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Placido Polanco

Odds & Ends: Bumgarner, Rangers, Kim

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Links for Tuesday…

Tigers Rumors: Polanco, Rodney, Lyon, Everett

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Lynn Henning of the Detroit News predicts how the Tigers will handle four impending free agents this offseason: 

  • Placido Polanco "will likely be allowed to chase free agency" as the Tigers look for another second baseman.
  • The Tigers are thinking about Joel Zumaya as their 2010 closer, but they'll likely offer Fernando Rodney arbitration anyways. Henning says Rodney's a good bet to sign a multi-year deal elsewhere.
  • Henning expects Brandon Lyon to receive an offer of arbitration.

  • The Tigers love Adam Everett and want him back, so much so that they may offer him a contract before he hits free agency.

Stark’s Latest: Halladay, Vlad, Magglio

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Jayson Stark's most recent column over at ESPN.com is absolutely chock-full of rumors and information…

  • Marlins president David Samson doesn't anticipate the Marlins ever implementing a fire sale again.  "We've put ourselves in a position, with salaries and the performance we're getting from players at a young age, that we don't have to do that anymore," said Samson.  The new stadium should help with attendance, which should in turn help with payroll.
  • Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi doesn't see his club trading Roy Halladay this season.  "I still don't see us doing it," said Ricciardi.  "I know ownership doesn't want to do it.  And I don't think, in my gut, that Doc really wants to be anywhere else."
  • Some MLB officials believe Vladimir Guerrero's recent pectoral injury could severely affect his free agent value this offseason.  "He could be a $1 million player in a year, with $4 million in incentives," said an unnamed official of one team.  "He's a tough guy to commit to."
  • Pedro Martinez continues to demand a $5 million paycheck.  It's doubtful any team, no matter how desperate, would commit to that price.
  • Some folks in the baseball world think Magglio Ordonez might be made available near the trade deadline.  Magglio has vesting options for 2010 and 2011, however, which could complicate a potential deal.
  • Teams are also tracking a few other Tigers players, including Carlos Guillen and Placido Polanco.

Polanco Enters Contract Year

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Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press takes a look at the Placido Polanco situation.  The Tigers second baseman is entering the last year of a four-year deal, and GM Dave Dombrowski does not seem in a hurry to lock up the 33 year-old.  Morosi says much remains to be seen – Polanco’s ’09 performance, the Tigers’ projected payroll, and the possible emergence of second base prospects.

Polanco hit .307/.350/.417 in 629 plate appearances last year while playing excellent defense.  He earned $4.6MM; FanGraphs valued him at $10MM more than that.  Other prominent free agent second basemen for the 2009-10 offseason: Mark DeRosa, Felipe Lopez, Brian Roberts, and Freddy Sanchez.

Blocked Prospects: Steve Pearce

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During 2007 Pirates prospect Steve Pearce hit a combined .333 with 31 home runs, 40 doubles, 113 RBI, and a .622 slugging percentage. The soon-to-be 25 year-old was named both Offensive Player of the Year by MiLB.com and the Topps Minor League Player of the Year. He ranks #43 on Kevin Goldstein’s Top 100 Prospects list for 2008 and received a callup last September. Yet, as of Monday he was reportedly sweating it when the team announced several cuts.

Pearce had played first base since he was drafted, but with the Pirates looking to locking up Adam LaRoche long term the team rerouted him to the outfield. The Pirates flirted with the transition late last year, giving Pearce 10 games in right prior to his call-up. Once in Pittsburgh he started 17 games in right field and only two at first. He hit .294/.342/.397 over 68 plate appearances; his bat appears nearly Major League ready.

Jason Bay and Xavier Nady await, each simmering on the hot stove. It’s a poorly guarded secret the Pirates would love to ditch Nady, but a recent chat with the Mets didn’t go anywhere. Bay was also the subject of several trade talks during the offseason and would likely come closer to fetching the young pitching prospects GM Neal Huntington craves (his short list is unlikely to include Scott Schoeneweis).

This all puts Huntington in a fairly comfortable position. He can afford to send Pearce back to Indy to get a few more reps at the new position while he waits for the right deal. But with Pearce’s bat looking to be big league ready, how long are Pirates fans willing to wait?

Aaron Shinsano writes for East Windup Chronicle and can be contacted at eastwindupchronicle@gmail.com

Odds and Ends: Lowell, Sabathia, Polanco

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I’m going to start up a catch-all Odds and Ends post for smaller rumors and notes today.  Refresh to see it grow.

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