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Randy Johnson’s Future

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Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has an in-depth look at the Randy Johnson situation.  The legendary 45 year-old lefty was effective this year in 30 starts.  It seems highly unlikely that he’ll retire just five wins from 300.  There are concerns he would remain committed after winning those five games.

Piecoro says D’Backs GM Josh Byrnes hinted that he is not willing to go as high as $10MM for Johnson in 2009.  The team seemingly doesn’t have much more than that to spend in total, and they have other needs.  Also, the Diamondbacks are against incentive-based contracts.  Still, Piecoro wonders if ownership could step in and mandate re-signing Johnson.

Johnson is right on the borderline for Type B status, but the D’Backs stand to pick up many draft picks for other players so they may not risk offering arbitration.  Would Johnson pitch elsewhere?  Piecoro feels that he favors the West Coast, making the Dodgers and Angels intriguing possibilities.

Heyman’s Latest: K-Rod, Furcal, Blalock

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Non-Manny notes from Jon Heyman’s latest…

  • The Angels and Mets "appear hesitant" to give Francisco Rodriguez five years.  There’s not an obvious suitor to overpay K-Rod, but the Mets are the closest.
  • Heyman sees Brian Fuentes getting about $11MM per year.  Ken Rosenthal recently suggested even more money.
  • Doug Melvin could become a candidate for the Mariners job if the Brewers aren’t able to extend him.  Doesn’t seem to make sense since Melvin is signed through 2009.
  • Heyman believes Chris Antonetti in Cleveland is contractually guaranteed the GM job in the future.
  • The Dodgers will try to re-sign Rafael Furcal, no surprise there.
  • A scout sang the praises of Hank Blalock’s second-half hitting (.281/.324/.532 after the break).  Blalock may be on the trading block.

Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Angels

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Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Angels.  Here’s how their 25-man roster might look using only internal candidates:

C – Mike Napoli – $425K
C – Jeff Mathis – $415K
1B – Kendry Morales – $600K
2B – Howie Kendrick – $433K
SS – Erick Aybar – $415K
3B – Brandon Wood – $400K
IF – Maicer Izturis – $1.2MM+
IF/OF – Robb Quinlan – $1.05MM+
LF – Chone Figgins – $4.75MM+
CF – Torii Hunter – $17.5MM
RF – Gary Matthews Jr. – $10MM
OF – Reggie Willits – $433K
DH/OF – Vladimir Guerrero – $15MM (club option)

SP – John Lackey – $9MM (club option)
SP – Ervin Santana – $420K+
SP – Jered Weaver – $435K
SP – Joe Saunders – $425K
SP – Dustin Moseley – $420K

RP – Scot Shields – $5MM
RP – Jose Arredondo – $400K
RP – Justin Speier – $4.75MM
RP – Jason Bulger – $400K
RP – Kevin Jepsen – $400K
RP – Darren O’Day – $400K
RP –

Other commitments: Garret Anderson – $3MM, Kelvim Escobar – $9.5MM (ready by All-Star break?)

That’s about $87MM committed, plus arbitration raises to Izturis, Quinlan, Figgins, and Santana.  So that’ll put them in the low $90MM range.  The Angels were at $124MM this year.  Owner Arte Moreno wants to keep payroll there, but could make exceptions for the right players.  We’ll say they have at least $30MM to spend, maybe more.

Three star players/free agents should be under consideration: Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez, and C.C. Sabathia.  Teixeira makes the most sense, especially since Morales’ ’08 minor league line translates to a .740 OPS in the bigs.  Given their .330 team OBP, the Angels could really use Tex’s .400.

Losing both K-Rod and Darren Oliver would hurt the pen; the Angels will probably bring in some kind of veteran help.  With Escobar slated to miss a good chunk of ’09, one more starter is also needed.  It’d be tough to cram Tex and Sabathia into the budget, but the free agent market offers plenty of other starters.

I know the Angels have their own run-scoring style, but it’s hard to argue against getting on base more often.  With that in mind I’d make Tex top priority.  With the DH spot semi-open, I’d also consider Milton Bradley.  Brian Giles, Adam Dunn, Magglio Ordonez, Jason Giambi, Prince Fielder, Bobby Abreu, and Pat Burrell are other big names who get on base.  (Manny Ramirez fits as well, though it’d have to be him instead of Teixeira rather than both).

$30-40MM is a lot of spending money, though $20MM+ (’09 salary) could go toward Teixeira or Sabathia.  I might take my chances with the fifth starter job and bring in Teixeira and another high-OBP player.

Latest Peavy Chatter

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10:39am: More from Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  Peavy has a strong preference for the NL, and wants to play for a winner.  Axelrod mentioned Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and St. Louis as cities that fit for Peavy and his family.  Because of Peavy’s willingness to pitch in L.A., the Angels were named as a possibility by Axelrod.

8:27am: Let’s catch up on recent Jake Peavy articles.  Dan Hayes of the North County Times wrote about Peavy Monday, quoting Padres GM Kevin Towers saying nothing is imminent.  Hayes talked to several sources who say Peavy prefers to stay in the National League.  The Padres have already approached him with hypothetical trade scenarios (Peavy has to approve any trade).

Regarding that no-trade clause – Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod is on record saying three AL teams could entice his client.  But at the end of the season, Peavy said he wouldn’t accept a deal to the AL.  David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke to someone claiming to be an old friend of Peavy’s.  The friend agrees that Peavy wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause for an AL team, despite his agent’s statement.

The friend gave O’Brien all kinds of info, making the Braves sound like Peavy’s top choice.  O’Brien adds that the Braves let Towers know they’re interested.  Even if Peavy is picky about his destination, though, there is no reason for Towers to accept a package that does not begin with Jason Heyward or Tommy Hanson.  He has plenty of time to explore possible Peavy trades.

The Cardinals may also be in the mix, according to Buster Olney.  Olney says that one team, "perhaps the Cardinals," is discussing the idea of adding Khalil Greene to a Peavy deal.

Heyman’s Latest: Yankees, K-Rod, Moyer

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Notes from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…

  • The Yankees apparently want to sign two free agent starters out of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe.  If Sabathia is one of them they’d be looking at a total outlay of $200MM or more.  Ken Davidoff of Newsday notes that Sabathia might feel pressure from the players union to take the highest offer.
  • Heyman believes the nation’s struggling economy might temper spending, but not in the Yankees’ case.
  • Heyman doesn’t see the Angels as terribly gung-ho about retaining closer Francisco Rodriguez.
  • People close to Jamie Moyer say he wants to pitch until he’s 50.  Moyer didn’t rule it out when asked in August.

Odds and Ends: Hudson, Cano, Mariners GM

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Links for Wednesday…

  • ESPN’s Jayson Stark reminds us that Manny Ramirez could’ve been traded to the Phillies in July.  But the Phils wouldn’t offer Lou Marson, didn’t like the idea of Manny in right field, and were concerned about Ramirez’s hustle.
  • Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog gives his early sense of the team’s offseason approach.  He doesn’t seem them splurging on one of the big free agent names.
  • MLB.com’s Marty Noble heard Orlando Hudson "yearns to play for the Mets" (hat tip to MetsBlog).
  • Jamey Newberg believes in the Rangers’ plan.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn’t believe Robinson Cano will be traded, because the Yankees are valuing him as if 2008 did not occur.  He names Fausto Carmona as an example of a pitcher the Yanks would not accept for Cano.
  • Sherman also notes that Bobby Abreu and the ivy-covered brick wall at Wrigley might not be the best match.
  • The Mariners will interview five people for their GM vacancy this week: Peter Woodfork (D’Backs), Jerry DiPoto (D’Backs), Tony Bernazard (Mets), Kim Ng (Dodgers), and Tony LaCava (Blue Jays).
  • The Angels signed Korean pitcher Jang Pil-Joong, who just finished serving in the army.
  • I did a couple of interviews recently: over the phone with MLB Interviews and over email with Pinstripes Published.

Angels Rumors: Teixeira, K-Rod, Uggla

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The Angels were eliminated, so it’s time to look forward to the offseason.  Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times has the latest.

  • Mark Teixeira said the right things again, about how his time with the Angels gives him something to think about as a free agent.  Joel Sherman believes Tex is a great fit for the Yankees, even if he is the "ultimate Boras client."  Sherman figures the Yanks, Red Sox, Orioles, and Angels will compete for Teixeira.
  • Francisco Rodriguez’s first choice is the Angels.  Sherman believes the Angels’ apparent willingness to let K-Rod go is a warning sign for other teams like the Mets.
  • Garret Anderson will be bought out for $3MM, and didn’t want to discuss whether he’d return after that.  Shaikin says Chone Figgins could move to left field if Anderson leaves.
  • Shaikin says the Angels have considered acquiring Dan Uggla as a way to compensate if Teixeira leaves.  Uggla would probably play third base.
  • John Lackey answered in the affirmative when asked whether he’d wait to see the Angels’ offensive plans before considering an extension.  Lackey’s $9MM option is an easy decision but he is a free agent after the ’09 season.

Odds And Ends: Cardinals, Astros, K-Rod

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Links for Saturday…

  • It doesn’t sound like Jon Daniels has autonomy in Texas.
  • Ian Hunter of Country 103.9 in Ontario recently talked to MLBTR about the Blue Jays. Click here to download the mp3.
  • Reds GM Walt Jocketty has talked to three or four of the Reds’ nine free agents.  John Fay speculates those players are David Weathers, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mike Lincoln, and Jeremy Affeldt.
  • The Padres’ grievance against shortstop Khalil Greene won’t be heard until spring.  The case of Doyle Alexander may be a precedent; the Yankees were not able to recover any money after Alexander broke a knuckle by attacking a dugout wall in ’82.
  • Matthew Leach of MLB.com takes a look at the Redbirds’ upcoming offseason.  Leach estimates that after all the contract and arbitration items are settled, the Cards will have around $25MM to look for a middle infielder, a middle reliever, and perhaps a new closer or #4 or #5 type slugger.
  • Likewise, earlier this week Astros MLB.com beat writer Alyson Footer reported on GM Ed Wade’s offseason plans. Wade is expected to make some tweaks to the roster, but it’s unlikely he’ll make any major moves. Footer suggests the Astros could look for a couple of rotation arms, and speculates on the possibility of signing Ben Sheets.
  • The O.C. Register’s Mark Whicker doesn’t see Francisco Rodriguez coming back to the Angels.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: alexo05 {at} umpbump {dot} com.  Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Vlad, Cano, Peavy, Hardy

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Today we have a fresh column from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

  • Vladimir Guerrero’s $15MM option for ’09 is a lock, but perhaps the Angels will reconsider extending him beyond that.  Some of the money could be used to make Mark Teixeira the next franchise player.
  • Rosenthal says "virtually every club with a need at the position" has shown interest in second baseman Robinson Cano.  If you give Cano a mulligan for April, he hit .297/.326/.448 in 2008.  That seems like a reasonable American League projection going forward.  Cano, 26 in a few weeks, is signed through 2011 with two club options beyond that.  The Yankees would look for a starting pitcher in return.
  • Rosenthal agrees the Padres will explore the trade market for ace Jake Peavy.  He expects Kevin Towers to wait until the big-name free agent starters sign, which will accentuate the relative affordability of Peavy’s contract (basically four years, $63MM).
  • Rosenthal says Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy knows he is likely to be traded to make room for prospect Alcides Escobar.  It’d be a reasonable move, but only if Escobar proves he is a capable replacement.
  • Pat Gillick told Rosenthal he will not be returning as Phillies GM next year, despite recent speculation.

Odds and Ends: Cabrera, Sabathia, Gillick

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Your hot stove links for Thursday…

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