Odds And Ends: Gonzalez, Hill, Koskie
Links for Saturday…
- According to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, the Yankees demoted righty Phil Hughes. He had a nice spring and figures to be the first in line when the team needs another starter.
- Tracy Ringolsby of Inside the Rockies reports that Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall spoke with Luis Gonzalez about re-joining the D'Backs once he retires as a player.
- Dave Perkin of Baseball America highlights some amateur players worth keeping an eye on.
- Check out Tim's Interview over at 6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba.
- Cameron Smith of the Washington Post thinks Shawn Hill and the Blue Jays should work out a deal because it would benefit both sides.
- Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports that Corey Koskie's baseball future could be in jeopardy. Koskie felt light-headed after diving for a ball yesterday in Spring Training.
- ESPN.com's Peter Gammons spoke with Matt Holliday about his home-road splits and his new Oakland teammates. Like Buster Olney, Gammons suggests the Red Sox, Yankees and Angels are possible fits for Holliday after the season.
Pettitte Still Has Offer From Yanks
There have been lots of rumblings about the Yankees’ fading interest in Andy Pettitte, but he still has a $10MM offer from the club for 2009 according to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.
A baseball official confirmed to McCarron that the Yankees are ready to go in "another direction" since Phil Hughes seems ready for a rotation spot. The official said the chances of Pettitte’s return are "55-45 against."
We’re not likely to hear of any decisions until next week, when Yankees offices reopen.
Dodgers, Yanks Did Not Resume Cano Discussions
7:35pm: Brian Cashman spoke about Cano, Ian Kennedy, and Phil Hughes. He doesn’t seem likely to trade any of them.
3:05pm: Peter Abraham learned from Colletti that he hasn’t talked to the Yankees since July.
2:04pm: MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick talked to Ned Colletti, who said he hasn’t talked to the Yankees yet.
12:02pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers and Yankees have resumed their discussions about second baseman Robinson Cano at the Meetings. The Dodgers also like Melky Cabrera, while the Yankees hope to get Matt Kemp and pitching from L.A.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Burnett, Lowe, Peavy
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.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Thursday
4:05pm: Ken Rosenthal has some of the names being offered by the Braves for Peavy. According to Rosenthal, the Braves are offering Yunel Escobar, either Jo-Jo Reyes or Charlie Morton and an unnamed player believed to be a top prospect. Rosenthal does not have any details on the Cubs’ package but notes that it is likely to be "fluid".
4:00pm: Chris De Luca has updated his earlier piece and now says Dempster is seeking five years, $70MM.
3:03pm: Peter Abraham says that Kevin Towers has told Peavy that he will be traded and that negotiations have been narrowed to three teams. The Yankees are not in the mix as all three clubs are in the NL. Abraham speculates that in addition to the Cubs and Braves, the third team could be the Astros or Cardinals.
11:27am: Chris De Luca says the Cubs are in heavy pursuit of Peavy, partially because of steep contract demands from Ryan Dempster. He’s heard Dempster wants five years, $75MM.
No deal is imminent, but De Luca wonders if pitchers Sean Marshall, Rich Harden, or Jeff Samardzija could be involved. Samardzija has a no-trade clause.
10:02am: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Padres have interest in Braves prospect Jeff Locke. David O’Brien says the Padres want Tommy Hanson, but are willing to settle for Yunel Escobar and a few lesser prospects.
9:21am: Ken Davidoff is not buying the Feinsand/Yankees rumor. Joel Sherman agrees.
8:55am: Let’s kick off a new Jake Peavy post. Last we heard, Ken Rosenthal was suggesting the Cubs moved ahead of the Braves as the frontrunner.
Today, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says the Yankees’ chances for Peavy are improving as Kevin Towers struggles to find a match with an NL team on the pitcher’s list. Feinsand says Towers wants two pitchers and an outfielder for Peavy. He believes the Yanks could build a deal around Phil Hughes or Austin Jackson, though they might need to include Ian Kennedy as well. Brian Cashman seems a bit more open to trading Hughes than he was a year ago. The Padres aren’t interested in Robinson Cano.
Yankees Rumors: Sabathia, Marte, Mussina
11:09pm: Brian Cashman sums up the Yankees’ plan: "We’re going to show a lot of love."
12:15pm: It’s about time we check in with Yankees links.
- The Yankees will make their record-breaking pitch to C.C. Sabathia. If it fails, they’ll move on to A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe, and Oliver Perez.
- Joel Sherman says the Yankees could get involved on Manny Ramirez, but only if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira and manage to trade Hideki Matsui.
- Sherman says the Yanks are in on the catching market just to be safe, engaging the Rangers about Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. They’ll also "keep tabs" on Ivan Rodriguez. If the Yanks find another club that values Robinson Cano highly and offers pitching, he could be traded and Orlando Hudson signed. None of this stuff seems likely.
- Peter Abraham believes the Yanks are working on an extension with Damaso Marte.
- Buster Olney says some of Mike Mussina‘s friends believe that the longer it takes for him to decide on 2009, the more likely it is he pitches.
- Peter Abraham believes Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy will be traded before next season, but Brian Cashman has not lost faith in Hughes.
Odds and Ends: Hughes, Tigers, Affeldt
Links for Monday…
- I’m working on this year’s Top 50 Free Agents list, with predicted destinations. It’s always a tough puzzle to assemble. Anyone have educated guesses on where Ben Sheets, Oliver Perez, Braden Looper, and Jon Garland might sign?
- MLB.com’s Mychael Urban believes Mark Mulder would like to return to the A’s, but the team may not be interested. Plus, Mulder isn’t even considering destinations until he is healthy.
- Japanese free agent pitcher Kenshin Kawakami hired American agent Tony Attanasio. The Red Sox may be interested.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post takes the Yankees to task for their unwillingness to include Phil Hughes in a Johan Santana package.
- Tigers officials are meeting in Detroit for four days to discuss trade possibilities.
- MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel explains why a Luis Castillo for Jose Guillen swap is unlikely.
- Dave Cameron considers Jeremy Affeldt a possible free agent bargain. He could be underrated, but not a bargain if he renews last year’s desire for a four or five-year deal.
Heyman’s Latest: Yankees Offseason Plans
The latest column by Jon Heyman of SI.com is full of all kinds of Yankees notes:
- They will pursue a top-of-the-rotation starter, and yes, C.C. Sabathia is one of them, but the list also includes A.J. Burnett, Jake Peavy, Derek Lowe, and possibly Ben Sheets. As we wrote yesterday, Peavy’s agent said he’d need "a lot of convincing" to approve a deal to the American League.
- According to Heyman the goal is for the Bombers to "secure more than one of them."
- The Yankees have targeted Mark Teixeira but may also take a look at Manny Ramirez (Heyman has mentioned the Manny to the Yankees possibility before, as has Ken Rosenthal).
- Interest in Teixeira almost certainly means that Jason Giambi is not returning in 2009.
- Center field is another position the Yankees hope to fill, but they may go the trade route and Heyman mentions Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy as possible bait.
- If Mike Mussina decides to pitch again in 2009, the Yankees would want him back. A couple of weeks ago, Buster Olney wrote about a "growing sense" that Mussina would be returning for another season.
Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: alexo05 -at- umpbump -dot- com.
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.
Yankees Rumors: Jeter, Sabathia, Hudson
Let’s talk Yankees.
- Ken Davidoff makes recommendations for the ’09 Yankees. He would sign Derek Lowe and Andy Pettitte, and offer arbitration to Damaso Marte and Bobby Abreu.
- Jim Baumbach explains a tricky situation coming up: re-signing Derek Jeter.
- Peter Abraham takes a look at various free agents on the minds’ of Yankees fans.
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times says first priority for the Yankees is to re-sign Brian Cashman. I imagine they already have a Plan B in place, but recent reports lean toward Cashman returning.
- Kepner says the Indians were aggressive in pursuing a deadline deal involving Phil Hughes and C.C. Sabathia. Now, Kepner says the Yankees are skeptical they’ll be able to sign Sabathia. For Plan B, the Yanks seem to prefer pitchers with American League experience. They’ll probably stand pat on the bullpen, though a decision must be made on Damaso Marte‘s option.
- If the Yankees can engineer a Robinson Cano–Matt Kemp swap (unlikely), they could then sign free agents Mark Teixeira and Orlando Hudson. The right-side infield defense would be drastically improved.
- Bill Madden of the New York Daily News is more pessimistic – he doesn’t see the team’s internal center field options working out, nor does he consider the free agent signings wise.