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The Remaining Free Agents: Who’s Left?

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With little more than a week remaining before the regular season begins let's check the list of unsigned free agents..

  • Pedro Martinez is the biggest name out there.  The Dodgers don't like  his asking price of $5MM and Omar Minaya says Pedro's not coming back to the Mets.
  • Orlando Hernandez, Mark Mulder and Will Ohman are still on the market.
  • And don't forget about Paul Byrd and Ben Sheets, who could return midseason.  
  • Richie Sexson, Mark Grudzielanek and Ray Durham are some of the more interesting free agent infielders 
  • Dave Roberts and Jim Edmonds could offer outfield depth, but haven't attracted a lot of reported interest. 
  • Luis Gonzalez is on the market too. Could he return to the Marlins? He could return to the D'Backs if he retires as a player.

Sheets Rehabbing In Texas

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According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, free agent righty Ben Sheets is rehabbing in Arlington, Texas at a facility owned by the Rangers’ team doctor Keith Meister.  While the Rangers remain interested in Sheets, GM Jon Daniels cautioned that he did not advise Sheets to work with Meister and said "There’s not a connection there."  Sheets had surgery on a torn flexor tendon in his elbow on February 13th and will probably return after the All-Star break.

Odds and Ends: Bordick, Sheets, Bowden

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Here are your Thursday links…

  • Former MLB shortstop Mike Bordick has been hired by the Blue Jays as a minor league infield instructor.
  • Richard Durett of the Dallas Morning News has the transcript of a radio interview with Rangers owner Tom Hicks.  It sounds like his club will make another run at Ben Sheets once he’s back to full health.
  • The Orioles and Cardinals might share players this spring, according to Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.  "My gut is there would be nothing wrong with it,” said St. Louis manager Tony La Russa. "We’re in different leagues."  UPDATE: That idea was shot down pretty quickly.
  • Mark DeRosa told Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com that he left the Cubs on good terms.  There were rumors of a feud between he and manager Lou Piniella.
  • Contrary to some reports, the Nationals have absolutely not contacted Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava about possibly replacing Jim Bowden.
  • Check out Tim’s interview with "The Yankees: Minors to Majors," a blog.

Sheets Undergoes Successful Surgery

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According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Ben Sheets underwent successful elbow surgery Tuesday.  A source claims that "a return in the second half is realistic barring setbacks."  Sheets is shooting for August.

Clubs already are inquiring about signing Sheets for the second half. If healthy, he will be extremely attractive to contenders, who at that point could sign the former Brewers’ ace without forfeiting a top draft pick, writes Rosenthal.

It doesn’t sound like a team is going to take a chance on him before the season starts.

Sheets Not Welcome Back In Milwaukee

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Brewers GM Doug Melvin said Tuesday that the club will not re-sign free agent Ben Sheets under any circumstances.  Adam McCalvy has the report over at MLB.com.

"There’s probably logic to it, but it’s not going to happen," said Melvin. 

Some readers have speculated that it would make sense for Sheets to return to Milwaukee since they’re already footing the bill for his shoulder surgery and rehabilitation.  Melvin put a stop to those kind of ideas Tuesday, adding that Sheets should have "some other avenues."

Cafardo’s Latest: Manny, Sheets, Glavine

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The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo shares some notes on Manny Ramirez and around the league. Let’s have a look, bullet-point style:

  • He cites an AL Exec who says, "I’ll be honest, I never thought Ramirez would walk away from… one year, $25 million. That’s better than the $20 million option he had torn up… If he has another great year, he gets another $25 million for one year? Or maybe a team then decides, ’OK, this guy has behaved himself for a while, continues to produce at a high level now, let’s commit for another two years to him.’ Unless a team like the Yankees comes in at the last minute and gets it done, I just don’t see where he’s going to make more than $25 million." Cafardo adds that "Brian Cashman insists it won’t happen."
  • A quote from Rich Hill on his being traded to the Orioles: "[Cubs general manager] Jim Hendry really took care of me. He wanted to create an opportunity for me that he told me probably didn’t exist in Chicago, so I’m grateful. I know Baltimore tried to deal for me last year and it didn’t work out, but this time they made it work." Hill also adds that he’s over his back injury and will rediscover his control.
  • Ben Sheets not signing anywhere until June hurts the Brewers two-fold: they may have to foot the bill for the surgery and won’t receive a first round draft pick for losing a Type-A free agent. Sheets has a torn flexor tendon, as revealed by an exam with the Texas Rangers. On the other hand, MLBTR has noted that in June, after his surgery, he won’t cost a draft pick to sign.
  • Andruw Jones on playing in Boston: "It’s too cold there. There’s too much stuff going on."
  • Bobby Abreu may have to settle for a one or two year deal at $3MM. Cafardo lists the Angels, Mets, Braves, Dodgers, and Mariners.
  • Expect an incentive-laden deal for one year between Tom Glavine and the Braves. As MLBTR has noted, their latest offer was between $1-2MM with no incentives.
  • Mark Mulder could be a useful back end starter and he’s almost ready to put himself on display to teams.
  • Shea Hillenbrand is 32 and receiving no interest. Cafardo wonders if he’s "being punished for past transgressions?"
  • Cubs, White Sox, and Dodgers are lined up for Orlando Hudson; however, the transfer of ownership may have temporarily tied the hands of Jim Hendry to do anything until Tom Ricketts takes over.
  • The A’s are continuously interested in Orlando Cabrera, Adam Dunn, and Abreu.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Manny, Braves Howard, Mets, Nomar, Sheets

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On this date 51 years ago, the Red Sox signed Ted Williams to a one-year deal for $135K – making him the highest paid player in Major League history. This contract came on the heels of a season in which Williams hit .388-38-87 with a .526 OBP and 233 OPS+. And all of that was at age 38. With one week to go before pitchers and catchers report, several players in the twilight of their career are still looking for contracts of their own. Let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • River Ave. Blues says a one-year deal for Manny Ramirez in L.A. would open the door to Manny being Manny in pinstripes next year.
  • Feeling Dodger Blue takes a look at options for the Dodgers other than Manny.
  • Braves Blast sees Bobby Abreu as a better fit for the Braves than Adam Dunn and a better option than trading for Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher.
  • The Phrontiersman argues for trading Ryan Howard.
  • UmpBump continues their "Hot Offseason Action" series, this time looking at the Red Sox, their offseason moves and how the roster might look on opening day.
  • Mets Geek breaks down the Mets offseason.
  • The ’Ropolitans say the Mets’ bullpen still needs work and wonders why they don’t go after one of the remaining big-name relievers on the market.
  • Detroit Tigers Thoughts notes that if Orlando Hudson wants to sign a one-year deal after the June draft, he is more likely to lose his type-A free agent status next season if he signs with an NL club this season.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse feels that Nomar Garciaparra would make a nice backup shortstop for the Cubs.
  • More Hardball puts together an All-Star squad of players still available on the free agent market.
  • MLB Notebook takes a look at which teams might be interested in signing Ben Sheets for the second half.

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

Ben Sheets To Have Elbow Surgery

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3:39pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman talked to Sheets’ agent Casey Close, who said his client will have elbow surgery.  Sheets hopes for a July or August return.  Tom Haudricourt says Sheets expects the Brewers to pay for the procedure.

1:56pm: ESPN’s Jayson Stark says the surgery Sheets is considering has a standard 9-10 month recovery time, jeopardizing his 2009 season.  Stark adds that "some teams that had pursued Sheets this winter seemed to be more concerned about his shoulder than his elbow."

Ken Rosenthal says Sheets is "seriously considering" surgery, with the goal of pitching in the second half.

12:45pm: According to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and T.R. Sullivan, Ben Sheets has a torn flexor tendon in his elbow that might require surgery.  There is some debate as to whether the Brewers would have to pay for the procedure.  The Rangers and Sheets agreed to a two-year deal last week, but the physical threw a wrench into it.  GM Jon Daniels says he’s not optimistic at this point.

The injury first surfaced late in the ’08 season, but until Sheets’ physical with the Rangers it was thought that rehab would be sufficient.  As many readers have pointed out, if Sheets has surgery and signs after the June draft he’ll no longer cost a draft pick to sign.

T.R. Sullivan: Rangers Unlikely To Land Sheets

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Ben Sheets remains a free agent.  The Rangers still have holes in their starting rotation.  Yet, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes that "all signs point to him not being with the Rangers" in 2009.

"Did the Rangers look? Yes. Sheets lives here [in Dallas] and is from Louisiana. He is also a No. 1 starter. That mandates the Rangers consider him. The Rangers also need pitching. That mandates Sheets being interested in them. It’s a perfect match. They had two weeks to get it done. Both have little in the way of alternatives. And it’s still not done."

"This just isn’t going to get done," concludes Sullivan.  The 30-year-old right-hander has a career ERA of 3.72.  He went 13-9 last season with a 3.09 ERA over 198 1/3 innings.  Obviously Sheets carries a troubling history of injuries, but it seems this one is all about dollars and cents.

Rangers Hot Stove Update: Jennings, Sheets

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Jeff Wilson, writing for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, has a few more updates on the Rangers’ hot stove situation:

  • Jason Jennings is still on the team’s radar.  His agent and GM Jon Daniels had multiple conversations last week.  Jennings, 30, struggled last season before undergoing surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon.  He should be ready for spring training and is likely to come cheap.
  • The lines of communication remain open with free agent Ben Sheets, but there hasn’t been much progress.  Wilson believes that might change now that the Mets have agreed to a deal with Oliver Perez.
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