Winter Meetings ‘06: Day Three Rumor Roundup
I can't imagine that I'll keep up the pace from yesterday, but I'll do what I can.
7:05 PM
Rosenthal says that Lilly has agreed on a 4/40 deal with the Cubs. Welcome to the Northside!
7:00 PM
Some of our readers that have been listening to local ESPN radio 1000 and Bruce Levine are saying that Jim Hendry has been admitted to the hospital with flu-like symptoms. Bummer.
6:43 PM
- Maybe the Cubs are hedging their bets here, but that same St. Louis Dispatch writer, Bernie Miklasz is saying things don't look good for the Cardinals on the Jeff Suppan front and that the Cubs and Astros have made 3/30 offers for him. Cards are only offering 3/20 at the moment for Suppan. If true, Astros have a distinct advantage as Texas has no state income tax making it a better overall deal for Suppan.
It also seems the only thing holding up the Dodger deal with Schmidt is the physical (various sources).
6:33 PM
- Newsday is saying the Cubs have upped their offer to 4/44 on Lilly and Cashman is deciding if he'll offer the 4/40 that Lilly said he'd be willing to take to pitch for the Yankees.
6:21 PM
My apologies to reader "Andrew", for he did post new info in the comments on a link I had previously posted. It seems 30 minutes after thinking they were out of the Meche running, the Blue Jays now believe he may take their 4/40 offer.
5:13 PM
- Is Gil Meche a Cub? A Blue Jays official has told a Seattle paper that it's his understanding that Meche will sign with the Cubs. I'm not a fan......
4:56 PM
- Rotoworld and Will Carroll have both picked up on the Schmidt deal not being done quite yet and Schmidt has apparently stopped talking about it.
- SI.com is reporting that Lilly has told the Yankees that he'll sign with them if they offer 4/40.
- ESPN is saying that Andy Petitte has decided to pitch next year and if my update at 4:05 pm from Stark is true about the Yanks waiting for Petitte, they'd back out on the Lilly sweepstakes.
4:47 PM
- Here's a twist for you, although it looks like a message board, the post is from one of the writers from the St. Louis Dispatch and he says the Schmidt deal isn't done yet and they want to still talk to the Cardinals. Ned Colletti may very well take out all the agents in a mass murder-Godfather style hit if Schmidt backs out.
In a later post, (around page 5), Bernie (the writer) says he still believes Schmidt is going to the Dodgers and doesn't trust what his agents are telling the Cardinals.
4:05 PM
- Another ESPN update from Stark tells us that the Yanks aren't even sure they'll make an offer on Ted Lilly, preferring Andy Petitte. Unfortunately for them, Petitte probably won't be making any final decisons for a couple of weeks.
- He also puts the Blue Jays as the front-runners for Gil Meche.
3:15 PM
- Rosenthal jumps in on the Meche/Lilly combination for the Cubs and says the Cubs are pursuing Ryan Church. He also mentions the Mariners as suitors for Miguel Batista. Go to rotoworld.com quick before they fix it, but who is "Sean Hill"?
3:10 PM
- Will Carroll indicates that no team was willing to guarantee a fourth year on Schmidt despite his agent pushing for it.
CORRECTION: It actually reads, It's worth noting that Ned Colletti once again beat out other teams by going more dollars for fewer years; Schmidt's agent was lobbying hard for a guaranteed fourth year, and it didn't happen. He very well may be talking about just the Dodgers not going four years, not other teams. Apologies if that's the case....
- The same link but a later update says that Piniella was bummed they missed out on Schmidt, but Piniella's next best option is a rotation of Z, Lilly, Hill, Meche and some combination of Prior/Miller. Carroll questions whether the Cubs have really improved this offseason.
2:23 PM
- Ted Lilly has crossed the Blue Jays off the list and it's between the Yankees and Cubs for his services.
- The same link will tell you that the Mariners have joined the Cliff Floyd sweepstakes along with the Cubs and A's.
12:23 PM
I guess that's over, Rosenthal says Schmidt has agreed on a 3 year/$47 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Damn you sunny Southern California and your beaches!!! At least it's not the Cardinals. That probably makes Brad Penny available in a trade and if the Dodgers can't get in on Manny Ramirez, think we can entice them into Jacque Jones and a couple of good minor leaguers? Me neither....
11:51 AM
- Will Carroll chimes in saying the Cubs and Cardinals have both bumped their offers to 4 years on Jason Schmidt.
10:47 AM
- It seems the main suitors for Kenny Lofton are the Cubs, Rockies and Rangers, but that Lofton is asking for $6 million right now on a one year deal.
- This one is a bit old but Gil Meche has narrowed his choices to the Cubs, Royals and Blue Jays and will likely decide by the end of the day.
- The Sun-Times runs with the 4/40 deal being offered to Ted Lilly and says the Cubs may be willing to go to 4/44 even. I am very much looking forward to never having a discussion on these boards next season about the Cubs unwillingness to spend money. Although I imagine plenty of discussions on how the Hendry and Co. don't know how to spend the money.
Wednesday Morning Roundup
- The Cubs have asked for Cliff Floyd's medical records and Bruce Miles speculates that it's just a matter of time before he's a Cub. The article also states the Cubs are interested in Nationals outfielder Ryan Church as well as Daryle Ward who finished the season with the Braves.
- In a separate article from Miles, it appears he talked to Lou Piniella and he confirms that Alfonso Soriano will be a corner outfielder (making the deal far worse). Piniella has been busy trying to woo Gil Meche and Ted Lilly.
- Speaking of Meche and Lilly, Jayson Stark says the Yanks are Lilly's team of choice and they may end up being accomodating. He also says the Cubs are interested in adding both Meche and Lilly rather than just one or the other.
- The odds of Jacque Jones remaining a Cub for 2007 are about 1 in 1,000,000. It's never good when the public mouthpiece rips into you.
- The Cubs outbid the Angels by $21 million for Soriano (ugh)! Article also says Cubs may sign Richard Hidalgo to a minor league deal.
- Cardinals have stepped up their efforts to sign Jason Schmidt, with word of a three year deal on the table.
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