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Chone Figgins

White Sox Looking To Trade Vazquez?

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The latest on the White Sox…

  • GM Ken Williams wants a younger, more athletic club, but still expects to compete in 2009.  Players such as Chris Getz, Josh Fields, Jayson Nix, Jerry Owens, Brian Anderson, and Clayton Richard could play prominent roles on next year’s team.  Sox Machine offers their take on Williams’ comments.
  • Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times lists Brian Roberts, Coco Crisp, Chone Figgins, and Orlando Hudson as potential Sox targets.  Williams didn’t talk much about his wish list yesterday, suggesting that last year’s openness hindered his progress.  If the Sox sign Hudson, they’ll give their #24 pick in next year’s draft to the D’Backs.
  • Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times says trading starter Javier Vazquez is Williams’ top offseason priority.  Cowley believes Williams could look for an infielder in return.  Vazquez will earn $23MM over the next two seasons, and has a limited no-trade clause to block trades to NL and AL West teams.
  • Also in Cowley’s article – free agent catcher Toby Hall seems likely to re-sign.

White Sox Offseason Possibilities

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I did a White Sox Offseason Outlook earlier this month, rattling off available speedy players and also suggesting a Bobby Jenks trade be explored.  Today, Chicago Tribune beat writer Mark Gonzales offers his take on the Sox.

Gonzales sees Juan Uribe and Toby Hall as two players the White Sox hope to re-sign, with Hall at a lower salary than his $2.25MM option.  Orlando Cabrera, Ken Griffey Jr., and Joe Crede will be gone.  Cabrera is good for two draft picks if the Sox offer arbitration and he signs elsewhere.

Gonzales wonders if a Paul Konerko for Chone Figgins trade could take shape, but only if the White Sox add players.  Konerko is owed $24MM for 2009-10, with full no-trade rights. Figgins should earn $5MM+ in ’09 before he hits free agency for the first time.  It may be hard to get the Angels interested – Figgins fits their club, and they’ll try to re-sign Mark Teixeira.  Kendry Morales may be the backup plan at first.

Gonzales sees the Rockies as another potential trade partner for Sox GM Ken Williams, naming Garrett Atkins and Willy Taveras as potential matches. Taveras may be had for a song, but Atkins should require young pitching.

A few free agents to consider: Orlando Hudson, Dennys Reyes, and Alex Cora.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Manny, Peavy, Cubs

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A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…

  • Sox and Pinstripes has eight questions the Red Sox must address this offseason including whether or not to re-sign Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield.
  • Dodger Thoughts notes that there is not a lot of substance behind the rumors of the Dodgers offering Manny Ramirez a contract worth $60MM for two years.
  • Fanhouse wonders if Ramirez could make more money in the long run if he signs a two-year deal with the Dodgers now.
  • Gaslamp Ball wonders if the Padres are not getting the offers they expected for Jake Peavy and are starting to get "cold feet."
  • Talking Chop notes that Frank Wren’s public posturing during the Peavy negotiations is in stark contrast to what Braves fans are accustomed.
  • Bleed Cubbie Blue projects a Cubs ’09 roster, including Aubrey Huff at first base and Luke Scott in right field.
  • The Sports Bank says the biggest need for the White Sox lineup is to add speed. They look at some potential moves and project an ’09 lineup that includes Rafael Furcal and Chone Figgins.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

White Sox Interested In Figgins?

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THURSDAY: Angels GM Tony Reagins says he hasn’t talked to Williams and has no interest in trading Figgins at this time.  It may be true that Figgins is on Williams’ wish list, but perhaps that’s where it ended.

WEDNESDAY: Joe Cowley lights up the rumor mill with some rumblings about the White Sox.  His source says Kenny Williams is inquiring about leadoff hitters who can play second base, aside from the apparently overpriced Brian Roberts.  Williams’ main target may be Chone Figgins; he called Figgins "an interesting name."

Figgins, 30, is hitting .306/.421/.355 in 145 plate appearances.  He’s a free agent after the ’09 season.  Despite Chicago’s interest, it’s hard to picture the first-place Angels parting with him.  Figgins is expected to be activated from the disabled list today after a hamstring strain.  The team’s other third basemen have not hit well in his absence.

I’m not sure how well he plays second these days, but Ryan Freel could fit as a Plan B.  Freddy Sanchez, Cristian Guzman, Felipe Lopez, David Eckstein are other possibilities (pure speculation on my part).

One other note from Cowley – he’s heard whispers that the Angels will be making a push for Joe Crede this winter.  Crede is pretty much the only credible free agent option at third base.

Angels Discussing Konerko?

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UPDATE, 1-10-08 at 9:45am: This one isn’t dead quite yet.  According to Buster Olney this morning:

Heard that while the Paul Konerko-Angels talks are not blistering hot now, there is a chance they will get hot sometime in the future.

UPDATE, 1-5-08 at 10:17pm: Kenny Williams said tonight that he hasn’t spoken to anyone with the Angels since the Winter Meetings, and that he hasn’t had trade talks about Konerko this winter.  Nor has he been asked about his first baseman.

UPDATE, 1-5-08 at 10:33am: Doug Padilla of the Daily Breeze has a source confirming the talks described below.

FROM 1-4-08 at 7:41pm:

Just got a solid tip that the Angels and White Sox are discussing a possible Paul Konerko deal.  No idea how serious these talks may be.

The Angels made an offer to Konerko in the winter of 2005-06, when he was a free agent.  Konerko does have a limited no-trade clause to consider.

Some names being bandied about include Ervin Santana, Howie Kendrick, and Chone Figgins. Of course, all three would not be in the deal. The Sox also seek relief help.  Moving Konerko would mean putting Nick Swisher at first base, while Figgins could be the leadoff hitter the Sox are after.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Figgins, Helms, Affeldt

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up.

  • The Angels are telling teams they will only consider trading Chone Figgins if they find a third baseman.  If Figgins does hit the market, figure on the Cubs getting involved.
  • The Marlins offered Scott Nestor to the Phillies for Wes Helms, if the Phils paid $1.8MM of the $2.9MM owed to the third baseman.  The Phils passed. 
  • Jeremy Affeldt already has a four-year offer in hand, so he’s now looking for five years.  Jeez.  Teams known to be in on Affeldt: the Yankees, Rays, and Astros.  Affeldt’s agent has contacted the Mariners, trying to sell him as a starter.  He grew up in Washington state.
  • The Mets like the Pirates’ Damaso Marte, if the Pirates lessen their demands. The Yankees, Phillies, Braves, and Astros are interested as well.

Crasnick’s Latest: Hamilton, Figgins, Andruw, Inge

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Jerry Crasnick filed more rumors ripe for discussion.

  • The Reds may consider trading Josh Hamilton, but not to an NL Central team.  There was nothing to the Hamilton-Cubs rumor anyway, according to Bruce Levine.  And now officials from both teams have debunked it.
  • The Cubs actually want to add two left-handed hitting outfielders, for some reason.  Beyond Kosuke Fukudome, Geoff Jenkins remains on the radar.  Jim Hendry likes Chone Figgins, but the Angels would ridiculously ask for Aramis Ramirez in that one.
  • Scott Boras is still saying Andruw Jones isn’t looking for a one or two-year deal.
  • The Rays have checked into Shawn Green, Geoff Jenkins, and Cliff Floyd.  No truth to the rumor that Green is considering retirement.
  • Brandon Inge hits the market, though he’s got three years and $19.1MM left on his deal.  Plenty of clubs are in the market for a third baseman assuming the Tigers will eat some of the contract.  Inge probably won’t be moving back behind the plate, by the way.

Angels Decline Helton

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According to the LA Times, the Angels have declined an offer from the Colorado Rockies for Todd Helton. The deal may have sent Chone Figgins, Casey Kotchman, and Erik Aybar to Coors.

Apparently the Angels had concerns about Helton’s age and health, and perhaps his $141-million contract had a bit to do with it. The Rockies were apparently willing to pick up some of the tab, but it didn’t seem to be enough for the Angels to "risk" it on Helton.

I’m not sure when the Angels will ever trade away their young prospects. They have held onto all of them for a while now, even when the Tejada, Manny, and other big bat rumors were swirling around the MLB. I wonder what it’s going to take for them to part with any of them.

By Adam Howe

Braves on the block

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Marcus Giles and Adam LaRoche are still on the block, and apparently the Angels are interested in LaRoche.  David O’Brien speculates that the Braves would be interested in Chone Figgins, who would give Atlanta a "real" leadoff hitter for the first time since Rafael Furcal left.  However, John Schuerholz says he’s mostly looking for pitching.  And since Tanyon Sturtze was an upgrade, I’d say he’s right to do so.

Talking Chop discusses the possible trade of LaRoche, and raises an important question: if he leaves, who plays first for the Braves?  They have Scott Thorman and Daryle Ward on board, but I can’t imagine Atlanta would go into the season with just those two.  Richie Sexson has been linked to the Braves, but he’s just as expensive, and even less valuable, than Tim Hudson, so it would take a creative deal to get that done.  TC also mentions that Chipper Jones could finally move to first, but that leaves a hole at third…unless a LaRoche trade brings Figgins, who could play third, leaving second base for Giles or his planned replacements (Willy Aybar? Kelly Johnson? who knows).

By Jeff Sackmann, Brew Crew Ball

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