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Astros’ Rotation Spots Open; Mets Sign Trio

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A few notes popping up:

  • The Houston Astros will have tryouts for the starting rotation at Spring Training. Felipe Paulino and Fernando Nieve are both young arms that will be considered, Alyson Footer of MLB.com reports. The Astros are tentatively counting on Roy Oswalt, Mike Hampton, Brandon Backe, Wandy Rodriguez and Brian Moehler to fill out their rotation.
  • The New York Mets have finalized deals with utilityman Rob Mackowiak, right-handed pitcher Kyle Snyder and left-hander Jon Switzer to minor-league deals. The three will be competing for 25-man roster spots at Spring Training, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Astros Pulled Offer To Wolf

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Many people have felt that Randy Wolf grossly misread the market this offseason, by rejecting a three-year, $28.5MM offer from the Astros early on. According to Ken Rosenthal, however, Wolf didn’t even have time to reject that offer before Houston pulled it off the table, citing the economy as a reason:

"Wolf told me Saturday night that he was close to re-signing with the Astros in late November when the team abruptly pulled its offer, citing a changing economic climate.

Astros general manager Ed Wade confirmed Wolf’s account, saying the team was ’fully engaged in negotiations and had to stop. It had nothing to do with a lack of interest on our part or Randy’s part.’"

Rosenthal reiterates that the Dodgers are currently the leading suitor for Wolf’s services, but they’re still talking with Jon Garland and Braden Looper as well. The Mets could be another fit, but are focused on Oliver Perez.

Wolf may have to settle for a one-year deal, and if he does, it will almost certainly be at a lower rate than the $9.5MM the Astros initially offered. Rosenthal points out that would mean the downturn in the economy could cost Wolf upwards of $20MM. That could be ok for Wolf, though, who explicitly states that signing for him isn’t about who offers the most money – his goal is to pitch in October.

Padres, Nats Interested In Ohman

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According to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick the Nationals and Padres are among the teams interested in Will Ohman. Both teams are "bottom fishing," and are considered secondary options for the lefty reliever.

Ohman hoped for a deal similar to the ones signed by Jeremy Affeldt ($8MM, two years) and Damaso Marte ($12MM, three years). He’s generated lots of interest and has a new contract offer from an unnamed team.

Crasnick mentions the Dodgers and Mets as potential suitors for Ohman, and the D’Backs, Orioles, Rangers, Indians, Rays and Braves have all reportedly had interest in him.

Mets Offer Perez Revised Contract

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According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Mets have offered another contract to Oliver Perez. They already offered a deal that appeared to be for three years and about $30MM, but the Mets are "believed to have improved" their first offer. Earlier today we heard that the Mets might be willing to add a fourth year to their offer.

The Mets are still talking with representatives for Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Ben Sheets, but Perez remains their top target.

New Medical Report Reassures Sheets’ Suitors?

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has heard from MLB executives that a new record of Ben Sheets’ medical history "may have sparked some renewed interest in the talented pitcher."

Sheets provided teams with updated information about his health. Heyman learned that previous health reports were not "debilitating," but they had issues. The Rangers, Mets and Brewers are presumably among the teams currently looking over the new information.

Mets Willing To Go Four Years For Oliver Perez?

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According to ESPN Radio’s Andrew Marchand:

The Mets will eventually be willing to go to four years for Oliver Perez. Meanwhile, the Mets have growing interest in Ben Sheets. A source says that the Mets don’t think Sheets’ arm is perfect, but it is not terrible either.

Marchand’s source expects the Mets’ negotiations for Perez to continue to drag.  If there’s another club willing to go to four years for Perez, that info has been kept away from the media thus far.  Sheets, as you know, met with Rangers brass yesterday.  Dan Graziano provides his take on the Mets’ plans over at his blog.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Rays, Pettitte, Cubs, Dodgers, Gomes, Mauer, Cruz

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On this date 28 years ago, the Red Sox traded Fred Lynn to the California Angels for Frank Tanana and Joe Rudi. After six seasons that included an MVP and six all-star appearances, the Red Sox were forced to trade Lynn when the front office failed to mail a new contract to Lynn by the mandated deadline. Without the new contract, Boston was faced with the possibility that Lynn would be declared a free agent (Carlton Fisk was declared a free agent for the same reason). The player’s association dropped their case when Lynn agreed to a contract extension with the Angels. With many of this year’s free agent class still waiting for contracts to be mailed, let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • Bucco Blog sees an Adam LaRoche-Jonathan Sanchez trade as a "win-win deal."
  • DRays Bay would like to see the Tigers take either Troy Percival or Dan Wheeler off the Rays’ hands.
  • Mets Geek makes a case for the Mets signing Andy Pettitte.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse are not worried that the Cubs have traded away yet another former top prospect.
  • Center Field isn’t buying that Jason Varitek didn’t know about the draft pick compensation as a result of his refusing arbitration.
  • Her Rays isn’t taking the loss of Rocco Baldelli well at all.
  • Dodger Thoughts doesn’t understand why the Dodgers keep spending money on veteran, offensively-challenged backup catchers that will never play.
  • Anaheim Angels all the way says the Reds replaced "90% of Adam Dunn" with Jonny Gomes and a very favorable contract. On Baseball and the Reds is not sure Gomes’ offense will offset his horrible defense and sees him as a decent platoon option.
  • UmpBump grades the Rays offseason favorably.
  • El Lefty Malo laments the contract of Dave Roberts and feels he is the type of player that would be forced to retire if he were a free agent this off-season.
  • Twins Geek speculates on what it would take to sign Joe Mauer to a long-term deal.
  • Bullpen Call sees only the Mets and Yankees as options for Juan Cruz.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Mets To Sign Freddy Garcia

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FRIDAY, 8:50am: Jon Heyman explains that Garcia felt the Mets gave him a better opportunity to pitch/start as compared to the Yankees.  Garcia apparently had some concern that the Yankees will re-sign Andy Pettitte.

THURSDAY, 7:32pm: According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, the Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with Freddy Garcia. Rubin heard that the deal could be worth $8-9MM if Garcia makes the team and reaches all his incentives.

Newsday’s Anthony Rieber confirms that Garcia has agreed to a minor league deal. Like Danielle Sessa, Rieber writes that the Mets still have the money to sign a starter like Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets or Oliver Perez.  Ken Rosenthal says they still intend to sign another starter and Perez remains atop the list.

Minaya Hasn’t Asked Wilpon About Signing Manny

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According to Danielle Sessa of Bloomberg.com, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said he hasn’t prevented the Mets from pursuing Manny Ramirez. Wilpon said Omar Minaya hasn’t proposed the idea:

"I don’t have the opporunity to say no because Omar hasn’t brought it to me as an option. Omar and the baseball staff aren’t interested."

Wilpon added that Minaya has "total flexibility" to pursue free agent starters.

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