Giants Rumors: Burrell, Rollins, Rowand
THURSDAY: More Giants info, courtesy of John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. GM Brian Sabean is looking for offense in the infield, but he considers Cain untouchable. Jonathan Sanchez or various pitching prospects could be trade bait instead.
Sabean also met with the agents for various free agent hitters and relievers, including Orlando Hudson and Bob Howry.
WEDNESDAY: Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has some interesting rumors this evening.
- Baggarly believes the rumor of the Giants’ interest in Rafael Furcal makes sense, as it’d solidify their middle infield situation.
- He doesn’t see the Giants signing Pat Burrell, given their desire to get younger and more athletic. Still, he expects Brian Sabean to check in on him.
- Here’s a new one: Baggarly’s heard the Phillies will listen to offers for shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Rollins is owed just $23.5MM over the next three seasons.
- Scott Eyre enjoyed his time with the Phillies, though the Giants could take a shot at bringing him back.
- Baggarly doesn’t buy any of the Bengie Molina trade rumors. He gives a 75% chance Matt Cain stays put.
- Baggarly expects the Giants to quietly explore the market for Aaron Rowand, which could include the Yankees and White Sox. Rowand is owed $44MM over the next four seasons, and has no-trade protection.
Phillies Rumors: Burrell, Moyer, Howard
Let’s round up the Phillies links. By the way, I am hoping to get to their Offseason Outlook on Friday.
- The first issue is Pat Burrell, to whom the Phillies will probably make a two-year offer (according to Buster Olney). It is true that Burrell added a Philly-based agent (Ed Hayes), but he’s also keeping Greg Genske. The confusion with agents is one reason negotiations haven’t begun with the Phils. Burrell would love to return. If he doesn’t re-sign, the Giants may be interested. Keep in mind that Burrell does not want to DH.
- If Burrell leaves, the Phillies hope to add a righthanded hitter to replace him. Magglio Ordonez, Matt Holliday, and Manny Ramirez are considered long shots. Milton Bradley would be interesting, if the Phillies believe he can play the field every day. It’d also make sense for the Phillies to inquire on Ryan Ludwick, Jermaine Dye, Josh Willingham, Casey Blake, and Mark DeRosa.
- The Phillies have had one brief conversation with Jamie Moyer‘s agent. Moyer wants a multiyear deal, but Olney does not believe the Phils are inclined to do that.
- Scott Eyre would take a one-year contract to stay, and the Phillies hope to re-sign him before November 14th.
- Olney says the Phillies are expected to explore talks with Ryan Howard‘s agent regarding a long-term deal.
- Don’t forget starting pitching; Scott Lauber figures they’ll be in the market.
- Outfielder So Taguchi was released today.
Phillies’ Offseason Agenda
12:47pm: Scott Lauber has the latest from the Amaro press conference.
- Manny Ramirez seems unlikely as a left field solution. Execs surveyed by Jerry Crasnick felt the same.
- Burrell switched to a Philly-based agent, and talks will begin soon with the Phillies.
- Pat Gillick will remain with the Phillies as a paid consultant.
11:13am: The Phillies locked up Ruben Amaro Jr. as their GM through 2011. Items on his to-do list:
- Left fielder Pat Burrell could be back if he accepts a two-year deal. Otherwise, the Phils will kick the tires on Manny Ramirez, Matt Holliday, and Magglio Ordonez. Jim Salisbury also notes that the Phillies have long liked Rocco Baldelli. They’ve also been linked to Garrett Atkins.
- Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard are in for large raises through arbitration; Amaro may attempt to sign them long-term.
- Salisbury sees free agent lefties Jamie Moyer and Scott Eyre re-signing. Scott Lauber suggests the Phils don’t want to go beyond one year for Moyer, though.
- The team had a $104MM payroll in ’08, and that is expected to increase.
- The Phillies (along with the Tigers and Nationals) have interest in free agent utility man Pete Orr.
What’s Next For Pat Burrell?
FRIDAY: Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Burrell "reportedly turned down a two-year, $22MM offer" from the Phillies.
THURSDAY: Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell gave a few comments to Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer last night. He suggested his future is in the Phillies’ hands, not his. I’m not sure what that means, since it’s really up to both parties. Chances are the Phillies will stick to a two-year offer and Burrell will leave. He earned $14MM in 2008.
Burrell, 32, hit .250/.367/.507 in 645 plate appearances this year. He hit 33 home runs and drew 102 walks. Burrell trailed off, hitting .191/.295/.365 over the season’s final two months. He was a liability in left field, costing the Phillies 20 bases compared to the average left fielder.
Burrell has his flaws, but he is one of the top OBP/power sources on the free agent market. Any ideas on potential suitors? The Angels, Royals, Blue Jays, A’s, Rays, Braves, Mets, Reds, and Giants could be involved depending on the price.
Sherman’s Latest: Gonzalez, Guillen, Castillo, Martin
Let’s take a little break from Peavy-mania and look at some other situations around the big leagues, courtesy of Joel Sherman.
- Padres GM Kevin Towers can’t see any circumstances under which he’d trade first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. He’s signed cheaply, and the Padres already have offensive problems.
- Sherman knows that it will be extremely difficult for the Mets to move Luis Castillo this offseason, but offers one scenario that has been discussed before: Trade Castillo to the Royals for perennial hothead Jose Guillen. Guillen would bring the Mets a power bat and arm to put in left field, while Castillo would bring the Royals some much-needed OBP and a replacement for free agent Mark Grudzielanek. The difference would be the Royals saving $6MM over Castillo’s remaining three seasons, with the Mets taking on $6MM more, but only having two years of a bad contract. Personally, I think this move could make a lot of sense for both teams, although I’d prefer to have Guillen over Castillo. Also, the Mets apparently have no interest in an Eric Byrnes/Castillo swap.
- The Phillies may be looking for a way to replace Pat Burrell cheaply in order to pursue a free agent starter. One proposed method would be to move Greg Dobbs to left field. Sherman notes that there wouldn’t be much difference in range between Burrell and Dobbs. Dobbs posted an .824 OPS this season in 226 ABs, but the alarming thing is that 217 of those ABs came against right-handed pitching. Dobbs was just 1 for 9 against lefties in 2008, and has just 52 career ABs against LHP, in which he’s posted a .579 OPS. A plattoon with Eric Brutnlett could work, but if I were a Philadelphia fan, I’d be hoping for an alternative solution. Sherman reminds us that the Phils were players for Manny Ramirez in July…
- This one surprised me, but Sherman throws a new name as a possibility on the trade market: Russell Martin. Sherman cites rival executives in saying that the Dodgers aren’t "enamored with his makeup" and that with frontline catchers being hot commodities, the Dodgers could explore the market to see what Martin could bring in return. Personally, I think moving Martin would be a mistake, but I have to admit, Martin would indeed fetch a very nice return.
Where Will Atlanta Find A Bat?
Mark Bowman of MLB.com has a new mailbag up. The first question leads to a discussion of the Braves adding a bat this off-season. The Braves have $45MM to spend this winter, and could use every penny to fortify their team. While pitching is certainly a concern, the team would like to add a bat. They could use an outfielder or three.
Bowman begins by listing the usual free agent targets: Pat Burrell and Adam Dunn, though he notes that the team isn’t necessarily interested in either. In the Braves offseason outlook, Tim also mentioned free agents Raul Ibanez and Juan Rivera. Given a guess, I’d say the latter ends up in Atlanta. He’s coming off a poor season and could end up being a bargain. Bobby Abreu could be an option, too. He wants multiple years, while the Yankees seem to be content offering him arbitration and allowing him to sign elsewhere.
On the trade front, Bowman gets a little unorthodox. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday get first mention, though they’re quickly written off. It’s unlikely Bay leaves Boston. He’s signed for $7.5MM next year before reaching free agency, and will certainly earn his pay. The Holliday mention is a nonstarter; there’s little chance the Braves will pay a ton in prospects for a guy who will reach free agency next year. I suppose the same goes for Bay, too.
He makes the most compelling case for Xavier Nady, whom the Braves attempted to acquire at the deadline. It appears unlikely, however, that the Yankees would part with the outfielder, who is entering his last year of arbitration. Perhaps if Casey Kotchman were involved, but that’s highly doubtful. If the Braves are intent on acquiring a bat through a trade, it now appears that Delmon Young could be available.
If you’re so inclined, you can check out River Ave. Blues, Joe’s Yankees blog. Today we’re talking Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Holliday, Teixeira, Mussina
A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…
- MetsBlog recognizes that Francisco Rodriguez will improve the team and appease fans, but is not sure he is worth a four or five-year deal.
- Mets Geek projects the Mets ’09 roster and looks at some options from outside the organization with Pat Burrell and Derek Lowe being the biggest offseason targets.
- Was Watching says bringing back Brian Cashman was a mistake.
- River Ave. Blues assesses the Matt Holliday market and feels that Phil Hughes and Robinson Cano for Holliday "doesn’t make much sense."
- Sox and Pinstripes provides an in-depth preview of the upcoming offseasons for the Yankees and Red Sox and wonders if Theo Epstein can convince the Rockies to take J.D. Drew and a top prospect for Matt Holliday.
- iYankees notes that Brian Cashman wants to make the Yankees’ OBP a priority this winter and feels Mark Teixeira fits the bill.
- Oriole Post does not want to see Mike Mussina return to the O’s and would prefer they "stay the course" with young players.
- C70 At The Bat takes a look at the Cardinals’ decision to sign Kyle Lohse and what it could mean for the offseason ahead.
- Viva el Birdos projects the Cardinals ’09 roster and payroll.
- McCovey Chronicles reacts to some quotes from Brian Sabean and what they mean for the Giants’ offseason.
- Newberg Report thinks the price for the Rangers to acquire Jake Peavy would be too high, even if he’d waive his no-trade clause to go there.
- Athletics Nation sees no point in signing Jason Giambi.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Phillies Payroll Situation
We’ll get into this more when we do an offseason outlook for the Phillies in a few weeks. But Jim Salisbury’s column on the team’s ’09 payroll commitments deserves an early look.
Salisbury computes that the Phillies will have over $100MM committed just to retain current under-contract and arb-eligible players. Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, and others will receive large raises.
Jamie Moyer and Pat Burrell are free agents. Moyer seems likely to re-sign for $8-10MM, but Burrell is a question mark. The Phillies don’t like the idea of giving Burrell a third year, which he could easily find on the open market.
Burrell may leave, but Salisbury doesn’t see the Phillies bringing in Manny Ramirez, Matt Holliday, Raul Ibanez, or Milton Bradley to replace him for various reasons. Magglio Ordonez might be available, but he’s basically under contract for three years at $48MM. And the Phils would have to send useful players to Detroit. More affordable options the Phillies can consider include Casey Blake and Juan Rivera.
Salisbury also says the Phillies need to add a setup man this winter. With Brian Fuentes intent on closing, they’ll need to dig through a lesser tier of free agent relievers.
Stark’s Latest: Cain, Beltre, Burrell, Wigginton
Let’s take a look at the latest column from ESPN’s Jayson Stark.
- Stark wonders why no one has questioned MLB’s apparent trade deadline extension for the Manny Ramirez deal.
- Currently the idea of the Brewers swapping Prince Fielder for Matt Cain is just fun speculation. However, it is true the Brewers will listen on Fielder (he is about to get expensive). The Giants are known to like the big first baseman. The hangup is Brian Sabean’s reported unwillingness to trade Tim Lincecum or Cain.
- The Giants also have their eye on Adrian Beltre. The Mariners want starting pitching, but one year of Beltre is not equal to four of Jonathan Sanchez.
- The Phillies still don’t want to go past two guaranteed years for Pat Burrell. Stark points out another complication – Burrell would gain 10-and-5 rights early in a Phillies contract. Any NL team inking Burrell for four years is a risky proposition given his defense. If Burrell leaves the Phillies, Stark doesn’t expect the team to sign a major free agent as his replacement.
- The Indians deserve props for acquiring Anthony Reyes. Let’s not overdo it though – it’s only been five starts, and his strikeout rate is just 4.0 per nine in Cleveland.
- The Indians talked to multiple teams about Cliff Lee last winter. Interestingly, they thought the hardest about swapping him for Carlos Quentin.
- The Astros were quite willing to trade Ty Wigginton, prior to his massive August.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Burrell, Rockies
Ken Rosenthal over at FOX Sports has up a new Full Count video up:
- The Phillies want Pat Burrell back, and they feel they have a better than 50-50 chance of re-signing him because Burrell has mutual interest. Rosenthal thinks Burrell should command somewhere between $14MM and $17MM per season.
- Rosenthal discusses the Rockies’ offseason, throwing out the usual suspects (Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, and Todd Helton) as possible trade pieces. Rosenthal points out Helton’s salary makes him difficult, and also proposes a scenario in which the Rockies trade both Atkins and Holliday, sign Burrell to play left field, and move Ian Stewart to third base full-time.