The Barry Zito Market
First, let’s start with the White Sox. Multiple emailers have told me that SNY’s baseball insider Seth Everett reported yesterday that he thinks Chicago might join the Barry Zito chase. I can’t vouch for this report as I didn’t see it myself. Regardless, the rumor is making the rounds. Here’s why I think it would be highly unlikely:
1. While no team loves Scott Boras, the White Sox have a particular distaste for him.
2. Jerry Reinsdorf has a policy: no contracts over three years for pitchers. That came into effect after they signed Jaime Navarro for four years (he was awful).
3. It doesn’t fit in with Kenny Williams’s apparent plan at all.
Meanwhile, Jon Daniels is "not terribly encouraged" of the Rangers’ chances at signing Zito, mentioned on the heels of his Brandon McCarthy acquisition.
The New York Daily News reports that the Mets have not yet made an official offer. It appears that the Mariners and Giants are still involved.
Mets Visit Jeff Suppan, Brewers Make Offer
It’s old news at this point, but I should mention that the Mets visited with free agent starter Jeff Suppan and his agent in California yesterday morning.
Suppan is the backup plan for teams like the Mets and Giants, one of which won’t get Barry Zito. A few small-market clubs who can’t afford Zito hope to swoop in and snag Suppan as well. Also, I forgot to write a soup-related pun so please feel free to do that in the comments. Have we seen "No Soup For You!" as a headline yet? Suppan should spurn some team so we can watch sixteen newspapers say that.
UPDATE: Cheese Soup? Seriously, that is well done.
Alex Rios On The Block
ESPN’s Buster Olney reports in his blog that the Blue Jays are willing to trade right fielder Alex Rios, who turns 26 in February. The Blue Jays are in search of one more quality starter to pair with Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Gustavo Chacin, and perhaps Casey Janssen or Shaun Marcum. It’s a necessity in the AL East.
Back in 2004, Baseball America ranked Rios sixth among all prospects, between Rickie Weeks and Kaz Matsui. Rios earned a promotion to Toronto without mastering Triple A, and his growth kind of stagnated for two years. He played some center field while Vernon Wells was out, and also served as the leadoff hitter for a while.
Before the breakout, many teams tried to pry Rios away. The Nats talked about a Rios for Nick Johnson deal in December of 2004. You can bet Jim Bowden would love him in CF, but doesn’t have the goods for a trade. In the winter of ’05, the Rangers were offering Kevin Mench for Rios while the Nats countered with Brad Wilkerson.
The much-awaited breakout happened this year, as Rios mashed at .330/.383/.585 for 270 ABs leading up to his June 29th leg injury (staph infection). He returned on July 28th and hit .261/.297/.411 thereafter. It was an ugly couple of months but he did bounce back in September.
Some projections for ’07:
Ron Shandler: .293/.337/.500
Bill James: .286/.336/.442
On his glovework, The Fielding Bible wrote:
"Rios is an excellent defender, a five-tool player with outstanding range and speed and a strong, accurate arm suited for right field. The Jays would love to switch him to center field where he is a better offensive fit, but they have a Gold Glover in Vernon Wells entrenched there."
With Ichiro now in center, Rios may be baseball’s best defensive RF.
Olney mentions a few trade possibilities: to the Dodgers for Brad Penny, to the A’s for Joe Blanton, or to the Mets for a package of young guys. Olney didn’t bring up the White Sox, but there could be an excellent fit. The Sox could use Rios in center in 2007, and perhaps shift him back to right in ’08 if Jermaine Dye leaves.
Jon Lieber Action
You know it’s a rough year for pitching when Jon Lieber is a hot commodity. I kid – he’s not that bad. Liebs turns 37 next April, and figures to be the most expendable of Philly’s six starters. He’ll make $7.5MM in 2007.
Home runs and hits got the best of Lieber last year, though his command remained elite. He had a 4.93 ERA overall, but can probably pitch at his second half level (4.53).
The Pirates wanted to bring him back, perhaps hoping they could right the wrong of trading him to the Cubs for Brant Brown. However, John Perrotto tells us that interest has cooled because the Phillies asked for Salomon Torres. Seems like a fair deal to me.
Joe Strauss wrote last week that the Cards could pursue Lieber, just as they did at the trading deadline. For all of Walt Jocketty’s posturing, the team needs one starter. Not sure if any talks are going on here.
A week ago, the Phils had a deal in place to send Lieber to Milwaukee for Kevin Mench and Derrick Turnbow. However, talks dried up two days later. Jim Salisbury threw Texas’s hat into the ring in the same article. The Rangers were another team trying to trade for him in July.
Speaking of last July, the Mets wanted in at that point too.
Mets To Woo Zito, Pass On Giles
According to the New York Post, David Wright will put on the charm to attempt to reel in Barry Zito for the Mets. He’s offered to give Zito a tour and basically questions his manhood if he plays elsewhere. But if the Mets, aren’t willing to go to the six-year, $100MM range, Zito won’t be joining them.
Meanwhile, Willie Randolph made it clear that Jose Valentin, (and presumably not Marcus Giles), will be at second for New York in 2007. That’s a shame, because Giles is probably the better bet. Some team, perhaps Tampa Bay, may have a bargain on its hands in Giles.
A source tells me that various clubs are asking about Double A first baseman Michel Abreu, a Cuban refugee. I think the return would be limited given that he may be turning 32 in February. Despite his age, Abreu did post a .900+ OPS at Double A and in the AFL this year.
Pads, Mets, D-Rays Interested In Giles
Marcus Giles, with a career line of .285/.361/.448, has been granted free agency at age 28 after only five seasons of Major League service. While last year was ugly, Giles still may be the best second baseman available.
Most speculation has been centered around the Padres, because Marcus’s brother Brian plays there. The Padres could’ve had Giles for Scott Linebrink, but now they can get him without surrendering players. Kevin Towers will talk to Giles’s agent today, though San Diego does have a capable option in Todd Walker already.
The Mets are also interested; they are looking to acquire a second baseman despite re-signing Jose Valentin.
Finally, the Devil Rays might check in. Jorge Cantu could be moved to first base or traded, opening up a spot. If Cantu were moved to first, he’d be competing with Ty Wigginton for playing time. That assumes the Rays sign Akinori Iwamura, which seems likely.
Some Mets’ Notes
The Mets have resigned relief pitcher Guillermo Mota to a 2-year/$5MM contract, according to MLB.com. Mota was acquired from the Indians back in August and went 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 18 games for the Mets in 2006. He’ll be in New York for his 34 and 35 year seasons.
The Mets also lost top catching prospect Jesus Flores in the Rule V Draft today to the Washington Nationals. Though Jesus was still in the St. Lucie (A-advanced), he was considered to be the heir to the backstop once Paul Lo Duca was ready to move on. Flores will now be forced to play in the same stadium where he broke his thumb in an exhibition game at the start of the 2005 season.
""We’re disappointed, because we like Jesus a lot, but we’ll see how the process plays out," said Mets director of Minor League operations Adam Wogan."
The Mets are also still slated to meet with Barry Zito soon.
Mets Covet Dan Haren
It’s just one letter, after all. Ken Rosenthal reports that the Mets hope to acquire Dan Haren from the Mets, not Rich Harden. That makes sense.
However, Haren is incredibly valuable as a young stud pitcher signed for cheap. He could be a Cy Young candidate in the NL. I can’t see what the Mets would give the A’s for Haren that would make Oakland better in 2007.
If Haren is truly available, I would imagine all sorts of teams to come knocking. The Angels and Dodgers would be best suited to acquire him because of their top-notch prospects, but neither club needs starting pitching. How ’bout a three-way?
The Market For Jason Jennings
The Denver Post has the latest on hot trade commodity Jason Jennings.
The Phils are now out of the running after acquiring Freddy Garcia. This leaves the Astros as the top candidate. Troy Renck says "the Rockies are eyeing 24-year-old starter Jason Hirsh, reliever Dan Wheeler and center fielder Willy Tavares." Renck notes that Houston’s interest will heighten if Andy Pettitte signs with New York. The three-player haul mentioned here certainly seems to top what the White Sox got for Garcia, a fairly comparable pitcher for 2007.
The Blue Jays and Mets remain plenty interested if other options don’t work out.
Ted Lilly, Gil Meche, and Vicente Padilla are all off the market. Left in Tier 2:
Jason Jennings
Jeff Weaver
Jeff Suppan
Miguel Batista
Batista may be the next to go.
UPDATE: Should Houston acquire Jon Garland, they’d obviously no longer be the frontrunner for Jennings.
Mets Like Harden
As more sources report it, it seems that the Mets are indeed talking to Oakland about Rich Harden. John Delcos is hearing a slew of pitchers who could be swapped between the two clubs, including Aaron Heilman, Philip Humber, and Joe Blanton. And Lastings Milledge seems likely to go as well. And Delcos just got finished speaking to Omar Minaya directly.
Meanwhile, Matthew Cerrone checks in to indicate that a deal involving Harden seems unlikely. That is reasonable given Harden’s health issues in recent years.