By Tim Dierkes | at
Some random rumors for this evening…
By Tim Dierkes | at
UPDATE, 12-11-07 at 8:27am: Official word comes from the man himself – he’ll try his hand in the Majors in 2008.
UPDATE, 12-10-07 at 10:04pm: Here’s the latest from the Sun-Times. Urbon won’t hear from Fukudome until sometime later tonight. He’ll contact MLB teams on Tuesday at the earliest with the news. From that point, a deal might only take a day or two.
UPDATE, 12-10-07 at 2:30pm: This is getting annoying…Fukudome will decide whether to come to MLB tonight. We all expect him to come, so it’s been a lot of back and forth for nothing.
UPDATE, 12-9-07 at 12:14am: He’s coming this time, for real.
UPDATE, 12-7-07 at 8:08pm: Just listened to Dave Kaplan talking to Fukudome’s agent, Joe Urbon, on Sports Central/WGN 720. Urbon says Fukudome may decide whether to play in the U.S. on Monday. The process would move "very quickly" soon after that for Fukudome to decide on a team.
UPDATE, 12-7-07 at 8:03pm: Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times spoke to Fukudome’s agent. He hasn’t decided yet. He will make a choice Monday or Tuesday, and would let the interested Japanese teams know first.
FROM 12-7-07 at 2:40pm:
In case there was any question, Ken Rosenthal reports that Kosuke Fukudome will announce that he’s leaving Japan for an MLB team.
Rosenthal says it’s down to the Cubs, Padres, and what I like to call a Mystery Team. The Rangers, Giants, and White Sox are candidates. And although Rosenthal doesn’t mention them, the Royals could be in the mix. Ken Davidoff reported on Wednesday that Fukudome had narrowed his choices to the Cubs and Royals (though it’s known that the Padres made a substantial offer). Note that Davidoff’s article came out after news of the Royals’ Jose Guillen signing broke.
By Tim Dierkes | at
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 7:39pm: Sandy Alderson was on 1090 AM XX Sports Radio tonight. He said the Padres gave Fukudome one of the top two or three offers the team ever proposed. An answer from Fukudome is expected tonight or tomorrow.
FROM 12-6-07 at 2:23pm:
According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, it "sounds like the Cubs might go as high as $12-15MM per year" for outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. He adds that Fukudome would have to be willing to take less money to play on the West Coast if he is to become a Padre. Many players have before, so don’t go buying those Fukudome Cubs jerseys just yet.
Krasovic also has a note on Andruw Jones. Apparently the only other concrete offer outside of the Dodgers was a two-year, $22MM one from the Royals.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Who said the Meetings are over? ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Buster Olney, and Jerry Crasnick are still running down rumors.
By Tim Dierkes | at
An uncredited report in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says Carlos Silva "has been rumored to be headed to Kansas City, although his agent said nothing is imminent."
The Royals have room in the budget for one more decent-sized acquisition, and Andruw Jones is now off the table.
By Tim Dierkes | at
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 7:42am: Make that $36.2MM, plus a no-trade clause. I wonder why it was done with the huge $12.2MM bonus. Meanwhile, Tom Krasovic said the Padres never got around to bidding on Jones despite the talk of a one-year, $17MM offer.
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 1:14am: The salary structure to Jones’ deal is interesting: $9MM in ’08, $15MM in ’09, and a $12MM signing bonus. That setup could make Jones much more tradeable if the need arises.
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 12:23am: Tony Jackson has a hunch that the Dodgers will now trade Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier in a package for a frontline starter.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 11:50pm: The Dodgers have reached an agreement with Jones – two years, $36MM. Despite all the posturing from Scott Boras, the Dodgers got Andruw for a reasonable rate and term. Nice move by Ned Colletti.
FROM 12-5-07 at 11:12pm:
Ned Colletti and Andruw Jones haven’t reached common ground, but they did make progress today. It sounds like Colletti may be warming to the idea of three years. No deal is expected before the end of the Meetings, though.
While the Royals have well-documented interest in Jones, former teammates indicate he prefers the NL. In regards to his poor 2007, the article suggests a secret elbow injury may have contributed.
By Tim Dierkes | at
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.
By Tim Dierkes | at
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 5:25pm: The Braves will at least have a discussion with Mahay as a courtesy. They won’t sign him unless his price comes down. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Yankees are the frontrunner, in contrast to Sherman’s note below.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 9:45am: Joel Sherman says the Yankees don’t like the price for Mahay and are considering alternatives such as Damaso Marte or John Grabow.
FROM 12-5-07 at 7:55am:
According to Marc Lancaster, the Rays are "firmly in the mix" for popular 36 year-old lefty reliever Ron Mahay. Four other teams are involved – the Yankees, Royals, Giants, and Astros.
I still haven’t heard San Francisco’s rationale to entertaining a three-year, $12MM pact for a 36 year-old reliever. The Royals being in the mix is a tad perplexing as well.
By Tim Dierkes | at
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 5:09pm: In a Baseball Prospectus chat today, Will Carroll said "Fukudome will decide today. Someone made a big offer." By that, Carroll means Fukudome will sign today.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 1:17pm: Jon Heyman suggests the Red Sox could get involved on Fukudome. Where to put him?
FROM 12-5-07 at 8:43am:
Let’s start a thread just for Kosuke Fukudome. The prevailing sentiment is that the Cubs are the frontrunners for his services. Newsday’s Ken Davidoff adds today that Fukudome has narrowed his choices to the Cubs and Royals.
By Tim Dierkes | at
According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, free agent hurler Jon Lieber is garnering interest from the Royals, Astros, Reds, Mets, and Rangers. Liebs is expected to be ready for Spring Training after a foot injury.
Stark had previously reported that the Astros were not interested.
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