Mariners Interested In Nick Johnson
The Mariners are interested in free agent first baseman Nick Johnson, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com. Johnson has also heard from the Giants, Mets, and Yankees.
Despite their interest in Johnson, the Mariners are still negotiating with Russell Branyan, and they've also discussed Lyle Overbay with the Blue Jays. Toronto appears willing to pay some of Overbay's $7MM salary according to the Fox scribes. Both Johnson and Branyan are reportedly seeking multi-year deals.
The team has also discussed moving Jose Lopez to first, but Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times thinks he'll be moved this offseason. Casey Kotchman could also be an option should the Red Sox non-tender him.
Rockies Not Interested In Mike Lowell
The Rockies are looking for a righthanded hitter that can handle first and third bases, though they're not interested in Mike Lowell according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com. Colorado can't afford to pay a part-time player $12MM, and a major league source says the team wouldn't be interested even if the Red Sox ate half of Lowell's salary.
Rosenthal and Morosi add that the Rockies haven't ruled out bringing Jason Giambi back, though he doesn't offer versatility or a righty stick.
Miguel Cabrera On The Trade Block?
It's no secret that the Tigers are looking to cut down on future payroll, and to do so they've made both Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson available in trades. Lynn Henning of The Detroit News throws another name into the mix: first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Henning says that nothing "irresistible" has been offered for Cabrera yet, and that GM Dave Dombrowski said "I'm not getting into any names," when asked about his first baseman. The Red Sox are looking to add a big bat, and we've already heard rumblings that they could turn around and move Clay Buchholz if they sign John Lackey.
Cabrera, still just 26, is about to enter year three of his eight year, $152.3MM contract. He's owed $126MM through 2015, so I guess we can rule out the small market clubs as trade partners. MLBTR readers discussed the idea of trading Cabrera earlier this month.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, White Sox, Red Sox
When you prepare the turkey, don't forget to add these tidbits for flavor…
- According to Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger, Yankees GM Brian Cashman will deal with his own free agents before moving to others. "I'll talk to our guys first," Cashman told Carig. "And after I have my conversation with our guys, I'll be full blown into the marketplace." For his part, Johnny Damon wants to return.
- White Sox GM Ken Williams slammed his closer, Bobby Jenks, once again for a lack of conditioning. With Jenks set to receive a raise from his 2009 salary of $5.6MM, a trade could be in the offing. Williams isn't exactly raising Jenks' value around the league, however.
- The Red Sox have finalized their coaching staff for 2010.
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com report that Matt Treanor will play winter ball with Toros del Este of the Dominican Republic in an effort to show teams he is ready for 2010.
- That deal Ken Griffey Jr. signed with the Mariners could be worth as much as $3.9MM. Seattle also added several scouts.
- NPB Tracker profiles possible MLB jumper Hisanori Takahashi.
- Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that the Pirates are looking at the catcher market.
- Marty Noble believes the Marlins wouldn't trade Josh Johnson in-division.
Red Sox Willing To Pay Half Of Lowell’s Salary
The Red Sox are shopping third baseman Mike Lowell and are willing to eat half of his $12MM salary for next season, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. However, a rival executive says that he would be surprised if another club would even be willing to pay Lowell $6MM.
The 35-year-old has played less than 120 games in each of the last two seasons. While he remains productive offensively, Rosenthal and Morosi point out that he posted a .932 OPS in Fenway Park while batting for a .713 OPS on the road. However, it should be noted that Lowell's production hasn't followed this pattern every year in Boston. While he hit much better at home than on the road in 2007 and 2009, his away numbers were actually stronger in 2006 and 2008.
Theo Epstein has to move Lowell and shift Kevin Youkilis to third if he acquires Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres. Boston could also move Lowell to create an opening for free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.
Who should be calling the BoSox about Lowell? How much of his $12MM salary would you make the Red Sox pay? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments.
Drew’s Surgery Will Not Affect Contract
John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports that while J.D. Drew has undergone minor surgery on his left shoulder, it will have no impact on the team's opt out clause in his contract.
Drew's contract states that the club can opt out if he spends 35 or more days on the disabled list due to his pre-existing right shoulder troubles or if he finishes 2010 on the disabled list and cannot play in the outfield for 2011.
Drew is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $70MM contract he signed in 2007, which pays him $14MM annually. The article suggests that even if the surgery had been on the right shoulder, Boston wouldn't have opted out of Drew's deal. General manager Theo Epstein feels that Drew's offense, defense, and baserunning are integral to the Boston lineup.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Tigers, Mariners
A few Sunday links to peruse….
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports ranks his top 20 free agent starting pitchers not named John Lackey.
- Jonah Keri of The New York Times warns the Yankees against getting complacent, outlining why the team needs to get younger.
- Within a piece focusing on Clay Buchholz, John Tomase of the Boston Herald writes that Jason Bay's defense shouldn't concern the Red Sox much, given Fenway Park's "cozy left field."
- In another article, Tomase examines the big free agent signings of the last few years and notices a "disturbing trend of underperformance."
- MASN's Phil Wood questions Phil Rogers' prediction that the Washington Nationals will be interested in signing Vladimir Guerrero.
- Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Tigers are currently paying the price for their failed win-now approach in 2006.
- Even though Adrian Beltre struggled in 2009, it won't be easy for the Mariners to replace his production at third, according to Larry LaRue of The News Tribune.
Cafardo On Lackey, Sheffield, Pavano
In his usual Sunday morning column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo passes on some hot stove talk from around the majors. Let's check out the highlights….
- The fate of John Lackey could potentially affect the offseason plans of each of the AL East powers. Both the Yankees and Red Sox have interest, and Cafardo suggests that landing Lackey would allow the Red Sox to turn around and move Clay Buchholz in a deal for a coveted bat, like Adrian Gonzalez.
- Cafardo relays this quote from an AL GM: "The Red Sox could be the major player this offseason if certain things fall together for them. They still have enough chips in their farm system to make something big happen."
- The Yankees, meanwhile, appear willing to part with Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in the hunt for Roy Halladay, though they'd like to hang on to Austin Jackson.
- Gary Sheffield will return in 2010 and has softened his stance on DHing since his Tigers days. He now says he'd accept a DH role, though he'd still like to play in the field occasionally. Cafardo names a handful of teams that could find a spot for Sheffield, noting that the 41-year-old would love to return to Atlanta or play in his hometown of Tampa Bay.
- The Twins and Brewers are "very interested" in Carl Pavano.
- The Brewers could also be players for John Smoltz, though the Cardinals would like to bring him back.
Odds & Ends: Chapman, Cubs, Holliday, Damon
Links for Saturday afternoon …
- Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News spoke with a baseball executive who believes the Yankees will wind up with Aroldis Chapman. "My bet is that it'll come down to the Yankees and Red Sox, like it always does…" said the executive. "And I think the Yankees will get him. They can give him a big-league contract over five years for $20 million and they don't even feel that."
- The NY Post's Bart Hubbuch reports that the rumored three-way deal involving Milton Bradley, Kevin Millwood and Luis Castillo "isn't happening because the Rangers aren't interested in giving up Millwood so easily." He also mentions that the Mets aren't expected to make any majors moves until the Winter Meetings in two weeks.
- Paul Sullivan at The Chicago Tribune rounds up some Cubs' rumors all in one convenient spot, just like our Cubs archive.
- Meanwhile, Phil Rogers of The Chicago Tribune posted his projections on where some notable free agents will land. He sees Matt Holliday signing with Boston, while both Jason Bay and John Lackey land with the Angels.
- Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post Dispatch notes that the market for Holliday is diminished because officials from the Angels and Giants said they "would not be vying" for his services.
- The Yankees' biggest focus right now is finding a "common ground" with Johnny Damon, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff. Hideki Matsui seems to be less of a priority.
- Larry LaRue of The News Tribune says that the Josh Johnson situation in Florida represents the worst-case scenario for the Mariners and Felix Hernandez.
- Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along a report that says Yusei Kikuchi has inked his first pro contract with the Seibu Lions. Kikuchi will not be eligible for international free agency for at least nine years, though Seibu could make him available through the posting process before that.
Red Sox Looking At Alternatives To Bay?
Jason Bay rejected Boston's contract offer of four years and close to $60MM two days ago, and now it seems the Red Sox maybe be looking to alternatives. SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that even though the team plans to keep in touch with Bay, "competing execs believe they're looking at hard at alternatives now."
Yesterday we learned that Boston expressed interest in four Scott Boras clients, one of whom was Matt Holliday, and he can certainly be classified as an alternative to Bay. However, outside of Holliday no one on the free agent market can replicate Bay's offensive production, so an alternative would certainly be a downgrade.