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Archives for November 2007

Cards Could Get Morris, Wilson From Pirates

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Yesterday Joe Strauss wrote how the Cardinals’ #1 reasonable target for shortstop appears to be the Pirates’ Jack Wilson.  Today, Dejan Kovacevic confirms it and adds Matt Morris as another possibility to head to St. Louis.

Kovacevic notes that the Cardinals tried to acquire Morris last summer, though that wasn’t John Mozeliak.  The Pirates would have to be willing to eat some of Morris’ salary, though they would take on all of Wilson’s.  So far Anthony Reyes, Tyler Johnson, and Brad Thompson are named as the pitchers the Cardinals will trade.  I still have some hope for Reyes.

Kovacevic adds that the Bucs are in on Japanese reliever Kazuo Fukumori.  The Padres, Rockies, and Red Sox may also have Fukumori in their sights.

Can Mets Acquire An Ace?

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We’ve discussed this before…it seems like the Mets don’t stack up with certain other clubs trying to acquire available frontline starting pitching.  Ken Rosenthal definitely feels this way – Carlos Gomez is considered a blue-chipper but the others may not be.

Rosenthal notes that a package starting with Lastings Milledge and Aaron Heilman doesn’t do much for Billy Beane.  The A’s don’t see Milledge as a long-term center field solution, and Heilman is a reliever.  Mike Pelfrey and Phil Humber aren’t the top-shelf pitching prospects the A’s covet in return for Dan Haren or Joe Blanton.  It seems as if the very best package the Mets can assemble might only be enough for Blanton.

The Mets are also after Johan Santana and Erik Bedard, but it’s the same story.  Unless they create a huge hole by trading Jose Reyes, it doesn’t seem they can offer the best package.  Though the Twins still want Reyes, Adam Rubin and Joel Sherman indicate that’s not an option.   

Dipping into the free agent market for Hiroki Kuroda or Carlos Silva seems to make more sense.  One option the Mets have been linked to in the past, Dontrelle Willis, may be off the market now.

Zrebiec On Miguel Tejada

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I recently named the Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec as Rumor Royalty for the Orioles.  He was kind enough to answer a few questions for the site.

MLBTR: Give us an example of a reasonable trade bounty for a team acquiring Miguel Tejada. Do you think the Orioles are targeting a certain number of players or certain positions? If the acquiring team intended to move him to third base, would this become a problem?

Zrebiec: All indications are that the Orioles are still looking for two high-level prospects for Tejada. I’m not sure they’ll get that now with Tejada’s defensive concerns and declining power numbers, but that could change when Miguel Cabrera is no longer on the market. The Orioles are in desperate need for young position player talent, but president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail has acknowledged that he is in no position to discriminate. He wants to bring in as much young talent as possible this offseason, regardless of position. "We’ll sort it out later," he has said.

Tejada has given conflicting answers in the past about whether he’ll move to 3B. He has made it clear that he’d prefer to stay at shortstop. However, he has also said that he would make the move for a playoff-caliber team. I don’t foresee it being a problem at all. Everybody that knows Miguel insists that all he wants to do is win, and he’ll do what he has to do to make that happen.

Tigers Offer Contract To Hawkins?

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Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Tigers have interest in free agent reliever LaTroy Hawkins and may have even offered him a multiyear contract.  Among free agent relievers the Tigers have previously expressed interest in Octavio Dotel.

Dotel is 32 and a health risk, but he still has that huge strikeout rate.  I’m guessing he wants at least two years, $12MM.

Hawkins is 35 and healthy; he did somehow manage to post a 3.42 ERA in 55 innings with the Rockies.  That’s not easy to do.  But his 1.8 K/BB and 4.7 K/9 rates were not impressive.  He might be after a two-year, $8MM deal.

Padres Rumors: Cameron, Jenkins, Colon

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UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 10pm: Krasovic has an update on the Union-Tribune’s sports blog.  Cameron’s agent said tonight that he would decline the Padres’ offer of arbitration.  That doesn’t mean the Padres still can’t sign him, but it seems unlikely.  Krasovic also notes that the Friars are pursuing Japanese reliever Kazuo Fukumori.  As you know, they brought him in for a workout previously.  The Rockies and Red Sox have been linked to him in the past. 

FROM 11-28-07 at 10:40am:

Tim Sullivan and Tom Krasovic make are a productive tandem for Padres rumors.  Sullivan and Krasovic both posted new articles today.

  • Sullivan says the Padres will probably offer arbitration to Mike Cameron.  Cameron will then decide whether to accept by December 7th.  It wouldn’t make sense for the Padres to move on a center fielder until that is resolved.  It’s also possible that the Padres just sign Cameron to a two-year deal – they’re sitting on a counteroffer from Cameron’s camp.
  • The Padres admit to interest in Andruw Jones, but it seems like a longshot.  They probably won’t go past one year, and even if Jones accepts that it’s not a good ballpark to rebuild value.
  • Sullivan names other center field possibilities: Aaron Rowand, Gary Matthews Jr., Reggie Willits, and Coco Crisp.
  • As for left field, Krasovic notes that the Padres met with Geoff Jenkins yesterday.  That might allow Scott Hairston to move to center if all of the above options fail.
  • On the pitchiing front, Buster Olney notes that the Padres have expressed interest in Randy Wolf, Bartolo Colon, and Mark Prior.

Troy Percival Close To Deal With Rays

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UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 10pm: Olney is still certain Percival is going to the Rays on a multiyear deal.  One other note is that the Giants had been in on him.

UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 7:40pm: Not so fast, says Ken Rosenthal.  The Rays may be in the lead on Percival because he is close to Joe Maddon and they’ll offer two years.  But the Yankees are in the mix offering a setup role and the Brewers are offering a one-year deal and a closer job.

FROM 11-28-07 at 3:40pm:

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Rays are "moving toward a deal" to sign free agent reliever Troy Percival.  This could give them a potentially solid veteran relief group in Juan Rincon, Dan Wheeler, Percival, and Al Reyes.

Percival was known to have been seeking a multiyear deal (I’m guessing two years, $10MM or so).  Other suitors: Yankees, Brewers, Giants, and Astros.

Matt Garza Traded For Delmon Young In Blockbuster

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UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 9pm: It’s now a done deal.  The Twins substituted 21 year-old reliever Eduardo Morlan instead of Rincon.

UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 7:30pm: This thing hasn’t gone through yet because of concerns over Rincon’s elbow.  The deal will either be finalized or killed by Thursday, according to Scott Miller.  The trade has been in the works for a few days.

UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 4pm: Neal reports that the Twins have interest in Aaron Rowand, which is really surprising given his reported demands.  I don’t see it.  Neal adds that Craig Monroe may now be non-tendered and the Garza trade will not stop Bill Smith from shopping Johan Santana.  By the way, talks for Coco Crisp persist.

FROM 11-28-07 at 2pm:

Wow!  That rumor really didn’t die!  La Velle E. Neal III says the Twins are close to a multiplayer deal.  They’ll send Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, and Juan Rincon to the Rays for Delmon Young, Brendan Harris, and Jason Pridie.  I can’t remember any kind of young player blockbuster like this recently. 

It’s exciting to see Bill Smith pull the trigger on a deal to get that possible elite slugger.  Will he be more hesitant to trade Johan Santana now?  Or maybe it doesn’t matter since he’d require an elite young hurler like Phil Hughes in return.  Beyond Young, you also have to applaud Smith for getting Pridie, who immediately becomes the Twins’ center fielder of the future.  The 24 year-old came back from injuries this year to rake in Triple A.  Just like that, the Twins have an outfield.   

Meanwhile the Rays suddenly have an awesome young trio fronting their rotation in Scott Kazmir, Jamie Shields, and Garza.  Rincon’s ability is questionable at this point but he could be the setup man the Rays are craving.

I’ll give the advantage to the Twins but I like this deal for both teams.

Johan Santana Rumors

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UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 7:30pm: Jon Heyman chimes in on the Santana talks.  If the Red Sox continue to keep Ellsbury out of the deal, the Yankees may have the best offer with Hughes, Cabrera, and another pitcher.  The inclusion of Ellsbury would swing it toward the Sox.  It appears the two rivals are battling going head to head on this one.

FROM 11-28-07 at 11:15am:

Let’s review the Johan Santana situation, because there’s been plenty flying around the last couple of days.

  • Yankees: Jon Heyman said yesterday the Twins would want Melky Cabrera plus one of Hughes/Chamberlain/Kennedy.  LaVelle E. Neal III confirmed the Yankees as one of three teams that have actually had trade talks with the Twins about Santana.  It’s been suggested that Santana would be open to signing a long-term deal in New York.  Aaron Gleeman analyzes Yankees/Santana scenarios here.  Also, Lisa Kennelly and Ed Price are saying Chamberlain and Robinson Cano are untouchable in these talks.  So think Melky and Hughes.  By the way, the Yankees let Aaron Rowand’s agent know that they’ll be interested if they trade the Melkman.
  • Red Sox: The Sox are another of those teams confirmed to have had trade talks about Santana with the Twins.  Heyman said it would take Buchholz or Lester plus Ellsbury.  The Sox want to substitiute Crisp for Ellsbury.  UPDATE: Neal says Jed Lowrie, Brandon Moss, and perhaps Kevin Youkilis have been discussed as well.
  • Angels: The third team confirmed to have had trade talks for Santana.  He’s not atop the Halos’ list though.  I suggested earlier that a package of Brandon Wood, Reggie Willits, and Nick Adenhart would work for the Twins, but seems too steep for one year of Santana.
  • Mets: The Mets have had talks with the Twins as well, according to Buster Olney.  It’s known that the Mets don’t want to include Jose Reyes or David Wright in a deal.  Makes sense.  Carlos Gomez, Fernando Martinez, Lastings Milledge, Mike Pelfrey, and Kevin Mulvey are the other names being tossed around.  But John Harper’s source isn’t so sure Reyes it out of the question, as that might be the only way the Mets can get Santana.
  • Mariners: Larry LaRue says the Twins would want Adam Jones, Brandon Morrow, and Jeff Clement.
  • Dodgers:  Though they’ve been linked to Santana, he doesn’t seem to be on the frontburner.
  • Cubs: Long shot and first I’ve heard of it, but George King and Joel Sherman suggest the possibility.  Felix Pie would have to be involved.  Hard to see the Cubs signing Santana to a record-setting extension given their ownership situation.

Marlins Toy With Angels, Dodgers

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Angels owner Arte Moreno isn’t happy with the way the Marlins dealt with his club on the Miguel Cabrera negotiations.  Twice already the Angels thought they had deals only to have the Marlins come back at the last minute asking for more.  Moreno also believed this happened to the Dodgers and the Fish are playing the two teams off each other. 

None of this seems outside the realm of negotiation; it’s just curious that Moreno went public with it.  Perhaps that’s strategy, his way of telling the Marlins he won’t take any more BS.

Moreno said the Marlins’ demand is four players.  Three of them must be Major Leaguers and two pitchers.  If the Angels are to give up two good young pitchers, they won’t also include both Howie Kendrick and Jeff Mathis.

It hasn’t really been said but it seems like the Cabrera negotiations may stall now unless the Marlins come down a bit.  Or maybe some other dominoes will fall at the Winter Meetings and a team will get desperate.

Rockies Sign Torrealba, Herges

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The Denver Post is reporting that the Rockies have re-signed catcher Yorvit Torrealba and middle reliever Matt Herges.  They’re currently in town for physicals.

It’s believed that Torrealba will sign for a reasonable $7MM over two years with an option for 2010.  Contrary to previous reports, he did not fail a physical with the Mets earlier this month.  Wonder why they pulled out of that one.

It sounds like the Rox got Herges on a one-year deal, maybe for slightly more than the original $2MM they offered.

These signings aren’t spectacular.  They’re both low-risk, low-upside deals.  If Torrealba is only making $3.5MM a year it will be OK to allow Chris Iannetta to work his way into the starting role.

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