Failure in the Halos House of Horrors

All those good feelings built up by the sweep of the Oakland A's and a four game winning streak were nearly completely wiped out last night by another tremendous case of RISP failur, the anagram that keeps on killing. The Yankees had Angels' ace Jered Weaver on the ropes early, but like Muhammad Ali doing rope-a-dope, the LA starter wouldn't go down despite being roughed up. The result was a 3-2 loss that dropped the Yankees lead over the Boston Red Sox to one game (two in the loss column) in the AL East.

Though they went in order in the 1st inning, the Yankees made Weaver work, particularly Derek Jeter who saw 15 pitches before he flew out to center. Yankees starter Ivan Nova was shaky, but battled his way into the 7th inning. However, he put his team in a hole in the 1st inning, something you can't do against a guy like Weaver no matter how many pitches he throws.

Erick Aybar reached on a one out single and moved into scoring position on a Nova wild pitch. Former Yankee Bobby Abreu doubled to give the Angels a 1-0 lead and later in the inning scored himself on an Alberto Callaspo ground out. The Yankees had a big chance of their own in the 2nd inning when Alex Rodriguez reached on a lead off double, moved to third on a Robinson Cano ground out and scored on a Russell Martin single to halve the lead. Nick Swisher drew a walk, but both Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner looked at a called third strike to allow Weaver to escape further trouble.

The Yankees tied things at two apiece in the 4th on walks to Rodriguez and Swisher and a ground rule double by Posada (the Yankees were victimized by Angel Stadium's low outfield walls). But Gardner struck out again, this time swinging, to strand two runners in scoring position. That would be all the Bomberless-Bombers would manage the rest of the night, which was unfortunate since Nova gave the lead right back in the home half of the 4th.

The Angels, wearing 1960's retro uniforms and hats topped with halos loaded the bases on singles by Russell Branyan and Mark Trumbo and a walk to Jeff Mathis. Peter Bourjos, who entered the game mired in a long slump, stroked his second single of the night to give LA a 3-2 lead. Nova retired the final two batters of the inning to keep it a one run game, but his offense was shut down for the night as the Yankees did not getting a single hit over the final five innings.

Baseball Digest Birthdays: Bobby Abreu | Baseball Digest

Baseball Digest Birthdays: Bobby Abreu | Baseball Digest

Bobby Abreu (b. March 11, 1974) caught the eye of scouts while playing for Aragua High School in his native Venezuela. As a 16-yr old he signed as an amateur free agent with the Houston Astros in 1990. After back-to-back solid seasons in Triple-A, Abreu missed most of the 1997 minor league season due to a knee injury and didn’t impress the Astros with a 59 game stint in the majors. At age 23, the Astros decided to leave Abreu unprotected in the 1997 MLB expansion draft, and the newly formed Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected him with the sixth pick.

A good move by the then-Devil Rays turned into a bad one when they dealt him later that day to the Philadelphia Phillies for shortstop Kevin Stocker. The thinking was “you should build your team around a strong young shortstop”. The only problem was that Stocker was not that player; he lasted just 2+ seasons in Tampa and retired after the 2000 season at age 30.

Meanwhile. Abreu became the Phillies’ regular right fielder in 1998 and a star was born. In his first full season, he produced 17 home runs, 74 RBI, 19 steals, and a .312 batting average. (Having surpassed the minimum number of at-bats the previous season with Houston, he did not qualify for rookie status.) Abreu also displayed a trait that would become a trademark of his career- patience at the plate- by drawing 74 walks. That season proved to be no fluke when Abreu hit .335 the next season, led the league in triples, stole 27 bases and posted a .995 OPS.

In June, 2002 Jim Salisbury of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a piece, “Phils’ Bobby Abreu Silences His Doubters”. Click here to read all about it!

Over a seven year period, Abreu hit .300 and averaged 24 HR, 96 RBI, 31 steals, and 110 walks. He became a two-time All-Star and a Gold Glove winner. It also earned him a five-year deal that could have been worth $78MM in total.

But a couple of things happened that changed his status and reputation in Philadelphia. A collision with an outfield wall made him less aggressive going back after balls hit near the wall. Suddenly, Abreu was tagged as a “soft” player. The other incident occurred when Abreu entered the 2005 All-Star break with 18 home runs and won the event’s home run derby after hitting a then-record 24 home runs in one round. Perhaps it was psychological; perhaps it was a change in his swing. Whatever the case, Abreu hit just six home runs the rest of the season and his power hasn’t been quite the same since.

When Abreu struggled through a mediocre 2006 season, the Phillies decided it was time to move him and the remainder of his contract at the trade deadline. Abreau was sent as part of a package to the New York Yankees for C.J. Henry (minors), Jesus Sanchez (minors), Carlos Monasterios and Matt Smith. The trade turned out to be a steal for the Yankees. Abreu helped the Yankees to the division title, hitting .330 after the trade.

He was steady over the next two seasons (2007-2008), with 20+ steal and 100+ RBI seasons, but the Yankees did not pick up his $16MM option and Abreu became a free agent for the first time in his career. A 35-yr old free agent in a bad economy didn’t make for a good mix, and Abreu had to settle for a one year, $5MM deal with the Los Angeles Angels. It proved to be a Godsend for the Halos. Abreu helped lead the team to their first ALCS since 2005 with 103 RBI, and proved to be a good influence on the team’s young Latin ball players. The Angels rewarded him with a two year, $18MM contract with a vesting option for 2012.

15 years into his career, Abreu has often been overlooked due to his soft spoken nature, but his numbers speak for themselves. 2,252 hits, 276 HR, 1,265 RBI, 1,358 runs scored, 372 steals, and .296 lifetime average. With Bobby Abreu, what you see is what you get.

Also Born Today

Dan Uggla (b. Louisville, KY, 1980): Sometimes the best players in baseball are not the ones selected in the early rounds of baseball’s amateur draft. Sometimes an 11th round pick can turn into a perennial slugger. Such is the case with the Atlanta Braves’ Dan Uggla. The 2nd baseman was an 11th round pick out of the University of Memphis by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. Four years later, the Florida Marlins selected him in the Rule V draft, and suddenly Uggla’s Major League career was underway.

He finished third in the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year voting after he slugged 27 home runs and drove in 90 runs. He averaged 31 HR and 93 RBI over the next four seasons, garnering two All-Star appearances and a Silver Slugger Award. But over the current off-season he couldn’t reach a deal on a contract extension and was dealt to the Braves on November 16 for lefty reliever Michael Dunn and infielder Omar Infante. A short time later, Uggla and the Braves were able to work out a new five-year extension worth $62MM.

Cesar Geronimo (b. El Saibo, D.R., 1948): When you think of the Big Red Machine of the 1970′s, Cesar Geronimo is not one of the first names that come to mind. But that’s what happens when you’re playing alongside Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, Tony Perez, and others on the Cincinnati Reds. But Geronimo was the glue in the outfield, a four-time Gold Glove winner patrolling center field for back-to-back World Series champions in 1975-1976. Geronimo played the first three seasons of his career with the Astros after being selected as a Rule V draftee from the Yankees in 1968. Prior to the 1971 season, he was part of a major deal between Houston and Cincy that sent Morgan and pitcher Jack Billingham to the Reds for a package that included slugger Lee May and steady 2nd baseman Tommy Helms. Geronimo finished up his career in 1983 after playing three seasons with the Kansas City Royals.

Dock Ellis (b. Los Angeles, CA, 1945): The right-hander won 138 games over a 12-year career after being signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1964 amateur draft. Ellis helped the Pirates win the 1971 World Series, their first in 11 seasons, and his 17-win season helped the Yankees to their first pennant in 12 years in 1976. But Ellis had issues and addictions off the field (possibly on the field as well; he claimed to have thrown his 1970 no-hitter while high on LSD), that derailed a good career from being a great one. He played for five organizations, including three in his final season in 1979. Sadly, Ellis passed away in December, 2008 from liver disease.

Deja Lose

Friday and Saturday blended together as the Yankees blew another game to the Angels.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	2	1	0	1	0	0	2	2	0		8	9	1
LA Angels	0	0	0	1	7	1	1	4	X		14	16	1

WP - Weaver (10-3) LP - Pettitte (8-5)

Take a decent sized early lead, have your starting pitcher give it away, and then have your bullpen put the game out of reach. Such has been the recipe for disaster that the Yankees have put together the last 2 days.

Less than 24 hours after an ineffective Joba Chamberlain and his reinforcements turned a 5-1 lead into a 10-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, Andy Pettitte and company saw a 4-0 lead become a 14-8 defeat. The latter happened despite five home runs by the Yankees, including a pair by Alex Rodriguez, who passed Rafael Palmeiero for sole possession of 10th place on the all-time home run list.

Read the rest of my recap at Baseball Digest Online.

Yankees Make a Mess Out West

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	3	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	0		6	14	2
LA Angels	0	1	0	0	4	2	3	0	X		10	13	0

WP - Bulger (4-1) SV - Fuentes (25) LP - Melancon (0-1)

The Yankees are going to have make a decision soon on the immediate future of Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees young star imploded once again last night, lasting just 4 1/3 innings in a 10-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. To make matters worse, the Yankees had staked him to a 5-1 lead. Chamberlain wasn’t completely at fault though- the Yankees are still snake bitten in Anaheim. Errors by Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter and another poor relief outing from Brian Bruney all contributed to the “Mess out West“.

Read the rest of my recap at Baseball Digest Online.

Window Shopping

Today we take a look at the NY Mets in our continuing series, "The Trade Winds are Starting to Blow". The Mets are the first BUYER that we'll be delving into. They sit atop the NL East today, a half-game in front of the World Champion/division rival Philadelphia Phillies.

A rash of injuries and ineffective performances have put the Mets into a shopping position. How quickly they pull the trigger, is a completely different story.

Nick Johnson - Mets fans are in love with the former Yankee right now. It's one of the rare times in his career that Johnson isn't on the disabled list. With Carlos Delgado out indefinitely with hip surgery, Johnson would be a great fit. He's hitting .337 with 4 HR and 26 RBI. Imagine how many RBI he could have with a real team around him rather than the 20-games-under-.500 Nationals. He's also a top notch fielder, who could help take away some of David Wright's throwing errors.

Mark DeRosa - Just about on everyone's wish list, DeRosa would be play 1st Base and outfield for the Mets, and occasionally fill in for Wright or 2nd Baseman Luis Castillo.

Bobby Abreu - Abreu's on a one year, $5 million deal with the Angels. At some point, the Angels are going to have to start playing better or fold up the tents. He would be an ideal fit in the Mets outfield.

Jason Marquis, John Garland - The Mets, like everyone else, would like to get Cliff Lee, but don't have the chips to do it. They do need to strengthen their starting rotation, however, and could swing a deal for Marquis, or possibly Garland.

Pedro Martinez - You just get the feeling that this could still be a possibility. The Mets let him walk this past off-season and laughed at the notion of giving Pedro a guaranteed $5 million. He hasn't thrown in a game since this past Winter's WBC, but some team will snatch him up if the price is right., Though we deem this a long shot, we could see Pedro back in Flushing under the right circumstances.

Breaking News: Beckett given 6 game suspension

MLB has suspended the Red Sox' Josh Beckett six games and fined him an undisclosed amount of money for throwing at the Angels' Bobby Abreu on Sunday.

With Abreu at the plate, Beckett took a long time going over signs with catcher Jason Varitek before finally deciding on a pitch selection. As he was about to deliver, Abreu stepped out of the batter's box looking for a time out. Beckett fired the ball over Abreu's head, causing both benches to empty.

Things settled down, but trash talk between the two teams instigated another bench clearer. No punches were thrown, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia, coach Mickey Hatcher, outfielder Torii Hunter, and pitcher Justin Speier were all tossed from the game. Hatcher was also suspended one game.

Remarkably, no one from Boston was ejected including Beckett, who caused the entire incident. The umpires clearly did a poor job of handling the situation.

2009 AL West Preview

The division was a joke last season with the Los Angeles Angels cruising (21 games ahead of second place Texas) to their fourth AL West title in five years.

Even with the Angels rash of injuries, we don't see much evidence that 2009 will be any different than 2008.



AL WEST

Angels
Rangers
Mariners
A's

Don't get us wrong, the Angels definitely have to be concerned with injuries to their starting rotation. John Lackey (April return) and Ervin Santana (May return) are DL'ed with elbow injuries, while Kelvim Escobar rehabs from off-season shoulder surgery. But the team still has Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders. (The Jake Peavy trade rumors have already started as well.)

They lost Mark Teixeira and Francisco Rodriguez to free agency, but we still think the Angels are the best team in the division. For one thing, they have the best manager in the division in Mike Scioscia. He'll mix and match and move things around until it all fits. If Brian Fuentes struggles at closer, he'll turn to Jose Arredondo and Scot Shields. On offense, Bobby Abreu and Kendry Morales should pick up some of the slack left by Teixeira's departure.

The Rangers finished four games under .500 last season and should be back in that neighborhood thanks to an offense that's still potent even without Milton Bradley, who left for the Cubs. The problem with this team is the same year in and year out - starting pitching. Kevin Millwood, Vincente Padilla, Kris Benson, Brandon McCarthy and Matt Harrison aren't going to scare anyone. The Rangers should win a lot of 9-8 games.

The Mariners have to better than last season's 61 win campaign. Don't they? New manager Don Wakamatsu certainly hopes so. Erik Bedard is feeling good. Kenji Johjima swung a hot bat in the WBC and spring training. And Ken Griffey Jr. is back!

But WAIT...Ichiro is out with bleeding stomach ulcers, Jarrod Washburn and Ryan Rowland-Smith are in the rotation. Brandon Morrow is being used as closer and...Ken Griffey Jr. is back.

While the team is improved from last year, big run producer Raul Ibanez is gone. Adrian Beltre is suffering from a bad toe and is a lame duck. .500 is a long shot, but the team should see at a 10 game improvement.

The A's are a mix of wet behind the ears kids and banged up, over the hill stars. The A's can be very good in 2-3 years because of the talent they always produce at pitcher. They're basically starting over again this year with a rotation of Dallas Braden, Sean Gallagher, Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, and Dana Eveland (Justin Duchscherer will take a spot when he returns from the DL.) Brad Ziegler will close, but the team suffered a big blow when would be closer Joey Devine went on the 60-day DL with a sprained elbow.

Eric Chavez's back feels better, but will he ever resemble his early seasons again? Can a team really win with Jason Giambi, Nomar Garciaparra, and Orlando Cabrera at this stage of their careers? Nah. This team is starting to look like a squad KC would put together (except their pitching would stink).

World Baseball Classic - 3/11

Time to catch you up on the World Baseball Classic. The US is back in action tonight (6:30 EDT) against Venezuela. That's because the South American squad pounded Italy last night, 10-1. Bobby Abreu, Miguel Cabrera, Ramon Hernandez, and Jose Lopez each homered.

One of the big surprises in the tournament was the elimination of the Dominican Republic last night by the Netherlands. It was the second time one run loss handed to the D.R. by the Netherlands in the tourney.

The game was scoreless in the 11th inning, when the D.R. broke through. The frame started out harmless enough when the first two batters were retired, but Jose Reyes walked and scored from first base when right fielder Gene Kinsgale misplayed Jose Bautista's fly ball.

The Cubs' Carlos Marmol came on to close things out in the bottom of the 11 for the D.R., but Sidney de Jong led off with a double. A ground out moved to de Jong to third, giving Kingsale a chance to redeem himself. And he did just that. Kingsale singled to right field to tie the game up.

Marmol then made an errant pick off throw to first, allowing Kingsale to scamper to third. Marmol struck out Scharlon Shoop for the second out, and intentionally walked Randall Simon to set up a force play. But first baseman Willy Aybar mishandled Yurendell de Caster's grounder to allow the winning run to score.

The Netherlands will now take on Puerto Rico later this afternoon.

Cuba, the runner up in last year's tourney, beat Australia 5-4. The Aussies led 4-3, but Yosbany Peraza hit a go-ahead 2-run home run off Angels prospect Rich Thompson in the eighth inning.

Australia will play Mexico tonight, with the winner facing Cuba tomorrow. The loser will go home.

Angels Add Abreu

Brian Cashman may not have gotten the Yankees a draft pick or two, but he saved the team at least $10 million by not offering arbitration to Bobby Abreu. According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, tThe free agent right fielder agreed to terms today with the Los Angeles Angels on a 1 year, $5 million contract. Abreu had made $16 million in his last season in the Bronx.

Abreu joins Vlad Guerrero, Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter, and Gary Matthews Jr. in the outfield. The Angels would love to move Matthews and his hefty salary, but would probably have to eat a considerable portion of it.

Heyman: 5 Teams in on Abreu

Bobby Abreu may not have to collect unemployment much longer. SI.com's Jon Heyman, who we believe did not break into Bobby Abreu's house to get his info, reports that the Angels, Reds, Mets, Braves, Dodgers, Pirates, and Mariners are all showing an interest in the right fielder.

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the Angels and Abreu are in serious talks on a 1 year deal.

One Week for Baseball's Unemployed

Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring Training at the end of next week, and just as we've said before, there are still plenty of unsigned players.

Manny Ramirez - We wish he would just sign already and start the trickle down effect to Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn. Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, said earlier this week that the Dodgers were playing a game of chicken. How many owners do you think would like to take a baseball bat to Boras?

The Dodgers continue to negotiate, albeit on and off, with Ramirez. The last offer was 1 year, $25 million. Manny knows he screwed up big time in how he handled things in Boston. Had he left there on good terms, he would already be signed by now.

One name is now officially off the table. Ben Sheets confirmed that he will undergo shoulder surgery and will miss at least half the season.

One time star, and now much injured reserve, Cliff Floyd, has signed with the Padres to lengthen their bench. Floyd did a good job at the plate for the Rays last season, but even a better job in the clubhouse.
The Nationals have resigned pitcher Odalis Perez to a minor league deal.

Former Yankees reliever T.J. Beam was let go by the Pirates, but was snatched up by the Blue Jays. The Jays also designated one time top prospect Russ Adams for assigment.

The Reds have signed outfielder Jacques Jones and given him a ST invite. They did the same with first baseman Daryle Ward.

Doesn't Anybody Want Me?

Oliver Perez found welcoming arms back with the Mets yesterday, to the tune of 3 years, $36 million, but it's been a long Fall and Winter for a number of free agents this off-season. Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson, and Ben Sheets are among the names still out there looking for a home. With teams not run by Steinbrenners cutting back on expenditures these players and more still do not have jobs with pitchers and catchers reporting in just over a week.

Manny Ramirez

The biggest name out there. We've talked about the highs and lows of "Manny Being Manny" many times. While we don't believe he hasn't received any offers, we do believe his agent Scott Boras has not received the expected offers. The Dodgers are still the favorites to land him, and today it was reported they made a new 1 year, $25 million offer. But Manny foolishly rejected it.

The Giants are said to be in contact with Manny, but will only do a deal if it's right for them.

Albert Pujols has publicly campaigned for the Cardinals to pursue Ramirez, but we don't see the Cards forking over that kind of money. St. Louis would certainly embrace Manny, so maybe a 1 year discounted amount would do. That and the thought of batting behind Pujols.

The Mets continue to insist they aren't going to sign him, while Mets fans continue to call in radio shows imploring the Mets to snatch Manny up. While taking part in some recent charity work, manager Jerry Manuel said he'd love to have Manny.

Some of our fellow Yankees fans continue to insist that the Yankees sign him and then deal Swisher and Nady. Enough free agent signings already.

We've said it before and we'll say it again. The Orioles should sign Manny. He would destroy Camden Yards and help bring in fans.


Adam Dunn

Dunn's lack of a deal is partially due to the lack of a deal by Manny. Dunn is the Plan 'B' to the Plan 'A' of Manny. Dunn would like to play for the Dodgers, but that won't happen unless Manny goes elsewhere. The Washington Post reported on January 19th that Dunn wanted 4 years, $56 million. That is a mere pittance by today's standards.

There are clearly teams that would go to Dunn now, but you can bet Dunn and his agent are waiting to see when and if Manny gets a deal done. But the longer the wait, the less Dunn is going to end up with. He could conceivably still be sitting out there once position players report to Spring Training.

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hopes his team can sign his buddy to a deal. He recently spoke with Pete McElroy of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.

"I know Adam real well and I've talked to him a few times. He's excited about his situation. Obviously it's a business and that stuff has to work itself out, but he loves it here and a lot of the guys on this team. He's told me he'd like to play here, but I'm sure he's told people in Milwaukee or whoever else is going after him that he'd like to play there too. That's all part of the game and the business, but hopefully one of them or both [second baseman Orlando Hudson] will be here. [Dunn] is a good guy and he knows how to play the game and he's a great baseball talent. We'll see what happens."

Bobby Abreu

Bobby Abreu has driven 100 runs and scored 100 runs in each of the last 6 seasons. Only Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols have done the same. And while Abreu is not in the same class as those two, he and his agent, Peter Greenberg, are baffled by the lack of offers coming Abreu's way this off-season.

Abreu made $16 million while with the Yankees last year and, as it turns out, Brian Cashman wisely did not offer Abreu arbitration this off-season. Had Cashman done so, the Yankees would have been saddled with a large, one year contract.

Abreu still puts up good offensive numbers, but his defense has slipped and he has a reputation as a soft player. Still there are teams that could use his offense. But Greenberg told the Times' Tyler Kepner that some offers are predicated on other free agents or teams being able to move bulky salaries.

Such is the case in Seattle, where the Mariners need to move Jarrod Washburn and his $10.5 million income before signing some offensive help.

UPDATE - 2:28 PM EST - Roger Rubin of the Daily News reported that the White Sox have made a 1 year, $8 million offer to Bobby Abreu.


Orlando Hudson

This slick fielding second baseman can't find a home to turn double plays. We've repeatedly heard that the Mets covet him, but not before moving Luis Castillo. Of course, no one is willing to help the Mets out by taking an overpaid guy with bum wheels.

Hudson told the MLB Network that 4 teams are interested in him - the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Nationals. Hudson said none of the team said he would need to change positions.

As for the Yankees, we still think it's crazy at this point to deal Robinson Cano. The Dodgers have Blake DeWitt to step into Jeff Kent's cleats in LA, but are said to be thinking of spending money on Hudson and Dunn in place of Manny.


Ben Sheets
Other than the Texas Rangers, there isn't a whole lot of action out there for the oft-injured right-hander. Andy Pettitte's signing meant one less team to get into a bidding war for Sheets' services.

Ken Rosenthal, for one, thinks that Sheets and some of the other free agents could get better deals by actually waiting until the season is underway.


So there you have it- the names above and others - Frank Thomas, Jim Edmonds, etc. - continue to play the waiting game. And spring training is just 9 days away.

Varitek Remains in Beantown and other TGIF Hot Stove News

Jon Heyman is reporting that Jason Varitek has agreed to a new 2 year deal to remain with the Red Sox. The team captain had hoped to get a deal similar to the one Jorge Posada signed prior to the 2008 season, but Varitek's offense scraping the bottom of the barrel this past season.

The deal is worth $5 million for this year, with an option for 2010 in which Boston can accept at $5 million or Varitek can at $3 million. The contract also includes $2 million in performance bonuses for the 2010 season.

The Orioles and Cubs seem to constantly be talking trade, usually concerning Brian Roberts. They did swing the ho-hum Felix Pie-Garrett Olson deal, and now are talking about a deal involving Cubs left-hander Rich Hill.

The Mariners have signed veteran DH Mike Sweeney to a minor league deal. The one time sweet hitter is perennially injured and has averaged only 58 games a year over the last 3 seasons. The Mariners have also reportedly been talking to Bobby Abreu.

The Rangers will be without the services of Joaquin Benoit for at least half of the 2009 season after the reliever underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff.

Late Night Hot Stove with Conan O'Brien

No clue why we called it that, but does NBC really think Conan O'Brien can bring in ratings at 11:30? Or even think he's funny?

Not too High for Lowe
Anyway, back to the hot stove. Jack Curry of the NY Times is reporting that the Mets have made an offer to Derek Lowe for $36 million over 3 years. Lowe has reportedly been looking for 5-year deal, in the neighborhood of $90 million. We've never thought much of Lowe, but after seeing what A.J. Burnett got, you can understand him wanting a similar deal.

We doubt that the Mets get Lowe with those years and that annual salary.

Marquis de Mediocre
The Cubs are sending starting pitcher Jason Marquis to the Rockies for former Yankees reliever Luis Vizcaino. That news according to the Denver Post, which stated the deal won't go through until next week. Marquis is one of the poster children for mediocre pitching.

Didn't You Get My Message?
Scott Boras has put in a call to the Dodgers regarding Manny Ramirez. Boras hadn't heard from GM Ned Colletti since December 10. With talks at a standstill, the Dodgers have been reportedly thinking about Bobby Abreu or Adam Dunn as other options.

Oh, Danny Boy
The Nationals have officially inked Daniel Cabrera to a 1 year, $2.6 million contract. Cabrera had been non-tendered by the Orioles.

Late Night Hot Stove with Conan O'Brien

No clue why we called it that, but does NBC really think Conan O'Brien can bring in ratings at 11:30? Or even think he's funny?

Not too High for Lowe
Anyway, back to the hot stove. Jack Curry of the NY Times is reporting that the Mets have made an offer to Derek Lowe for $36 million over 3 years. Lowe has reportedly been looking for 5-year deal, in the neighborhood of $90 million. We've never thought much of Lowe, but after seeing what A.J. Burnett got, you can understand him wanting a similar deal.

We doubt that the Mets get Lowe with those years and that annual salary.

Marquis de Mediocre
The Cubs are sending starting pitcher Jason Marquis to the Rockies for former Yankees reliever Luis Vizcaino. That news according to the Denver Post, which stated the deal won't go through until next week. Marquis is one of the poster children for mediocre pitching.

Didn't You Get My Message?
Scott Boras has put in a call to the Dodgers regarding Manny Ramirez. Boras hadn't heard from GM Ned Colletti since December 10. With talks at a standstill, the Dodgers have been reportedly thinking about Bobby Abreu or Adam Dunn as other options.

Oh, Danny Boy
The Nationals have officially inked Daniel Cabrera to a 1 year, $2.6 million contract. Cabrera had been non-tendered by the Orioles.

Hump Holiday Hot Stove

The Big Unit has found a new home to call his own. Randy Johnson agreed to a one year, $8 million deal on Friday to join the San Francisco Giants. Perhaps the Giants are hoping he can help Barry Zito suck less.

Willy Taveras has also found a new home. Taveras, who was non-tendered by the Rockies, has a new 2 year deal with the Reds.

Padres GM Kevin Towers says he'll still listen to offers for Jake Peavy, but is no longer shopping him. If so, that means the likelihood of Trevor Hoffman returning to San Diego is even less.

The Orioles have been in contact with Ivan Rodriguez and Greg Zaun as they look for a catcher to pave the way for Matt Wieters. Offers for Pudge and Jason Varitek are few and far between.

If you can believe anything Scott Boras says, the A's are interested in long time Angel Garrett Anderson. The A's have also had some preliminary discussions with former Yankee Bobby Abreu, but aren't close to a deal as of yet.

Roger Clemens' name took another blow, this time at Houston's Memorial Hermann Medical Center. The Roger Clemens Sports Institute for Medicine will no longer have the Rocket's name attached. We understand it, but at the same time Clemens donated $3 million to the hospital's pediatric wing.

UPDATE 9:07 EST

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Red Sox are close to signing free agent starter Brad Penny.

Hump Holiday Hot Stove

The Big Unit has found a new home to call his own. Randy Johnson agreed to a one year, $8 million deal on Friday to join the San Francisco Giants. Perhaps the Giants are hoping he can help Barry Zito suck less.

Willy Taveras has also found a new home. Taveras, who was non-tendered by the Rockies, has a new 2 year deal with the Reds.

Padres GM Kevin Towers says he'll still listen to offers for Jake Peavy, but is no longer shopping him. If so, that means the likelihood of Trevor Hoffman returning to San Diego is even less.

The Orioles have been in contact with Ivan Rodriguez and Greg Zaun as they look for a catcher to pave the way for Matt Wieters. Offers for Pudge and Jason Varitek are few and far between.

If you can believe anything Scott Boras says, the A's are interested in long time Angel Garrett Anderson. The A's have also had some preliminary discussions with former Yankee Bobby Abreu, but aren't close to a deal as of yet.

Roger Clemens' name took another blow, this time at Houston's Memorial Hermann Medical Center. The Roger Clemens Sports Institute for Medicine will no longer have the Rocket's name attached. We understand it, but at the same time Clemens donated $3 million to the hospital's pediatric wing.

UPDATE 9:07 EST

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Red Sox are close to signing free agent starter Brad Penny.

Yankees Don't Put Any Stops on Arbitration

The Yankees announced this afternoon they will not offer salary arbitration to free agents Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Ivan Rodriguez, Chad Moeller, Carl Pavano, and Sidney Ponson.

The real surprise is that arbitration was not offered to Abreu, who has put up solid numbers in his 2 1/2 seasons in Pinstripes. It's especially puzzling since Abreu would likely get a multi-year deal somewhere, meaning the Yankees would get a pair of draft picks as compensation.

The NY Post reported earlier today that the Yankees made an offer recently to Pettitte that was for less money than the $16 million he earned last season. Pettitte, unwilling to take a pay cut, rejected the offer.

The Post also speculated the Yankees wouldn't offer Abreu and Pettitte arbitration, fearing that the poor economy would cause teams to not offer deals for major money.

Yankees Don't Put Any Stops on Arbitration

The Yankees announced this afternoon they will not offer salary arbitration to free agents Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Ivan Rodriguez, Chad Moeller, Carl Pavano, and Sidney Ponson.

The real surprise is that arbitration was not offered to Abreu, who has put up solid numbers in his 2 1/2 seasons in Pinstripes. It's especially puzzling since Abreu would likely get a multi-year deal somewhere, meaning the Yankees would get a pair of draft picks as compensation.

The NY Post reported earlier today that the Yankees made an offer recently to Pettitte that was for less money than the $16 million he earned last season. Pettitte, unwilling to take a pay cut, rejected the offer.

The Post also speculated the Yankees wouldn't offer Abreu and Pettitte arbitration, fearing that the poor economy would cause teams to not offer deals for major money.

The Weekend Yankeeland - 11/2

Welcome to the end of Daylight Savings Time. :( We're now in that dark, cold section of time until Spring Training. We imagine though that the Hot Stove league should be pretty hot in the metro area like it was last week.

Bobby Abreu filed for free agency this week and the NY Post reports that the Yankees will probably offer him arbitration. The Post also reports that the Yankees will not likely pick up Damaso Marte's $6 million option, opting for the quarter-million buyout instead. This doesn't mean the Yankees won't be interested in bringing Marte back.

Hank Steinbrenner confirmed that the Yankees will take a look at Manny Ramirez as an option for next year and beyond. It's unlikely though that the Yankees would be willing to give Manny the contract length (5 years?) and money ($100 million?) he is looking for.

The Yankees have add Wil De La Rosa and Eric Hacker to the 40-man roster.

Brett Gardner told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch that he's ready to compete for the starting center field job in '09.

Jack Curry says there are other big free agents besides CC Sabathia, Manny, and Mark Teixeira.