Huston Street Rumors

Earlier we gave you Yahoo! Sports Tim Brown's winter meetings preview of the NL teams.  Now, let's look at the AL teams:

• The Red Sox are quite involved in talks for big free agent names like Mark Teixeira, Derek Lowe and AJ Burnett but perhaps the most interesting question is how they handle Jason Varitek or his replacement.
• There seems to be a hierarchy of the Yankees off season moves: 1) sign CC Sabathia 2) sign Teixeira 3) sign Lowe or Burnett 4) sign Manny Ramirez as the worst case scenario.
• The Blue Jays are out of the running for Burnett, but could still consider Brad Penny, Paul Byrd, Randy Johnson, Oliver Perez, Pedro Martinez and Ben Sheets are all possibilities. 
• The off season priority list for the Indians reads as 1) closer 2) closer and 3) closer.  Possibilities include: Trevor Hoffman, Jason Isringhausen, Huston Street or JJ Putz.
• Trading for Gerald Laird filled the Tigers hole at catcher, but they're still interested in a closer and could be a dark horse for Rafael Furcal or trade for Jack Wilson.
• Teixeira will dictate the Angels off season.  If he signs with the Angels, that's likely it.  If not, they'll take Francisco Rodriguez back for the right price or look at Sabathia. 
• As Jayson Stark told us a few weeks ago, the Rangers off season priorities are pitching, pitching and more pitching.  They'll look at Penny, Randy and Freddy Garcia.

While the baseball winter meetings have already begun, Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports put together a nice preview of what each team will look to do in Las Vegas this week.  Let's start with the NL:

• New Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro is involved in negotiations with Jaime Moyer and is also interested in Derek Lowe and AJ Burnett.
• The Nationals have been rumored to involved in the Mark Teixeira bidding, but Adam Dunn seems like a more realistic target.
• The Jake Peavy trade rumors have dominated the headlines for the Cubs, but the team could also look at signing Raul Ibanez or Rafael Furcal or even trading for Brian Roberts.
• The Astros are willing to consider trading Jose Valverde to improve their starting pitching.
• After trading for Khalil Greene, the Cardinals are still looking for starting pitching.  The Cardinals could also look to acquire Huston Street if they feel Chris Perez is not the answer as their closer.
• The Reds have been rumored to be interested in Jermaine Dye, but they may also be considering Willy Tavarez from the Rockies.
• The Pirates are sellers at the winter meetings, looking to trade Jack Wilson, Adam LaRoche and Nate McLouth.
• Manny Ramirez and CC Sabathia remain on the back burner for the Dodgers and they try to resign Furcal at a bargain.
• The Rockies don't expect much interest in Garrett Atkins because the asking price is very high.

Buster Olney's latest post is packed with information. Here's some of the highlights:

• The market for Manny Ramirez appears very cool right now and Olney wonders if it is possible that Ramirez and Scott Boras will make the unlikely move of accepting the Dodgers arbitration offer.
• The Cubs appear interested in Adam Dunn but have concerns about whether he can play right field everyday.
• One possibility for Pat Burrell is an attractive one year deal from the Rays.
• The major parts of a Cubs-Padres Jake Peavy deal appear to be hammered out and Josh Vitters is the centerpiece of the Cubs offer. The teams just need to solve the smaller parts to hopefully complete the deal.
• Jose Valverde is a serious trade candidate for the Astros.
• It appears as if the Rockies got the most they could out of trading Matt Holliday back in November. The market appears far more flooded now than a month ago and the offers for Holliday might have been far less now.
• The Rockies are still optimistic that Brian Fuentes could return. That would mean Huston Street would likely be traded.
• In an effort to out flank the Yankees, the Braves may ask for an answer from AJ Burnett soon just incase the Yankees lose out on CC Sabathia and throw the leftover money at Burnett. The Braves would have no chance to outspend New York if Sabathia doesn't sign with the Yankees.
• Olney agrees that Rafael Furcal is likely to end up in Oakland.

Before getting into a bidding war for Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes to fill their closer role, the Mets will trade to trade for a suitable closer first the New York Times is reporting.  The Mets have already contacted teams about trading for Jose Valverde, JJ Putz, Huston Street and Bobby Jenks.  Additionally, the Mets could consider Kerry Wood or Trevor Hoffman as less expensive options to K-Rod and Fuentes.

However, the article notes that the Mets have more holes to plug in their bullpen beyond just closer so it's possible that the team may look for more than one of the aforementioned players with one as the closer and another as a set-up man.

After the demand for espn.com's Jayson Stark's most recent article, let's not delay and get to his next one:

• The list of available closers is long and can be broken down into tiers. Tier 1: Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, Trevor Hoffman, Kerry Wood. Teir II: Jason Isringhausen, Brandon Lyon, Eric Gagne, Juan Cruz and Chad Cordero. Tier III (not really a tier, but those available via trade): JJ Putz, Bobby Jenks, George Sherrill, Huston Street, Jose Valverde and Matt Capps.
• The list of teams interested in closers, however, is short: Mets, Indians, Brewers, Rangers, Tigers and possibly the Cardinals.
• Many teams have filled their closer rolls already: Rockies: Manny Corpas, Marlins, Matt Lindstrom, Cubs: Carlos Marmol, Padres: Heath Bell.
• Jose Arredondo could wind up the closer to replace K-Rod in Los Angeles.
• Rumors are that the Mets will sign K-Rod to a four year deal around $50-$55M, but Stark doesn't think the years make sense for the Mets.
• However, if the Mariners would part with Putz, the Mets may consider trading for him rather than signing any free agent.
• JP Riccardi continued to quell rumors that the Blue Jays are interested in Manny Ramirez.
• While the Angeles remain an unlikely suitor for Jake Peavy, if the team signs Mark Teixeira, they won't have a lot of money left to sign a free agent pitcher and may wind up pursuing the trade route.
• Because of concerns about Russell Martin's health, the Dodgers inquired about how much it would take to sign Jason Varitek.
• There are at least a dozen teams interested in Raul Ibanez: Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, Nationals, Braves, Rays, Blue Jays, Rangers (pending Milton Bradley), Angels (pending Garrett Anderson), and Mariners.

Ken Rosenthal is staying busy and we're the benefactors.  Let's review his latest column:

• Previous rumors that the Blue Jays extended a four year $54M extension to AJ Burnett appear false as they've yet to make an offer. 
• The Boston Red Sox are also mentioned to be interested in Burnett.
• Scott Boras has made teams aware that he is looking for a Barry Zito-type contract for Derek Lowe.  Perhaps that means $18M a season, but there's no way anyone will sign the 35-year old Lowe.
• While Phil Hughes is apparently off limits, the Padres have informed the Yankees that a trade for Jake Peavy is still possible without Hughes.
• The Rockies are still listening to offers for Garrett Atkins and Huston Street.  They're also not expected to sign a free agent to replace Matt Holliday.
• The Mets need to add a right handed bat to their lineup, but are not high on Pat Burrell.

Let's take a look at the news and notes from the league today:

• Some notes about the Trevor Hoffman situation.
• The Red Sox are rumored to have inquired about Derek Lowe.
• The Yankees have signed Damaso Marte to a three year contract for $12M with a $4M club option for 2012 with a $250K buyout.
• Jerry Hairston Jr. and David Weathers are expected to test the free agent market.
• Nationals general manager Jim Bowden has expressed today that they will not be involved in the Manny Ramirez bidding.
• Carl Pavano and the Marlins are interested in exploring a contract.
• Ken Davidoff evaluates the Yankees seemingly ever-changing organizational philosophy.
• Doug Brocail has received an offer from the Astros and his agent claims six teams, including the Red Sox, have asked about his services.
• The Astros have also made an offer to Randy Wolf.
• The Phillies are focused on resigning Jaime Moyer.
• Dan O'Dowd suggested that the Rockies are not necessarily looking to trade recently acquired Huston Street.

There have been plenty of discussions between the Rockies and the Reds today about a potential trade, so let's take a look:

• Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Reds are interested in Willy Tavarez, Yorvit Torrealba (not sure why) and Garrett Atkins and the Indians are interested in the recently traded Huston Street.  The Nationals are also reported to be interested in Carlos Gonzalez who was also acquired in the Matt Holliday deal.
• Troy E. Renek confirms much of what Rosenthal is reporting and also adds that the Red Sox are rumored to be interested in Chris Iannetta. 
• Renek also notes that Manny Corpas has been told he's still the closer, meaning that Street is likely to be moved.
• Finally, Renek adds that the Rockies are interested in Carl Pavano.
• Tracy Ringolsby denies Rosenthal and Renek's reports and notes that the Reds are only interested in Atkins, not Tavarez or Torrealba.  She also notes that the Phillies, Angels and Twins are also interested in Atkins.

There are numerous reports from varying media outlets that the Rockies have traded Matt Holliday to the As for a package of prospects. Let's take a look at the various stories

• Buster Olney and Jerry Crasnick of espn.com are reporting that the players the As and Rockies are debating as compensation include Greg Smith, Ryan Sweeney and Carlos Gonzalez. Huston Street has also been rumored to be part of the deal, but reports are not clear if he will be involved.
• There are also reports in the same article that the Cardinals offered the As a trade for Holliday centered around Ryan Ludwick.
• Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports mentioned earlier in the week that the As have money to spend in the free agent market and could look at Rafael Furcal. Perhaps the As will now use this money to try and lock up Holliday.
• Rosenthal also suggests that trading for Holliday would not have made sense for the Cardinals.
• Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reports that the deal is done, but the pieces are not fully known yet in terms of who will be going from Oakland to Colorado. Heyman mentions that As owner Lew Wolff is tired of losing and perhaps this is the first step in becoming a more competitive team.
• Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the deal is for Smith, Street, and Gonzalez.  Gonzalez confirms that he's in the deal.

A bevy of Mets rumors today, even beyond the previously reported Javier Vazquez rumors.  Let's dive in.

• Omar Minaya will not rule out Francisco Rodriguez as a candidate to replace Billy Wagner, but Brian Fuentes seems like the more realistic option.  The Mets are also interested in discussing trade scenarios for Huston Street, but the Indians, Rockies and Brewers all seems like more realistic options. 
• Ken Davidoff proposes a scenario where the K-Rod market cools enough for the Mets to consider signing him at a "bargain" price while other teams overpay for Fuentes.
• The Mets will discuss having Pedro Martinez return, but it seems unlikely.
• Minaya doesn't feel like the offense is a problem for the Mets and predicts a rebound for Luis Castillo.  This could just be postulating to try and increase Castillo's trade value...somehow.