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Rosenthal On Dunn, Angels, Garland, Roberts

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Let’s take a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal.

  • The Dodgers won’t go after Adam Dunn until they exhaust their options with Manny Ramirez.  Rosenthal likes the Dunn-L.A. match.  Should Dunn opt for a one-year deal so he can try his hand at a weaker free agent market?
  • Rosenthal wonders if Tony La Russa and/or Albert Pujols will depart if the Cardinals do not contend in coming seasons.
  • The Angels are not in on any hitter currently, but could engage in trade talks this summer if necessary.
  • Rosenthal drives home just how difficult it would be for the Mets to move Luis Castillo.  He says the team wants to bring in a capable backup infielder such as Alex Cora, David Eckstein, or Craig Counsell.
  • The D’Backs made offers for Jon Garland and Brad Penny, but Penny signed with Boston and they’re out on Garland.  Rosenthal says the D’Backs still aren’t necessarily in the market for a starter.
  • A Brian Roberts trade is said to be a "growing possibility."

Cardinals Have Less To Spend

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Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talked to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, who indicated that the team has less money to spend than "many have surmised" (Hummel’s words).  Mozeliak makes the important point that "money off the books" doesn’t mean much since so many players are set to earn raises.

Back in September after the Kyle Lohse signing, Derrick Goold and Joe Strauss wrote:

The Cardinals had a significant hunk of contracts expire Sunday and have said they plan to be aggressive this winter with about $30 million in flexibility. 

If $30MM was the number at the outset, the Cardinals have spent about $15.5MM of that on ’09 salaries for Lohse, Khalil Greene, and others (not including Lohse’s signing bonus and Mark Mulder’s buyout).

Mozeliak told Hummel that he’s focused more on starting pitching than bullpen help currently.  Trading an outfielder remains a viable option.  Mozeliak also explained his infamous "low-hanging fruit" comment.

Odds and Ends: Saito, Teixeira, LaRoche

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More Tuesday links…

  • Over at RotoAuthority, David Chase examines more of the optimistic Spring Training reports of ’08.  Particularly interesting: did pitchers follow up on their intention to use a new pitch?
  • The Marlins’ Scott Proctor signing is official.  Also, Chan Ho Park with the Phillies.
  • Carl Pohlad’s three sons will take over for their father.
  • McCovey Chronicles trade idea: Randy Winn for Xavier Nady.
  • Add Randy Choate to the minor league deals for the Rays.
  • Economist J.C. Bradbury says "the economic downturn cannot explain the magnitude of Pat Burrell’s discount."  He believes teams are exaggerating the recession effect.
  • Keith Law says the risk in giving Milton Bradley a three-year deal "seems excessive" but notes that Bradley is an excellent hitter and above-average defender.
  • Patrick Newman learned that Takashi Saito received almost ten offers last month, including proposals from the Cardinals and Red Sox.  Newman also has new reports of various minor league-level Japanese players who want to join MLB organizations.
  • Tony Massarotti has all kinds of questions about Boston’s failure to sign Mark Teixeira.  Craig Calcaterra offers analysis on the team’s Boras relationship.  Check out stuff from today’s Yankees press conference here and here.
  • Sox Machine on how Jim Thome staying healthy messed up Ken Williams’ plans.
  • Dejan Kovacevic says Adam LaRoche would like to stay in Pittsburgh past ’09, but the team is not considering an extension.

Cardinals Rumors: Smoltz, Carpenter, Lyon

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11:53pm: More from Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Strauss suggests GM John Mozeliak hopes to swap an outfielder for a closer-quality arm.  Any suggestions?

Strauss adds that the Cardinals inquired on John Smoltz.  At least seven teams have shown some level of interest in Smoltz, who most expect to return to Atlanta.

8:20pm: The Associated Press has a slightly different take on the Cardinals’ approach to a closer. La Russa told the AP that Chris Carpenter could return to the bullpen if the club deems that move will be the best scenario for both parties:

"We want Chris pitching for us, and if I was told he couldn’t be healthy throwing 100 pitches every five days and he could be a reliever, I’d take him as a reliever."

6:36pm: St. Louis Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa told Matthew Leach of MLB.com that the Cardinals will likely look at Chris Perez or Jason Motte to close games in 2009, but La Russa also hinted that the team could sign a starter with the thoughts of moving the addition to a ninth-inning role.

La Russa said he’d like to give Perez and Motte more time to mature in the minor leagues before moving them into the role of closer for the Cardinals.

La Russa also mentioned that the list of starters who could be converted into a closer’s role is short, Leach writes. La Russa noted that the Cardinals do not want to convert one of their current starters into the closer.

La Russa said that Jason Isringhausen will not probably return to the Cardinals.  The Cardinals could sign a free-agent reliever such as Juan Cruz or Brandon Lyon.  Cruz is unlikely due to his Type A status, however. The Cards remain cool to the possibility of signing Trevor Hoffman.

La Russa did not shut the door on a closer with health issues, such as Takashi Saito or Chad Cordero. Leach also noted that club’s front office has expressed significant reservations about signing any players who are health risks.

Brown’s Latest: Abreu, Manny, Looper

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The latest from Yahoo’s Tim Brown…

  • Bobby Abreu still wants $48MM over three years, according to Brown and Gordon Edes.  Abreu may have lost three potential suitors today in the Cubs, Rays, and A’s.  Buster Olney suggests Abreu is "probably out on the ledge, more than any other player in the corner outfield market."
  • Brown says the Dodgers, Orioles, Nationals and Mariners "seem to have the most interest in adding an outfielder." Haven’t heard much about the Orioles looking for help there.
  • Brown believes the Dodgers are "sitting on their original offer of two years and $45 million guaranteed" to Manny Ramirez.  He says Scott Boras still wants four or five years at $25MM per.
  • Starters on the Dodgers’ radar: Randy Wolf, Jon Garland, and Braden Looper.  Looper might be a new name.
  • Kenshin Kawakami is apparently "drawing solid interest from the Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox, Twins and Orioles."  It’d be surprising to see Boston sign him after getting Brad Penny.

Braves Rumors: Pettitte, Glavine, Smoltz

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David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the latest hot stove info on the Braves.

  • The Braves still have roughly $25MM to spend, with a starting pitcher and a power-hitting outfielder on the shopping list.
  • Starters of interest: Derek Lowe, Andy Pettitte, and Jon Garland.  Mark Bowman of MLB.com doesn’t believe the Braves would exceed three years and $36MM for Lowe, a Boras client.
  • O’Brien isn’t sure if the Jake Peavy talks will restart.  But Frank Wren did reiterate that he wants to re-sign both Tom Glavine and John Smoltz if they’re able to pitch.
  • O’Brien notes that Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn remain on the free agent market, while the Cardinals could part with Rick Ankiel. All three bat left-handed, however.

Braves Still In Kawakami Mix?

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According to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Braves remain a possible suitor for Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.

The Japan Times has reported that Kawakami had narrowed his choices to the Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals. O’Brien’s report disputes this by saying he spoke Saturday with Kawakami’s agent, who said the Braves were still one of the teams Kawakami had on his list.

Kawakami Down To Orioles, Cardinals, Twins

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According to Wayne Craczyk of the Japan Times, Kenshin Kawakami has narrowed his options to three teams: the Orioles, Cardinals, and Twins.

Kawakami probably makes the most sense for the Cardinals out of those three. Baltimore isn’t near contention and the Twins already have a nice starting rotation. However, signing Kawakami could allow them to feel more comfortable about trading a young starter.

Perrotto’s Latest: Ramirez, Lowe

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Every Sunday we read John Perrotto’s Every Given Sunday:

  • The Giants may be considering two offers for Manny Ramirez. One for two years "with vesting and club options that could make it a four-year, $100MM contract." The other for 3 years, $63MM, with no options.
  • Derek Lowe has not given up on a five-year, $80MM offer, although that remains doubtful.
  • Barry Bonds had hip surgery and wants to return in 2009. Some still speculate he will pursue collusion charges.
  • Tony La Russa is considering using Chris Carpenter as a closer.
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