There is definately more to the baseball hot stove talks than Johan Santana rumors. So with the winter meetings starting on Monday lets talk a whirl around the world of baseball and pull up a seat next to the ol’ hot stove and find out what’s happened or may possibly happen in the not so distant future.
Today the New York Mets apparently gave up on OF Lastings Milledge. You remember this kid, how could you forget him the Mets have only been pumping him up since 2004. In fact after the ’04 season when the Mets tried to make a deal for Red Sox OF Manny Ramirez it was Milledge’s name that came up the most. Today the Mets traded him to Washington for C Brian Schneider and OF Ryan Church. The Mets went from zero catchers to three in a little over a week as they added Johnny Estrada via a trade and re-signed free agent Ramon Castro, who was the back up last year to free agent Paul LoDuca. Expect one of those guys to get traded and soon and Boston may be a destination as they need someone to back up Jason Varitek.
It also looks as if the Nationals will bring back P Ray King who started the 2007 season in Washington before going to the Brewers. It reportedly is a minor league deal that will pay him $850,000 if he makes the team.
Free agent pitcher Kenny Rogers is returning to Detroit. Rogers you recall dumped his agent, Scott Boras, and has signed a one-year deal with the Tigers returning to the team for his 3rd season. Rogers, 43, got an $8 million incentive laden deal for what appears to be his final season on the bump.
Detroit also signed right handed pitcher Francisco Cruceta to a one-year deal and designated Timo Perez and Chris Shelton for assignment. The Tigers also added shortstop Edgar Renteria via a trade with Atlanta for P Jair Jurjiens. We all remember “Rent-a-Wreck’s” last foray into the American League. Are the BoSox still on the hook for some of his money still? If they are this has to be the last year.
Houston has reportedly signed free agent 2B Kaz Matsui to a 3 year/$15 million deal he replaces the retired Craig Biggio. Matsui has played for the Colorado Rockies and the New York Mets.
The St. Louis Cardinals have signed free agent SS Cesar Izturis to a $2.85 million one year contract. It’s apparently a sign that they are foregoing any effort to re-sign SS David Eckstein. The Cardinals have to decide by Saturday whether to offer arbitration to Eckstein, who has filed for free agency. The two sides were not close in negotiations and general manager John Mozeliak, who said the Cardinals would “probably” cut ties with Eckstein, wanted to make sure a replacement was in place. Izturis split last season with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cleveland Indians pitcher Juan Lara remained in critical condition after he was in a car accident last week in the Dominican Republic. The 26-year-old left-hander suffered a fractured spine, severe brain trauma, two broken ribs and a punctured lung in the crash Saturday night. Two others were killed.
The Los Angeles Angeles and the Florida Marlins are still reportedly trying to work out a deal for 3B Miguel Cabrera. The clubs have reportedly agreed on 2B Howie Kendrick and C Jeff Mathis but haven’t come up with the 3rd piece which appears to be a pitcher. In fact the Angels are upset with the Marlins for what they perceive to be last minute changes to the asking price. The teams have talked about Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders or top pitching prospect Nick Adenhart as well as OF Reggie Willits.
The Angels also locked up free agent CF Torii Hunter for a mere $90 million over 6 years and traded SS Orlando Cabrera to the ChiSox for P John Garland.
The Marlins reportedly may entertain offers for All-Star P Dontrelle Willis as well.
The Chicago Cubs are supposedly shopping former first round draft pick (2001 #2 overall) P Mark Prior who has been hurt much of the last three seasons. The Cubs are said to want a grand slam breakfast from Denny’s and a $100 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card in exchange for Prior. So far there are no takers. But they did sign the other half of their former one-two punch P Kerry Wood to a one year $4.2 million deal.
The Cubbies have also signed free agent C Jason Kendall who split last year between Oakland and San Diego. They also traded disappointing OF Jacque Jones to Detroit for 2B Omar Infante.
Rumors are persisting that contract talks between the Baltimore Orioles and P Erik Bedard have broken off and now the Bird’s are actively shopping the lefty starter.
The Cincinnati Reds closed the deal on free agent closer Francisco Cordero who left Milwaukee for more money, a threeway from Skyline Chili and a view of Kentucky. The 4 year deal will pay him $46 million which is big bucks for the usually tight assed Reds.
I think the Los Angeles Dodgers may have hired a new manager but I can’t be sure. But in their biggest move the McCourts agreed to take Dr. Chuck off the Red Sox hands and move him 3,000 miles away from Theo to keep the peace. Personally I can only hope that Larry Lucchino and Glenn Geffner some how find their way to LA as well but that may be asking too much.
The Chicago White Sox ponied up $19 million over 4 years for set up man Scott Linebrink. The Red Sox had interest in Linebrink a few years ago but somehow Boston GM Theo Epstein was able to control himself this time and not cough up nearly $5 million a year for a set up guy. Too bad he didn’t show the same restraint when it came to OF J.D. Drew and SS Julio Lugo.
Free agent lefty Tom Glavine returned to Atlanta on a one year deal. It is expected to the 41-year olds final season.
National League Champion Colorado Rockies have signed reliever Matt Herges to a new contract. The deal calls for $2.8 million in 2008 and a unknown dollar value on a club option for 2009. They are also negotiating with Japanese P Kazuo Fukumori. The San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates are also in the mix for the reliever.
The Philadelphia Phillies went out and got themselves a closer in Brad Lidge ensuring that P Brett Myers will return to the rotation after spending the last half of 2007 as the teams closer. Lidge comes from Houston with SS Eric Brunlett for OF Michael Bourn and P Geoff Geary.
The Kansas City Royals jumped into the Japanese market in a few ways. First they hired Trey Hillman as their manager, he had managed the last five years in Japan. Next they signed free agent P Yasuhiko Yabuta to a contract.
The Tampa Bay Rays have decided to take a two-year flier on closer Troy Percival. They signed him the other day and gave him $8 million. He once was an imposing closer for the Angels and was a member of the 2002 championship team but has since blown his arm out. He pitched the second half of last season with Cardinals after missing all of 2006.
The Rays also hooked up with their low budget bretheren the Minnesota Twins and made a six-player swap featuring AL Rookie of the Year runner-up OF Delmon Young going to the Twin Cities for P Matt Garza. Tampa Bay also got SS Jason Bartlett and a minor league pitcher Eduardo Morlan in exchange for SS Brendan Harris and LF Jason Pridie.
The Rays may not be done yet as their are rumors that P Scott Kazmir may be on the block. The Rays are afraid they won’t be able to afford him as he goes through salary arbitration over the next few years. Maybe they shouldn’t be dropping $8 million on a washed up closer so they could keep their talented ace starter. Nah, it’s just easier to call Brian Cashman and Epstein and ask them for bids.
And finally here are the some top free agents still available:
OF Milton Bradley, OF Mike Cameron, 1B Sean Casey, SS David Eckstein, P Octavio Dotel, P Freddie Garcia, OF Shawn Green, OF Jose Guillen, P Livan Hernandez, OF Andruw Jones, C Paul LoDuca, 2B-SS Mark Loretta, DH Mike Piazza, OF Aaron Rowand, OF Shannon Stewart.
The Red Sox still have the following free agents out there:
C Kevin Cash, P Matt Clement, P Eric Gagne`, 1B/OF Eric Hinske, OF Bobby Kielty, C Doug Mirabelli and P Mike Timlin. The Sox have offered Timlin a one-year deal for $3 million and should have it settled shortly. They’ve also been in touch with Mirabelli’s agent and Kielty is waiting to see what they do with the outfield situation. If they trade Coco Crisp (or heaven forbid Jacoby Ellsbury) Kielty would like to come back as Boston’s fourth outfielder.
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