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Chone Figgins

Odds & Ends: Holliday, Phillies, Marquis, Navarro

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Some Saturday morning links…

Mariners Are Frontrunners For Figgins

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7:50pm: The M's are the "clear frontrunners" to sign Figgins, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  Morosi writes that it is likely that the switch-hitting third baseman will receive a four-year deal in excess of $30MM.

6:06pm: The Mariners are the latest team to join the chase for free agent Chone Figgins, reports Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter).  Heyman also notes that the Angels are "still trying."

Figgins, in all probability, would fill the club's void at third base where he turned in a UZR/150 of 18.8 in 2009.  Do you think the Mariners should pursue Figgins or find a different, and perhaps cheaper, solution at third?

Angels Offer Arb To Only Figgins, Lackey

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Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports that the Angels offered arbitration to just two of their ranked free agents — Type As Chone Figgins and John Lackey.  Los Angeles' other Type A free agent, veteran reliever Darren Oliver, as well as Type B Vladimir Guerrero and unranked free agents Kelvim Escobar and Robb Quinlan did not receive offers from the club.

Though L.A. could have received two draft picks as compensation for Oliver had he turned down arbitration and signed with another club, there's also a chance that teams would be scared off by the prospect of losing a draft pick in order to sign a 39-year-old setup man.  The Angels didn't want to run the risk of Oliver accepting the offer and possibly earning a healthy raise given his career-best 2.71 ERA and 8 K/9 in 2009.

Odds & Ends: Lincecum, Gonzalez, Damon

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Let's check out some Wednesday morning links….

Angels Won’t Pursue Holliday; Bay Is An Option

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2:45pm: Moreno estimates that he has $12MM to spend on improving the club, according to FOX Sports. That could be enough to sign Bay if the left fielder agrees to sign a back-loaded deal.

1:16pm: Angels owner Arte Moreno told Bill Shaikin of the LA Times that Matt Holliday is not an option for the Angels.

"He is not going to be an Angel," Moreno said. "We are not looking at Holliday at all."

Jason Bay, on the other hand, is a player "you have to look at," Moreno said. The Angels still have interest in bringing back John Lackey, Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero, but Moreno told the LA Times that the Angels won't be able to bring both Figgins and Lackey back.

As for Guerrero, Moreno hinted that he won't be back without saying so explicitly.

Odds & Ends: Figgins, Holliday, Padres

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Some links to read through on Ryan Howard's 30th birthday…

  • The White Sox would like to add a true leadoff man and are open to bringing back Jim Thome, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
  • MLB.com's Todd Zolecki says the Phillies aren't considered serious contenders for free agent Chone Figgins.
  • MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports that the Marlins may spend on a corner outfielder, a second baseman or a third baseman if they free up some payroll by trading Dan Uggla. Jamey Carroll is one of the many free agents the Marlins would consider.
  • The Brewers are open to bringing Craig Counsell back, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says tension is rising between players and owners.
  • MLB.com's Corey Brock wonders if the Padres could bring Mike Cameron back.
  • Padres fixture Brian Giles won't return in 2010, though he hopes to keep playing.  
  • MLB.com's Matthew Leach reports that the Cardinals will likely add a veteran bat if they don't re-sign Matt Holliday. However, the Cards say they're still hoping to sign Holliday, according to FOX Sports.
  • Leach expects the Cards to sign a pitcher to a one or two year deal to be the club's fourth starter.
  • As MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo points out, some of the best free agent signings are the ones that get the least attention.
  • Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun says there's a good chance the O's sign Pedro Feliz.

Angels Notes: Guerrero, Lackey, Oliver

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MLB.com's Lyle Spencer answered a pile of fans' questions about the Angels' free agents, possible new signings and trade options.  Here are some of the highlights…

  • Spencer "has his doubts" that Los Angeles will re-sign any of its big three free agents (Chone Figgins, Vladimir Guerrero and John Lackey).  He thinks the other three AL West teams would be smart to sign Guerrero given that the outfielder is "a prideful man who would have something to prove to his former employer." 
  • If the Angels do dip into the free-agent market, it would be for a starting pitcher.  Spencer lists Randy Wolf and former Angel Jon Garland as possible targets, and also says the Halos could wait until midseason to pick up another arm a la their trade for Scott Kazmir last season.
  • The Angels would "love to keep" free agent reliever Darren Oliver.  Spencer thinks Oliver's Type A status will give L.A. the edge in re-signing him since other teams won't want to give up a first-round draft pick for a 38-year-old setup man.
  • Spencer would re-sign Kelvim Escobar to "an incentives-laden contract" because he thinks the right-hander could have a big season if healthy.
  • Utilityman Robb Quinlan will likely not be back in Anaheim, and seems to be a better fit in the National League.
  • Spencer shoots down two suggested trades that would send Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, respectively, to Los Angeles.  He doesn't think San Diego will move Gonzalez for attendance reasons, and thinks Tampa Bay might ask for too much in return for Crawford.
  • However, a fan-suggested trade of Brandon Wood for Jeremy Guthrie might be mutually beneficial for both the Halos and Orioles.  Spencer also calls a proposed Milton Bradley-for-Gary Matthews Jr. swap "an intriguing suggestion," but notes that Matthews still provides more benefit to Los Angeles than Bradley would.

Angels Focused Lackey & Figgins, Not Holliday

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Yesterday we heard that the Angels were interested in free agent outfielder Matt Holliday, but GM Tony Reagins spoke to Mike DiGiovanna of The LA Times and shot down that rumor.

"He's a talented player," Reagins said of Holliday, who hit .313 with 24 home runs and 109 runs batted in for the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals in 2009 and could command a deal in excess of $100 million. "But our focus is not on him right now."

Instead, the team is focused on re-signing John Lackey and Chone Figgins, according to DiGiovanna. Reagins indicated that he knows "where both of them stand," though he acknowledged that they have earned the right to "see what their value is."

DiGiovanna adds that the team has had discussions with Darren Oliver and Vladimir Guerrero, and that he doesn't expect the team's payroll (about $114MM last year) to be reduced "significantly."

Phillies Free Agent Notes

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MLB.com's Todd Zolecki runs down the Phillies offseason, looking at how the club is planning to improve coming off back-to-back World Series appearances. Here's some highlights:

  • The Phillies are looking to upgrade at third base, as we've heard before. Chone Figgins figures to be too expensive for their liking, and they'll look for a shorter, more affordable contract. Zolecki names the same possibilities we heard earlier in the week: Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Placido Polanco.
  • Philadelphia has interest in Fernando Rodney, but it may not be mutual, as Rodney likely would prefer a team with whom he can close. As Zolecki writes, that is "not an option" in Philly.
  • The Phillies have seven impending free agents: Paul Bako, Miguel Cairo, Scott Eyre, Pedro Feliz, Pedro Martinez, Chan Ho Park, Matt Stairs, and Jack Taschner. Zolecki says Park and Eyre are the two most likely to return, with Ruben Amaro Jr. already having contacted Park's agent.
  • Bako's return hasn't been ruled out, but Amaro has said that he's seeking a backup catcher. Feliz is in a similar situation, with his return not being ruled out but the team looking to upgrade.
  • If Stairs returns, it will be on a minor league contract. Taschner and Martinez are not expected to return.
  • The futures for Eric Bruntlett, Clay Condrey, and Tyler Walker are in question.

Mets Rumors: Lackey, Figgins, Delgado, Francoeur

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The Mets plan to be serious bidders for the services of John Lackey, writes David Lennon of Newsday.  GM Omar Minaya reportedly "received a favorable first impression" from a meeting earlier this week with Lackey's agent, Steve Hilliard.  Lennon points out that the Mets successfully zeroed in on free agent closer Francisco Rodriguez last offseason and secured his services for $37MM over three years, short of what some expected.

Here's a look at some of the other tidbits Lennon brings us in this piece:

  • If the Mets sign the versatile Chone Figgins, he would be placed in left field.  Under that plan, Lennon says the Mets could be stuck with Luis Castillo.  As one might expect, the expensive addition of Figgins would rule out outfielders Jason Bay and Matt Holliday.
  • The Mets could be keeping tabs on Carlos Delgado as part of their plan to ink Figgins.  The 37-year-old, if deemed healthy, would be a reasonably priced solution at first base.
  • Although Minaya wouldn't rule out an extension for Jeff Francoeur, Lennon says it is not likely to happen. 
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