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Padres To Explore Peavy Deals With Cubs, Dodgers

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According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Padres intend to explore a possible Jake Peavy trade with the Cubs and Dodgers at next week’s GM meetings.  Apparently Padres GM Kevin Towers would like to exhaust his possibilities with Peavy’s five preferred NL clubs before engaging others.

Rosenthal notes that the Cubs do not have the quality young pitching the Padres crave.  They still have interest in Peavy, especially if they fail to re-sign Ryan Dempster.

The Dodgers aren’t keen on giving up Clayton Kershaw or James McDonald.  Rosenthal believes the Dodgers have enough in-house pitching depth to buy out Brad Penny’s 2009 option.

If Towers moves on to negotiate with the Yankees, Peavy will complicate matters by demanding his contract be supplemented.

Dodgers Rumors: Manny, Furcal, Peavy

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Dodgers GM Ned Colletti talked to the media yesterday; here’s the latest.

  • Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News believes Colletti will pursue a competent backup catcher to allow more rest for Russell Martin.  A decision is due on Gary Bennett’s $900K option within seven days.
  • So far this offseason, Colletti and Scott Boras have exchanged two voicemails.  They’ll meet in person to discuss Manny Ramirez and other Boras clients (Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Andruw Jones, maybe Joe Crede) at next week’s GM meetings.  Colletti will not put the other team needs on hold to deal with Manny.
  • Colletti has had preliminary talks with the agents for Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, and Nomar Garciaparra, while Jeff Kent is expected to retire.
  • Colletti intends to acquire a top of the line starting pitcher, but Jake Peavy is unlikely (the Dodgers would have to pay extra due to the same-division factor).  Free agents Lowe and C.C. Sabathia may be considered.  The Dodgers have seven days to decide on Brad Penny’s $9.25MM option versus the $2MM buyout.
  • The Dodgers would love to have Takashi Saito back, but the situation with his elbow injury is unclear.
  • Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones have expressed a desire to be traded through the media, but not formally to the Dodgers.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Sabathia, Teixeira, Peavy

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports posted a new column yesterday; let’s take a look.

  • Rosenthal says the "expectation in some baseball circles" is that the Brewers will offer a four-year, $100MM contract to C.C. Sabathia.  However, between the Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers he could probably do significantly better.
  • Mark Teixeira should draw interest from the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels.  Rosenthal adds that Mike Lowell does not have a no-trade clause (I believe I wrote earlier that he did).
  • The Padres and Braves are at an impasse in the Jake Peavy talks, with the Padres seeking five players.  The Braves don’t want to surrender Tommy Hanson, as Tom Krasovic reported Saturday.
  • Scott Boras is reportedly pitching Jason Varitek as the Tigers’ next catcher.
  • Rosenthal suggests that Manny Ramirez’s defense may keep NL teams away.

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Sunday

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As we await an offer from the Dodgers to Manny Ramirez, the notion is often floated that a six year contract for Manny is better suited for an American League team. There he can spend the latter half of his deal, presumably the final years of his career, transitioning to DH.

Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune reports that Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi confirmed that he has interest in Manny Ramirez.  Rogers quotes Ricciardi: "I’ve always liked him," Ricciardi told the Toronto Sun. "But obviously getting him and liking him are two different things."  We’ve heard this before here.

Rogers goes on to explain that if Manny is going to wind up on a team in Chicago, it would first require a trade. The Cubs will need to deal Alfonso Soriano, as we discussed last week, and the White Sox would need to trade Paul Konerko or Jermaine Dye for either team to be able to afford Ramirez. The article mentions a bad history between White Sox Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Scott Boras, but it does give credit to Ken Williams’ craftiness and Manny’s power potential as a righty in U.S. Cellular Field. Jim Thome and Manny hitting back-to-back would be imposing to say the least.

Odds and Ends: Iwase, Martin, Manny

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Links for Saturday…

Colletti: No Offer To Manny Yet

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SATURDAY: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says both reports about the Dodgers preparing or offering a two-year deal to Ramirez in the $55-60MM range are fiction.  Colletti says the Dodgers haven’t even discussed the length or salary of their offer internally.

Colletti plans to meet with Scott Boras in the near future, and both Ramirez and Derek Lowe will be discussed.  Colletti’s heard Lowe wants to move to the East Coast, however.

FRIDAY: According to Bart Hubbuch, George King, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Dodgers offered Manny Ramirez a two-year, $60MM contract.  Their sources believe this offer was made to appease fans, as it has no chance of being accepted.  Still, $30MM a year is nothing to sneeze at.

ESPN’s Buster Olney notes that the highest-paid outfielder in the game in 2008 (present-day value) was Torii Hunter at just $18MM.  He considers it "a little nuts" to be talking about paying Manny A-Rod money.

Heyman’s Latest: Manny, Holliday, Peavy

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new rumor-packed article up.

  • Heyman suggests the battle for the three elite free agents – Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and C.C. Sabathia – will mostly be fought by the New York and Los Angeles clubs.  Heyman talked to one GM who believes the country’s economic situation will not affect the big names but could be bad for the lower-tier guys.
  • Heyman’s potential Manny suitors: the Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, and Phillies.  The Phillies’ interest will depend on whether Pat Burrell stays.  I’m not sure why the Orioles would be in the mix.
  • The Rockies are "very likely" to trade Matt Holliday. The Rox would be willing to sign Holliday for five years and $100MM, but that won’t cut it.  The team’s focus in a trade will be a young starter.  Heyman echoes a Ken Rosenthal thought from a few months ago: surprising small-market teams may enter the Holliday bidding.
  • Heyman has the Mets, Rangers, and Indians as teams looking at Brian Fuentes.  The Mets are the favorite to sign him in the three-year, $36MM range.
  • Jake Peavy has already turned down one American League team.  Heyman believes hes particularly opposed to the Rangers and has mixed feelings about the Yankees.  Peavy is reeling from the Padres’ decision to shop him. 
  • Heyman has unkind words for Luis Gonzalez, who may not be welcomed back to the D’Backs based on his "uneasy relationship" with Stephen Drew and Chris Young.
  • Heyman does not think MLB has any evidence against Nationals GM Jim Bowden in the scout skimming scandal.
  • Heyman gives Ruben Amaro a slight edge over Mike Arbuckle to replace Pat Gillick as Phillies GM.
  • George W. Bush as baseball’s next commissioner?  "Many have long believed" that Bush would like to be Bud Selig’s successor.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Manny, Peavy, Cubs

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A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…

  • Sox and Pinstripes has eight questions the Red Sox must address this offseason including whether or not to re-sign Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield.
  • Dodger Thoughts notes that there is not a lot of substance behind the rumors of the Dodgers offering Manny Ramirez a contract worth $60MM for two years.
  • Fanhouse wonders if Ramirez could make more money in the long run if he signs a two-year deal with the Dodgers now.
  • Gaslamp Ball wonders if the Padres are not getting the offers they expected for Jake Peavy and are starting to get "cold feet."
  • Talking Chop notes that Frank Wren’s public posturing during the Peavy negotiations is in stark contrast to what Braves fans are accustomed.
  • Bleed Cubbie Blue projects a Cubs ’09 roster, including Aubrey Huff at first base and Luke Scott in right field.
  • The Sports Bank says the biggest need for the White Sox lineup is to add speed. They look at some potential moves and project an ’09 lineup that includes Rafael Furcal and Chone Figgins.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Dodgers To Offer Shorter Term, Higher Salary To Manny?

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman talked to "people familiar with the Dodgers’ thinking" recently.  One such person told Heyman the Dodgers may offer Manny Ramirez a short term with a very high annual salary, perhaps something like $55MM for two years.  GM Ned Colletti has taken this approach in the past with free agents Jason Schmidt, Rafael Furcal, and Andruw Jones.

Heyman’s sources say the Dodgers are "strongly disinclined" to give Manny five or six years.  Colletti himself noted the Dodgers don’t have six-year contracts.  However, "there are some who believe" Scott Boras won’t even sit down with a team offering four or fewer years.  I can see Boras eventually finding a team willing to give four years.

Heyman lists six other potential suitors for Manny: the Phillies, Yankees, Blue Jays, Mets, Orioles, and Rangers.  Some of those suggestions are questionable though.

Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers

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Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Dodgers.  Their likely 2009 commitments are below.  Remember, this is not a projection of the actual ’09 roster.  I use only internal candidates here as a way of showing depth and needs.

C – Russell Martin – $500K+
C – Danny Ardoin – $400K
1B – James Loney – $411K
2B – Blake DeWitt – $400K
SS – Chin-Lung Hu – $400K
3B –
IF – Tony Abreu – $400K
IF –
LF – Juan Pierre – $10MM
CF – Matt Kemp – $406K
RF – Andre Ethier – $425K+
OF – Andruw Jones – $15MM
OF – Delwyn Young – $400K

SP – Chad Billingsley – $415K
SP – Hiroki Kuroda – $10MM
SP – Clayton Kershaw – $400K
SP – Jason Schmidt – $12MM
SP – James McDonald – $400K

RP – Takashi Saito – $2MM+
RP – Jonathan Broxton – $454K+
RP – Hong-Chih Kuo – $400K
RP – Cory Wade – $400K
RP – Scott Proctor – $1.115MM+
RP – Ramon Troncoso – $400K
RP – Yhency Brazoban – $540K+

Buyouts: Brad Penny – $2MM, Gary Bennett – $50K

That’s about $59MM committed, plus arbitration raises for Martin, Ethier, Saito, Broxton, Proctor, and Brazoban.  A few of those guys figure to be non-tendered (Berroa for sure), but raises could push the Dodgers close to $70MM.  The Dodgers entered the ’08 season with a $118MM payroll, so theoretically Ned Colletti could have $48MM to spend (more than any team, as far as I can tell).  Makes sense, since the Dodgers have the most free agents.

First issue: Manny Ramirez.  I can’t see the Dodgers (or any team, really) stretching beyond four years, $85MM or so.  Just a few months ago I wouldn’t have thought Manny could get four years.  Will Scott Boras ultimately be reasonable, or will he stick to the "iconic" talk and aim for a contract well beyond $100MM?

As far as clearing the salaries of Pierre or Jones, I don’t see it happening.  Of course, it’s worth exploring what, if any, bad contracts might be offered in return.  Elsewhere on the trade front, dealing Martin seems unlikely.  Any replacement would be a downgrade.

The Dodgers need to address the left side of their infield; it could be considered more crucial than the Manny situation.  Interest is mutual with Rafael Furcal, and he’s the best available option.  A return of Adrian Beltre would be intriguing at third base; otherwise options like Casey Blake and Joe Crede can be considered.

It’s unclear whether Penny will be back, but Derek Lowe is expected to sign elsewhere.  The Dodgers may have two open rotation spots.  The big names are legitimate options – Jake Peavy and C.C. Sabathia.  The Dodgers will have the money for Sabathia, especially if Manny signs elsewhere.  The Dodgers may not get either ace, but they seem likely to sign a veteran starter (Randy Johnson could work).

The back end of the bullpen looks pretty good (Broxton/Kuo/Wade).  Colletti will still probably consider signing Joe Beimel and/or Chan Ho Park, or other veterans of that nature.

Bottom line – it should be a very active offseason for the Dodgers.

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