Odds and Ends: Gregg, Hawkins, Tavarez
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 1:12pm: Per Troy Renck, the Rockies denied interest in Tavarez.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 9:22am: The Rockies are one NL team confirmed to have an interest in Tavarez. He pitched for the Rox in 2000, making 12 starts.
FROM 12-5-07 at 12:31am:
Early Wednesday collection of randomness…
- The Marlins’ highest paid player is Kevin Gregg at $2.5MM. Trade that man, post-haste!
- The Rockies are starting to warm to the idea of giving LaTroy Hawkins two guaranteed years. Could’ve had him for one but they declined his option.
- Julian Tavarez would like to be traded to the NL and get a chance to start. The Red Sox hope for a bench player in return. Yesterday, Todd Zolecki named the Phillies as a possible suitor for Tavarez.
- Peter Gammons learned that Darin Erstad could retire to coach University of Nebraska football if he doesn’t find MLB interest suitable.
Rockies Interested In Iguchi
According to Troy Renck and Patrick Saunders, the Rockies met with Tadahito Iguchi‘s agent yesterday to discuss their second base opening. Iguchi prefers the idea of second base, and is looking for a two-year deal. Other teams interested in Iguchi are the Dodgers, Giants, Phillies, and Brewers.
Other second basemen on Colorado’s radar include Chris Burke and Mark Loretta.
Cubs Asked For Spilborghs
A note at the end of Troy Renck’s column today: when the Rockies asked the Cubs about southpaw reliever Will Ohman, the Cubs asked for outfielder Ryan Spilborghs. Spilborghs hit 11 home runs in 264 ABs this year. The Rockies passed, and the Cubs went on to trade Ohman to the Braves.
Renck adds that the Cubs are "closing in on Kosuke Fukudome," which echoes Geoff Baker’s take last night.
ESPN’s Latest: Sosa, Prior, Kuroda, Reyes
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 11:19pm: Ah, the truth comes out. Sammy Sosa‘s people approached the Royals, but they weren’t interested.
FROM 12-4-07 at 3:17pm:
ESPN has a huge team at the Meetings; here are some tidbits that haven’t appeared elsewhere on MLBTR.
- Enrique Rojas says the Royals have interest in Sammy Sosa. Could that indicate a Mark Teahen trade is in the works also? Teahen is expected to move to first base to accomodate Jose Guillen, which would push Billy Butler to DH. But Sammy can only DH.
- Buster Olney says the Rangers and Padres are in on Mark Prior.
- The Padres also like lefties Glendon Rusch and Shawn Estes, and may sign both after the Rule 5 as a means of adding starting depth.
- Jayson Stark says the Mariners made an offer to Hiroki Kuroda in the range of four years, $45MM.
- Jerry Crasnick says Anthony Reyes is generating a lot of interest. The Cards, by the way, are open to trading Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, or Jim Edmonds.
- The Rockies have gotten in touch with Marcus Giles‘ agent.
- The Astros aren’t interested in Jon Lieber, despite previous reports. They liked Matt Clement a bit among the injury guys but are over him now.
- Ryan Howard‘s agent and the Phillies will sit down soon to talk about a long-term deal.
Angels, White Sox, Rockies, A’s Interested In Burke
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 9:45pm: A White Sox source told MLB.com’s Alyson Footer not to look too much into their supposed interest in Burke.
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 9:25pm: The Rockies have made a trade offer for Burke, according to the Denver Post.
FROM 12-4-07 at 8:07pm:
Just talked to a source close to Chris Burke. So far four teams have contacted Burke’s agent: the White Sox, Rockies, A’s, and Angels.
The 2001 first rounder is almost certain to be traded by the Astros; he just wants an opportunity to start somewhere. The Angels’ could have an opening if they trade Howie Kendrick.
Barmes For Burke Offered
According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies have offered shortstop Clint Barmes to the Astros for second baseman Chris Burke. Seems a reasonable swap of blocked middle infielders.
The Rockies will also meet with Mark Loretta‘s agent tonight. Loretta is coveted by the Mariners as well.
Talks with the Astros about Brian Fuentes fizzled, so the Rockies will probably just keep him as a luxury.
Rockies Rumors: Fuentes, Fogg
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 11:28am: More from Renck. He confirms the Red Sox’ interest in Fuentes and adds the Astros to the mix. While the Rox like Burke, the teams don’t really match up because that’s not enough.
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 12:01am: The Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck has more.
- Brian Anderson – remember him? – is on the radar as a lefty swingman. The 35 year-old hasn’t pitched in the bigs since ’05.
- Renck ponders whether the Rox might revisit talks for Matt Morris, a sentiment echoed by Jenifer Langosch.
- Nothing seems to be imminent on the Fuentes-Lowrie rumor.
UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 9:21pm: A suitor for Fuentes has emerged. ESPN’s Amy Nelson says the Red Sox are interested and the Rockies could seek Jed Lowrie. Lowrie would be a nice fit at second base.
FROM 12-3-07 at 8:28pm:
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding checks in with some Rockies nuggets.
- The Rockies have no pressing need to trade Brian Fuentes, so they’ll sit pretty with two closers unless an impressive and helpful offer comes along. Dan O’Dowd believes four or five clubs might have the goods and need to get Fuentes. We’ll see.
- The Rox let Josh Fogg‘s agent know they’d like to explore bringing him back. No figures were exchanged.
- The team still hopes to bring LaTroy Hawkins back, but they’d have to go to two years to pull that off. They already chose not to exercise an effective $3.5MM option on him. It seems the Rockies may have underestimated the interest in Hawkins.
Denny Bautista To Tigers For Jose Capellan
Jon Paul Morosi has the scoop – the Tigers and Rockies are close to completing a swap of relievers. The Tigers would send Jose Capellan to the Rockies for Denny Bautista.
Bautista, 25, was acquired by the Rockies from the Royals in the Jeremy Affeldt swap at the 2006 trading deadline. He’d been a starter for much of his career. He was promising in Triple A in ’07 but control problems persisted.
You may recall there was a Jose Capellan derby last summer after the Brewers demoted him to Triple A. The Rockies were interested then, too. He turns 27 in January and didn’t do much this year. Perhaps the Rockies will be more inclined to let LaTroy Hawkins leave now.
Odds and Ends: Guillen, Patterson, Clark, Andruw
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.
Pirates Rumors: Bay, McLouth, Morris
MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch jumps into the fray with her own set of Pirates rumors.
- Jason Bay rumors are flying around. Langosch mentions Steve Phillips’ rumor at ESPN: Kelly Shoppach and Cliff Lee for Bay. Andy Marte could be involved as well.
- The Rangers have decided they desire a corner outfielder, and moved from Nate McLouth to Bay accordingly. Langosch suggests the Rangers would send relievers over to Pittsburgh – now that would be a bad trade for the Bucs.
- McLouth, by the way, is drawing interest from the Giants and Padres. He’s also been linked to the Marlins.
- The Rockies may have some interest in Matt Morris.
- Dealing Morris might allow the Bucs to give Brett Tomko what he wants – an opportunity to start. The Pirates will meet with Tomko’s agent this week.