Jermaine Dye
Rumors

Though John Lackey, Jason Bay and Matt Holliday will dominate the headlines and the dollars this off season, Buster Olney of espn.com breaks down the next tier of free agents who are sure to get plenty of calls when free agency begins on Friday.

Brandon Lyon: Though there are a lot of closers available via free agency, Lyon may be willing to take a set up role and is only a Type B free agent. The Phillies, Angles, Mets and Yankees are all likely to be interested

Mark DeRosa: As a player who can play multiple positions his flexibility is a good fit for the Phillies. His bat is a good fit for any team.

Jermaine Dye: His age, 35, precludes him from being able to command a long term deal, but an AL team might be able to snag a good DH for a short and small contract.

Miguel Tejada: Though he might not be able to play shortstop anymore and would require a move to third base, his 313/340/455 splits are still attractive. Philly and Oakland could be good fits.

Miguel Tejada hopes to get plenty of offers this off season

Nick Johnson: Defense and power are very suspect for Johnson, but his OBP (an absurd .477 in 35 games last year for the Marlins) is still attractive. Offense starved teams like Oakland or San Francisco could be interested.

Coco Crisp: He's unlikely to be an everyday outfield, but his defense and speed are still tremendous and he could be a good platoon outfielder.

JJ Putz: A big market team like the Red Sox (think Billy Wagner), Yankees or Angels might be willing to give Putz a one-year deal despite coming off of injury.

Placido Polanco: His 45 extra base hits along with solid defense at second base will certainly attract suitors.

Rafael Betancourt: If the Rockies offer him arbitration, he becomes a Type A free agent and interest will be minimal. If they don't, look out.

Olney notes at the end of his piece that the rational behind Betancourt also applies to relievers Wagner, Jose Valverde, Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano.

The Chicago White Sox have declined their portion of Jermaine Dye's $12M 2010 option, espn.com is reporting. Dye's 2010 option was a mutual option, requiring both sides to pick up the option for it to kick in. While Dye did pick up the option, the White Sox have declined it, paying $1M to dye in the process. Dye now becomes an unrestricted free agent, who is eligible to sign with any team, including a possible re-signing with the White Sox.

Dye, 35, signed a two-year, $22 million extension late in the 2007 season. This year, Dye batted .250 with 27 home runs and 81 RBI in 141 games. Dye is considered a Type A free agent, meaning that if a team signs Dye for 2010, they will have to give up their #1 draft pick in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Jermaine Dye's decreased production in 2009 may have cost him a $12M contract in 2010

Below is a list of right 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 left fielders
Free agent center fielders
Free agent starting pitchers
Free agent middle relievers
Free agent closers

Jermaine Dye, 36, White Sox - 08:$9.5M, 09:$11.5M (Type A)
Brian Giles, 39, Padres - 06-08:$9M annually, 09:$9M club option ($3M buyout) (Type B)
Vladimir Guerrero, 34, Angels - 04:$10M, 05:$11.5M, 06:$12.5M, 07:$13.5M, 08:$14.5M, 09:$15M club option ($3M buyout) (Type A)
Eric Hinske, 32, Yankees - 09:$1.5M
Geoff Jenkins, 35, Phillies - 08:$5M, 09:$6.75M, 10:$7.5M mutual option ($1.25M buyout)
Gabe Kapler, 34, Rays - Signed a one year, $1.05M contract for 2010
Austin Kearns, 30, Nationals - 07:$3.5M, 08:$5M, 09:$8M
Jason Michaels, 34, Astros - 09:$750K
Xavier Nady, 31, Yankees - 09:$56.55M (Type B)
Randy Winn, 36, Giants - 07:$4M, 08:$8M, 09:$8.25M (Type B)

Bobby Abreu while playing with the Venezulan National Team

In a move that had been widely speculated about for the past few days, the Chicago White Sox claimed Alex Rios off of waivers today and the Blue Jays let him go without compensation. 

Once the White Sox had claimed Rios, the Blue Jays had three options.  First, they could pull him off of waivers and no transaction would take place.  Second, they could negotiate a trade with the White Sox and receive some compensation for Rios.  Third, they could simply let Rios go to the White Sox.

The Jays chose the third option because this allowed them to rid themselves of Rios' massive contract.  Rios is owed $63.2M from 2010 through 2014 along with a $13.5M club option or $1M buyout for 2015.  The White Sox will also pay the $1.9M remaining on Rios' 2009 payment.

Jermaine Dye called the move "a shock."  There's now speculation as to what Dye's roll will be in the White Sox crowded outfield.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports feels that the Jays have managed their payroll to be able to add a contract like Rios'.

White Sox GM Kenny Williams had attempted to acquire Rios before the deadline as well.

Let's recap the rumors and news from around MLB today:

• Andrew Baggerly of the San Jose Mercury News addressed the Tim Lincecum contract situation with San Francisco Giants team president Larry Baer and general manager Brian Sabean. Both the Giants and Lincecum seem content to allow contract extension talks to occur during the season, but Sabean felt that the Lincecum discussions were a "back-burner issue". Lincecum is a Super Two player, meaning that he will qualify for arbitration before the standard three years in the league and could face arbitrartion four years in his career if no contract is worked out. In February, the Giants gave Lincecum a $650K contract despite a lack of leverage from Lincecum, a gesture likely designed to encoruage Lincecum to sign a Cole Hamels-like deal. While Hamels signed for three years and $20.5M in the off season, Lincecum is expected to command even more.
• Baggerly also addresses contract extension possibilities for Sabean.
• John Lackey's injury has "extend" his own personal opening day which allegedly carries over to his desire to have a contract extension with the Angels in place by "opening day".
• Despite previous rumors, the off-season spending spree by the As was not an order by owner Lew Wolff but the brainchild of general manager Billy Beane. Obviously, however, Beane needed Wolff's approval to spend more money.
• Jermaine Dye discusses his future here.
• The Mariners have signed Jeff Zimmerman to a minor league contract.

Ken Rosenthal has put together a huge column today. Let's take a look.

• Rosenthal predicts that John Lackey will be the biggest free agent pitcher for the 2010 class. Lackey's numbers are better than AJ Burnett who recently signed a five year $82.5M contract. The Angels do not seem likely to top that offer, however, and Rosenthal believes that Lackey could probably receive a very good offer on the open market.
• Scott Boras' ability to get a $60M, four year offer from the Braves for Derek Lowe when the only other known offer was for three years and $36M from the Mets can probably be attributed to the desperation the Braves faced after losing out on Burnett, John Smoltz and Jake Peavy.
• However Boras's approach does not appear to be working with Jason Varitek. According to Rosenthal, most executives view Boras and Varitek declining arbitration as foolish.
• The Dodgers are seemingly bidding against themselves for the services of Manny Ramirez, but there seems to be growing fear that if they do not include a third year, Ramirez would follow up on his threat to retire.
• There are rumors that the Red Sox have shown interest in free agent Adam Dunn, though it's hard to fit the pieces together to have the rumors make sense. Dunn would likely play first base for the Red Sox moving Kevin Youkilis to third and necessitating a trade of Mike Lowell. This made sense for a superior fielder like Mark Teixeira, but Dunn is average at best. One benefit to signing Dunn is that because the Diamondbacks did not offer him arbitration, the Sox would not lose any draft picks.
• Dunn and Bobby Abreu seem likely to get one year offers because of the thin 2010 free agent class. Matt Holliday will be available, but the talent pool after him is shallow. Teams who did not spend in 2009 (i.e., anyone not named the Yankees) are gearing up for a run at Holliday in 2010.
• Rosenthal believes that the Rangers are still highly unlikely to trade Michael Young. He is owed $59M over the next five years and $9.24M in deferred payments starting in 2016.
• The Yankees believe that Xavier Nady will be easily moved if necessary. Even if the team has to offer him arbitration for 2010, his current salary is only $3.35M, so the increase would not be too dramatic.
• Jason Isringhausen has four teams on the radar, one of which is the Tigers. The Cardinals are have said to not rule out bringing Isringhausen back.
• Randy Wolf turned down a three year $28.5M offer early in the off season from the Astros and seems unlikely to command that much anymore from limited suitors like the Dodgers.
• Despite a need for a bat, the Rangers are not going to trade for the White Sox Jermaine Dye or try budget free agents Frank Thomas or Nomar Garciaparra. They'd rather stick with Hank Blalock.
• The Red Sox and Diamondbacks are denying on being close with a deal that would send Miguel Montero to Boston.

Let's take a look at Peter Gammons latest blog entry:

• A source close to Mark Teixeira believes that the Red sox and Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, are closer to a deal than owner John Henry's remarks made it seem. 
• Two reasons why the Yankees did not pull the trigger on the Mike Cameron trade with the Brewers: Melky Cabrera is showing improvement in winter ball and there are people within the Yankee organization that believe Brett Gardner can be a major league player. 
• The Diamondbacks and Red Sox have been trying to work out a deal for Arizona catcher Miguel Montero but the D'backs were not interested in Daniel Bard and the Red Sox would not trade Michael Bowden.  Gammons speculates that perhaps if the Red Sox were to take on the $22M owed to Eric Byrnes, the Diamondbacks may be more amenable to trading Montero.
• Gammons also speculates on a possible three team deal that would send Jermaine Dye to the Reds, Joey Votto to the Angels and Chone Figgins to the White Sox. 

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 Taveras 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.

Jayson Stark of espn.com presents his preview of the winter meetings in his latest article:

• There is almost no chance that the Padres are able to trade Jake Peavy at the meetings.  Their main dance partner, the Cubs, need some time to figure out their ownership situation to help determine how they can take on Peavy's contract.
• The White Sox have made Jermaine Dye available and the Braves, Reds, Royals, Rays and Mets have reportedly shown interest.  The White Sox have also put Paul Konerko and Jim Thome on the trading block as well. 
• While the Mariners are open to any trade offer for JJ Putz, considering how many closers are available either as free agents or via trade and a lack of teams needing a closer, Putz is unlikely to be traded.
• Trade rumors have surrounded Zack Grienke, David DeJesus and Mark Teahen but the Royals aren't really interested in trading any of them unless the deal was impossible to turn down.  Jose Guillen, however, is very available. 
• While many teams are interested in Jeremy Hermida, the Marlins would rather trade Jorge Cantu.
• When the Angels finally make an offer to Mark Teixeira, Stark expects that the team will include a two to three day deadline for an answer from the switch hitting slugger.
• Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake are the free agents most likely to sign this week according to Stark. 
• Stark surveyed multiple team executives and the consensus is that Manny Ramirez and Teixeira do not sign until January.

Nick Cafardo from the Boston Globe has his latest regarding the winter hot stove:

• The Tigers are looking at relievers Trevor Hoffman, David Weathers, Arthur Rhodes and Joe Beimel.
• JP Riccardi has adamantly denied that the team is interested in trading Roy Halladay.
• The Reds, Giants and Rays are rumored to be interested in acquiring Jeremy Hermida from the Marlins.
• If the Dodgers can not retain Manny Ramirez, Pat Burrell, Bobby Abreu and Jermaine Dye appear to be the back up options.
• The Angels and Brewers are still possible trade partners for the Padres and Jake Peavy.
• Cafardo believes that the Nationals are interested in Ken Griffey Jr.