Daily Archives: December 13, 2009
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says talks between the Red Sox and Padres about a deal for Adrian Gonzalez are not progressing.
Cafardo says the Padres are asking for RHP Clay Buchholz and either pitching prospect Casey Kelly or outfielder Ryan Westmoreland, and the Red Sox will not include either of them in a package right now.
According to Cafardo, a Padre teammate of Gonzalez says the Red Sox are his top choice.
…it’s a tough spot for the Red Sox…Gonzalez is a premier talent and he is still young, so i would be hard pressed not to give up an outfield prospect plus Buchholz, but i would definitely balk at giving up two young starting pitchers for a position player…
…he is obviously an ideal fit with the Mets and i said it earlier in the offseason that acquiring a talent like Gonzalez would be the best possible move for the them considering he is so young and a longterm investment in Gonzalez, even if the price is top prospects, would not be too much of a concern, considering guys like Adrian don’t come along too often in the game…
In 2009, the 27 year old Gonzalez hit .277 with 40 home runs and 99 RBI with a league high 119 walks, and will make $4.75 million in 2010, and the Padres hold a $5.5 million option on him for 2011, after which he can become a free agent.
Last night Rob Bradford of WEEI Radio said an unidentified team has extended an offer of ‘beyond four years’ for free-agent OF Jason Bay.
…so, not necessarily a five-year guarantee, but more than four, which, to me, must mean a fifth-year option…
Bay’s agent, Joe Urban, told the Boston Globe that Bay does not intend to wait around for the Red Sox to up their offer, adding, “If they want, they can reengage at some point in this process, but we’re not going to wait.”
…last friday i said, from what i understand, having talked to people connected to the team, a) the Mets offer to bay is probably back-loaded, and b) though the current offer doesn’t have it, they are willing to go to a fifth-year option, but i do not believe it will never be guaranteed… so, i wonder if the unidentified team in bradford’s report is the Mets… i’m thinking it might be, because i believe the Mets want bay enough to do it…
…also, it seems the bigger hurdle here is the Angels, not the Red Sox, as Anaheim is held up in talks with the Blue Jays about RHP Roy Halladay… if the Angels do or do not acquire halladay, it is bound to influence how they approach bay and John Lackey… meanwhile, the Mariners are eyeing both bay and lackey, as are Mets…
…hey, Scott Boras, how is free-agent superman Matt Holliday feeling about this…
…i still think holliday is the better fit for the Mets… i do… early in the off season, i though the Mets felt the same, because i was under the impression they believed he wanted back in Boston, and still does, followed by Seatte… in other words, i think if holliday were to magically drop his price to bay’s four-year-with-an-option level, the Mets might turn to holliday, as might the Angels…
…the buzz in St. Louis suggests the Cardinals most recent offer to holliday might fall short because he is seeking a no-trade clause, and a $100 million deal, which are two things they are not likely to give him… i assume boras must be thinking, let the bay situation play out… more than one team will be left at the alter, at which point he’ll swoop in and fill the void with holliday, in hopes of getting his client everything he wants…
So, say these are the choices:
Matt Holliday, for six years and a no trade clause, at roughly $20 million per year.
Jason Bay, for four years, with an option, at roughly $16 million per year.
John Lackey, for five years, with an option, at roughly $$16 million per year.
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Last night, the San Francisco Giants cut ties with OF Ryan Garko as they did not offer him a 2010 contract by the midnight non-tender deadline.
In a post to Twitter, Will Sommer from Mets Fans Forever asked “Will the Mets go after Garko?”
…as expected, the midnight non-tender deadline brought a whole new list of interesting free agents and i bet a lot of teams are weighing their options now that the free agent market has become more diluted, although i’m not sure what the Mets interest in Garko might be…Garko is an interesting guy as he can play the outfield as well as first base, and his is a right handed hitter which makes him a platoon candidate with Daniel Murphy at first base, and a good backup outfielder to compliment Angel Pagan…He took a few steps backwards in 2009 offensively after a solid 2008 campaign but he is still relatively young…
Garko hit .268 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI in 118 games for the Indians and Giants in 2009.
To follow Will on Twitter, click here.
For the complete list of players not tendered contracts for 2010, check out MLB Trade Rumors.
