BaseballTalkOnline.com

Jayson Stark checks in today with rumors for a few free agents that he’s heard around the Grapefruit League.

• Stark states that the likely scenario for Corey Patterson is a return to Baltimore, though the Marlins would like to have him in center field as a way to not rush Cameron Maybin to the big leagues. However, with Scott Boras representing Patterson, they fear the price will be too much.
• Kenny Lofton’s agent, Casey Close, said Lofton has a handful of teams offering the aging outfielder a minor league contract to come to Spring Training, but Lofton isn’t willing to accept a minor league deal. He doesn’t want to accept an offer that would force him to come in and make the club, instead wanting a guaranteed major league deal. He’ll sit out until a team offers a major league contract.
• Gone for Kyle Lohse are the four to five year deals that Boras was looking for earlier in the off-season. Now, as he sits without a job, rumor has it that he may still wind up with the Phillies or Mets on a one-year deal. If that’s the news, it hasn’t gotten to the general managers of the respective teams. When Stark asked Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. if Lohse were still an option, he responded by saying, “Not anymore.” And Mets general manager Omar Minaya? His response was: “We’re done.”

Filed under: Corey Patterson, Florida Marlins, Flroida Marlins, Kenny Lofton, Kyle Lohse, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies