|
Friday's tidbits
The Giants are working on a four-year deal with Jason Schmidt. An agreement has not been reached yet, but a source familiar with the negotiations says a deal could be completed by Friday.
The Rockies are about ready to announce they've traded Jeff Cirillo to Seattle for Jose Paniagua, Dennis Stark and Brian Fuentes.
In their trade with the A's, the Mets are believed to have agreed to pay $3-3.5 million of David Justice's 2002 salary. The Mets have also talked to the Padres about trading for Bubba Trammell and to Texas about Gabe Kapler. Oakland also isn't done, obviously. Gary Sheffield remains on their list of possibilities. One source who had talked to them says they've at least mulled over a bid for Moises Alou if his price tag drops. And if Cliff Floyd ever becomes available, they'll have interest in him.
After they complete the deal for Cirillo, Colorado is expected to turn around and trade for Detroit's Shane Halter, although that deal could get held up by Detroit's failure to sign Ricky Gutierrez (who agreed on a three-year deal with the Indians on Friday morning).
Thurday's tidbits
The Mariners upped their offer to Bret Boone today from three years, $23 million to three years, $25 million, with an option year that could push the total to $34 million, and possibly higher. The deal also would contain clauses that guaranteed the fourth year under certain conditions, plus escalator clauses that could boost the guarantee higher if he meets certain bonuses early in the contract.
The Rangers and Orioles are talking about a deal that would send outfielder Gabe Kapler to Baltimore for Sidney Ponson.
But the Orioles talked to the Phillies again Thursday about Scott Rolen, and Ponson also is a key figure in that deal.
The Cardinals are attempting to clear payroll room for a free-agent signing. They've talked about trading Dustin Hermanson and Dave Veres to the Red Sox for young players. That would enable them to sign Reggie Sanders or Tino Martinez, if Martinez's price tag drops below the $11 million he'd been looking for earlier in the offseason.
Wednesday's tidbits
It took until the wee hours of Thursday, but the Red Sox finally found a taker for Carl Everett in Texas, which was looking for a center fielder. But to move Everett, the Red Sox had to eat part of Everett's salary and take back only pitcher Darren Oliver. Earlier, a bigger deal with San Diego that would have brought back Ray Lankford and, it's believed, pitcher Kevin Jarvis for Everett wound up falling through.
The most eye-popping trade of the day was one which never happened. The Angels had agreed to trade Darin Erstad to the White Sox in a four-for-one deal that would have sent outfielder Chris Singleton, pitcher Jon Garland and two minor leaguers to Anaheim. However, sources said the deal was vetoed by the Angels' ownership.
The chances of the Phillies trading Scott Rolen this week seemed to deteriorate Wednesday when two different trade proposals with the Orioles fell through. The most eye-popping was a potential nine-player deal that apparently would have sent five players to the Phillies. It's believed those five would have included Sidney Ponson, Jeff Conine and Buddy Groom, plus two prospects the teams apparently never could settle on. Besides Rolen, the Phillies would have dealt infielder Kevin Jordan, pitcher Chris Brock and another player to Baltimore.
The other club most interested in Rolen -- the Mariners -- appeared to be turning their attention to Colorado third baseman Jeff Cirillo. Indications were that Seattle was offering pitchers Jeff Heaverlo and Dennis Stark to the Rockies, along with one other player.
Just when negotiations seemed to have stalled between the Mariners and Bret Boone, Boone's agent, Adam Katz, met with the Mariners late Wednesday and told them Boone is prepared to accept arbitration rather than sign a three-year contract for only $23 million a year. Seattle offered arbitration to Boone last week as a means to get a draft pick as compensation if Boone wound up signing elsewhere. But if Boone were to take arbitration instead of signing, he could wind up making as much as $12 million next year. Because that would put a big crimp in the Mariners' plans to spend another $20 million this winter to fill multiple needs, it may wind up jump-starting Boone's negotiations for a long-term deal. He previously had been seeking a reported four-year, $36-million deal.
The Rockies also were said to be talking to the Cardinals about a four-player trade that would bring catcher Eli Marrero and reliever Dave Veres to Colorado. It was unclear Wednesday night which two players the Cardinals would have gotten. But one was thought to be reliever Gabe White.
After losing out on outfielder Rondell White, who agreed to a two-year contract with the Yankees, the Cubs made an offer to free-agent outfielder Moises Alou. Alou reportedly had been looking for a three-year, $36 million deal, but the Cubs were said by a source that had spoken with them to have offered only three years and $24 million, plus incentives.
Another free agent looking for a big deal, Tino Martinez, was also having trouble finding a team that would meet his reported asking price of five years, $55 million. The Cardinals, who had been interested, instead were said to be moving in on signing free-agent outfielder Reggie Sanders to a two-year contract. So the Cardinals then would go with Albert Pujols at first base and Placido Polanco at third, and slow down their pursuit of both Martinez and Rolen. So Martinez could wind up in Oakland, from whence Jason Giambi came -- but for far less than $11 million a year.
The once-monstrous deal that would have sent Gary Sheffield to Oakland was said to be down to a simple Sheffield-for-Jermaine Dye proposal. But even the chances of that one happening appeared slim.
Free-agent pitcher John Burkett -- whose time in Atlanta ended when the Braves didn't offer him arbitration last week -- appeared in the lobby of the Sheraton Copley Place on Wednesday. But he and his agent, Tommy Tanzer, denied reports he had already agreed to a three-year, $15-contract with Boston. Burkett did take a physical and took a tour of Fenway Park with Red Sox manager Joe Kerrigan. But Burkett said reports the deal was done were "totally false." Tanzer said he never even got to meet with GM Dan Duquette, and that "nothing was imminent, nothing has changed." So Burkett planned to fly home Thursday morning, deal or no deal.
Finally, Thursday is the Rule 5 draft of unprotected minor leaguers. Tampa Bay has the first pick. Among players thought to be on several teams' draft lists are outfielder Keith Reed, former No. 1 pick of the Orioles; right-hander Kyle Peterson, a former first-round pick of the Brewers who has had arm problems; and outfielder Rob Stratton, a former first-rounder by the Mets who hit 30 home runs in Double-A and Triple-A this season.
Tuesday's tidbits
Sources say Jason Giambi is in Tampa taking a phyical for the Yankees. Nothing else has changed from Monday.
With Roberto Alomar traded to the Mets, Cleveland may consider dealing Russell Branyan to Texas for second baseman Frank Catalanotto.
Rondell White is expected to sign in the next 24 hours. The Yankees, Cubs and Mariners loom as the three teams most interested.
If the Cubs don't resign White, they apparently will sign Chuck Knoblauch to a one-year contract and give him the opportunity to play center field.
If Seattle doesn't sign White, it's believed the Mariners would have renewed interest in Roger Cedeno.
Barry Bonds' four-year contract offer from the Giants last week was for less than the four years, $72 million that has been heavily rumored. One major league official says he believes the offer actually was closer to four years and $64 million.
Braves manager Bobby Cox said Tuesday that Tino Martinez's contract request (a rumored $55 million for five years) is "unworkable" for the Braves. That would leave the Cardinals and A's as the most likely destinations for Martinez.
The Braves continue to tell clubs they are content to go with a Julio Franco-Wes Helms tandem at first. Kevin Millwood is available for the right bat. But rumors that the Braves were talking to Andres Galarraga about a low-budget return proved untrue.
The Reds abruptly canceled a Tuesday meeting with the Phillies to discuss a deal for Scott Rolen, amid rumors the clubs were mulling a trade that could have involved Rolen, Travis Lee, Aaron Boone, Sean Casey, Danny Graves, Randy Wolf and various fascinating combinations. It's believed, however, that the Reds later told the Phillies the cancellation of the meeting doesn't mean they're not interested. Meanwhile, several major league sources said the Orioles (offering Sidney Ponson and possibly Jeff Conine) and Mariners (offering Joel Pineiro) dramatically stepped up their interest in Rolen on Tuesday. And the Cardinals (offering Placido Polanco and pitching) remain interested.
The Giants met Tuesday with Jason Schmidt's agents, Alan and Randy Hendricks, in an attempt to get Schmidt signed. The Giants have been waiting for a response to an intial offer they made to Schmidt earlier in the offseason.
Rumors continue to swirl about a possible swap of Carl Everett and Jeromy Burnitz. But as of early Tuesday evening, the two clubs had yet to meet at the winter meetings. And the Brewers have told clubs they're looking for contact hitters, and Everett (averaging 103 strikeouts over the last five seasons) wouldn't seem to fit that bill.
Monday's tidbits
The Mariners are believed to have sweetened their offer to Bret Boone on Monday, offering a fourth option year that apparently could turn into a guarantee under certain circumstances.
Yankees and Jason Giambi are now described by a baseball source as "real close."
Yankees also believed to be making aggressive effort to sign Rondell White to a two-year deal. White's old team, the Cubs, is still interested in keeping him. If successful, that would mean Moises Alou and Roger Cedeno would be out of the picture for the Yankees.
Even if Cedeno doesn't wind up with the Yankees, he has serious interest from the Mets, Mariners and Orioles, though none have made an official offer yet.
Rumors are the Dodgers are no longer in the Scott Rolen hunt. But the Reds have renewed their interest.
The Yankees and Sterling Hitchcock are very close to finalizing a two-year, $12 million deal.
Rangers are closing in on three-year, $9 million contract with reliever Jay Powell.
Most signs point toward Chuck Knoblauch signing a one-year deal with the Royals this week. But Knoblauch's agent, Alan Hendricks, said one team has interest in Knoblauch as a center fielder. (Our best guess: Baltimore, which is looking for a leadoff man and center fielder.)
The Mets inquired about free-agent second baseman Quilvio Veras.
Two baseball sources say that if Expos owner Jeffrey Loria ends up buying the Marlins, he would take both his GM, David Samson, and his manager, Jeff Torborg, with him to Florida, and may also take Torborg's entire coaching staff.
| |
|
