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Olney’s Latest: Lowe, Castillo, Hudson

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Buster Olney focuses his new column on reluctant-to-spend teams and how they’ve changed the market. He turns up some interesting rumors…

  • The Rays and A’s are in a "bidding war" of sorts over the likes of Jason Giambi, Pat Burrell, Garret Anderson and Bobby Abreu. Both teams are willing to spend, but neither wants to go first since prices are higher now with both teams interested than they will be once the first team signs a player.
  • The Mets are in a great position since the Cards and Brewers aren’t likely to compete for Oliver Perez, Derek Lowe and Randy Wolf. This means they can wait, knowing that bargains will likely surface.
  • The Mets have "quietly continued to gauge" the Luis Castillo market and are interested in moving him and some of his salary.
  • If they find a taker, they could pursue Orlando Hudson.
  • As Joel Sherman predicted, the Nationals are now courting O-Dog.
  • Olney asks whether aging stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Pedro Martinez will choose to play for the offers they’re likely to get.
  • Brad Penny may soon decide where he wants to pitch next year. He’s weighing "an overture from the Cardinals" against other options.

Mets’ Minaya: Nothing Imminent

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1:38pm: The New York Daily News has, essentially, the same report. Roger Rubin writes that Derek Lowe is a top priority for the New York Mets, but nothing’s imminent. Something could happen during the next week, though.

Rubin sees the Boston Red Sox as being competition for Lowe’s services.

9:48am: Mets general manager Omar Minaya told Kat O’Brien of Newsday to “Go enjoy the holiday” and that nothing was happening on the New York Mets’ front today.

Minaya did say the team has been talking to free-agent starting pitchers, including Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf.

As far as outfielder Manny Ramirez, “a Mets source” told O’Brien in the same article that the Mets will not sign him.

Mets Starting Pitching Update

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SATURDAY, 6:27PM: Ken Rosenthal confirms several of the ideas suggested in Heyman’s Friday article.

The Mets apparently are in fact interested in Tim Redding as a back-of-the-rotation starter, and would like to add either Derek Lowe or Oliver Perez to the front. The Mets appear willing to give Redding a two-year deal, while the Rockies, also interested in Redding’s services, are willing to do a one-year deal only.

Jason Marquis appears to be a likely target of the team that fails to sign Redding.

FRIDAY, 12:28PM: SI.com’s Jon Heyman has the latest on the Mets’ quest to add two starting pitchers.

Heyman says the Mets are waiting for Scott Boras to get Mark Teixeira signed before seriously engaging for Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez, their top two targets (in that order).  Randy Wolf is the third choice if the Boras clients fall through.  Heyman suggests Lowe’s asking price is $66MM over four years.

The Mets are also looking to add a back-end type to soak up innings.  This group includes Freddy Garcia, Tim Redding, and Jason Marquis.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Crosby, Kawakami, Wolf

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3:44pm: MLB.com’s Jim Street says Crosby cleared waivers.

9:00am: The word from Ken Rosenthal…

  • The A’s placed shortstop Bobby Crosby on outright waivers in the hope that some team will assume his $5.75MM salary for ’09.  After his lousy ’08, he may go unclaimed.
  • The Braves were focused on Rafael Furcal; they’re not looking to add a different infielder as a backup plan.  They still want another starting pitcher.  Dave O’Brien names some possible targets.
  • Rosenthal says some teams fear Kenshin Kawakami might want to match Hiroki Kuroda’s three-year, $35.3MM deal.
  • The Mariners would like to add a left-handed hitter with power; they’re waiting for a bargain.
  • The Rockies are apparently debating whether to sign Tim Redding or trade for Jason Marquis.  Reports in the Denver Post suggest Redding is the top target.
  • Randy Wolf is looking for $30MM over three years.  The Astros were in the $22-24MM range before pulling back.

Dodgers Rumors: Wolf, Johnson, Strickland

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Diamond Leung of the Riverside Press-Enterprise has some info on the Dodgers.

  • Randy Wolf would be open to playing for the Dodgers again, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise.  They have not made an offer though.  Wolf is said to be looking for three years and $30MM.
  • Randy Johnson has a few offers in hand, but not from the Dodgers…yet.
  • The Dodgers signed reliever Scott Strickland to a minor league deal.

Braves Won’t Be Dealing With Kinzer, Tellem

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8:17pm: Tim Brown reacts to Tellem’s statement and breaks down the drama. Brown heard from one American League GM who would be “furious” if something similar happened to him.

7:51pm: Tony Jackson received a statement, apparently from agent Arn Tellem, about the events of the past couple days. It suggests there was “never an agreement reached” between Furcal and the Braves. The statement says Furcal’s agents “will continue to present opportunities to the Braves” when it’s in a client’s best interest. It concludes by asking that the event not color the Braves’ “better judgment” once “emotions have subsided.”

4:17pm: Braves president John Schuerholz comments on the situation.

3:02pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman talked to Wren, who said he’s notified the Wasserman Media Group the Braves will no longer be doing business with them.  It’s a bold move, as the agency has a robust client list.

9:27am: Based on Frank Wren’s comments, the Braves won’t be dealing with agents Paul Kinzer and Arn Tellem anytime soon due to the recent Rafael Furcal drama.  Dylan Hernandez transcribes:

When WIFN talk show host Bill Shanks prefaced a question by saying that he knew Wren couldn’t burn bridges with Kinzer and Tellem, Wren interjected, "That bridge is gone. I don’t have to worry about burning it. The bridge is gone."

Most remaining clients represented by these agents don’t fit for the Braves this offseason anyway.  But Tellem does represent Randy Wolf.  ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick has a source saying it’d be "next to impossible" for the Braves to pursue Wolf now.  You can find the full client list for Tellem’s Wasserman Media Group here (click Management, then Baseball).  Current Brave Peter Moylan is also represented by the firm.

Mets Rotation Plans

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12:20pm: MLB.com’s Marty Noble writes:

The possibility of the Mets signing a lesser alternative isn’t precluded, but the club is unlikely to act on picking up another starter until it’s satisfied it has done all that is possible — and financially feasible — to bring in Lowe.

Noble says the Mets sense Lowe’s price tag is $16-17MM per year.

8:37am: Ken Davidoff of Newsday lays out the Mets’ plans for their starting rotation.

For Oliver Perez’s slot, the Mets want to either re-sign Perez or sign Derek Lowe.  Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, and possibly Tim Redding are the backup plans to these two.

The fifth starter job has sparked an internal debate – it could be given to Jon Niese, or the Mets could bring in competition with pitchers like Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, or Eric Milton.  This decision will not be made this month.

Mets Interested In Tim Redding

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Add another pitcher to the Mets’ list.  According to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News, the Mets have expressed interest in new free agent Tim Redding.  Redding was non-tendered by the Nationals on Friday after they failed to work out a deal with the Rockies.

Ken Davidoff says Oliver Perez and Derek Lowe continue to top the Mets’ list; they’re less enthused with Ben Sheets, Jon Garland, or Randy Wolf.  As for Pedro Martinez’s replacement, Davidoff suggests names like Freddy Garcia or Eric Milton.  As for Andy Pettitte, Mark Feinsand says the Mets are not involved.

Mets Considering Randy Wolf, Oliver Perez

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10:14pm: Wolf told MLB.com’s Marty Noble tonight that the Mets have shown "some interest."  Noble says the Yankees, Orioles, Dodgers, Braves, and Giants are also "thought to have interest."

7:58am: According to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News, the Mets have checked the bullpen off their list and will now look to upgrade the rotation.  It seems that Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf are the top targets, with the pricey Derek Lowe a less likely possibility.  McCarron notes that the Mets have a strong relationship with Wolf’s agent Arn Tellem, who brokered the Francisco Rodriguez contract. 

With A.J. Burnett off the board, perhaps the market for Lowe will heat up this week.  The free agent starting pitching options remain strong – look at what was available on this date a year ago.

Offensively, McCarron doesn’t see much more than an Alex Cora addition on the horizon for the Mets.

Brewers Interested In Unit, Moyer, Smoltz, Wolf

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Tom Haudricourt has the latest from Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin as the Brewers try to strengthen their rotation. Melvin just confirmed interest in Randy Johnson, Jamie Moyer, Randy Wolf and John Smoltz.

Melvin acknowledged that “nobody’s going to replace C.C.,” but the Brewers have “ongoing discussions” with all four of the pitchers he mentioned.

Haudricourt writes that of the four, only Wolf seems likely to get offers longer than one year.

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