By Ben Nicholson-Smith | at
According to James Burns of the Merced Sun-Star, Brian Fuentes said the Angels are his “first choice.”
“Anaheim would be a great fit, being a California kid,” Fuentes told Burns.
Fuentes goes on to say that he’s not worried to see fewer suitors out there, now that Francisco Rodriguez and Kerry Wood have signed. Instead, he said it’s a good thing, especially since he sees himself as “the last top-end closer left.”
The Angels, Brewers, Tigers and Cardinals could all pursue Fuentes.
By Tim Dierkes | at
8:44 am: According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, the Angels are “believed to have offered at least $160MM.” This would match the Washington offer and put pressure on Boston to match or exceed the offer.
12:03 am: Angels GM Tony Reagins said this evening that he has made an eight-year offer to free agent Mark Teixeira. Yesterday we learned the Orioles are around seven years, $140-150MM and the Nationals are at eight years, $160MM. We’re not sure about the Red Sox.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Jake Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod explains his client’s preferences:
"Jake has a strong preference to stay in the National League. If Jake’s ever going to accept anything to the American League – and I don’t want this to be taken wrong – I can safely say that it’s going to be the Yankees or Red Sox or maybe the Angels. Those teams are going to be in contention and are going to spend money. If there were circumstances where he would be asked to go to the AL, kicking and screaming, those are the three places."
Also, Padres GM Kevin Towers revealed in a radio interview that the Angels asked about a Peavy-Adrian Gonzalez package deal, but the Padres don’t want to trade Gonzalez. As a baseball fan, I like it when Towers reveals things like this. It must be incredibly frustrating for rival GMs though.
By Tim Dierkes | at
According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman:
The Cubs, Rays, Dodgers and Angels are among teams that have expressed interest in star free-agent outfielder Bobby Abreu.
The Cubs are said to prefer Milton Bradley. The Rays met with Abreu’s agents on Wednesday at the Winter Meetings. The California teams are new, I believe.
By Tim Dierkes | at
10:56pm: Axelrod suggestion the Giants as a possible destination for Peavy in a talk with Tim Sullivan. He said, "I think they’ve got the money. But I don’t know if they’ve got the prospects."
8:20pm: Jon Heyman says that Peavy is frustrated by the team’s inability to trade him. His agent, Barry Axelrod, says that Peavy had begun to get used to the idea of being a Cub, and now that opportunity is apparently gone. Axelrod says if the Padres approach he and his client with a trade, they’ll consider it, but there won’t be any more lists of approved teams.
Axelrod also criticizes the majority of baseball executives for their lack of action at the Winter Meetings.
"It’s amazing to me how many people can waste time, money and resources, and get nothing done," Axelrod said. "Baseball moved lock, stock and barrel into that town, and absolutely nothing happened."
6:45: Mike DiGiovanna at the LA Times says that the Angels are now in the mix for Peavy. Trade talks could begin as soon as next week, with Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Reggie Willits, Nick Adenhart, and Kevin Jepsen all names that could be talked about. The Angels will only pursue Peavy if they can’t re-sign Mark Teixeira.
5:02pm: Talked to a person familiar with the Cubs’ thinking…he really could not see the Cubs revisiting a Peavy trade. The Padres need to get Peavy’s $63MM off the books soon, yet were trying to swing 6-for-1 or 7-for-1 deals for him despite the extremely limited market. Marshall was never in the mix, by the way.
3:27pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves "won’t even think about renewing their pursuit of Peavy unless the talks are initiated by the Padres, who will no longer find a compensation package that includes Yunel Escobar." Escobar is apparently off the table because the Braves no longer have Brent Lillibridge.
2:56pm: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes say the Cubs "remain optimistic that they can acquire Peavy, all but ignored Towers’ self-imposed deadline." Meanwhile, Gerry Fraley says the Angels have already put together a package for the Padres to consider.
12:01pm: Kevin Towers told reporters the proposed Peavy deal with the Cubs is dead. The Cubs pulled out. Mike DiGiovanna heard earlier that the Angels remain interested. Towers is not certain he wants to engage in further Peavy discussions at this time. I think even hot stove junkies wouldn’t mind a respite.
11:30am: Towers still hasn’t heard back from Hendry on the Peavy deal. Ken Rosenthal says eight to ten teams have called on DeRosa, adding the A’s to the mix of known suitors.
12:33am: Multiple reports suggested yesterday that the Cubs would not trade Mark DeRosa. But new stories in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times do not support that notion.
Paul Sullivan of the Trib says DeRosa "appears to be the key to any Peavy deal." Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times heard the Cubs would only trade DeRosa as part of a Peavy deal, and Jim Hendry inquired on Chone Figgins as a possible replacement. And La Velle E. Neal III believes DeRosa is fair game in a Peavy deal or separately for the Twins or Phillies. As far as Jason Marquis, both Chicago writers see him landing in San Diego with the Cubs eating about half his salary (one sign that the Cubs have "hand," as George Costanza would say).
Padres GM Kevin Towers wants to get a framework in place today. The Cubs have the leverage, with Wittenmyer suggesting they also want to keep Sean Marshall. One player most writers believe will be sent from the Cubs to the Padres is Josh Vitters. But Towers says it’s in the Cubs’ hands.
By Tim Dierkes | at
9:56: Jeff Zrebiec says that even with larger offers on the table, the Orioles do not plan on upping their offer for Teixeira. The Orioles’ offer is believed to be seven years, and in the $140-150MM range. The Orioles have discussed Eric Hinske and Hank Blalock as fallbacks if Teixeira signs elsewhere.
2:38pm: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes talked to involved execs (not with the Angels) who believe the Boras camp is "using the media to ratchet up the price beyond what any team had actually offered."
Brown and Edes say the Angels were told the Red Sox and Nationals offered eight years at about $20MM per. The Angels don’t want to do an eighth year, so they’ll look into trades for Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, and possibly Adrian Beltre. Raul Ibanez is the top free agent backup plan.
Brown and Edes believe Boras could insist on an opt-out clause in a deal with the Nationals.
8:59am: Mike DiGiovanna says the Angels "are believed to be willing to offer at least seven years for something in the $160-million range" for Tex.
8:51am: Jon Heyman says the Yankees have re-entered the Teixeira sweepstakes.
2:40am: Summing up the reported offers made to Mark Teixeira:
By the way, Joe Haggerty transcribed the full Scott Boras talk from yesterday at his site.
By Steve Adams | at
I already linked to this Mark DiGiovanna piece in the Peavy Rumors thread, but I wanted to give it its own post as DiGiovanna also talks about other potential Angels targets that wouldn’t be appropriate there. So let’s take a look:
By Tim Dierkes | at
2:53pm: Stark says the Phillies "stepped up their efforts" for Ibanez. What’s more, Ibanez has been telling friends the Phils are his top choice.
12:18pm: According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark:
Even as the Angels continue to pursue Mark Teixeira, it appears that Raul Ibanez has emerged as their No. 1 alternative if Teixeira signs elsewhere. There were indications that the Angels already have begun negotiating the parameters of a deal with Ibanez on a just-in-case basis.
Ken Davidoff said the same in his blog earlier today. The Phillies, Mets, Nationals, and Cubs are other known suitors.
By Tim Dierkes | at
11:40pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Red Sox made progress today in their Teixeira talks.
8:45pm: Dave Sheinin says the Nationals offered eight years and $160MM, and Ladson now agrees.
5:38pm: Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun says the Orioles met with Boras last night and apparently made an offer. However, Peter Schmuck says the nine-year, $180MM report was "met with incredulity from O’s officials."
5:33pm: According to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, the Nationals offered Tex an eight-year, $180MM contract. Dave Sheinin talked to a Nationals exec who said in general about the rumors, "Ninety percent of this stuff is pure fabrication."
2:35pm: Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times has the Nats willing to offer ten years at more than $20MM per and the Orioles willing to do nine years also at at least $20MM per year.
1:27pm: Ken Rosenthal and Ed Price heard Teixeira would prefer to be on the East Coast for family reasons. It could be an issue for the Angels.
1:14pm: Yahoo’s Jose Mota (new guy) says the Nationals made an offer to Tex for at least seven years and $150MM.
12:44pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman talked to two high-ranking baseball officials who predicted Teixeira will get a $200MM deal. Heyman believes two teams already bid $160MM.
11:17am: Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post has heard the Yankees’ signing of C.C. Sabathia takes them out of the running for Tex. The Angels, Red Sox, Nationals, and Orioles will battle for the Boras client.
9:36am: Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times talks about Mark Teixeira:
The Boston Red Sox have emerged as front-runners, and the Washington Nationals, who appear willing to offer eight years and $160 million, could make the most lucrative bid. The Baltimore Orioles are in hot pursuit, the Yankees are lurking, and the Angels are growing more concerned that Teixeira might be slipping away, primarily because they’d like to sign him for six or seven years, not the eight or nine it might take.
By Tim Dierkes | at
According to Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times, the Cubs inquired on Chone Figgins. Figgins could theoretically fill Mark DeRosa’s superutility role, though DeRosa seems likely to stay put. DiGiovanna says the Angels won’t be sure of their needs until they sort out the Mark Teixeira and Brian Fuentes situations.
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