Sheets Meets With Yankees, Rangers
9:24pm: The Rangers met with Sheets and his agent, according to T.R. Sullivan. Jon Daniels said not to read too much into it.
7:13pm: Per Sherman, the Yanks met with Sheets today.
6:30pm: Free agent hurler Ben Sheets arrived in Vegas this afternoon, according to Ken Rosenthal. Sheets wouldn’t comment much on the Yankees, but said he wouldn’t burn the bridge leading to a possible Milwaukee return.
MLB.com reports that the Rangers would like to chat with Sheets this week (he currently lives in Dallas). They’d have to free up some cash to sign him. Jon Daniels was already planning on meeting with Sheets’ agent Casey Close in regards to Jason Jennings.
Yankees Rumors: Teixeira, Pettitte
A couple of Yankees non-rumors. Brian Cashman said he did not make an offer to Mark Teixeira when they met last week. Additionally, he does not have a meeting scheduled with Andy Pettitte‘s agents (though still hopes to re-sign him).
Dodgers, Yanks Did Not Resume Cano Discussions
7:35pm: Brian Cashman spoke about Cano, Ian Kennedy, and Phil Hughes. He doesn’t seem likely to trade any of them.
3:05pm: Peter Abraham learned from Colletti that he hasn’t talked to the Yankees since July.
2:04pm: MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick talked to Ned Colletti, who said he hasn’t talked to the Yankees yet.
12:02pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers and Yankees have resumed their discussions about second baseman Robinson Cano at the Meetings. The Dodgers also like Melky Cabrera, while the Yankees hope to get Matt Kemp and pitching from L.A.
Punto Visits With Phillies, Draws Yankee Interest
7:31pm: The Yankees are looking for a utility infielder, and Brian Cashman said today Punto is on their radar.
6:51pm: John R. Finger of Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia says Nick Punto visited with Phillies brass this afternoon. They’ll meet again later today. Punto may return to the Twins, and he’s also been linked to the D’Backs and Mets.
Red Sox Rumors: Bloomquist, Lugo, Varitek
Red Sox linkage…
- Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald says the name of Willie Bloomquist continues to be associated with the Red Sox.
- Silverman says the Sox have been floating around Julio Lugo‘s name; no interest yet.
- Silverman sees the Tigers, Marlins, and maybe Yankees as potential suitors for Jason Varitek. Scott Boras would have a hard time getting two years, $20MM from any of those teams. The Marlins or Yanks would have to give up their first-round pick, too.
C.C.’s Agent Requests Meetings With Yanks, Red Sox
According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, C.C. Sabathia‘s agent Greg Genske requested meetings with the Yankees and Red Sox (the teams did not make the requests).
Manny Declines Arbitration; What’s Next?
No surprise here, but Jon Heyman writes that Manny Ramirez will decline the Dodgers’ arbitration offer.
The Dodgers can still negotiate a contract with Manny, though they need infield help and starting pitching help as well.
Manny is seeking five years, though that’s unlikely. Heyman suggests that teams may be willing to go four years, however. He also names Manny as a good fallback for the Yankees and Angels, should they fail to sign Mark Teixeira. In fact, Heyman offers up the idea of the Yankees pursuing both Manny and Tex if they fail to sign C.C. Sabathia.
Sheets Expected To Decline Arbitration; Yanks Interested?
Jon Heyman has another arbitration update, stating that Ben Sheets is expected to decline the Brewers’ offer. Ken Rosenthal had speculated this same thing earlier in the week.
There was some speculation that Sheets would accept arbitration in order to prove his health, then seek a multi-year deal after the 2009 season.
Heyman writes that the Yankees may pursue Sheets if they aren’t able to land one or two of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe.
Sheets is a known ace-talent, but is it worth surrendering a first-round pick to offer Sheets multiple years?
Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Closers, Castillo, Cantu
Ken Rosenthal has a new column up, let’s take a look at the highlights:
- Rosenthal doesn’t see Mark Teixeira signing with the Nationals, even for the rumored ten-year, $200MM contract. He’s got better options in the Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees. Scott Boras managed to get Alex Rodriguez a ten-year deal with a losing team in 2000 when he signed with the Rangers, but Rosenthal doesn’t forsee a repeat.
- The Indians are waiting on the Mets’ closer decision to make a decision of their own. Once New York signs or trades for a closer, the market will likely collapse. The Mets are preparing simultaneous offers to Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Kerry Wood.
- The Brewers could spend big money on a closer once they hear from Ben Sheets and C.C. Sabathia. If the Brewers can somehow retain both, they won’t have money to spend on a closer and would likely have to trade Prince Fielder.
- The Mets are desperately trying to unload Luis Castillo so they can make a run at Orlando Hudson. They’re having no luck though, even in trying to swap him for another bad contract. The Rangers rejected a swap of Castillo for Vicente Padilla.
- Nationals GM Jim Bowden is interested in Willy Taveras. Doesn’t make any sense to me. The Nats already have Lastings Milledge, Josh Willingham, Elijah Dukes, and Austin Kearns.
- The Rockies prefer to keep Garrett Atkins, but the Twins, Dodgers, Giants, and Phillies are all interested. Chase Utley has been a long-time supporter of bringing his former UCLA teammate to the Phils for a reunion.
- The Marlins are getting several inquiries on Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla. They don’t plan to trade either, though if the Giants were to offer Jonathan Sanchez for Cantu, the Marlins would jump at the chance.
- Jermaine Dye, Mike Cameron, Marcus Thames, and Marlon Byrd are all available via the trade market, for teams needing a right-handed hitting outfielder. Rosenthal still feels Cameron could still end up in pinstripes.
Olney’s Latest: Winter Meetings
As we wait for arbitration decisions, Buster Olney offers his latest on the winter meetings:
- CC Sabathia, who will be sitting down with the Red Sox and Yankees today or tomorrow, may want to wait for Mark Teixeira to sign first. If the Angels don’t land Sabathia, they could be expected to compete with the Yankees $140MM offer.
- Francisco Rodriguez is not going to get the 5 year, $75MM originally anticipated by his agents and he may find it in his best interest to seek a 3 year deal, and re-enter free agency, perhaps in a better market, before he turns 30.
- Says Olney, "Look, [Jake] Peavy is going to be traded, and what will be left is a team looking at a long rebuilding process."
- The Nats are courting Adam Dunn as well as Teixeira, pointing out that Jim Bowden ran the Reds when they drafted Dunn. No word on Dunn’s interest in Washington.
- Sources say the White Sox moving Jermaine Dye is "overblown." He’ll cost $11.5MM next year with a $1MM buyout for 2010 and teams in need of a corner outfielder can target Dunn or Bobby Abreu rather than give up prospects to the White Sox.
- Orlando Cabrera has been made aware that Alexei Ramirez is the starting shortstop in 2009 and, for that reason, OC is expected to decline arbitration even in a depressed shortstop market.
- Olney reports that Rafael Furcal‘s final contract request was 4 years, $52MM. He wound up rejecting the offer of 4 years, $35-40MM.