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Mets May Not Have Shot At Washburn

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Mets fans are already in near-revolt mode, so the tweet from Jon Morosi that the Mets likely don't "have a real shot" at Jarrod Washburn will only stoke the fires further.

It isn't necessarily clear that the Mets should want Washburn, of course. He was a disaster in Detroit, posting a 7.33 ERA in 43 innings with unimpressive peripheral stats (16 walks, 21 strikeouts). Now 35, he's projected by ZIPS for a 4.59 ERA in 2010, though if his stint with the Tigers meant his production has fallen off a cliff, he won't approach that.

For comparison, ZIPS has Jon Niese projected with a 4.57 ERA, with Nelson Figueroa checking in at 5.06. While the Mets could have used some additional pitching, it isn't clear that Washburn is enough of an upgrade to justify a contract.

Six Teams Considering Chien-Ming Wang

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THURSDAY, 7:45pm: Nero says that Wang is reconsidering his plan not to return from shoulder surgery until a couple months into the season, writes Jayson Stark of ESPN.  Nero says that "four or five teams" are pursuing Wang more aggressively than expected and therefore, his client could sign before Spring Training if he receives the right offer.

Stark mentions the Mets, Dodgers, and Cardinals as potential destinations for the 29-year-old hurler.

MONDAY, 5:32pm: Ken Rosenthal catches up with Chien-Ming Wang's agent, Alan Nero, who reports that a half-dozen teams are currently reviewing Wang's medical records.

Wang is training with an eye on throwing off a mound within a week or two, Nero added.

“We’re anticipating a major-league offer with a substantial guarantee and substantial upside,” Nero said.

The way that works out, timing-wise, Wang should be throwing off a mound right as the teams licking their wounds from losing out on Ben Sheets are ready to take notice.

The two are hardly similar pitchers, however. While Sheets gets more fly balls than ground balls and has a healthy strikeout rate, Wang is quite dependent on his infield defense.

So for those who miss out on Sheets, better check to see if Luis Castillo or Michael Young is playing for your team before going after Wang. If so, you might want to save your money.

Marlins Targeting Bullpen Help

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The Marlins "don't particularly fancy" free agents John Smoltz and Joe Nelson, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, but they're eyeing a slew of others.  Spencer names Kevin Gregg, Chan Ho Park, Seth McClung, Kiko Calero, Mike MacDougal, Derrick Turnbow and Jose Veras as relievers on the radar.

The Marlins will be bargain-hunting, of course.  Year after year the Fish manage to turn up quality relief seasons from guys signed for nothing.  In 2009, it was Calero, Brian Sanches, and Brendan Donnelly.  Still, you have to wonder if offering arbitration to Calero would've been a wise move.

Cubs, Rays, Giants After Chan Ho Park

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WEDNESDAY, 1:44pm: Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that the Giants like Park, but want him on a minor league deal.

MONDAY, 8:51pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that the Cubs and Rays are looking at Chan Ho Park, who relieved for the Phillies last season.

Park put up a mediocre 4.43 ERA last season after a 3.40 mark in 2008, though his walks and strikeouts stayed fairly steady. Park has been far better as a reliever in both seasons- a 2.52 ERA out of the bullpen in 2009, and a 7.29 ERA as a starter.

Park will be 37 in June, so he's certainly not worth a multi-year deal. But he's a fairly decent option in the middle of the game, and should provide bullpen depth for some team.

Odds & Ends: Twins, Angels, Rangers

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Lots to get to as Monday starts to wind down:

  • Frankie Piliere of AOL Fanhouse weighs in with his top 100 prospects of 2010. The Top 25 can be found here, while 26-100 are available here.
  • In addition to weighing in on Jim Thome, MLB.com's Kelly Thesier reports that the Twins would likely be looking to begin any contract extension with Joe Mauer in 2011, rather than re-work his 2010 deal.
  • MLB.com's Lyle Spencer doesn't think the Angels are doing anything else significant this offseason.
  • T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com says that the Rangers haven't ruled Ben Sheets out completely, but that the player movement is likely finished in Arlington as well.
  • Add MLB.com's Marty Noble to the list of people who don't understand why the Mets acquired Gary Matthews Jr.
  • Michael DiRocco of the Florida Times-Union reports that Texas Rangers' draft pick and Florida wide receiver Riley Cooper, practicing this week at the Senior Bowl, has chosen football over baseball.
  • The Royals announced infielder Mario Lisson was designated for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster for Rick Ankiel.

White Sox Out On Thome

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7:35pm: Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune is up with a story on Thome not returning. According to Guillen, the at-bats for Thome simply weren't there.

7:01pm: Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets that a source with the Twins told him Jim Thome's agent spoke with Minnesota this afternoon, meaning that "it's official – Jim ain't coming back." He added that manager Ozzie Guillen has confirmed this as well.

Cowley adds that Tampa Bay and Detroit are also in the running for Thome's services, but the Twins appear to be the frontrunner.

Thome would serve primarily as a pinch-hitter for Minnesota, though he could spell Jason Kubel occasionally at DH.

Angels Extend Maicer Izturis

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Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Angels have extended Maicer Izturis' contract for three years, $10MM, avoiding arbitration in the process and buying out two years of free agency as well.

Izturis had submitted an arbitration salary of $3MM, while the Angels had countered with $2.3MM.

Izturis, 29, had a terrific 2009 season, posting a .300/.359/.434 batting line while playing mainly second base for the Angels. His UZR/150 at the position was a sparkling 14.7.

Though the 2010 projection systems see some regression from his near-.800 OPS, he still profiles as a strong choice at second base. A good signing at reasonable money for the Angels here.

Delgado Not A Fit For Blue Jays

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WEDNESDAY, 1:54pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian writes that a Major League source told him Delgado "doesn't fit into the Blue Jays' plans."  But if you're concerned about Delgado's health, his agent told Bastian the slugger "would have no problems playing first base on an everyday basis."

MONDAY, 6:59pm: AOL Fanhouse's Ed Price tweets, the Mets have seen Carlos Delgado in Puerto Rico twice, and plan to see him once more. Price adds that Delgado "is not moving well". Price adds that the Blue Jays, Delgado's first team, might be a "more likely landing spot."

One would figure Price mentions this because Toronto plays in the American League, giving Delgado a chance to DH, but it isn't so clear where Delgado fits in there. Adam Lind is Toronto's best hitter, and fields like a DH. Lyle Overbay is left-handed, just as Delgado is. Just how much of a role Toronto can offer Delgado is not at all clear.

Where Delgado fits with the Mets is much more obvious- he stands as far likelier to excel as a hitter while playing first base than Daniel Murphy in 2010. If he can't move well enough to play the position, of course, he becomes a glorified pinch hitter for New York.

For his part, Delgado has been hitting in his time with Carolina, putting a .353 average up in 19 plate appearances, including a home run. He only began playing the field on Sunday night, however.

Cubs To Make Run At Sheets

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TUESDAY, 11:50am: MLB.com's Carrie Muskat tweets that Cubs officials say Sheets' current asking price does not fit their budget.  Sheets' agent Casey Close could stand to do a better job controlling the information on his client, because the reports of a $10-12MM demand make him look bad.  Muskat says the Cubs are still looking for right-handed relief.

MONDAY, 8:58pm: As Ken Rosenthal guessed last week, the Chicago Cubs are set to make a run at free agent pitcher Ben Sheets, the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan reports.

According to Sullivan, Cubs GM Jim Hendry contacted Sheets' agent during the Winter Meetings. Sheets is reportedly asking for two years and a guaranteed $10-12MM per year, though the Cubs believe "they have a good shot at landing him with an incentive-laden deal."  MetsBlog's Matthew Cerrone believes Sheets is aiming for a second-year player option.

Sullivan sees Sheets slotting in nicely in front of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly in the Chicago rotation, with Randy Wells and newly-acquired Carlos Silva also serving as starting options.  With Lilly coming off of arthroscopic shoulder surgery, and little recent success from Silva, it is hard to imagine the Cubs want to roll the dice with Sheets. However, they did acquire Rich Harden in July 2008, so high-risk, high-reward pitchers may just be how the Cubs roll.

Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Astros, Pirates, Giants

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What's that you say? You want more news? You're just in time:

  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports that Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane has entered into negotiations to sell the team. McLane says he's in no hurry to sell the team, but has entered into an exclusive 30-day negiotiating window with an unnamed New York investment banking company.
  • According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the 2010 Pirates should use this as their motto: "Pirates baseball: Where unwanted relief pitchers seek employment."
  • MLB.com's Chris Haft says that with the signing of Aubrey Huff, the Giants are likely finished making improvements to their roster.
  • MLB.com's Jason Beck addresses the idea of Joel Zumaya as closer. The questions around Zumaya in that role are a big reason why Detroit is linked to free agent Jose Valverde, of course.

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