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Rafael Furcal Rumors: Monday

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10:42pm: The fourth team is the Braves, according to Ken Rosenthal.  Kinzer told Rosenthal the Braves are "in deep" and Furcal is seriously considering their offer.  Rosenthal believes it’s a three-year offer with a vesting option.  Rosenthal spoke to an exec who felt the same as Joel Sherman, that Furcal does not want to sign with the A’s.

Adding Furcal would give the Braves a middle infield surplus.  Good shortstops are hard to find and the Braves would have two.

4:40pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown talked to Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer, who said his client will sign by Tuesday.  He’s mulling offers from the Dodgers, Royals, A’s, and…a mystery team.

1:32pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Blue Jays have dropped out of the bidding for Furcal (now confirmed by Furcal’s agent).  Sherman adds that Furcal prefers the A’s the least but they are offering the most money.

1:10pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the A’s offered four years and $40MM, up about $4MM from their previous offer.

8:10am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the A’s appear to be the frontrunners for free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal.  Joel Sherman said the same on Friday.  Rosenthal says the A’s have upped their initial four-year offer to Furcal, and it appears to be the only four-year proposal on the table.  Yahoo’s Jeff Passan suggested on Wednesday that the Royals believe it will take four years and $44MM to sign him.  The A’s were reportedly in the $35-40MM range previously.

The Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Royals were identified as other finalists last week by Furcal’s agent.  Those teams all have issues coming up with the money or years Furcal desires.  Rosenthal suggests Orlando Cabrera, Angel Berroa, and Jack Wilson as possible alternatives for the Dodgers.

Olney’s Latest: Nationals, Dye, Cabrera

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Buster Olney has an update on his blog. Let’s take a look…

  • The Nationals are looking for a slugger, and have shown a lot of interest in Mark Teixeira. However, if they can’t sign the first baseman, they may turn their attention to Adam Dunn. Dunn would face a tough decision: Does he take what’s likely to be a larger offer from the Nationals, knowing that he’ll be put into a situation similar to the one he had in Cincinnati, playing for a losing team? Or, should he take less money to play for a team that’s more likely to contend, such as Tampa Bay? You can insert your own "he doesn’t like baseball" jokes on this one.
  • The rumors of the White Sox looking to trade Jermaine Dye may be overblown. The Sox would want a good return for Dye, but he’s set to make $11.5MM in 2009, and any team really looking for a corner outfielder can simply call up Dunn or Bobby Abreu.
  • Olney doesn’t expect Orlando Cabrera to accept arbitration. He thinks he’d be better suited getting out of an environment that never proved to be a fit for him, and go elsewhere. Olney names Baltimore as a potential landing place.

Olney’s Latest: Winter Meetings

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As we wait for arbitration decisions, Buster Olney offers his latest on the winter meetings:

  • CC Sabathia, who will be sitting down with the Red Sox and Yankees today or tomorrow, may want to wait for Mark Teixeira to sign first. If the Angels don’t land Sabathia, they could be expected to compete with the Yankees $140MM offer.
  • Francisco Rodriguez is not going to get the 5 year, $75MM originally anticipated by his agents and he may find it in his best interest to seek a 3 year deal, and re-enter free agency, perhaps in a better market, before he turns 30.
  • Says Olney, "Look, [Jake] Peavy is going to be traded, and what will be left is a team looking at a long rebuilding process."
  • The Nats are courting Adam Dunn as well as Teixeira, pointing out that Jim Bowden ran the Reds when they drafted Dunn. No word on Dunn’s interest in Washington.
  • Sources say the White Sox moving Jermaine Dye is "overblown." He’ll cost $11.5MM next year with a $1MM buyout for 2010 and teams in need of a corner outfielder can target Dunn or Bobby Abreu rather than give up prospects to the White Sox.
  • Orlando Cabrera has been made aware that Alexei Ramirez is the starting shortstop in 2009 and, for that reason, OC is expected to decline arbitration even in a depressed shortstop market.
  • Olney reports that Rafael Furcal’s final contract request was 4 years, $52MM. He wound up rejecting the offer of 4 years, $35-40MM.

Arbitration Decision Rumors

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As you know, 24 free agents were offered arbitration – 15 Type As and 9 Type Bs.  Their decisions will roll in throughout the day, but SI.com’s Jon Heyman spoils the ending – aside from perhaps a couple of middle relievers (Darren Oliver comes to mind), almost everyone will decline.  Nonetheless, let’s gather up some rumors on the topic.

  • Heyman analyzes six players: Jon Garland, Oliver Perez, Paul Byrd, Orlando Cabrera, Jason Varitek, and Ben Sheets.  He doesn’t really see these guys accepting, but their names have at least been raised in baseball circles.
  • Ken Rosenthal has sources saying Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, Sheets, and Garland will decline.  Tracy Ringolsby agrees on Fuentes.
  • Brandon Lyon’s agent Barry Meister admitted that he’ll consider accepting.

White Sox Rumors: Dye, Cabrera, Roberts

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Let’s catch up on today’s White Sox rumors.

  • Sox GM Ken Williams said, "If I had to guess as I sit here right now, I don’t foresee any other movement with veteran players.  I’ll go to the winter meetings and be in a listening mode [instead of] an aggressive-type posture."  Does that mean Jermaine Dye is staying put?  Difficult to say, but the free agent market does feature plenty of corner outfielders.
  • Sox Machine learned from Williams’ conference call that Orlando Cabrera would be used in a utility role if he accepts arbitration.  Almost sounds like a threat.  More likely, he’d be traded.
  • Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times expects Williams to call the Orioles about Brian Roberts.  Also, he considers the above quote from Williams to be a "head-fake."

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dunn, Burrell, Manny

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6:16pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves are not interested in Dunn because they seek a right-handed bat.  Does that rule out Raul Ibanez as well?

1:51pm: The latest from Ken Rosenthal:

  • The Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, and Phillies are pursuing free agent outfielder Rocco Baldelli.
  • Now that Adam Dunn wasn’t offered arbitration, the market is starting to take shape.  The Braves, Mariners, and Nationals are interested, and the Dodgers and Angels consider him a fallback option.  How about Dunn and Russell Branyan in the same lineup?  Rosenthal considers the Yankees another possibility.
  • Teams considering Pat Burrell, who was also not offered arb: the Mariners, Angels, and Giants.
  • Rosenthal considers the Giants a darkhorse for C.C. Sabathia.  Tim Brown says the Giants may be closing in on Edgar Renteria; Rosenthal has the Dodgers and Cardinals as other suitors.
  • The Brewers will need to increase their offer to Sabathia to six years to have a shot. 
  • Rosenthal believes Jason Varitek will accept his offer of arbitration.  He also wonders if Orlando Cabrera could accept.  He expects Ben Sheets to decline (I made an error on this eariler).
  • Rosenthal ponders the chances of Manny Ramirez accepting the Dodgers’ offer of arbitration.  Buster Olney says three GMs wondered the same.  I was under the impression Manny declining arbitration was a condition of his trade.
  • The Cardinals want to add a young starter with upside.  They also may go after a closer like Brian Fuentes or Kerry Wood if prices drop.
  • Rosenthal believes the Reds could discuss a two-year deal with David Weathers.

Arb Offered To Orlando Cabrera, David Weathers

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According to the AP, Orlando Cabrera (Type A) and David Weathers (Type B) were offered arbitration.

We await word on Type A/B free agents Mark Loretta, Randy Wolf, Doug Brocail, Juan Uribe, and Ken Griffey Jr., though the AP article implies none of the five received offers.  Wolf would’ve been solid on a one-year deal; the Astros’ payroll must be really tight.

Dodgers Talks For Wilson At Impasse

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WEDNESDAY, 10:34pm: Rosenthal actually posted this update last night, but we’re adding it now.  He says the Pirates sought Hu, Delwyn Young, and a third player for Wilson.  That caused talks to grind to a halt.  Rosenthal added that the Dodgers are showing mild interest in Edgar Renteria but not Orlando Cabrera.

TUESDAY, 6:34pm: Rosenthal says the Pirates wanted Hu and two other young players, and the Dodgers balked at the price.

6:06pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers are again considering trading for Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson.  The Bucs would like to receive Chin-Lung Hu in return to replace Wilson at short.  The Tigers are known to have interest in Wilson as well.  He’s set to earn $7.25MM in ’09 and has a $8.4MM option for ’10 with a $600K buyout.  Wilson is known for his defense; he made sixteen more plays than the average shortstop in this year despite playing fewer than 700 innings.

Rosenthal says the Dodgers aren’t likely to sign Rafael Furcal and aren’t pursuing Orlando Cabrera or Edgar Renteria.  He notes that four teams are in on Cabrera.

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