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Stark On The Arbitration Class

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark says we’re headed for a historic arbitration class.  Players file today, and the dollar submissions become known on Tuesday.  If the sides can’t come to an agreement, they go to a hearing and an arbitrator chooses one of the two salary submissions.  Be sure to read the article, but here are a few highlights.

  • Ryan Howard’s dad may be behind the player’s unprecedented salary expectations.  Howard may ask for $15-17MM in his second arbitration year.  He could be a trade candidate in the 2009-10 offseason.
  • Prince Fielder’s numbers and accolades don’t match up to Howard’s, so Scott Boras may have difficulty matching Howard’s first arb year record award of $10MM.
  • Cole Hamels could ask for $5MM or more, but seems more amenable to a long-term deal than Howard.  Will the Phillies offer him more than three years?
  • Other interesting names: Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Felix Hernandez, Dan Uggla, Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, Russell Martin, B.J. Upton, Ryan Zimmerman, Jeff Francoeur, and Ervin Santana.
  • Looking for a surprise summer trade candidate?  Stark talked to one AL exec who wondered if Verlander could be made available if the Tigers are out of contention.

Odds and Ends: Smoltz, Cordero, Colon, Byrd

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Links for Thursday…

Mets Confident About Rotation

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Newsday’s Ken Davidoff writes that "the Mets remain confident that they’ll eventually land one of their top two choices" for their rotation: Derek Lowe or Oliver Perez.

The Brewers aren’t interested in Lowe and Davidoff heard from one Phillies official who doesn’t expect him to sign with Philadelphia. The Braves remain a legitimate suitor for Lowe, but if he signs with Atlanta, the Mets could simply bring back Perez. After all, as Davidoff says, "if there’s any competition for Perez, it’s in hiding."

Phillies Interested In Garciaparra

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Ken Rosenthal and Jim Salisbury have both heard from major league sources that the Phillies are interested in Nomar Garciaparra as a bench player.

Salisbury writes that the Phillies haven’t yet made an offer, but could if Nomar seems interested.

Both Rosenthal and Salisbury hear that the Phillies have some interest in Gabe Kapler.

Derek Lowe Rumors: Friday

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7:45pm: Mark Bowman reports that the Braves are actually readying their first offer for Lowe, which they plan to make on Monday or Tuesday. More from Bowman here.

3:40pm: O’Brien has details on the Braves’ five-hour meeting with Lowe and Boras.  He says the Braves’ offer is expected today and they want Lowe badly.  It may require a four-year commitment.

As far as Kenshin Kawakami – the Braves are among the four finalists.  On the offensive side O’Brien suggests Adam Dunn or Xavier Nady could be targets.

9:26am: According to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves met with Derek Lowe and Scott Boras for several hours yesterday.  O’Brien says the Braves’ offer was unknown, implying that they did make an offer.

O’Brien also reiterated that Boras said the Mets’ widely reported three-year, $36MM offer was never made and would’ve been far too low anyway.  O’Brien mentions the Phillies, Brewers, and Angels as other Lowe suitors, but Ken Rosenthal said those three clubs denied interest.  Brewers GM Doug Melvin said Tuesday in regard to Lowe: "We’re not in on him."

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Red Sox, Yankees, Braves, M’s, Cards, Mets, Manny

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On this date eight years ago, Juan Gonzalez signed a one-year deal for $10MM with the Indians. The contract is significant because Gonzalez had turned down an eight-year, $143MM deal from the Tigers less than a year earlier. Four years later on this same date, Carlos Beltran would not turn down a seven-year, $119MM offer from the Mets, becoming the tenth $100MM player in Major League history. With C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira already spoken for this year, there are no more $100MM players available, but there are still plenty of signings being made and many players still looking for work. Let’s gander at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • The Bottom Line takes a look at which prospects the Red Sox should be willing to part with in order to acquire a catcher. 
  • In Mo We Trust wonders if the Yankees would be better suited to keep both Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher.
  • When Sid Slid wonders if Kenshin Kawakami is a good fit for the Braves and feels the money would be better spent on Derek Lowe.
  • Bleeding Blue and Teal asks if the Mariners are better suited looking at a player like Eric Hinske.
  • C70 At The Bat contemplates the Cardinals’ payroll and wonders how the team can consider keeping all six of their outfielders.
  • Mets Geek breaks down the Mets’ offseason and wonders if Omar Minaya miscalculated the market.
  • El Lefty Malo is warming to the idea of the Giants signing Manny Ramirez.
  • Feeling Dodger Blue says Manny is a "must," outlining why he is worth more than just the offense he will provide.
  • We Should Be GMs chronicles the Phillie’s history of signing the "wrong brother."
  • Midwest Sports Fans breaks down the Twins’ roster and payroll and looks at who the Twins should bring in and who should be moved, arguing that the team should keep Delmon Young.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Heyman On Manny, Lowe, Crede, Redding, Hinske

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The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…

  • The Giants "look like a major threat" to the Dodgers for Manny Ramirez and are "making a serious run at him."  Former teammate J.T. Snow apparently raved about him.  Nonetheless Heyman says the Dodgers are "probably still considered the favorite."  Heyman lists the Rangers as "intrigued."  He believes Ramirez will get three guaranteed years somewhere.
  • Heyman says Derek Lowe is "quite possibly" in play for the Phillies, though we heard from Ken Rosenthal today that the team denied interest.  Heyman also sticks with the Brewers and Angels as outside possibilities despite reports to the contrary.  He believes Mets GM Omar Minaya prefers Oliver Perez to Lowe.
  • The Giants, Twins, and Rangers are in on Joe Crede.
  • Players said to be in on Freddy Garcia: the Mets, White Sox, and Rangers.  We can probably cross off the Mets with their Tim Redding signing.
  • Heyman believes the Dodgers want to replace Brad Penny with Randy Wolf.
  • Heyman says the Pirates offered more guaranteed money than the Red Sox to Rocco Baldelli.  Dejan Kovacevic had this first in an article published early this morning.
  • The Red Sox were looking at Eric Hinske but with Baldelli and Mark Kotsay in tow it’s unlikely.  A Japanese team has "allegedly shown interest" in Hinske.
  • Before signing with the Rays for two years and $16MM, Pat Burrell was getting offers in the one-year, $5MM range.

Rosenthal On Fielder, Buchholz, Edmonds

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal…

  • Rosenthal suggests the Brewers trade Prince Fielder for "premium pitching" and then sign Adam Dunn to replace him.  Which begs the question, why wouldn’t the team giving up this premium pitching just sign Dunn instead?
  • Despite signing John Smoltz, the Red Sox still are not willing to trade Clay Buchholz for Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  The Sox may be willing to move Michael Bowden or especially Daniel Bard for Salty.
  • The Yankees’ interest in Mike Cameron "seems to be waning."
  • Despite Jon Heyman’s report, the Phillies, Angels, and Brewers deny interest in Derek Lowe.  Rosenthal says the market for Oliver Perez is even worse.
  • Rosenthal suggests veterans such as Nomar Garciaparra, Frank Thomas, and Jim Edmonds could go the Kenny Lofton route.  Lofton, a capable player, sat out the 2008 season when his salary demands weren’t met.  As I mentioned yesterday, we’ll soon see which former stars are willing to play for a pittance (if you consider more than $500K a pittance).
  • The Orioles have Edmonds on the radar as a first base candidate.
  • Suitors for lefty reliever Dennys Reyes: the A’s, Mets, and Dodgers.  The Tigers and Rangers are also known to be on the lookout for a southpaw in the pen.

Derek Lowe Rumors: Thursday

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1:15pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Mets and Lowe remain far apart in negotiations.  Heyman sees the Angels, Phillies, and Brewers as other suitors aside from the Braves.

11:40pm: Mark Bowman notes that the Braves’ meeting with Lowe was arranged before they lost Smoltz, but their interest has increased this week. Chipper Jones already made a pitch to Lowe.

10:45pm: Gordon Edes of Yahoo says the Braves have "zeroed in on Lowe" and have significant interest.  An Edes source adds that the Red Sox topped Atlanta’s offer for Smoltz by "a couple million."

9:41am: Interesting line from Mike Puma of the New York Post: "Some believe the Nationals could be a suitor for Lowe."

8:45am: According to Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe, Derek Lowe is scheduled to meet with the Braves today in Atlanta.  The apparent loss of John Smoltz to Boston stings, but Lowe would be a huge addition.

I am with J.C. Bradbury on the Smoltz thing.  While it will feel wrong to see him in any other uniform, $5.5MM guaranteed would’ve been risky for the Braves.

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