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Cliff Lee Rumors: Sunday

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If Nolan Ryan is right in believing that Cliff Lee will weigh his options this weekend and come to a decision Monday, we'll have to wait at least another day before hearing anything concrete on Lee. In the meantime, here are the rumblings on the left-hander since yesterday….

  • The Nationals are officially out on Lee, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Christian Red of The New York Daily News hears from a source that the Lee situation "should get resolved early this week."
  • SI's Jon Heyman tweets that there are "strong indications" of a third team being involved in the Lee discussions, but conventional wisdom still says it's between the Rangers and Yankees.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman tells Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger that "nothing has happened as of yet" regarding Lee's decision.
  • Sherman's colleague, George A. King III writes that the Yankees will not increase their offer to Lee again. The Yankees have extended three offers, the longest of which is believed to be in the seven-year, $160MM range.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post opines that Lee and agent Darek Braunecker have "used time expertly" to discomfort the Yankees and force them into upping their offer one last time prior to sealing the deal (Twitter link).
  • We heard on Saturday that some Yankees officials were expressing "a bit of skepticism" about the team's chances of landing Lee. ESPN.com's Buster Olney says the same thing today in his Insider-only blog. According to Olney, one Yankee exec told another team's GM that he figures the odds of New York signing Lee are about 50-50.
  • Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal explains how Texas' tax rates mean the Rangers could effectively match the Yankees' offer without actually matching it. Ken Belson of the New York Times made a similar observation earlier this weekend.
  • Rangers manager Ron Washington thinks Lee will be back in Texas in 2011, as Tom Spousta of the Dallas Morning News writes.
  • Ken Davidoff of Newsday examines some of the oft-repeated theories about Lee's decision, attempting to determine which ones are legitimate.

National News: Lee, LaRoche, Pavano, Webb

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Let's round up the latest from the nation's capital, courtesy of MLB.com's Bill Ladson…

  • The Nats have expressed interest in free agent first baseman Derrek Lee, echoing a report from yesterday.
  • All of their eggs are not in one basket however, Ladson says the team also maintains interest in Adam LaRoche. It appeared that a deal between the two sides was a go last week, but obviously nothing came from it.
  • "We will explore both options, so it expands our pool a little bit more," said GM Mike Rizzo, referring to short and long-term first base options, not Lee and LaRoche. "I don't ever want to feel rushed to do a deal. I think when you feel rushed to do a deal, you make a deal that you may not have wanted to do. So we are going to look at our options. We feel there are still good options out there, and we will see where they take us."
  • The Nats are still in on Carl Pavano and expect talks to get serious this week. Two days ago we learned that Washington wasn't thrilled with the idea of offering the right-hander a multiyear deal.
  • Brandon Webb "remains excited" about the Nationals, and the two sides talked during the winter meetings.

Odds & Ends: Arroyo, Varitek, Angels, Werth

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The Red Sox officially introduced Carl Crawford to Red Sox Nation at a press conference this morning, but that's not the only hot stove news today…

Six Teams Interested In Derrek Lee

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The Orioles, Athletics, Blue Jays, Padres, Nationals, and Diamondbacks have all expressed interest in free agent first baseman Derrek Lee according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (via Twitter). We've heard that Lee wouldn't mind playing for Arizona, and the interest from the O's and A's is nothing new. Heyman reiterated the D'Backs interest in Xavier Nady as well.

Lee, 35, had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb after the season. He's expressed a desire to join a playoff club for 2011, but calling any of those six teams a contender would be generous. D'Backs GM Kevin Towers was the Padres GM when Lee broke in with the team in 1997, and the running theme of the offseason has been Towers bringing some of his former players to Arizona. Nady obviously fits the bill as well.

I examined Lee's free agent stock back in October.

Carl Pavano Rumors: Friday

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Yesterday, we heard that the Brewers don't aim to offer Carl Pavano a contract longer than two years. The Twins and Nationals are also in on the bidding for Pavano, who's arguably the top free agent starter not named Cliff Lee. Here's the latest, with more updates to follow throughout the day:

  • The Nationals are reluctant to offer Pavano a multiyear deal, but they’re still talking to agent Tom O’Connell, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The right-hander will wait until after the weekend to decide on an offer, according to O’Connell.

Cliff Lee Rumors: Wednesday

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SI.com's Jon Heyman reported yesterday that two teams may have offered Cliff Lee seven-year deals, and the rumor mill will be flying again today. Remember, the Yankees, Rangers, Angels, and Nationals all deny such an offer. Here's a look at all of yesterday's rumors, and here are today's:

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports identifies the Red Sox as one of the "mystery teams" who made a seven-year bid for Lee. However, they didn't offer enough money for Lee to realistically consider accepting. Rather, the proposal was about increasing Lee's leverage with other teams and trying to force the Yankees to add an extra year.
  • Boston's agreement with Carl Crawford is good news for Lee, who is now the clear top free agent left on the market. Sherman speculates (via Twitter) that the Angels and Rangers, who were in on Crawford, could make a stronger push for Lee now. Brian Cashman, however, says the move won't affect the Yankees' approach on the lefty (Twitter link).
  • Rangers president Nolan Ryan told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that the Rangers have asked Braunecker to tell them what it will take to sign Lee. The Rangers have not made an offer, but they're considering a six-year deal, since they expect it will take a long-term commitment to sign Lee.
  • Lee will decide on his next team by the end of the weekend, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Yankees offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140MM, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). George A. King III of the New York Post hears that the team is comfortable offering between $137.5MM and $150MM.
  • Cashman confirmed to reporters that the Yankees have made an offer, according to Marc Carig of the Star Ledger (on Twitter).
  • GM Mike Rizzo told Ben Goessling of MASNSports that the Nationals did not meet with Lee's agent today (Twitter link).
  • The Brewers are not the mystery team interested in Lee, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel confirms (on Twitter).
  • Though it appeared that the Yankees were about to make a strong offer, they have yet to propose a deal formally, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
  • Braunecker has left the building!  He wouldn't reveal where he's going, reports CBS Sports' Danny Knobler.
  • The Rangers met with Braunecker again this morning, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • Lee's agent Darek Braunecker told ESPN's Richard Durrett that one club has been eliminated.
  • The Yankees are going to make a very strong six-year offer in the $140-150MM range to Lee today, tweets Heyman.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if Lee really has received seven-year offers, and if he'd go to a non-contender that offered seven years. He spoke with two executives who had Lee in their organization once, and both feel he would.
  • Sherman also checked around and ruled out the Cubs as a seven-year team. He says there was some buzz about the Brewers, but that the finances are beyond their means.  ESPN's Buster Olney rules out the Orioles.
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson has a source who says the Nationals aren't out of the Lee sweepstakes "by any means," despite GM Mike Rizzo's comments. Ladson's source feels Jayson Werth's seven-year deal actually increased Washington's chances for Lee.

Carl Pavano Rumors: Wednesday

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Carl Pavano met with four teams yesterday; here's the latest…

  • The Brewers are discussing a three-year deal with Pavano, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.
  • Top Brewers executives dined with Pavano and his agent on Tuesday, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The Twins and a mystery team are also involved.
  • Brewers owner Mark Attanasio would increase payroll to accomodate the right pitcher, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
  • Pavano's agent told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his meetings with the Brewers were "very productive" (Twitter link).
  • Milwaukee is serious about Pavano, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who says the Twins are still frontrunners (Twitter link). Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the Brewers do intend to add another starter, but aren't optimistic about trading for Zack Greinke or Matt Garza (Twitter links).
  • The Brewers were one of the teams that met with Pavano yesterday, GM Doug Melvin told MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
  • Pavano's camp is telling people not to expect a deal before the end of the Winter Meetings, tweets Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
  • The Twins are making a serious push to get something done with Pavano, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.  Crasnick's colleague Buster Olney tweets that the Twins "continue to have a very good shot" to re-sign the righty.  Pavano was impressed by the presence of Bill Smith, Rob Antony, and Terry Ryan at yesterday's meeting, tweets La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
  • The Nationals are still in the mix for Pavano, his agent Tom O'Connell tells Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

Zack Greinke Rumors: Wednesday

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Yesterday we learned that teams may be upping their offers for Royals ace Zack Greinke, though the Royals' asking price remains high.  The latest:

  • An executive of an interested team hears that the Royals won't deal Greinke before Cliff Lee signs, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark (on Twitter). The Royals may not have to wait long, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports Lee will sign by the end of the weekend.
  • The Phillies have discussed Greinke with the Royals, reports CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury, but it's a long shot.
  • The Dodgers haven't heard back from the Royals about Greinke, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (on Twitter).
  • MLB.com's Joe Frisaro hears that the Marlins did not discuss Greinke with the Royals (Twitter link).
  • One of the Marlins' attempted three-team trades would have sent Greinke to Florida, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Talks are lukewarm, but still alive, Rosenthal reports.
  • The asking price on Greinke has gone up since last summer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). The deal will be "very hard to get done," according to one interested executive.
  • The Nationals are being aggressive, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. MLB.com's Bill Ladson heard earlier that Washington was not pursuing the right-hander, however.
  • Five teams are seriously pursuing Greinke and another three are on the periphery, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports – in an article, not a tweet!  The Royals are specific with their request – pitching to replace Greinke and up-the-middle help.  The Royals are moving slowly and there is no frontrunner.  The Rangers, Dodgers, Nationals, and Blue Jays have shown some measure of interest.
  • The Cubs called on Greinke but a mid-rotation addition is more likely for them, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.

Nationals Notes: Winn, Webb, Wang, LaRoche

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Washington may or may not be in on Cliff Lee. Here's what we do know about the Nationals:

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