Tabloid Paige

Robinson to lead Opening Day parade

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Hall of Famer will also be honorary captain vs. Mets
By Mark Sheldon--MLB.com

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade has often opened the vault of Reds history and has an alumni serve as Grand Marshall.
On Wednesday, it was announced that one of the greatest players to wear a Reds uniform -- Frank Robinson -- would lead the 90th edition of the Findlay Market Opening Day parade.

Robinson, who played for the Reds from 1956-65, will also serve as the honorary captain for the 2009 season opener against the Mets. Also making a special appearance in the parade will be Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo.

"We are very excited to have both a Reds Hall of Famer and a current Reds player in the Findlay Market Opening Day this year," Reds chief operating officer Phil Castellini said in a statement. "The parade is one of the oldest traditions in all of baseball, and it's the first time in recent history that a current Reds player will be in the parade."

Part of an infamous trade that Cincinnati would probably love to have back, Robinson was dealt to the Orioles for Milt Pappas, Dick Simpson and Jack Baldschun on Dec. 9, 1965. Robinson, who was a lifetime .294 hitter with 586 career home runs when he retired in 1976, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. He was enshrined in the Reds Hall of Fame in 1978.

PECOTA Season Projections

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:17:00 +0000

PECOTA Season Projections
by Matt Sisson on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 4:40 pm EST

Baseball Prospectus has released it’s yearly AL and NL projections. Topping out the American League East is the Boston Red Sox followed by the New York Yankees. BP projects the Sox to win 98 games with the Yankees finishing just one game back with a 97-65 record. The Cleveland Indians are projected winners in the Central with the Twins finishing second. Oakland takes the West with the Angels finishing in second with just 79 wins.

The American League East remains at the top of the AL rankings with the Red Sox leading all of baseball with 98 wins and second to the Chicago Cubs by just 1 run with 864. The projected second place New York Yankees will boast an impressive 97 wins, more than any other AL or NL division leader. Tampa is also projected to win 92 games, which is 8 better than the division leader in the AL West and Central.

The Cubs are projected to be the best National League team with 95 wins while the Mets top the East with 93 wins and the Diamondbacks lead the west with 90 wins. As i previously mentioned, the Cubs are projected to lead all of baseball with 865 runs scored, which is better than any team in the NL by a large margin. The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are both projected to win 88 games in ‘09 and one should secure the wild card in what would be a projected one game playoff.

It looks to be a long season in the NL Central as the Pittsburgh Pirates are projected to be the worst team in baseball with 97 losses, just beating out the Houston Astros who are projected to lose 96 games. The Seattle Mariners bottom out in the American League with 92.

Pirates set to sign Maholm, Hinske

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Top pitcher gets 3-year pact, plus option that keeps rights through 2012
Friday, January 30, 2009

By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pirates are expected to turn a double play of signings today, with pitcher Paul Maholm on a three-year contract extension and free-agent outfielder Eric Hinske on a one-year contract, each having agreed to terms yesterday.

The bigger deal, in many ways, will be the first.

Maholm and the team early yesterday morning agreed to a term that guarantees his salary through all three of his arbitration-eligible years and comes with a club option for a fourth year, 2012, that would have been his first after becoming eligible for free agency. Salary figures were not available, but the total guaranteed money is estimated to be in the range of $13 million-$14 million.

All that was needed for completion of the contract was for Maholm to pass a physical, something of a formality considering he was examined just two weeks ago at minicamp in Bradenton, Fla. He flew to Pittsburgh yesterday.

Maholm, 26, was the Pirates' first-round draft pick in 2003 and is fresh off his finest season in the majors, going 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts. His 3.11 ERA from May 31 until season's end was ninth lowest in the National League.

Maholm's agent, Bo McKinnis, and the team began discussing a multiyear contract in early December, but that appeared in jeopardy later that month when Pirates president Frank Coonelly publicly stated that only catcher Ryan Doumit was likely to get such an extension this offseason. Multiyear talks never stopped, though, largely because Maholm was supportive, and they picked up momentum two weeks ago.

No one from either side would elaborate yesterday.

By reaching agreement, Maholm and the team will avoid their arbitration hearing, which had been set for Feb. 10. The sides last week exchanged salary figures toward that hearing, Maholm filing for $3.8 million, the team $2.65 million.

The Pirates' only remaining player with a hearing is outfielder Nate McLouth, set for Feb. 17. The sides continue to talk toward a one-year deal, their multiyear negotiations having fizzled in December.

Other than Maholm and Doumit, the players who have received multiyear extensions since new management took over in late 2007 are second baseman Freddy Sanchez, starter Ian Snell and closer Matt Capps. In every case but Capps, the Pirates secured the rights to at least one year of the players' free agency through club options.

All that was known about Hinske's contract yesterday was that it covered one guaranteed year. The salary is expected to be in the range of $1.5 million, which would be nearly double the $800,000 he made last season with the Tampa Bay Rays. There also could be $1 million or more in performance-based bonuses, likely for plate appearances.

Players mov'in the news

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:04:00 +0000

AL & NL hitters and Pitchers

Maicer Izturis SS Los Angeles Angels

Angels agreed to terms with infielder Maicer Izturis on a one-year, $1.6 million contract.
Fantasy Source spin: Izturis asked for $1.885 million and was offered $1.4 million in his second year of arbitration. The 28-year-old is a utility player for the Angels, but only injuries have prevented him from reaching 400 at-bats the last couple of years. With Erick Aybar still not having established himself and Howie Kendrick not yet proving he can stay healthy, Izturis is looking at plenty of playing time again in 2009.

Jason Kubel DH Minnesota Twins

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Jason Kubel's two-year contract with the Twins is worth "about $7 million" with a $5 million team option for 2011.
Fantasy Source spin: If those are indeed the terms the Twins did very well, giving themselves the option of buying out Kubel's first season of free agency for a mere $5 million while avoiding any real risk. He's expected to make around $2.75 million in 2009.
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Mike Lowell 3B Boston Red Sox

Mike Lowell swung a bat Tuesday for the first time since October hip surgery, taking 50 hacks off a tee.
Fantasy Source spin: Meanwhile, Lowell has been removed from Puerto Rico's provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic because of his uncertain health status. He remains on track to be ready for opening day, but it's unclear how much action he'll get during spring training.
Source: WEEI.com

Eric Hinske OF Tampa Bay Devil Rays

The Pirates are close to signing free agent Eric Hinske to a deal worth $1 million-$2 million.
Fantasy Source spin: It's not the right-handed bat the Pirates would prefer, but it's clearly better than settling for Luis Gonzalez. Hinske is no longer more than an emergency third baseman, but he holds his own defensively at the outfield corners and he was able to hit 20 homers in just 381 at-bats last season. He'll be the Pirates' best option to start in left, though he'll probably be penciled into a reserve role initially.
Source: FOXSports.com

AL Pitchers

Joaquin Benoit RP Texas Rangers

Joaquin Benoit underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn rotator cuff and will miss at least the first half of the season.
Fantasy Source spin: It was obvious that Benoit was nowhere near 100 percent while he was on the mound last season, so this doesn't come as much of a surprise. "Joaquin was affected most of last season, and it didn't allow him to perform to his abilities," said Rangers GM Jon Daniels. "He attempted to rehab the injury this offseason. He worked hard but the results weren't there. From all accounts, the surgery went well and he can begin the process of strengthening his shoulder now." Benoit is entering the final season of a two-year, $6 million deal and will be a free agent at season's end.
Source: Dallas Morning News

Garrett Olson SP Baltimore Orioles

Mariners acquired LHP Garrett Olson and infielder Ronny Cedeno from the Cubs for RHP Aaron Heilman.
Fantasy Source spin: That the Mariners are getting Olson here suggests that they had the chance to trade Heilman for Felix Pie and turned it down. Olson, who was traded from the Orioles to the Cubs for Pie last week, brings a 10-13 record and a 6.87 ERA with him to Seattle. He's still a decent bet to make it as a fourth or fifth starter, but he belongs in Triple-A right now. The Mariners have enough rotation candidates to send him down for the start of the year.

Jon Garland SP Los Angeles Angels

The Arizona Republic reports that Jon Garland and the Diamondbacks have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with an option for 2010.
Fantasy Source spin: According to the newspaper, "Garland's guaranteed money is believed to be in the $6 million to $8 million range" and it sounds like the option is a mutual one. Garland reportedly turned down a two-year, $14 million offer from Arizona last week.
Source: Arizona Republic

Javier Vazquez SP Chicago White Sox

Vazquez seems like an ace based on his strikeout-to-walk ratio, but he allows so many extra-base hits that his great strikeout rates don't matter. He can make a claim as one of the durable pitchers in the game, making at least 32 starts in each of the last nine seasons. Still, we have to forget about him as a potential ace since he had a better than league average ERA only once since getting out of Montreal in 2003.
Fantasy Source spin: Good for strikeouts and wins to carry in mixed leagues, but his ERA will hurt.
Source: Fanball.com

Andrew Brown RP Oakland Athletics

Andrew Brown said Tuesday that he's scheduled to meet with Dr. James Andrews this week and expects to undergo shoulder surgery.
Fantasy Source spin: Brown had a 2.05 ERA and .169 opponent's batting average through 30 appearances last season, but gave up four runs on July 25 and didn't pitch again because of shoulder problems that apparently haven't improved. "Hopefully, it's nothing major and I'm only out until the All-Star break," Brown said. "I know there is a small labrum tear, and the rotator cuff has some damage, but it might just be irritation. The MRI is not conclusive."
Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Jon Garland SP Los Angeles Angels

MLB.com reports that the Diamondbacks and Jon Garland "are closing in on a deal."
Fantasy Source spin: Garland previously turned down a two-year offer that the Arizona Republic pegged at around $14 million and the Diamondbacks are said to be up against their projected payroll numbers, so it'll be interesting to see which side blinks.
Source: MLB.com
NL hitters

Mike Lowell 3B Boston Red Sox

Mike Lowell swung a bat Tuesday for the first time since October hip surgery, taking 50 hacks off a tee.
Fantasy Source spin: Meanwhile, Lowell has been removed from Puerto Rico's provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic because of his uncertain health status. He remains on track to be ready for opening day, but it's unclear how much action he'll get during spring training.
Source: WEEI.com

NL Pitchers

Joaquin Benoit RP Texas Rangers

Joaquin Benoit underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn rotator cuff and will miss at least the first half of the season.
Fantasy Source spin: It was obvious that Benoit was nowhere near 100 percent while he was on the mound last season, so this doesn't come as much of a surprise. "Joaquin was affected most of last season, and it didn't allow him to perform to his abilities," said Rangers GM Jon Daniels. "He attempted to rehab the injury this offseason. He worked hard but the results weren't there. From all accounts, the surgery went well and he can begin the process of strengthening his shoulder now." Benoit is entering the final season of a two-year, $6 million deal and will be a free agent at season's end.
Source: Dallas Morning News

Andrew Brown RP Oakland Athletics

Andrew Brown said Tuesday that he's scheduled to meet with Dr. James Andrews this week and expects to undergo shoulder surgery.
Fantasy Source spin: Brown had a 2.05 ERA and .169 opponent's batting average through 30 appearances last season, but gave up four runs on July 25 and didn't pitch again because of shoulder problems that apparently haven't improved. "Hopefully, it's nothing major and I'm only out until the All-Star break," Brown said. "I know there is a small labrum tear, and the rotator cuff has some damage, but it might just be irritation. The MRI is not conclusive."
Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Ultimate Fantasy Source

Baseball Health and Wealth Matters

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:19:00 +0000

NL Pitchers in the news
January 26, 2009
by Ultimate Fantasy Source

Kris Benson SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Kris Benson threw in front of nine teams on Saturday.
Fantasy Source spin: The Dodgers, Rangers, Blue Jays, Padres, Diamondbacks, Indians and Cardinals were in attendance. Benson said last week that the Dodgers and Cardinals have expressed the most interest in his services, but that could change depending on how he looked Saturday. The 34-year-old righthander hasn't pitched in the majors since 2006, when he went 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA for the Orioles.
Source: New York Post

Ross Ohlendorf RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Ross Ohlendorf has slightly reworked his mechanics this offseason.
Fantasy Source spin: Pitching coach Joe Kerrigan is hoping Ohlendorf will begin to pitch less upright, providing him a more consistent release point. "Just straightening things out," Ohlendorf said. The 26-year-old posted a 6.46 ERA in 62 2/3 innings last season. The Pirates are thinking he could turn into a solid mid-rotation guy this season.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ben Sheets SP, Milwaukee Brewers
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, concerns over Ben Sheets' right elbow could ultimately prevent the Rangers from offering the All-Star pitcher a contract.
Fantasy Source spin: The Rangers are currently seeking more information on Sheets' torn flexor tendon. Jason Jennings had a similar problem in 2007 and early 2008. In both instances he eventually needed surgery. According to the Star-Telegram, "the likelihood that an agreement will be reached by Monday, if at all this week, is waning."
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Randy Wolf SP, Houston Astros
According to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Astros pulled their offer to Randy Wolf in late November due to "a changing economic climate."
Fantasy Source spin: Astros GM Ed Wade said Saturday that the team was "fully engaged in negotiations and had to stop. It had nothing to do with a lack of interest on our part or Randy's part." Rosenthal believes that Wolf might have to settle for a one-year deal. The Mets have shown interest, but their top priority now appears to be Oliver Perez.
Source: FOXSports.com

AL Pitchers

Fausto Carmona SP, Cleveland Indians
Indians pitching coach Carl Willis reportedly spotted a flaw in Fausto Carmona's delivery near the end of last season.
Fantasy Source spin: The righthander has worked on correcting the problem all winter and showcased improved control while pitching in the Dominican Winter League. "We saw much better results," assistant GM Chris Antonetti said. "Fausto had four walks in one game (in the Dominican), and the rest of the time, his command was back. He is a guy who always had good control in the minors, so we feel good about him."
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Joakim Soria RP, Kansas City Royals
Royals GM Dayton Moore said Saturday that he has no problem with closer Joakim Soria's desire to pitch for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
Fantasy Source spin: "If the player's prepared physically and in the right mindset, then it can potentially be a great experience," Moore says. "I understand why some in baseball are apprehensive about it. There is risk, but there's risk every time a player steps on the field. Ultimately, it's up to the individual player to prepare himself." It would seem easier for a bullpen guy to get into right groove by opening day.
Source: Kansas City Star

Matt Guerrier RP, Minnesota Twins
The Twins are working to avoid an arbitration hearing with righthander Matt Guerrier, according to MLB.com.
Fantasy Source spin: Guerrier is seeking $1.75 million for the 2009 season. The Twins submitted a bid of $1.2 million. "I'd like to get something worked out," Guerrier said on Saturday. "But you never know what's going to happen." Arbitration hearings take place throughout the month of February.
Source: MLB.com

Prince Fielder; Brewers may sign him Friday.

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:19:00 +0000

Fielder, Brewers finalizing agreement
Slugger reportedly ready to sign for $18 million over two years
By Adam McCalvy reporting for MLB.com

Milwaukee
Brewers officials could not discuss their two-year pact with first baseman Prince Fielder during a briefing with reporters on Thursday afternoon, but the muzzle should come off within the next 24 hours.
General manager Doug Melvin confirmed that the team was putting the finishing touches on a deal with Fielder that would buy out the first two of Fielder's three arbitration seasons. Melvin could not discuss the matter publicly because Fielder had to first pass a physical to make the contract official.

"I would say there is a good possibility we could have an announcement [Friday]," Melvin said.

If that's the case, the team would probably hold its official announcement for "Bob Uecker's Winter Warm-Up," a variety show-style event at the Riverside Theater on Friday night. Brewers players, including Fielder, will attend both that event and Saturday's "On Deck" program.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cited "someone familiar with the talks" in reporting that if the deal goes through, Fielder will be paid $18 million over the next two years.

It could be one of two signings announced on Friday. Melvin said the Brewers were on the verge of a deal with veteran utility man Craig Counsell, who lives in the Milwaukee area and could also attend Friday's event.

Counsell did not return a telephone message on Thursday for comment on a separate story. Neither did agent Scott Boras, who represents Fielder.

"We weren't going to lose [Fielder], but it's a matter if knowing what his salary is for the next two years," Melvin said. "That's the reason we are engaged in those conversations now."

Fielder, 24, is just entering arbitration-eligibility and is under Brewers control through the end of the 2011 season. But signing a two-year pact now would offer the player a bit of security and the team the benefit of payroll certainty. It would also allow both sides to avoid the sometimes uncomfortable arbitration process this year and next.

The Brewers had renewed Fielder's contract before each of the past two seasons after being unable to come to terms with Boras on the player's worth. Fielder was particularly upset in March 2008, when the Brewers, using a club formula for their pre-arbitration players, assigned him a $670,000 contract. He vowed at the time that, "my time is going to come."

With his entry into the salary arbitration process -- generally, though not always, reserved for players with more than three but fewer than six seasons of Major League service -- that time arrived. Fielder and Boras were seeking an $8 million salary in 2009, while the Brewers filed Tuesday for $6 million.

By that time, talks were already under way about a multi-year deal. Typically, teams like to lock in players through at least one of their free-agent years, but the Brewers decided two years with Fielder was better than one.
Fielder became a full-time Major Leaguer in 2006, but his breakthrough season came in 2007, when he finished third in National League MVP balloting with a 50-homer, 119-RBI campaign. He did not match those lofty numbers in 2008, but still enjoyed a solid season, batting .276 with 34 home runs and 102 RBIs.

The Brewers still face the prospect of an arbitration hearing with two players. Outfielder Corey Hart is seeking $3.8 million, and the team offered $2.7 million. Second baseman Rickie Weeks is seeking $2.8 million, and the Brewers offered $2 million.

According to assistant general manager Gord Ash, the team has not negotiated with representatives for Hart or Weeks since the sides swapped figures on Tuesday.

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com.

2009 Astros and Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training Schedule

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:33:00 +0000

2009 Astros Spring Training Schedule

Osceola County Stadium
631 Heritage Parkway
Kissimmee, FL 34744
Ticket Information: (321) 697-3200

All times local

Wednesday
Feb. 25
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Thursday
Feb. 26
Atlanta Braves
Orlando
1:05 p.m.

Friday
Feb. 27
Washington Nationals
Viera
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
Feb. 28
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 1
New York Mets
Port St. Lucie
1:10 p.m.

Monday
March 2
NEW YORK YANKEES *
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday March 3 Tampa Bay Rays Port Charlotte 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday March 4 WBC TEAM - VENEZUELA KISSIMMEE 1:05 p.m.
Thursday March 5 WBC TEAM - PANAMA KISSIMMEE 1:05 p.m.
Friday
March 6
Atlanta Braves
Orlando
7:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 7
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS *
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 8
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bradenton
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 9
Washington Nationals
Viera
7:05 p.m.

Tuesday March 10 ATLANTA BRAVES KISSIMMEE 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday
March 11
Cincinnati Reds
Sarasota
1:05 p.m.

Friday
March 13
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
KISSIMMEE
7:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 14
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES *
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Saturday March 14 New York Yankees Tampa 1:15 p.m.
Sunday
March 15
Atlanta Braves
Orlando
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday
March 17
Detroit Tigers
Lakeland
1:05 p.m.

Wednesday
March 18
NEW YORK YANKEES *
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Thursday
March 19
New York Mets
Port St. Lucie
1:10 p.m.

Friday
March 20
CINCINNATI REDS
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 21
Toronto Blue Jays
Dunedin
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 22
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 23
FLORIDA MARLINS
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday
March 24
NEW YORK METS *
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Wednesday
March 25
St. Louis Cardinals
Jupiter
1:05 p.m.

Friday
March 27
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES *
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 28
Washington Nationals
Viera
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 29
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
KISSIMMEE
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 30
Philadelphia Phillies
Clearwater
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday
March 31
ATLANTA BRAVES
KISSIMMEE
7:05 p.m.

Wednesday
April 1
CINCINNATI REDS
KISSIMMEE 1:05 p.m.
Thursday April 2 ATLANTA BRAVES KISSIMMEE 1:05 p.m.

*Denotes Premium Game

Official Houston Astros web site

Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training Schedule

New in 2009
Charlotte County Sports Park
Ticket Information: (727) 825-3250

Wednesday
Feb. 25
CINCINNATI REDS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Thursday
Feb. 26
New York Yankees
Tampa
1:15 p.m.

Friday
Feb. 27
BOSTON RED SOX
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
Feb. 28
Philadelphia Phillies
Clearwater
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 1
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 2
St. Louis Cardinals
Jupiter
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday
March 3
HOUSTON ASTROS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Wednesday
March 4
WBC TEAM - PUERTO RICO
PORT CHARLOTTE
7:05 p.m.

Friday
March 6
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bradenton
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 7
BOSTON RED SOX
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 8
Boston Red Sox
Fort Myers
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 9
MINNESOTA TWINS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday
March 10
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Thursday
March 12
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Friday
March 13
Toronto Blue Jays
Dunedin
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 14
Cincinnati Reds
Sarasota
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 15
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 16
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bradenton
7:05 p.m.

Wednesday
March 18
CINCINNATI REDS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Thursday
March 19
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Friday
March 20
Toronto Blue Jays
Dunedin
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 21
Baltimore Orioles
Fort Lauderdale
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 22
NEW YORK YANKEES
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 23
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bradenton
1:05 p.m.

Wednesday
March 25
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
PORT CHARLOTTE
7:05 p.m.

Thursday
March 26
Detroit Tigers
Lakeland
6:05 p.m.

Friday
March 27
Minnesota Twins
Fort Myers
1:05 p.m.

Saturday
March 28
CINCINNATI REDS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Sunday
March 29
Cincinnati Reds
Sarasota
1:05 p.m.

Monday
March 30
Minnesota Twins
Fort Myers
1:05 p.m.

Tuesday
March 31
Boston Red Sox
Fort Myers
1:05 p.m.

Wednesday
April 1
MINNESOTA TWINS
PORT CHARLOTTE
1:05 p.m.

Official Tampa Bay Rays Web Site

MLB suspends Romero and Mitre 50 games each

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:22:00 +0000

January 7, 9:12 AM
by Alex Brown, MLB Examiner

Major League Baseball announced the suspensions of pitchers J.C. Romero and Sergio Mitre, both for 50 games, following positive drug tests. Both tested positive in 2008, but under the current agreement will miss the first 50 games of the 2009 season.

Romero was a fixture in the bullpen for the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies in 2008, pitching eight times in the postseason – apparently with the knowledge of his failed test and imminent suspension. He was informed of his positive test on September 23, and was offered a reduced suspension (25 games) if he began serving it....

immediately. Not wanting to miss the postseason, Romero declined and will serve the full 50 in 2009. He claims to have used a tainted supplement, 6-OXO Extreme, which he purchased over the counter.

Mitre last pitched as a starter for the Marlins in 2007. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2008 and missed the entire season before being released by the Marlins at the end of the year. He signed a one-year minor league deal with the New York Yankees (with a 2010 option) and is expected to miss half of 2009 anyway, so the suspension shouldn’t affect his season. Mitre tested positive around the same time as Romero, and for the same supplement - go figure.

Losing Romero for 50 games will impact the Phillies bullpen, and they will look for a replacement reliever, though not necessarily a lefty. Scott Eyre pitched well at the end of 2008, so they could go forward with him and another smaller signing until Romero’s return. This brings the total number of drug-related MLB suspensions to 20, 12 of whom are pitchers.

Player's mov'in the News

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:54:00 +0000

Jays face 'challenges' in wake of significant pitching losses

By Paul White, USA TODAY

The Toronto Blue Jays farm system has been responsible for the team's rise to the top of the American League in pitching. Homegrown pitchers started 122 of the team's games last season, and that number could increase in 2009. It might have to.
And the surrounding circumstances could keep the Jays from making any gains in an AL East that is even more difficult than usual.

"I'm not nervous," manager Cito Gaston says. "A little bit excited, because it's a challenge. I like challenges. They're fun."

Challenge enough would have been trying to revive a Toronto offense that has fizzled from nearly five runs a game in 2006 to 4.7 in 2007 to 4.4 last season. Now, even if that flourish were to happen with pretty much the same cast as last season, Gaston can't count on anything similar to the pitching staff that led the AL in ERA, fewest runs, fewest hits, fewest home runs and most complete games in 2008.

Gone is free agent A.J. Burnett, who was 18-10 and provided 34 of the 40 starts in 2008 that didn't come from products of the Toronto farm system. He has joined the New York Yankees, who are aggressively trying to catch up to the division's two playoff teams from last season, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox.

Also gone for 2009 is Shaun Marcum, who was 9-7 in 2007 with a 3.39 ERA that was second on the Toronto rotation to ace Roy Halladay's 2.78. Marcum is expected to miss the season after elbow surgery. Plus, Dustin McGowan will be out until at least May after shoulder surgery.

The only potential outside addition to the rotation is Matt Clement, who signed a minor league contract after being out of the majors the last two seasons because of shoulder problems.

So that leaves the Blue Jays to sort through more homegrown candidates.

David Purcey, who got his first 12 major league starts after the injuries hit last season, is almost a sure thing for a rotation spot. Casey Janssen, who has been a starter and a reliever but missed last season because of a shoulder injury, will be in the spring competition.

So will prospects ranging from the top two pitchers in the system (Brett Cecil and Brad Mills); to lefty Ricky Romero, the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft; to Scott Richmond, who had five big-league starts last season.

If all else fails, the Blue Jays would consider dipping into their deep bullpen for help.

"They can count," Gaston says. "When they go into spring training, they can see that we have three starters, at the most. They know there's a couple of jobs open."

Gaston didn't spend much time lamenting the loss of Burnett. In fact, the injuries make it easier to take.

"If we had McGowan back this year (2009) and we had Marcum back this year, then you really might go after A.J. this year," Gaston says. "But without those two guys, does it really mean we're going to win with A.J., you know?"

If that sounds like a rebuilding year, the question arises about patience. Gaston has it, having just begun his second term as Toronto manager after replacing John Gibbons in June.

But with a search on for a club president after Paul Godfrey stepped down, any slippage from 2008's 86 victories could increase pressure on general manager J.P. Ricciardi.

"This team is moving in the right direction," Gaston says. "I see them for the next five years being a competitive team after this year. This year, we're going to be OK. It depends how well we pitch."

As for that offense, rookie Travis Snider is the one likely newcomer in left field, the spot Adam Lind took over last season. Lind is still plenty capable, but Gaston likes defense better and plans to move Lind to DH.

While the Blue Jays could use better seasons from first baseman Lyle Overbay and third baseman Scott Rolen, a key question on the offense is second baseman Aaron Hill. He is coming back from a concussion suffered last season in a collision with David Eckstein and says the symptoms are gone, but his status won't be certain until he begins playing every day.

"I think challenges are good," Gaston says, "because is just gives you an edge."

Angels add closer with All-Star Fuentes

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:16:00 +0000

Dec. 31, 2008
CBSSports.com wire reports

LOS ANGELES -- Free-agent reliever Brian Fuentes and the Los Angeles Angels reached agreement on a two-year, $17.5 million deal Wednesday, giving the AL West champions a replacement for record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Fuentes gets $8.5 million next season and $9 million in 2010. There's a club option for $9 million in 2011.

"He should solidify the back part of our bullpen," Angels general manager Tony Reagins said on a conference call. "We pitched well last year, we expect to pitch well again."

Fuentes, a 33-year-old lefty, was a three-time NL All-Star who went 1-5 with 30 saves in 34 chances and a 2.73 ERA for Colorado this season. He had a 1.75 ERA after the All-Star break, when he saved 16 games in as many chances.

"I'm definitely happy to have the opportunity to play for a team that I've watched for a long time," said Fuentes, who grew up in Merced, Calif., and still lives there. "My 2-year-old's excited. He can't wait to go to Disneyland."

Regarding Angels manager Mike Scioscia, Fuentes said: "From what I hear from other guys, he's a player's manager."

Rodriguez posted 62 saves for the Angels this season to break Bobby Thigpen's single-season record of 57. K-Rod signed a three-year, $37 million contract with the New York Mets three weeks ago.

Lefty Brian Fuentes is coming of a 30-save campaign. (Getty Images)
"The only pressure I have is what I put on myself," Fuentes replied when asked if following Rodriguez would make his life more difficult. "I know I can be successful."

Reagins said plans call for Fuentes to close, with Scot Shields or Jose Arredondo serving as the Angels' setup man. The Angels have several other experienced relievers including Darren Oliver and Justin Speier, who were both teammates of Fuentes in Colorado.

"It's going to be nice to have a little bit of a comfort zone," said Fuentes, who has a 17-27 career record with 115 saves and a 3.41 ERA in 438 appearances for the Seattle Mariners and Rockies. He left the Rockies as their all-time career saves leader and finished as Colorado's all-time leader in strikeouts by a reliever as well.

Fuentes was drafted by Seattle in 1995 and made his major league debut in 2001. The Mariners traded him to Colorado after the 2001 season.

Fuentes became the Rockies' closer in 2005, going 2-5 with 31 saves in 34 chances and a 2.91 ERA in 78 games. He was 3-4 with 30 saves in 36 chances and a 3.44 ERA in 2006 and 3-5 with 20 saves in 27 chances and a 3.08 ERA in 64 games in 2007. The Rockies advanced to the World Series that year, but Fuentes was replaced as the team's closer in midseason by Manny Corpas. Fuentes got his job back early this season when Corpas faltered.

"Once you get there, all the other bad seasons just wash away," Fuentes said of playing in the World Series. "You don't make it to the World Series every year. To have an opportunity to do that is very appealing."

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:37:00 +0000

Merry Christmas

I will not be posting again until after Jan. 2, 2009

Wright to play at Classic

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:58:00 +0000

Wright to play at Classic
By Anthony DiComo MLB.com

NEW YORK -- One mark of the Mets during general manager Omar Minaya's tenure has been a noticeable international flavor. For the better part of this decade now, the Mets have been led by stars from Puerto Rico, the Domincan Republic and beyond.
Yet when the 2009 World Baseball Classic begins this March, one of the most popular Mets, David Wright, will be representing the United States.

Wright will play third base for Team USA, a Mets official confirmed on Monday, giving the Mets even more exposure on a world stage.

Wright could be the lone Mets player on Team USA, but certainly not in the tournament. Outfielder Carlos Beltran, first baseman Carlos Delgado and reliever Pedro Feliciano have all said that they would like to play for Puerto Rico, pitchers Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez have said likewise about the Venezuelan team, and shortstop Jose Reyes has said that he would like to play for the Domincan Republic.

Those players, along with reliever Duaner Sanchez and catcher Brian Schneider, are the current Mets who played in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.

Wright, 26, hit .302 with 33 home runs and 124 RBIs for the Mets last season, and has been the team's most productive hitter over the past four seasons. He did not participate in the 2006 Classic.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez started at the position for Team USA that year, though he has committed to play for the Domincan Republic this time around. The other third baseman on the 2006 roster, Chipper Jones of the Braves, has also confirmed that he will play this season.

Other confirmed American players include Red Sox second baseman -- and reigning American League MVP -- Dustin Pedroia, Braves catcher Brian McCann, Angels pitcher John Lackey and Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

Team USA made it to the second round of play in the inaugural Classic, before losing in a pool that included South Korea and eventual champion Japan. This year, the Americans will play their opening-round matches in Toronto, within a pool that includes Canada, Italy and Venezuela.

The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico will play in San Juan, P.R., along with Panama and the Netherlands.

Baseball Today

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Latest News
AP News

Former major league pitcher Dock Ellis dies at 63

Dock Ellis, who infamously claimed he pitched a no-hitter for Pittsburgh under the influence of LSD and later fiercely spoke out against drug and alcohol addiction, died Friday. He was 63....

It's official: Furcal finalizes deal with Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Shortstop Rafael Furcal finalized his three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Furcal agreed to terms of a contract worth at least $30 million with the Dodgers two days earlier, prompting the Atlanta Braves to claim the 31-year-old switch hitter reneged on a deal with them....

AP News Break: CC Sabathia gets $9M signing bonus

NEW YORK (AP) -- CC Sabathia will receive $9.5 million from the New York Yankees before he throws his first official pitch in pinstripes....

Epstein, Francona silent on pursuit of Teixeira
BOSTON (AP) Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein was back at the airport Friday as part of the team's announcement of a new partnership - not with Mark Teixeira....

Schuerholz: Furcal's agents' actions 'despicable'

ATLANTA (AP) -- Braves president John Schuerholz has vowed to never again do business with Rafael Furcal's agents, whom Schuerholz accused in a newspaper interview of conducting "despicable" dealings with the team. Schuerholz and Braves general manager Frank Wren were quoted as saying the Wasserman Media Group negotiated dishonestly by taking the team's signed terms of agreement sheet for Furcal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who then reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday to re-sign the shortstop....

Top 15 Prospects 1st baseman and catcher's

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:11:00 +0000

Top 15 Catching Prospects

1 Matt Wieters C Put up videogame-esque .355/.454/.600 line between A+, AA; .918 OPS (33 AB) in AFL 22.4 BAL AA
2 Buster Posey C No. 5 overall pick off to solid start; having his way with HWB pitchers: .478/.545/.543 (56 PA) 21.6 SF SS
3 Carlos Santana C/DH Call it a breakout: went .326/.431/.568 in '08 after .223/.318/.370 showing in '07; 16.5% BB 22.5 CLE AA
4 Max Ramirez C/1B Conquered AA (.465 wOBA), defeated in AAA (.310), MLB (.327); 29.2% K in AAA, bigs 24.0 TEX MLB
5 Jesus Montero C/DH Hard not to be impressed: .322/.373/.488, .371 wOBA (571 PA) in first full season as a pro 18.8 NYY A
6 Taylor Teagarden C Olympian looked good in limited MLB playing time; didn't fair as well in AA, AAA (.693 OPS) 24.8 TEX MLB
7 Kyle Skipworth C No. 6 overall pick, Gatorade Nat'l H.S. Player of the Year pick got off to slow start (.254 wOBA) 18.6 FLA R
8 Hank Conger C/DH King Conger's '07, '08 stats in A, A+ eerily similar: 319 PA, 12% LD, 42% GB; wOBA up to .356 20.7 LAA A+
9 Josh Donaldson C Liked CAL (.405 wOBA in 207 PA) far more than MID (.276 wOBA in 252 PA); in PHX for AFL 22.8 OAK A+
10 Angel Salome C/DH 5-foot-7 with power: 30 2B, 13 HR, .559 SLG in 411 AA PA; .412 wOBA after .346 in '07 22.4 MIL AA
11 Bryan Anderson C One of AAA's youngest players showed on-base ability (12.6% BB), little power (.098 IsoP) 21.8 STL AAA
12 Jason Castro C/DH No. 10 overall pick didn't make a bad first impression: .276/.382/.381, 14.5% BB in 159 PA 21.3 HOU SS
13 Austin Romine C/DH 07 2nd-rounder went .300/.344/.435, .342 wOBA (436 PA) in 1st pro season; .135 IsoP 19.9 NYY A
14 J.P. Arencibia C Went .298/.322/.527, 41.4% XBH rate in 1st full pro season; just 18 BB in 539 PA (3.3%) 22.8 TOR AA
15 Lou Marson C Other Olympic backstop put up impressive .381 wOBA in AA; .389 BABIP, 12% LD a concern

Top 15 First Base Prospects

1 Lars Anderson 1B All he did was follow .398 wOBA showing in Cal League with .415 wOBA in Eastern League 21.1 BOS AA
2 Justin Smoak 1B No. 11 overall pick had .372 wOBA (62 PA) in Low-A; .450 wOBA, 40% XBH in 48 AFL PA 21.9 TEX A
3 Eric Hosmer 1B No. 3 overall pick brings advanced approach to the plate for a high schooler; some power, too 19.0 KC R
4 Yonder Alonso 1B No. 7 overall pick sporting a .327/.436/.541 line (117 PA) in HWB; both power, patience 21.5 CIN A+
5 Kila Ka'aihue 1B/DH After posting .347 wOBA last year, Hawaiian sat above .450 this season; walks a ton 24.5 KC MLB
6 Logan Morrison 1B As if his .386 wOBA in the Florida State League hasn’t impressive, he's at .484 in the AFL 21.1 FLA A+
7 Freddie Freeman 1B From .294 wOBA, 9% LD in '07 to .386, 19% in '08; 2007 2nd rounder could break out in '09 18.8 ATL A
8 David Cooper 1B No. 17 overall pick had .333/399/.502 vital (303 PA) across three levels in professional debut 20.6 TOR A+
9 <Chris Marrero 1B Missed most of the '08 season with broken right fibula; .337 wOBA, .205 IsoP in 287 PA 20.3 WAS A+
10 Nick Evans 1B/LF Improved .321 wOBA in '06 to .364 in '07, .390 in '08; MLB struggles: .295 wOBA (119 PA) 22.7 NYM MLB
11 Chris Carter 1B/3B/DH Had his way in the Cal League: .389 wOBA, 39 HR, 57% XBH; lots of strikeouts, too (26%) 21.8 OAK A+
12 Beau Mills 1B Had 58 XBH (544 PA), .507 SLG in A+; SLG has dropped to .386 (.313 wOBA) in 72 AFL PA 22.2 CLE A+
13 Kyle Blanks 1B 6-foot-6, 270-pounder's .396 wOBA last season up slightly from .393 in Cal League in '07 22.1 SD AA
14 Angel Villalona 1B Potential, yes; results, not so much: .264/.313/.436 in Low-A; no BB (3.6%), high K's (23.5%) 18.2 SF A
15 Chris Parmelee 1B/RF Little contact (.239 AVG, 28.7% K), lot of walks (18%) and power .257 IsoP; .378 wOBA 20.6 MIN A

Player's Shak'in the News

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Sidney Ponson SP Yankees

The Orioles and Sidney Ponson have reportedly agreed to a settlement in their three-year dispute over $11.2 million that the club refused to pay the right-hander after he was cut in 2005 for off-the-field transgressions.

The case was finally set to go to arbitration three years and two months after the Orioles voided Ponson's deal. Terms of the settlement weren't released, but it sounds like Ponson recovered a significant portion of the money.
Source: Baltimore Sun

Katsuhiko Maekawa RP Nationals

The Cardinals have reportedly signed left-hander Katsuhiko Maekawa to a minor league deal.

The Nationals signed Maekawa a year ago, but he was denied a U.S. visa and never did pitch in the country. The 30-year-old had a 5.26 ERA in 609 career innings in Japan. He's probably nothing more than a Triple-A pitcher.
Source: Sponichi.co.jp

Andy Pettitte SP Yankees

Manager Joe Girardi said Thursday that Andy Pettitte remains interested in re-signing with the Yankees.

New York has far less of a need for Pettitte after signing both CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, but are still open to bringing him back on a one-year, $10 million deal. "I talked to him recently and he is still excited about coming back," Girardi said. "They continue to talk; it takes time. He is very excited about the additions to the club and he wants to be here. I think he could help."
Source: New York Post

Cole Hamels SP Phillies

Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge have both declined invitations to play in the World Baseball Classic.

Teammate Jimmy Rollins has committed to being on the team and Ryan Howard has yet to decide on his invite.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
Related: Brad Lidge

Matt Treanor C Tigers

The Detroit Free Press reports that Matt Treanor's one-year contract with the Tigers is worth around $750,000.

Treanor will back up Gerald Laird after being released last week by the Marlins.
Source: Detroit Free Press

Henry: Red Sox will be outbid for Teixeira

Red Sox owner John Henry wrote Thursday that he doesn't expect the team to "be a factor" in the final bidding for Mark Teixeira.

"We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him," Henry said. "After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor." Negotiating ploy or the end of Boston's flirtation? We're guessing agent Scott Boras was still presenting the Red Sox with some unrealistic expectations during the face-to-face negotiations Thursday. It's pretty clear that the Red Sox won't go beyond eight years in a deal for the first baseman. Dec. 18 - 10:56 pm et
Source: Boston.com

Angels re-sign Juan Rivera to 3-year deal

Angels signed outfielder Juan Rivera to a three-year, $12.75 million contract.

A reasonable salary, but a three-year commitment is somewhat surprising for a player who's totaled just 299 at-bats over the past two seasons and has never topped 450 at-bats. With Garret Anderson departing Rivera figures to play every day between the outfield and designated hitter, and the 30-year-old career .284/.331/.468 hitter is capable of smacking 20-plus homers if he can stay healthy. Dec. 19 - 2:46 pm et

Player's Mov'in And Shak'in the News

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Jake Peavy SP Padres
The Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox have "some" interest in Jake Peavy, but have "not entertained any substantive trade talks" with the Padres.
Boston isn't on Peavy's approved list of teams, so but the newspaper speculates that could change now that talks with Atlanta and Chicago have broken down.
Source: Boston Globe

Mike Lowell 3B Red Sox

According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox "would likely spin Mike Lowell to another team" if they sign Mark Teixeira.

Lowell has two years and $24 million remaining on his deal, but is a question mark following October hip surgery.
Source: Boston Globe

Mark Teixeira 1B Angels

The Boston Globe reports that "two general managers who were involved in the Mark Teixeira talks both felt the Red Sox had a leg up."

One general manager said that the Red Sox "have the highest offer on the table" and indicated that Boston's unwillingness to give Teixeira a 10-year contract won't be an issue because "no one's going there." The newspaper notes that the Red Sox don't really have a Plan B if Teixeira signs elsewhere, so they'd be left "with an offense pretty much like the one that ended the season." Of course, they scored the second-most runs in the league last season with 845, including 4.9 runs per game with Manny Ramirez and 5.8 runs per game after trading him.
Source: Boston Globe

Rafael Furcal SS Dodgers

According to the Los Angeles Times, Rafael Furcal will be guaranteed $30 million in his three-year deal with the Dodgers.

Furcal will make $6.5 million in 2009, $8.5 million in 2010 and $12 million in 2011, with a $3 million deferred signing bonus that he'll receive when the contract expires. The deal also includes a $12 million option for 2012 that vests if Furcal has 600 plate appearances in 2011. Braves general manager Frank Wren said Wednesday that he "reached an agreement" with Furcal before he backed out of the deal to return to the Dodgers. Asked about his relationship with Furcal's representatives, Wren said: "That bridge is gone. I don't have to worry about burning it. The bridge is gone."
Source: Los Angeles Times

Offseason player rankings

MLB.com's 2009 player rankings are geared toward standard 5x5 mixed leagues, which feature five hitting statistics (R, AVG, HR, RBIs, SB) and five pitching statistics (W, ERA, WHIP, SV, Ks). Players are listed at positions where they played 10 or more games in 2008. Factors such as track record, upside, age, health and surrounding cast were all considered in determining each player's value. Updates will be made throughout the offseason.

Rankings as of Dec. 17, 2008

MLB.com/Rankings

Braves: Furcal Contract expected

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:28:00 +0000

12/16/08 5:24 AM EST
MLB.Com

Rafael Furcal

The Braves appear to be on the cusp of bringing back shortstop Rafael Furcal, one of the most productive players in the team's recent history, according to a report by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

A Major League source told Fox Sports that Furcal has decided to return to his first franchise, with a contract agreement expected to be announced Tuesday, conditional on Furcal passing a physical. The deal is believed to be for three years with a vesting option for a fourth.

Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, told FOXSports.com on Monday night before the report broke, "[The Braves] are in deep. He's seriously considering it."
The Oakland A's have been the front-runner to acquire the shortstop's services, offering what is believed to be the only four-year deal that Furcal received. However, Furcal is said to prefer returning to either one of the two franchises for which he's played: the Braves or the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Furcal played six seasons for the Braves, winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2000 and making the All-Star team in 2003, when he finished third in the National League in runs scored with 130. He then signed a three-year, $39 million contract with the Dodgers. Furcal was limited by back issues in 2008, but did hit .357 with 16 RBIs in 36 games.

The Braves already have a potential All-Star caliber shortstop in Yunel Escobar. The strong-armed Furcal could conceivably move to second base, or the Braves could use Escobar as trade bait. Escobar had previously been mentioned in trade talks for San Diego ace Jake Peavy. The Padres recently broke off talks with the Cubs for Peavy, but didn't rule out revisiting talks with other teams.

Manny Ramirez
If not Mark Teixeira, why not Manny Ramirez?
It's a question that has come up frequently as the Angels continue to wrestle with the possibility that they will surrender Teixeira to an East Coast team, with the Red Sox, Orioles, Nationals and Yankees all in the hunt for the switch-hitting first baseman.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia, while attending the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, said he didn't understand why people assumed he couldn't get along with Ramirez, adding, "He'd be a fit on our club."

And on Monday with AM 830 KLAA, the Angels' flagship radio station, Scioscia expanded on that viewpoint.

"I don't know know how some of these things get started," Scioscia said. "Our staff has been together for 10 years here. Really, we've had maybe one well-documented thing with Jose Guillen, and that's it. I don't think we demand anything from our players that any other organization, any other manager, doesn't demand from their players."

Guillen was dismissed from the team over his demeanor late in the 2004 season after producing 27 homers and 104 RBIs in 148 games. He was dealt that winter to Montreal for Juan Rivera and Maicer Izturis.

"Manny Ramirez is a guy, as long as he's practicing the game hard, playing it hard and producing, and is understanding of the team concept -- which from everything I've heard from guys he's played with, he is -- he's a guy who works very, very hard at what he does," Scioscia said. "He'd be a fit on a lot of clubs, including our own.

"I don't think it's anything like that is going to keep Manny from being considered to play for our club. It's certainly length of contract, resources, things like that -- that would affect any other player."

With Teixeira drawing heightened interest -- and the Angels making an eight-year offer that was beyond their initial projections -- Ramirez has been pushed into the background.

Ramirez, who produced a sensational second half for the Dodgers, figures to cost about half as much as Teixeira in length of terms and dollars. Ramirez, at 36, is eight years older than Teixeira.

There was radio speculation by host Dan Patrick on Monday that a potential Teixeira deal with Boston could go as high as $200 million over eight years.

Scott Boras, representing both Teixeira and Ramirez, made a case that Teixeira is worthy of a 10-year deal while Ramirez warrants a six-year pact.

Asked if he'd be for it if things could be worked out with Ramirez, Scioscia said, "Absolutely. Talent like Manny's is real. He's a winner. Whether it happens or not remains to be seen. But we would not rule him out.

"We have discussions obviously on character and makeup. We would not rule Manny out. When he's motivated -- and he showed that in the last part of the season -- this guy is one of the best talents in the game."

The Angels have firsthand knowledge of what Ramirez can do on the big October stage. He helped knock them out in the American League Division Series in 2004 and '07 with his lethal bat.

In the six games of those two series sweeps, Ramirez was 8-for-21 (.381) with three homers and 11 RBIs.

K-Rod boast Mets 2009 winning season

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:45:00 +0000

NEW YORK Francisco Rodriguez has a message for the Philadelphia Phillies and the rest of the NL East.

Despite back-to-back September collapses, Francisco Rodriguez is confident the Mets will win the NL East in 2009. Here's how the division stacked up
"Of course, we're going to try to win the division. Of course, we're going to be the front-runner. Of course, we're going to be the team to beat," he said Saturday.

Four days after agreeing to a $37 million, three-year contract, K-Rod was confident the Mets will put consecutive September collapses behind them and overtake the World Series champion Phillies in ruling the NL East.

"I don't want there to be a controversy or the other ballclubs in that division to take it personally or take it in a bad way," he said. "If they ask me, 'Oh, which ballclub is going to win the National League East?' It's going to be the Mets. Easy question."

In 2007 and 2008, the Mets treated their fans much the same way Lucy dealt with Charlie Brown trying to kick a football: They promised everything would be different this time only to yank the ball away at the end. September leads evaporated, and they were eliminated on the last day of the regular season.

On Thursday, Phillies ace Cole Hamels took a shot at the Mets.

"For the past two years they've been choke artists," he said on WFAN radio.

Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins began the verbal sparring before the 2007 season when he said the Phillies were the team to beat in the division -- even though the Mets came within one win of reaching the World Series the previous year.

"Everybody knows what happened, unfortunately. They didn't get the job done. Unfortunately, you know, it happens," Rodriguez said Saturday from Venezuela during a conference call. "We cannot be living with the past. We've just have to get that behind us and get focused."

In a span of four days, the Mets reached a $37 million, three-year deal with K-Rod, acquired J.J. Putz from Seattle and exiled three of the guilty, trading Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith and Scott Schoeneweis. The Mets want to forget a season in which they blew 29 of 72 save chances.

Rodriguez saved a major league record 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season and says he's ready for a changed atmosphere at Citi Field. He was animated with the Angels, and is looking forward to the energy of the Mets' fans. He wants to earn their respect.

"New York's atmosphere is totally different. The fans are really passionate," he said. "A lot of players like to be on that stage. I'm the kind of guy that likes to be on the big stage."

He's not used to charged-up fans at home.

"In Anaheim, they're more calm," he said. "They're really relaxed when they're watching the game."

Already a three-time All-Star, Rodriguez turns 27 next month. He claimed his drop in velocity last season was caused by his development of a changeup. He tried to throw all his pitches at the same arm speed.

K-Rod thinks his velocity will be back up next year.

"People, they're looking at velocity and not worried about what I've done," he said. "To me it's not a concern. It's not something that I really worry about right now."

He joins fellow Venezuelan Johan Santana on the Mets, and can sense the excitement when "walking the street, going to the mall, doing groceries."

At a dinner with the Mets last Sunday night, he spoke with Santana, who had called team executive Tony Bernazard.

"They told me all the best things of New York and some of the bad things, too," he said. "Like I say, he gave me a little advice."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Angels made an eight-year offer to first baseman Mark Teixeira during winter meetings in Las Vegas.

Team spokesman Tim Mead said Friday that no financial details are being revealed about the offer to the free agent, who is being sought by numerous teams.

Boston, Washington and Baltimore all have expressed interest in the 28-year-old Maryland native, who also met with the New York Yankees ahead of the winter meetings.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Updated: December 13, 2008, 6:03 PM ET

Kerry Wood Signs Two-Year Deal With IndiansCLEVELAND -- Kerry Wood wasn't concerned the Cleveland Indians would find a red flag in his massive medical records.

He was certain the elbow X-rays, MRI exam results on his shoulder and confidential documents would meet approval, clearing him to sign his first free-agent contract.

"With what I've gone through and what I've come back from, there was no doubt in my mind," Wood said. "I was just worried they would need a dolly or two to get it over to them.

"You play for 10 years and a lot can happen."

Wood would know.

The former Cubs right-hander, who has revived his injury-riddled career as a reliever, finalized a $20.5 million, two-year deal on Saturday with the Indians, whose high expectations in 2008 crashed in a succession of early-season blown saves by an underachieving and unpredictable bullpen.

In 10 years, Wood, who saved 34 games in his first season finishing for Chicago, has gone from rising star to a question mark, from the front of the rotation to the back of the bullpen, and now from one league to the other.

The closer is starting over.

The 31-year-old gets $10 million next year and $10.5 million in 2010. An $11 million option kicks in if Wood has 55 games finished in either of the next two years.

Cleveland's investment is being viewed by some as risky. After all, Wood has been on the disabled list 12 times. But his only visit last season was for a blister on his right index finger, and the Indians are confident they're making a sound move after scouting Wood and giving him a physical.

Kerry Wood RP Chicago Cubs

"Not only did he hold up for the season, but he was able to pitch three days in a row multiple times," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He was dominant as he as ever been in his career."

After pitching in 22 games as a setup man in 2007, Wood went to spring training and won the closer's job -- vacated when the Cubs made Ryan Dempster a starter -- over Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry. He went 5-4 with a 3.26 ERA and made the All-Star team.

But he fell out of Chicago's plans this winter, when the Cubs acquired reliever Kevin Gregg from Florida as a setup man and moved Marmol to closer. Wood has no resentment toward the team that gave him his pro start by drafting the 6-foot-5 Texan in 1995.

"I understand it," Wood said. "That's part of the game and it's time to move on."

Moving into the closer's role seemed to suit the hard-throwing Wood, who can still pump his fastball into the mid-90s. He now has a nasty curve to go with it. He said the adjustment to closing took him only three weeks, a transition made easier because of his background as a power pitcher.

"I could come in and let it go," he said from his home in Arizona . "The thing I impressed myself with was the walks and command. My command was a lot better coming in for a short time."

Wood's statistics back that up. He struck out 84 batters and walked just 18 in 66 1/3 innings over 65 appearances.

More importantly, Wood felt as if his arm had been reborn.

"I've talked to relievers who said they felt better the morning after they throw," Wood said. "I could never understand that, as a starter. Because it would take me every bit of four days to be able to go again. After making the transition and coming out of the bullpen, I saw there's a lot of validity to it. The more I threw, the better I felt and the better I did."

Wood also relished the opportunity to take the mound several days in a row instead of just once per week.

"I enjoy coming to the park every day with a chance to get in the game," he said.

The Indians went into the offseason with a closer as their top priority. The market was deep and included Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman, the career saves leader.

In Wood, though, Cleveland saw more than a big arm. The Indians coveted Wood because of his experience and a presence that can be felt in the middle of the diamond and clubhouse.

"Kerry was our No. 1 choice," Shapiro said. "I'm not sure there was anyone available who we would want to pitch the ninth inning for us. He fits our culture perfectly. We get the best of both worlds with Kerry."

The Indians haven't had a right-handed closer with stuff similar to Wood's since Jose Mesa in the 1990s.

"We've had some guys who have been unconventional, but still effective," Shapiro said. "What Kerry does is give us that prototypical closer, as well as the temperament that Joe Borowski and Bob Wickman brought."

Wood is not the same pitcher who struck out 20 Houston Astros in his fifth major league start in 1998, but the Indians don't need him to do anything more than get the last three outs.

Cleveland's courtship of Wood was helped by the club's recent opening of a new year-round training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. The Indians' new spring home is not far from Wood's in Scottsdale.

But what mattered most to Wood was the Indians, more than the other teams he and his agent talked to recently, made it clear that they wanted him.

"They came at me hard from Day 1," he said. "That was something I looked at. I looked at the records of the teams, and they had one of the best records in the second half. The talent is there. It's a great city, a great town, solid fans and a beautiful stadium."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Offseason Player Watch

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:48:00 +0000

By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
Updated: December 11, 2008

LAS VEGAS Mark Teixeira is still shopping. Manny Ramirez is still weeks maybe months from learning where he'll be parking his dreadlocks. And 150 free agents got to spend another fun-filled week on the unemployment line.

Once, there was a time when all the marquee free agents would have been wrapped up like a Christmas gift by the time the winter meetings ended. Well, not anymore.

So let's take a look at the many loose threads that are still dangling as the 2008 meetings fade into oblivion:

The Teixeira Watch

No agent who ever lived moves slower than Scott Boras. So even though CC Sabathia and Frankie Rodriguez already have managed to find their next homes, the Scott Boras Negotiating Olympiad has barely begun for guys such as Teixeira.

So all of a sudden, the crazy bidding rumors are flying. Eight years, $160 million from the Nationals. Seven years, $140 million from the Orioles. Seven years, $160 million from the Angels. No formal offers whatsoever from the Red Sox Yet.

You can believe those numbers if you want to. You can believe none of them if you're as wary of Boras spreading inflated negotiating fiction as many people in baseball are. But somewhere in there, you can find the plot line that's beginning to form here.

The Nationals have decided they need to make Teixeira the face of their franchise. (Hey, it beats Elijah Dukes.) That's the sales pitch they've been throwing at Teixeira and Boras relentlessly.

It's also helpful that they've been throwing more money at Teixeira than they've paid their entire baseball team in the past three seasons combined.

But will it work? And will it work even if the Nationals outbid everybody else which seems entirely possible? That's the question people in baseball keep asking.

How much money will Mark Teixeira really get? We'll have to wait and see.
"Here's what I wonder," one GM said. "Let's say the Nationals' bid is $5 million higher than the Red Sox or Angels. What happens then? Scott's clients always take the most money. But if Teixeira goes to the Nationals, how does he spin it? He sure can't say it was about winning. I guess he'll have to say it's about going home. Playing the family card always works."

Maybe that going-home speech is already in the hands of Boras' speechwriters. But in the meantime, you can bet Boras will be working 28 hours a day trying to prod the Angels and Red Sox to step up and outbid the losingest team in baseball this year.

The Manny Watch

Of all the free agents on your handy-dandy free-agent tote board, only one of them slugged over .600 this season. And it wasn't Teixeira.

It was good old Manny Ramirez, a guy who also hit .332 and had a .430 onbase percentage the seventh time in his career he has joined the .300 .400 .600 club, most of any active player.

So you'd think a hitter that legendary would have more job offers than Julia Roberts. But because he's Manny and there are certain, well, issues, he's a man who seems to have just about no market whatsoever.

Which means it's one of the greatest challenges of Boras' career to venture out into the marketplace and create one.

The popular theory has been that Boras would drive Teixeira to a team such as Boston, which he knows can't possibly pursue its old friend Manny. And that would leave all the losers in the Teixeira sweepstakes to turn their attention to Ramirez.

But there's a problem with that theory. The Angels keep insisting they have no interest. The Nationals don't need any more outfielders. And it takes a massive leap of the imagination to conceive of Peter Angelos' giving Ramirez a three, four or five year deal.

So where's he going? Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said Thursday that when he and Boras talked about Ramirez this week, he was still looking for a contract of four or five years. The Dodgers, on the other hand, are stuck on the two-year deal they offered a month ago. Colletti hinted that the dollars could still be negotiable if the length is short enough. But that's not happening not before somewhere around Valentine's Day, anyway.

Which means Boras likely is going to trot out a strategy he has used many times before: parking Manny in the waiting room.

He's a good bet to leave Ramirez hanging out there for as long as it takes, position him as Clearly The Best Hitter Left At The Unemployment Office and hope somebody gets desperate. His best shot here, though, might not be desperation. It might be a decision by a team such as the Yankees to swoop in at the final hour and see whether it can make an out of the blue score.

Could happen. But get back to us in a month. Or in the spring.

Rafael Furcal

Agent Paul Kinzer said this week that he has four teams with serious interest in Furcal -- the Royals, A's, Blue Jays and Dodgers. And all those teams know, he said, that it's going to take a three- or four-year contract (at $9-10 million a year) to get a deal done.

It's hard to figure whether the market for Rafael Furcal really is as hot as it seems.
But the market might not be as hot on Furcal as it's been portrayed. Kansas City, for instance, has been rumored to be the high bidder. But despite GM Dayton Moore's longtime admiration for Furcal from their Atlanta days, he doesn't have $35-40 million to spend. And one source with knowledge of the Royals' thinking said they haven't done much more than kick the tires on Furcal.

The Blue Jays are in a similar mode, and would have to move money to pay a player this pricey. The A's are still interested, but the popular theory among other clubs is that if Furcal wanted to be in Oakland, he'd already be there. And the Dodgers haven't gone beyond two guaranteed years, plus a vesting option.

So an official of one team that checked in says that Furcal "seems like a guy who's waiting for something to happen that hasn't happened." Our best guess is: He wants to return to L.A. But is he willing to give up a guaranteed year or two to do it? We might be about to find out.

A.J. Burnett

This one is simple. Does Burnett want to be a Yankee? Or does he want to be a Brave?

True, the Yankees have the high bid out there 5 years, $85 million, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick). But the Braves have made it clear there's a fifth guaranteed year, for a total of $80 million, there for Burnett to grab if he merely says the magic words: "I want to be in Atlanta."

"If he just wants the most money, he'll be a Yankee," said an executive of one team that once had interest in Burnett. "When the New York Yankees decide they're not going to be outbid, they're not going to be outbid. And I think that's the decision they've made."

But in reality, this is Burnett's decision. And it might be a "where" decision, not a "how much" decision. Both teams say all there is to do now is wait.

Derek Lowe

Lowe's market didn't exactly collapse this week. It just seemed that way -- but only because it was obviously overblown by Boras' leak squad in the first place.

It's now apparent that neither the Phillies nor the Red Sox made an offer at all. And they no longer seem any more than mildly interested.

The Yankees are still an option -- but maybe not for long. If Burnett and Andy Pettitte say yes to offers already on the table, the Yankees are out. And although the Mets maintain interest, it appears they want no part of the 4 year, $72 million price tag Boras was tossing out there early on. But there's a scenario in the making in which they become the last serious bidder standing. So maybe this will turn out to be Omar Minaya's lucky winter.

more hitters

There are close to 100 bats still on the market. And most of them look as if they're going to have big trouble getting anywhere near the paycheck they had in mind.

The Phillies, Angels and Mets have serious interest in Raul Ibanez, so he'll be fine. The Cubs and Rays have zeroed in on Milton Bradley. And you can bet your inauguration tickets that Adam Dunn will land in Washington if Teixeira doesn't. But guys such as Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell and Jason Giambi look as though they're in for hefty pay cuts and maybe no more than a two-year deal. And everybody else would be best advised to grab for the first decent paycheck that comes along.

Other arms

The biggest question is what will become of the two big free-agent closers still out there Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman. The Cardinals look like Fuentes' most serious pursuer. But Hoffman, one of the most underrated pitchers of all time, is scrambling.

The Dodgers have a smidgen of interest. The Tigers have interest, but not the budget. And Milwaukee and Texas might still be options. San Diego manager Bud Black tried to open the door this week for Hoffman to return to the Padres. But with Jake Peavy staying, it probably would have to be for a pay slash that Hoffman might find tough to digest. A pitcher this great deserves a happier ending than Hoffman seems headed for.

Of those other starting pitchers, Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets and Jon Garland are well-positioned to lead off the second tier once Burnett and Lowe sign. The Mets will try to bring back Oliver Perez if he ever comes off that five-year, $65 million talk. And Randy Johnson could land in Chicago, San Francisco, Texas or Oakland for a year.

But the most intriguing free-agent starter left might be John Smoltz, who had seven teams looking at his medical records this week amid rumors he's open to leaving Atlanta. Smoltz has been a Brave for so long that he was once a teammate of Bruce Sutter and Ken Griffey Sr. So can he really leave? Can Atlanta really allow him to leave? Might be the most riveting story line of the whole offseason.

Players Mov'in the News

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:55:00 +0000

Thursday Dec. 11, 2009 8:00am

Mets acquire Putz in 3 team, 12 player deal

Mets acquired RHP J.J. Putz, OF Jeremy Reed and RHP Sean Green; Mariners acquired OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Aaron Heilman, 1B Mike Carp, OF Endy Chavez, LHP Jason Vargas, OF Ezequiel Carrera and RHP Maikel Cleto; Indians acquired RHP Joe Smith and 2B Luis Valbuena.

The Mets will be praised for this, and they might even deserve it. However, Putz never did recover his best stuff after last season's elbow problems, and it's an open question of how he got his best stuff in the first place. In 2006 and 2007, he was about as dominant as any reliever in the game, amassing a ridiculous 186/26 K/BB ratio in 150 innings. However, he never showed that kind of potential in previous seasons and he didn't ever look like the same guy last season, even if he did finish with 56 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings. Odds are that the Mets are getting a very good setup man. However, he'll probably never again be the pitcher he was in 2006 and 2007 and he'll be quite expensive to keep beyond next season. He's due $5.5 million in 2009 and $9.1 million if his option for 2010 is picked up.

Oliver Perez SP Mets

Mets GM Omar Minaya put the chances of re-signing Oliver Perez at "50/50."

The Mets probably won't be in on Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett, leaving Perez as the top free agent starter they could possibly sign. It's believed he's asking for $70 million over five years, and agent Scott Boras has indicated the Mets won't get a discount.
Source: Newsday

Brad Penny SP Dodgers

The Rockies have reportedly decided against making an offer to free agent Brad Penny.

The Penny market remains quiet, and there's been no indication that he's received offers as of yet. The Red Sox and Giants are believed to have some interest.
Source: Rockies.mlb.com

Juan Morillo RP Rockies

According to MLB.com, Juan Morillo could be the other player in a proposed Willy Taveras-Tim Redding deal between the Rockies and Nationals.

Morillo is considered expendable in part because he's out of options. The hard-throwing right-hander had another disappointing season in 2008 and didn't pitch in the majors outside of a brief callup in July.
Source: Hot Stove Blog

Eric Byrnes OF Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks and Red Sox are reportedly discussing a trade of Eric Byrnes and Julio Lugo.

This makes a lot more sense for Boston than the Tigers talks, though they'd have to have some idea that Byrnes is willing to be a fourth outfielder in order to make the deal. Byrnes is owed $22 million over the next two years, while Lugo is due $18 million. If acquired, Lugo would take over as the Diamondbacks' second baseman.
Source: ESPN.com

Kyle Farnsworth RP Tigers

A source told ESPN's Steve Phillips that Farnsworth has agreed to a two-year, $9.25 million deal with the Royals.

We'd just love to see a sensible explanation of what makes Farnsworth worth $4.6 million per season in a multiyear deal in a world in which Bob Howry gets $2.75 million for one season. Farnsworth has finished with ERAs of 4.36, 4.80 and 4.48 ERA the last three years and hasn't thrown 70 innings in a season since 2005. His back issues often seem to have him day-to-day and prevent him from pitching on back-to-back days. Also, there was no hint that the Royals had any competition for his services. Like with Jose Guillen a year ago, Dayton Moore was probably bidding against himself.
Source: ESPN.com

Mark Teahen OF Royals

Royals manager Trey Hillman admitted Wednesday that he doesn't currently have Mark Teahen in his projected lineup.

Hillman seemed to like the same lineup we had written out when the Coco Crisp deal went down last month: CF Crisp, SS Mike Aviles, LF David DeJesus, RF Jose Guillen, 1B Mike Jacobs, DH Billy Butler, 3B Alex Gordon, C Miguel Olivo and 2B Alberto Callaspo. The extreme lack of OBP in the fourth and fifth slots is a major problem, but those were probably two of Hillman's easiest calls.
Source: Kansas City Star

Jack Wilson SS Pirates

Royals GM Dayton Moore denied that his team had any interest in trading for Jack Wilson.

The Royals would like to create payroll space for Rafael Furcal, but they're not going to make the effort to bring in an expensive, less-talented shortstop. There are no serious suitors for Wilson at the moment. The Twins and Dodgers could reconsider him at some later date, but they clearly have higher priorities.
Source: Kansas City Star

Seven Years gets C C Sabathia $160 Mill

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:37:00 +0000

C C become highest paid player in history

LAS VEGAS -- One day after Brian Cashman traveled a mile up the Las Vegas Strip for a few words with C C Sabathia, the Yankees' general manager escaped to the San Francisco area for an unscheduled meeting with the left-hander on Tuesday night.
The extra effort paid off. A source familiar with the situation has confirmed that Sabathia, the 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner, relayed to Cashman early Wednesday morning that he intends to accept the Yankees' offer and wear pinstripes for the upcoming season and beyond.

A baseball official confirmed that the parameters are set, although the contractual paperwork is not yet final. No official announcement will be made until Sabathia and the Yankees complete those details, but no problems are anticipated in completion of the agreement.

An additional season and $20 million offered by Cashman sweetened the package: The deal now represents a record-setting seven-year, $160 million pact, adding to the original offer presented to Sabathia on Nov. 14, which was reported to be for $140 million over six years.

A person familiar with the Yankees' thinking and early-morning maneuvers told MLB.com that the club extended its offer to Sabathia from six to seven years at about 3 a.m. ET. The Yankees had no trepidation in offering a seventh year to Sabathia, a source indicated, and Sabathia and Cashman did not discuss financial terms in the meeting. Sabathia's agent, Greg Genske, later finalized the dollar and year amounts with Cashman.

Though $160 million would be the richest contract ever signed by a pitcher, it remains to be seen if it will be the richest by annual salary. Such a contract would average $22.85 million, while the six-year, $137.5 million deal that Johan Santana signed with the Mets last offseason averages $22.9 million.

Some of the money will likely be deferred, Newsday reported.

In addition, a source said that the Yankees believe they can top the Braves' offer to right-hander A.J. Burnett if it is for five years at $15 million per year, and that the Yankees' interest in first baseman Mark Teixeira has waned.

Tuesday's rendezvous in the Bay Area was the third face-to-face meeting between Cashman and Sabathia. The most recent visit is believed to have been made with attention to the concerns of Sabathia's wife, Amber. The Sabathias have West Coast roots -- he is a product of Vallejo, Calif., approximately 30 miles outside of San Francisco -- and a family of three young children.

"We all know what kind of ballplayer he is," Cashman said on Monday. "He's a tremendous family man and he's got a wife and three kids. He's got a life choice to make that will direct where they'll reside."

In Las Vegas, Yankees officials were privately optimistic late Tuesday that discussions with Sabathia had taken a positive turn since Cashman had again been invited back. The GM rapidly cleared his schedule.

Cashman, manager Joe Girardi and special advisor Reggie Jackson met with Sabathia and agent Greg Genske for approximately two hours at the Wynn hotel on Sunday.

Jackson took the lead in those discussions, representing a Bay Area product who went on to stardom in New York and looks back upon his Yankees time fondest.

Cashman was then invited back on Monday, answering follow-up questions in a meeting of less than one hour with Genske present. Then came Tuesday's meeting, which resulted in the Yankees landing the biggest pitching prize of the Winter Meetings.

"I have no doubt that he can play in New York," Cashman said on Monday.

Sabathia, 117-73 in eight big league seasons, will bring something to the Yankees that they haven't had in three decades: a relatively youthful pitcher at the top of their rotation.

At 28 years old, Sabathia will be the first prominent Yankees ace under 30 since Ron Guidry, another left-hander, in the late 1970s.

New York had pitchers in their 20s, notably Dennis Rasmussen and Melido Perez, at the top of its rotations during losing seasons in the early '90s, and one could argue that Chien-Ming Wang, currently 28 was the Yankees' "ace" in 2006 and 2007. But Sabathia clearly represents something different.

Traded to the Brewers by the Indians on July 7, the left-hander almost single-handedly carried Milwaukee to its first postseason berth in 26 years by going 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts.

He lost his only start in the playoffs, lasting 3 2/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to the Phillies. The Brewers lost the best-of-five Division Series in four games.

A Sabathia signing would give the Yankees the bonafide ace that many, including Girardi, have lobbied for, but it does not complete their winter shopping list. The Yankees have spoken optimistically about landing two of their top choices, if not three.

That leaves the door open to a full-bore pursuit of free agent right-handers A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe and Ben Sheets, and to the future of Andy Pettitte, who remains unsigned. As of the moment, the Yankees' only signed starters projected to be in the rotation come Opening Day are Wang and Joba Chamberlain.

The Yankees met with Burnett's representative at the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. With teams circling his client, Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, acknowledged that "just overall, the process is starting to advance."

The Yankees do not appear fazed by the Braves' interest in Burnett, with Atlanta prepared to supply Burnett with a four-year, $60 million contract containing a vesting option for the 2013 season. In fact, the Yankees may even be primed to top that dollar amount by surpassing the annual value of the pact.

The Yankees and Phillies have emerged as the two most prominent contenders for Lowe, according to reports. The Yankees are said to have prepared a four-year offer with a possible vesting option for a fifth year for the 35-year-old former Dodger, who has won 106 games in seven seasons since the Red Sox converted him from closer to starter in 2002.

Late on Monday, Cashman and manager Joe Girardi met with Sheets and his agent, Casey Close.

"I thought that was a good meeting," Girardi said. "Obviously, I faced Ben Sheets when I was with the Cubs and have admired the work that he's done over the years. It was good to talk to him about his health, his routines, what he likes to do. He was a very open young man and he was impressive."

The New York Daily News reported on Tuesday that the Yankees are preparing to offer Sheets a multi-year deal believed to be for two years and about $30 million. The offer was expected to be made before the Meetings wrap up on Thursday.

Sheets is 86-83 in his career with a 3.73 ERA, but has missed significant time due to injury in four of his eight seasons in the Major Leagues, all with the Brewers.

Pettitte, who has spent 11 of his 14 seasons with the Yankees, is a free agent and has openly said that he wishes to return. But there has been no reported contact between the team and the 36-year-old left-hander, who went 14-14 last season but is 215-127 in his career.

Sabathia, a first-round Draft pick in 1998, burst upon the scene less than three years later, going 17-5 in his rookie season. He had success, but without impressive records, for the next four seasons, going 52-40 with a 4.03 ERA while recording double digits in losses three times.

However, in 2006, he began to show the results of a dominant pitcher, lowering his ERA to 3.21 and reaching a career high in strikeouts with 172. He went 12-11, but the Indians were 78-84 and finished fourth in the AL Central that season.

In 2007, Sabathia pitched 241 innings, by far a career high, and went 19-7 while boosting his strikeout total to 209. Cleveland won the AL Central and Sabathia won the Cy Young.

Those career highs were extended this past season, as he struck out 251 batters in 253 innings.

The Yankees won the World Series in 1977 and '78 with Guidry leading the way. In 1978, the year he turned 28, Guidry recorded one of history's finest seasons, going 25-3 with a 1.74 ERA.

Players mov'in the news

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:46:00 +0000

Huston Street
Dec. 10 4:35 am et

Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd hinted Tuesday that Huston Street would enter spring training as the favorite to close over Manny Corpas.

Going with Street would help preserve his trade value in case the team wants to move him later on. Just talking him up now can serve the same purpose. Spring training will help determine who is really the better bet of the two for 2009. A healthy Taylor Buchholz is actually probably the Rockies' best reliever, but he's clearly third in line for saves right now.
Source: Denver Post

Alan Embree
Dec. 10 - 4:31 am et

The Rockies are expected to announce the Alan Embree signing after Thursday's Rule 5 draft.

Embree is believed to be getting a one-year deal worth about $2.5 million.
Source: Denver Post

Jarrod Saltalamacchia C Rangers
Dec. 10 - 3:31 am et

The Red Sox resumed talks with the Rangers about their young catchers on Tuesday, but there were no signs that progress was made.

It's been speculated since last month that the Rangers would want Clay Buchholz and either Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a price the Red Sox aren't going to pay. The Red Sox will probably have to go in a different direction and have kicked the tires on free agent Josh Bard, the Pirates' Ronny Paulino and many others. It's believed that they'll non-tender Kevin Cash on Friday, so they are on the lookout for two catchers. Of course, it remains quite likely that Jason Varitek will be one of them.
Source: Boston Herald

Rafael Furcal SS Dodgers
Dec. 10 - 3:22 am et

The Dodgers have extended an offer to free agent Rafael Furcal.

The Press-Enterprise described it as a "short-term" proposal. Something like $25 million for two years might be what the Dodgers are thinking. "They told us they'd keep us apprised," GM Ned Colletti said. "They don't seem to be in a big hurry."
Source: Riverside Press-Enterprise

Rich Aurilia 1B Giants
Dec. 10 - 3:19 am et

Giants GM Brian Sabean said that he has reconsidered on Rich Aurilia and would like to re-sign the free agent.

To think that we were concerned about the Giants' offense. Aurilia did hit lefties well last season, but he ended up with way too many at-bats, 407 to be exact. Viewed strictly as a backup, he'd be fine. However, it seems best not to give Bruce Bochy the opportunity to overuse him again.
Source: San Jose Mercury News

Joey Devine Athletics
Dec. 10 - 3:16 am et

A's manager Bob Geren indicated he plans to alternate Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler in the closer's role depending on the game situation.

It's doubtful that such an arrangement would last in today's era. Devine has the better chance of running away with the job, but he's also the more likely of the two to go down with arm problems and miss half of the season. Fantasy leaguers may have to pair them.
Source: San Jose Mercury News

Randy Johnson SP Diamondbacks
Dec. 10 - 3:13 am et

The Astros and Angels have joined the crowd expressing interest in free agent Randy Johnson.

Both teams have met with Johnson's agents. The Giants, A's and Dodgers may be the best bets to land Johnson. He would prefer a western division team.
Source: East Valley Tribune

Players mov'in the News

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:56:00 +0000

Matt Wieters-C-Orioles Dec. 9

Orioles manager Dave Trembley said he is "looking forward to seeing" Matt Wieters in the majors next season if the team completes a Ramon Hernandez trade.

"I think everybody is," Trembley added. If the backstop vacancy opens up with Hernandez moving elsewhere, Wieters is definitely going to be given a shot. The Orioles might, however, sign a capable veteran that could ease Matt's transition.
Source: Baltimore Sun

George Sherrill-R-Orioles Dec. 9

Orioles manager Dave Trembley suggested Monday that George Sherrill and Chris Ray could share closing duties next season.

"I don't think there will be competition,'' Trembley said. "I think I'm going to be afforded the luxury of having two guys that have done it... I don't think it's inconceivable that we could somehow share that role." It's way too early to buy much into that comment, but it does show that the Orioles have faith in Chris Ray being healthy to start the season. He is coming off Tommy John surgery. We'd still consider Sherrill the frontrunner to take the job full time.
Source: Baltimore Sun

Kris Benson-S-Phillies Dec. 9

Free agent Kris Benson said the Blue Jays, Indians and Dodgers have expressed interest in him.

Benson spent 2008 working his way back from rotator cuff surgery and went 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in the Phillies' minor league system. He believes he's fully recovered now, so there's the chance he could turn into an adequate fifth starter.
Source: MASN Sports

Francisco Rodriguez-R-Angels Dec.

SI.com's Jon Heyman expects the Mets and Francisco Rodriguez to agree to a three-year deal worth about $37 million.

K-Rod certainly would have had more earnings potential if he had elected for a one-year deal with the chance to go back on the market next winter. However, the difference between $12 million per year and $15 million per year has a lot more to do with status than any real world consequences. At least this deal is still bigger than the three-year, $34 million contract he turned down from the Angels a year ago.
Source: SI.com

Alex Rios-OF-Blue Jays Dec. 9

When asked, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi wouldn't rule out dealing Alex Rios.

There was considerable momentum behind a Rios-for-Tim Lincecum deal last winter, though the Giants did end up passing. Rios later signed a seven-year, $70 million deal with Toronto. "I think we'd be open to talk abut anybody, but if you trade a guy like Rios, how do you replace him, too?" Ricciardi said. "We're not actively shopping Rios. Last year it made sense because we knew [A.J.] Burnett may leave and Lincecum would have stepped right in. But I don't know if there's that type of deal out there that would make sense." Almost certainly not. Rios was a lot more attractive before landing the big contract and turning in a disappointing season.
Source: National Post

Mark Teixeira-1B-Angels Dec. 9

A front-office official for a team on the outside looking in at the Mark Teixeira chase said he expects the first baseman to sign with Boston.

"I think he’ll sign with the Red Sox," the official said. "They want him. They have a good relationship with (agent Scott) Boras, and in the end, they have the dollars to make it happen." While the Yankees, Orioles and Nationals all met with Teixeira in D.C. last week, his supposed strongest suitors -- the Red Sox and Angels -- have yet to sit down for a face-to-face. It's unclear whether any team has made an actual offer.
Source: Yahoo! Sports

Ramon Vazquez-3B-Rangers Dec. 9

Free agent Ramon Vazquez is telling people that the one-year offer he received from Arizona was way too low and that he already has a two-year offer from another team.

The Diamondbacks may be offering more playing time, but since Vazquez is 32 and hasn't made all that much money in his career -- his $810,000 salary in 2008 was his highest to date -- he may figure he's best off taking the high contact on the table. We could see the Yankees, White Sox or Phillies signing him for a utility role.
Source: Arizona Republic

Players Mov'in the news

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:45:00 +0000

Mike Lamb-3B-Brewers Dec. 8 5:38 pm et

The Brewers are working to re-sign free agent Mike Lamb, MLB.com reports.

Lamb barely played after joining the Brewers on Sept. 5, going 3-for-11 the rest of the way, so it's something of a surprise that Milwaukee wants him back. Because Lamb is already getting $3 million in 2009 after the Twins cut him in the first year of a two-year deal, finding a team that will give him playing time should be his priority. In Milwaukee, he'd stand to compete with Bill Hall for starts at third.
Source: Hot Stove Blog

Erik Bedard-S-Mariners Dec. 8 5:34 pm et

Erik Bedard (shoulder) received the green light to begin a throwing program, MLB.com reports.

The favorable report should be enough to ensure that Bedard is tendered a contract before the Friday deadline. The Mariners could actually have an excess of pitching if Bedard is ready for the season. They have Brandon Morrow, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva, Ryan Rowland-Smith and Miguel Batista to go along with Felix Hernandez and Bedard.
Source: Mariners.mlb.com

A.J. Burnett-S-Blue Jays Dec. 8 5:30 pm et

According to ESPN's Steve Phillips, indications are that the Braves and A.J. Burnett are moving closer to a deal.

Peter Gammons seems to think the same thing, though there are no quotes anywhere to back it up. The Cardinals' reported interest has failed to materialize, and it looks like Atlanta's four-year offer with a vesting option for a fifth year is the best proposal on the table.
Source: ESPN.com

Jerome Williams-S-Athletics Dec. 8 5:28 pm et

Athletics signed RHP Jerome Williams to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

Williams got off to a really nice start in Puerto Rico this winter, but he had struggled over his last three starts and is now 1-3 with a 5.04 ERA and just 14 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. He had a 3.25 ERA in five starts and eight relief appearances in the Dodger system last season. He'll probably be a part of Triple-A Sacramento's rotation.

J.J. Putz-R-Mariners Dec. 8 5:19 pm et

Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times believes a J.J. Putz-to-Detroit deal could get done.

The Tigers are pretty short on talent to trade for someone who would be as sought after as Putz would be if put on the open market Baker believes the Mariners would have interest in Jeff Larish, but he's more of a No. 2 player in a Putz-type deal. Seattle would need to get a bigger talent along with Larish. The Indians have more to offer, and at $5.5 million for 2009, Putz is cheap enough that a team like the Red Sox or Yankees could potentially target him as a setup man.
Source: Seattle Times

CC Sabathia-S-Brewers Dec. 8 5:06 pm et

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said it's "a possibility" the Dodgers could make an offer to free agent CC Sabathia.

Sabathia reportedly told Colletti he "wants to be a Dodger" in a chance meeting Sunday night. The speculation has long been that he'd prefer to join the Dodgers or Giants if the money is there.
Source: Hot Stove Blog

David Eckstein-SS-Diamondbacks Dec. 8 5:03 pm et

According to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, free agent David Eckstein is drawing interest from five teams, most of which want him as a second baseman.

He doesn't name the teams, though he speculates that Baltimore and San Diego have openings at shortstop for him. The Orioles are known to prefer Cesar Izturis.
Source: FOXSports.com

Player News

trizetblu@gmail.com (Dennis Paige) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:09:00 +0000

Players in the News
provided by: Rotowire

Darren Oliver
Oliver accepted the Angels' arbitration offer before ...Oliver accepted the Angels' arbitration offer before the Sunday night deadline.

Fantasy Spin: Of the 24 free agents offered arbitration, only Oliver and David Weathers accepted. This means Oliver will be back on a one-year deal with the Halos, despite receiving some interest on the free agent market.

News:
Laird has officially been dealt to the Tigers for pitching prospects Guillermo Moscoso and Carlos Melo, according to MLB.com.

Spin: After trading away Ivan Rodriguez and announcing that Brandon Inge would play third base, it was pretty clear that the Tigers were going to acquire a catcher this offseason. By trading for Laird, they've also decided that they're not comfortable with opening the season with Dusty Ryan as their starting catcher. Laird will get hurt by the change in ballparks, but in he gets some job security.

News:
Reds GM Walt Jocketty vehemently denied a Dayton Daily News report that a deal to send Dye to the Reds for Homer Bailey and others had been struck, the Reds' official site reports.

Spin: It's no secret that Dye has been the subject of trade talks, and that the Reds at least at one point were involved, but apparently those talks haven't been recent. "Wrong. It's not even close," Jocketty said. "We haven't had any discussions with the White Sox since before Thanksgiving."

News:
Weathers accepted the Reds' arbitration offer before Sunday's deadline, the Reds' official site reports.

Spin: This means he'll be back for one more season with the team, presumably at a rate higher than the $2.75 million he made with them in 2008.

The Mets are desperate to move Castillo to create a spot for Orlando Hudson, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.

Fantasy Spin: The only way to do it would be to exchange Castillo's contract for another of similar value, which is a difficult task. When the Mets asked the Rangers about a Castillo-for-Vicente Padilla ? a swap that would require the Rangers to move Ian Kinsler to left field ? they were told, "No thank you." The Mets will either need to take on someone with an equally bad contract or eat a lot of cash to move Castillo, which will be a more likely occurrence.

Francisco Rodriguez
Mets GM Omar Minaya is expected to ...Mets GM Omar Minaya is expected to meet face-to-face with Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman, as well as possibly Kerry Wood or his agents, during the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, the NY Daily News' Mets blog reports.

Fantasy Spin: Minaya may make offers to several or all of the players, similar to what he did several years when looking for a catcher, with the first person to accept the offer to get the job as the closer. K-Rod is expected to demand the highest salary, with the Mets unlikely to go the five years, $75 million he originally wanted. Jon Heyman of the SI.com is reporting that Mets management has been internally discussing a three-year contract, and might include a fourth-year vesting option to Rodriguez.