MLB Rumor Mill

MLB Rumor - Oct 28 "Three key Angels headed for free agency -- Chone Figgins, Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero -- have publicly expressed a desire to return to Anaheim, and center fielder Torii Hunter, after talking to free-agent pitcher John Lackey, is convinced the right-hander wants to remain an Angel.

Gary Matthews Jr.? Not so much.

The disgruntled outfielder with two years and $23 million left on his contract wants no part of the Angels in 2010, and he reiterated his request to be traded -- or released -- while cleaning out his Angel Stadium locker Tuesday."Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Oct 15 "Yusei Kikuchi is the top high school pitcher in Japan, an 18-year-old left-hander who is mulling over whether to bypass the Japanese draft and sign directly with a major-league team over here.The draft in Japan is scheduled for Oct. 29, and Kikuchi, who has been clocked at 95 mph, is projected as the No. 1 pick. Now comes word, via the website NPB Tracker, that Kikuchi is going to embark in the upcoming few days on an intensive schedule of meeting with first Japanese and then MLB teams -- 19 in all. Nikkan Sports lists the MLB teams with which he'll meet -- apparently in Japan -- as the Giants, Mets, Dodgers, Yankees, Rangers, Mariners and Indians. Those meetings are to be held between Oct. 19 and 22."Seattle Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Oct 2 "Randy Johnson will take his time deciding whether to pitch next year. The 303-game winner said Thursday there's no rush and said health and his ability to start again could play a role. The Big Unit, who turned 46 last month, has been relegated to relief late this season for the San Francisco Giants following two-plus months on the disabled list with a shoulder injury."Arizona Republic Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 24 "Don’t be surprised if the Arizona Diamondbacks eat the final year of Eric Byrnes’ three-year, $30 million deal and release him in the offseason. Arizona’s top four outfielders are set next year, assuming Conor Jackson has recovered from Valley Fever: Jackson will play in left, Chris Young in center and Justin Upton in right. Gerardo Parra would be the fourth outfielder."East Valley Tribune Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 21 "The Pirates plan to be more aggressive in free agency than last year, general manager Neal Huntington said yesterday, and that could include a pursuit of recently traded players.

He did not identify any targets -- that would constitute tampering -- but he did acknowledge that some familiar faces will be among them. Among the players traded in the past year who can be free agents are shortstop Jack Wilson, second baseman Freddy Sanchez, first baseman Adam LaRoche and reliever John Grabow."Pittsburgh Post Gazette Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 18 "A drop of almost 100 points from his 2008 NL-leading batting average has Chipper Jones wondering if the end of his career is near.

Jones, 37, hit a career-best .364 last year, his third straight season over .320. But he has fallen to .269 this year and is hitting only .229 since June 9, when his average peaked at .335.

The three-month slump is a startling development for the career .308 hitter. He signed a three-year, $42-million contract extension in March that runs through 2012, but says he may retire if he can't reclaim his hitting stroke in 2010. "Detroit News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 12 "After an absence of three months, Daisuke Matsuzaka will return to the mound for the Red Sox on Tuesday, attempting to both salvage his lost season and perhaps claim a spot in the team’s postseason’s rotation.

Matsuzaka’s season was short-circuited back in June when, after eight starts and a trip to the disabled list, the Red Sox determined he lacked sufficient shoulder strength to compete. In those eight starts, Matsuzaka compiled an 8.23 ERA and got past the fifth inning only twice."Boston Herald Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 12 "Through 10 big league seasons and 1,225 games started, Cristian Guzmán knew only one spot on the field, shortstop. He never even contemplated an alternative. But on Thursday, those in charge of Guzmán's future -- General Manager Mike Rizzo and interim manager Jim Riggleman -- brought the shortstop into an office and met with him briefly to open a new possibility. The Washington Nationals, potentially, want to move Guzmán to second base in 2010. "Washington Post Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 10 "The Mets may have nothing meaningful to play for the rest of the season, but Carlos Delgado does. It was only Sunday that Jerry Manuel said the soon-to-be free agent had a "very slim" chance to play again this season, but the manager amended his previous prognostication prior to last night's loss. "That's been upgraded," Manuel said. "Seeing him do a few things, I think we are looking at maybe the last two weeks as a possibility for him playing." "Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 10 "No, this is not a joke. I know some of you are laughing, some not. But Brandon Morrow is being recalled from Class AAA and will start for the Mariners on Friday in Texas. Luke French goes to the bullpen. Stephen Bray will start that playoff game for AAA Tacoma. The reason? Chris Jakubauskas is not doing well with that sore shoulder, Sean White is having an MRI back in Seattle and the Mariners need bullpen insurance"Seattle Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 3 "Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield could soon throw off a bullpen mound. Wakefield, who got a cortisone shot Monday for a bad back, threw in the outfield before Wednesday’s game against Tampa Bay and said the session went good and there were no setbacks. Boston manager Terry Francona said it is possible Wakefield might have a mound session on Thursday. The right-hander is 11-3 with a 4.12 ERA in 18 starts this season."Boston Herald Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Sep 1 "Carlos Beltran is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment. The New York Mets' All-Star center fielder, sidelined since June 22 with a bone bruise on his right knee, was examined Monday by team medical director Dr. David Altchek and cleared to play without his knee brace. Beltran is slated to be in the lineup Wednesday night for Class-A Brooklyn against visiting Hudson Valley."Seattle Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 29 "Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman was placed on waivers and claimed by another team, but Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin said Friday he had not had any trade discussions involving the career saves leader. Melvin declined to say which club claimed the 41-year-old Hoffman, but ESPN.com reported it was the San Francisco Giants."Seattle Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 29 "The Cardinals and National League saves leader Ryan Franklin are negotiating a two-year contract extension that could allow him to end his career in St. Louis. The 36-year-old Franklin made the all-star team for the first time this season, and is 34 for 36 in save opportunities with a 2-1 record and 1.07 earned-run average in his first full season as a closer."Canoe Slam! Sports Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 28 "The Marlins are hoping for a reunion with pitcher Brad Penny, who won two games for Florida in the 2003 World Series.

Penny, 31, was released Wednesday by Boston. He has won just one of his last 11 starts and has a 7.82 ERA since the All-Star break. Overall he is 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA.

The Marlins still think he might be able to help them over the final month of the season. He also is drawing interest from Colorado, San Francisco and the New York Yankees, according to media reports."Palm Beach Post Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 28 "Can one Penny help save a pitching staff? That's a million-dollar question for the Twins.

The Red Sox placed veteran starter Brad Penny on release waivers Thursday, leaving the Twins in good position to claim him.

Major league rules prohibit teams from discussing waiver claims, and Twins General Manager Bill Smith didn't tip his hand, but others inside the organization were pushing for Penny."Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 28 "Braves pitcher Tim Hudson will make his first big league appearance in more than a year on Monday, replacing Kenshin Kawakami for a start against the Florida Marlins.

Hudson was the ace of the Atlanta staff before his season-ending elbow ligament-replacement surgery on Aug. 8, 2008. Now, nearly 13 months later and after more than a month of rehab starts in the minors, the right-hander is set to rejoin a rotation that is already one of the strongest in the big leagues."The Toronto Sun Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 26 "Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford was held out of the lineup Tuesday night with muscle tightness in his lower back and is likely to miss another game, too. Crawford is batting .316 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs for the Rays, who began the day three games behind Boston for the AL wild card. With 54 stolen bases, Crawford is tied for the AL lead with Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury."Tampa Tribune Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 26 "The Pirates have hit a wall in talks with the agent for elite Dominican prospect Miguel Angel Sano. Though neither side will comment, long-term negotiations between Neal Huntington, the Pirates' general manager, and Rob Plummer, Sano's agent, reached a stalemate late last week, with no clear re-entry in sight. The Pirates made one formal offer -- less than $3 million -- on July 2, the first date international amateurs could sign, then pulled it out two weeks ago out of frustration that the process was taking so long. They are the only team known to have made a paper offer. Both sides, despite the stalemate, sound amenable to renewing talks at some point."Pittsburgh Post Gazette Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 24 "Andy Pettitte says he hasn't started thinking about 2010 and the decisions that he will have to weigh when he is a free agent once again. Too much baseball left to play this year, especially with the Yankees cruising toward a return to October. But Pettitte hinted Sunday night that he not only wants to play next year, but that he would prefer a return engagement in pinstripes. After weathering an offseason in which he and the Yankees haggled for weeks before agreeing on a deal, the 37-year-old lefthander said he does not want to repeat a lengthy contract process."New York Daily News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 22 "Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau will not play this weekend against the Kansas City Royals because of the lingering effects from a right inner ear infection. Morneau missed three straight games and was sent back to Minnesota on Thursday to see an ear, nose and throat specialist. The 2006 AL MVP from New Westminster, B.C., was advised against travelling and won't play in any of three games at Kauffman Stadium."The Toronto Sun Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 22 "Gary Sheffield is staying with the New York Mets. Billy Wagner, however, could soon be headed to another team. Sheffield and general manager Omar Minaya confirmed Friday that they met the previous day to discuss the outfielder's status. Minaya told Sheffield another club had placed a waiver claim on him, but the GM pulled Sheffield back off waivers rather than let him go or work out a deal to trade him. Minaya wouldn't reveal which club wanted Sheffield, but the GM said he decided the Mets weren't offered enough in return to make a trade worthwhile. Also on Friday, several reports said a team placed a waiver claim on Wagner - and more than one report indicated the team was Boston."Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 15 "Mets centre-fielder Carlos Beltran is expected to shag fly balls again on Saturday in an effort to test his bruised right knee.

If everything goes well, Beltran could try running the bases before going on a minor league rehab assignment. The all-star slugger has been on the disabled list since June 22 with a bone bruise on the knee.

Beltran took fly balls on the field hours before New York's 3-0 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night."Canoe Slam! Sports Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 15 "Peavy, who was acquired from San Diego at the trade deadline, informed the club that he wants to return to big leagues when he knows he is capable of throwing 100-plus pitches.

''He's got a lot of pride,'' one Sox official said. ''I wouldn't be surprised if it's more like Sept. 3.''

That would be against the Cubs in Wrigley Field. The same Cubs who spent the winter trying to trade for Peavy, but couldn't get it done."Chicago Sun Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Aug 14 "If right-hander John Smoltz finds himself looking for work later this week, he should have no shortage of job opportunities. One of those may be with the Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now!.

Count the Marlins among the teams that will inquire about Smoltz if the Red Sox cut him loose. The Red Sox, who designated Smoltz for assignment, have until Sunday to trade or release him. Smoltz likely will get his release, freeing him to sign with the club of his choosing for the pro-rated $400,000 minimum."South Florida Sun Sentinel Comments (0)