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Yu Darvish E-Ticket Article

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I always enjoy ESPN’s in-depth E-ticket articles.  Jim Caple’s piece on Yu Darvish is no exception.  In case you hadn’t heard, Darvish is the Next Big Thing in Japan.  He’s a 21 year-old ace pitcher.  A few highlights from the article:

  • The commonly kicked-around posting fee for Darvish is $75MM.  Remember, everyone thought Dice-K would require $25-30MM and the fee ended up being $51.1MM.  If Darvish received Dice-K’s six-year, $52MM deal and required an $80MM posting fee, he’d cost $22MM a year.
  • Darvish’s team, the Nippon Ham Fighters, didn’t allow Caple to ask about the MLB possibility.  But the team’s GM has said that he’d probably post a player who requested it.
  • Does Darvish want to come to MLB?  Opinions run the gamut on that question.  A posting this winter is possible but far from certain.
  • Darvish’s father seems to want him to play in New York or Boston, if he comes to MLB.

Odds and Ends: Millwood, Posey, Igawa

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Here’s the latest link collection.

  • Former Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta is now blogging for the public.  He currently works for the Padres as Special Assistant for Baseball Operations.
  • In his words, Kevin Millwood felt a stabbing pain even though he hadn’t been stabbed.  He’s on the shelf with a groin injury, taking him off the trade market temporarily.
  • Rays Index had some quality draft links yesterday about the Rays and their #1 pick.  Jim Callis of Baseball America says catcher Buster Posey is "the current favorite."
  • Joel Sherman wonders what might’ve been if the Yankees had signed Ted Lilly instead of Kei Igawa.
  • Ken Davidoff reminds us of the Padres’ past claim on Igawa, and also notes Boston’s interest.
  • Giants owner Peter Magowan may move on.
  • This email exchange between Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger and Carlos Delgado’s agent David Sloane is entertaining.
  • Here’s a valuable free agent to consider: Leo Mazzone.

Freddy Garcia To Throw For Teams Soon

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Ken Davidoff of Newsday writes that free agent starter Freddy Garcia will soon invite teams to watch him pitch in Miami.  Davidoff offers his most likely suitors; the Mets definitely seem like a strong possibility.  Since Garcia will only cost money, it’s likely that a good dozen teams will have at least passing interest.

Garcia would probably play for something like $5MM for a half season.  He seems a long shot to contribute, given the difficulty of coming back from shoulder surgery.

Odds And Ends: Neshek, Gallardo, Casanova, Henn, Haynes

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Couple of injuries, couple of designations, and a waiver claim.

  • Twins reliever Pat Neshek has an acute partial tear of the UCL. Yes, that’s the Tommy John ligament. He won’t throw for at least three months, so his season is essentially over. There’s no word on whether he’ll undergo surgery. I remember hearing over the winter that Neshek was having elbow problems.
  • Not that we didn’t pretty much know this already, but Yovani Gallardo has confirmed that he’ll have surgery on his torn ACL. My fantasy team weeps.
  • With Ramon Castro coming off the DL, the Mets have DFA Raul Casanova. The best bet is that he’ll clear waivers and head to AAA.
  • The Padres have claimed LHP Sean Henn off waivers. He was DFA by the Yankees last week. He was once a highly touted prospect, reportedly hitting 100 on the gun (though I think those reports were exaggerated).
  • With the return of Cliff Floyd from the DL, the Rays have no room for OF Nathan Haynes, and have designated him for assignment.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski.

Odds and Ends: Bay, Roberts, Cliff Lee

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And here we have some random links I’ve collected over the past day or so.

Heyman On Teixeira

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Jon Heyman’s latest column does a fine job analyzing Mark Teixeira’s future.  To sum it up:

  • Heyman’s source expects the asking price to be around ten years and $200MM.  Personally, I don’t see him getting a term nearly that long.
  • Heyman and his sources do not see the Braves re-signing Tex.
  • The suitors, in order of likelihood: Yankees, Mets, Orioles, Mariners, Braves, Red Sox, Giants.  A battle of the New York powers is a reasonable prediction – both clubs should have first base open and the market for the position is otherwise poor.
  • In a February MLBTR poll, the Yankees were picked as Tex’s most likely future club.

Boras Discusses Oliver Perez

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Scott Boras represents impending free agent starter Oliver Perez, who might be in line for a huge payday if he can have another decent year.  John Delcos has heard speculation of a five-year, $60MM starting point.  If Perez can post a sub-4.00 ERA in ’08, that price will probably be exceeded.  Boras was in L.A. yesterday, giving reporters his typical spin.  To hear Boras tell it, Perez is not erratic and compares favorably to Johan Santana at the same age.

Perez, Jon Garland, Mark Prior, and C.C. Sabathia constitute the under-30 free agent starter group.  Perez will be 27 in August and is the youngest of the group.  All four have their flaws, but at least Perez is healthy and won’t require $100MM.

Boras doesn’t plan on negotiating during the season with the Mets.  We know how he operates – if Perez has an off year and that huge offer doesn’t materialize, he’ll probably find his client a one-year, $12MM deal and hope for a rebound.

Mets Discussing Turnbow

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TUESDAY: David Lennon adds that the Mets would only be willing to offer Turnbow a minor league deal.  Meanwhile, Gordon Edes hasn’t heard anything about the Red Sox pursuing him.

MONDAY: According to John Delcos of The Journal News, the Mets are "discussing whether to sign Derrick Turnbow" (hat tip to MetsBlog).  Turnbow seems like a reasonable gamble for the Mets.  Most teams could stand to add relief depth.

Turnbow was designated on Friday; Ken Rosenthal recently suggested that four teams are interested.  The Brewers would have to do something about his $3.2MM salary if they are to strike a deal.

The Brewers are having their own bullpen problems despite a pricey offseason makeover.  Eric Gagne and David Riske, making a combined $14MM this year, have disappointed so far.

Odds & Ends: Kennedy, Rays, Bonds, Wagner

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And now for something completely different, Odds and Ends:

  • ESPN reports that the Yankees optioned Ian Kennedy to Triple-A.  To take his place, they recalled Darrell Rasner who in 5 Triple-A games is 4-0 with 0.87 ERA and 27 K in 31 IP.  Kennedy relies on control and control he has had not.  He has the highest percentage of working into hitters counts of anyone in the bigs.
  • The Rays are the first team ever to hold the first pick in back-to-back years, and unlike last year when they selected David Price without thinking twice, they are presently undecided.  According to Marc Lancaster, "It’s a safe bet their choice will come from the following pool: Vanderbilt 3B Pedro Alvarez, Griffin (Ga.) High SS Tim Beckham, Florida State C Buster Posey, Missouri RHP Aaron Crow, University of San Diego LHP Brian Matusz and Riverside (Calif.) Patriot High C Kyle Skipworth."
  • Art Spander in the Oakland Tribune calls on Billy Beane to sign Barry Bonds.  Mike Sweeney and Frank Thomas aren’t enough.  Says Spander, "[Bonds] still can put balls in the seats and… butts in the seats. As opposed to you putting a tarp over them. The A’s have to stop being a secret and start becoming an attraction."
  • Brian Cashman: Phillies GM?  So speculates Jim Salisbury.  With no Johan but an injured Phil Hughes and ineffective Ian Kennedy, Cashman could find himself jettisoned by default from the organization should they miss the playoffs.  Pat Gillick’s contract is up after this year and Cashman once looked favorably on that gig.  But if you ask me, Mr. Salisbury is getting way ahead of himself.
  • Billy Wagner tells the New York Post’s Steve Serby that he expects to retire after 2009.  And he still hasn’t had a bagel.  That blows my mind.

By Nat Boyle

Odds and Ends: Morris, Moeller, de la Rosa

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Let’s kick things off with an odds and ends post today.  By the way did anyone watch Max Scherzer’s debut last night?  Damn.

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