UPDATE, 12-7-07 at 8:19pm: Troy E. Renck says this deal is done, and right now it’s for a player to be named later. Dan O’Dowd said he wasn’t eating any of the $2.15MM owed to Carroll, so that’s some pocket change to put toward a free agent reliever. Yes, I just referred to two million dollars as pocket change.
FROM 12-7-07 at 9:46am:
Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News says the Rockies are set to trade utility infielder Jamey Carroll to the Indians. It was to be for minor league starter Sean Smith, but that part has changed. The teams will talk today and figure out the return. The Rockies will save a few million bucks by moving Carroll. The Rox previously offered Carroll to the Indians for Josh Barfield, by the way.
As for their second base vacancy, Tadahito Iguchi and David Eckstein remain on the radar. There are complications with both.
Iguchi is said to want three years, but could settle for two. He likes the idea of playing second base, and the Rox are the current suitor offering that (though the Orioles could enter the picture). However Iguchi’s agent told Ringolsby that replacing countryman Kaz Matsui concerns Iguchi.
As for Eckstein, he’s said to want four years. I could see him settling for three, but two would be a pretty big concession.
