Rockies Still Looking For Relief
With LaTroy Hawkins out of the picture, the Rockies have turned their attention to Shawn Chacon, Luis Vizcaino, and Kip Wells.
The Rockies could offer Chacon familiarity and a one-year deal. They wouldn’t offer him a chance to start, which he might get elsewhere. It’s been said he seeks three years. Matthew Cerrone says the Mets, Tigers, Astros, and Brewers have expressed interest in the 30 year-old.
Vizcaino is looking for Linebrink money, which doesn’t seem like something the Rox would do. Well is trying to reinvent himself as a setup man, and a one-year, $2.5MM deal could be an interesting bargain play.
Yankees Sign LaTroy Hawkins
UPDATE, 12-10-07 at 8:41am: It’s a done deal, pending a physical. Having watched LaTroy implode firsthand as the Cubs’ closer, I’m skeptical as to whether he can succeed in New York. But the risk is low.
FROM 12-9-07 at 3:27pm:
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Yankees are close with LaTroy Hawkins on a one-year deal worth $3.75 million. If this proves true, the Yankees will have beat out the Rockies and Rangers for Hawkins. The signing comes as rather strange, being a one-year deal for a soon-to-be 35-year-old.
After a couple of stellar years with the Twins and the Cubs, Hawkins has been average in terms of ERA. He had a decent season last year, posting a 3.42 ERA in 55.1 innings, though he struck out only a batter every other inning, give or take. He did keep his walks low.
Apparently, the Yankees liked the idea of Hawkins on a one-year deal, rather than Luis Vizcaino for three or four. Vizcaino had a solid three months for the Yankees in 2007, but also had three months where he got beat around pretty bad.
After missing out on Hawkins, the Rockies are reportedly looking at Vizcaino.
–Joe
Rockies Bump Up Hawkins Offer
Some hot news tonight…OK, not really. The Rockies improved their offer to LaTroy Hawkins tonight, proposing a slight raise.
Hawkins made $3.25MM in 2007, and the Rockies declined a $3.75MM option on him for 2008. Sounds like they’ll have to come in around the option price to keep him. Even worse, they already paid him a $250K buyout. So it was an effective $3.5MM that they passed on. That’s right around the amount the Yankees reportedly offered.
I might be missing something, but it seems like the Rockies didn’t handle this as well as they could have.
Jamey Carroll Traded To Indians
UPDATE, 12-7-07 at 8:19pm: Troy E. Renck says this deal is done, and right now it’s for a player to be named later. Dan O’Dowd said he wasn’t eating any of the $2.15MM owed to Carroll, so that’s some pocket change to put toward a free agent reliever. Yes, I just referred to two million dollars as pocket change.
FROM 12-7-07 at 9:46am:
Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News says the Rockies are set to trade utility infielder Jamey Carroll to the Indians. It was to be for minor league starter Sean Smith, but that part has changed. The teams will talk today and figure out the return. The Rockies will save a few million bucks by moving Carroll. The Rox previously offered Carroll to the Indians for Josh Barfield, by the way.
As for their second base vacancy, Tadahito Iguchi and David Eckstein remain on the radar. There are complications with both.
Iguchi is said to want three years, but could settle for two. He likes the idea of playing second base, and the Rox are the current suitor offering that (though the Orioles could enter the picture). However Iguchi’s agent told Ringolsby that replacing countryman Kaz Matsui concerns Iguchi.
As for Eckstein, he’s said to want four years. I could see him settling for three, but two would be a pretty big concession.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Santana, Fuentes, Heilman
The execs may be on a plane home right now, but the writers are still filing all sorts of rumors. Here’s Ken Rosenthal’s latest piece.
- Rosenthal says the Mets did not talk to the Twins about Johan Santana today, which is surprising. But they did talk earlier this week, at which point the Twins gave the Mets a list of players they liked. The Mets were fine with everyone on the list, which probably included Carlos Gomez and Mike Pelfrey. Rosenthal adds that the Mets are the only NL team firmly in the mix for Santana, and shipping him to the other league might be a factor for the Twins.
- The Giants turned down an offer of Delmon Young for Tim Lincecum before Young was sent to the Twins. This leaves skepticism that the Giants will accept three years of Alex Rios after turning down five of Young.
- The Mets made a straight up offer of Aaron Heilman for Brian Fuentes. As far as I can tell Heilman doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2010 season, so the Rockies would be doing pretty well here. Plus, they could plug him into the rotation. Oddly the dealbreaker was the Rox asking for Scott Schoeneweis as well. I thought the 34 year-old had negative trade value. Rosenthal adds that the Tribe took a glance at Fuentes as well.
- The Rox offered Jamey Carroll for Josh Barfield, which is pretty lopsided even with the year Barfield had. Of course the Indians declined.
Rockies Rumors: Iguchi, Cook, Kip, Holliday
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 12:57pm: According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, David Eckstein is now a Rockies’ target for second base. They talked to Mark Loretta today, also. Harding adds that the holdup on the Cook deal is the amount of a fourth-year option.
FROM 12-6-07 at 12:21pm:
The Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck has a lunchtime Rockies update.
- Renck doesn’t see Tadahito Iguchi getting Kaz Matsui money, noting that only the Rockies are pursuing Iguchi at his preferred position of second base. That could change if the Orioles trade Brian Roberts.
- Though Aaron Cook‘s 3/30 extension isn’t final, GM Dan O’Dowd believes it will get done.
- Free agents on the radar: LaTroy Hawkins, Shawn Chacon, Octavio Dotel, Victor Zambrano, and Kip Wells. There was recent chatter about Wells trying to become a setup man.
- According to Scott Boras, he’s never received a contract offer from the Rox for Matt Holliday. The original rumor was that the Rockies were planning to offer a four-year, $60MM extension.
Rockies Rumors: Iguchi, Grudzielanek, Rusch, Fukumori
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 12:20am: Troy Renck says that if the Rox do acquire a second baseman, Dan O’Dowd is ready to trade both Clint Barmes and Jamey Carroll. The Cardinals, Marlins, and Indians would be suitors for those two.
FROM 12-5-07 at 10:09pm:
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding checks in with a slew of new Rockies rumors.
- The Rockies have their eye on Tadahito Iguchi and could offer him a two-year deal. However, Iguchi is craving a contract similar to Kaz Matsui’s three-year, $16.5MM pact. Should one bad contract beget another one?
- Mark Grudzielanek can be had, but the Rox aren’t interested.
- The Rockies will take a gander at the suddenly popular Glendon Rusch.
- The Rox will pass on Kazuo Fukumori – they’re worried about his elbow.
Rockies Still Offering One Year For Hawkins
Troy Renck wrote last night that the Rockies were starting to consider the idea of signing LaTroy Hawkins to a two-year deal. However, Dan O’Dowd said today that he’s still thinking one year. Hawkins is open to it, but not at a pay cut. A fair request from LaTroy. It sounds like the man actually desires to pitch in Colorado.
Brewers Rumors: Street, Iguchi, Riske
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 7:52pm: Not so fast – Doug Melvin isn’t at the offer stage with Iguchi.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 2:54pm: Iguchi’s agent expects a two-year offer from the Brewers sometime today. Iguchi is willing to play third base and is looking for a two-year deal with an option.
FROM 12-4-07 at 10:59pm:
MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy runs down the Brewers’ day.
- As you know, the Brewers are out of the running for Scott Rolen. This is due to a number of factors. McCalvy quotes an ESPN rumor of Chris Capuano and Bill Hall for Rolen, which I somehow missed. I thought it was just Capuano.
- Earlier today we wrote about many other third base options the Brewers are considering. Add Tadahito Iguchi to that list, since he’s declared he’s willing to play third base. The Giants, Rockies, Padres, and Phillies also like Iguchi.
- David Riske took a physical in Milwaukee today, though his agent says other teams are still in play.
- The Brewers apparently called the A’s to discuss Huston Street‘s availability.
Aaron Cook To Sign Extension
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 5:24pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Rockies are "moving closer" to a 3/30 extension with Cook.
FROM 12-5-07 at 11:11am:
A few weeks ago, the Rockies offered a three-year, $30MM extension to 28 year-old sinkerballer Aaron Cook. The deal would cover the 2009-11 seasons, since the Rockies already exercised Cook at a below market $4.5MM for ’08. According to Troy Renck, Cook has been pondering the offer and will decide within a few days.
A month ago I suggested the Rockies and Cook could arrive at a Jake Westbrook-like three year, $33MM extension. That sounds about right, though it’s a little below-market.