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Jake Peavy Rumors: Tuesday

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11:07pm: Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has Phillies sources saying the deal is in place if the Cubs will pull the trigger with the Padres.  Sullivan also talked to chairman Crane Kenney, who implied the Cubs included Peavy’s contract within projected budgets to bidders.

Sullivan adds that the Cubs have not had talks for Bobby Abreu yet.

9:17pm: Stark says there’s no way such a complicated trade will get done before the end of the Meetings.  He adds that extra teams are not necessarily requirements.  The Cubs will need to move a contract and get ownership approval, though.

8:39pm: Ruben Amaro Jr. came close to acknowledging the Phils are involved in the Peavy deal, says Jayson Stark.

8:31pm: Jeff Passan: the lone holdup in this complicated trade is the Cubs moving Marquis.  A deal is not imminent, though, according to Towers.

7:26pm: Brock talked to Towers, who met today with Hendry and said a trade seems more likely today than it did yesterday.  They’ll meet again tonight.  If a deal is reached, it’d be announced after Thursday’s Rule 5 draft.  Brock says the Phillies are believed to be the third team.

3:31pm: MLB.com’s Corey Brock says nothing is imminent and the Cubs appear reluctant.

2:25pm: The saga continues…Kevin Towers does not think this deal lost steam in the last 24 hours, according to Yahoo’s Tim Brown and Gordon Edes.  However, they say the Cubs are having second thoughts about this four-team mess.  The Cubs source says the price is too steep for them right now and they’re looking at another short-term option for the rotation (Randy Johnson maybe).

2:02pm: Tom Krasovic says the Padres are not seeking J.A. Happ or Chris Coste as has been previously rumored.  Also, Ronny Cedeno is not the Padres’ first choice to replace Khalil Greene at short.  Krasovic adds that the Braves apparently are now happy the Padres didn’t take their offer for Peavy.

Kras adds that the Padres did some fact-finding with Mark Grudzielanek’s agent.  Grudz wants to play for a winner though.

1:10pm: Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun-Times says Peavy sang "Go Cubs, Go" at a Vegas bar last night.  Good times.  But did Roy Oswalt sing along?  Also, Modrowski believes the Cubs would be willing to eat as much as $6MM of Marquis’ $9.875MM.

Jayson Stark says an Aaron Heilman-Marquis deal appears unlikely, as the sides cannot agree on what portion of Marquis’ contract the Cubs would assume.

12:08pm: Rosenthal says the Cubs maintain they’re not close on Peavy.  And they still need to identify their new owner before a deal can get done.  The Cubs are mulling Randy Johnson as a backup plan, and continue to prioritize the lefthanded bat.

10:36am: Phil Rogers says the key to this potential four-team Peavy trade would be the Phillies or Orioles taking on Marquis and some of his contract.  Rogers says "it will be a stunner if the Cubs don’t acquire Peavy."

1:00am: Chris De Luca says a source close to Jim Hendry characterized a Peavy deal as "very close."  De Luca’s sources say a Cubs-Orioles component is set (Felix Pie for Garrett Olson).  This runs counter to Roch Kubatko’s report below.  De Luca says the Cubs still want to trade Marquis and acquire a lefthanded hitter before closing the Peavy deal.

12:41am: Ken Rosenthal’s source says the Cubs’ attempts to bring in a third team have involved "probably 20 names with four to five clubs."  So it’s not necessarily DeRosa or the Phillies.  Rosenthal says an agreement is still not close.

12:30am: To summarize yesterday: Kevin Towers has facilitated an apparent three-team Jake Peavy trade that he will present to the Cubs.  I say three because Roch Kubatko says the Orioles don’t know of any agreement.  So the best guess right now (based on reports) is that the Cubs would send Mark DeRosa to the Phillies, and both teams would send young players to the Padres.  The Cubs could offload Jason Marquis in the deal, and the savings from Marquis and DeRosa would seem to neatly equal Peavy’s $11MM salary for ’09.

Raul Ibanez Rumors: Tuesday

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8:09pm: Rosenthal says Mets officials met with Ibanez at a Bellagio restaurant today.  He says the Angels, Phillies, Braves and Nationals are also in on Ibanez, though the Braves’ interest is mild.

11:25am: ESPN’s Jayson Stark says the Phillies, Mets, and Cubs are in the lead for Raul Ibanez, with the Braves and Angels on the periphery.

Four Teams Inquire On Michael Young

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12:51pm: Joel Sherman agrees that the Mets inquired on Young.  He says the Rangers are under no pressure to move big contracts though.

12:38pm: Young is not as pricey as we thought – Ken Rosenthal says he’s already been paid $20MM in bonus money from his new deal, leaving $60MM or so over five years (Heyman said something similar).  But, Rosenthal says the Rangers are unlikely to seriously consider trading him.

11:16am: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Royals inquired on Young.  He says the Rangers are not shopping Young but will listen.  The Mets might have to move Luis Castillo before they could slot Young in at second base.

12:00am: Yahoo’s Tim Brown talked to an AL exec whose team is in the market for a shortstop, and learned that the Rangers are quietly shopping Michael Young.  Young’s five-year, $80MM extension will begin next year.  He’s got no-trade protection to deal with.  The Rangers would want young pitching back for Young.  It will be hard to find a team willing to take on that contract.

Mets Bullpen Rumors: Monday

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11:56pm: Rodriguez’s agent Paul Kinzer on whether the rumored two-year, $25MM offer with a third-year option is true: "Absolutely not."  It will require three guaranteed years at least to sign K-Rod.

8:43pm: K-Rod gave some quotes to the media, nothing interesting.

7:14pm: Stark says the Mets finished their meet with Fuentes; Hoffman is up next.  Wood is not in Vegas.  Stark adds that the Mets discussed concepts but did not make a formal offer to K-Rod.

6:45pm: Sherman now says the Mets’ offer was for $25MM over two years plus a third year option.

6:03pm: Rodriguez’s agent Paul Kinzer told Sherman he’ll try to be creative with this contract. Sherman asked whether that could mean an opt-out clause, and Kinzer responded in the affirmative.  Sherman says the Mets’ offer is in the range of three years, $33MM; no talk of the vesting option Heyman mentioned.

5:26pm: Jon Heyman says the Mets offered K-Rod a two-year deal worth about $12MM per with a third-year vesting option.  Doesn’t sound like something he’ll jump at.

2:14pm: Joel Sherman rejects Graziano’s report.  Sherman says the Mets have not talked to the Jays about B.J. Ryan.

1:39pm: Gerry Fraley learned from a team official that the Mets made a three-year offer to K-Rod, but they don’t expect him to take it immediately.

12:06pm: Joel Sherman has details on the Mets’ talks for Huston Street.  Omar Minaya called the Rox a few weeks ago suggesting Aaron Heilman and Pedro Feliciano for Street.  The Rockies took the weekend to think about it, but when they called back Minaya had changed his mind.

In another article, Sherman says Omar Minaya’s approach toward free agent closers is Boras-like.  He believes the Mets’ offer to K-Rod last night was three years with an option.

11:16am: Jon Heyman and Ken Davidoff/David Lennon agree that the Mets are meeting with Fuentes and Hoffman shortly.  And Heyman believes the Mets’ offer to K-Rod last night was for three years.

10:33am: Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger says the Mets and Blue Jays had discussions about B.J. Ryan.  However, the Jays want Fernando Martinez and the Mets don’t want to trade the young outfield prospect.

7:50am: According to David Lennon of Newsday, the Omar Minaya and other Mets officials dined at a steakhouse with Francisco Rodriguez for over four hours Sunday night.  Lennon believes the early presence of Mets COO Jeff Wilpon implies that negotiations with K-Rod may have reached a critical stage. 

SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote earlier yesterday evening that the Mets were expected to make an offer to Rodriguez at the meeting.  Maybe three years with a vesting option.

The Mets also plan to meet with Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman today, with Kerry Wood also on the radar.  Ken Davidoff looks at the options and says, "It’s gotta be K-Rod."  The Rangers like Wood as well, by the way. 

Red Sox In Talks For Brian Schneider?

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10:59pm: Heyman says "most long-time Red Sox observers believe they will eventually work out a deal to retain Varitek."  We’ve already seen multiple teams back away after the Red Sox offered Tek arbitration.

7:47pm: Joel Sherman says the Schneider talks took place several weeks ago.  The Mets were planning to replace him with Jason Varitek, until the Red Sox offered Tek arbitration.

6:32pm: According to Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post, two sources confirmed the Red Sox are in trade discussions for Mets catcher Brian Schneider.  Schneider is owed $4.9MM in ’09, the last year of his deal.

Rockies Rumors: Taveras, Villone, Marquis

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9:48pm: The Rockies are moving forward on a deal for Rusch, according to Tracy Ringolsby.  Ringolsby adds that the Rox may explore a long-term deal with Ubaldo Jimenez after the holidays, but aren’t quite ready to do so with Chris Iannetta.  Also, the Rockies like Josh Bard but they don’t have room for him.

1:00pm: Joel Sherman adds Eddie Guardado as a lefty of interest for Colorado.

2:07am: Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post sums up the latest hot stove buzz around the Rockies.

  • As you know, the Nationals are interested in Rockies outfielder Willy Taveras.  Taveras might be just a step above a non-tender, so the price shouldn’t be too high.  The real question is whether the Nats are planning on starting four players in the outfield.
  • Joe Beimel is dropping out of the picture, but the Rockies still like Alan Embree, Ron Villone, and Glendon Rusch.
  • The Mets’ asking price for Aaron Heilman was too high.  Jason Marquis could be a trade target, he can at least eat innings at a cost of $6MM to the Rockies.  Then again, a lot of guys can do that.
  • No chance of multiyear contract talks between the Rockies and Brian Fuentes.

Bailey-Dye Trade Report Shot Down

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9:06pm: Ken Williams speaks.  No Dye trade, but plenty of interest.

6:26pm: Dusty Baker spoke about the Dye trade talks today, saying he thought they were "kind of off because of economics and because everybody wants your young players."

MONDAY, 4:24pm: McCoy talks more about the rumor he originated.  He said a reliable White Sox insider told him the Dye deal was in place and wonders if Ken Williams changed his mind.

SUNDAY, 10:06pm: Walt Jocketty on the report: "Wrong. It’s not even close."  The Reds haven’t had talks with the Sox since before Thanksgiving.

9:32pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick adds that Dye and his agent "haven’t heard a word" about a trade.  Reds assistant GM Bob Miller rejected the report, adding, "We haven’t talked to White Sox since we got here."

8:51pm: Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune says "a source familiar with the talks" rejected the report below.  The Sox want more than just Bailey.  Gonzales’ source adds that talks with the Mets for Bobby Jenks fell apart over Omar Minaya’s unwillingness to include Bobby Parnell.

7:46pm: According to Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News, a Major League source told him a Homer Bailey for Jermaine Dye trade "is done and will be announced this week."

It’d essentially be six years of Bailey for one of Dye (plus possible draft pick compensation), as Dye has a mutual option for 2010 at $12MM.  Those almost never get fully exercised – if one side wants it, the other doesn’t.  It would be interesting to see what the White Sox could do with Bailey given their recent success developing young pitchers.

Indians Hope Mets Sign K-Rod

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8:55pm: Rosenthal says the Indians met with Kerry Wood’s agent today and remain interested in Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman.

1:03pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Indians hope the Mets sign Francisco Rodriguez, as they’d like to get a bargain on Brian Fuentes.  The Tribe could also attempt to acquire J.J. Putz from the Mariners.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Burnett, Garland, Aurilia

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8:22pm: John Mozeliak said tonight the Cardinals never engaged with Burnett’s agent.  A commitment of more than two years to a free agent starter is extremely unlikely.

3:40pm: Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says it’s "not true" that the Cardinals are players for Burnett.

8:30am: The latest from Ken Rosenthal:

  • The Cardinals are a serious bidder for A.J. Burnett.  They also pursued him back in 2005.  The Blue Jays would get the Cardinals’ #19 pick next June if they sign him.  However, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently wrote that the Cards "are not expected to pursue the free agent pool’s bigger fish: C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe."
  • The Mets have Jon Garland on the radar.  Jerry Crasnick likes Garland as a fit for the Cards.
  • The Brewers haven’t decided to increase their offer to C.C. Sabathia at this time, and won’t consider it until they meet with the big lefty.  A meeting is scheduled; Sabathia may grill the Brewers about their other offseason plans.  Rosenthal thinks Kerry Wood might make the most sense among free agent closers.
  • The Mets, Indians, and Cardinals are interested in J.J. Putz.
  • The Cubs are eyeing Rich Aurilia, but only if they happen to move Ronny Cedeno or Mike Fontenot.
  • The Nationals "aren’t terribly enamored" of Willy Taveras, contrary to previous reports.  The Nats instead have Carlos Gonzalez in their sights.
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