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Odds & Ends: Zambrano, Cabrera, Molina

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Links for Monday…

  • Matt Klaassen of Fangraphs gave his thoughts on the Orioles' "enviable outfield logjam."  In his Offseason Outlook for the club, Tim suggested that Luke Scott could make sense as a trade candidate.
  • A week ago, we heard conflicting reports about whether or not the Yankees had talked to the Cubs about acquiring Carlos Zambrano. SI.com's Jon Heyman reports, via Twitter, that the Yankees "definitely" inquired, and speculates that Zambrano is "eminently available."
  • In a piece for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, David O'Brien suggested in passing that the Braves could potentially use Melky Cabrera as a trade chip. Heyman tweets that the Cubs would be very interested, if the Braves were to make Cabrera available.
  • ESPN's Jerry Crasnick says Bengie Molina "might be willing to consider" a two-year deal.  So far the Mets are at one year with an option.
  • Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik must retain at least one of Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez long-term.
  • Derek Zumsteg of U.S.S. Mariner gives us a Milton Bradley chronology.
  • CSNBayArea.com's Mychael Urban tweets that he's heard a whisper connecting the Giants to free agent reliever Kiko Calero.
  • WEEI's Alex Speier examines the differences between the contracts of John Lackey and A.J. Burnett.  In case you missed it, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe revealed on Wednesday that Lackey must play for the league minimum in 2015 "if an old elbow injury forced him to miss significant time with surgery any time during the deal."
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs says statheads and scouts are mostly in agreement these days, and Moneyball would be a very different book if Michael Lewis wrote it today.

Yankees Search For Left Fielder

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The New York Yankees are interested in Mark DeRosa and will be disappointed if the versatile veteran agrees to terms with the Giants, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). Here are a few other recent updates on the Yankees' hunt for a left fielder:

  • The Yankees still appear serious about their payroll restrictions. GM Brian Cashman says Xavier Nady's price "is above the Yankees' current budget," according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
  • Hoch adds that Cashman is "throwing ice water" on any ideas of signing a player like Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. Hoch notes that the situation is reminiscent of 2005, when the Yankees insisted Bubba Crosby would start in center field, before they eventually signed Johnny Damon.
  • The Yanks also don't appear to be a primary suitor for Jermaine Dye, tweets Heyman. Heyman lists a handful of teams more likely to sign Dye, including the Braves, Giants and Rangers.

Odds & Ends: Yanks, Reds, Orioles, Mets

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Another day removed from Christmas, let's hope we see a few more signs of life today from the hot stove. In the meantime, let's check out a handful of links….

  • Chad Jennings examines the decision the Yankees are facing, as they decide whether Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain is their fifth starter. Jennings feels that the best decision is for Hughes to start, with Joba being bumped back to the bullpen, for now. He feels both should be starters in the long run.
  • The Reds shouldn't trade away any of their starting pitching, writes Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports answers some frequently asked Orioles-related questions in his latest piece.
  • The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly writes that the Orioles have made significant strides in scouting and signing international players over the last couple years.
  • After parting ways with Curtis Granderson, the Tigers are searching for a player to take over their leadoff spot, according to the Detroit Free Press.
  • Newsday's Ken Davidoff (subscription required) tells Mets fans to relax, arguing that the team's offseason hasn't been too bad so far, and that there's still plenty of winter to come.
  • Joseph Pawlikowski at River Ave. Blues wonders if Jerry Hairston Jr. will fit into the Yankees' 2010 plans.

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Beltre, Carroll

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Merry Christmas everyone!  It's time to see what news has been left for us under the tree.  I hope there's a vortex football in there for me as well…

  • Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports took a look at the offseason thus far in the National League.  For his portion on the Cubs, Ringolsby writes that they got the better end of the Milton Bradley-for-Carlos Silva swap.
  • Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball counted up the money spent by every team in baseball from 1999-2009, using the end of year salary totals.  Over this stretch, the Yankees have spent 44% more than the number two top spender, the Red Sox.
  • Sam Borden of the LoHud Yankees Blog takes a look at the remaining free agents who could fill the Yankees' vacancy in left field.  Three names that jump out to him: Jonny Gomes, Xavier Nady, and Reed Johnson.  Although Gomes had a strong '09 offensively (.879 OPS), his career defensive metrics leave much to be desired.  Nady, of course, is only an attractive option if healthy.
  • The A's are talking with free agent Adrian Beltre, according to the headline of a post by Mychael Urban of Comcast SportsNet.  We first heard that Oakland was interested a week ago, but "only in an Oakland economy size financial package."  Urban's piece says that Beltre is reportedly seeking $10-15MM per season.
  • Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times writes that Jamey Carroll's contract with the Dodgers does not include the "Ramirez Provision", which is a clause that mandates a donation to the team's charity.  While owner Frank McCourt said that the clause would be standard for all contracts after Manny Ramirez signed his new deal, a grievance filed by the player's union may have caused the Dodgers to ease up on the requirement.
  • The Chiba Lotte Mariners will be sending a representative to California to negotiate with/for Dodgers pitcher Eric Stults, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker who passes along the report from Spinochi.  The Japanese club has been interested in Stults for a couple of months and have already been rebuffed by the Dodgers once already.

Discussion: Johnny Damon and Jason Bay

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While its difficult to criticize negotations from the outside, two major free agents appear to have negotiated their way out of ideal situations this year.

In 2009, Johnny Damon closed out his four-year, $52MM contract in style, hitting .282/.365/.489 with 24 HRs.  This offseason it was clear that Damon wanted to re-up with the Yankees, but of course, at the right price.  Early in the offseason, reports suggested that Boras was seeking a three-year contract at roughly the same rate ($13MM/year) as his last deal. 

After the Bombers signed Nick Johnson to take his place, word got out that Damon would have settled for $20MM over two years.  While the Yanks' proposal of $14MM still wasn't quite close enough, it is possible that the two sides could have reached an accord.  The Giants could be a suitor, as they were in on the Johnson chase, but it's doubtful that they would want to put him in the outfield.

Meanwhile, after rejecting a four-year, $60MM offer from Boston in July, Jason Bay appears to be having some trouble finding a new home. 

The signing of Mike Cameron likely means that the Red Sox will be moving on, leaving the Mets as the top suitor.  While some suggest that Omar Minaya & Co. will be willing to fork over the five-year pact that agent Joe Urbon has been asking for, it has been said that he does not want to play in Queens.

Regardless of what kind of contract each player fetches, it is difficult to imagine either player getting the money they wanted from their respective teams.

Odds & Ends: Johnson, Kouzmanoff, Berkman

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Here's a stocking stuffed with news items on this Christmas Eve…

  • Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues breaks down the details of Nick Johnson's contract with the Yankees.  If Johnson reaches all of his incentives and his mutual option for 2011 is picked up, he can make a total of $14.5MM over his two-year deal.
  • MLB.com's Corey Brock says the Kevin Kouzmanoff trade talks that were swirling at the winter meetings have "cooled," and he thinks Kouzmanoff will remain a Padre unless San Diego receives an overwhelmingly good offer.  Perhaps the Padres want to keep Kouzmanoff to anchor their lineup in case they happen to deal away Adrian Gonzalez. 
  • In a discussion of Lance Berkman's future plans, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com says that "the older [Berkman] gets, I think the less likely he is to play elsewhere."  The Astros star is under contract next season and the team has a $15MM option on Berkman for the 2011 season that it will surely pick up if Berkman matches his 2009 line of .274/.399/.509.  McTaggart notes that the Astros have been hesitant to rebuild since they still feel they can contend with quality veterans like Berkman and Roy Oswalt in their relative primes.  As we learned last September, however, Berkman might rather retire after 2011 than be a burden on the organization.
  • From that same piece, McTaggart says Houston's acquistions of Mike Hampton and Russ Ortiz last winter have made the team leery of signing another injury-prone starter like Ben Sheets, especially since Sheets would come at a much higher price.
  • Top Reds prospect Todd Frazier seems to be capable of playing anywhere on the field, but doesn't appear to be Cincinnati's answer at shortstop, reports MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
  • What team made the best trades in the 20th century?  According to one author, it was the Cleveland Indians.
  • Speaking of Cleveland, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com says the Tribe will put Rafael Perez back in the bullpen next season in spite of the left-hander's excellent starting outings in winter ball.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Matsui, Mariners, Callapso

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On Christmas Day way back in 2001, Hideki Matsui became the highest paid player in Japanese baseball history, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $4.7MM with the Yomiuri Giants. In his seven-year (and counting) Major League Baseball career, Matsui has never earned less than $6MM annually.

Let's see what's being written around the blogosphere…

  • River Ave. Blues takes a look at the economic impact of Matsui leaving the World Champs for the Angels.
  • U.S.S. Mariner runs down some potential first base options for the Mariners, covering players available through trades, free agency, and those already in-house.
  • It's About The Money, Stupid! compares Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson to the two guys they're replacing, Johnny Damon and Matsui.
  • South Side Sox provides some thoughts on Kenny Williams' busy offseason.
  • Royals Authority says Kansas City needs an outfielder, and proposes a few deals centered around Alberto Callaspo.
  • Viva El Birdos has some concerns about signing Matt Holliday to a long-term contract.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Yankees Notes: Vazquez, Granderson, Reed Johnson

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Bryan Hoch of MLB.com provides an interesting bit of trivia in his latest article: Javier Vazquez became the first player the Yankees traded for twice since Jeff Nelson. Here are Hoch's other Yankees-related updates, via GM Brian Cashman:

  • Vazquez's second half in 2004, when he posted a 6.92 ERA after the All-Star break for the Yankees, was viewed as an aberration, rather than any sort of concern.
  • Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, among others, will compete for the fifth rotation spot. The loser(s) of that competition will end up either in the bullpen or Triple-A to start the year.
  • The Yankees' budget was "once in a lifetime" last winter, so a surprise mega-deal like the Mark Teixeira signing a year ago is unlikely. Cashman's quote: "Any speculation about some high-end player who has big ability and dollars attached on a large scale would be inappropriate."
  • Hoch speculates that, while Johnny Damon is probably too expensive, Mark DeRosa and Jermaine Dye could still be left field possibilities. Last we heard on DeRosa, he was leaning toward accepting an offer from San Francisco.
  • Despite Curtis Granderson hitting 30 homers in 2009 and shifting to a smaller park, Cashman doesn't expect the center fielder to hit more than 20-30 long balls in 2010, pointing out that power is just one of Granderson's many strengths.

One more piece of Yankees news courtesy of Joel Sherman of the New York Post: Sherman hears that the Yankees are having regular discussions with Reed Johnson's representation. It's hard to imagine Johnson being the missing final piece for the Yanks' outfield, after all the names we've seen pop up, but he would fit in well with the team's current group of primarily left-handed bats. The 33-year-old has hit .313/.378/.463 in his career against lefties.

Mark DeRosa Leaning Toward Giants

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THURSDAY, 12:17pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets that DeRosa seems to be leaning toward accepting the Giants' offer, though no deal is in place yet.

WEDNESDAY, 1:30pm: The San Francisco Giants have offered Mark DeRosa a two-year deal worth $12MM, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter).

Heyman wonders if DeRosa, a New Jersey product who has previously played in Atlanta, is hoping for the Yankees, Mets, and Braves to enter the mix more aggressively. We heard earlier this week that the Braves and Yankees are both interested in DeRosa, though Atlanta's agreement with Troy Glaus would create one less opening in their lineup for DeRosa.

As for the Yankees, there has been some speculation that they only have about $4MM to spend on a left fielder. Given the Giants' offer of $6MM per season, DeRosa may be a little out of the Yanks' price range, but certainly the club has a history of working around apparent payroll restrictions.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Lackey, Yankees

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Another round of Wednesday links:

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Justin Duchscherer is leaning towards an NL team, although he is not sure which one.
  • Now that free agent Matt Capps appears to be leaning towards the Nationals, the Rockies are looking into other hurlers on the open market.  A major league source tells Thomas Harding of MLB.com that the club is negotiating with free agent Tim Redding.  The Rockies flirted with signing him last winter before he signed with the Mets, where he posted a 5.10 ERA in 30 games, including 17 starts.
  • The group selected to purchase the Rangers could be in financial trouble, says Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports.
  • Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com thinks that Mark DeRosa could become more valuable to suitors after Matt Holliday and Jason Bay sign, with few other big bats available.
  • The Javier Vazquez trade can't be properly evaluated until the Braves spend all of the $8MM they saved in the deal, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Still, Rosenthal points out that the Braves should be concerned about the health histories of their free agent signings so far.
  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe relays some details of John Lackey's contract with Boston, including an interesting conditional option: If an old elbow injury forces Lackey to miss significant time over the course of his contract, he'd have to play for the league minimum in 2015.
  • Mark Carig of the Star-Ledger passes on this quote from Yankees GM Brian Cashman, regarding the team's outfield opening: "It won't be a big name situation. I can promise you that."
  • Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik says that the two recent trades involving the Mariners and Blue Jays were "complete, separate entities," according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.
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