Jeff Kent Retires
According to MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick, Jeff Kent has retired after 17 seasons. Here’s a look at the career numbers. Kent finishes with a .290/.356/.500 line in 9537 plate appearances, racking up 377 home runs.
Henry Schulman’s reflection on Kent is a good read.
Rosenthal On Sheets, Cruz, Cabrera, Reyes
The latest from Ken Rosenthal…
- Rosenthal recommends the Yankees sign Ben Sheets and Juan Cruz, partially because they’d pay less of a cost in draft picks than any other team. One exec predicted Sheets would require a $6-8MM base with the potential to earn at least $14MM, and possibly a "lucrative club option." Despite Rosenthal’s recommendation, the Yanks remain focused on Andy Pettitte (who is not weighing an offer from the Astros).
- Industry sources tell Rosenthal that the Red Sox have kept their payroll flexible in case mid and low-revenue teams need to dump contracts.
- The A’s probably cannot afford both Nick Johnson and Orlando Cabrera, so they’ll wait to see what happens with Cabrera before pursuing the trade with Washington.
- Prince Fielder filed for $8MM against the Brewers’ $6MM; Rosenthal indicates the team feared he’d file higher.
- One chatter mentioned yesterday that Cory Sullivan and Jeremy Reed are the exact same player; one GM said the same to Rosenthal.
- Dennys Reyes has backed off his demand for Jeremy Affeldt money (two years, $8MM). Affeldt seemed like a bargain at the time.
- Expected to be in attendance at Kris Benson‘s upcoming throwing session: the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, Rockies, and D’Backs. Looks like an NL West affair.
Dodgers Avoid Arb With Martin, Broxton
12:40pm: MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger says the Dodgers also reached an agreement with Jonathan Broxton ($1.825MM plus $200K in incentives), leaving Andre Ethier as the team’s lone arbitration case.
11:50am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers avoided arbitration with catcher Russell Martin by signing him for ’09 at $3.9MM. It’s a record for a first-year arb catcher, though a smaller amount than I was anticipating.
Jason Repko Wants A Trade
TUESDAY: Repko’s agent says he’s been asking for a trade for the past two years. They don’t see much opportunity for Repko in the Dodgers’ outfield. Ned Colletti’s response: "It’s all about production. That is all I’m going to say."
MONDAY: According to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, the Dodgers avoided arbitration with outfielder Jason Repko by signing him for $500K plus incentives for ’09. Ken Gurnick says he can earn an additional $90K.
Repko, 28, hasn’t done much at the Major League level. In his second extended stint at Triple A, he hit .283/.373/.449.
Manny Update
Not much new on the Manny Ramirez front, but Dylan Hernandez checks in anyway. Ned Colletti and Scott Boras spoke for about 15 minutes. Both sides are holding strong – the Dodgers haven’t moved much from their initial two-year, $45MM offer, and Boras is still talking the four-year talk. Hernandez says the Dodgers do not have an offer on the table currently.
Rosenthal On Roberts, Hudson, Counsell
Let’s take a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal.
- The Orioles have their ears open Brian Roberts, whose trade value has diminished as he nears free agency. The White Sox can’t afford him, the Braves are reluctant to give up talent, and the Cubs didn’t discuss him in the Felix Pie talks. The Roberts market may improve once Orlando Hudson signs.
- Rosenthal’s source says the Michael Young–Jermaine Dye discussions did take place. If you read Dave van Dyck’s article, Ken Williams never specifically denied talks with the Rangers.
- Rosenthal believes that if the Cubs make another big move, it’ll be a Jake Peavy trade. They’re not in on Hudson.
- The Dodgers have roughly $50MM in payroll flexibility right now.
- The Giants may be looking at Manny Ramirez, but they’ve also looked in trades for hitters – "presumably" Prince Fielder or Corey Hart included. Those talks with the Brewers didn’t go far. The Giants may be willing to move Jonathan Sanchez, but the Jorge Cantu talks have stalled.
- So far the Dodgers and Russell Martin have only talked about a one-year deal.
- The Mariners are Brewers are eyeing Craig Counsell.
- The Ms "likely are willing" to trade Aaron Heilman.
Cafardo’s Latest: Varitek, Sheets, Glavine
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has a new article up in this Sunday’s paper:
- Mariners advisers have suggested bringing in Jason Varitek to improve the Seattle pitching staff.
- "Arbitration-strapped" Philadelphia may have interest in Ben Sheets as he becomes a bigger bargain by the day.
- Cafardo details the Kevin Youkilis contract extension, to the dollar.
- Kris Benson will work out for the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rangers, and Cubs next Saturday.
- Tom Glavine would entertain an offer from Washington.
- If Atlanta takes on Andruw Jones, they would only have to take on $400K of the $21MM plus the Dodgers are paying him.
Olney’s Latest: Manny, Abreu, Dunn
Buster Olney reports that Scott Boras seems to be taking the same approach with Manny Ramirez as he did with Derek Lowe; that is, to wait.
Olney says "Camp Manny" is "waiting for some other team to be tempted by what Ramirez could do for them, waiting for an offer larger than that made by the Dodgers to develop."
The Dodgers are waiting as well. Olney reports they are not likely to increase their offer of 2 years, $45MM that was offered and promptly ignored in November. Also waiting for something to happen are Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn. Should Manny wind up on the Giants, Abreu and Dunn may find themselves with leverage to negotiate with the Dodgers. Olney writes, "And given that Dunn and Abreu know that they can find homes at any time for one-year deals, there really is no downside for them to see how the Ramirez situation plays out."
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Saturday
Free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez is still looking for a team, and several outlets are writing about him today.
- The New York Mets aren’t looking back at him.
- Money and the length of contract are causing the San Francisco Giants to remain on the sideline, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports.
- Bill Madden of the N.Y. Daily News has a list of teams in his column. He notes the Los Angeles Dodgers have no reason to bid against themselves. Madden’s list of teams? Dodgers, Mets, Giants, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers.
Rosenthal On Andruw, Nady, Lyon, Madson
The latest from Ken Rosenthal…
- The Braves are pulling back for the moment in their search for an outfield bat. They’ll hope for a free agent bargain or the right trade. Rosenthal says they’re torn about Andruw Jones. The Braves seek a right-handed hitter but aren’t dead set on it. They were unwilling to meet the Yankees’ demands for Xavier Nady.
- Brandon Lyon‘s agent is telling teams he has a two-year, $9MM offer in hand (Kyle Farnsworth money). The Tigers or Twins are possibilities there, while the Cardinals may have offered one year. Jon Paul Morosi confirms Detroit’s interest, but says they’ve yet to make an offer. Morosi believes the Tigers have about $5MM left in their budget.
- Ryan Madson turned down a three-year, $12MM extension from the Phillies. The Scott Boras client is eligible for free agency after the season.
- Execs have all kinds of concerns with Oliver Perez: his flyball tendencies, frequent walks, and inability to reach 200 innings.
- The Yankees have little interest in Ben Sheets and Freddy Garcia. The Rangers, Mets, and White Sox remain in the mix for Garcia.
- The Brewers and other teams are in on Braden Looper, while the Orioles and Dodgers have backed off.
- Edgardo Alfonzo is playing well in the Venezuelan Winter League and could make a comeback.