MLB Rumor Mill

MLB Rumor - Nov 19 "The Mets need a new catcher, a starting left fielder, bullpen help and another quality starter and may try to upgrade at first and second base. Their general manager, Omar Minaya, has a busy off-season ahead, but he seems to have identified his priority: With a glut of starters and fewer sluggers available, the Mets appear more likely to make a free-agent splash on offense. Free agency begins in earnest on Friday, when teams can formally discuss contract terms, but the Mets are not expected to extend offers immediately to the two premium hitters on the market, left fielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay. "Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 12 "The Detroit Tigers might be looking to shed some of their key players, if rumors coming out of the general mangers' meetings in Chicago are true.

First, foxsports.com reported that the Tigers are looking to deal right-handed starter Edwin Jackson. Then the New York Post reported that they're offering centerfielder Curtis Granderson for the right deal."Detroit Free Press Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 12 "Trying to rid themselves of an ill-advised contract, the Mets shopped Luis Castillo during the GM Meetings that concluded Wednesday. Still, despite the veteran second baseman hitting .302 this season and staying healthy, GM Omar Minaya may have a difficult time moving Castillo.

Castillo is midway through a four-year, $25 million deal that blocked the Mets from signing free agent Orlando Hudson last winter. Castillo had met with team officials at the end of the 2008 season to apologize for his performance and request to remain with the team.

The Mets also have expressed interest in Chone Figgins, who is represented by the same agents as Castillo and David Wright. Figgins would provide solid defense in left field, although he wouldn't address the team's power deficiency. The Mets reportedly may be interested in using Figgins at second base."Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 11 "Omar Minaya met with Scott Boras for 45 minutes last night to begin to determine the price on Matt Holliday. The meeting comes at a time when the Mets are still debating whether to big-game hunt this offseason for offense (Jason Bay or Holliday) or simply augment around their core of fragile, but talented players.... Boras is portraying Holliday as “a franchise player” and comparing his value to that of Mark Teixeira, who received an eight-year, $180 million deal last offseason from the Yankees."New York Post Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 11 "Scott Boras, the agent for catcher Jason Varitek [stats] as well as free agent outfielder Matt Holliday, said he planned to speak with Red Sox [team stats] general manager Theo Epstein last night at the GM meetings about a few of his clients. Boras refused to say what Varitek, who has until today to exercise his $3 million player option for next year and must accept a backup role, would decide."Boston Herald Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 11 "Billy Wagner loved being with the Red Sox [team stats] so much at the end of the 2009 season, the reliever may want to come back after all. Wagner, a Type A free agent who would bring two draft picks the Sox’ way if he declines their offer of arbitration and signs elsewhere to resume his career as a closer, is keeping the door open to accepting arbitration, a decision that the ballclub was not expecting when it made a late-season trade with the New York Mets to acquire his services."Boston Herald Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 9 "And with all the GMs in one place today to Wednesday, the Cubs could be another step closer to shipping out Bradley. ''The GM meetings provide a great forum for us to continue the dialogue we have had with various teams ... as well as initiate and listen to new ideas,'' Tampa Bay Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman told the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, alluding to talks that might include revisiting the Bradley-for-Pat Burrell discussions that were tabled during the playoffs."Chicago Sun Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 6 "The Mets have told reliever J.J. Putz that they are likely to decline his $8.6 million option for 2010 and buy him out for $1 million instead, his agent said yesterday. The club cited health concerns in making the long-expected move, pointing to elbow surgery and forearm problems that caused the former All-Star closer to miss the entire second half of his debut season with the Mets. Putz's agent, Craig Landis, told The Post that the right-hander understood the decision and hasn't ruled out returning to the Mets under an incentive-laden deal once free agency begins Nov. 20."New York Post Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 6 "The Atlanta Braves and Tim Hudson are nearing agreement on a three-year contract that would protect the team's strength at starting pitching. A surplus of starters could give general manager Frank Wren options as he looks to improve the team's lineup in the off-season. Atlanta holds a US$12 million option on the 34-year-old Hudson, a right-hander who was 2-1 with a 3.61 ERA in seven starts this season after his return from elbow ligament-replacement surgery."Canoe Slam! Sports Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - Nov 5 "The Detroit Tigers this summer made an investment in pitcher Jarrod Washburn that didn’t pay off. Now the lefty could be returning to the team that sent him to Detroit, the Seattle Mariners. Washburn, a free agent, told the Mariners’ Web site that Seattle is among the teams at the top of his list. He didn't name any other teams. Washburn, 35, went 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA in 20 starts for Seattle before being dealt to Detroit for rookie left-hander Luke French. Washburn was AL pitcher of the month in July with Seattle."Detroit Free Press Comments (0)

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)