Carl Pavano To Accept Arbitration
6:32pm: La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune agrees – he says Pavano will accept arbitration tonight. Rosenthal says it's 99% certain.
11:33am: Rosenthal says Pavano is likely to accept the Twins' arbitration offer.
9:28am: Carl Pavano's agent Tom O'Connell "pressed the Twins on multi-year contract possibilities in their Sunday night meeting," tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown. We'll know by the end of the day whether Pavano will accept the Twins' arbitration offer, on which he was said to be undecided by Ken Rosenthal.
By tallying 199.3 innings and 33 starts between the Indians and Twins, Pavano ended up earning $4.35MM in 2009. Fair or not, after the Yankees debacle, any team giving Pavano multiple years is going to be the subject of some derision. La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Twins "aren't too fired up" about giving Pavano two years.
Odds & Ends: Pirates, Martinez, Blanton, Putz
A few links the night before all Hot Stove hell breaks loose…
- Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that team president Frank Coonelly said the Pirates have made less than $11MM profit over the last two years, and all of that was put back into the team.
- Agent Alan Nero says that opening talks about a long-term deal for Victor Martinez "should be on the to-do list in January," according to Daniel Barbarisi and Joe McDonald of The Providence Journal.
- Ed Price of AOL FanHouse says we can add Joe Blanton to the list of pitchers available via trade. He's arbitration eligible after making $5.475MM in 2009, and the Phillies can better use that money elsewhere.
- The Diamondbacks are one of the teams that watched J.J. Putz's recent throwing session, according to FoxSports.com.
- Dylan Hernandez of The LA Times takes a look at five issues facing the Dodgers heading into the Winter Meetings.
- The Mariners are among the teams looking to land a catcher this week, says Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com.
- Adam Rubin of The NY Daily News rounds up Omar Minaya's brief meeting with the press upon arriving in Indianapolis for the Winter Meetings.
- Carl Pavano's agent says his client is undecided about whether to accept arbitration, according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.
- Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe says the Red Sox, Angels, Mariners, and maybe the Mets represent the market for Jason Bay.
- MLB.com's Carrie Muskat spoke to a Rangers' official who said the team would be willing to bring Milton Bradley back, however they're not sure they want to deal with "that headache" again.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that the Angels will compete with the Mariners for John Lackey and Jason Bay, but they won't bid $100MM.
- Omar Minaya suggests that trades are more likely than free agent signings for the Mets, according to Ben Shpigel of The NY Times.
- Free agent Jamey Carroll says the "door hasn't been closed" on a return to Cleveland, according to Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune says the Rays will be looking to make more under-the-radar moves this year.
- Andy Martino of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes about a perfect storm scenario that could send Roy Halladay to the Phillies.
- LaVelle E. Neal III of The Star Tribune hears that Joe Mauer's agent might not attend the Winter Meetings because of all the attention that will paid to his client's possible free agency.
- Tyler Hissey previewed the Orioles' offseason.
Twins Offer Arb To Carl Pavano
The Twins offered arbitration to Type B free agent Carl Pavano, tweets La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The move was expected after Pavano tallied a 5.10 ERA with 147 strikeouts and 39 walks in 199.3 innings for the Indians and Twins this year. He earned $4.35MM in total.
Indians Notes: Pavano, Free Agent Options
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer explains that the Indians would have been hesitant to offer Carl Pavano arbitration if they hadn't traded him to the Twins. After a healthy season, he could command close to $10MM if offered arbitration and the Indians are reluctant to commit that much to the righty, though they may end up bringing him back. Here's more on some free agents the Indians may consider:
- GM Mark Shapiro is looking to add a right-handed hitting first baseman. Hoynes wonders if Robb Quinlan (.651 OPS vs. LHP last year) and Kevin Millar (.723 OPS vs. LHP last year) might fit. Either player would presumably be cheap compared to other options on the market.
- The Indians are looking for an extra infielder. Hoynes suggests Ronnie Belliard, Alex Cora and Craig Counsell could be fits for the Tribe.
Twins May Target Rich Harden
Free agent starter Rich Harden was a major topic of discussion in MLB.com's Kelly Thesier's mailbag piece today, where it was confirmed that Minnesota has had interest in acquiring the Canadian right-hander in the past and may look to do so again this winter.
Thesier reports that the Twins put in a claim on Harden last August before the Cubs pulled the pitcher back off of waivers. Minnesota ended up trading for Carl Pavano on August 7 to bolster their pitching staff en route to their successful chase of the AL Central title.
Though Minnesota has a number of young pitchers both in their rotation and their minor league system, Thesier argues this actually gives the Twins more incentive to sign Harden, given that the team feels they have the depth to fill the void should the injury-plagued Harden again find himself on the disabled list. Harden posted a 4.09 ERA and 10.9 K/9 rate with Chicago last season and is very used to pitching to the bigger bats of the American League after spending the first five and a half years of his career in Oakland. It has been speculated that Harden will sign an incentives-laden short-term contract since his injury history will prevent teams from offering longer-term deals, and such a one or two-year contract might appeal to the budget-conscious Twins.
Thesier's mailbag also covers such topics as the possibility of the Twins re-signing Pavano, re-signing Orlando Cabrera to play second or third base, an interest in free agent starter Jarrod Washburn and the status of the dispute between the club and starter Glen Perkins, so it's well worth the read.
Cafardo On Lackey, Sheffield, Pavano
In his usual Sunday morning column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo passes on some hot stove talk from around the majors. Let's check out the highlights….
- The fate of John Lackey could potentially affect the offseason plans of each of the AL East powers. Both the Yankees and Red Sox have interest, and Cafardo suggests that landing Lackey would allow the Red Sox to turn around and move Clay Buchholz in a deal for a coveted bat, like Adrian Gonzalez.
- Cafardo relays this quote from an AL GM: "The Red Sox could be the major player this offseason if certain things fall together for them. They still have enough chips in their farm system to make something big happen."
- The Yankees, meanwhile, appear willing to part with Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in the hunt for Roy Halladay, though they'd like to hang on to Austin Jackson.
- Gary Sheffield will return in 2010 and has softened his stance on DHing since his Tigers days. He now says he'd accept a DH role, though he'd still like to play in the field occasionally. Cafardo names a handful of teams that could find a spot for Sheffield, noting that the 41-year-old would love to return to Atlanta or play in his hometown of Tampa Bay.
- The Twins and Brewers are "very interested" in Carl Pavano.
- The Brewers could also be players for John Smoltz, though the Cardinals would like to bring him back.
Odds & Ends: Atkins, Twins, Carlyle
Links for Friday, as the free agent market officially opens…
- As Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports points out, the Angels' lack of interest in Matt Holliday bodes well for the Cardinals, but not for Scott Boras.
- Scott Boras tells FOX Sports that interest in Adrian Beltre and Mike Gonzalez is strong so far. The agent says he's fielded offers for eight players already.
- The Nippon Ham Fighters signed minor league free agent pitcher Buddy Carlyle, says NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman. Newman also says the Yokohama BayStars are working to sign Chris Bootcheck, Jose Castillo, and Terrmel Sledge.
- The Nats hired former Mariners manager John McLaren as a bench coach, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan ranks 131 free agents and provides capsules. We've also got SI's Jon Heyman and AOL FanHouse's Frankie Piliere with Top 50 lists.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down the market for Mark DeRosa.
- ESPN's Buster Olney notes five arbitration-eligible players who could be traded, including Russell Martin and Kevin Correia.
- SI's Jon Heyman tweets that the Mariners and Tigers continue to discuss Edwin Jackson.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets a comment from Brewers GM Doug Melvin: the team will fill current needs before discussing a Prince Fielder extension.
- Garrett Atkins to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post: "I know that I will be on another team next year."
- Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune feels that free agents Carl Pavano, Jarrod Washburn, and Rich Harden are potential fits for the Twins.
- Christensen's colleague Sid Hartman wonders if catcher Mike Redmond "could wind up with a job in the [Twins] organization." However, Redmond told MLB.com's Kelly Thesier a month ago that he plans on playing in 2010.
- Paul Hagen's Phillies source shot down a story that Pat Gillick could be heading back to the Blue Jays.
- Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball has a Winter Meetings primer.
- Chico Harlan is moving on from the Washington Post's Nationals beat, once a replacement is found.
Indians May Look At Pavano As Backup Plan
If Jake Westbrook isn't fully recovered from Tommy John surgery in time to start the 2010 season, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer proposes that the Tribe might turn to a familiar face — free-agent starter Carl Pavano.
The Indians want at least one veteran to anchor their young starting rotation, and if Westbrook comes out of his Puerto Rican winter league starts at less than 100 percent, that will leave the combustible Fausto Carmona as Cleveland's default ace. By signing Pavano, the Tribe would be bringing back an experienced arm who had a 3.83::1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 starts in Cleveland last season before he was traded to Minnesota on August 7.
Hoynes noted that Pavano made $4.35MM after reaching several incentive clauses in the one-year contract he signed with the Indians last winter, and will be looking for at least that total in guaranteed money for next season. This might make Pavano too expensive for the Tribe, though his agent Tom O'Connell told Hoynes that Pavano would talk to the Twins and Indians first, as Cleveland was the team who gave Pavano a shot after his disastrous, injury-plagued stint in New York.
What do you think, Tribe fans? If Westbrook can't go, do you think it would be a good move to bring Pavano back into the fold?
Twins Rumors: Pavano, Cabrera, Punto
The Twins and Carl Pavano are both interested in making a deal, but it's unlikely we'll see anything finalized before Pavano hits the open market, according to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The Twins have exclusive negotiating rights for now, but Pavano's likely to test the open market first.
The righty made $4.35MM this season, mostly by reaching performance incentives. This time, Pavano's agent suggests his client deserves more guaranteed money. Pavano has repeated that he enjoyed playing for the Twins after they acquired him from the Indians in August, so a return seems possible.
Pavano is a Type B free agent; the Twins will get a supplementary round pick if they offer arbitration only to see Pavano sign elsewhere.
Another Twins free agent, Orlando Cabrera, won't be playing shortstop next year, but manager Ron Gardenhire wants him back regardless. Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Gardenhire would like Cabrera at second base, J.J. Hardy at short and Nick Punto at third.
Odds & Ends: Dodgers, Phillies, Nationals
As the immortal Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe puts it, "Standing around an airport hotel lobby at night just in case Scott Boras walks by was not covered in journalism school." Meanwhile, you get to keep up with the latest rumors in the comfort of your own home!
- As expected, the Dodgers declined their $2.2MM option on Will Ohman.
- Randy Miller of the Bucks County Courier Times says that the Phillies "are expected to try and sign free agent Mark DeRosa." DeRosa went to University of Pennsylvania, so this would be a homecoming.
- Nationals' interim manager Jim Riggleman believes a decision on who will be the 2010 skipper in Washington could come as early as this week.
- Carl Pavano is unlikely to receive an overwhelming offer from the Twins during their exclusive signing window, says Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.