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Odds and Ends: Saito, Teixeira, LaRoche

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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.

Gavin Floyd-Brian Roberts Rumor Shot Down

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TUESDAY, 11:31am: Jon Heyman’s take on this does not seem to gel with the info the White Sox put out there about not talking to the Orioles:

The trade talks between the Orioles and White Sox regarding excellent leadoff hitter Brian Roberts stalled over Baltimore’s request for at least one player in addition to young starting pitcher Gavin Floyd. "They wanted Floyd plus,” one person familiar with the talks said.

MONDAY, 10:19pm: Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald shoots down this rumor.  He learned that Sox GM Ken Williams has not spoken to anyone affiliated with the Orioles since November.

FRIDAY, 9:46pm: Kubatko thinks the Orioles should demand second baseman Chris Getz, who spent most of last season with the White Sox’ Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte.  The 25-year-old hit .302 with 11 homers and 52 RBI in 111 games in ’08.

6:40pm: According to Roch Kubatko of MASN Online, the White Sox have discussed a trade with the Orioles for second baseman Brian Roberts.

Right-hander Gavin Floyd would be sent over from Chicago.  The White Sox reportedly want to make it a straight-up swap, but the Orioles, predictably, are asking for more.  Floyd, 25, went 17-8 last season with a 3.84 ERA and actually grew up in the Baltimore area.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Swisher, Nady, Kapler, Zaun

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal.

  • A recent Ned Colletti-Scott Boras conversation about Manny Ramirez didn’t result in progress.  Boras still has his sights on at least $100MM over four years.  Rosenthal adds that Manny is "cool to the idea of playing in San Francisco."
  • Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady are drawing "significant interest."  Rosenthal speculates that the Giants, Braves, or Pirates would make sense.
  • The door is not closed with the Yankees and Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte recently rejected the Yanks’ one-year, $10MM offer.
  • Some Mets people prefer Oliver Perez to Derek Lowe.  The Braves have yet to speak to Boras about Lowe, while the Brewers and Phillies have financial concerns about fitting him in.
  • Trevor Hoffman has a West Coast preference (the Dodgers or maybe a Padres reconciliation) but interest with the Brewers is mutual.  Other relievers on the Dodgers’ radar: Juan Cruz, Guillermo Mota, and Dennys Reyes.
  • Brian Fuentes’ agent had serious talks with the Yankees, but no offer was made.  Fuentes would’ve been Mariano Rivera’s set-up man and perhaps taken over upon his retirement.
  • Rosenthal notes that MLB kicked in a small part of the $10MM owed to Sidney Ponson from their luxury tax pool, which is not uncommon.
  • If they can afford it, the Rays would like to sign Gabe Kapler.
  • The Orioles, Red Sox, and A’s are interested in Gregg Zaun.
  • Perhaps because of the cool market for his services, Orlando Cabrera is willing to play second base.  The Yankees did not have interest.
  • That Gavin Floyd for Brian Roberts rumor "seemingly arose from internal discussions among Orioles officials."

Odds and Ends: Andruw, Marquis, Coonelly

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Links for Monday…

MLB Teams Pursuing Tadahito Iguchi?

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Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker has translated a report from Sponichi, a Japanese news network, claiming that infielder Tadahito Iguchi has multiple offers from MLB teams.

Sponichi speculates that the Giants and Royals are nice fits, while Newman himself believes the White Sox might want Iguchi back.  Of course, that’s all conjecture.  A few teams in Japan are legitimately vying for his services.  The 34-year-old batted .232/.292/.306 last season with two dingers and 24 RBI in 310 at-bats.  It seems most MLB teams could do better.

How Will The Angels Spend Their Money?

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12:02pm: Boras gave a prepared statement regarding the Angels and Tex, saying that the player’s interest has been sincere.  Boras left the door open for the Angels, but why wouldn’t he?

11:28am: So the Angels are out of the running for Mark Teixeira.  Now what?  They’ve re-signed Juan Rivera, making Manny Ramirez a "reach" according to Jerry Crasnick’s source.  Mike DiGiovanna has suggestions:

The Angels…could also look to bolster their offense by pursuing a free-agent outfielder such as Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn, or, possibly, Manny.  Or, they could look to trade for a hitter such as Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, Garrett Atkins or Joey Votto.  They will probably use some of the money budgeted for Teixeira to sign closer Brian Fuentes, who is seeking a three-year, $30-million deal and has said that the Angels are his first choice.

Votto seems a long shot to be traded.  Acquiring Dye or Atkins would require young pitching the Halos may not be able to spare.  Adding another outfielder would not be ideal, with Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Rivera, and Gary Matthews Jr. in the mix for those three spots and the DH spot.  Still, it could be done.  Burrell or Dunn can at least play some first base.  The Konerko idea seems reasonable, if he’d approve the trade.

Gammons’ Latest: Teixeira, Cameron, Montero

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The latest blog post from ESPN’s Peter Gammons is up.

  • Gammons talked to a source close to Mark Teixeira who says Tex and the Red Sox are not that far apart.
  • The Yankees backed off on the Mike Cameron trade because Melky Cabrera is showing improved plate discipline in winter ball (his walk rate is up, though it’s only 15 games).  Additionally, Brett Gardner has believers in the organization.
  • The Diamondbacks were unwilling to trade catcher Miguel Montero to the Red Sox for Daniel Bard, while the Sox wouldn’t part with Michael Bowden.  Gammons says it hasn’t been seriously discussed but wonders if the Red Sox would eat the $22MM owed to Eric Byrnes to get Montero.
  • One part of the post that is getting attention is when Gammons names a bunch of things "we don’t know," implying that he suspects these things are possible.  For example: "We don’t know whether the Red Sox will decide not to pony up and sign Teixeira or whether there really might be a three-way deal among the White Sox, Angels and Reds that would put Jermaine Dye in Cincinnati, Joey Votto in Anaheim and Chone Figgins in Chicago."  So, not quite a trade rumor here.  The Reds would, of course, want more for Votto if he’s even available.  When this semi-rumor makes the rounds it must be discussed in the proper context – the paragraph’s theme was things we don’t know are accurate.

Odds And Ends: Cameron, Abreu, Treanor

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Links for Thursday night…

  • Brian Cashman phoned Doug Melvin to explain that he hadn’t called earlier because the Yanks have "a lot of things going on." The Brewers GM said he’s "probably going to hang on to" Mike Cameron.
  • Ozzie Guillen spoke with Bobby Abreu and said "interest exists" from the White Sox perspective.
  • GM Dave Dombrowski was part of the reason Matt Treanor chose the Tigers.
  • T.R. Sullivan continues to track interest in Ben Sheets, and doesn’t see the Yankees being very aggressive on that front.
  • Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell don’t deserve raises if you ask Rob Neyer, but he knows they’re likely to get them.
  • Kerry Wood sounds happy to be in Cleveland and has "no desire to ever start again."
  • The other top reliever to be introduced today, J.J. Putz, said he expected to become a Tiger.

Heyman’s Latest: Perez, Greinke, Dye, Garland

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The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman, non-Teixeira department…

  • Heyman describes the Mets’ chance of signing Oliver Perez as "remote for now." He names other "potential suitors" – the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds, and perhaps Mariners.
  • Apparently some Yankees people wouldn’t mind if Andy Pettitte passed on their $10MM offer, as they’d be able to pursue Ben Sheets or Derek Lowe.
  • The Red Sox "looked into" trading for Zack Greinke but didn’t like the price.
  • Heyman says the Reds, Braves, and Rays are still showing interest in Jermaine Dye.
  • He says the Dodgers, White Sox, and Mets "could be possibilities" for Jon Garland.  A return to Chicago?

No Extension Talks For Jenks

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MLB.com’s Scott Merkin talked to White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time.  Jenks told Merkin there’s been no talk of an extension to date.  He sounds willing though:

"For me, if the White Sox offer a fair, long-term deal, we would take it [over] arbitration.  If it’s not considered fair, then even as a worst-case scenario, I’m excited to go into arbitration with what I’ve been told is a strong case."

Jenks figures to top the first-year arb figure Huston Street received a few years ago, $3.3MM.  Jonathan Papelbon is also eligible for arbitration for the first time.

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