winter meetings gameday thread (Day 3)

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Subtitle this - the Nats hunt for a bullpen lefty.

Any guess Howell they do it?

[comish4lif]

Was surprised that he wasn't listed among the Top 50 Free Agents at MLBTR. Anyone see a listing that has a projection of his years and dollars for this winter? Just trying to get an idea of what the Howell neighborhood looks like.

[zoom]

he's not listed on this list:

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8595489/putting-price-josh-hamilton-zack-greinke-michael-bourn-other-top-free-agents

I hope Rizzo is checking in on Joakim Soria.

[houston-nat]

I hope Rizzo is checking in on Joakim Soria.

Signed with the Rangers.

[WhiteWhale]

Keppinger should hold out till Friday, and he'll get the Victorino deal (j/k)....talk about desperation driving the price up....check this timeline and the price:


Yankees Have Very Strong Interest In Keppinger
By Tim Dierkes [December 5 at 6:20am CST]
Wednesday: The Yankees "really want" Keppinger, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, who reports that Keppinger could get three years and at least $13MM or more (Twitter link).

Tuesday, 5:47pm: Keppinger is said to be looking for around $12MM over three years, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

2:30pm: The bidding for Keppinger is in the neighborhood of $8MM for two years, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).


Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#1ioiIroGtfC3LwDM.99

[comish4lif]

Keppinger should hold out till Friday, and he'll get the Victorino deal (j/k)....talk about desperation driving the price up....check this timeline and the price:


Yankees Have Very Strong Interest In Keppinger
By Tim Dierkes [December 5 at 6:20am CST]
Wednesday: The Yankees "really want" Keppinger, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, who reports that Keppinger could get three years and at least $13MM or more (Twitter link).

Tuesday, 5:47pm: Keppinger is said to be looking for around $12MM over three years, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

2:30pm: The bidding for Keppinger is in the neighborhood of $8MM for two years, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).


Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#1ioiIroGtfC3LwDM.99

It's a crazy market when more than one team want to give Jeff Keppinger a multi-year deal. I'm not denying that he's a useful player, he is, but he's a 5th infielder on a 1st division team.

[NJ Ave]

It's a crazy market when the Yankees care so much about getting under the cap by 2014 that they're looking at players like Jeff Keppinger.

[imref]

it must be killing Cashman not to be able to sign Hamilton.

[houston-nat]

We just met, and this is crazy
But left-handed relief pitcher
...Liriano maybe?

I'm not joking. Francisco Liriano's only pitched a few dozen relief innings, but he's posted a K/9 ratio of 11.9 in them. Opponents have also hit him a lot (.287), but part of that was luck and crappy defense (.404 BABIP is ridiculous), and also he's much better against lefties than righties. I think a lot of the issues he's had starting could be smoothed out by making him a LOOGY.

I don't know. Is he willing to relieve? Is he willing to give up his starting pitching career in order to go to the playoffs? He has an offer to start from the Twins. If it was me I'd rather LOOGY for the Nationals than start for the Twins, but it's his career. Anyway, if we have the chance to make that suggestion to him, I would. But I don't know if I would offer a guaranteed major league deal.

[lastobjective]

Dan Kolko ‏@masnKolko
#Nats GM Mike Rizzo has hopped a plane back to D.C. a day early. Much of his staff will follow. Davey: "We didn't have a big wish list."

[houston-nat]

Well, that's cocky.

[WhiteWhale]

I know this isn't Nats related, but wow...how sad ( ) ... the yanks got out bid/marketed for a back up/time filler that they needed to hedge the A-Rod injury. ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION DODGERS??? yeah, I know, TV DEAL TV DEAL, TV DEAL  SPEND SPEND SPEND...what happens when the ownership group gets the 50% tax bill the fourth year over the threshold.

Keppinger update from mlbtr:


White Sox To Sign Jeff Keppinger
By Luke Adams [December 5 at 12:23pm CST]
Jeff Keppinger will sign a three-year deal with the White Sox, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported this morning that the Sox were one of a handful of teams in on Keppinger, who was expected to land a two- or three-year contract. Estimates yesterday put the price tag for a three-year deal for Keppinger around $13MM, so we'll see what Chicago ends up paying for the utility man.

Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#DzvVmRgOWV32788L.99

[houston-nat]

Remember like 3 years ago when the Rule 5 draft was the most exciting part of Winter Meetings because we knew we'd get one or two "exciting" new players?

[zimm_da_kid]

Does this mean no rule 5 pick or can we phone in our pick?

[houston-nat]

Does this mean no rule 5 pick or can we phone in our pick?

No pick. No roster room for a pick either. Our team is too good.

[mach1ne]

Dan Kolko ‏@masnKolko
#Nats GM Mike Rizzo has hopped a plane back to D.C. a day early. Much of his staff will follow. Davey: "We didn't have a big wish list."

Still need to resign LaRoche and trade Morse!

[Jordanz Meatballz]

Good point, maybe this is a negotiating tactic with LaRoche saying, "I'm not shopping Morse".

[imref]

Davey says signing LaRoche would be a nice Christmas present.  I assume Morse handles things pretty well, but this has to have him down a bit.

[NJ Ave]

If it does, he should take $7 million to the thicker skin store.

[CapsnNats]

Davey says signing LaRoche would be a nice Christmas present.  I assume Morse handles things pretty well, but this has to have him down a bit.

Damn, he REALLY wants LaRoche back. LOL.

[imref]

The status of negotiations with LaRoche haven't changed during the Winter Meetings. He's still seeking a three-year contract; the Nationals won't offer more than two years.

Johnson continues to believe the veteran first baseman will sign a deal to return to Washington.

"I think so. I won't really sleep real comfortable until he does," the manager said. "I hope that gets worked out. Everybody knows each other. I think everybody has a lot of comfort zone, not just on the field but in the clubhouse and off the field.

"I had him at my golf tournament and I told him: 'You don't want to go somewhere and be miserable.' You know you're going to have a good time in D.C., and I won't platoon you. We'll see. I don't know if there's a deadline, but that'd be a nice Christmas present. That would put the icing on the cake."

Zuck's latest

[Rasta]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #Angels close on free-agent LH reliever Sean Burnett.

[Rasta]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #Angels close on free-agent LH reliever Sean Burnett.

[Rasta]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi
#Nationals remain confident they will get LaRoche. Morse then could be dealt to Mariners, who have big interest.

[Rasta]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi
#Nationals remain confident they will get LaRoche. Morse then could be dealt to Mariners, who have big interest.