Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Figgins, Halladay, Uggla
On this date 31 years ago, Red Sox free agent pitcher Luis Tiant signed a two-year, $875K contract with the Yankees. After eight seasons and 122 wins with Boston, Tiant would go 21-17 with the Yankees before finishing his career with the Pirates and Angels. With this year's free agents looking for new homes, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- UmpBump attempts to determine how much Chone Figgins is worth.
- The Phrontiersman warns that giving up Cole Hamels is too much for Roy Halladay.
- We Should Be GMs analyzes the Phillies roster and suggests some names to fill the holes.
- Camden Crazies looks at what Dan Uggla would mean for the O's and what he might cost.
- Twins Overlook looks back at the Johan Santana trade and compares the pieces that are left and what the Twins could have gotten from the Red Sox or Yankees.
- Nick's Twins Blog thinks Adrian Beltre is the missing piece to the Twins infield.
- Dock of the Rays likes the idea of swapping Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley and wonders if throwing in Andy Sonnanstine can entice the Cubs to add more money.
- Feeling Dodgers Blue says L.A. needs two pitchers and breaks down the pros and cons of the available talent.
- Dodgers Rumors feels Brandon Phillips would fit nicely at second base for the Dodgers.
- Blogging Mets breaks down the Mets' needs and is not very optimistic.
- The Pinstriper projects the Yankees 25-man roster for next season.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Odds & Ends: Astros, Schmidt, Callaspo
A few Thursday evening links to browse through….
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports that the Houston Astros will decrease their spending in 2010, after the team's payroll exceeded $100MM the first time in 2009.
- Filing for free agency may have just been a formality for Jason Schmidt, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. The 36-year-old righty looks headed for retirement.
- Dick Kaegel of MLB.com hasn't heard anything that substantiates rumors of an Alberto Callaspo–A.J. Ellis swap between the Royals and Dodgers.
- Evan Brunell of The Hardball Times is "horrified" that the Phillies are considering Placido Polanco for their third base opening.
- Jenifer Langosch at MLB.com fields Pirates-related questions from readers. Most of them react to Pittsburgh's recent acquisition of Akinori Iwamura.
Royals Prefer Trades
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star dishes on the Royals…
- Dayton Moore…step away from the free agent market. The Royals are moving toward trades, with an eye on the long-term. Owner David Glass says the plan is to "turn over some of the club." Moore already made a nice move in flipping Mark Teahen for Josh Fields and Chris Getz.
- Dutton again mentions the talks between the Dodgers and Royals on a possible A.J. Ellis for Alberto Callaspo deal. Ellis, 29 in April, posted OBPs over .436 in Triple A for 2008-09.
- The Royals are probably stuck with Jose Guillen, but David DeJesus and Gil Meche could be trade chips. Dutton says the Royals prefer to keep Meche though.
- Dutton says the Royals are more likely to trade for a center fielder than to re-sign Coco Crisp.
- Via Twitter, Dutton says lefty Lenny DiNardo and reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta elected free agency.
Heyman On Damon, Lackey, Crede
After working the lobby all week at the Chicago GM Meetings, SI's Jon Heyman has the latest hot stove chatter…
- The Giants "appear to have emerged as one potential competitor" for the services of Johnny Damon.
- The Rangers met with John Lackey's agent yesterday, though they're not expected to have that kind of money available. Heyman adds that the Brewers and Mariners haven't ruled out signing the righty.
- Joe Crede is among the third base candidates the Orioles will consider. We heard about Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Pedro Feliz earlier today.
- Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez "appears very popular in the free agent market." If that's true, then the Braves figure to offer arbitration to Gonzalez, a Type A.
- Mets GM Omar Minaya said some teams have shown interest in second baseman Luis Castillo, and Heyman says the Dodgers have spoken to the Mets. Castillo has $12MM coming over the next two years and it might be time to sell relatively high.
Olney On Ausmus, Carroll, Prior, Penny
A few notes from ESPN's Buster Olney…
- Via Twitter, Olney's heard from other teams that the Reds would love to move closer Francisco Cordero. Of course, closers are plentiful and Cordero is set to earn $25MM over the next two years. I mentioned in our Reds Offseason Outlook that the team would have to eat half of that to make him mildly appealing. Similarly, the Indians would definitely listen on Kerry Wood, who is set to earn $20MM over the next two years.
- Olney believes other teams could join the Reds and Tigers in cost-cutting mode. He says the teams with payroll space "will be in position to make some excellent deals."
- Olney finds it unlikely that Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, or John Lackey will receive a $100MM contract.
- Catcher Brad Ausmus on 2010: "I could end up playing if somebody wants me."
- The A's are interested in free agent infielder Jamey Carroll. Ed Price of AOL FanHouse tweets that the Dodgers and at least seven other teams are also interested in Carroll.
- Mark Prior is throwing on flat ground and plans to audition for scouts. Prior, 29, most recently had shoulder surgery in June.
- The Giants are attempting to re-sign Brad Penny, who lost 12 pounds since the end of the season.
- Olney wonders if the Royals will dump more players before the December 12th non-tender deadline. I think Mike Jacobs, John Buck, and John Bale fit the bill.
- Olney's heard that the Phillies "will be aggressive in signing a set-up man/closer safety net," with Brad Lidge having flexor tendon surgery.
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.