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Odds and Ends: Cliff Lee, Edwin Jackson

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You know the drill…

  • Nick Piecoro checks in on his blog.  Apparently the D’Backs discussed swapping Carlos Quentin for Cliff Lee before sending him to Chicago.  As much as he might’ve liked to it seems like Josh Byrnes couldn’t get a starter for Quentin.
  • Geoff Baker links the Mariners to Lee,  Ben Sheets, Mark Prior, and Edwin Jackson based on yesterday’s buzz.  The Sheets one has since been questioned, since the Dodgers were identified as the West Coast team that inquired.  Prior could be part of a Raul Ibanez trade, but the Cubs are first focusing on Fukudome.  As for Jackson, the Rays would want more than just Ben Broussard.
  • John Fay believes the Reds will have to part with Jay Bruce or Homer Bailey to get a frontline starter.

Cubs Send Infante and Ohman To Braves

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UPDATE: 12-4-07 at 10:05am: Rosenthal confirms this baby, noting that the Cubs freed up a few mil for other pursuits.

FROM 12-4-07 at 9:23am:

According to Bruce Levine of ESPN Radio 1000, the Cubs have sent lefty reliever Will Ohman and infielder Omar Infante to the Braves for righty reliever Jose Ascanio.  Ascanio closed a bit for the Braves’ Double A affiliate last year; he turns 23 in May.  He seems to have strong groundball tendencies.

Infante (acquired for Jacque Jones) and Ohman were a bit redundant on the Cubs’ roster.  They already had Scott Eyre and perhaps Sean Marshall coming from the left side out of the pen. And they’ve got plenty of middle infielders in Ronny Cedeno, Mark DeRosa, Mike Fontenot, and Ryan Theriot.

Who knows how this one will play out, but the Braves filled a couple of needs more cheaply than they might’ve on the open market.  Ohman makes $1.6MM next year; Infante should be under $2MM.

Rios For Franklin Gutierrez and Cliff Lee?

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UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 10:03am: Per Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun: no match for the Indians and Jays on Rios.  I knew Gutierrez/Lee didn’t sound right.

FROM 12-4-07 at 9:46am:

Joel Sherman has a new column up with some fresh rumors.

  • The Indians and Blue Jays are reportedly talking about a swap that would send Alex Rios to the Tribe for Franklin Gutierrez and Cliff Lee.  Seriously?  That seems like a lousy deal for the Jays.  How long until a debunking on this one?
  • The Jake Peavy signing is a cause for optimism as the Indians seek to re-sign C.C. Sabathia.
  • As you know, the Cubs are all about getting a left-handed hitting right fielder, and Kosuke Fukudome is the best available.  Adam Dunn was also on their radar (in right field??) but those talks died.  Sherman says if the Cubs don’t get Fukudome they could move on to Johnny Damon (in right field??).

Padres Rumors: Loretta, Iguchi, Peavy, Barrett

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Tom Krasovic fills us in on the latest with the Padres.

  • Kevin Towers is considering Mark Loretta and Tadahito Iguchi as second base options.  Loretta has expressed interest.  I wonder how this will make the Padres feel; his strong flirtations may turn them off.
  • Jake Peavy will get full no-trade protection for 2008-10, limited for 2011-12.
  • As reported yesterday Towers is in talks for Mark Prior and Josh Towers.  Towers said that himself?  Tampering!
  • The Padres still expect Michael Barrett to accept arby.  Krasovic mentions the Cubs actually considered having Barrett switch positions last year.  Yes!  Barrett should market himself as a third baseman and play the field.
  • The Padres recently talked about a multiyear (probably two year) deal with Mike Cameron.

Odds and Ends: Guillen, Patterson, Clark, Andruw

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Let’s keep things rolling along with a morning Odds and Ends collection.

  • U.S.S. Mariner is not amused with the Ms’ decision not to offer arbitration to Jose Guillen.
  • Andruw Jones hasn’t been getting much player, and his camp initiated contact with the Royals yesterday. The mutual interest may have been what pushed Guillen to sign.
  • With the David Riske to Milwaukee signing not official, the Orioles apparently had talks with his agent yesterday.  He’ll be too pricey for them, anyway.  By the way, the Cubs checked in on Brian Roberts, but nothing is really stirring right now on that front.
  • Corey Patterson seems a little down, as he’s no one’s first choice in center field.  The Orioles are apparently moving on.  Patterson wouldn’t say whether he’d take a one-year deal.  As a Scott Boras client, I imagine he won’t.
  • Summing up the Rockies’ external second base candidates: Chris Burke, Marcus Giles, and Mark Loretta. The agents for both Giles and Loretta have contacted the Rockies, and Loretta would play there at a discount.
  • Evan Grant has his Rangers column up, but we already hit upon most of the points yesterday (he was the source then, too).  One new note is that the Rangers don’t want to give Tony Clark anything more than one year plus an option, while Clark wants a two-year deal.  The Rays, Dodgers, and Twins are said to like Clark.

Odds and Ends: Tavarez, Lieber, Stewart

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Another collection…

Cubs Looking At Hamilton, McLouth

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The Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan has a new column up discussing a couple of outfielders in the Cubs’ sights aside from Kosuke Fukudome.  Apparently they’re after someone who can handle center field in case Felix Pie falters.

  • Those Josh Hamilton rumors are real – and the Reds are asking for Sean Marshall.  I think the Cubs would pull the trigger on that one.  Jerry Crasnick first suggested this match about five hours ago.  He thought Marshall wouldn’t be enough and I agreed.  Guess we’ll see.  Sullivan notes that Lou Piniella had some contact with Hamilton back when he managed the Devil Rays.
  • The Cubs are also in talks regarding Nate McLouth.  Sullivan thinks McLouth would come cheap – for a reliever like Carmen Pignatiello, Neal Cotts, or Will Ohman.  Damn, that’s cheap.  We learned today that the Giants, Padres, and Marlins like McLouth; Sullivan adds the Braves to the mix as well.

Padres Working On Trade For A Starter

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The Padres have already signed Greg Maddux and Randy Wolf this winter, but GM Kevin Towers isn’t done.  He’s expecting to finish a trade before the Padres leave Nashville.  Tom Krasovic thinks it might be Mark Prior or Josh Towers.

Both are said to be non-tender candidates, but surely the Cubs and Jays can work out deals rather than lose the pitchers for nothing.  Prior is the high risk high reward guy, Towers is the opposite.

Rangers Rumors: Bay, Gagne, Fukudome

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T.R. Sullivan has the Rangers goods for us this evening.  Wow, did MLB.com send 30+ reporters out to Nashville?

  • The Rangers are still pursuing Eric Gagne to return as their closer (and then maybe they’d flip him again).  The interest is mutual. 
  • The team is also considering LaTroy Hawkins, Shawn Chacon, Luis Vizcaino, Trever Miller, and Octavio Dotel.  Basically, most of the relief market.  Problem is, the Rangers don’t want to give more than one year to any of these guys.
  • The Rangers are moving toward filling center field internally after exploring options.  Carlos Gomez, Felix Pie, and Carlos Gonzalez proved unavailable or too pricey (though if all the Mets wanted for Gomez was Gerald Laird, Daniels should’ve pounced).
  • Daniels has shifted gears to a corner outfielder.  Kosuke Fukudome remains on the radar.
  • The Rangers had a preliminary conversation with the Bucs about Jason Bay. 
  • The team isn’t focused on getting pitching for once, but Daniels is still perusing medical reports on Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, and Jason Jennings.   
  • Daniels said he’s not shopping Hank Blalock.

Nationals Shopping Lopez, Kearns

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According to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the Nationals are shopping shortstop Felipe Lopez and outfielder Austin Kearns.  Two targets: Mike Pelfrey of the Mets and Kevin Slowey of the Twins.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Omar Minaya flip Pelfrey for someone with more immediate value.  While the Mets could use Kearns in right field, he’s not the type of return one envisions for Pelfrey.  Maybe for a Phil Humber though.  Kearns will earn $5MM in ’08, and $8MM in ’09 plus a $10MM club option for ’10 with a $1MM buyout.  The 27 year-old hit .266/.355/.411 this year.

The match for Slowey seems better – Lopez could play short for the Twins and Kearns might be able to handle center.  However, trading Slowey and Matt Garza in the same offseason seems unlikely, and even less likely if Johan Santana is moved.  If Lopez’s defense is truly improved, maybe the Rays would have interest.

Another guy who could work for the Rays is Cristian Guzman.  Ladson says the Cubs were rumored in on Guzman but that one was shot down. 

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