By Tim Dierkes | at
9:53pm: Amalie Benjamin says the reported Red Sox offer to Kawakami is not accurate.
9:07pm: The Boston Globe passes along a Nikkan Sports report (link in Japanese) that says the Red Sox made a three-year, $21MM offer to pitcher Kenshin Kawakami. Recently Michael Silverman said he didn’t expect Kawakami to sign until January.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Links for Friday…
By Cork Gaines | at
Today is free agent Orlando Hudson’s 31st birthday and the 29th birthday of Garrett Atkins, the subject of many recent trade rumors.
Also, on this date 10 years ago, Kevin Brown became the first player to sign a contract worth at least $100MM, when he signed a seven-year/$105MM contract with the Dodgers. The deal came when Brown was 34, one season after going 18-7 with a 2.38 ERA. Brown’s first two seasons with the Dodgers (18-9, 3.00 and 13-6, 2.58) were solid, but he would only make 29 starts in years three and four combined. Since then, two pitchers have signed deals for at least six years. Mike Hampton and Barry Zito. That doesn’t bode well for C.C. Sabathia, but it’s a small sample size…With the winter meetings now wrapped up, let’s take a look at what is being said in the Blogosphere…
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.
By Tim Dierkes | at
FRIDAY: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick notes that this deal looks dead now that the D’Backs have signed Felipe Lopez (MLBTR commenters were all over the idea as well).
THURSDAY: According to ESPN’s Steve Phillips, the Red Sox and Diamondbacks are having discussions about swapping Julio Lugo for Eric Byrnes. Lugo would play second base for Arizona, while Byrnes would be Boston’s fourth outfielder. Lugo has $18MM left on his deal, Byrnes $22MM with no-trade protection.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says to expect outfielder Willy Taveras to join the free agent market:
The Nationals’ unwillingness to take Taveras and Juan Morillo for Tim Redding — a deal Colorado thought was done — will lead the Rockies to non-tender the center fielder today, making him a free agent.
Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News agrees he’ll be non-tendered, noting the Yankees, Red Sox, Reds, Marlins, and White Sox also had trade discussions for Taveras.
Renck adds that Glendon Rusch has a minor league offer for $750K in hand, and is weighing offers from four other clubs. Rusch would be the Rockies’ second lefty behind newly signed Alan Embree.
A few more notes: the Rockies have mild interest in bringing back Josh Fogg…they’re the favorite for Redding if he’s non-tendered too…the Rox will make a non-guaranteed offer to Scott Podsednik…Joey Gathright would be of interest if non-tendered.
By Tim Dierkes | at
9:56: Jeff Zrebiec says that even with larger offers on the table, the Orioles do not plan on upping their offer for Teixeira. The Orioles’ offer is believed to be seven years, and in the $140-150MM range. The Orioles have discussed Eric Hinske and Hank Blalock as fallbacks if Teixeira signs elsewhere.
2:38pm: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes talked to involved execs (not with the Angels) who believe the Boras camp is "using the media to ratchet up the price beyond what any team had actually offered."
Brown and Edes say the Angels were told the Red Sox and Nationals offered eight years at about $20MM per. The Angels don’t want to do an eighth year, so they’ll look into trades for Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, and possibly Adrian Beltre. Raul Ibanez is the top free agent backup plan.
Brown and Edes believe Boras could insist on an opt-out clause in a deal with the Nationals.
8:59am: Mike DiGiovanna says the Angels "are believed to be willing to offer at least seven years for something in the $160-million range" for Tex.
8:51am: Jon Heyman says the Yankees have re-entered the Teixeira sweepstakes.
2:40am: Summing up the reported offers made to Mark Teixeira:
By the way, Joe Haggerty transcribed the full Scott Boras talk from yesterday at his site.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Yesterday Scott Boras was asked how serious the Red Sox are about keeping Jason Varitek. His reply: "Well, when a Major League team approaches you about a player and offers a contract then I guess that’s serious."
However, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe talked to a source who said the only offer Varitek has received from the Red Sox was the arbitration offer he declined. But then Theo Epstein said today that he made offers to three free agents, Tek among them.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Stray links I’ve collected over the past few days…
By Tim Dierkes | at
11:53pm: Not seeing the $91MM rumor on Rosenthal’s blog anymore. Mark Feinsand wrote earlier today it was $80MM. Feinsand even said the Yankees and Burnett were "working into the night on closing a deal." A Mark Bowman source put the Yanks’ offer at $85MM.
10:12pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Yanks are offering $91MM over five years. He also learned that the Yanks will not sign both Burnett and Lowe – just one of them and then possibly other free agent pitchers. Similar to Crasnick’s note below.
9:57pm: Tony Massarotti indicates the Red Sox are out and Burnett will choose between the Yankees and Braves. Jerry Crasnick says that if the Yankees sign Burnett, a third free agent rotation addition would likely be a short-term guy like Ben Sheets as opposed to Derek Lowe.
6:54pm: Jon Heyman believes the Yankees’ five-year offer to Burnett is for $80MM.
6:09pm: Crasnick’s report about the Yanks’ five-year offer to Burnett is online now. Crasnick’s source says a deal could be in place as soon as tomorrow. He says the dollar figure is not known but Burnett’s agent is believed to be seeking a deal approaching Zambrano’s five years, $91.5MM.
6:06pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports on TV that the Yankees have offered Burnett a five-year deal.
4:53pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman has a Major League source who does not believe the Braves offered Burnett five years.
4:06pm: ESPN’s Keith Law believes bidding on Burnett will exceed the value of Carlos Zambrano’s contract, which is for $91.5MM over five years.
12:54pm: Rosenthal and Gerry Fraley report that the Braves made an offer to Burnett late Tuesday for $80MM over five years. That guaranteed fifth year could be big.
11:14am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Braves are pushing hard for A.J. Burnett and talks with him progressed through the night. The Yankees remain involved, however.
By Tim Dierkes | at
11:46pm: Amusing story from Joe McDonald:
A group of Cincinnati Reds personnel, including manager Dusty Baker, were playing roulette Tuesday night. A member of the contingent yelled "Put it on No. 5 for Rocco Baldelli" and now it appears the Reds are having talks with his agent.
McDonald adds that the Red Sox have apparently stepped back with their interest in Baldelli. Buster Olney wrote on Monday that he’d be shocked if Boston didn’t sign Baldelli.
9:24pm: According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds talked to the agents for Rocco Baldelli and Juan Rivera (the agents initiated). Pat Burrell’s agents also want to meet. Fay says the Reds have at least $10MM to spend.
MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon adds that Moises Alou’s agent contacted Walt Jocketty, but the Reds aren’t interested. Nor are they interested in Garrett Anderson. Sheldon adds that there’s been "no real activity towards reviving the Jermaine Dye deal."
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