Royals Rumors

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.

Royals Reach Agreement With Farnsworth

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2008 at 2:22am CDT

According to ESPN’s Steve Phillips, the Royals reached an agreement with reliever Kyle Farnsworth on a two-year, $9.25MM deal (pending a physical). The move addresses Dayton Moore’s stated goal of replacing the two righthanded relievers he traded this winter, Leo Nunez and Ramon Ramirez.

Rangers Rumors: Millwood, Sanchez, Salty

By Tim Dierkes | December 10, 2008 at 11:27pm CDT

MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan sums up the latest Rangers buzz…

The Brewers inquired about Kevin Millwood, but the teams didn’t find a match. Millwood has a limited no-trade clause and will earn $11MM next year. If he pitches 182 innings in ’09, a $12MM salary for ’10 will become guaranteed.
A Rangers source told Sullivan the Giants "made it abundantly clear" they’re not trading Jonathan Sanchez.
The Royals are interested in Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but talks didn’t go anywhere.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Wednesday

By Tim Dierkes | December 10, 2008 at 9:31pm CDT

9:31pm: The Royals hope to clear payroll to make room for Furcal, preferably by trading Jose Guillen. Orlando Cabrera is their backup plan. The Royals would eat some money to move Guillen, but predictably the market is "almost nonexistent."

The Royals believe Furcal requires a four-year, $44MM deal. Kinzer has four offers for Furcal currently, all for three or four years. The surprising implication is that the Dodgers went past two years.

2:50pm: Buster Olney says the A’s met again with Furcal last night. Apparently Oakland’s four-year offer had been worth about $36MM. Meanwhile Steve Phillips says Royals GM Dayton Moore asked ownership for more money to sign Furcal.

2:07am: Richard Griffin suggests the Blue Jays are just being used by Kinzer to add negotiating power.

12:10am: The most important takeaway from yesterday’s Rafael Furcal rumors: his agent Paul Kinzer told Ken Rosenthal the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Royals, and A’s are in the running. Furcal still wants four years. We also have word from Yahoo’s Tim Brown that the Orioles are in on Furcal, and the list might at times include the Indians. Brown says the O’s would sign Furcal as a complement to Mark Teixeira.

Orlando Cabrera Rumors: Tuesday

By Tim Dierkes | December 9, 2008 at 9:21pm CDT

9:21pm: Peter Gammons says the Royals have also been talking to Cabrera.

1:50pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the A’s met with Orlando Cabrera’s agent Monday night but their interest is "mild at best" and "very limited." The loss of their second-round pick has to be a consideration.

Royals Moving Closer To Signing Reliever

By Tim Dierkes | December 9, 2008 at 8:17pm CDT

According to Bob Dutton, Dayton Moore admitted the Royals are moving closer to signing a reliever. Dutton believes their preference is Kyle Farnsworth.

Also, Moore shot down rumors involving Zack Greinke, David DeJesus, Mark Teahen, and Jermaine Dye.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Tuesday

By Tim Dierkes | December 9, 2008 at 5:59pm CDT

5:59pm: Kinzer told Rosenthal the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Royals, and A’s are in the running for Furcal, who still wants a four-year deal.

5:34pm: The Red Sox have not contacted Paul Kinzer about Furcal, says WEEI’s Alex Speier.

3:28pm: J.P. Ricciardi confirmed his informational meeting with Furcal’s agent. The Jays would have to move some things around to fit in any significant acquisition.

12:12pm: The Dodgers have made re-signing Furcal their top priority, says Tom Verducci.

12:32am: Though Furcal reportedly rejected an Oakland offer of four years for $35-40MM, GM Billy Beane would not say his pursuit is over.

12:11am: According to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, the Dodgers re-opened talks with Rafael Furcal Monday night. They are unwilling to give him a four-year deal.

Francoeur-Greinke Rumor Shot Down

By Tim Dierkes | December 9, 2008 at 3:05pm CDT

3:05pm: As expected, Dayton Moore shot this down.

1:38pm: ESPN’s Steve Phillips says there’s nothing to this rumor.

9:01am: From: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe:

According to one National League executive, the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves have had serious discussions about a trade that would send outfielder Jeff Francouer to the Royals for pitcher Zack Greinke. The same source said he believed the teams were close to executing the deal, but that Atlanta was holding up any and all trade discussions until the Braves had a resolution of their pursuit of right-hander A.J. Burnett.

I’d be surprised to see this happen without the Braves adding significant pitching to their offer for Greinke. But in general I am skeptical that anything like this is close, even given the Burnett contingency. We probably would’ve heard some rumbling from Dave O’Brien, Mark Bowman, Bob Dutton, or Dick Kaegel.

Four Teams Inquire On Michael Young

By Tim Dierkes | December 9, 2008 at 12:51pm CDT

12:51pm: Joel Sherman agrees that the Mets inquired on Young. He says the Rangers are under no pressure to move big contracts though.

12:38pm: Young is not as pricey as we thought – Ken Rosenthal says he’s already been paid $20MM in bonus money from his new deal, leaving $60MM or so over five years (Heyman said something similar). But, Rosenthal says the Rangers are unlikely to seriously consider trading him.

11:16am: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Royals inquired on Young. He says the Rangers are not shopping Young but will listen. The Mets might have to move Luis Castillo before they could slot Young in at second base.

12:00am: Yahoo’s Tim Brown talked to an AL exec whose team is in the market for a shortstop, and learned that the Rangers are quietly shopping Michael Young. Young’s five-year, $80MM extension will begin next year. He’s got no-trade protection to deal with. The Rangers would want young pitching back for Young. It will be hard to find a team willing to take on that contract.

Bradley To Rays Or Royals?

By Tim Dierkes | December 8, 2008 at 11:20pm CDT

11:20pm: Dayton Moore shot down the Bradley rumor this evening. The KC Star’s Bob Dutton says the Royals still like Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson, but they’d need to free up money first. They’d be willing to trade Jose Guillen if there was a taker, but don’t want to move Gil Meche.

9:05pm: Ken Rosenthal spoke to a Rangers official who expects Milton Bradley to move on (at least they’ll snag a supplemental pick). This official believes the Rays and, surprisingly, the Royals are the leading suitors for Bradley. The Rays came away impressed after their lunch date with Bradley, who was in town for Eddie Guardado’s poker tournament.

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