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Jason Jennings Negotiations Tabled

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According to Astros GM Tim Purpura, the team has curbed contract extension talks with impending free agent starter Jason Jennings.

A major factor preventing further talks is that Jennings is currently on the DL with elbow tendinitis.  The MRI showed a lack of ligament damage, but the Astros are going to want a test drive before throwing down $40MM+. 

Jennings began 2002 as the Rockies’ fifth starter, but ultimately won the ROY with a 16 win season.  He managed to keep his arm healthy for the next four seasons while working in a pitchers’ hell.  The Red Sox wanted to acquire him in May of ’04, and the Padres inquired a few months later.  The Rockies decided to hang on to him, locking him up for $7MM over 2005-06. 

A broken finger cut Jennings’s ’05 season short; that was a rough year as Joe Kennedy beat him out for the Opening Day gig.  He hadn’t really endured any arm injuries until now, though.  The Astros knew what they were getting into when they traded for him – Jennings threw a career-high 212 innings in ’06.  It was a 90 inning jump because of the ’05 injury.  He was a horse last year, averaging over 6.6 innings per start.  Rockies beat writer Troy E. Renck called him "one of the toughest players I have ever covered."

The Astros gave up a lot to get their #2, and now they could lose him after this season.  It was a curious move to surrender all of Jason Hirsh’s cheap years; he was completely ready to step in and contribute.  Jennings is one of several free agent pitchers who will be under 30 in 2008.  The list also includes Carlos Zambrano, Mark Buehrle, Joe Kennedy, Kyle Lohse, and Byung-Hyun Kim.

Jennings To Houston

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Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros have acquired Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio from the Rockies. In return, the Rockies will get Willy Tavares, Jason Hirsh, and Taylor Buchholz.

Apparently Kenny Williams wasn’t lying when he said there was nothing to the rumor that the White Sox were going to acquire Hirsh and company for Jon Garland.

Clearly, the Rockies made out like bandits on this deal.  I liken it to the trade that sent Adam Eaton to Texas last year.  The main difference is that the Astros did not a get an Otsuka-like player back in the deal. 

Astros’ Options Remain Wide Open

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One way or another, Tim Purpura is going to acquire a decent starting pitcher. 

The Houston Chronicle reports that Purpura is still in touch with the White Sox, but has a host of other active scenarios as well.  In the article, Purpura goes to great lengths to confirm that starter Taylor Buchholz is healthy without actually confirming that he could be involved in a trade.  It remains possible that the Astros trade for Jon Garland.

They won’t, however, acquire both Garland and Andy Pettitte.  The Astros still have a one-year, $12MM offer out there.  The Yankees have already blown that away, even offering to add a second year.  It seems clear that Pettitte will only stay in Houston for geographical reasons.  Richard Justice

Check out Jose de Jesus Ortiz’s take on the whole Garland thing yesterday.  He initially reported the deal was close, based on info from Astros President Tal Smith.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post suggests that the Astros could take another run at Jason Jennings, perhaps offering Jason Hirsh, Willy Taveras, and Dan Wheeler.  As I said earlier, that far outweighs Freddy Garcia’s price and they are comparable pitchers.

The Market For Jason Jennings

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The Denver Post has the latest on hot trade commodity Jason Jennings.

The Phils are now out of the running after acquiring Freddy Garcia.  This leaves the Astros as the top candidate.  Troy Renck says "the Rockies are eyeing  24-year-old starter Jason Hirsh, reliever Dan Wheeler and center fielder Willy Tavares."  Renck notes that Houston’s interest will heighten if Andy Pettitte signs with New York.  The three-player haul mentioned here certainly seems to top what the White Sox got for Garcia, a fairly comparable pitcher for 2007. 

The Blue Jays and Mets remain plenty interested if other options don’t work out. 

Ted Lilly, Gil Meche, and Vicente Padilla are all off the market.  Left in Tier 2:

Jason Jennings
Jeff Weaver
Jeff Suppan
Miguel Batista

Batista may be the next to go.

UPDATE:  Should Houston acquire Jon Garland, they’d obviously no longer be the frontrunner for Jennings.

Rockies/Cubs/Pirates Three-Way?

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Calm down, this is a family trade rumor site.  I am referring to Steve Phillip’s latest, found via RotoWorld.

The idea: Jason Jennings to the Cubs; Jacque Jones, Carlos Marmol, Paul Maholm to the Rockies; Brad Hawpe to the Pirates.

If this one is legit, Dan O’Dowd lied to Brad Hawpe’s agent.

Gotham: Reds Still After Bonderman

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According to Gotham Baseball, reporting from the Winter Meetings, the Reds are still trying to trade for Jeremy Bonderman.  Unfortunately, the Tigers probably will not trade him.  Wayne Krivsky is chasing a lesser option in Brian Bannister of the Mets.  Last week, we reported that the Rockies and Mariners have interest in Bannister.

Of course, plenty of teams are still trying to trade for Jason Jennings.  Those include the Mets, D’Backs, Astros, and Cards according to Gotham.  Previously, the Rockies had received inquiries from the Cubs and Twins.

Jacque Jones For Jason Jennings?

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Ken Rosenthal reports that the Cubs have discussed a trade with the Rockies: Jacque Jones for Jason Jennings.  The Rox would then spin off Jones in another deal.

While I am not a huge fan of Jennings (I project his ERA at 4.62 next year), this would be a fine move for the Cubs if complemented by a Julio Lugo signing.  At the least Jennings would be likely to eat up 200 innings and go deep into games. 

My guess is that Jim Hendry would need to include another player to make this work, given the scarcity of decent cheap pitching.  It’s a good time to trade Jones, who has two years left on his deal for just $9MM total.  He had his best season since 2002 last year.

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