Tag: MLB rumors (Page 11 of 11)

Cubs interested in acquiring Jake Peavy

The Chicago Cubs have emerged as a possible candidate to acquire San Diego Padres’ ace Jake Peavy.

The Chicago Cubs have leapt to the forefront of the Jake Peavy trade discussion, though the San Diego Padres are continuing to talk with the Atlanta Braves in hopes of extracting a better package, sources told Yahoo! Sports on Thursday night.

The team that lands the former National League Cy Young winner could depend on which includes its top pitching prospect, according to the sources. The Padres have asked the Cubs for right-hander Jeff Samardzija as the headliner of a package that could include outfielder Felix Pie, pitcher Sean Marshall and infielder Ronny Cedeno. Other potential pieces, another source said, were pitcher Kevin Hart and minor-league pitcher Donnie Veal.

A rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Jake Peavy and Ryan Dempster would be filthy, although the Cubs would be mortgaging their long-term future by parting with so many prospects. Still, their roster is set up for them to win now and in baseball, you have to worry about one year at a time if you’re a contender like the Cubs obviously are.

Dodgers willing to pony up for Manny Ramirez

Manny RamirezThe Los Angeles Dodgers are willing to spend big to retain Manny Ramirez.

General manager Ned Colletti said Wednesday the Dodgers’ pitch to the free-agent slugger would give him the second-highest average salary in the sport behind Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

“If you saw the bid, it’s nothing that we’re embarrassed by,” Colletti said at the GM meetings. “Manny was close to that number, anyway — closer to that area than the last place he’s been.”

Rodriguez currently has the top average at $27.5 million under the 10-year deal he agreed to before last season. Mets pitcher Johan Santana is second at $22.9 million under the six-season deal he agreed to this year.

Ramirez, acquired from Boston on July 31, is coming off an eight-year, $160 million contract he signed with the Red Sox before the 2001 season.

This is all well and good, but they’ll have to top whatever the Yankees offer. A couple of weeks ago, Ramirez flat out said that he wanted to see which team offered him the highest contract. If the Yankees concentrate on trying to sign ace CC Sabathia, there’s a great chance that Man-Ram will wind up back in Dodger blue. But if Sabathia re-ups with the Brewers or signs quickly with another team, I’m willing to bet the Yankees go full-blast for Ramirez.

Jake Peavy to the Yankees?

Jake Peavy has apparently added the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim California Santa Anita America to his list of teams he would approve a trade to.

Jake PeavyTowers said that the five NL teams — the Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals and Astros — remain Peavy’s preferred destinations, but Towers said Peavy also expressed a willingness to consider the Angels and Yankees should it be impossible for Towers to find an equitable deal with one of the NL clubs he likes.

Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, said in a recent interview with SI.com that his client has some good feelings about the Yankees. “What kid doesn’t grow up dreaming of wearing the pinstripes?” Axelrod said. Yet, for geographic reasons the Yankees remain below the five NL teams on Peavy’s list, and perhaps also the Angels, who have a distinct advantage in that they are the nearest team to Peavy’s new home in San Diego.

It’ll be interesting to see which starting pitcher the Yankees pursue more this offseason. They’re rumored to be interested in CC Sabathia, but he wants to stay in the NL so he can hit. Peavy would obviously be a great addition, but that means giving up prospects and who knows if he can make the jump into the AL. Out of the two, Sabathia might be the better fit.

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