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Ben Sheets

Pettitte, Yankees Still Talking

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According to Pete Caldera of the North Jersey Record, the Yankees are still talking with Andy Pettitte. Caldera’s source says the club isn’t confident Pettitte will accept a one year offer for about $10MM, but they prefer him to other remaining free agents.

Caldera adds that the Yankees are prepared to have their young starters compete for the final rotation spot in Spring Training. If Ben Sheets is willing to accept a one year deal the Yankees could become seriously interested, but there’s no indication Sheets would consider that.

Mets Offer Perez Revised Contract

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According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Mets have offered another contract to Oliver Perez. They already offered a deal that appeared to be for three years and about $30MM, but the Mets are "believed to have improved" their first offer. Earlier today we heard that the Mets might be willing to add a fourth year to their offer.

The Mets are still talking with representatives for Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Ben Sheets, but Perez remains their top target.

New Medical Report Reassures Sheets’ Suitors?

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has heard from MLB executives that a new record of Ben Sheets’ medical history "may have sparked some renewed interest in the talented pitcher."

Sheets provided teams with updated information about his health. Heyman learned that previous health reports were not "debilitating," but they had issues. The Rangers, Mets and Brewers are presumably among the teams currently looking over the new information.

Mets Willing To Go Four Years For Oliver Perez?

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According to ESPN Radio’s Andrew Marchand:

The Mets will eventually be willing to go to four years for Oliver Perez. Meanwhile, the Mets have growing interest in Ben Sheets. A source says that the Mets don’t think Sheets’ arm is perfect, but it is not terrible either.

Marchand’s source expects the Mets’ negotiations for Perez to continue to drag.  If there’s another club willing to go to four years for Perez, that info has been kept away from the media thus far.  Sheets, as you know, met with Rangers brass yesterday.  Dan Graziano provides his take on the Mets’ plans over at his blog.

Ben Sheets Visits With Rangers

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According to Ken Rosenthal, Ben Sheets and his agent spent yesterday visiting with the Rangers in Arlington.  Nolan Ryan, Jon Daniels, Ron Washington, and Mike Maddux were in attendance.  Daniels would not comment on whether the Rangers made an offer.  The Sheets market has been surprisingly slow this winter, with the Mets dabbling and the Brewers not ruling him out.

The Brewers were hoping to receive a first-round pick as part of the compensation for Sheets, but the Rangers’ #14 pick is protected and the Mets’ first-rounder will stay with the Angels for Francisco Rodriguez.  Theoretically the Dodgers could jump in (they have the #17 pick) but they are said to have the "inside track" on signing Randy Wolf and haven’t been linked to Sheets.

Mets To Sign Freddy Garcia

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FRIDAY, 8:50am: Jon Heyman explains that Garcia felt the Mets gave him a better opportunity to pitch/start as compared to the Yankees.  Garcia apparently had some concern that the Yankees will re-sign Andy Pettitte.

THURSDAY, 7:32pm: According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, the Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with Freddy Garcia. Rubin heard that the deal could be worth $8-9MM if Garcia makes the team and reaches all his incentives.

Newsday’s Anthony Rieber confirms that Garcia has agreed to a minor league deal. Like Danielle Sessa, Rieber writes that the Mets still have the money to sign a starter like Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets or Oliver Perez.  Ken Rosenthal says they still intend to sign another starter and Perez remains atop the list.

Dodgers Are Lead Suitors For Wolf

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According to Ken Rosenthal, major league sources say the Dodgers have the "inside track" on signing Randy Wolf. Such a deal would likely be for one or two years.

The Dodgers are talking with Jon Garland and Braden Looper as well as Wolf.

The Mets, who consider Wolf an alternative to Oliver Perez, are still talking with Ben Sheets and Pedro Martinez as well as Garland and Perez.

Brewers Reluctant To Add A Starter

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Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel heard from Brewers owner Mark Attanasio that he’s  reluctant to add a starter because he wants to have some payroll flexibility heading into the season.

"If we add a starter now and get (beyond) the mid 80s and have some negative events, that would be a first for us."

The Milwaukee payroll currently sits between $80MM and $85MM, up from $80MM last year. Haudricourt does not expect the Brewers to sign "a starting pitcher who costs a lot of money."

GM Doug Melvin said in an MLB.com chat that Ben Sheets remains a possibility for Milwaukee, but they’re not currently in talks. The Brewers hear that Sheets is seeking a multi-year deal.

Rosenthal On Perez, Manny, Pirates

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Another new column from the hard-working Ken Rosenthal.

  • Rosenthal doesn’t believe that the market for Oliver Perez is limited to the Mets; it’s more that they’re the only interested team we know about.  Two teams we can cross off are the Rangers and Cubs.  The Mets want to do three years for Perez while Scott Boras wants five.  The Mets’ plan is to sign one of Perez, Randy Wolf, or Ben Sheets and then add a cheaper arm like Freddy Garcia.
  • Rosenthal believes the Giants could justify signing Manny Ramirez as an attempt to "max out" while they still have Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum (they have Cain through 2011, Lincecum through 2013).
  • Rosenthal notes that free agents who accept offers of arbitration do not have guaranteed contracts.  However, players such as Orlando Cabrera and Jason Varitek would’ve had to be released for clear baseball reasons, not to save money.  Otherwise the teams would be in hot water with the Players Association.
  • Rosenthal notes that Scott Boras has worked out two-year deals covering arbitration years for past clients such as Matt Holliday and Mark Teixeira, so the current Prince Fielder talks don’t signify a change.
  • The Pirates have no need to shed payroll.

Rosenthal On Sheets, Cruz, Cabrera, Reyes

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal…

  • Rosenthal recommends the Yankees sign Ben Sheets and Juan Cruz, partially because they’d pay less of a cost in draft picks than any other team.  One exec predicted Sheets would require a $6-8MM base with the potential to earn at least $14MM, and possibly a "lucrative club option."  Despite Rosenthal’s recommendation, the Yanks remain focused on Andy Pettitte (who is not weighing an offer from the Astros).
  • Industry sources tell Rosenthal that the Red Sox have kept their payroll flexible in case mid and low-revenue teams need to dump contracts.
  • The A’s probably cannot afford both Nick Johnson and Orlando Cabrera, so they’ll wait to see what happens with Cabrera before pursuing the trade with Washington.
  • Prince Fielder filed for $8MM against the Brewers’ $6MM; Rosenthal indicates the team feared he’d file higher.
  • One chatter mentioned yesterday that Cory Sullivan and Jeremy Reed are the exact same player; one GM said the same to Rosenthal.
  • Dennys Reyes has backed off his demand for Jeremy Affeldt money (two years, $8MM).  Affeldt seemed like a bargain at the time.
  • Expected to be in attendance at Kris Benson’s upcoming throwing session: the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, Rockies, and D’Backs.  Looks like an NL West affair.
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