Wire Taps: Washington Nationals' Starter Search, Javier Vazquez, Carl Pavano And Cliff Lee Chatter.

I've been laid up with flu-like symptoms for most of the last seventy-two hours, but I swore at some time this weekend a message flashed across the screen of my iPhone which reported that free agent right-hander Javier Vazquez was looking for a 3-year/$33M dollar deal on the market this winter following a 2010 season which saw him once again struggle in pinstripes in his second go-round with the Yankees. Palm Beach Post baseball writer Joe Capozzi had written about Marlins' manager Edwin Rodriguez talking to the 34-year-old veteran of 13 MLB seasons while both were back home in Puerto Rico in an article entitled, "Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez would love to reunite with friend — pitcher Javier Vazquez", which did originally contain the 3-year/$33 million dollar figure which prompted SI.com's Jon Heyman (SI_JonHeyman) to Tweet, "ok, now ive heard the most absurd asking price of winter. @joecapMARLINSsays javier vazquez seeks $33 mil/3 yrs", with @joecapMarlins, of course (if it wasn't obvious) being the Palm Beach Post's Mr. Capozzi, who soon redacted that part of his report, both in the article and via Twitter (after it had been RT'd 50-60 times and cited everywhere) when he wrote, "Sorry, folks, the $$ numbers in previous blog entry about Javier Vazquez [were] incorrect. An editing error. Have no idea on his money #Marlins."

Later Saturday night, MLB.com's Bill Ladson wrote on the Twitter (@washingnats) that as he'd previously been told, "The #Nats have expressed interest in right-hander Javier Vazquez," and according to a "source with knowledge of the situation" as Mr. Ladson wrote in a follow-up article entitled, "Nats could make offer soon to righty Vazquez", the Nationals, "...could make an offer to Vazquez as early as next week." At least Nats fans can be fairly certain that Vazquez and his agent won't be asking for a 3-year-deal, right?

Carl Pavano on the other hand...

Both Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore and Boston Globe writer Nick Cafardo wrote last week about the Nationals' interest in free agent pitcher Carl Pavano, who pitched for the Twins last season and set himself up for a raise with a comeback season just as he was set to become to hit the market again. Pavano, who'll turn 35 this January, is actually looking for a 3-year deal according to the Boston Globe's Nick Carfado who wrote Sunday in a section of an article entitled, "Many ways to play it on Upton and Gonzalez", on Pavano's options -- (which named the Brewers and Nationals potential suitors as he had previously on Twitter while adding the Marlins into the mix) -- that the Fish, "...would have to step up with at least a three-year offer north of $10 million per year," to get their one-time-starter back in fishstripes. The Nationals can't actually be considering a 3-year offer to Pavano can they? 

Mr. Cafardo also mentions the Nats in discussions about Cliff Lee, who he predicts will get offered somewhere, "...in the $115 million-$120 million range for five years," by the Yankees according to his sources, with the Rangers willing to match whatever NY's willing to spend. Of course the Nats did offer Mark Teixeira more than that, but he was 28-going-on-29 to Lee's just-turned-32. The Nationals are also brought up in talk about potential trade targets like Rays' infielder Jason Bartlett, Padres' first baseman Adrian Gonzalez...but not D-Backs' outfielder Justin Upton...

Though Arizona Republic writer Nick Piecoro did bring the Nats up in an article last week entitled, "Arizona Diamondbacks' Justin Upton a valuable trade piece", where he noted that D.C. GM Mike Rizzo (in his last season as the D-Backs' Scouting Director) had drafted and signed Upton before leaving Arizona for Washington in 2006.

Mr. Piecoro brings up both the Yankees and Red Sox as some of the other potential trade partners for the D-Backs, mentioning NY's catcher of the future Jesus Montero and left-handed pitching prospect Manny Banuelos (who just pitched in the AFL) as the sort of return Arizona could receive while throwing out Jacoby Ellsbury and Daniel Bard's names when talking about the Red Sox' interest in Upton. (Mr. Carfado mentioned the same names as ones Boston might be willing to part with for the record.) NY Post writer Joel Sherman, in an article last week entitled, "Diamondbacks gauging trade interest in Upton", wrote that "One executive" he spoke to, "...even suggested a package of outfield prospect Logan Morrison and righty Ricky Nolasco, who has won at least 13 games three straight seasons, would probably get a deal done." So...Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmermann again.