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Jake Peavy Rumors: Thursday

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10:56pm: Axelrod suggestion the Giants as a possible destination for Peavy in a talk with Tim Sullivan.  He said, "I think they’ve got the money. But I don’t know if they’ve got the prospects."

8:20pm: Jon Heyman says that Peavy is frustrated by the team’s inability to trade him. His agent, Barry Axelrod, says that Peavy had begun to get used to the idea of being a Cub, and now that opportunity is apparently gone. Axelrod says if the Padres approach he and his client with a trade, they’ll consider it, but there won’t be any more lists of approved teams.

Axelrod also criticizes the majority of baseball executives for their lack of action at the Winter Meetings.

"It’s amazing to me how many people can waste time, money and resources, and get nothing done," Axelrod said. "Baseball moved lock, stock and barrel into that town, and absolutely nothing happened."

6:45: Mike DiGiovanna at the LA Times says that the Angels are now in the mix for Peavy. Trade talks could begin as soon as next week, with Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Reggie Willits, Nick Adenhart, and Kevin Jepsen all names that could be talked about. The Angels will only pursue Peavy if they can’t re-sign Mark Teixeira.

5:02pm: Talked to a person familiar with the Cubs’ thinking…he really could not see the Cubs revisiting a Peavy trade.  The Padres need to get Peavy’s $63MM off the books soon, yet were trying to swing 6-for-1 or 7-for-1 deals for him despite the extremely limited market.  Marshall was never in the mix, by the way.

3:27pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves "won’t even think about renewing their pursuit of Peavy unless the talks are initiated by the Padres, who will no longer find a compensation package that includes Yunel Escobar."  Escobar is apparently off the table because the Braves no longer have Brent Lillibridge.

2:56pm: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes say the Cubs "remain optimistic that they can acquire Peavy, all but ignored Towers’ self-imposed deadline."  Meanwhile, Gerry Fraley says the Angels have already put together a package for the Padres to consider.

12:01pm: Kevin Towers told reporters the proposed Peavy deal with the Cubs is dead.  The Cubs pulled out.  Mike DiGiovanna heard earlier that the Angels remain interested.  Towers is not certain he wants to engage in further Peavy discussions at this time.  I think even hot stove junkies wouldn’t mind a respite.

11:30am: Towers still hasn’t heard back from Hendry on the Peavy deal.  Ken Rosenthal says eight to ten teams have called on DeRosa, adding the A’s to the mix of known suitors.

12:33am: Multiple reports suggested yesterday that the Cubs would not trade Mark DeRosa.  But new stories in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times do not support that notion.

Paul Sullivan of the Trib says DeRosa "appears to be the key to any Peavy deal."  Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times heard the Cubs would only trade DeRosa as part of a Peavy deal, and Jim Hendry inquired on Chone Figgins as a possible replacement.  And La Velle E. Neal III believes DeRosa is fair game in a Peavy deal or separately for the Twins or Phillies.  As far as Jason Marquis, both Chicago writers see him landing in San Diego with the Cubs eating about half his salary (one sign that the Cubs have "hand," as George Costanza would say).

Padres GM Kevin Towers wants to get a framework in place today.  The Cubs have the leverage, with Wittenmyer suggesting they also want to keep Sean Marshall.  One player most writers believe will be sent from the Cubs to the Padres is Josh Vitters.  But Towers says it’s in the Cubs’ hands.

Cubs Inquire On Chone Figgins

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According to Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times, the Cubs inquired on Chone Figgins.  Figgins could theoretically fill Mark DeRosa’s superutility role, though DeRosa seems likely to stay put.  DiGiovanna says the Angels won’t be sure of their needs until they sort out the Mark Teixeira and Brian Fuentes situations.

Jake Peavy Rumors: Wednesday

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8:36pm: MLB.com’s Corey Brock learned from Towers that he should know one way or another on a Peavy trade by the end of the Meetings.  Towers now believes a fourth team will be required.  Towers mentioned that Marquis and DeRosa may be hangups, especially Marquis’ contract.  Though he’d prefer not to, under certain circumstances the Padres might pay some of his salary.

There was some goofy Carlos Carrasco/Jason Donald stuff we didn’t link to today, and that was shot down.  Brock suggests names like Josh Vitters, Felix Pie, and Kevin Hart could be involved on the Cubs’ part.

8:31pm: Jayson Stark says Peavy to the Cubs doesn’t seem inevitable anymore, and the sides have not made progress in the last 24 hours.  The Cubs have leverage, so they’ve dug in their heels.  Stark adds that once word of the possible inclusion of DeRosa linked, Jim Hendry has been "bombarded with calls from other clubs interested" in him.  Hendry does not want to trade DeRosa.

6:00pm: Buster Olney says the Yankees have talked with the Padres recently about Peavy, but it didn’t go anywhere.

5:19pm: Brock talked to a Padres source who does not believe the Twins are involved.

4:10pm: Buster Olney says Axelrod left the Meetings with no word of a deal but the expectation is still that the Cubs will get it done.

3:48pm: Tom Krasovic reminds us that Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod said going into the Meetings that the Yankees would be more attractive to his client if they signed C.C. Sabathia.  Still, Peavy prefers the NL.

3:17pm: Corey Brock says the Phillies might want Scott Hairston from the Padres to use in left field.

2:33pm: Carrie Muskat’s Cubs source says DeRosa will not be traded.

9:45am: LEN3 says the Twins discussed DeRosa with the Cubs yesterday.  The Cubs will present the Twins with a list of pitchers they like, which will be influenced by the Padres’ preferences.

9:31am: There’s word from Jim Salisbury that pitcher Kyle Kendrick could be included in this three-team trade.

1:19am: If you dare to sort through yesterday’s Jake Peavy rumors, click here.  Today, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times maintains that the biggest obstacle is the Cubs moving part of Jason Marquis’ contract.  Another factor – the Padres will need to free up several spots on the 40-man roster.  The Cubs’ sale will not be an issue.

Wittenmyer adds that a Phillies official didn’t expect to get Mark DeRosa from the Cubs but rather other players.  Also, Cubs officials shot down the John Perrotto rumor that the Cubs might shop Carlos Zambrano after acquiring Peavy.

Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune also weighs in.  He says the Padres have discussed Phils catching prospect Jason Jaramillo.

Jake Peavy Rumors: Tuesday

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11:07pm: Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has Phillies sources saying the deal is in place if the Cubs will pull the trigger with the Padres.  Sullivan also talked to chairman Crane Kenney, who implied the Cubs included Peavy’s contract within projected budgets to bidders.

Sullivan adds that the Cubs have not had talks for Bobby Abreu yet.

9:17pm: Stark says there’s no way such a complicated trade will get done before the end of the Meetings.  He adds that extra teams are not necessarily requirements.  The Cubs will need to move a contract and get ownership approval, though.

8:39pm: Ruben Amaro Jr. came close to acknowledging the Phils are involved in the Peavy deal, says Jayson Stark.

8:31pm: Jeff Passan: the lone holdup in this complicated trade is the Cubs moving Marquis.  A deal is not imminent, though, according to Towers.

7:26pm: Brock talked to Towers, who met today with Hendry and said a trade seems more likely today than it did yesterday.  They’ll meet again tonight.  If a deal is reached, it’d be announced after Thursday’s Rule 5 draft.  Brock says the Phillies are believed to be the third team.

3:31pm: MLB.com’s Corey Brock says nothing is imminent and the Cubs appear reluctant.

2:25pm: The saga continues…Kevin Towers does not think this deal lost steam in the last 24 hours, according to Yahoo’s Tim Brown and Gordon Edes.  However, they say the Cubs are having second thoughts about this four-team mess.  The Cubs source says the price is too steep for them right now and they’re looking at another short-term option for the rotation (Randy Johnson maybe).

2:02pm: Tom Krasovic says the Padres are not seeking J.A. Happ or Chris Coste as has been previously rumored.  Also, Ronny Cedeno is not the Padres’ first choice to replace Khalil Greene at short.  Krasovic adds that the Braves apparently are now happy the Padres didn’t take their offer for Peavy.

Kras adds that the Padres did some fact-finding with Mark Grudzielanek’s agent.  Grudz wants to play for a winner though.

1:10pm: Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun-Times says Peavy sang "Go Cubs, Go" at a Vegas bar last night.  Good times.  But did Roy Oswalt sing along?  Also, Modrowski believes the Cubs would be willing to eat as much as $6MM of Marquis’ $9.875MM.

Jayson Stark says an Aaron Heilman-Marquis deal appears unlikely, as the sides cannot agree on what portion of Marquis’ contract the Cubs would assume.

12:08pm: Rosenthal says the Cubs maintain they’re not close on Peavy.  And they still need to identify their new owner before a deal can get done.  The Cubs are mulling Randy Johnson as a backup plan, and continue to prioritize the lefthanded bat.

10:36am: Phil Rogers says the key to this potential four-team Peavy trade would be the Phillies or Orioles taking on Marquis and some of his contract.  Rogers says "it will be a stunner if the Cubs don’t acquire Peavy."

1:00am: Chris De Luca says a source close to Jim Hendry characterized a Peavy deal as "very close."  De Luca’s sources say a Cubs-Orioles component is set (Felix Pie for Garrett Olson).  This runs counter to Roch Kubatko’s report below.  De Luca says the Cubs still want to trade Marquis and acquire a lefthanded hitter before closing the Peavy deal.

12:41am: Ken Rosenthal’s source says the Cubs’ attempts to bring in a third team have involved "probably 20 names with four to five clubs."  So it’s not necessarily DeRosa or the Phillies.  Rosenthal says an agreement is still not close.

12:30am: To summarize yesterday: Kevin Towers has facilitated an apparent three-team Jake Peavy trade that he will present to the Cubs.  I say three because Roch Kubatko says the Orioles don’t know of any agreement.  So the best guess right now (based on reports) is that the Cubs would send Mark DeRosa to the Phillies, and both teams would send young players to the Padres.  The Cubs could offload Jason Marquis in the deal, and the savings from Marquis and DeRosa would seem to neatly equal Peavy’s $11MM salary for ’09.

Burrell Unlikely To Return To Philly

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4:29pm: ESPN’s Jayson Stark says the Phillies will not tread water to see if they get DeRosa from the Cubs.  A friend of Ibanez told Stark the Phils are his first choice, so there seems to be mutual interest.  The problem: the Cubs want Ibanez too and may not be willing to move DeRosa until they get their outfielder.

3:46pm: Pat Burrell’s agent Ed Hayes would be surprised if his client re-signs with the Phillies, as would most observers.  Todd Zolecki believes the Phils’ top three candidates to replace him in left field are Raul Ibanez, Mark DeRosa, and Juan Rivera.

Jake Peavy Rumors: Monday

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11:02pm: Jim Salisbury backs up the idea that the Phils could receive DeRosa and the Padres could get Happ.  It’s worth noting that the Cubs could trim $5.5MM off the payroll by sending out DeRosa and using Fontenot at second base.

10:31pm: MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer says the Angels have not taken themselves out of the Peavy sweepstakes. 

Also, Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune supplies more info.  A third team would definitely be involved in a Cubs trade.  DeRosa could wind up a Phillie, and Michael Wuertz is a new name of interest for the Padres.  Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod said again that Peavy will require a full no-trade clause upon a deal.  One more thing – Towers said trading Peavy could free up money for Trevor Hoffman.

9:00pm: MLB.com’s Corey Brock says the legwork on this trade "has essentially been completed."  No deal has been reached, but Towers says he’s facilitated a three or possibly four-team deal.  The third and possibly fourth teams (Orioles, Phillies) have agreed to players.  There could be some haggling remaining on players sent from the Cubs to Padres.

Brock says all Towers needs now is the go-ahead from Hendry.  Peavy, by the way, was spotted at the Meetings.

8:35pm: Jayson Stark gives his take on the Peavy-Cubs situation.  He says Hendry is dealing with restrictions due to the team’s ownership situation, despite his comments.

8:01pm: Scott Miller of CBSSports.com says Jason Marquis and Angel Guzman (among others) could end up with the Padres in the three-team deal.  The Padres could get J.A. Happ and/or Chris Coste from the Phils.  Miller adds that the Phils are known to have interest in Mark DeRosa.

6:53pm: Rosenthal says the Phillies are now in the mix as a possible third team in a Peavy trade.  Those talks are preliminary.  Rosenthal says the Cubs can’t complete a deal for Peavy until their new owner is decided.

5:33pm: Roch Kubatko says the O’s are still interested in Pie, but may only get him for Olson straight up if Olson is to be flipped to San Diego in a Peavy trade.

2:37pm: Joel Sherman learned from Towers that if he doesn’t reach an agreement on a Peavy deal with the Cubs at the Meetings, he will keep the pitcher to start the season.  The Dodgers are apparently the only other team to which Peavy has approved a trade.

Sherman adds that the Cubs "are willing to let [Peavy] keep his no-trade clause."  Not sure if Sherman is trying to say the Cubs would replace Peavy’s partial no-trade rights for 2011 and part of 2012 with full no-trade powers.

2:33pm: Kevin Towers told Ken Rosenthal he’s talking to only the Cubs about Peavy.  He expects to have a good idea on whether to drop it or move forward by the end of the Meetings.  Towers approached Ned Colletti but talks didn’t get far.

12:22pm: Jerry Crasnick says Kevin Towers and Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod drove together for the 4.5 hour ride from San Diego to Las Vegas, but Axelrod says they only talked about Peavy for about three minutes.  Also, Axelrod brought a sweet mix CD.

11:44am: Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald says the Cubs and Padres did not talk about Peavy on Sunday but will today.  He’s heard the Padres might be concerned with Vitters’ hand/wrist.

1:14am: Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times says the Cubs first want to trade Jason Marquis and acquire their left-handed hitting outfielder before Peavy.  Wittenmyer’s sources do believe the Cubs will eventually acquire San Diego’s ace.  However, his sources say the Tom Krasovic report about a five-for-one framework being in place is exaggerated.

Wittenmyer hears that the Orioles would be willing to swap Garrett Olson for Felix Pie; the Cubs would then send Olson to the Padres in the Peavy deal.

12:54am: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Padres GM Kevin Towers "envisions a way to do a [Jake Peavy] deal now only with the Cubs."  We’ve heard rumors of the Padres and Cubs trying to rope in the Orioles or Rays as a third team. 

Heyman adds that Peavy would approve a trade to Chicago "without any significant reworking of his contract or other major concessions."  Does that imply that the Cubs would not have to guarantee Peavy’s 2013 option ($22MM) or grant him a full no-trade clause?

Keep in mind that despite all the virtual ink that will be spilled on Peavy over the next four days, Jayson Stark sees "just about a zero chance" he’s dealt at the Meetings.  Still, the Cubs and Padres seem to already have a framework in place involving Sean Marshall, Kevin Hart, Josh Vitters, and maybe Ronny Cedeno.

Odds and Ends: Downs, Furcal, Saltalamacchia

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Today’s link collection…

  • Perhaps sparked by successful conversions by Ryan Dempster and Justin Duchscherer, the Blue Jays are considering putting Scott Downs in the rotation next year.  Downs has 50 big league starts under his belt, most recently in 2006.  The Jays might be more inclined to make the switch if A.J. Burnett opts out of his contract.  They also may be less willing to shop B.J. Ryan this winter.
  • Rany Jazayerli takes a look at the ’09 Royals, noting whispers regarding their interest in Rafael Furcal.
  • Jamey Newberg notes that Rangers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia will attempt to prove his health in winter ball, which could make him trade bait.
  • The Mark DeRosa signing has worked out well for the Cubs, says Dave Cameron.  Other good ones from that free agent class: Gil Meche, Ted Lilly, and Jose Guillen.  Take a look – the majority of signings that winter became busts.
  • RotoAuthority offers simple advice for winning your fantasy league next year.

Brian Roberts Rumors

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Jeff Zrebiec and Roch Kubatko of the Baltimore Sun are on top of the Brian Roberts rumors.  Let’s discuss.

The Cubs had two scouts watching Roberts play yesterday, so this thing is still alive and kicking.  The Sun gets the impression that the Mark DeRosa heart surgery does add some urgency for the Cubs.  Perhaps this means they’ll concede a little bit extra on their offer.

The authors reiterate Ronny Cedeno and Sean Gallagher as part of the deal.  They say the O’s might want Jose Ceda or Donald Veal as the third player, and could ask for a fourth as well.  It’s been said that the Cubs are unwilling to part with Ceda.  We’re probably a few weeks from completion but a deal seems plenty possible.

Brian Roberts Rumors

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Yesterday, SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote that the Cubs-Orioles Brian Roberts trade talks still have a little life, and the O’s are scouting various young Cubs.  On Sunday Jim Salisbury said the Orioles only needed to decide which pitchers they want to complete a deal.

Today, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times checks in with the latest.  To begin with, Mark DeRosa’s heart complications seem under control, and won’t force the Cubs’ hand.

Wittenmyer adds that the ball is indeed in Baltimore’s court, and their scouts will need at least a week to observe various Cubs.  He says the Orioles are requesting Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, and two more top youngsters.  That steep price could cause the Cubs to turn to Coco Crisp or Marlon Byrd.  However, neither the Red Sox nor the Rangers seem to value either as a fourth outfielder.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Brian Roberts

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It seems as though all the players we thought we would be traded this off-season, have been traded, minus one…Brian Roberts. The oft-rumored deal to send Roberts to the Cubs continues to linger. Ken Rosenthal first suggested that Roberts would be a good fit for the Cubs back in early December and Jeff Zrebiec confirmed the Cubs interest. Then the deal may have been dead, with the O’s asking price too high and by the end of January Gordon Wittenmyer suggested Cubs had turned their focus to Marlon Byrd. Then according to Jon Heyman a deal appeared imminent. Rosenthal thought the O’s insisting on the inclusion of Felix Pie was a deal-breaker. But then Baltimore acquired Adam Jones and Chris De Luca noted the deal might have life. But now Heyman wonders if the proposed package(s) is not enough and if Peter Angelos will nix a deal, as Roberts is one of his favorite players. Now that Spring Training has begun we have to wonder if a deal can still get done. let’s take a look at how the Roberts deal is being handled in the blogosphere.

If there is a topic you would like to see covered in "Baseball Blogs Weigh In" please let me know HERE.

  • View From the Bleachers sees Roberts as a nice addition but not a necessity as he may only be a slight upgrade from Eric Patterson. They don’t see the deal as a "foregone conclusion" considering the players being offered by the Cubs.
  • Camden Chat is not impressed with the Cubs offer, but they wonder if Roberts is worth keeping.
  • Another Cubs Blog sees the signing of Alex Cintron by the Cubs as a sign that the Cubs are making progress towards getting a deal done.
  • Ivy Chat wonders if the Cubs have enough in the system to obtain both Roberts and Joe Nathan. While they would like both, they would prefer Nathan.
  • Crawley’s Cub Kingdom notes that Alfonso Soriano’s legs are not 100% and that he may not be suited to lead off in 2008, increasing the need for Roberts.
  • A Hundred Next Years is not sure the upgrade from Mark DeRosa to Roberts is worth the price.
  • Wrigleyville23 calls it "The Roberts Rain Delay" and notes that the political process here in the U.S. actually moves faster than trade discussions between the Cubs and the O’s.
  • Orioles Fan Base talked to our own Tim Dierkes about this situation.

By Cork Gaines

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