Multiple Offers For Kawakami?
Patrick at NPB Tracker writes that Kenshin Kawakami‘s agent says he’s received official offers from "more than one team."
It’s not known which teams offered contracts, but the Braves are interested and Patrick lists the Orioles, Red Sox, Angels, Giants, and Brewers as other possible suitors.
Here’s the link to the Hochi Sports article in Japanese.
Mark Teixeira Rumors: Monday
Some Mark Teixeira nuggets have surfaced around the web…
- The Angels “appear to have abandoned their usual quick-deadline strategy” according to Jon Heyman. They’ve been known to offer contracts with deadlines, but this year they’re making an exception.
- Ken Rosenthal writes that the Angels could be “bracing for the loss” of Teixeira to another club.
- Still, the Red Sox still consider the Angels “a more serious competitor” than the Orioles or Nationals according to New York Times writer Jack Curry.
- Red Sox GM Theo Epstein didn’t deny that the his team is a “super power financially,” but he told Curry that Boston spends “99%” of its resources on scouting and development. With good reason, Curry suggests that they might be spending more than 1% of their energy on signing Tex.
Scioscia Asked Francona About Manny
Newsday’s Ken Davidoff passes along a report from The Sports Lodge radio show. According to Davidoff:
The skipper [Mike Scioscia] disputed the idea that he wouldn’t want Manny Ramirez on his team, and he said that the Angels have reached out to Red Sox manager Terry Francona to get a feel for what it’s like to have Manny on your team. I wonder how that conversation went?
Ken Rosenthal has quotes from Scioscia. Scott Boras is going to have to play a few teams off each other if he’s going to get three guaranteed years for Ramirez.
Davidoff also has a quote from Scioscia suggesting Jake Peavy "would be a good fit" for the Angels (and vice versa). Meanwhile, SI.com’s Jon Heyman explains why the Angels are still players for Mark Teixeira.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Yankees, Teixeira, Bradley, Furcal
Ken Rosenthal has his latest article up. Let’s go through it.
- Milton Bradley is weighing his options with the Cubs and Rays. Joe Maddon and the Rays may be a better fit than Lou Piniella and the Cubs. And spending time at DH would allow him to "protect his oft-injured body." But will the Rays meet Bradley’s asking price when they can turn to Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Garret Anderson, or Pat Burrell instead? Rosenthal adds that the Reds, Angels, and Nationals are also interested in Bradley.
- Rosenthal says the Yankees are aiming to keep their payroll lower than last season. Despite gorging this holiday season, they’re shedding more than they’re putting on.
- With regards to Mark Teixeira, Rosenthal reports one general manager says there is a lot of bluffing going on right now to get the Red Sox to go higher.
- Ty Wigginton has received calls from four teams since being non-tendered by the Astros. His replacement in Houston has yet to be established. Chris Johnson, the team’s third base prospect, had a .539 OPS in Triple A last season.
- Jerry Hairston Jr. is receiving interest from the Reds and three AL clubs, the Mariners likely being one of them. Says Rosenthal, "Hairston, 32, plays six positions and was a favorite of new M’s manager Don Wakamatsu when both were with the Rangers." Not sure where the Phillies fit in, but Jay Bruce said Hairston was considering them. And John Perrotto has the Pirates in the mix for Hairston.
- The reason Rafael Furcal rejected the A’s offer was that he wants to stay with the Dodgers, so says "one agent." Meanwhile the Dodgers appear to be daring Furcal to leave for a lesser club before making an offer.
Braves Interested In Kawakami
Having lost out on A.J. Burnett, the Atlanta Braves are shifting their attention to a different candidate to fill out their starting rotation–33-year old Japanese veteran Kenshin Kawakami.
Dave O’Brien at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Braves are serious contenders for Kawakami’s services. While teams like the Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels and Orioles are also in on Kawakami, "the Braves are particularly motivated to improve their rotation," O’Brien says.
Failing to sign Burnett is certainly one motivating factor, but O’Brien also mentions the increasing chance that John Smoltz does not return to the Braves in 2009.
Alex Walsh can be reached at alexander.walsh@gmail.com
Angels Are Fuentes’ ‘First Choice’
According to James Burns of the Merced Sun-Star, Brian Fuentes said the Angels are his “first choice.”
“Anaheim would be a great fit, being a California kid,” Fuentes told Burns.
Fuentes goes on to say that he’s not worried to see fewer suitors out there, now that Francisco Rodriguez and Kerry Wood have signed. Instead, he said it’s a good thing, especially since he sees himself as “the last top-end closer left.”
The Angels, Brewers, Tigers and Cardinals could all pursue Fuentes.
Angels Made Eight Year Offer To Teixeira
8:44 am: According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, the Angels are “believed to have offered at least $160MM.” This would match the Washington offer and put pressure on Boston to match or exceed the offer.
12:03 am: Angels GM Tony Reagins said this evening that he has made an eight-year offer to free agent Mark Teixeira. Yesterday we learned the Orioles are around seven years, $140-150MM and the Nationals are at eight years, $160MM. We’re not sure about the Red Sox.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Saturday
Jake Peavy‘s agent Barry Axelrod explains his client’s preferences:
"Jake has a strong preference to stay in the National League. If Jake’s ever going to accept anything to the American League – and I don’t want this to be taken wrong – I can safely say that it’s going to be the Yankees or Red Sox or maybe the Angels. Those teams are going to be in contention and are going to spend money. If there were circumstances where he would be asked to go to the AL, kicking and screaming, those are the three places."
Also, Padres GM Kevin Towers revealed in a radio interview that the Angels asked about a Peavy-Adrian Gonzalez package deal, but the Padres don’t want to trade Gonzalez. As a baseball fan, I like it when Towers reveals things like this. It must be incredibly frustrating for rival GMs though.
Four Teams Express Interest In Abreu
According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman:
The Cubs, Rays, Dodgers and Angels are among teams that have expressed interest in star free-agent outfielder Bobby Abreu.
The Cubs are said to prefer Milton Bradley. The Rays met with Abreu’s agents on Wednesday at the Winter Meetings. The California teams are new, I believe.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Thursday
10:56pm: Axelrod suggestion the Giants as a possible destination for Peavy in a talk with Tim Sullivan. He said, "I think they’ve got the money. But I don’t know if they’ve got the prospects."
8:20pm: Jon Heyman says that Peavy is frustrated by the team’s inability to trade him. His agent, Barry Axelrod, says that Peavy had begun to get used to the idea of being a Cub, and now that opportunity is apparently gone. Axelrod says if the Padres approach he and his client with a trade, they’ll consider it, but there won’t be any more lists of approved teams.
Axelrod also criticizes the majority of baseball executives for their lack of action at the Winter Meetings.
"It’s amazing to me how many people can waste time, money and resources, and get nothing done," Axelrod said. "Baseball moved lock, stock and barrel into that town, and absolutely nothing happened."
6:45: Mike DiGiovanna at the LA Times says that the Angels are now in the mix for Peavy. Trade talks could begin as soon as next week, with Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Reggie Willits, Nick Adenhart, and Kevin Jepsen all names that could be talked about. The Angels will only pursue Peavy if they can’t re-sign Mark Teixeira.
5:02pm: Talked to a person familiar with the Cubs’ thinking…he really could not see the Cubs revisiting a Peavy trade. The Padres need to get Peavy’s $63MM off the books soon, yet were trying to swing 6-for-1 or 7-for-1 deals for him despite the extremely limited market. Marshall was never in the mix, by the way.
3:27pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves "won’t even think about renewing their pursuit of Peavy unless the talks are initiated by the Padres, who will no longer find a compensation package that includes Yunel Escobar." Escobar is apparently off the table because the Braves no longer have Brent Lillibridge.
2:56pm: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes say the Cubs "remain optimistic that they can acquire Peavy, all but ignored Towers’ self-imposed deadline." Meanwhile, Gerry Fraley says the Angels have already put together a package for the Padres to consider.
12:01pm: Kevin Towers told reporters the proposed Peavy deal with the Cubs is dead. The Cubs pulled out. Mike DiGiovanna heard earlier that the Angels remain interested. Towers is not certain he wants to engage in further Peavy discussions at this time. I think even hot stove junkies wouldn’t mind a respite.
11:30am: Towers still hasn’t heard back from Hendry on the Peavy deal. Ken Rosenthal says eight to ten teams have called on DeRosa, adding the A’s to the mix of known suitors.
12:33am: Multiple reports suggested yesterday that the Cubs would not trade Mark DeRosa. But new stories in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times do not support that notion.
Paul Sullivan of the Trib says DeRosa "appears to be the key to any Peavy deal." Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times heard the Cubs would only trade DeRosa as part of a Peavy deal, and Jim Hendry inquired on Chone Figgins as a possible replacement. And La Velle E. Neal III believes DeRosa is fair game in a Peavy deal or separately for the Twins or Phillies. As far as Jason Marquis, both Chicago writers see him landing in San Diego with the Cubs eating about half his salary (one sign that the Cubs have "hand," as George Costanza would say).
Padres GM Kevin Towers wants to get a framework in place today. The Cubs have the leverage, with Wittenmyer suggesting they also want to keep Sean Marshall. One player most writers believe will be sent from the Cubs to the Padres is Josh Vitters. But Towers says it’s in the Cubs’ hands.