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Eric Gagne

Heyman’s Latest: Teixeira, Otsuka

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Jon Heyman of SI.com has been working the phone lines; here are some notable rumors from his latest column.

  • The Braves seemed fairly close to a Mark Teixeira trade yesterday, but the Angels are definitely knee deep in it.  They’ll make a solid offer including Casey Kotchman, Ervin Santana, and Major League player.  Adam Dunn remains Plan B.
  • Heyman says there’s speculation that Akinori Otsuka could need Tommy John surgery, which might compel the Rangers to sign Eric Gagne and/or keep Joaquin Benoit.
  • Refresher on Gagne’s 12-team allowable list can be found here.  Gagne must consent to a trade to Detroit, and it seems the Rangers asked for Cameron Maybin.  Not gonna happen.  The Yankees appear to be out on Gagne because he wants to close.  I’m skeptical – he wouldn’t pitch as a setup man if they guaranteed his entire contract?
  • Seems the Yanks entertained a Morgan Ensberg acquisition.  They would’ve used him at first base.  Joe Torre nixed the idea because Ensberg hasn’t hit for a long time.
  • Heyman’s top five available starters are Matt Morris, Livan Hernandez, Jose Contreras, Jason Jennings, and Kyle Lohse, in that order.  That ranking is reasonable.  A Jon Garland, Noah Lowry, or Joe Blanton would easily jump to that top of the list if made available.

Joel Sherman’s Ten Trade Candidates

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post has an article today regarding ten veterans who may be traded this month.  He’s packed the column full of insider info beyond the ten players highlighted; check it out.

  • Mark Teixeira is now more likely to be dealt than Eric Gagne.  Sherman sees the Angels as perhaps the best possibility here; they’d have to include Casey Kotchman.  I imagine Ervin Santana’s stock is down far enough that the Rangers would not settle for the two.
  • The Indians appear to be out on Gagne but the Tigers still make sense for all parties.  Would Todd Jones graciously step down from his closer post?  Detroit’s bullpen has actually been doing well lately.
  • The Royals want a righthanded-hitting center fielder in return for Octavio Dotel.  Now that’s a tall order.  Sherman names Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez as two who fit the bill, but such a trade would require young talent like Zack Greinke coming back to the Mets.  Just speculating, but Melky Cabrera and Reggie Willits also fit the Royals’ need.
  • Apparently the Mariners and Braves are "very interested’ in Dmitri Young.  That’s the first I’ve heard of a team besides Atlanta inquiring.
  • Oddly, the Devil Rays appear to have some interest in Kyle Farnsworth if the money can be worked out.  They like Scott Proctor as well, so keep an eye on that Ty Wigginton rumor.  Sherman mentions that the market is heavy with available role players, so look for a lot of boring deals with that type of player.  Just kidding, trade rumors are never boring.  Sherman tosses out Tadahito Iguchi to the Padres; that’s a fresh one.
  • Sherman runs down all of the available relievers we already know about.  Throw Kiko Calero in there as a new name. 

New Plan: Extension For Gagne

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The Rangers are throwing trade rumor junkies a curveball – they’re now thinking about hanging onto Eric Gagne and signing him to a contract extension.  This development may be related to the limited trade options for the rejuvenated closer.

Keep in mind that the extension talk may just be lip service.  As a Scott Boras client, wouldn’t the oft-injured Gagne require a good three years, $36MM guaranteed?  That’s my guess.  That would be very risky.  Assuming Mariano Rivera remains a Yankee, Francisco Cordero will be the only free agent closer near Gagne’s level.  Nice timing for Coco, by the way.

I’m still learning how the Elias Bureau determines its free agent classifications.  My guess is that Gagne would not earn the Type A designation because he missed most of last year.  I’ll have to confirm that.  If I’m correct, the Rangers wouldn’t be able to collect much in the way of draft picks if Gagne walks.

Evan Grant also notes that Joaquin Benoit has moven to the forefront as the Ranger reliever must likely to be dealt.  Akinori Otsuka’s injury may prevent him from full re-establishing his value by July 31st.  Benoit will not become a free agent until after 2008, and he’s in the midst of a career year after rediscovering his control.  The Dodgers and Brewers may be interested.  L.A. could get desperate if Takashi Saito’s injury is serious, although it does not appear to be.  On the other hand, it’s certainly in Ned Colletti’s best interest to downplay the injury.  For the Brew Crew, Benoit could slide into the closer role in 2008 if they allow Cordero to leave.

Grant adds that the Rangers and Dodgers have had slow-moving talks about Mark Teixeira, and that the Braves were scouting the game on Friday as well.  The Braves could’ve been looking at relievers though.

One final note: contrary to a previous report, Grant says Kenny Lofton is drawing significant interest from the Tribe.  Lofton’s agent has heard the rumor as well.  Kenny implied yesterday that he’d play a corner outfield position if need be.

More Of Gagne’s List Revealed

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We keep learning bits and pieces of Eric Gagne’s 12-team allowable trade list; it’d be nice if someone would just leak the entire thing.  The latest:

Gagne can be traded to the Yankees, Mets, Angels, and nine other clubs without his consent.

If Gagne is to be traded to the Tigers, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, or thirteen other unknown clubs, he must consent.  That means additional concessions on the part of the acquiring team.

Rob Bradford’s recent post added the Red Sox to the latter list.  While Gagne nonetheless seems keen to the idea of pitching in Boston, he sounds a little wary of being demoted to a set-up role.  He and Jon Papelbon would be a lights-out late inning combination, either way.  The Red Sox were in on Gagne this offseason, and he’s proven his health with the Rangers recently. 

T.R. Sullivan mentioned yesterday that the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Red Sox, and Yankees are the top suitors for Gagne.  He seems a near-lock to be dealt in July. 

Gagne/Otsuka Suitors

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Teams are lining up to pluck away the top two members of the Rangers’ bullpen, and Jon Daniels is in "listening mode."

MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan has the scoop: the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Red Sox, and Yankees are the top suitors for Eric Gagne.  The Mets, Braves, Phillies, Tigers, and Brewers are focused on Akinori Otsuka.  And the Tribe likes both relievers. 

Benefits of Gagne: he can be unhittable and he’ll give you two good draft picks after the season.  Plus he seems to be finally healthy.  The Indians, despite their interest, are not on Gagne’s list of 12 teams he can be dealt to without his consent.    

The benefit of Otsuka is that you have him through 2009.  That’s why the Rangers are more likely to hang on to him.  Conversely, a team like the Mets would prefer him because he’s not a rental.

Rosenthal’s Latest

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up.  A summary appears below.

  • Rosenthal thinks the Tigers are unlikely to acquire Eric Gagne or Akinori Otsuka, perhaps preferring to look at internal options.  That’s a shame, as I think they really need to add someone.
  • The White Sox won’t be granting a 72 hour negotiating window if they trade Mark Buehrle.  Strictly a rental.  That could limit the market for him, but Kenny Williams will come up with at least one quality prospect.
  • The Dodgers don’t seem likely to trade for Adam Dunn or Jermaine Dye, but could go after Mark Teixeira.  Dye seems most likely to end up in the NL West somehow, but only if he is healthy and hitting.
  • Possible Dontrelle Willis suitors: the Rockies or Diamondbacks.  They’ve got the young trading chips, and the need in the present day.  The Rox could offer Aaron Cook plus prospects, and the D’Backs could try Livan Hernandez and youngsters.  If the D’Backs dare offer up Justin Upton, the Marlins would jump.  Of course, D-Train needs to be healthy and the Marlins would need to fall out of contention.
  • Barry Bonds’s agent really doesn’t see a trade happening.  Well, no one does, but it’s fun to speculate.  Rosenthal thinks only the Yankees could accomodate him.
  • Aside from the Pirates and Padres, the Astros, Cardinals, and Rangers could go after Milton Bradley. 
  • Rosenthal has a GM source who thinks the Reds could wait until this winter, exercise Adam Dunn’s $13MM option for ’08, and then trade him.  Dunn, however, would gain no-trade protection until June 15, 2008 and then be able to block 10 teams thereafter.
  • Troy Glaus isn’t going anywhere.  Even if the Jays wanted to trade him, his contract is prohibitive.
  • The Indians or Rockies could trade for Octavio Dotel for bullpen depth.  Dotel is developing into a fine trading chip for Dayton Moore, just as planned.  The Tribe has had interest in Dotel in past offseasons. 

More Info On Gagne’s Veto List

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As you know, Eric Gagne’s contract allows for him to be traded to 12 teams without his consent.  Earlier we learned that the Tigers, Indians, and Phillies are not among the 12 allowable teams.

Today, Ken Rosenthal verified the above info and added that the Yankees, Mets, and Angels are on the allowable list.  The remaining nine he can be traded to without consent are thought to be inconsequential.  And the Angels aren’t going to worry about Gagne. 

The Mets have been looking for bullpen help for at least a few weeks now.  Gagne has been on the radar, among others.  Rosenthal believes Omar Minaya’s focus is instead on players like Mark Buehrle, Jeff Conine, and Mark Sweeney.  It’s interesting to note that (by my count) Minaya has yet to make a trade this year.  By this time in previous years he’d made five or six.  (Coming soon: Minaya trade profile).

The Yankees have been scouting the Rangers for a while.  They could be looking at Gagne, or Akinori Otsuka.  Mark Teixeira hasn’t been active.  I suppose Joaquin Benoit or Brad Wilkerson could be on the radar as well.

Rosenthal On Teixeira For Hughes Possibility

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Ken Rosenthal has a long article today regarding possible scenarios by which Mark Teixeira becomes a Yankee.  Rosenthal says the Yankees scouted the Rangers last week in regards to Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka.  The Rangers expect Brian Cashman to have interest in Teixeira, and have been performing due diligence on Phil Hughes and other Yankee farmhands.

Rosenthal’s main point: Hughes is not untouchable, but Teixeira could be traded to the Yankees without him involved.  Maybe Jon Daniels surrenders two of his major trading chips in a single blockbuster, giving up Otsuka or Gagne plus Teixeira just to get Hughes.  One would be hard-pressed to say that deal does not make the Yankees significantly better in 2007.

If Daniels is going to earn that contract extension, he needs to get another big-market team seriously involved.  It would be fantastic to get Boston seriously engaged.  The Tigers are another option.  But if Daniels comes up with quantity over quality – for example the Rosenthal proposal of Melky Cabrera, Chase Wright, and another prospect – he will have failed.

Gagne’s List

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We know Rangers closer Eric Gagne has some kind of no-trade protection in his contract, but further details were unknown.  Jon Heyman of SI.com recently clarified a bit.

Apparently Gagne has given the Rangers a list of 12 teams he can be traded to.  Heyman says that almost all of those allowable 12 are not in contention or would have no motivation to trade for him.  Heyman also believes that the Tigers, Indians, and Phillies are not among the 12 allowable teams.  So if one of those wants Gagne, they’ll need his approval and his salary will escalate.

Meanwhile, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News speculates that Lou Piniella might urge Jim Hendry to acquire Gagne to solidify the Cubs’ bullpen.

Rosenthal’s Latest Video

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Ken Rosenthal has a new video up at FOXSports.com for your viewing pleasure.  My summary:

  • As you know, Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka are drawing strong interest across baseball.  The only team named by Rosenthal is the Yankees, and in a roundabout way.  He simply said that the Rangers have been scouting the Yanks. 
  • Both the Dodgers and Angels would love to add a power-hitting third baseman.  The problem is, there’s not much about there.  Rosenthal says Troy Glaus, Mike Lowell, and Miguel Cabrera are all currently unavailable.  One who might become available and could play third is Miguel Tejada.  My own speculation on some possible second-tier trade candidates at third base (some long shots included): Jose Bautista, Mark Reynolds, Chad Tracy, Ty Wigginton, Melvin Mora, and Wilson Betemit. 
  • Michael Barrett could be on his way out of Chicago, mostly because of his defense.  Rosenthal names the Marlins and Rockies as interested parties.
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