Roch Kubatko talked to starter Kris Benson, who said his shoulder hasn’t felt this good since 2000. Benson had rotator cuff surgery almost two years ago. Benson says the Cardinals and Dodgers have expressed the most interest, with the D’Backs and Rangers also in the mix.
Cardinals Rumors
Cardinals Looking In-House For Closer
A week ago, John Perrotto mentioned Tony La Russa was considering using Chris Carpenter as a closer. Today, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports Cardinals GM John Mozeliak is comfortable turning toward internal options to fill the closer role.
Chris Perez and Jason Motte, as well as Ryan Franklin are listed as most likely options. Franklin had 17 saves last season for St. Louis. Leach mentions the Cardinals could attempt to work out a deal for Brandon Lyon or Juan Cruz, as well as the possibility of signing free agent Chad Cordero, to add depth and expand their options in the ninth inning. Interest in Cordero is more curiosity than anything, says Leach.
What about Carpenter? Said Mozeliak, "The right-hander will only pitch out of the bullpen if there is a compelling medical reason to use him there rather than in the rotation." Tony La Russa expressed similar sentiments on Monday, according to Leach, despite Perrotto’s report last week.
Returning Adam Wainwright to the closer role has not been discussed.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Red Sox, Yankees, Braves, M’s, Cards, Mets, Manny
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.
Braves, Orioles Eyeing Kenshin Kawakami
11:14pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown says the Braves were aggressive on Kawakami even before John Smoltz left, so the Japanese pitcher is in a good position. Brown’s list of Kawakami suitors includes some new clubs. He names the Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins, Pirates, Orioles, and possibly Yankees.
A Nikkan Sports article about Kawakami (in Japanese) has been making the rounds lately. I asked Patrick Newman about it; apparently it says Kawakami has advanced to final negotiations with the Braves. My guess is that this report jumped the gun.
8:34pm: Steve Melewski of MASN reports that the Orioles are still in the hunt for Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.
"The O’s remain in the mix, no question," a source told MASN. "They’ve showed a strong pursuit of Kawakami." Baltimore has already signed another Japanese import, Koji Uehara, but are looking for more starting pitching depth. Kawakami, 34, has a career record of 106-62 and a 3.17 ERA in Japan. The O’s extended an offer to him at the end of December, but he’s obviously keeping his options open. The Braves, Twins and Cardinals are also believed to have interest.
Rosenthal On Dunn, Angels, Garland, Roberts
Let’s take a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal.
- The Dodgers won’t go after Adam Dunn until they exhaust their options with Manny Ramirez. Rosenthal likes the Dunn-L.A. match. Should Dunn opt for a one-year deal so he can try his hand at a weaker free agent market?
- Rosenthal wonders if Tony La Russa and/or Albert Pujols will depart if the Cardinals do not contend in coming seasons.
- The Angels are not in on any hitter currently, but could engage in trade talks this summer if necessary.
- Rosenthal drives home just how difficult it would be for the Mets to move Luis Castillo. He says the team wants to bring in a capable backup infielder such as Alex Cora, David Eckstein, or Craig Counsell.
- The D’Backs made offers for Jon Garland and Brad Penny, but Penny signed with Boston and they’re out on Garland. Rosenthal says the D’Backs still aren’t necessarily in the market for a starter.
- A Brian Roberts trade is said to be a "growing possibility."
Cardinals Have Less To Spend
Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talked to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, who indicated that the team has less money to spend than "many have surmised" (Hummel’s words). Mozeliak makes the important point that "money off the books" doesn’t mean much since so many players are set to earn raises.
Back in September after the Kyle Lohse signing, Derrick Goold and Joe Strauss wrote:
The Cardinals had a significant hunk of contracts expire Sunday and have said they plan to be aggressive this winter with about $30 million in flexibility.
If $30MM was the number at the outset, the Cardinals have spent about $15.5MM of that on ’09 salaries for Lohse, Khalil Greene, and others (not including Lohse’s signing bonus and Mark Mulder’s buyout).
Mozeliak told Hummel that he’s focused more on starting pitching than bullpen help currently. Trading an outfielder remains a viable option. Mozeliak also explained his infamous "low-hanging fruit" comment.
Odds and Ends: Saito, Teixeira, LaRoche
More Tuesday links…
- Over at RotoAuthority, David Chase examines more of the optimistic Spring Training reports of ’08. Particularly interesting: did pitchers follow up on their intention to use a new pitch?
- The Marlins’ Scott Proctor signing is official. Also, Chan Ho Park with the Phillies.
- Carl Pohlad’s three sons will take over for their father.
- McCovey Chronicles trade idea: Randy Winn for Xavier Nady.
- Add Randy Choate to the minor league deals for the Rays.
- Economist J.C. Bradbury says "the economic downturn cannot explain the magnitude of Pat Burrell’s discount." He believes teams are exaggerating the recession effect.
- Keith Law says the risk in giving Milton Bradley a three-year deal "seems excessive" but notes that Bradley is an excellent hitter and above-average defender.
- Patrick Newman learned that Takashi Saito received almost ten offers last month, including proposals from the Cardinals and Red Sox. Newman also has new reports of various minor league-level Japanese players who want to join MLB organizations.
- Tony Massarotti has all kinds of questions about Boston’s failure to sign Mark Teixeira. Craig Calcaterra offers analysis on the team’s Boras relationship. Check out stuff from today’s Yankees press conference here and here.
- Sox Machine on how Jim Thome staying healthy messed up Ken Williams’ plans.
- Dejan Kovacevic says Adam LaRoche would like to stay in Pittsburgh past ’09, but the team is not considering an extension.
Cardinals Rumors: Smoltz, Carpenter, Lyon
11:53pm: More from Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Strauss suggests GM John Mozeliak hopes to swap an outfielder for a closer-quality arm. Any suggestions?
Strauss adds that the Cardinals inquired on John Smoltz. At least seven teams have shown some level of interest in Smoltz, who most expect to return to Atlanta.
8:20pm: The Associated Press has a slightly different take on the Cardinals’ approach to a closer. La Russa told the AP that Chris Carpenter could return to the bullpen if the club deems that move will be the best scenario for both parties:
"We want Chris pitching for us, and if I was told he couldn’t be healthy throwing 100 pitches every five days and he could be a reliever, I’d take him as a reliever."
6:36pm: St. Louis Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa told Matthew Leach of MLB.com that the Cardinals will likely look at Chris Perez or Jason Motte to close games in 2009, but La Russa also hinted that the team could sign a starter with the thoughts of moving the addition to a ninth-inning role.
La Russa said he’d like to give Perez and Motte more time to mature in the minor leagues before moving them into the role of closer for the Cardinals.
La Russa also mentioned that the list of starters who could be converted into a closer’s role is short, Leach writes. La Russa noted that the Cardinals do not want to convert one of their current starters into the closer.
La Russa said that Jason Isringhausen will not probably return to the Cardinals. The Cardinals could sign a free-agent reliever such as Juan Cruz or Brandon Lyon. Cruz is unlikely due to his Type A status, however. The Cards remain cool to the possibility of signing Trevor Hoffman.
La Russa did not shut the door on a closer with health issues, such as Takashi Saito or Chad Cordero. Leach also noted that club’s front office has expressed significant reservations about signing any players who are health risks.
Brown’s Latest: Abreu, Manny, Looper
The latest from Yahoo’s Tim Brown…
- Bobby Abreu still wants $48MM over three years, according to Brown and Gordon Edes. Abreu may have lost three potential suitors today in the Cubs, Rays, and A’s. Buster Olney suggests Abreu is "probably out on the ledge, more than any other player in the corner outfield market."
- Brown says the Dodgers, Orioles, Nationals and Mariners "seem to have the most interest in adding an outfielder." Haven’t heard much about the Orioles looking for help there.
- Brown believes the Dodgers are "sitting on their original offer of two years and $45 million guaranteed" to Manny Ramirez. He says Scott Boras still wants four or five years at $25MM per.
- Starters on the Dodgers’ radar: Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, and Braden Looper. Looper might be a new name.
- Kenshin Kawakami is apparently "drawing solid interest from the Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins and Orioles." It’d be surprising to see Boston sign him after getting Brad Penny.
Braves Rumors: Pettitte, Glavine, Smoltz
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the latest hot stove info on the Braves.
- The Braves still have roughly $25MM to spend, with a starting pitcher and a power-hitting outfielder on the shopping list.
- Starters of interest: Derek Lowe, Andy Pettitte, and Jon Garland. Mark Bowman of MLB.com doesn’t believe the Braves would exceed three years and $36MM for Lowe, a Boras client.
- O’Brien isn’t sure if the Jake Peavy talks will restart. But Frank Wren did reiterate that he wants to re-sign both Tom Glavine and John Smoltz if they’re able to pitch.
- O’Brien notes that Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn remain on the free agent market, while the Cardinals could part with Rick Ankiel. All three bat left-handed, however.
