1:40pm

Update on the Giants deal with Edgar Renteria

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle adds some new information to the Renteria’s 2-year deal with the Giants.  It includes a $9.5MM option for 2011 as well as a $500K buyout.  He can also void the option and take the buyout if he’s traded during the length of the contract.

1:19pm

Update on Khalil Greene trade to St. Louis

It wasn’t known at first what players were being sent to San Diego in a deal that sent shortstop Khalil Greene to the Cardinals but MLB.com’s Corey Brock is reporting that right-hander Mark Worrell will be one of the players going to San Diego.  The other player will be named at a later date.

Worrell went 3-3 with a 2.15 ERA in 58.2 IP with the Memphis Redbirds in 2008.

Nationals interested in Royals’ Greinke

According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Nationals are apparently interested in trading for Royals’ starter Zach Greinke.  Royals’ GM Dayton Moore had interest in outfielder Jeff Francoeur at one time but that interest may not be as strong as it once was.

12:26pm

Jack Wilson not dealt to Tigers

Contrary to an earlier report, the Tigers have not acquired Pirates’ shortstop Jack Wilson.  Dejan Kovecevic talked to Pirates President Frank Connelly who said the Tigers did make an offer but there was no deal agreed to.  Besides that, Wilson and his agent would have to approve a trade to Detroit and they haven’t had anything brought to them for approval.

Rosenthal’s latest:

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports:

- The Yankees and Dodgers could rekindle talks at the Winter Meetings regarding Robinson Cano.  It’s been said that the Yankees are asking for outfielder Matt Kemp.

- The Cubs have been talking daily to the Padres about Jake Peavy but Rosenthal doesn’t believe that the Orioles are the third team involved in the trade.

- The A’s are the front runner to land free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal but are also targetting veteran left-hander Randy Johnson.

- Rosenthal confirms the Phillies did make an offer to Derek Lowe, but says it’s a backup option if they can’t sign Jaime Moyer.  If they aren’t able to retain Moyer, look for the Dodgers to show interest.

11:28am

Braves confirm offer for Burnett

Atlanta Braves’ GM Fran Wren confirmed that they have an offer on the table for free agent right-hander A.J. Burnett.  The deal is apparently for 4 years and $15MM annually with a 5th year option.  I can’t imagine that Burnett is gonna jump at the deal, but we’ll see.

11:15am

Giants’ deal with Renteria complete

The San Francisco Giants and free agent shortstop Edgar Renteria have finalized a 2-year $18.5MM deal according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.

Tigers acquire Jack Wilson

The Tigers have completed a trade from Pittsburgh that will send shortstop Jack Wilson to Detroit.  It’s not known what the Pirates are getting in return.

10:36am

Buster Olney has a blog out this morning…here’s just a few things he’s covered thus far.

- Could Manny Ramirez and his agent, Scott Boras, accept the Dodgers offer of arbitration?

- The Cubs could be considering Adam Dunn and may be willing to sacrifice defense for his offensive production.

- The Cubs and Padres have “a basic framework in place” that would send Jake Peavy to Chicago in a deal that is apparently centered around Josh Vitters but any finalization of a deal would have to wait until the sale of the team is complete. 

NOTE: Keep your eye on the Angels, the Padres and Angels have dealt with each other before and Peavy would definitely love the chance to stay in Southern California.  There hasn’t been much talk about the Angels getting involved, but noone saw them coming when they landed Torii Hunter either.

- The Atlanta Braves may push right-hander A.J. Burnett for an answer before C.C. Sabathia signs.  Though, the Braves know if C.C. signs first, Burnett won’t be as cheap.

- Olney believes Rafael Furcal will sign with Oakland

9:22am

Derek Lowe receives offers from 2 teams

According to Tom Massarotti of the Boston Herald, Derek Lowe has received contract offers from two teams, one of which is the Philadelphia Phillies but the other is NOT from the Red Sox or Yankees.  However, in the same article, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman has flown to California to meet with Scott Boras, the agent for Lowe which could lead to an offer for the free agent right-hander.

8:52am

Yankees update

The New York Yankees are confident they are the only serious suitor for the services of C.C. Sabathia as there is still a $40MM gap between their offer and the offer from the Milwaukee Brewers.  If the Yankees do end up inking Sabathia, they will probably turn their focus to Derek Lowe and Andy Pettitte instead of Mark Teixiera and Manny Ramirez.

The Yankees are also willing to give a 5th year vesting option to right-hander A.J. Burnett, but the Braves should land him if they are in fact willing to give Burnett a full 5-year deal as was reported earlier. 

Andy Pettitte has made it known that he will not take a pay cut from his $16MM he received in 2008.  The Yankees have made a 1-year $10MM offer.

Mariners make Putz available, sign Branyan

The Seattle Mariners have apparently made their closer J.J. Putz available and they’re already getting interest from the NY Mets who are expected to talk to Seattle about Putz during the Winter Meetings that get underway on Monday.

The Mariners signed 33-year old outfielder Russell Branyan to a 1-year deal, though the terms of the deal aren’t known.  He’s a good backup option as long as he doesn’t face left-handers.

Red Sox looking at bench additions

The Boston Red Sox are looking to add to their bench and could be interested in names like Willie Bloomquist, Jay Payton and Mark Loretta.

6:38am

Padres deal Khalil Greene to St. Louis

The Padres have dealt long time shortstop Khalil Greene to the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Padres will get two relief prospects back in the deal which will clear $6.5MM from the Padres’ payroll.  Could it improve the chances of retaining Jake Peavy?

Giants ink Renteria

In a deal that was reportedly “close” yesterday was completed late last night.  Edgar Renteria took the physical with the Giants and should be announced at a press conference soon.  The Giants had been in negotiations with Rafael Furcal, but they weren’t sold on giving the 4-year deal he and his agent were asking for. 

This is a solid move for the Giants and one that should give them a definite improvement both offensively and defensively.

Braves close to a deal with Dave Ross

The Atlanta Braves are close to a 2-year $3.5MM deal with catcher Dave Ross.  He should bring an improvement to a backup catching roll that struggled for the Braves in 2007, hitting a combined .114 (13-for-114) with just 2 HR’s.

The Braves sure aren’t wasting any time improving their ballclub from 2007, already making a trade for starter Javier Vazquez and possibly working on a 5-year contract offer for right-hander A.J. Burnett.

Padres close to dealing Khalil Greene?

According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, the Padres could be close to trading long time shortstop Khalil Greene.  Though the team or teams involved are not known, the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals have been looking hard for a shortstop. 

A few weeks ago, the Padres had talked to Baltimore about Greene but had requested left-hander Garrett Olson in return, which Baltimore turned down.

Twins make offer to Casey Blake

The Minnesota Twins have apparently made an offer to free agent infielder, and former Indian, Casey Blake.  It’s reportedly a 2-year $6MM deal with an option for 2011.  Blake’s agent, Jim McDowell, orginally requested 3 years and $20MM but it was more than the Twins wanted to spend. 

Dodgers looking for pitching

Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union Tribune reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers have asked for information on right-hander Randy Johnson, left-hander Andy Pettite and former Padre closer Trevor Hoffman.  I know the Dodgers want pitching, but I didn’t think they’d look at “past their prime” pitching.

Giants close to a deal for Renteria?

Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Giants are closing in on a deal with free agent shortstop Edgar Renteria.  Renteria’s agent, Barry Meister, said “we don’t have a completed agreement, but we are making substantial progress.”

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick believes the deal could be 2-years and $18M.

Mets to meet with Trevor Hoffman?

Trevor Hoffman’s agent, Rick Thurman, told the NY Post that the Mets have talked about meeting the 41-year-old closer in Las Vegas but also mentioned the Mets will meet with Brian Fuentes as well who is also represented by Thurman.

Burnett to sign with Atlanta?

After the trade that sent Javier Vazquez to Atlanta for prospects, could the Atlanta Braves be putting together a 5-year offer for former Blue Jay right-hander A.J. Burnett?

According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, they are doing just that.  Most thought Burnett was going to wait to see what kind of deal C.C. Sabathia was signed to, but that may not be the case.  Keep on eye on this one, it could be a big move to put the Braves right back in the mix in the NL East with the Mets and defending World Series Champion Phillies.

If they do end up signing Burnett as well as trading for Vazquez, it could mean that the Braves are no longer interested in trading for Padres’ right-hander Jake Peavy.

Boston signs Dustin Pedroia to six-year deal

The Boston Red Sox have come to terms with their young AL MVP, Dustin Pedroia, on a six-year deal worth a reported $40.5M which will include a club option for 2015.

Giants pursuing Renteria

The San Francisco Giants are hot on the heals of free-agent shortstop Edgar Renteria and, according to some reports, could land him by the end of the week.  The Giants had high interest on former Dodgers’ shortstop Rafael Furcal, but according to his agent, Paul Kinzer, won’t sign a contract until the Winter Meetings next week and is apparently seeking a 4-year deal.

Twins, Dodgers after Casey Blake

Looks like the Dodgers and Twins could get into a bidding war for the services of former Indians’ outfielder Casey Blake.  Blake’s agent, Jim McDowell, says they’re not far apart with either team but did say the Twins “were within shouting distance,” on the number of years and money.

Keep your eyes here throughout the off-season.  As the deals and contracts are signed and as the rumors fly, I’ll try to pass them along.

With Major League Baseball just five days away from the annual winter meetings (Dec. 8th), taking place in Las Vegas, how many big trades or free agent signings will we see?

If you don’t think there will be a lot of big moves made during those few days, here are some things that may change your mind on that.

The San Diego Padres have been in discussions with the Chicago Cubs about a 3-way deal, which also could include the Baltimore Orioles, to send Jake Peavy to the Cubs.  The Padres had discussions with the Atlanta Braves a few weeks ago, during the General Managers Meetings in San Diego, but the two teams couldn’t agree on the players that would be sent to San Diego.  Don’t count out the Braves from jumping back into the race and also keep an eye on the Dodgers as well, though I think they’re the longest shot at this point.

Manny Ramirez is a free agent, the Dodgers have already offered him arbitration but look for the New York Yankees to possibly make a big play for him.

Who is gonna be the team to land C.C. Sabathia?  There are a lot of teams that are likely to offer him a lucrative deal worth over $100M.

Are the Angels looking to lock up 1st baseman Mark Teixeira to a 6-year deal?  Reports say they are worried about his left knee, which underwent athroscopic surgery back in 2007, but the Angels are rebutting that report saying there are “no concerns” about it.

All-Time Saves Leader Trevor Hoffman is a free agent after the Padres declined to offer their long time closer arbitration.  A move that, more than likely, signals the end of “Hells Bells” ringing in downtown San Diego.

What about Adam Dunn after not being offered arbitration by the Arizona Diamondbacks?  If you know you’re getting 40 HR’s, 100 walks but 200 strikeouts, is $14M worth the price?

Some other big names to watch are closer Francisco Rodriguez, who’s apparently seeking a 5-year deal, A.J. Burnett, one of the better arms on the free agent market, Ben Sheets who apparently is being courted by Astros’ ace Roy Oswalt and Rafael Furcal, despite his injuries is still a viable option at shortstop and is still a menace with his speed on the base paths.

Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan has a ranking of the top free agents on the market right now, so if that doesn’t get you salivating for the movers and shakers next week, I don’t know what will.

Let the Hot Stove begin and let the rumors fly….

It may sound ludicrous to even fathom the Patriots trading away a legend like Tom Brady.  However, it might not be as crazy as it sounds.   This season, Brady was injured in the first game of the year with a torn ACL.  The aforementioned injury could mean that he will have to sit out some games to begin the 2009 campaign.

Matt Cassel has done more than an adequate job filling in for Brady.  In fact, Cassel figures to be the most highly coveted free agent quarterback in 2009.  The only way New England can retain Cassel is if they slap the franchise tag on him.  If the Patriots elect to franchise him, it will cost them somewhere between $10 and $12 million.  That seems a bit steep for a backup quarterback.

New England already showed that they were willing to part with a veteran in favor of an unproven young quarterback when they decided to part with Drew Bledsoe and anoint Brady as their future signal caller.  Therefore, if it is determined that Brady will have to miss significant amount of time in 2009, or if the Patriots don’t think he will ever be as good as he was prior to his injury, then don’t be surprised if they elect to shop Brady for multiple draft picks.

Another thing to consider is that Brady will turn 32 years old in August, and Cassel is only 26 years young.  There isn’t any reason to believe that Brady can’t play for another handful of seasons, but there is now an increased risk that he will become more susceptible to getting injured. 

No matter what New England decides to do, they clearly have a lot to think about this off-season. Will they trade Brady to get some much needed young talent in return?   Will they keep Brady and let Cassel go elsewhere via free agency?  Will they franchise Cassel and keep him as their backup to Brady?

Obviously, it is impossible to know the answers to these questions right now, and we all know that coach Bill Belichick won’t tell us what he plans to do until a month after they have already made their moves.  If I had to guess, I would say they will likely keep Brady and let Cassel leave town.  New England will then either trade for McNabb and convince him to backup Brady, or they will just take a quarterback late in the draft and once again prove that anyone can succeed in their system.

Could Pat Hill be headed for greener pastures?  Are his days at Fresno State over?  According to Tom Deinhart of Rivals.com they very well could be.

Hill apparently interviewed for the vacant head coaching job at the University of Washington after his Fresno State Bulldogs were trounced by Boise State 61-10 last Friday night and he’s getting support from a big name in college football.  Who is it you ask?  It’s Nick Saban, head coach of the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.  Saban apparently has thrown his full support behind Hill and went as far as to talk with Washington president Mark Emmert and athletic director Scott Woodward who were both at LSU when Saban was the head coach there.

If Pat Hill does end up leaving Fresno State, who would be the names fans would float out there to take his place?  You could look at one of the current assistant coaches, under Pat Hill, John Baxter who has been on Hill’s staff from the very start, though I’m not sure he’s the right guy to be the next head coach.  If you want me to throw out a name, and this is completely from left field, but it might not be that far fetched.  He was Fresno State’s quarterback in 1992 when the Bulldogs knocked off USC 24-7 in the Freedom Bowl in Anaheim, CA, he also won a Super Bowl Championship with the Baltimore Ravens a few years ago…Trent Dilfer.   I know a lot of people would laugh that off, but watch that name make the rounds and he might even get consideration.  Will he get the job, eh, I doubt it but I don’t doubt that he’d have interest in coming back to Fresno.

Pat Hill should be Fresno State’s head coach through their bowl game, wherever that might be, even if he does land the Washington job.  But after that’s said and done, look for Fresno State’s “Hot Stove” to really start heating up in a hurry.