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Latin Links: Tejada, Uribe, Feliz, Cuban Players

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Links from Spanish-language news sources…

  • Sources close to Miguel Tejada and Juan Uribe said the infielders will wait and see what kind of contract Derek Jeter signs before committing to anything on their own, according to ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas. Neither player is aspiring to Jeter-like money, Rojas writes, but they think Jeter will "establish the market value of veteran shortstops" and give their own respective values a boost. The Cardinals are supposedly interested in both players.
  • Neftali Feliz told Jose Caceres of Hoy he's heard rumors about the Rangers planning to move him to the rotation, but on the team's end, "Nobody has said anything to me." SI's Jon Heyman tweeted earlier today that the team would consider the move if they can't sign Cliff Lee.
  • Victor Mesa, a former Cuban National Team manager and one of the all-time greats of Cuban baseball, told the official government newspaper Trabajadores that the time has finally come for those in power to allow Cuban players to sign with foreign teams, conveys Diario de Cuba. "I think there could be incorporation [into foreign teams], so that they could spend eight years playing in our National Series and [sign] with our involvement, not independently," Mesa said. The most recent prominent player to flee the country is a speedy teenaged outfielder in the mold of Mesa himself: 17-year-old centerfielder Yasiel Balaguer, who arrived in Nicaragua a few days ago.

Justin Upton Rumors: Wednesday

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Today's Justin Upton rumors…

  • One AL exec told SI.com's Jon Heyman (Twitter link) that Arizona's asking price for Upton is "ridiculous."
  • The Rockies inquired on Upton, according to the Denver Post's Troy Renck. A Diamondbacks official expects the team would be willing to deal within the division, though they'd have to receive a very strong offer.
  • The Upton rumors are more than just talk, says ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, who was told the D'Backs are "genuinely open" to moving the 23-year-old. However, it might take a package of five players who could help the team in the short- and long-term (Twitter links).
  • The Red Sox discussed Upton with the D'Backs late into Tuesday night, reports CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam, but talks are now stalled over Towers' latest demands.
  • The Braves are unlikely to pursue Upton after trading for Dan Uggla, GM Frank Wren implied (via Joel Sherman on Twitter).
  • The D'Backs will seek at least four or five players in return for Upton, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.  He believes perhaps three of those players would have to be big league ready.
  • USA Today's Bob Nightengale introduced the idea of Upton as a trade candidate on Monday, and the rumors took off yesterday.  Today, Nightengale says the Yankees' offer for Upton has fallen short but the Red Sox remain engaged.  Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers described the Upton trade talks as "people kicking the tires right now." 
  • Towers told Joel Sherman of the New York Post, "[Upton] would be a tough guy to move.  But you always seek out the information on what teams will do because you never know if, to get one player, a team will grossly overpay."  Sherman added via Twitter that the D'Backs "have [a] growing belief [they] will trade Upton based on [a] ton of interest."
  • Sherman talked to one team executive who says the Marlins have had the most interest in Upton for a while.  An exec speculated that Logan Morrison and Ricky Nolasco would get it done, notes Sherman.
  • It's not known if the Rays would like to add a second Upton, but the execs Sherman spoke to consider them an early favorite along with the Marlins.

Odds & Ends: Jones, Mets, Yankees, Guerrero, Greinke

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A few more links for Wednesday night…

Jeter Wants Four-Year Deal From Yankees

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When Joel Sherman of the New York Post discussed Derek Jeter's contract negotiations with the Yankees earlier today, he suggested that the length of an extension may currently be the sticking point. Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork hears the same thing. A source tells Matthews that Jeter and the Yankees disagree about the number of years, with the Yanks willing to offer three years and Jeter hoping for more than that.

According to Matthews' source, the Yankees would "give Jeter more money than his play currently warrants" over three years, but are reluctant to go any longer. The Yankee captain would like a deal that locks him up for four seasons, and maybe more. Matthews indicates, as Sherman did, that the negotiations are unfolding like a "game of chicken."

Matthews reported earlier this month that the value for the Yanks' three-year offer to Jeter would likely fall somewhere between $45MM and $60MM.

Heyman On Weeks, Matsui, Pujols

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SI's Jon Heyman is gathering all kinds of information at the GM Meetings; here's the latest…

  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin will talk to second baseman Rickie Weeks today about a possible extension, tweets Heyman.  The arbitration eligible Weeks is one year away from free agency.
  • Heyman tweets that the White Sox are talking to free agent designated hitter Hideki Matsui, who would fit as one of two lefty bats they hope to acquire.  The Sox have already had preliminary discussions with Adam Dunn's agent.  Heyman says the Cubs have not appeared to be big suitors for Dunn so far.
  • Regarding Albert Pujols, Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt does not want to repeat Alex Rodriguez's ten-year, $275MM contract.  In fact, he believes the Yankees would retract A-Rod's deal if they could.  Heyman floated an eight-year, $240MM deal to DeWitt, who questioned the $30MM salary.
  • Expensive closers Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Cordero are on the trade market, with the Red Sox and Reds willing to kick in money.  Still, Heyman sees the Red Sox retaining Papelbon, whose trade market is weak.
  • Heyman could see something around three years and $57MM for Derek Jeter.
  • Heyman believes the Orioles are looking at Paul Konerko and/or Adrian Beltre for their corner infield openings.

Yankees Rumors: Upton, Lee, Soriano, Jeter

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post dishes out the latest Yankees buzz in a series of articles…

  • Sherman notes that Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers has knowledge of the Yankees farm system after working for the team last year, which makes a Justin Upton match intriguing.  However, Sherman feels that the Yankees would get involved most likely if Cliff Lee signs elsewhere and they look to trade an outfielder for a starter.  Teams have inquired on Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, and Brett Gardner, notes Sherman.
  • Executives Sherman spoke to continue to express the opinion that the Yankees will land Lee.
  • The Yanks are also working hard to find a setup man, calling on about a dozen free agents including Pedro Feliciano.  They've checked in on Rafael Soriano "as a fallback position in the incredibly small likelihood that Mariano Rivera does not re-sign."  Sherman says to forget the idea of Soriano signing as Rivera's setup man and closer-in-waiting.  Neither side is interested in that scenario.
  • Sherman analyzes the Derek Jeter situation, which he feels could become "one of the most interesting games of contract chicken in history."  The main sticking point seems to be the number of years.

Odds & Ends: Westbrook, De La Rosa, Papelbon

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Links on a busy Tuesday as the first day of the GM Meetings wraps up…

Yankees Interested In Bill Hall

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Given all of the injuries they dealt with in 2010, the Red Sox were happy to have Bill Hall around. The former Brewer hit .247/.316/.456 with 18 homers in 382 plate appearances with Boston, his best effort since the breakout 2006 campaign that landed him a four-year, $24MM contract. Now another AL East club is looking to bring him aboard, as FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says the Yankees have interest in Hall according to major league sources.

“We have a good utility guy in [Ramiro] Pena,” said GM Brian Cashman. “We think Eduardo Nunez will be an everyday shortstop in the big leagues, but he very well could be a utility guy for us. [Brandon] Laird plays first base, third base and outfield."

“Obviously, are there better veteran guys available in free agency or the trade market? Very probably, there are. But is that the best way to go? We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Hall, 31 next month, works with Yankees' hitting coach Kevin Long during the offseason, so there's already a relationship in place. Of course the team's first priority is re-signing Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, not to mention making a run at Cliff Lee, so any pursuit of Hall will likely wait until after those other items are addressed. 

Diamondbacks Listening On Justin Upton

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6:09pm: Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger says that like the Red Sox, the Yankees were just doing their due diligence when they called about Upton.

3:33pm: The Yankees talked to the Diamondbacks about Upton, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

12:56pm: The Red Sox expressed interest in Upton, report Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  However, one source tells the FOX writers the talks are "not far advanced," while WEEI's Rob Bradford heard the rumor has "no legs."  Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe concurs, calling the discussions "more due diligence than actual trade talk" (Twitter link).

10:59am: You may have missed it yesterday, but USA Today's Bob Nightengale listed Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton as one of the big names GMs say are already "under discussion."  GM Kevin Towers elaborated:

"I'm open to listening on anybody.  We got more hits on Upton and [Stephen] Drew. They're difficult to move, but sometimes to make your club better, you have to move good players. You never know when a deal might present itself."

This could be little more than a GM taking the common stance that no player is untouchable.  Today Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweeted that while the D'Backs are listening on Upton, the return would have to be "big."  He notes that they're much less inclined to move Drew – they'd have to be "blown away," given the lack of alternatives at shortstop.

Upton, still only 23, regressed a bit in the first year of his six-year, $51.25MM contract.  He hit .273/.356/.442 in 571 plate appearances, though a shoulder strain may have been partially responsible.  Though he slipped in all three categories, his walk rate was actually higher than it was in '09.  Since Upton would not have been arbitration eligible until now, almost all of his contract will be paid out over 2011-15. 

Trading Upton would be very difficult from a public relations standpoint unless the D'Backs receive a comparable young star in return.  It's difficult to picture Upton terrorizing the D'Backs over the next five years as a member of the Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, or Giants, but any club could afford Upton financially.  In the opinion of Rosenthal's colleague Jon Paul Morosi, the Braves would be at the front of the line for Upton and they have the young arms to pull off a deal (Twitter link).

Odds & Ends: De La Rosa, Mariners, Thames

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Links for Tuesday, as the GM Meetings commence in Orlando and we await the announcement of the NL Cy Young winner…

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