Royals Rumors: German, Furcal, Farnsworth
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star has the latest on the Royals.
- The Royals signed Esteban German to a one-year deal.
- If they’re going to sign Rafael Furcal, club officials say they’d have to trade away Jose Guillen to free-up money, yet there was “scant interest” in Guillen at the Winter Meetings.
- However, the Royals are willing to offer Furcal a four-year deal, something the Dodgers have been reluctant to do.
- The Kyle Farnsworth deal includes a club option for 2011.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore insists that Mark Teahen is staying put.
- Their payroll is down to $70MM after non-tendering John Bale, Joey Gathright, Jason Smith and Jairo Cuevas.
Odds and Ends: Kawakami, Max Ramirez, Lowell
Links for Friday…
- Mets owner Fred Wilpon lost some dough.
- The Red Sox expressed interest in Kenshin Kawakami yesterday. Michael Silverman says Kawakami is expected to choose a team and sign in January (the Orioles are also interested).
- John Perrotto says the Marlins like Max Ramirez and are willing to trade pitching prospect Ryan Tucker.
- Bernie Williams will play winter ball in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.
- Paul Sullivan says Cubs manager Lou Piniella was upset at the thought of losing Mark DeRosa.
- Rany Jazayerli weighs in on the Royals’ signing of Kyle Farnsworth. Joe Posnanski talks about Farnsworth and many other topics.
- Andrew Baggarly says the Giants are not interested in Mike Lowell.
- Bob Elliott says the Blue Jays had an agreement to pay the Braves to take Everth Cabrera seventh in the Rule 5 draft, but the Padres picked him third.
Royals Designate Jason Smith
According to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, the Royals designated infielder Jason Smith for assignment today to clear roster space for Horacio Ramirez. Another cut is on the way to make room for Kyle Farnsworth.
Willy Taveras Will Be Non-Tendered
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.
Royals Sign Horacio Ramirez
THURSDAY, 3:31pm: ESPN’s Steve Phillips says it’s a one-year, $1.8MM deal plus incentives.
WEDNESDAY, 6:45pm: MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel learned from Dayton Moore that the Royals reached an agreement with Ramirez on a one-year deal.
5:29pm: According to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, the Royals are close to signing lefty Horacio Ramirez. He pitched well for them this year before they shipped him to Chicago for minor league outfielder Paulo Orlando. The Royals would give Ramirez a chance to start.
Minor Moves
A few minor signings are rolling in. I’ll update this post if more of this ilk come about.
- The Royals signed pitcher Doug Waechter.
- The Rangers signed pitchers Brian Gordon and Joe Torres to minor league deals.
- The Rangers also completed the Wes Littleton trade, receiving pitcher Beau Vaughan from the Red Sox. Vaughan’s picture at that link is awesome, by the way.
Rafael Furcal Rumors: Thursday
9:03am: Following yesterday’s implication from Kinzer that all offers for Furcal are for at least three years, Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times explains that the Dodgers offered two years plus a vesting option based on playing time. Though Ned Colletti said Furcal could exceed salary expectations if he hits incentives, Kinzer says the offer still falls short.
1:57am: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick talked to Rafael Furcal‘s agent Paul Kinzer, who expects his client to make a decision by the middle or end of next week. You know the suitors – the Dodgers, A’s, Royals, and Blue Jays. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan wrote yesterday that the Royals believe it will take a four-year, $44MM deal to sign Furcal.
Odds and Ends: Rule 5, Beltre, Schmidt, Bako
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
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
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.