December 7, 2009
(Indianapolis, IN) -- The Hot Stove League started to heat up as the sun went down in icy Indianapolis to wrap up the first day of the Baseball Winter Meetings at the downtown Marriott.
I ran into Angels General Manager Tony Reagins after he was swarmed by a throng of TV cameras, lights & mics just after his arrival to the winter meetings, about 7 pm local time. Just before he got onto an elevator for a meeting, he told me 3B Chone Figgins was, “still a free agent”, and that “the Angels made their offer, (a reported 3 years, $24 million), and the “others have made theirs. We’re just waiting to see what happens”.
It’s no secret that the “others” are the Seattle Mariners, who upped the anty to Figgy in a reported 4 year - $36 mill deal with an option year thrown in. The M’s are just waiting for the results of a physical that the 31 year-old Halo fan favorite took today in Seattle after taking some time off to hit the links in Hawaii. (No, Tiger did not loan him his Escalade).
Once the deal is made, free agent Adrian Beltre may be the odd 3B out for the Mariners, who could be loading up for an AL West title run in 2010. Reports from here say Beltre may decide to stay in Seattle via arbitration, even though the Mariners want to dump his 2009 $13.4 million dollar salary that Beltre wants to increase. Should the Mariners and Beltre go to arbitration and Seattle wins, look for them to trade him before the negotiator leaves the room.
Reagins interrupted me when I asked how hard they were going to work to keep right handed ace John Lackey and their aging but still powerful designated hitter Vlady Guerrero, shaking his head and hands at me saying, “Let us do our thing and come February 15, you’ll like our team”.
We’ll know before that, I’m sure.
Lackey, 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA and 139 strikeouts in an injury shortened 27 starts, rejected a 4 year - $72 million offer from the Angels, looking for a 6 year deal in the neighborhood of perhaps $20 mill per.
That might not be possible, even for the defending World Series Champ Yankees, who are even watching their budget. Reports tell us the free spending pinstripers have gone frugal, wanting to shrink their payroll by $15m down to $185m, still the league’s highest.
Speaking of the Yanks; Lefty Andy Pettitte said he’d gladly pitch one more year for a reported $10 mill. The Yanks are rumored to be talking trade with the Tigers for Curtis Granderson, who is also coveted by the Angels via trade. The Tigers may be asking for too much, though, in pitcher Phil Hughes and NYY’s #1 prospect in return for the speedy center fielder.
One more Halo gossip; The Mets were allegedly talking to the Cubs about a three or four team deal where New York would send All Star 2B Luis Castillo and Chicago would be rid of perennial problem child Milton Bradley, who is owed $22mill over 2 years. BTW…Angels OF Gary Matthews, Jr. is owed about the same. Uh, yeah, the Halos just might be one of the other teams rumored in that deal, since scouts from LAA were seen whispering with Cubbie scouts.
Those same Cub’s scouts were seen being cordial with scouts from the Royals, in a “what do you guys need” kinda way.
Is Dodger free agent 2B Orlando Hudson about to sign with Jim Tracy’s Rockies?
Reds Mgr Dusty Baker may have said it best when he said the Winter Meetings aren’t what they used to be. The day of the blockbuster-knockout trade may be over in favor of GM’s jabbing and ducking for a few days, then getting back home to tie up loose free agent ends by December 12, then do call-backs on trade talks. He also talked about teams tightening their budget belts. Teams will be looking for that Cadillac player for a Chevette price.
Giants and former Dodger righty Brad Penny signed a 1-year deal with the Cardinals. And you know what happens to so-called washed up pitchers that land in St. Louis, Louie. They listen and learn from Redbird’s pitching coach Dave Duncan and, Wa-LAA! A star is usually reborn!
Tommy Lasorda was everyone’s favorite meshugeneh, again, in the lobby of the Marriott in all of its Christmas Hoosier red, gold and purple splendor, until his former catcher-now-Manager-of-the-Year, Thank-You, Mike Scioscia showed up. They grabbed each other like a long-lost father and son. I’ll bet they went off into the Midwestern chill to try a pork tenderloin smothered in marinara sauce.
***
