Curt Schilling
Yankees
Red Sox
Nov. 12 - The Boston Herald reports that Schilling has agreed to speak with the Yankees about terms of a trade that would bring the workhorse right-hander to the Bronx to finish his career. Previously Schilling had waffled over his willingness to waive his no-trade clause and accept a possible deal to the Yankees.
The Herald went on to speculate that the Yankees and Diamondbacks could be working on a three-team deal that would include first basemen Nick Johnson and Richie Sexson, with Johnson going to Milwaukee and Sexson to Arizona. Previously, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch mentioned a possible three-way deal that included the Cardinals, not the Brewers. Schilling and Jim Edmonds would go to the Yankees, Jeff Weaver and Alfonso Soriano to the Diamondbacks and Nick Johnson and Danny Bautista to the Cardinals.
Magglio Ordoñez
Angels?
Nov. 12 - The Chicago Tribune reports the White Sox have begun quietly shopping Ordoñez after talks regarding a contract extension bogged down. Ordoñez will earn $14 million next season, then become a free agent. The White Sox reportedly don't believe they can afford to re-sign him.
One possible suitor the paper mentions is Anaheim, whose new owner is looking to make a splash and, according to the Tribune's sources, might be willing to deal closer Troy Percival or center fielder Darin Erstad.
Odalis Perez
Cardinals
White Sox
Nov. 12 - A report in the L.A. Times says Perez is high on the shopping lists of both the Cardinals and White Sox, with St. Louis reportedly willing to deal outfielder Jim Edmonds for Perez. Chicaco is said to be offering either left fielder Carlos Lee or first baseman Paul Konerko, who began his career with the Dodgers.
Billy Koch
Mets
Nov. 12 - The Mets reportedly are pursuing Koch to be their closer, hoping the combination of manager Art Howe and pitching coach Rick Peterson can help Koch recover the form that enabled him to save 44 games for Oakland in 2002. After being traded to Chicago, Koch's number dropped dramatically. He saved only 11 games and had a 5.77 ERA for the White Sox last season.
The Chicago Tribune cites a White Sox source that confirmed the teams are talking, with the Mets reportedly pushing Chicago to take Roger Cedeño and his bad contract in return.
Alex Rodriguez
Red Sox
Orioles?
Angels?
Yankees?
Nov. 12 - Cold water from all angles doused Tuesday's report in New York Newsday that the Rangers, Red Sox and Angels had discussed a possible three-team trade that would have sent Rodriguez to Boston, Nomar Garciaparra to Anaheim and David Eckstein and a few pitchers to Texas.
Multiple reports out of the GMs meetings in Phoenix quoted representatives of all three teams, plus A-Rod's agent Scott Boras, dismissing the report as pure fiction. However, those same reports acknowledge that A-Rod trade rumors are the hottest topic in the lobby of the Biltmore, despite a firm denial from Rangers GM John Hart.
"We have the player, we like the player, and we're going to retain the player," Hart told a small cluster of reporters, according to the Boston Globe. "I don't want this to be the Alex Rodriguez watch here as we go along, because that's simply not the case."
Richie Sexson
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Nov. 12 - Arizona's interest in Sexson apparently is such that they're considering a three-way trade with the Brewers and Yankees that would send Curt Schilling to New York and Sexson to the Diamondbacks. Sexson is scheduled to make $8.6 million next season, and the Brewers suddenly are facing a big-time cash crunch.
Brewers GM Doug Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel he hasn't been ordered to trade Sexson or outfielder Geoff Jenkins, but the reality is the team likely cannot afford to keep both players and still remain under its projected salary budget for 2004.
Reports of the possible three-way deal with the D-Backs and Yankees indicate New York would be willing to send first baseman Nick Johnson to the Brewers, where he would replace Sexson. Previous reports indicate the D-Backs would be willing to send Milwaukee three or more players from among a group that includes infielder Junior Spivey, first baseman Lyle Overbay, outfielder Danny Bautista, pitchers John Patterson and Oscar Villarreal and catcher Chad Moeller.
Jim Edmonds
Dodgers
Yankees
Nov. 12 - The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Edmonds' list of teams to which he'd approve a trade under the terms of his limited no-trade clause include the Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Braves and Rangers.
Coincidentally (or not), two of the teams said to be pursuing Edmonds in recent trade talks are the Dodgers and Yankees. L.A. reportedly is willing to deal pitchers Odalis Perez or Guillermo Mota, while the Yankees were said to be discussing a three-way deal that would bring Edmonds and Curt Schilling to New York.
With the Cardinals looking for pitching this offseason, the Dodgers reports might have some credence.
