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Pirates Rumors: Wigginton, Hairston, Wilson

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Jenifer Langosch tidies up a few rumors we have heard previously concerning the Pirates…

  • While the Buccos are in need of an outfielder, and have expressed interest in both Ty Wigginton and Jerry Hairston Jr, Langosch says the Pirates will not spend a lot on a fourth outfielder and may be priced out of the market for those two.
  • If Rafael Furcal does go back to the Braves, the Dodgers could once again turn their attention to acquiring Jack Wilson. Langosch says the Pirates may be willing to pay some of Wilson’s $7.25MM salary for 2009.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

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.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Yankees, Teixeira, Bradley, Furcal

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Ken Rosenthal has his latest article up. Let’s go through it.

  • Milton Bradley is weighing his options with the Cubs and Rays. Joe Maddon and the Rays may be a better fit than Lou Piniella and the Cubs. And spending time at DH would allow him to "protect his oft-injured body." But will the Rays meet Bradley’s asking price when they can turn to Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Garret Anderson, or Pat Burrell instead?  Rosenthal adds that the Reds, Angels, and Nationals are also interested in Bradley.
  • Rosenthal says the Yankees are aiming to keep their payroll lower than last season. Despite gorging this holiday season, they’re shedding more than they’re putting on.
  • With regards to Mark Teixeira, Rosenthal reports one general manager says there is a lot of bluffing going on right now to get the Red Sox to go higher.
  • Ty Wigginton has received calls from four teams since being non-tendered by the Astros. His replacement in Houston has yet to be established. Chris Johnson, the team’s third base prospect, had a .539 OPS in Triple A last season.
  • Jerry Hairston Jr. is receiving interest from the Reds and three AL clubs, the Mariners likely being one of them. Says Rosenthal, "Hairston, 32, plays six positions and was a favorite of new M’s manager Don Wakamatsu when both were with the Rangers."  Not sure where the Phillies fit in, but Jay Bruce said Hairston was considering them.  And John Perrotto has the Pirates in the mix for Hairston.
  • The reason Rafael Furcal rejected the A’s offer was that he wants to stay with the Dodgers, so says "one agent." Meanwhile the Dodgers appear to be daring Furcal to leave for a lesser club before making an offer.

Royals Rumors: German, Furcal, Farnsworth

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Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star has the latest on the Royals.

  • The Royals signed Esteban German to a one-year deal.
  • If they’re going to sign Rafael Furcal, club officials say they’d have to trade away Jose Guillen to free-up money, yet there was “scant interest” in Guillen at the Winter Meetings.
  • However, the Royals are willing to offer Furcal a four-year deal, something the Dodgers have been reluctant to do.
  • The Kyle Farnsworth deal includes a club option for 2011.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore insists that Mark Teahen is staying put.
  • Their payroll is down to $70MM after non-tendering John Bale, Joey Gathright, Jason Smith and Jairo Cuevas.

Odds and Ends: Burrell, Braves, Red Sox

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Links for Friday night…

Pirates Sign Ramon Vazquez

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FRIDAY, 1:51pm: Kovacevic says the Vazquez signing is official at two years and $4MM.

THURSDAY, 11:37pm: Dejan Kovacevic says the Pirates have agreed to the framework of a contract with Vazquez.  The contract is not signed yet, and Vazquez needs to take a physical.  Another note: the Twins’ signing of Nick Punto reduces the already-weak market for Jack Wilson.  Kovacevic says the Dodgers have leverage if they want to go after Wilson as a Rafael Furcal fallback.

12:32am: Vazquez’s agent told Kovacevic they’re "very, very close" but not done.  Neal Huntington also said it’s not done.

10:51am: Dejan Kovacevic phrases it as "trying to sign" Vazquez.

10:12am: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Pirates are on the verge of a two-year, $4MM deal with infielder Ramon Vazquez.  Vazquez should be able to step in at either middle infield position if the Bucs manager to trade Freddy Sanchez or Jack Wilson.  He needs to sit against lefties though.

Sherman’s Latest: Lowe, Saito, Teixeira

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The latest from Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

  • Mets GM Omar Minaya recently admitted he did not expect to pursue A.J. Burnett or Derek Lowe, saying, "I’m probably not going to be in there right now, financially.  Not after spending all the money that I did on K-Rod."  Sherman isn’t sold, though – he thinks Lowe’s price could drop and give the Mets a shot.
  • The Dodgers haven’t received a counter-offer to their two-year, $45MM proposal, so they won’t be making another bid.  Sherman adds that they are planning to non-tender Takashi Saito.
  • The A’s remain the frontrunners for Rafael Furcal.
  • Sherman says the Nationals have bid seven years and $140MM for Mark Teixeira.  That offer was reported on Wednesday to be eight years, $160MM.  Sherman says the backup plans are Adam Dunn and Orlando Hudson.  I believe the Hudson link is new.
  • The Mariners had tried to pry Jonathan Niese from the Mets for J.J. Putz.  Sherman also notes strong interest in Aaron Heilman.  He says the Mets and Cubs did not discuss Jason Marquis, contrary to reports.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Thursday

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9:03am: Following yesterday’s implication from Kinzer that all offers for Furcal are for at least three years, Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times explains that the Dodgers offered two years plus a vesting option based on playing time.  Though Ned Colletti said Furcal could exceed salary expectations if he hits incentives, Kinzer says the offer still falls short.

1:57am: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick talked to Rafael Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer, who expects his client to make a decision by the middle or end of next week.  You know the suitors – the Dodgers, A’s, Royals, and Blue Jays.  Yahoo’s Jeff Passan wrote yesterday that the Royals believe it will take a four-year, $44MM deal to sign Furcal.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Wednesday

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9:31pm: The Royals hope to clear payroll to make room for Furcal, preferably by trading Jose Guillen.  Orlando Cabrera is their backup plan.  The Royals would eat some money to move Guillen, but predictably the market is "almost nonexistent."

The Royals believe Furcal requires a four-year, $44MM deal.  Kinzer has four offers for Furcal currently, all for three or four years.  The surprising implication is that the Dodgers went past two years.

2:50pm: Buster Olney says the A’s met again with Furcal last night.  Apparently Oakland’s four-year offer had been worth about $36MM.  Meanwhile Steve Phillips says Royals GM Dayton Moore asked ownership for more money to sign Furcal.

2:07am: Richard Griffin suggests the Blue Jays are just being used by Kinzer to add negotiating power.

12:10am: The most important takeaway from yesterday’s Rafael Furcal rumors: his agent Paul Kinzer told Ken Rosenthal the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Royals, and A’s are in the running.  Furcal still wants four years.  We also have word from Yahoo’s Tim Brown that the Orioles are in on Furcal, and the list might at times include the Indians.  Brown says the O’s would sign Furcal as a complement to Mark Teixeira.

Pirates Rumors: McLouth, Maholm, Doumit

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WEDNESDAY, 6:22pm: Kovacevic says Doumit’s agent will meet with the Pirates later tonight to discuss their offer.  Rob Biertempfel says the Pirates did make offers to all three and want to finalize deals within six to eight weeks.

TUESDAY, 11:28pm: Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers up the latest information on the Pirates.

  • The Pirates have initiated extension talks with Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, and Paul Maholm.  The Braves inquired on McLouth and Maholm, but the Pirates’ demands were "way high" according to an Atlanta official.  Kovacevic mentions Jordan Schafer as someone who could be offered.
  • The Pirates had conversations with David Eckstein’s agent, but not negotiations.  The Bucs would probably have to trade a middle infielder for it to make sense.  They never made a formal offer to Mark Loretta, who signed with the Dodgers today.
  • The Jack Wilson market is tepid – the Twins have mild interest, the Dodgers have moved on to Rafael Furcal.
  • While the Pirates have gotten inquiries on John Grabow, teams apparently want to look at free agent options first.
  • John Perrotto says Jason Davis will refuse the Pirates’ Triple A assignment and head to Japan.
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