Yankees Rumors

Odds & Ends: Balfour, Orioles, Chapman, Lowe

By Luke Adams 2 | December 13, 2009 at 2:14pm CDT

Rounding up the first batch of miscellaneous Sunday links….

The Rays agreed to terms with reliever Grant Balfour, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. Balfour signed a one-year, $2.05MM deal, avoiding arbitration.
The Baltimore Orioles are still searching for a closer, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Zrebiec suggests that Fernando Rodney and Kevin Gregg could be atop the O's list of targets.
MASN's Roch Kubatko runs down the Orioles' closing options too, adding new free agent Matt Capps to the mix.
Meanwhile, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reaction from GM Neal Huntington, who says that media reports of the 26-year-old being non-tendered hurt his trade value. Huntington also said that the Bucs would "love" to have him back in the bullpen – at the right price. Capps isn't on the Yankees radar, says Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger (via Twitter).
John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Tigers' closer search also continues. The team was looking at J.J. Putz, but backed off because of health questions, not money concerns.
Tuesday could be "Judgment Day" for Aroldis Chapman, according to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. Chapman will throw a session with a slew of teams expected to be in attendance.
Within a piece which focuses on yesterday's non-tender decisions, ESPN.com's Buster Olney mentions that a handful of clubs are interested in Brian Giles, including the Yankees and Reds. It's still up in the air whether teams will be willing to offer Giles more than a minor league contract.
One interesting tidbit from the latest article by Newsday's Ken Davidoff: An AL West official tells Davidoff that he'd like to see Jered Weaver, rather than Joe Saunders, leaving the division in a potential Roy Halladay trade offer. I have to think Jays fans would agree. Both pitchers were selected 12th overall in their respective drafts: Saunders in 2002 and Weaver in 2004.
Speaking of the AL West, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports thinks it's the most intriguing division for hot stove news this winter.
David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter) says that the Angels are a possible destination for Derek Lowe if they cannot re-sign John Lackey. Other possibilities include the Mariners, Red Sox and Yanks. O'Brien also suggests the Mets, provided that the Braves are willing to trade within their division.

Non-Tender Reactions: Buck, Wang, Capps, Cust

By Luke Adams 2 | December 13, 2009 at 12:42pm CDT

Yesterday, MLBTR recapped some of the more interesting names not to receive contracts at baseball's non-tender deadline. Those players, along with the rest of the non-tender list, have inspired plenty of discussion and speculation. Let's check out some links….

ESPNDallas's Richard Durrett and MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan are in agreement: John Buck should be of interest to the Rangers.
MLB.com's Bryan Hoch wonders if the Dodgers have some interest in Chien-Ming Wang. The Cardinals could also be interested, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The Pirates' decision to non-tender Matt Capps shocked Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who has some reaction quotes from the right-hander. Capps makes sense for the Rays, writes Tommy Rancel at DRays Bay. Meanwhile, the Cubs are interested, says Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney was less surprised about the Capps decision, and gives his opinion on a few of the other big moves.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says that, despite not tendering him a contract, the Athletics could still potentially retain Jack Cust. ESPN.com's Rob Neyer, however, says that the A's handled Cust well, avoiding paying a higher price for declining numbers.
Chad Jennings of LoHud.com lists some new free agents that might intrigue the Yankees, while Scott Lauber of the News Journal mentions some possible options for the Phillies.

Yankees Non-Tender Chien-Ming Wang

By Zachary Links | December 12, 2009 at 10:04pm CDT

10:04pm: The Yankees have confirmed that Wang has been non-tendered, writes Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). However, GM Brian Cashman says that he hopes the club's relationship with Wang can continue (also, via Twitter).

3:34pm: The Yankees have yet to confirm this, tweets Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger.

1:55pm: The Yankees have non-tendered Chien-Ming Wang, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).

The right-hander was clearly less than 100% to start the year and had season-ending shoulder surgery in July. Wang's last truly healthy season was in 2007, when he turned in an ERA of 3.70 over 199.1 innings of work.

What teams do you expect to show interest in the 29-year-old?

Odds & Ends: Jacobs, Bradley, Lackey, Lyon

By Mike Axisa | December 12, 2009 at 12:31pm CDT

Some links to start the weekend…

MLB.com's Joe Frisaro says that Mike Jacobs isn't a fit to return to the Marlins. The team's second best prospect is first baseman Logan Morrison, who is on the cusp of the big leagues after spending most of 2009 in Double-A.
Milton Bradley continues to hamstring the Cubs this offseason, writes Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune.
Tommy Bennett at Beyond The Box Score compared John Lackey to A.J. Burnett, and doesn't think he deserves a bigger contract than the Yanks' hurler.
The Astros will make the Brandon Lyon signing official today, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
Curious about what the 2010 draft order looks like following the recent signings? Check it out.

Olney On Damon, Halladay, Molina, Carroll

By Tim Dierkes | December 11, 2009 at 12:48pm CDT

ESPN's Buster Olney kicks off his latest blog post with a poignant look at his relationship with Peter Gammons. As for the rumors…

Olney says the Yankees and Johnny Damon appear to be far apart in early contract negotiations. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News believes the Yanks will turn to Hideki Matsui, Mike Cameron, or Mark DeRosa if Damon won't take a two-year offer within two weeks or so. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Damon seeks three or four years at $13MM annually, while the Yanks are at two years, $19MM (Bobby Abreu's contract).
Olney heard the Blue Jays' asking price of the Phillies for Roy Halladay "is about the same" as it was in July. That doesn't seem logical, but we are talking about two different GMs here. Olney was able to confirm the reported Halladay demands the Jays made of the Yankees: Jesus Montero, Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, and more.
The Mets' initial offer to catcher Bengie Molina contains a vesting option. Olney doesn't speculate, but do you think the Mets were willing to guarantee the first two years?
The Dodgers, Indians, and A's are among the teams eyeing Jamey Carroll, who seeks a two-year deal. Carroll may look at Craig Counsell's yet-unsigned deal as a precedent.

Odds & Ends: Beltre, Lyon, Nats, Rangers

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 10, 2009 at 11:07pm CDT

Some more links for your Thursday night…

John Tomase of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox believe Adrian Beltre to be "one of the most game-changing defenders in the majors."
Two GMs tell Tom Verducci of SI.com that they were shocked to see the Astros commit $15MM to Brandon Lyon.
Verducci reports that the Yankees called the Tigers about Curtis Granderson before the World Series began.
The Nats still plan on adding multiple veteran starters, according to Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post.
Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says the Rangers have to be "extremely selective with multi-year deals, stock a good farm system, fill in with low-risk, high-reward short-timers and churn regularly." So far, Sherrington likes Jon Daniels' strategy.
MLB.com's Ian Browne expects Mike Lowell to be a positive presence in the Texas clubhouse.
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti tells MLB.com's Ken Gurnick that he's "not close" on any deals.
Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told Steve Kornacki of MLive.com that there's a chance Phil Coke starts in Detroit.
The D'Backs don't appear to have much money to spend, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
Marlins president Larry Beinfest tells MLB.com's Joe Frisaro that "there is still some stuff simmering." The club hopes to trade Dan Uggla, according to Frisaro.
Orioles starter Brian Matusz told Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun that he grew up watching Kevin Millwood pitch for the Braves. Now, the two will be teammates.
Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports that the Dodgers turned down a Japanese club that wanted to buy Eric Stults' contract.
Brian Cashman told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that Juan Miranda could potentially DH for the Yanks next year.

Yankees Rumors: Sheets, Damon

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 10, 2009 at 10:51pm CDT

The Yankees have some interest in Ben Sheets and they're taking their time with Johnny Damon. Here are the details on the defending World Champions:

Marc Carig of the Star Ledger reports that the Yankees made contact with Ben Sheets' agent. This doesn't mean they'll sign him, or that he's a priority, but it's worth noting. We know Sheets is looking for $12MM or so. That target seems lofty given that Rich Harden, who actually pitched last year, signed for less than that, but the Yankees are looking into starters.
The Yankees haven't made progress with Johnny Damon. Sam Borden of the Journal News says they haven't yet set a firm deadline for their negotiations.

Rays Acquire Rafael Soriano

By Tim Dierkes | December 10, 2009 at 7:18pm CDT

7:18pm: Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times says it's a "done deal." It'll be announced tomorrow.

6:29pm: David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the deal hasn't been finalized yet. The doctors didn't look at all the reports today, but it should go through tomorrow.

4:38pm: MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the medical reports have been reviewed and the Rafael Soriano–Jesse Chavez swap has been finalized.

11:00am: Rosenthal and Morosi say the Rays will sign Soriano for one year and $7MM or slightly more; the deal will be official after medical records are exchanged. They say Soriano's contract will be non-guaranteed.

10:16am: Rosenthal tweets that the Rays are negotiating a one-year deal with Soriano, and terms must be reached before the trade can become official. ESPN's Jerry Crasnick believes this deal should be done by day's end once the Rays look at Soriano's medicals.

1:30am: Topkin says the Rays will pay all of Soriano's salary, whatever that may be. The two sides don't necessarily have to go to arbitration even though Soriano accepted, they could even work out a multi-year deal.

THURSDAY, 12:55am: SI.com's Jon Heyman says that Soriano has been traded to Tampa, pending medical review.

WEDNESDAY, 11:53pm: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the deal is "nearly complete." Jesse Chavez, the reliever the Rays obtained for Akinori Iwamura, will likely be dealt to Atlanta.

11:38pm: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports that the Rays and Braves are "close" to a deal for Soriano. It could be completed tomorrow.

10:08pm: David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Braves and Rays could finalize a deal for Soriano as early as tomorrow morning.

8:05pm: They may not be frontrunners, but the Rays are talking to the Braves about Soriano, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown.

5:16pm: The Braves don't consider any team the frontrunner for Soriano, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

3:23pm: Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports suggests the Rays are the frontrunner for Soriano, assuming they'll expand their payroll to fit him in. ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets that the Rays are very interested but are balking at the money and players involved. Funny to note that Rays owner Stuart Sternberg recently told Roger Mooney, "There is no $7 million closer showing up."

2:36pm: ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Braves want a solid return for Soriano and want the other team picking up the tab. Not sure they have the leverage for that.

1:52pm: Rosenthal tweets that the Rays and Astros are vying for Soriano. Note that the Astros just lost LaTroy Hawkins to the Brewers.

1:04pm: Rosenthal now tweets that the Orioles and Angels are out on Soriano. Soriano is apparently out of the Angels' price range. Rosenthal still thinks a deal will come together quickly.

WEDNESDAY, 8:36am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Angels are another suitor for Soriano. Makes sense, given Brian Fuentes' struggles.

TUESDAY, 6:31pm: Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox are unlikely to be suitors for Soriano. Meanwhile, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution says the Yankees, Astros and Orioles have interest in Soriano. Braves GM Frank Wren confirmed to O'Brien that at least one team has interest in both Soriano and Derek Lowe.

4:09pm: Reliever Rafael Soriano has already given Braves GM Frank Wren trade clearance, tweets MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Wren said he's already had discussions with multiple teams. Soriano accepted the Braves' offer of arbitration last night, perhaps in an effort to skirt draft pick compensation.

The Orioles, Astros, and Red Sox appear to be potential suitors for Soriano, based on previous reports. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted earlier today that the Yankees are not interested in trading for him.

White Sox Interested In Brett Gardner

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 10, 2009 at 7:07pm CDT

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times hears from a scout familiar with the situation that the White Sox covet Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner. The Yankees, who just acquired Curtis Granderson, have extra outfielders so the White Sox and Royals have inquired on Gardner.

The White Sox had Scott Podsednik around last year, but Cowley says they haven't offered him the two-year deal he wants. The Royals and Tigers are also unwilling to give Podsednik a second year at this point.

Stark On Halladay, Bradley, Lackey, Gonzalez

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 10, 2009 at 6:56pm CDT

The Blue Jays are still demanding nearly as much for Roy Halladay as they were this summer, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. The Angels, Phillies and Yankees appear to be "the only realistic destinations" for Halladay at this point. The Angels would apparently want Halladay to sign an extension if they traded for him, but the Jays don't appear to be close to dealing their ace away. Here are the rest of Stark's rumors:

One GM would be shocked if the Angels don't sign Jason Bay or John Lackey. The Angels haven't shown any indications that they're ready to offer Lackey A.J. Burnett money ($82.5MM).
The Yankees are focused on adding a free agent starter and determining whether Johnny Damon will return.
If the Cubs and Rays can figure out the money, Milton Bradley could still end up in Tampa Bay.
The Red Sox will have a hole at first or third if and when the Mike Lowell deal goes through, but you can count out Adrian Gonzalez. Stark says the Padres just have no motivation to move the hometown slugger.
The Red Sox are "clearly infatuated with" Adrian Beltre.
Dan Uggla, Francisco Cordero, Luis Castillo, Lyle Overbay, Kerry Wood, Kyle Farnsworth, Gary Matthews Jr., Juan Pierre, Jose Guillen and Eric Byrnes were all being shopped this week.
Stark notes that the market for starting pitchers hasn't been bad so far, pointing to Randy Wolf and Andy Pettitte as examples.

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