The Twins offered Chris Capuano a two-year deal before he accepted the Dodgers' offer, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Here are more of Rosenthal's notes from around MLB…
- The Marlins have discussed Prince Fielder internally and some team officials like the idea of pursuing him, according to Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi. However, they're more focused on Albert Pujols. Agent Scott Boras is telling teams that Fielder is the last available young power bat until Mike Stanton hits free agency.
- The Pirates were also pursuing Capuano before he signed, Morosi tweets.
- One GM says other teams backed off from Jose Reyes after the Marlins offered him $90MM over six years.
- The Cardinals offered Albert Pujols a nine-year deal worth $190-200MM in Spring Training and haven’t changed their proposal since.
- The Red Sox are exploring every trade possibility and considering every free agent closer, according to Rosenthal. Boston is hoping to find a bargain somewhere in the crowded market for top-tier relievers.
GREGM
Wow, Marlins setting the market rate for Reyes…
(falls on floor)
bravesdude
Jonny Venters for Marco Scutaro and Will Middlebrooks ?
philpbarnes
As awesome as Venters is, im not a big fan of trading for relief pitchers.
Guest 5924
For some reason, I have a hard time seeing the Sox give up one of their best prospects and opening day SS for any reliever especially given the reliever market.
0bsessions
Doesn’t really work for us. Our top prospect AND one of the league’s better shortstops is pretty steep for a reliever. I like the fact he’s got tons of team control, but that’s more than I’d want to part with.
notsureifsrs
get beachy or minor involved and another couple prospects from boston and we might be onto something
something completely unrealistic, but something nonetheless
Jamie Baker
Middlebrooks is a stud, I don’t think you move him for a bullpen arm at all.
Lisa Shore
that will never happen
Lefty
One GM says other teams backed off from Jose Reyes after the Marlins offered him $90MM over six years. You would have thought more teams would have jumped on rather than jumping off. At least that’s the way I feel about it. If he stays healthy that’s dirt cheap!
matt boyd
The key word there is IF he stays healthy.
Lefty
True, however this guy could help you win a championship!
It’s not a bad knee, back, shoulder, elbow!
We’re talking about a hamstring here. I mean we are talking about a hamstring! Not ligament damage, I “Mean” we are “TALKING” about the Hamstring!
William Paul Boucher
you’re talking about the hamstring?
Eric
But for a guy that relies on his legs, that is scary.
FamousGrouse
One of the best coach tirades ever.
Steve St Pierre
That wasnt a coach tirade….was the Iverson Tirade…
northsfbay
He won’t help the Marlins or Mets win a championship.
Tom
Leg problems on a man who’s game is his legs? yeah that doesn’t sound like a recipe for disaster, expect 120 games from him per season on average and you won’t be disappointed.
Rabbitov
I wouldn’t call 90 million dirt cheap, just dirt cheap compared to what numbers have been floated around.
frank8
What are the Red Sox doing? With Bell of the market is there really anyone that would be better than the guy they already have, Daniel Bard?
Onetimeaccount
He’s not ready to close yet.
Howard
All they can do is sign Madson now..
EarlyMorningBoxscore
They could actually do more than just sign Madson. There is KRod and Cordero who are both free agents. They could also try and trade for Street or Bailey. If it were me Madson, Street or Bailey would be preferred.
0bsessions
I’m not convinced they necessarily want someone better than Bard. Papelbon was the only person on the market who would likely do a better job as closer than Bard. I’m pretty convinced they just want someone who can “get the job done” so Bard can stay in the “relief ace” role.
plain_g
since when do the red sox look for bargains?
flickadave
Since Theo left for Chicago
dc21892
Theo looked for countless bargains while he was with Boston. Nice try, though.
matt boyd
The amount the Cardinals offered Pujols in the spring, and the fact that they have not increased that amount is not news, everyone has been reporting it, ever since they originally offered him that deal. Writers need to quit writing about Pujols until something new is offered.
Cheeseballs
Yeah, it’s getting pretty annoying having him tagged in a story only to find out absolutely nothing new…
slider32
AA and Cherrington can keep looking for bargains, but both teams need a good closer and time is running out. K-Rod or Madson take your pick. I could see tradeing for Bailey or Street, but their going to cost alot in minor league talent.
notsureifsrs
the winter meetings don’t even begin until next week. only two big names have been signed and both were given bad contracts
time isn’t running out at all. fans are just impatient
grownice
Common sense is a wonderful thing isn’t it?
dc21892
Wanna get your take on this… think Bard is ready? I sure do.
notsureifsrs
yup. if anything, i’m interested in acquiring thornton from chicago and letting him & jenks set up for bard. i’d rather skip the free agent closers and use the bargain bin for relievers
thornton only has 2/$10M on his deal with a club option and chicago should be very hungry for any young talent at all
dc21892
Thornton is an interesting name that’s come up lately. Electric stuff. Two veterans with good stuff in the back end to hand the ball to a young closer would be perfect.
jwsox
and he is much much more healthy then jenks…jenks would probably be moved to the 7th inning guy with thornton being the primary set up man. also having him at the end of the pen will help pick up the slack for jenks eventual DL time
slider32
I saw Thornton try to close at the beginning of last year and he failed.
dc21892
I said nothing about him closing. We’re talking about him setting up.
jwsox
its actually 2/12 with a club option….as a sox fan i would be sad to see him go but the sox need to shed salary at all costs…what realistically do you think the sawx could offer for him. Please be honest and dont over value prospects here
dc21892
Two names that come to my mind are Reddick and Bowden. Seeing how Thornton is a reliever it’s tough to pin point the right deal. I’m interested in peoples take on who it would take to Thornton as well.
*I’m not saying it will be those two, just saying those are names that come to mind.
slider32
Let’s face it Sox fans, none of these pitchers are Papelbon. The Sox made a big mistake letting him go. They could have signed him before he got to free agency if they were smart. After Mariano, Papelbon is the best. This will show up in wins next year, especially agains’t the good teams.
User 4245925809
That’s not a bad idea you are floating around and then looking at either Zumaya or Shaky Gonzalez as a power rehab guy if either can be gotten on a injury type rehab deal.
Edit:
IMO, we will find out after 12/7 when ortiz has to make up his mind on arbitration whether or not boston is going to chase a closer.. yes if he denies and no if he accepts..
either way, your proposal there makes sense if Thornton would not be too costly.
slider32
Last Sept. would bother me with Bard, and I think with Bobby V also.
slider32
There’s not that many good closers for good teams, for the others they can throw anyone in there and hope their good.
frank8
Not about a bargain, I don’t think any of those other guys will be any better at getting the job done. K-Rod though might be a nice option for the 8th inning.
Zakary Hawkins
Francisco Cordero and K-Rod are still out there
Howard
I’d go with Cordero, Street or use someone from the farm system to be closer.
Dave M.
“Agent Scott Boras is telling teams that Fielder is the last available young power bat until Mike Stanton hits free agency.”
If true, this must be rather sobering for MLB GMs.
GREGM
Wow…Boras comparing a 22 year old Stanton to Prince…in 2017
…Beast Mode
notsureifsrs
stanton’s very good, but that comment is less about stanton’s talent than it is scaring teams into thinking they won’t be able to get power bats for a long time after prince
votto’s bat is better than stanton’s and he’ll be on the market in a couple seasons
GREGM
Joey Votto is 28 and going into his 5th season…
Stanton is 22 and going into his 2nd full season…
I’d imagine once Stanton his pitch selection down to a science, you’ll see very similar numbers out of both in their 5th seasons comparably.
Amish_willy
Yeah, when Votto was Stanton’s age he was raking in AA. Boras “last young power hitter” comment is silly. Fielder might be the oldest 28 year old in the game today. Wonder what Fielder’s even year in 2012 will look like?
’10: .871 OPS’08: .879 OPS
’06: .831 OPS
His .981 OPS in 2011 was the lowest OPS in an odd year since becoming an everyday player, 1014 & 1013 previously.
Bound to dissappoint, atleast initially?
Yankees420
Other interesting stat: HR/FB%
2007: 23.9% 2008: 18.2% 2009: 23.1% 2010: 18.3% 2011: 21.8%
I’m not sure if this is luck, or coincidence, or if for some reason, he really cannot play as well every other year….
jwsox
its a typical boras thing to do. compare young players with potential to old vets who have proved it. Remember before text signed with the yankees he was saying that tex is as good if not better than pujols, and mainly be cause he was a switch hitter…
Jose Zepeda
I’m willing to bet that Red Sox end up with Joakim Soria from the Royals & Broxton closes for KC
start_wearing_purple
I doubt it. Soria has put Boston on his no trade list.
Jose Zepeda
That was before Aceves and Gonzo were there and he didnt want to be a set up man.
Phillies_Aces35
Mostly for leverage purposes, no? A lot of players put big market teams on it so they can use the No-Trade as a way of receiving some sort of compensation.
notsureifsrs
his contract is pretty nice, but all of his numbers are headed in the wrong direction 3 years in a row now. factor in NT clause and the royals asking price and he’s not a realistic target
The_BiRDS
How about the Cardinals give Albert Pujols a “deadline” to sign their offer now?
Cheeseballs
I don’t know about that. I’m sure we will still up the offer a little bit. Besides, the winter meetings don’t start for another few days.
northsfbay
The deadline would pass and then you would have to eat your words.
The_BiRDS
Its not like they couldnt re-negotiate… Maybe he will take it considering its the best offer out there an I doubt any other team will come close to a 9 year offer. They can set a deadline till Christmas and maybe it will speed things up. Everyone knows Albert is just going to shop around and see what he is offered only to come back to the Cardinals and ask them to match or top it. Cardinals have a lot to do this offseason and cant expect to wait till spring training to resign the guy.
Snoochies8
andrew bailey or grant balfour for…
Shane Heathers
for… what
Yankees420
another baseball player.
jesse heiman
Red sox should trade lawrie and bard to angels for collaspo and walden
EarlyMorningBoxscore
Or not.
dc21892
Took the words right out of my mouth. While Lowrie is in the dicussion, I would really love to see what he can do over a full season. He needs to stay healthy -_-.
commenter3346
I doubt Lowrie will ever stay healthy for a full season. On top of that, Lowrie is not a starting shortstop/third baseman/first baseman. His splits are terrible. He cannot hit right handed pitching. He can’t hit from the left side at all. Although he’s pretty good from the right side. I wouldn’t do that trade though, but I just doubt he’ll ever be able to stay healthy.
lefty177
I could honestly see (& I want to see) the Red Sox trade for Andrew Bailey, who would it take to get him though?
woadude
The Red Sox should at least explore K-Rod, I mean this is the guy that set the single season saves record, has a funky delivery but come one, if he ended the year with the Mets, that 17.5 million option would of vested, this guy closes out ball games.
dc21892
He set the saves record for a single season by being overused. Also, that “funky” delivery has to do with his dropping velocity and could lead to injuries soon.
slider32
I don’t think the Sox have the minor league players to out bid the Padres or Jays for Bailey. Whoever the Sox get won’t be as good as Papelbon. They have taken a step back in this department along with GM and manager.
First L
thank god the twins did not get stuck with capuano