62 players file for free agency.

[otis89]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=2206109

 

Interesting to see Brian Giles in there. I thought the were really close to re-signing him.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Yes Burnitz, go far far away from here.

[Andy]

Giles is getting less attention than I expected. Much more focus on Furcal and Burnett. Hopefully this is a good sign as it relates to how much we'll need to get him.

 

Hopefully no one lets Dusty see that Lenny Harris is available. :roll:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The bad thing is that none of the interest from Giles seems to be coming from the Cubs. :x

[UBlink]

The bad thing is that none of the interest from Giles seems to be coming from the Cubs. :x

 

Just curious, but how do we know that? I haven't heard anything one way or the other from my sources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, I don't have any sources, but it sounds so cool when everybody else says that.

[BigbadB]

Sure, don't listen to me. I've been saying all along that SD was blowing him off and they've given him zero reason to want to stay.

 

Unfortunately, I think this is the order in which I think he'll sign.

 

1. Atlanta

2. Wherever Atlanta trades Marcus Giles

3. St. Louis

4. Cubs

 

It sounds like Ramon Hernandez won't be back in San Diego either. I'm calling it right now, San Diego goes from first to worst this year.

[David]

...San Diego goes from first to worst this year.

 

Not a very big jump in the NL West... :)

[cjbucks]

Wow the Mets declined Graves 5 mil option - that would have been good money spent :wink:

[frostwyrm]

Yes Burnitz, go far far away from here.

 

This just means Hendry was sane enough to decline Burnitz' $7M option. He could still come back as a free agent.

[snoodmonger]

Well, we can't express interest in Giles till we hammer out that Rusch contract.

:evil:

[CubsWin]

Doesn't mean much at this point, but Todd Walker is not listed as a free agent, so at least they haven't declined his option yet.

 

Here is the full list of free agents as reported on mlb.com.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Sure, don't listen to me. I've been saying all along that SD was blowing him off and they've given him zero reason to want to stay.

 

Unfortunately, I think this is the order in which I think he'll sign.

 

1. Atlanta

2. Wherever Atlanta trades Marcus Giles

3. St. Louis

4. Cubs

 

It sounds like Ramon Hernandez won't be back in San Diego either. I'm calling it right now, San Diego goes from first to worst this year.

 

ATL is more of cost-cutting mode, so I doubt they'd be interested. And they have some youngerster name Jeff Fracnseour there. Yes, they COULD put either Franc or Giles inf LF, but they seem to like Kelly Johnson and Ryan Langerhans, so I doubt ATL will be making any offer Giles. Marcus, imo, will still be a Braves, with Furcal gone.

 

So, I think it'll come down to Chicago and St. Louis (go figure :roll: ) for Giles. The Cubs CAN/SHOULD outbid the Cards, ut Giles may prefer the "winning thing" and go to the Cards.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Randy Winn and Jason Schmidt's options have been picked up by the Giants.

 

Link (registration required)

 

Taking steps toward cementing their 2006 roster, the Giants announced deals with right-handed pitcher Jason Schmidt and four veteran position players Thursday, and they revealed an offer made to potential free agent Scott Eyre.

 

The Giants picked up contract options on Schmidt ($10.5 million) and center fielder Randy Winn ($5 million). Right fielder Moises Alou ($6 million), second baseman Ray Durham ($7 million) and right-hander LaTroy Hawkins ($4.35 million) exercised the options they held on their contracts for next year.

 

[LoneStarCubFan]

I'm calling it right now, San Diego goes from first to worst this year.

 

That's about, what, a five minute trip in the NL West?

[WrigleyinEngland]

Didn't know Encarnacion was a FA, any interest? I wouldn't mind his defence in RF.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Didn't know Encarnacion was a FA, any interest? I wouldn't mind his defence in RF.

 

None whatsoever.

[BigbadB]

I'm calling it right now, San Diego goes from first to worst this year.

 

That's about, what, a five minute trip in the NL West?

 

I think it's a little more bold than you think it is. Colorado is in this division. San Diego was 6th in attendance, has ridiculous prices at the gate and they had a playoff caliber team. After next year, Klesko and Park will be off their books.

 

They have plenty of money to spend this offseason, but they won't. They will settle for Miguel Olivo behind the dish in replacing Hernandez, they'll go with Jacque Jones in place of Brian Giles and they'll sign a starter to combat the fall off in offense they will expect.

 

This is a team that shouldn't have any problem spending 80m+.

[BigbadB]

Didn't know Encarnacion was a FA, any interest? I wouldn't mind his defence in RF.

 

I wouldn't want him as a bench player. No thanks.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Cool, Lenny Harris is available.

[WrigleyinEngland]

I've seen Tracys name come up on a lot of messege boards what would Arizona want for him??.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I've seen Tracys name come up on a lot of messege boards what would Arizona want for him??.

 

It all depends in which direction they want to go. They have Connor Jackson, Carlos Quentin, Shawn Green, Luis Gonzalez and Tony Clark for 1b and the corner outfield positions. With Glaus on the books for third base, that pushes Tracy into that mix as well.

 

They need to move someone, but it's anyone's guess what they will do. I don't think Arizona's situation gets any clearer until a GM is hired. At that point, he will have a lot of decisions to make on who stays and who goes. They could use a CF and if we're going to unload Patterson, I might guage their interest in him and see what would have to be added to him to bring a return of either Tracy or Quentin.

[WrigleyinEngland]

Would it be too much to offer Williams and CPatt with possibly a mid level prospect such as Mitre or would that be to one sided??.

[BigbadB]

Towers would be a fool not to make the jump to AZ. I'd jump ship before the Padres ship completely sinks.

[mhuber92211]

The Pads are headed down a pretty dark road. But what is interesting is that the local sports people (print & radio) are both split evenly as to how to go. SOme say break the bank and go for it another year but others say its time to "blow it up". Most of the them all agree that Hernandez is gone and almost all of them (regardless of what Philly billy says) think that Giles, Loretta, Burroughs, Klesko (if possible), Williams, Lawrence are all available.

 

Any of those players interest anyone? I am sure that SD would be interested in Patterson (would fit well in Petco) and I am positive that if the offer is Patterson/Hill we could get our choice of Klesko/Burroughs or Klesko/Lawrence. I would think hard about Klesko/Lawrence.

[Magnetic Curses]

Towers would be a fool not to make the jump to AZ. I'd jump ship before the Padres ship completely sinks.

 

but san diego is where his family lives, plus, i've heard the weather is very nice.