Results tagged ‘ Cliff Lee ’

Rockies, De La Rosa in holding pattern

The general managers meetings in Florida offer a good time for teams to survey the free-agent landscape. And according to the Denver Post, things are about as expected with left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, a player the Rockies want to keep. Interest is strong: former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle has taken over the Pirates and identified De La Rosa as his top target, according to the newspaper, and the Nationals, as reported by MLB.com’s Bill Ladson last week, and Orioles are already in the mix. The Yankees and Rangers could jump in, depending on what happens with lefty Cliff Lee. The paper says the key, as has been the case all along, is if the offers are at three years, the Rockies will compete — and they offer an environment in which De La Rosa has been successful. If it goes beyond three years, De La Rosa is likely gone, and the Rockies could look for a free agent such as Carl Pavano or Javier Vazquez, or seek a trade.

The paper also reported that the Rockies are unlikely to re-sign right-handed hitting utility man Melvin Mora, who wants a contract quicker than the Rockies want to move on him. With the Athletics not looking to trade Conor Jackson, the Rockies could take a look at the Nationals’ Josh Willingham or the Angels’ Mike Napoli for right-handed hitting help.

– Thomas Harding

Roundup: On the eve of GM Meetings

As the league’s general managers slowly descend upon their annual meeting in Orlando early this week, expect the Hot Stove to start to sizzle. Many have said that this year’s market, with the earlier window to exclusively negotiate with a team’s own free agents, has speed up the process a bit. That being said, let’s kick off what promises to be an exciting week with a look at comings and goings around the league. 
- The Phillies were able to reach a deal to re-sign Jose Contreras, the club officially announced on Tuesday. Contreras and the Phils agreed to a two-year, $5.5 million deal, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reported. The contract is also said to include performance incentives and an option for the 2013 season. 
- Reliever Taylor Buchholz was claimed by the Red Sox off waivers from the Blue Jays on Monday, both clubs announced. Buchholz, who will be arbitration eligible this season, was designated by the Rockies in September before landing in Toronto. Here’s more details from MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
- Cliff Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker tells MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez that he still hadn’t decided if he was attending the  general manager’s meetings this week. Braunecker suggested that the purpose of the meeting is usually to help establish the market for a free agent and it’s been fairly well defined for Lee.
- The D-backs signed Geoff Blum to a two-year deal, the club announced on Monday. Blum, who hit .267 with limited at-bats in 2010, is expected bolster Arizona’s bench. GM Kevin Towers has expressed repeatedly his preference for veteran hitters in the bench role. 
Check back for more Hot Stove news later on MLB.com. 
–Bailey Stephens

Lee’s agent unsure if he’ll attend GM Meetings

Darek Braunecker, the agent for ballyhooed free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee, is still unsure whether or not he’ll attend the General Managers’ Meetings in Orlando, Fla., which kick off Monday night and end Thursday.

He’s not sure it’s worth it.

“This year, it’s GMs only, no support staff, no assistant GMs; nobody other than the GMs and owners are coming in,” Braunecker, who will make a decision about attending later on Monday, told MLB.com.

“Significant changes are going to limit the kind of things we’ve been able to do in the past. If we deem it’s beneficial, we’ll go. If not, we won’t go. … The bottom line is those Meetings serve different purposes for different agents and people.”

Braunecker re-stated Monday that negotiations regarding Lee are still in the “initial stages,” adding: “I don’t know how to handicap that; it’s hard to say. I think there’s a process that obviously we go through with each of these situations.”

More on MLB.com shortly.

– Alden Gonzalez

De la Rosa could be backup SP for Yankees

If the Yankees can’t land top free-agent target Cliff Lee, they may turn their attention to another lefty starter. The New York Daily News wrote on Friday that New York has expressed interest in former Rockies pitcher Jorge de la Rosa, who’s considered by many as the top free-agent starter behind Lee.

De la Rosa, who turns 30 in April, went 8-7 with a 4.22 ERA through 20 starts in Colorado last season. Over the last four years, he has gone a combined 42-36 with a 4.80 ERA while averaging 24 starts and 142 innings per season.

– Alden Gonzalez

Jeter, Yankees have weekend meeting in Tampa

NEW YORK — Prior to flying to Arkansas for a meet-and-greet with the highly coveted Cliff Lee, the Yankees’ brass was in Tampa, Fla., over the weekend, meeting with Derek Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, about his future in pinstripes, multiple local media outlets reported.

Present at the meeting were owner Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine and general manager Brian Cashman, but no contractual figures were exchanged, according to reports.

Jeter, 36, is coming off the final year of a 10-year, $189 million contract. Though there is little doubt the Yankees’ captain will return to the Bronx to finish out a potential Hall of Fame career, some expect the signing process to take a while because of the potential value and tenure of his new contract.

Talking points at the meeting revolved around the possibility of Jeter eventually switching positions — though he has said he’d like to remain at shortstop for the remainder of his career — and the leadoff man’s spot in the lineup down the road, reports indicated.

Jeter, who made $21 million in 2010, is said to be seeking a four-year deal, while previous reports have stated the Yankees wouldn’t be willing to commit more than three years.

– Alden Gonzalez

Yanks going to Arkansas to court Lee

The Cliff Lee sweepstakes took an interesting turn on Monday morning as multiple outlets are reporting that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is traveling to Arkansas to meet with Lee on Wednesday. MLB Trade Rumors first reported Cashman’s visit on Twitter, and MLB.com has confirm the report.

One of most high-profile free agents this offseason, Lee is reportedly drawing interest from seven to eight teams. In addition to the Yankees, who haven’t made their desire to sign the left-hander a secret, the Rangers, Cubs, Red Sox, Phillies, Angels and Astros have all been mentioned as potential suitors. 
Stay tuned to MLB.com as more information develops. 
– Bailey Stephens

Roundup: Lee speculation continues

While the announcement of American League Gold Glove stole the stage on Tuesday afternoon, the Hot Stove season didn’t stop. For the third straight day following the official opening of free agent season, Cliff Lee rumors continued to swirl. We’ll take a look at who is reportedly joining the mix for the talented left-hander along with other whispers around the league on Tuesday. 
- The number of teams who are interested in Lee has increased to seven-eight teams. The Yankees and Rangers are among the favorites, no matter who you ask, but the Cubs, Phillies, Dodgers, Angels, Red Sox have all been mentioned as potential suitors. On Tuesday, though, SI.com’s Jon Heyman suggested on Twitter that the Astros could be making a run at Lee. 
- Jeff Francoeur, who some have suggested as possible fit for teams who are looking for a right-field platoon player, is expected to clear waivers and become a free agent by the end of the week, Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi tweeted. 
- Pitcher Eric Hacker, who won 16 games last season for the Giants’ Triple-A team, signed a Major League deal with the Twins on Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reported on Twitter. Hacker had been a six-year free agent. 
-Victor Martinez is becoming something of a hot commodity as the Boston Globe is reporting that six teams have inquired about the catcher’s services. The identity of those six teams isn’t known, but as the Globe report points out, early interest came from teams like the Tigers, Rockies, Blue Jays, Mariners, Rangers and Orioles.
Stay tuned for more Hot Stove updates from MLB.com
--Bailey Stephens

Cliff Lee will take his time

The drop-off between Cliff Lee and the rest of the free agent starting pitching market is sizable, and that allows the left-hander a certain amount of comfort as his representatives approach the task of securing a large contract this winter.

Lee’s agent, Darek Braunecker, told The Associated Press Monday that his camp is only “gathering information” at this point, and that no deal is expected to be reached quickly.
“This one certainly is a little bit unique in that he’s clearly the best player on the free-agent market and not a lot of other things are going to impact our position on Cliff,” Braunecker said.
Braunecker may not even attend next week’s General Manager’s meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., not needing to drum up interest in Lee. There is also no need to take Lee on a tour of the cities where he could pitch next year. 
The Yankees and Rangers are thought to be among his most interested suitors, while the Phillies, Brewers, Cubs, Nationals and Angels could also jump in. 
“We’re going to take it on of kind of a team-by-team, case-by-case basis. I don’t expect Cliff to be flying all over the country,” Braunecker said. “We’re really in just the infancy stages of it all. We don’t really ever handicap the timing of any of this stuff. We believe that when the right deal presents itself, we’ll be prepared to act. And when that might be, that’s anybody’s guess at this point.”
– Bryan Hoch

Roundup: Lee gets a late-night ring

0
false

18 pt
18 pt
0
0

Baseball’s biggest spenders showed no hesitation in going after this year’s biggest name on the pitching market. According to multiple reports, the Yankees contacted Cliff Lee‘s agent practically right away once free agency officially began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.


That the Yankees are targeting Lee, who went 12-9 with a 3.18 ERA between Seattle and Texas and went to the World Series for a second straight season, is no secret. The question is whether they’ll offer enough to woo him away from the American League Champion Rangers, or any other suitors – the Nationals, anyone?


  • The Tigers have agreed to terms with shortstop Jhonny Peralta on a two-year, $11.25 million contract, MLB.com’s Jason Beck reports. The deal is expected to be announced in the next couple days, and comes with a third-year club option and buyout.
  • FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reported late Sunday that Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla rejected a four-year, $48 million offer to keep his talents in South Beach. Potentially a free agent next winter, Uggla is arbitration eligible is this year. Rosenthal writes that Uggla turned down the offer in part because another free agent with similar numbers is likely to command more money: Jayson Werth.
  • As MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo wrote last week was an expected move, reports confirmed Sunday that Boston bench coach DeMarlo Hale is to interview for the Mets’ manager job early this week. Hale, 49, has been with Boston for the last five years.

– Evan Drellich

Roundup: Guillen goes from KC to pennant race

More than two months after acquiring Pat Burrell, the Giants added another power-hitting right-handed bat to help bolster their corner outfield on Friday, when they picked up veteran Jose Guillen from the Royals in exchange for a player to be named later and cash considerations. 

Guillen has played right field when he didn’t DH in Kansas City. If he mans right field in the Bay Area, Aubrey Huff could move over to first base, where Travis Ishikawa has been. Guillen is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million contract. 
Here’s more from around the league … 
* So, how much will the intense heat of Texas factor into Cliff Lee‘s desires to resign with the Rangers as a free agent this offseason? Here’s what he had to say … 
That’s an assumption. Somebody is assuming that. I haven’t thought anything about that. I want to play on a good team. I could care less if it’s 100 degrees or 50 degrees. Weather is something you can’t control.
* The Braves have options on their roster, even though Chipper Jones will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear. Still, Braves general manager Frank Wren said the Braves will continue to look for alternatives at the hot corner, saying … 
I think we’ll get together with our scouts and with Bobby [Cox] over the next few days and just look at players who have come through the waiver wire and just players who may be available to see if they’re difference-makers for us.
* According to those close to Bobby Valentine, the Mariners job would appeal to the former Rangers and Mets skipper, The Seattle Times wrote. Valentine previously interviewed for the Marlins job, but nothing materialized. 
* Dave Stewart, the agent for Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, told The Los Angeles Times perhaps the club would be better off dealing his client. Stewart said he would not formally ask for a trade, but he did say this: “I’m almost to the point — and maybe so are the Dodgers — where I’m that this just isn’t going to work. The Dodgers have gaps on this team, and maybe they could fill them by trading Matt. It could be good for the team, and good for the players.
Kemp is owed $6.95 million for 2011 and will then have one more year of arbitration before becoming a free agent. He was impressive in his return to the lineup on Thursday. 
– Alden Gonzalez
« older posts | back to blog home | newer posts »
Theme: MLB “pro” | Get a free blog at WordPress.com
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 410 other followers