Hotmail
Thursday MLB winter meetings blog
MLB Hot Stove
Ken Rosenthal and our MLB crew have you covered. Check out all the news and notes from the hot stove.
|
<-- Wednesday blog
3:34 p.m. — Official: Angels to go after Peavy
The Los Angeles Angels will attempt to take advantage of the breakdown in San Diego's negotiations with the Chicago Cubs over a deal involving Padres ace right-hander Jake Peavy.
According to an Angels' official, the club has already put together a package for the Padres to consider in return for Peavy. It will take more than agreeing on players for a deal to be worked out. Peavy must approve any trade, and he has indicated a desire to stay in the National League.
Going to the Angels would cause a minimum of disruption in Peavy's life. He could commute to Anaheim from his new home in the San Diego area. --Gerry Fraley
2:18 p.m. — Will Ibanez sign before Teixeira?
Raul Ibanez could be the next free-agent slugger to sign after Mark Teixeira — if Ibanez doesn't choose his next team first.
Two of the teams bidding for Teixeira — the Angels and Nationals — also are pursuing Ibanez, according to major-league sources.
But Ibanez, 36, could decide to join the Cubs, Mets, Phillies or another club interested in him without waiting for the Teixeira losers.
1:58 p.m. — Note on draft losses
The major- and minor-league drafts lack suspense but they do offer a peek into the talent levels of organizations, or if organizations know whom to protect.
The New York Yankees lost six players in today's drafts, most of any organization. The Los Angeles Angels earned special mention for losing three players in the major-league portion of the draft.
Five organizations did not lose a player: Arizona, Boston, Oakland, Texas and the New York Mets. Those clubs are either low on minor-league talent or did a great job of protecting what they have. --Gerry Fraley
 |
| Mark Teixeira is still very much in play, according to agent Scott Boras. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images) |
1:39 p.m. — Boras: Teixeira still in play
Scott Boras, walking briskly through the lobby of the Bellagio, said the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes remains wide open.
Asked if Teixeira was down to deciding between the Red Sox and Nationals, Boras said, "That would be totally inaccurate," adding that other teams were in the mix. Full story...
1:19 p.m. — Source: D-backs close with 2B
The Arizona Diamondbacks, in need of a second baseman, are close to signing Felipe Lopez for one year at $3.5 million, according to a major-league source. --Ed Price
1:00 p.m. — Cubs out of Peavy chase
The Cubs' pursuit of Jake Peavy is over.
Padres general manager Kevin Towers said he was told by Cubs general manager Jim Hendry on Thursday that the Cubs were ending their quest for a Peavy blockbuster.
The teams had spoken for weeks about a potential trade, expanding their discussions to three- and four-team deals in an attempt to satisfy the Padres.
But the Cubs ultimately determined that they did not want to pay the price for Peavy — five or six players, plus the remaining $63 million on the final four years of Peavy's contract. Full story...
UPDATED 12:47 p.m. — Latest on Burnett
Though the Yankees remain the frontrunners, there were indications Thursday morning that the Braves were preparing a final push for free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett and that they would guarantee a fifth year on his contract.
"I don't think we're done," one team official said. Full story ...
12:42 p.m. — No takers for MacDougal
The career of former All-Star closer Mike MacDougal continued to nosedive Thursday.
The Chicago White Sox exposed MacDougal to the major-league portion of the Rule V draft, but no team was willing to pay $50,000 for him. He remains unwanted property of the White Sox.
MacDougal made the American League All-Star team with Kansas City in 2003. --Gerry Fraley
12:01 p.m. — Reds reach agreement with Rhodes
The Reds have reached a preliminary agreement with free-agent left-hander Arthur Rhodes to a two-year, $4 million contract. The deal is pending a physical, which the 39-year-old Rhodes will take Friday.
Rhodes appeared in 61 games last season — 36 for the Mariners, 25 for the Marlins — and had a combined record of 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA.
11:51 a.m. — Cameron trade hits snag
The Mike Cameron trade is not done and may not get done.
The Yankees will need to have a change of heart for it to happen, one source familiar with the discussion said.
The Brewers are asking for a second player in addition to Melky Cabrera. The Yankees want the Brewers to pay a portion of Cameron's $10 million salary.
Milwaukee is not inclined to fulfill that request at a time when the Yankees are on the verge of paying over $200 million for pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. Full story...
11:48 a.m. — Interest in DeRosa grows
Between eight and 10 teams — including the Twins and A's — have called the Cubs about Mark DeRosa since news leaked that DeRosa might be sent elsewhere as part of the Jake Peavy discussions.
If DeRosa is traded, he will not necessarily go to the Phillies as part of a three- or four-team deal involving Peavy. The idea of trading DeRosa would be for the Cubs to clear his salary and create a spot for Mike Fontenot at second base.
The Cubs then would sign a left-handed hitting outfielder, in effect using DeRosa's money to help create openings for two left-handed hitters.
11:46 a.m. — Ramirez-Royals contract terms
Here are the terms on free-agent left-hander Horacio Ramirez's one-year deal with the Royals, the news of which was first reported by the Kansas City Star.
Ramirez will earn $1.8 million, just $200,000 less than the Astros gave Mike Hampton. He also has the chance to earn $1.1 million in bonuses if he becomes a starter and $500,000 if he becomes a reliever. The Royals do not have a left-handed starter.
 |
| Jack Wilson rumors continue to swirl at winter meetings. (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images) |
1:11 a.m. — Does anybody want SS Wilson?
Poor Jack Wilson remains a walking trade rumor.
The Pirates are still working to move Wilson, their shortstop since 2001. The Dodgers remain a possibility if free agent Rafael Furcal signs with another club. The Astros would become another option if they traded shortstop Miguel Tejada, but sources say the chances of such a deal happening are extremely slim.
UPDATED 1:06 a.m. — Is Putz getting set up?
J.J. Putz does not want to be a setup man, according to his agent, Craig Landis, but his change in roles could lead to him becoming a free agent one year earlier.
Putz is signed for $5.5 million next season. The Mets will assume his $9.1 million club option for 2010, and that option could increase to a maximum of $9.6 million if Putz meets all of his appearance-based incentives.
Even a high-revenue club such as the Mets would balk at paying a setup man more than $9 million, so the team easily could decline his option. Signing Putz long-term would be unlikely; he probably would not to remain a setup man, and Francisco Rodriguez is set for the next three seasons at closer.
The Mets acquired Putz from the Mariners earlier Wednesday as part of a three-team deal that also included the Indians, according to major-league sources. Full story ...
Complete news and notes: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday
Ken Rosenthal is FOXSports.com's senior baseball writer. Gerry Fraley writes baseball for FOXSports.com. Ed Price covers the Yankees for the Newark Star-Ledger.
Add a comment
advertisement
