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Jason Bay

Nightengale On Holliday, Sheets, Yankees

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USA's Today's Bob Nightengale is cranking out the tweets…put this stuff in a column, Bob!

  • He says the Red Sox met with Scott Boras about Matt Holliday, as a Jason Bay contingency.
  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Nightengale no one has heard from Ben Sheets or his agent.  Back in October, assistant GM Gord Ash told the AP, "There's been once and a while conversations with his agent to remind that we still have that ongoing interest."
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Nightengale he didn't sit down with a single agent.  Seems kind of weird.
  • Talking to Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, Nightengale learned that the team is still open to acquiring a DH despite re-signing Ken Griffey Jr.
  • D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes told Nightengale the Super Two cutoff is two years, 139 days, leaving Mark Reynolds one day shy.  That saves the team some bucks.  But it looks as though Adam Jones, Mike Fontenot, and Micah Owings will be arbitration-eligible.  Are Fontenot and Owings non-tender candidates?

Sherman On Lackey, Phillies, Giants

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The latest from Joel Sherman of the New York Post…

  • The Angels' willingness to let John Lackey leave without a serious offer raises a red flag for at least a few execs with other clubs.  With Lackey being the best available free agent starter, it's easy to forget that his 2009 season did not begin until May 16th due to an elbow strain.  In 2008, he began on May 14th because of a triceps strain.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports also has a Lackey article, and it takes a different tone.  Rosenthal says the Angels would still like to re-sign Lackey, adding that "Plan B could be a renewed effort to trade for Roy Halladay."
  • Heyman assesses the Phillies and attempts to douse rumors about them eyeing Chone Figgins and Halladay.  He does see the needs as third base, the rotation, and the back of the bullpen.  Our own Mike Axisa wondered if my Jose Valverde prediction made sense, because Valverde might prefer to sign somewhere he'll surely close.  Maybe a guy like Brandon Lyon fits better.  David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has reached out to at least six free agents, and Murphy provides guesses.  Two clubs made trade offers as well.
  • A $90MM payroll might keep the Giants out of the Matt Holliday–Jason Bay bidding.  Sherman suggests the Giants are not locked into a first base acquisition in the infield – Pablo Sandoval can play both corners, and Freddy Sanchez can even be considered at third base if the Giants pursue another second baseman.  Sherman says the Giants are currently looking to re-sign Brad Penny and Bengie Molina.  Since he made only six starts for the Giants, you have to look to 2007 as the last time Penny truly had success.   Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News believes the Giants will at least offer arbitration to Molina, which I imagine will hurt his market.

Odds & Ends: Giants, Phillies, Hernandez

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Some news and notes from around the majors….

  • Giants blogger Grant of The McCovey Chronicles notes the potential downsides for San Francisco if they were to sign Jason Bay, Jermaine Dye and/or Bengie Molina.
  • With rumors again swirling that the Phillies will make a play for Roy Halladay, Scott Lauber of the News Journal looks at a Baseball America listing of Philadelphia's top prospects, with an eye towards which of these youngsters could head to Toronto in a trade.
  • Speaking of Halladay, The Seattle Times' Larry Stone believes that if the Mariners do decide to move Felix Hernandez, they will do so without being as public as the Blue Jays were about dealing their ace last summer.
  • Dick Kaegel of MLB.com reports that the Royals outrighted pitchers Yasuhiko Yabuta and Lenny DiNardo to Triple-A Omaha, leaving them both eligible for free agency.  Neither move was a surprise, particularly given that Kansas City already declined Yabuta's $4MM option for 2010.
  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles signed catcher Michel Hernandez.  The 31-year-old Hernandez will get an invite to spring training to vie for the backup catcher's job.  Hernandez has a .237/.286/.305 career line in 127 plate appearances with Tampa Bay and New York.

Giants Rumors: Molina, Pudge, Bay, Holliday

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Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that the Giants are open to bringing Bengie Molina back, but prepared in case the catcher signs elsewhere. Here are the details:

  • The Giants won't likely offer Molina much more than the $6MM he made this year.
  • Molina wants a two-year deal, so Baggarly says the 35-year-old is unlikely to re-sign with the Giants.
  • The Mets could have interest, and Baggarly says an unnamed AL team expects to get involved, too.
  • Baggarly expects the Giants to offer Molina arbitration, but would be surprised to see the team extend similar offers to Bob Howry, Randy Johnson or Randy Winn.
  • The Giants have tried to acquire Ivan Rodriguez before, so they could bring him in to mentor Buster Posey and provide the club with insurance in case the top prospect struggles.
  • The Giants believe Matt Holliday's defense regressed a shocking amount last year.
  • Jason Bay seems like a better fit for the Giants.

Rosenthal And Morosi On Harden, Putz, Wagner

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3:35pm: More from Rosenthal and Morosi:

  • The White Sox are expected to add a leadoff man, but Chone Figgins still seems too expensive.
  • John Smoltz is open to starting or relieving next year. He figures to end up in the NL after his failed stint with the Red Sox.
  • Phillies officials "strongly downplayed" the idea that they could trade for Roy Halladay. The NL Champs will focus instead on third base and the bullpen.

12:38pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi are constantly updating their blog at FOX Sports with more info from the GM meetings. Here are some highlights from today:

  • Rich Harden could be a good fit for the Seattle Mariners, especially given his past success in the American League West and the close proximity of his hometown (Victoria, British Columbia) to Seattle.
  • Given their need for some offensive punch, the Mariners will also "kick the tires" on Jason Bay, says one major league source. As ESPN.com's Jason Grey points out, the Mariners have Dustin Ackley and Michael Saunders coming up through the system, so signing an outfielder like Bay to a long-term deal may not appeal to Jack Zduriencik.
  • J.J. Putz's agent Craig Landis says that his client wouldn't mind accepting a setup role. "He has a preference to be a closer, but absolutely will not rule out an eighth-inning job depending upon many factors," says Landis. The factors Landis mentions include location, coaching staff, team strength, and, of course, money.
  • Bean Stringfellow, Billy Wagner's agent, claims that six teams have called about the left-hander, and that all of them are interested in Wagner as a closer. We heard earlier today that Wagner's value could be hurt by his Type A status, but if you believe Stringfellow, it's not looking like a problem so far.
  • The Yankees are "taking it slow" in their discussions with Hideki Matsui.

Red Sox Rumors: Bay, Wagner, Beckett, V-Mart

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Theo Epstein says talks between the Red Sox and Jason Bay are still in their early stages, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Here are the details and the rest of Silverman's rumors:

  • Epstein expects Bay to explore free agency, but the Red Sox are willing to wait for the left fielder to do so, at least to an extent.
  • The Red Sox may bring Alex Gonzalez back. They turned down his $6MM option earlier in the week, but the sides could agree on a deal that guarantees the 32-year-old less money.
  • The Red Sox are open to signing Victor Martinez and Josh Beckett to long-term deals, but any such extensions aren't likely to be finalized until much later in the offseason.
  • Epstein expects Billy Wagner to look for a closer's job. He'll have to find a team willing to give up a draft pick if the Red Sox offer him arbitration, since he's a Type A free agent.
  • The Red Sox may bring Rocco Baldelli back.

Yankees Could Keep Pettitte, Damon, Matsui

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2:15pm: Just because the Yankees would prefer to keep Damon on a one-year deal doesn't mean that's possible. Speaking to Jon Heyman, Scott Boras compared Damon to Jorge Posada, who got a four-year deal and Derek Jeter, who is expected to receive one, too.

11:49am: Lohud.com's Chad Jennings notes that the October and November performances by Pettitte, Damon, and Matsui won't affect the team's decisions on whether to bring the players back. The quote from Cashman: “What they were when they went into October, that’s what they still are regardless of how well or how poorly they played in October."

11:10am: Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News also reports that the Yankees have interest in retaining both Damon and Matsui on one-year deals. In another article, Feinsand writes that the Yankees are "intrigued" by John Lackey.

9:20am: After months of talk that the Yankees would only keep one of Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the World Champions will try to re-sign both players, plus Andy Pettitte. The Yankees are more intent on retaining their own free agents than they are on acquiring Matt Holliday, Jason Bay or John Lackey.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman would prefer to bring all three back on one-year deals to minimize risk. Teams might be reluctant to sign Damon – a Type A free agent – if the Yanks offer arbitration, because they'd lose a draft pick. The Yankees would have to be prepared to pay Damon $15MM or so if they offer arbitration, so they may try to work out a deal in the $10MM range instead.

Sherman On Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests, as Adam Rubin did earlier today, that the New York Mets may not be able to sign Matt Holliday or Jason Bay because of payroll restrictions. A Mets official tells Sherman that, if that is the case, the team's Plan B involves trying to "sprinkle power at a variety of positions" rather than adding one elite hitter.

One scenario Sherman outlines for the Mets is adding a catcher like Bengie Molina, an outfielder such as Jermaine Dye or Mark DeRosa, and then moving Luis Castillo to clear second base for someone with more power.

It sounds like the Giants and Mets will be the main competitors for Molina's services. The Giants would like to bring him back, and will look to spend more on their offense this winter, though a "team insider" says that Bay's and Holliday's price tags might be out of San Francisco's range as well.

In another article, Sherman writes that the St. Louis Cardinals don't anticipate Holliday signing anywhere until after Christmas. The team also fears that the New York Yankees could get involved in the bidding. If the Yankees were to retain Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, as has been rumored, you'd have to think the Cardinals would like their chances of bringing back Holliday a lot more.

However, Damon apparently won't do the Yankees any favors by giving them a hometown discount. In one last article, Sherman outlines Scott Boras's case for Damon earning a long-term deal and big money.

Cards Interested In Holliday, Have Other Options

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The Cardinals maintain interest in Matt Holliday, but they are ready to move on in case they can't re-sign him, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. GM John Mozeliak says the club won't become paralyzed as they negotiate with the star Scott Boras client.

"We have to be prepared if we can't sign him," Mozeliak said. "We need to have other options to pursue. And we do."

The GM knows that it won't be easy to replace Holliday's production if he signs elsewhere. However, the Cards would obtain a pair of draft picks if Holliday turns down arbitration to sign elsewhere. Those picks would help make up for Brett Wallace, who the Cards sent to Oakland to acquire Holliday. If the Cards let their left fielder walk, they would rely on many others to produce.

"I don't think there's one guy who can make that kind of impact," Mozeliak said.

Strauss says assumptions that the Cards will pursue Jason Bay if they fail to re-sign Holliday "may be unfounded."

Mets Rumors: Bay, Holliday, Cameron, Delgado

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A team insider suggests to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News that Jason Bay and Matt Holliday may be too expensive for the Mets to consider. Rubin hears that the Mets expect to trade for a left fielder or spend on a second-tier free agent, since the top outfielders on the free agent market may be too pricey.

A source close to Mike Cameron tells Rubin that the one-time Met wouldn't likely consider returning, since he wants to play center field (the Mets, of course, have Carlos Beltran in center). Gary Sheffield will not return to the Mets, according to Rubin.

The club intends to use Daniel Murphy at first base in 2010, but they have not ruled out bringing free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado back. The slugger would have to be willing to accept a low-cost, one-year deal, but Delgado won't likely see multi-year offers this winter.

The Mets are interested in signing Bengie Molina, but they may look elsewhere if he demands more years than they're willing to commit to.

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