Rockies Rumors

Odds & Ends: Gomes, Duchscherer, Chapman

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 22, 2009 at 12:39pm CDT

Some links for your Tuesday…

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer says we shouldn't expect Jonny Gomes to sign any time soon.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Giants are looking to add a catcher and a starter, along with a big bat. Matt Holliday and Jason Bay don't seem likely to sign in San Francisco.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Yankees checked in on Carlos Zambrano and Aaron Harang before acquiring Javier Vazquez.
The Mariners signed Mike Koplove to a minor league deal, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The righty hasn't pitched in the majors since 2007.
Stephen Strasburg signed a multi-year deal with Topps, according to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post.
Harlan writes that the Nationals were hoping to sign Jon Garland, before turning to Jason Marquis.
The Yankees were the only team to pay the luxury tax this season. Their $226MM payroll cost them nearly $26MM in luxury tax, according to the AP (via the Star Ledger).
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News tweets that the Yanks' trade of Melky Cabrera does not mean the club is likely to bring Johnny Damon back.
The Marlins are not in the mix for Matt Capps, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The Marlins, coming off a year in which their $38MM payroll was the lowest in the game, don't have much to spend on relievers.
Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post says outfielder Carlos Gonzalez should be the next Rockie to receive an extension. Saunders says there's no need to lock the 24-year-old up this offseason (Gonzalez won't likely be arbitration-eligible until after 2011).
Marty Noble of MLB.com doesn't see indications that the Mets are all that interested in Joel Pineiro.
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Pirates have yet to make Justin Duchscherer an offer. The righty is now deciding which offer to accept, so we can safely say he won't be signing with the Pirates.
Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.com expects Aroldis Chapman to sign where the money is (via Twitter).

Capps To Select Finalists Soon

By Tim Dierkes | December 19, 2009 at 7:13pm CDT

SATURDAY, 7:13pm: Capps confirmed to ESPN Radio Chicago today that he has had preliminary discussions with the Cubs about joining the club.

THURSDAY, 6:26pm: The Washington Nationals are one of Capps' finalists, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Of all the interested teams, Washington should provide one of the clearest paths to a closing role for Capps.

4:51pm: The Pirates non-tendered reliever Matt Capps Saturday night, and roughly half the teams in baseball have inquired. Pirates GM Neal Huntington explained the non-tender decision in an MLB.com chat today:

Despite wanting to retain Matt and making an aggressive offer that we believed would be at or near his free-agent value prior to the tender deadline, we felt that the risk of an arbitration award at a substantially higher amount was not a good business decision for us…Obviously, we would have preferred to get something of value in trade for Matt, but given his track record beginning in the second half of 2008, his trade value was limited throughout the summer and again this offseason.

Capps may be able to find a two-year deal. While he'd like to close, his agent Paul Kinzer told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he'd accept a set-up role with a contender. The following teams have been linked to Capps: the D'Backs, Cubs, Orioles, Rangers, Rockies, Marlins, Nationals, Mets, Tigers, and Yankees (we're still about six teams short, five if you count the Pirates). Kinzer told Rosenthal Capps "plans to select five or six finalists by the weekend, then make his decision."

Rockies Re-Sign Juan Rincon

By Mike Axisa | December 18, 2009 at 6:51pm CDT

The Rockies have re-signed reliever Juan Rincon to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. He’ll compete for a bullpen spot in Spring Training.

Rincon, 31 next month, had a 7.52 ERA in 26.1 innings with the Rockies last season. After a long stint with the Twins, Rincon has bounced around from Cleveland to Detroit to Colorado in the last few seasons.

Odds & Ends: Lowe, Bay, Gonzalez

By Mark Polishuk | December 16, 2009 at 10:45pm CDT

News and notes from around the big leagues tonight…

Derek Lowe tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman that he doesn't expect to be back in Atlanta in 2010 and feels rather disrespected by being put on the trade market just a year after signing with the Braves: "I would have never even considered going there if I knew that ultimately this was going to happen."
The Providence Journal's Joe McDonald considers Theo Epstein's comments from the Mike Cameron press conference to be a virtual farewell to Jason Bay's time in Boston.
As if the Mike Gonzalez and Garrett Atkins signings weren't enough, the Orioles also "made a pretty good run" at trading for Adrian Gonzalez at the winter meetings, tweets ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes.
Scott Merkin of MLB.com is reporting (via Twitter) that Jason Botts has been given an invitation to spring training by the White Sox. Botts played in Japan last season after posting a .230/.325/.344 line in 326 plate appearances with Texas from 2005 to 2008.
MLB.com's Todd Zolecki (via Twitter) quoted Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. as saying "Right now, it doesn't look good," in regards to Chan Ho Park re-signing with Philadelphia.
ESPN's Jayson Stark talks with Baseball America's John Manuel about how the Phillies' farm system looks in the wake of the big Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee deal.
Jose Contreras wanted a three-year contract from the Rockies, but the club "didn't bite," reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Harding notes that Colorado may have to wait to see what happens with Rafael Betancourt's possible arbitration case before they can make a move toward signing relievers like Contreras or Joe Beimel.
If the Nationals can't sign any relief help, they will move a willing Collin Balester into the bullpen, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
Jake Westbrook seems fit after his stint Puerto Rican Winter League, reports MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. It was rumored that the Tribe would have been in the market for a veteran starter (maybe Carl Pavano) to anchor their staff had Westbrook suffered a setback from his Tommy John surgery in 2008.

Dodgers Sign Luis Ayala

By Mark Polishuk | December 16, 2009 at 8:15pm CDT

Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports (via Twitter) that the Dodgers have signed Luis Ayala to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. Hernandez added that should Ayala make L.A.'s major league roster, the reliever will earn $750K, and can earn another $100K based on appearances.

We learned last week that the Dodgers and Rockies were both looking to sign the free agent right-hander to a minor league deal. Ayala posted a 5.62 ERA in 38 appearances with the Twins and Marlins in 2009, and has a career ERA of 3.64 and a career K:BB ratio of 2.77 over six seasons in the bigs.

Multiple Teams Eyeing Matt Capps

By Tim Dierkes | December 15, 2009 at 6:47pm CDT

6:46pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic doesn't think the Diamondbacks will give Capps the two-year deal he is seeking.

2:30pm: The Mets are interested, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Kinzer tells Crasnick that 16 teams have inquired on Capps and four of them see him as a closer. The Cards aren't interested, but the Pirates still are.

TUESDAY, 10:40am: Kovacevic hears that the Yankees are interested. Agent Paul Kinzer told Kovacevic that the interest in his client is "enormous."

MONDAY, 3:42pm: ESPN's Bruce Levine adds the Nationals, and notes that Capps would like a multiyear deal.

2:33pm: Kovacevic adds the Rangers, Rockies, Marlins, and Cardinals to the list of known suitors.

12:20pm: Kinzer's estimated number of suitors for Capps has risen to nine or ten, and he confirmed to Roch Kubatko of MASN that the Orioles expressed interest. Kinzer noted that the opportunity to close "will be a major factor" in Capps' decision.

10:37am: The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro talked to Matt Capps' agent Paul Kinzer, who said the recently non-tendered reliever has already drawn interest from seven or eight teams. Piecoro says the Diamondbacks are one, and we learned yesterday from Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that the Cubs and Capps have mutual interest. Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote today that Kinzer told the Pirates they were planning on submitting an arbitration figure around $3.4MM for Capps' 2010 salary. The free agent market is a different beast, but that amount could still be a jumping-off point for discussions.

The Cubs and D'Backs both have closers for 2010 in Chad Qualls and Carlos Marmol, but Capps could be slotted in for eighth-inning duty with incentives for games finished. Other possible suitors? The Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Phillies, and Cardinals would make sense.

Rockies Rumors: Torrealba, Capps

By Cork Gaines | December 15, 2009 at 6:33pm CDT

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports that despite only being $400K apart on a two-year deal, the Rockies and Yorvit Torrealba may not be able to close the gap. Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd says that he is "not optimistic" the deal will get done. O'Dowd did confirm that the Rockies are interested in Miguel Olivo as a possibility.

Torrealba could also be a backup plan for the Mets.

O'Dowd also said that the Rockies are "absolutely interested" in Matt Capps. O'Dowd suggested Capps could be the Rockies future closer if they are unable to extend Huston Street beyond the '10 season. Saunders cites the strong ties between Capps and Jim Tracy for whom Capps played for in Pittsburgh.

Earlier we learned that at least 16 teams have shown interest in Capps, who is seeking a two-year deal.

Torrealba, Rockies $400K Apart

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2009 at 11:33am CDT

The Rockies are just $400K apart on a new contract with catcher Yorvit Torrealba, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Torrealba wants to match Ivan Rodriguez's deal (two years, $6MM) while the Rockies are at two years and $5.6MM.

With the Royals apparently focused on Jason Kendall, Torrealba's other options are the Mets and Giants. The Mets have an offer out to Bengie Molina, but Renck notes that Torrealba is "scheduled to travel to New York next week to resolve his pending grievance" with them. He says the Giants like Torrealba on a one-year deal, and also made an inquiry on Detroit's Gerald Laird.

Rockies, Iannetta Agree To Three-Year Deal

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2009 at 10:08am CDT

FRIDAY, 10:08am: Renck says Iannetta's three-year deal is worth $8.3MM, with a $5MM club option for his first free agent year (2013).

THURSDAY, 3:23pm: Renck says Iannetta and the Rockies have agreed on a three-year deal worth more than $8MM. The deal includes an option for Iannetta's first free agent year, 2013. By comparison, Chris Snyder will earn $9.6MM for his arbitration years and Ryan Doumit will get $10.7MM.

1:00pm: The Rockies are close to signing catcher Chris Iannetta to a three-year deal, writes Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. The contract would buy out all three of Iannetta's arbitration years. Renck says the Rockies' initial offer was around $6.8MM. He also notes that the team's budget has room for both Iannetta and Yorvit Torrealba.

Iannetta, 27 in April, slumped slightly to .228/.344/.460 in 350 plate appearances this year (still very good for a catcher). He logged 763.6 innings behind the dish, throwing out 26% of attempted thieves.

Mets To Offer Two Years To Bengie Molina?

By Tim Dierkes | December 10, 2009 at 5:56pm CDT

5:56pm: The Mets confirmed that they made Molina and Jason Bay offers, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.

THURSDAY, 6:34am: Adam Rubin of The NY Daily News says the Mets do in fact plan to make Molina an offer before leaving Indianapolis later today, however they don't expect to reach an agreement by then.

WEDNESDAY, 7:12pm: The Mets haven't made Molina an offer yet, but expect to propose a contract by tomorrow afternoon, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.

11:17am: Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests the Mets will make their initial offer to Molina this afternoon.

9:38am: Newsday's David Lennon has heard Bengie Molina is the Mets' first choice at catcher, and "if he accepts a two-year deal, in the $12-million range, he figures to be a Met very shortly." Still, Lennon's "Mets closing on Molina" headline seems strong. Lennon says that if Molina insists on three years, the Mets could sign Yorvit Torrealba for one – even though Torrealba could get two years elsewhere. The Rockies, Giants, and Royals are also in on Torrealba, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. The Rockies are willing to give Miguel Olivo two years if they can't get Torrealba.

Molina was left out in the cold once before, in the 2005-06 offseason. He cashed in with the Giants the following winter, and should probably jump on this Mets offer.

« Previous Page

Load More Posts

Show all

Headlines

Rockies Rumors

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect