Cubs Rumors

Odds & Ends: Smoltz, Pedro, Cardinals, Percival

By Tim Dierkes | March 8, 2010 at 9:34pm CDT

Links for Monday…

John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez will likely eventually sign with National League clubs, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He names the Cardinals, Phillies, Cubs, and Dodgers as potential players for the two veteran right-handers.
Cardinals GM John Mozeliak tells MLB.com's Matthew Leach that his club is going to be patient about assessing their bullpen, and is not currently seeking right-handed relief help.
Troy Percival is in Angels camp as a guest instructor, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times. He has no plans to try another comeback.
I named my undervalued hitters for fantasy baseball leagues over at RotoAuthority.
Former A's and Padres exec Sandy Alderson has been tasked with revamping MLB's Dominican Republic office, reports ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr.
Indians third baseman Jhonny Peralta told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports he'd like to remain in Cleveland beyond this year, though Morosi sees a good chance of a trade. Peralta earns $4.6MM this year, and has a $7MM club option for 2011 with a $250K buyout.
Joe Posnanski profiles Joakim Soria, suggesting the Royals should've tried him as a starter at some point.
ESPN's Rob Neyer learned from Michael Lewis that Jonah Hill has replaced Demetri Martin as the actor who will play Paul DePodesta in Aaron Sorkin's Moneyball movie. Brad Pitt is still slated to play Billy Beane.

Cubs Inquire On Jason Frasor

By Tim Dierkes | March 8, 2010 at 3:28pm CDT

The Cubs inquired on Blue Jays reliever Jason Frasor again, writes ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The latest call from the Cubs comes on the heels of Angel Guzman's season-ending shoulder injury. Crasnick says the Cubs are "urgently seeking relief help."

Frasor, 32, posted a 2.50 ERA, 8.7 K/9, and 2.5 BB/9 in 57.6 innings for the Blue Jays last year. He's earning $2.65MM in his last season before free agency. Frasor profiled as a Type B in the 2008-09 Elias rankings, with 66.322 points (Octavio Dotel was the lowest Type A at 68.007). But keep in mind the Cubs have not shown an inclination to offer arbitration to departing free agents in recent years.

SI's Jon Heyman addressed the Cubs' bullpen situation in today's article, noting that GM Jim Hendry made a play for Chan Ho Park before he signed with the Yankees. Heyman writes that "few teams are foolish enough to trade away proven set-up men at this point," but the Jays cashing in on Frasor now would make sense. The price for Padres closer Heath Bell would be higher, since Bell is under team control for two seasons.

The Cubs are not known to have interest in any free agent relievers, though veterans like Russ Springer, David Weathers, and John Smoltz remain unemployed.

Adeiny Hechevarria Free To Sign

By Mike Axisa | March 5, 2010 at 9:54pm CDT

Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechevarria is now free to sign with any team, tweets ESPN's Jorge Arangure. His agent, Bart Hernandez, says that he's been "unblocked" by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, giving him the freedom to sign.

Bidding for the 19-year-old could go as high as eight figures, more than the $8.2MM the Red Sox gave Jose Iglesias earlier this winter. The Angels and Blue Jays reportedly have some interest in Hechevarria, but Arangure adds in a second tweet that the Cubs and Yankees have shown heavy interest. However, Hernandez says that his client will not hold any more showcases, and is ready to begin the signing process (link goes to Arangure's Twitter).

Hernandez also says that righthander Reinier Roibal has also been unblocked, according to Arangure (link goes to Twitter).

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Utley, Matsui, Yankees, Lee

By Mike Axisa | March 5, 2010 at 11:35am CDT

On this date 44-years ago, Marvin Miller was elected as the first full-time president of the Major League Baseball Players' Association by the player representatives. Miller, who was previously the assistant to the president of United Steelworkers, negotiated the first collective bargaining agreement with the owners in 1968. Within his first ten years on the job, Miller was able to get salary arbitration included in the CBA and helped eliminate the reserve clause, ushering in the age of free agency. He is the reason the MLBPA is as powerful as it is today, but Miller has yet to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

Here's a looking at what's being written around the web…

Crashburn Alley looks at how much Chase Utley stands out from the pack of 2000 first round picks.
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham says the Angels are playing with fire if they plan on letting Hideki Matsui see some action in the outfield.
Bronx Bombers Beat wonders what the Yankees will do with their abundance of long relievers.
Around The Majors hosted a roundtable discussion of this past offseason.
The Friarhood says the Padres would be foolish not to trade Adrian Gonzalez to the White Sox if they offer Gordon Beckham.
Jorge Says No! thinks the Cubs are smart to hold off contract negotiations with Derrek Lee.
Viva El Birdos previews the 2010 draft.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Ruiz, Braves, Offenses, Yankees

By Tim Dierkes | March 4, 2010 at 9:42pm CDT

Links for Thursday…

ESPN's Jorge Arangure tweets that Jose Julio Ruiz has changed agents, which will likely complicate any negotiations. The Red Sox were reported hot on the Cuban defector's trail.
Tim Marchman of SI.com ranks MLB's 30 general managers, from Andrew Friedman to Dayton Moore.
Moore tells Doug Tucker of the AP that he's confident he'll continue to build the team's farm system. The Royals have tripled their budget in Latin America under Moore.
Stephania Bell of ESPN.com explains the injury risks that come with Billy Wagner, Troy Glaus, Takashi Saito and Tim Hudson, four players the Braves signed or extended this offseason.
I've ranked the American League offenses over at RotoAuthority, using CHONE projections and the Baseball Musings lineup analysis tool.
Jack Curry tweets that no one has called the Yankees yet about Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre, and GM Brian Cashman won't deal until late spring anyway.
Milton Bradley told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times that "obviously, it was something with Chicago, not me." Bradley says the Cubs tried to make him a player he's not, expecting 30 home runs.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said on ESPN's Waddle & Silvy show that he'll determine his future after the season.

Cubs Reach Agreement With Juan Yasser Serrano

By Nick Collias | March 3, 2010 at 5:57pm CDT

5:57pm: Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald has some updated information on the signing (in Spanish), thanks to an interview with Serrano's agent, Jaime Torres.

Torres confirms that the deal is for $250K, and Ebro writes that Serrano is actually 22 years old. Contrary to previous reports, Ebro writes that Serrano has passed a "rigorous physical examination." He will report to extended spring training in Arizona before heading to the Cubs' single-A affiliate in Dayton.

12:43pm: The Cubs reached an agreement with Serrano, reports MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. She notes that the deal is not expected to be finalized for another month, because paperwork must be completed and Serrano must pass his physical.

8:54am: The Cuban baseball news blog cubanballplayers.com reports that right-handed pitching prospect Juan Yasser Serrano "may have signed" a $250K contract with the Cubs. MLBTR has learned that while Serrano has not signed, the Cubs are in discussions with his representatives.

Serrano defected from Cuba in April of 2009, but as a reminder of what that term signifies, he was also arrested for attempted illegal departure in January. Upon finally arriving in Miami, he took up with popular Cuban agent Jaime Torres in time to see his name pop up in a few stretch run signing rumors. This winter, Serrano has been connected to at least 10 teams.

When reporting Serrano's defection in April, Jorge Ebro at the Miami-based Nuevo Herald mentioned that the pitcher had been 16 when he appeared in his first Cuban Serie Nacional, in 2006 for the Villa Clara Orangemen. That would make him either 20 or 21 now.

Cubs In No Rush To Add Bullpen Help

By Luke Adams 2 | March 2, 2010 at 9:09am CDT

TUESDAY, 9:09am: Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune says the Cubs "are not interested in any of the remaining free agent relievers." They'll look within for their open bullpen spots, and manager Lou Piniella wouldn't rule out using '08 first rounder Andrew Cashner.

SUNDAY, 10:17am: Injury issues in the Cubs' bullpen won't prompt the club to rush out and acquire a veteran reliever, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cubs officials say they still intend to scout opposing players and consider possible trades through March, but that nagging injuries to Angel Guzman and Jeff Gray won't accelerate their pursuit of bullpen help.

Having lost Kevin Gregg via free agency and having handed Carlos Marmol the ninth-inning role, the Cubs are looking for someone to step up and take over as their primary setup man. Guzman and Gray are two candidates, but are suffering from a sore shoulder and strained groin, respectively.

In addition to exploring the trade market, the Cubs could still add a free agent pitcher. Kiko Calero remains the most intriguing right-handed arm available and has been linked to the team a few times this winter. The Cubs were concerned, however, that Calero could have health questions of his own, given his past shoulder injuries.

Cubs, Derrek Lee Waiting On Contract Talks

By Tim Dierkes | March 1, 2010 at 11:22am CDT

MONDAY, 11:22am: Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has more on Lee. He says that while interest is mutual and Lee wants to retire a Cub, contract discussions will not occur until after the season.

TUESDAY, 11:09am: Like many players entering contract years, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee would prefer not to negotiate during the season. He told ESPN's Bruce Levine that he is open to discussing an extension, but he won't be approaching the team.

Lee, 34, bounced back to a .306/.393/.579 line last year. He's finishing a five-year, $65MM extension signed after his career-best '05 season. If he reaches free agency, Lee projects to join a first base class that might include Lance Berkman, Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko, Adam LaRoche, and Carlos Pena. Lee seems likely to get a two or three-year deal worth more than $10MM per, but much rests on his 2010 production.

Odds & Ends: Thames, Manzella, Royals, Marlins

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 26, 2010 at 4:03pm CDT

Links for Friday…

Chad Jennings of The Journal News reports that Marcus Thames can opt out of his contract with the Yankees if he doesn't make the team out of Spring Training. Thames signed a minor league deal earlier this month that would pay him $900K in the big leagues.
Alyson Footer, the Astros' Sr. Director of Social Media, tweets that the team has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with infielder Tommy Manzella worth $400K. He's expected to be the team's regular shortstop in 2010, and he has less than a month's worth of service time.
Mike Aviles and Anthony Lerew agreed to terms with the Royals according to a team press release. Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star tweets that both deals are expected to be worth less than $500K. Both players are not yet eligible for arbitration.
Meanwhile, the Marlins also agreed to terms with six of their pre-arbitration eligible players, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun reports that Orioles' lefty Brian Matusz has changed agents, and is now represented by CAA Sports. He had a 4.63 ERA in 44.2 innings last year, and is widely considered to be one of the two or three best pitching prospects in the game.
Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo spoke about the Livan Hernandez signing to MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling, and said that the righty isn't guaranteed a rotation spot.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports polled nearly 20 baseball people about Carl Crawford's next contract. Many of the agents and executives expect Crawford to command a five-year deal worth $12-16MM per season, but some think the left fielder could make as much as $18MM per year when he hits the open market, probably after 2010.
Scott Rolen was happy to restructure his contract so the Reds could "free up some money to go out and be more competitive," according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Nationals pitcher Rafael Martin tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he agreed to his deal on February 8th (Twitter link).
Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd told Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports that he wants his players to be driven by "more than money." O'Dowd also told Ringolsby that he did not shop Brad Hawpe this winter.
The Mets are still looking at lefty and righty relievers, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff (via Twitter).
Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt tells Scott Lauber of the News Journal that he expects Placido Polanco to make a smooth transition to third base.
Marlon Byrd tells USA Today's Bob Nightengale that he's uncomfortable being compared to friend and former teammate Milton Bradley.
Big market clubs sent $433MM to small market clubs last year, according to Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball.
The Red Sox don't generally use insurance on their long-term deals. Principal owner John Henry tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that "it isn't always easy to get paid," even once players are injured.
Jose Julio Ruiz may be close to signing, but it won't be with the Nationals, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
Astros owner Drayton McLane, who has "a huge amount of confidence" in GM Ed Wade, would consider selling his team for $600MM or more, according to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle.

Odds & Ends: Beckett, Jones, Cust, Cubs

By Mark Polishuk | February 25, 2010 at 7:24pm CDT

A roundup of some news on this Thursday night…

In an interview on CSNNE's Sports Tonight show, Josh Beckett said he would "probably not" negotiate with the Red Sox about a new contract once the season begins. WEEI's Rob Bradford reports on Beckett's appearance here.
Bobby Cox thinks Chipper Jones will play out the final three years on his contract, reports David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jones was hinting at retirement last fall in the wake of his disappointing (for him) 2009 campaign, but thus far in spring training, O'Brien reports that Jones has been nothing but enthusiastic about Atlanta's chances this season.
In an interview with Jane Lee of MLB.com, Jack Cust confirms what we all thought about this winter's crop of free agents at outfield and DH: "it just wasn't a very good market unless you're Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. Even for those guys, I don't think the interest level was as high as they may have thought it to be. Unless you're one of those big dudes, you take what you can get."
Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com says that the Cubs have some interest in Luke Gregerson and/or Jason Frasor.
Jon Paul Morosi tweets that there is "not much new" going on with the negotiations between Joe Mauer and the Twins.
MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that Alex Rodriguez offered Johnny Damon some free agency advice this winter. Oh, so THAT's why it took so long for Damon to sign…
We had heard about Toronto's possible interest in Jose Julio Ruiz, and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian now reports that the Jays may be looking at another Cuban prospect: Adeiny Hechevarria.
Dick Kaegel of MLB.com reports that the Royals agreed to terms with Josh Fields and Kila Ka'aihue on one-year contracts. Terms were not disclosed, but Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star tweeted that neither deal is expected to exceed $500K.

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