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Rosenthal’s Latest: Lohse, Furcal, Lofton

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FOX’s Ken Rosenthal checks in with the latest buzz from Spring Training.

  • The Mets, Cardinals, and Orioles are listed as possibilities for Kyle Lohse.  However, the Mets may deem him unnecessary, reports are conflicting on the Cards’ interest, and the Orioles are wary of the price.
  • Rosenthal says Rafael Furcal’s agent met with Ned Colletti a few days ago, but the Dodgers would likely want to see Furcal return to form before entertaining an extension.  Click here to see the other shortstops eligible for free agency after the ’08 season.  The Dodgers may have a viable replacement for Furcal in defensive whiz Chin-Lung Hu.
  • Rosenthal notes that the Yankees, in search of a right-handed outfielder, considered Shannon Stewart and Mike Cameron this winter.
  • Kenny Lofton’s chances of a getting the big league deal he wants with the Reds or Twins look slim. 
  • The rumor going around for Corey Patterson is the Marlins, if the price is right.
  • Rosenthal confirms two additions for our 2008 Out Of Options list – Gabe Gross and Clint Barmes.
  • Rosenthal says the Mets need a right-handed hitter who can play left field and first base.  Here are some names I came up with: Ryan Ludwick, Xavier Nady, Matt Murton, Franklin Gutierrez, and Kevin Millar.  Granted, not all those guys know their way around first base.

Odds and Ends: Spiezio, Pavano, Gross, Jackson

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Links, rumors…

Rays Never Serious About Bonds

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The whole Barry Bonds to Tampa Bay storyline has been well overblown, as Cork Gaines has written numerous times.  Jon Heyman recently talked to a "Rays person" who put the odds at 100 to 1.

Bonds’ agent, Jeff Borris, says "People are being cheated" by not being able to see Bonds play.  Interesting choice of words.  Beyond the mild Tony La Russa flirtation, Heyman notes one anonymous AL GM who wanted Bonds but had his owner veto the idea.

Let’s see what MLBTR readers think about this situation.  Will Barry Bonds play for a Major League team in 2008?  Take the survey here and look at the results here.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Roger Clemens

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Last week we looked at one face of the steroid era (Barry Bonds) and wondered where he might end up playing in 2008. Today let’s take a look at the newest face of the steroid era, Roger Clemens. Clemens has yet to decide whether to pitch in 2008.

While his friends believe that the Astros are the only option, Buster Olney suggested the Cardinals could also be an option. And while the Yankees and the Red Sox have shown zero interest, we can’t rule out a mid-season return to either team. Both have question marks in their rotations, and if the proposed solutions don’t pan out, they will be in the market for a proven pitcher in July, no matter what Hank Steinbrenner says now. Another team that could be a darkhorse after the All-Star break is the New York Mets. We learned yesterday that they have tried trading Orlando Hernandez, as there appear to be serious concerns about his health. And if the Mets are fighting for a playoff spot in July, memories of last year’s collapse with the added pressure of having added Johan Santana will fuel the effort to win "at any cost." Let’s also not forget that 11 more wins would put Rocket into the Top 5 all-time and 20 wins (2009?) would make Clemens the third winningest pitcher ever, behind only Cy Young and Walter Johnson. Let’s take a look at what some are thinking about Clemens in the Blogosphere.

If there is a topic you would like to see covered in "Baseball Blogs Weigh In" please let me know HERE.

  • The Redbird Blog does not see Clemens as a difference-maker for the Cardinals, and wonder if it is worth signing him.
  • C70 At The Bat does not think that the Cardinals pitching situation is as dire as some have portrayed, so the need for Clemens may be minimal.
  • My Baseball Bias reiterates what Hank Steinbrenner stated…Clemens will not pitch for the Yankees. They also think that the Astros are the only logical destination for Clemens.
  • Center Field feels that the Phillies would be a good match based on an actual letter sent from PETA to Clemens urging him to become a vegetarian.

And that’s it from the Blogosphere. Is Roger Clemens pitching in ’08 a non-story? Is there a team out there that we are not considering that the Rocket could help this season? Let us know in the comments.

By Cork Gaines

David Wells Denied By Cardinals

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David Wells’ agent, Gregg Clifton, reached out to the Cardinals recently to see if his client could assist them  with their early season rotation uncertainty.   It’s been said that Boomer, 44, is looking to make about 20 starts this year.  He earned $3MM in ’07.

Derrick Goold says the Cardinals prefer their in-house options over Wells.  What does PECOTA have to say about this?

David Wells – 4.55 ERA
Anthony Reyes – 4.32 ERA
Brad Thompson – 4.29 ERA
Todd Wellemeyer – 4.39 ERA

Seems the Cardinals are on track with this one.  I’m sure they’d be ecstatic to get those ERAs out of that trio.  Goold says the Cards will continue to track free agents.  Kyle Lohse and Jeff Weaver are two who are healthy right now, if nothing else.  As for Roger Clemens, the Cards aren’t terribly interested given Clemens’ probable late start.

La Russa Suggested Bonds

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Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Cardinals manager once again suggested the team consider signing Barry Bonds this winter.  GM John Mozeliak and company decided to pass on the idea.  They’ve already brought in Juan Gonzalez as an aging wild card slugger, anyway.

A St. Louis talk show host, Kevin Slaten, recently started a feud with La Russa over the manager’s steroid connections and his unwillingness to discuss them.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Gross, Weaver, Encarnacion

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Ken Rosenthal is on the scene with some new rumors.

  • Astros president Tal Smith arguing other teams’ arbitration cases.   Rosenthal finds it a bit awkward, while Keith Law finds it to be a hilarious conflict of interest.
  • Possible trades of Matt Murton to the Padres or Rangers seem to have fizzled.  The Padres may turn to the Brewers’ Gabe Gross, a player who previously caught the eye of the A’s, Indians, and Braves.  Our good friend PECOTA sees a .267/.366/.467 line from Gross this year.  With Gross and various veteran starters, the Brewers have some surpluses to work with.
  • Rosenthal believes the Cardinals’ interest in Jeff Weaver to be not especially serious.  They’ve got in-house candidates to start, and Matt Clement needing some time is not a revelation.
  • We’ve read about extension possibilities for Matt Capps and Alex Rios.  To that mix, Rosenthal adds Edwin Encarnacion.  The Reds might want to do it now; he seems primed for a big year.

Will Clemens Play In ’08?

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The tolerance for Roger Clemens’ annual "will he, won’t he" saga will be much lower this year in the wake of the steroid mess.  But the fact remains that we still don’t know whether he’ll try to play.   

Buster Olney devotes a portion of today’s blog to this question.  He thinks it’s in Clemens’ nature to defiantly keep pitching.  Olney says Clemens’ friends indicate he’d only pitch for Houston.  Olney speculates that the Cardinals might be one other club that would consider it. He could certainly help either team if he came with a price tag below $10MM.

In case you were wondering, Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA system sees the Rocket posting a 4.43 ERA in 107 innings this year (in the AL East it seems).  Somewhat related fact: Clemens appears in Joba Chamberlain’s comparables list.

Cards Eyeing Weaver, Colon

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With the price of free agent starting pitching dropping by the day and Matt Clement looking questionable, it’s only natural that the Cardinals would explore the market.  Indeed, John Mozeliak is looking at Jeff Weaver and Bartolo Colon.  Seems that Impacto Deportivo may have been misinformed on the whole Colon-to-Chicago thing.

Weaver seems the smarter option for a team looking for healthy innings.  If nothing else, Weaver can provide that.  Something tells me he’s not getting $8MM this time around.  His most recent success was in St. Louis, so maybe Dave Duncan can guide him to a league average season.

Colon is a wild card.  Even if his stuff isn’t there, if he can take the ball he has value.  He’ll obviously find the NL more to his liking.

Another possibility for the Cards is David Wells, according to Peter Gammons.  Gammons says Boomer "would like to come back for 20-something starts."

Cards Eyeing Weaver, Colon

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With the price of free agent starting pitching dropping by the day and Matt Clement looking questionable, it’s only natural that the Cardinals would explore the market.  Indeed, John Mozeliak is looking at Jeff Weaver and Bartolo Colon.  Seems that Impacto Deportivo may have been misinformed on the whole Colon-to-Chicago thing.

Weaver seems the smarter option for a team looking for healthy innings.  If nothing else, Weaver can provide that.  Something tells me he’s not getting $8MM this time around.  His most recent success was in St. Louis, so maybe Dave Duncan can guide him to a league average season.

Colon is a wild card.  Even if his stuff isn’t there, if he can take the ball he has value.  He’ll obviously find the NL more to his liking.

Another possibility for the Cards is David Wells, according to Peter Gammons.  Gammons says Boomer "would like to come back for 20-something starts."

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