I/O: Corey Brock, at the Padres' site, relays that Kevin Kouzmanoff trade talks have hyper'ed down.   Other commentators wonder if this doesn't mean that they're getting more serious about keeping Gonzalez trade variations open.

CRUNCH: Brock used to be a local Seattle writer, for those of you who joined us late, and does a good job of separating actual data from his own speculation.  This snippet probably means that the Padres' people that Brock runs into, are reflecting a lack of action on Kouzmanoff.

The bit about Gonzalez is pure speculation, but it's fun to note that the Pads might have pulled their #2 hitter back for their own use.

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I/O:  The Mets' fans, notably the beat writers in New York, are reaching the point to where they think that Jason Bay has been shining them on the whole time.   They recommend a deadline-and-ultimatum to save the Mets' "dignity."

Olney says that the Mets are getting the feeling that Bay doesn't want to play for them.  Yeah, no kidding, Sherlock.

CRUNCH:  The Joel Sherman attitude (order Bay to sign the contract) is little more than personal peevishness on his part. 

A GM can pressure a player to sign if he has other credible options, as Bavasi did with Beltre/Sexson and other options such as Carlos Delgado.  The Mets could try to "threaten" Bay with Jack Cust :- ) but they'll get just as far as Boston did, threatening Bay with Mike Cameron...

and -

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I/O:  - We get a second day of signals that the Red Sox would like to have Jason Bay, but rumors "aren't exactly gaining momentum."

CRUNCH:  For Dr. D, a Bay-to-Seattle scenario is closer to "too good to be true" than it is to "doesn't pass a smell test" for advisability.  I put the chances of his coming here at what, 25% -- for inverse reasons to everybody else.  :- )

But if we all weren't so close to the situation, we might be thinking it's more like 80%.  Bay has been consistently blowing off everybody except the Mariners.

Read on it here is:  Bay wants to come here for any sort of reasonable offer at all.  If the M's simply say no, then Bay compares (1) a scaled-back offer from the payroll-crunched Red Sox to (2) the Mets' 4/$65 offer.

I wonder whether Bay would go to the Mets if they put the 5th year down right now.

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P-I Board question of the day:  speaking in terms of payroll flexing, Adrian Gonzalez makes $4.75 next year and $5.5 in 2011 -- about what Russell Branyan is supposed to. 

How Bay for $12m the next two years (and $14-15 the next two) ... and five prospects for Gonzalez.  :- )   While we're hallucinating, let's get Bedard back in here, just in time for the drive for 117 wins.

A silly roster, but far less silly than one that has Cliff Lee pitching day two of the season.

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I/O:  Kansas City writers talk about the Royals shopping Alberto Callaspo for an outfielder.

CRUNCH:  Callaspo is a lefty* 114-OPS infielder who is sort of like what Orlando Hudson would be, if Hudson were 27 and still good.   Acquiring Callaspo would re-boot the Flip Jose Lopez plan. 

Do you think the Royals would be interested in a Mariners player?  We've got a Bavasi left fielder dirtying up our roster.  :- )

No, we didn't request the move, recommend it, suggest it, or whatever.  Just saying the M's could probably flip a dead man walking, for a switch-hitting second baseman.

Happy Xmas,

Jeff