After discussing the Mets’ budget-conscious offseason spending thus far — and questioning the team’s choice of an apparently conservative route after a run to the World Series last year — Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports runs through a variety of notes from around the league. Here are some highlights:
- Even as the Dodgers pursue Kenta Maeda, the team is continuing to show interest in Scott Kazmir, per Rosenthal — despite an already heavily left-handed rotation. And there is some sentiment among rival executives that L.A. could make a play for yet another southpaw, Wei-Yin Chen.
- The Giants remain unlikely to play at the top of the free agent outfield market, according to the report, but might look at the next level down. Two names in play are Dexter Fowler and Gerardo Parra, with another possibility being the addition of a right-handed-hitting platoon partner for Gregor Blanco. San Francisco is also in communication with the Rockies on their outfielders, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi reports.
- The Cardinals did not sign Mike Leake with intentions of spinning off another starter for outfield help, says Rosenthal. As he notes in another post, signing Leake — while allowing John Lackey to walk — came with some draft benefits, as the club didn’t have to sacrifice a pick to add the former and will gain a selection for losing the latter.
The Dodgers are reportedly interested in everyone. If the media is unable to report that they are not in on everyone, the internet will explode.
That’s a solid double negative that doesn’t make any sense.
Dodgers are not in on outfielders.
But they are out on infielders.
I don’t think they are if they ever get the 2 pitchers they need they still may need a more full time 2nd baseman or/and 3rd baseman
If we talk that up I am down with that.
Sorry, getting a little carried away.
Is Rosenthal unaware that a team can pursue multiple starters at once?
Boras appears to want to play the waiting game with Chen, who should probably settle for around Leake’s total. If I were the Dodgers, I’d sign Kazmir or Maeda soon. This a team that tossed a ridiculously unnecessary 4/48 deal at Brandon McCarthy last season. This time around, they actually need a starter and should be willing to shell out a little more for a quality starter, especially one that isn’t tied to compensation.
I wasn’t a fan of the McCarthy deal but in fairness it would not have looked ridiculous if he hadn’t gone down to TJ after just a few starts. As for Rosenthal, I wonder if he thinking that the Dodgers could be seriously considering a full rotation of lefties. I doubt it. Not exactly unprecedented, but pretty uncommon, and in this case, not really necessary.
The McCarthy deal was stupid from the moment it was done, in my opinion, and I said as much at the time. I wasn’t the only one.
Anyone that thought McCarthy was not going to spend time on the DL hadn’t looked at his career. He Lives there. His healthy year was the exception.
He had no history of UCL problems. A lot of people seem to be comfortable practicing medicine without a license.
I prefer the Mccarthy’s deal over Leake’s deal even with the TJ surgery he had, it is still a bargain by far.
@BlueSkyLA – Agreed about Rosenthal. All lefties doesn’t exactly make things better.
@rick5ful – way too early to call this a bargain. He’s done nothing to earn his money yet.
Doing this for many yrs I am sure Rosenthal has enough intelligence to know that.
Kazmir would be a nice fit in Baltimore but I think the Dodgers should go after Maeda, but it wouldn’t give kershaw a 1-2 punch like Grienkie but it’s a nice fit
I would love to see blackmon come to SF – it feels like a fit the way scutaro did when he came over
He would be great for them but the Giants don’t have anything to trade with the guys the Rockies would want beede and arroyo the Giants won’t give up. That’s the same as drew storen I think he would be perfect for them but they don’t have any thing to give up for him.
Why are the Dodgers not linked to Gallardo didn’t they try trading for him? If they are willing to give up a pick for Chen why not Gallardo? Gallardo would be a major star in the LA market.
Gallardo is overrated and not worth giving up a draft pick.
He was just as good as Chen last year. Gallardo has completely re=invented him self as a pitcher. He does not rely on velocity any more.
In my opinion, the balance of lefties vs. righties is overrated (when it comes to SPs). If I was a GM, I wouldn’t weigh too heavily on which way they throw.
The front end it doesn’t matter guys like Kershaw who cares, the back end in a league of match ups it can be problematic if a team can start its righty heavy lineup multiple games in a row against the back end of your rotation, you are probably going to have some rough series.
I don’t know what the Giants see in Pagan anymore. He’s terrible offensively and defensively. Cut your losses and DFA him.
Couldn’t agree more. Think they are praying he is able to find some of his 2012 form in his walk year. You gotta have your head buried so deep in the sand to think that guy has anything left in the tank.
God anyone but the Giants. They always rip off our inept FO. I really don’t feel like giving them another Series like with Scutaro in 2012.
I wouldn’t worry about it. Dan O’Dowd is long gone.
The Mets don’t have to spend, their strengths are young and cheap — right now. The most concerning aspect of their conservative spending is that they won’t be willing to pay when Harvey, DeGrom, Syndergaard, and Matz hit FA. Then they’d be really screwed.
The Giants should trade Beede or Heston for someone like Corey Dickerson.
Kazmir has been wanting to make the move to the NL for some time, I think he will do it now if he he hasn’t done it already… the next couple of days will tell the tale. I think he’ll sacrifice the $ for a 4 year contract. Dodgers!