| Team by Team |
| Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton, who is arguably the most talented young player in the game, said he hasn't been presented with a multiyear contract offer, and the Arizona Republic speculates he's fine with that. "I want to get through my first season," Upton said. "I'm not going to rush into anything." Upton, 20, was drafted No. 1 overall in 2005 and received a record signing bonus of $6.1 million. |
| During the monotony of spring training, Orioles' 2B Brian Roberts said he felt engulfed by rumors of a trade to the Chicago Cubs. But with the regular season underway, and with Roberts still wearing an Orioles uniform, he told the Washington Post he feels a sense of relief that talks regarding his future have cooled. |
| The Boston Globe reports the Red Sox are still talking with the Rockies about a deal for reliever Julian Tavarez. According to a source, the talks remain active. An earlier report in the Boston Herald suggested that Tavarez is not bothered by the trade rumors. |
| The Cubs appear poised to sign veteran center fielder Jim Edmonds soon after he clears waivers, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. That would mean a demotion to the minors for touted prospect Felix Pie. The lefty-hitting Edmonds and right-handed Reed Johnson would share center-field duties. |
| Joe Crede told the Chicago Sun-Times that, unlike A-Rod, he has no plans to stray from agent Scott Boras' advice and try to negotiate a deal himself to stay with the team he claims his heart is with. Crede, who is on a one-year contract, said he has had no second thoughts about Boras representing him or the path that his advice might take him during the 2008 season. |
| The Cincinnati Enquirer speculates that former Reds' GM Wayne Krivsky could return to scouting. He's already heard from two clubs about jobs but would only say that one was via phone and the other was, "a little more formal." Krivsky also said, "I wouldn't mind scouting the National League out of Great American Ball Park," he said. "I'd be comfortable walking in there." |
| The Akron Beacon Journal reports that GM Mark Shapiro is not blowing smoke when he says he has the leverage to sign other young players to long-term deals (Ryan Garko might be next), and that he is not pessimistic about re-signing C.C. Sabathia, despite his high standing among the next class of free agents. |
| The Rockies are actively pursuing depth for their rotation, discussing trades with the Reds for Josh Fogg and the Red Sox for Julian Tavarez, as reported by the Denver Post. The Rockies also have kicked the tires on Oakland's Rich Harden and Joe Blanton and Texas' Kevin Millwood. |
| Given the opportunity to decide, outfielder Jacque Jones' first choice might be to join the Marlins. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports that's what Jones, who the Tigers designated for assignment, told an associate. |
| The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that if Jason Kubel gets his way, he'd take a long-term deal to stay with the Twins. "I'm trying to show them my legs are good and that I can be counted on for the entire season," said Kubel, who missed the entire 2005 season because of a knee injury but rebounded to appear in 128 games last year. "If I can get 500 at-bats and have a good year, hopefully that will put some pressure on (the Twins) to do something so I can stay here." Right now, 2010 is the last of Kubel's seasons the franchise controls before he becomes eligible for free agency and can negotiate. |
| Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson has been under fire and mostly out of touch this season but Willie Randolph defended his pitching coach. The New York Post reports Randolph gave the embattled Peterson a vote of confidence before the club's 5-2 win over the NL-leading Diamondbacks. |
| For his 45th birthday at the end of the month, David Wells wants something pinstriped. The free-agent left-hander told the New York Post he has been working out near his home in San Diego and believes he could bolster a Yankees rotation. |
| According to the Contra Costa Times, Joe Blanton isn't going anywhere right now. Colorado, searching for help in the rotation, has inquired about a number of starters recently, including Oakland right-handers Blanton and Rich Harden, and was told Blanton wasn't available. |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer speculates that despite the Phillies preference to not talk about contract extensions until after the season, Brad Lidge and Pat Burrell could be worthy of in-season talks. Pat Gillick, who has declared this as is his final season as GM, said, "If I'm not going to be back and the organization thinks that they would like to move ahead, then it would be something that we would have to consider." |
| The New York Times reports that Mets GM Omar Minaya and Pirates GM Neal Huntington declined to comment on the possibility of a trade involving Mets' RF Ryan Church and Pirates' RF Xavier Nady. Nady has been the topic of trade speculation for months. |
| Greg Maddux has too much to offer and too little time left to be stuck pitching for the Padres at this point in his career. The San Diego Union-Tribune speculates he can still help somebody chase a pennant and there's a deal to be made for the pitcher who finally earned his 350th career victory. Everybody needs pitching. "Somebody wants him," Padres ace Jake Peavy said. "It sucks that this is probably the last year of his career and he's got to sit here and be a part of this and have (this be) the last thing he remembers in baseball -- if this thing doesn't turn." |
| The Dayton Daily News speculates that Mariners president Chuck Armstrong wants Ken Griffey Jr. and sent special assistant Duane Shaffer to Shea Stadium to check out Griffey. Armstrong wants the Reds outfielder desperately to inject excitement into the Mariners and boost attendance, because Armstrong knows Griffey is a deity in the Northwest. |
| The demotion of Anthony Reyes exhausted the righthander's final option and the two are headed toward divorce. All that remains is whether the split will be amicable or contentious. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
| Ben Broussard has gone from everyday first baseman to a platoon and now to the bench and the Dallas Morning News speculates the only step left might be a ticket out of the Rangers organization. Manager Ron Washington moved Frank Catalanotto to first and that leaves Broussard, hitting .159, a man without a position. |
| According to the Toronto Star, Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi continues to insist that he has faith in the manager and his staff. And, that there's really nothing that he can see that would improve this team. |
