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Garrett Atkins

Rockies Rumors: Atkins, Barrett, Fukumori

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What are the Rockies up to as they plot to defend their NL pennant?  Tracy Ringolsby and Troy E. Renck have the latest.

  • Ringolsby says Garrett Atkins is staying put, which should help the third baseman relax a little bit.  This echoes Renck’s sentiments yesterday.  Renck also noted that the Rox won’t be offering Atkins a multiyear deal anytime soon.
  • Yesterday Renck said that after Yorvit Torrealba, the Rockies were considering Jose Molina, Paul Lo Duca, Jason Kendall, and Ramon Castro for catcher.  However Ringolsby says today that Michael Barrett and Kendall are the main targets.  Renck has come on board with that today, noting that Dan O’Dowd has contacted the agents for Barrett, Kendall, and Lo Duca.
  • Ringolsby adds that the Rockies are exploring the Japanese reliever market, namely Hitoki Iwase and Kazuo Fukumori.  Fukumori might appeal as the cheaper of the two.
  • Meanwhile the Indians, Brewers, Phillies, and Mets like Brian Fuentes.  We’ve also read about the Tigers’ interest.  The Rockies’ willingness to trade him may depend on the progress of 2007 top draft pick Casey Weathers.
  • Jason Jennings might be leaning toward signing with the Padres.  This echoes an obscure article we found back in July.
  • Renck says that if the Rockies don’t hear by Tuesday about their offers to Kaz Matsui, Matt Herges, LaTroy Hawkins, and Torrealba, they’ll start looking at other options. 
  • Renck adds that the Rockies have checked in with Ron Mahay’s people.  He’s getting popular.
  • The Rockies are out on Jon Garland – they can’t fit his $12MM salary into the 2008 budget.  Matsui moving on would clear $3MM though.
  • The idea of locking up Troy Tulowitzki long-term is being entertained.  It probably wouldn’t happen until after the 2008 season though.

Latest Rockies Rumors: Matsui, Torrealba, Holliday

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As usual, the Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck has the scoop on all things Rockies.

  • The Rockies have made a two year offer to Kaz Matsui in the neighborhood of $6MM total.  That’s fair; we all know his home/road splits.  The Cubs and Padres were named as other interested parties yesterday, but the Padres have decided to go with internal options at second base.  Why the Cubs would add a second baseman is still beyond me.  They already have Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa, Mike Fontenot, and Eric Patterson.  The Cubs’ plan to add speed concerns me.
  • The Rox have also put in a two-year offer to Yorvit Torrealba, for roughly the same $6MM amount.  It sounds like Torrealba will wait to field offers from other teams, chiefly the Mets.  His agent says the Mets’ offer would have to dwarf the Rockies’ for him to consider it.  Renck names Jose Molina, Paul Lo Duca, Jason Kendall, and Ramon Castro as backup options at catcher.  I like the idea of Molina.
  • Scott Boras client Matt Holliday is under Colorado’s control for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, though he’ll start getting quite expensive in arbitration.  The Rockies will make an offer to lock him up for 2008-11 for roughly $60MM.  It’s fair, but with Boras talking in Holliday’s ear he’ll probably wait for free agency in the winter of 2009-10.  They’ll pay lip service to the idea that he wants to stay in Colorado but ultimately he’ll take a seven year, $150MM offer from some other club.  That’s how I see it unfolding, at least.
  • Brian Fuentes is indeed on the market; expect many teams in the mix for him.  While Garrett Atkins won’t be offered a multiyear contract, the Rockies won’t trade him this winter.
  • Finally, the Rockies have an eye on Brett Tomko to fill a swingman role.

Yankees Aiming Higher Than Crede

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According to Ken Davidoff of Newsday, the Yankees aren’t likely to trade for Joe Crede.  They’re aiming for bigger fish like Mike Lowell, Adrian Beltre, Miguel Cabrera, and Scott Rolen.  Garrett Atkins has been deemed unavailable.  Additionally, Kenny Williams hopes to deal Crede relatively quickly and the Yankees are in no rush to fill their third base vacancy.  Maybe the Phillies will jump into the fray for Crede.

Lowell at least won’t involve giving up young talent.  But there are some questions about how he’d hit away from Fenway.  And we’re talking four or even five years to lure him.  Beltre would be a fine acquisition and is affordable, though I don’t know why the Mariners would part with him.  And the Ms would want at least one blue-chipper, I’d imagine.  The Yanks would have to mortgage tons of young talent for Cabrera.  Davidoff’s dark horse, Rolen, suddenly makes the most sense.  It would be a salary dump and a health risk, but 3/36 isn’t that scary for the Yanks.  And it’s less than Lowell would sign for.

Davidoff has a tidbit at the end of his column, a one-liner, that the Yanks are likely to re-sign Mariano Rivera at three years, $40MM soon.  I’m surprised Newsday didn’t call more attention to that part. 

Heyman’s Latest: A-Rod, Atkins, Gagne

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new column up.  Let’s discuss.

  • Alex Rodriguez’s five possible destinations: Angels, Red Sox, Mets, Giants, Dodgers.  That sounds about right.  Heyman notes that the Dodgers do not have an advantage because of Joe Torre; he says star players don’t consider managers as a criteria when deciding where to sign.
  • Though not mentioned as one of A-Rod’s five potential landing spots, Heyman says the buzz is growing that Mike Ilitch and the Tigers could go after him.
  • Heyman says the Rockies will hang on to Garrett Atkins and follow through with the plan to try Ian Stewart at second base.  That could mean the end of Kaz Matsui in Colorado.
  • How about Eric Gagne to the Tigers?  If they are interested, that bodes well for me getting at least 1 of 50 right.
  • Johnny Damon for Joe Crede first mentioned in the Chicago Tribune??!!  That trade speculation, sir, is MLBTR’s baby.  Anyway, Heyman’s source thinks the Yankees could do better for Damon.

Rockies Expect A Quiet Offseason

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Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus recently wrote in reference to the Rockies:

Teams that overachieve expectations tend to keep everything in place, and in fact that’s exactly what Charlie Monfort is saying. This is likely to be one of the bigger misplays of the offseason.

Indeed, no one is expecting any kind of shake-up or blockbuster.  That said, Tracy Ringolsby indicates that teams will inquire on Brian Fuentes and Garrett Atkins over the next few months.  The free agent market for closers and third basemen isn’t robust.

Ringoslby notes that Josh Fogg may seek the Jason Marquis special – three years, $21MM.  The Rockies will pass, instead entertaining bringing Jason Jennings back.

The Rockies are also expected to sign a veteran catcher to help Chris Iannetta along.  Ringolsby names Yorvit Torrealba, Jason Kendall, and Paul Lo Duca as the options.  Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post names the same trio.

Renck adds that the Rockies will attempt to re-sign Kaz Matsui and Matt Herges soon as well.  Renck mentions that the team has also gotten in touch with Shawn Chacon’s agent.  Chacon came up through the Rockies system but was traded to the Yankees in July of 2005. 

What do you think about this plan?  Should the Rockies make a major free agent strike or trade instead?

Odds and Ends

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More random rumors and reading material!

  • Baseball Prospectus’ Nate Silver discusses Ryan Braun’s undeniably terrible defense at third base, suggesting some interesting trade and signing permutations to get him into right field.  Also note that Kevin Kouzmanoff is a butcher at third; maybe the Friars will be in the market for Mike Lowell this winter (a player they’ve expressed interest in in the past).
  • Awesome headline for this Garrett Atkins article.  Steve King discusses how the Phillies would be a fine fit for a trade, throwing the Dodgers, Twins, Angels, and Astros into the mix as well.  Note that Atkins has a career line of .269/.344/.437 on the road and .336/.399/.528 at Coors.
  • Sid Hartman is hearing that Walt Jocketty could end up in Baltimore.
  • The Daily Herald’s Scot Gregor proposes some kind of Jon Garland for Bill Hall swap, or even a Carl Crawford acquisition by the White Sox.  I don’t think the Sox and Rays match up too well for that. 
  • I thought he’d stay, but Joe Torre has turned down a one-year, $5MM offer from the Yankees.  The proposal had another $3MM in incentives and a vesting option for 2009 if the Yanks won the ’08 World Series.
  • It’s Hiroshima or MLB for Hiroki Kuroda.  Apparently the Ms already have their eye on him.  Paul Sullivan also said recently that the Cubs will be in the mix.

Latest Phillies Rumors: Lowell, Rivera, Schilling

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Let’s catch up on the rumors and minor moves involving the Phillies recently.

One offseason objective is, of course, third base.  Abraham Nunez was an easy buyout decision; Pat Gillick will import a new third baseman this winter one way or another.  Phils fans can stop dreaming up A-Rod scenarios; Gillick won’t pursue him.  Mike Lowell is the one free agent 3B on the Phils’ radar.  While Lowell wouldn’t mind playing in Philly, he made it clear yesterday that Boston remains his first choice.  So there’s a good chance Gillick will have to get his man via trade.  Scott Lauber names Garrett Atkins and Joe Crede (free agent after ’08, Boras client) as possible targets.  We all know how Gillick loves dealing with Kenny Williams (and the Sox can use Josh Fields at third base).

Rod Barajas won’t be retained; Chris Coste will serve as the backup to Carlos Ruiz.  A nice, cheap catching tandem.

How about pitching?  Randy Miller has a source saying the Phils are targeting a couple of AL East stalwarts – Curt Schilling and Mariano Rivera.  To sign Rivera at $12MM per and use Brett Myers in setup seems like a misallocation of resources to me.  As for Schilling, Miller says he’s expressed interest in coming back to Philly to finish his career.  I like the fit.

Miller also has some very interesting info on Aaron Rowand – he’s looking for a six-year, $84MM contract!  Does that mean he ends up with a five-year, $60MM deal?  Pretty hefty for a guy coming off a career year.  Miller says the Phils won’t go for big-name replacements like Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter.

Finally, Pat Burrell has surfaced as a solid trading chip.  He’s left with a reasonable one-year, $14MM commitment, albeit with a full-no trade clause that would require more compensation.  How about Burrell to the White Sox for Crede?  Phils kick in a couple mil, the White Sox get much-needed OBP for ’08 plus draft picks when Burrell leaves.

Renck’s Latest Rockie Rumors

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Rockies beat reporter Troy E. Renck had the scoop on all kinds of Rockie rumors yesterday; I’m just now getting to it.  Let’s look at some highlights from his column.

  • Renck suggests the Rox take a look at Bob Wickman.  Meanwhile, the Phillies actually inquired but aren’t expected to work out a deal.  The Indians will take a pass.
  • Renck mentions that the Rockies have "long coveted" catcher Paul Lo Duca.  Lo Duca should be there for the signing this winter.
  • The Rockies will have around $45MM tied up in Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe, Brian Fuentes, and Aaron Cook for 2008.  Even if the team raises its $55MM payroll, someone has to go.  By the way, locking up Holliday long-term will cost a king’s ransom.  He’s a Scott Boras client.
  • Given the burden of Todd Helton’s contract and his no-trade clause, he may be immovable.  But a .400 OBP is still valuable any way you slice it, so perhaps the Red Sox or Angels will get re-engaged.  Renck believes Atkins and Fuentes are the main trading chips to clear payroll though.  The Angels and Twins could still use Atkins while the Phils, Red Sox, and Yankees have inquired on Fuentes in the past.  Atkins for a Kevin Slowey or Scott Baker just makes too much sense.

Twins Pursued Garrett Atkins

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According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins went after Rockies’ third baseman Garrett Atkins with a package that included Juan Rincon.

Given the way Rincon has pitched this year, I would guess he has little trade value.  The Twins would’ve had to offer a good young player like Scott Baker to be taken seriously.

Rosenthal’s Latest

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Ken Rosenthal posted a new article this afternoon.  A good read as usual, though not chock full of new rumors.

  • Rocco Baldelli remains the Devil Rays’ best trading chip; they hope to see the 25 year-old return and re-establish the trade value he had in 2006.  Many are already saying the Rays waited too long on Baldelli, but let’s see what they get for him before making that judgment.
  • Reggie Willits has hit his way into a starting job for the Angels.  Nice to see an Angel drawing walks 12% of the time.  That will enable Willits to remain effective after his batting average regresses.  Rosenthal says third base is the clear position for upgrade for the Angels.  Garrett Atkins is desired, and Rosenthal would consider Brandon Wood a reasonable bounty.  If I’m Dan O’Dowd, I’m making that deal.  Meanwhile, Bill Shaikin believes the Blue Jays would ask for Wood for Troy Glaus, but would settle for Ervin Santana and 1B/3B/DH Matt Brown.  Shaikin’s source says J.P. Ricciardi is not yet prepared to trade Glaus, however.
  • Rosenthal speculates that the Braves would like to add a big-time starter to get away from the current plan of "Hudson and Smoltz and pray for lightning bolts."  Sorry, that was the best weather rhyme I could come up with.  He mentions Rich Harden and Dontrelle Willis, accompanied by the obligatory Jarrod Saltalamacchia rumor.  Poor Salty.
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