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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Figgins, Halladay, Uggla

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On this date 31 years ago, Red Sox free agent pitcher Luis Tiant signed a two-year, $875K contract with the Yankees. After eight seasons and 122 wins with Boston, Tiant would go 21-17 with the Yankees before finishing his career with the Pirates and Angels. With this year's free agents looking for new homes, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • UmpBump attempts to determine how much Chone Figgins is worth.
  • The Phrontiersman warns that giving up Cole Hamels is too much for Roy Halladay.
  • We Should Be GMs analyzes the Phillies roster and suggests some names to fill the holes.
  • Camden Crazies looks at what Dan Uggla would mean for the O's and what he might cost.
  • Twins Overlook looks back at the Johan Santana trade and compares the pieces that are left and what the Twins could have gotten from the Red Sox or Yankees.
  • Nick's Twins Blog thinks Adrian Beltre is the missing piece to the Twins infield.
  • Dock of the Rays likes the idea of swapping Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley and wonders if throwing in Andy Sonnanstine can entice the Cubs to add more money.
  • Feeling Dodgers Blue says L.A. needs two pitchers and breaks down the pros and cons of the available talent.
  • Dodgers Rumors feels Brandon Phillips would fit nicely at second base for the Dodgers.
  • Blogging Mets breaks down the Mets' needs and is not very optimistic.
  • The Pinstriper projects the Yankees 25-man roster for next season.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Giants, Orioles Pursuing Dan Uggla

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THURSDAY, 9:10pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say that while the Orioles and Marlins are discussing Uggla, it might not be a match.  The Orioles aren't sure how Uggla would produce in the American League, and may be reluctant to give up young talent for two years of his services.  Indeed, check out Andy MacPhail's general comments to Jeff Zrebiec:

"I just don't see us giving up a young and talented player for a short-term fix.  If we give up a young and talented player and fill a different position that we thought was a greater need going forward, that would be something we'd consider. But I don't see us giving up somebody we see as a core guy for a one- or two-year guy."

Of course, the Marlins didn't get a ton for Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen a year ago, so maybe the price for Uggla will be acceptable.

WEDNESDAY, 3:04pm: MLB.com's Joe Frisaro believes the Nationals will also show interest in Uggla.

1:19pm: The Giants and Orioles are showing the most interest in Dan Uggla, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  Those clubs would move Uggla to third base, a position he hasn't played since 2005 in the minors.  The writers add that the Red Sox have inquired, with an eye on using Uggla in left field.  Uggla played 20 games in the outfield in Double A in '04.  Rosenthal and Morosi add that an Uggla trade would compel the Marlins to retain Jorge Cantu.

Uggla, 30 in March, hit .243/.354/.459 in 668 plate appearances this season as the Marlins' second baseman.  He's under team control for two more years, but is due a raise on his $5.35MM salary of '09.

Heyman On Damon, Lackey, Crede

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After working the lobby all week at the Chicago GM Meetings, SI's Jon Heyman has the latest hot stove chatter…

  • The Giants "appear to have emerged as one potential competitor" for the services of Johnny Damon.
  • The Rangers met with John Lackey's agent yesterday, though they're not expected to have that kind of money available.  Heyman adds that the Brewers and Mariners haven't ruled out signing the righty.
  • Joe Crede is among the third base candidates the Orioles will consider.  We heard about Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Pedro Feliz earlier today.
  • Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez "appears very popular in the free agent market."  If that's true, then the Braves figure to offer arbitration to Gonzalez, a Type A.
  • Mets GM Omar Minaya said some teams have shown interest in second baseman Luis Castillo, and Heyman says the Dodgers have spoken to the Mets.  Castillo has $12MM coming over the next two years and it might be time to sell relatively high.

Mike Fontenot Gets Super Two Status

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Three players – Mike Fontenot, Adam Jones, and Micah Owings – have exactly two years and 139 days of service time.  According to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, only one could be designated a Super Two player, and it will be Fontenot.  It might seem pretty minor, but once you refresh yourself on what Super Two means, check out these ripple effects from the tiebreaker decision…

  • Fontenot is arbitration-eligible now, so the Cubs can't just renew him for $430K.  He's coming off a poor season, but he'll still be more expensive in 2010.  The Cubs are tight on payroll, so you have to wonder if they'll now trade or non-tender Fontenot.  However, Jim Hendry's comments to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune imply the Cubs will retain Fontenot for 2010.
  • The Orioles save significant money on Jones, who might've made more than $5MM in 2010 but can now be renewed at less than a tenth of that.
  • Owings escapes a possible non-tender situation with the Reds.
  • The article names a slew of other Super Twos: Tim Lincecum, Matt Garza, Tom Gorzelanny, Alex Gordon, Matt Albers, Jeff Karstens, Hunter Pence, Dustin Nippert, and Carlos Gomez.

Orioles Rumors: Bedard, Third Base, Adam Jones

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Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun has the buzz on the Orioles…

  • President Andy MacPhail said he can't see himself trading a young, talented player for a short-term (one or two-year) fix.  He left open the possibility of trading a young player to fill a different, more urgent need long-term.
  • Zrebiec says bringing Erik Bedard back to the organization has been discussed.
  • The Orioles may acquire bullpen help, but Zrebiec adds, "some team officials would be comfortable starting the season with Koji Uehara as the closer."
  • MacPhail admitted the third base supply is strong.  Zrebiec says the O's have interest in free agents Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Pedro Feliz, while Dan Uggla and Garrett Atkins are also known to be available.
  • The Orioles have not yet spoken to Mark Hendrickson's agent, nor have they made an offer for Aroldis Chapman.
  • It was close, but Adam Jones just missed being a Super Two.  Since he won't be arbitration-eligible this winter, the Orioles will save millions.

Nightengale On Holliday, Sheets, Yankees

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USA's Today's Bob Nightengale is cranking out the tweets…put this stuff in a column, Bob!

  • He says the Red Sox met with Scott Boras about Matt Holliday, as a Jason Bay contingency.
  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Nightengale no one has heard from Ben Sheets or his agent.  Back in October, assistant GM Gord Ash told the AP, "There's been once and a while conversations with his agent to remind that we still have that ongoing interest."
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Nightengale he didn't sit down with a single agent.  Seems kind of weird.
  • Talking to Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, Nightengale learned that the team is still open to acquiring a DH despite re-signing Ken Griffey Jr.
  • D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes told Nightengale the Super Two cutoff is two years, 139 days, leaving Mark Reynolds one day shy.  That saves the team some bucks.  But it looks as though Adam Jones, Mike Fontenot, and Micah Owings will be arbitration-eligible.  Are Fontenot and Owings non-tender candidates?

Eight Teams Inquire On Mark DeRosa

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Jon Heyman must have bumped into Mark DeRosa's agent today, because the SI reporter lists eight clubs that have already called on the player.  Heyman's tweet indicates the Yankees, Mariners, Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers, Orioles, and Giants have inquired.

That seems to be an indication that DeRosa's November wrist surgery will not limit his market.

Odds & Ends: Giants, Phillies, Hernandez

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Some news and notes from around the majors….

  • Giants blogger Grant of The McCovey Chronicles notes the potential downsides for San Francisco if they were to sign Jason Bay, Jermaine Dye and/or Bengie Molina.
  • With rumors again swirling that the Phillies will make a play for Roy Halladay, Scott Lauber of the News Journal looks at a Baseball America listing of Philadelphia's top prospects, with an eye towards which of these youngsters could head to Toronto in a trade.
  • Speaking of Halladay, The Seattle Times' Larry Stone believes that if the Mariners do decide to move Felix Hernandez, they will do so without being as public as the Blue Jays were about dealing their ace last summer.
  • Dick Kaegel of MLB.com reports that the Royals outrighted pitchers Yasuhiko Yabuta and Lenny DiNardo to Triple-A Omaha, leaving them both eligible for free agency.  Neither move was a surprise, particularly given that Kansas City already declined Yabuta's $4MM option for 2010.
  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles signed catcher Michel Hernandez.  The 31-year-old Hernandez will get an invite to spring training to vie for the backup catcher's job.  Hernandez has a .237/.286/.305 career line in 127 plate appearances with Tampa Bay and New York.

Crasnick Polls Baseball Executives

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Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com has a fascinating piece up discussing how various baseball executives view the emerging free agent and trade market. Among those polled:

  • Of 20 executives, 11 would want Matt Holliday, nine Jason Bay if money or length of deal were not an issue. Despite Holliday being younger, better defensively and having a better career OPS, Bay's success in the pressure cooker of Boston swayed a large number of executives.
  • For John Lackey's destination, eight believe it will be the Yankees, four the Mets, three the Angels, and the Dodgers, Astros, Orioles and Brewers getting one vote apiece. One executive abstained. Prices ranged from three years, $36MM to six years, $100MM.
  • Andy Pettitte is the overwhelming choice of the Yankees' free agents to return, while one executive thinks it will be both Pettitte and Johnny Damon. Just two of twenty executives think World Series MVP Hideki Matsui will be back in The Bronx.

The entire piece is well worth your time.

Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Halladay, Pettitte, Snyder

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Here's some more links on a busy first day at the GM meetings…

  • WEEI.com's Alex Speier writes that when Jed Hoyer took over as GM of the Padres, it only made it tougher for the Red Sox to pull off a deal for Adrian Gonzalez. “He knows all my tricks, and I know his,” said Theo Epstein of Hoyer.
  • Meanwhile, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports that Roy Halladay has identified the Red Sox as a team he'd be willing to accept a trade to. Doc has a full no-trade clause.
  • Andy Pettitte has apparently told his Yankee teammates that he'd like to come back for one more year, though there's been no definitive word according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. GM Brian Cashman said he expects the team to be more "cautious than anxious" this offseason, and that he plans to go slow, even with their own free agents according to Joel Sherman of The NY Post.
  • Mets' GM Omar Minaya "has told several of his friends in the industry that he badly wants to add a run-producing bat at either first base and/or left field," according to Sherman.
  • MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that Chris Snyder confirmed there has not been a setback in his rehab from back surgery. The Blue Jays nixed a potential Snyder for Lyle Overbay swap over the weekend over concerns about the catcher's back.
  • The Orioles claimed righthander Armando Gabino off waivers from the Twins, according to Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune. Meanwhile, a team press release says the Rays claimed righty Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Reds.
  • FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that Melvin Mora is working out at other positions to increase his versatility and up his value as a free agent.
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs compared Jason Bay to Mike Cameron, and determines that the latter is a better value.
  • Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts breaks down some Chad Billingsley rumors.
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