Mark Mulder May Audition Soon
According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, free agent lefty Mark Mulder is moving closer to holding an open bullpen session for interested teams. Mulder wants to be in perfect health before holding the session and signing. Slusser says the A’s are expected to be in attendance. Mulder is keeping his options open:
"Obviously, Oakland would be fun. I know the people there and all that. But right now I just so badly want to get right and get back to pitching, I’ve honestly thought about all 29 other teams, too."
Mulder, 31, had rotator cuff surgery back in September of ’06.
Olney Discusses Mark Mulder
ESPN’s Buster Olney offers his thoughts on free agent lefty Mark Mulder:
Whenever Mulder signs, it figures there is an excellent chance he will wind up with the Oakland Athletics, because he’s a perfect fit there — he has a chance to be a high value signing if he rebounds, he’s cheap, he would be a veteran on a team loaded with young pitchers, and, of course, he knows Oakland, having played there for years.
Mulder, 31, had rotator cuff surgery in September of 2007.
Odds and Ends: Wigginton, Prior, Andruw
Links for Monday…
- Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun says the Orioles are "bringing Ty Wigginton back for further examination this week."
- Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune snagged this Mark Prior quote: "If Kurt Warner can disappear for five years, I can disappear for three."
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs points out that a Jermaine Dye career path is Andruw Jones‘ best case scenario.
- Baseball America has a run-down of all the minor league transactions between January 31 and February 6.
- Athletics Nation wonders if the A’s could bring Mark Mulder in to fill a lefty reliever role.
- I did a Q&A with We Should Be GMs.
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.
Rosenthal On Abreu, Garland, Glavine, Sisco
The latest from Ken Rosenthal…
- The Mariners and Giants are interested in Bobby Abreu, if the price is right. Yesterday Buster Olney suggested that Abreu is willing to take a one-year deal. The A’s and Nationals have other targets, while the Mets, White Sox, and Braves are seen as long shots.
- Rosenthal examines the nuances of Jon Garland‘s December 7th decision to reject arbitration, saying that it wasn’t an obvious mistake at the time.
- Tom Glavine‘s agent Gregg Clifton did not attend yesterday’s meeting with Frank Wren; it was a health update and not a contract negotiation. Rosenthal says Glavine figures to seek a Freddy Garcia-like deal. The Braves need to save money to add an outfielder, with Nick Swisher atop their list. The Yankees’ goal in moving Swisher or Xavier Nady would be to recoup prospects.
- The Brewers are not interested in projects such as Kris Benson, Jason Jennings, Mark Redman, and Victor Zambrano. They’re just lukewarm on Mark Mulder. Benson is drawing interest from the Dodgers, Rangers, and Cardinals; one exec reviewed his audition as "so-so."
- Rosenthal doesn’t seem to buy the idea that Jason Varitek and Scott Boras feared the Red Sox could cut him if he accepted arbitration, noting that Boras client Travis Lee was advised to accept years ago.
- The Braves have reservations about re-signing Andruw Jones, who could be a Spring Training cut.
- The A’s deal for Russ Springer will be worth more than $3MM plus incentives. They’re also eyeing Brian Shouse and Andrew Sisco as possible pen additions. Sisco, recovering from Tommy John, has also auditioned for the Rockies and Giants.
Olney On Mulder, Benson, Peavy, David Wells
A few notes from Buster Olney’s latest blog post…
- Free agent starter Mark Mulder is likely to throw for scouts during the first week of February. Olney says he figures to be popular if the audition goes well.
- We already knew the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, D’Backs, Rockies, Indians, and Cardinals will watch Kris Benson throw this weekend; Olney adds the Brewers and A’s.
- Olney says "there have been no recent conversations between the Padres and Cubs about Jake Peavy," but he believes talks could be restarted quickly given the Cubs’ selection yesterday of the Thomas Ricketts group as the potential new owner.
- David Wells never filed retirement papers and would be open to a minor league deal if one was offered.
Odds And Ends: Peavy, Mulder, Marshall
Links for Saturday…
- Padres CEO Sandy Alderson repeated a line we've heard a lot this offseason about Jake Peavy: "I think Jake will be with us on opening day."
- Buster Olney hears from some scouts who think Mark Mulder could be the "hidden gem" of this year's free agent class. Mulder's likely to throw for scouts within a couple weeks.
- Richard Durrett points out that Ian Kinsler's the only Texas infielder who has played as many as 52 MLB games at his current position. Michael Young, Chris Davis and Elvis Andrus round out the infield. This is no doubt part of the reason they're interested in Omar Vizquel.
- Rob Neyer suggests that Orlando Hudson's not getting the attention he deserves because his defense is undervalued.
- Lou Piniella hinted that Sean Marshall has a good shot at being the Cubs' fifth starter.
Jason Giambi Reaches Agreement With A’s
6:50pm: Mike Puma of the New York Post says the deal is for one-year at $4.5MM with a $5MM club option ($1MM buyout) for 2010. The physical is scheduled for tomorrow.
5:50pm: Ken Rosenthal wrote earlier today that the the A’s have reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract with Giambi and the deal is at the finish line, pending a physical.
TUESDAY, 9:54am: Olney says Giambi is on the verge of agreeing to a deal with the A’s worth $6.5MM guaranteed – $5.25MM in ’09 plus a $4MM 2010 option with a $1.25MM buyout. Quite affordable!
In an article posted several hours ago, Susan Slusser wrote:
A team source said Monday that the A’s are moving toward completing a deal…A major-league source said there’s widespread belief that a package already is in place and that an announcement could be imminent.
Slusser says the A’s could still add another free agent if the price is right, but Mark Mulder is just a "vague possibility."
MONDAY, 3:38pm: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the A’s have made significant progress in their talks with Jason Giambi. He says a deal appears imminent. Mychael Urban heard today that the A’s could sign Giambi this week, possibly for one year with an option.
Brewers Not In On Lowe, Mulder
A couple of Brewers rumors were denied by GM Doug Melvin today.
First up, Ken Rosenthal’s suggestion that the Brewers "are interested in Derek Lowe, but only at a modest price." Melvin said, "We’re not in on him." Next, Nick Cafardo’s rumor that the Brewers are "big on" Mark Mulder. Melvin: "I really haven’t contacted his guy."
MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy says the Brewers are not particularly interested in Oliver Perez or Jon Garland, but could re-sign Ben Sheets.
Cafardo’s Latest: Quota, Saito, Mulder
The column is from Sunday, but we missed a lot of good stuff from Nick Cafardo’s latest.
- Finally an answer! Cafardo learned that teams can sign as many as nine Type A or B free agents this year. So to all those who emailed: yes, the Yankees can technically sign Manny Ramirez. I tried to decipher the quota section of the Basic Agreement in October, but didn’t come up with nine.
- At some point this winter, the Red Sox made an offer to Takashi Saito.
- Cafardo says Boston does not have interest in Michael Young.
- The Brewers and A’s "are big on" Mark Mulder. The Red Sox will also watch him throw this month.
- Luis Gonzalez is likely to sign somewhere as a fourth outfielder.