MLB Rumors: Latest on Cliff Lee, Zack Greinke, Derek Jeter and More
MLB Rumors: It may be December, but there's still plenty to talk about in the baseball world.
I know, I know—you probably are worrying about your favorite NFL team, stressing over the BCS or laughing (or crying) over what's going on with the Miami Heat.
But the MLB is alive and kicking.
There are a ton of rumors (and some news) out there floating around about some of the game's biggest stars.
So let's take a look at what's going on with America's pastime.
Miguel Tejada Signs with World Champs
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Miguel Tejada is staying in the National League West, but he'll still be relocating.
The World Series champion San Francisco Giants agreed to a one-year, $6.5-million deal with the shortstop, who finished last season with the San Diego Padres.
After the Padres declined to offer Tejada salary arbitration last week, he jumped at the chance to sign with baseball's top team.
The Giants were looking for another infielder after buying out Edgar Renteria last week and losing Juan Uribe to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
Tejada should fill the void left at shortstop following their departures.
Cliff Lee Headed to the Yankees?
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According to the New York Post, it's only a matter of time before the Texas Rangers extend an official offer to Cliff Lee.
The AL Champions are apparently well aware that the left-hander is contemplating whether to stay with the team or join the New York Yankees.
They just aren't sure what he'll do.
Numerous reports reveal that the team everybody loves to hate is willing to pay Lee $23 million per year. But it hasn't been revealed how much the Rangers plan to offer.
The Rangers are not reluctant about including a fifth year in the deal. But they also know they probably won't win a bidding war with the Yankees.
It is believed that the main two selling points for the Rangers are the lack of a Texas state tax and geography—Lee lives in Arkansas, which is close to Dallas.
I have a feeling that might not be enough to make him stay, but we'll see.
Zack Greinke May Be Tied to Cliff Lee
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If the Yankees fail to sign Cliff Lee, Zack Greinke might be the new No. 2 starter in the Big Apple.
According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, Greinke would be willing to waive a clause in his contract that prevents the Kansas City Royals from trading him to a big-market team—including the Yankees—if he was traded somewhere where he had a chance to win.
Hello, New York.
A source close to Greinke says he could see the former Cy Young winner wearing pinstripes in the future.
There is one catch, though: the Royals are reportedly seeking a deal similar to what it took to pry Mark Teixeira from the Rangers in 2007.
And interestingly enough, this isn't the only link between Greinke and Lee.
Greinke is reportedly on the Rangers' radar as their No. 2 choice if Lee bolts for the Bronx.
Who Will Budge: The Yankees or Derek Jeter?
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For the first time in history, Derek Jeter is actually the bad guy in New York.
Pretty much everyone outside of Jeter's camp agrees that the shortstop isn't worth the amount of money he wants from the Yankees.
Jeter is reportedly seeking a four or five-year deal worth $23-25 million a year. But the Yankees appear to be pretty firm with their offer—a three-year deal worth $45 million.
So who will budge in these tense negotiatons?
Well, it's apparently in the hands of Jeter's agent, Casey Close, to tighten the gap between Jeter's absurd demands and the Yankees' reasonable offer.
Close met with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to discuss the situation on Tuesday. But it's not yet clear if any progress was made in the contract talks.
I think it's safe to say, though, that this isn't going away until Jeter backs off his demands.
If he doesn't, we might be seeing him in a different uniform next season.
The Dodgers a Work in Progress
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The Los Angeles Dodgers will look a whole lot different come next season.
They just sent Ryan Theriot to St. Louis and signed Juan Uribe to a three-year deal. They probably won't have Russell Martin in Los Angeles in 2011.
But now there might be even more changes for the club.
FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Dodgers are interested in two former Red Sox players.
Who, you might ask?
Johnny Damon and Jason Varitek.
The team is looking at Damon to fill the void left by the likely departure of Scott Podsednik. And at Varitek as a short-term solution at catching if Martin indeed bolts Los Angeles.
Paul Konerko Drawing Interest from 3 Teams
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The Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers made strong pitches to former Red Sox catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez.
But Martinez wound up joining the Detroit Tigers.
Now, it's on to Plan B.
The Orioles and Rangers are reportedly in serious pursuit of Konerko, who was offered salary arbitration by the Chicago White Sox.
Fox Sports Radio host Jim Bowden tweeted that the Orioles have made a "significant offer" to Konerko. But there's no word yet on whether he's leaning toward taking the deal.
Konerko reportedly prefers to join a team close to his home in Arizona, though. Which is nowhere near Baltimore, but is where the Rangers train.
This could be something to keep an eye on.
The Boston Red Sox Will Be Busy
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With Adrian Beltre possibly heading out of Boston, it appears that Kevin Youkilis will make the switch back to third base.
So what will the Red Sox do at first base?
Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman suggests Derrek Lee as a possibility. The team could still pursue Carlos Pena or someone like Adam LaRoche.
But Boston may be more active in trying to upgrade its outfield this offseason.
The Red Sox have the early lead in the Jayson Werth sweepstakes, and are very much in the mix for Carl Crawford.
Boston will be looking to make some sort of splash with an offensive upgrade after losing Victor Martinez and (possibly) Beltre.
St. Louis Cardinals Infield Still a Work in Progress
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Ken Rosenthal recently tweeted that the St. Louis Cardinals plan to stay Ryan Theriot, who was recently acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers, at shortstop next season.
So that still leaves a void at second base for St. Louis. Rosenthal suggests that the Cardinals might look to add someone like Orlando Hudson, who declined arbitration from the Minnesota Twins yesterday.
But Edgar Renteria reportedly wants to end his career with the Marlins or the Cardinals. There's a possibility he signs with St. Louis on the cheap.
In that case, Theriot would slide over to second base and the Cardinals would no longer be interested in Hudson's services.
There's also the possibility that St. Louis makes a play for another shortstop, such as Cesar Izturis.
Either way, the Cardinals' infield is still far from settled. They could be very busy, either through trades or in free agency.
Truy Tulowitzki Signs Contract Extension, So What About Carlos Gonzalez?
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There has been much head scratching over the extension Troy Tulowitzki signed with the Colorado Rockies.
Though he's undoubtedly one of the best players in all of baseball, there are plenty of people questioning why the team would sign him to that mega-deal that could span the rest of his career when he's already under contract with the Rockies until 2013.
The deal also begs the question: what does Tulowitzki's contract mean for Carlos Gonzalez?
Gonzalez is coming off an incredible season in which he hit .336 with 34 home runs and 117 RBIs, and finished in third place in the NL MVP race.
Though Gonzalez is under contract with Colorado until 2014, the Rockies could find themselves having to dish out another monster contract within the next year or two.
After all, along with Tulowitzki, Gonzalez should be the cornerstone of that franchise for years to come.
We'll have to wait to see what it takes for the Rockies to lock him up.
And whether or not his deal will be similar to Tulowitzki's.
ESPN's New Sunday Night Baseball Broadcast Team Revealed
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ESPN has found its replacements for Jon Miller and Joe Morgan on Sunday Night Baseball.
After 21 seasons together, the contracts of Miller and Morgan were not renewed.
The network announced that next season's three-man broadcast team will consist of Dan Shulman, Bobby Valentine and Orel Hershiser.
Shulman has done radio broadcasts of Sunday Night Baseball, while Valentine and Hershiser are former players who currently appear on ESPN's Baseball Tonight and other shows for the sport.
Current ESPN MLB analyst Chris Singleton will join Jon Sciambi as the new lead analyst for the radio broadcasts of Sunday Night Baseball.
So what are your thoughts on the new broadcast teams?
Be sure to to comment below.
