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Manny Ramirez

Rosenthal On Boras’ Scheme

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Ken Rosenthal has a theory on Scott Boras’ goals in the free agent game:

  • Mark Teixeira and Jason Varitek to the Red Sox
  • C.C. Sabathia and Manny Ramirez to the Angels
  • Derek Lowe to the Yankees

The crux of the theory seems to be that Boras would want Manny near his Newport Beach headquarters to better babysit him.  Personally I have a hard time seeing any team sign two of the big three free agents, and it’s difficult to picture Manny as an Angel.

Rosenthal doesn’t see the Dodgers as major players, partially based on recent comments made by the McCourts.

Mets Rumors: K-Rod, Dye, Vazquez

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6:22pm: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Minaya has reached out to K-Rod and Fuentes.  He says the Mets prefer free agency to trading. 

We also have a rumor from Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  He says the Mets offered Aaron Heilman to the Rockies for Street shortly after Colorado acquired him.  The Rox wanted the Mets to add Pedro Feliciano, and the Mets refused.  MetsBlog has more insight into the team’s plans.

1:33pm: Rounding up today’s Mets rumors…

  • On Friday, David Lennon of Newsday said the Mets had received Francisco Rodriguez’s medical records.  He also had Omar Minaya saying the club’s doctors were looking it over.  However, Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post writes today that the Mets did not receive the records until yesterday afternoon.  According to Hubbuch, the Mets told Paul Kinzer they’ll get back to him after Thanksgiving regarding K-Rod.
  • Hubbuch names five other Mets targets: Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, Trevor Hoffman, J.J. Putz, and Huston Street.
  • Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News talked to Minaya, who said the Mets have not made offers to any free agents yet.
  • In case you missed it, Ken Rosenthal had several Mets nuggets in today’s column.  He said the Mets balked at Chicago’s asking price for Jermaine Dye, and aren’t enamored with Javier Vazquez.  Rosenthal believes the Rays’ Andy Sonnanstine "represents a more desirable target" for the Mets.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman rattles off a list of the Mets’ free agent targets, which does not include Manny Ramirez.

Odds and Ends: Kawakami, Griffey, Greinke

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Links for Tuesday…

Yankees Backup Plans

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Ken Davidoff of Newsday lays out the backup plans for the Yankees.

Mark Teixeira would come into play for Brian Cashman if C.C. Sabathia turns down the Yankees’ offer.  Davidoff adds that Sabathia would likely turn down the Yankees if Tex turns down the Angels first.  So we could have a scenario where Teixeira signs with the Yankees and Sabathia with the Angels, and neither team addresses its biggest need.  The Yankees could also get in on Manny Ramirez if they fail to sign Sabathia.

There’s some hand-wringing coming out of New York as Sabathia continues to sit on the Yankees’ huge offer.  I don’t think Sabathia’s silence sends a message, nor am I convinced he can’t get a larger contract.  It’s sensible for Sabathia to hear the Angels out, especially with the rumor that they are considering a Johan Santana-like offer.  If the Halos make that offer, the Yankees may have to come back with a seven-year contract worth more than $160MM.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dye, Burrell, Young

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Here’s a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

  • Rosenthal says the Braves are interested in A.J. Burnett, but you already knew that.
  • Rosenthal believes Trevor Hoffman to the Dodgers "makes sense."
  • The Red Sox apparently have confidence they could trade Mike Lowell if need be, but rival execs believe he’d have to prove his health in spring first.  Lowell has two years and $24MM on his deal. 
  • The White Sox want a young starter and additional players for right fielder Jermaine Dye.  The Mets, Rays, and Phillies are "balking at such a price."  Rosenthal learned that most of the six teams on Dye’s no-trade list are in the northeast.  Interesting that the White Sox are still willing to trade Dye after moving Nick Swisher.
  • The Mets "aren’t enamored" with Javier Vazquez.
  • Rosenthal suggests the Rays will sit back and hope one of the free agent DH-types becomes a bargain for them.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote on Friday that the "Braves, Dodgers, and Mets are believed to be among teams that have inquired about Rangers starting pitchers Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla."  However, Rosenthal says the Braves and Mets are not interested in either pitcher and the Rangers aren’t desperate to move them.
  • Rosenthal has Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Pat Burrell on the Angels’ radar if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, or Manny Ramirez.
  • A rival GM tells Rosenthal Twins outfielder Delmon Young is "very, very much out there."

Cafardo’s Latest: Teixeira, Ramirez, Baldelli, Furcal

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The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo has a new article up with a few Red Sox rumors, and one for Oakland:

  • Cafardo thinks Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez will not change jerseys this offseason because, while their teams might struggle to afford them, they can’t afford to lose them. Teixeira is the protection and future replacement for Vladimir Guerrero that they have been seeking for a long time. He doesn’t rule out the Yankees however.
  • Rocco Baldelli could be Coco Crisp’s replacement as Boston’s fourth outfielder.  Cafardo says Baldelli met with the Red Sox last week.
  • He continues to hit on the Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis or Nate Robertson deal, but now suggests Theo Epstein may also eat some of Lugo’s salary and deal him elsewhere.
  • The A’s are looking closely at Rafael Furcal.

Heyman’s Latest: Lowe, Teixeira, Guillen

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman recently published several new blog posts.

  • Free agent outfielder Garret Anderson has a new agent: Scott Boras.  Click here for our full list of Boras clients.
  • Rangers starters Vicente Padilla and Kevin Millwood are drawing interest from the Braves, Dodgers, and Mets.  Padilla is owed $12MM in 2009 with a 2010 option for the same ($1.75MM buyout).  Millwood gets $23MM over the next two seasons and has a limited no-trade clause.
  • Heyman says rather than battle for A.J. Burnett, the Red Sox and Yankees may duke it out for Derek Lowe.  Other suitors for Lowe: the Mets, Braves, Phillies, Giants, Mariners and Dodgers.  There he goes naming the Mariners again as a player for a major free agent…interesting.  The Giants are a new one as well, though Heyman says Lowe may prefer to head back east.
  • Heyman agrees with info from Nick Cafardo, that the Red Sox and Tigers have discussed swapping Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis.
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti admitted to interest in C.C. Sabathia.  Colletti said he’s waiting to hear from Scott Boras regarding Manny Ramirez, even though the Dodgers pulled their two-year, $45MM offer.
  • It hasn’t happened yet, but the Angels plan to make a "very serious" offer to Mark Teixeira.  A competing exec guessed eight years, $160MM.  Remember, that’s a non-Angels exec making a guess.  Heyman tosses a new team into the mix for Tex: the Mariners.
  • The Royals are "quietly shopping" Jose Guillen.  Guillen, 33 in May, hit .264/.300/.438 in 633 plate appearances this year while playing below-average defense.  He’s owed $24MM for the 2009-10 seasons.
  • Competing execs tell Heyman the Mets appear open to trading Ramon Castro or Brian Schneider.  The Mets would then presumably sign a free agent catcher.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Lowe, Everett

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Time to discuss Ken Rosenthal’s latest…

  • Mark Teixeira is likely to sign before Manny Ramirez.  The Nationals and Orioles are in the mix, but the Angels and Red Sox are more likely destinations.
  • One GM predicted Raul Ibanez will receive a three-year deal worth $8-12MM per year.  Not exactly going out on a limb there.  ESPN’s Jayson Stark named a dozen teams that have expressed interest.
  • Rosenthal says the Mets are more likely to sign Brian Fuentes or Francisco Rodriguez than to acquire a closer via trade.  Doesn’t exactly fit with Stark’s statement that J.J. Putz would go to the top of the Mets’ list if available.
  • Scott Boras emphatically disputed the notion that he wants a Barry Zito-like contract for Derek Lowe.
  • Rosenthal wonders if Adam Everett would make sense for the Tigers.

Stark’s Latest: Putz, Manny, Lackey, Ibanez

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Let’s take a look at the latest column from ESPN’s Jayson Stark.

  • Stark does the math and finds 15 potentially available closers versus six clubs in the market for one.  Should result in a few bargains or teams holding on to their surpluses.
  • The Mets don’t seem willing to extend to four years for Francisco Rodriguez.  Stark says J.J. Putz would become the Mets’ top closer target if he’s made available.  MetsBlog’s Matthew Cerrone wrote a few days ago that the Mets are likely to trade for a reliever with closing experience before attempting to sign one.
  • J.P. Ricciardi quote: "We won’t be involved with Manny."  Ricciardi last month: "He’s on our radar, but maybe not on our radar like some people will report."
  • Despite reports to the contrary, Stark talked to a rival executive who says Jake Peavy made it "onto [the Angels’] radar pretty hard."  Stark speculates that Peavy could fit if the Halos sign Mark Teixeira.
  • It seems likely that the Angels will put out an offer to Teixeira with a deadline, and then either sign him or move on.
  • John Lackey’s been telling friends he expects to have an extension with the Angels by Opening Day.  Lackey indicated last month he’d wait to see the Halos’ offensive plans before re-signing.
  • Stark suspects the Players Union might be OK with C.C. Sabathia turning down a larger offer from the Yankees if he still signed for more than Johan Santana’s $23MM per year.  I don’t really see why Sabathia would worry about the union in any regard.
  • The Dodgers inquired on the asking price of Jason Varitek, with the idea of moving Russell Martin to third base in mind.  They balked at Scott Boras’ demand for Tek, however.
  • Curt Schilling is "more likely than ever" to attempt a late June or early July comeback.
  • Tons of teams have expressed some degree of interest in Raul Ibanez: the Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, Nationals, Braves, Royals, Rays, Blue Jays, Rangers, Angels, and Mariners.  Some interesting new ones in there.
  • The Phillies never made a two-year, $21MM offer to Pat Burrell.  Will the Phils at least offer him arbitration?  The rumored offer was questionable from Day 1, as Paul Hagen said Burrell "reportedly turned down a two-year, $22MM offer" but didn’t reference a specific report.
  • Stark believes that the Brewers were not thrilled with the Yankees’ "overbid" for C.C. Sabathia, and therefore would prefer not to trade Mike Cameron to them.  Dan Graziano wrote yesterday about the Yanks’ conversations for Cameron.
  • Roy Oswalt wants the Astros to sign Ben Sheets, but the price tag may be too high.  Stark has the following names on their radar: Randy Wolf, Mike Hampton, Freddy Garcia, Paul Byrd, and maybe Pedro Martinez.  Is Drayton McLane willing to bring Andy Pettitte back?  GM Ed Wade seemed interested in his chat yesterday, saying, "We’ll have to see what develops down the road."

Graziano’s Latest: Sabathia, Halladay

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4:39pm: Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News shoots down all Dodgers rumors – no offer in the near future for Sabathia, no talks for Halladay, and no interest in Raul Ibanez.

I think Graziano’s Halladay musings have been distorted a bit – he basically said the Blue Jays might explore the trade market at some point.

3:31pm: Graziano adds in a new post that the Giants plan to make a six-year offer in excess of $100MM but under $140MM.  Tom Haudricourt had info about a Giants bid several hours earlier as well.

Haudricourt adds that the Angels will make a bid, but reports about the Dodgers may be inaccurate.

12:26pm: Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger explains why C.C. Sabathia is taking his time while mulling over the Yankees’ six-year, $140MM offer.  Graziano believes Sabathia and his agents are waiting to see what the Dodgers propose.

Graziano speaks of "rumblings today that the Dodgers either have offered or are about to offer Sabathia a six-year contract worth between $110 and $120 million."  He believes this could compel the Yankees to increase their offer, just to ensure a ridiculous ($30MM+) gap between the two proposals.

Graziano has a source who continues to insist the Blue Jays will explore the market for ace Roy Halladay, who has two years and $30MM left on his deal.  In that case, he believes the Dodgers are the most likely match.  If the Dodgers acquire Halladay, they would focus on Manny Ramirez rather than Sabathia.

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