Daily Archives: December 7, 2009
Here are some items I picked up today, but only heard once or twice…
The Mets are not very interested in Josh Willingham and Juan Rivera, and neither is a first choice… in other words, it sounds like they’re on a last-resort type of back-up list, at best.
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com believes the Blue Jays talked today with the Dodgers about RHP Roy Halladay.
…from what i recall, talks between the Dodgers and Blue Jays hit a crossroads a few weeks back, when the Dodgers refused to part with Chad Billingsley…
Earlier today on ESPN News, Peter Gammons said the Yankees are open to 
trading one of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain to get Halladay, but the Red Sox will not trade Clay Buccholz in a similar deal.
According to Gammons, Halladay is likely to accept a deal to pitch one season in Boston or the Bronx, knowing he would easily win 17 to 20 games in advance of becoming a free agent.
In the end, Gammons believes the Blue Jays are looking for three top prospects in a potential deal, which is why he feels Halladay will be pitching in Toronto on Opening Day.
…this is why i no longer see any way the Mets get halladay… in the end, i don’t see the Mets even offering two prospects, let alone three, who the Blue Jays feel are worth more than the two top draft picks they could get next fall, when halladay leaves as a free agent… and, if halladay isn’t going to demand an extension, the Jays have the leverage… and so, i’m sure the Mets will linger, in hopes the Blue Jays are left with no option, and the desire to make a deal… but, otherwise, it’s a difficult path, i think…
According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Mets learned tonight that free-agent RHP Joel Pineiro is seeking a four-year deal, while free-agent Randy Wolf has a three-year deal on the table from another team.
Original Post at 10:22 pm:
In an Q&A with the Daily Stache, Adam Rubin of the Daily News says free-agent RHP Joel Pineiro is the most likeliest pitcher to sign with the Mets.
The 31–year-old Pineiro was 15–12 with a 3.49 ERA in 32 starts last season, including 214 innings, during which he walked just 27 batters and struck out 105.
Jon Heyman of SI.com believes the Mets will soon make an official offer a one-year deal, worth roughly $6 million, to free-agent C Benjie Molina.
…from what i understand, the two sides have been talking for weeks, with the Mets making clear they are willing to give an easily attaianable second-year option, at best… but, molina wants three years, and, if he’s going to have to take a one-year deal, he might just want to go back at free agency again next off season…
…there are some people who seem to feel the two sides will hammer out an agreement before the end of this week, Joe DeMayo of NY Baseball Digest, since the two sides are set to meet tonight… but, i still believe the Mets are exploring the trade market… not as leverage, but as a legit option…
Tracy Ringolsby of Fox Sports says the Rays are shopping C Dioner Navarro.
Ringolsby says if the Rays cannot move Navarro, they might non-tender him on Friday which would make him a free agent.
…a lot of the buzz i’m either reading about or hearing is that teams are waiting to see which players are non-tendered before making moves, because a whole new market will open up after the non-tender deadline passes, and teams for the most part are working trade opportunities, all to try and give teams more flexibility and keep their payrolls down…in the case of the Mets and Navarro, he is young and while he had a good 2008 season, he has yet to play more than 120 games in any season and for the most part his offense is questionable at best…i think it”s best to wait this out and see if Navarro gets non-tendered…
For the latest from the Winter Meetings, be sure to check out Ringolsby, Ken Rosenthal, and Jon Paul Morosi on their blog here.
Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times says the Angels are considering both Jason Bay and Hideki Matsui as well as Vladimir Guerrero to fill their outfield needs.
According to DiGiovanna, Angels General Manager Tony Reagins described the negotiations for Bay as “new and developing” and a guy they find “appealing”.
…it looks as though right now that Scott Boras will wait on the sidelines for Bay to sign, and then move on a deal for Matt Holliday…of course things change quickly but Boras is notorious for dragging on negotiations and claiming a ‘mystery team’ is in on his clients…
Earlier this afternoon, Tracy Ringolsby of Fox Sports reported the Angels had started talking with Bay, and he is also drawing interest from the Seattle Mariners.
…i originally thought Bay would remain in Boston, but it’s hard to tell where he will land at the moment…if he doesn’t stay in Boston, that opens the door for another suitor for Holliday…
In addition, DiGiovanna says the Angels are pursuing World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and are still heavily pursuing John Lackey, as Reagins said “Talks have been reasonably productive”.
For more on the Angels, check out the Los Angeles Times here.
The White Sox, Pirates and a third team have all expressed interest in Dodgers OF Juan Pierre, according to Marlins reporter Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.
…also, i was just reminded by someone that the Cubs and Royals have discussed OF Milton Bradley, and that the Royals are rumored to be trying to move RHP Gil Meche… and so, the point is, between the Dodgers, Cubs, Rays and Royals, with bradley, Luis Castillo, Pat Burrell and meche, there has got to be a deal in here some place… i’m hoping for the first Do-Over, Five-Way deal in MLB history… let’s do it, guys…
…i wonder if the White Sox are motivated to move closer Bobby Jenks, who is likely going to earn around $7 million in arbitration next season, and who is two years away from free agency…
According to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, the Rays and Cubs are still discussing a swap of Burrell and Bradley, despite the Mets not wanting Burrell, with the big obstacle being the large sum of money still due to Bradley that Tampa Bay would have to pay.
Original Post at 8:36 pm:
Jon Heyman of SI.com told the MLB Network the Mets are willing to send Luis Castillo to the Dodgers for OF Juan Pierre.
…however, from what i can gather, the Dodgers, though they have no problem with castillo, are exploring other opportunities first, such as a deal for a pitcher… i think it’s pretty obvious, at this point, and i’m making an educated guess here, that the Mets and Cubs, and the Mets and Dodgers, have a way to switch out these bad contracts, including castillo, pierre and OF Milton Bradley, but they need a third, and maybe even a fourth team, to help facilitate it… and so, it’s no wonder there are so many rumors involving these guys…
Buster Olney of ESPN.com believes the Blue Jays are currently in ‘discussion mode’ regarding Roy Halladay, though a deal is not close right now.
That said, Olney said here that Halladay is open to all possibilities, including the Angels, but Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Angels are only interested in a deal if he is willing to sign a long term contract extension.
…the word on doc is he prefers an east coast team because he wants to train in florida, but i have to believe if the Blue Jays can work out a deal with a west coast team and that team can offer doc the money and years he wants in an extension, he will take it, and it will make it easier for Toronto to get a deal done since there are more options available…
Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says the Tampa Bay Rays could be interested in acquiring Halladay, and the Rays could offer LHP Wade Davis and B.J. Upton to Toronto, who would then flip Upton to a third team.
However, Peter Gammons from ESPN says the Rays flatly denied discussing such a deal.
…i couldn’t see doc approving a trade to Tampa Bay because he will likely require a contract extension, and i don’t think Tampa Bay is in doc’s ballpark in terms of dollars and years on a contract…
John Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com believes four teams are in on Pirates C Ryan Doumit.
… i believe the Mets have considered him, but i am not sure they’re one of the four teams… if i had to guess, i’d say the Brewers, Blue Jays, Rangers and Giants might fit the mold…
…i do think the Mets have explored trades for D-Backs C Chris Snyder, Royals C John Buck and doumit, among others, i think it’s becoming more and more clear they hope to first sign Bengie Molina, because they see putting him and Henry Blanco behind the plate as a defacto way of upgrading the starting rotation…
Doumit hit .318 with 15 HR in 116 games during 2008, but hit just .250 in half as many games in 2009.
He has played mostly catcher during his five-year career, but has also spent time at first base and in right field.
Speaking of catchers…
Ken Davidoff of Newsday says, “Add free-agent C Yorvit Torrealba to the list of catchers on the Mets radar.”
…actually, i think he still has a pending grievance with the Mets, regarding how his contract situation evolved from November 2007… i guess signing a new, lucrative deal would clear up that disagreement, though… anyway, from what i can gather, torrealba would like to play for the Marlins or Giants…
He hit .291 with a .351 OBP and three extra base hits in 64 games for the Rockies last season.
To read more quotes from Minaya, check out Brian Costa’s blog for the Star Ledger; as well as Ken Davidoff’s blog for Newsday.
Update at 5:18 pm:
In an appearance on SNY, Adam Rubin of the Daily News said Minaya told reporters he is close on a variety of deals, including a three-team deal, and even a four-team deal, which Rubin believes are in an effort to trade Luis Castillo.
Rubin also said Minaya admitted that the team is not in a position to keep trading its upper-level minor league talent, as he must continue to rebuild the team’s farm system.
Update at 4:39 pm::
According to Ken Davidoff of Newsday, Omar Minaya says he’s further along today than he was last night on the trade front. In addition, according to Davidoff, here, Minaya says relief pitching is not a priority right now.
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