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Marlon Byrd

Rangers Rumors: Oliver, Dye, Dotel

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This info-packed T.R. Sullivan report for MLB.com indicates that Texas is interested in Darren Oliver, Jermaine Dye and Octavio Dotel. Sullivan points out that all three are Type A free agents.  Of course, there would only be a draft pick cost attached if the player is offered and turns down arbitration (which seems possible only for Oliver).

Sullivan added that Texas is expected to offer arbitration to Marlon Byrd, while no decision has been made about Ivan Rodriguez.  Both are Type Bs.

Oliver worked out of relief for the Angels last season, but had two tours of duty with the Rangers, most recently as a starter in 2001. Their interest in Oliver is understandable- his 8 strikeouts per nine innings was his highest total since back in 1994.  Dotel has posted back-to-back healthy seasons for the White Sox, and could solidify a shaky Texas bullpen.

Dye, meanwhile, was also mentioned as a potential Texas target by Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com.

Cubs Will Shop For An Outfield Bat

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The Cubs plan to search for a centerfielder according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com, however the team must first unload Milton Bradley to see how much financial flexibility they'll have.

One agent who spoke to the team says that balancing out left and righthanded hitters in the lineup is not as much of a priority as last year. The Fox duo mention Curtis Granderson, Scott Podsednik, Rick Ankiel, Coco Crisp, Marlon Byrd, and Mike Cameron as potential targets.

Braves Notes: Soriano, Gonzalez, Wagner

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Mark Bowman of MLB.com discussed some of Atlanta's options in the free agent market, and here are a few of the more notable pieces of news….

  • Relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez "will likely leave Atlanta" for greener free agent pastures, and thus the Braves are looking for new options at the back of their bullpen.  Bowman says the Braves have talked to free agent closer Billy Wagner's representatives and "won't necessarily be scared" by Wagner's Type A status since Soriano and Gonzalez are also both Type A's.  If those two were to sign elsewhere, the compensation that Atlanta would receive would more than make up for the picks they would lose for signing Wagner.  The Braves and Wagner's most recent club, the Red Sox, may end up virtually trading relievers since Soriano and Gonzalez are two names on Boston's lengthy list of possible free agent targets.
  • Bowman lists former Brave Octavio Dotel as a potential set-up option, and Fernando Rodney as a signing who could serve as either a set-up man or a closer.
  • There isn't anything to rumors that Atlanta will try to trade with Detroit for Miguel Cabrera, or sign free agent Jermaine Dye.  Cabrera's big contract is too rich for the Braves' blood, and as for Dye, there is no DH spot in the National League to stash a right fielder who posted a -20 UZR and -24.5 UZR/150 last season.
  • Signing Marlon Byrd would make Jordan Schaefer expendable, Bowman reports.  Byrd wouldn't necessarily solve Atlanta's need for a right-handed outfield bat, however, given that Byrd's career splits against right-handed and left-handed pitching are pretty even — a .769 lifetime OPS against southpaws and a .759 OPS against righties.  Byrd actually hit significantly better against righties (.835 OPS) last season than he did against lefties (.744 OPS).
  • The Braves are prepared to see what other offers Adam LaRoche receives before they decide if they want to bring him back next season.

Potential Braves Targets

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David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sums up players on the Braves' radar as they attempt to augment their offense.  Most of these names have already leaked out in stray rumors: Mark DeRosa, Josh Willingham, Mike Cameron, and Jermaine Dye.  Carl Crawford is also on the Braves' wish list, as we learned yesterday from Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.  In a more speculative sense, O'Brien adds that Xavier Nady and Marlon Byrd "could be possibilities." 

For the sake of argument, if it came down to these seven hitters, which would you prefer?  Using Bill James projections and the wOBA stat, Willingham comes out on top offensively for 2010.  We learned recently that the Braves face competition from the Cardinals for Willingham, though Atlanta may have concerns about the player's defense.

Elsewhere in the O'Brien article, Scott Boras extols the virtues of free agent reliever Mike Gonzalez.  To hear Boras tell it, about half the teams in baseball are eyeing his new client.  Gonzalez figures to come with a draft pick cost attached, as O'Brien expects the Braves to offer arbitration a week from now when that deadline arrives.

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Brewers, Green, Sellers, Astros, Byrd, Vizquel, A’s

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Some more links as the weekend begins… 

  • Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun notes that the Orioles didn't make any contract offers on the first day of free agency.
  • Nick Green doesn't expect to back with the Red Sox, according to Dan Barbarisi of The Providence Journal.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Marlins, Royals, Tigers and Reds are currently baseball's most active sellers.
  • The Astros signed minor league free agent Jose Valdez, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (via Twitter).  
  • The Brewers agreed to sign Santo Aybar, according to ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. The 16-year-old shortstop has to pass an age investigation for the deal to go through.
  • Marlon Byrd repeated to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that he wants to return to the Rangers in 2010. He's looking for a multi-year deal "at the right numbers." The Rangers have interest in re-signing the outfielder.
  • Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen knows the White Sox are talking to Omar Vizquel. Guillen didn't confirm anything other than his intention to continue wearing number 13.
  • WEEI.com's Rob Bradford breaks down the suitors for Jason Bay, starting with the Red Sox, Angels and Mets.
  • John Sickels of Minor League Ball spoke with A's GM Billy Beane, who says his club's currently rebuilding. Check out the entire interview for more on the team's direction.
  • Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the Brewers are "kicking the tires" on every available pitcher.

Rangers Likely To Let Byrd Walk

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According to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, the possibility of free-agent outfielder Marlon Byrd returning to the Rangers is "growing dim."

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and Byrd's agent, Sam Levinson, spoke during the GM meetings in Chicago.  But negotiations still haven't moved in a positive direction.

"We've had a decent amount of conversation," Daniels told MLB.com. "I expect them to test the market. Based on what they're looking for…we're not in a position to do that right now. We expect them to talk to other clubs and see what's out there. We're going to be looking at alternatives."

Byrd, 32, hit .283/.329/.479 this past season with 20 homers and 89 RBI in 599 plate appearances.  He also played an excellent corner outfield.  Tim discussed his free agent credentials in depth about three weeks ago.

Odds & Ends: Uggla, Granderson, Lackey

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Links for Thursday…

Milton Bradley Suitors

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Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune takes a look at the Milton Bradley situation in an article this morning.

Sullivan, like many, sees the Rangers as the favorite.  Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News looks at all the factors there.

Giants GM Brian Sabean was quizzed about a possible bad contract swap for Bradley, and shot down the idea.  The Mets and Rays appear in the mix to a certain extent, with Omar Minaya even admitting he'll talk to Jim Hendry about it.  Luis Castillo figures to be in that discussion, but Sullivan says reports suggest Mets ownership may be anti-Bradley.

ESPN's Bruce Levine adds more detail.  He says Hendry spent over an hour Monday with the Rays discussing a Bradley-Pat Burrell swap, with the $12MM salary difference a key.  A similar gap exists with Kevin Millwood, who Levine believes the Rangers would "gladly" swap for Bradley.  However, Levine says the Rangers will only take about $4MM of Bradley's contract at this point.

A few other notes from Sullivan: the Cubs remain fans of Marlon Byrd, who is now a free agent.  That interest suggests that the Cubs' "left-handed bat" obsession from a year ago has gone by the boards.  Sullivan also mentions that the Cubs "are in no hurry to open up talks with Derrek Lee on a contract extension."  Lee will earn $13MM in 2010 in the last year of his contract.

Rangers Notes: Vizquel, Byrd, Rodriguez

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MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan examined what some of the Rangers' plans might be this winter, and here are some of the highlights…

  • A right-handed bat is at the top of the Texas wish list for the off-season, with Sullivan singling out Jermaine Dye as perhaps the best fit for the Rangers amongst the veteran hitters on the free agent market.
  • There is a good chance that veteran shortstop Omar Vizquel will re-sign with Texas before the club's exclusive negotiating period for free agents ends on November 19.  Sullivan reports that "there appears to be genuine interest on both sides" to bring the 11-time Gold Glover back for his 22nd big-league season in 2010.
  • Texas GM Jon Daniels says that the team would like to bring back free-agent outfielder Marlon Byrd, but since Byrd wants to test the market, "it's just not going to happen in the exclusive window period, if it's going to happen at all."
  • The Rangers want to see how Jarrod Saltalamacchia rebounds from shoulder surgery before looking at re-signing veteran catcher and franchise legend Ivan Rodriguez.
  • In regards to the other four Texas free agents, Sullivan said that Andruw Jones and Hank Blalock won't be pursued by the club, Eddie Guardado may retire and Joaquin Benoit is "in limbo" following shoulder surgery that sidelined him for all of 2009.
  • If Ben Sheets is able to pitch in 2010, the Rangers still have interest in the right-hander who they thought they had signed last January.
  • Relief pitching will become a priority if Neftali Feliz and C.J. Wilson are moved to the rotation.  Sullivan lists several bullpen options for the Rangers, many of whom have pitched in Texas before.

Discussion: Marlon Byrd

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32-year-old outfielder Marlon Byrd makes for an interesting free agent case.  He set career highs with 599 plate appearances, 20 home runs, and 89 RBIs this year.  On the other hand, his .329 OBP and 5.3% walk rate fell short of his 2008 marks.

Byrd played all three outfield positions, as usual.  He logged the majority of his innings in center field.  His defense in center ranked as a slight negative according to UZR/150; it was a positive in previous years.  John Dewan's plus-minus system also saw Byrd as a slight negative in center.

If Byrd is treated as a corner outfielder, he's not especially interesting.  But the free agent market for center fielders is weak, with Mike Cameron and Coco Crisp the other palatable starting options.  Byrd might be in a position to ask for $5MM+ annually for two or three years (he earned $3.06MM in '09).  The Royals, Cubs, Brewers, and Padres might be in the market for a center fielder, though the Cubs will presumably seek a left-handed bat if they trade Milton Bradley.  It may be a moot point, as the Rangers hope to re-sign Byrd.  At the least, they should offer arbitration to the probable Type B free agent.

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