Heyman On Manny, Pudge, Cabrera, Howard
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…
- Heyman says "most in the know seem to still believe [Dodgers owner Frank] McCourt will bend on Manny Ramirez and go to three years."
- The Nationals’ offer to Adam Dunn was on the table for weeks until he realized no team was going to beat or approach it. There were rumors months ago that Dunn sought a $100MM deal heading into free agency.
- The Astros and Marlins are looking at Ivan Rodriguez. There’s even an El Nuevo Dia report suggesting the Astros offered $2.5MM+ to Pudge, but that seems out of their price range to me. In today’s mailbag, MLB.com’s Alyson Footer opines that the Astros wouldn’t go to $3MM for a catcher.
- The A’s "want to spend no more than $5MM, and probably closer to $3MM" for Orlando Cabrera. He should take that if it’s offered.
- The Angels had been eyeing Joe Crede but may be done after signing Bobby Abreu. The Giants and Twins remain the likeliest suitors for Crede.
- The Phillies hoped to lock up Ryan Howard beyond his arbitration years, and Ruben Amaro Jr. disputed the notion that he is after Teixeira 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.
Report: Dodgers Could Make ‘Big Splash’
The East Valley Tribune’s Scott Bordow reports that the Dodgers "could make a big splash in the next 72 hours."
"Don’t be surprised if the Dodgers not only sign Manny Ramirez but Orlando Hudson as well," writes Bordow. It sounded like speculation at first, but Bordow confirmed to me in an e-mail that he heard the news from a "pretty reliable source."
The Dodgers have been linked to Hudson at times this offseason, but have only admitted to having mild interest in the second baseman. The Dodgers would lose their #17 pick in the June draft if they sign Hudson, but they’re in need of a guy that can play second base every day and he’s the best man available. Then again, as some readers have pointed out, it might block the development of Blake DeWitt.
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Tuesday
The New York Post reports that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt told the MLB Network Tuesday that his club is still hoping to sign free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.
"Well hopefully we are going to sign him soon," McCourt told the "Hot Stove" program. "That is certainly our intention."
"You know Manny had a tremendous impact on L.A. and made great contributions to our run at the end of last season," McCourt continued. "I’ve seldom seen a situation like his with our fans. I mean that love affair was tremendous. It’s our intention to try and bring Manny back. We’ve tried to do that, been unsuccessful to date, but that doesn’t mean we are going to stop trying."
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Monday
Interesting note yesterday from ESPN’s Peter Gammons, related to the Manny Ramirez negotiations:
Scott Boras has put the heat on Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, and there has been no love lost. The L.A. scouting department has been told it will not draft Boras clients come June.
Gammons adds that the Giants "may well be seriously considering constructing a three-year package for Manny."
Ramirez recently spoke with Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, and the slugger described his situation this way:
"We’re in the seventh inning and I’m waiting for my pitch."
Cafardo’s Latest: Manny, Sheets, Glavine
The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo shares some notes on Manny Ramirez and around the league. Let’s have a look, bullet-point style:
- He cites an AL Exec who says, "I’ll be honest, I never thought Ramirez would walk away from… one year, $25 million. That’s better than the $20 million option he had torn up… If he has another great year, he gets another $25 million for one year? Or maybe a team then decides, ‘OK, this guy has behaved himself for a while, continues to produce at a high level now, let’s commit for another two years to him.’ Unless a team like the Yankees comes in at the last minute and gets it done, I just don’t see where he’s going to make more than $25 million." Cafardo adds that "Brian Cashman insists it won’t happen."
- A quote from Rich Hill on his being traded to the Orioles: "[Cubs general manager] Jim Hendry really took care of me. He wanted to create an opportunity for me that he told me probably didn’t exist in Chicago, so I’m grateful. I know Baltimore tried to deal for me last year and it didn’t work out, but this time they made it work." Hill also adds that he’s over his back injury and will rediscover his control.
- Ben Sheets not signing anywhere until June hurts the Brewers two-fold: they may have to foot the bill for the surgery and won’t receive a first round draft pick for losing a Type-A free agent. Sheets has a torn flexor tendon, as revealed by an exam with the Texas Rangers. On the other hand, MLBTR has noted that in June, after his surgery, he won’t cost a draft pick to sign.
- Andruw Jones on playing in Boston: "It’s too cold there. There’s too much stuff going on."
- Bobby Abreu may have to settle for a one or two year deal at $3MM. Cafardo lists the Angels, Mets, Braves, Dodgers, and Mariners.
- Expect an incentive-laden deal for one year between Tom Glavine and the Braves. As MLBTR has noted, their latest offer was between $1-2MM with no incentives.
- Mark Mulder could be a useful back end starter and he’s almost ready to put himself on display to teams.
- Shea Hillenbrand is 32 and receiving no interest. Cafardo wonders if he’s "being punished for past transgressions?"
- Cubs, White Sox, and Dodgers are lined up for Orlando Hudson; however, the transfer of ownership may have temporarily tied the hands of Jim Hendry to do anything until Tom Ricketts takes over.
- The A’s are continuously interested in Orlando Cabrera, Adam Dunn, and Abreu.
Sabean Speaks: Manny, Dunn, Abreu
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News posted highlights from a press conference with Giants GM Brian Sabean:
- Sabean said he does not see Manny Ramirez as a "silver bullet to save the day." He would rather add reinforcements at the trade deadline.
- The Giants are not interested in Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu, even at deflated prices. Sabean said that signing Abreu would force a logjam in the outfield, and he does not want to create a situation in which he would have to trade a player.
- Sabean said that he has discussed trades with some clubs this week. The players discussed were entering the final years of their contracts. Sabean argued that it was not a case of the Giants being unwilling to take on a contract saying, "Those players come at a cost of talent."
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Saturday
6:28pm: According to Chris Haft of MLB.com, Giants’ GM Brian Sabean maintains that it will take "a special set of circumstances" for the Giants to land Manny Ramirez.
"It’s not going to be a long-term contract like you’re reading about," Sabean said. "It’s not going to be at the dollars that are being speculated. It’s going to have to make business sense and it’s going to have to make baseball sense."
Sabean spoke of Ramirez as "a player that has tremendous upside on the one hand, and some warts that still leave him on the market because of what his lack of all-around play is or what his past has been in previous organizations."
Sabean also maintained that the Giants are in a position to wait for bargains when the July 31 Trade Deadline approaches, saying that the Giants are putting together a "hit list" of players who might become available.
4:21pm: Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times has posted an article following an interview with the man himself, Manny Ramirez.
Hernandez writes that Ramirez continues to wait for a four-year deal. Says Ramirez, "We’re in the seventh inning and I’m waiting for my pitch."
Ramirez was also very frank with Hernandez about his future baseball aspirations. On that subject, Ramirez says, "Understand me, I have goals. I know that if I play six more years, I could get to my 3,000th hit and, who knows, maybe my 700th home run."
2:49pm: Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that while the Dodgers have not been speaking with Manny’s agent Scott Boras lately, it appears that the San Francisco Giants have been doing so. Actually, it couldn’t be clearer: "We have been talking," says Giants President Larry Baer.
According to Shaikin, the Giants are not likely to beat either the Dodgers’ one or two-year offers to Manny, but have recently been reported as having "not ruled out a three-year contract."
9:40am: Here are some thoughts on Manny Ramirez from around baseball:
- Scott Miller of CBS Sports thinks "the Giants immediately become NL West favorites if they sign Manny. Adding Bob Howry, Jeremy Affeldt, Edgar Renteria and Randy Johnson certainly helped their team.
- The Boston Herald’s John Tomase remembers the last time someone other than Manny started the season as the Boston left fielder: Troy O’Leary in 2001. Tomase thinks Jason Bay will continue to play well as Manny’s successor in left.
- Mark Kreigel of Fox Sports writes that clubs "are scared of Manny being Manny."
The Corner Outfield-DH Market
There are still many jobless players who could contribute as a corner outfielder or a DH, so it’s a good time to take stock of the market. Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu are the big names, but Garret Anderson, Andruw Jones, Luis Gonzalez, Jim Edmonds and Ken Griffey Jr. want jobs and Jermaine Dye, Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher could be available through trades.
Here’s a look at the teams who have reportedly had interest in this type of player, starting in the AL:
- White Sox: They thought about Abreu and Dye’s been involved in rumors all offseason, much to the frustration of Kenny Williams. Dye will earn $11.5MM in 2009.
- Angels: They aren’t interested in Dye, but they could be interested in Abreu or Dunn at the right price. Don’t look for them to make a play for Manny though; GM Tony Reagins said it won’t happen. Garret Anderson won’t be back.
- Mariners: The Ms could sign Griffey, but they prefer Abreu and Anderson.
- Braves: They are the top suitor for Swisher and they have some interest in bringing back Jones. Atlanta has about $5-9MM to spend, so they could change plans and pursue Dunn or Abreu if they’re willing to accept a deal worth under $10MM. Don’t rule out a Nady trade, either.
- Nationals: The Nats have offered Dunn a contract, which he’s been sitting on for a while. They’re also monitoring the Manny market.
- Mets: Abreu and Ramirez won’t sign with the Mets this offseason. If Griffey’s willing to sign at a major discount, he could sign with the Mets, but indications are he wants $5-6MM.
- Dodgers: The Dodgers have targeted Manny Ramirez all offseason, and he’s rejected two contract offers from them. The first was for $45MM over two years with a club option; the second was for $25MM over one year. Dunn appears to like the Dodgers, and Abreu’s an option, too.
- Giants: The Giants are also courting Manny, but some have said they just want to prevent the Dodgers from getting a deal. Abreu could also fit in San Francisco.
- Reds: Yet another team that could pursue Abreu, the Reds spoke with Luis Gonzalez’s agent ealier in the winter. Adam Dunn won’t return to Cincinnati this offseason.
Manny Ramirez Rumors: Friday
9:04pm: Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News spoke with Dodgers GM Ned Colletti on Friday. Jackson asked if there would come a time when the Dodgers will simply have to move on from their pursuit of Manny. Here’s Colletti’s response:
"At some point in time, yes, but I’m not sure when that point in time will come yet. We signed Furcal, we signed Loretta, we signed Ausmus, we signed Casey Blake, we signed Wolf, and we signed Mota. We haven’t been sitting and waiting for one player to sign. We have been active, and we have continued to put a club together. At some point in time, we have to come to a conclusion. But we’re not there yet, and we’re still open-minded.”
8:17pm: A few current Giants offered perspectives Friday on the possibility of having Manny in the clubhouse:
"You’d be an idiot if you didn’t say a guy like Manny Ramirez can’t help your team," center fielder Aaron Rowand said. "But even with that being said, there’s not a guy in here who’s looking at that and hoping and praying. To a man, we’re all confident about what we have right now."
"Manny Ramirez is an unbelievable hitter," said right fielder Randy Winn. "He’s probably the best RBI guy that I’ve ever played against. Of course he’s going to help any team he goes to. But it’s nothing I can focus on because it’s kind of like a trade rumor. It’s probably not going to happen."
4:44pm: Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has a Manny Ramirez update today, from the Giants’ point of view. Most Giants execs, as well as former owner Peter Magowan, expect Manny to re-sign with the Dodgers. They’ll continue to explore the possibility though.
On the other hand, ESPN’s Jayson Stark talked to one official who regularly speaks with the Giants’ front office. That person thinks new owner Bill Neukom wants to make a splash and said, "I would watch the Giants" in regard to Manny. The official also suggested the Giants may have "more dollars to spend than they’ve been letting on."