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Rosenthal’s Latest: Fielder, Beimel, Eckstein

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Ken Rosenthal is on the scene at the GM meetings, and as usual has all kinds of new info.

  • The Brewers are unlikely to trade Prince Fielder, and reluctant to trade J.J. Hardy or Alcides Escobar.  It’d be smart to retain those three players.
  • Rosenthal still likes the Braves as the favorite for Jake Peavy, but wonders if the Cubs or another team could incorporate a third team to get it done.
  • The Cubs will need to spend much of their available money on pitching, which may leave little payroll room for an outfielder like Bobby Abreu.  They could backload contracts and move some of Jason Marquis’ salary though.
  • The Mets are interested in lefty reliever Joe Beimel, as well as usual suspects Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Kerry Wood.  They also like Raul Ibanez.
  • The Cardinals could move forward with a Ryan Ludwick/Colby Rasmus/Rick Ankiel outfield, or trade one of them.  Ankiel, entering his contract year, seems most likely to go if Rasmus is ready.
  • David Eckstein is marketing himself as a second baseman for 2009.
  • Don’t look for the Phillies to move Shane Victorino in a Matt Holliday deal.
  • The Cardinals and Nationals are not contenders for A.J. Burnett.  Still no word on Burnett’s opt-out.
  • The Marlins may wait until some of the top free agent starters sign before shopping Scott Olsen.

Rockies Shopping Holliday, Atkins, Taveras

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9:11pm: According to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves are not interested in Taveras after all.

10:47am: According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post and Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News, the Rockies are shopping Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, and Willy Taveras.

Holliday, a Scott Boras client, is set to earn $13.5MM in 2009 before reaching free agency.  Ringolsby says the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Angels, Mets, and Phillies have shown interest. Renck has the Cardinals as a lurker.  The Nats may also be interested.  The Rockies will target young pitching in return.

Atkins is under team control for 2009 and 2010.  Ringolsby has the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Angels, Mets, Phillies, White Sox, and Twins as interested parties.  Renck sees the Indians as another possibility.

Taveras is also under team control through 2010.  Ringolsby says the Royals, Yankees, White Sox, and Braves are in on him, while Renck adds the Nationals.

Rockies Won’t Re-Sign Fuentes

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According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies will not be re-signing free agent closer Brian Fuentes.  Fuentes’ likely price tag – three years, $36MM+ – is just too high.  Renck believes Fuentes may even be able to snag four years given the poor market for closers after Francisco Rodriguez.

Fuentes’ agent listed the Mets, Cardinals, and Angels as interested teams.  A meeting with the Mets should come soon.  The best case for the Rockies would be the Cardinals, as the Rockies would receive their #19 pick in next year’s draft.

Cardinals’ Offseason Plans

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Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains the Cardinals’ offseason plans.  The areas of concern: middle infield, lefthanded relief, and perhaps the rotation (maybe a swingman type pitcher).  The Cards would also like an impact bat to protect Albert Pujols, but that is of lower priority.

Strauss says the Cardinals will investigate the price for Brian Fuentes and Joe Beimel.  They’ll also consider bringing Edgar Renteria back to St. Louis on a one-year deal worth considerably less than $10MM.  The Cards should have $20MM+ to spend in total.

As for trade chips, young catcher Bryan Anderson could be one.  Second baseman Adam Kennedy wants out, but has negative trade value.  The Cards could also move an outfielder.  Derrick Goold of the P-D suggests possible matches.

Odds and Ends: Rivera, Floyd, Peavy

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Links for Tuesday…

Peavy Rumors: Friday

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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.

Jake Peavy Rumors: Thursday

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2:05pm: Braves GM Frank Wren spoke to the AP today about the Peavy rumors.  He still says the Braves will not trade their top prospects.  He notes that much of the talk lately is based on questionable speculation by rival executives.

12:27am: Let’s kick things off with the freshest Jake Peavy rumors.

  • Dan Hayes of the North County Times says "as many as 14 clubs" inquired about Peavy so far, with some teams taking an aggressive approach.  Barry Axelrod and Kevin Towers want to slow things down now, have some meetings.  A trade will not be announced during the World Series and is not likely until the November 3-6 GM meetings at the earliest.  Axelrod and Towers again suggested Peavy could stay in San Diego.
  • Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says at least three Padres scouts watched Braves pitching prospect Tommy Hanson in the Arizona Fall League recently.
  • J.C. Bradbury explains that the only team that benefits from Peavy’s below-market contract is the Padres.  Is it too early in the morning for econ?
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak "all but dismissed" the idea of being in the mix for Peavy.  They have their ’08 rotation locked in, pending Chris Carpenter’s health.  They’ve already got more than $32MM committed to the current group of starters.
  • ESPN’s Keith Law does not feel that a package of Tommy Hanson, Jordan Schafer, and one of Kelly Johnson/Yunel Escobar is a reasonable expectation for Peavy.

Cardinals Rumors: Pujols, Payroll, Needs

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Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the latest Cardinals buzz…

  • The Cards are going to stand pat with their starting rotation until they learn more about Chris Carpenter’s injury.  He’ll be examined in late November.  Strauss says a swing man type acquisition is possible as insurance.
  • The Cardinals are likely to approach Albert Pujols about an extension before he enters his 2011 option year.  Pujols will earn just $16MM in each of the ’09, ’10, and ’11 seasons.  Teams must be salivating at the prospect of Pujols on the free agent market, but the Cardinals will try to prevent that.  Pitchers Hit Eighth recently did a roundtable about this very topic.
  • The ’09 payroll is projected in the $106-108MM range.  The Cardinals have $20MM+ to spend, with the exact number depending on several arbitration cases.
  • The Cardinals need middle infielders and lefthanded relievers.  Strauss says, "The club prefers to deal from its surplus of righthanded relievers, outfielders, minor-league pitching and corner infielders."  I have argued about this in chats a bit…is there really a surplus here?  To me a surplus in baseball means more starters than positions (rather than just good depth).  The Cards have a starting outfield of Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel, and Skip Schumaker, with Colby Rasmus coming on fast.  Rasmus will be a rookie, while Ankiel is a Boras client eligible for free agency after ’09.  There are other interesting players on the roster (Brian Barton, Joe Mather, Chris Duncan), but the Cards aren’t overflowing with starters.
  • Viva El Birdos contests the idea of a surplus of righty relievers, and would like to see Russ Springer re-signed.
  • Strauss says the Cardinals have yet to talk to the agents for Cesar Izturis and Felipe Lopez.  He sees players such as Rafael Furcal and Khalil Greene as possible middle infield targets.

Odds and Ends: Prior, Mulder, Cameron

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Links for Wednesday…

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