Some period of time open rumor thread V

Wouldn’t you need then both to beat the AL representative?

MLB office hasn’t granted the Phillies permission to negotiate with Halladay — yet. Might not have an announcement today. But looks close.

Link

Oh God

Jack Z has no aversions to three-ways…

and I have zero fear that we gave up more than we should have.

of extension talks between us and Lee.

The Phillies are in agreement on a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay, SI.com has learned.

Sources say Halladay will agree to a contract extension to complete the deal. It’s expected to be a formality.

The Phillies have discussed Cliff Lee in trades, but it isn’t confirmed who the Mariners would be receiving in this deal.

Aumont is one of them, and the other two, holy shit, we did really really good.

What the hell are they doing with Matsui?

They’re talking, Rosenthal Tweets.

Looks like they’re letting Bay walk. Maybe saving some of that money for Beltre? … :(

“7:53pm: Mike Cameron has agreed to sign with Boston, the AP reports.”

http://bit.ly/9355is

DSpxp @d_a_cameron Ya like the trademark hats? We’ll see what we can do for 2010!

(DSpxp is Dave Sims.)

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4744257

Rivera/HunterAbreu/Matsui/GMJ next year.

I submit a flawed prospect list.

Not Erasmo Ramirez in the top ten flawed, but flawed.

ESPN.com’s Buster Olney hears that the Cardinals don’t believe many teams are competing for Holliday on the level they are. Olney says the Cards intend to stand by a five-year offer – that’s considerably short of the eight-year deal hinted at yesterday.

The Yankees have no intention of bidding on Holliday, according to Olney’s sources.

LINK

GIVE HIM SIX, JACK

Awesome. RT @mattpitman: Jack Z tells media Ms have a strong desire to bring Langerhans back and hope to finalize it in the next few days.

“I want to play for a team that is headed in the right direction and making the moves that is necessary to get themselves back to being a winning organization,” Marquis said. “Some of the moves the Nationals have made — like [signing Stephen Strasburg] signing Pudge [Ivan Rodriguez] and getting [Brian Bruney] — they are making the necessary steps. I feel I can fit right in and bring a winning attitude to the team. Every where I’ve been, I’ve won. I feel it’s not a coincidence. I want to help a team get over the hump.”

Should we rule out the Mariners landing Jason Bay, now that they have signed Chone Figgins and are acquiring Cliff Lee?

No.

One person with knowledge of the team’s plans said Bay remains a "possibility" for the Mariners, because of the team’s need for a run-producing right-handed bat in the middle of the order. Seattle could lose third baseman Adrian Beltre and first baseman Russell Branyan to free agency, creating a void in the lineup.

Would Bay take a competitive four-year offer from the Mariners over a five-year offer from the Mets? That is unclear. But there is little doubt that the Mariners have a better chance than the Mets of reaching the postseason in 2010.

Bay lives in the Seattle area. In this case, he could both stay close to home and play for a team that is rapidly becoming the darling of the ’09-’10 Hot Stove season. —Jon Paul Moros

The Mariners aren’t going to let Adrian Gonzalez go to the Red Sox without a fight.

Huh.

Blue Jays sign male porn actor to minor league deal

http://twitter.com/GordonEdes/status/6739725130

Twitter:

Don’t expect Beltre or Holliday either. Kotchman likely to open season at first, Youkilis at 3d. Not etched in stone, but it looks that way.

LINK

Okuda!

According to Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, Mike Gonzalez is signing a two-year deal worth $12 million, with an additional $4 million in incentives.
Gonzalez immediately becomes Baltimore’s best bet to open the season as closer. The Type-A free agent will not cost Baltimore its’ first-rounder, so Atlanta ends up with no first rounders out of their departed relievers in Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano.

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Orioles have signed 3B Garrett Atkins to a one-year deal, salary unknown.
It’s a good landing spot for Atkins, who will be handed the starting job and can work to rebuild his value. The 30-year old hig just .226 with nine home runs for the Rockies in 2009, but averaged 25 home runs the previous three seasons. In the span of one day, the Orioles have addressed their two biggest holes.

The Yankees are speaking to Nick Johnson about joining the team as designated hitter, reports the New York Posts’ George King.

Baker says that someone in New York says that the Mariners talked to Damon’s agent

If that’s about where the negotiations are then I don’t see why we can’t make a better offer (lets say 2/12, or 1/7 + vesting option?)

Get those deal glands salivating Jack.

I hear #Cardinals not inclined to offer Holliday above 5-6 yrs x $15M. Team seems to think just as good using $ to fill number of positions.

Zjackulating

has Crede resigned with the Twins or is he still available?

“5:14pm: Newsday’s Ken Davidoff agrees that the Yankees and Johnson are engaged in “serious discussions,” but notes that Johnson has yet to take a physical."

COME ON JACK!

According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, the Angels “have turned their attention to” acquiring Javier Vazquez from the Braves.
Vazquez has one year and $11.5 million left on his contract, which makes him an ideal candidate for trade fodder, but he went 15-10 this past season with an impressive 2.87 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. The Braves would certainly rather get rid of Derek Lowe and the $45 million remaining on his current deal. Vazquez also has a no-trade clause and might not want to head west.

Friday’s latest news and notes
Mariners making progress with Gutierrez — 11:16 a.m.

The Mariners are "making progress" with center fielder Franklin Gutierrez on a long-term contract, according to one of the player’s agents at Octagon Baseball.

Gutierrez, who is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time, likely would sign a three-year deal with one club option or a straight four-year contract.

The four years of club control would cover Gutierrez’s three arbitration years and his first year of free agency.

Octagon’s discussions with the Mariners about a long-term deal for another of its clients, right-hander Felix Hernandez, are not as far along.

"There’s a lot of brainstorming going on," said the agent, who asked not to be identified. "Everything has been very civil, but we do not have any offers on the table from them yet." -Ken Rosenthal

Source: Mariners trying to trade Morrow for hitter — 10:48 a.m.

The Mariners, on the verge of losing free-agent first baseman Nick Johnson to the Yankees, are trying to trade right-hander Brandon Morrow for a hitter at first base, third or DH, according to a major- league source.

The Mariners also have not ruled out re-signing third baseman Adrian Beltre and first baseman Russell Branyan.

General manager Jack Zduriencik, the Brewers’ former scouting director, spoke with his former club about a Morrow-for-Mat Gamel deal. The talks failed to progress but could be revisited later, the source said.

If the Brewers traded Gamel, a third baseman, they would commit to Casey McGehee at third. -Ken Rosenthal

StoneLarry Source: Mariners will trade Carlos Silva to Cubs for Milton Bradley, may be announced later today

d_a_cameron Wow. RT @StoneLarry: Source: Mariners will trade Carlos Silva to Cubs for Milton Bradley, may be announced later today

I was looking at Sky Kalkman’s piece on prospect trade values that he based off of Victor Wang’s work, but I realized I have little idea where Saunders and Triunfel fall on the top 100 prospects list (Sickels hasn’t done the M’s yet, and I don’t think the big BA, etc. prospect lists come out until January). Also, what can we project Morrow to be in the next three years (both in arbitration payouts and WAR)?

MLBTR:

Before they signed John Lackey, the Red Sox offered Matt Holliday a five-year deal worth $82.5MM, according to Peter Gammons (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Buster Olney heard the same thing and adds, not surprisingly, that the Red Sox are no longer suitors for Holliday. That’s comparable to the amount of money the Cardinals are willing to guarantee the left fielder, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

We probably can’t afford him, but this is surprising considering how much better Holliday is than Lackey (and the Red Sox’ front office certainly knows it).