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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Hudson, Tigers, Braves, Dunn, Yankees

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On this day 29 years ago, Albert Pujols was born. 2009 will be the sixth year of his eight year, $111MM deal (safe to say Cards will pick up his ’11 option). According to Fangraphs, Pujols has already been worth $151.9MM in the first five years of the contract ($30.4M per season), begging the question: How much will Pujols command following the ’11 season, when he will be 32? Last winter, Alex Rodriguez signed for 10 years and $275MM prior to his age 32 season. With less than a month to go before pitchers and catchers report, many players are still looking for their own new contracts. Let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • River Ave. Blues expands on Baseball Prospectus’ case against a salary cap and how small-market teams likely would not be able to support a minimum payroll.
  • Bucco Blog says the value of young talent has kept the Pirates from rebuilding. Instead, the team has spent the last two years restructuring and are now moving on to the next phase.
  • Jorge Says No examines the market for Orlando Hudson and feels the Nationals have to make a play for the second baseman.
  • The Detroit Tigers Weblog takes a look at who is still available to close for the Tigers in ’09.
  • Infield Chatter says the Braves were forced to overpay for Derek Lowe.
  • Braves Blast takes a look at the Braves offseason and what is left to do: adding an outfield bat and extending Chipper Jones’ contract.
  • On Baseball and The Reds takes a look at Adam Dunn’s value, with the numbers suggesting he is not worth much more than $20MM over four years.
  • Pinstripes Published makes a case for the Yankees acquiring Lastings Milledge from the Nats, while The Chuck Knoblog argues for Elijah Dukes.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.  This is by far the best way to get your blog linked on MLBTR.

Odds and Ends: Putz, Mitsui, Varitek

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Links for Friday…

Mientkiewicz Believes Return To Pirates Unlikely

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WEDNESDAY: Dejan Kovacevic talked to Huntington, who "blamed Mientkiewicz’s lingering frustration with the team’s lack of communication on Mientkiewicz’s now-former agent."  Huntington said the door remains open for Minky.

MONDAY: First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com that he doubts he’ll return to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization this season.

According to Mientkiewicz, the Pirates have not made an offer or any attempts to get in touch with him as the offseason has progressed. He has not spoken with general manager Neal Huntington or manager John Russell, a close friend of Mientkiewicz’s, since the season ended, Langosch wrote.

Mientkiewicz, 35 in June, hit .277 with 30 RBI in 125 games. As a Pirate, he played some third base for the first time in his career.

Odds And Ends: Padres, Manny, Braves

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Links for Sunday…

  • John Moores will remain majority owner of the Padres for three or four years even if he agrees to sell the team to Jeff Moorad, according to Tom Krasovic. Major league executives say Padres CEO Sandy Alderson is likely to leave if Moorad takes over.
  • In a recent poll, Giants fans were divided on the idea of signing Manny Ramirez.
  • The Pirates haven’t offered Doug Mientkiewicz a contract.
  • Thomas Stinson looks at an offseason of "mediocrity" for the Braves.
  • Bobby Cox likes the looks of Kenshin Kawakami.
  • Larry LaRue asks who’s on first for the Mariners this year.
  • Joe Posnanski sees Adam Dunn and Willie Bloomquist as opposites in a way.
  • Michael Silverman compares the pre-Bronx careers of Mark Teixeira and Jason Giambi.

Pirates Rumors: Pearce, Swisher, Nady

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Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette turned up a few more Pirates rumors:

  • Though the Pirates would like to sign a right-handed power-hitting outfielder, GM Neal Huntington says Steve Pearce is a "viable option."
  • It doesn’t look like the talks between the Yankees and Pirates about Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher are going to amount to anything.
  • The Pirates would like to add a major league starter, but they are more likely to strengthen pitching in the upper levels of the minor leagues.

Heyman On Manny, Lowe, Crede, Redding, Hinske

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The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…

  • The Giants "look like a major threat" to the Dodgers for Manny Ramirez and are "making a serious run at him."  Former teammate J.T. Snow apparently raved about him.  Nonetheless Heyman says the Dodgers are "probably still considered the favorite."  Heyman lists the Rangers as "intrigued."  He believes Ramirez will get three guaranteed years somewhere.
  • Heyman says Derek Lowe is "quite possibly" in play for the Phillies, though we heard from Ken Rosenthal today that the team denied interest.  Heyman also sticks with the Brewers and Angels as outside possibilities despite reports to the contrary.  He believes Mets GM Omar Minaya prefers Oliver Perez to Lowe.
  • The Giants, Twins, and Rangers are in on Joe Crede.
  • Players said to be in on Freddy Garcia: the Mets, White Sox, and Rangers.  We can probably cross off the Mets with their Tim Redding signing.
  • Heyman believes the Dodgers want to replace Brad Penny with Randy Wolf.
  • Heyman says the Pirates offered more guaranteed money than the Red Sox to Rocco Baldelli.  Dejan Kovacevic had this first in an article published early this morning.
  • The Red Sox were looking at Eric Hinske but with Baldelli and Mark Kotsay in tow it’s unlikely.  A Japanese team has "allegedly shown interest" in Hinske.
  • Before signing with the Rays for two years and $16MM, Pat Burrell was getting offers in the one-year, $5MM range.

Odds and Ends: Bradley, Roberts, Cruz, Smoltz

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Links for Friday…

Braves, Orioles Eyeing Kenshin Kawakami

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11:14pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown says the Braves were aggressive on Kawakami even before John Smoltz left, so the Japanese pitcher is in a good position.  Brown’s list of Kawakami suitors includes some new clubs.  He names the Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins, Pirates, Orioles, and possibly Yankees.

A Nikkan Sports article about Kawakami (in Japanese) has been making the rounds lately.  I asked Patrick Newman about it; apparently it says Kawakami has advanced to final negotiations with the Braves.  My guess is that this report jumped the gun.

8:34pm: Steve Melewski of MASN reports that the Orioles are still in the hunt for Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.

"The O’s remain in the mix, no question," a source told MASN. "They’ve showed a strong pursuit of Kawakami."  Baltimore has already signed another Japanese import, Koji Uehara, but are looking for more starting pitching depth.  Kawakami, 34, has a career record of 106-62 and a 3.17 ERA in Japan.  The O’s extended an offer to him at the end of December, but he’s obviously keeping his options open.  The Braves, Twins and Cardinals are also believed to have interest.

Pirates Talk Nady, Swisher With Yankees

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Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates have had trade talks with the Yankees regarding outfielders Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady.

Kovacevic, however, goes on to say that there is "little cause to expect a deal involving either coming to Pittsburgh," noting that Swisher is due $22MM over the next three years and hit just .219 last season.  A Nady deal is even less likely because the Yankees will demand top young talent; and the Pirates should be in full rebuilding mode.

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