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Crasnick’s Free Agent Bargains

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ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick lists nine possible free agent bargains in his column today.  A few notes:

  • Randy Johnson is looking for a one-year deal, and his agent says the list of interested clubs is approaching double figures.  The Dodgers may make sense, though Johnson is on the backburner for them.
  • Crasnick speculates that Philadelphia could be a nice fit for Felipe Lopez.
  • Scott Boras seemingly wants a multiyear deal for Joe Crede, as he’s using the Magglio Ordonez contract as a model.  Maybe his new team would have the ability to opt out after the season if Crede hits the DL for back problems again.  Crasnick mentions the Rangers as an interesting fit for Crede.
  • Crasnick talked to execs who see Juan Rivera signing a two-year deal in the $6-8MM range.
  • Also weighing in on free agent bargains: Dave Cameron at FanGraphs and ESPN’s Keith Law.

Orioles Rumors: Burnett, Markakis, Japan

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3:08pm: Roch Kubatko of MASN Online gives thoughts on the Orioles and Mark Teixeira and Burnett.  Kubatko believes there’s no chance the O’s offer five years to Burnett, and even four would be a stretch.  He’d have to be willing to take a discount to come to Baltimore.  As for Tex, will he be willing to play for a team that may not be competitive in the first few years of his deal?

8:32am: Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun talked to A.J. Burnett’s agent Darek Braunecker, who said his client has narrowed his list from twelve to about six teams.  The Orioles remain in the mix after Andy MacPhail had a "nice conversation" with Braunecker on Friday.

It’s speculated that the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Braves are the other five clubs.  In his comments, Braunecker didn’t seem dead set on a five-year deal.

In other Orioles news, Nick Markakis’ agent had "active talks" with MacPhail about a contract extension.  Markakis is entering his three arbitration years.

Finally, Steve Melewski of MASN Online says the O’s have shown interest in four Japanese free agents: Koji Uehara, Kenshin Kawakami, Junichi Tazawa, and catcher Ryoji Aikawa.  Tazawa seems close to signing with the Red Sox.  Uehara might be a more affordable alternative to Burnett.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dye, Burrell, Young

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Here’s a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

  • Rosenthal says the Braves are interested in A.J. Burnett, but you already knew that.
  • Rosenthal believes Trevor Hoffman to the Dodgers "makes sense."
  • The Red Sox apparently have confidence they could trade Mike Lowell if need be, but rival execs believe he’d have to prove his health in spring first.  Lowell has two years and $24MM on his deal. 
  • The White Sox want a young starter and additional players for right fielder Jermaine Dye.  The Mets, Rays, and Phillies are "balking at such a price."  Rosenthal learned that most of the six teams on Dye’s no-trade list are in the northeast.  Interesting that the White Sox are still willing to trade Dye after moving Nick Swisher.
  • The Mets "aren’t enamored" with Javier Vazquez.
  • Rosenthal suggests the Rays will sit back and hope one of the free agent DH-types becomes a bargain for them.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote on Friday that the "Braves, Dodgers, and Mets are believed to be among teams that have inquired about Rangers starting pitchers Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla."  However, Rosenthal says the Braves and Mets are not interested in either pitcher and the Rangers aren’t desperate to move them.
  • Rosenthal has Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Pat Burrell on the Angels’ radar if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, or Manny Ramirez.
  • A rival GM tells Rosenthal Twins outfielder Delmon Young is "very, very much out there."

Odds and Ends: Halladay, Lopez, Glavine

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Links for Monday…

Rogers’ Latest: Royals/Cubs, Peavy, Phillies

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Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has an interesting piece covering many topics throughout MLB:

  • The Royals are specifically eyeing Sean Marshall and Mike Fontenot as targets while discussing a trade for Mark Teahen with the Chicago Cubs. We’ve heard some conflicting reports recently about whether or not this trade was actually being talked about. Teahen could fill the Cubs’ right field vacancy, but his offensive struggles since moving to the outfield have been well-documented.
  • Houston could still be a dark-horse candidate for Jake Peavy. Roy Oswalt has been telling Peavy the two of them could make Houston contenders together. I can’t see a sensible package coming from Houston without opening new holes, however.
  • The Phillies don’t plan on making any drastic moves, despite Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz undergoing surgery.
  • The Dodgers and Tigers are both interested in Orlando Cabrera.

Heyman’s Latest: Lowe, Teixeira, Guillen

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman recently published several new blog posts.

  • Free agent outfielder Garret Anderson has a new agent: Scott Boras.  Click here for our full list of Boras clients.
  • Rangers starters Vicente Padilla and Kevin Millwood are drawing interest from the Braves, Dodgers, and Mets.  Padilla is owed $12MM in 2009 with a 2010 option for the same ($1.75MM buyout).  Millwood gets $23MM over the next two seasons and has a limited no-trade clause.
  • Heyman says rather than battle for A.J. Burnett, the Red Sox and Yankees may duke it out for Derek Lowe.  Other suitors for Lowe: the Mets, Braves, Phillies, Giants, Mariners and Dodgers.  There he goes naming the Mariners again as a player for a major free agent…interesting.  The Giants are a new one as well, though Heyman says Lowe may prefer to head back east.
  • Heyman agrees with info from Nick Cafardo, that the Red Sox and Tigers have discussed swapping Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis.
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti admitted to interest in C.C. Sabathia.  Colletti said he’s waiting to hear from Scott Boras regarding Manny Ramirez, even though the Dodgers pulled their two-year, $45MM offer.
  • It hasn’t happened yet, but the Angels plan to make a "very serious" offer to Mark Teixeira.  A competing exec guessed eight years, $160MM.  Remember, that’s a non-Angels exec making a guess.  Heyman tosses a new team into the mix for Tex: the Mariners.
  • The Royals are "quietly shopping" Jose Guillen.  Guillen, 33 in May, hit .264/.300/.438 in 633 plate appearances this year while playing below-average defense.  He’s owed $24MM for the 2009-10 seasons.
  • Competing execs tell Heyman the Mets appear open to trading Ramon Castro or Brian Schneider.  The Mets would then presumably sign a free agent catcher.

A.J. Burnett Rumors: Friday

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4:14pm: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe says that while the Red Sox have reviewed Burnett’s medical records, they’re still in the early stages of negotiations.

2:32pm: Robert MacLeod of The Globe and Mail has more from Ricciardi on the five-year idea:

"I’m not going to commit to a five-year deal.  There’s some things we could do to maybe make it a five-year deal but that would have to be based on a lot of different things."

9:22am: The Blue Jays haven’t made an offer yet to free agent starter A.J. Burnett, and GM J.P. Ricciardi doesn’t expect to win the bidding by offering the most money.  However, the Jays may separate themselves by being willing to offer Burnett the five-year contract he craves. Ricciardi didn’t say he would go that far, but the concept does not scare him.  He’ll wait to make his offer until after other teams submit their bids.

The Toronto Sun’s Mike Rutsey says the Orioles, Braves, Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox have also expressed interest in Burnett.

Odds and Ends: Weathers, Montero, Springer

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Links for Friday…

Odds and Ends: Phillies, Blake, Pedro

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More links for Thursday…

Phillies Trade Golson To Rangers For Mayberry

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According to Scott Lauber, the Phillies sent outfield prospect Greg Golson to the Rangers for another outfield prospect, John Mayberry Jr.

Golson, 23, hit .282/.333/.434 in 426 Double A at-bats this year.  Mayberry, 25 in December, hit .263/.316/.474 at Triple A.  Both are former first round picks.  Baseball America says both have a wealth of potential – Golson projects as a young Ron Gant in the best case, while Mayberry has a 35 home run ceiling.

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