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Heyman On Manny, Lowe, Crede, Redding, Hinske

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The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…

  • The Giants "look like a major threat" to the Dodgers for Manny Ramirez and are "making a serious run at him."  Former teammate J.T. Snow apparently raved about him.  Nonetheless Heyman says the Dodgers are "probably still considered the favorite."  Heyman lists the Rangers as "intrigued."  He believes Ramirez will get three guaranteed years somewhere.
  • Heyman says Derek Lowe is "quite possibly" in play for the Phillies, though we heard from Ken Rosenthal today that the team denied interest.  Heyman also sticks with the Brewers and Angels as outside possibilities despite reports to the contrary.  He believes Mets GM Omar Minaya prefers Oliver Perez to Lowe.
  • The Giants, Twins, and Rangers are in on Joe Crede.
  • Players said to be in on Freddy Garcia: the Mets, White Sox, and Rangers.  We can probably cross off the Mets with their Tim Redding signing.
  • Heyman believes the Dodgers want to replace Brad Penny with Randy Wolf.
  • Heyman says the Pirates offered more guaranteed money than the Red Sox to Rocco Baldelli.  Dejan Kovacevic had this first in an article published early this morning.
  • The Red Sox were looking at Eric Hinske but with Baldelli and Mark Kotsay in tow it’s unlikely.  A Japanese team has "allegedly shown interest" in Hinske.
  • Before signing with the Rays for two years and $16MM, Pat Burrell was getting offers in the one-year, $5MM range.

Nationals Discouraged On Dunn, Hudson, Wolf

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According to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the Nationals will not sign any major free agents this offseason.

The Nats have fallen short on offers to Mark Teixeira and Milton Bradley, and aren’t intrigued enough by Adam Dunn or Orlando Hudson.  Ladson claims the organization will instead focus on their minor league system and look to trade for some young players.

Chico Harlan of the Washington Post says the Nationals are not out on Dunn, Hudson, and Randy Wolf, but they are discouraged about their chances given the players’ demands.  Harlan shoots down the idea of the Nats pursuing Derek Lowe.  In another post, Harlan says the Nationals have not had any formal talks with Tom Glavine’s agent.

Mets Pursuing Redding, Wolf

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THURSDAY: Mike Puma of the New York Post confirms Fitzpatrick’s Tuesday report that the Mets made an offer to Redding.

TUESDAY: Mike Fitzpatrick of the Associated Press reports the Mets have made an offer to Tim Redding and are readying one for Randy Wolf. The Mets need two starters and are also looking at Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez to fill out their rotation. No details on the offer to Redding. Fitzpatrick cites an unnamed source.

In 2008, Redding won ten games for a team that didn’t win 60, finishing with a 4.95 ERA and in 33 starts and 182 innings. In November he had foot surgery and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Nationals Rumors: Wolf, Dunn, Hudson

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Rounding up Nationals rumors…

  • According to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, the Nationals are interested in free agent lefty starter Randy Wolf.  The Mets and Dodgers are also known to be in on him, while we haven’t heard much about the Brewers, Cardinals, or Orioles lately.
  • The Washington Post’s Chico Harlan says the Nats want to acquire players who will still be in their primes in 2010 or 2011.  Adam Dunn and Orlando Hudson make sense, at the right price.
  • The Nationals aren’t interested in Xavier Nady and don’t believe they "have a legitimate shot at trading for Nick Swisher."
  • Odalis Perez remains under consideration, but isn’t a priority.

Brown’s Latest: Abreu, Manny, Looper

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The latest from Yahoo’s Tim Brown…

  • Bobby Abreu still wants $48MM over three years, according to Brown and Gordon Edes.  Abreu may have lost three potential suitors today in the Cubs, Rays, and A’s.  Buster Olney suggests Abreu is "probably out on the ledge, more than any other player in the corner outfield market."
  • Brown says the Dodgers, Orioles, Nationals and Mariners "seem to have the most interest in adding an outfielder." Haven’t heard much about the Orioles looking for help there.
  • Brown believes the Dodgers are "sitting on their original offer of two years and $45 million guaranteed" to Manny Ramirez.  He says Scott Boras still wants four or five years at $25MM per.
  • Starters on the Dodgers’ radar: Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, and Braden Looper.  Looper might be a new name.
  • Kenshin Kawakami is apparently "drawing solid interest from the Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins and Orioles."  It’d be surprising to see Boston sign him after getting Brad Penny.

Mets Backup Plans for Lowe

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Regis Courtemanche of Metsblog.com has a guest blog up at Newsday, discussing the Mets’ backup plans should they fail to sign Derek Lowe.

The Mets have expressed interest in Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf, and Jon Garland. Courtemanche’s first choice is Wolf.

Wolf posted similar numbers to Perez last year, and Perez is represented by Scott Boras, and will be asking for more years and money than Wolf. Additionally, Wolf is represented by the same agent – Arn Tellem – as Francisco Rodriguez, and is already on good terms with Omar Minaya.

Is not giving Lowe the money he wants really worth the drop-off in quality you might get with any of the backup plans though? Courtemanche doesn’t think so, especially because not going after Lowe leads to the possibility of him landing with the Braves or Phillies, which would harm the Mets even further.

Courtemanche also wonders why there has been no interest shown in Ben Sheets:

His susceptibility to injury is probably why, most notably the shoulder problems he incurred in 2006. Nevertheless, Sheets is much better than any of the above mentioned alternatives since he allows fewer homers, earned runs, and walks. Plus, his five complete games were third in the majors behind Roy Halladay, and his former teammate, C.C. Sabathia. Worth a second look if you ask me.

Lowe Rejected Offer, Wants $16MM Per Year

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Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog passes on some comments made tonight by Jon Heyman on the MLB Network’s Hot Stove Live.

  • According to Heyman, Derek Lowe rejected the Mets’ three year $36MM offer because he hopes to sign a deal worth $16MM per season.
  • The Phillies and Braves are the Mets’ biggest competitors for Lowe.
  • The Red Sox and a mystery team are also involved.

Later on in the show, Mets GM Omar Minaya confirmed interest in Lowe, Randy Wolf and others. Cerrone notes that Minaya did not mention Oliver Perez.

Mets’ Pitching Pursuit Will Take Time

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David Lennon of Newsday talked to Mets GM Omar Minaya, who expects his pursuit of a starting pitcher to be drawn out.  Minaya suggested it could be resolved by mid-January.

The Mets have a three-year, $36MM offer out to Derek Lowe and have made other offers as well.  It’s been suggested the Mets will top out around three years and $40MM.  In a report yesterday, Tony Massarotti said the Mets and Lowe discussed two proposals last week: a four-year deal and a three-year contract with a vesting option.  Massarotti suggests the Mets entered the bidding with a weak offer because Lowe has no other suitor in the Northeast.  If the Mets don’t improve the offer much, it’ll be a test of how much geography matters to Lowe.  Though not in Lowe’s preferred geographic region, Gerry Fraley considers the Braves in the mix for him.

Oliver Perez is next in line for Omar Minaya, though Lennon believes his future is linked to Lowe’s.  If neither Boras client can be signed, Randy Wolf and Jon Garland become the targets.  Pedro Martinez remains a possibility as well.  The plan is nice and all, but other teams need starting pitching too and may start signing these guys in the next few weeks.

Mets Make Offer To Lowe

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TUESDAY, 7:03pm: It looks as though the first of the Mets’ offers has been issued.

According to Jack Curry of the New York Times, the Mets have offered Derek Lowe a three-year deal, worth a total of $36MM.  I imagine half the teams in baseball would be willing to offer that amount to Lowe. The article maintains the current notion that Lowe is the Mets’ first choice to bolster their rotation.  He had reportedly been seeking five years and $90MM.

MONDAY: MLB.com’s Marty Noble on the Mets:

They intend to make offers early this week to at least two and probably three free-agent pitchers — Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf — in hopes of signing one of them.

Noble says the Mets continue to rank the three in that order – Lowe, Perez, Wolf.  The Mets haven’t shown any indication of wanting to sign more than one.  Lowe and Perez should be ready to sign soon now that Scott Boras isn’t occupied with Mark Teixeira.

Noble adds that the Mets aren’t terribly concerned about having only one left-handed reliever on the roster (Pedro Feliciano).  They’ll look for bargains rather than pursue a Joe Beimel type.  Mets GM Omar Minaya does want to acquire a utility infielder, with Alex Cora atop the list.

Dodgers Interested In Dunn, Abreu

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4:28pm: A very Dodgers-centric day here at MLBTR.  MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick reports that in addition to Dunn, the Dodgers will soon open up talks with Bobby Abreu.  They’d like to move Andruw Jones or Juan Pierre if they sign an outfielder.

Gurnick adds that pitching is Ned Colletti’s priority – the Dodgers are eyeing Jon Garland, Randy Wolf, and relief help.

1:46pm: According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Dodgers contacted Adam Dunn’s agent over the holidays to express interest.  If the Dodgers sign Dunn, Manny Ramirez could be in a really bad place.  Other teams showing interest in Dunn: the Cubs, Nationals, Mariners, and Orioles.  All five teams have surfaced in prior reports, with the Brewers also getting a mention while they were mulling a Mike Cameron trade.

There was a report nine days ago stating that the Cubs are Dunn’s first choice.  Today Stark puts it this way: "The Cubs had believed to be his top choice before the Dodgers entered the mix."

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