Heyman On Peavy, Tigers, Cliff Lee
The latest from SI.com's Jon Heyman…
- Heyman lists 30 breakout candidates for 2009, headed by Paul Maholm of the Pirates.
- Padres GM Kevin Towers had this to say regarding trading Jake Peavy midseason: "If we start spinning our wheels, we might engage in discussions." ESPN's Buster Olney also wrote about Peavy this morning, noting that the Cubs were "much closer than anybody realized at the time" to acquiring Peavy this winter. Towers gave Olney a similar quote about Peavy – he doesn't want to think about it right now but if the team is out of contention it's possible.
- Heyman names the Tigers and Blue Jays as teams that may look to dump salary this summer. He speculates on names such as Jeremy Bonderman, Brandon Inge, Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordonez, Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells, and Scott Rolen.
- Cliff Lee is a tricky case for an extension, but the Indians told his agent Darek Braunecker they'd let him throw out a bid. Braunecker didn't bite, and negotiations are not expected to take place during the season. You have to wonder if Lee will be traded next winter or at the 2010 trade deadline.
Moorad Takes Over Padres
The sale of the Padres to a group led by Jeff Moorad may take several years to complete, but Moorad is now running the team according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Moorad's group owns 35% of the team currently.
Moorad plans to invest in the draft, but he wouldn't commit to anything regarding the team's payroll. Tom Krasovic of the Union-Tribune sums up the contracts Moorad will inherit in the front office:
GM Kevin Towers, whose salary is well within the Top 10 among GMs, is under contract through 2010. Executive vice president Paul DePodesta, who had reported to Sandy Alderson, is guaranteed an average well above $500,000 per year through 2011. Director of player development and scouting Grady Fuson, who was hired by Towers in early 2005, is under contract through 2010. As for manager Bud Black, he is in the final year of his contract.
What about Jake Peavy? Moorad told Center:
"It would be premature for me to say what is going to happen. The goal is to build this for the long term. I don't know how that impacts the Peavy situation. But we're going to do whatever we can to improve the team."
Holden Kushner of XM Radio snagged more Moorad comments on Peavy:
"Peavy has been a terrific performer for the club at the same time I don't think any player is untouchable. I think at some point I am sure Kevin Towers and I will visit about the issue and Kevin will have a point of view and frankly I'll defer to it. I certainly want to be kept informed but I think Kevin will have a perspective on the Peavy situation and I really looking forward hearing it."
Odds & Ends: Wieters, Padres, Peavy, Price
LInks for Thursday…
- Chico Harlan of the Washington Post says the Nationals will honor a handshake agreement Dmitri Young made with Jim Bowden, and put the first baseman back on the 40-man roster.
- Catcher Matt Wieters has been told by the Orioles that he'll be optioned to Triple A on Monday, according to Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. Will the Orioles wait until late May to try to avoid Super Two status?
- Reds assistant GM Bob Miller talked to fans in an MLB.com Q&A.
- Check out an entertaining chat transcript with Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times over at Halos Heaven.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star interviewed Zack Greinke.
- Rangers owner Tom Hicks told Richard Durrett of the Dallas Morning News that the team has not reduced its budget for 2010. The Rangers have yet to set next year's budget, but it's known that some big salaries will be coming off the books. Meanwhile, MLB.com's Barry Bloom notes that Hicks intends to sell a minority share of the team.
- Rays exec Andrew Friedman said the team's demotion of David Price was entirely for baseball reasons, talking to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. R.J. Anderson of DRays Bay supports the decision. Bart Given agrees.
- Tom Haudricourt and Adam McCalvy write about Brewers GM Doug Melvin's irritation with the bogus Jake Peavy rumor.
- Purely speculative, but Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wonders if Dontrelle Willis could get his career back on track with the Marlins.
- Rockies infielder Jeff Baker, unaffected by the trade rumors, homered twice yesterday.
- John Moores says the Padres sale to Jeff Moorad is "awfully close," talking to MLB.com's Barry Bloom. As you know, Sandy Alderson will step down as CEO when the deal closes (possibly today).
- Padres pitcher Shawn Hill had offers from six teams, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.
- The Red Sox signed reliever Rocky Cherry to a minor league deal.
- MLB.com's Alyson Footer says reliever Danny Graves asked for and received his release from the Astros.
Brewers Peavy Rumor Shot Down
TUESDAY, 8:01am: This rumor died a quick death. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel talked to Brewers GM Doug Melvin, who said there's nothing to the rumor and he hasn't talked to the Padres.
MONDAY, 9:34pm: According to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Brewers "are now said to be interested in Jake Peavy." Peavy's agent Barry Axelrod said, "I haven't been asked about the Brewers, although we've heard there was some interest before that didn't come to fruition."
It's possible that this rumor stems only from the speculation of Brewers third baseman Bill Hall. ESPN's Peter Gammons wrote on Sunday: "Hall believes the Brewers will be in on Peavy, when and if he goes on the market." I haven't seen any recent articles actually reporting talks between the two teams. Still, the speculation is logical.
Gammons On Matthews, Teahen, Harang, Peavy
12:07pm: John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer asked Reds GM Walt Jocketty about Gammons' Harang note. Jocketty said, "I'm not going to comment on something when he doesn't know what he's talking about."
9:19am: ESPN's Peter Gammons had a new blog post yesterday discussing available players.
- Gammons names Geoff Jenkins ($8MM remaining, limited no-trade), Brian Giles ($9MM remaining, full no-trade), Gary Matthews Jr. ($33.5MM remaining, full no-trade), Marcus Thames ($2.275MM salary), Nick Johnson ($5.5MM salary), Jason Repko, and Jeff Baker as players being dangled. Gammons links Matthews to the Yankees but admits his contract will be an issue.
- Mark Teahen has drawn interest from the Astros, Red Sox, and Yankees.
- Gammons says the Reds "have let teams know that they will wait and see whether they need to move Aaron Harang during the season." It'd be a shame to see the Reds break up that rotation. Harang has about $36MM coming to him over the next three seasons if his 2011 option is exercised.
- Brewers third baseman Bill Hall expects his team to pursue Padres ace Jake Peavy if available this summer. Unlike C.C. Sabathia, Peavy is more than a rental.
Odds & Ends: Manny, Papelbon, Pudge, Peavy
Links for Thursday…
- The Nationals remain interested in Duaner Sanchez, says Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post.
- Yahoo’s Jeff Passan talked to Mark Prior.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post heard Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras consider the contract with the Dodgers a one-year deal with a safety net. Sherman wonders if the Yankees and/or Mets could get involved depending on how Manny’s 2009 season plays out.
- Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon commented about Manny to Chris Jones in the April issue of Esquire. It’s a good article and there’s a lot more to it than the Manny comments.
- Free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez is working out at first base, according to Will Gonzalez of MLB.com.
- The Padres have the third pick in the June draft. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune asks whether they’ll finally take a player with big upside.
- Jake Peavy‘s agent Barry Axelrod seems to be writing off the Padres, in comments to Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune: "It’s tough with the Padres’ situation. They are not very good and it looks like it is going to be another long year for them."
- Marlins shortstop Robert Andino is out of options, so Mike Phillips of the Miami Herald says this is his audition.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney says Mark Mulder‘s audition is drawing closer and he’s throwing well. Olney also says Luis Gonzalez is waiting by the phone. For a look at the other remaining free agents, click here.
Peavy Was Willing To Pitch In Boston
Rob Bradford of WEEI has a quote from Padres pitcher Jake Peavy:
"Boston was a place that I told the Padres I would certainly be interested in playing. I don’t know if there were any talks. I gave the Padres a list and Boston was on that list. Boston was a place I told the Padres I would be interested in playing at. Set that straight for sure."
At various times during the offseason, Peavy also expressed a willingness to play for the Braves, Astros, Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals, Yankees, and Angels (based on previous WEEI reports). If the Padres do re-engage in trade talks for Peavy this summer, it’ll of course be on his terms given his full no-trade clause.
Rosenthal On Manny, Anderson, Kasten
The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- Rosenthal wonders if Manny Ramirez could get a multiyear deal following a big/well-behaved ’09, in the vein of other Boras clients such as Kevin Millwood and Kyle Lohse (Ivan Rodriguez, too). Of course, Manny is a lot older than those guys were.
- Rather than money, Garret Anderson wants the 632 hits he needs to reach 3,000. If he gets there, he’ll make for some interesting Hall of Fame debates.
- Rosenthal spoke to an executive who knows Stan Kasten. This exec expects Kasten to surprise with his GM choice, and doesn’t see him hiring a "young up-and-comer" or Chuck LaMar.
- The Cubs are said to be "content with their bench players." Cubs manager Lou Piniella has talked a bit about wanting an "extra infielder who can play first and third." Rosenthal adds that the team’s new ownership "might not be willing to assume the remaining $63 million on Jake Peavy‘s contract in a reeling economy."
Cubs Rumors: Schilling, Peavy
Let’s talk about the Cubs’ connection to starters Curt Schilling and Jake Peavy.
- Schilling is undecided on pitching in 2009, but if he does he’d be interested in the Cubs and Rays, among other teams. As a reminder, here’s Schilling’s list of ten preferred teams from October of 2007. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times finds it a "long shot" that the Cubs would pursue Schilling, while Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune thinks the Cubs "probably would take a flier on him, at the right price."
- Wittenmyer and Sullivan have quotes from Peavy, who denied singing "Go Cubs Go" at a Vegas bar in December. Peavy had kind words for the Cubs, but the two teams are not talking trade currently.
- In a related story, Sullivan’s heard that Padres CEO Sandy Alderson could take a similar role with the Cubs once new owner Tom Ricketts takes over. Alderson declined comment.
Odds and Ends: Maddux, Beltre, Cordero
Links for Monday…
- RotoAuthority discusses possible lineup position changes for star players.
- Baseball America has the latest minor league transactions.
- Greg Maddux has joined the Padres as a Spring Training instructor, says MLB.com’s Corey Brock.
- Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News learned that Adrian Beltre enjoys hitting in AT&T Park and would be excited to play for the Giants. Baggarly wonders if the Giants could attempt to acquire Beltre this summer. The third baseman and Scott Boras client will be a free agent after the season.
- Shawn Estes, currently in camp with the Dodgers, will retire if he can’t make a Major League roster according to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times.
- A Mets official told Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News that the team is unlikely to sign free agent reliever Chad Cordero.
- Jake Peavy talked more about the failed attempts to trade him during the winter (Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune reporting).
- The Mariners added catcher Jason Phillips on a minor league deal, according to Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune.