The Padres may have a third team to help facilitate a trade that could eventually send Jake Peavy to the Cubs, reports

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reported the Angels could offer CC Sabathia a six-year, $140 million deal, much like the Yankees offered.
According to Jon Heyman, at SI.com, “If the Angels can steal Sabathia, that may change the entire free-agent landscape.”
…the buzz around baseball suggests the Angels and Mark Teixeira have reached a bit of an [...]

According to Jon Heyman at SI.com, ‘the Yankees will not be in the ballpark,’ if they offer Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett contracts worth $60 million over four years, as they intend to do.
Instead, Heyman believes Burnett is seeking a five-year deal, while Lowe is reportedly seeking a ‘Zito-like Deal,’ as was reported by FoxSports.com [...]

Here is where part of the starting pitcher’s market stands, based on reports from the last few weeks:
Oliver Perez
So far, only the Braves, Mets and Yankees have been linked to Perez.
According to Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports.com, the Mets are only willing to pay $12 million per season to Perez, ‘who will probably want more.’
Perez [...]

Last week, the Cubs offered free-agent Ryan Dempster a four-year deal worth roughly $40 million, which he turned down, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.
Today, at FoxSports.com, Rosenthal reports the two sides are discussing a new four-year deal, ‘now worth slightly more than $50 million.’
Similarly, at SI.com, Jon Heyman says the Cubs and Dempster are making [...]

In what is a must-read article, at ESPN.com, Keith Law ranks the Top 50 Free Agents for this off-season.
Keep in mind, as Tim Dierkes pointed out at MLB Trade Rumors, Law has proven to be very astute in his predictions, noting in 2006 that Barry Zito should be regarded as only a third starter.
Interestingly, this [...]

Yesterday, in the New York Post, citing his ‘gut,’ Joel Sherman wrote the Yankees intend to offer six years and roughly $150 million to free-agent RHP CC Sabathia.
In fact, on SI.com, Jon Heyman believes the Yankees will make an offer to Sabathia today, followed by offers to Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett over the weekend.
Meanwhile, according [...]

In the Daily News, three reporters team up to write:
“Meanwhile, Omar Minaya was discussing a trade for a pitcher with a GM but said he would first have to see how Sabathia’s free agency was progressing, a baseball executive said. A Mets official subsequently wouldn’t deny interest in Sabathia.”
…look, i don’t mean to throw cold [...]

WFAN’s Mike Francesa says he talked with Mets GM Omar Minaya earlier today.
According to Minaya, per Francesa, the Mets intend to use all of their money on pitching, pitching and more pitching this off-season.
The Mets are interested in Francisco Rodriguez, but not for five years, as well as Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood, and they [...]

In a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio, the Yankees are a far more likely landing spot for free-agent RHP A.J. Burnett than the Mets, according to a source with knowledge of the player’s thinking.
…honestly, i think the feeling is mutal, as i have not picked up much buzz connecting burnett and the Mets anyway…
Marchand’s [...]

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs have offered free-agent RHP Ryan Dempster a four-year, $50 million deal.
Dempster’s agent has told reporters there is very little chance his client will sign before Thursday, after which free agents are free to negotiate with other clubs.
…previous reports suggest the Mets would like to re-sign Oliver Perez, but [...]

Last week, in a report for ESPN.com, ‘Jerry Crasnick surveyed 15 general managers, assistant GMs, baseball operations people and scouts on seven notable questions that will play out in the coming weeks.’
According to Crasnick, four of the 15 people believe Manny Ramirez will eventually sign with the Mets, while 10 think he will end up [...]

In a post to his blog for the Mercury News, Giants reporter Andrew Baggerly writes, “Expect the usual round of Benjie Molina trade rumors, but take them with a grain of salt.  None of them have had any substance over the past two seasons.”
Last week at SI.com, Jon Heyman wrote that the Mets had discussed [...]

In his most recent report for SI.com, Jon Heyman writes, “The Angels don’t seem as gung-ho to retain record-breaking closer Francisco Rodriguez as one might think.”
…this is a bit of a red flag to me, since the Angels have the money to bring him back…and so, when a team with money turns its back on [...]

…several people have e-mailed to say that ESPN Radio in New York has been discussing a potential swap of Blue Jays RHP A.J. Burnett for Mets RHP Aaron Heilman, initially mentioned on-air by ESPN.com’s Buster Olney…
…however, olney just called me to say this is simply his idea, speculation, something he believes would make sense for [...]