Mariners Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Hannahan, Ibanez, Saito, Nakajima

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 5:03pm CDT

We rounded up one set of free agent rumors earlier in the day, but as we approach late afternoon in Nashville, it's about time for a fresh batch….

Recently non-tendered third baseman Jack Hannahan has a big league offer from an AL Central team, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It could be the Twins, who met with his rep yesterday according to Phil Mackey of ESPN 1500.
The Mariners contacted Raul Ibanez's agent, tweets Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.
Shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima seeks a three-year deal, tweets Yahoo's Jeff Passan, but teams are hesitant.
Takashi Saito, who turns 43 in February, would like to pitch another year in the U.S., tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.
The Mets have considered the idea of signing Mark Reynolds to play in the outfield, but his price tag may be too high for their liking, tweets Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.
Davidoff also tweets that the Yankees have met with Eric Chavez's agent at the Winter Meetings and expressed an interest in bringing back Chavez.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke tells Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio that the Brewers have "definite interest" in Jason Grilli, but only at a reasonable price (Twitter link). Milwaukee continues to seek both starters and relievers, but doesn't have the money to make a play for someone like Anibal Sanchez or Kyle Lohse, says Scott Miller of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
Jeremy Bonderman, who is attempting a comeback, could have a deal in place by the weekend, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Latest On Mariners, Jason Bay

By Tim Dierkes | December 4, 2012 at 4:03pm CDT

4:03pm: A Bay-Mariners deal is close, but nothing is final yet, tweets Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.

1:54pm: While the Mariners are definitely in on Bay, a deal is "not done by any means," according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Bay is still talking to a number of teams, says Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).

12:49pm: The Mariners are pretty close to signing free agent outfielder Jason Bay, according to ESPN's Brock and Salk show. Bay, who attended college at Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington, agreed to part ways with the Mets last month with an eye on a fresh start.

Mariners Meet With Boras, Inquired On Kubel

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 2:57pm CDT

The Mariners are meeting with agent Scott Boras today in Nashville, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (via Twitter). While it's not clear exactly which player or players the two sides are discussing, Knobler notes, as we heard earlier today, that the M's have some interest in Michael Bourn.

Although Seattle seems to be considering Bourn, the team's focus this offseason has primarily been on corner outfielders. As such, it's not a huge surprise that Knobler also reports (via Twitter) that the Mariners have spoken to the Diamondbacks about Jason Kubel. The D-Backs are said to be listening to offers on Kubel, though it's not known how strong the Mariners' interest is.

NL Central Notes: Jones, Pirates, Parra, Hart

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 2:29pm CDT

Let's round up the latest items out of the NL Central, which, like the rest of baseball's divisions, now features just five teams….

The Pirates made an attempt to land pitching prospect Taijuan Walker in a deal for Garrett Jones, but were rebuffed by the Mariners, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel adds the Pirates to the list of teams with interest in Manny Parra (Twitter link).
Brewers GM Doug Melvin remains undecided on whether the team will pursue a contract extension for Corey Hart, writes Haudricourt. Melvin, who typically works out extensions in the spring, told Haudricourt that a Hart extension isn't something the club would address at the Winter Meetings.

Billy Butler Rumors: Tuesday

By Steve Adams | December 4, 2012 at 1:34pm CDT

Yesterday there was quite a bit of speculation regarding interest from both the Orioles and Mariners in Billy Butler. We'll keep track of any new rumors regarding Country Breakfast right here, with the latest info on top…

Although he cautions that the Royals aren't actively looking to move Wil Myers, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets that Kansas City is "definitely" more open to the idea of moving Myers than Butler.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick spoke with two sources familiar with the talks that told him speculation about a possible Butler-to-Seattle deal is "significantly overblown" (Twitter link).

Free Agent Rumors: Lannan, Escobar, Youkilis, Drew

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 12:40pm CDT

With plenty of rumors flying around the lobby of the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, we're making sure we don't let anything slip through the cracks. Here are a few morning updates from around the league on some of this winter's free agents:

Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Mets have displayed interest in the recently non-tendered John Lannan, perhaps as insurance if the team trades a starter.
Although he hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2009, Kelvim Escobar is healthy in winter ball and is drawing interest at the Winter Meetings, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

Earlier updates:

The Yankees have spoken with Kevin Youkilis' agent, reports Jack Curry of the YES Network (Twitter link). According to Curry, Youkilis would consider a one-year deal if the salary was at a "premium amount."
The Mariners are interested in free agent outfielder Nate McLouth, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
A rival evaluator tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link) that there's "no way" Stephen Drew would sign with the Yankees to be a part-time or utility player. Drew is seeking a full-time job.
Red Sox GM Ben Cherington acknowledged that giving up a draft pick to sign Nick Swisher would be a factor in Boston's pursuit of the outfielder (link via Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com).
Mike Silverman of the Boston Herald hears that the Red Sox still have a chance in the Josh Hamilton sweepstakes, but it's a long shot (Twitter link).
After getting a clean bill of health on his hand and wrist, Ian Stewart has drawn wide interest from teams looking for third base help, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Tyler Kepner of the New York Times notes (via Twitter) that Stewart could be a fit for the Yankees.
Within his latest piece for the New York Post, Ken Davidoff hears that the Mets and Ryan Ludwick are an unlikely match, and wonders if Nick Swisher could end up with the Mariners.
The Reds will meet with Ludwick's agent this morning, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The veteran outfielder could accept the offer on the table from Cincinnati, though Fay speculates that the Reds are offering two years and Ludwick wants three. A two-year deal with a third-year option might work for both sides, says Fay.
The Athletics will meet with the reps for Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima today, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
The Dodgers, Giants, Brewers, Angels, and Rays are among the teams that have inquired on free agent reliever Mark Lowe, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Scott Kazmir, who is throwing 90-94 mph in Puerto Rico, is drawing interest from a host of teams and could choose from a handful of offers soon, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. However, the Mets aren't in the mix for the lefty, tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.

Mariners Interested In Michael Bourn

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 12:36pm CDT

A new suitor has emerged for one of the top hitters remaining on the market, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, who says the Mariners are considering Michael Bourn. The Phillies continue to be in on Bourn as well, says Heyman.

The Mariners have been viewed as a player for power bats and corner outfielders, with reports connecting them to Josh Hamilton and Justin Upton, among others. However, according to Heyman, the team could decide to add a center fielder like Bourn and move Franklin Gutierrez to a corner spot. Gutierrez has been an above-average defender in center throughout his career, and I'm not sure his bat would play at a corner, but it appears the M's are exploring all their options.

Bourn is expected to sign for a little more than the five years and $75.25MM that B.J. Upton received from the Braves.

Bowden On Hamilton, Morse, Soriano, Chapman

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 11:15am CDT

In advance of his show this afternoon on SiriusXM, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and SiriusXM has been tweeting out a number of interesting tidbits from Nashville's Winter Meetings. Here are a few of the highlights from the former MLB GM (all links go to Twitter):

Bowden views the Rangers and Red Sox as the frontrunners for Josh Hamilton, with the Yankees as a dark horse. He doesn't believe Hamilton would sign with the Mariners even if Seattle made the best offer.
The Orioles, Mariners, and Rays could all approach the Nationals about trading bullpen help for Mike Morse if the Nats end up re-signing Adam LaRoche.
Don't eliminate the Dodgers as a possible landing spot for Rafael Soriano, despite their multiyear commitment to Brandon League.
After speaking with Reds manager Dusty Baker, Bowden believes Aroldis Chapman may be closing again in 2013 if it's Baker's call, which would affect Cincinnati's offseason plans. Of course, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes (on Twitter) that the decision isn't expected to be up to Baker.

M’s Pushing To Make Felix “Mariner For Life”

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 9:37am CDT

Felix Hernandez is still under contract in Seattle for two more seasons, but the Mariners are hoping to keep him around a lot longer than that. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter), the M' have broached the subject of a new multiyear deal for King Felix, in hopes of making him a "Mariner for life." Although Heyman classifies the talks as very preliminary, he says Seattle is pushing to make something happen.

GM Jack Zduriencik, who has insisted for years that his ace is unavailable via trade, told Greg Johns of MLB.com back in October that he hopes to keep Hernandez in Seattle long-term. More recently, Zduriencik appeared on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM with Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette on Monday (audio link) and confirmed the Mariners have spoken to Felix about an extension.

Hernandez will only be 28 years old when his current contract expires, so if Seattle is serious about making him a "Mariner for life," it would mean adding a significant number of years to the end of that deal.

AL East Notes: O’s, Morse, Red Sox, Yankees

By Luke Adams 2 | December 4, 2012 at 9:04am CDT

With Day Two of the Winter Meetings underway, let's round up a few notable links related to AL East clubs….

As they continue to search for a big bat, one name on the Orioles' shopping list is Mike Morse, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, who tweets that the O's have interest in the Nationals slugger. We heard yesterday that Baltimore's interest in Morse was "lukewarm" and that GM Mike Rizzo hadn't been in contact with the Orioles yet in Nashville, though that could change.
Alex Speier of WEEI.com examines the possibility of the Red Sox trading a catcher in the wake of the Mike Napoli signing, noting that the Mariners, Mets, Yankees, White Sox, and Dodgers are among the teams looking to add a backstop.
While Joel Sherman of the New York Post acknowledges that the Yankees would listen to offers on Curtis Granderson and Phil Hughes, he notes that team executives say the goal is still to win in 2013, and that replacing Granderson's and Hughes' production in the short-term would be tricky (Twitter links).

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