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Matt Holliday

Odds & Ends: Holliday, Roberts, D’Backs

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A few links for this afternoon…

  • Peter Gammons discusses Matt Holliday's future after the 2009 season (Insider account required). Gammons suggests that Holliday's power to center and right is best suited for Yankee Stadium, and also notes that the Red Sox and Angels may be looking for replacements for Jason Bay and Vladimir Guerrero.
  • Dave Roberts isn't 100% sure, but he's leaning towards retirement.
  • The Diamondbacks are one of 22 teams named in a grievance by the Players Association. The grievance is surrounding charitable donations as clauses in player contracts.

Cardinals Outfielders Speak

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A few Cardinals notes this evening coming out of the team’s Winter Warmup.

  • Before Matt Holliday was traded to the A’s, Cards outfielder Skip Schumaker thought he’d wind up in Colorado as part of the rumored Holliday-Ryan Ludwick deal.  Schumaker said, "I thought that was a done deal, and from everything I heard and from pretty good sources I thought I was definitely out of here."
  • Ludwick and Rick Ankiel are two of the team’s prominent arbitration cases.  Ludwick said the Cards have not opened up extension talks.  Ankiel, a Scott Boras client, is eligible for free agency after the season.  Ankiel’s quote about the future: "Absolutely, I’ve told [Boras] I want to work in St. Louis. But for me, it’s just focusing on having a healthy year. If you don’t play, nobody’s going to want you."
  • The cheapest autograph at the Warmup: $5 for Adam Kennedy.  Kennedy drew Tony La Russa’s ire for not attending last year.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Teixeira, Giants, Braves, Bradley, Pirates

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On this date 17 years ago, the Blue Jays signed 40-year old future Hall of Famer Dave Winfield to a one-year, $2.3MM contract. The signing was a good one as Winfield helped the Jays to their first title in 1992. That year he hit .290-26-108 with a .377 OBP and 137 OPS+, including what would prove to be the series-winning two-run double in the top of the 11th of game 6 of the World Series. Did I mention he was 40? With this year’s crop of free agents playing euchre as they patiently wait for Mark Teixeira to make up his mind, let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • Sully Baseball is not worried about the Red Sox possibly losing out on Mark Teixeira feeling the money may be better spent on pitching.
  • The Bottom Line wonders if the Red Sox are better off waiting a year and going after Matt Holliday to replace Jason Bay.
  • El Lefty Malo projects the Giants offense for next season and shows that one more big bat would give them a league-average offense.
  • Braves Blast laments the Braves inability to land a starting pitcher so far this off-season and wonders what options are left.
  • The Launching Pad does not see any of the remaining free agent pitchers as an upgrade for the Braves over what is already on the roster.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse is aggravated by the lack of big moves from the Cubs and while they would like Milton Bradley as a Cub, they think it is unlikely.
  • Baseball Handyman offers grades for the free agent signings to date, with only the Francisco Rodriguez contract earning an ’A’.
  • The ’Burgh Blues takes a look at the Pirates inability to find pitchers that can find the strike zone.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Olney’s Latest: Manny, Peavy, Fuentes

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ESPN’s Buster Olney has a bunch of new info in today’s blog.

  • Olney continues to wonder if Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras will "wave the white flag" and accept the Dodgers’ offer of arbitration.  It could result in a huge one-year salary, and the current market for Manny is not robust.  However, Peter Abraham said in July that a condition of Manny’s trade was that he would decline arbitration.  Did anyone else write this?  Hopefully a journalist will ask Boras about it soon.
  • Olney says the Cubs would love to have Adam Dunn in their lineup, but he’s a stretch as a full-time right fielder.  The Cubs are willing to sacrifice some defense in right, but how much?
  • Could Dunn or Pat Burrell wind up with the Rays on an affordable one-year deal?
  • The Cubs and Padres "have a basic framework in place" for a Jake Peavy deal built around third baseman Josh Vitters.  Things may pick up after the Cubs’ ownership situation is resolved.
  • The Astros don’t have a ton of flexibility to move their high-salaried stars, but Jose Valverde is one they can deal without restriction.  He’s due for a nice raise from this year’s $4.7MM.
  • Olney suggests the Rockies were wise to trade Matt Holliday when they did, or they might’ve gotten significantly less.
  • Olney speaks of "a belief within the Rockies’ organization" that Brian Fuentes could come back on a multiyear deal.  The Rockies could trade Huston Street in that case.
  • The Braves may push A.J. Burnett for an answer before C.C. Sabathia signs, in case the Yanks miss out on C.C. and come after Burnett.
  • Apparently there is "serious tension" between Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland.
  • Olney sees Rafael Furcal signing with the A’s.

Rockies Considering Embree, Shouse, Ohman

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Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post talked to Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who said the team has internally discussed lefthanded free agent relievers Alan Embree, Brian Shouse, and Will Ohman.  Ken Rosenthal also suggests Embree is a possibility.

Another note from Rosenthal:

The Rockies, at least for the moment, seem content to keep third baseman Garrett Atkins and the three players they acquired in the Matt Holliday trade – left-hander Greg Smith, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and reliever Huston Street.

Thinking about Street…it makes the most sense to trade him in June or July.  Right now the supply for closers outstrips the demand, plus Street did not finish the season as a closer.  The Rockies should let him rack up 20 saves, prove he’s on top of his game, and then move him during the summer when contenders are desperate for bullpen help.

Odds and Ends: Wade, Crisp, Holliday

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Links for Thursday…

Rosenthal’s Latest: Burnett, Lowe, Peavy

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

  • Rosenthal says reports of the Blue Jays’ four-year, $54MM offer to A.J. Burnett are inaccurate – they’ve yet to make a proposal.  He’s on board with Kat O’Brien’s info from yesterday, noting Boston’s interest.
  • Scott Boras is apparently telling teams he wants "a Zito-type contract" for righty Derek Lowe.  Lowe is 35, while Zito was 28.  Is Boras implying that he wants $18MM a year?  Obviously Lowe will not find a seven-year offer.  ESPN’s Buster Olney says Boras wants five years for Lowe.
  • The Padres told the Yankees a Jake Peavy deal is possible even without Phil Hughes.  They’ve scouted Hughes anyway, but he’s off-limits.
  • The Rockies will sit back and listen on Garrett Atkins and Huston Street.  They don’t plan on signing a free agent to replace Matt Holliday.
  • The Mets want to add a righthanded bat, though they’re not high on Pat Burrell.

Phillies Rumors: Holliday, Moyer, Burrell

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5:34pm: Mandel talked to a team source who says the Phillies were never close to a deal for Matt Holliday.  Talks at the GM meetings were brief.

3:25pm: According to MLB.com’s Ken Mandel, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is now focused on re-signing lefty starter Jamie Moyer.  Mandel gives a 50-50 chance Moyer signs before Friday.  Moyer turns 46 soon, but he’s not showing any signs of slowing down.  He wants a multiyear deal after earning $7MM this season.

Mandel adds that the Phillies have expressed interest in re-signing Pat Burrell, but he’ll likely have a chance to test the open market.

Odds and Ends: Holliday, Takahashi, Lincecum

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Links for Wednesday…

Rosenthal’s Latest: Hardy, Flowers, Wolf

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Another day, another column from Ken Rosenthal.

  • With multiple vacancies in the rotation and bullpen, the Brewers may need to see what kind of pitching Mike Cameron and/or J.J. Hardy can bring in return.  GM Doug Melvin is not ready to shop Hardy.  He’s received interest, but most teams have not given names (one team suggested swapping him for a pitcher Melvin termed, "a fifth starter.")
  • The Padres have asked the Braves to substitute catcher Tyler Flowers for center fielder Gorkys Hernandez in their Jake Peavy offer.  Dave O’Brien sees this as unlikely.
  • If they can’t sign Mark Teixeira, the Angels are ready to shift gears to C.C. Sabathia, Francisco Rodriguez, or other players.  The idea of a Manny Ramirez pursuit was "tabled rather quickly."
  • The Cardinals plan to add one or two lefthanded relievers, probably free agents.
  • In his quest for righthanded power, Reds GM Walt Jocketty inquired on Matt Holliday and Josh Willingham before they were traded.  Purely speculative – Jermaine Dye could be a nice fit.
  • At least half a dozen teams have expressed interest in free agent starter Randy Wolf.
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