Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Angels Rumors

Cliff Lee Signing: The Fallout

By | at

Cliff Lee's unexpected five-year, $120MM deal with the Phillies has repercussions for several teams. 

Rangers

Yankees

  •  From Joel Sherman of the New York Post: "One Yankees executive likened what they now face as losing out on Microsoft stock and instead having to diversify the portfolio to keep it strong."  The Yanks have added Russell Martin and will probably look into innings-eaters or reclamation project starters.  They're also expected to add two relievers and a righty-hitting fourth outfielder.  So, they'll spread the wealth.
  • GM Brian Cashman preached that "Plan B is patience."  He feels that prices will go up with teams, and I assume agents, sensing blood in the water.  He's also willing to wait until the season to make an acquisition.
  • Cashman says Lee's decision "doesn't affect" Andy Pettitte, who remains undecided but is feeling the pull of retirement a little stronger than normal.
  • Cashman talked about the failed Lee trade from July and said he's grateful it didn't happen.  At this point, he says "It would be a rare situation for me to include Montero in a deal."

Phillies

They'll look to move Joe Blanton before Opening Day; CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury tweets that there is no rush.  Nonetheless, we've already looked at potential trade partners.  Blanton's agent Casey Close expects a trade.

Other Teams

Angels Are “Offensively Focused”

By | at

After adding a pair of left-handers to their bullpen, the Angels are now "offensively focused" according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. He adds that they do not appear to be the mystery team in on Cliff Lee.

The Halos' offseason plan took a huge hit when Carl Crawford signed with the Red Sox, but they could always turn to Adrian Beltre. There has been talk about a reunion with Vladimir Guerrero as well, and there are a number of similar DH-centric types on the market, including Magglio Ordonez, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, and Jason Giambi. Those last four names are just my speculation, though.

Odds & Ends: Arroyo, Varitek, Angels, Werth

By | at

The Red Sox officially introduced Carl Crawford to Red Sox Nation at a press conference this morning, but that's not the only hot stove news today…

Rangers Look To Be Out Of Beltre Bidding

By | at

The Rangers are "backing off for now" on any pursuit of Adrian Beltre, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.  Texas is "not at all optimistic" about its chances of signing the free agent third baseman, and without a chance of getting Beltre, the Rangers have similarly halted the Michael Young trade market.  This market may not have been all that sturdy, as Rosenthal notes that a Young trade was a "longshot from [the] start."

If Texas is out of the picture, that eliminates one more big-market player from the Beltre sweepstakes.  It may be down to just the Angels as the only serious bidders for Beltre's services, unless the Athletics get back in the hunt.  The pressure seemed to be on Los Angeles to get a deal done with Beltre once the club's top free agent target (Carl Crawford) signed with Boston, but the Halos may be able to sign Beltre at a relative bargain price if they're the only team in the race.  Scott Boras may have to look hard for another mystery team to join the fray unless Beltre is willing to sign with a non-contender with money to spend, like Baltimore.

Angels Reach Agreement With Scott Downs

By | at

The Angels have agreed to terms on a three-year, $15MM contract with Scott Downs.  Peter Gammons was the first to report the numbers of the deal, while FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal adds that the deal is pending a physical and Downs can earn up to an extra $1MM based on games finished (both Twitter links).  Downs is represented by CAA.

Downs has quietly been one of the AL's best relievers in recent years, posting a 2.36 ERA, a 7.8 K/9 rate and a 2.63 K/BB ratio over the last four seasons in Toronto. 

Since Downs is a Type A free agent, the Blue Jays will receive two draft picks for the left-hander — one a first-round compensation pick, and a second-round pick from Los Angeles since the Halos' first-rounder is protected.  If the Angels were to sign a higher-ranked Type A free agent (such as Adrian Beltre or Rafael Soriano), then the pick they send to Toronto will be bumped down a round.

The Halos have now added two solid lefty arms to their bullpen in Downs and Hisanori Takahashi, who was signed last week.  GM Tony Reagins tells Dan Woike of the Orange County Register that the Angels are now satisfied with their bullpen and rotation and they won't be adding any more relievers (Twitter links), which would seem to take the club out of the Soriano sweepstakes.  If Soriano is too expensive, L.A. could be satisfied with Fernando Rodney as their closer, or perhaps they're looking at a Rodney/Downs righty-lefty closing platoon, which would explain Downs' incentive bonus for games finished. 

Odds & Ends: Giambi, Upton, Crawford, Yankees

By | at

On this date last year, the Brewers signed Randy Wolf to a three-year, $29.75MM deal. Now, GM Doug Melvin is still on the lookout for pitching, even after acquiring Shaun Marcum. Here's another round of links for the evening…

  • The Rays have some interest in Jason Giambi, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter).
  • Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger wonders how Carl Crawford’s $142MM deal will impact the Mets’ efforts to keep Jose Reyes around long-term.
  • Arizona GM Kevin Towers told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that he talked to one team about Justin Upton at the Winter Meetings (Twitter link).
  • In another piece, Nightengale details the financial commitments the Yankees and Red Sox have made. As Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail points out, it's not easy competing with those two big spenders. "We're going to start a mid-Atlantic states division,''  MacPhail said.
  • The Angels offered Carl Crawford a six-year deal worth $108MM, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link). That fell well short of the seven-year $142MM offer that lured the left fielder to Boston.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Jack Curry of the YES Network that the team dined with Crawford's representatives even though they weren't interested in signing the outfielder. Curry suggests the dinner could have been a bluff.
  • Speaking of the Yankees, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark names them on his list of 'losers' at the 2010 Winter Meetings.

Cliff Lee Rumors: Thursday

By | at

All the latest on Cliff Lee, after a slew of rumors yesterday…

  • Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg announced on a conference call that the team made Lee an offer for an unspecified amount, according to Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (all Twitter links). The lefty is now weighing his options and the Rangers feel good about their chances. Like the Yankees, the Rangers offered Lee a "menu" of choices, Greenberg said (Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reporting on Twitter).
  • The Rangers expect to know by tonight whether they'll be able to sign Lee or not, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sulivan.
  • The Rangers asked Braunecker what it'd take to sign Lee, according to Crasnick.  The agent, who obviously has the upper hand, instead told the Rangers they'll have to make their best offer.
  • The Yankees have presented Lee with an assortment of contract choices, writes Sherman.  He believes the bids are something like five years for $125MM ($25MM per), six years for $144MM ($24MM per), and seven years for $161MM ($23MM per).  I have a feeling this will reach its resolution with Lee signing the largest pitching contract ever.
  • The Rangers requested the Arkansas meeting and plan to increase their offer beyond five years, tweets Rosenthal.  The Rangers are "adding any perk necessary" to please Lee and his family, tweets Yahoo's Steve Henson.
  • Crasnick reports that the Yankees' new seven-year offer has a lower average annual value than the $23.3MM of their previous one.  So this offer could be worth less than Sabathia's contract.
  • The Rangers are sending a contingent to meet with Lee and agent Darek Braunecker in the pitcher's hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.  This will mark the team's third trip to Arkansas.  The Rangers are sending owner Chuck Greenberg and assistant GM Thad Levine, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • Angels GM Tony Reagins acknowledged interest in Lee, tweets Rosenthal.
  • The Lee talks might drag through the weekend, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Yankees have just gone to a seventh year for Lee, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  With Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth getting deals of that length, it'd be hard to sign Lee without matching.  The Yanks' previous offer was reported to be six years and $140MM, so this one could nudge Lee past C.C. Sabathia for the largest contract ever given to a pitcher.

Crawford Fallout: Lee, Downs, Ordonez, Beltre

By | at

While Boston's agreement with Carl Crawford is, of course, a huge move in its own right, the impact it could have on other free agents can't be overlooked. Here are a few players and teams who may be affected by the Crawford signing:

  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post speculates (via Twitter) that the Angels and Rangers, who were in on Crawford, could make a stronger push for Cliff Lee now. Brian Cashman, however, says the move won't affect the Yankees' tactics with Lee (Twitter link). Regardless, Crawford's contract is widely viewed as great news for the southpaw. Newsday's Ken Davidoff writes that "it just gets better and better to be Cliff Lee this winter."
  • As Lou Merloni writes at WEEI.com, the Red Sox could become more interested in Scott Downs now that the Type A free agent wouldn't cost a first round pick. Boston will send its first round pick to Tampa Bay as compensation for Crawford, so they'd only have to surrender a second rounder if they signed Downs.
  • The Red Sox have almost certainly been eliminated as a suitor for Magglio Ordonez now, which is good news for the Tigers. According to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, Detroit "badly wants to re-sign" Ordonez, and while the veteran has a handful of suitors, it appeared Boston's interest was serious.
  • Having missed out on Crawford, the Angels are expected to turn their "full attention" to Adrian Beltre and perhaps Rafael Soriano, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

Cliff Lee Rumors: Wednesday

By | at

SI.com's Jon Heyman reported yesterday that two teams may have offered Cliff Lee seven-year deals, and the rumor mill will be flying again today. Remember, the Yankees, Rangers, Angels, and Nationals all deny such an offer. Here's a look at all of yesterday's rumors, and here are today's:

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports identifies the Red Sox as one of the "mystery teams" who made a seven-year bid for Lee. However, they didn't offer enough money for Lee to realistically consider accepting. Rather, the proposal was about increasing Lee's leverage with other teams and trying to force the Yankees to add an extra year.
  • Boston's agreement with Carl Crawford is good news for Lee, who is now the clear top free agent left on the market. Sherman speculates (via Twitter) that the Angels and Rangers, who were in on Crawford, could make a stronger push for Lee now. Brian Cashman, however, says the move won't affect the Yankees' approach on the lefty (Twitter link).
  • Rangers president Nolan Ryan told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that the Rangers have asked Braunecker to tell them what it will take to sign Lee. The Rangers have not made an offer, but they're considering a six-year deal, since they expect it will take a long-term commitment to sign Lee.
  • Lee will decide on his next team by the end of the weekend, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Yankees offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140MM, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). George A. King III of the New York Post hears that the team is comfortable offering between $137.5MM and $150MM.
  • Cashman confirmed to reporters that the Yankees have made an offer, according to Marc Carig of the Star Ledger (on Twitter).
  • GM Mike Rizzo told Ben Goessling of MASNSports that the Nationals did not meet with Lee's agent today (Twitter link).
  • The Brewers are not the mystery team interested in Lee, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel confirms (on Twitter).
  • Though it appeared that the Yankees were about to make a strong offer, they have yet to propose a deal formally, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
  • Braunecker has left the building!  He wouldn't reveal where he's going, reports CBS Sports' Danny Knobler.
  • The Rangers met with Braunecker again this morning, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • Lee's agent Darek Braunecker told ESPN's Richard Durrett that one club has been eliminated.
  • The Yankees are going to make a very strong six-year offer in the $140-150MM range to Lee today, tweets Heyman.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if Lee really has received seven-year offers, and if he'd go to a non-contender that offered seven years. He spoke with two executives who had Lee in their organization once, and both feel he would.
  • Sherman also checked around and ruled out the Cubs as a seven-year team. He says there was some buzz about the Brewers, but that the finances are beyond their means.  ESPN's Buster Olney rules out the Orioles.
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson has a source who says the Nationals aren't out of the Lee sweepstakes "by any means," despite GM Mike Rizzo's comments. Ladson's source feels Jayson Werth's seven-year deal actually increased Washington's chances for Lee.

DH Rumors: Vlad, Matsui, Thames, Glaus, Manny

By | at

The Mariners may have locked up a DH today, but that leaves the Orioles, A's and many others as potential destinations for positionless sluggers. Here's the latest:

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top