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Reds Interested In Fred Lewis

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The Reds are looking for a versatile outfielder who bats from the left side and they are now interested in Fred Lewis, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The 30-year-old played all three outfield positions for the Blue Jays last year and boasts a .280/.354/.442 line against right-handed pitching in his five-year MLB career. That would make him a natural complement to Jonny Gomes, Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey, who all bat right-handed. Lewis is precisely the type of player the Reds would like to add.

“What we’re looking for is veteran outfielder, preferably a left-handed hitting outfielder," GM Walt Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer last week.

The team is also considering Scott Podsednik, who is versatile and left-handed, like Lewis. The Blue Jays non-tendered Lewis in December and he has since drawn interest from the Indians, Tigers, Mets and others. The Rays also checked in on Lewis, according to Morosi (on Twitter). However, their interest appears to be "extremely limited."

Lewis hit 31 doubles last year and posted a .262/.332/.414 line in 480 plate appearances for the Blue Jays.

Odds & Ends: Greinke, Young, Rangers, MacLane

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Links for Sunday….

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman says the "word is" that the Nationals offered Zack Greinke a big contract extension in an effort to entice him to join their team (Twitter links). He simply didn't believe the Nats could win, so he instead waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers. 
  • A source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Rangers and Rockies have not had any serious talks about Michael Young in the last week, so if he does get traded, it will likely be to a team that did not show much interest in him at the Winter Meetings (Twitter links). 
  • Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News offers a "semi-educated guess" that if the Rangers do sign Adrian Beltre, they'll shift Young to a DH/utility role rather than trade him (Twitter link).
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman passes along a Japanese report that has the Orix Buffaloes set to acquire Evan MacLane from the Cardinals. An official announcement is expected soon.
  • Cole Hamels and the Phillies haven't yet begun discussions for a multiyear extension, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted when he examined the Phillies' four aces, Hamels is arbitration eligible after next season and can become a free agent after 2012.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider required) shares a list of 36 potential MLB storylines for 2011. Olney's list includes the Albert Pujols negotiations, Heath Bell trade talks, and C.C. Sabathia's out clause.
  • The Jason Bartlett trade potentially opened up a spot on the 25-man roster for long-time Rays' farmhand Elliot Johnson, according to Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
  • WEEI's Rob Bradford and Alex Speier attempt to determine whether Hideki Okajima is likely to rebound for the Red Sox in 2011.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASN can't see the Orioles signing a full-time DH now that Derrek Lee is on board.
  • Police say Alfredo Simon is the primary suspect in a fatal shooting in the Dominican Republic, reports the Associated Press (via the Miami Herald). Simon insists he was not involved in the incident, according to Orioles Dominican representative Felipe Alou Jr.

Cafardo On Blanton, Beltre, Indians, LaRoche

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe names ten teams who might reap the benefits of bargain shopping as the winter winds down. The Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Angels top the list of clubs Cafardo thinks could make discounted moves in the coming weeks. Here are the rest of his hot stove notes:

  • While the Mets will be hunting for affordable starting pitching options, don't expect the Phillies to trade Joe Blanton within the division.
  • The Angels are making sure they don't bid against themselves on Adrian Beltre, and could eventually land the third baseman for a lesser price than Scott Boras is seeking.
  • The Indians could make some more moves if they want to continue stockpiling prospects. Other teams would have interest in players like Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, and Fausto Carmona, while Cleveland would "love to trade" Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner.
  • The Nationals "know it’s tough to get players to buy into the future of the team," writes Cafardo. As such, they may eventually commit to Adam LaRoche for the three years he's looking for.
  • Jim Masteralexis, Manny Delcarmen's agent, says several teams are interested in his client, and Cafardo warns not to bet against the Rays.
  • Carl Pavano may make a decision this week, and it appears that while he'd prefer to return to Minnesota, the Nationals will offer the better contract. Of course, we already saw one top free agent pitcher choose comfort over more guaranteed money, when Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies.

Several Teams Interested In Brian Fuentes

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SATURDAY: Having added Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox appear out of the running for Fuentes, tweets Heyman. However, the Rays, Yankees, and a handful of other teams are still showing interest.

THURSDAY: The Rays appear to be very interested in Fuentes and are pursuing him, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.

TUESDAY: SI's Jon Heyman pegs the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Twins, Pirates, Phillies, Brewers, Yankees, and Mets as teams with some interest in free agent lefty reliever Brian Fuentes.

If Fuentes is still looking for Scott Downs money, as ESPN's Buster Olney suggested 12 days ago, many of those eleven teams will drop out.  I'm skeptical the Red Sox would sign Fuentes, as he'd be a luxury and they'd be hit with a 30% added tax.  The Blue Jays appear close with Octavio Dotel, the Rockies just added Matt Lindstrom, the Brewers signed Takashi Saito, the Yankees added Pedro Feliciano, the Twins have big commitments to Joe Nathan and Matt Capps, and the Phillies and Mets appear nearly tapped out on payroll.

The Blue Jays, Rays, Mariners, Twins, Pirates, Yankees, and Mets do seem destined to add relievers, though I can see a shift toward a buyer's market a few weeks from now.

The Rays & Brian Fuentes

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Multiple reports have linked the Rays to Brian Fuentes since Tuesday, so their interest in the left-hander appears legitimate. Let's start to determine whether there's a fit here by analyzing the Rays' needs and Fuentes' asking price:

What Fuentes can offer the Rays

  • The Rays' 'pen features new faces like Joel Peralta and Adam Russell, but lacks a clear late inning option for Joe Maddon. Fuentes, a four-time All-Star, could be an effective closer in 2011. He posted a 2.81 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 last year, saving 24 games. 
  • He's durable enough to have appeared in over 45 games for eight consecutive seasons. 
  • Fuentes would also balance out the team's bullpen, which lacks established southpaws now that Randy Choate has signed with the Marlins.
  • He's a fly ball pitcher, but Tampa is not a bad destination for pitchers who induce lots of fly balls, since the Rays outfield ranked third in baseball in UZR/150 last year. That stat takes Carl Crawford's standout defense into consideration, but remember that the candidates to replace Crawford are capable defenders. Matt Joyce's defense was strong in limited 2010 action and Desmond Jennings has a reputation as an athletic defender, too.
  • Fuentes is quite effective against lefties, but against righties his walk rate rises (to 4.2 BB/9 in his career) and his strikeout rate dips (to 9.2 K/9 in his career).

What the Rays can offer Fuentes

  • They probably can't offer more than $5MM per season on a multiyear deal, but that's what Fuentes is looking for, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. They can offer him the chance to close games, an opportunity that only certain teams can offer.
  • Fuentes has reportedly drawn interest from 11 teams, but not all of them can offer him a role on a contender. The Rays won't be the favorites to win the AL East in 2011, but could contend for the playoffs. 

The price figures to be a point of contention for the Rays and Fuentes' representatives at Beverly Hills Sports Council. But from a baseball standpoint, the match makes sense. The Rays could balance out their righty-heavy 'pen with Fuentes, who could become the team's go-to reliever in critical late-inning situations.

Rosenthal On Fuentes, Soriano, Keppinger

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The Red Sox, Rays, Yankees and Twins are among the many teams interested in Brian Fuentes, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. There’s some question as to whether Fuentes is truly a closer, but his asking price suggests he views himself as one. Here’s the latest on Fuentes and more notes from around the majors:

  • Fuentes is asking for over $5MM per season on a multiyear deal, according to Rosenthal.
  • The Yankees are not after Rafael Soriano, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter). They have inquired on the Scott Boras client, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. 
  • Talks between the Yankees and Jeff Keppinger went nowhere, Rosenthal reports (on Twitter). The Astros have acquired Clint Barmes and Bill Hall this offseason, making Keppinger expendable. The Yankees, however, could rely on Eduardo Nunez instead.

Unfinished Business: AL East

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MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has already examined the remaining needs for teams in the AL Central, AL West, NL East, NL Central and NL West. To round out the series, I'm going to take a look at the remaining needs for the AL East clubs:

  • Orioles: First baseman, right-handed reliever, left-handed reliever, starter. The Orioles are targeting Derrek Lee, and Adam LaRoche has been on their radar all offseason. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Andy MacPhail move on to DH types if he doesn't sign Lee or LaRoche. The club is also interested in right-handed relievers like Kevin Gregg, Jon Rauch and Grant Balfour and could bring a lefty like Will Ohman or Mark Hendrickson aboard. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reported ten days ago that the O's would like to add a veteran pitcher and had spoken to Marcus Thames' agent.
  • Red Sox: left-handed reliever. Felix Doubront, Rich Hill and Andrew Miller give the Red Sox three southpaws, so they may have all the left-handed relief they need. But Boston has been linked to Brian Fuentes all month and could pursue him. Jed Lowrie's strong finish to the 2010 season means the Red Sox don't have a pressing need for infielders, but MLB.com's Ian Browne recently suggested that the team could add a utility type player. Boston could also listen to offers for Mike Cameron, but he does provide value to the Red Sox.
  • Yankees: starter, right-handed outfielder. The rest of the Yankees' offseason centers on Andy Pettitte's decision, since that will determine whether Brian Cashman has to pursue a Jeff Francis/Freddy Garcia type or rely on Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre. The team will likely add a fourth outfielder who bats right handed and consider utility infielders and relievers.
  • Rays: closer, DH/first baseman. The Rays' biggest need is for back-end bullpen help, and they have expressed interest in a number of free agents. Rafael Soriano will sign elsewhere, but the Rays could look for a bargain arm. They could enter the season with some combination of Matt Joyce, Justin Ruggiano and Leslie Anderson at DH, but many free agent bats are available and DHs like Jim Thome and Johnny Damon would be fits in Tampa. The Rays have limited resources, and it seems like they're content to open the season with the relatively inexperienced Elliot Johnson as the backup middle infielder. The rotation is deep enough for the Rays to consider trading a starter, such as Matt Garza or James Shields.
  • Blue Jays: hitter, left-handed relief help. The Blue Jays will likely add a bat at some point, and they have the flexibility to add one at a number of positions. Adding a first baseman or DH could limit playing time for Adam Lind or Edwin Encarnacion, but the two would create a strong offensive platoon. If the Blue Jays want to play Lind and Encarnacion every day, they can add a third baseman or right fielder and play Jose Bautista at the vacant position. The team lost Scott Downs this winter and could puruse left-handed relievers. David Purcey, Brad Mills, Rommie Lewis and Jesse Carlson give the team internal options, but Jon Heyman of SI.com reported that the Jays have some interest in Brian Fuentes.

Rays Notes: Bullpen, First Base, DH

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The Rays find themselves in a difficult position as the 2011 season approaches. Forced to cut payroll, they've lost Carlos Pena, Carl Crawford, (presumably) Rafael Soriano, and most of their bullpen to free agency, and traded Jason Bartlett as he approaches his final arbitration year.

Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times looks at some of the issues left to be addressed as the Rays begin bargain shopping this offseason:

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Blanton, Garza, LaRoche

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This has been a pretty good few months for Giants fans.  Not only did their team end a 56-year World Series drought, but now TV announcers Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper are close to six-year extensions to continue broadcasting Giants games, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Onto some other Thursday news…

  • Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com looks at Hal Steinbrenner's "frugal approach" and how it won't go over well in New York if the Yankees don't win.
  • Andy Pettitte has delayed his retirement decision long enough that if he does choose to return next year, he's already behind on his preseason preparations, observes ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
  • In an MLB.com mailbag, Ian Browne thinks the Red Sox will look to acquire a veteran backup infielder or "a Bill Hall-type who can play the infield and outfield."
  • The Yankees have "had internal chats" about signing Manny Ramirez, tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network.  Curry rates the odds of Ramirez in pinstripes as even slimmer than those of the Yanks signing Johnny Damon, which Curry says "is also unlikely."
  • With the pitching market so thin, baseball sources tell MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Phillies shouldn't have any trouble dealing Joe Blanton and might not even have to eat much of the $17MM Blanton is owed through 2012.
  • MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez and Matthew Leach go point/counterpoint on whether or not the Rays should be shopping Matt Garza.
  • Buck Showalter denies reports that the Orioles have made a three-year, $21MM offer to Adam LaRoche, tweets MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.
  • ESPN's Keith Law chats with fans about a number of topics, including the Zack Greinke trade, Kerry Wood's deal with the Cubs, and various teams' minor league systems and prospects.
  • Speaking of the Greinke trade, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon explains why Cincinnati didn't make a move for the ace right-hander and discusses other Reds-related matters in a fan mailbag.
  • In a separate piece, Sheldon writes that the Reds will look internally to replace Arthur Rhodes, who agreed to a contract with Texas today.

Angels Notes: Damon, Podsednik

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It's no secret that the Angels may add an outfielder. They lost out on Carl Crawford, but have interest in a couple free agents. Here's the latest:

  • Along with the Rays and Yankees, the Angels are one of Johnny Damon’s top three choices, according to Newsday’s Ken Davidoff. The Yankees have discussed financial parameters about a deal that would pay Damon a “respectable” amount, but less than the $8MM he earned in 2010. Damon has been linked to the Yankees and Rays this offseason, but it's the first time we've seen him connected to the Angels.
  • The Angels and Reds are two of "a few" teams interested in Scott Podsednik, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
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