Eight Teams Inquire On Mark DeRosa
Jon Heyman must have bumped into Mark DeRosa's agent today, because the SI reporter lists eight clubs that have already called on the player. Heyman's tweet indicates the Yankees, Mariners, Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers, Orioles, and Giants have inquired.
That seems to be an indication that DeRosa's November wrist surgery will not limit his market.
Tigers Will Listen On Edwin Jackson
WEDNESDAY, 9:38am: FOX's guys continue to work this story, stating that the Dodgers "have some interest" in bringing Jackson back to the organization. The writers add that the teams have not discussed a Jackson-George Sherrill swap, though the Tigers liked Sherrill at the trade deadline.
TUESDAY, 6:59pm: Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal are reporting that Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski is at least listening to (and possibly making) offers involving right-hander Edwin Jackson. Though Jackson is coming off of a breakout season and is still until Detroit's control through 2011, Morosi and Rosenthal note that payroll considerations may force the Tigers to include Jackson in trade talks.
Cot's Baseball Contracts lists Detroit as committed to paying over $100MM to ten players for next season, and Morosi and Rosenthal note that $20MM could be added to that total once arbitration raises are factored. With staff ace Justin Verlander due for free agency after 2011, the Tigers may simply not have enough money to afford to sign both Verlander and Jackson to long-term deals.
In his first season in Detroit after being dealt from Tampa Bay last winter, Jackson posted a 3.62 ERA and proved himself to be a more-than-solid number-two starter behind Verlander in the Tigers' rotation. Jackson's 5.07 ERA after the All-Star break, however, might have been enough of a red flag that the team wants to sell high on the 26-year-old while it still can.
Odds & Ends: Chapman, Felix, Jays, Valentine
Some links for Tuesday morning…
- Rob Bradford of WEEI.com says there are concerns about Aroldis Chapman's makeup.
- One GM asked Joel Sherman of the New York Post why Felix Hernandez would consider signing long-term with the Mariners when the Yankees could conceivably offer $200MM in two winters when he's a free agent.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Bobby Valentine and Jim Riggleman are the two finalists for the Nats' managerial job.
- The Blue Jays claimed Mike McCoy from the Rockies off waivers, according to the Jays' Twitter.
- Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd was named executive of the year, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post.
- Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times suggests that free agent pitcher Jason Marquis may be out of the Dodgers' price range (via Twitter).
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe asks himself if the Red Sox are preparing to spend big this offseason.
Odds & Ends: Dodgers, Phillies, Nationals
As the immortal Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe puts it, "Standing around an airport hotel lobby at night just in case Scott Boras walks by was not covered in journalism school." Meanwhile, you get to keep up with the latest rumors in the comfort of your own home!
- As expected, the Dodgers declined their $2.2MM option on Will Ohman.
- Randy Miller of the Bucks County Courier Times says that the Phillies "are expected to try and sign free agent Mark DeRosa." DeRosa went to University of Pennsylvania, so this would be a homecoming.
- Nationals' interim manager Jim Riggleman believes a decision on who will be the 2010 skipper in Washington could come as early as this week.
- Carl Pavano is unlikely to receive an overwhelming offer from the Twins during their exclusive signing window, says Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Crasnick Polls Baseball Executives
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com has a fascinating piece up discussing how various baseball executives view the emerging free agent and trade market. Among those polled:
- Of 20 executives, 11 would want Matt Holliday, nine Jason Bay if money or length of deal were not an issue. Despite Holliday being younger, better defensively and having a better career OPS, Bay's success in the pressure cooker of Boston swayed a large number of executives.
- For John Lackey's destination, eight believe it will be the Yankees, four the Mets, three the Angels, and the Dodgers, Astros, Orioles and Brewers getting one vote apiece. One executive abstained. Prices ranged from three years, $36MM to six years, $100MM.
- Andy Pettitte is the overwhelming choice of the Yankees' free agents to return, while one executive thinks it will be both Pettitte and Johnny Damon. Just two of twenty executives think World Series MVP Hideki Matsui will be back in The Bronx.
The entire piece is well worth your time.
Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Halladay, Pettitte, Snyder
Here's some more links on a busy first day at the GM meetings…
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier writes that when Jed Hoyer took over as GM of the Padres, it only made it tougher for the Red Sox to pull off a deal for Adrian Gonzalez. “He knows all my tricks, and I know his,” said Theo Epstein of Hoyer.
- Meanwhile, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports that Roy Halladay has identified the Red Sox as a team he'd be willing to accept a trade to. Doc has a full no-trade clause.
- Andy Pettitte has apparently told his Yankee teammates that he'd like to come back for one more year, though there's been no definitive word according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. GM Brian Cashman said he expects the team to be more "cautious than anxious" this offseason, and that he plans to go slow, even with their own free agents according to Joel Sherman of The NY Post.
- Mets' GM Omar Minaya "has told several of his friends in the industry that he badly wants to add a run-producing bat at either first base and/or left field," according to Sherman.
- MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that Chris Snyder confirmed there has not been a setback in his rehab from back surgery. The Blue Jays nixed a potential Snyder for Lyle Overbay swap over the weekend over concerns about the catcher's back.
- The Orioles claimed righthander Armando Gabino off waivers from the Twins, according to Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune. Meanwhile, a team press release says the Rays claimed righty Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Reds.
- FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that Melvin Mora is working out at other positions to increase his versatility and up his value as a free agent.
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs compared Jason Bay to Mike Cameron, and determines that the latter is a better value.
- Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts breaks down some Chad Billingsley rumors.
Heyman’s Latest: Holliday, Lackey, Bay, Trades
Jon Heyman has a new column up at SI.com, so let's dive on in…
- Scott Boras said on Sunday that the Cardinals have not made any proposals in an effort to retain Matt Holliday, and Heyman says "the chances for Holliday to remain a Cardinal look slim at this point."
- A source familiar with the situation said the Angels offered John Lackey an extension earlier this year worth less than $40MM over three years on top of 2009's $10MM salary, so if they wish to re-sign him now, they'll have to completely rethink their original stance.
- The Red Sox are trying to bring Jason Bay back on a four year, $60MM deal, though his agent maintains that Bay is the "most complete player on the market."
- The Mets, Giants, Braves, Cubs, Mariners, and Yankees could also be interested in Holliday and/or Bay.
- The Mets are believed to have Holliday higher on their wish list than Bay, and are also expected to pursue Randy Wolf.
- There is speculation that Lackey would like to pitch at home in Texas, but the Rangers' interest might depend on how quickly their sale is resolved.
- Heyman says that "MLB has set a tentative Thanksgiving deadline for the sale of the Rangers, but the price tag is expected to be in the $500 million range, and in cases of such big money there are no guarantees that things will go quickly."
- Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Bobby Jenks, Dan Uggla, and Milton Bradley should highlight a star studded trade market.
- Halladay seems like a good bet to be moved, while the Red Sox and Dodgers represent possible suitors for Gonzalez.
- Tampa has a replacement for Crawford in top prospect Desmond Jennings, while Jenks and Uggla would be moved in cost cutting deals.
- Teams will certainly inquire on the availability of Felix Hernandez, but Heyman says the team plans to spend the winter trying to lock him up long-term. At the GM Meetings today, GM Jack Zduriencik said "Felix is our property. We're going to have him the next two years."
- The Yankees have started to think about re-signing both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.
- Both the Brewers and Mariners are expected to have interest in Jarrod Washburn.
- If the Angels don't re-sign Chone Figgins, they are expected to pursue Adrian Beltre to fill their third base hole.
- The Rangers will let Hank Blalock walk as a free agent, and are expected to promote top prospect Justin Smoak next year.
- Orlando Hudson is expected to leave the Dodgers as a free agent, though Heyman says they could re-sign Ronnie Belliard to compete with Blake DeWitt at second base.
- Team officials would not be shocked if the Red Sox tried to move David Ortiz and/or Mike Lowell, though it's going to be tough to move them with all the DH-types available on the free agent market.
Dodgers Not Pursuing Aroldis Chapman
Bill Shaikin of The LA Times reports (via Dylan Hernandez) that the Dodgers are not pursuing Cuban lefthander Aroldis Chapman, even though starting pitching remains a top priority.
Here's our Chapman review from a little over a week ago last week. Since then we've learned more about the Angels, White Sox, Orioles, Cubs, Braves, and Marlins.
Royals Seeking A Catcher
After declining their 2010 option for Miguel Olivo, the Royals are searching for a catcher according to Bob Dutton of The KC Star. Dutton mentions that it would be best for the team to fill their hole behind the plate prior to December 12th, allowing them to non-tender the incumbent John Buck.
“We led all of baseball (last season) in passed balls and wild pitches,” general manager Dayton Moore said. “That will be fixed in 2010. Our defense in general is our main objective to fix before next season.
“And it starts behind the plate.”
The team has indicated that they aren't ready to hand the starting job over to Brayan Pena, even though he made "significant defensive strides last season."
Dutton mentions one interesting rumor to watch, a "deal sending second baseman Alberto Callaspo to the Los Angeles Dodgers for catcher A.J. Ellis." Callaspo, who hit .300/.356/.457 in 2009, would help fill the Dodgers' second base vacancy, while the 28-year-old Ellis would give KC a defensive standout behind the plate. Ellis also has a career .398 OBP in the minors, with more walks than strikeouts in nearly 1,800 plate appearances.
Even though there are plenty of catching options in free agency, Moore acknowledged that his team prefers to improve their club through trades.
“Our free-agent pursuit will not be as aggressive as in the past,” he said. “We’re going to focus on trades first. We’re going to exhaust every opportunity to make trades.
“In the previous two offseasons, we’ve been more likely to pop a free agent or two early on. I look for us to exhaust every possible trade scenario this offseason before we enter into the free-agent market.”
Tim previewed the trade market for catchers back in October. See any fits?
Discussion: Jon Garland
Earlier this week, the Dodgers, as expected, declined to pick up their side of a $10MM mutual option for Jon Garland. However, one has to think that Ned Colletti & Co. would like to hang on to the 6'6 righty after surrendering Tony Abreu for him.
In 2009, Garland turned in an ERA of 4.01 in 200+ IP. The 30-year-old shined in his limited time in Dodger Blue, recording a 2.72 ERA with a 2.89 SO/BB ratio in six regular season games. While he would be a fairly attractive option in any free agent class, this winter's weak crop of starting pitchers may make Garland an even hotter commodity.
With Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla also entering free agency, should the Dodgers look to hang on to Garland? What kind of an offer would you extend to him?