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Odds and Ends: Steinbrenner, Burnett, Sabathia

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Links for Sunday, before I head out to Chipotle…

Cubs Exercise Harden’s Option

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1:47pm: The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Harden does not need surgery and the Cubs exercised his $7MM option for ’09.

8:34am: Some fresh notes regarding the Cubs’ offseason plans…

  • Turns out the Cubs have to decide on Rich Harden’s $7MM option by midnight tonight.  Even if he needs arthroscopic shoulder surgery, they’re expected to exercise it.  Other less likely options include declining it and going to arbitration or just non-tendering him.  Unless Harden needs major surgery, he’s a Cub in ’09.
  • Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald wonders whether the Cubs will buy out backup catcher Henry Blanco and re-sign him more cheaply rather than exercise his $3MM option.
  • Gordon Wittenmeyer believes the Cubs could try to re-sign Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood before they reach free agency.
  • The team’s organizational meetings begin eleven days from now. 

Braves May Have $45MM To Spend

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TUESDAY: Dave O’Brien rattles off a few more pitchers of interest for the Braves: Matt Cain, Ryan Dempster, and Brad Penny.

MONDAY: In our Braves Offseason Outlook, we suggested the Braves might have $40MM to spend this winter even if they hold payroll steady.  Instead, GM Frank Wren revealed today that payroll will increase beyond last year’s $102.4MM.  MLB.com’s Mark Bowman estimates Wren will have $45MM to work with.

As you know, the Braves intend to add two veteran starters as well as a slugging outfielder.  They’ll also attempt to re-sign John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Mike Hampton.  We covered this in the outlook, but it seems the Braves will sign one of Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett.  They could complement that signing by inking a Japanese pitcher (or just a Paul Byrd type), and then survey the robust free agent market for left fielders.  The Braves will monitor the trade market, but their top prospects are not available.

Heyman’s Latest: Gillick, Pedro, Dempster, McLouth

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Here’s a look at the latest column from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • Heyman is hearing "scuttlebutt" that GM Pat Gillick may not leave the Phillies after all.
  • Theo Epstein’s new deal is worth about $7MM over three years, which might be highest among GMs.
  • Pedro Martinez’s agent insists Pedro will pitch next year.  In May, Martinez said he wanted to pitch two or three more years a couple days after suggesting retirement was an option.
  • Moises Alou is undecided on 2009.
  • Cubs GM Jim Hendry expects to re-sign Ryan Dempster after the season.
  • Heyman says the Yankees "will likely make a big play" for Nate McLouth.  The Pirates center fielder is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, meaning he’s under team control for three more seasons.  McLouth’s defense does not rate well (-21) under the previously discussed plus/minus system.  Carlos Gomez is tops among CFs at +16.  Rumored Yankees target Matt Kemp is a +1.

Heyman’s Latest: Bowden, Helton, Maddux, K-Rod

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Let’s take a look at the latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • Despite the headline "Nats GM in trouble," Heyman says Jim Bowden has the support of his bosses.  They do not blame him for Aaron Crow and are not concerned with his possible connection to the scout skimming scandal.
  • Heyman suggests the Rockies could shop first baseman Todd Helton this winter if he demonstrates a healthy back in September.  Here’s the thing – if Helton was a free agent and you had to give him a three-year deal, what would you pay?  $5MM a year maybe?  Are the Rockies going to eat $40MM?  Helton might have to be swapped for another bad contract.
  • Heyman sees Ryan Dempster getting four years and $48MM, and Oliver Perez snagging $60MM over five.  Are they worth that?
  • People close to Greg Maddux are saying he wants to pitch next year.  Heyman also sees John Smoltz and Tom Glavine back in ’09.
  • "Some are expecting" the Reds to be big players in free agency this year.  The Reds figure to be in the market for catching and outfield help.  Manny Ramirez would be interesting.
  • Heyman wonders if the Mets will be players for Francisco Rodriguez this winter.

Odds And Ends: Lane, Taveras, Cubs, Reyes

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Round three from the MLBiverse…

  • The Red Sox have signed former Astros outfielder Jason Lane to a minor league deal.
  • Troy E. Renck says that Willy Taveras could be moved this winter and speculates that the Nationals might be a good fit if Lastings Milledge is moved from center field.
  • Paul Sullivan says the Cubs are not likely to make many changes this winter with only four key free agents. One of those free agents, Ryan Dempster, said that he would prefer to stay with the Cubs.
  • Omar Minaya says Al Reyes turned down a major league job with another organization to take the minor league deal with the Mets.

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

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dempster, Mora, Cameron

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up; let’s take a look.

  • Rosenthal agrees with those who considered C.C. Sabathia pitching the ninth inning Monday a needless risk.  Sabathia already had thrown 112 pitches and the Brewers had a seven run lead, but he pitched the ninth to bring the total to 130.  The innings shouldn’t affect Sabathia’s payday, but hopefully he remains healthy.
  • Rosenthal sees a minimal chance of Ryan Dempster signing elsewhere, given his strong relationship with Cubs GM Jim Hendry.  Dempster will be the Cubs’ top offseason priority.  I also consider Kerry Wood unlikely to leave.
  • Add Melvin Mora to the list of players who have cleared waivers.  He, Aubrey Huff, and Ramon Hernandez will be shopped this winter.  Mora has raised his numbers and stock significantly by hitting .378/.421/.652 since the beginning of July.  He has a full no-trade clause and is owed $9MM next year.
  • The Indians are almost certain to sign a closer this winter, with Brandon Lyon and Brian Fuentes perhaps the best available aside from Francisco Rodriguez and Wood.
  • The Rockies will place Fuentes on waivers soon and may also shop Willy Taveras.  Manny Corpas has already hit the wire.
  • Rosenthal figures Mike Cameron’s $10MM option for ’09 will be exercised.  Cameron is hitting .245/.333/.509 in 372 plate appearances while playing strong defense.
  • Gary Matthews Jr.’s knee injury may prevent the Angels from trading him this winter.  That, and the $33MM owed to him through 2011.

Perrotto’s Latest: Waivers, Extensions, Garcia, Braves

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John Perrotto over at Baseball Prospectus has his Every Given Sunday column up:

  • Perrotto lists off several people which he believes are the most likely to be made available if and when they clear waivers. While the list is comprised of a lot of the usual suspects this August (Greg Maddux, Jarrod Washburn, Paul Byrd, Randy Winn), Perrotto lists some other names that we haven’t seen as much: Francisco Cordero, Tyler Walker, Todd Jones, Jose Bautista, and Doug Mientkiewicz. Perrotto also says that he feels Aubrey Huff has the best chance to be traded of any impact bat available.
  • Perrotto states that the Rockies would like to sign both Garrett Atkins and Matt Holliday long-term. If unsuccessful, they will both be on the trading block this offseason.
  • The Pirates would like to sign Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit long-term as well, buying out their arbitration years.
  • Perrotto lists the Yankees as the front-runners to sign Freddy Garcia. The Mets and Rays are also suitors for Garcia, though I personally don’t think Garcia makes sense for the Rays.
  • The Yankees have "little interest" in pursuing Manny Ramirez this offseason, despite possible reports that Manny would like to play for them.
  • The Twins would still like to add a late-inning reliever this season to boost their bullpen as the AL Central race winds down.
  • The Braves’ top priority this offseason is pursuing a front-line starter, Perrotto says. He lists possible candidates as: C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Ryan Dempster, Derek Lowe, and Jon Garland. Seems a bit odd to consider the last three "front-line," though Dempster has certainly been impressive this season.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Ryan Dempster

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One player whose stock has risen in ’08 is Cubs starter Ryan Dempster.  The 31 year-old hadn’t started regularly since ’03, but he currently sports a 5-1 record with a 2.35 ERA.  He’s earning $5.5MM in the last year of a three-year extension.

Part of Dempster’s success can be attributed to his .211 BABIP, lowest in the league.  As a team the Cubs have a .277 BABIP, and something around there would be a more reasonable expectation moving forward.  On the plus side, Dempster’s 55% groundball rate ranks seventh in the NL, and it’s helped him keep the ball in the yard.  He has a solid strikeout rate and has been making improvements on a subpar walk rate.

The Cubs have treated Dempster well, taking him on as a reclamation project and later giving him an extension at full market value.  Perhaps he’ll choose to continue the relationship.  A three-year deal in the $30-35MM range seems fair.

Coco Still Possibility For Cubs, White Sox

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Two suitors for the affable Coco Crisp, both in the Windy City.

According to Chris De Luca at the Chicago Sun Times,

"The Cubs and Red Sox have had talks centering on Crisp in recent weeks, though the subject was broached by Boston, sources say, and evidently the Red Sox were not interested when the Cubs dangled outfielder Matt Murton.  Talks could resume during spring training, however, depending on the Red Sox’ need for starting pitching — an area where the Cubs are expected to have some surplus with Ryan Dempster or Jason Marquis getting nudged out of the rotation."

And also from the same source,

"They, too, could find themselves in the market later in camp if Jerry Owens doesn’t pan out in center. Manager Ozzie Guillen has long admired Crisp, but the White Sox don’t figure to have a surplus of starting pitching by the end of spring training."

On a related side note, I caught the BoSox/Twins preseason game on Friday night and got a chance to watch Twins CF incumbent Carlos Gomez unload a scud missile from centerfield to get Dustin Pedroia at homeplate. With Gomez in house, I can see why rumors of the Twins as an option for Coco have cooled.  Thoughts?

By Nat Boyle

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