Pettitte Hopes To Return To Yankees
On the day the Yankees introduced their new big-name pitchers, The New York Post reports that Andy Pettitte still wants to play in pinstripes. According to the Post Joe Girardi talked with Pettitte and heard that "he is still excited about coming back."
Girardi heard that Pettitte "is very excited" about recent additions A.J. Burnett and C.C. Sabathia. The Post also reports that Yankees GM Brian Cashman thinks the negotiations are progressing well for the Yankees.
Odds and Ends: Abreu, Millwood, Wigginton
Links for Thursday…
- Luke Hudson agreed to stay with the Royals on a minor league deal. And because Braves fans keep emailing it…the Braves signed Lance Niekro as a pitcher, as noted in the minor league transactions we linked yesterday. Talking Chop and Henry Schulman have more.
- Along similar lines, here’s a link to Joel Sherman’s December 12th story about the Orlando Hudson and Adam Dunn being the Nationals’ backup plan for Mark Teixeira. That came four days before the Jon Heyman report people keep emailing.
- C.C. Sabathia‘s preferred teams heading into free agency: the Yankees, Brewers, and Angels.
- Dave O’Brien tries to figure out what the Braves should do with all their money.
- John Fay explains why the Reds may attempt to acquire a young shortstop.
- The Orioles may move on to Gregg Zaun now that Matt Treanor is off the board.
- Geoff Baker speculates on a possible Mariners-Brewers trade match, though nothing seems to be cooking currently.
- RotoAuthority looks at the biggest losers, comparing ’09 fantasy baseball mock draft positions to ’08.
- I did a Q&A with Called Safe At Second.
- ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick writes about how teams view free agent outfielder Bobby Abreu.
- Kevin Millwood has twelve million reasons to pitch 180 innings in 2009. I never understood that phrase. Why is each dollar a reason?
- Dejan Kovacevic says Ty Wigginton has no wish to return to Pittsburgh.
- Roch Kubatko is hearing the Orioles may have reached a settlement with Sidney Ponson regarding the grievance.
- Pitcher Jon Leicester is the latest to head to Japan.
- Might not read about this on MLBTR, eh? Chico Harlan says the Nationals signed 16 year-old Dominican prospects Bill Pena and Gregory Baez.
Heyman’s Latest: Perez, Greinke, Dye, Garland
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman, non-Teixeira department…
- Heyman describes the Mets’ chance of signing Oliver Perez as "remote for now." He names other "potential suitors" – the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds, and perhaps Mariners.
- Apparently some Yankees people wouldn’t mind if Andy Pettitte passed on their $10MM offer, as they’d be able to pursue Ben Sheets or Derek Lowe.
- The Red Sox "looked into" trading for Zack Greinke but didn’t like the price.
- Heyman says the Reds, Braves, and Rays are still showing interest in Jermaine Dye.
- He says the Dodgers, White Sox, and Mets "could be possibilities" for Jon Garland. A return to Chicago?
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Thursday
Hoping the Yankees sign Manny Ramirez? Ken Davidoff of Newsday gives it about a 20% chance. As for Manny signing with the Mets, Davidoff gives it no chance.
Davidoff’s colleague Kat O’Brien paints a similar picture, suggesting that the Yankees’ baseball operations people "have not even discussed Ramirez at any length." O’Brien says the Yanks are more interested in Mark Teixeira, who is also a long shot. Tex is expected to sign before Manny.
Did the Mike Cameron talks fizzle to allow for a Yankees pursuit of Manny? Mark Feinsand’s source says there’s no connection. Still, Feinsand believes Hank Steinbrenner is pushing for Ramirez.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Markakis, Johnson
We have a new column from Ken Rosenthal this evening.
- Mark Teixeira is holding up many areas of the free agent market, as guys like Brian Fuentes and Milton Bradley know the Angels will be interested if Tex signs elsewhere.
- Rosenthal believes the Yankees should continue to be aggressive and make a competitive bid for Teixeira.
- The "poor working conditions and occasionally unruly crowd behavior" make it hard for the A’s to attract free agents. Their move in 2012 should help.
- Rosenthal believes Chase Utley‘s seven year, $85MM deal could provide a framework for a Nick Markakis extension.
- The A’s will wait for free agent bargains now that they’ve lost Rafael Furcal.
- The Red Sox and Mets are the main suitors for Derek Lowe, with the Yankees less likely.
- The Braves have been shopping Kelly Johnson for an outfielder. Attempts to acquire Ryan Ludwick or Corey Hart did not work out.
Mike Cameron-to-Yankees Dead?
6:07pm: Kat O’Brien just got off the phone with Brewers GM Doug Melvin:
He said: "Nothing new. At this point, I don’t anticipate it’s something that we would (do). … I haven’t talked to Brian (Cashman) since last week." Melvin said they had originally looked at moving Cameron to gain some flexibility on the pitching front but that is no longer such a need.
Melvin added that trading Cameron was "not something that we’re pushing at this time." Sounds like it’s dead. (For now, anyway.)
TUESDAY 3:09pm: Ed Price says the Yankees are discussing this deal internally and don’t feel like they have to rush. Price’s source says a tentative deal has been reached and it’s up to the Yankees now. Tom Haudricourt says the Brewers haven’t heard from the Yanks this week and assistant GM Gord Ash is starting to wonder whether they’re still interested. Yahoo’s Tim Brown says the Brewers will get in on Brian Fuentes if they’re able to move Cameron.
12:10pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Mike Cameron for Melky Cabrera deal is on the backburner for now. Still, he says the Brewers agreed to take Kei Igawa and pay a small amount of the $12MM he’s owed. That amount is not enough for the Yankees, currently.
Sarah Green also contributed to this post.
Sheets Market Still Developing
According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman:
There’s no evidence Ben Sheets has received any proposals for two years or more yet, though he’s drawing interest from at least the Rangers and Yankees, and very likely his old Brewers team, as well.
As Heyman says, Sheets’ timing was terrible. If his flexor tendon injury had occurred in April and he finished the season strong, he might’ve been looking at three or four years. Instead, the lingering memory of the September injury had a huge effect on his market despite the fact that he made 31 starts in 2008. Heyman says the Yankees may wait to bid on Sheets until they hear Andy Pettitte‘s decision.
As Sheets is a Type A free agent offered arbitration, the Brewers could swipe a first-round pick if he signs elsewhere. Assuming they can’t sign him, they have to be rooting for a new team to jump into the fray since they wouldn’t get a first-round pick from the Rangers or Yankees.
Yankees Going Hard After Manny?
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News talked to one baseball official (presumably not with the Yankees) who believes the Yankees are "going hard" after Manny Ramirez. That official sees the Yanks willing to offer three years, while other execs see them stopping at two years, $50MM. Another source told Feinsand that Brian Cashman isn’t keen on Manny but Hank and Hal Steinbrenner are. Feinsand wonders whether the team’s interest in Ramirez is one reason they’ve put the Mike Cameron trade on hold.
You’ll find a differing point of view from Joel Sherman and Ken Davidoff, who do not see the Yankees signing Manny. By the way, Jon Heyman talked to a friend of Manny’s who dismissed the idea of retirement.
Derek Lowe Rumors: Tuesday
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has the latest on the market for free agent starter Derek Lowe. Heyman says "some baseball people think" the Cubs might get in on Lowe, since his price tag may be similar to the four years and $63MM left on Jake Peavy‘s contract.
Heyman believes the Yankees will resume discussions with Lowe if they fail to sign Andy Pettitte. However, he says they expect Pettitte to accept their $10MM offer.
Heyman indicates the Braves, Red Sox, Mets and Angels are also on Lowe’s radar.
Odds and Ends: Wigginton, Andruw, Royals
Links and notes for Tuesday…
- The Rays held a "get-to-know you" chat with free agent reliever Joe Nelson. Also, exec Andrew Friedman doesn’t see their pursuit for a hitter lasting into late January.
- The Mets will not be affected by the money a few of their owners lost in the Bernard Madoff scheme.
- Argenis Reyes and Ambiorix Burgos are now free agents after being non-tendered.
- RotoAuthority has a running list of pitchers who are moving from the AL to the NL for 2009.
- I chatted about the Yankees with Coast To Coast Baseball.
- El Lefty Malo discusses the idea of the Giants signing Ty Wigginton.
- Kevin Baxter passes along quotes from Andruw Jones regarding the future.
- Rany Jazayerli weighs in on recent Royals moves.
- Bleeding Blue and Teal tells us about Taiwanese lefty Fu-Te Ni, who may sign with a Major League team.