of the 15 Type A free agents who were offered arbitration will only cost the signing team one draft pick. The player’s old team also gets a second pick, but it doesn’t come from the new team. It’s just squeezed into the supplemental round. Check out a deeper explanation here.
- Nuggets from a Frank Coonelly chat: he expects the Pirates to make room on the 40-man roster for a potential Rule 5 addition, and they’d still like to re-sign Doug Mientkiewicz.
- Pirates pitcher Jason Davis looks like a non-tender candidate.
- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire doesn’t have Delmon Young in his preferred starting outfield.
- The Cubs signed pitcher Chad Fox to a minor league deal.
- Ken Griffey Jr.‘s agent Brian Goldberg says he’s fine with DHing but is capable of playing the field. Goldberg thinks Junior can bounce back and have a 30 home run season.
- Click here to listen to free agent reliever Russ Springer talk to The ITD Morning After radio show on 1380 AM. He’s gotten calls from teams in both leagues, including "World Series participants." Springer is known to be on the Phillies’ radar.
- Recently I talked to Sarah Small of the Daily Illini.
- SI.com’s Tom Verducci looks at the supposed shortstop revolution that seems to have petered out.
- Dave Cameron respects the Astros’ signing of Mike Hampton.
- Tony Jackson says the Dodgers offered a minor league deal to Juan Castro.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore did a Q&A with fans at MLB.com. His priority is adding right-handed relief help after trading Leo Nunez and Ramon Ramirez. Also, he says Mark Teahen is "more important to our team today then he was in all of 2008 — and he was very important to our team in ’08."
- McCovey Chronicles is skeptical of all the teams blaming the economy.
- Drunk Jays Fans predicts Kevin Mench‘s Japan experience.
- Jesse Spector looks at comparable pitchers for C.C. Sabathia.
- Trevor Hoffman may meet with the Mets soon. Also, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon spoke of "addition by subtraction" yesterday.
- East Windup Chronicle disputes a Richard Griffin column.
- The Phillies are still willing to sign Type A free agents who were offered arbitration, such as Raul Ibanez or Juan Cruz.
- Evan Grant’s latest Rangers mailbag, always a good read.
- Joe Sheehan discusses various poor arbitration decisions by teams.
- Minor league deals for the Mets: Nelson Figueroa, Adam Bostick, and Rene Rivera. Marty Noble adds Andy Green.
- Rany Jazayerli figures Mark Grudzielanek agreed in advance to reject the Royals’ offer of arbitration.
- As usual, ESPN will be all over the Winter Meetings. I’m told they’ll be doing daily Baseball Tonight specials and will have a team of seven on the scene in Vegas.
- ESPN’s Peter Gammons says the free agent and trade markets are flooded with corner/DH type bats. There will be bargains.
- Bruce Miles thinks Milton Bradley would be a nice match for the Cubs. The biggest issue would be his ability to play right field every day.
Astros Interested In Ross, Zaun
According to Brian McTaggart of the Houston Chronicle, the Astros have spoken to the agents for free agent catchers Gregg Zaun and Dave Ross. Ross we knew about, but Zaun is a new name. The Tigers have been linked to Zaun as well. It’s also known that Paul Bako would be interested in playing for Houston.
McTaggart also mentions in the article that pitcher Brandon Backe is a non-tender candidate (that deadline is December 12th; we’ll see a many additional players enter the free agent pool).
Braves Preparing Five-Year Offer For Burnett
2:07pm: Dave O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution believes the Braves will probably guarantee a fifth year to Burnett, at a salary of $15-16MM per.
9:56am: Will the Braves be the team to commit five years to A.J. Burnett? According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, they’re preparing such an offer. Feinsand wonders if Burnett will jump at this offer without waiting to see what C.C. Sabathia does.
SI.com’s Jon Heyman seems to agree with Feinsand’s report. He learned from Braves GM Frank Wren that the Braves are in on Burnett but not Jake Peavy, and heard talk that the Braves might consider a fifth year. Wren described talks for Peavy as "pretty much" over.
Dave O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Braves are one of six teams in negotiations with Burnett. Heyman believes the other teams to be the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Orioles, and Nationals.
Lincecum Open To Long-Term Deal
Back in August, Tim Lincecum‘s agent was telling reporters he preferred going year-to-year. Lincecum won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2013 season. However, Lincecum told John Shea yesterday that he’s now open to an extension.
The Giants would probably have to pay at least $15MM for Lincecum’s three arbitration years (unless he’s a Super Two) plus at least $12MM for each free agent year.
Reds Rumors: Gonzalez, Reyes, Beimel
Let’s gather up the latest on the Reds.
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer figures the Reds would like to add a young shortstop. Alex Gonzalez was supposed to play winter ball but the plan changed. The Reds still hope he’s ready for spring training.
- Kerry Wood is not likely, but the Reds have an offer out to Arthur Rhodes and maintain interest in David Weathers after offering him arbitration.
- MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon throws a few new lefties into the mix: Dennys Reyes and Joe Beimel. Darren Oliver is not under consideration since he’d cost the Reds their second-round pick. I imagine Oliver’s agent is hearing that from most teams.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty also continues to talk to the agents for Mike Lincoln and Jerry Hairston Jr., according to Sheldon.
Pirates Talking To Turnbow
According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates are in talks with free agent reliever Derrick Turnbow. Kovacevic notes that Turnbow stopped pitching in July this year due to a slight labrum tear. Turnbow, 31 in January, hasn’t shown any control since 2005.
Tigers Interested In Laird
According to Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers continue to have interest in Rangers catcher Gerald Laird. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News says the Tigers "seem to have the most ardent interest" in Laird, and a trade could save Texas nearly $3MM. Grant believes the Reds are another possibility; would they trade Homer Bailey for him? Laird, a Scott Boras client, is under team control for two more seasons.
Morosi says the Tigers also like Miguel Montero of the D’Backs, but the teams don’t seem to match up well. Another note – Morosi says the Tigers are not interested in Padres shortstop Khalil Greene.
Astros Sign Mike Hampton
WEDNESDAY: The Astros are having a press conference for Hampton in about 25 minutes, implying that he passed his physical.
TUESDAY: Dave O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Hampton turned down a slightly higher offer from the Braves to be closer to his children, who are in Arizona.
MONDAY, 3:31pm: Ken Rosenthal says it’s a one-year, $2MM deal with another $2MM in appearance-based incentives. Hard to find fault in that.
2:44pm: According to FOX 26 Sports in Houston, the Astros signed pitcher Mike Hampton today. He needs to complete a physical to make it official. Hampton pitched for the Astros from 1994-99 before he was traded to the Mets.
Hampton sought a one-year deal with no option, so I imagine that’s what the Astros offered.