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Phillies Rumors: Rowand, Benson, Colon, Reyes, Tavarez

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A few articles on the Phillies have surfaced this morning; let’s see what’s cooking on the hot stove.

  • The Phils would pay extra to get Aaron Rowand to take a three-year deal.  Jim Salisbury quotes Rowand’s agent as saying ten clubs are after him.  Salisbury names the usual suspects but throws in the Twins, Royals, Rangers, and Orioles depending on the term.
  • Todd Zolecki confirms the Phillies’ interest in Kris Benson.  He’ll be throwing for teams a few weeks from now.
  • The Phils like Benson best among the rehab project group, now that Randy Wolf is signed.  They’ve also contacted Bartolo Colon’s agent and may be in on Jason Jennings.  Zolecki also names Anthony Reyes and Julian Tavarez as two possible trade targets.
  • Despite what was said yesterday, Zolecki says Livan Hernandez is not high on Pat Gillick’s list.  They remain in the mix for Hiroki Kuroda. 

Red Sox Making Progress On Johan Santana

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UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 2:04am: Tim Brown checks in.  He confirms the Twins are checking Lester’s medical records.  He says the current deal on the table is Lester, Crisp, Masterson, and a minor leaguer.  A Red Sox official was said to be "cautiously optimistic."  If the current scenario is accurate, perhaps the Twins have finally bent on their demand for both Lester and Ellsbury.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 1:57am: Rosenthal notes that the Sox have roared back into the Santana derby, but says that as midnight passed the Yankees were still talking to the Twins.  Hmmm, maybe midnight eastern time because I think Cashman went to bed already.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 1:25am: Looks like things with the Red Sox are moving along – the Red Sox have given the Twins Lester’s medical records to review.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 1:15am: Unconfirmed report from the Boston Globe says the Red Sox were looking at Santana’s medical records, which could imply an agreement.  Or maybe they just wanted to check out his medical records.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 1:06am: Hank Steinbrenner expressed doubt that his team would get a Santana team done when talking to Kat O’Brien.  However, she spoke to him at 11:45pm CST on Monday, and we had two updates since then.  Anyway, discussions are not yet closed off.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 12:49am:  Bleeding over into Tuesday…Stark has an update that pretty much echoes Heyman.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 12:38am: SI.com’s Jon Heyman has the goods.  The Twins wanted a package of Hughes, Cabrera, Horne, and Jackson from the Yankees and they balked.  They’ve asked the Red Sox to create a new proposal with Lester in it.  Sounds like the Red Sox have the lead at the moment.  Heyman thinks the Twins will make a decision soon. 

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 11:09pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown talked to a Boston official who believes the Yankees are "very close" to completing a Santana trade.  However a source of mine just indicated that the meeting ended in a standoff because the Twins continue to demand Ian Kennedy in the deal.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 10:16pm: Matthew Cerrone says the Twins have moved on from the Yankees and Red Sox, and are calling other teams to discuss Santana.  Tyler Kepner says the Yanks have interpreted the Twins’ nonresponse to their offer as a rejection.  And Jayson Stark thinks this thing is on life support. 

Peter Abraham, though, says the Yanks and Twins are meeting tonight (as we speak actually).  And the Red Sox aren’t putting out any deadline anyway.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 3:55pm: According to Kelly Thesier, the Twins are in no rush to trade Santana and aren’t worried about the Yankees’ deadline.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 1:57pm: Rosenthal says the Twins are considering filing tampering charges.  The Boston Globe has an update but nothing much new.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 12:14pm: Not that they were ever really in it, but MLB.com’s Jim Street says the Mariners are no longer in the running for Santana.

FROM 12-3-07 at 11:05am:

The previous Johan Santana thread is up to 287 comments, so let’s kick off a fresh one for the Winter Meetings.

La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the Twins are not amused with Hank Steinbrenner’s public comments regarding their negotiations.  It’s not known if the Twins will pursue tampering charges.  Joe Christensen calls Hank’s comments "blatant tampering," but admits that he loves it as a reporter.

Interestingly, Neal debunks the notion that Santana has demanded he be traded to only the Yankees or Red Sox.  Neal says Santana has placed no limitations on where he ends up, as of yet.

Odds and Ends: Tavarez, Lieber, Stewart

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Another collection…

Nationals Shopping Lopez, Kearns

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According to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the Nationals are shopping shortstop Felipe Lopez and outfielder Austin Kearns.  Two targets: Mike Pelfrey of the Mets and Kevin Slowey of the Twins.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Omar Minaya flip Pelfrey for someone with more immediate value.  While the Mets could use Kearns in right field, he’s not the type of return one envisions for Pelfrey.  Maybe for a Phil Humber though.  Kearns will earn $5MM in ’08, and $8MM in ’09 plus a $10MM club option for ’10 with a $1MM buyout.  The 27 year-old hit .266/.355/.411 this year.

The match for Slowey seems better – Lopez could play short for the Twins and Kearns might be able to handle center.  However, trading Slowey and Matt Garza in the same offseason seems unlikely, and even less likely if Johan Santana is moved.  If Lopez’s defense is truly improved, maybe the Rays would have interest.

Another guy who could work for the Rays is Cristian Guzman.  Ladson says the Cubs were rumored in on Guzman but that one was shot down. 

Rosenthal’s Latest: Feliz, Nathan, Sexson

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UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 6:04pm: Update on Richie Sexson: no one wants him, not even the Giants.

FROM 12-3-07 at 1:55pm:

More Rosenthal, let’s cut to the chase.

  • The Cardinals could look at Pedro Feliz at third base if they trade Scott Rolen.  Rosenthal is too kind in saying the Cards would have a "sub-par offense on the left side of the infield."  Rosenthal also suggests the Cardinals could take a look at Hank Blalock.
  • Hiroki Kuroda isn’t dead set on the West Coast – he’s keeping an open mind in terms of location.
  • The Twins are discussing Joe Nathan with the Astros.  Interesting match but who goes over to Minnesota in that one?
  • The Mariners desperately want to trade Richie Sexson.  Meanwhile they also may non-tender Ben Broussard when decision time comes.

Mariners Rumors: Kuroda, Edwin Jackson

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UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 5:56pm: Geoff Baker acknowledges that Broussard for Edwin straight up doesn’t make sense. The Ms might have to toss catcher Rob Johnson into the deal.

FROM 12-3-07 at 12:31pm:

MLB.com’s Jim Street checks in with the latest Mariners buzz.

  • As I wrote in the Johan Santana post, the Mariners are officially out of the running.
  • Street says the Ms offered Hiroki Kuroda three years and $30MM or so, which doesn’t jive with Larry LaRue’s report of 4/44.  Street says Kuroda will not decide until after the Meetings.
  • The Rays’ Edwin Jackson is available, and the Rays are seeking a veteran first baseman or a young catcher.  The Mariners have both, and Ben Broussard seems like a starting point.

Heyman’s Latest: Santana, Bedard, Willis

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UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 5:48pm: Jayson Stark confirms the Reds’ interest in Willis.  However he suggests that the Marlins would ask for Homer Bailey and then some in return.

FROM 12-3-07 at 11:41am:

SI.com’s Jon Heyman checks in with the latest hot stove banter he’s hearing.  There’s some confusion here as Heyman has contrary info to other published sources.

  • Heyman believes Johan Santana is "more likely than not" to get traded at the Meetings, and quite possibly today. 
  • Heyman says the Red Sox and Yankees are the two teams Santana would waive his veto power for, running contrary to LENIII’s recent note.
  • Heyman reports that the Mets offered Gomez/Humber/Heilman for Erik Bedard, though as you may recall Roger Rubin said it was Lastings Milledge and not Gomez.  Whatever it was, the Orioles weren’t impressed with the offer.  Heyman says the Mets feel they still have a chance.  The Dodgers, Mariners, and loser of Santana will be in on Bedard as well.
  • Heyman seems to indicate the Marlins are still asking for Adenhart and Ervin Santana in a Miguel Cabrera deal, despite Peter Gammons’ comment this morning.
  • The Reds may pursue Dontrelle Willis.  I was thinking they might, the fit makes sense.  A package with Josh Hamilton and one of the Reds’ stud pitchers might be required though.  Also keep in mind that Joe Frisaro said the Marlins plan to keep Willis at least until July.
  • Heyman suggests the Mets could re-acquire Xavier Nady to play right field for them.

Twins To Talk Extension With Morneau?

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Just a one-liner from Charley Walters: "the Twins plan to begin talks with Justin Morneau on a multiyear contract soon."

At one point in March of this year, Morneau said he and the Twins were "pretty close."  Morneau is under team control through 2010, but didn’t sound optimistic about extending that when asked in September.  He’d love a five or six-year deal, buying out two or three years of free agency.  We’ll see what the Twins offer.

Johan Santana Rumors

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UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 12:02am: Not only will Johan veto any midseason deal, he’ll veto any deal to a team other than the Yankees or Red Sox.

UPDATE, 12-2-07 at 8:30pm: Hank weighs in, reiterating the deadline.  He says the third player actually isn’t the sticking point.  Thanks Hank!

UPDATE, 12-2-07 at 7:30pm: The Yanks’ deadline on their offer, which no one is taking seriously, is for end of day Monday.  Brian Cashman has given Bill Smith a list of possibilities for the third player in the deal.

UPDATE, 12-2-07 at 6:15pm: Ken Rosenthal says Santana told the Twins he won’t waive his no-trade clause during the season.  It’s now or never.  The packages the Yankees and Red Sox are offering are definitely better than two draft picks, especially since there’s no guarantee one of them will be a first-round pick.  I’d be surprised if he’s not moved this week.

UPDATE, 12-2-07 at 1:30pm: Buster Olney is reporting that the Sox will include Ellsbury in their offer, but pull Lester out of it.  Basically the Twins can have one or the other.  Olney doesn’t say whether Buchholz/Ellsbury is possible, but I imagine it’s not.  The Twins are expected to choose an offer from Boston or New York soon.

FROM 12-2-07 at 8:45am:

When we left off last night, the Twins and Yankees were still haggling over the third player in a Johan Santana trade.  The Twins wanted Alan Horne or Austin Jackson, according to Jon Heyman.  Now comes word from Tyler Kepner that those two are considered untouchable in the deal by the Yanks.  Dellin Betances, Ian Kennedy, and Jose Tabata round out the five that they will not include as the third player.

It’s said that the Yankees will turn to Dan Haren if they don’t reach an agreement with the Twins today or tomorrow.  The Twins still like Jacoby Ellsbury more than Phil Hughes, so they’re trying to get the Red Sox to replace Coco Crisp with him in their offer.

Odds and Ends: Burke, Nathan, Adam Miller

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Here we go, another collection of random rumors.

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