Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Red Sox Rumors

Odds & Ends: Greinke, Young, Rangers, MacLane

By | at

Links for Sunday….

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman says the "word is" that the Nationals offered Zack Greinke a big contract extension in an effort to entice him to join their team (Twitter links). He simply didn't believe the Nats could win, so he instead waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers. 
  • A source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Rangers and Rockies have not had any serious talks about Michael Young in the last week, so if he does get traded, it will likely be to a team that did not show much interest in him at the Winter Meetings (Twitter links). 
  • Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News offers a "semi-educated guess" that if the Rangers do sign Adrian Beltre, they'll shift Young to a DH/utility role rather than trade him (Twitter link).
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman passes along a Japanese report that has the Orix Buffaloes set to acquire Evan MacLane from the Cardinals. An official announcement is expected soon.
  • Cole Hamels and the Phillies haven't yet begun discussions for a multiyear extension, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted when he examined the Phillies' four aces, Hamels is arbitration eligible after next season and can become a free agent after 2012.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider required) shares a list of 36 potential MLB storylines for 2011. Olney's list includes the Albert Pujols negotiations, Heath Bell trade talks, and C.C. Sabathia's out clause.
  • The Jason Bartlett trade potentially opened up a spot on the 25-man roster for long-time Rays' farmhand Elliot Johnson, according to Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
  • WEEI's Rob Bradford and Alex Speier attempt to determine whether Hideki Okajima is likely to rebound for the Red Sox in 2011.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASN can't see the Orioles signing a full-time DH now that Derrek Lee is on board.
  • Police say Alfredo Simon is the primary suspect in a fatal shooting in the Dominican Republic, reports the Associated Press (via the Miami Herald). Simon insists he was not involved in the incident, according to Orioles Dominican representative Felipe Alou Jr.

Several Teams Interested In Brian Fuentes

By | at

SATURDAY: Having added Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox appear out of the running for Fuentes, tweets Heyman. However, the Rays, Yankees, and a handful of other teams are still showing interest.

THURSDAY: The Rays appear to be very interested in Fuentes and are pursuing him, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.

TUESDAY: SI's Jon Heyman pegs the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Twins, Pirates, Phillies, Brewers, Yankees, and Mets as teams with some interest in free agent lefty reliever Brian Fuentes.

If Fuentes is still looking for Scott Downs money, as ESPN's Buster Olney suggested 12 days ago, many of those eleven teams will drop out.  I'm skeptical the Red Sox would sign Fuentes, as he'd be a luxury and they'd be hit with a 30% added tax.  The Blue Jays appear close with Octavio Dotel, the Rockies just added Matt Lindstrom, the Brewers signed Takashi Saito, the Yankees added Pedro Feliciano, the Twins have big commitments to Joe Nathan and Matt Capps, and the Phillies and Mets appear nearly tapped out on payroll.

The Blue Jays, Rays, Mariners, Twins, Pirates, Yankees, and Mets do seem destined to add relievers, though I can see a shift toward a buyer's market a few weeks from now.

Rosenthal On Fuentes, Soriano, Keppinger

By | at

The Red Sox, Rays, Yankees and Twins are among the many teams interested in Brian Fuentes, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. There’s some question as to whether Fuentes is truly a closer, but his asking price suggests he views himself as one. Here’s the latest on Fuentes and more notes from around the majors:

  • Fuentes is asking for over $5MM per season on a multiyear deal, according to Rosenthal.
  • The Yankees are not after Rafael Soriano, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter). They have inquired on the Scott Boras client, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. 
  • Talks between the Yankees and Jeff Keppinger went nowhere, Rosenthal reports (on Twitter). The Astros have acquired Clint Barmes and Bill Hall this offseason, making Keppinger expendable. The Yankees, however, could rely on Eduardo Nunez instead.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Wheeler, Red Sox

By | at

Links for Thursday, exactly one year after the D'Backs signed Kelly Johnson. Former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes deserves credit for this shrewd addition. Here are today's links…

Unfinished Business: AL East

By | at

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has already examined the remaining needs for teams in the AL Central, AL West, NL East, NL Central and NL West. To round out the series, I'm going to take a look at the remaining needs for the AL East clubs:

  • Orioles: First baseman, right-handed reliever, left-handed reliever, starter. The Orioles are targeting Derrek Lee, and Adam LaRoche has been on their radar all offseason. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Andy MacPhail move on to DH types if he doesn't sign Lee or LaRoche. The club is also interested in right-handed relievers like Kevin Gregg, Jon Rauch and Grant Balfour and could bring a lefty like Will Ohman or Mark Hendrickson aboard. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reported ten days ago that the O's would like to add a veteran pitcher and had spoken to Marcus Thames' agent.
  • Red Sox: left-handed reliever. Felix Doubront, Rich Hill and Andrew Miller give the Red Sox three southpaws, so they may have all the left-handed relief they need. But Boston has been linked to Brian Fuentes all month and could pursue him. Jed Lowrie's strong finish to the 2010 season means the Red Sox don't have a pressing need for infielders, but MLB.com's Ian Browne recently suggested that the team could add a utility type player. Boston could also listen to offers for Mike Cameron, but he does provide value to the Red Sox.
  • Yankees: starter, right-handed outfielder. The rest of the Yankees' offseason centers on Andy Pettitte's decision, since that will determine whether Brian Cashman has to pursue a Jeff Francis/Freddy Garcia type or rely on Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre. The team will likely add a fourth outfielder who bats right handed and consider utility infielders and relievers.
  • Rays: closer, DH/first baseman. The Rays' biggest need is for back-end bullpen help, and they have expressed interest in a number of free agents. Rafael Soriano will sign elsewhere, but the Rays could look for a bargain arm. They could enter the season with some combination of Matt Joyce, Justin Ruggiano and Leslie Anderson at DH, but many free agent bats are available and DHs like Jim Thome and Johnny Damon would be fits in Tampa. The Rays have limited resources, and it seems like they're content to open the season with the relatively inexperienced Elliot Johnson as the backup middle infielder. The rotation is deep enough for the Rays to consider trading a starter, such as Matt Garza or James Shields.
  • Blue Jays: hitter, left-handed relief help. The Blue Jays will likely add a bat at some point, and they have the flexibility to add one at a number of positions. Adding a first baseman or DH could limit playing time for Adam Lind or Edwin Encarnacion, but the two would create a strong offensive platoon. If the Blue Jays want to play Lind and Encarnacion every day, they can add a third baseman or right fielder and play Jose Bautista at the vacant position. The team lost Scott Downs this winter and could puruse left-handed relievers. David Purcey, Brad Mills, Rommie Lewis and Jesse Carlson give the team internal options, but Jon Heyman of SI.com reported that the Jays have some interest in Brian Fuentes.

Rangers Had Interest In Jenks As A Starter

By | at

The Red Sox were far from the only club to express interest in Bobby Jenks after the White Sox non-tendered him. The Rangers were one of the interested teams, and they had an unconventional idea for the right-hander to consider. Jenks told Scott Merkin of MLB.com that Texas was interested in signing him as a starter.

Jenks has never started a big league game, but he was drafted as a starter and has since discussed the idea of re-joining the rotation. However, he turned down the Rangers’ overtures to sign in Boston.

Though he sounds excited to join the Red Sox, Jenks admits that they were not his “first hope.” He had wanted to continue his White Sox career, but the team moved on and signed Jesse Crain. Jenks didn’t mind getting non-tendered, since that was a business decision, but he did not like Chicago’s decision to offer his former number (45) to Adam Dunn.

Jenks says the White Sox offered him a two-year deal worth $10MM, or $2MM less than what the Red Sox signed him for. However, a White Sox official told Merkin that the team didn’t make a formal offer.

Cafardo’s Latest: Uggla, Pavano, Matsuzaka, Ellsbury

By | at

In today's column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe asked ten baseball people to select the ten most significant moves/non-moves of the offseason. Unsurprisingly, Adrian Gonzalez, Zack Greinke, Carl Crawford, and Cliff Lee topped the list. Here are the rest of Cafardo's rumors…

  • Talks between the Braves and Dan Uggla have slowed because he's seeking more money, but an extension should get done during the first week of January. Cafardo reported that the two sides were close to a five-year deal worth $60-61MM about two weeks ago.
  • The Orioles still have interest in Kevin Gregg and the Red Sox still have interest in Brian Fuentes, but other free agent relievers like Rafael Soriano, Grant Balfour, Octavio Dotel, Aaron Heilman, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and Jon Rauch remain in limbo.
  • Carl Pavano is holding out for three years, with the Nationals, Twins, and Rangers still showing interest. Cafardo adds the Mariners to the mix, with the caveat that they free up some money first.
  • The teams considering Pavano could also turn to Joe Blanton, who would certainly come cheaper.
  • The Red Sox "haven’t heard anything close to the value they would need in return" for Daisuke Matsuzaka.
  • The Angels and several other teams made a run at Jacoby Ellsbury this offseason, but the Sox "never heard any offer resembling proper value."
  • Cafardo wonders if Adrian Beltre is looking at a much smaller payday than originally anticipated. Last we heard, the Angels pulled their five-year, $70MM offer to the third baseman, but they remain in the mix to sign him.
  • David Aardsma is still trade bait and the Mariners wouldn't mind moving him for starting pitching depth. Earlier this week we heard Seattle wanted an impact bat for its closer.

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Blanton, Garza, LaRoche

By | at

This has been a pretty good few months for Giants fans.  Not only did their team end a 56-year World Series drought, but now TV announcers Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper are close to six-year extensions to continue broadcasting Giants games, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Onto some other Thursday news…

  • Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com looks at Hal Steinbrenner's "frugal approach" and how it won't go over well in New York if the Yankees don't win.
  • Andy Pettitte has delayed his retirement decision long enough that if he does choose to return next year, he's already behind on his preseason preparations, observes ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
  • In an MLB.com mailbag, Ian Browne thinks the Red Sox will look to acquire a veteran backup infielder or "a Bill Hall-type who can play the infield and outfield."
  • The Yankees have "had internal chats" about signing Manny Ramirez, tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network.  Curry rates the odds of Ramirez in pinstripes as even slimmer than those of the Yanks signing Johnny Damon, which Curry says "is also unlikely."
  • With the pitching market so thin, baseball sources tell MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Phillies shouldn't have any trouble dealing Joe Blanton and might not even have to eat much of the $17MM Blanton is owed through 2012.
  • MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez and Matthew Leach go point/counterpoint on whether or not the Rays should be shopping Matt Garza.
  • Buck Showalter denies reports that the Orioles have made a three-year, $21MM offer to Adam LaRoche, tweets MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.
  • ESPN's Keith Law chats with fans about a number of topics, including the Zack Greinke trade, Kerry Wood's deal with the Cubs, and various teams' minor league systems and prospects.
  • Speaking of the Greinke trade, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon explains why Cincinnati didn't make a move for the ace right-hander and discusses other Reds-related matters in a fan mailbag.
  • In a separate piece, Sheldon writes that the Reds will look internally to replace Arthur Rhodes, who agreed to a contract with Texas today.

Odds & Ends: Damon, Gonzalez, Germano, Astros

By | at

December 23rd has been a big day for trading highly-regarded young pitchers in recent years. On this date in 2006, the Rangers sent John Danks and Nick Masset to the White Sox in the Brandon McCarthy trade and on this date in 2009, the Blue Jays sent Brandon League to the Mariners for Brandon Morrow. Here are today's links…

  • Baseball Prospectus recommends that you buy the MLBTR iPhone app. Chase Gharrity writes that “there’s very little not to love” about the app and that he’s “extremely excited for what it will become in the future.” You can buy the app right here.
  • The Yankees are interested in Johnny Damon, but Brian Cashman told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that there's no "clear role" for him on the 2011 Yankees.
  • The outfielder/DH told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) that other teams have called about everyday jobs.
  • Adrian Gonzalez told Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com that he promised to negotiate potential extensions with the Red Sox instead of holding out for an Albert Pujols-like deal in free agency. "We won't be looking for record-breaking deals," Gonzalez told the Red Sox. "We just want market value." Gonzalez will hit free agency after the season if he doesn't finalize an extension with Boston first, as expected.
  • The Indians announced that they outrighted Justin Germano to Triple-A. The right-hander can elect free agency or accept the assignment.
  • Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle explains that the Astros could be a refreshing team to watch in 2011, even though they haven't signed a major free agent like Cliff Lee or Carl Crawford. 
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top