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Heyman’s Latest: Sabathia, Dunn, Huff, Mora

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Hot off the press from SI.com’s Jon Heyman:

  • An executive who knows C.C. Sabathia well told Heyman the pitcher’s first choice in free agency is the Giants.  It’s not a great fit, as starting pitching is the Giants’ strength and Sabathia would add another $100MM+ contract to their rotation.  The Yankees are considered the offseason frontrunners for Sabathia, though former teammate Casey Blake sees C.C. in Dodger blue.
  • Heyman believes a claim on Paul Byrd would’ve made sense for the Yanks.
  • Heyman agrees with the Dodgers’ choice not to risk a claim on Adam Dunn.  That decision is tough to defend, though, since no one expected Reds GM Walt Jocketty to give up two draft picks for $3.45MM in salary relief.
  • No one’s interested in Aubrey Huff or Melvin Mora, who have both cleared waivers.  The Orioles might have an easier time trading them this winter.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Rangers, Yankees, Phillies

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Let’s take a look at Ken Rosenthal’s most recent Full Count video.

  • Rangers president Nolan Ryan may be considering sweeping changes.  He might replace the team’s manager, GM, or both.  If he chooses to install his own people, Gerry Hunsicker and Tim Purpura would be the top GM candidates.
  • The Yankees are willing to trade off a few veteran impending free agents, but pretty much all of them have no-trade clauses.  Those are not always an obstacle though.  Danny Knobler recently heard the Yankees have yet to ask for waivers on their significant players.
  • The Phillies have been frustrated trying to add a bench bat.  A few who have cleared waivers: Frank Catalanotto, Kevin Millar, and Jay Payton.
  • Having picked up Luis Ayala and Al Reyes, the Mets are done adding relievers.  Though he surprisingly cleared waivers, David Weathers is not on the radar.

Millwood, Padilla, Catalanotto Clear Waivers

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MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan has three more names for the cleared waivers list from the Rangers: Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, and Frank Catalanotto.  These players can now be traded to any team.  Sullivan says the Rangers aren’t looking to sell but are willing to listen.

Millwood, 33, has a 5.24 ERA in 122 innings this year.  He’s been better than that; Millwood has been a victim of an abnormal amount of hits dropping in.  He’s dealt with a groin injury for much of the season, as well as a hamstring issue in spring.  Millwood will earn another $1.6MM this year and $11MM in ’09.  His 2010 salary of $12MM becomes a club option unless he pitches 180 innings in ’09.

Padilla, 31 in September, has a 4.98 ERA in 148.1 innings.  Home runs have been his main problem.  He spent time on the DL with a strained neck.  He’ll earn another $2.1MM this year and $12MM in ’09.  He has a $12MM club option for ’10 with a $1.75MM buyout.

Catalanotto, 34, is hitting .272/.337/.389 in 267 plate appearances.  He’s played first base and left field this year.  He’s not helpful against lefthanded pitching.  His contract is a problem – $765K this year, $4MM in ’09, and a $2MM buyout in ’10.

Sullivan’s article also says the Yankees inquired on Milton Bradley at some point but weren’t offering much.

Odds and Ends: Manny, Pavano, Gonzalez

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Some Saturday mid-day linkage:

Sarah Green writes for UmpBump and the Boston Metro and can be reached here.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Howard, Burrell, Burnett

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new column up today.

  • With Ryan Howard looking at maybe a $14MM salary in his second year of arbitration, the Phillies could shop him this winter.  Rosenthal lays out a scenario where they trade Howard and use some of those young players to acquire Matt Holliday.  In this scenario Pat Burrell could be re-signed to play first base.  I was surprised to see that a club official sees the chances of retaining Burrell as better than 50-50.
  • If A.J. Burnett opts out, he will again favor teams such as the Nationals, Orioles, and Cardinals.  Rosenthal thinks the Yankees and Mets are possible as well.  And it’s still possible the Jays convince Burnett to stay by adding to his ’09 and ’10 salaries.
  • Rosenthal frowns upon the Mariners’ double-failure to unload Jarrod Washburn’s contract.

Looking At The Yankees’ Impending Free Agents

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The Yankees have several big-name free agents looming this off-season, including Bobby Abreu, Andy Pettite, Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Mussina, and Jason Giambi ($5MM buyout for his $22MM option). Deciding who to bring back, who to let walk and who to offer arbitration could be the key decisions that have a ripple effect throughout the rest of baseball.

Tyler Kepner says the Yankees have already decided to not bring back Abreu and Giambi at their current salaries, $16MM and $21MM respectively. However Kepler says the Yankees may be open to bringing Abreu back at a reduced rate, especially without any obvious replacements in the farm system.

Peter Abraham thinks Pudge and Giambi would accept arbitration if it is offered by the Yankees. Now that Pudge is only a type-B free agent the Yankees may not think the one compensation pick is worth the risk.

So let’s hear it in the comments…Who should the Yankees bring back this off-season and do they risk offering arbitration to Pudge and Giambi?

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Odds and Ends: Elias, Izzy, Silva, Colletti

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Linkage for Wednesday…

  • Eddie Bajek over at Detroit Tigers Thoughts has successfully reverse-engineered the Elias Type A/Type B formula.  Today he assigns statuses to the American League catchers.  Jason Varitek clings to Type A, while Ivan Rodriguez has slipped to Type B.  Read more about how free agent compensation works here.
  • Jason Isringhausen’s season, and maybe his career, is over due to a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.
  • J.C. Bradbury puts on his GM hat for the Braves.  Rather than plug in free agent signings, he’d sell off most of the infield.
  • MetsBlog’s Matthew Cerrone extinguishes a Carlos Silva rumor.
  • ESPN’s Buster Olney grades the deadline deals.  He has Ken Griffey Jr., Kyle Farnsworth, and Damaso Marte bringing up the rear.
  • Tim Brown explains that Ned Colletti’s job is safe.
  • Johnny Damon hopes A.J. Burnett opts out of his deal.  Does he just want Burnett out of the league, or is he hoping the righty joins the Yanks’ rotation next year?
  • Twins reliever Brian Bass may become a free agent, if he refuses a Triple A assignment.

Odds and Ends: Jeter, Al Reyes, Schilling, Dunn

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Let’s kick things off with a link roundup.

  • River Ave. Blues wonders about Derek Jeter’s future with the Yankees.  The Yanks don’t have to deal with it until after the 2010 season.
  • Reliever Al Reyes is now a free agent.  The 38 year-old still has a bit left in the tank.
  • Baseball America’s Jim Callis lists the draft’s best coups.
  • Curt Schilling is leaning toward retirement.  If he does come back, here is a reminder of the 12 teams he was willing to play for last year aside from the Red Sox: Indians, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Phillies, Braves, Dodgers, Padres, D’Backs, Cubs, Cardinals, and Brewers.
  • Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post says the Rockies need to keep Todd Helton.
  • Ken Rosenthal says the Dodgers’ failure to block the D’Backs’ waiver claim on Adam Dunn was a mistake.
  • Sam Mellinger explains that Eric Hosmer was smart to hold out for $6MM.

Odds and Ends: Pavano, Dunn, Brocail, Washburn

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Random links for the day…

  • Joel Sherman notes that Carl Pavano has a chance to help his own cause if he can be mildly useful in September.  Pavano will be a free agent after the season when the Yankees buy out his $13MM option.
  • The Reds will free up about $30MM in payroll, and Walt Jocketty plans to be active.
  • Ben Bolch notes that the Dodgers could’ve blocked the D’Backs’ waiver claim of Adam Dunn.  Bolch cites the risk that caused the Dodgers to pass – Dunn’s salary and their outfield logjam.  But as readers of this site have pointed out, why not claim Dunn and offer a player of no value?  Would Walt Jocketty have chosen salary relief over two draft picks?
  • Multiple teams put in claims on reliever Doug Brocail, but the Astros did not want to trade him.  The ’Stros are playing for a miracle, as they’re assigned less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs.
  • Geoff Baker supported the Mariners’ decision not to trade Jarrod Washburn in July, but now they’ve overplayed their hand. 

Heyman’s Latest: Pie, Cole, Snell

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Here’s the latest column from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • Cubs prospect Felix Pie has seen his value slip this year.  He didn’t hit in 70 plate appearances with the big club.  His Triple A OPS slipped from .973 in ’07 to .780 this year.  You have to wonder if the Cubs will remove the untouchable tag this winter.
  • Heyman says there was never any negotiations between the Yankees and Scott Boras regarding Gerrit Cole.  The Yanks would’ve offered $4MM+, but Cole preferred college (at his father’s urging).
  • Heyman confirms Ian Snell was available before the trade deadline.  The Pirates wanted pitching prospect Franklin Morales and then some from the Rockies.  Snell is on an affordable long-term contract, so maybe talks will be revisited in December.
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