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Cubs Rumors: Wolf, Bako, Hill, Pie

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A few Cubs notes from Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald…

  • Randy Wolf "remains a possibility" for the Cubs.  Wolf should generate decent interest if he’s willing to sign for one year.  He probably expected more after making 33 starts for the second time in his career.  A Jake Peavy deal appears unlikely by Opening Day, says Gordon Wittenmyer.
  • The Cubs are unlikely to re-sign Henry Blanco, but Paul Bako remains on the radar.  So far it’s Koyie Hill for the Cubs’ backup catcher job.
  • Out of options: Rich Hill, Felix Pie, and Ronny Cedeno.  Hill and Pie are good candidates to be dealt before Opening Day.  Angel Guzman is also out of options, but he has a shot at cracking the team’s bullpen.

Padres Sign Prior, Burke

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The San Diego Padres have signed Mark Prior and Chris Burke to one-year, minor league deals. The signings include invitations to Spring Training, according to Scout.com.

Buster Olney has contract info: "If Prior pitches in the major leagues, he’ll earn $1 million, and Burke — who will go into spring training with a strong chance of winning the Padres’ everyday job at second — will earn $650,000."

Paul DePodesta has more on the signings, along with info on another minor league acquisition, Virgil Vasquez.

Wren Considering Trade For Pitcher

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Braves GM Frank Wren was on 790 The Zone yesterday.  Wren explained that the Braves have other options besides Derek Lowe, and had several things in play prior to John Smoltz leaving:

There’s other guys out there that we like.  I have trade proposals on my desk as we speak that would bring another pitcher to us.  There’s other things we can do…The trade proposal that I have on my desk – that was put in place six weeks ago.

So far this winter the Braves added two starters: Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami (pending a physical).

Other notes: Wren wouldn’t comment on Andruw Jones, and doesn’t see the Braves acquiring Manny Ramirez or Jake Peavy.

Cafardo’s Latest: Manny, Dunn, Fielder

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has lots of rumors in his latest article:

  • Apparently the Giants were willing to offer Manny Ramirez a four year deal in the form of a one year deal with three option years. No more details are known, except that the Giants remain interested in Manny.
  • Brad Ausmus has had ongoing talks with the Padres and Dodgers, according to Cafardo’s sources. The Red Sox aren’t interested.
  • The Angels, Giants and Mets are possible suitors for Xavier Nady.
  • Cafardo’s heard other clubs talking about the Red Sox and Rockies restarting the Todd Helton for Mike Lowell trade talk, but hasn’t heard anything similar from the Red Sox.
  • At least one of Cafardo’s sources thinks Prince Fielder would make a lot of sense in Boston. Clay Buchholz could be a starting point if these talks were to start.
  • Ben Sheets is becoming a bargain, so the Braves or Rangers could jump in and sign him affordably.
  • Cafardo calls Atlanta an "emerging" destination for Adam Dunn.

Odds And Ends: Padres, Manny, Braves

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Links for Sunday…

  • John Moores will remain majority owner of the Padres for three or four years even if he agrees to sell the team to Jeff Moorad, according to Tom Krasovic. Major league executives say Padres CEO Sandy Alderson is likely to leave if Moorad takes over.
  • In a recent poll, Giants fans were divided on the idea of signing Manny Ramirez.
  • The Pirates haven’t offered Doug Mientkiewicz a contract.
  • Thomas Stinson looks at an offseason of "mediocrity" for the Braves.
  • Bobby Cox likes the looks of Kenshin Kawakami.
  • Larry LaRue asks who’s on first for the Mariners this year.
  • Joe Posnanski sees Adam Dunn and Willie Bloomquist as opposites in a way.
  • Michael Silverman compares the pre-Bronx careers of Mark Teixeira and Jason Giambi.

Levine On Young, Dye, Poreda, Peavy, Heilman

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ESPN Radio’s Bruce Levine has some good info tonight.

The White Sox are seeking a top-of-the-order hitter, and they’ve discussed Michael Young with the Rangers.  The Rangers asked for Jermaine Dye and Aaron Poreda, and the Sox are unwilling to trade Poreda.  The Rangers like Dye, so maybe the two teams will find a match on players.  Young is owed roughly $60MM over the next five years.

If the Cubs are to restart their talks for Jake Peavy, the new ownership groups for both the Cubs and Padres will have to be willing.  Levine also notes that the Cubs have an eye on Mariners pitcher Aaron Heilman, a player they’ve shown interest in before.  Levine speculates that Ronny Cedeno could be a fit for Seattle.

Cubs’ New Owner Might Push For Peavy

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Barry Rozner of the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Ill.) believes a new Chicago Cubs owner might increase general manager Jim Hendry’s payroll budget, which would make room to acquire Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres. Especially if that new owner is Tom Ricketts.

Ricketts will want to win and win fast, so if it’s him and it happens soon his first call might be to GM Jim Hendry with the news that he can up the payroll and get Peavy out of San Diego, Rozner writes.

Ricketts is the CEO of a Chicago investment bank named Incapital. Rozner wrote that Ricketts is a local guy who loves the Cubs and will have only their "best interests at heart. He even, reportedly, met his wife in the bleachers at Wrigley."

Peavy has been the subject of trade rumors since the offseason began, and the Cubs have been mentioned often in the same sentence.

Brewers, Dodgers Pursuing Hoffman

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11:27pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Brewers have emerged as the frontrunner for Hoffman.

10:19pm: Bill Shaikin says Hoffman will make his decision Thursday.  Kevin Towers said tonight that the Padres "just don’t have the money" to retain their longtime closer.  He added that if Hoffman would’ve accepted their $4MM offer they it would’ve been hard to exercise Brian Giles’ $9MM option.

9:07pm: Tom Haudricourt spoke with Doug Melvin and Melvin believes that the Brewers have a legitimate shot at landing Hoffman.  He does not believe the team is not being used to drive up the offer from the Dodgers. Melvin is confident based on his previous work with agent Rick Thurman. Melvin and Thurman have agreed to speak again tomorrow morning.

4:11pm: Jon Heyman believes the Brewers are making a stronger move for Hoffman.

3:36pm: Both offers from the Dodgers and Brewers are for one year with a club option, and both exceed $4MM.  Hoffman’s agent (Rick Thurman) expects to have a deal within 48 hours.  A requirement of Hoffman signing is that he is the closer.  The Brewers have not heard back today from Thurman yet.

11:19am: Brown has confirmed that the Brewers made an offer as well.

WEDNESDAY, 8:43am: Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says the Dodgers offered Hoffman a one-year contract worth more than $4MM.  Hoffman would take the ninth inning in L.A.  Buster Olney confirms the one-year offer as well, but neither Olney nor Shaikin mention the club option Brown did.

TUESDAY, 11:11pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown says the Dodgers offered Hoffman a one-year deal with a club option.  Brown suspects the Brewers have made an offer as well.  Hoffman is "thought to prefer Southern California," though he might have to take a setup role in L.A.  At this point, the Padres have not reconciled with Hoffman or restored their offer.

8:16pm: Haudricourt says the Brewers have to battle geography if they hope to win the Hoffman sweepstakes.

6:37pm: Hoffman is in discussion with the Brewers over the "parameters of a contract" according to Ken Rosenthal. His source, who has knowledge of the negotiations, says, "It’s got legs."

5:37pm: Jon Heyman echoes the Brewers and Dodgers are in the running and that Hoffman "could sign in coming days." Heyman reiterates Hoffman’s interest to say close to his "home base" in Anaheim, CA.

1:21pm: Hoffman’s agent says they have mutual interest with the Brewers, though Haudricourt got the impression they may seek two years.

10:13am: Tom Haudricourt talked to Brewers GM Doug Melvin, who indicated Trevor Hoffman is the team’s top choice to fill the closer role.  The two sides have talked parameters and Melvin hopes to learn his chances soon as discussions continue.  The Brewers’ main competition might be the Dodgers, but Hoffman would have a lock on the ninth inning in Milwaukee.  Haudricourt believes the Brewers want to do a one-year deal with an option.

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