Daily Archives: January 13, 2010
In a new report for MLB.com, Bill Ladson writes, “Don’t look for the Nationals to offer free-agent 2B Orlando Hudson a two-year deal.”
According to Ladson, the Nationals are only willing to give Hudson a one-year deal, worth around $3.25 million for the season.
Yesterday, Ladson said, Hudson is seeking $9 million per year.
…i still believe that is what he would like the total deal to be worth, i.e., say, roughly $3 million in guaranteed money and around $6 million in incentives, which is what his deal looked like last season…
As such, Ladson believes the Nationals also have interest in free-agent 2B Adam Kennedy, who, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Mets and D-Backs have shown interest in as well.
…and that’s the thing, kennedy, Jerry Hairston Jr., Orlando Cabrera, Ronnie Belliard and Felipe Lopez are still available, so it is going to difficult for any of these free agents to dictate the terms of their next contract, considering there are only a few teams looking for a starting second baseman…
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette says the Pirates are getting deeper into talks with free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel, and the two sides could agree to a deal soon.
The 36 year old Dotel earned $6 million and went 3-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 62 appearances with the White Sox in 2009.
In addition, Kovacevic says the Pirates are close to signing one of Jamey Wright, Kiko Calero, Brendan Donnelly, Seth McClung, Russ Springer or Chan Ho Park, but will need to clear a spot on their 40-man roster in order to do so.
Bill Price of the Daily News lists his all-time Mets team he loves to hate, complete with Jeff McKnight at first base, Juan Samuel in center field, and Mel Rojas in the set-up role, among others.
Price lists Jerry Manuel as the team’s manager, writing:
“I thought about this a lot, a whole lot, and Manuel is the winner. Listen, Howe and Torborg were just terrible, but hating them is like hating your father or grandfather. Manuel, on the other hand, draws my ire with his everything-is-a-joke attitude. Just imagine if Omar Minaya laughed off every disaster like Manuel does.”
…yikes… i mean, i think jerry made some mistakes last season; but, in review, what was we supposed to do… did you see that team… i think the laughing and constant cool was probably just a defensive mechanism to try and keep things light with reporters, who night after night after night have to sit there and talk to one another about the same, dreary results… i got frustrated with the laughing and his public persona too; but, i now realize that was a bizarre situation, with all the injuries and the losing, there wasn’t much he could do about at that time, and so i am willing to let it slide… i say this because, when the team was winning, and dominating, in August of 2008, these same characteristics were being applauded… but now, because his players all got injured, these qualities are being criticized… i’m not saying either is right or wrong… it just is what it is… but, i’d rather wait and see how the team performs this season, and see how he handles it, as opposed to saying i hate him January, which seems a bit unfair and extreme…
Doug Miller of MLB.com goes position by position, looking at the best remaining free agents.
Miller says, according to ‘the word on the street, the Mets and Blue Jays are bidding on free-agent 1B Carlos Delgado, who played the field for seven innings last night during a Winter League game in Puerto Rico.
…the thing is, he, again, was pulled for a pinch runner when he got a hit… i am not 100 percent, but i think he has not yet run the bases… i continue to hear delgado would prefer to play in the American League, where he can both play the field, but also get at bats as a DH… i think there is a chance he ends up in Port St. Lucie competing for a job, but i just don’t see the Mets giving him the type of guarantee it would take to keep him from taking a similar lesser deal from, say, the Blue Jays or Orioles…
Miller points out that Yorvit Torrealba, Rod Barajas, Jose Molina, Brad Ausmus and Mike Redmond are all still free agents, while the Mets continue to negotiate with free-agent C Bengie Molina.
…like i said yesterday, there has been a vibe all of baseball the last week or so that the Mets and molina will eventually reach a deal… i heard from someone yesterday who thought the two sides reached an agreement around New Years, but i have not heard that any place else… my guess is molina knows the Mets offer, and had time to shop it, but it’s now getting time to ink the deal and get moving, since pitchers and catchers report in five weeks…
Jonny Gomes and Marcus Thames could provide a team with power off the bench, writes Miller, who lists the Braves among a handful of teams with interest in free-agent OF Johnny Damon.
Lastly, Miller says the Mets, Dodgers, Nationals and Cubs have all shown interest in Joel Pineiro.
…i said last week pineiro might need to accept a two-year deal, and now it is being reported he and the Mets have discussed such a contract… i have to think he prefers the Mets or Dodgers… if this is the case, i think the Mets are in a good spot to work out a deal, but it will take time to get something done, during which a team like the Cubs could certainly step up and guarantee a third season i suppose… nevertheless, i sense the pitcher’s market is starting to consolidate, and people will start signing contracts sooner than later…
To learn about other free agents, and their possible destinations, read Miller’s report, here.
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