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Odds and Ends: Prior, Mulder, Cameron

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Links for Wednesday…

Odds and Ends: Dice-K, Varitek, Rolen

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Links for Monday…

  • Tim Brown and Peter Abraham offer their takes on the top free agents.
  • A note from Abraham – if Daisuke Matsuzaka finishes top three in the AL Cy Young vote, he’ll get an extra $2MM in each of the ’09 and ’10 seasons.
  • The Mariners could hire their new GM as soon as tomorrow.  Geoff Baker discussed the merits of the four candidates in two recent posts.
  • Jason Varitek was mum on his future last night.
  • Joe Frisaro has the Marlins’ 2009 payroll in the $30-35MM range.  They have 15 arbitration-eligible players.
  • I came across an interesting note about B.J. Upton.  Back in 2004, Devil Rays GM Chuck LaMar wanted to sign Upton to an unprecedented eight or nine-year contract before he reached the Majors.  The new Rays regime eventually succeeded with a similar deal for Evan Longoria.
  • The Diamondbacks signed a Korean high school catcher named Kim Jae-yoon for $150K.
  • Jordan Bastian would be stunned if Scott Rolen exercises his right to opt out of his contract or demand a trade.
  • T.R. Sullivan says the Rangers are not in the running for C.C. Sabathia.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman looks at how the Phillies were built.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Peavy Suitors, Lowe, Cardinals, Marlins

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up, focusing largely on suitors for Jake Peavy, but also touching on some other news at the end… so let’s take a look!

  • Rosenthal states that the following teams have been speculated to be suitors for the Padres’ ace: Braves, Angels, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Cardinals, Brewers, Rays, Rangers. While all of these are not serious possibilities, he elaborates on each team. He mentions Yunel Escobar as a likely centerpiece from Atlanta, and states that the Angels would love to acquire a frontline starter to allow them to send Ervin Santana and/or Joe Saunders to Colorado in a deal for Matt Holliday and/or Garrett Atkins. Rosenthal states that Howie Kendrick could be a big part of any trade, but his health seems like too serious of a concern to me. Rosenthal speculates on the possibility of a dominant rotation for the Yankees if they traded for Peavy and signed C.C. Sabathia. One rival executive’s speculative package for Boston included Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and Justin Masterson. The Padres will likely charge the Dodgers considerably more for Peavy’s service, as they are division rivals. He lists Rickie Weeks and J.J. Hardy as a possible centerpiece for a Milwaukee blockbuster, but also points out that Ben Sheets has made the Brewers wary of injury concerns. The other teams don’t seem to match up well, in Rosenthal’s opinion.
  • Rosenthal says that he was wrong in stating that Derek Lowe would prefer to remain on the West Coast. Lowe has now told him that he’d prefer to go East, with Boston being his top choice. He reiterated this desire to the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo.
  • The Cardinals prefer a short-term solution for their closer situation, and will likely give Chris Perez the ninth inning job, or seek a lower-budget option through the trade market. They may also trade a young outfielder for an established bat at a corner OF position.
  • Kevin Gregg is still likely to be traded (perhaps an option for St. Louis), and four teams have asked Florida about Jeremy Hermida. Rosenthal speculates that the Marlins will begin 2009 with Cameron Maybin in center field and Cody Ross in right.

Odds and Ends: Beltran, Brewers, Padres

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Links for Friday…

Odds and Ends: Bonds, Crow, Odalis Perez

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Links for Tuesday…

  • Barry Bonds is enjoying his freedom.
  • MLB.com has a list of all the potential free agents. The Dodgers lead with 14, while the Royals and Giants have only two.
  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin may get an extension soon.
  • Rich Harden will have a shoulder exam soon, which will inform the Cubs’ decision on his $7MM option.
  • MLB.com’s Matthew Leach sees the Cardinals letting starter Braden Looper leave, but attempting to re-sign infielder Felipe Lopez.
  • The Kansas City Star’s Bill Reiter catches up with Aaron Crow, who is basically just chillin’ right now.  MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel says the Royals like Crow, but he may not be around when they draft 12th in 2009.
  • Ken Rosenthal agrees that the Rays owe their success to much more than just top draft picks.
  • Pete McElroy notes that Odalis Perez would love to re-sign with the Nationals.  Perez pitched 159.2 respectable innings but earned less than a million bucks.
  • Eddie Bajek has his final Elias rankings for NL relievers.  Type As: Ryan Dempster, Russ Springer, Juan Cruz, Doug Brocail, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, and Jason Isringhausen.  Type Bs: Joe Beimel, Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Shouse, Bob Howry, David Weathers, Trevor Hoffman, Eric Gagne, and Brandon Lyon.  If one of these players is offered arbitration, turns it down, and signs elsewhere, his old team gets one or two draft picks.
  • MLB.com’s Spencer Fordin doesn’t see the need for the Orioles to sign Jeremy Guthrie to a long-term deal this winter.

Olney: Young Starters On Trade Market

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ESPN’s Buster Olney names three young starting pitchers who might be available this winter:  Jake Peavy, Zack Greinke, Matt Cain, and Edwin Jackson.

Peavy is 27; his trade value is off the charts.  He’s under contract for the next four seasons at a below-market $59MM total.  In 2013, his $22MM club option could be seen as a discount as well – remember when A.J. Burnett at $11MM a year was crazy?  The A’s received a six-prospect bounty for three years of Dan Haren; Peavy suitors will have to top that.  Peavy will also need to be compensated to waive his no-trade clause.

Greinke would require a package of players rivaling return the Orioles received for Erik Bedard.  Middle infield, catcher, and center field could be areas the Royals look to address.

It’d be three years of Cain, so put his price somewhere between Greinke and Peavy.  Jackson is also under team control for three years, but he’d be the easiest to acquire of the four.

Odds and Ends: Sabathia, Price, Reds, Mariners, Cardinals

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Ken Rosenthal says that the Brewers’ decision to start CC Sabathia on three days’ rest could hurt the free-agent hurler right before he hits the open market. And he says David Price, coming out of the bullpen, could do for the Rays this posteason what Francisco Rodriguez did for the Angels in 2002.

Dusty Baker likes the Reds’ chances in 2009. Even though they’ve got nine free agents, Baker likes their "young nucleus" and speed.

Mariners’ watchers are looking forward to the day 19-year old prospects Phillippe Aumont and Michael Pineda join the rotation—but according to that article, they may still have to wait two or three years. Three years seems excessive to me, considering that Aumont already has four pitches and that Pineda, who admittedly is still working on his third pitch, possesses an excellent command of the strike zone.

The Cardinals are dealing with some pitching uncertainty: 40-year old Russ Springer is thinking of retiring, and they’re still waiting for the results of Chris Carpenter’s MRI.

Lou Piniella says every team is built to win the World Series: "some get a chance to, and some don’t."

Sarah Green writes for the Boston Metro and UmpBump.

Rays’ Long Term Plans Not Altered By Surprising Season

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Tampa Bay Senior VP Gerry Hunsicker called in to Eric Sanlnocencio’s Baseball Digest Daily internet radio show, some highlights:

On working with Executive VP of Baseball Operations, Andrew Friedman on personnel decisions and player acquisitions:

Work hand in hand, whilst allowing him to have space and the ability to make decisions.

Has the team’s success this year alter the long term plan?

Players might have changed, but the plan itself hasn’t changed. They wanted to form a core group of young, talented players, that would be the foundation. Also build a sound team of scouts and player development system.

"We’ve always had the commitment from [Rays owner] Stu Sternberg that if and when the opportunities presented themselves, and it made good sound, both business and baseball sense, to increase the payroll, that he would be there for us. And so far that has happened."

On the the Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza for Delmon Young trade:

It came together rather quickly. Bill Smith had taken over as Twins GM over Terry Ryan. That usually means is more difficult to trade. New man trying to get a handle. Smith was with the Twins for a while. Good knowledge with what he had and he wanted to do. The Rays was set on acquiring both players and thus were able to give up Young.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: alexo05 (at) umpbump (dot) com.

Odds and Ends: Cashman, Roberts, Lowe

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Rounding up links for Thursday…

Heyman’s Latest: Sabathia, Floyd, Winn

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Here’s a look at the latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • Heyman heard recent "scuttlebutt" that C.C. Sabathia does not want to play for the Yankees.  They’re still expected to make a large offer, and Heyman also expects a big play from the Angels.  Sabathia reportedly prefers California but has become more open-minded to other locations.
  • Cliff Floyd plans to play next year, hopefully for the Rays.  The team has a $2.75MM option with a $250K buyout.  He’s worth it.
  • Heyman notes that Randy Winn would’ve made a fine acquisition for another club.  The 34 year-old is hitting .315/.372/.438 in 611 plate appearances.  He’s set to earn $8.25MM in ’09 and can block deals to ten teams.
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