Heyman On Gonzalez, Wellemeyer, Rivera
SI's Jon Heyman kicks off his newest column with thoughts on his top 50 free agents. A few highlights from the list and elsewhere in the column…
- Via Twitter Heyman says Mets GM Omar Minaya likes Luis Castillo more than any of the 29 other teams do.
- Heyman groups the Cubs in as a possible Matt Holliday suitor, which does not seem feasible given the team's payroll situation.
- Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez has "drawn interest from as many as 15 teams."
- A new name on the Brewers' radar as a "No. 5-type guy": Todd Wellemeyer.
- Heyman speaks of "indications the Angels might be willing to trade outfielder Juan Rivera." One such indication popped up earlier this month when Ken Davidoff said the Angels and Tigers discussed a Curtis Granderson deal. Rivera had a solid year – .287/.332/.478 – and has $9.5MM remaining over two years.
Braves Looking For Lowe Suitors
6:36pm: MLB.com's Mark Bowman responds to Rosenthal's report, writing that even though they view the Brewers as a potential trade partner, the Braves aren't interested in Hart. If Atlanta were to work out a deal with the Brewers or Angels, Bowman thinks they might be more likely to trade for prospects than a major-league outfielder.
5:58pm: The Atlanta Braves are shopping Derek Lowe, but not having much success so far, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Rosenthal suggests that Lowe's contract situation (he'll make $15MM in each of the next three years) and his 2009 struggles (4.67 ERA in 34 starts) are discouraging teams' interest in the right-hander. The Braves, however, are still optimistic, believing that John Lackey is the only free agent starter on this year's market more appealing than the 36-year-old Lowe.
Rosenthal names the Angels and White Sox as potential trade partners. According to his sources though, the most serious discussions the Braves have had about Lowe were with the Milwaukee Brewers, involving Corey Hart. It doesn't sound like those talks are necessarily dead, but the Brewers would expect Atlanta to take on a large chunk of Lowe's salary, and even then aren't entirely sure they'd want him.
Odds & Ends: Figgins, Holliday, Padres
Some links to read through on Ryan Howard's 30th birthday…
- The White Sox would like to add a true leadoff man and are open to bringing back Jim Thome, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
- MLB.com's Todd Zolecki says the Phillies aren't considered serious contenders for free agent Chone Figgins.
- MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports that the Marlins may spend on a corner outfielder, a second baseman or a third baseman if they free up some payroll by trading Dan Uggla. Jamey Carroll is one of the many free agents the Marlins would consider.
- The Brewers are open to bringing Craig Counsell back, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says tension is rising between players and owners.
- MLB.com's Corey Brock wonders if the Padres could bring Mike Cameron back.
- Padres fixture Brian Giles won't return in 2010, though he hopes to keep playing.
- MLB.com's Matthew Leach reports that the Cardinals will likely add a veteran bat if they don't re-sign Matt Holliday. However, the Cards say they're still hoping to sign Holliday, according to FOX Sports.
- Leach expects the Cards to sign a pitcher to a one or two year deal to be the club's fourth starter.
- As MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo points out, some of the best free agent signings are the ones that get the least attention.
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun says there's a good chance the O's sign Pedro Feliz.
Nine Brewers To Hit Open Market
Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com on Wednesday that he expects all of his club's potential free agents to reach the open market.
"No," said Melvin.. "I don't think they want to sign, personally. They want to wait until Friday and hope someone picks up the phone and makes them an offer they never thought they would get."
The Brewers, and the rest of baseball's 29 clubs, have until Friday at 12:00am ET to negotiate exclusively with team members who are not under contract for 2010. After that deadline, the hot stove season is truly on and things around here will get even busier.
As McCalvy notes, Milwaukee has nine outgoing free agents: Outfielders Mike Cameron, Frank Catalanotto and Corey Patterson, infielders Craig Counsell and Felipe Lopez, catcher Jason Kendall and pitchers Braden Looper, Claudio Vargas and David Weathers.
The Carlos Gomez acquisition likely means Cameron is gone and the Brewers are ready to give a healthy Rickie Weeks the second base job over Lopez, a Type B free agent who is likely to be offered arbitration but will almost certainly decline. As for the others, we shall see.
Odds & Ends: Mulder, Matsui, Smoltz, Rangers
Some afternoon linkage…
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt tweets that "it would be a huge upset if Mark Mulder doesn't try his comeback attempt in the Brewers' spring camp."
- Meanwhile, Brewers' GM Doug Melvin said the George Kottaras pickup was all about depth, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
- NPB Tracker passes along a report that says the Yankees stand to lose at least $15MM in revenue if Hideki Matsui leaves as a free agent.
- The Tigers aren't one of the teams that have expressed interest in John Smoltz, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Yesterday we learned that at least seven teams are interested in the righthander.
- Tom Hicks is trying to put together a group of local businessmen that would allow him to maintain major ownership of the team, says ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett. The deadline to submit a bid for the team is Friday, so if you have a couple hundred million bucks burning a hole in your pocket…
- Maury Brown at The Biz of Baseball reports that the Nationals have named Davey Johnson Senior Advisor to GM Mike Rizzo.
- ESPN's Howard Bryant writes about a salary cap, and how baseball doesn't need one.
- Last, but certainly not least, everyone welcome FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal to Twitter!
Brewers Claim George Kottaras
Anthony Witrado of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers have claimed catcher George Kottaras off release waivers from the Red Sox. Boston released Kottaras earlier today.
The 26-year-old Kottaras hit .237/.308/.387 in 107 plate appearances in 2009, though he didn't play after July 31st due to a lower back injury. Witrado also has news on some prospects that the Brewers added to their 40-man roster.
Twins And Brewers On Washburn’s Radar
Free agent lefty Jarrod Washburn hasn't made much of a secret of his desire to play near his Webster, Wisconsin home, and he told FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi that both the Twins and Brewers are on his radar.
"The Twins and Brewers are both on the radar for me," Washburn said. "The thought of playing close to home has always appealed to me, and I think both of those teams would be good fits for me.
"I don't know yet if either of those teams have mutual interest, but we will see."
Obviously, those two teams fit Washburn's geographical desires. Both are said to be seeking veteran starters this offseason as well. Washburn also feels there's "mutual interest" in a return to the Mariners, noting that he enjoyed his time in Seattle and his family loved it there.
He also mentioned that his surgically repaired knee feels good.
"The surgery on the knee wasn't real extensive," Washburn told FOXSports.com in a Wednesday e-mail. "Dr. (Lewis) Yocum said he didn't have to do too much in there — just a little cleaning up.
"It feels great now, almost like I didn't even have a surgery. So, I don't see it being a problem for me in the future."
The Tigers acquired the 35-year-old from Seattle at the trade deadline, only to see him pitch to a 7.33 ERA in eight starts. Washburn has already received word from Detroit that they will not attempt to re-sign him.
Odds & Ends: Lackey, Phillies, Mets, Greinke
Here's another collection of links…
- Larry LaRue of The News Tribune writes about why you shouldn't get your hopes up about Seattle landing John Lackey, if you're a Mariners fan.
- Andy Martino of The Philadephia Inquirer says that it's clear the Phillies want to add a free agent reliever or two, although GM Ruben Amaro said that Scott Eyre "may have priced himself out of our range.”
- The Mets have to balance two different sets of priorities this offseason, writes Ben Shpigel of The NY Times.
- As The KC Star's Bob Dutton notes, today's AL Cy Young Award win triggered a bonus that put $100K in Zack Greinke's pocket.
- FoxSports.com's Dayn Perry lists his ten offseason moves the need to happen. The Twins locking up Joe Mauer long-term tops the list.
- Brewers' assistant GM Gord Ash shot down the idea of the club taking on Eric Gagne as a reclamation project, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. We learned of Gagne's desire to return to the big leagues late last week.
Odds & Ends: Phillies, Hendrickson, Sheets, Brewers, Hinske
A few links to start the day…
- Andy Martino of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the Phillies will prioritze defensive versatility over power when filling Matt Stairs' roster spot, though Stairs, Miguel Cairo, and Paul Bako are welcome to come to Spring Training on minor league deals.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com has an update on the Orioles' negotations with Mark Hendrickson. Last month we learned that Hendrickson hoped to re-sign quickly.
- ESPN's Keith Law wrote about players coming off injury, and notes that Ben Sheets is worth gambling on, considering his upside.
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com say that despite the Brewers' logjam on the infield, a trade will probably not happen "unless some club offers the pitching equivalent of (Mat) Gamel."
- David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News takes a look at the Phillies' pitching staff to see which free agents may or may not fit.
- R.J. Anderson at FanGraphs wrote about free agent (and good luck charm) Eric Hinske, while his blogmate Dave Cameron took a look at some interesting minor league free agents.
- Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan took the time to speak with Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com about several of the team's 2009 draft picks.
- Buddy Carlyle has joined the Nippon Ham Fighters, according to Kyodo News.
- Not only do players truly hit the open market on Friday, but teams must also set their 40-man rosters for next month's Rule 5 Draft that day as well. Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes about a player the Braves may choose to protect, while Erik Hahmann of DRays Bay looks back at Tampa Bay's history in the Rule 5.
- Speaking of Morosi and O'Brien, make sure you follow both guys on Twitter!,
Rogers On White Sox, Gamel, Cabrera, Yankees
The White Sox have a new third baseman of the future, writes Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune. Dayan Viciedo held his own as a 20-year-old in AA this year (.708 OPS), but Brent Morel has passed him on Rogers' depth chart with a torrid stint in the Arizona Fall League. Here are the rest of Rogers' rumors:
- A's GM Billy Beane likes what he sees from pitching prospect Fautino de los Santos, who is hitting the mid-nineties as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
- Casey McGehee has emerged as a solid player, but the Brewers are reluctant to trade Mat Gamel, even if it would net them the starting pitching they covet.
- The Twins are talking to Orlando Cabrera about returning to play second base.
- Rogers says the Yankees are more likely to sign Johnny Damon than Hideki Matsui.