• Joe McDonald at the Providence Journal thinks the Red Sox need to make a major deal.
• Dan Novick at the Hardball Times wonders if the Lee trade was a win-win.
• John Campanelli at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer gets reactions from Indians fans on the Lee deal. Suffice to say, they ain't happy.
• Nationals acting manager Jim Riggleman wants to see the team's core remain intact, says Chico Harlan at the Washington Post.
• Marc Topkin at the St. Petersburg Times says the Rays "seem unlikely" to make a big deal.
• Geoff Baker at the Seattle Times thinks the Mariners' deals today for Ian Snell and Jack Wilson probably spell some more trades on the horizon–potentially involving Jarrod Washburn.
• The Nationals released Julian Tavarez today, who had cleared waivers. Corey Patterson also cleared waivers and has been released from the Triple A club, reports Bill Ladson at MLB.com.
• David Laurila at Baseball Prospectus has a profile and some quotes from new Pirate Tim Alderson.

Tavarez, a true journeyman at this point in his career, had a 4.89 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP in 35 innings with the Nats.  He's 35, but a club desperate for bullpen depth might decide to give him a shot.  Either that, or he'll end up back at Washington's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.

• Cole Hamels is flying to Philadelphia to have his sore left elbow examined.  Hamels threw 3,914 pitches in total last year, the most in baseball (two more than C.C. Sabathia).  Hamels thinks he’s fine and it’s not a big deal.
• Julian Tavarez on why he chose the Nationals.
• MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro says the Marlins returned Rule 5 lefty Zach Kroenke to the Yankees.
• Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball looks at postseason ticket revenue over the last decade.
• Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News talked to John Dewan about the Giants’ defense.
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes about the fraternity in the Yankees’ revamped rotation.
• Athletics Nation talked to Jason Giambi, who was very close to re-signing with the A’s before he signed with the Yankees.
• Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker asks if Yankees starter Kei Igawa, owed $12MM over the next three years, is movable.

• Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports that Omar Minaya says the Mets won’t sign Pedro Martinez. Buster Olney was on this one earlier in the week, but that was before the Mets had to shut Tim Redding down because of weakness in his pitching shoulder.
• According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle Bobby Crosby played third and first yesterday in a Spring Training game. He had never played first before and had to borrow a glove. Playing well at many positions couldn’t hurt his trade value.
• We missed this one earlier in the week: Bill Shaikin of the LA Times asked Angels GM Tony Reagins if he has interest in Barry Bonds and heard he has "none."
• Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reports that acting GM Mike Rizzo signed Julian Tavarez to the Nats because he wants depth and doesn’t want his players feeling too comfortable about their jobs.

Sherman also has three pre-arbitration signings: Jeremy Guthrie ($650K), Kevin Kouzmanoff ($432K) and Ross Ohlendorf ($414K).

• The Mets designated Claudio Vargas for assignment.  I’m a bit surprised, I think he’s still a useful pitcher.
• Pitcher Jon Lieber may retire after the season.  130+ wins, that’s a nice career.
• With Tom Gordon’s shoulder barking, the Phillies’ desire to add a reliever has intensified.  Here’s a look at the relief market.
• When a 2.93 ERA is considered underperforming, expectations were never reasonable.  Anyone else get the impression that if Johan Santana’s record was 10-3 instead of 7-6, there wouldn’t even be a discussion?  Joel Sherman believes the Yankees (if under Brian Cashman) would not go six or seven years to sign C.C. Sabathia in light of the Barry Zito and Santana deals.  He wonders whether Sabathia could be lured with a shorter term and higher average annual value.
• Julian Tavarez chose to become a free agent, surprising the Brewers.
• Roy Oswalt reminds us that he has a no-trade clause and hasn’t been approached by management about any deals.
• The Adam Dunn-J.P. Ricciardi saga continues.
• I chatted with Ryan Henning about the Twins recently.
• T.J. Simers and Ned Colletti argue about the GM’s trading track record.
• The Pirates are looking for pitching.  Brett Tomko anyone?  Anyone?
• Evan Grant discusses the Rangers’ trade options in his mailbag.

SUNDAY: The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo writes that Bartolo Colon, a close friend of Julian Tavarez, said Tavarez told him that he would prefer to pitch for the New York Mets. Tavarez was recently DFA’d by the Red Sox and elected free agency rather than accepting an assignment to Triple A Pawtucket.

Tavarez could make sense for the Mets in many roles. Jason Vargas and Matt Wise have been ineffective in limited use, while Mike Pelfrey has been very inconsistent over the first two months of the season. The Mets, however, have yet to indicate whether they have interest in the veteran right-hander.  Baseball Prospectus’ John Perrotto has the Orioles and Brewers as the top suitors; I hadn’t heard Baltimore in the mix until now.

• Sean McAdam wonders if Manny Ramirez’s current slump will affect the team’s decision to exercise his $20MM option for 2009. Manny sounded rather confident last month that the team would pick it up. And while it’s nearly a given that he’ll recover from this month, the Red Sox could read it as a sign of decline. Still, the chances of the option being picked up are still high.
• A few days after accepting an assignment to AAA Pawtucket, Julian Tavarez has instead opted for free agency.
• Couple of transaction notes. Braves C Brayan Pena has been activated from the DL, and immediately designated for assignment. Indians reliever Craig Breslow was also DFA.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski, who writes for River Ave. Blues, a Yankees blog, and can be reached here.

• RotoAuthority takes a look at Clayton Kershaw, who may be called up soon.
• Brandon Medders was DFA’d to make room for Doug Davis.  Not to be mean, but the 28 year-old reliever doesn’t do anything particularly well.
• The Glendon Rusch signing takes the Rockies out of the Julian Tavarez sweepstakes.  Jayson Stark said the Brewers made a run at Tavarez a week ago.
• Paul Sullivan suggests that Jim Edmonds may be on a short leash in Chicago.
• Jon Heyman grades last winter’s trades.
• We’ve filled the Sunday afternoon writing gig…many thanks to all who applied.

10:38am: Here’s today’s link collection.

• MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel hears the Royals are leaning toward an impact bat in the June draft.  Baseball America predicted catcher Buster Posey, while Jonathan Mayo went with first baseman Eric Hosmer.  First baseman Justin Smoak is another possibility.
• Paul DePodesta tells a story about the gamesmanship of the draft.
• Hank Steinbrenner says there’s a chance Brian Cashman will be the Yankees’ GM next year, if he wants to be.  He might be able to find a better situation.  If there’s a new GM, his first task might be negotiating with Scott Boras for Mark Teixeira.
• The Rockies still might have mild interest in Julian Tavarez, who will become a free agent today.
• The Marlins, Rockies, and Rangers were the three clubs interested in Edinson Volquez when he was a kid in the Dominican.

• The Tigers weren’t able to trade Jacque Jones; he’ll become a free agent tomorrow.  The Marlins are expected to make an offer.
• The Cubs signed a Korean high school shortstop named Lee Hak-ju.  Aaron Shinsano, who works for the Cubs as a scout, says the team believes he’d have been a first round pick in the states.
• Giants owner Peter Magowan is expected to step down Friday.
• Troy Renck says the Rox still want Julian Tavarez but won’t give up pitching prospect Brandon Hynick.  Baseball America ranked Hynick eighth among Rockies prospects, they describe him as a command guy with a decent splitter.  The Sox are talking to two or three teams about Tavarez.
• Not a surprise, but Jon Garland isn’t likely to sign back with the White Sox.

2:07pm: The Red Sox have designated Tavarez for assignment.  Nick Cafardo says trade talks with the Rockies and at least two other teams didn’t lead anywhere, even when the Sox offered to eat most of the contract.  The Red Sox asked for a pitching prospect from the Rockies but couldn’t get it.

MONDAY, 9:57am: Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the Rockies’ talks for Tavarez are dead.  His guess is that the Rockies will end up with Josh Fogg and won’t have to give up anyone.

SUNDAY: On May 8th, Rob Bradford of the Boston Herald reported that the Rockies remained interested in trading for Julian Tavarez, but no advancements had been made in the talks.  On May 9th, Rockies owner Dick Monfort said the team had no plans to acquire a fifth starter.  First, the Rox wanted to try 22 year-old rookie Greg Reynolds.  Today in his big league debut Reynolds allowed four runs in 5.2 innings to the woeful San Diego offense.  Franklin Morales could return to the team in a couple of weeks; he tossed five no-hit innings in Triple A today.

This evening, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe learned that the Rockies’ talks for Tavarez are ongoing.  The Red Sox already traded Bryan Corey; Tavarez could be next.  Bartolo Colon could join Boston’s rotation before month’s end.

Tavarez, 35, pitched in 51 games for the Rockies in 2000.  He set a career high with 11 wins that year.  His groundballing style sounds like a decent fit in Coors.  He has about $2.9MM left on his contract this year.

THURSDAY: On Tuesday we found out that the Rockies have been looking into a number of trade options for their starting rotation. The two most common names in the conversation are Josh Fogg and Julian Tavarez, both former Rox. Fogg has given up over a run an inning for the last place Reds, and could be DFA if the team opts to go with youngster Homer Bailey, who has a 2.72 ERA in AAA. Tavarez might be expendable for the Sox, though that would mean depending on David Aardsma.

Today, Jack Etkin of the Rocky Mountain News tells us that the Rox have inquired on Cardinals pitcher Anthony Reyes. We’ve heard the rumor that the Cardinals are shopping the former USC star, though they are looking for "an upper echelon prospect back, plus another piece." Any Rox fans want to toss out names of trade candidates? Could Brian Fuentes be the other piece?

After a poor major league showing in 2007, Reyes broke camp with the Cardinals this year as a reliever. He didn’t fare very well, allowing eight runs in 13.2 IP, though of course that’s a measly sample size. He’s since been optioned to AAA, where he’ll be showcased as a starter. He has yet to make an appearance.

Etkin further notes that the Rox have had no substantial talks with the A’s about Joe Blanton or Rich Harden, nor the Rangers about Kevin Millwood. It’s unlikely any of that crop will be traded until much later in the season, if at all. The Boston Herald confirms the team’s interest in Tavarez, and as Tim noted, Walt Jocketty didn’t deny the Fogg rumors.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski. If you see any rumors, send ’em over.