Odds and Ends: Yankees, Lowe, D’Backs
Links for Thursday…
- Peter Abraham takes a look at the Yankees’ first base options. The Royals could match up on a trade, if the Yanks are willing to try an unproven player.
- A pair of free agent bargains from Dave Cameron: Randy Johnson and Derek Lowe. What kind of salary will Lowe command?
- Free agent reliever Will Ohman hopes to remain in Atlanta.
- Braves GM Frank Wren has already talked to every team about his needs in left field and the rotation.
- Nick Piecoro looks at the D’Backs’ offseason needs. Will there be room in the budget to make the necessary improvements?
- The A’s have five days to decide on Alan Embree‘s $3MM option, according to Susan Slusser. Embree profiles as a Type B free agent.
- The Padres have ten days to decide between Brian Giles‘ $9MM option and his $3MM buyout. It’s an easy call to exercise the option.
Dodgers Rumors: Manny, Furcal, Peavy
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti talked to the media yesterday; here’s the latest.
- Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News believes Colletti will pursue a competent backup catcher to allow more rest for Russell Martin. A decision is due on Gary Bennett‘s $900K option within seven days.
- So far this offseason, Colletti and Scott Boras have exchanged two voicemails. They’ll meet in person to discuss Manny Ramirez and other Boras clients (Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Andruw Jones, maybe Joe Crede) at next week’s GM meetings. Colletti will not put the other team needs on hold to deal with Manny.
- Colletti has had preliminary talks with the agents for Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, and Nomar Garciaparra, while Jeff Kent is expected to retire.
- Colletti intends to acquire a top of the line starting pitcher, but Jake Peavy is unlikely (the Dodgers would have to pay extra due to the same-division factor). Free agents Lowe and C.C. Sabathia may be considered. The Dodgers have seven days to decide on Brad Penny‘s $9.25MM option versus the $2MM buyout.
- The Dodgers would love to have Takashi Saito back, but the situation with his elbow injury is unclear.
- Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones have expressed a desire to be traded through the media, but not formally to the Dodgers.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Sabathia, Teixeira, Peavy
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports posted a new column yesterday; let’s take a look.
- Rosenthal says the "expectation in some baseball circles" is that the Brewers will offer a four-year, $100MM contract to C.C. Sabathia. However, between the Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers he could probably do significantly better.
- Mark Teixeira should draw interest from the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. Rosenthal adds that Mike Lowell does not have a no-trade clause (I believe I wrote earlier that he did).
- The Padres and Braves are at an impasse in the Jake Peavy talks, with the Padres seeking five players. The Braves don’t want to surrender Tommy Hanson, as Tom Krasovic reported Saturday.
- Scott Boras is reportedly pitching Jason Varitek as the Tigers’ next catcher.
- Rosenthal suggests that Manny Ramirez‘s defense may keep NL teams away.
Odds and Ends: Rivera, Floyd, Peavy
Links for Tuesday…
- The Red Sox added pitcher Virgil Vasquez while losing infielder Gil Velazquez.
- Dave Cameron has another free agent bargain: Juan Rivera.
- The Astros made their first Taiwanese signing: 22 year-old righty reliever Chia-Jen Lo.
- Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi hopes to try MLB eventually (but not in 2009).
- Viva El Birdos figures the Cardinals will check in on Kenshin Kawakami.
- Bud Selig has praise for Padres owner John Moores.
- Rays Index passes along a report that Cliff Floyd‘s injury could end his career. This could open up some free agent possibilities.
- River Ave. Blues says the latest Jake Peavy news is the nail in the coffin for the Yankees.
- MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince is not a big fan of the rumors.
Cubs Offseason Targets
Recently I wrote a Cubs Offseason Outlook, where many reasonable acquisition targets were discussed. If the Cubs re-sign Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood, they’ll be limited by payroll unless the salaries of Jason Marquis ($9.875MM) or Derrek Lee ($13MM) are moved.
Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune names his possible Cubs targets: Brian Roberts, Adam Dunn, Jeremy Hermida, Mike Jacobs, Rafael Furcal, Jake Peavy, and Brian Fuentes. Some fun names in there, many of which could only be added if payroll space is created. Dunn would be an interesting choice for a regular right fielder, while Jacobs would represent a downgrade at first base.
The Cubs aren’t likely to add Peavy, especially if they re-sign Dempster. If you’d like to take the speculation to the next level nonetheless, Barry Rozner has ideas at the Daily Herald. With any trade scenario, it is always important to put yourself in the shoes of the other team and ask if it is truly the best deal for them.
Free Agent Situation For Peavy?
Interesting article from Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune last night. Krasovic talked to Jake Peavy‘s agent, Barry Axelrod. Given Peavy’s full no-trade clause and below-market contract, Axelrod thinks it’s fair to compare this to a free agent situation. If trade talks stretch into the offseason, C.C. Sabathia‘s new deal could come into play.
First things first, Peavy will need to be granted full no-trade powers upon any trade. But if he considers a trade outside of his five preferred teams, Sabathia’s salary will be relevant. Axelrod is implying that Peavy could accept a trade outside of his comfort zone, for the right price:
"If it is someplace where Jake is being asked to make massive change and someplace he may not really want to go, it may take more enticement to get him to agree."
Maybe this brings teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets into play. But if Peavy requires $20MM+ per year and a package of top prospects, he loses much of his appeal.
I imagine Axelrod’s goal is still to get Peavy to one of his five teams. But each scenario is flawed in some way, and Peavy might have to stay put unless he expands his options or three-team deals emerge. Axelrod’s comments may also serve to motivate a team like the Braves to try to get something done before open season on free agents begins.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Sunday
Jake Peavy, on the block:
- According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union Tribune, the Braves have told the Padres they will not deal Tommy Hanson in a package for Jake Peavy. This despite heavy scouting of Hanson by the Padres in recent days. MLBTR touched on this topic on Friday, but it seems the Braves are standing pat that even Peavy won’t loosen their grip on their prospects. If the Padres are putting something together with the Braves, it’s not likely to be structured around Hanson, or Jair Jurrjens, Jason Heyward and Julio Teheran for that matter. As MLBTR noted before, it could all be speculation from rival GMs.
- Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune brings us information from Baseball America: Peavy would waive his no trade clause to play for the Cubs. While Rogers notes there’s not much of a fit he suggests a package that includes a swap of Adrian Gonzalez and Derrek Lee. Intriguing, but far fetched.
Mulder, Prior, Clement, Correia Prefer San Diego
Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Petco Park remains the preferred choice of free agent pitchers returning from injury. In particular, the agents for Mark Mulder, Mark Prior, Matt Clement, and Kevin Correia admit their clients have San Diego at the top of their list. If the Padres trade Jake Peavy, they’ll have all kinds of uncertainty in the rotation and some payroll to play with.
A few more names from the injury bargain bin: Kris Benson, Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, Mike Hampton, Jason Jennings, Pedro Martinez, Sergio Mitre, Carl Pavano, and Brad Penny.
Peavy Rumors: Friday
As Kevin Towers and Barry Axelrod intended, things are slowing down on the Jake Peavy front. The Braves, considered the favorite, got the word out yesterday through the AP that they do not want to trade top prospects. Of course, that may have been a strategic move.
- Dave O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to Braves GM Frank Wren today. Wren says there are players he will not trade under any circumstances, and O’Brien believes three of those are Tommy Hanson, Jason Heyward, and Julio Teheran. Freddie Freeman, Jordan Schafer, and Gorkys Hernandez are close to untouchable, according to O’Brien.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney wonders if the Braves may have enough quality young players to pull off a Peavy deal without surrendering Heyward, Hanson, or Jair Jurrjens.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains that the Cardinals do not have what the Padres are looking for in a Peavy trade.
- MLB.com’s Corey Brock says not to expect movement on a Peavy deal for the next week or so, as Towers takes a step back and conferences with the pitcher. Towers wants to figure out which teams he can engage before the November 3-6 GM meetings. Peavy’s five preferred clubs are known publicly, so perhaps Towers hopes to expand that list.
- Jason Rosenberg analyzes the MLB.com report over at his blog.
Heyman’s Latest: Manny, Holliday, Peavy
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new rumor-packed article up.
- Heyman suggests the battle for the three elite free agents – Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and C.C. Sabathia – will mostly be fought by the New York and Los Angeles clubs. Heyman talked to one GM who believes the country’s economic situation will not affect the big names but could be bad for the lower-tier guys.
- Heyman’s potential Manny suitors: the Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, and Phillies. The Phillies’ interest will depend on whether Pat Burrell stays. I’m not sure why the Orioles would be in the mix.
- The Rockies are "very likely" to trade Matt Holliday. The Rox would be willing to sign Holliday for five years and $100MM, but that won’t cut it. The team’s focus in a trade will be a young starter. Heyman echoes a Ken Rosenthal thought from a few months ago: surprising small-market teams may enter the Holliday bidding.
- Heyman has the Mets, Rangers, and Indians as teams looking at Brian Fuentes. The Mets are the favorite to sign him in the three-year, $36MM range.
- Jake Peavy has already turned down one American League team. Heyman believes hes particularly opposed to the Rangers and has mixed feelings about the Yankees. Peavy is reeling from the Padres’ decision to shop him.
- Heyman has unkind words for Luis Gonzalez, who may not be welcomed back to the D’Backs based on his "uneasy relationship" with Stephen Drew and Chris Young.
- Heyman does not think MLB has any evidence against Nationals GM Jim Bowden in the scout skimming scandal.
- Heyman gives Ruben Amaro a slight edge over Mike Arbuckle to replace Pat Gillick as Phillies GM.
- George W. Bush as baseball’s next commissioner? "Many have long believed" that Bush would like to be Bud Selig’s successor.