All I know is that I don’t know,
All I know is that I don’t know nothing.― Jesse Michaels, Operation Ivy vocalist
A week deferred from the trade whispers surrounding Jake Odorizzi, and we’re none the wiser as to whether a deal between the Tampa Bay Rays and now two other reported suiters is anything more than hearsay. Still, a few newsworthy nuggets broke the surface of the baseball blogosphere ― clods which added a touch of clarity to the murky rumors.
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals ― one of the teams supposedly in discussions on Odorizzi ― inked a five year, $80-million deal with RHP Mike Leake. And while it’s thought that they may look to further improve their starting rotation, the Cardinals are no longer in need of an arm to fill the rotational hole left in the wake of John Lackey.
Later that afternoon, Jon Morosi (Fox Sports) wrote of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ interest in 27 year-old Japanese hurler Kenta Maeda.
Sources: #Dodgers interested in Kenta Maeda and maintaining contact with his representatives ahead of Jan. 8 deadline. @FOXSports
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 22, 2015
Furthermore, according to Ken Rosenthal (Fox Sports), even as the Dodgers pursue Maeda, the team is continuing to show interest in former Rays’ ace Scott Kazmir. Too, there is some thought among rival executives that L.A. could make a play for yet another veteran southpaw, Wei-Yin Chen.
The interest in Maeda, Kazmir and Chen is telling, as it relates to the Dodgers pursuit of, and interest in, a Rays hurler — namely Odorizzi.
Still Jim Duquette (MLB.com) sees things differently, and it is his opinion that Andrew Friedman should make a play for both Odorizzi and reliever Brad Boxberger. In spite of the organizational view that they (the Rays) see themselves as contenders in 2016, a package of high and mid-level prospects would balance out the fact that they would be giving up a pair of impact players:
In return, the Rays would be targeting a package featuring left-hander Julio Urias (The Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect), righty Jose DeLeon (No. 3 prospect) and second baseman Micah Johnson (No. 8), as well as some other mid-level prospects. Urias, DeLeon and Johnson are all close to contributing at the Major League level, and would balance out the fact that they would be giving up a pair of cost-controlled impact players.
Noteworthiness
― The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Twitter Wednesday that they signed DH/OF John Jaso to a two-year, $8-million contract. Jaso will join a platoon with Michael Morse at first base, where he has only played two games in his career.