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Odds and Ends: Renteria, Burnett, Delmon

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Interesting linkage this Thursday evening:

Yankees Rumors: Burnett, Sabathia, Pettitte

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10:37pm: Yanks GM Brian Cashman plans to meet with Sabathia this weekend prior to the Meetings.  Also, Brewers GM Doug Melvin plans to meet with Sabathia’s agent Greg Genske Monday or Tuesday to get a response to their offer.

3:27pm: Dodgers manager Joe Torre expects Pettitte to return to the Yankees. 

8:56am: The latest on the Yankees front…

  • Ken Davidoff says the Yankees and Blue Jays were willing to give A.J. Burnett a fifth year vesting option.  The Braves seem likely to sign Burnett if they will guarantee that fifth year as has been reported.  Braves officials are confident, and Tony Massarotti says they’re "rumored to be on the verge of a five-year deal that could be worth $80 million."  Meanwhile the Red Sox have moved on to Derek Lowe.
  • Davidoff says Yankees officials are confident they’re the only serious suitor for C.C. Sabathia, as there’s still a $40MM gap between their offer and Milwaukee’s.  Davidoff believes the Yanks will move on to Lowe and Andy Pettitte (not Manny Ramirez or Mark Teixeira) if they sign C.C.
  • According to Jack Curry of the New York Times, Pettitte does not want a pay cut from last year’s $16MM.  Curry says the Yanks have offered Pettitte $10MM, which was first reported by Joel Sherman on Tuesday.  Pettitte still sounds like he wants to return to the Yankees, but he’s letting his agents battle for a better salary.

Lowe Receives Two Offers

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5:27pm: George King at the New York Post has details on the Cashman-Boras meeting. An offer for Lowe is not mentioned, but a reluctance to offer Lowe five years is cited. As for the Boras clients beyond Lowe that were discussed, King explicitly mentions Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and Oliver Perez.

3:30pm: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. wouldn’t confirm or deny his team’s rumored offer to Lowe, but he admitted interest.  I imagine he would’ve denied it if it was false.  Amaro noted that he’s talked to the representatives for many free agent pitchers.  He’s reluctant to go past three years on one, but might consider it.

9:11am: Tony Massarotti, citing a baseball source, says free agent starter Derek Lowe has received two offers.  One is from the Phillies, and the other is not from the Yankees or Red Sox.  Massarotti believes Lowe will land a three or four-year deal at $15-16MM per.  Jon Heyman recently named the Mets, Giants, Mariners, and Dodgers as other Lowe suitors.

Massarotti’s source adds that Yanks GM Brian Cashman flew to California to visit with Scott Boras today.  That could lead to an offer for Lowe, though other Boras clients may be discussed as well.  The Red Sox like Lowe, but may choose to avoid a bidding war.  Massarotti still likes the Sox as a match for Mark Teixeira.

Odds and Ends: Teixeira, Izturis, Gaudin

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Links for Thursday…

Perrotto’s Latest: Dye, Jenks, Werth, Madson

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THURSDAY: David Lennon of Newsday talked to a source who said there’s "nothing there" in regard to the rumor of a Dye and Jenks to the Mets blockbuster. Joel Sherman talked to a few Mets officials who called the rumor nonsense.  Sherman says Martinez is "all but untouchable."

WEDNESDAY: Let’s dig into the latest column from John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus.

  • Perrotto speaks of whispers of a possible White Sox-Mets blockbuster.  The Mets would receive Jermaine Dye and Bobby Jenks and the White Sox would receive Fernando Martinez among others.
  • Regarding the Orioles’ possible involvement in a trade that would send Jake Peavy to the Cubs, Perrotto says Baltimore seeks Ronny Cedeno and Felix Pie from Chicago.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has spoken to outfielder Jayson Werth and setup man Ryan Madson about contract extensions.  Madson might be a tough one as he’s represented by Scott Boras (who recently compared him to Mariano Rivera).  Both players are under team control for one more season.
  • The Red Sox are considering free agents Willie Bloomquist, Jay Payton, and Mark Loretta as possible bench additions.  A return to Boston seems to be Payton’s preference.
  • Perrotto believes the only player seriously considering accepting arbitration is Darren Oliver.  Oliver’s already seen the Reds drop out of the mix due to the draft pick price.
  • Perrotto says the Tigers and Orioles are showing interest in Jack Wilson, while the Dodgers have backed off.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dunn, Burrell, Manny

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6:16pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves are not interested in Dunn because they seek a right-handed bat.  Does that rule out Raul Ibanez as well?

1:51pm: The latest from Ken Rosenthal:

  • The Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, and Phillies are pursuing free agent outfielder Rocco Baldelli.
  • Now that Adam Dunn wasn’t offered arbitration, the market is starting to take shape.  The Braves, Mariners, and Nationals are interested, and the Dodgers and Angels consider him a fallback option.  How about Dunn and Russell Branyan in the same lineup?  Rosenthal considers the Yankees another possibility.
  • Teams considering Pat Burrell, who was also not offered arb: the Mariners, Angels, and Giants.
  • Rosenthal considers the Giants a darkhorse for C.C. Sabathia.  Tim Brown says the Giants may be closing in on Edgar Renteria; Rosenthal has the Dodgers and Cardinals as other suitors.
  • The Brewers will need to increase their offer to Sabathia to six years to have a shot. 
  • Rosenthal believes Jason Varitek will accept his offer of arbitration.  He also wonders if Orlando Cabrera could accept.  He expects Ben Sheets to decline (I made an error on this eariler).
  • Rosenthal ponders the chances of Manny Ramirez accepting the Dodgers’ offer of arbitration.  Buster Olney says three GMs wondered the same.  I was under the impression Manny declining arbitration was a condition of his trade.
  • The Cardinals want to add a young starter with upside.  They also may go after a closer like Brian Fuentes or Kerry Wood if prices drop.
  • Rosenthal believes the Reds could discuss a two-year deal with David Weathers.

Red Sox Sign Pedroia To Extension

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5:57pm: MLB.com’s Ian Browne wonders if the Pedroia signing is the first of several.  Will the Sox be able to hammer out extensions with Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, and Jonathan Papelbon this winter?

11:33am: Tony Massarotti has the contract breakdown.

11:18am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox signed second baseman Dustin Pedroia to a six-year deal worth about $40.5MM.  ESPN’s Peter Gammons was right on this scoop as well.  The deal buys out two years of free agency and also has a club option for 2015.

Rosenthal cites the deals signed by Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, and Ryan Braun as comparables.  Pedroia’s deal covers one pre-arbitration season, all three arb seasons, and two years of free agency.  Ramirez received $54.4MM for the same slice of his career, Wright got $55MM, and Braun received $43.8MM.  Also, Brian McCann gets $37.8MM, Grady Sizemore gets $30.95MM, Evan Longoria is at $31.95MM, Robinson Cano gets  $42.49MM, and Chase Utley gets $55.5MM.  That assumes options are exercised, where applicable.

Braves Preparing Five-Year Offer For Burnett

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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.

Arbitration Offer Feedback

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24 free agents were offered arbitration yesterday; several notable names were not.  The deadline for those 24 to accept or decline is Sunday at 11pm CST.  If a player accepts, he’s under contract on a one-year deal for ’09 and his salary cannot be reduced by more than 20% (most players get raises). 

Anyway, let’s round up feedback on yesterday’s decisions.

  • Plenty of good insight from Yahoo’s Jeff Passan.  How about the idea that the D’Backs didn’t offer arbitration to Dunn because they didn’t want to shell out too much money on draft picks next year?
  • River Ave. Blues says yesterday’s arb decisions were the first clear indicator of the U.S. economy affecting MLB. I agree.  The decisions not to offer arb to Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn, Kerry Wood, and others serves as proof that teams are exercising extra caution.
  • Buster Olney agrees, suggesting that teams are scared of overpaying free agents.  He says some execs believe Abreu will be fortunate to make $8MM a year on his next deal.
  • Joel Sherman finds the Abreu decision fascinating.  He suggests Abreu would’ve gotten a $17.5MM arbitration award.  While the right fielder would’ve forfeited no-trade rights by accepting, the Yankees would’ve had to eat a significant amount to move him.
  • Ken Rosenthal says even the Yankees are cutting back, and their ’09 payroll will "almost certainly be below their $209 million figure at the start of ’08."
  • Tony Massarotti gives five possible reasons for the slow market.
  • Ken Davidoff feels Jason Varitek is a good candidate to accept Boston’s offer of arbitration.

Japanese Links: Kawakami, Tazawa

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A few links today involving Japanese players…

  • Michael Silverman and Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald wrote yesterday that the Red Sox have scouted Kenshin Kawakami multiple times and he has interest in pitching for them.  Kawakami figures to receive multiple bids, assuming he commits to MLB first.
  • ESPN’s Keith Law says signing Junichi Tazawa was a "no-brainer" for the Red Sox.  Law figures Tazawa will start in Double A and could reach the Majors in ’09.
  • Aaron Shinsano of East Windup Chronicle respectfully disagrees; he doesn’t believe Tazawa is ready for Double A.  Shinsano suggests marketing played a part in the signing, as Tazawa is not a first-round talent.
  • Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star says Tazawa’s contract "does not seem right" and the Blue Jays are wise to stay out of the Japanese market.
  • Patrick Newman at NPB Tracker translates a Yahoo Japan article that indicates the Padres, White Sox, Indians, and Brewers will stay out of the Japanese free agent market.
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