Gary Sheffield
Rumors

Plenty of rumors to pass along this morning from Nick Cafardo's article in The Boston Globe. 

• If the Red Sox are able to land John Lackey that could allow them the freedom to trade Clay Buchholz to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez.
• Speaking of the Red Sox, here's an interesting quote from one AL general manager: "The Red Sox could be the major player this off season if certain things fall together for them.  They still have enough chips in their farm system to make something happen."  Perhaps referring to A-Gone or maybe Roy Halladay.
• The Yankees will be involved in trade discussions for Halladay and seem likely to part with Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain.  You have to wonder who the bigger prospect is right now.  Our money is that teams would rather have Hughers over Chamberlain.
• The Twins and Brewers are "very interested" in Carl Pavano.
• John Smoltz is also on Milwaukee's radar, but they'll have competition from the Cardinals, who'd like to see Smoltz return.
• Gary Sheffield would like to return in 2010 and is more flexible about accepting a DH role than in the past.  

John Lackey could be the first domino in a busy off season for the Red Sox

Below is a list of left fielders that are eligible for free agency for the 2010 season, their age, current team, current contract and whether the player falls into a Type A or Type B free agent compensation status.

Free agent catchers
Free agent first basemen
Free agent second basemen
Free agent third basemen
Free agent shortstops
Free agent center fielders
Free agent right fielders
Free agent starting pitchers
Free agent middle relievers
Free agent closers

Garret Anderson, 38, Braves - 09:$2.5M (Type B)
Jason Bay, 31, Red Sox - 06:$0.75M, 07:$3.25M, 08:$5.75M, 09:$7.5M (Type A)
Marlon Byrd, 32, Rangers - 09:$3.06M (Type B)
Johnny Damon, 36, Yankees - 06-09:$13M/year (Type A)
David Dellucci, 36, Blue Jays - 07:$3.75M, 08:$3.75M, 09:$4M
Matt Holliday, 30, Cardinals - 08:$9.5M, 09:$13.5M (Type A)
Reed Johnson, 33, Cubs - 09:$3M
Gabe Kapler, 34, Brewers - Signed a one year, $1.05M contract for 2010
Greg Norton, 37, Braves - 09:$800K
Wily Mo Pena, 28, Mets - 09:minor league contract
Gary Sheffield, 41, Mets - 07:$13M, 08:$14M, 09:$14M
Fernando Tatis, 35, Mets - 09:$1.7M (Type B)
Randy Winn, 36, Giants - 07:$4M, 08:$8M, 09:$8.25M (Type B)

Matt Holliday Leads The 2010 Free Agent Class

Though the non-waiver trade deadline has passed, players can still be traded if they clear revocable waivers.  Simply put, if a team puts a player on waivers and no other team puts a claim in on that player, the team is then free to trade that player to another team.  If that player is claimed by another team, however, the first team can either pull that player off of waivers and they will not be able to trade the individual or allow the claiming team to keep the waived player and the claiming team assumes the entire contract responsibility. 

Jon Heyman of si.com broke down the list of players who will likely be put on waivers in to those who are "likely to clear", "could clear" and "unlikely to clear"

Likely To Clear

1. Bronson Arroyo - owed $17 over the remainder of 2009 and 2010
2. Adam Dunn - $12 is coming to him in 2010
3. Jose Guillen - $12 for 2010
4. Aaron Harang - over $25M in 2010 and 2011
5. Adrian Beltre - the remainder of his $12M in 2009
6. Aubrey Huff - the remainder of his $8M in 2009
7. Jason Giambi - the remainder of his $4M for 2009 and a $1.25M buyout for 2010 (or $6.5M contract)
8. Melvin Mora - the remainder of his $9M for 2009.  We already know he's not happy in Baltimore.
9. Juan Cruz - $2.25M in 09, $3.25M in 10, $4M option for 2011 or $500K buyout
10. Ty Wigginton - $2.5M in 09, $3.5M in 2010
11. Miguel Batista - $9M for 2009
12. Ron Mahay - $4M for 2009
13. Willie Bloomquist - $1.4M for 2009, $1.7M for 2010
14. Lyle Overbay - $7M in 2009, $7M in 2010
15. Willy Taveras - $2.25M in 2009, $4M in 2010

Could Clear

1. Jon Garland - remainder of $6.25M for 2009 plus a club buyout of $2.5M buyout for 2010 or a $10M contract
2. Doug Davis - $8.75M for 2009
3. Gil Meche - $22M for 2010 and 2011
4. Alex Rios - a staggering $63.2M from 2010-2014 AND a $1M buyout of a $13.5M club option in 2015.  Hard to imagine anyone taking on this contract or Toronto pulling him back.
5. Carl Pavano - $1.5M for 2009, but contract is LOADED with incentives.
6. Mark Hendrickson - $1.5M for 2009 with $500K in incentives
7. Jhonny Peralta - $3.4M for 2009, $4.6M for 2010, $250K buyout of $7M option for 2011
8. Jamey Carroll - $2.5M for 2009
9. Ron Villone - $600K

Unlikely To Clear

1. Roy Halladay - he wouldn't clear regardless of his contract, but he's owed $14.25M in 2009 and $15.75M for 2010
2. Felix Hernandez - the subject of a deadline blockbuster that never materialized, he's owed just the rest of his $3.8M in 2009, but is arbitration eligible.
3. Heath Bell - another arbitration eligible guy, he's only making $1.225M in 2009
4. Adrian Gonzalez - $3M for 2009 and $4.75M for 2010, he'd be arbitration eligible in 2011 if his team does not pick up his $5.5M option.
5. Marco Scutaro - just $1.1M for 2009, he's due a big raise in free agency for 2010 which is why the Jays would like to move him if possible.  Not likely.
6. Chad Qualls - arbitration guy making $2.5M for 2009
7. Michael Wuertz - only $1.1M, but arbitration eligible
8. Brian Bannister - $1.7M for 2009, but arbitration eligible
9. Josh Willingham - $2.95M for 2009 AND arbitration eligible
10. Gary Sheffield - a $14M salary that the Mets are only paying $400K of
11. David Eckstein - only $850K, but the Padres are trying to trim payroll
12. Jason Frasor - arbitration guy with $1.45M for 2009
13. Mark Teahen - $3.575M arbitration eligible

Additional Notes from Jayson Stark's recent post:

• Despite their injuries, the Rays are not interested in Gary Sheffield or Barry Bonds.
• Teams have wondered why all the Rockies players who were rumored in deals before the deadline haven't landed on waivers yet.  Apparently Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd likes to hold on to his players until later in August
• The Phillies rumored interest in trading for Manny Ramirez before the deadline goes from non-existent to extensive with each passing day.  According to Stark, today, it's extensive.  Tomorrow, who knows?
• the Pirates had everyone and their mother on the line on July 31st.  The Rays thought they were in on the Jason Bay deal, the Rockies thought they could get Ian Snell, the Marlins thought they were in on the Bay deal, and the Philles thought they were trading for John Grabow. 
  
• The Rockies may have assumed Livan Hernandez's contract, but the Twins are still responsible for his incentives. 
  

Gary Sheffield's displeasure with his DH situation has not been a secret and today the Tigers placed the disgrunted 39 year old outfielder on waivers.  Sheffield would be owed $3.8M by any team that claimed him as well as $14M in 2009.  Considering his .219 batting average and injury woes in 2008, it seems unlikely that he'll be claimed.