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Stark’s Latest: Putz, Manny, Lackey, Ibanez

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Let’s take a look at the latest column from ESPN’s Jayson Stark.

  • Stark does the math and finds 15 potentially available closers versus six clubs in the market for one.  Should result in a few bargains or teams holding on to their surpluses.
  • The Mets don’t seem willing to extend to four years for Francisco Rodriguez.  Stark says J.J. Putz would become the Mets’ top closer target if he’s made available.  MetsBlog’s Matthew Cerrone wrote a few days ago that the Mets are likely to trade for a reliever with closing experience before attempting to sign one.
  • J.P. Ricciardi quote: "We won’t be involved with Manny."  Ricciardi last month: "He’s on our radar, but maybe not on our radar like some people will report."
  • Despite reports to the contrary, Stark talked to a rival executive who says Jake Peavy made it "onto [the Angels’] radar pretty hard."  Stark speculates that Peavy could fit if the Halos sign Mark Teixeira.
  • It seems likely that the Angels will put out an offer to Teixeira with a deadline, and then either sign him or move on.
  • John Lackey’s been telling friends he expects to have an extension with the Angels by Opening Day.  Lackey indicated last month he’d wait to see the Halos’ offensive plans before re-signing.
  • Stark suspects the Players Union might be OK with C.C. Sabathia turning down a larger offer from the Yankees if he still signed for more than Johan Santana’s $23MM per year.  I don’t really see why Sabathia would worry about the union in any regard.
  • The Dodgers inquired on the asking price of Jason Varitek, with the idea of moving Russell Martin to third base in mind.  They balked at Scott Boras’ demand for Tek, however.
  • Curt Schilling is "more likely than ever" to attempt a late June or early July comeback.
  • Tons of teams have expressed some degree of interest in Raul Ibanez: the Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, Nationals, Braves, Royals, Rays, Blue Jays, Rangers, Angels, and Mariners.  Some interesting new ones in there.
  • The Phillies never made a two-year, $21MM offer to Pat Burrell.  Will the Phils at least offer him arbitration?  The rumored offer was questionable from Day 1, as Paul Hagen said Burrell "reportedly turned down a two-year, $22MM offer" but didn’t reference a specific report.
  • Stark believes that the Brewers were not thrilled with the Yankees’ "overbid" for C.C. Sabathia, and therefore would prefer not to trade Mike Cameron to them.  Dan Graziano wrote yesterday about the Yanks’ conversations for Cameron.
  • Roy Oswalt wants the Astros to sign Ben Sheets, but the price tag may be too high.  Stark has the following names on their radar: Randy Wolf, Mike Hampton, Freddy Garcia, Paul Byrd, and maybe Pedro Martinez.  Is Drayton McLane willing to bring Andy Pettitte back?  GM Ed Wade seemed interested in his chat yesterday, saying, "We’ll have to see what develops down the road."

Teixeira Interested In Washington?

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Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports a mutual interest between the Washington Nationals and talented free agent Mark Teixeira. "[Maryland] is his home," mentions an anonymous source in Ladson’s article. The source also sets Miguel Cabrera’s eight-year, $153MM deal as a benchmark for Teixeira’s next contract.

Presumably, any hometown discount afforded the Nationals would also apply to the Baltimore Orioles, another team widely assumed to be on Teixeira’s short list of favorable destinations.

Kasten: No Offer Yet For Teixeira

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The Washington Post’s Dave Sheinin tells us Nationals team president Stan Kasten is tempering expectations that the Nats will make an offer to free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira.

Sheinin quotes Kasten saying, "I don’t want people to have unrealistic expectations" and "You’re way ahead of us here." Then he offers some analysis:

My own take: The Nationals are still formulating the structure of the offer they plan to make to Teixeira. However, they also know they cannot compete with the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox and/or Angels when it comes to dollar figures. So they would like to get a better sense of Teixeira’s true market before they make their pitch.

It’s possible the Nationals will never get around to offering Teixeira a contract. The Yankees could start the bidding sky high, like they did with CC Sabathia.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com and can be reached here.

Nationals Sign Matt Whitney to Minor League Deal

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Bill Ladson at MLB.com reports that the Washington Nationals have signed first baseman Matt Whitney to a minor league contract. The signing includes an invitation to spring training.

Whitney was the Nationals’ first pick in the 2007 Rule 5 Draft. In 2007, Whitney posted a combined .299/.364/.545 between Class A Lake County and Kinston. He followed that season with a .268/.356/.404 split at Class AA Akron in 2008. Whitney will be 25 in 2009.

Odds and Ends: Perez, Torres, Beimel

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Links for Friday, with an unplanned emphasis on relievers…

Nationals Not Pursuing Manny

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Yesterday, Yahoo’s Tim Brown suggested the Nationals and Jim Bowden were "promising everyone they’re going to be players in the Manny bidding."  However, Bowden sent an email to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson today: "We are not pursuing Manny Ramirez."

Ladson says the Nationals are still in the market for a lefthanded slugger – Mark Teixeira, Adam Dunn, and Prince Fielder remain on the radar.  And despite their abundance of outfielders, they’ve expressed interest in new Rockie Carlos Gonzalez.

Rockies Talking Trade With Reds

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8:50pm: Reds GM Walt Jocketty says nothing is close with the Rockies; he’s talked to a lot of clubs.  His snide remark: "They all didn’t allow it to get out."

Jocketty talked to the Rockies about Matt Holliday, but it was a short discussion.

7:37pm: Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News says the Reds have definite interest in Atkins, but not Torrealba or Taveras.  The Reds like the idea of adding Atkins’ righthanded bat.  They don’t like Torrealba’s price and Taveras’ inability to get on base.  Ringolsby says the Phillies, Angels, and Twins are also after Atkins.

3:28pm: Troy Renck confirms Rosenthal’s report, and also speaks of speculation that the Red Sox will make a run at Chris Iannetta.  A long shot to be sure.

Other Rockies notes: Renck says the Rox told people close to Manny Corpas that he’s still the closer, meaning Street might be on the outs.  Additionally, the Rockies have expressed interest in Carl Pavano.

1:17pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Rockies aren’t done dealing – they’re talking trade with the Reds and other clubs.  The Reds like Willy Taveras, Yorvit Torrealba, and Garrett Atkins, with a "definite interest" in Taveras.

Meanwhile the Indians like newly acquired Huston Street and the Nationals are one club eyeing Carlos Gonzalez.  Rosenthal says the Rockies figure to hang on to Greg Smith.

It seems we can’t yet judge the Holliday trade for the Rockies.  It did seem odd that they would acquire a closer and a young center fielder, two positions at which they already had solid options.

Brown’s Latest: Furcal, Manny, Abreu

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Tip of the cap to Yahoo’s Tim Brown, who was the first reporter yesterday to name the three players the Rockies would receive in the Matt Holliday trade.  Now let’s take a look at Brown’s latest column.

  • Brown believes everyone cleared their physicals in the Holliday deal, so expect news conferences soon.  He says the A’s may add a couple more hitters, possibly Rafael Furcal and/or Jason Giambi.
  • Brown says Jim Bowden is promising everyone the Nationals will be in on the Manny Ramirez bidding.  With Josh Willingham, Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Pena, and Willie Harris already under team control, where does Manny fit in?  Bowden has already said he plans to use Willingham as an outfielder.
  • The Yankees have yet to contract Bobby Abreu.  They still figure to offer him arbitration, of course.

Olsen/Willingham Trade Roundup

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It’s official – the Marlins traded Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham to the Nationals for Emilio Bonifacio, Jake Smolinksi, and P.J. Dean.  Let’s round up commentary on the surprising deal.

Angels Hold Off On Teixeira Bid

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Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times describes the Angels’ strategy regarding free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira.  He says that since Tex will test the open market regardless, the Halos will not make an offer within their exclusive negotiation period.  So much for resolving the situation quickly.

The Angels do not want Scott Boras shopping around their offer to the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles, and Nationals and driving up the price.  Just a guess, maybe the Nats consider Josh Willingham their cleanup hitter acquisition and will back out of the Teixeira derby.

DiGiovanna adds that the Angels "plan a serious run" at C.C. Sabathia and could bid on A.J. Burnett.  He also describes their stance on their own free agents aside from Teixeira:

The team will look to re-sign reliever Darren Oliver, is open to retaining closer Francisco Rodriguez and outfielder Juan Rivera, and seems lukewarm to the idea of retaining pitcher Jon Garland and outfielder Garret Anderson.

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