Dodgers Rumors

NL West Rumors: Scutaro, Rockies, Otani, Minor

By Luke Adams 2 | December 3, 2012 at 3:43pm CDT

While the Dodgers have been linked to just about everyone this offseason, they won't be the only NL West club active in Nashville this week. Here are a few updates from around the division:

Chris Haft of MLB.com (Twitter link) heard from an agent earlier today that the Giants were "bending over backwards" to re-sign Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro. Haft wonders if Scutaro is next, now that the team has reached an agreement with Pagan.
The Rockies are targeting late-inning and closer-type pitchers this week, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

The Dodgers would be "shocked" if Shohei Otani declares for MLB and doesn't sign with them, says Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). However, the Dodgers are skeptical that Otani will come stateside. We heard this morning that the 18-year-old was leaning toward remaining in Japan.
In discussing Dexter Fowler with the Braves, the Rockies asked for Mike Minor, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Twitter link).
Troy Renck of the Denver Post notes (via Twitter) that the Yankees had some interest in Chris Nelson last season, and wonders if their interest in the Rockies' infielder could be renewed now that Alex Rodriguez is undergoing hip surgery.
The Giants are one of five teams with "real interest" in Scott Hairston, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Cardinals, Tigers, Indians, and Yankees round out the list, and Hairston himself hasn't ruled out a return to the Mets.

Zack Greinke Rumors: Monday

By Steve Adams | December 3, 2012 at 1:26pm CDT

Zack Greinke figures to sign one of the two largest contracts of the offseason, and could do so before the 2012 Winter Meetings end. His agent, Casey Close, told reporters yesterday that it won't take him more then 24-48 hours to see if he can get a deal signed before he leaves Nashville. Here are Monday's Greinke rumors, with the most recent updates topping the list…

When it comes to a willingness to spend on Greinke, the Rangers are "right there" with the Dodgers, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Sherman also says the Nationals remain in contact with Greinke, though the Angels seem to be falling out of the running.
The Dodgers seem determined to sign Greinke no matter the cost, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman asked a Dodgers person about the team's budget, to which the reply was, "What budget?" Good news for Casey Close! The Rangers, Nationals, Angels, and Braves are some of the other teams showing interest in Greinke, but Heyman indicates the Dodgers are the heavy favorite.

Nationals Showing Interest In James Shields

By Luke Adams 2 | December 3, 2012 at 11:47am CDT

After we heard overnight that the Nationals and Rays were discussing a potential trade involving Danny Espinosa and/or Mike Morse, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports fills in the gaps on which player Washington may have been targeting. According to Heyman, the Nats are displaying interest in James Shields, though the current status of discussions between the two teams is unknown.

Heyman reports that the Nationals view Shields as a more affordable alternative to top free agents like Zack Greinke. Although Washington had been considered one potential landing spot for Greinke, a National League executive tells Heyman that the Dodgers are "scaring teams away" when it comes to bidding on the winter's top free agent pitcher.

The Red Sox, Dodgers, and Royals are among the other clubs showing interest in trading for Shields, says Heyman.

Morning Rumors: Otani, Braves, Wang, Indians

By Luke Adams 2 | December 3, 2012 at 9:37am CDT

The most fun week of baseball's offseason is here, as 2012's Winter Meetings get underway in Nashville. With a ton of activity expected over the next few days, we don't want to let anything fall through the cracks, so let's round up a few Monday morning updates from around MLB:

18-year-old Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani, who announced in October that he intended to sign with an MLB team, may now be leaning toward staying in Japan, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link), who cites reports out of Japan. A decision from Otani is expected this week, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
If the Braves make a move this week, it's more likely to be a trade than a signing, says Mark Bowman of MLB.com, who tweets that Atlanta has "minimal interest" in the outfielders on the free agent market. The team's interest in free agents could increase if asking prices drop, but that's not likely to happen this early in the offseason, tweets Bowman. David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has more details on the Braves' search for a left fielder.
The Rays' agreement with James Loney makes them an unlikely fit for Eric Hosmer or Billy Butler now, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. If the Royals were to pursue a Rays pitcher via trade, Kansas City may have to offer Wil Myers, Dutton adds.
Given the weak third base market, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports thinks the Padres may be motivated to sell high on Chase Headley and send him to the Yankees (Twitter link).
Coming off an injury-shortened 2012 season, Chien-Ming Wang may not sign with an MLB team until midseason, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com (Twitter link).
John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer thinks the Reds will make a run at Dexter Fowler, but doesn't expect the team to give up Homer Bailey to make it happen.
The Dodgers may have a tricky time targeting an outfielder, since they need a starting-caliber player but can't promise a starting job, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times.
If the Indians decide to go all-in on their rebuild, they could extract young pitching talent from a team like the Mariners or Diamondbacks, says ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link). Cleveland's asking price for Asdrubal Cabrera is "steep in terms of young pitchers," according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Jim Bowden has identified a trade candidate for all 30 MLB teams, along with potential suitors for each player.
After a quiet Winter Meetings in 2011, the Red Sox figure to be more active this year, writes Tim Britton of the Providence Journal, as he explores a few of the team's potential targets.

Dodgers Not Expected To Pursue Brian Wilson

By edcreech | December 2, 2012 at 4:45pm CDT

The Dodgers are not expected pursue closer Brian Wilson, reports Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. Wilson was non-tendered by the Giants on Friday.

Wilson, who lives in Los Angeles, has expressed interest in playing for the Dodgers, Angels, and Red Sox. Wilson pitched in only two games last season, as he underwent his second Tommy John surgery in April. Hernandez believes Wilson could sign an incentive-laden deal similar to the one Ryan Madson signed with the Angels.

The back end of the Dodgers' bullpen appears to be set with the recently-signed Brandon League plus Kenley Jansen and Ronald Belisario under team control. Hernandez reports the Dodgers have talked to the Pirates about Joel Hanrahan, but a trade appears unlikely, according to a person familiar with the situation.

West Notes: Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Padres

By Zachary Links | December 2, 2012 at 4:35pm CDT

Here's a look at some news out of the AL and NL West..

The Dodgers are letting teams know that shortstop Dee Gordon is available, tweets Bob Nightengale of the USA Today. Gordon could represent a fallback option for teams who lose out on Stephen Drew. Earlier today, we learned five teams are in on Drew.
The Giants are looking for a center fielder and are talking to Michael Bourn, Angel Pagan, and Shane Victorino, tweets CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman.
The Angels are aren't acting like they're confident of landing Zack Greinke, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. The Angels seem to be trolling for much cheaper starting pitching options like Ryan Dempster and Shaun Marcum, as opposed to Anibal Sanchez and Kyle Lohse.
The Dodgers' shopping list includes Greinke, a fourth outfielder that can play center, and a backup corner infielder, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Gurnick also says negotiations continue with lefty reliever Randy Choate.
Padres GM Josh Byrnes doesn't expect to be very busy during the Winter Meetings, reports Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I expect to do one thing, maybe two," said Byrnes. "I’m not expecting to do a lot. We’re filling the holes, not roster reshaping." The Padres are looking for starting pitching and have depth at the corner outfield slots, in the bullpen, and at middle infield. The names most often mentioned as possible trade chips, according to Center, are Luke Gregerson, Joe Thatcher, and Jesus Guzman.
The Rangers are interested in talking with the Mets about R.A. Dickey at the Winter Meetings this week, a source tells T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The Rangers aren't alone in having interest in the knuckleballer as the Mets have taken calls from six or seven teams looking to swing a trade. The Mets are expected to look for outfield help and catching in a deal.
The Rockies are considering a run at left-hander Daniel Schlereth as they look to improve their bullpen, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The 26-year-old became a free agent this week when he was non-tendered by the Tigers.
The Rockies are looking to restore their rotation, but not rebuild it entirely, writes Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. The club will look to bolster their starting five with a veteran presence and they are known to have interest in free agent right-hander Kevin Correia.

Edward Creech contributed to this post.

East Notes: Ichiro, Dickey, Mets, Red Sox

By Zachary Links | December 1, 2012 at 9:53pm CDT

News and notes out of the AL and NL East..

Ichiro Suzuki’s agent says he’s ready to open the floor to other suitors as talks with the Yankees have stalled, but GM Brian Cashman says that Suzuki already knew that he would be put on the backburner for a bit, writes Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News. “Now that our pitching has been settled, which was our priority on the front end, we’ll move from the defense to the offense and engage all the players we have interest in and have interest in us,” said Cashman.
The Mets have fielded calls from six or seven teams are looking to meet and discuss a deal for R.A. Dickey, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Mets and Dickey have been trying to work out a contract extension for two months, but it appears general manager Sandy Alderson has the green light to now to more seriously consider trade alternatives instead. The Mets are expected to seek a catcher and outfield help in any trade.
The Mets will are willing to get creative with backloaded contracts in order to entice free agents with more money and multiyear deals, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking tells Marc Carig of Newsday. That thinking could come into play at this week’s winter meetings in Nashville. The Mets still won’t splurge on a big ticket free agent but could try and get creative in order to improve their outfield situation.
Brian Wilson has interest in the Red Sox as well as the Giants, Dodgers, and Angels a source tells Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Wilson is reportedly unlikely to re-sign with the Giants after being non-tendered.

Catching Rumors: Napoli, Pierzynski, Rockies

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 30, 2012 at 3:12pm CDT

The Pirates recently agreed to sign Russell Martin to a two-year, $17MM contract. Here's the latest on some other MLB catchers…

The Yankees don't sound very interested in Mike Napoli or Pierzynski, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
The Mariners aren’t seriously interested in A.J. Pierzynski and the Yankees weren’t looking too closely at the free agent catcher before Martin agreed to sign in Pittsburgh, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (all Twitter links). Heyman hears Pierzynski to the Dodgers is “not happening.” Heyman suggested yesterday that the Dodgers could have interest in Pierzynski.
The Rockies seem confident that Ramon Hernandez will rebound in 2013, so they might not have interest in pursuing veteran catching depth, Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes (on Twitter).

Zack Greinke Rumors: Friday

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 30, 2012 at 12:40pm CDT

Dodgers executives met with Zack Greinke in Los Angeles yesterday, Yahoo's Tim Brown reported last night. Here’s the latest on Greinke, who is also drawing interest from the Angels, Nationals and Rangers, according to the most recent rumors…

The Nationals could pose a major threat to the Dodgers in the sweepstakes for Greinke, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes. One GM wonders if both the Dodgers and the Nationals could bid “at all costs.” One friend of Greinke’s said the right-hander will consider winning, comfort and money.
The Angels remain in on Greinke after acquiringTommy Hanson, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports (on Twitter).
The Rangers can only sign one of Greinke and Josh Hamilton, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
Greinke will also meet with the Angels, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (on Twitter).
The Dodgers view Greinke as critical to their pitching staff, Brown reports. Greinke is believed to have enjoyed pitching for the Angels during the second half of the 2012 season, which could increase his interest in staying in the Los Angeles area. It’s not known if Greinke has met with the Angels, Nationals or Rangers, Brown writes.

Quick Hits: Greinke, Twins, Martin, Napoli, Royals

By Mark Polishuk | November 29, 2012 at 11:48pm CDT

Several player agents tell Larry Stone of the Seattle Times that the Mariners' chances of attracting free agent hitters have improved now that Safeco Field's fences are being moved in. That said, while the shorter fences will help, "players look at all of those factors, but in the end, it still comes down to where they can get the best contract. And it always will," one agent says.

Here are some items from a very busy day in baseball….

The Dodgers met with Zack Greinke on Thursday, tweets Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.
In an interview with 1500 ESPN Twin Cities radio (via Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN), Twins assistant GM Rob Antony said his team will likely pursue free agents over trades at the Winter Meetings. "We probably don't have a lot of pieces that we do have to trade for starting pitching [with Denard Span now gone]," Antony said. "We'll probably be a little more aggressive and spend our time at the winter meetings talking to agents rather than clubs."
Russell Martin said the Yankees told him they didn't have the money available to match Pittsburgh's two-year/$17MM offer, reports David Waldstein of the New York Times. The Yankees didn't make Martin an offer and have yet to make any offers to position players this offseason, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (both links are to Twitter).
The Yankees aren't likely to pursue either A.J. Pierzynski or Mike Napoli, reports Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York.
The Pirates considered pursuing Napoli but didn't think he could stay healthy and effective as a full-time catcher in the NL, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The Royals offered Ryan Dempster a two-year, $26MM contract but are no longer bidding on the Canadian right-hander now that his price tag has risen, reports Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. At least six teams besides Kansas City have been connected to Dempster this offseason.
Also from Dutton, the Royals offered Scott Feldman a one-year, $4.5MM deal before the righty agreed to a one-year, $6MM contract with the Cubs earlier this week.
MLB.com's John Schlegel lists 10 potential bargain signings on the free agent market.
The week's minor league transactions are recapped by Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
Orioles GM Dan Duquette tells MASNsports.com's Mel Antonen (Twitter link) that negotiations with Nate McLouth and Joe Saunders have been a "little slow" to develop.

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