We're now less than 12 hours away from the start of free agency. Here are some links to help you pass the time…
- The Diamondbacks have outrighted pitchers Leo Rosales and Clay Zavada off the 40-man roster according to the team's official Twitter feed.
- Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe places odds on each of the Red Sox's four free agents returning the team.
- Larry Larue of The Tacoma Tribune reports that the Mariners have hired Ted Simmons as a senior advisor to GM Jack Zduriencik. Simmons was in the mix for various managerial jobs.
- The Rays have added Matt Bush, the first overall pick in 2004, to their 40-man roster according to The Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). Bush would have been eligible for minor league free agency otherwise.
- Joel Sherman of The New York Post hears from a source that Terry Collins is anywhere from "a strong candidate to the front-runner" for the Mets managerial job. Collins will interview with new GM Sandy Alderson this weekend, and has a backer in Fred Wilpon. He's also a favorite of Paul DePodesta, who Alderson is trying to lure to New York.
- Don Wakamatsu has plenty of job opportunities these days. FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal tweets that he has an offer to become the Blue Jays bench coach, an interview for the Mets manager's job forthcoming, and is also in the mix to be Baltimore's bench coach.
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik unsurprisingly declined to comment about Hisashi Iwakuma two days ago, according to Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. Last night we heard that the Mariners appear to be the favorites to land the righty.
- Robert MacLeod of The Globe And Mail passes along a quote from Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos in which he indicates a willingness to bringing Kevin Gregg back. He just wasn't comfortable with the price of the reliever's options, which is why they were declined.
- Scott Boras told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Phillies "have the ability to do what they need to do to retain their players," referring to Jayson Werth. He compared Philadelphia's financial situation to that of the Yankees
- Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News offers some good and bad news about the Rangers' catching situation.
- Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle speculates that the Giants will keep an eye on Derek Jeter's negotiations with the Yankees. GM Brian Sabean ran New York's farm system when Jeter was drafted, so there's a connection there in the unlikely event that he can't work out a deal with the Yanks.
As much as it goes against my morals to agree with Scott Boras, he’s right. The Phillies are in a great position to offer a contract to Jayson Werth or make an agressive bid for Cliff Lee. People look at the hard cap the Phillies have had for the last couple of seasons and assume that they can’t raise it. With contracts coming off the books over the next couple of seasons, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Phils’ resign Werth.
Money aside, if they re-sign Werth, what do they do with Domonic Brown?
Let him get regular at-bats in the minors. Any way you cut it, the Phillies will be in the market for an outfielder within the next two years. Let Ibanez walk and replace him with Brown.
Disagree, if you sign Werth, eat 7-9mm and trade Raul now. Dom’s bat will be better than Raul’s this season.
No, I definitely agree with that in theory. Just have a feeling it’s easier said than done.
If Phils can eat part of most of that contract then it could work.
They need a RH bat in the line-up and if you re-sign Werth for what I think he can get then that is one expensive 4-5 hitters you got in the line-up.
I don’t doubt that the Phillies would be willing to eat part of the contract, but Raul Ibanez also has a no trade clause. He’s in a pretty good situation with the Phillies, so I can’t see him waiving that unless he’s going to a legitimate contender.
Agreed, the no-trade is an albatross.
I understand Boras’ job, but IMO there’s no way Werth gets close to Holliday’s contract. The Phils apparently offered him a Jason Bay-level contract, which he declined…but I don’t see him doing all that much better elsewhere. Yes he’s a middle-of-the-order guy, but he’s always seemed more a Robin to me, not a Batman.
I don’t think money is the issue with the Phillies. Years, yes. They don’t like handing out long term contracts… (Contracts over 3 years.)
Right on point!!
Werth is going to be surprised at what the real world has in store for him.
I can see the Johnny Damon scenario with Boras and Werth happening real easy.
I can’t. Werth is much younger, stronger, better at fielding, etc.
In light of Sabean’s comments stating that they will not look to the FA marketplace for improvements, I definitely think they will consider signing an overpriced aging star.
Jeter would look good in a Giants uni though.
berkman!
Interesting that a Royals prospect is a candidate for the Mets Managerial opening.
Not to nitpick, just pointing it out — Terry.
Wow, so not only is Tim Collins a potential Top 100 prospect, but also a candidate to be the Mets new manager… I’m pretty sure that’s the wrong link, stranger things have happened though lol…
He’s got a pretty good k/9 for a manager… maybe he can be his own closer?
25 years ago it wasn’t uncommon to have a manager play a position as well.
Um, Pete Rose was the only one. And IIRC the last player-manager before that was Frank Robinson in ’75 or so. It’s been extremely uncommon for a long time now.
The red sox should sign Kevin Gregg.
I can’t tell if you’re a Red Sox fan or a Blue Jays fan for saying that.
Not before they make an attempt to sign Downs and Kerry Wood.
Nobody is going to sign Downs unless they’re pick is protected in my opinion, he’d be a terrible choice to waste a first round pick on. I don’t care how durable and consistent he is, he’s still a reliever who could be a good closer. I think the Jays bring him back, if for no other reason than there isn’t any better option out there to fill what is going to be a young inexperienced pen next year.
A team like the Red Sox can actually afford to give up a 1st considering how much they spent in this draft and they can potentially get 2 1st rounders themselves with Beltre and V-Mart and there are always 1st rounders that fall to 2nd/3rd rounders so I don’t see being that big of a deal to the RED SOX.
Anyways, I do think they’ll look to sign another Type A FA so it’s entirely possible they would give up a 2nd/3rd rounder for Downs and there is always the possibility of them getting 2 1st rounders from Beltre and V-Mart and they can afford to let their own go.
I think a lot of teams will be interested in Downs.
If the Sox pick up Crawford, then Downs would only cost them a 2nd. Much more reasonable.
i was theo, I wouldn’t go near downs or wood. They are gunna cost alot and they require a pick to be given up. Not worth it. Plus they are in their 30’s.
Kevin Gregg is 32 years old.
Rosenthal has the Rangers as the highest bidder for Iwakuma.
twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/957978832281600
If the Giants sign Jeter, that would just be too funny.
REAL METS FANS WANT WALLY IN THE DUG-OUT!
No, Met fans blinded by nostalgia want Wally Backman as the manager.
slam crash BURN!!!
I like Feliciano but I think we should move on as well. Take the pick and use the money to sign Garland and/or Vasquez (who would also require losing a pick so it’s a wash). I know losing both Taka and Pedro is a lot for
a pen, especially from the left side, but I would rather spend the limited resources we have on a starting pitcher considering Johan’s injury, Gee only pitched 1 month in MLB, and Mejia needs AAA time.
take the pick assumes we offer arb and declines.
its not a given we offer arb as he would make upwards of 4 mil as a lefty specialist
either offer arb or a 2 year 7 mil deal i think is fair.
I agree but our #1 stop gap priority is a inning eating starter. Vazquez, fly ball pitcher, should do Ok in Citifield, Garland might not wanna do the east coast
I agree but our #1 stop gap priority is a inning eating starter. Vazquez, fly ball pitcher, should do Ok in Citifield, Garland might not wanna do the east coast
take the pick assumes we offer arb and declines.
its not a given we offer arb as he would make upwards of 4 mil as a lefty specialist
either offer arb or a 2 year 7 mil deal i think is fair.
it’s not a given the yanks offer arb to vasquez either.
it’s also not a given garland comes to the east coast. i recall reading last year he wanted to stay on the west coast.
I agree with u Vazquez might not even cost a pick and Garland likes the left coast. I also think Alderson is gonna fly under the radar on FA market this year bc of Mets financial inflexibility. He will bargain shop instead of “big splash” I expect a starter, catcher, and a 2b signed all decent cost and NOT giving up any picks. Not one. Rebuilding farm system can’t afford that
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i expect them to go after vasquez.
i dont expect them to go after a catcher, as thole really improved and it appears his approach at the plate would jive with alderson’s sabremetric principles. thole makes contact, is patient, and behind the plate calls a good game. blanco is also a decent defensive catcher as well.
the only 2B i would look at is hudson or if eckstein wants to play 2B. Only on 1 year deals thought.
I like Thole. Really do. But we need another guy who can play 50+ games, Blanco is a good defender but he’s ready to hit softballs ,he’s done as a MLB hitter.
I’m cool with Eck @ 2b for 1 year
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I agree with u Vazquez might not even cost a pick and Garland likes the left coast. I also think Alderson is gonna fly under the radar on FA market this year bc of Mets financial inflexibility. He will bargain shop instead of “big splash” I expect a starter, catcher, and a 2b signed all decent cost and NOT giving up any picks. Not one. Rebuilding farm system can’t afford that
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
it’s not a given the yanks offer arb to vasquez either.
it’s also not a given garland comes to the east coast. i recall reading last year he wanted to stay on the west coast.
Isn’t Clay Zavada that guy rocking the Rollie Fingers mustache?
Yes he is and he would look awfully good, even with that stache, coming out of the Padres bullpen.
Yup. I reeeeeally hope the D’Backs resign him.
Or, at the very least, his mustache.
Isn’t Clay Zavada that guy rocking the Rollie Fingers mustache?
Jeter is going to resign with the Yankees. There is no way that Jeter is going to the Giants.
I knew it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Matt Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is a guy who is 61, lost the clubhouse in Houston, led the Angels through their ’97 collapse (which was worse than the Mets’ ’07 collapse despite), and was voted out by the players the front-runner for manager?
Matt Bush will have no problem staying out of trouble in Tampa….eh right.