White Sox Rumors

Odds and Ends: Nelson, Atkins, Taveras

By Tim Dierkes | December 14, 2008 at 6:43pm CDT

After a hectic Winter Meetings, it’s been a slow weekend. Today’s links…

A 3.35 ERA for Phil Hughes next year? Bill James and Co. think so.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe talked to Mark Mulder’s agent, Gregg Clifton. Clifton said, "He’s ready to go for any team right out of the chute." Clifton shot down talk that Mulder would not be ready in April.
The Rays have contacted the agents for Joe Nelson and Scott Proctor.
Keith Law likes A.J. Burnett’s upside, but notes the risks. Peter Abraham compares the Burnett and Johan Santana deals.
Law is in favor of the Indians’ Kerry Wood signing.
Scott Ostler’s baseball source says people are scratching their heads about the Giants’ Edgar Renteria contract.
Bruce Jenkins says the Rockies would trade Garrett Atkins for Jonathan Sanchez.
Troy Renck says Willy Taveras has received interest from the Reds, Nationals, and White Sox.
Drayton McLane says there are a lot of reasons for Astros fans to be optimistic.
The Yankees like Andy Pettitte over Ben Sheets.

White Sox Sign Viciedo

By Tim Dierkes | December 12, 2008 at 2:57pm CDT

FRIDAY, 12-12-08: The Viciedo signing is official. The 19 year-old third baseman get a four-year, $10MM deal.

FRIDAY, 11-21-08: According to ESPN’s Enrique Rojas, Viciedo gets a four-year deal. South Side Sox offers commentary.

THURSDAY: According to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune, the White Sox reached an agreement with 19 year-old Cuban third baseman Dayan Viciedo on a big league deal worth about $11MM. Alexei Ramirez and Jose Contreras should help Viciedo get comfortable when he joins the big league team. In June, it was reported that 14 teams expressed interest in Viciedo.

White Sox Sign Wise

By Tim Dierkes | December 12, 2008 at 1:49pm CDT

According to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, the White Sox avoided arbitration with outfielder DeWayne Wise, signing him for $550K.

Willy Taveras Will Be Non-Tendered

By Tim Dierkes | December 12, 2008 at 9:35am CDT

Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says to expect outfielder Willy Taveras to join the free agent market:

The Nationals’ unwillingness to take Taveras and Juan Morillo for Tim Redding — a deal Colorado thought was done — will lead the Rockies to non-tender the center fielder today, making him a free agent.

Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News agrees he’ll be non-tendered, noting the Yankees, Red Sox, Reds, Marlins, and White Sox also had trade discussions for Taveras.

Renck adds that Glendon Rusch has a minor league offer for $750K in hand, and is weighing offers from four other clubs. Rusch would be the Rockies’ second lefty behind newly signed Alan Embree.

A few more notes: the Rockies have mild interest in bringing back Josh Fogg…they’re the favorite for Redding if he’s non-tendered too…the Rox will make a non-guaranteed offer to Scott Podsednik…Joey Gathright would be of interest if non-tendered.

Mark Teixeira Rumors: Thursday

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2008 at 9:56pm CDT

9:56: Jeff Zrebiec says that even with larger offers on the table, the Orioles do not plan on upping their offer for Teixeira. The Orioles’ offer is believed to be seven years, and in the $140-150MM range. The Orioles have discussed Eric Hinske and Hank Blalock as fallbacks if Teixeira signs elsewhere.

2:38pm: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes talked to involved execs (not with the Angels) who believe the Boras camp is "using the media to ratchet up the price beyond what any team had actually offered."

Brown and Edes say the Angels were told the Red Sox and Nationals offered eight years at about $20MM per. The Angels don’t want to do an eighth year, so they’ll look into trades for Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, and possibly Adrian Beltre. Raul Ibanez is the top free agent backup plan.

Brown and Edes believe Boras could insist on an opt-out clause in a deal with the Nationals.

8:59am: Mike DiGiovanna says the Angels "are believed to be willing to offer at least seven years for something in the $160-million range" for Tex.

8:51am: Jon Heyman says the Yankees have re-entered the Teixeira sweepstakes.

2:40am: Summing up the reported offers made to Mark Teixeira:

Orioles: seven years, $140-150MM
Nationals: eight years, $160MM
Angels: reluctant to exceed seven years; no offer yet? (Boras implied there was)
Red Sox: making progress; no offer yet? (Boras implied there was?)

By the way, Joe Haggerty transcribed the full Scott Boras talk from yesterday at his site.

Sox, Betemit Agree To Terms

By Steve Adams | December 11, 2008 at 7:01pm CDT

ESPN is reporting that the White Sox signed Wilson Betemit to a one-year, $1.3MM contract.

Betemit, acquired by the Sox in the Nick Swisher trade, will likely spend some time at third base for Chicago, who hasn’t re-signed Joe Crede.

White Sox Have Inside Track On Abreu?

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2008 at 10:20am CDT

Here’s a rumor from Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that slipped through the cracks yesterday. His source says the White Sox seem to have the inside track on Bobby Abreu, assuming they trade Jermaine Dye first. Feinsand doesn’t figure the Rays will match Abreu’s price, though they met with his agents at in Vegas. He adds that Johan Santana is pushing the Mets to sign Abreu.

Odds and Ends: Rule 5, Beltre, Schmidt, Bako

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2008 at 7:00am CDT

Stray links I’ve collected over the past few days…

John Manuel and Jonathan Mayo get us ready for the Rule 5 draft. Manuel has a second post on it here.
Sarah Green looks at A.J. Burnett’s possible commutes.
LEN3 suggests the Twins might be part of Adrian Beltre’s limited no-trade clause.
K-Rod signing analysis from Dave Cameron, Jesse Spector, and Keith Law. Also check out the usual solid analysis over at Ken Davidoff’s blog.
Law also takes on the Edwin Jackson, Ramon Hernandez, J.J. Putz, and C.C. Sabathia moves.
The Red Sox are likely to non-tender Kevin Cash. Josh Bard is one free agent on their radar. Also, Tony Massarotti learned that the Red Sox are strongly opposed to opt-out clauses.
UmpBump found some C.C. Sabathia rumors we missed on Monday. Also, the Brewers’ offer to C.C. had unique clauses and two club options.
The Dodgers knew Jason Schmidt had a partial rotator cuff tear when they signed him.
Rany Jazayerli on recent Royals rumors, reliever and otherwise.
Bruce Miles says the Cubs have some interest in bringing Paul Bako back.
Jason Davis, Raul Chavez, and R.A. Dickey became free agents. Davis may be headed to Japan.
Nick Piecoro says Junior Spivey is looking for a job.
Much of the money saved from recent White Sox trades was repurposed for Dayan Viciedo.

Reds Rumors: Baldelli, Rivera, Burrell

By Tim Dierkes | December 10, 2008 at 11:46pm CDT

11:46pm: Amusing story from Joe McDonald:

A group of Cincinnati Reds personnel, including manager Dusty Baker, were playing roulette Tuesday night. A member of the contingent yelled "Put it on No. 5 for Rocco Baldelli" and now it appears the Reds are having talks with his agent.

McDonald adds that the Red Sox have apparently stepped back with their interest in Baldelli. Buster Olney wrote on Monday that he’d be shocked if Boston didn’t sign Baldelli.

9:24pm: According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds talked to the agents for Rocco Baldelli and Juan Rivera (the agents initiated). Pat Burrell’s agents also want to meet. Fay says the Reds have at least $10MM to spend.

MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon adds that Moises Alou’s agent contacted Walt Jocketty, but the Reds aren’t interested. Nor are they interested in Garrett Anderson. Sheldon adds that there’s been "no real activity towards reviving the Jermaine Dye deal."

White Sox, Reds Still Talking Dye

By Tim Dierkes | December 10, 2008 at 1:21pm CDT

1:21pm: Danny Knobler believes the White Sox want to see whether they can move Dye for pitching before entering the free agent market.

WEDNESDAY, 12:23pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Dye-Reds discussions continue at a moderate level, but for now the Sox expect Dye to be their Opening Day right fielder. A deal was close at one point, but Dye’s salary became an issue for the Reds. Rosenthal specualates that the Reds could now just try to get a bargain on Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell.

TUESDAY, 10:37pm: MLB.com’s Scott Merkin says the White Sox have not talked to the Braves since the Javier Vazquez deal. It’s been a quiet Winter Meetings for the Sox so far.

12:17pm: MetsBlog passes along a WFAN report from Sweeny Murti that the Braves are in serious discussions for Dye.

11:11am: From SI.com’s Jon Heyman:

A person familiar with the White Sox’s thinking said late Monday night, "The Jermaine Dye trades are dead … for tonight, anyway.”

Heyman says the Rays, Braves, and Reds were among ten teams to to express interest. He adds that Homer Bailey alone would not have been enough.

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