Manny Ramirez Rumors: Friday
11:00pm: Schulman says the Giants have had conversations with Boras about Manny, but have not extended a formal offer. Nothing is imminent, and the Giants are considering other options via trade and free agency.
3:33pm: The Chronicle’s Henry Schulman doesn’t have anything new on the KPIX report yet. But he’s heard that the Dodgers offered Manny $60MM over three years at some point and were turned down.
2:40pm: MLB.com’s Chris Haft splashes some cold water on the KPIX-TV rumor. His sources say recent reports linking the Giants to Manny are overblown. The Dodgers may be the only truly interested team currently. Haft says the Giants are looking to add a corner infield bat instead (they’ve been linked to Edwin Encarnacion and Jorge Cantu in the past, among others).
1:30pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman was able to confirm that the Giants entered the bidding for Manny. He says the Dodgers remain interested, and that "some baseball people" aren’t writing off the Angels despite Tony Reagins’ public statement. Heyman adds that one or two other AL teams are on the periphery, the Yankees not among them.
6:05am: There’s a rumor making the rounds from Dennis O’Donnell of KPIX-TV of San Francisco. O’Donnell says the Giants have offered Manny Ramirez a four-year deal. Reasons to treat the report with skepticism:
- O’Donnell says it’s a fourth-year club option, so it was inaccurate to call it a four-year offer.
- We haven’t heard anything about this from the Giants beat writers or national reporters, who have a better track record than television stations. Henry Schulman covers the Giants for the San Francisco Chronicle, and he says the team "could consider Ramirez under very specific financial conditions." He was probably not referring to a three or four-year offer.
- O’Donnell was told by a team spokeman, "It’s not happening." Scott Boras’ publicist "had no knowledge of any negotiations with the Giants," according to O’Donnell.
Angels Sign Brian Fuentes
12:46pm: Olney has the financials: it’s a two-year, $17.5MM deal. $8.5MM in ’09, $9MM in ’10, and a $9MM vesting option for ’11 based on (55) games finished.
12:08pm: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, Brian Fuentes signed a two-year deal with the Angels. A press release from the Angels is out; there’s a third-year club option. The Rockies will receive the Angels’ #33 pick in the June draft, as well as a supplemental pick.
Fuentes, 33, was excellent in 2008. He posted a 2.73 ERA and 11.78 K/9. At the outset of the offseason he was expected to get a three or even four-year deal.
Yankees Outfield Surplus
According to Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News:
The Yankees are looking to move two from a group of outfielders of Xavier Nady, Nick Swisher and Hideki Matsui. The Angels, Texas, Oakland and Atlanta are considered to have interest.
Joel Sherman has noted that the Braves attempted to acquire Swisher from the White Sox before the Yankees did. The Angels seem content with their outfield. Sherman and Ringolsby both seem to think the Yanks prefer to retain Johnny Damon.
Sherman cautioned that the "glut of hitters" remaining on the free agent market will make it more difficult for the Yankees to move one of their corner guys. From the emails I receive, Yankees fans would most like to see Matsui dealt. Perhaps he will be, but I believe his current trade value is negative. 34 years old, full no-trade clause, $13MM salary in ’09, September knee surgery and a questionable ability to play the outfield.
Angels Standing Pat With Current Outfield
Angels GM Tony Reagins told Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times Wednesday that his club is "not likely" to retain outfielder Garret Anderson. Reagins also mentioned that the organization has no plans to pursue free agent outfielders Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell. Reagins, of course, had already written off the idea of the Halos inking Manny Ramirez.
The Angels already have a fine outfield built around Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera and Torii Hunter, with Reggie Willits providing depth off the bench. Gary Matthews Jr. probably won’t be ready for Opening Day after undergoing knee surgery in October, but he’ll also be a major contributor.
Trading Partners For The Yankees
Reports are all over the place about the Yankees being too stocked with corner outfielders. The four names that continue to surface are Xavier Nady, Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher and Johnny Damon. Here’s a list of stories about potential trading partners:
-
Joel Sherman of the N.Y. Post thinks the Angels, Rays, Rangers and A’s could be possibilities, but he reminds us that there still are a number of similar-style hitters on the free agent market.
-
MLB.com writer Chris Haft thinks the San Francisco Giants could be a good suitor for Xavier Nady, who grew up in the Bay area.
Cardinals Practice Patience
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that the St. Louis Cardinals are taking a patient approach to the free agent market. Cardinals management is being cautious after making offers early in the offseason that didn’t receive much response.
That status stands for free agent closer Brian Fuentes, who had an offer from the Cardinals before the franchise pulled it. Goold notes that the Los Angeles Angels have become suitors for Fuentes.
No Manny For Angels, Mets
8:19pm: Dan Graziano says Omar Minaya is unable to convince Mets ownership to allow him to pursue Manny, much to Scott Boras’ chagrin. Will Manny have to go crawling back to the Dodgers, as Graziano puts it?
2:07pm: MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger talked to Angels GM Tony Reagins, who said:
"Manny Ramirez will not play for the Angels in 2009, or beyond, for that matter."
Rosenthal’s Latest: Bradley, Burrell, Dunn
Ken Rosenthal filed a new column earlier today.
- The Angels are lukewarm on Manny Ramirez, and for now are talking about filling their lineup with internal candidates.
- Kevin Towers says that if the Jake Peavy sweepstakes heats back up, "nobody is going to know it." Rosenthal discusses the chances of the Angels or Cubs.
- Mark Teixeira is "almost certain" to get an escape clause in his deal.
- The Cubs are confident about signing Milton Bradley, but the Rays, Yankees, and Nationals are interested too.
- Rosenthal looks at possibilities for Pat Burrell, discussing the Rays, Mariners, Rangers, and Reds.
- The Brewers expressed interest in Adam Dunn as they were mulling a Mike Cameron trade (Corey Hart would’ve played center).
- Bobby Abreu "remains in touch with the Yankees." Surprisingly to hear, as the two sides reportedly had not spoken for quite a while.
- The Rangers would like to move some salary, with Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, and Hank Blalock the candidates.
- The Royals like Jerry Hairston Jr., but don’t have the money to sign him.
Mark Teixeira Rumors: Monday
8:07pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says baseball people expect Teixeira to sign before Thursday. Rival execs see the Red Sox as the favorite. The Orioles and Nationals remain engaged; the Yankees are the wild card. Heyman says the Yanks would only want to spend slightly more than the $161MM they committed to C.C. Sabathia.
7:20pm: Roch Kubatko of MASN Online learned from multiple sources that the Nationals "have sweetened their proposal to Teixeira, offering him an eight-year deal worth $178-184MM." He’s been told they’re willing to go nine years and there’s been talk of ten.
9:02am: ESPN’s Buster Olney sums up the Mark Teixeira situation in his blog today. Olney says Teixeira’s "leverage has probably maxed out, and now only runs the risk of being diminished." The status of the involved teams:
- Angels: out of the running.
- Yankees: Olney says they initially made an offer that was markedly less than other teams, and have since withdrawn it.
- Orioles: Olney says they’re at seven years, $140MM (as opposed to the $140-150MM range we’ve seen reported). Offer has not been upgraded.
- Nationals: eight years, $160MM based on published reports. Olney is not sure whether the Nats have raised this offer but heard from confidants of "one high-ranking executive" that they have not. Olney’s Nationals sources expressed pessimism about their chances.
- Joe Posnanski: out of the bidding.
- Red Sox: Were willing to do $170-175MM when they flew out to meet Teixeira and Scott Boras; "might be nudged to $180MM." We know that the Red Sox did not pull their offer, but haven’t spoken to Boras since Thursday night.
- Olney wonders: will Boras shoot for $190MM with the intent of topping Derek Jeter‘s $189MM? If he tops it, Boras would secure the third-largest contract in MLB history for Teixeira (with his Alex Rodriguez deals taking the first two slots).
How Will The Angels Spend Their Money?
12:02pm: Boras gave a prepared statement regarding the Angels and Tex, saying that the player’s interest has been sincere. Boras left the door open for the Angels, but why wouldn’t he?
11:28am: So the Angels are out of the running for Mark Teixeira. Now what? They’ve re-signed Juan Rivera, making Manny Ramirez a "reach" according to Jerry Crasnick’s source. Mike DiGiovanna has suggestions:
The Angels…could also look to bolster their offense by pursuing a free-agent outfielder such as Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn, or, possibly, Manny. Or, they could look to trade for a hitter such as Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, Garrett Atkins or Joey Votto. They will probably use some of the money budgeted for Teixeira to sign closer Brian Fuentes, who is seeking a three-year, $30-million deal and has said that the Angels are his first choice.
Votto seems a long shot to be traded. Acquiring Dye or Atkins would require young pitching the Halos may not be able to spare. Adding another outfielder would not be ideal, with Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Rivera, and Gary Matthews Jr. in the mix for those three spots and the DH spot. Still, it could be done. Burrell or Dunn can at least play some first base. The Konerko idea seems reasonable, if he’d approve the trade.