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MLB Rumors and News - Pro Sports Wrap

Fourteen teams interested in Mark Buerhle

December 5th 2011 16:36
At the age of 32, Mark Buehrle is obviously only searching for a three-year contract, and this makes him a popular candidate on the free agent market. According to Sports Illustrated, 14 teams are after him, with the Rangers, Nationals, and the busy Marlins the most aggressive pursuers. This could give Buehrle a bloated contract, but he is a solid pitcher with a very low injury risk who should end up being a solid signing. Buehrle would like a no-trade clause and $14 million a year; about his market value.


A few teams are interested in the top free agent third baseman; Aramis Ramirez. Among these teams looking for a solid bat at a weak offensive position are the Brewers, Phillies, and Angels. It's looking like A-Ram wants three or four years on his deal, but I wouldn't go past three seasons with Ramirez.

There are obviously more teams interested in Prince Fielder, and it looks like the high-priced free agent will wait until the Cardinals and Albert Pujols come to an agreement before signing; thus getting more money in the process. Fielder is viewed as the better investment due to his age, and it looks like he wants to play for an east coast team who will be able to contend next season. Count the Nationals, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Brewers as a few likely destinations for the slugger.


Two rivals are fighting for solid, veteran reliever Octavio Dotel. The 38-year-old would like to re-sign with the Cardinals, and the defending champs have offered him a one-year deal.

Former Indians third baseman Casey Blake is looking to rejoin the team, and nine teams have contacted the 38-year-old who bought out his contract in order to become a free agent. Although he was injured for most of last season, his agent says that he will be completely healthy to start the 2012 season.

36-year-old RHP Hiroki Kuroda would like to sign for around $12-13 million, and he has offers from the Diamondbacks, a club in Japan, the Rockies, Red Sox, and Angels. The D'Backs are really going after the former Dodger, and he will certainly be signed very soon if he stops asking for an option for a second season.
Mark Buehrle
Garnering tons of interest
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11/24 MLB Rumors: Reliever Rumblings

November 24th 2011 09:48
The New York Times reports that Joe Torre could be interested in owning- mostly partially owning- the Los Angeles Dodgers. While this doesn't seem likely, there is a chance that Torre ends up teaming up with somebody like Rick Caruso to own the team.

The Minnesota Twins are interested in re-signing Matt Capps and implementing him as their closer after Joe Nathan signed with the Texas Rangers. Capps is a slightly below-average closer, but he's the best option they have and will likely be cheaper than making a move like trading for Francisco Cordero or Huston Street.

Speaking of which, there are six teams interested in acquiring the Rockies closer. Street, like Capps, is 28 years old, and he was also the 2005 Rookie of the Year. He's about a league-average closer, and the six teams interested (per Sports Illustrated) are the Red Sox, Jays, O's, Mets, Marlins and Reds. The Reds are also trading their closer, and Street would present a minor upgrade over Cordero. The Jays, O's, and Mets have a huge need at closer, but it is interesting to note that the Mets rejected a previous deal from the Rockies in a proposed Street-Pelfrey swap.

According to the New York Post, Mariano Rivera might retire after the 2012 season. Mo has one year left on his contract, and below are two quotes to mull over. The best closer in history is about to turn 42, and he has saved a record 603 games over his Major League career so far. I don't think he should hang up the spikes now, as he has still been pitching at a very high level. However, he knows his body more than we all do, and I'm sure that the future Hall of Famer will make the best decision for himself.

"I don't know what will happen,'' said Rivera. "I have one year left. I might call it over. I will know more in spring training.''

"Every time I talk it gets worse and worse,'' Rivera said when asked about his vocal chord problems that have arisen this offseason which may require surgery.

There are a lot of replacement-level to average starter middle-infielders who are making bank this offseason, and Jerry Hairston Jr. could be among those guys. Hairston is really just a utility backup guy. Hairston is an above-average defensive outfielder, and he plays at a high level at second. However, he is considered to be mediocre at the hot corner. But with his positional versatility, Hairston is an intriguing option and provides value to a ballclub. He was worth 1.2 WAR in 376 plate appearances, so he is an inexpensive option who would be a solid stop-gap option.

In fact, there are three teams interested in signing Hairston; the Dodgers, Brewers, and Giants all want to sign him. The Dodgers lost Jamey Carroll to the Twins in free agency, the Brewers have a hole at short, and the Giants are obviously in the market for a shortstop with their situation at the position. The 35 year old did get a one-year offer from the Brewers to re-sign with the team, but it seems like the Brew Crew want to get a marquee shortstop. They have also made it clear that signing Yuniesky Betancourt is also an option, although everybody will agree that it's not exactly a good option.

The Nationals are fighting with the Miami Marlins to sign solid veteran free agent starter Mark Buehrle. The Nats have made him their number one priority this offseason Buehrle has been worth over 3 WAR for the past three seasons, and he will definitely bolster this rotation and is worth about 10-12 million on the open market.

Count Sandy Alomar Jr. out of the race for the Boston Red Sox manager opening, as Bobby Valentine has been swooning the Sox brass recently. I expect the Sox to name Valentine their manager, but there are still a couple of candidates remaining.
Will he retire after 2012?
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11/19 MLB Rumors: Brandon Phillips Extension Talks

November 19th 2011 14:38
The Colorado Rockies were discussing a trade that would send closer Huston Street to the New York Mets for starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey. The funny thing is that the Mets rejected the deal, because they didn't really like Street. It's funny, because Street is a much better player than Pelfrey. I mean, Pelfrey is a below-average starter who would be an awful fit in Coors Field. Bob Geren is the New York Mets bench coach, and part of the reason why this deal didn't go through is because Street and Geren hate eachother from their days in Oakland. I don't blame Street, because Geren is an incompetent manager and most players hate playing for him. Tell me why he was hired again? Oh yeah, that's right, Sandy Alderson likes bringing in former Oakland guys; look at their manager Terry Collins (at least he's okay).

Instead of worrying about what could have happened, let's talk about what might happen. That's what rumors are about, right? Brandon Phillips was easily the NL's best second baseman this season, and it is incumbent upon the Cincinnati Reds to extend him. He's got one more year left on his contract, thanks to a team option that was exercised on Halloween, but the Reds would obviously want their second best player to stay longer.

"We've made progress, but we're not close," GM Walt Jocketty said Thursday, MLB.com reports. "It will take a little bit of time. It's a complicated contract. It gets down to trying to determine the number of years and amount of dollars. We're still a ways apart on both."

Jose Molina knows quite a bit about the AL East, because he's only played in the AL East for the last four and a half seasons. Molina is a solid defensive player behind the plate, but he is poor with the stick. The Tampa Bay Rays are about to give him a one-year deal with a 2013 option stuck to it. The veteran catcher will surely put pen to paper soon, and Molina will be an average backup to John Jaso. And really, that's all Molina does; he backs up younger players behind the plate.

ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine has been in the running for the Boston Red Sox vacancy at manager, and he is seemingly always a candidate for every team. Right now Valentine is the frontrunner, but don't count out other established candidates such as Torey Lovullo, Sandy Alomar Jr., and Gene Lamont.
Set to make 12 million but more is coming with a possible extension
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11/17 MLB Rumors: Cardinals talk with Pujols

November 17th 2011 19:27
Albert Pujols is coming off of the worst season of his career, and many people are questioning whether or not the inevitable is happening; is the greatest player of this decade beginning to decline? It's a fair question to ask, but Pujols is still going to be a valuable player over the next few seasons. The Cardinals are still trying to make sure that Pujols will retire with the team, as they have not retracked on their earlier offer of nine years and about 200 million. It seems ludicrous, but Pujols is that valuable to the franchise as a Cardinal. Naturally, the future Hall of Famer has far less value for any other team. The Marlins have- to nobody's surprise- offered Puj a contract well below 200 million dollars. Pujols would obviously be better off re-signing, because that type of money just isn't given to players who will be heading into their late 30's during the deal.

The Milwaukee Brewers are probably going to foolishly go internally and the very light-hitting Mat Gamel at first. As a result, the Brewers are focusing their resources on other positions; such as shortstop. Jose Reyes isn't the only option, as the team is talking to the under-priced, scrappy Clint Barmes. The Brew Crew have also contacted veteran and former MVP Jimmy Rollins, but don't rule out the possibility of them signing the "perennial groan"; Yuniesky Betancourt. Again, how was this guy ever a Type B FA? (Like Shrek, I know it happened, but I just can't believe it. Don't blame Elias, the league gave them their mindbogglingly stupid method.)

Forget a trade knuckleheads, the Giants are looking to re-sign their two aces (you know who they are) before they become free agents. I really hope nobody actually believed those trade rumors, no matter how fun they were to believe.

C.J. Wilson wants a six-year deal, but I wouldn't really give it to him. I addressed this in a previous rumors post, but I will say it again; one year makes a lot of difference. A five year deal with an option for a sixth is the most I would go for. He's a great pitcher, but he is also 30 years old. Wilson is also looking to get 120 million dollars, and that 20 million a year is actually fair value.

Eric Chavez could have been one of the best third basemen of the decade, but injuries broke what would have been a great career. However, the current Yankees third baseman still wants to play ball. The Yankees will most likely bring him back, and he was mildly productive at a weak position, but he did get injured during the season. However, Chavez has some value coming off the bench.
Should stick around in St. Louis
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11/15 MLB Rumors: Closer news on Cordero and Bell

November 15th 2011 19:31
It isn't always pretty, but Francisco Cordero gets the job done, and there are quite a few teams clamoring for his services via trade. Cordero is about a league-average closer, and a solid prospect is about what the Reds should expect from a deal. However, there is a good chance that a team overpays for him and factors in his gaudy save numbers a little too much.

Although the Padres have given a two year deal to Heath Bell, they don't really like the prospects of him re-signing. Bell could stand to make more with one of the many west coast teams interested in him, and one can't rule out the Red Sox as players in the race for Bell. Even though he is a little overrated, Bell is still a pretty good closer, but a team looking to give him- as Sports Illustrated states- three years and 30 million is giving up too much


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11/14 MLB Rumors and News: The Dodgers

November 14th 2011 19:05
It looks like the Los Angeles Dodgers are poised to pay my 2011 NL MVP 160 million dollars over eight seasons. This is a bargain for the Dodgers, as Matt Kemp should easily be a 4.5 WAR player over that time span, and he is definitely one of the most talented players in the Majors right now.

Remember in the spring last year when the Milwaukee Brewers offered Prince Fielder a five year deal worth 100 million? And Fielder didn't even give a counter-offer? It looks like the Brewers are definitely going to move on, and it is obvious that Fielder is doing the same and really wants to test his value on the market. I believe that Fielder will get seven years and 156.5 million dollars on the open market in a deal that is similar to what Adrian Gonzalez got


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11/3 MLB Rumors: Brew Crew and Nats after Reyes

November 3rd 2011 15:49
I was left shaking my head in disgust when looking at the title on Yahoo! Sports baseball homepage for the free agent tracker. I've never liked Jeff Passan to begin with, but calling somebody a "major league imposter" is uncalled for and bush league. Everyone's favorite Yankee-hater and Rays-lover is at it again, and I really hope he learns to tone it down. It's one thing to criticize a player, but it's another thing when you insult them to that degree.

Because of injuries, GM Sandy Alderson won't re-sign Jose Reyes to a contract longer than five years. That makes a lot of sense, and I wouldn't give him over five years with or without injuries. This is a guy who could very easily bust out of his contract, because he is a 28 year old shortstop who relies heavily on speed. The Nats and Brewers appear to be the frontrunners, and I am sure that he won't make "Crawford money" in light of how that deal went down


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11/1 MLB Rumors and News: Lowe Traded and Cashman Re-Signs

November 1st 2011 18:33
We all know that TLR retired, Davey Johnson is getting ready for another season in Washington, the Sabathia deal, and the moves dealing with Dempster, Grady, and Carmona. I don't want to focus on those moves at the moment, but I will take a look at the Derek Lowe trade and the obvious Brian Cashman re-signing.

Derek Lowe was traded to the Indians for some random minor leaguer, and the Braves will pay ten of the 15 million that the righty is due in 2012. It's a good deal for both teams, as the Braves save some money and get a prospect while getting rid of a starter in a crowded rotation. Lowe has always oupitched his ERA, in that his predictive stats are always better than his actual earned runs allowed. I do expect him to have a better 2012 campaign, but he won't set the world on fire (it's Derek Lowe guys). Still, the Indians get an above-average pitcher who fits in nicely


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8/4 MLB News: A-Rod and poker

August 4th 2011 13:53
I thought Alex Rodriguez was just about done with his shenanigans, and then this came up. We've always known that A-Rod has had some gambling problems- namely poker- but this is the farthest it's ever gone. He was in trouble with the league for gambling in 2005, and then he held a charity poker game. The current allegations against Rodriguez are far more serious with this incident.

Bud Selig has definitely had enough of A-Rod's circus in the past few years, and this is just another major headache for the commissioner. It's a known fact that Rodriguez is going to be suspended, but the question really is the length of his suspension. Because he's done this before, I suggest that Rodriguez is suspended for the same length as players who take PEDs; 50 days


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8/3 MLB Rumors: Hanley and Buchholz injury news

August 3rd 2011 13:23
The second best shortstop in the Majors, Hanley Ramirez has had a disappointing 2011 campaign that has been riddled with injuries. He is listed as day-to-day with a left shoulder injury that was sustained after falling on it while trying to catch a pop-up against the Mets. I hope he isn't out for long because it's tough to see a guy- especially a team's star- get injured. Even in a poor season, Hanley is still the face of their franchise.

The Rangers have designated reliever Arthur Rhodes for assignment, and the Cardinals are interested in picking him up off waivers. The former Reds reliever has been terrible this year, but the Cardinals need a lefty reliever. Recently acquired Mark Rzepczynski is their only lefty in the pen right now, and Rhodes isn't that bad of a reliever. He enjoyed some success last season in Cincy, and I think a change of scenery would do the veteran- to say the least- lefty some good. Even if it means switching to the "dark side" in a Reds' fans eyes


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7/29 MLB Rumors: Heath Bell and Hunter Pence

July 29th 2011 12:37
Guys, I am finally back from a very lengthy vacation that did not produce a single blog post. A lot has transpired in my absence from this blog, and I am going to start things off with a rumor post that details potential trades in the MLB.

The Yankees are still searching for left-handed relief help with Rafael Soriano still on the DL, and Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte are out for the rest of the year. Boone Logan is their only lefty in the pen, and this is certainly a pressing need for the Bronx Bombers


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6/21 Daily Rundown: Pujols Out 6 Weeks

June 21st 2011 06:20
1. Pujols injury update

Albert Pujols will be out for about six weeks with a fractured left wrist in a season filled with ups and downs for Puj. He sustained this injury after colliding with Wilson Betemit of the Royals in a baseball play gone wrong. The Cards have had to deal with many injuries this season to their stars. Matt Holliday has missed time, David Freese is still out, and Adam Wainwright has missed the entire season


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6/20 Daily Rundown: Edwin Rodriguez Resigns

June 20th 2011 06:32
1. Edwin Rodriguez steps down

Marlins fans were shocked when Edwin Rodriguez unexpectedly resigned yesterday (not re-signed). He was frustrated with their current ten game losing streak and 1-18 slump. Rodriguez is the first Puerto-Rican manager in history, and the Marlins had no intention of firing him. He was doing a good job this season, and won the respect of his players. I guess this slump was too much for him, and it's a shame that he quit


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6/19 Red Sox Injury Report

June 19th 2011 14:09
1. Carl Crawford

The star left fielder was put on the disabled list with a Grade 1 strain on his left hamstring. The training staff didn't want to take any risks with a player of his caliber, but I wish they didn't go this far to put him on the DL


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5/13 MLB Rumors: Furcal Injury Update

May 13th 2011 16:00
Rafael Furcal broke his thumb on April 11, and he will begin his rehab assignment. Furcal is expected to return next week, but manager Don Mattingly says that it will be days and not weeks. Jamey Carroll has hit surprisingly well so far, but he will definitely come back down to earth. His BABIP is over his career average, and it is always good to get the better player back (Furcal). Carroll can hit for average, but he has absolutely no pop. The Dodgers (18-20) could really use Furcal back in the lineup.

Steve Cohen sent in a $200 million dollar bid for 49% of the Mets, but there has been a break in negotiations. It seems like Cohen wants to hold a lot of control over how the Mets run their day-to-day business. Talks are still going on, and the Mets obviously want to get a deal done with Cohen quickly. For now, the Mets can rejoice a powerful win over the Rockies thanks to a trio of dingers from Carlos Beltran. Beltran has been a pleasant surprise this year, and he's been incredible with 8 dingers at a batting average (.295) that will stay where it is. He might be traded if the Mets can eat up his huge contract as the mets obviously need some cash


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4/9 Game Recap: Angels and Jays

April 10th 2011 18:09
I was able to catch the end of the Angels' 6-5 victory in a long game against the Toronto Blue Jays played in Los Angeles. There were a lot of runs early on as starting pitchers Brett Cecil and Matt Palmer got blown early to the tune of 10 hits and 5 runs allowed apiece (4 ER for Palmer). However, four relievers in that game were perfect through at least an inning of work. Only one reliever gave up an earned run, and that came from the game-winning single.

Maicer Izturis was definitely the hero of the game for the Angels. He not only hit the game-winning single to score Peter Bourjos from second, but he also had 3 hits with two ribbies and a run during the game. Dan Haren came in at the end to get the win (2-0) and struck out a batter in a perfect inning of work. I view Haren as a darkhorse candidate to win the Cy Young. Before the season started, my good friend Aryan- who used to own a blog here- and I were talking about what would happen before the season. I told him that Haren and Russell Martin were my bounce-back players. So far, they have done me right


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