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Derek Lowe

Rosenthal’s Latest: Swisher, Nady, Kapler, Zaun

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal.

  • A recent Ned Colletti-Scott Boras conversation about Manny Ramirez didn’t result in progress.  Boras still has his sights on at least $100MM over four years.  Rosenthal adds that Manny is "cool to the idea of playing in San Francisco."
  • Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady are drawing "significant interest."  Rosenthal speculates that the Giants, Braves, or Pirates would make sense.
  • The door is not closed with the Yankees and Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte recently rejected the Yanks’ one-year, $10MM offer.
  • Some Mets people prefer Oliver Perez to Derek Lowe.  The Braves have yet to speak to Boras about Lowe, while the Brewers and Phillies have financial concerns about fitting him in.
  • Trevor Hoffman has a West Coast preference (the Dodgers or maybe a Padres reconciliation) but interest with the Brewers is mutual.  Other relievers on the Dodgers’ radar: Juan Cruz, Guillermo Mota, and Dennys Reyes.
  • Brian Fuentes’ agent had serious talks with the Yankees, but no offer was made.  Fuentes would’ve been Mariano Rivera’s set-up man and perhaps taken over upon his retirement.
  • Rosenthal notes that MLB kicked in a small part of the $10MM owed to Sidney Ponson from their luxury tax pool, which is not uncommon.
  • If they can afford it, the Rays would like to sign Gabe Kapler.
  • The Orioles, Red Sox, and A’s are interested in Gregg Zaun.
  • Perhaps because of the cool market for his services, Orlando Cabrera is willing to play second base.  The Yankees did not have interest.
  • That Gavin Floyd for Brian Roberts rumor "seemingly arose from internal discussions among Orioles officials."

Odds and Ends: Burrell, Bradley, Abreu

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Links for Tuesday…

  • RotoAuthority asks for your #1 fantasy baseball bust for 2009.
  • Keith Law calls the Pat Burrell signing a "major bargain," panning the Raul Ibanez contract by comparison.  River Ave. Blues says the recent Burrell and Milton Bradley deals prove that Brian Cashman was wise not to offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu.
  • Will the Rays have enough money to re-sign Rocco Baldelli now?  Buster Olney still thinks he will land with Boston.
  • Gordon Edes says Jim Hendry had a stealth dinner with Bradley during the November GM Meetings.  Edes adds that the Cubs believe Derek Lowe is too expensive.
  • Cool story about a guy trying to get an autograph on each card in the 1983 Fleer baseball card set.
  • Baseball America’s Jim Callis has the updated ’09 draft order.  Callis also weighs in on the broken free agent compensation system, which is up for discussion after the 2011 season.

Derek Lowe Rumors: Monday

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10:20pm: Newsday’s Ken Davidoff learned tonight that the Mets "do not intend to raise their three-year, $36MM offer to [Lowe] at this time."  The Mets don’t feel that they have serious competition for Lowe, for some reason.  Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf remain the alternatives.

8:28am: According to Kat O’Brien of Newsday, "negotiations are expected to heat up for righthander Derek Lowe" this week for the Mets, who reportedly offered three years and $36MM (though Scott Boras indicated yesterday the proposal was never made).  Jon Heyman said recently that Lowe didn’t take this offer seriously; he’s aiming for a $16MM salary.  Heyman named the Phillies, Braves, Red Sox, Brewers, and Angels as possible suitors, with the last three more on the speculative side. 

Mark Bowman doesn’t believe the Braves are willing to top the Mets’ reported offer, though.  In another article, Bowman suggested Jon Garland and Andy Pettitte are more likely options.

Braves Rumors: Pettitte, Glavine, Smoltz

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David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the latest hot stove info on the Braves.

  • The Braves still have roughly $25MM to spend, with a starting pitcher and a power-hitting outfielder on the shopping list.
  • Starters of interest: Derek Lowe, Andy Pettitte, and Jon Garland.  Mark Bowman of MLB.com doesn’t believe the Braves would exceed three years and $36MM for Lowe, a Boras client.
  • O’Brien isn’t sure if the Jake Peavy talks will restart.  But Frank Wren did reiterate that he wants to re-sign both Tom Glavine and John Smoltz if they’re able to pitch.
  • O’Brien notes that Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn remain on the free agent market, while the Cardinals could part with Rick Ankiel. All three bat left-handed, however.

Mets Backup Plans for Lowe

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Regis Courtemanche of Metsblog.com has a guest blog up at Newsday, discussing the Mets’ backup plans should they fail to sign Derek Lowe.

The Mets have expressed interest in Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf, and Jon Garland. Courtemanche’s first choice is Wolf.

Wolf posted similar numbers to Perez last year, and Perez is represented by Scott Boras, and will be asking for more years and money than Wolf. Additionally, Wolf is represented by the same agent – Arn Tellem – as Francisco Rodriguez, and is already on good terms with Omar Minaya.

Is not giving Lowe the money he wants really worth the drop-off in quality you might get with any of the backup plans though? Courtemanche doesn’t think so, especially because not going after Lowe leads to the possibility of him landing with the Braves or Phillies, which would harm the Mets even further.

Courtemanche also wonders why there has been no interest shown in Ben Sheets:

His susceptibility to injury is probably why, most notably the shoulder problems he incurred in 2006. Nevertheless, Sheets is much better than any of the above mentioned alternatives since he allows fewer homers, earned runs, and walks. Plus, his five complete games were third in the majors behind Roy Halladay, and his former teammate, C.C. Sabathia. Worth a second look if you ask me.

Braves Notes: Lowe, Jones

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David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offers his opinion on what the Braves should do about Andruw Jones and Derek Lowe.

O’Brien actually advocates a minimal signing of Jones, following his inevitable release from the Dodgers. Because of his strong desire to return to Atlanta, O’Brien feels that Jones would take even a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training.

What’s the worst that could happen? He’d stink in spring training and the Braves could, once and for all, wash their hands of him. Fans would know they gave him another shot and it didn’t work out…

…Hey, don’t get your hopes up. I wouldn’t count on Jones being more than a shell of what he once was. But it’s probably worth a shot.

O’Brien feels that signing Lowe is almost imperative for the Braves’ chance of being a postseason contender, and feels that having offered A.J. Burnett $80MM, there’s no reason not to spend on Lowe:

If the Braves were willing to throw that kind of money at a pitcher as injury-plagued and relatively unaccomplished as Burnett, then shouldn’t they make at least a four-year-plus-option offer at a similar average salary for Lowe?

It’s hard to fault his logic. Lowe is a reliable workhorse with a nice postseason resume and isn’t anywhere near the injury risk that Burnett is. Lowe’s age may be a deterrent, but should it really be any scarier to a team than Burnett’s health issues?

Derek Lowe Rumors: Sunday

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3:41pm: Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that the Braves are interested in Lowe, but not his price tag. Bowman says the Braves are "keeping tabs on Lowe," but also states that the Braves would be reluctant to even make a larger offer than the three-year, $36MM deal that he rejected from the Mets.

11:44am: Jon Heyman reports the Braves, Phillies, and Red Sox and perhaps the Brewers and Angels are all expressing interest in Derek Lowe. Lowe is still looking for $16MM per year and rejected the Mets offer of 3 years, $36MM, his highest offer to date.

Buster Olney feels Lowe may have missed out on the big money when the Yankees signed A.J. Burnett for 5 years, $82.5MM over him; however, as Heyman points out, Lowe has been far more consistent and durable: "He’s won at least 12 games each of the past seven seasons and thrown at least 199 innings in six of those seven (he threw 182 innings the one year he didn’t reach 199."

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the Mets are likely to increase their offer.

Perrotto’s Latest: Ramirez, Lowe

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Every Sunday we read John Perrotto’s Every Given Sunday:

  • The Giants may be considering two offers for Manny Ramirez. One for two years "with vesting and club options that could make it a four-year, $100MM contract." The other for 3 years, $63MM, with no options.
  • Derek Lowe has not given up on a five-year, $80MM offer, although that remains doubtful.
  • Barry Bonds had hip surgery and wants to return in 2009. Some still speculate he will pursue collusion charges.
  • Tony La Russa is considering using Chris Carpenter as a closer.

Olney’s Latest: Peavy, Braves, Lowe, Sheets

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More from Buster Olney’s notes from around the majors:

  • The Braves were so close to completing a trade a for Jake Peavy in November that they may want to revisit talks. Says Olney, "What they could do, if they are intent on contending in 2009, would be to sign Orlando Cabrera as a stop-gap at shortstop for 2009, and then deal [Yunel] Escobar in the package for Peavy." He also suggests the Braves give up on their refusal to give Peavy a no-trade provision for the entire length of his contract as that’s been a sticking point. Landing Peavy under any circumstances is a move their own players would support, even if he was given special treatment.
  • Derek Lowe may have missed out on the big money when the Yankees signed A.J. Burnett for 5 years, $82.5MM over him. Lowe’s highest offer is $36MM.
  • Olney says "there are more starting pitchers available than there are big-money offers available, so the Mets are bound to wind up with a good free agent pitcher."
  • Olney reports several teams are concerned about Ben Sheets’ medical reports; however, it’s his shoulder, not his elbow, that’s worrisome.
  • Pure speculation: "Jason Giambi will sign with Oakland, Pat Burrell will land with Tampa Bay."

Lowe Rejected Offer, Wants $16MM Per Year

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Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog passes on some comments made tonight by Jon Heyman on the MLB Network’s Hot Stove Live.

  • According to Heyman, Derek Lowe rejected the Mets’ three year $36MM offer because he hopes to sign a deal worth $16MM per season.
  • The Phillies and Braves are the Mets’ biggest competitors for Lowe.
  • The Red Sox and a mystery team are also involved.

Later on in the show, Mets GM Omar Minaya confirmed interest in Lowe, Randy Wolf and others. Cerrone notes that Minaya did not mention Oliver Perez.

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