1. Cubs explore Bradley deal that would net Castillo
2. Chicago White Sox close to deal with Omar Vizquel
3. Cubs and Grabow finalize two-year deal
4. O's looking at Carlos Delgado
5. Red SOx Talk: Some free agents the Red Sox might look at
6. Yankees can play waiting game for Halladay
7. Red Sox interested in Holliday, Ankiel, Gonzalez, Beltre.
8. Why Marlins may trade Johnson
9. Atlanta has had discussions with the Brewers about trading Lowe for Corey Hart
1. Cubs explore Bradley deal that would net Castillo
The Chicago Tribune is reporting The Cubs continue trying to find ways to move Milton Bradley in packages that would bring them second baseman Luis Castillo from the Mets. The latest, according to sources, is a three-team deal with the Rangers that would send send the Rangers' No. 1 starter, Kevin Millwood, to New York.
A source with the Cubs believes this proposition has legs, saying, "there's a deal to be made there.'' But the Rangers haven't committed to the return of Bradley, who played in Texas before signing with the Cubs, and would need the Cubs and maybe the Mets to kick in money to pay most of the $21 million remaining on Bradley's contract before doing any deal.
Texas believes it has enough pitching depth to move Millwood, who is due to earn $12 million in the last year of his contract. The Mets are searching for pitching.
To read more..
http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2009/11/cubs-explore-bradley-deal-that-would-net-castillo.html
2. Chicago White Sox close to deal with Omar Vizquel
The Chicago Tribune is reporting It may have taken nearly half a decade, but the White Sox finally could sign shortstop Omar Vizquel, who will be 43 years old in April.
The Sox first tried to sign Vizquel when he became a free agent after his days with the Indians, when he was still a Gold Glove shortstop. Now, Vizquel is expected to be a backup and unofficial "coach" of the White Sox youth movement.
Sources say the Sox are close to signing the Venezuelan shortstop, who -- literally -- would follow in the footsteps of countrymen Chico Carrasquel, Luis Aparicio and Ozzie Guillen, who is now the manager.
On Friday, the first day teams were allowed to sign free agents, the Sox reportedly offered Vizquel a deal worth about $1 million, same as he earned last year with the Rangers, for whom he hit .266 in 62 games.
But his value goes much deeper. As an 11-time Gold Glove-winning shortstop, he is expected to tutor Alexei Ramirez at short and Gordon Beckham, a trained shortstop who is moving to second base. Beckham played third last season.
Vizquel also could improve the clubhouse chemistry, which has been testy at times over the last two seasons, especially after the addition of Nick Swisher.
To read more..
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/chi-21-white-sox-chicago-nov21,0,4308389.story
3. Cubs and Grabow finalize two-year deal
The Chicago Sun times is reporting "John Grabow believed in his new team enough to ignore the free-agent market, and the Cubs believe in the fitness of Grabow's left elbow enough to give the reliever a two-year, $7.5 million contract that was completed Friday.
The deal appears to secure the final key piece to the Cubs' projected 2010 bullpen, coming one day after the team traded veteran Aaron Heilman to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Grabow, 31, said the way he feels about teammates and the front office, having a home near the Cubs' spring-training complex in Mesa, Ariz., and being familiar with the National League Central made his desire to return ''a no-brainer.
Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates with lefty Tom Gorzelanny in a trade in July, Grabow had a 3.24 ERA in 30 games for the Cubs last season. He's expected to fill a late-inning setup role and is considered a backup closer candidate should Carlos Marmol falter.
A possible risk with the first multiyear contract of Grabow's career is the history of bone chips in his elbow after a career-high 75 appearances in 2009.
As recently as 2007, Grabow pitched with pain and spent time on the disabled list for the problem, but he did not have surgery to remove the chips. He opted for a treatment and maintenance program that allowed him to make 149 appearances the last two seasons."
To read more..
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1896543,CST-SPT-cub21.article
4. O's looking at Carlos Delgado
Mlb.com is reporting So far, no contract offers from the Orioles to potential free agents. But, hey, it's only one day.
The exclusive negotiating window between free agents and their previous clubs ended on Friday, and though they are now free to talk with any teams -- and Baltimore is in need of a few of them -- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told The Baltimore Sun he made no contract offers.
Still, MacPhail told The Sun he touched base with the representatives for nearly all the targets he's pursuing before Friday. The list, according to the publication, includes John Lackey -- though it's unlikely they spend the amount of money it will take to sign him -- Chone Figgins, Adrian Beltre and Pedro Feliz.
The Orioles are especially looking for corner infielders and pitching this offseason. One potential acquisition, veteran first baseman Carlos Delgado, will begin playing for the Puerto Rican Winter League on Dec. 15, according to The Sun.
At some point, the O's are expected to watch the 37-year-old lefty power hitter, who was limited to 26 games after undergoing hip surgery.
"We'll be there," MacPhail told The Sun. "We'll have representatives watch him play over the course of the winter."
To read more..
http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/11/os_quiet_on_day_1_of_free_agen.html
5. Red SOx Talk: Some free agents the Red Sox might look at
Mlb.com is reporting It seems that every winter, the Red Sox always have plenty to talk about with agent Scott Boras. That could again be the case, with the Boston Herald reporting Friday night that Boston has expressed at least some level of interest in outfielders Matt Holliday and Rick Ankiel, as well as lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez and third baseman Adrian Beltre. Yes, all four of those players are represented by Boras.
The Red Sox at least discussed Holliday with Boras at the General Managers Meetings earlier this month, but it is believed that general manager Theo Epstein's preference is to retain Jason Bay, who is also a free agent. Look for Boston to ratchet its interest in Holliday only if Bay starts to slip away.
As for Beltre, who is coming off a down year with the Mariners, it would seem that the only way he would be a fit is if veteran Mike Lowell was moved in a trade. Gonzalez could help fill the lefty void in the bullpen if Billy Wagner signs elsewhere.
It remains to be seen how Ankiel would fit in, as Boston's outfield situation is in limbo until the Bay situation is resolved. The center fielder has some pop in his bat, but had a significant dropoff in '09 (11 homers, 38 RBIs) after clubbing 25 homers the season before. He is also not a big on-base threat (.311 career OBP), which goes against Boston's organizational philosophy.
To read more..
http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/11/some_free_agents_the_red_sox_m.html
6. Yankees can play waiting game for Halladay
The NY Post is reporting With question marks behind CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett in the rotation -- even if Andy Pettitte returns -- the Yankees will monitor what happens to Roy Halladay. The Yankees have young talent and money. But their major league youth (Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes) is on the hill and the Blue Jays likely will command a position player they can control salary-wise for several years as well as a pitcher in the same position. Despite fantasizing about keeping the 32-year-old right-hander, after talking to Halladay, the Blue Jays understand that's not happening because of Halladay's strong desire to win now. In a dozen years, Halladay has never been to the postseason.
TO read more..
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/patience_with_doc_IbKPLlXOteVUJojfHb13aI
7. Red Sox interested in Holliday, Ankiel, Gonzalez, Beltre.
Mlb.com is reporting It seems that every winter, the Red Sox always have plenty to talk about with agent Scott Boras. That could again be the case, with the Boston Herald -- citing a baseball source -- reporting Friday night that Boston has expressed at least some level of interest in outfielders Matt Holliday and Rick Ankiel, as well as lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez and third baseman Adrian Beltre
Yes, all four of those players are represented by Boras.
The Red Sox and Boras, at the very least, discussed Holliday at the General Managers Meetings this month in Chicago. However, it is believed that Boston general manager Theo Epstein's preference is to retain Jason Bay, who is also a free agent. Look for Boston to ratchet its interest in Holliday only if Bay starts to slip away.
Bay and Holliday are, in the minds of most, the top two sluggers in this free-agent market.
For the Red Sox in 2009, Bay clubbed 36 homers and had 119 RBIs. In a year split between the Athletics and Cardinals, Holliday hit .313 with 24 homers and 109 RBIs.
As for Beltre, who is coming off a down year (.265, eight homers, 44 RBIs) with the Mariners, he would seem to be a fit for Boston only if veteran Mike Lowell was moved in a trade.
A big part of Beltre's allure to the Red Sox would be his defense. Although Lowell has been a superb defender most of his career, his range was reduced in 2009 from the right hip surgery he had after the 2008 season. Epstein has said several times this winter that one of the areas where the Red Sox need to improve most is defense.
to read more..
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091120&content_id=7696868&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
8. Why Marlins may trade Johnson
The Miami Herald is reporting There will be no long-term contract for Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson. Not this year. And probably not ever.
So said the All-Star pitcher's agent Friday.
``The Marlins sort of knew it was now or never,'' said Matt Sosnick after talks broke down over the length of the contract. Johnson wanted a four-year deal. Sosnick said the Marlins were only willing to offer three.
Without a multiyear contract in place, the Marlins might be forced to trade Johnson after the 2010 season -- if not before -- in order to recoup value for him.
``I don't know if things are totally done, hopefully not. But it is one of those business things in baseball that you kinda don't want to have to go through,'' he said.
Johnson has two salary arbitration years remaining before he becomes eligible for free agency, and Sosnick said he was expecting the Marlins to offer a contract similar to one the Kansas City Royals give Zack Greinke -- their staff ace -- before the '09 season: $38 million over four years.
But Sosnick said that Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations, made it clear they were not prepared to offer Johnson more than three years on any deal.
Asked if there was any chance that negotiations could be revived, Sosnick replied: ``I think Larry is an honest guy. He made it clear to me that it [a 3-year deal] is not happening. Given that, I believe him.''
When asked to comment, Marlins spokesman P.J. Loyello replied: ``We refuse to negotiate through the press.''
To read more..
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baseball/story/1344737.html
9. Atlanta has had discussions with the Brewers about trading Lowe for Corey Hart
SI is reporting Atlanta is trying to trade Lowe this offseason, but isn't finding much of a market due to the three years and $15 million left on his contract, FoxSports.com reports. Atlanta has had discussions with the Brewers about trading Lowe for Corey Hart, the FoxSports.com report adds. However, a later MLB.com report says the Braves are not interested in Hart.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/fantasy/player_news/mlb/#ixzz0XVL6h7Pc
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