Indians Have Mild Interest In Ibanez
UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 10:11pm: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times has heard the Ibanez for Lee rumor as well. The concern is that the Indians would be overpaying.
FROM 12-3-07 at 2:02pm:
We’ve got a few correspondents at the Winter Meetings in Nashville. One source just checked in to mention that the Indians have a minor interest in Raul Ibanez, depending on the asking price. A match could be found with Cliff Lee.
Cubs May Shop Murton, Like Ibanez
UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 5:53pm: Geoff Baker checks in with some more info about the Cubs’ interest in Ibanez. He is apparently their fallback option behind Fukudome. Baker notes the frightful possibility of using Ibanez in right field. One trade idea I hadn’t considered is swapping Ibanez for Mark Prior.
FROM 12-3-07 at 9:48am:
Jim Hendry may view 26 year-old outfielder Matt Murton as expendable, if only because he’s not the left-handed hitter the Cubs crave.
Murton has a respectable career line of .296/.365/.455 in 289 games. While it would be nice to see his power develop a bit, he’s a decent option in right field. Outside of Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs might end up acquiring an outfielder who is no better than Murton, just because of handedness. Even though he’s been solid it doesn’t seem that the price tag on Murton would be terribly high.
Meanwhile, Gordon Wittenmyer notes that Brian Roberts and Raul Ibanez remain on the Cubs’ wish list. Murton would be useful for the O’s but it would take a lot more to get Roberts.
Latest Cubs Rumors: Crawford, Crisp, Ibanez
Cubs rumors abound today. Some sensible, some not. Let’s catch up.
- According to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs want to re-sign Kerry Wood and possibly give him the closer job. Ryan Dempster could be pushed down the reliever totem pole or traded (he makes $5.5MM in the last year of his deal). Dempster has expressed a desire to start in the past, but the Cubs don’t seem keen on it. UPDATE: The Cubs are keen on Dempster as a starter, as Bruce Levine of ESPN 1000 reported today that he will be switched to that role in ’08. Carlos Marmol, Bob Howry, or Kerry Wood will close.
- Rogers also notes that the Cubs will bring Mark Prior back on the condition that he’ll accept an option for the 2009 season. That way they won’t get burned if he does have a useful 2008.
- Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald says the Cubs have interest in trading for Carl Crawford. Problem is, that would require a king’s ransom in young players. Miles adds that the Cubs are serious about Kosuke Fukudome, and signing him would leave the team with plenty of outfielders. Phil Rogers echoes the Fukudome interest, also mentioning that the Rangers and Giants like him.
- Michael Silverman says the Cubs are among several teams interested in Coco Crisp. Within this piece Silverman says the Rangers are in on Crisp and the Red Sox like expendable catcher Gerald Laird.
- Another name on the Cubs’ radar: Raul Ibanez. He makes $5.5MM in the last year of his deal, though he’s a liability in left field. And the Cubs have Alfonso Soriano there already. Larry LaRue also says the Tigers and Indians like Ibanez; the Tribe could offer Aaron Laffey.
- Not sure why, but the Cubs are also interested in free agent second baseman Kaz Matsui. Would the plan be to use him at shortstop? The Padres also have an eye on Matsui.
Tigers Hot Stove Talk
Lynn Henning of the Detroit News runs down all of the big names rumored to be possibilities for the Tigers this winter and assesses the likelihood of each. It’s a well-written article so be sure to read it. Here are the players, ranked by the percent chance of playing for Detroit next year:
Kenny Rogers – 90%
Todd Jones – 80%
Geoff Jenkins – 75%
Edgar Renteria – 50%
Jack Wilson – 30%
Francisco Cordero – 5%
Alex Rodriguez – 3%
Mariano Rivera – 3%
Raul Ibanez – 0.5%
Torii Hunter – 0%
Andruw Jones – 0%
- Henning believes Jenkins is quite likely to become a Tiger on a two-year deal. He only costs money, as the Brewers won’t be offering him arbitration if they decline his option. The Twins may be in the mix for him as well.
- Henning notes that new Braves GM Frank Wren and current Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski have a connection and could easily work together on a Renteria trade. Pitching would be the requirement. Jeremy Bonderman seems like too much; Nate Robertson perhaps too little.
- The Tigers badly want to bring Rogers back; that seems very likely.
- Henning expects Jones back unless he receives an offer from the Braves, located somewhat near his home. That’s not expected.
Tigers Searching For Left-Handed Hitter
According to Jon Paul Morosi, Dave Dombrowski will pursue a left-handed hitter for the Tigers this winter.
Morosi likes the idea of trading for Seattle’s Raul Ibanez and putting him in left field. Ibanez makes $5.5MM in ’08 in the last year of his deal. He hit .291/.351/.480 this year, and is a minus on defense. Morosi thinks the Ms would ask for a big league starter or two (Nate Robertson?), but the folks at U.S.S. Mariner would settle for less.
The Tigers had a very good offense this year, but want a left-handed hitter anyway. More runs are always good, I guess. They may have openings at left field, shortstop, third base, and catcher. Besides Ibanez, who might be available to fit the bill?
Ken Griffey Jr., Jorge Posada, Milton Bradley, Ryan Church, Luis Gonzalez, Barry Bonds, Matt Stairs, Luke Scott, Chris Duncan, Mike Lamb, Chad Tracy, Cliff Floyd, Geoff Jenkins, Brad Wilkerson, and Shawn Green come to mind. Of course Bonds has already been ruled out. Who do you like out of this group? Any candidates missing?
Cubs/Red Sox/Mariners Trade Possible
A reliable source told me today about a three-way deal that is "imminent." It’s always risky to throw around "imminent," but I’m just quoting him here.
Here’s the scenario:
BOS gives: Bronson Arroyo, Tony Graffanino, PTBNL
BOS gets: Jeremy Reed, Will Ohman
CHC gives: Corey Patterson, Ohman
CHC gets: Raul Ibanez, Graffanino, cash
SEA gives: Reed, Ibanez, cash
SEA gets: Arroyo, Patterson, PTBNL
Let’s evaluate. There’s no doubt the Cubs would be making out like bandits in this trade. Corey Patterson is useless to them, even as a fourth outfielder. 28 year-old lefty Ohman tossed a solid 43 innings this year, and seems recovered from his January 2002 Tommy John surgery.
But Chicago’s bounty seems to outweigh the former phenom and useful southpaw. Ibanez is on the hook for just $4.25MM in 2006, and the 33 year-old is probably good for a .290/.350/.460 line in 2006. He played 55 games in left field for the Mariners in 2005. I’ve projected him at .288 with 21 HR, 84 RBI, 89 runs, and 8 steals for 2006. Graffanino could probably chip in with some decent on-base skills from 2B or a utility role.
My Arroyo projection has him leading the Red Sox in wins with 16. Arroyo does a good job limiting his baserunners and should have an ERA under 4. I don’t think Safeco would have a major effect on his numbers. Reed should continue to improve all facets of his game in ’06, and would be a nice pickup for the Red Sox.
There may be a holdup in the deal because the Red Sox want to trade before Graffanino and Arroyo hit arbitration, and the Cubs want to wait. The word is that Mariners GM Bill Bavasi is strangely infatuated with Corey Patterson. If that’s the case, Hendry should strike while the iron is hot. I don’t have any information on where Matt Murton would find himself if the proposed trade takes place, but he wouldn’t have a starting gig for the Cubs.