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Mark Buehrle

Ozzie: Marlins “Dead Serious” About Contract Offers

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Many people around the industry are skeptical about whether the Marlins are sincere about their intent to go all-in on free agents this offseason, says Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. However, manager Ozzie Guillen wants to assure any doubters that the Marlins are "dead serious" about making a splash.

“This is for real,” Guillen told Rosenthal. “I don’t think this is a marketing thing. This is what [the Marlins] want. They’re trying to improve as quickly as they can…. It’s not to show, ‘We’re trying, but we’re not going to do anything.’”

Rosenthal confirms yesterday's report that the Marlins offered Albert Pujols a nine-year contract. While he's not sure about the dollar amount, he hears it's "substantial." Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reported this afternoon that the total amount of the offer is under $200MM.

The Marlins have also extended formal offers to Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Ryan Madson, according to Rosenthal. Considering how many players the Marlins are pursuing, the team is prepared to increase its payroll significantly for 2012. According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter link), club president David Samson said today that he doesn't expect player salaries to exceed $100MM next season, but "you never know."

Thirteen Teams In On Mark Buehrle

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11 teams are playing on Mark Buehrle, tweets Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and ESPN.com: the Nationals, White Sox, Cubs, Marlins, Twins, Rangers, Yankees, Royals, Cardinals, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks.  These suitors have all been confirmed by club sources, according to Bowden.  The Blue Jays and Angels were named by Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports yesterday, potentially bringing the total to 13.  From Bowden's list, I believe the Twins, Cardinals, and Red Sox are new suitors.  Cards GM John Mozeliak said yesterday he is not seeking to alter the team's rotation, however.

Nats GM To Meet With Buehrle’s Agent

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WEDNESDAY, 11:21am: Rizzo will meet with Buehrle's agent before the GM Meetings end, the GM told Kilgore.

MONDAY, 11:25pm: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo met for about 45 minutes tonight with Bob Garber, the agent for free agents C.J. Wilson and Roy Oswalt, writes Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post.  Afterward, Garber wouldn't say much about the talks but did note that Rizzo expressed interest in both pitchers and the sides will keep talking as the offseason moves forward.

Garber characterized the talks as "preliminary" but noted that there's enough interest on both sides of the table for talks to continue.  The Nats will also make a strong push for left-hander Mark Buerhle, a person familiar with the Nationals’ plans told Kilgore.

Cubs, Buehrle’s Agent Have Had Multiple Discussions

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The Cubs have had multiple discussions with Mark Buehrle's agent Jeff Berry, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Berry also met with Marlins earlier today.  Morosi sums up the other interested clubs: the White Sox, Blue Jays, Royals, Angels, Nationals, and Diamondbacks.

Earlier in November, we heard that the Cubs would have interest in the longtime White Sox pitcher "if the price tag and years aren't astronomical." Considering the number of Buehrle rumors we've heard so far this offseason, there appears to be plenty of competition, but we don't have a clear idea yet of the years and dollars the lefty might be offered.

Reds Will Not Trade Votto This Winter

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Despite rumblings that reigning NL MVP Joey Votto could be available this offseason, Reds GM Walt Jocketty says the team will hold on to the first baseman, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). Jocketty indicated that the Reds will try to lock Votto up to a long-term deal within the next year. Here are a few other items of note from Heyman's Twitter feed:

  • The Reds are among the teams who have contacted the Braves to inquire on Jair Jurrjens.
  • GM John Mozeliak said the Cardinals haven't met face-to-face with Albert Pujols since the season ended, but that they've touched base with Pujols and his agent, and plan to meet.
  • The Mets think Jose Reyes will give them a chance to match his best offer before he signs anywhere, but know that he's not obligated to do so.
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says if he were to pursue an impact first baseman like Pujols or Prince Fielder, he'd need to make a companion move to open up the position.
  • The White Sox aren't closing the door on Mark Buehrle, but GM Ken Williams feels it'll be tough to fit him into their payroll.

Mets Will Tender Contracts To Pagan, Pelfrey

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Their names showed up on our list of non-tender candidates yesterday, but Angel Pagan and Mike Pelfrey will be tendered contracts by the Mets, reports Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). The pair of Mets could earn more than $10MM between them in 2012, according to our projected arbitration salaries. Here are some other notes from the NL East:

  • The Phillies are indicating Cole Hamels would cost "three small countries and two oceans" in a trade, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link). Considering what sort of package it would take to land Hamels, the southpaw likely isn't going anywhere.
  • The Mets have a similarly high asking price for David Wright. GM Sandy Alderson says he'll only considering moving Wright "if someone blows us away," tweets Heyman. Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote earlier today that the Mets would definitely listen on Wright, but probably won't get an offer they like.
  • Mark Buehrle's representatives and the Marlins are meeting today at the GM meetings in Milwaukee, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.
  • Yoenis Cespedes isn't the only Cuban outfielder to grab the Nationals' attention – Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes of the club's interest in 19-year-old Jorge Soler.
  • Speaking of Cespedes, the Phillies worked out the 26-year-old in the Dominican Republic, with Pat Gillick in attendance, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.
  • Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com takes a look at which players the Nationals may protect in this year's Rule 5 draft.

White Sox GM On Buehrle’s Future, Danks

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White Sox GM Ken Williams sounded less-than-optimistic when addressing the possibility of Mark Buehrle's return to Chicago, writes Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.  The GM said that he is unsure if it is the free agent ace's "time to go" but seemed prepared for the veteran to move on and play elsewhere in 2012.

“What I will miss more than that is the person he is. And you guys know what I’m talking about. When you talk about teammates, good teammates, supportive teammates, guys who have fun in the game, know when to be serious, know when to check somebody but know when to make somebody laugh, this is the guy you want. There’s much more that we’re going to miss than just every fifth day from Mark," said Williams at a hotel restaurant at the general managers’ meetings.

Last week we learned that the Marlins extended an offer to Buehrle and earlier this evening it was reported that the Diamondbacks have interest in him as well.  Last season, the 32-year-old posted a 3.59 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 31 starts.

Williams also said that a trade of John Danks doesn’t seem imminent because he doesn’t think that he could get fair value for the left-hander.

“First of all, the climate for teams giving up young pitching hasn’t been sunny in a few years,” the GM said. “Secondly, it’s seems like every year, we all sit down and people are worried about the pitching.”

D’Backs Rumors: Saunders, Kuroda, Buehrle

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The Diamondbacks continued their aggressive offseason approach over the weekend, agreeing to terms with Aaron Hill on a two-year deal. The club will now search for pitching; here are the details:

Marlins Rumors: Reyes, Pujols, Buehrle, Madson

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The Miami Marlins were officially born yesterday, and they grabbed some headlines by extending contract offers to free agents Jose Reyes, Albert Pujols, and Mark Buehrle. They also expressed some interest in Ryan Madson. Let's round up the latest from South Beach…

  • MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reports that Reyes "loved his visit" to the team's new ballpark this past Wednesday, and he would like to play in Miami. SI.com's Heyman hears that Reyes is the team's top free agent target (Twitter link).
  • Within the same piece, Frisaro says that people connected to the team have told him that their offer to Pujols "probably isn’t close to being enough" to land the free agent slugger.
  • Talks with Reyes, Pujols, Madson, and Buehrle are "preliminary" according to Heyman (on Twitter), so there's no threat of all four players accepting offers.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney called the Marlins' strategy fascinating (on Twitter), but cautions that it is risky. The 1997 team also went for quick fixes, then had to tear it all down immediately after winning the World Series.

Marlins Make Offers to Pujols, Reyes, Buehrle

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9:51pm: Loria confirmed the club made the offers, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  Marlins president David Samson, however, said the team had no official comment.  When asked if the club could afford all three players, Samson said “It’s a problem we never suspected could happen. That’s the true answer.”

5:03pm: The Marlins have made "substantial offers" to both Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and have also offered a contract to Mark Buehrle, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (both Twitter links).  The team met with Pujols today, Reyes on Wednesday and Buehrle on Tuesday but apparently already felt comfortable enough to make contract offers, though Heyman reports there is "nothing close" to a deal with any of the three.

Miami's aggressiveness is no surprise, given how the Marlins have been in hot pursuit of several top free agents already this offseason.  It's unlikely that Pujols, Reyes or Buehrle would sign so early without fully exploring the market for their services, though a blow-away offer from the Marlins could change their minds. 

The Marlins' payroll was expected to increase by as much as $35MM this winter, but signing Pujols, Reyes and Buehrle would add at least $60MM to the 2012 payroll.  That's a big outlay for three players — to put it in perspective, Cot's Baseball Contracts lists the entire Marlins payroll for 2011 as just under $57.7MM.  Given how committed Jeffrey Loria is to put a competitive team into his new ballpark, we may have been conservative with our estimates about how much the Marlins are willing to spend this winter.

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