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At Least 15 Teams Watched Freddy Garcia

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9:13pm: Additional teams confirmed in attendance: the Red Sox, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Marlins, and White Sox.  Garcia’s agent says he’d like to sign by this weekend, and plans to sign only for ’08.  Troy Renck says the Rockies are a long shot now that they’ve added Livan Hernandez. 

WEDNESDAY, 9:28am: Surprisingly, the Phillies were in attendance at Garcia’s audition yesterday.  David Murphy finds the idea intriguing, but says the Phils don’t have major interest.  The Phillies traded Gavin Floyd to the White Sox for Garcia in December of ’06, but he only gave them 11 starts while earning $10MM.

Also confirmed at the audition: the Tigers, Yankees, Mets, Rays, Rockies, Astros, and Rangers.  MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez thinks the Rangers might be the most interested party.

TUESDAY: Today’s the big day…free agent Freddy Garcia will audition for teams in Miami.  He’s recovering from labrum surgery.

We’ve compiled reports over the past few months.  Teams interested in Garcia at one point: the Mets, Red Sox, Braves, Yankees, White Sox, Rangers, Tigers, Rays, Astros, Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, Twins, Indians, Mariners, and Royals. That’s 16 of 30 teams, though the non-contenders may have dropped out.

Garcia’s friend and former manager Ozzie Guillen doubted the pitcher’s ability to contribute at the big league level this year.  Garcia was upset by the comments.

Scott Eyre Designated; Red Sox Interested

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WEDNESDAY: According to Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal, the Red Sox still have interest in Eyre.  Scott Lauber figures the Phillies are likely to inquire as well.

TUESDAY: To make room for closer Kerry Wood, the Cubs designated lefty reliever Scott Eyre for assignment today.  Eyre, 36, posted a 7.15 ERA in 11.1 innings with the Cubs this year. He spent time on the DL with elbow and groin problems.  Eyre actually had a nice run in the second half last year as well as May this year.

Eyre still has about $1.15MM left on his contract.  Perhaps teams like the Red Sox and Phillies will inquire and the Cubs won’t have to assume all of his salary.

Odds and Ends: Livan, Maddux, Meredith, Fielder

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Here are today’s links.

Lefty Relievers: Ohman, Grabow, Eyre, Mahay

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2:50pm: Stark says Ohman’s probably staying put despite interest from ten teams.

2:39pm: Buster Olney says the Phillies will probably come up empty on a lefty reliever.

2:02pm: Rob Bradford of the Boston Herald says the Braves asked for a pitching prospect for Ohman, and the Red Sox passed.  Mahay remains a possibility.

1:07pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves could keep Ohman.  So far they’re not finding offers superior to the supplemental draft pick they could get after the season.

THURSDAY, 12:24pm: Jayson Stark has the Yanks and Red Sox battling for Eyre.

WEDNESDAY, 11:50pm: Let’s talk lefty relievers.

  • David O’Brien names the Red Sox, Cardinals, Rays, Tigers, and White Sox parties interested in Will Ohman.  But the Sox might end up with John Grabow, and the Tigers may be content with Kyle Farnsworth as their relief addition.  Grabow may also be on the Rays’ radar.
  • MLB.com’s Mark Bowman has the Rays, Yankees, and Red Sox after Ohman, with the Cardinals out of the bidding.
  • Sean McAdam sees Boston’s interest in Ohman as minimal.  Instead, they’re eyeing Scott Eyre and Ron Mahay.  They’ve even offered Brandon Moss for Mahay, which seems solid.  Nick Cafardo believes righties Huston Street and J.J. Putz are still in the mix.
  • 15 scouts watched Arthur Rhodes struggle tonight.

Cubs Eyeing Ibanez, Giles, DeJesus

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THURSDAY, 12:12am: CBSSports.com’s Scott Miller says the Cubs also inquired on David DeJesus and Brian Giles.

WEDNESDAY, 10:31am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Cubs are discussing trades for a left-handed hitter, including Raul Ibanez.  He is a curious fit and would leave the Cubs with questionable outfield corner defense.  But, the Mariners have to be happy that a suitor has emerged aside from the Mets.  The price remains two quality prospects.

Rosenthal says the Cubs could also turn to bench players or just stand pat.  The Cubs already have a decent lefty-hitting bench player in Mike Fontenot.

One left-handed hitter out there generating zero trade talk is Baltimore’s Aubrey Huff (.916 OPS).  Can’t explain that one.

Stark’s Latest: Ibanez, Washburn, Redding, Rhodes

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Some additional notes from ESPN’s Jayson Stark:

  • The Mariners still want Jon Niese and another prospect for Raul Ibanez; the Mets are not biting.  Similar situation with the Ms asking the Cubs for Felix Pie and another player.
  • The Mets aren’t in on Jarrod Washburn or Tim Redding.
  • The Marlins are making it clear that there is no done deal for Arthur Rhodes.  Clark Spencer had written the Fish "could be closer" to a deal for Rhodes than a catcher.  Stark says the Mariners are driving a hard bargain for Rhodes, with the Red Sox, Marlins, Phillies, Brewers, Tigers, Mets, Cardinals, and Rays checking in.

Odds and Ends: Roberts, Ohman, Kotsay, Eyre

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Rumor roundup…

  • ESPN’s Buster Olney implies that another website backdates timestamps in an attempt to fake scoops.  I was following the Mark Teixeira rumors like a hawk; I gave the scoop to ESPN’s Jayson Stark with an assist to MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer.
  • Joe Christensen says Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts is not available.
  • MLB.com’s Mark Bowman guesses Will Ohman will land with the Cardinals.  He also puts the odds of a Mark Kotsay deal at 50%.
  • With Mark Teixeira out of the picture, Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes doesn’t expect to make any more trades.
  • Will Carroll says the Dodgers had a "passing discussion" with the Cubs about Scott Eyre and Ronny Cedeno.
  • Nothing cooking with the Royals.
  • Talked to Eddie Bajek, who is working on reverse-engineering the Elias formula.  He has A.J. Burnett on the Type A/Type B borderline.  Ivan Rodriguez and Edgar Renteria should both be Type As.

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Tuesday

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9:55pm: Jayson Stark attempts to douse the Manny flames, getting denials (again) from the Dodgers and Phillies.

8:39pm: Ken Davidoff says the Teixeira deal makes a Manny trade more difficult, since that’s one less option for Boston to replace Ramirez’s bat.  The Red Sox will keep trying nonetheless.

6:52pm: Jon Heyman says the Phillies might be the frontrunner for Manny.  Ramirez will want his $20MM options eliminated upon a trade.

The Dodgers are also involved, with the Marlins surfacing as a longshot.

3:07pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Dodgers are not pursuing Ramirez or Teixeira.  So, conflicting reports again.  The Dodgers are also not interested in Adam Everett and unlikely to acquire Jack Wilson.

Joe Christensen agrees that Everett isn’t happening, and notes that the Dodgers once had Ronny Cedeno on their list.

2:36pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post has the Dodgers in the lead for Manny.  The Red Sox would eat most or all of the $7MM remaining on Ramirez’s deal, and then receive a player like Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier.  Such a deal would enable the Sox to enter the Mark Teixeira bidding.

Sherman also talked to one NL exec who believes the Dodgers might instead acquire Brian Roberts, pushing Jeff Kent into a utility role and leaving the shortstop problem unresolved.

1:05pm: Looks like Manny’s going to need his own post, after all.  Earlier today, Dan Graziano said the Mets are still in on Ramirez despite the denials.  Now SI.com’s Jon Heyman adds that the Dodgers are showing interest.  The talks are still in their infancy, and keep in mind that the Dodgers do not want to add payroll.

Stark’s Latest: Eyre, Sherrill

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has been burning up the phone lines today.  New blog posts can be found here and here.

  • Brian Fuentes and Damaso Marte are off the market, but lefty relievers remain plentiful.  The Cubs would like to move Scott Eyre, perhaps to an AL club like the Rays, Red Sox, or Tigers.  Eyre is in the last year of a three-year contract and can block trades to ten clubs.
  • The Orioles would like to pry a young shortstop loose if they are to trade George Sherrill.  Erick Aybar, Maicer Izturis, and Jason Donald are names of interest, but the Angels and Phillies aren’t biting.
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