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Mr. Dukes Goes To Washington

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UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 4:19pm: The Rays will receive a 20 year-old southpaw starter named Glenn Gibson.  Gibson was actually rumored way back on November 14th in this deal and the Nats didn’t want to part with him.  He’s said to have a "decent fastball, very good curve, and tons of polish."  Scratch what I said about getting Dukes for nothing; Gibson is something.  He’s been compared to Will Inman but with a little more projection.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 2:34pm: The Post’s Barry Svrluga has more on this trade.  The Nats basically get Dukes for nothing – just an as-yet unknown minor leaguer.  Jim Bowden is hoping Dmitri Young can keep Dukes in check, and he’s not worried about his outfield surplus.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 2:18pm: The Washington Post’s Dave Sheinin confirms that the Nats have acquired Dukes.  That’d leave the Nats with four outfielders, five if Nick Johnson comes back and forces Dmitri Young to the outfield.

UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 1:30pm: Marc Topkin has some unconfirmed buzz that Dukes is indeed headed to the Nationals.

FROM 12-3-07 at 1:18pm:

C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Post says a Nationals-Rays trade may be in the works.  We know the Nats have interest in Elijah Dukes, and I could see the Rays parting with him even with Delmon Young gone.  After all, the Rays are known to be looking at various free agents to help in right field such as Geoff Jenkins.

Brown’s Latest: Erstad, Livan, Tomko

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Yahoo’s Tim Brown checks in with his own set of rumors after working the floor a bit.

  • Darin Erstad is popular – the Padres, Mariners, Astros, and Rays have inquired.  His mystique lives on.
  • The Phillies appear to have a serious interest in Livan Hernandez, though he doesn’t seem to be what they need.
  • Brett Tomko’s agent met with the Rockies today.  Brown says the Pirates, Nationals, Marlins, Reds, and Rangers are after him too.  Separately it’s been said that the Astros are in on him too.  The Padres made a weak $1.5MM offer to Tomko.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Roberts, Barrett, Piazza

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Ken Rosenthal is presumably in Nashville doing what he does best – collect trade rumors by the dozen.  His latest column is an excellent example.  What’s the over/under on Rosenthal scoops over the next four days?  I’ll set it at 10.

  • Rosenthal says the Mets are unwilling to extend the contract of GM Omar Minaya, who is signed through 2009.  The lack of job security could compel Minaya to mortgage the future, and the Lastings Milledge trade was a good example.  Carlos Gomez, watch out.  Here’s MLBTR’s look at Omar Minaya’s Mets trade profile.
  • The Astros, Giants, and Cardinals aren’t really in the running for Miguel Cabrera, so they don’t need to wait for that shoe to drop to go after Miguel Tejada.  However it sounds like all three clubs don’t have the talent even for a Tejada trade.  Jon Heyman mentioned today that the Orioles do have interest in Adam Everett and Michael Bourn of the Astros.
  • Here’s a good one: Peter Angelos favorite Brian Roberts might be available.  The Mets and Astros inquired but moved on, but Roberts might be just what the Cubs are looking for.  The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec recently told us that he doesn’t expect Andy MacPhail to move Roberts unless he’s "totally overwhelmed."
  • The Marlins, Rays, and Orioles have interest in Michael Barrett.  In the case of Baltimore, the interest indicates the availability of Ramon Hernandez.  If Barrett can find a multiyear deal from one of those teams, he may decline the Padres’ offer of arbitration.  It’s a catch-22, though, because that would make Barrett much less signable in terms of draft pick compensation. 
  • If Barrett does decline, the Padres might bring Mike Piazza back.
  • The Nationals keep asking for Rickie Weeks for Chad Cordero, and the Brewers keep saying no.
  • The Braves are big fans of Coco Crisp, and could have a passing interest in Corey Patterson.  But they certainly wouldn’t mind going with internal options in center next year.
  • Aaron Rowand is definitely getting that five-year deal – a Mystery Team has already offered one.  The Yanks could pursue him if they trade the Melk Man. 
  • Deja vu – the Yanks and Mets both like Octavio Dotel, again.  It’s known that Octavio loves New York.

Odds and Ends: Burke, Nathan, Adam Miller

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Here we go, another collection of random rumors.

Carl Crawford Not Available

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Not a huge surprise, since Carl Crawford’s availability was questionable in the first place.  But Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune affirms that Crawford can’t be had now that the Rays have dealt Delmon Young.

The Cubs’ focus remains a left-handed hitting outfielder.  Their top priority is Kosuke Fukudome, who is very likely to try his hand at MLB.  Who else might the Cubs consider?

Reasonable options in my estimation include Raul Ibanez, Ryan Church, Milton Bradley, Randy Winn, Gary Matthews Jr., Luke Scott, Geoff Jenkins, David Dellucci, and Shawn Green.

Odds and Ends: Colon, Clark, Gagne

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Random rumors, let’s round ’em up.

Rays Interested In Ron Mahay

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According to Marc Lancaster, the Rays are looking for a left-handed reliever.  Ron Mahay is on the radar, and Jeremy Affeldt is another possibility.  The Rays are moving quickly to plug up their holes – will this team finally break .500 in 2008?

Looking through the MLBTR archives, the Yankees, Brewers, and Royals seem to be the main suitors for Mahay.  Meanwhile Affeldt interests the Mariners, Braves, and Astros.

Lancaster’s article also indicates the Rays are looking for a left-handed hitter who can handle right field and first base.  DRays Bay thinks that means Darin Erstad, Ryan Klesko, or Mike Lamb.  I’ll add Cliff Floyd, Luke Scott, Shawn Green, Trot Nixon, Brad Wilkerson, and Eric Hinske to the discussion.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Peavy, Guillen, Barrett

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Ken Rosenthal checks in with another fine rumor-filled column.

  • Johan Santana doesn’t seem a great fit for the Angels, partly because he’ll be very expensive and the Halos actually do have a payroll limit.
  • Jake Peavy knows he’d have to take a discount to stay in San Diego…but even a $15MM per year type deal would be unprecedented for them.  He’s under the Padres’ control through ’09.
  • Rosenthal’s sources are divided on whether the Mets will go after Jose Guillen.  Such a scenario is possible if Lastings Milledge and/or Carlos Gomez are dealt.  It’s said that the Mets are still very interested in Livan Hernandez.
  • Chase Headley is very popular.  Rosenthal confirms Scott Miller’s rumored offer of Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth for him, not that the Padres would consider it.  Otherwise the Red Sox are asking for him for Coco Crisp.
  • The Padres will probably offer arbitration to both Mike Cameron and Michael Barrett.  That brings the risk that Barrett accepts, which wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
  • We already knew the Padres and Rays were in on Geoff Jenkins; add the Phils to the mix.  The Cubs, Giants, Rangers, and Royals have also been linked to him.

Odds and Ends: Jenkins, Piazza, Kuroda

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Random rumors for this evening…

  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that the Rays have contacted Geoff Jenkins’ agent.  They’re eyeing him to replace Delmon Young in right field.
  • Cubs lefty Scott Eyre exercised his $3.8MM player option for 2008.
  • Terrmel Sledge never quite caught on in the U.S., so he’s headed to Japan.  I thought he was a sleeper entering 2007 as he’d posted a .985 OPS in Triple A in ’06.
  • The Yorvit Torrealba deal is official at two years and $7.25MM with a $4MM mutual option for 2010.  Mutual options never get exercised by both sides so that doesn’t mean much.  Michael Barrett and Paul Lo Duca are the two remaining free agent starting catchers.
  • It’s true, Mike Piazza does have some interest from a Japanese team.  But he also has three MLB teams interested, and he’s much more likely to stay in the U.S.
  • Could Yasuhiko Yabuta lead the Royals to sign Hiroki Kuroda?  It’s a possibility.  The D’Backs are after him as well; Nick Piecoro has some in-depth info about Kuroda.

Percival To Rays, Riske To Brewers

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UPDATE, 11-29-07 at 8pm: Marc Topkin reports that Percival did indeed take and pass a physical with the Rays.

FROM 11-29-07 at 6pm:

Couple of notes for your drive-time commute. Ken Rosenthal reports that Troy Percival will sign with the Rays for two years and $8 million. Incentives could push it to $10 million. Here’s something you don’t see every day: they’re not making him take a physical — though they have seen his medical records.

Apparently the Yankees threw more cash at him, but he opted for the closing opportunity in Tampa Bay. I wonder where that leaves Al Reyes.

Over on the ESPN side, Buster Olney says that David Riske is close to a deal with the Brewers. Olney supplies no details beyond it being a multiyear deal. As he notes, the Royals offered him two years and $6 million earlier this off-season. This deal could be comparable to Scott Linebrink’s four years and $19 million.

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