Dodgers Rumors: Wolf, Belisario, Wade
Dodgers hot stove info courtesy of Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times…
- Why didn't the Dodgers offer arbitration to Type A free agent Randy Wolf? They feared he'd accept and get $15MM. Do you agree with that logic? The Dodgers were given one last chance to sign Wolf this morning, but GM Ned Colletti passed.
- Free agent possibilities at second base: Ronnie Belliard, Juan Uribe, Craig Counsell and Jamey Carroll.
- The Dodgers offered only a minor league deal to Juan Castro, so he went with the Phillies.
- The Mets have inquired on Dodgers relievers Ronald Belisario and Cory Wade.
Twitter Rumors: Capps, Felix, Harden, Pierre
A fresh batch of Twitter rumors, for those of you with extra-short attention spans…
- MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch learned that the Pirates plan to tender a contract to Matt Capps.
- Stubborn Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says he has no regrets about not offering arbitration to Randy Wolf, reports Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times. Hernandez also notes that the Dodgers are considering Ronnie Belliard, Craig Counsell, Juan Uribe, and Jamey Carroll as second base options. The Reds also like Carroll, says MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
- Yahoo's Steve Henson says the Rockies are open to re-signing Jason Marquis at a reduced number (less than the $9.875MM he made in '09).
- SI's Jon Heyman believes Felix Hernandez is seeking six years and $100MM, while the Mariners are thinking four years plus an option at less than $50MM. That phrasing makes a possible divide seem larger than it is, since those last two years of the deal would be the most expensive (more than $15MM per year). At any rate, Shannon Drayer and Mike Salk learned that no numbers have been exchanged on Felix yet.
- La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen wants Mike Redmond to back up A.J. Pierzynski.
- MLB.com's Steve Gilbert says the Rangers may have interest in arbitration-eligible D'Backs infielder Augie Ojeda. The Rangers added Joe Inglett off waivers, but were said to still be looking at utility infield candidates.
- Morosi tweets that Rich Harden is "willing to sign a one-year deal with a lot of incentives." Will he exceed Brad Penny's $7.5MM base salary? Morosi names the Red Sox, Yankees, and Mariners as the most serious suitors.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Tigers have interest in Juan Pierre, and are "looking for a third team to supply the pitcher L.A. needs." Odd, since the Tigers have more bad pitching contracts than anyone. The Tigers apparently prefer to unload Carlos Guillen.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Pirates are not interested in bringing back Brian Giles.
- ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Red Sox "have two or three teams they could trade Mike Lowell to right now" if they'd take a similar contract back. Looking at our Bad Contract Swap Meet I don't see any obvious matches for one year and $12MM.
- There's been some tire-kicking with the Phillies and Ron Mahay, writes Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Red Sox were linked to Mahay by Michael Silverman on Monday. Martino also says the Phillies met with John Smoltz's agent this morning, "but discussions remain informal."
- Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star characterizes the White Sox and Red Sox interest in Coco Crisp as "low-level," but says that's still more than the Royals have shown. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the White Sox would consider Crisp, Mike Cameron, and Marlon Byrd. ESPN's Mike Salk notes that the Mariners spoke to Byrd's agent.
- Dutton also has the Red Sox eyeing Ryan Shealy on a minor league deal.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports names the most asked-about Padres: Heath Bell, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Adrian Gonzalez (in that order). He says the Padres are "not hearing anything compelling on Bell." MLB.com's Corey Brock says about eight teams inquired on Kouzmanoff. Surprised not to see Kevin Correia mentioned by Rosenthal. He'd be a great affordable option for a team like the Brewers. ESPN's Buster Olney heard from rival execs who expect the Padres to get second-line prospects for Kouzmanoff and Correia.
- The Mets appear to find a Luis Castillo deal unlikely, says Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Yankees are shopping their #1 pick in tomorrow's Rule 5 draft, which they acquired for Brian Bruney. If they don't trade the pick, Yahoo's Steve Henson says the Yankees could use it on pitcher Arquimedes Caminero.
Dodgers, Cubs Interested In Alfredo Amezaga
WEDNESDAY, 1:30pm: Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel tweets that the Cubs have also shown interest in Amezaga.
MONDAY, 2:19pm: The Dodgers are inquiring on Marlins utility man Alfredo Amezaga, tweets MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Amezaga, 32 in January, missed most of the season due to a knee injury that eventually required microfracture surgery. He's one of the Marlins' 11 arbitration-eligible players and shouldn't cost much to acquire.
Overnight Links: Wolf, Crisp, Yankees, Halladay
MLBTR's 24-hour coverage of the winter meetings continues as we gear up for whatever Day Three may bring. In the meantime, let's check out some overnight links from around the majors….
- In a pair of tweets, Buster Olney of ESPN.com passes on these notes: The Brewers expect a decision from Randy Wolf today, and the Red Sox have interest in Coco Crisp.
- Of the expensive arms linked to the Orioles, Kevin Millwood makes the most sense, according to the Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck.
- The New York Post's Joel Sherman speculates about what Curtis Granderson's arrival could mean for the futures of Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui in New York.
- Bill Madden of the New York Daily News opines that the Yankees still need to make Damon a priority, even with Granderson on the roster.
- John Harper of the New York Daily News wonders if the Granderson trade will prompt the Red Sox to pursue Roy Halladay more actively.
- The Angels are the front-runners to acquire Halladay, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Renck ranks the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers respectively as the other contenders.
- Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times says that although the Dodgers would like to sign or trade for a pair of starters this winter, they might be content to just add one.
- Crisp could end up back in Kansas City next season, writes MLB.com's Dick Kaegel. Both parties are currently exploring their options.
- John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle details what would have to happen for Hideki Matsui to end up in Oakland.
- In a separate piece, Shea explains why the Giants are re-thinking their approach to filling their opening behind the plate.
- The Yankees' acquisition of Granderson has the Boston media even busier than usual. Rob Bradford of WEEI hears that the Tigers asked Boston for either Clay Buchholz or Jacoby Ellsbury in exchange for Granderson. The Boston Herald's Michael Silverman doesn't think the Red Sox will feel forced to strike back immediately, while Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports that the Sox have no plans to replace their departed bullpen arms with pricey free agents. Speaking of pricey free agents though, John Tomase of the Boston Herald fully expects Boston to sign either Jason Bay or Matt Holliday.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Tuesday
11:52pm: Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters that he moved some trade talks forward today, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
"We've had very productive talks with a number of teams on a number of different fronts," Anthopoulos said, without getting into specifics.
9:59pm: One Blue Jays source tells Scott Miller of CBS Sports that the Blue Jays hope to trade Halladay before Spring Training. Miller also hears some diverse thoughts from a variety of sources around the league.
9:44pm: Some unnamed executives tell MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Phillies could acquire Roy Halladay. The two teams came close to making a deal last July, but there's no indication they're talking now, though Zolecki hears they still have interest.
8:35pm: Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports that Angels GM Tony Reagins would consider moving Erick Aybar for a substantial return.
7:41pm: The Dodgers have yet to make progress on the Halladay front, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Doc was one of the team's main targets coming into the Winter Meetings.
6:17pm: So far, the Roy Halladay chatter has been relatively quiet. Here's what we learned yesterday: the Angels could be a fit; the Dodgers don't appear to match up well with the Jays and the Rays checked in on the big righty. Here's a new rumor, from Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports.
The Yankees' big trade will make it harder for them to acquire Halladay, s ince they'll have fewer trade chips. Ringolsby sees indications that the Yankees will turn to free agency to acquire pitching instead of dealing a top prospect like highly-coveted catcher Jesus Montero to the Jays. The Bombers may consider John Lackey. And if they can afford him, why not?
However, Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos tells MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that no team has approached him to inform the Jays that they're pulling back from trade talks. The implication here is that the Yanks are still involved.
Twitter Rumors: Mets, Granderson, Matsui
More links from Twitter. Be sure to follow MLBTR on Twitter for all your updates.
- Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he is not interested in Aroldis Chapman.
- It doesn't look like the Reds will be spending big on a shortstop like Orlando Cabrera or Miguel Tejada, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
- The Nationals see John Smoltz as a starter, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Ken Rosenthal says Smoltz could return to St. Louis.
- John Lackey, Joel Pineiro, Jason Marquis, Jon Garland and Doug Davis all have the Mets' attention, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The D'Backs will look to add a position player and solidify their bullpen now, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
- The Red Sox discussed a Curtis Granderson trade with the Tigers, according to Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe. Apparently, the Tigers wanted Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury (Michael Silverman reporting).
- The Dodgers were interested in Jackson, but didn't want to meet the Tigers' asking price, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times.
- The Dodgers like Paul Maholm, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
- La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the Twins and Robb Quinlan may be a fit for one another. The Rockies are interested, too.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Marc Carig of the Star Ledger that he only has interest in Hideki Matsui as a DH.
- Bobby Seay, Dusty Ryan and Jeff Larish are all available in trades, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Dodgers, Rockies Possible For Luis Ayala
TUESDAY: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that we should expect Ayala to ink a minor league deal with the Dodgers or Rockies.
THURSDAY: Dylan Hernandez of The LA Times tweets that the Dodgers are in discussions with free agent reliever Luis Ayala about a minor league contract.
Ayala, 32 in January, posted a 5.62 ERA in 40 innings in 2009, mostly for the Twins but some for the Marlins. Over the last two seasons, he's posted a 5.68 ERA in 115.2 innings.
Dodgers Want One-Year Deals For Pitchers?
6:08pm: Dodgers GM Ned Colletti tells Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times that no one has instructed him not to offer multi-year deals. Still, this doesn't mean the team will consider them.
2:46pm: The Dodgers have talked to the agents for Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla, and Joel Pineiro, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick, but the team won't discuss multiyear deals. Wolf and Pineiro will almost certainly get multiyear contracts this winter, Padilla maybe not. The Dodgers already passed up one chance to get Wolf on a one-year deal (or at least two draft picks) when they decided not to offer him arbitration.
Gurnick says the Dodgers intend to wait out the market and find pitchers who will sign one-year deals later in the offseason. It worked with Wolf last time around.
On a related note, ESPN's Buster Olney says the Dodgers are "essentially in lockdown financially."
Roy Halladay Rumors: Monday
10:29pm: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports that the Rays have checked in on Halladay, as they do on most players, but didn't even talk to the Jays today.
9:37pm: Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that the Jays and Dodgers talked about a possible Halladay deal today and don't appear to match up well.
5:50pm: SI's Jon Heyman says the Angels are interested in Doc only if he'll sign a long-term deal with them.
5:17pm: The Rays "flatly denied" interest in discussing Davis and Upton for Halladay, reports ESPN's Peter Gammons.
4:20pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say the Rays inquired on Halladay, and "might be willing to offer Wade Davis and B.J. Upton." So far the most surprising rumor of the day.
10:05am: A couple of tweets from ESPN's Buster Olney prompt our first Roy Halladay post of the morning. Olney says the Blue Jays are in discussion mode on Doc, and no trade is close currently. He also says not to rule out the Angels even though they hold Spring Training in Arizona rather than Halladay's reported preference, Florida.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tells us that Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is "limiting the number of people in his suite for any talks," which should cut down on leaks. Something tells me the rumors will keep coming.
Edwin Jackson Rumors: Monday
9:43pm: D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes told Piecoro that team execs are heavily involved in trade talks and currently "talking about a lot of guys." He didn't mention Jackson specifically, but you have to think Byrnes would have squashed this rumor if the D'Backs and Tigers weren't talking about a possible Jackson deal.
8:27pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic thinks the D'Backs are making a push for Jackson, but doubts they'd include Max Scherzer in a deal. As Piecoro points out, Scherzer's under team control for three more years than Jackson, who can become a free agent after 2011. Those three extra years add lots of value.
8:03pm: MLB.com's Steve Gilbert wonders whether the Tigers and D'Backs could complete a deal without a third team. Do you see a potential fit?
6:26pm: The Tigers approached the Rockies about Jackson, but Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the asking price was too high for Colorado.
3:58pm: Rosenthal and Morosi say talks for Jackson have been more serious with the D'Backs than the Mariners, and the Angels are in on both Jackson and Granderson. The Red Sox are not in on Jackson, tweets Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says the D'Backs are not close to getting Jackson.
3:27pm: Price is back with something a little more concrete: he says the Tigers are sorting through offers from 12 teams for Jackson.
2:26pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports agree with Nightengale – the Tigers are close to trading Jackson. They say the Brewers, Mets, and Dodgers "are not on Jackson."
2:09pm: Ken Davidoff of Newsday tweets that a Mets official denied a Jackson trade.
1:54pm: Cryptic tweet from Ed Price of AOL FanHouse: "Rumor that Mets acquire Edwin Jackson." Price then updated that the rumor was "heard in the lobby" but not confirmed.
12:57pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets that the Tigers are close to trading Jackson, "perhaps as early as today." No word on the potential destination, but we'll keep you apprised in this post. What's more, Nightengale says the Tigers hope to trade Curtis Granderson this week.
The Tigers acquired Jackson from the Rays during the Winter Meetings last year, on December 10th.