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Nationals, Cardinals Interested In Jeff Weaver?

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Whither Jeff Weaver?  We haven’t heard much about potential destinations for the 31 year-old righty.  Probably has to do with his 6.20 ERA last year, but at least he’s healthy.

Jeff’s younger brother Jered piped up yesterday, saying that the Nationals and Cardinals have expressed interest.  Hard to say if that interest is current or just occurred at some point this winter.  But either team would do well to bring him in on a minor league deal.  If he’s holding out for a Major League contract it may be time to adjust expectations. 

When teams have their rotations all lined up on paper during the spring, with their rose-colored glasses on, adding a guy like Weaver isn’t terribly appealing.  But perhaps this year Scott Boras will try a new ploy with Weaver and Kyle Lohse by letting them sit out until April or even May.  We’ve seen the mercenary thing with Roger Clemens, but not so much with healthy, younger pitchers.  A few starters get injured, others don’t pan out, and suddenly maybe Lohse and Weaver cause bidding wars.

Odds and Ends: Johnson, Ponson, Nady

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Ever lose a contact in the bathroom and scour for it for hours?  That was my morning.  Good times.  On to the links.

  • Friend of MLBTR Susan Slusser notes that the Giants had two scouts watching the A’s on Wednesday.  One guy they might have been eyeing is first baseman Dan Johnson.  It seems that Johnson, who is out of options, may be able to linger around on the A’s roster until at least mid-April given the expanded rosters for the Japan series.  And since Slusser’s article we’ve learned that Daric Barton’s hand injury is more serious than initially thought.  That could buy Johnson even more time if the A’s aren’t ready to trade him.
  • The Cardinals, Mariners, Royals, and Diamondbacks, Astros, and Rangers were among teams with scouts watching Sidney Ponson touch 94mph today.  He’s stopped drinking and lost some weight; who knows, maybe he can help an NL club.
  • Peter Abraham views Joba Chamberlain’s recent comments with a little skepticism.
  • MLB.com’s Marty Noble calls a Mets trade for Xavier Nady "quite unlikely," though an anonymous Mets player likes the idea.

Odds and Ends: Ponson, Inge, Papelbon

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Let’s round up some Monday morning links.

  • The Cardinals are taking another look at Sidney Ponson.  Insert your own punchline in the comments.
  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun could see the O’s making a minor trade for a veteran second baseman if they acquire Ronny Cedeno but not Eric Patterson in a Brian Roberts deal with the Cubs.
  • Brandon Inge is trying his best to talk his way out of town.  The Dodgers’ recently reported nibble hasn’t been publicly shot down, so that’s a plus.
  • South Side Sox thinks speedy infielder Eugenio Velez is the type of player the White Sox could desire for Joe Crede.
  • Jonathan Papelbon wants $900K in his last year before arbitration eligibility.  Ryan Howard set a scary precedent last year.  If Papelbon doesn’t get offered something close, he’d rather make a statement and be renewed near the minimum.
  • Buster Olney suggests Dan Johnson and Doug Mientkiewicz could be possibilities for the Mets in their quest for a backup first baseman.  Olney speculated on Nick Johnson, Scott Hatteberg, Richie Sexson, Tony Clark, and Kevin Millar the day before.

Managers On The Hot Seat

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It is a slow news day, so we are going to venture a bit off the beaten path…As spring training is now in full swing, a number of managers may have their jobs on the line during the ’08 season. Three managers are in the final year of their deals and another 12 managers have two years left on their contracts. This second group will be due either an extension or a pink slip next winter as few teams are willing to play out a season with a lame-duck manager. Therefore, any manager with two years remaining on their contracts (including options) will likely have their fate determined prior to the ’09 season.

Ignoring managers that may be on the hot seat for other reasons (i.e. Willie Randolph), here is a list of managers that could potentially have their jobs on the line in ’08 based on their current contract situations. (Numbers in parentheses represent the number of years remaining on current contract)

  • Cecil Cooper, HOU (2)
  • Bob Geren, OAK (1+1 team option)
  • John Gibbons, TOR (1)
  • Bobby Cox, ATL (1)
  • Ned Yost, MIL (1+1 team option)
  • Tony LaRussa (2)
  • Bruce Bochy (2)
  • John McLaren, SEA (1)
  • Fredi Gonzalez, FLA (2)
  • Dave Trembley, BAL (1+1 team option)
  • Bud Black, SD (1+1 team option)
  • Joe Maddon, TB (2)
  • Clint Hurdle, COL (2)
  • Jim Leyland, DET (2)
  • Ron Gardenhire, MIN (2)

Taking a closer look at the list…Of the managers in the final year of their deal, Cox will be back if he chooses. LaRussa and Leyland may very well enter ’09 without new deals considering their ages. Yost, Gardenhire, Hurdle and Black look like locks for extensions prior to ’09. However, the remaining eight names on the list (Cooper, Geren, Bochy, Gonzalez, Trembley, Maddon, Gibbons, McLaren) may very well be managing for their jobs in ’08.

By Cork Gaines

Rosenthal’s Latest: Lohse, Furcal, Lofton

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FOX’s Ken Rosenthal checks in with the latest buzz from Spring Training.

  • The Mets, Cardinals, and Orioles are listed as possibilities for Kyle Lohse.  However, the Mets may deem him unnecessary, reports are conflicting on the Cards’ interest, and the Orioles are wary of the price.
  • Rosenthal says Rafael Furcal’s agent met with Ned Colletti a few days ago, but the Dodgers would likely want to see Furcal return to form before entertaining an extension.  Click here to see the other shortstops eligible for free agency after the ’08 season.  The Dodgers may have a viable replacement for Furcal in defensive whiz Chin-Lung Hu.
  • Rosenthal notes that the Yankees, in search of a right-handed outfielder, considered Shannon Stewart and Mike Cameron this winter.
  • Kenny Lofton’s chances of a getting the big league deal he wants with the Reds or Twins look slim. 
  • The rumor going around for Corey Patterson is the Marlins, if the price is right.
  • Rosenthal confirms two additions for our 2008 Out Of Options list – Gabe Gross and Clint Barmes.
  • Rosenthal says the Mets need a right-handed hitter who can play left field and first base.  Here are some names I came up with: Ryan Ludwick, Xavier Nady, Matt Murton, Franklin Gutierrez, and Kevin Millar.  Granted, not all those guys know their way around first base.

Odds and Ends: Spiezio, Pavano, Gross, Jackson

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Links, rumors…

Rays Never Serious About Bonds

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The whole Barry Bonds to Tampa Bay storyline has been well overblown, as Cork Gaines has written numerous times.  Jon Heyman recently talked to a "Rays person" who put the odds at 100 to 1.

Bonds’ agent, Jeff Borris, says "People are being cheated" by not being able to see Bonds play.  Interesting choice of words.  Beyond the mild Tony La Russa flirtation, Heyman notes one anonymous AL GM who wanted Bonds but had his owner veto the idea.

Let’s see what MLBTR readers think about this situation.  Will Barry Bonds play for a Major League team in 2008?  Take the survey here and look at the results here.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Roger Clemens

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Last week we looked at one face of the steroid era (Barry Bonds) and wondered where he might end up playing in 2008. Today let’s take a look at the newest face of the steroid era, Roger Clemens. Clemens has yet to decide whether to pitch in 2008.

While his friends believe that the Astros are the only option, Buster Olney suggested the Cardinals could also be an option. And while the Yankees and the Red Sox have shown zero interest, we can’t rule out a mid-season return to either team. Both have question marks in their rotations, and if the proposed solutions don’t pan out, they will be in the market for a proven pitcher in July, no matter what Hank Steinbrenner says now. Another team that could be a darkhorse after the All-Star break is the New York Mets. We learned yesterday that they have tried trading Orlando Hernandez, as there appear to be serious concerns about his health. And if the Mets are fighting for a playoff spot in July, memories of last year’s collapse with the added pressure of having added Johan Santana will fuel the effort to win "at any cost." Let’s also not forget that 11 more wins would put Rocket into the Top 5 all-time and 20 wins (2009?) would make Clemens the third winningest pitcher ever, behind only Cy Young and Walter Johnson. Let’s take a look at what some are thinking about Clemens in the Blogosphere.

If there is a topic you would like to see covered in "Baseball Blogs Weigh In" please let me know HERE.

  • The Redbird Blog does not see Clemens as a difference-maker for the Cardinals, and wonder if it is worth signing him.
  • C70 At The Bat does not think that the Cardinals pitching situation is as dire as some have portrayed, so the need for Clemens may be minimal.
  • My Baseball Bias reiterates what Hank Steinbrenner stated…Clemens will not pitch for the Yankees. They also think that the Astros are the only logical destination for Clemens.
  • Center Field feels that the Phillies would be a good match based on an actual letter sent from PETA to Clemens urging him to become a vegetarian.

And that’s it from the Blogosphere. Is Roger Clemens pitching in ’08 a non-story? Is there a team out there that we are not considering that the Rocket could help this season? Let us know in the comments.

By Cork Gaines

David Wells Denied By Cardinals

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David Wells’ agent, Gregg Clifton, reached out to the Cardinals recently to see if his client could assist them  with their early season rotation uncertainty.   It’s been said that Boomer, 44, is looking to make about 20 starts this year.  He earned $3MM in ’07.

Derrick Goold says the Cardinals prefer their in-house options over Wells.  What does PECOTA have to say about this?

David Wells – 4.55 ERA
Anthony Reyes – 4.32 ERA
Brad Thompson – 4.29 ERA
Todd Wellemeyer – 4.39 ERA

Seems the Cardinals are on track with this one.  I’m sure they’d be ecstatic to get those ERAs out of that trio.  Goold says the Cards will continue to track free agents.  Kyle Lohse and Jeff Weaver are two who are healthy right now, if nothing else.  As for Roger Clemens, the Cards aren’t terribly interested given Clemens’ probable late start.

La Russa Suggested Bonds

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Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Cardinals manager once again suggested the team consider signing Barry Bonds this winter.  GM John Mozeliak and company decided to pass on the idea.  They’ve already brought in Juan Gonzalez as an aging wild card slugger, anyway.

A St. Louis talk show host, Kevin Slaten, recently started a feud with La Russa over the manager’s steroid connections and his unwillingness to discuss them.

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