INDIANAPOLIS — Teams were running from meeting to meeting talking about third basemen Wednesday, and former Seattle Mariner Adrian Beltre may have priced himself out of the market for most of them.
Agent Scott Boras held court and insisted five or six teams were after the 30-year-old, though no one but Boras may have totally believed that. More teams seemed interested in lower-priced candidates.
Boston acknowledges it has “serious” interest in Beltre, but would have to trade Mark Lowell before making a deal. By late in the afternoon, the Sox were in serious talks with Texas that could make Lowell a Ranger.
Three teams — Minnesota, Houston and Baltimore — have begun talking about getting help at third base. Unfortunately for Beltre, those teams seem more inclined to pursue free agent Pedro Feliz.
Other teams, including the Cardinals, Giants and Braves, prefer veteran Mark DeRosa. And Miguel Tejada has made it known he’s willing to move from shortstop to third base.
San Francisco’s interest in Beltre was so limited that late Wednesday they offered two players — outfielder Fred Lewis and infielder Kevin Frandsen — to San Diego for third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.
Given all that, it’s hard to see where Beltre would have five or six suitors. Boras, however, said he did and added that Beltre’s batting average and production over the last three years on the road — away from Safeco Field — was better than Jason Bay’s.
The Boston Herald reported Beltre’s asking price was $13 million a year for five years. That would narrow the field.
And eliminate the Mariners.
M’s sign Patterson
The Mariners’ lone move on the final full day of meetings was to sign outfielder Corey Patterson — a 30-year-old former Chicago Cubs phenom outfielder — to a Class AAA contract and invite him to spring training.
“No promises, just an opportunity,” general manager Jack Zduriencik said.
A left-handed hitter drafted in 1999, Patterson’s career has been one of potential not realized. With enough power to have hit 24 home runs in 157 games for the Cubs in 2004, he also struck out 168 times that season.
With a career on-base percentage of .290 over 10 seasons, Patterson played 16 games in the majors last year, five with Washington, 11 with Milwaukee.
Around the meetings
A day after Ivan Rodriguez signed a two-year, $6 million deal with Washington, Kansas City made a two-year offer to veteran catcher Jason Kendall. Colorado, meanwhile, offered former Mariner catcher Yorvit Torrealba a two-year, $5.5 million contract. … Aging, limping Vladimir Guerrero knows he’s nearing the end of his career, but wants a two-year contract this winter and almost certainly would have to stay in the American League as a DH to get it. So far, no one has offered more than one year. … White Sox GM Ken Williams has often used his players to help recruit others, and he’s at it again — with ex-Mariners. Reliever Matt Thornton says he has been talking to free agent J.J. Putz about joining the Chicago bullpen. What might sell that is the Sox trading closer Bobby Jenks, who apparently is being shopped. … Pittsburgh wanted a shortstop to push incumbent Ronny Cedeno, and they landed one in Bobby Crosby, who signed for one year and $1.5 million. A year ago, the Mariners traded for Cedeno to push Yuniesky Betancourt.
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