Rumors for November, 2010
Chicago Cubs interested in Brandon Webb
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According to a Major League source close to AOL FanHouse’s Ed Price and confirmed by a source close to FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal, the Chicago Cubs have interest in former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb. Price speculates that any deal would likely be incentive-laden.
Price’s source says the Cubs have been in talks with Webb’s agent, Jonathan Maurer.
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick said that multiple teams had interest in the right-handed pitcher. Team interested at the time included the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers. Crasnick added that one should not rule out the Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds or the St. Louis Cardinals.
Previous reports indicate that there’s a mutual interest between Webb and the Nationals since the team’s GM, Mike Rizzo, was the one who originally drafted Webb in 2000.
The 2006 Cy Young Award winner has only pitched once in the last two seasons after suffering a shoulder injury late in Spring Training in 2009. Maurer said earlier this month that he would seek a contract in the $7.5 million range this winter.
Yankees hope to wrap up contract with Derek Jeter before Winter Meetings
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According to Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, the New York Yankees are hoping to make in roads with team captain Derek Jeter next week and have everything wrapped up by the Winter Meetings which start on December 6, 2010. Heyman adds that Jeter will likely have to accept a pay cut to stay with New York.
The Yankees are believed to have made a three-year, $45 million offer to Jeter already, but Jeter may want as much as $23-24 million a year – a difference of approximately $9 million per season.
Because Jeter has been insistent about his salary demands, Yankee’s GM Brian Cashman has challenged Jeter’s camp to test the market to see if he can get anything better.
“We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account,” Cashman said. “We’ve encouraged him to test the market and see if there’s something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That’s the way it works.”
Colorado Rockies to pursue Carl Pavano?
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The Minnesota Twins have made it known that they want right-handed pitcher Carl Pavano to return for 2011, and they are going to make a strong push to keep him. However, they’ll have competition since “six or eight” teams have already engaged in preliminary discussions with the free agent. One team that has Pavano high on their list includes the Colorado Rockies.
The Denver Posts’ Troy E. Renck says that the Rockies are eyeing several starting pitchers this off season, including Pavano. If the Rockies can’t get Pavano, they may turn to the Chicago White Sox’s Gavin Floyd. Floyd is under team control for two more years, and would likely cost the Rockies several prospects to acquire his services.
It’s only after Pavano and Floyd that Renck speculates the Rockies will go after the likes of Scott Kazmir, Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Bonderman, David Bush or Aaron Harang.
Cliff Lee to meet with one to three teams in the week ahead
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The race for arguably the number one free agent, Cliff Lee, this winter will heat up this week, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. The New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers are the obvious destinations since they’ve already made it public that they have visited the left-hander. However, there may be a few dark horse candidates.
“We’ve got a fair number of teams trying to work through the process,” Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker said. “It’s probably fair to say we’ve got a half-dozen teams in the mix.”
Braunecker adds that his client could meet anywhere from one to three teams in the week ahead.
The other team that has made some noise regarding Lee are the Washington Nationals. Last month, The Denver Posts’ Troy E. Renck said the Nationals are a team to keep an eye on. Supposedly Washington is telling agents that they are willing to overspend, if necessary, to bolster their rotation.
Which teams are internally discussing Derek Jeter?
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It would be a crime against the best interest of Major League Baseball should Derek Jeter leave the New York Yankees, but it’s possible. With the current soap opera going on between Jeter’s camp and the Yankees, it’s likely other teams are internally discussing the possibility of signing the free agent shortstop. He may be a little older, and his stats could be on a downward spiral, but he’ll sell jerseys and put people in the seats.
So where are Jeter’s possible destinations? Phil Rogers of the The Chicago Tribune compiled a nice list of teams with their reasons as to possible landing spots:
Boston Red Sox: The Sox have recently been listening to offers for Marco Scutaro. Could GM Theo Epstein move the veteran Scutaro in order to bring in Jeter?
St. Louis Cardinals: There’s no set shortstop for 2011 in the Cardinals’ organization. But can the Cards afford a Jeter salary and the likely nine-figure salary that Albert Pujols will command soon?
San Francisco Giants: The Giants will not have World Series MVP Edgar Renteria next season. GM Brian Sabean was the person that originally signed Jeter in the early 1990’s, so there is familiarity for Jeter should he decide to go to the West Coast.
Baltimore Orioles: Jeter began his career under the management of Buck Showalter, and he’ll be familiar with the AL East. He’ll also have the opportunity to play the Yankees several times a year.
Minnesota Twins: The Twins have the next month to negotiate a contract with Japanese All Star Tsuyoshi Nishioka, and if they complete that deal he’ll likely play second base. The Twins aren’t too hot for J.J. Hardy to lead the infield, so Jeter could be a fit.
Los Angeles Angels: Erick Aybar may not be the answer for the Angels, but could Los Angeles go after both Carl Crawford and Jeter in the same winter?
Chicago Cubs: Jeter would have to switch positions to go to the North Side – maybe third base. Starlin Castro is the Cubs’ future, so if Jeter could swallow his pride and move over, then Chicago is a possibility.
Chicago White Sox: The White Sox need to make a strong run now, but shortstop isn’t the spot that is required immediately. Alexei Remirez will man the shortstop position at least through the 2011 season.
Yankees sign RHP Brian Anderson and LHP Andy Sisco to Minor League deals
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According to FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal, the New York Yankees have signed right-handed pitcher Brian Anderson and left-handed pitcher Andrew Sisco to Minor League deals. Both Anderson and Sisco will receive Spring Training invitations.
Anderson opted for free agency from the Kansas City Royals after he refused an outright assignment by the team. He was originally designated for assignment on November 10th.
Anderson, originally an outfielder, pitched 17 2/3 innings with a 2.08 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP in three different levels of the Minor Leagues in 2010.
Sisco, 27, has a lifetime 3-9 record with a 5.18 ERA in 35 relief appearances in three seasons with the Royals and Chicago White Sox.
Detroit Tigers looking for corner outfielder
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The Detroit Tigers have arguably made the biggest signing this winter so far with the addition of catcher Víctor Martínez. However, the team’s shopping may not be done.
Martinez has the potential to protect Miguel Cabrera in the lineup, but manager Jim Leyland has not committed to whether Martinez will bat third or fifth. MLB.com’s Jason Beck believes the reason is that the Tiger’s off season moves are potentially incomplete.
“It depends on what our team looks like by the time we get to Spring Training,” Leyland said regarding Martinez’s spot in the order. “He’s either going to hit right in front of [Cabrera] or right behind him.”
GM Dave Dombrowski did not give a clear answer if the team has room to add one more player, nor would he say whether Detroit would bring back Magglio Ordonez. He did say that the team is looking for a corner outfielder.
“We’ve actually made four signings this wintertime, so I think what we’ll probably do next week is sit back [and analyze],” Dombrowski said.
The future of Manny Ramirez
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So what’s next for Manny Ramirez?
The aging slugger is coming off a season in which he played 90 games and hit only 9 home runs. He’s a free agent now, so you have to wonder where he’s going to be in 2011 and beyond. ESPN’s Buster Olney sent emails to several club talent evaluators around the league to get a feeling of Ramirez’s value. Here are a few comments:
“He can still hit, but not with the same power or production. Health is becoming an issue, and he’s pretty much limited to being a DH. His approach at the plate has always been one of the best and that hasn’t changed.”
“He can [still] produce at an above-average level offensively … He is strictly a DH … He is still able to hit for average against strong fastballs but his ability to impact and pull those pitches has regressed some. He will give his club a quality at bat.”
“He’s a solid right-handed bat who only fits for an AL club, but that you could conceivably sign to a reasonable deal to be the regular DH this year and expect solid production.”
Ramirez was spotted in Toronto earlier in November. The Blue Jays have denied talking with him, and that makes sense given Ramirez’s limited defense.
The Blue Jays have Adam Lind as their designated hitter and he’s signed through 2013. The team likely won’t re-sign Fred Lewis, their left fielder in 2010, so it’s possible that Ramirez is selling himself for that open outfield spot.
Ramirez is a Scott Boras client, and should the super agent be able to work his magic, he may be able to get Ramirez a heavily incentive based deal somewhere in the American League. However, the days of the eight-figure guaranteed contract are long gone for Manny.
Wally Backman thinks he should be Mets manager
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The New York Mets hired Terry Collins as the team’s next manager earlier this week, and that’s not sitting too well with Wally Backman. Backman was one of the final four candidates for the open managerial position, and despite not being the perceived favorite, he thought he had a legitimate chance.
“I really thought I won them over,” Backman said, according to the New York Daily News’ John Harper. “I came out of each interview thinking it had gone better than the one with the Diamondbacks when I got the job there (in 2004).
“I knew what was being said (in the media), that the other guys were the favorites, but I kept looking at it, thinking I could make them see that I was the best guy for the job. I guess I didn’t convince them.”
Backman has not had any on-field experience despite being the Arizona Diamondback’s manager for four days. Serious legal and financial problems became public shortly after he was hired by Airzona including a DUI and bankruptcy.
The former second baseman likely lost out because of his lack of Major League managerial experience, but he doesn’t agree that should be a requirement.
“I didn’t think experience should have been a factor,” Backman said. “Managing a game is managing a game, and I don’t think it’s different dealing with players whether it’s the majors or the minors.
“If you treat players with respect, they’ll respect you in return. I think everybody has perceived me to be this in-your-face guy, but there’s a lot more to the way I manage. When somebody needs an ass-chewing, I’ll do it, but I take a lot of things into consideration when I do it.
“It’s all about motivating in different ways. You have 25 different personalities and you have to be a psychologist. If you’re a people person, it’s not that hard. I really enjoy that part of the job, and my players respond to it.
“And the whole New York thing, the media, I would think that would have been the least of their worries. I played there, I know what it’s about. I know it can be good and bad, but that’s part of the excitement of New York.”
Backman will remain with the Mets as a manager in the Minor League system, but it has yet to determined at which level he will lead.
Phillies might be interested in LHP Dennys Reyes
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The Philadelphia Phillies could be interested in 14-year veteran Dennys Reyes according to FOXSports’ Jon Paul Morosi. The Phillies lack of a left-handed reliever on their 40-man roster further adds to the Phillies’ need for Reyes.
The 33-year-old Reyes is a free agent this winter after spending two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals – his 10th Major League team. He had a 3-3 record with a 3.42 ERA in 79 innings with the Cardinals. Oddly for a left handed pitcher, he was more effective this year against right-handers (.177) than left-handers (.307).
