Juan Pierre Will Pursue Trade
According to MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick:
The Dodgers have given Juan Pierre‘s agent permission to explore potential trade partners for the outfielder who again lost his starting job with the re-signing of left fielder Manny Ramirez.
Pierre says his agent will "talk to teams and try to find a situation that can work out for everybody."
The whole idea seems weird to me. Why would Pierre’s agent be making these calls instead of Ned Colletti? Perhaps the idea is for Pierre’s agent to identify a few teams that wouldn’t mind having the outfielder under certain circumstances, to get the ball rolling. Pierre’s owed a hefty $28.5MM over the next three seasons, but he is willing to defer payment.
Odds & Ends: Free Agents, Manny, Buchholz
Links for Thursday…
- A confident Sidney Ponson expects his agent to receive a few calls after he pitches in the WBC Saturday, according to Phil Miller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- ESPN’s Rob Neyer looks at the most interesting remaining free agents.
- Jorge Says No! names their 8 Worst Free Agent Contracts of the offseason.
- Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire weighs in on the Manny Ramirez contract, noting the player’s control over the team’s finances. Check out Manny’s comments made to the AP. Juan Pierre doesn’t have much to say about the signing.
- Baseball America’s Ben Badler talks about the reactions of Latin American scouts to the Esmailyn Gonzalez scandal.
- ESPN’s Jayson Stark looks at the top players who are on Spring Training invites.
- Rockies reliever Taylor Buchholz will miss the rest of Spring Training with a sprained elbow.
- Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Braves made room for Tom Glavine on the 40-man roster by outrighting pitcher Anthony Lerew, who cleared waivers.
Juan Pierre Wants A Starting Job
Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com spoke to Dodgers outfielder Juan Pierre, who is penciled in as the team’s starting left fielder currently. The problem for Pierre is that a Manny Ramirez signing would bump him back into the fourth outfielder job.
Pierre is owed $28.5MM over the next three seasons, so a trade seems nearly impossible. Pierre doesn’t agree though:
"When they want to get rid of guys, they get rid of guys. I’m not saying to go the whole Andruw route, but I wouldn’t say untradeable."
At the end of the season Pierre’s agent suggested a trade might be optimal, and Pierre agreed:
It’s a tough spot for both sides. I think [a trade] would have helped both sides. It would have made sense. But I know the market changed last year. Other teams might not want me. Just be straight with me and I’m cool.
Pierre is done keeping his mouth shut:
"For the betterment of the team last year, I kept my mouth shut and let them play. That said, this year, I don’t want that role again."
Dodgers Interested In Dunn, Abreu
4:28pm: A very Dodgers-centric day here at MLBTR. MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick reports that in addition to Dunn, the Dodgers will soon open up talks with Bobby Abreu. They’d like to move Andruw Jones or Juan Pierre if they sign an outfielder.
Gurnick adds that pitching is Ned Colletti’s priority – the Dodgers are eyeing Jon Garland, Randy Wolf, and relief help.
1:46pm: According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Dodgers contacted Adam Dunn‘s agent over the holidays to express interest. If the Dodgers sign Dunn, Manny Ramirez could be in a really bad place. Other teams showing interest in Dunn: the Cubs, Nationals, Mariners, and Orioles. All five teams have surfaced in prior reports, with the Brewers also getting a mention while they were mulling a Mike Cameron trade.
There was a report nine days ago stating that the Cubs are Dunn’s first choice. Today Stark puts it this way: "The Cubs had believed to be his top choice before the Dodgers entered the mix."
Mets Not Interested In Juan Pierre
5:36pm: Mets GM Omar Minaya shot down the Pierre report, and added that he is not interested in Andruw Jones either.
11:59am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Mets have shown interest in Dodgers outfielder Juan Pierre. Pierre’s has another $28.5MM on his deal, which runs through 2011. The Dodgers would need to take on "a large chunk" of that.
Dodgers Rumors: Manny, Furcal, Peavy
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti talked to the media yesterday; here’s the latest.
- Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News believes Colletti will pursue a competent backup catcher to allow more rest for Russell Martin. A decision is due on Gary Bennett‘s $900K option within seven days.
- So far this offseason, Colletti and Scott Boras have exchanged two voicemails. They’ll meet in person to discuss Manny Ramirez and other Boras clients (Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Andruw Jones, maybe Joe Crede) at next week’s GM meetings. Colletti will not put the other team needs on hold to deal with Manny.
- Colletti has had preliminary talks with the agents for Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, and Nomar Garciaparra, while Jeff Kent is expected to retire.
- Colletti intends to acquire a top of the line starting pitcher, but Jake Peavy is unlikely (the Dodgers would have to pay extra due to the same-division factor). Free agents Lowe and C.C. Sabathia may be considered. The Dodgers have seven days to decide on Brad Penny‘s $9.25MM option versus the $2MM buyout.
- The Dodgers would love to have Takashi Saito back, but the situation with his elbow injury is unclear.
- Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones have expressed a desire to be traded through the media, but not formally to the Dodgers.
Pierre Willing To Waive No-Trade Clause
MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick talked to Juan Pierre‘s agent Mark Pieper, who said Pierre would prefer a trade to a team where he can play more often. He’s willing to waive his no-trade clause. Pierre is singing the same tune as Andruw Jones, but both players have negative trade value.
Pierre’s biggest asset is staying healthy; that’s been true for many years. He doesn’t help much on offense or defense. His stolen bases don’t really add value. Pierre has three years and $28.5MM left on his deal. Perhaps he can be swapped for another bad contract. Any suggestions?
Keith Law’s Latest: Players On The Move
Keith Law drops some science on some big name players that could still be on the move if they clear waivers. To wit:
Paul Byrd: Law argues that Byrd would be better served pitching in the National League where a "finesse" hurler like him would have an easier time. Byrd was a Type B free agent in 2007, which means he could slip to non-compensation status this year, an incentive for the Indians to try and trade him if he clears waivers.
Greg Maddux: The Bulldog will only waive his no-trade clause for a team on the West Coast, meaning it’s the Dodgers or the Dodgers. The Padres tried to make a deal with L.A. prior to the deadline, but it fell through.
Andruw Jones/Juan Pierre: Speaking of the Dodgers, Law thinks that both Pierre and Jones would sail through waivers due to their hefty salaries and bad performance at the plate.
Aubrey Huff: Ditto for Huff, who’s owed more than $10MM between now and the end of his contract in 2009.
Law makes the case that Brian Fuentes and Adam Dunn would not clear waivers. It’s no secret Fuentes was one of the most coveted relievers before the deadline, but the Rockies were holding out for the perfect offer that never came (never mind that they’re showing signs of life in a mediocre NL West).
Dunn should still draw interest from teams looking for a corner outfielder that can hit .385/.550, argues Law, and a direct rival could place a claim on Dunn to make sure other contending teams don’t.
Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com. Post-deadline rumors? Comments? alexo05 [at] umpbump [daught] com.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Sabathia, Blake, Greinke, Tejada
And now…a fresh Ken Rosenthal column.
- An opposing viewpoint: Rosenthal says "any team that acquires C.C. Sabathia would gain an exclusive window to sign him long-term before he reaches free agency." Rosenthal notes that the Brewers and Rays are stacked enough to acquire Sabathia and wouldn’t mind taking draft picks for him after the season.
- Casey Blake is drawing trade interest; his versatility is a plus. Rosenthal likes the fit for the Dodgers, Mets, and A’s.
- An anonymous general manager tossed out this "trade concept": Adam Dunn to the Dodgers for Juan Pierre, Chin-lung Hu, and cash. Thoughts?
- Teams such as the Braves, Phillies, and Brewers have expressed interest in Zack Greinke at some point, but the Royals plan to keep him. He’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2010 season.
- Earlier this year the Cubs inquired on David DeJesus, but now they seem content with their Jim Edmonds–Reed Johnson platoon. Maybe talks will be rekindled after the season?
- The Astros will talk about any player on the roster without a no-trade clause, which would include Miguel Tejada. Does that mean Jose Valverde, Hunter Pence, and Wandy Rodriguez aren’t off limits?
Juan Pierre Not Happy Being A Bench Player
Juan Pierre, who has been the odd man out in the crowded Dodgers outfield this year, said following the team’s 5-3 victory over the Florida Marlins on Thursday that he still has not accepted his current role with the club as a bench player:
"I don’t see myself as a bench player. I haven’t accepted that. I know if they don’t want me to play out there, that’s their decision. But I don’t see myself as a bench player."
One reporter asked Pierre if he wanted to remain with the Dodgers to which the 30-year old responded:
"I’m not going to answer that one. It is what it is. I’m not going to touch that one."
Pierre is currently behind young outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, along with offseason acquisition Andruw Jones, in the Dodgers’ depth chart. His deal is guaranteed for four more years including 2008 (at a combined $36.5MM) with a limited no-trade clause.
One difficult aspect of this situation is that Pierre is essentially still the same player he always was offensively. He has never hit for power and his OBP has always been fairly reliant on maintaining a high batting average (a dicey proposition year in and year out). The Dodgers knew what they were getting when they signed him in November 2006. Now Pierre is left to wonder what changed.
Paul Moro is a writer for UmpBump.com and can be reached via e-mail at Paul@UmpBump.com.