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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Wood, Sheets, Bradley, Wagner

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On this date two years ago, Mike Lowell re-signed with the Red Sox for three-years, $37.5MM. In this first two years of the deal, Lowell has taken in $25.5MM, and according to his WAR has been worth $19.9MM. In '10, Lowell will be 36 as he enters the final year of his deal. Today is the first day of free agency, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Chien-Ming Wang Open To Dodgers

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Chien-Ming Wang appears open to pitching for the Dodgers if the Yankees cut him loose, according to a Taiwanese report passed along by Diamond Leung.  Reporters brought up the Dodgers idea and Wang replied, "Not bad" and talked about his comfort pitching for Joe Torre.  Whether the Dodgers are interested, we don't know.

Wang is nearly certain to be non-tendered by the Yankees after having surgery in July to repair a torn ligament in his shoulder capsule.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote earlier this month that the Yankees might not even offer an incentive-based contract after non-tendering Wang.

Stark On Bradley, Uggla, Yankees, Braves, Pedro

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ESPN.com's Jayson Stark responds to some of Scott Boras' recent comments before providing some rumors in his latest Rumblings and Grumblings column:

  • The Rays, Rangers and Jays appear to be the three likeliest landing spots for Milton Bradley. The Cubs say they don't want to eat much of the $21MM remaining on Bradley's contract, so a bad contract swap still seems possible.
  • Stark hears that the Marlins were in serious trade talks with the Giants and Rangers about Dan Uggla.
  • There's no indication that the Yankees are in on Jason Bay or Matt Holliday at this point. The Yanks figure to negotiate firmly with Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.
  • The Braves would like to trade for a cleanup-hitter and are expected to try to extend Javier Vazquez if they can move Derek Lowe and his contract.
  • The Phillies don't appear to have a preference at third base, though they're said to be considering Placido Polanco, Mark DeRosa and Adrian Beltre.
  • At least two executives believe Pedro Martinez fits best as a half-year starter next season.

Yankees Interested In Gonzalez, Soriano?

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An MLB executive tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the Yankees plan to pursue free agent relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez. However, another source tells Rosenthal that the Yanks intend to develop relievers from within the organization.

Both relievers are Type A free agents, so they would cost draft picks if the Braves offer arbitration. The Yankees might to prefer to wait until December 1st. By then, we'll know whether the Braves offered arbitration and if any other ranked relievers can be signed without surrendering a high pick.

We heard yesterday that the Red Sox asked the Braves for the relievers' medical records. If the Red Sox and Yankees decide to pursue Gonzalez, they'll be negotiating with his new agent: Scott Boras.

Nightengale On Jackson, Swisher, Rays, Halladay

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USA Today's Bob Nightengale suggests we keep an eye on a possible three-way trade between the Tigers, Mariners and one other club. The Tigers would give up Edwin Jackson and the Mariners would give up Brandon Morrow. Here are some more rumors to read as you wonder who that third team might be:

  • Nightengale says the Rays are the "clear-cut favorite" to acquire Milton Bradley from the Cubs.
  • The Yankees are apparently letting teams know that Nick Swisher is available. Swisher was involved in his share of trade rumors after the Yankees acquired him last season.
  • The Dodgers are focusing on Roy Halladay, who would potentially cost Chad Billingsley and others.

Odds & Ends: Yanks, Boras, Greinke, Cards

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A few more items for Wednesday evening…

  • Chad Jennings of The Journal News thinks the Yankees ought to at least call Toronto about right-handed ace Roy Halladay.  "I have no idea what the asking price might be," writes Jennings, "but Halladay is better than [John] Lackey and he’ll surely cost fewer prospects than Felix Hernandez."
  • As noted by the Boston Globe's Nick Carfado, MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred said Wednesday the revenue sharing figures thrown out by agent Scott Boras during last week's GM meetings "have no basis in reality" and that Boras is living in a "fantasy land."
  • According to Ryo Shinkawa of NPB Tracker, right-hander Ryota Igarashi and left-hander Hisanori Takahashi filed for international free agency on Wednesday.
  • Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star expects Zack Greinke to move on once his contract with the Royals is through.  "The good news is that the team has Greinke under contract three more years," writes Mellinger.  "The bad news is they have a lot of improving to do in that time."
  • Joe Strauss and Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took to the radio Wednesday afternoon with a few opinions on the Cardinals' offseason plans.  Both feel Matt Holliday is only an average defender and that the Cardinals could be looking to add starting pitching via trade this offseason.

Odds & Ends: Mulder, Matsui, Smoltz, Rangers

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Some afternoon linkage…

Heyman: Yankees, Red Sox Have Shot At Halladay

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Jon Heyman's latest column begins with this simple declaration:

"The Yankees recently called the Blue Jays to express interest in superstar pitcher Roy Halladay."

And Heyman points out the change in administrations in Toronto- from J.P. Ricciardi to Alex Anthopoulos- means an in-division trade is no longer out of the question.

Heyman also points out that with Halladay seeking a big payday from whoever acquires him, the suitors for his services could quickly dwindle to the precious few big-market teams who can afford to pay him long-term.

He lists the Yankees as option 1, the Red Sox as option 1A for Halladay. Keeping him in Toronto for now is second, with the Phillies, Angels and Mets all trailing behind.

Heyman's column also discusses topics ranging from Adrian Gonzalez to Zack Greinke, and is obviously worth a read.

Chamberlain Still Unsure Of 2010 Role

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We've heard a lot about the "Joba Rules" ever since Joba Chamberlain was first called up to the Yankees in 2007.  Going into next season, however, the "Rules" are up in the air since nobody seems to even know what the game will be for the young right-hander in 2010.  Chamberlain told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo that the Yankees have yet to inform him if he will be a starter or a reliever next season.

Chamberlain doesn't seem bothered by the lack of information, saying "it helps me just to know that I've been put in a lot of situations and it's going to help me in the long run."  In fact, Chamberlain also said that he hopes Andy Pettitte (a man he regards as a good friend and mentor) comes back for another season in New York, even though Pettitte's return might squeeze Chamberlain out of a rotation spot.

DiComo notes that should Pettitte re-sign with the Yankees, he would be the No. 3 starter behind C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.  This leaves the final two spots in the New York rotation open, to be contested between the likes of Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves and possibly Chien-Ming Wang (as reported last week by the New York Post's Joel Sherman).  This competition could end up being for just one rotation spot should the Yankees sign a free agent pitcher like John Lackey.

Chamberlain posted a 4.75 ERA in 31 starts for New York last season, but was hit hard in the second half of the season — the Nebraskan had a 7.67 ERA in August and September.  He was moved to the bullpen for the Yankees' playoff run and recorded a 2.84 ERA in 10 relief appearances, plus a win in Game 4 of the World Series.

Interestingly, DiComo said that Hughes is "more of a lock to start than Chamberlain" in spite of the fact that Hughes flourished coming out of the bullpen in 2009.  Hughes had a 5.45 ERA in seven starts last season, but a 1.40 ERA in 44 relief appearances as he gradually became Mariano Rivera's primary set-up man.

What do you think, Yankees fans?  Who would you be more comfortable with as a starter in 2010 if you could pick only one: Chamberlain or Hughes?  For what role do you think each pitcher is ideally suited?

Yankees Rumors: Mitre, Payroll, Lackey, Sheets

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1:13pm: Marc Carig of The Newark Star Ledger reports that the Yanks have declined Sergio Mitre's 2010 option. Mitre remains under team control and is arbitration eligible. 

12:43pm: George A. King III of The NY Post has some Yankee rumbings for us today, so let's round 'em up…

  • GM Brian Cashman said he's received calls from various agents, but hasn't returned them yet because he has to "wait to see about payroll." The team's pro scout meetings begin tomorrow, and after that Cashman will "take the ideas and estimated money to the Steinbrenner family."
  • King says that John Lackey's representatives have contacted the Yankees. An agent (not Lackey's) thinks righty can land a deal similar to Barry Zito's seven year, $126MM contract.
  • An industry source says "Everybody seems to be in a wait-and-see mode and that plays into how the Yankees have been working. Take Jason Bay, they can wait around like they did with Mark Teixeira last winter."  
  • Regarding Ben Sheets, Cashman said they'll "go through the scouting reports and see where the market is. After we decide what it is, that will determine if we have less or more (interest)."
  • Sheets' agent, Casey Close, says that more than half-a-dozen teams have called to tell him to "keep them in the loop."
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