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Odds & Ends: Yankees, Braves, Cardinals

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March goes in like a lion, but the lion is cut when the rosters get trimmed to 25…

  • Benjamin Kabak at River Avenue Blues takes a look at how the Yankees can include an ownership stake in Derek Jeter's next contract.
  • Former Yankee Melky Cabrera is also in the news, with MLB.com's Mark Bowman detailing how his game translates in the National League. As should surprise no one who has watched both leagues lately, the move figures to help Melky.
  • Brian Walton of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat has a rundown of the Cardinals' 21 new signings from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Tops among the new signings appears to be Amauris Capellan, an outfielder who has drawn comparisons to Raul Mondesi.
  • Taiwan Baseball has an update on Min-Tzu Chen, an outfielder-turned-pitcher three months ago, who is now sporting a fastball at 90-93 MPH. According to the site, the Royals and Padres have both made offers in the $150K-$200K range.
  • Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe thinks the Red Sox may have found something special in offseason acquisition Boof Bonser.

Why Padres Likely Won’t Sign Adrian Gonzalez

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A pair of interesting viewpoints emerged today about the Padres, and why they are likely to trade Adrian Gonzalez, rather than extend his contract.

As Ken Rosenthal puts it in his latest column, regarding Padres fans, "I would want to know just one thing: Why can’t my team sign Adrian Gonzalez if the Twins can sign Joe Mauer?"

Of course, Rosenthal lists the many reasons: attendance is down in San Diego, San Diego is the 28th biggest television market in baseball, and a Gonzalez deal could net a number of prospects in return.

But there is a more ominous reason cited by Rosenthal: there are questions about new ownership's viability. As Rosenthal writes, "Just over a year ago, Moorad’s group reached agreement to gain controlling interest of the club from John Moores over a five-year period. That’s right, the other owners allowed one of their franchises to be purchased on a layaway plan — an unusual arrangement, to say the least."

Jake Peavy also weighed in on the choice by the Padres to deal Gonzalez during an interview with Dan Hayes of the North County Times.

"He's a great player, and at times I think to myself, 'How could they not sign this guy?'" Peavy said of Gonzalez. "A hometown guy playing for his hometown team and being the superstar player he is. At the same time, this is the same organization that let their Hall of Fame closer walk away."

Peavy was referring, of course, to Trevor Hoffman.

If ownership can't afford Gonzalez, of course, that puts them in company with many other small-market teams. But it will be interesting to watch just what San Diego can spend-payroll was less than $44MM last season.

Heyman On Adrian, Jeter, Hamilton

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SI's Jon Heyman leads his latest column with a discussion about Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who he feels is likely to be shopped hard at this year's trade deadline.  I've noted before that Gonzalez's market should not be limited to big-spending clubs, as he's set to earn just $10.25MM for 2010-11.  It's fitting that Heyman believes as many as 10 to 12 teams already inquired, including the Red Sox, Mets, Mariners, and Dodgers.  On to Heyman's other rumors…

  • Heyman spoke to "two executives from competing teams" who believe Derek Jeter "could ask for a six-year deal."  The idea is that a six-year extension would take Jeter to age 42, as Alex Rodriguez's contract does.
  • Heyman notes that Josh Hamilton turned down a four-year, $24MM offer from the Rangers last year.  The security might've made sense for Hamilton given his injury problems.
  • One executive Heyman spoke to believes the availability of decent free agents, perhaps continuing into the season, could reduce trading.

Odds & Ends: Chapman, Upton, Mets, Gallardo

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Some links as Spring Training games get started…

Adrian Gonzalez Will Ask For A Massive Contract

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The agent for Adrian Gonzalez told Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he sees Mark Teixeira as a fair comparable for his client. John Boggs, who represents Gonzalez, told Padres GM Jed Hoyer the same thing and that basically ended their conversation.

Teixeira signed a $180MM deal with the Yankees last offseason as a 28-year-old. Gonzalez won't be a free agent until after the 2011 season if the Padres pick up his $5.6MM option, but his agent is thinking big already.

“You always shoot high and adjust to the marketplace,” Boggs said of Gonzalez, who will presumably be 29 by the time he hits the market.

Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that while Gonzalez is seeking Teixeira money, the Padres believe a five-year $90MM deal would be more appropriate (Twitter link).

Padres CEO Jeff Moorad said last month that the Padres have doubts that they can keep their first baseman long-term. Gonzalez recently said he expects to be paid what he deserves on his next contract. That doesn't mean the Padres won't extend him, but a deal seems unlikely given that Gonzalez would be a tremendously attractive commodity on the trade market.

The Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, White Sox and Red Sox are among the teams that have been connected to Gonzalez in recent months.

California Notes: Headley, Angels, Weaver

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Someone alert Dr. Dre and the Beach Boys, since here's a rundown of news from the Golden State…

  • The Padres are so high on Chase Headley that MLB.com's Corey Brock says the team once turned down a deal with Pittsburgh that would've brought Nate McLouth and Xavier Nady to San Diego.
  • MLB.com's Lyle Spencer reports that the Angels will pay their five regular infielders a total of $8.05MM in 2010 — or, almost $1MM less than Chone Figgins by himself will make in Seattle.
  • Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles talks to Jeff Weaver, whose minor league contract with the Dodgers allows him to opt out and become a free agent if he doesn't make the club out of spring training.  Weaver said the escape clause allows him to stay out of the minors: "I am here to make this team. If it doesn't work out…then I don't really want to do the Triple-A thing again."
  • As part of a reader mailbag, Jackson said it's unlikely that Jamie McCourt's claim of half-ownership of the Dodgers will hold up in court.  But if it does, then Jackson predicts Frank McCourt "probably will be forced to sell, whether it's to Jamie and the group she allegedly has lined up to buy the club or to someone else."  One would think that if this divorce halves McCourt's fortune as many predict it will, he may have to sell the team regardless of the result of his ex-wife's claim.
  • Scout X (who may or may not be ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski) previews the 2010 season.  One of the more interesting tidbits in the piece is that Scout X would take Matt Cain over Tim Lincecum if he had to choose between the two Giants aces because "Cain pitches with such ease." 

Peavy Has Spoken To White Sox About Acquiring Adrian Gonzalez

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MONDAY, 6:08pm: Gonzalez said he is "flattered" by Peavy's campaigning on his behalf, reports Knobler.  But Gonzalez unsurprisingly re-asserted his commitment to the Padres and said he hasn't made any trade demands himself:  "I don't have any control about it. If [the Padres] trade me, they'll let me know after it happens. I don't even want to hear that they're talking about it."

SUNDAY, 5:58pm: GM Kenny Williams first spoke to Peavy about Gonzalez in January, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.  Peavy gave his stamp of approval, but the "feeling around 35th and Shields" was that it would take a package including Gordon Beckham to land the first baseman, and the White Sox weren't willing to go there.

1:58pm: Mark Gonzales at Chicagobreakingsports.com spoke with Peavy about his campaigning for Gonzalez earlier today. Peavy confirmed that he's spoken with Williams about the big first baseman. "I went into recruiting mode," Peavy said.

Peavy speaks highly of Gonzalez as both a player and a person, and says that while Gonzalez loves San Diego, he wants to win and would go anywhere for a chance to do so.

SATURDAY: Jake Peavy has already spoken to White Sox GM Kenny Williams about the idea of acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Williams didn't need to hear it from Peavy, because Knobler says he plans to be first in line whenever Gonzalez is made available.

"That's really what we need, a big left-handed hitter," one Sox person said. "They're saying Kenny would give anything to get him, maybe even [Gordon]  Beckham."

Although Chicago's lineup already features the lefty bats of Juan Pierre, A.J. Pierzynski, and Mark Teahen, none of them really qualify as a power bat. Gonzalez would certain rectify that, and since incumbent first baseman Paul Konerko may not be back next season, there's a natural fit. 

If the White Sox offer a package centered around Beckham, it's difficult to see any other team interested in the Padres' first baseman topping it. 

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Adrian, Howard, Jeter

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A year ago today, the Giants renewed reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum's contract for $650K. One year and a second Cy Young later, San Francisco bought out Lincecum's first two years of arbitration eligibility for $23MM. I'm sure they enjoyed paying him just six figures while it lasted. 

Let's take a look at what's being written around the baseball blogosphere…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Munson, Ranaudo, Sheets

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Links for Thursday…

No Discount For Adrian Gonzalez

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9:04pm: Hayes has an updated story now, and it includes some interesting details. He reports that a Padres source said no teams approached San Diego about a deal for Gonzalez this winter. At last summer's non-waiver trade deadline, the Mariners were close to acquiring Gonzalez in a 6-for-1 trade, but the deal fell through when then-Padres GM Kevin Towers held out for one more player.

2:50pm: Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez isn't interested in a hometown discount, based on this report from Dan Hayes of the North County Times.  In reference to his current contract, Gonzalez said, "At the time you take the security…the next one is where I look for what I deserve."  I imagine he's expecting to top $100MM once he reaches free agency after the 2011 season.  Gonzalez says there have been no extension talks with the Padres.

Gonzalez is sure to continue appearing in trade rumors this summer, but he cautions that "99.9 percent of everything is false."

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