Dontrelle For Josh Hamilton Was Discussed
UPDATE, 12-8-07 at 2:47am: More excitement…throw Abraham Nunez into the mix of Marlins third base targets. This team is going places.
FROM 12-7-07 at 11:27am:
MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro posted a new column last night full of good Marlins hot stove chatter.
- The most interesting note is that the Marlins talked to the Reds about swapping Dontrelle Willis for Josh Hamilton, prior to the blockbuster with Detroit.
- With Miguel Cabrera, the White Sox and Rangers were involved during the Meetings before the Tigers jumped in. The Rangers backed out when they couldn’t get an extension window for Cabrera. The Tigers wanted the same but obviously it wasn’t the dealbreaker. The Angels, Dodgers, and Giants were involved before the Meetings, with the Giants offering Noah Lowry.
- Frisaro says there are "strong indications the Marlins will sign Jorge Cantu. He’ll be in the mix at third base.
- The Fish are offering the Phils Scott Nestor for Wes Helms, who’d also compete at the hot corner.
- The Mets have some interest in Alfredo Amezaga, though the Marlins are inclined to keep him.
- Miguel Olivo will be released soon, so throw him into the catcher market with Michael Barrett.
ESPN’s Latest: Barrett, Ensberg, Mahay
Who said the Meetings are over? ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Buster Olney, and Jerry Crasnick are still running down rumors.
- The Rays want Michael Barrett, according to Gammons.
- Looks like Kevin Mench will be non-tendered.
- Crasnick says the Marlins may go after Morgan Ensberg, who is also likely to be non-tendered. The Phillies aren’t much interested in him.
- Gammons says Ron Mahay is down to the Yanks or Royals.
- He also says the Padres’ Milton Bradley signing won’t get in the way of their Kosuke Fukudome pursuit.
- Olney backs up the rumor about the Giants’ interest in Hideki Matsui.
Marlins Considering Helms, Cantu
MLB.com’s Jim Molony reports that the Marlins are considering Wes Helms and Jorge Cantu as candidates for their now-vacant third base job.
Helms had a career year in 2006 for the Marlins, hitting .329/.390/.575 while seeing a disproportionate amount of southpaws. The Phils then wishcasted him as a starter and gave him two years and $5.45MM. Helms has $2.15MM left on his contract plus a $750K buyout.
Cantu was recently cut by the Reds; his claim to fame is driving in 117 runs for the 2005 Devil Rays. He turns 26 in January; perhaps his career can be revived in Florida.
Willis/Pudge Spinoff To Mets?
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 8:13am: Adam Rubin’s source still believes Willis could be flipped to the Mets.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 9:21pm: Danny Knobler says the Tigers did briefly consider a three-way scenario that sent Willis and Pudge to the Mets. That permutation was dismissed before anything went public and won’t be revisited.
FROM 12-5-07 at 6:08pm:
According to Sweeny Murti via MetsBlog, the Tigers have looked into the idea of spinning Dontrelle Willis off to the Mets. I’m sure this would thrill the Marlins, who didn’t want to trade within the division. No offer has been made, but it’s been discussed.
The part that doesn’t make sense is the inclusion of Ivan Rodriguez to the Mets as a salary dump. The Tigers, after all, chose to exercise that $13MM option on Pudge.
Odds and Ends: Guzman, Shelton, Garcia, Jones
Rounding up some smaller rumors…
- The Phillies talked to the Pirates today about Nate McLouth, Damaso Marte, and John Grabow. Grabow remains a possibility.
- There’s some ill will between the Marlins and Angels.
- Aaron Rowand, Andruw Jones, and Hiroki Kuroda are all asking for more years than GMs are willing to give.
- The Tigers picked up Freddy Guzman from the Rangers for first baseman Chris Shelton. Maybe Shelton can work his way into the team’s first base mix.
- Interesting note from MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan – the Rangers considered trying to acquire Adam Jones, but Bill Bavasi said, "You don’t want to see Jones kicking your tail for the next 10 years."
- The Mets and roughly five other teams looked at Freddy Garcia’s medical records, according to Joel Sherman. The Rangers are one other interested party.
Padres Checked In On Maybin
According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Kevin Towers and the Padres "took a brief look" at Cameron Maybin before he was dealt to Florida in yesterday’s blockbuster. Towers is apparently a big fan of Maybin, but obviously he couldn’t work anything out.
Odds and Ends: Gregg, Hawkins, Tavarez
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 1:12pm: Per Troy Renck, the Rockies denied interest in Tavarez.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 9:22am: The Rockies are one NL team confirmed to have an interest in Tavarez. He pitched for the Rox in 2000, making 12 starts.
FROM 12-5-07 at 12:31am:
Early Wednesday collection of randomness…
- The Marlins’ highest paid player is Kevin Gregg at $2.5MM. Trade that man, post-haste!
- The Rockies are starting to warm to the idea of giving LaTroy Hawkins two guaranteed years. Could’ve had him for one but they declined his option.
- Julian Tavarez would like to be traded to the NL and get a chance to start. The Red Sox hope for a bench player in return. Yesterday, Todd Zolecki named the Phillies as a possible suitor for Tavarez.
- Peter Gammons learned that Darin Erstad could retire to coach University of Nebraska football if he doesn’t find MLB interest suitable.
Pirates Shopping Nate McLouth?
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 11:31pm: Neal Huntington says he’s not shopping McLouth, but that doesn’t mean he won’t listen.
FROM 12-4-07 at 1:58pm:
Apparently Neal Huntington thinks Nate McLouth is not the answer in center field, because he’s been aggressively shopping the 26 year-old. Ken Rosenthal says the Cubs, Padres, Phillies, and Braves are interested.
Looking at my Nate McLouth archive, the Giants and Marlins have also been connected to him. McLouth has a .249/.322/.429 line in 708 big league ABs, which isn’t too bad for a center fielder. Plus he did hit .284/.391/.538 over the season’s final two months.
Indians Asked About Miguel Cabrera
Anthony Castrovince has a few notes about the Indians this evening.
- For Miguel Cabrera, the Marlins asked for Asdrubal Cabrera, Adam Miller, and then some. Obviously the Tribe said no thanks.
- There’s not much going on with the Indians and Jason Bay. And rumors of their interest in Alex Rios proved false.
- Cliff Lee has been linked to the Mariners, Pirates, and Blue Jays. However no one has given the Indians an actual offer for Lee.
- Castrovince suggests the Indians may explore a long-term deal for Fausto Carmona this spring.
Tigers Acquire Cabrera, Willis For Six Players
UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 6:04pm: Jon Paul Morosi reveals the three remaining players, and they’re all pitchers: Burke Badenhop, Eulogio de la Cruz, and Dallas Trahern. Based on Kevin Goldstein’s Tigers prospect list, the team surrendered its #1, 7, and 11th ranked prospects. Miller’s not on the list due to big league experience but he’d be third if he was.
Morosi also notes that Marcus Thames, Brandon Inge, and Chad Durbin are now on the block.
Baseball Prospectus’ Nate Silver weighs in on the big trade here.
FROM 12-4-07 at 5:30pm:
ESPN’s Peter Gammons is reporting that the Tigers have acquired Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis for Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, and three minor leaguers.
This is what the hot stove league is all about, unexpected massive eight-player blockbusters. All the talk was that the Tigers would have a quiet Winter Meetings. Instead they traded for one of the best hitters in the game, adding an immediate 5-7 wins in the process. Swapping out Willis for Miller will probably be a push in 2008 before things swing toward the Fish.
Maybin and Miller are both elite prospects; it seems packaging Cabrera with Willis was the only way they could get both. Interestingly, it seems like Sports Review Magazine may have scooped this trade way back at 9:52am CST. I am surprised this link didn’t get in my hands until now.