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BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot Counter

UPDATED AS THEY COME IN!

% on 76 Full Ballots

  98.7 - Rickey Henderson
  82.9 - Jim Rice
  77.6 - Bert Blyleven
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  68.4 - Andre Dawson
  47.4 - Jack Morris
  34.2 - Lee Smith
  27.6 - Tim Raines
  25.0 - Alan Trammell
  25.0 - Tommy John
  21.0 - Mark McGwire     

After 90 Partial/Full HOF Ballots  (76 Full & 14 Partials)

86 - Rickey Henderson                              
69 - Jim Rice
59 - Bert Blyleven  
54 - Andre Dawson
40 - Jack Morris
26 - Lee Smith
20 - Tim Raines
19 - Mark McGwire
19 - Tommy John
19 - Alan Trammell
 8 - Dale Murphy
 6 - Don Mattingly
 5 - Harold Baines
 4 - Dave Parker
 1 - David Cone
 1 - Matt Williams
 1 - Mark Grace
 1 - Pete Rose (Write-In) 

ESPN: Caple: Bert Blyleven: Hall of Famer or not?

And nothing like MLB.comeagain? with Hal Badley showing a clip of Jeff Reardon instead of Bert Blyleven. Fine job.

THE VERDICT

For a number of years I didn’t vote for Blyleven. He isn’t a slam dunk candidate but the Hall of Fame isn’t reserved only for 300-win, multiple Cy Young slam dunks. There is room for pitchers other than Tom Seaver. Blyleven was a very good pitcher for a very long time and I always second-guessed myself for not voting for him. I now vote for him and feel very confident with that vote. He belongs in the Hall.

Fan Graphs: Cartwright: What I Hate About Line Drives

From ponderosa to ponderates...LD, that is.

Today I am going to start off by climbing up on my soapbox to address one of my pet peeves, the use of Line Drive rates as a predictor for Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP). The standard practice is to estimate BABIP by LD/Balls in Play + .12. It is claimed that LD rateas are more stable than BABIP from year to year, and that when the actual observed BABIP varies from the predicted by a large margin, this indicates a future regression to the mean.

I’m in the process of updating my park factors for 2008, along with adding in 1999, 1955 and 1953 that the folks at RetroSheet have included in their most recent release. I’ve added a couple more categories, foul flies and line drives. Now, I’ve never heard anyone mention park factors when using LD rates, but in fact they are quite large. I might guess that there could different opinions of what is a line drive from one ballpak to another, or maybe it’s the air or the hitting background. I limited my LD factors to 2003-2008, when the RetroSheet data has complete information on whether a ball is a line drive, ground ball, fly ball or popup on every batted ball, including hits. In Arlington, a batter is 18% more likely to have a batted ball coded as a LD, which may have helped Milton Bradley to have the 2nd highest LD rate in 2008 - while in Minneapolis, it’s 20% less likely. Four of the lowest six LD rates belong to Michael Bourn, Geoff Blum, Ty Wigginton and Hunter Pence, and Minute Maid Park has the second lowest LD park factor at 0.82. This is not saying that Houston batters hit fewer line drives - it’s that Houston and it opponents both have 18% fewer balls scored as liners in Houston than they do on the road.

NYTimes.com :  Apples for a Nickel, and Plenty of Empty Seats (RR)

As Americans grapple with what could be the worst economic downturn since the 1930s, many are asking whether major league baseball, and professional sports more broadly, will prove impervious to the grim realities of the economic cycle, or will suffer as teams did then.

ajc: Moore: Andruw good fit for Braves (RR)

Only if they take Jumbo Nash’s uniform out of storage…

Worse, Jones is rather larger. He was listed as 210 pounds during his last impressive season with the Braves in 2006 (41 homers, 129 RBIs). His agent, Scott Boras recently told O’Brien that Jones is currently “down” to 230 pounds.

Definitely not good.

This is good: If the Braves could get Jones for a one-year deal at nearly $1 million with a bunch of incentives, they could see if he is close to his old self (and weight) in spring training. If he is, they could use Jones to keep center field warm until prospect Jordan Schafer is ready — which he isn’t.

If Jones isn’t anywhere near the vicinity of his old self, the Braves could move on to Plan B with Josh Anderson, Gregor Blanco or somebody else.

My hunch is that the Braves’ Plan A will work. That’s Plan A, as in “A” for Andruw, as in somebody who will spend more time in the batting cage this season than at the postgame buffet.

Sickels: San Diego Padres Top 20 Prospects for 2009

Widd Workman watch wover…

1) Kyle Blanks, 1B, Grade B+: I don’t know where he fits except as trade bait, but I’m convinced that the bat is real. Considered Grade B, but that’s what I gave him last year and he improved in ’08.
2) Jaff Decker, OF, Grade B: Need to see at higher levels, could be a cross between Brian Giles and Matt Stairs.
3) Mat Latos, RHP, Grade B: I believe in his ceiling, and while the intercostal injury is annoying, he pitched very well when on the mound.
4) Kellen Kulbacki, OF, Grade B: The Winner of the 2009 Josh Willingham Award, given to a guy who can really f**king hit, but who doesn’t get as much respect as he deserves due to lack of tools.
5) Cedric Hunter, OF, Grade B-: Improved slightly compared to ’07. Young, hits liners, Double-A will tell us a lot.
6) James Darnell, 3B-OF, Grade B-: Although drafted behind Allan Dykstra, his balance of tools and skills is likely more valuable in the long run.
7) Allan Dykstra, 1B, Grade B-: Will hit homers and draw walks, but where does he play?
8) Will Inman, RHP, Grade B-: Continues to defy the scouts. Needs to lower the walk rate but K/IP continues to stand out. Considering downgrade to C+.

SYSTEM IN BRIEF
I expected this system to be thin, but if you sit down and look at it, it is not as bad as people say. There is a definite lack of sure-fire stars, but there is considerable depth in C+ types.
Of the Bs, Blanks looks like he can be a solid first baseman, and Decker’s bat could be very special indeed. Kulbacki, Darnell, Hunter, and Dykstra should all be contributors in one way or another, and all of them have a chance to be regulars. I remain highly intrigued with Latos, if only he can stay healthy. I like Inman more than the scouts do, and yes I have seen him in person. He’s got flaws and I might go down to C+, but there is just something about him that makes me think he will continue to surprise people. We will see if that remains true in the PCL.
Antonelli is a huge enigma, and no I don’t know what to expect.

The Baseball Analysts: Lederer: The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Gainesville! Gainesville! Bert Blyleven has moved up...but does he have enough to hold on?

The numbers game is working against Blyleven this year. According to Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times, “In the last half-century, the BBWAA elected three players in only four elections. None of those votes (1972, 1984, 1991, and 1999) are good comps for 2009. On top of that, it’s very difficult for two backloggers to win a plaque in the same year, so [Blyleven and Dawson] are unlikely to join Rice. In the last 30 years, there have been only four times more than one backlogger made it in.”

If not in 2009, then one of the next two years is shaping up as a good opportunity for Blyleven to finally earn his due. While I would be in favor of Roberto Alomar and Barry Larkin in 2010 and Jeff Bagwell in 2011, I’m not at all convinced that any of these three players will make it in their first attempts. As such, Blyleven could be the odds-on favorite to have his day in Cooperstown in one of the following two summers, especially if he beats out Dawson this year.

Memo to BBWAA: Don’t let this go too far. Memo to Bert: Don’t let it get to you. While the waiting is the hardest part, it’s going to feel like something from a dream very soon.

IIATMS: Rosenberg: More on Mitre; Dissecting Romero’s claims

Ergo, pharm them out…

I managed to get hold of Matt Sosnick from Sosnick-Cobbe Sports, the firm that represents Sergio Mitre. Sosnick is not Mitre’s representative; Paul Cobbe is. Matt was kind enough to take a few moments to help clarify some things about Mitre’s story.

IIAMTS: Why should we believe Mitre’s story?
Sosnick: Paul and Sergio have been dealing with this issue for months, working with the MLBPA. Based on what I know about the situation, I believe there is zero chance that Sergio would be making this up.

IIATMS: It was noted in Peter Gammons’ original article that Romero claims he was offered a more lenient suspension (25 games) if he plead guilty. Was Mitre offered that same deal?
Sosnick: Mitre was not offered that deal. A lot of scenarios were bantered around as possibilities but Mitre was never offered a choice. My partner Paul Cobbe handled the entire deal with Mitre and the MLBPA hearing/appeals process. He was never offered a choice. We hoped for zero games; it came down as a 50 game [suspension] for both Romero and Mitre. We, along with the MLBPA thought that was unfair. If Romero claims he was offered 25 games to admit guilt, that comes as a surprise to us since Mitre was never made that offer.

IIATMS: Who knew about this and for how long?
Sosnick: Only myself, Paul and Sergio [and the MLBPA] were aware. We’ve been working on it for months. Paul and Sergio have been to NYC to discuss and meet with MLB officials. Once we knew that the league would release this today, the only person that I called was Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, out of respect for him and our working relationship. We released Sergio’s statement after the Romero statement was released.

Klapisch: Infield of dreams

Giambi’s athleticism was so dismal, he simply stopped trying after a while. The Yankees eventually turned a desperate gaze to Wilson Betemit, Shelly Duncan and Richie Sexson. The yearlong experiment was a failure: The phalanx of Yankee first baseman combined for a -5.2 UZR (ultimate zone rating), which was the third-worst in baseball last year.

Teixeira, by contrast, finished 2008 with a UZR of 11.7 – tops among major league first basemen. This metric is a growing favorite in the sabermetric community, its basic purpose to measure the number of runs above or below average a fielder is, based on his ability to get to balls in his vicinity.

Of course, it doesn’t take detailed data to grasp how the Yankees will benefit from a first baseman who, like Mattingly and Keith Hernandez from an earlier era, makes his infielders more proficient.

Specifically, that means A-Rod, whose sidearm delivery often creates a “drift” in his throws to first base, usually into the path of the oncoming runner. Even the normally steady Derek Jeter suffered throwing lapses last year, pulling Giambi off the bag for no apparent reason. Starting next month in Tampa, the shortstop will be heartened to know that it’s Teixeira, not Giambi, on the other end of those patented spin throws from deep in the hole.

Paid Teixeira on his tiptoed feet
Pulling Teixeira from the bag

Primer Dugout 1-7-09

Happy Birthday to Johnny Mize.

Jonah Keri: Moneyball Comes Full Circle

From Bill Deane to Buddy Deane and back again…

What’s more interesting to me isn’t so much what Giambi will bring to the team as what he represents. When Moneyball came out, those who failed to understand the point of the book ranted and raved about Billy Beane’s lust for guys who walk a lot. They questioned what would happen to the A’s when high-OBP guys stopped being undervalued.

Of course, OBP was never the point. Moneyball provided a snapshot in time of the baseball world and its inefficiencies. At the time that the book came out, OBP was plentiful and cheap (the Red Sox’ signing of David Ortiz, Bill Mueller and Kevin Millar for dryer lint and a couple of buttons being prime examples of this inefficiency back then). Since then, we’ve seen the trend shift numerous times. In the current climate, with analysis of defensive contributions becoming more common and more robust, teams are increasingly targeting well-rounded players who contribute both offensively and with the glove. They have, in turn, heavily discounted big, lumbering dudes who walk a lot, hit home runs, and can’t catch a ball if it dropped on their head during Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve.

RosenBlog: Milton Bradley: Hendry feels like a nut, fans won’t

The Cubs are giving a three-year contract to a guy who has yet to complete three years with any team in his career, who will be with his fifth team in five seasons, who played just 20 games in the outfield for Texas last year.

Does Jim Hendry know that the Cubs don’t use the designated hitter in this thing we call the National League in my country?

Bradley made his first All-Star team last year. Great. Bradley led the American League in on-base percentage (.436) last year. Great. Bradley led the AL in on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.999) last year. Great.

So, how come such a great, great, great hitter is available? Because he’s fragile physically and mentally. I mean, we’re talking about a guy who tore a knee ligament while trying to get at an umpire.

Bradley once accused then-teammate Jeff Kent of being racist. I don’t know what’s true there or why Bradley felt that way, but I do know that Jacque Jones and Dusty Baker said they got an earful and eyeful of racist comments while calling Wrigley Field home.

Thanks to Barnald of Planters.

Rosenthal: Dunn would be smart alternative for Dodgers

Robothalsapien V2 even comes preprogrammed with a selection of dance moves!

The Dodgers, on the other hand, are the likely favorite in the NL West. The Braves could intrigue Dunn; they have interest in him, but not on a long-term deal at his desired average salary of $12 million to $14 million, sources say.

Dunn obviously would prefer a contract longer than two years, but at the right salary such a deal would make sense.

He would be only 31 when he re-entered the market, presumably in a better economy. At that point, he might be sitting on 350 homers, giving his next team the chance to market his 500th and perhaps even his 600th.

Ramirez, of course, is chasing his own milestones, but his history suggests that he might become a distraction if he is unhappy with his contract. Who knows how he would conduct himself if the Dodgers failed to meet his goal of a four-year, $100 million contract?

Dunn strikes out more than Ramirez. His .899 career on-base/slugging percentage isn’t as gaudy as Ramirez’s 1.004 figure. And, unlike Ramirez, he has never played in the postseason.

Defense? Neither is a good left fielder, but Dunn ranked slightly higher at the position last season according to the plus-minus ratings on Bill James Online.

Bonus WBC News: Terry Collins to manage China

Terry Collins will manage Team China in the second World Baseball Classic, which will be played from March 5-23 in four countries and territories and seven venues, Major League Baseball announced Monday.
He replaces Jim Lefebvre, who managed the Chinese national team throughout its formative years and recently left to become the Padres’ hitting coach.

Collins last managed in the Major Leagues with the Angels in 1999. He had three-year tours with the Angels (’97-’99) and Astros (’94-’96), and he compiled a 444-434 record over those stints.

Most recently, Collins managed the Orix Buffaloes in the Japan league, resigning from that position early in the 2008 season. He went to Japan in ‘07 after working as the director of player development for the Dodgers.

“Your Mission: Prepare a short-season A-Ball team to take on defending champions Samurai Japan in Tokyo and not get your asses kicked. You have two months. Good luck!”

Dodgers offer one-year deal to all-time save leader Trevor Hoffman

The ninth inning at Dodger Stadium could be Trevor Time this year.

As the San Francisco Giants consider trumping the Dodgers’ offer to Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have offered all-time save leader Trevor Hoffman a one-year contract to be their closer.

The Milwaukee Brewers also are in pursuit of Hoffman, who is expected to make his decision this week. It is uncertain whether the Brewers have offered a two-year guarantee to combat their geographical disadvantage, since Hoffman lives in northern San Diego county.

“He’s got three young boys, so he could go home a lot more if he signs with Los Angeles,” Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “That’s what free agency allows a player to do—pick where it’s best suited for him to play.”

Hoffman made $7.5 million last season with the San Diego Padres, who withdrew a $4-million offer to him in November. The Dodgers’ offer exceeds $4 million.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti declined to comment. Rick Thurman, the agent for Hoffman, did not return two messages from The Times.

Cowlishaw: Rookie voter wants Raines in Baseball Hall of Fame’s forecast

I voted for five players, although the only one I know is going to make it for sure is first-year eligible Rickey Henderson. The greatest leadoff hitter of all time is an automatic choice to get more than the necessary 75 percent of the votes. The results will be announced Monday.

The funny thing is that I voted for three others who will either make it or come very close – outfielders Andre Dawson and Jim Rice and pitcher Bert Blyleven – and one other who won’t come close but deserves it more than anyone other than Henderson.

In fact, if Henderson had spent his career batting second or third, then we might recognize Tim Raines as the greatest leadoff hitter of all time.

...But let’s get to Tim Raines. The man had 2,605 career hits, and 3,000 hits always has been Hall worthy. Why didn’t Raines get there? Oh, perhaps because he led the National League in walks seven straight years from 1982 through 1988. He also led the NL in singles, doubles and triples those seven seasons.

Jeez...Raines must be dripping more Black Ink than Koko the Clown!

Thanks to Rich L.

STL Post-Dispatch: Hummel - St. Louis Cardinals’ cash flow not as fluid as many thought

Not that the Cardinals have spent that much this offseason, but they might have less to spend than many have surmised… “Everybody talks about how much money we had come off (the books), but there’s the realities of the arbitration cases,” said Mozeliak, “and then there’s players entering their second years of multiyear contracts, like your Wainwrights and your Molinas, that are going to see bumps as well.”
...
Early in the offseason, Mozeliak spoke of being “aggressive” and also said the Cardinals would try to garner some “low-hanging fruit.”

“If I read the papers and if I go online to read the blogs, I’d probably be more aware of (the discontent),” said Mozeliak, who agreed that St. Louis fans hold the Cardinals to a high standard. “I can’t ignore that, but that can’t be the basis of the direction we go in.

“I have to do what’s best long-range and not make mistakes just to appease the headines tomorrow.”

That having been said, Mozeliak said he might use different terminology for public consumption from here on out.

“When I said we were going to plan on being aggressive, I thought we were,” Mozeliak said. “I’m not a wordsmith. Maybe I shouldn’t use words like that.”

And low-hanging fruit?

“I’ve been getting killed on that,” said Mozeliak, smiling. “To me, that’s defined as getting things done quickly — like getting (Jason) LaRue done and obviously (Kyle) Lohse.

“I guess I just need to choose my words a little better — or talk less.”

MLB.com: Mets to meet with Boras this week

According to multiple media reports, Boras has meetings set on Wednesday with executives of the Mets, who have already tendered an offer to Derek Lowe and also have an interest in re-signing Oliver Perez.

The Mets’ oft-discussed offer of three years for $36 million reportedly left Lowe cold.

Wednesday’s meeting will take place as the Mets begin to turn elsewhere for their need to bolster their starting rotation. A “person familiar with the talks” told The Associated Press that the club has already made an offer to right-hander Tim Redding and is approaching doing the same to lefty Randy Wolf.

AP: Mets to meet with Boras about Lowe, Perez

FOX: Rosenthal - Sources: SS Hairston to remain with Reds

The Reds, securing protection at shortstop, have reached a preliminary agreement with free agent Jerry Hairston Jr. on a one-year, $2 million contract, according to major-league sources. The deal, expected to be announced on Wednesday, includes $2 million in incentive bonuses.

Hairston, 32, chose to remain with the Reds rather than sign with the Cardinals in part because he expects to play regularly at short, sources said.
...
He played in only 80 games last season, but established career highs with a .326 batting average, .384 on-base percentage and .487 slugging percentage. His .427 OBP in the leadoff spot was second only to the Dodgers’ Rafael Furcal among players who made a minimum of 150 plate appearances batting at the top of the order. Hairston also stole 15 bases in 18 attempts.

Tim Brown: Romero deserved his punishment

Here’s what happened: Romero’s positive test was for a drug not listed among the ingredients of the product – 6-OXO Extreme – he purchased. Baseball officials bought a random bottle of the same supplement and, sure enough, its laboratory found traces of the same banned drug. Romero, then, was correct; the manufacturer screwed him, and maybe the manufacturer will be kind enough to reimburse Romero the million-plus dollars he’s going to lose during his suspension. Maybe the manufacturer will need a little legal prodding. Whatever.

But, that’s not baseball’s problem. And it is not the union’s battle.

The message from baseball – both the commissioner’s office and the union – to its players regarding over-the-counter supplements has been consistent: It’s risky. Contamination is possible, a player ought to surmise, with products that promise, say, “maximum testosterone production.” The supplement industry is inadequately regulated. If a player chooses to use a supplement, he’d best adhere to baseball’s program that certifies certain supplements. The league also maintains a hotline that, in part, helps players distinguish the safe products from the potentially hazardous ones. Romero, apparently, chose not to make that call.

In fact, according to sources familiar with Romero’s story, the pitcher was told by a wise soul last summer to quit using 6-OXO Extreme, a product he picked up at a nutrition store. And he did. Then started up again. Then he tested positive. His fault.

So, Romero will miss the Phillies’ first 50 games of 2009. Sergio Mitre, another pitcher who has a similar story with a different over-the-counter product, will serve his suspension recovering from surgery.

This is what zero tolerance looks like, what would have saved us from the freaks that turned baseball into a league for over-inflated clowns.

L.A. Times:  Giants’ interest in Manny Ramirez is real

It appears that at least one NL West team is preparing to ramp up—and it isn’t the Dodgers.

Bill Shaikin is reporting that the San Francisco Giants have a very real interest in signing Manny Ramirez—and might even consider offering a three-year contract.

The Giants’ hopes stem from two big factors: 1) A pitching staff led by Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum that includes Matt Cain and now Randy Johnson; 2) The fact that the Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres have done little if anything to improve.

MLB: Sweeney hopes to play one more year

Sweeney, released by the Oakland A’s late last season, wants to sign with another club in time for 2009 Spring Training.

“My dad always taught me growing up that you should never look back and have regrets. I want baseball to shut the door on me while I’m kicking and screaming,” he said. “My plan is to play this year. I don’t want to look back 10 years from now and look back and say, ‘Gosh, I wish I would’ve have given it another shot rather than just hang ‘em up.’ “

After 13 years with Kansas City, Sweeney signed a Minor League contract last winter with the A’s and made the roster. Because of knee problems, he played in just 42 games as a first baseman, designated hitter and pinch-hitter with a .286 average, two homers and 12 RBIs.

He won’t be returning to the Royals. “No, we haven’t spoken with the Royals,” Sweeney said. “They’re not one of the teams that have shown interest to my agent.”

..."Even though I’m one or two hits away from being a career .300 hitter and one home run shy of 200, the numbers should never identify a person,” he said. “If I wind up that way, that’s great, because that’s everything I had. If my career ends tomorrow, I’ll never have a regret.”

.299 and 199? I’d be Monk-###### the rest of my life!

Jim Caple: Pohlad was good, bad for Twins

Carl Pohlad, who ran the Minnesota Twins for a quarter-century on IOUs, postdated checks and loose change, died Monday at age 93. I assume the official cause of death was old age, but rising player salaries probably also played a role.

Pohlad owned his team longer than any current owner other than George Steinbrenner, purchasing the Twins in 1984. Was he a good baseball owner? The answer depended on when you asked the question. He deserves full credit for buying the Twins from owner/dinosaur Calvin Griffith in 1984 to prevent a possible move to Florida, as well as for putting the right people in place to take them to World Series championships in 1987—still the top sporting accomplishment for any Minnesota fan younger than 60 years old—and again in 1991. He deserves bitter curses, and he heard them, for repeatedly threatening to move the team if he didn’t get a new stadium, letting the franchise wither for much of the ‘90s and coldheartedly trying to kill it off during baseball’s infamous contraction episode.

He was ever the banker and ran the team as one.

A top Twins executive once told me that Pohlad didn’t mind not making money off the Twins, but he was dead set against losing a dime on a baseball team. This approach was occasionally effective, considering the two world titles and several playoff appearances despite one of the league’s lower payrolls—but often frustrating. The Twins developed players only to trade them off when their salary rose too high for Pohlad.

Baseball America’s Top 10 Prospects: Philadelphia Phillies

1.  Dominic Brown, of
2. Carlos Carrasco, rhp
3. Lou Marson, c
4. Jason Donald, ss
5. Kyle Drabek, rhp
6. Michael Taylor, of
7. Travis D’Arnaud, c
8. Zach Collier, of
9. J.A. Happ, lhp
10. Jason Knapp, rhp

Down on the farm, Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Double-A Reading finished with the worst records in their leagues, a sign that most of the franchise’s minor league talent is collected at lower levels. With the big league team coming off consecutive playoff appearances, the Phillies can afford to be patient while prospects develop.

New general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., promoted from assistant GM when Pat Gillick retired after the World Series, inherits a championship club and a farm system with a growing number of high-ceiling talents. He didn’t inherit Arbuckle, his fellow assistant GM who took a job with the Royals when he didn’t get the GM gig, but other key members of the front office stayed in place.

Thanks to Don’t Go Back To Jumonville.

Rosenthal: Yanks sign IF Angel Berroa to minor-league deal

Finally Mrs. Macys Berroa said, ‘I want you to be a Yankee,’ and it was a done deal.

The Yankees have signed free-agent infielder Angel Berroa to a minor-league contract, according to major-league sources.

Berroa, 30, is expected to compete with Cody Ransom for the utility infielder job.

Berroa began last season with the Royals, but was traded to the Dodgers in June, where he filled in for the injured Rafael Furcal.

Sherman: Yankees set to lower offer to Pettitte

And if that doesn’t bring him back, they’ll lower it even more.

Andy Pettitte’s chances to return to the Yankees New York Yankees have dropped precipitously because in the aftermath of the Mark Teixeira signing the organization is now strongly inclined to lower the $10 million offer that the lefty already has been resistant to all offseason, the Post has learned.

Pettitte recently rejected the Yankees’ latest $10 million overture, and now - barring a wave of sentimentality by the Yanks or significant change of strategy by either side - that dollar figure very likely will not be offered again.

Multiple sources refused to divulge if the offer had been lowered already. But one executive briefed on the matter described both the chances of making a deal and the $10 million bid as on life support. Another executive said he did not believe that the $10 million offer was there to be taken any longer. A lowered offer almost certainly would assure the end of the prideful Pettitte’s second tour with the Yankees.

Sources: Giants can’t afford Manny

As hard as Scott Boras may be trying to portray the San Francisco Giants as serious bidders for Manny Ramirez, it’s even harder to find executives in baseball who believe that.

According to one source familiar with the Giants’ thinking, just about every recent rumor connecting the Giants with Manny is “unfounded” or “baloney.”

“If a million things came together over the next few weeks, would it be possible? Maybe,” the source told ESPN.com. “But for where [Boras] is right now and where the team is right now, it doesn’t make sense economically and it doesn’t make sense for how the team fits together.”

Sources tell ESPN.com that in a conversation with the Dodgers last Friday, Boras continued to talk about five-year and four-year deals worth upward of $25 million a year. That caused the Dodgers to turn their attention away from Ramirez and back to the bullpen market, where they’re pursuing a group that includes Trevor Hoffman, Juan Cruz, Dennys Reyes and Guillermo Mota.

Teixeira: ‘In the back of my mind, the Yankees were always the top’

The Yankees officially introduced first baseman Mark Teixeira at a press conference at the old Yankee Stadium this afternoon. Here are few notable comments from the 28-year-old slugger, who agreed to an eight-year, $180 million free agent contract with New York Dec. 23, jilting the Red Sox, who were thought by many to be his first choice:

On whether he planned on signing with the Yankees all along:

“The whole process was confusing. Sometimes I’d tell Scott to stop calling me, then I’d call him five times a day saying, ‘Tell me what you know!’ Two weeks before Christmas, I talked to [my wife] Leigh about it again, and we kind of decided that, hey, the Yankees are where we want to be. Cash [Brian Cashman] might want to give Leigh a hug, because when I asked her during the process, ‘Where should I go, where should I go?,’ she’d always say, ‘I just want you to be happy.’ Finally she said, ‘I want you to be a Yankee,’ and it was a done deal. Once we got the contract figured out, it was a no-brainer for me.”

It’s interesting to note that the Red Sox’ visit to Teixeira’s home in Texas came on Dec. 18, which is just a week before Christmas. If Teixeira’s comments can be taken at face value, he made his mind up a week before the Sox’ trip.

Or as BDD pumps...Boras, Leigh Duped Sox.

O’s, Uehara agree on two-year deal

Ue’hara, U.S. Treasury.

The Orioles appear to have filled one vacant spot in their wide-open rotation while at the same time officially opening the door to the Far East.

Two industry sources have confirmed that the Orioles have agreed in principle on a two-year deal with Japanese right-hander Koji Uehara.

The deal is pending specific contract language and a physical, which is expected to occur possibly later this week, though an appointment in Baltimore has not been scheduled.

Uehara, who turns 34 in April, will become the first Japan native to play for the Orioles in their big league history.