By Tim Dierkes | at
According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
The Pirates are pursuing free-agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez, with their most recent discussion having occurred late last week.
He adds that two other clubs are also pursuing Gonzalez for a fourth outfielder type role. Kovacevic says the Bucs are eyeing other free agent outfielders as well. One player not on their radar is Kris Benson.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Links for Tuesday…
By Tim Dierkes | at
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new column…
By Tim Dierkes | at
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes of Monday indications that a multiyear contract for Pirates starter Paul Maholm "is becoming more realistic by the day." The Pirates have a February 10th hearing scheduled with Maholm, with the two sides facing a $1.15MM gap over the salary for his first arbitration year. It’s been said the Bucs would like to sign Maholm for at least four years, which would buy out one year of free agency. Using Ian Snell’s contract as a model, perhaps Maholm would get $24MM or so for those four years. Snell’s deal, signed in March of ’08, has the team-friendly element of two club options though.
Kovacevic does the math and finds the Pirates have roughly $4MM to spend to bring in additional players this year, maybe a few million more depending on where Maholm and Nate McLouth’s salaries land. Two free agent starters known to be on the radar are Braden Looper and Pedro Martinez.
By Tim Dierkes | at
11:26pm: According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox have set a Saturday deadline for their offer to Varitek. Silverman does not expect the Sox to sweeten their offer. He adds that Varitek "is believed to have instructed his agent not to discuss monetary terms with any other teams during the entire free agent process." For their part, the Red Sox will wait on Varitek before pursuing a trade for a catcher.
5:55pm: Rob Neyer of ESPN.com believes the Red Sox will get what they want no matter what: A cheap Varitek or no Varitek at all.
12:24pm: Tony Massarotti confirms Bradford’s numbers on Boston’s offer. The incentives are based on awards rather than health or playing time. Massarotti suggests Varitek could prefer to eliminate the ’10 option.
9:26am: Yesterday, WEEI’s Rob Bradford wrote that the Red Sox made this offer to Jason Varitek: $5MM for ’09, with a $5MM club/$3MM player option for ’10. The offer has a deadline attached.
The Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman writes today that the one-year plus an option offer to Varitek is worth between $3-5MM. He believes the Red Sox are "unwilling to wait much longer" and unwilling to budge much.
Jon Heyman wrote on Thursday:
It’s still a mystery to many why Varitek didn’t take arbitration. And even Red Sox owner John Henry asked Varitek in their well-publicized meeting a week ago why he didn’t take the arbitration offer. The reason is that Varitek didn’t believe that accepting arbitration would guarantee him a spot on the team.
Buster Olney called this notion "laughable" in today’s blog, labeling it as a Scott Boras talking point to cover for a poor decision. Peter Gammons agrees.
By Tim Dierkes | at
9:46pm: Chris Haft of MLB.com wonders if Manny Ramirez would be given as many opportunities to hit the ball if he signed with the Giants, similar to how Barry Bonds was intentionally walked so often.
4:30pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says Manny still wants a four or five-year deal at about $25MM per. On rival exec believes the Dodgers and Manny are in the "fourth inning" of negotiations.
10:17am: The latest Manny Ramirez information came from Bill Shaikin on Saturday, and there’s not much to report. It seems that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti awaits a counteroffer from Scott Boras after their two-year, $45MM offer was made almost three months ago. Boras wants the Dodgers to up their bid:
"We have let the Dodgers know what Manny’s position is. They are fully aware of the terms he feels are fair."
Shaikin says the Dodgers "do not equate an asking price with a counteroffer." He adds, "The Dodgers do not believe the San Francisco Giants are serious about Ramirez. The Giants are happy to let the Dodgers think that way."
I have to side with Colletti on this one. His offer was initially laughed off, but now it looks quite fair. Manny doesn’t appear to have any other offers, and there are other quality free agent corner outfielders available who will likely play for one year and less than half the average annual salary.
By Ben Jones | at
Free agent right-hander Kris Benson worked out Saturday for nine teams and demonstrated that he should be ready to compete for a job in Spring Training, MLB.com reports.
Agent Gregg Clifton said the throwing session “went well, and he showed teams that he’s ahead of schedule in getting ready for the ’09 season.”
The article only lists the Rockies as being there, though it does note that nine teams were in attendance. This post lists the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, Diamondbacks, Indians and Cardinals as teams that planned to attend.
Benson, 34, missed the 2007 season because of surgery on his right shoulder. He spent last season in the minors with the Phillies. He is 68-73 with a 4.34 ERA in 195 career starts.
By Ben Jones | at
Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com believes a Chicago Cubs sale could catalyze a trade between the Cubs and the San Diego Padres — a trade that would include 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy heading to the Cubs.
Bloom notes that neither team has re-engaged the topic, but sources suggested the move looks like a matter of when, not if, based on various developments.
As part of the deal, San Diego could get Garrett Olson, the starting pitcher the Cubs just obtained from the Orioles in a trade for left fielder Felix Pie. The Padres had “identified” Olson as a possible component when the teams extensively talked during the Winter Meetings.
Though it may seem improbable for the ownership situation to get cemented by Opening Day (April 5), Commissioner Bud Selig said that baseball would work expeditiously to get it done by then, Bloom wrote.
A Peavy trade would address a priority for the Padres to acquire promising young prospects in return for expensive veteran players, Bloom added.
Peavy is owed $11MM for 2009. He is owed another $52MM in a deal that runs through 2012 and includes a club option for 2013. The option is for $22MM with a $4MM buyout.
Last season, Peavy went 10-11 with 166 strikeouts and a 2.85 ERA. He also spent time on the disabled list.
By Tim Dierkes | at
8:18pm: Philadelphia’s search for a right-handed bat continues. Alden Gonzalez adds an update on MLB.com.
Names the Phillies have been linked to in that regard include Nomar Garciaparra, Ty Wigginton, Moises Alou, Rich Aurilia, Mark Grudzielanek and Kevin Millar, Gonzalez wrote.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. told Gonzalez that the addition does “not necessarily” need to be an infielder, though a little insurance while Pedro Feliz and Chase Utley recover from offseason surgeries wouldn’t hurt.
“We’re looking for a guy that has a bit of that versatility that’s needed in the National League,” Amaro told Gonzalez.
Jan. 23: Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer has the latest on the Phillies’ pursuit of a right-handed bench bat. Names of interest: Nomar Garciaparra, Moises Alou, Mark Grudzielanek, Rich Aurilia, and Kevin Millar.
Salisbury says Garciaparra is the team’s first choice, but Ruben Amaro Jr. remarked, "We can’t be held hostage by Nomar, though he’d be a guy we’d like to bring in." Salisbury’s source says the Phils are going "pretty hard" after Alou, who will attempt to re-establish his health in the World Baseball Classic. Two issues there: Alou’s playing time expectations may be too high, and he reportedly prefers the AL where he can DH.
By Ben Jones | at
Veteran catcher Brad Ausmus and the Los Angeles Dodgers finalized a one-year, $1MM contract Monday, The Associated Press reports.
The parties agreed to terms last week, and the three-time Gold Glove winner needed to take a physical. He can earn an additional $350,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances.
Ausmus, 40 in April, spent the past eight seasons with Houston, and he batted .218 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 81 games in 2008. He will back up catcher Russell Martin in Los Angeles.
Ausmus lives in Del Mar, about 100 miles south of Los Angeles.
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