Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Livan Hernandez

Today’s Arbitration Decisions

By | at

The decision whether to offer your own free agent arbitration can affect your team in two ways: you may end up retaining a player you didn’t want, or you may score a draft pick or two as compensation.  With that in mind let’s run down the rumors regarding some Type A and B free agents.

  • The Red Sox plan on offering arbitration to Type B Eric Gagne.  Worst case scenario, they hang onto him for one more year.  Best case, they get a sandwich pick.
  • The Astros have to decide on Trever Miller and Mark Loretta.  Both are Type Bs, but the Astros might not want them back.  Richard Justice notes that the old Astro regime made a mistake not offering arbitration to Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
  • The Angels decided not to offer arby to Bartolo Colon, because the most they could give him would be a 20% pay cut.  So best case scenario they could get him for one year, $11.2MM.  Colon is not a Type A or B, so there’s no compensation regardless.
  • The Phils will offer arb to Aaron Rowand but not Freddy Garcia.  Rowand is a Type A, Garcia a Type B.  It’s a no-brainer with Rowand, who will hopefully net them a first-round pick plus a supplemental depending on who he signs with.  With Garcia they risked getting burned as he might’ve accepted.   
  • The D’Backs will offer arbitration to Livan Hernandez, who will likely decline it to pursue a three-year deal.  He’s a Type B so they’ll snag a sandwich pick.
  • The Padres will offer arbitration to Michael Barrett, and Kevin Towers actually hopes he accepts.  No worries if he doesn’t – Barrett is a Type A.  The Friars will also offer arby to Mike Cameron and Doug Brocail.  Brocail nets them a sandwich pick for sure; Cameron still has a slight chance of accepting.
  • The Braves did not offer arb to Andruw Jones but did for Ron Mahay.  Both are Type Bs; I’m surprised they didn’t want to risk Andruw returning on a one-year deal.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Peavy, Guillen, Barrett

By | at

Ken Rosenthal checks in with another fine rumor-filled column.

  • Johan Santana doesn’t seem a great fit for the Angels, partly because he’ll be very expensive and the Halos actually do have a payroll limit.
  • Jake Peavy knows he’d have to take a discount to stay in San Diego…but even a $15MM per year type deal would be unprecedented for them.  He’s under the Padres’ control through ’09.
  • Rosenthal’s sources are divided on whether the Mets will go after Jose Guillen.  Such a scenario is possible if Lastings Milledge and/or Carlos Gomez are dealt.  It’s said that the Mets are still very interested in Livan Hernandez.
  • Chase Headley is very popular.  Rosenthal confirms Scott Miller’s rumored offer of Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth for him, not that the Padres would consider it.  Otherwise the Red Sox are asking for him for Coco Crisp.
  • The Padres will probably offer arbitration to both Mike Cameron and Michael Barrett.  That brings the risk that Barrett accepts, which wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
  • We already knew the Padres and Rays were in on Geoff Jenkins; add the Phils to the mix.  The Cubs, Giants, Rangers, and Royals have also been linked to him.

Odds and Ends: Livan, Bartlett, Willis, Webb

By | at

Random pieces of rumorage…

Wood On BoSox Radar

By | at

In Nick Cafardo’s column in the Boston Globe today, he mentions that Kerry Wood is on Sox’s radar. He says they envision him as the guy they were looking for when they traded for Eric Gagne on July 31. Unfortunately, this may not jibe with Wood’s intentions. As Tim has discussed here, he might be looking to remain as a starter, though that would limit the teams that are interested in him. Presumably, given his injury history and temporary success as a reliever in ’07, more teams would line up to have Wood in their bullpens.

The Cubs, who could use Wood either as a starter or a reliever — even a closer — remain the front runners. Other teams with a noted interest include the Reds, the Rangers, and the Yankees.

Cafardo also offers up the standard-issue rumors regarding Matt Clement (Padres or Royals), Bartolo Colon (Giants, Cubs, White Sox, Phillies), and Kris Benson ("drawing a lot of interest"). He also mentions the Tigers in connection with Livan Hernandez, Carlos Silva, and obviously Kenny Rogers. He also notes that without Joel Zumaya, the team might be looking at Eric Gagne.

And then there’s the recycled Miguel Cabrera talks. Cafardo describes the situation as we’ve all known it for some time now (guess what…Angels and Dodgers!).

Joe Pawlikowski is co-author of River Ave. Blues.

Tigers Interested In Livan Hernandez

By | at

According to Jon Paul Morosi, the Tigers are interested in free agent starter Livan Hernandez.  Livan, of course, has connections with Jim Leyland, Gary Sheffield, and Edgar Renteria from his Marlins days.

The Tigers are a very well-run team but signing Hernandez seems like a bad idea.  He’ll be 33 if February, and that’s giving him the benefit of the doubt.  While he is durable, Livan is a career National Leaguer who posted a 1.14 K/BB ratio last year.  You have to figure at minimum he’d want three years and $21MM.  The Tigers can afford it, but that doesn’t mean it’s wise.

The Tigers hope to re-sign Kenny Rogers.  Failing that, they’ve got Hernandez, Carlos Silva, and Dontrelle Willis on the radar.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Cordero, Livan, Jenkins

By | at

Somehow, I missed a Ken Rosenthal column.  This thing is already 14 hours old.  I’m slipping.

  • A Mystery Team has already made a four-year offer to Francisco Cordero.  We know the Brewers made an offer on Monday but Rosenthal may be referring to another club.
  • Rosenthal suggests Scott Linebrink could be reunited with Bruce Bochy to become the Giants’ closer.  It’s known that the Astros already have an offer out to Linebrink.
  • Teams interested in Geoff Jenkins: the Cubs, Padres, Giants, Rangers, and Royals.  Several of those are new to me.
  • The Tigers’ payroll is expected to exceed $115MM.  Time to head over to Cot’s and do some math.  By my count the Tigers are around $105MM right now (includes some arbitration guesses).  That leaves room for one starting pitcher signing, be it Kenny Rogers, Carlos Silva, or whoever.
  • The Cardinals, Astros, and Mets have their eye on Livan Hernandez.  Mets’ management is divided on signing him, since he’s a back-rotation guy.
  • Rosenthal believes the Reds could shop Joey Votto or Josh Hamilton a year from now in hopes of acquiring starting pitching.
  • Tony Clark is gaining in popularity as a cheap power source.  He might be looking at two years, $4MM plus more playing time.

Mets Targeting Livan Hernandez?

By | at

Ben Shpigel of the New York Times has some new Mets info for us today.

  • Surprisingly, Shpigel believes the one free agent starter the Mets will seriously consider is Livan Hernandez.  That is odd because I had read Livan wasn’t high on Omar Minaya’s list.  We’ve seen the Mets connected to free agents Byung-Hyun Kim, Carlos Silva, Hiroki Kuroda, Kyle Lohse, and Jason Jennings so far this offseason.
  • As far as some unsung trade opportunities, my Mets guy says Ervin Santana, Chris Capuano, Claudio Vargas, and Noah Lowry are being considered.
  • According to Shpigel, the Mets hope to re-sign Ramon Castro as their backup catcher.  I don’t see that happening, as he’ll probably be able to snag a starting job elsewhere.  Options the Mets are considering to start at catcher include Yorvit Torrealba, Ramon Hernandez, Ronny Paulino, Gerald Laird, and Paul Lo Duca.  A source tells me the D’Backs’ Miguel Montero may also be on the radar.
  • Shpigel says Luis Castillo might command a four-year deal.  Say what?  The Mets may yet re-sign Castillo but want to see what the trade market offers first.  Shpigel names Orlando Hudson, while I’ve also heard Alberto Callaspo.

Nats Like Andruw, Livan, Jennings, Colon, Glavine

By | at

UPDATE, EVENING OF 11-6-07:  MLB.com’s Bill Ladson has some more good Nationals information.  His source says that both Livan Hernandez and Tom Glavine are interested in the club, but they only have the budget for one of them.  Glavine makes more sense.  Ladson also mentions that Bowden has his eye on Rocco Baldelli, and idea I like.  I can’t really think of a great match for a trade though.   

FROM MORNING OF 11-6-07:

According to the Washington Post, Nationals president Stan Kasten recently met with Andruw Jones at the center fielder’s home in Atlanta.  Kasten, of course, was formerly president of the Braves.

Kasten’s contact with Jones is described as "extremely preliminary."  That makes sense, since technically the two parties are not allowed to talk dollars and cents.  But come on – it’s not like Andruw’s house is bugged by MLB.  The Nationals’ open-minded pledge has already led them to contact Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand as well.

Barry Svrluga also reports that the Nats have touched base with three starters: Livan Hernandez, Jason Jennings, and Bartolo Colon.  The team’s desire to get a veteran starter on a one-year deal probably rules out a return of Livan.  But Jennings or Colon could definitely work.  I imagine Livan is going to wait until Carlos Silva signs before inking a contract.

Will D’Backs Add A Starter?

By | at

There are two schools of thought regarding the young, successful Arizona club.  The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro seems to think Josh Byrnes will stay quiet this winter, re-signing Tony Clark and letting Randy Johnson replace Livan Hernandez.  The East Valley Tribune’s Scott Bordow would rather not rely on The Big Unit, instead trading a young position player for a young starter.

Specifically, Bordow notes that Carlos Quentin and Conor Jackson could be expendable.  However, injuries complicate possible trades of either player.  With Quentin it’s direct – he had surgery to repair the rotator cuff and labrum of his non-throwing shoulder in October.  It’s a six-month timeline for recovery, so he could be ready for Spring Training.  Jackson is fine and healthy, but trading him becomes easier if Chad Tracy can prove his health.  He had microfracture knee surgery and also expects to be ready in March.

Jackson seems to be the best trading chip – even if Tracy has complications, Clark wouldn’t be a terrible full-time stopgap.  Jackson, who turns 26 next May, has a respectable if not spectacular .280/.362/.441 line in 310 games.  He slugged .555 after the break this year.  Which team has an available young starter and badly needs position players?  The Giants, with Noah Lowry.  I’m not sure if Lowry would impress the D’Backs, though.  Plus, the teams are in the same division.  The Twins also make for an interesting match, as they might be able to use Jackson in left field.  The D’Backs could ask for Matt Garza or Kevin Slowey.  The White Sox could use an outfielder; would one year of Jon Garland be an even swap?

Livan Hernandez Hopes To Pitch With El Duque

By | at

Livan Hernandez, half-brother of Orlando, were all set to pitch together as Expos in 2003 until El Duque succumbed to a shoulder injury.  Livan, a free-agent-to-be, mentioned recently that he still aims to pitch with his half-brother.

El Duque is signed through 2008 as a Met; could they make room for Livan in next year’s rotation?  Duque, Oliver Perez, and John Maine are locked in.  Tom Glavine’s status is in question; Livan could conceivably fill Glavine’s rotation spot.  If Glavine reaches 200 innings this year, he’ll have a $13MM player option for ’08.  It might be hard to turn that down.

The market is weak enough where a past-his-prime innings eater like Livan Hernandez might be a hot commodity.  If he’s looking for a 3/36 type deal, the Mets would probably pass.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top