Mets After Gagne?

The Red Sox appear content on letting Eric Gagne walk as they work hard to sign Mike Lowell. Gagne, who struggled with Boston after being traded from the Rangers, is set to be a late inning reliever. This season, Gagne was 4-2 with a 3.81 ERA and 16 SV. I do not know if he would benefit from playing with the Mets, who, like the Red Sox, are in the media a lot, but a switch to the National League might help. He did have solid defense behind him and good run support, but struggled on the mound and made it known that he was feeling the pressure. Other than the Mets, the Giants, Rangers, Cubs, and Orioles have expressed interest. Because he is represented by Boras, you can expect Gagne, 31, to get a three year deal worth 7-10 million dollars annually.

Although Boras represents Alex Rodriguez, the Mets do not plan to talk with him about that. They do plan to also talk about the availability of Kyle Lohse, who is looking for a deal similar to Ted Lilly's last year, which was a four year deal, worth 40 million dollars. Lohse is worth no where near that, and would probably get a deal half that if the market was better. However, since he is leading the pack, he can pretty much set the pace.

Phillies Acquire Lidge

The Phillies have acquired Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett from the Astros in exchange for Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary, and Mike Costanzo. This really comes as no surprise for the pitching hungry Phillies. I think this move helps both teams. Michael Bourn is a young and capable outfielder who know gives the Astros an outfielder who can play all three positions. They also get Geoff Geary, whose experience in the National League will benefit the Astros. For the Phillies, Brad Lidge gives them an option at closer, or a solid setup role while Bruntlett probably won't benefit much from the bench. This season, Lidge was 5-3 with 19 SV and a 3.36 ERA while Bruntlett batted .246 with 0 HR and 14 RBI. Bourn, 24, batted .277 with 1 HR, 6 RBI, and 18 SB. This is the second big trade since the off season started, and time will tell whether this trade benefits the Astros or the Phillies. Ed Wade is keeping to his word that he would be very aggressive this off season, and trading Lidge, who was regarded as one of the best closers in the game just a couple years ago, shows that. The team really was not happy with his performance in the last year, so his departure appeared likely. Lidge made 5.35 this season with the Astros and I believe he is up for arbitration again, so he could make 6-6.40 million dollars for 2008.

Let me know who you think wins in this trade...

Buyers and Sellers

Here is a list of teams you should expect to buy, and a list of teams expected to sell:

BUYERS

Yankees
- Without a doubt. Losing Alex Rodriguez hurts, but what hurts even more is stating all season that they will not negotiate once he opts out. We know the Yankees are dieing to talk money with Rodriguez, but have made no indication that they actually will. Because of it, expect the Yankees to basically unload their farm system again for players Miguel Cabrera and possibly Johan Santana. I expect them to get Cabrera, and then go after a solid pitcher to help the rotation now thatPettitte is gone.

Potential Sellers: Marlins, Twins, Mariners, Rockies, and Orioles.

Rangers
- The Rangers have some solid players that are drawing interest. And the Rangers, are looking for solid upgrades around the field. They are looking to find a first baseman, while exploring the market for another infielder and center fielder. They have talked with the RedSox about a potential deal for Coco Crisp, but no real progress has been made. They are also looking into the possibility of acquiring RichieSexson from the Mariners in exchange for Vicente Padilla.

Potential Sellers: Red Sox, Mariners, Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, and White Sox.

Dodgers
- They bought Joe Torre and are already a better team because of it. They are very interested in Alex Rodriguez, Andruw Jones, Hiroki Kuroda, and even Johan Santana. Obviously, they will not get them all, but one, maybe two is a definite possibility. They have the money to spend, and will definitely be spending.

Potential Sellers: Twins, Marlins, White Sox, Cubs, Braves, and Rangers.

Giants
- The Giants have a lot of wholes to fill now that Barry Bonds has left and are already looking at possibilities such as Alex Rodriguez, Carl Crawford, andDelmon Young. All they will be selling some of their pitchers, I think there best bet is signing Rodriguez, and holding on to some of their pitchers for just a little bit longer.

Potential Sellers: Devil Rays and Phillies.

Twins
- They will probably lose both Torii Hunter and Carlos Silva and are exploring all options. They are looking at Rocco Baldelli, Coco, Crisp, and according to MLB Rumors Correspondent Steve Wilson, Felix Pie as well. Not only that, but they are exploring the possibility of trading for Jon Garland, but I doubt that will happen. Despite them trying to trade Johan Santana, more upgrades will come from buying.

Potential Sellers: Devil Rays, Athletics, and Rockies.

SELLERS

White Sox
- They can probably be considered both, but they are definitely selling right now. They are shopping their whole pitching staff in exchange for some solid prospects while looking for a suitor for JoeCrede. They are very interested in Torii Hunter, but I see them taking the trade route to find better upgrades.

Potential Buyers: Yankees, Rockies, Astros, Mariners, Dodgers, Rangers, and Braves.

Marlins
The Marlins have two solid players that they have put on the market, and they are already drawing a lot of interest. I do not expect them to tradeDontrelle Willis, but we could see Miguel Cabrera on the move. The list won't be too long because the Marlins asking price is so high, but there will be interest. Other than Cabrera, expect them to shop Anibal Sanchez, who they have had some problems with over the past year.

Potential Buyers: Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Giants.

Athletics
The Athletics have admitted that their farm system is weak and will probably look to restock this off season. The three players that plan to trade are JoeBlanton, Dan Haren, and Dan Johnson. Blanton and Haren are already drawing interest while Johnson could easily be dumped for some low level players. I expect many teams to be interested in the two pitchers because the market is so weak, so they will probably get a lot in return.

Potential Buyers: Rockies, Mets, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Phillies, and Reds.

If you have any others, leave me a comment and I will add them.

Report: Red Sox, Yankees, Now Waiting

According to MLB Rumors Correspondent Brady Yu, the Red Sox have made an official offer to Mike Lowell and are waiting to hear back from him. Also, the Yankees have offered a three year deal, worth 39 million dollars to Mariano Rivera, as reported by Jon Heyman. The Red Sox offer is believed to be a three year deal with an option for a fourth, but nothing has been confirmed otherwise. Calls were put in to both Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein, but were not immediately returned.

More details soon...

Cordero Suitors Growing?

Brewers closer Francisco Cordero is likely heading to the market. There have been no indications that they are nearing a deal, and many teams are meeting with his agent stating their interest. Cordero was 0-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 44 SV this season for the Brewers, his best year since the 2004 season with the Rangers. Many teams have said they would love to make him their closer, but no appears to be the front runner. The Phillies, Astros, Cubs, Tigers, and Rangers are interested in Cordero, and he would like to see the offer they will make before talking again with the Brewers. The Cubs plan to move Ryan Dempster into the rotation and if they are happy with Marmol and Howry as the late inning relievers, they could make a run at Cordero for their closer. The Phillies, who are desperate for pitching, plan to make a strong bid for him next week while the Tigers have already held discussions with his agent. As of right now, I think Cordero will return, but his interest in exploring the market makes me think he might walk too. We will know more next week but for now, my guy is he will resign.

White Sox Sign Uribe: The Chicago White Sox resigned Juan Uribe to a one year deal worth 4.5 million dollars. A little surprising, considering the interest in David Eckstein, which was genuine. Uribe had 20 HR but batted .240. We'll see if he can adjust. Next season, Rafael Furcal is available, Edgar Renteria might be available, so there are proven options for next season if he struggles.

Phillies Fallback Option?

Now that the Phillies have missed out on Curt Schilling, and it appears that Mariano Rivera is close to signing his new deal, the Phillies have set their sights on Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. But who has not set their sights on Kuroda? Since he filed for free agency Monday, a dozen teams have come out and stated their interest. The Dodgers, who have Takashi Saito, a close friend of his, are interested, the Phillies, Cardinals, Rockies, and Red Sox have also said they are initially interested. Kuroda, 32, is 103-89 with a 3.69 ERA in 11 seasons with the Carp. He has a good sinker ball, and his fastball has solid downward movement in the mid-90s that would benefit a lot of stadiums. I suspect him to command about 8-11 million dollars annually for three or fours years. Despite the Cubs moving Ryan Dempster to the rotation, I still consider them the front-runner. They went very hard for him last year and certainly will again, so it makes sense that he could sign there. However, the Mariners Kenji Johjima would work nicely with Kuroda behind the plate while Ichiro is there as well. Even the Red Sox, if they were interested, because Okajima and Matsuzaka could help him adjust to pitching in the big leagues. Kuroda requires no posting fee, so come next week teams will start bidding like crazy for his services.

Blue Jays Looking To Trade Burnett

The Blue Jays landed A.J. Burnett in 2005 giving him a five year deal, worth 55 million dollars. However, the deal included an opt clause that gives him the option to walk. So it makes sense that if he does well, he will opt out and look to make more money on the market. The Blue Jays realize that and now plan to entertain offers for the right hander. Burnett was 10-8 with a 3.75 ERA, and has been fairly consistent with the Blue Jays during the past two seasons. I'm not sure what the Blue Jays would get for him because he is owed so much, but if they agree to pay some of the contract, I'm sure they could land a couple prospects and a pitcher. I expect the Diamondbacks, Reds, Phillies, Cardinals, and maybe Dodgers to be interested, among others. The Cardinals tried very hard to sign him but refused to give him an opt clause, so he signed with the Blue Jays. This is definitely a win-win for Burnett. Not only might he get traded to a contender, but if he is not happy where he is, all he has to do is stick it out for one more year and then he is on the market again.

Red Sox Interested In Taguchi

So Taguchi's option was declined by the Cardinals the other day, ending his tenure with the team. Taguhi, 38, batted .290 with 3 HR and 30 RBI as the Cardinals backup outfielder, but his speed and defense makes him much more valuable. The Red Sox are finding ways to bring in Japanese players as a bargaining chip when negotiating with other Japanese players, including Hitoki Iwase. Beyond Ramirez, Ellsbury, and Drew, the Red Sox do not have much for their outfield. Bobby Kielty was not impressive as a backup and they could use a more effective one. A one year deal worth two million dollars would fit nicely with Taguchi, who can play all three outfield spots and communicate with pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima. According to MLB Rumors Correspondent Brady Yu, one Red Sox executive was intrigued by the idea, but would not confirm interest in signing him. We will know by the end of the month if they are interested or not, but I think this is a perfect match.

Royals Should Consider Bonds

The Kansas City Royals biggest need is a guy with power. They have twenty-five million dollars to spend and will look for both a hitter and a pitcher, which is not out of the question with their budget. Although Bonds wants to go to a contender, the only logical teams in the AL are not contenders. The Yankees are not interested, the Angels are not interested, so he may be out of luck. One thing is for certain though, he wants 3,000 hits and would probably settle for a one year deal with a team to accomplish that feat. For one year, Bonds would probably cost 12-15 million dollars. That still gives them plenty of money to get a pitcher while giving them thousands of more fans who want to see Barry Bonds on their new jumbo screen. Bonds would work nicely in their DH spot, and could mentor young players Alex Gordon, Tony Pena, and outfielder Mark Teahen. They could move Billy Butler to first base and put Bonds, who batted .276 with 28 HR and 66 RBI, at DH. Playing DH would also increase his numbers. I think the Royals would love to have the first player to ever reach 800 homeruns on their team. Other than Barry Bonds, expect the Royals to inquire about Geoff Jenkins, Cliff Floyd, and maybe Tony Clark.

Wood Getting More Interest

Although the Cubs are making signing Kerry Wood a priority, the more teams that state their interest publically, the less chance the Cubs have of signing him while they have exclusive negotiating rights. Personally, I think Kerry Wood will return to the Cubs. He loves Chicago and knows the Cubs have been good to him while he has been injured. However, the Rangers, Reds, and Tigers are expressing interest as a reliever initially, but ultimately to put him back in the rotation. Interesting, especially because if the Cubs don't offer that too he will probably walk. The Rangers make the most sense though. Wood is from Irving, Texas and they could offer him a spot anywhere in the rotation or bullpen. Wood was 1-1 this season with a 3.33 ERA in 22 games, but his history of injuries will probably bring him an incentive laden contract.

Cubs after Kaz Matsui?: According to the Denver Post, the Cubs are preparing a big offer for Kaz Matsui. This means two things: The Cubs will move Jacque Jones and put Mark DeRosa in right field or they will move Ryan Theriot and try Matsui at shortstop. Personally, I am against the signing of Kaz Matsui. I think it is a ploy in attempts of signing either Kosuke Fukudome or Hiroki Kuroda. They simply do not have room for him unless they plan on not playing Matt Murton or Jacque Jones. However, Some suggest Ryan Theriot is not capable of holding an everyday job, and the Cubs might realize that this season. I for one, disagree. I believe Theriot is one of the best situational hitters in the National League and is capable of playing several positions successfully. Aside from Matsui, the Cubs plan to go for Carl Crawford, Kosuke Fukudome, Hiroki Kuroda, and possibly David Riske, but it has not been confirmed yet.

Diamondbacks After Bonderman?

The Diamondbacks are looking to improve their pitching, and it starts with finding a solid pitcher. Hernandez to free agency so adding two pitchers seem reasonable. I think that there is a good chance they will acquire They will probably lose LivanErvin Santana, especially because the Angels are looking to trade him. Another possible pitcher who they have expressed interest in is Jeremy Bonderman. I think the Tigers would be interested here, despite losing Joel Zumaya last week. They traded away two solid prospects and could use two more for the future. Their outfield will need a new face soon so we could see them trade for Aaron Cunningham and Brooks Brown or Esmerling Vasquez. For now it is just speculation, but Bonderman was 11-9 with a 5.01 ERA, but has picked up 28 wins between 2005-2006, so he is consistent and successful in the American League. We will know more as this GM Meetings go on, but I suspect something happening following the meetings.

Gonzalez on Radar?: Although Luis Gonzalez would like to return to the Dodgers, he is probably on his way out. I'm not sure where the interest is coming from, but it appears the Tigers would like to bring him in. He is a lefty, who batted .278 with 15 HR and 68 RBI, but he will be 41 next season so a one year deal would only work for them.

Here Come The Nats

The Nationals are looking for to make a big splash, and might come up surprising the baseball world by landing Andruw Jones. Team President Stan Kasten, who worked with Jones while in Atlanta, met up with him at his Alabama home to explain why he thinks Jones is a good fit. Personally, I think it is a great fit. He would go somewhere with little to no media coverage, and have a franchise built around him. However, he did thrive standing in the shadows of Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. Nonetheless, we know that the 2007 Andruw Jones will only get better, and for a team that is so willing to spend the money, the Nationals are a great choice. The Nationals are not just sold on Jones though. They have put in calls to both agents of Aaron Rowand and Torii Hunter. Aside from a center fielder, the Nationals have made contact with Livan Hernandez, a former National, about rejoining the rotation. Another great move on Kasten's part, who would bring in Hernandez and use him to show more lucrative free agents what they would like to do. Time will tell whether or not the Nationals will make these moves, but they are putting themselves in good shape to be the favorite.