The latest from Buster Olney of ESPN.com (insider only)...
- Olney says that player decisions will remain secondary for the Oakland Athletics for as long as their stadium remains on Oakland. He says to look for them to trade Andrew Bailey because his stock will never he higher than it is now.
- He also says that they will listen to offers on Gio Gonzalez, as he likely will not still be with Oakland when they are ready to make a serious run at winning their division, which just got harder with the Houston Astros coming in in two years.
- He mentions that the Toronto Blue Jays could be in on Bailey, and that the New York Yankees might call on Gonzalez or Trevor Cahill.
- Justin Verlander won the AL Cy Young award yesterday unanimously, the first a pitcher has won the award unanimously since Johan Santana in 2006 when he was a member of the Minnesota Twins.
- Grady Sizemore is not close to signing with anyone, and for him it will come down to playing in the right lineup in the right ballpark on just a one year basis.
- Some last notes- The Los Angeles Dodgers will not sign a big bat; the Arizona Diamondbacks talks with Miguel Montero are at a standstill; a number of teams are interested in Heath Bell, and he mentioned he was interested in the Boston Red Sox; Brett Gardner could be a trade chip for the Yankees; the Kansas City Royals have a meeting with Roy Oswalt soon.