Ken Griffey Jr. Rumors: Monday
5:01pm: According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Griffey met with Braves GM Frank Wren earlier today. It sounds like Junior will be making his decision on Tuesday.
Wren is scheduled to meet with Griffey’s agent, Brian Goldberg, on Tuesday and in the hours that follow, the veteran outfielder will likely announce whether he’ll be playing for the Braves or Mariners this year, writes Bowman.
1:10pm: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times has more on the topic. He’s learned that Griffey will decide today or early tomorrow at the latest.
10:00am: Over the weekend we learned that Ken Griffey Jr. is campaigning to play for the Braves, and they may be willing to offer him $1.5MM.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Griffey may decide today. One of Rosenthal’s sources still believes it could go either way (Braves or Mariners). Both teams are considering Griffey and Garret Anderson.
Ken Griffey Jr. Rumors: Sunday
9:03pm: Another interesting item from Bowman:
About a week ago, [Nick] Swisher seemed to be at the top of the wish list. But that was before Griffey called the Braves and campaigned for the opportunity to play for Atlanta.
As more and more information pours out, it really sounds like Junior wants to, and is going to, end up with the Braves.
5:38pm: According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, "It’s believed the Braves are willing to offer Griffey a one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million."
The Mariners can probably afford to make a counter offer that beats that number but, as was reported yesterday, M’s CEO Howard Lincoln is less than enthused about the idea of getting into a bidding war with the Braves.
3:12pm: Jayson Stark’s latest article discusses Griffey and Atlanta. Has he wanted to play there for years? The answer to that question is yes, according to Chipper Jones. And Chipper would love to have Griffey in Atlanta as well:
"He’s a guy who can still hit," said Chipper Jones, who would figure to find Griffey keeping him company in the middle of the lineup. "I played with him a few years ago in the [World Baseball] Classic, and he was our best hitter. He’s got a knack for being able to turn it up and prove people wrong."
Stark writes that Griffey has moved ahead of both Garret Anderson and Nick Swisher on the Braves’ list, and points out that Junior can still hit righties very well, making him an ideal platoon candidate with Matt Diaz.
11:04am: There were lots of rumors surrounding Ken Griffey, Jr. and the Braves yesterday. Jon Heyman puts it simply:
"It appears likely that Griffey and [Garret] Anderson will wind up in Atlanta and Seattle. The big question at this point is which player will end up with which team."
While Griffey lives in Orlando and has a daughter playing AAU basketball in Georgia, Anderson is a resident of Southern California with more recent success in the AL West. Still, Heyman notes Griffey is the prize here because of the draw he brings to the stadium, a draw that would even allow the M’s to stretch their budget for the added revenue Griffey brings in.
Braves Interested In Griffey
8:21pm: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times had a conversation with Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln on Saturday and Griffey was obviously a topic of discussion. Lincoln seemed less than enthused about the possibility of getting into a bidding war with the Braves.
"Everybody always wants more money, that’s reality,” he said. "It doesn’t matter whether it’s the baseball business or any other business. But you’ve got to go with what you’ve got.”
6:14pm: David O’Brien took to the comments section of his blog for a little more insight on the Griffey situation:
Atlanta is his first choice. He really wants to play for the Braves. Has a daughter on an Atlanta AAU team and a son who’s playing high school football this year in Orlando, and Griffey doesn’t want to be on the other side of the country at Seattle. Plus, he’s always wanted to play for Bobby Cox.
If I had to bet, I’d say this gets done early next week.
5:28pm: So much for the whole "agent leaking" theory. Braves GM Frank Wren just confirmed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien that his club does indeed have interest in Griffey:
"We have interest in several available outfielders, including Griffey," said Wren.
5:22pm: The Tacoma News Tribune’s Ryan Divish suggests that the Braves’ reported interest in Griffey "could be another case of an agent leaking some info to the media to make it seem like his client is coveted to enhance his positions in negotiations."
It’s just speculation, but it’s definitely a possibility. With Griffey off playing in a Pro-Am tournament at Pebble Beach, his agent might as well stir the pot.
2:33pm: Jerry Crasnick at ESPN.com reports that the Atlanta Braves are looking to acquire Ken Griffey, Jr.. According to Crasnick’s sources, "Griffey is Atlanta’s prime target."
Crasnick says there is mutual interest between the two parties. Griffey lives in Orlando, where the Braves’ spring training facilities are located. Also, Griffey may benefit from the ability to split time with Matt Diaz in left field.
If the Braves miss on Griffey, their next likely target would be Garrett Anderson.
Odds And Ends: Griffey, Varitek, Giants
A few links for Saturday morning…
- Russell Branyan wants Ken Griffey Jr. to join him in Seattle according to this AP story found in the Globe and Mail.
- If Griffey ends up in Seattle, Cameron Smith of the Washington Post says it’s nothing but a marketing ploy.
- Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times likes the depth the Bobby Abreu addition gives the Angels.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle suggests the Giants could make a trade in Spring Training if teams are looking to dump salary. Brian Sabean says he’s keeping his eye on teams who may need to free up money.
- Alex Speier of WEEI in Boston heard from Jason Varitek about his contract negotiations this offseason. Varitek says he never doubted that he would stay in Boston.
- This doesn’t have to do with rumors, but it’s a good read: MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan shares anecdotes from 20 years of Spring Training.
Ken Griffey Jr. Rumors: Friday
6:15pm: New Seattle Mariners first baseman Russell Branyan thinks Griffey wants to return to his first organization. Branyan said he visited with Griffey in January at his home in Orlando, Fla.
“He told me he’d love to come back here. … I asked him if we were going to be teammates again. He seemed very open to it,” Branyan said.
4:52pm: MLB.com’s Jim Street says dialogue continued today, but there’s no agreement yet. Griffey’s agent Brian Goldberg said he’s "keeping the information to a minimum with Junior while he’s playing in the Pro-Am tournament."
9:32am: According to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, the Mariners and Ken Griffey Jr. "are moving toward finalization of a one-year, incentive-laden contract." At a golf tournament yesterday, Griffey did not seem to have much knowledge of the talks.
Geoff Baker offers thoughts on the expected Griffey signing over at his blog. Keith Law on ESPN Radio recently offered this thought: "This isn’t a baseball move, this is a marketing move."
Mariners Make Progress In Griffey Talks?
9:03pm: As reported by The Sporting News, Junior is playing down talk of him heading to the Mariners:
"We don’t know what we’re doing next year with respect to Seattle. It’s all rumors," Griffey said Thursday after finishing a round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California.
5:25pm: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times believes the Mariners will sign Griffey early next week:
My guess is, he shows up here on Monday, passes his physical, then hits the field on Tuesday. But he is coming. Make no mistake about that.
3:10pm: From SI.com’s Jon Heyman:
Griffey’s agent, Brian Goldberg, agreed that discussions were becoming "more specific” in recent days but suggested nothing’s close to being set yet.
1:27pm: Larry Stone of the Seattle Times weighs in:
The return of Griffey appears to be imminent. Baseball sources confirmed that talks between the club and Griffey have heated up in recent days. The parties appear to be on course for a one-year contract that could be announced next week, provided Griffey passes a physical examination.
10:05am: MLB.com’s Jim Street says the Mariners and Griffey are "nearing agreement on a one-year contract."
9:08am: According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Mariners have "stepped up the pace in negotiations" for Ken Griffey Jr. Crasnick says it’s unclear whether the progress led to a formal offer.
Bobby Abreu received a base salary in the $5MM range yesterday; what would be appropriate for Junior?
Braves Rumors: Glavine, Outfielders
1:29pm: David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offers thoughts on the Glavine situation.
10:42am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has the latest on the Braves.
Rosenthal believes the Braves have $6-8MM to work with, as they try to re-sign Tom Glavine and add an outfielder. The outfield situation is of greater priority.
The Braves had a positive meeting with Glavine on Wednesday; Rosenthal says their offer gives the lefty "the chance to make $3MM — a $1MM guarantee, $1MM if he made the Opening Day roster and $1MM if he was on the roster 60 days." Glavine is said to be seeking $3MM guaranteed plus incentives. He wants to retire a Brave, and is intent on pitching in 2009.
As for the outfield, Rosenthal says the Braves are "checking into" free agents such as Garret Anderson, Luis Gonzalez, Jim Edmonds, and Ken Griffey Jr. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick wrote earlier today that the Mariners are making progress with Griffey. Rosenthal says a Nick Swisher trade "also remains possible, but the Braves almost certainly could land one of the free agents for less than the $5.3MM that Swisher will earn in 2009." Swisher is guaranteed an additional $16.75MM for 2010-11, if his 2012 option for $10.25MM is declined.
Mariners Likely To Add An OF Soon?
John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer suggests the Mariners could soon sign Ken Griffey Jr. or Garret Anderson.
"It’s a good bet that a deal for one or the other will come down in the next few days."
Hickey writes that both would like to play in Seattle, so it’s up to the front office to make a decision. Since the Mariners don’t have a lot of financial flexibility, they’d have to do some "creative accounting" and likely defer money.
Fallout From Abreu And Dunn Deals
Let’s look at the fallout from today’s big news. The Angels have reached an agreement with Bobby Abreu and the Nats have done the same with Adam Dunn, but, as many of our commenters have noted, other teams and players are affected by these deals. Here’s a breakdown:
- The Dodgers lose a lot of leverage in their negotiations with Manny Ramirez. Dunn was their preferred alternative to Manny, and Abreu was another possibility. Unless GM Ned Colletti wants to trade for a bat or sign a much lesser hitter, he may have to give in to Manny and offer three years or an enhanced one or two year deal.
- Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras must be smiling tonight. The two strongest suitors for Manny, the Dodgers and Giants, still need bats, but Manny’s the only top-notch outfielder left.
- The Braves lose leverage. They’ve considered trading for Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher, but with Dunn and Abreu off the board, and Manny out of reach, the Braves might have to give up more in a trade with the Yankees.
- The Yankees, in turn, benefit from these two deals because they can demand more from the Braves. Peter Abraham thinks the Yankees should hold onto Swisher and Nady.
- Garret Anderson and Ken Griffey Jr. are now the best remaining alternatives to Manny, so they could both benefit from today’s deals.
M’s To Set Sights On Anderson, Griffey?
John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer expects that the Mariners will soon turn their focus toward signing either Garret Anderson or Ken Griffey Jr.
Even if Seattle enters the race for Bobby Abreu, they’re likely to be outbid by the Angels. The M’s simply don’t have enough room in the budget, unless they’re somehow able to move Jarrod Washburn or Miguel Batista. Hickey suggests that the Mariners might chase Adam Dunn, but notes that he’s "less than enthusiastic about playing in the Northwest."