The Traders Arena Blog

I was gone a bit so here is a rather large update:

• The Brewers have come to terms on a 1 year deal with closer Trevor Hoffman. The deal is likely to be more than 4 MM. There will also be a 2nd year option. The Dodgers were also in the mix to land Hoffman.
• John Smoltz has signed a 1 year deal with the Red Sox for a guaranteed 5.5 MM. This is very risky as Smoltz is coming off an injury / surgery, and won’t be ready to pitch till May. There are also incentives, for example if he is pitching by June, the deal could be worth up to 13 MM. This gives the Red Sox even more depth at SP, and can move Wakefield to the pen, keep Masterson as the set up man, and keep Bowden and Buccholz down in AAA to learn some more. Or they can even trade away a young guy for a star of somesorts like they tried to do with Hanley Ramirez.
• Some believe that the Nationals are now a suitor for Derek Lowe. The Braves may also be in the mix as they just lost John Smoltz. The Mets are still confident that they will get Lowe (or Perez). Derek Lowe is scheduled to meet with the Braves on Friday. I can see him meeting in the middle on any deal, signing around 3 years, 42 million with a possible 4th year option.
• The Mets, Brewers, and Rangers are all watching Chad Cordero throw later this week. Cordero was an elite closer with the Nationals 2 years ago, but then had some injury problems and is on his way back. Cordero could be a nice pickup to any of these teams who are looking for pitching, and more specifically, bullpen help.
• Andy Pettite may embrace a return to the Astros. After turning down the Yanks offer, it is unclear if Pettite wants to play again. He might go there, but I don’t see why the Astros would offer more than the 10 MM he rejected, considering that they pulled their offer to Randy Wolf.
• The Red Sox have signed Rocco Baldelli as an extra outfielder. 
• The Yankees are accepting trade offers for Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher. One analyst thinks that the Yanks may trade away Nady to trim payroll. Makes no sense to me as he is their cheaper outfielder. If they move Swisher that would move much more salary. It would be tough to trade Hideki Matsui with his injury and no trade clause. Talks were that Matsui would be moved to Seatlle for Erik Bedard.

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