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Manny Ramirez

Brown’s Latest: Furcal, Manny, Abreu

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Tip of the cap to Yahoo’s Tim Brown, who was the first reporter yesterday to name the three players the Rockies would receive in the Matt Holliday trade.  Now let’s take a look at Brown’s latest column.

  • Brown believes everyone cleared their physicals in the Holliday deal, so expect news conferences soon.  He says the A’s may add a couple more hitters, possibly Rafael Furcal and/or Jason Giambi.
  • Brown says Jim Bowden is promising everyone the Nationals will be in on the Manny Ramirez bidding.  With Josh Willingham, Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Pena, and Willie Harris already under team control, where does Manny fit in?  Bowden has already said he plans to use Willingham as an outfielder.
  • The Yankees have yet to contract Bobby Abreu.  They still figure to offer him arbitration, of course.

Royals Payroll Could Reach $70 Million

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Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City talked to Royals GM Dayton Moore recently.

  • Moore hopes to sign Zack Greinke long-term.  Greinke, however, is comfortable going year to year to maximize his earnings.
  • Moore named three free agent bats he ranked above Mike Jacobs: Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and Bobby Abreu.  He implied those three are out of the Royals’ price range.  Moore feels that Jacobs will continue to improve.
  • Moore says he has flexibility to extend payroll toward $70MM or even higher.  He notes that last year the Royals tried to sign Jose Guillen and Torii Hunter, which would’ve pushed payroll to that range. 
  • Moore lists his needs as speed, OBP, a starting pitcher, and bullpen help.
  • Mike Aviles could be shifted to second base if the Royals can acquire a "proven everyday shortstop."  Royals Authority says: don’t move him!

Heyman’s Latest: Manny, Martin, Jenks

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has some hot stove musings today.

  • Heyman talked to one GM who asked (in reference to C.C. Sabathia), "When does anyone ever leave a dollar on the table, much less twenty or thirty million dollars?"  I have heard this sentiment often but I do remember certain players leaving money on the table (often to play in California).  Randy Wolf took less in ’06 to sign with the Dodgers, and Brian Giles did the same for the Padres in ’05.  Kerry Wood turned down a multiyear offer from Boston last year.  And how about Andre Dawson and the blank check in ’87?  Evan Longoria left a ton of money on the table too, but let’s stick to free agents.  Any other examples?
  • Heyman still likes the Orioles as one of Manny Ramirez’s suitors.
  • Heyman describes the evidence as "fairly thin" that the Dodgers are looking to trade Russell Martin.
  • White Sox GM Ken Williams is listening on Bobby Jenks, and the Mets are in on him.  Javier Vazquez and Paul Konerko may also be available, though Konerko has full no-trade rights.

Odds and Ends: Burrell, Atkins, Ohmura

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Links for Monday…

Perrotto’s Latest: Free Agent Predictions

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John Perrotto has his Every Given Sunday column up over at Baseball Prospectus. Perrotto offers a list of some educated guesses as to where some of the top free agents in baseball will land, with some surprises here and there. Let’s take a look:

  • Perrotto lists the Yankees loading up on starting pitching, landing C.C. Sabathia and Derek Lowe, while the Dodgers land Manny Ramirez after doubling their initial offer to four years, $100MM.
  • Perrotto says the Nationals will land Mark Teixeira, as they could be prepared to offer Teixeira – a Maryland native – ten years, $200MM. Turning down that kind of money would certainly be difficult.
  • Perrotto has Adam Dunn landing on the North Side of Chicago and having an adventurous time in right field for the Cubs. According to these predictions, he’ll be joined by Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood – neither of whom are going anywhere.
  • Perrotto feel Andy Pettitte won’t be back with the Yankees, and feels that he will either take a below-market contract from his hometown Astros or retire. He also pegs Mike Mussina to likely retire, but agrees he’ll be back with the Yankees if he does indeed make a run at 300 wins.
  • Other predictions from Perrotto: Raul Ibanez  and Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets, Milton Bradley to Toronto, Orlando Cabrera to Minnesota, Casey Blake back to Cleveland, A.J. Burnett to the Orioles, Brian Fuentes to the Angels, Nick Punto to St. Louis, Randy Johnson to the Angels, Jason Giambi to Oakland, and Orlando Hudson to the Mets.
  • The list of players who will end up back with their current teams: Ben Sheets, Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Jamie Moyer, and Jason Varitek, on a two-year $20MM contract, courtesy of Scott Boras.

Odds And Ends: Saltalamacchia, White Sox, Ludwick

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Links for Sunday…

Rosenthal’s Latest: Nationals, Manny, Peavy, Vazquez

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We’ve already touched on Ken Rosenthal’s Matt Holliday update, but there are other good tidbits in the article as well:

  • "Club officials believe" that the Nationals are "reasonably close to a breakthrough." They blame 2008’s sorry performance on the raft of injuries Washington suffered, which is why they’re willing to spend now for a big bat — the key names floating around have been the aforementioned Holliday, Adam Dunn, and Mark Teixeira, though Rosenthal seems skeptical they could snag any of them. But what about Manny Ramirez? "Jim Bowden, the Nats’ unconventional GM, probably would love the idea, but D.C. might not be big enough for Manny and Barack Obama." Looking at the impact that Manny has had on the LA’s attendance, and looking at the empty seats at Nationals Park, it could make sense.
  • Obligatory Jake Peavy update: Padres discuss keeping the ace, Braves grow impatient. Cubs are still in the mix, while the Dodgers and Yankees are "on the backburner." (Buster Olney had a subtly different take posted a few hours later — that Peavy would be dealt before the turkey hits the sideboard.) Rosenthal also quotes Pads GM Kevin Towers as wanting to move the fences in at Petco (which is hard enough just to write without typing in "cavernous" as an automatic prefix).
  • The Mets, among other ballclubs, are interested in Rays’ righties Andy Sonnanstine and Edwin Jackson, but the Rays are in no hurry to make a deal.
  • "The White Sox are in an ideal position with" Javier Vazquez if they wait until Peavy, CC Sabathia, et al are placed and then shop him, Rosenthal argues. The 32-year old righty will make $23 MM through 2010, which he calls "a bargain for a pitcher who has produced four straight 200-inning seasons, albeit with a 49-51 record and 4.41 ERA." On the other hand, Vazquez has also hit the 200-strikeout mark in each of the last two seasons.

Sarah Green can be reached here.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Holliday, Manny, Swisher, Johnson

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A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…

  • Cardinals Diaspora would love to see the Cardinals land Matt Holliday but does not think the front office will have the guts to make the move.
  • Oriole Post is not sure the Orioles are truly interested in Manny Ramirez. If there is indeed interest, Oriole Post thinks the O’s should pass.
  • MetsBlog does not see the Mets going after Manny Ramirez even if the Yankees and Angels drop out of consideration.
  • River Ave. Blues makes a case for the Yankees trading for Nick Swisher over signing Mark Teixeira to play first base.
  • Talking Chop argues for keeping Yunel Escobar and moving Kelly Johnson for a power bat.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Dodgers’ Offer To Manny: Two Years, $45 Million

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According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Dodgers’ offer to Manny Ramirez is for about two years, $45MM.  Ned Colletti was able to say this is a higher average annual value than Johan Santana because of deferred money in Johan’s deal. 

Heyman says Manny is thinking seriously about other options now, because the Dodgers’ offer is so far below his range.  Scott Boras is still talking about six years.  Heyman’s source believes "fan response" could push the Dodgers to three years, though they may already be willing to up the salary a bit.  The offer is apparently a backloaded deal with a third-year option.

Heyman likes the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Yankees as other suitors, though the Orioles are already pretty much out and Manny is not a priority for the Yanks.

Tons of Scott Boras quotes on the Manny topic, here and here.

More Odds And Ends: Padres, Francoeur, Manny, Phillies

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A few more notes from the MLBiverse…

  • Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that the Padres have not set their ’09 payroll but that it could be as low as $40MM. Krasovic also notes that the Braves are not one of the teams that have inquired about Khalil Greene. Also, Kevin Towers continues to sound positive about the possibility of resigning Trevor Hoffman. The Padres have offered Hoffman a one-year deal for $4MM with a ’10 option at the same price.
  • Paul DePodesta comments about all of the rumors that are swirling on his personal blog.
  • We have heard this before, but now a Braves official is saying there have been no recent discussions involving Jeff Francoeur.
  • Jayson Stark discusses why a six-year deal for Manny Ramirez makes little sense.
  • Ken Mandel takes a closer look at the Phillies’ contract commitments and what they mean for the ’09 roster.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

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