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Quick Hits: Coffey, Nats, Upton, Phillips, Andino

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It's been a busy first day of the Winter Meetings at MLBTR, so let's use this opportunity to catch up on a few Monday items that may have slipped through the cracks…

  • Todd Coffey is drawing interest from the Mets and Brewers, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Brew Crew haven't expressed any interest in bringing back another righty, LaTroy Hawkins, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
  • The Nationals may revisit their search for a center fielder after the non-tender deadline, so they can see if any bargain options hit the market, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
  • B.J. Upton is one center fielder who may be on the trade market, but Morosi hears interest in the Rays' speedster has been "mild" so far (Twitter link).
  • GM Walt Jocketty suggested to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that extension talks between the Reds and Brandon Phillips may hinge on the number of years the club feels comfortable offering.
  • Orioles infielder Robert Andino is drawing trade interest from teams who could use him as a starting shortstop, tweets MASN's Roch Kubatko.
  • GM Dan Duquette said the Orioles have several "irons in the fire" and is optimistic about making at least one move during the Winter Meetings, says Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com.
  • There are indications that the Mariners have talked to the Rockies about Seth Smith's availability, says MLB.com's Greg Johns.

Five Teams Considering Carlos Guillen

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The Royals, Marlins, Twins, Athletics, and Mariners are interested in Carlos Guillen, agent Wilfredo Polidor told Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles (link in Spanish).  Guillen, 36, has missed increasing amounts in each of the last three seasons due to injuries.  However, Polidor says his client is working like an animal in Miami and can help at almost any position.

Guillen began his big league career with the Mariners and was traded to the Tigers in January of '04. The M's will meet with Polidor at the Winter Meetings to discuss the possiblity of bringing his client back to Seattle, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times (on Twitter).

Manny Ramirez Files For Reinstatement

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MONDAY, 4:37am: Olney tweets that it's "unlikely, but possible" that the Rays will show interest in bringing Ramirez back.

SUNDAY, 8:44pm: In a news release, MLB has confirmed that Ramirez has applied for reinstatement and will serve a 50-game suspension, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

8:32pm: The Rays aren't expected to have any interest in signing Ramirez again, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.

6:04pm: The Mariners are probably not interested in signing Ramirez, a source tells Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

4:01pm: Olney tweets that the early response from evaluators around baseball is that an AL team will give Manny a non-roster invite to Spring Training to see if he can still hit. Olney also speculates that the following teams will have no interest in Ramirez: the Red Sox, Yankees, Royals, Tigers, White Sox, Indians, Twins, Rangers, Angels, and A's (more Twitter links).

3:14pm: A source tells ESPN's Buster Olney that Ramirez has already filed for reinstatement and that he will indeed serve a 50-game suspension rather than 100. Ramirez is currently working out in Florida. He and his agents have told teams that he is ready to begin discussions. Ramirez's suspension clock wouldn't begin until he signs a contract (all Twitter links).

2:22pm: Morosi clarifies that the Players' Union will argue that Ramirez effectively served his 100-game suspension last season. MLB will need to apply some form of punishment though, and Morosi says a 50-game suspension is a likely compromise. The 50-game violation isn't official, but both sides "seem amenable to it," says Morosi (Twitter links).

1:55pm: Manny Ramirez apparently isn't done "being Manny" yet. The troubled slugger will file for reinstatement from Major League Baseball's voluntary retired list according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Ramirez has hired agents Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro, and will be eligible to play in the 2012 season following a 50-game suspension, though his initial punishment was a 100-game suspension.

Ramirez signed a one-year deal to be the Rays' primary designated hitter last season, but abruptly retired in the season's first week after he tested positive for a banned substance for the second time in his career.

Without the PED controversy, the 39-year-old's career numbers would make him a lock for the Hall of Fame. He owns a career .312/.411/.585 triple slash line with 555 long balls. Those credentials are obviously questionable in light of drug testing though, and nearly 74% of MLBTR readers who responded to this April poll said they didn't feel Ramirez should make it to Cooperstown.

Morosi’s Winter Meetings Preview

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Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports covers some of the major headlines that we'll be seeing over the next four days during baseball's Winter Meetings. Here's a late night look at the highlights:

  • Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder are still the headliners, and Morosi thinks that Pujols will sign first (although not necessarily this week). Once Pujols signs — Morosi predicts he'll remain in St. Louis — it's possible that his the increased number of suitors for Fielder will land him more money than Pujols. Fielder, of course, is also four years younger than Pujols.
  • Fielder prefers teams east of the Mississippi River and teams that can win the World Series in the near future. The list of known interested parties includes the Brewers, Mariners, Cubs, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Nationals. Seattle's rebuilding status and geographic location may remove them from the mix, while the uncertainty around how much Chicago's new front office is willing to spend may remove them as well.
  • Morosi doesn't think Angels GM Jerry Dipoto would've moved Tyler Chatwood without knowing the acquisition of another starting pitcher was close at hand.
  • The Twins remain interested in Edwin Jackson, according to Morosi's sources, but the Scott Boras client isn't likely to sign before fellow free agents C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle.
  • The availability of Andrew Bailey, Huston Street, and Brandon League slows down the market for free agent closers, and Morosi speculates that a few wise teams in search of closers will be able to wait out veteran bargains as potential closing gigs dwindle.
  • The Yankees, Tigers, Marlins, and Nationals have been the most active in scouting Yoenis Cespedes. While he's not a free agent yet, his market will be dictated by whether or not teams like Miami and Washington land their other targets at the Winter Meetings and in the coming weeks. Detroit would be most interested if they decide that Cespedes can bat leadoff for them right away.
  • Robert Whiting, an expert on Japanese baseball, told Morosi over the weekend that there's still no word on whether or not Yu Darvish will be posted.
  • Whiting told Morosi that Darvish became disillusioned with the posting process, partly because of the failure of Hisashi Iwakuma and the A's to work out a deal last year. He is also wary of the struggles and ridicule that other NPB stars have incurred in their transition to MLB, Whiting told Morosi.

Prince Fielder Rumors: Sunday

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At just 27 years of age, Prince Fielder owns 230 career home runs and three consecutive seasons of an OBP north of .400. He hasn't played in fewer than 157 games in a full season, despite his hulking frame. All of that will contribute to what's likely to be plenty of Prince Fielder rumors at this week's Winter Meetings. Let's run down today's:

  • There is some growing optimism that Fielder could remain with the Brewers, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Knobler cites the slowly developing market for Fielder and the aggressiveness of owner Mark Attanasio as the reasons, noting that Attanasio seems to be indicating he wants to make a real effort to re-sign Prince.
  • Fielder is not a target for the Nationals, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter).  The Nats already have Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse at first base.
  • The Blue Jays have plenty of spending money and appear to be in the mix for Fielder, writes SI.com's Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
  • Heyman also tweets that he's received some conflicting reports on the Mariners' involvement in Fielder. Two executives say they "badly want" Fielder, while two Mariners sources say they have little money to spend. 

Cubs, Diamondbacks Interested In Stewart

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SUNDAY: The Orioles, Mariners, Pirates, and Angels have also inquired on Ian Stewart, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

6:13pm: In addition to the Cubs, the Diamondbacks are also interested in Stewart, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.  The 26-year-old is very likely to go somewhere, according to Heyman.

FRIDAY: The Rockies think highly enough of Stewart that they would not consider trading him for DeWitt, according to Renck.

11:39am: The Rockies have already moved Ty Wigginton and Chris Iannetta this offseason, and they're reportedly open to dealing Ian Stewart and Huston Street as well. Troy Renck of The Denver Post reports that Colorado has asked the Cubs for Blake DeWitt in exchange for Stewart, but talks between the two clubs have since cooled.

DeWitt, 26, is a left-handed bat with experience at second, third, and in left field. He's hit .258/.309/.396 with nine homers in 447 plate appearances for the Cubbies after coming over in the deal that sent Ted Lilly to the Dodgers at the 2010 trade deadline. Renck says the Rockies would prefer to get a pitcher in any deal involving Stewart as well.

Quick Hits: Nakajima, Wilson, Pena, Mariners, A’s

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Some late night links from around the league…

Quick Hits: Cubs, McCann, Cespedes, Smoak, Broxton

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Some links as Tuesday turns into Wednesday…

  • “Like I’ve always said, there is one person responsible for making those decisions, and one person accountable for those results,” said Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts to reporters (including Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune) when asked about the possibility of signing a player to a mammoth contract. “So if [Theo Epstein] believes strongly that’s what’s in the best interests of the team, then he’s got my support.” Earlier today we heard that the Cubs are pursuing both Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.
  • Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if the Braves will offer Brian McCann a long-term contract extension soon. The six-time All-Star will make $11.5MM in 2012 and the team holds a $12MM club option for 2013, so there's no urgency to get a deal done at the moment.
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo is currently in the Dominican Republic scouting Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. On Monday we heard that Washington views Cespedes as an alternative to Fielder.
  • The Mariners have interest in Fielder, and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says (on Twitter) that they would make Justin Smoak available in a trade if they manage to sign the free agent slugger.
  • Before he agreed to join the Royals, the Red Sox expressed interest in Jonathan Broxton according to Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald. Broxton wanted to sign before the winter meetings, and Lauber's source said that was “a little quicker than [the Sox] were comfortable with."
  • There is no more than a "10 percent" chance that Rays GM Andrew Friedman could be convinced to take the Astros GM job according to one executive that spoke to Friedman and ESPN's Jayson Stark (Twitter link).
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman offered a “would not say" to George A. King III of The New York Post when asked if he has any interest in Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima. The Seibu Lions posted Nakajima on Monday.
  • Kelvim Escobar hopes to pitch in winter ball next month, agent Peter Greenberg told Mike Puma of The New York Post (Twitter link). The 35-year-old righty hopes to get back to MLB despite having pitched in just one game since 2007.

Mariners Interested In Seth Smith

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As part of their continuing search for offense, the Mariners have interest in Rockies outfielder Seth Smith according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). It's unclear if there are any talks ongoing.

Smith, 29, is a .275/.348/.485 career hitter in parts of five seasons in Colorado. He's hit at least 15 homers in each of the last three seasons, though the advanced metrics rate his defense in the corner outfield spots as below average. The Braves are fond of him as well.

Zduriencik On Mariners Offseason

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Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik says the Mariners are looking to acquire starting pitching depth, relief help, a backup shortstop and offense this offseason. Here are more of Zduriencik's updates on the Mariners from an afternoon conference call with reporters:

  • Zduriencik declined to comment on negotiations with specific free agents, including Prince Fielder (the Mariners are interested). The GM said the Mariners may turn to the free agent market for offense if they can match up with available players in terms of years and dollars.
  • "We will explore several options, even trades," he said. "But there aren't any promises on these things. You don't know where you're going to end up at."
  • The Mariners are looking forward to bounce-back years from Franklin Gutierrez and others who struggled with injuries in 2011.
  • Zduriencik will explore ways of adding starting pitching, but feels that arms such as Taijuan Walker, James Paxton and Danny Hultzen give the Mariners pitching that may contribute soon.
  • "When you look at some arms that are pretty close and you look at some arms we have in the Major Leagues, we have some pretty strong assets here," he said.
  • The Mariners will again be a young team in 2012, but the front office will likely add some veterans to complement the existing group.
  • Zduriencik expects restrictions on spending in Latin America to have more of an effect after this year. He likes the options on the international free agent market, but isn't promising to sign any of them.
  • "There are some nice pieces out there," he said. "But they're not going to come inexpensively."
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