Sunday, January 4, 2009

Recent Tid Bits From the MLB

- The Giants may be considering two offers for Manny Ramirez. One for two years "with vesting and club options that could make it a four-year, $100MM contract." The other for 3 years, $63MM, with no options.

- Derek Lowe has not given up on a 5 year, $80MM offer, although that remains doubtful.
Barry Bonds had hip surgery and wants to return in 2009. Some still speculate he will pursue collusion charges.

- Tony La Russa is considering using Chris Carpenter as a closer.

- The Braves, Phillies, and Red Sox and perhaps the Brewers and Angels are all expressing interest in Derek Lowe. Lowe is still looking for $16MM per year and rejected the Mets offer of 3 years, $36MM, his highest offer to date.

Buster Olney feels Lowe may have missed out on the big money when the Yankees signed A.J. Burnett for 5 years, $82.5MM over him; however, as Heyman points out, Lowe has been far more consistent and durable: "He's won at least 12 games each of the past seven seasons and thrown at least 199 innings in six of those seven (he threw 182 innings the one year he didn't reach 199."

- Five teams have expressed interest in Ken Griffey Jr., according to Jon Heyman who confirms the Rays and Mariners are two of them. One other AL team and two NL clubs comprise the five.

For Griffey, Seattle would be a nostalgic return; however, the Rays would provide the convenience of playing two hours from his Orlando home.

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