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Aaron Heilman

Heyman’s Latest: Dodgers, Braves, Fuentes, Downs

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Today we have a new column from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • Heyman writes of turmoil within the Dodgers’ front office. Owner Frank McCourt is meddling, and assistant GM Logan White has "unusual say-so."  Shortstop targets for the Dodgers include Jack Wilson, Orlando Cabrera, and Edgar Renteria.  However, it is unclear which young Dodgers are available.
  • Braves decision-makers remain split on whether to buy or sell, with manager Bobby Cox leading the buy side.
  • Asking prices for relievers remain high, though Heyman seems to think Brian Fuentes wouldn’t cost the Mets much more than Aaron Heilman.
  • Heyman relays a report from Joe DeMayo of NY Baseball Digest: the Mets may have interest in Toronto’s Scott Downs.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Cashman, Fuentes, Braves, Fielder

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Time for a new Ken Rosenthal column.

  • Rosenthal reminds us that, among other things, Adam Dunn played with a broken hand for a couple of months in ’05.  So maybe he does like baseball.  It’s not fair to criticize a player’s passion simply because he doesn’t make the right facial expressions or throw tantrums (not saying J.P. Ricciardi did this, but many fans do).
  • Mark Teixeira might be looking for eight years and $160MM.  Rosenthal says not to count his hometown Orioles out, though they aren’t the most likely suitor.
  • Brian Cashman "seems likely to sign a contract extension" with the Yankees.  Omar Minaya’s job is safe.
  • The Rockies might trade Brian Fuentes even if they’re in contention.  Add the Rays to the list of teams interested in him.  The Rox still like the Mets’ Aaron Heilman, by the way.
  • The Braves are out of the starting pitching market, content with internal options.
  • If the Brewers are to shop Prince Fielder, they’ll likely wait until the offseason.  Could be a fun rumor to follow this winter.
  • Orioles relievers Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford both can be had (both are signed through ’09).

Mets Shopping Aaron Heilman?

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Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News is hearing buzz from scouts that the Mets are shopping 29 year-old reliever Aaron Heilman.  Heilman has a career best strikeout rate in 22.2 innings, but everything else has gone haywire (control, home runs and hits allowed).

Rubin says the Mets are looking for a setup man in return.  It seems that the best fit would be with a noncontending team that would switch Heilman back to starting.  The Nationals (Jon Rauch), Reds (David Weathers), and Pirates (Damaso Marte, John Grabow) might have decent relievers available.  Not sure if they’d have interest in Heilman, though.

Heilman will be arbitration-eligible in 2009 and 2010 and will reach free agency after that.

Gammons’ Latest: Bradley, Griffey, Padilla

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ESPN’s Peter Gammons has a new blog post to discuss.

  • Gammons says Cubs manager Lou Piniella would like to add a left-handed hitting right or center fielder to bat fifth.  Milton Bradley and Ken Griffey Jr. seem like long shots though.  It’s odd that the Rangers wouldn’t want to move Bradley.
  • Gammons notes that the Rangers wanted Mike Pelfrey, Aaron Heilman, and Deolis Guerra for Vicente Padilla in the offseason.  Even as a negotiation starting point, that’s a ton for Padilla.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Matt Murton

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Yesterday, Tim asked the question, "Who Wants Matt Murton?" As we await the answer to that question, only one thing is clear, the Cubs don’t. Surprising for a player that is only 26 and PECOTA projects to have an .821 OPS, 19.8 VORP and 2.4 WARP in 2008 assuming he can find a team that will give him big league at bats. With only two years of service time, Murton is still a year from arbitration and four years from free agency, so he should be able to command a solid relief pitcher in return. Let’s take a look at what is being said about Murton in the Blogophere.

  • Hire Jim Essian wonders how Murton ended up in this position and finds it hard to believe that Jim Hendry hasn’t been able to swing a deal yet if they knew that Murton was not part of the equation.
  • Cobra Brigade sees the way the Cubs have handled Murton as just another example of how the Cubs don’t know how to handle pretty much anything. They believe that Murton could be a solid contributor with an AL club as an everyday left fielder.
  • Snobs vs Slobs is not really sure why the Cubs essentially dropped Murton for Reed Johnson, noting that Johnson is an average defensive outfielder and not nearly the bat of Murton.
  • Mets Fever feels that Aaron Heilman is too big a price for Murton.
  • Talking Chop believes that Murton could be a nice addition to the Braves, filling the need for an experienced bat with pop off the bench.
  • DRays Bay acknowledges that the Rays would prefer a switch-hitting center fielder, but doesn’t think they could find one that hits as well as Murton.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Stark’s Latest: Roberts, Fuentes, Lofton

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new blog post jam-packed with hot stove rumors.

  • The Cubs are getting frustrated with the Brian Roberts situation, wondering if they’ll ever complete this trade.  The Orioles are scouting players but still haven’t given the Cubs the names they crave.  I got the exact same vibe from the source who told me Jose Ceda’s inclusion was never proposed by the Cubs.
  • The Tigers and Phillies are both hunting for bullpen help; Detroit’s sights are set higher than Philadelphia’s.  Unwanted players such as Wes Helms and Brandon Inge aren’t in demand.  And while Marcus Thames is desirable, he’s not enough to get Aaron Heilman from the Mets.  Brian Fuentes, also a Yankees target, may be the best available reliever.  But Stark says the Rox want a "high-upside young arm" for the southpaw.
  • My own guess at some useful relievers who may be available: Damaso Marte, Joe Nathan, Jamie Walker, Chad Bradford, Huston Street, Alan Embree, Kevin Gregg, Jon Rauch, and Chad Cordero.
  • Stark names the Cubs, Rays, and Mets as the teams looking for an extra outfielder.  No deals appear imminent, though the Rays made an unsuccessful offer to Kenny Lofton.  The Mets and Cubs are considering the same names we’ve heard for a few weeks now.  The Cubs are in a holding pattern since they may get Jay Payton in a Roberts deal with Baltimore. 

Johan Santana Rumors

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UPDATE, 1-25-08 at 9:46pm: According to LEN3: I was told today that next week is a big week in terms of determining if and where Santana will be dealt.  The end is in sight, then?

FROM 1-25-08 at 9:30am:

Time for your daily Johan Santana rumors post.

  • LEN3 talked to a Twins official who said there had been no recent extension talks between Santana and the Twins.  Meanwhile Sid Hartman at the same paper says the Mets and Yankees won’t go seven years, and he think the Twins’ 4/80 offer is fair.
  • Neal says that while Santana won’t necessarily veto any trade reached after Spring Training starts, it’s in everyone’s best interest to avoid dragging it that far. 
  • The Mets are still reluctant to part with Fernando Martinez, seemingly the dealbreaker right now.  Aaron Heilman could enter the mix though.
  • Neal believes the Yankee/Red Sox offers from December are still on the table.  This has been my hunch as well.  Which is why I think Boston can still pull this off.
  • If no deal can be reached soon the Twins might have to sign a stopgap CF like Corey Patterson or Kenny Lofton.
  • Buster Olney on Johan’s warning signs: I talked with evaluators and scouts with three other teams since then, and they all saw the exact same thing in Santana: diminishment in velocity, relatively few sliders thrown, subpar (for Santana) performances. But two of the three believe the regression could be attributed to the Twins not being in the race, Minnesota not playing in a high-adrenalin situation, and Santana coping with a cracked nail. The third evaluator wonders, too, if Santana is OK. "If a deal is made, you could see there would be a complete physical, given the money involved," said the evaluator.

Mets Pitching Plans

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Many readers have written me asking what the Mets are going to do to upgrade their starting rotation.  Matthew Cerrone as a man in the know, and he’s written a summary over at MetsBlog.

  • Cerrone senses nothing much cooking on the Johan Santana front, yet the Mets remain "oddly confident."
  • Cerrone believes the Mets will probably sign one rehabber – Freddy Garcia or Bartolo Colon.  He says reviews on Colon in the Dominican Winter League have been positive.  Omar Minaya knows Colon well, having traded the farm for him as GM of the Expos.  Garcia may be ready to pitch around June.  Coming off a frayed rotator cuff and labrum he may not contribute much in 2008.
  • Bullpen wise, Cerrone says Octavio Dotel is on the radar, especially if Aaron Heilman is traded.
  • There’s a lack of buzz with the Mets for Kyle Lohse, Livan Hernandez, and Joe Blanton currently.

Olney On Blanton/Mets

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Buster Olney heard that the Mets could acquire starter Joe Blanton from the A’s if they’d agree to surrender Carlos Gomez, Aaron Heilman, and Kevin Mulvey.  I wonder if Oakland would try Heilman in the rotation. 

The A’s would probably go with an outfield nucleus of Travis Buck in left, Gomez in center, and Carlos Gonzalez in right.  That could make Nick Swisher – signed for five years through 2012 – expendable.

Mets fans: would you do it?

Rosenthal’s Latest: Santana, Fuentes, Heilman

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The execs may be on a plane home right now, but the writers are still filing all sorts of rumors.  Here’s Ken Rosenthal’s latest piece.

  • Rosenthal says the Mets did not talk to the Twins about Johan Santana today, which is surprising.  But they did talk earlier this week, at which point the Twins gave the Mets a list of players they liked.  The Mets were fine with everyone on the list, which probably included Carlos Gomez and Mike Pelfrey.  Rosenthal adds that the Mets are the only NL team firmly in the mix for Santana, and shipping him to the other league might be a factor for the Twins.
  • The Giants turned down an offer of Delmon Young for Tim Lincecum before Young was sent to the Twins.  This leaves skepticism that the Giants will accept three years of Alex Rios after turning down five of Young.
  • The Mets made a straight up offer of Aaron Heilman for Brian Fuentes.  As far as I can tell Heilman doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2010 season, so the Rockies would be doing pretty well here.  Plus, they could plug him into the rotation.  Oddly the dealbreaker was the Rox asking for Scott Schoeneweis as well.  I thought the 34 year-old had negative trade value.  Rosenthal adds that the Tribe took a glance at Fuentes as well.
  • The Rox offered Jamey Carroll for Josh Barfield, which is pretty lopsided even with the year Barfield had.  Of course the Indians declined.

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