Looking Beyond Varitek
According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, a slew of catchers are being shopped to the Red Sox. Among them: Jeff Mathis, Mike Napoli, Brian Schneider, Miguel Montero, John Buck, Ramon Hernandez, Bengie Molina, Carlos Santana, Kelly Shoppach, Victor Martinez, Jesus Flores, Kenji Johjima, Jeff Clement, Yorvit Torrealba, and the Rangers’ guys. Silverman says the Braves, Cardinals, and Rays also have catchers available. It seems that teams are asking for players like Justin Masterson, Clay Buchholz, or Lars Anderson in some cases.
On the Jason Varitek front, Scott Boras told the AP yesterday that he’s had no financial discussions with the Red Sox. He expects the matter to be discussed after Thanksgiving. Curt Schilling commented last week about Varitek possibly playing fewer games in 2009, but Boras shot down the idea of a reduced role.
Odalis Perez Rumors
9:24pm: I can’t remember a day where so many rumors were floated and then debunked. The latest: Perez’s agent and a source familiar with the team’s thinking tell MLB.com’s Bill Ladson that no multiyear deal is in the works with the Nationals.
4:06pm: ESPN’s Enrique Rojas talked to free agent southpaw Odalis Perez, who said he has received offers from the Yankees, White Sox, and Nationals. Perez intends to stay with the Nationals, and his agent is working on a two or three-year deal with them.
Perez, 31, posted a 4.34 ERA in 159.2 innings for the Nats this year.
Mark Teixeira Rumors: Sunday
To recap: Teixeira told Erin Andrews on Thursday that he wants to have it finished before Christmas, according to Mike Scarr of mlb.com. It’s reasonable to anticipate the winter meetings, December 8-11, to be a suitable high profile venue for Boras to break the news. The Angels are preparing an offer for Mark Teixeira, perhaps with a deadline. If he doesn’t accept it, they may make a move for Jake Peavy. The Yankees are "set to be aggressive" if they only land one of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, or Derek Lowe. The Red Sox are apparently "lusting" for him, but are otherwise hush-hush, a sign that they might offer Teixeira the biggest contract in club history, predicts Tony Masarotti of the Boston Herald.
Teixeira seems to be leaning towards East Coast teams, says Randy Youngman of the Orange County Register. Says Youngman,
"I don’t think it will be with the Angels. If he were going to re-sign in Anaheim, I think it already would have happened. Just a gut feeling. Even the people I talk to in the organization don’t seem optimistic. Teixeira would be ridiculed if he signed with perpetual losers such as the Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals, so my guess is he’ll sign with the Boston Red Sox."
The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo thinks Teixeira will wind up with the Angels because, while the Angels might struggle to afford him, they simply can’t afford to lose him.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pedro, Sabathia, Peavy
A look at what is being written about the hot stove in the Blogosphere…
- Fire Brand of the American League looks at the ramifications of the Coco Crisp trade and what could happen if the Red Sox acquire Mark Teixeira and are unable to move Mike Lowell.
- Baseball Opinion says the Crisp deal leaves the Royals with a crowded outfield and a depleted bullpen and wonders if Mark Teahen or David DeJesus will be the next to go.
- Nationals Pride sees the Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham trade as a good start towards building a team with a core of young veterans that will be in place when the prospects are ready to contribute.
- The ‘Burgh Blues would like to see the Pirates go after Pedro Martinez, noting his close relationship with Joe Kerrigan and Denny Bautista.
- Sox and Pinstripes is worried about a potential signing of A.J. Burnett by the Red Sox and would prefer Derek Lowe.
- BaseBlog has a "tale of the tape" comparing C.C. Sabathia’s 2008 season to Johan Santana’s 2007 season.
- Goat Riders of the Apocalypse wonders if the Cubs are better off with Jake Peavy and Kosuke Fukudome versus Jason Marquis and a high-priced free agent right fielder.
- DC Sports Plus takes a closer look at 79 minor league free agents, focusing on former major leaguers, former top prospects and left-handed relief pitchers.
- Padres Revolution offers up a list of the 10 best trades brokered by Kevin Towers.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Lowe, Everett
Time to discuss Ken Rosenthal’s latest…
- Mark Teixeira is likely to sign before Manny Ramirez. The Nationals and Orioles are in the mix, but the Angels and Red Sox are more likely destinations.
- One GM predicted Raul Ibanez will receive a three-year deal worth $8-12MM per year. Not exactly going out on a limb there. ESPN’s Jayson Stark named a dozen teams that have expressed interest.
- Rosenthal says the Mets are more likely to sign Brian Fuentes or Francisco Rodriguez than to acquire a closer via trade. Doesn’t exactly fit with Stark’s statement that J.J. Putz would go to the top of the Mets’ list if available.
- Scott Boras emphatically disputed the notion that he wants a Barry Zito-like contract for Derek Lowe.
- Rosenthal wonders if Adam Everett would make sense for the Tigers.
Stark’s Latest: Putz, Manny, Lackey, Ibanez
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?
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
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
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
Links for Friday, with an unplanned emphasis on relievers…
- The Tigers and Trevor Hoffman may be a match. Hoffman’s agent closed the door on the Padres.
- The Royals brought Mike Arbuckle aboard, formerly of the Phillies.
- The Nationals have interest in re-signing Aaron Boone and Odalis Perez. MLB.com’s Bill Ladson gives it a 50-50 chance. The Nats re-signed infielder Pete Orr, who could earn $600K.
- The Brewers picked up Salomon Torres‘ 2009 option, more of a procedural move than anything.
- The Marlins have an eye on minor league free agent Zach McClellan.
- Ken Davidoff makes contract and destination predictions for top free agents. K-Rod, Juan Cruz, and Russ Springer to the Cardinals for a combined $73MM?
- The Rockies have Joe Beimel and Jeremy Affeldt on the radar, among others.
- The New York Daily News has a cool free agent tracker.