by Xaiveir » Mon Dec 13, 2004 4:28 pm
The trade rumor right now with the Mets and Red Sox is Manny in a straight up deal for Mike Piazza. The Mets have been shopping piazza quietly at the winter meetings.
The Mets have also offered contracts to Richie Sexson, and Carlos Delgado. However Sexson and the mariners have come to a deal pending a physical monday morning. Delgado is also in the Mariners sights, they have offered him a contract close if not the same as what they offered Sexson. In the event that the Mariners sign both, Sexson would play left field/DH, and Delgado play first base/DH. Mariners also have Bucky Jacobson, a life time minor leaguer with power that came up last year, and did very well. Bucky plays DH/and 1b.
If the mariners sign both Delgado and Sexson, Sexson would be the every day left fielder, pushing Raul Ibanez into Center field or right depending if Ichiro would move to center, something he has been reluctant to do. The odd man out in this scenario is switch hitting Randy Wynn that had a great season last year with the mariners, in a season of dissapointments.
Mariners are currently in trade talks with the Mets (and possibly afew other clubs expressing interest in Wynn), for 2b/SS Kaz Matsui. If this trade goes through it would put Kaz at SS for the mariners, and move Jose Lopez over to third to split time with Scott Spezio. When Boone retires or parts way with the mariners Kaz would then move to 2B, and Lopez would take over at SS. The overall opinion is that Lopez will be a standout shortstop, after acouple years of "grooming".
Now the Mariners are also in negotiations with Edgar Renteria for shortstop, and Adrian Beltre at 3rd. Right now only 2 teams have offered Beltre a contract, the mariners being one of them. They are considered the front runners for Beltre at this time. However the Dodgers have come back into the thick of signing him, after failing to sign Cory Koskie. He has agreed to terms with the toronto blue jays (someone the mariners where interested in as well). Dodgers did sign jeff kent to play second already, but if they lose out on the Beltre sweepstakes, Kent would most likely play third for the dodgers.
That about sums up the major free agent happenings in baseball atm.
Why fight it, i am a Man Whore!