Twins Rumors: Padres, Blake, Reyes
Joe Christensen brings us the latest on the Twins, but unfortunately there’s not much going on.
- Christensen learned from a Padres official that there’s been very little dialogue with the Twins. Some have suggested Kevin Kouzmanoff and Khalil Greene would be fits for Minnesota. Hopefully they’re setting their sights higher.
- On the Casey Blake front: slight progress.
- The Twins have an arbitration decision to make by Monday’s deadline with Dennys Reyes, who is a Type B. The Twins won’t get burned badly if Reyes accepts, so I imagine they’ll offer. He probably wants two years somewhere instead.
Odds and Ends: Kawakami, Griffey, Greinke
Links for Tuesday…
- The weekly chat has been moved to Wednesday at 2pm CST this time.
- I’ll be on Seth Stohs’ radio show tonight around 8pm CST.
- From NPB Tracker: Kenshin Kawakami has switched to Dan Evans as his agent, while Koji Uehara wants a rotation spot and multiple years.
- Ken Griffey Jr.‘s agent, Brian Goldberg, has been in contact with nine teams (six AL, three NL). The Mariners were one of the AL teams.
- It’s been over a decade since the White Sox signed a free agent from another team for more than $20MM.
- Justin Morneau would like the Twins to add one more bat.
- East Windup Chronicle has scouting reports on Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel.
- Things are quiet with the Dodgers – no recent talks for Manny Ramirez, "no real movement" on C.C. Sabathia.
- Rany Jazayerli questions the Royals’ nonchalance toward signing Zack Greinke.
- Nothing is close with the Tigers and Joe Beimel, and the team will not make an offer to Junichi Tazawa (partially to preserve their relationships in Japan).
- The Brewers signed Jason Bourgeois to a minor league deal. Bourgeois, 27 in January, hit .286/.335/.404 in Triple A this year.
- Quietly, the Indians signed reliever Greg Aquino. He pitched well in Triple A this year but missed time with a hamstring strain.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Dye, Burrell, Young
Here’s a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Rosenthal says the Braves are interested in A.J. Burnett, but you already knew that.
- Rosenthal believes Trevor Hoffman to the Dodgers "makes sense."
- The Red Sox apparently have confidence they could trade Mike Lowell if need be, but rival execs believe he’d have to prove his health in spring first. Lowell has two years and $24MM on his deal.
- The White Sox want a young starter and additional players for right fielder Jermaine Dye. The Mets, Rays, and Phillies are "balking at such a price." Rosenthal learned that most of the six teams on Dye’s no-trade list are in the northeast. Interesting that the White Sox are still willing to trade Dye after moving Nick Swisher.
- The Mets "aren’t enamored" with Javier Vazquez.
- Rosenthal suggests the Rays will sit back and hope one of the free agent DH-types becomes a bargain for them.
- SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote on Friday that the "Braves, Dodgers, and Mets are believed to be among teams that have inquired about Rangers starting pitchers Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla." However, Rosenthal says the Braves and Mets are not interested in either pitcher and the Rangers aren’t desperate to move them.
- Rosenthal has Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Pat Burrell on the Angels’ radar if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, or Manny Ramirez.
- A rival GM tells Rosenthal Twins outfielder Delmon Young is "very, very much out there."
Twins To Avoid Type A Free Agents?
A note from Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
I’ve been told it’s highly doubtful the Twins will sign a Type A free agent, which would cost them their first-round draft pick next June, though they have checked into some of the Type A relievers and are in a “Never say never” mode.
The Twins own the #23 pick in next year’s draft. Players such as Orlando Cabrera, Doug Brocail, Juan Cruz, Darren Oliver, and Russ Springer would presumably cost them that pick.
Christensen also notes that the Twins had strong interest in Jeremy Affeldt and scouted Dayan Viciedo.
Twins Making Progress With Blake
Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Twins have yet to make a formal offer to Casey Blake, but they’re making progress in discussions of the term and salary range. Blake’s agent says eight clubs are interested but only four have discussed a contract.
Blake is looking for a three-year deal, and doesn’t have any geographic leanings. The Indians, Dodgers, and Rangers are known to be in the mix. T.R. Sullivan believes Blake and Joe Crede are out of the Rangers’ price range, however.
Twins Working Towards Blake Offer
According to MLB.com’s Kelly Thesier, the Twins are in contract discussions with Casey Blake and his agent.
Blake’s agent, Jim McDowell, said he received the “framework of an offer from the Twins” that they’ll work on in more detail.
Blake, who hit .274/.345/.463 last year with the Indians and Dodgers, has had seven teams express interest in him, according to Thesier.
La Velle Neal heard rumblings that the Twins could make a formal offer as early as next week.
Odds and Ends: Ankiel, Hoffman, Mussina
Linkage for Thursday…
- Viva El Birdos tries to put a price on Rick Ankiel, and decides now is the time to trade him. Ankiel, a Scott Boras client, is eligible for free agency after the ’09 season.
- Derrick Goold runs through the lefty reliever options for St. Louis on his blog. It doesn’t seem like Trevor Hoffman is on the Cardinals’ radar. Hoffman wants to remain a closer, so he won’t be going to San Francisco either.
- Brian Cashman explains that $6MM for one year of Damaso Marte was too much, but $12MM over three years works. Ken Davidoff still doesn’t get it.
- Mike Mussina will make his decision early next week.
- Tony Massarotti runs through best and worst case scenarios for the Yankees and Red Sox.
- Jeff Zrebiec names ten possible free agent targets for the Orioles.
- Omar Minaya spilled the beans to WFAN’s Mike Francesa. He’s not interested in Ben Sheets, but will make an offer to Pedro Martinez.
- The Twins seem more likely to make trades than sign free agents, according to Joe Christensen.
- Could Ted Turner buy back the Braves?
Bill Smith On Trading Delmon Young
Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune has a quote from Twins GM Bill Smith on Delmon Young: "He is a 22-year-old outfielder with a bright future, and if we were going to trade him, we would have to get equal value." Young may not be easy to pry loose, but it doesn’t sound like he’s untouchable. There haven’t been many serious trade rumors about Young yet.
In other Twins notes, Hartman says the team doesn’t plan on retaining free agent Eddie Guardado but hopes to re-sign Dennys Reyes.
Odds and Ends: Holliday, Takahashi, Lincecum
Links for Wednesday…
- Richard Justice says the Astros should offer Andy Pettitte $7-8MM to come back.
- Joe Christensen doesn’t see Huston Street landing in Minnesota.
- Larry Beinfest dismissed a "cyberspace rumor" that the Marlins are planning a run at Manny Ramirez.
- Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs could fit both Jake Peavy and Ryan Dempster into the payroll, and that the Peavy situation will be resolved first.
- Today is the deadline for MLB.com’s Free Agent Frenzy. You have until 4pm CST to submit your picks for 15 free agents. Here are my predictions from November 3rd…I would change the Furcal and Sheets ones for starters.
- Who had the Matt Holliday scoop? SI.com’s Jon Heyman broke the story, while Yahoo’s Tim Brown was the first to name the players involved.
- Holliday figures to be a three to six month rental for the A’s. Over at FanGraphs, Dave Cameron takes a closer look at Carlos Gonzalez and Greg Smith. ESPN’s Keith Law says the Rockies received a "fair return" for Holliday.
- Athletics Nation suggests the A’s sign Derek Lowe.
- Ken Davidoff looks at the Yankees’ seesawing philosophy.
- Japanese southpaw Ken Takahashi intends to sign with an MLB club, and the Mets may be interested. Nikkan Sports says the Cubs, Padres, and Giants are also in on him.
- River Ave. Blues looks ahead to Derek Jeter‘s next contract.
- Andrew Baggarly reminds us that Tim Lincecum intends to go year to year.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney talked to one GM who expects "a whole lot of bargains" in late January, given the nation’s economy.
- Rany Jazayerli didn’t like the Royals’ acquisition of Mike Jacobs, but doesn’t think it’s the end of the world.
- Braves GM Frank Wren on Jeff Francoeur: "We haven’t talked about him at all. It’s not to say that we wouldn’t."
Rockies Talking Trade With Reds
8:50pm: Reds GM Walt Jocketty says nothing is close with the Rockies; he’s talked to a lot of clubs. His snide remark: "They all didn’t allow it to get out."
Jocketty talked to the Rockies about Matt Holliday, but it was a short discussion.
7:37pm: Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News says the Reds have definite interest in Atkins, but not Torrealba or Taveras. The Reds like the idea of adding Atkins’ righthanded bat. They don’t like Torrealba’s price and Taveras’ inability to get on base. Ringolsby says the Phillies, Angels, and Twins are also after Atkins.
3:28pm: Troy Renck confirms Rosenthal’s report, and also speaks of speculation that the Red Sox will make a run at Chris Iannetta. A long shot to be sure.
Other Rockies notes: Renck says the Rox told people close to Manny Corpas that he’s still the closer, meaning Street might be on the outs. Additionally, the Rockies have expressed interest in Carl Pavano.
1:17pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Rockies aren’t done dealing – they’re talking trade with the Reds and other clubs. The Reds like Willy Taveras, Yorvit Torrealba, and Garrett Atkins, with a "definite interest" in Taveras.
Meanwhile the Indians like newly acquired Huston Street and the Nationals are one club eyeing Carlos Gonzalez. Rosenthal says the Rockies figure to hang on to Greg Smith.
It seems we can’t yet judge the Holliday trade for the Rockies. It did seem odd that they would acquire a closer and a young center fielder, two positions at which they already had solid options.