 1. The Mets, Cardinals, Giants and Braves are all interested in Bay
2. Yankees deny shopping Swisher
3. Phillies seek upgrade at third
4. Soriano contract limits Cubs options
5. Washburn eyeing Brewers, Twins
6. San Francisco Giants not going after Holliday or Bay
7. The Latest Speculation on Holliday, Lackey, Bay, Figgins, Damon, Beltre, and More..
8. Marlins extend an offer to Gload
9. Phillies Favorites for DeRosa?
10. Cubs trade Heilman, add 2 years to Grabow's deal
11. For Angels, Bay, Lackey and Figgins are all in play
1. The Mets, Cardinals, Giants and Braves are all interested in Bay
SI is reporting Star free agent outfielder Jason Bay has declined Boston's initial contract offer and will head to full free agency, SI.com has learned.
Boston's offer to Bay was believed to be for four years and "close to $60 million,'' according to sources. Bay thus will join star outfielder Matt Holliday and ace pitcher John Lackey as the biggest free agents on this year's market. The exclusive period for in*****bent teams expires Friday at 12:01 a.m., when free agents can begin negotiating with other teams.
"Nothing will happen by day's end, but we'll keep talking,'' Bay's agent Joe Urbon said.
"It's not a surprise that a player that's gone this far wants to see what's out there,'' Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said by phone in Bay's regard, though Epstein declined comment on the team's talks with Bay.
Bay has spoken glowingly of this time in Boston and was therefore seen as having an outside chance to agree to a contract within the exclusive 15-day period that began after the World Series ended, whereas Holliday and Lackey were viewed as having no chance to agree to quick deals with their old teams.
Baseball people who met with Epstein at the GM meetings say they believe he is even more resolved to win this year after the disappointment of seeing the Yankees win for the first time in his ultra-successful tenure (though Epstein maintained in interviews that his resolve is always the same and is not affected by the Yankees' performances). It is believed the team will look at Holliday as well as Bay now, though Epstein declined comment on their plans going forward.
The Mets, Cardinals, Giants and Braves are all interested in adding a corner outfielder with power, while the Yankees, Angels, Mariners and Cubs are viewed as possibilities to look at Holliday and/or Bay, as well. The Cardinals are one team that's said they will consider Holliday but not Bay.
Holliday's agent Scott Boras has invoked Mark Teixeira's name as a comparable for Holliday, suggesting $180 million is a fair target for him. Meanwhile, Urbon has called his client "the most complete'' player on the market.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/11/19/bay.redsox/index.html#ixzz0XPJTt0Qi
2. Yankees deny shopping Swisher
The NY Post is reporting The Yankees denied a published report they have let teams know right fielder Nick Swisher is available. According to a club official, the switch-hitting Swisher, who played a big part in the Yankees winning the AL East and struggled in the postseason, isn't being shopped.
To read more..
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/yanks_swisher_staying_put_tGSSRr45eZAuGJFSSzBeyJ
3. Phillies seek upgrade at third
The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting The Phillies' top project is to replace Pedro Feliz at third base. Hot-stove followers have already become well-acquainted with the names of potential acquisitions; Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Placido Polanco are three players the Phils figure to monitor and possibly pursue. All are veterans who would not require a long-term commitment.
To read more..
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20091120_Phillies_have_specific_free-agent_needs.html
4. Soriano contract limits Cubs options
The Chicago Tribune is reporting Now the Cubs will have to try to win on a strict budget, partly because of the Alfonso Soriano contract. He will make $18 million every year through 2014 and has a full no-trade clause. It didn't work out as planned, however, and three years later new Chairman Tom Ricketts enters the scene with the same challenge as Tribune Co. and a decidedly new game plan of fiscal restraint.
To read more..
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-20-cubs-alfonso-soriano-nov20,0,2168797.story
5. Washburn eyeing Brewers, Twins
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting It's too early to say if the Brewers will make a big play for free-agent lefty Jarrod Washburn, a Wisconsin native. But they did make a strong attempt to trade for him before the July 31 deadline, when Seattle sent him to Detroit instead. Now comes word, via FoxSports.com, that Washburn has his eye on both the Brewers and Twins in hopes of finishing his career near his home.
TO read more..
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/70394542.html
6. San Francisco Giants not going after Holliday or Bay
The SF Gate is reporting The San Francisco Giants sure would like to have free agents Jason Bay and Matt Holliday sign with the team this winter, but Giants GM Brian Sabean apparently doesn't think either player really has any desire to come to the Bay Area, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
For that reason, Sabean isn't even going to extend any kind of offer to either one of the top offensive free agents on the market this year now that any team can make offers to any free agents. Sabean is saying that he doesn't want to be a "stalking horse" this off-season and get used as a negotiating tool for these players with other clubs.
So Sabean says the Giants will be focusing on so-called second-tier players to fill out the batting order and bullpen. That terminology sure is going to make those players feel good about themselves, too.
To read more..
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/giants/detail?blogid=22&entry_id=52018
7. The Latest Speculation on Holliday, Lackey, Bay, Figgins, Damon, Beltre, and More..
Yahoo Sports is reporting
• Matt Holliday, LF. The list of teams that could use a corner outfielder who hits like a corner outfielder is long. The list of teams that can afford one in the prime of his career is considerably shorter. In a winter with no competition beyond Bay, Holliday, like Teixeira before him, probably is bigger than the economy. The possibilities: New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs.
• John Lackey, SP. Lackey’s market is all over the place, mostly because he’s the only available ace, even if he qualifies more in attitude than body of work. He’s had some arm issues the past couple seasons, but likes to finish what he’s started, isn’t afraid and is a commanding clubhouse presence. Estimates have him pulling anything from A.J. Burnett(notes) money (five years, $82.5 million) all the way to Barry Zito(notes) money (seven years, $126 million). The possibilities: Los Angeles Angels, Mets, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Mets, Red Sox, Yankees, Washington Nationals (he won’t pitch for the Nationals).
• Jason Bay, LF. Bay’s agent, Joe Urbon, has called his man ”the most complete player in this free-agent class,” a direct assault on Team Boras. Rumor has it the players’ reps have scheduled a debate for the lobby of the winter meetings hotel in Indy, for which both agents have been asked to wear cups and mouth guards. Bay, 31, remade himself in Boston (a polite way of saying people noticed him when he got out of Pittsburgh) and had another productive season. His possibilities include almost everyone who loses out on Holliday: Red Sox, Mets, Mariners, Yankees, Angels, Giants, Mariners.
• Chone Figgins, 3B/LF. In a pinch, he could even play a little center for you, or second, or even short. While he dampened a wonderful season with yet another soggy October, Figgins, 32 soon, embodies the game’s post-steroid lean toward speed, touch and gap-to-gap hitting. He’s an AL lifer, but has NL skills – in interleague play he has batted .309 with a .376 on-base percentage. Possibilities: Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Mets, Angels, Mariners.
• Johnny Damon, LF. He just turned 36, just muscled up on the new Yankee Stadium for 24 home runs (matching a career best) and just won another ring. Damon still has a certain something, as evidenced by his Game 4, ninth-inning dunk and dash, providing the pivotal few minutes of the World Series. He might already be a DH, but might have another get-by season in left. Possibilities: Yankees, Red Sox.
• Adrian Beltre, 3B. Seattle – the ballpark, the distance from L.A., the direction of the club – never seemed to fit. Amazingly, Beltre is just 30 and ready for a second long-term contract. We’ll see how the market treats him this time. He’s healthy and catches everything, but is a career .265 hitter with runners in scoring position (Figgins, by comparison, has hit .312 in those situations). Beltre does some things well, and could indeed end up being a bargain. Possibilities: Phillies, Angels, Orioles, Mariners.
• Marco Scutaro, SS. Another guy who’ll show up and play his position every day, or a utility type in case of emergency. Few players have worked harder for a rewarding free agency than Scutaro, who turned Cito Gaston’s admiration into a full season at shortstop for the Blue Jays and the best numbers of his career. Possibilities: Toronto Blue Jays, Phillies, Angels, Orioles, Oakland Athletics.
• Andy Pettitte, SP. Looks like Pettitte has another season or two in him, if he wants them, after 14 regular-season wins and four more in the postseason. At 37, Pettitte could start thinking about Hall of Fame numbers and keep pitching. Possibilities: Yankees, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers.
• Randy Wolf, SP. Since returning from Tommy John surgery mid-season 2006, the left-hander is 36-25 with a 4.10 ERA. He just threw a career-high 214 1/3 innings, made a career-high 34 starts, and had a 3.23 ERA. The Dodgers, of course, thought so much of him they pushed him back to Game 4 of the NLCS, a poor decision. He’s better than you think he is. Possibilities: Los Angeles Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Rangers, Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks.
• Jose Valverde, RP. Depending on preference, there are plenty of potential closers to choose from (Rafael Soriano(notes), Mike Gonzalez, Billy Wagner, Fernando Rodney, J.J. Putz, Takashi Saito(), and Valverde could be the best of the bunch. He went 47 (for the Diamondbacks), 44 and 25 (Astros) in saves the past three seasons, and has been effective if you don’t mind unsightly. Possibilities: Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Astros, Orioles.
• Aroldis Chapman, SP. Everyone sees Chapman’s potential. And everyone wonders if he has the drive, aptitude and attitude to make something of it. Of course he has the big fastball. His secondary pitch, the slider, is not nearly as impressive. He’s young and athletic. He also was barely out of the Red Sox’s offices when unflattering photos of him surfaced on the Internet. The very definition of risk assessment here. Possibilities: Yankees, Mets, White Sox, Red Sox, Braves, Orioles, Cubs, Cardinals.
• Vladimir Guerrero, DH/RF. Big Daddy had trouble staying on the field in ’09, so his numbers began to reflect the way he carries himself to the plate and back. He hit pretty well from May on, hit nine home runs in August and had some huge at-bats against the Red Sox and Yankees in October. What he has left, at 34-ish, is anyone’s guess. But, by the end, he looked like he could still hit, and he insists he can still play right field. We’ll see. Possibilities: Angels, Rangers, A’s.
• Hideki Matsui, DH/LF. He still hits lefties and righties, but, like Guerrero, is starting to look a lot like a full-time DH. The early word had the Yankees choosing between Damon and Matsui and letting the other one walk, which could still happen. Possibilities: Yankees, Mariners, Rangers.
• John Smoltz, SP/RP. The question general managers have: Can Smoltz deliver 25 to 30 starts? In 15 last season split between Boston and St. Louis, his ERA was well into the 6’s. Maybe another offseason will heal his body, which, by the way, is 41 years old. And maybe this means a return to the bullpen. Possibilities: Cardinals, Mets, Dodgers, Rangers, Astros, Cubs.
• Joel Pineiro(, SP. Just in time for free agency, the 31-year-old right-hander dropped his best big league season. He’ll stand in behind Lackey with the second-tier guys, maybe just after Wolf and Pettitte, before Rich Harden, Erik Bedard, Jon Garland, Jered Weaver and Carl Pavano. Possibilities: Cardinals, Mets, Brewers, Twins.
• Jarrod Washburn, SP. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in October, the need for such a procedure almost certainly explaining his bumpy second-half starts for the Tigers. He had pitched effectively for 20 starts in Seattle and, at 35, would seem to have capable years ahead. Possibilities: Brewers, Twins, Mariners
To read more..
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AsfYdkgCmUY4jYEehg1ol6IRvLYF?slug=ti-freeagents111909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
8. Marlins extend an offer to Gload
Mlb.com is reporting The Marlins may have declined Ross Gload's $2.6 million option earlier this offseason, but they want the veteran lefty hitter back. And according to The Miami Herald, Florida has extended Gload a deal similar to the one Wes Helms received last offseason, at two years for $1.9 million.
Gload batted .261 with six homers and 30 RBIs while seeing action in 125 games this season. As a pinch-hitter, he batted .318 and made a nice duo off the bench with the righty-hitting Helms. Gload ranked first in the Major Leagues with 21 pinch hits, and Helms was tied for second with 17.
The 33-year-old also has experience as a corner outfielder and is a career .283/.328/.408 hitter in eight seasons in the big leagues.
To read more..
http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/11/marlins_extend_an_offer_to_glo.html
9. Phillies Favorites for DeRosa?
Mlb.com is reporting FOXSports.com reported early this morning that the Phillies are the favorite to land Mark DeRosa, according to a Major-League source.
But the Phillies also are seriously interested in Placido Polanco and Adrian Beltre. Other potential candidates like Miguel Tejada could become possibilities, depending how the market develops.
DeRosa hit .250 with 23 home runs and 78 RBIs last season with the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals. He hit .285 with 21 homers and 87 RBIs in 2008 with the Chicago Cubs. He had wrist surgery Oct. 26, but his representatives said Tuesday that DeRosa should resume baseball activities before Spring Training.
There are reasons why DeRosa would fit.
He is from the Northeast. He grew up in New Jersey and attended Penn. He has a reputation as a hard worker and good teammate, which the Phillies consider important attributes. He also is not expected to command a major salary, which is why Chone Figgins is not a realistic possibility for the Phillies. DeRosa made $5.5 million last season.
Of course, those same things can be said about Polanco. He played with the Phillies from 2002-05. He is a hard worker, good teammate and also is unlikely to command a major deal. He made $4.6 million last season. But one potential sticking point with Polanco is that he is a Type A free agent. If the Detroit Tigers offer him salary arbitration, the Phillies would forfeit their first-round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft if they sign him.
The Phillies have liked DeRosa for some time. They talked with him and Wes Helms about joining the Phillies before the 2007 season, but ultimately signed Helms. They also tried to trade for DeRosa last winter. The deal ultimately fell through, and the Phillies signed Raul Ibanez to play left field.
To read more..
http://zozone.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/11/phillies_favorites_for_derosa.html
10. Cubs trade Heilman, add 2 years to Grabow's deal
The Chicago Tribune is reporting "The Cubs took two key steps in shaping their 2010 bullpen Thursday, even as they continue to work and wait on their bigger offseason tasks of trading Milton Bradley and acquiring another outfielder.
After agreeing to a two-year contract extension worth at least $7 million with free-agent lefty reliever John Grabow, the Cubs traded arbitration-eligible right-hander Aaron Heilman to the Arizona Diamondbacks for two prospects.
Heilman, who made $1.62million in 2009, was one of 10 Cubs eligible for arbitration this winter and was considered expendable given the team's relative bullpen depth.
''We obviously for years liked Aaron, in his Mets days,'' said general manager Jim Hendry, who acquired Heilman from Seattle a year ago for infielder Ronny Cedeno and pitcher Garrett Olson. ''We feel like we've got some young arms that could take his place in that part of the bullpen. ... We just felt we had enough volume there to make a trade and use our resources elsewhere later.''"
To read more..
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1894818,CST-SPT-csep20.article
11. For Angels, Bay, Lackey and Figgins are all in play
The LA Times is reporting "Matt Holliday is not coming. Jason Bay might be coming. John Lackey and Chone Figgins are not coming back -- not together, anyway.
Those were the highlights of the state of the Angels address delivered by owner Arte Moreno on Thursday, after baseball's owners concluded their meetings here.
The free-agent shopping season opens today, with owners citing an uncertain economic forecast in suggesting players might linger on the market well into the winter. Yet Moreno left one thing absolutely certain: The Angels have no interest in outfielder Matt Holliday, perhaps the best position player available in free agency.
"He is not going to be an Angel," Moreno said. "We are not looking at Holliday at all."
Moreno did not elaborate, but he did say the Angels would look into signing outfielder Jason Bay, in part because of his "great bat and great makeup."
The same qualities could be attributed to Holliday, but he is represented by Scott Boras and Bay is not. After Moreno tried to retain first baseman Mark Teixeira last winter, the negotiations with Boras left the owner displeased with the agent, according to sources within the organization who were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.
Moreno identified a power bat, a starting pitcher and a reliever as the Angels' primary off-season needs."
To read more..
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-shaikin-dodgers20-2009nov20,0,2237535.story
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