faba
11-30-2005, 09:39 AM
Furcal closer to Cubs deal
Lugo drawing interest from Braves
By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/30/05
Braves free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal is leaning toward signing with the Chicago Cubs.
A source familiar with negotiations said Furcal received a five-year offer from the Cubs that was significantly greater than he was offered by the Braves, in dollars and contract length.
The race for Furcal is down to two or three teams — Braves, Cubs and possibly the Los Angeles Dodgers — with a decision expected within a few days.
Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, was scheduled to have dinner Tuesday with Furcal to discuss the proposals, and they were waiting to hear what the Dodgers offered in a Tuesday night meeting in Los Angeles between Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and an associate of Kinzer's from RKL Baseball Group.
Kinzer met with the Braves on Monday after meeting with Cubs officials on Sunday at an Atlanta hotel. Furcal stopped by for a brief discussion with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry during those meetings.
The Dodgers got in the Furcal sweepstakes last week after Colletti was hired as GM.
Kinzer said Furcal eliminated Kansas City and other teams early in the process. The Mets, who wanted Furcal to play second base, dropped out of the bidding after committing large sums to new first baseman Carlos Delgado and closer Billy Wagner.
That left the Braves and Cubs as frontrunners in the chase for Furcal, who got phone calls from Cubs manager Dusty Baker and several Cubs players, including Greg Maddux, a former Braves pitcher.
"He's very comfortable with both these places [Atlanta and Chicago]," Kinzer said. "He has a lot of friends on the Cubs, and you know his comfort level here with the Braves, especially with Bobby [Cox] and Andruw [Jones].
"And the Dodgers — we'd have to see what's going on there. They got into it late, but we're going to listen to what Ned has to offer."
Jones said three weeks ago that if Furcal didn't get the deal he was looking for from the Braves, he didn't think the shortstop would stay with Atlanta.
Kinzer said Furcal's respect and loyalty to Cox has made the entire process difficult.
"It's making the decision a lot tougher," Kinzer said. "He does appreciate everything that happened here. I'm telling you, we've had a lot of calls, and if we pursued a lot of the teams that called, there'd be a lot more money on the table.
"It hasn't been that way with Raffy; he just wanted to talk to the teams he's comfortable with and cities he likes. We didn't want to play one team off another to get the best deal. We haven't done that."
Knowing there was a possibility they'd lose Furcal, the Braves began exploring other options after the season ended. Tampa Bay shortstop Julio Lugo is high on their list of possible replacements.
The Braves met with the Devil Rays during the general managers meetings three weeks ago in Indian Wells, Calif., and discussed a possible trade for Lugo, 30, who batted .295 with six homers, 57 RBIs and 39 stolen bases in a career-best season for Tampa Bay.
A source familiar with discussions said the Braves and Devil Rays had more talks Tuesday about Lugo, a right-handed hitting Dominican who batted in the leadoff and No. 2 spots in the batting order last season.
It was uncertain what Tampa Bay would ask in an exchange for Lugo, but the Devil Rays have been looking for starting pitching and help at third base, first base and possibly catcher. They might also need an affordable shortstop if Lugo leaves.
The Devil Rays were interested in Atlanta's Wilson Betemit last spring but wanted a player with second-base experience and got Atlanta's Nick Green in the March trade for right-hander Jorge Sosa. Betemit has played primarily third base and shortstop.
Lugo also had 36 doubles, six triples and a .362 on-base percentage last season, nearly 30 points higher than his OBP over the previous three seasons. He's scheduled to make $4.95 million in an option year in 2006, then be eligible for free agency.
With only a one-year commitment to Lugo, the Braves would be able to evaluate several middle-infield prospects in their organization and determine if any would be ready to take over the position in 2007.
Two of the club's top four prospects are shortstops — 23-year-old Cuban defector Yunel Escobar and 17-year-old Elvis Andrus.
Betemit and Tony Pena are playing well in winter ball, but the Braves apparently want a veteran at shortstop and atop their batting order.
Braves GM John Schuerholz acknowledged Tuesday that he was busy working on the shortstop situation but didn't elaborate.
Lugo drawing interest from Braves
By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/30/05
Braves free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal is leaning toward signing with the Chicago Cubs.
A source familiar with negotiations said Furcal received a five-year offer from the Cubs that was significantly greater than he was offered by the Braves, in dollars and contract length.
The race for Furcal is down to two or three teams — Braves, Cubs and possibly the Los Angeles Dodgers — with a decision expected within a few days.
Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, was scheduled to have dinner Tuesday with Furcal to discuss the proposals, and they were waiting to hear what the Dodgers offered in a Tuesday night meeting in Los Angeles between Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and an associate of Kinzer's from RKL Baseball Group.
Kinzer met with the Braves on Monday after meeting with Cubs officials on Sunday at an Atlanta hotel. Furcal stopped by for a brief discussion with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry during those meetings.
The Dodgers got in the Furcal sweepstakes last week after Colletti was hired as GM.
Kinzer said Furcal eliminated Kansas City and other teams early in the process. The Mets, who wanted Furcal to play second base, dropped out of the bidding after committing large sums to new first baseman Carlos Delgado and closer Billy Wagner.
That left the Braves and Cubs as frontrunners in the chase for Furcal, who got phone calls from Cubs manager Dusty Baker and several Cubs players, including Greg Maddux, a former Braves pitcher.
"He's very comfortable with both these places [Atlanta and Chicago]," Kinzer said. "He has a lot of friends on the Cubs, and you know his comfort level here with the Braves, especially with Bobby [Cox] and Andruw [Jones].
"And the Dodgers — we'd have to see what's going on there. They got into it late, but we're going to listen to what Ned has to offer."
Jones said three weeks ago that if Furcal didn't get the deal he was looking for from the Braves, he didn't think the shortstop would stay with Atlanta.
Kinzer said Furcal's respect and loyalty to Cox has made the entire process difficult.
"It's making the decision a lot tougher," Kinzer said. "He does appreciate everything that happened here. I'm telling you, we've had a lot of calls, and if we pursued a lot of the teams that called, there'd be a lot more money on the table.
"It hasn't been that way with Raffy; he just wanted to talk to the teams he's comfortable with and cities he likes. We didn't want to play one team off another to get the best deal. We haven't done that."
Knowing there was a possibility they'd lose Furcal, the Braves began exploring other options after the season ended. Tampa Bay shortstop Julio Lugo is high on their list of possible replacements.
The Braves met with the Devil Rays during the general managers meetings three weeks ago in Indian Wells, Calif., and discussed a possible trade for Lugo, 30, who batted .295 with six homers, 57 RBIs and 39 stolen bases in a career-best season for Tampa Bay.
A source familiar with discussions said the Braves and Devil Rays had more talks Tuesday about Lugo, a right-handed hitting Dominican who batted in the leadoff and No. 2 spots in the batting order last season.
It was uncertain what Tampa Bay would ask in an exchange for Lugo, but the Devil Rays have been looking for starting pitching and help at third base, first base and possibly catcher. They might also need an affordable shortstop if Lugo leaves.
The Devil Rays were interested in Atlanta's Wilson Betemit last spring but wanted a player with second-base experience and got Atlanta's Nick Green in the March trade for right-hander Jorge Sosa. Betemit has played primarily third base and shortstop.
Lugo also had 36 doubles, six triples and a .362 on-base percentage last season, nearly 30 points higher than his OBP over the previous three seasons. He's scheduled to make $4.95 million in an option year in 2006, then be eligible for free agency.
With only a one-year commitment to Lugo, the Braves would be able to evaluate several middle-infield prospects in their organization and determine if any would be ready to take over the position in 2007.
Two of the club's top four prospects are shortstops — 23-year-old Cuban defector Yunel Escobar and 17-year-old Elvis Andrus.
Betemit and Tony Pena are playing well in winter ball, but the Braves apparently want a veteran at shortstop and atop their batting order.
Braves GM John Schuerholz acknowledged Tuesday that he was busy working on the shortstop situation but didn't elaborate.