Jerry Crasnick writes on the ESPN Winter Meetings blog that have more interest in Erik Bedard than Johan Santana and may be more willing to include Matt Kemp now that they have acquired Andruw Jones.

Crasnick proposes that a deal would probably be a 4-for-1 swap centered around their top pitching prospect, Clayton Kershaw, along with either Kemp or Andre Ethier.

Crasnick believes they will first explore less pricey options first, such as free agent Hiroki Kuroda or Oakland’s Joe Blanton.

According to WFAN, the Dodgers may have offered OF Matt Kemp and P Jonathan Broxton to the Orioles for Erik Bedard.

Broxton, 23, would likely close for the Orioles if this happens. He went 4-4 with a 2.85 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 82 innings of work last season.

Kemp, 23, hit .342 with 10 HRs and 42 RBIs during the 2007 campaign in 292 at-bats.

Here’s a rundown of Hot Stove news this morning…

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the New York Mets made a strong run at Orioles LHP Erik Bedard at the general managers’ meetings earlier this month. However, at the time, Orioles representative Andy MacPhail was not ready to make a move. The Los Angeles Dodgers also inquired about Bedard, but got the a similar response.

Bedard, 28, went 13-5 on the season for the Orioles, ranked 3rd best in the league in strikeouts with 221 and 4th in the league with a 3.16 ERA in 28 games.

Rosenthal believes a package of prospects headed by OF Carlos Gomez could be “enticing”. The Dodgers would likely have to send a package of prospects headed by OF Matt Kemp.

Lastly, Ken also notes that the Twins would be better off dumping closer Joe Nathan for prospects if the team does decide to use 2008 as a rebuilding period.

The 33-year old Nathan is due $6 million this upcoming year, which is a great bargain for a closer of his caliber. In 68 games, Nathan went 4-2 while converting 37 of 41 saves and a 1.88 ERA for the Twins in 2007.

Considering the landscape of this free agent market, this year could be the biggest off-season of trades in quite some time.

Johan Santana, Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis, Scott Rolen, and Miguel Tejada are among those who could be seeing a change in scenery this winter.

In terms of Santana, Jayson Stark on ESPN writes that the Mets might be the team most willing to give up the prospects needed to get him.

One NL executive says: Watch out for the Mets, given the pressure on GM Omar Minaya to win now.

“Omar seems determined to make a huge splash,” the exec says. “And I think that’s the guy they’ve had earmarked all along.”

The Dodgers, Angels, Yankees, and Mets would appear to be the top teams in the running for Santana.

The Yankees don’t appear willing to deal Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, or Phillip Hughes, which would likely put they out of the running for Santana.

The Dodgers would need to make a choice on who to use their prospects on, Cabrera or Santana. Buster Olney on ESPN cites a NL source who said that the Dodgers and Marlins are ‘pretty far apart’ on Cabrera. Olney writes that ‘there is growing expectation around the game is that the Angels will land Cabrera’.

However Rosenthal believes the Angels no longer are the front-runners for Cabrera.

Rosenthal cites major-league sources who say, if the Dodgers are willing to part with outfielder Matt Kemp along with third baseman Andy LaRoche and Class AA left-hander Clayton Kershaw, they would likely be able to land the Marlins All-Star third baseman.

If the Dodgers fail to land Cabrera, they are rumored to have interest in Scott Rolen as well.

Jayson Stark believes it will take two young players to get Dontrelle Willis. The Mets, Mariners and Diamondbacks are believed to have interest.

The Orioles want to get rid of the $26 million left on Miguel Tejada’s contract which does not leave many suitors. The Dodgers and Angels may use Tejada as plan B if they lose out on Cabrera. The O’s are also rumored to be shopping Erik Bedard.

The Reds may make Ryan Freel or Scott Hamilton available due to the emergence of minor league player of the year Jay Bruce.

The Pirates could offer 26-year old Ian Snell who has more quality starts (22) than Santana or Roy Oswalt and a better strikeout rate (7.66 per 9 innings) than Carlos Zambrano or Ben Sheets.

The Phillies are looking at Randy Wolf, Matt Clement, Kris Benson, Mike Wood, and Japanese free agent Hiroki Kuroda.

The Baltimore Post reports that the Los Angeles Angels may turn their attention to Miguel Tejada if they lose out on Miguel Cabrera.

The Marlins want Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick along with right-hander Ervin Santana, right-handed reliever Chris Bootcheck and possibly Class AA right-hander Nick Adenhart.

Hot Foot reported earlier this week that the Dodgers appear to be the front runners on Cabrera, offering a package of outfielder Matt Kemp along with third baseman Andy LaRoche and Class AA left-hander Clayton Kershaw.

Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports believes the Dodgers are now the front runners in the race for Miguel Cabrera.

Earlier today, Hot Foot relayed a story from Mike Di Giovanna at the Los Angeles Times who believes that the Jon Garland deal could lead to the Angels trading for Miguel Cabrera, freeing them up to trade young pitching for Cabrera.

However Rosenthal believes the Angels no longer are the front-runners for Miguel Cabrera.

Rosenthal cites major-league sources who say, if they are willing to part with outfielder Matt Kemp along with third baseman Andy LaRoche and Class AA left-hander Clayton Kershaw, they would likely be able to land the Marlins All-Star third baseman.

The Marlins have had their sights on Kemp since last season. Cabrera is two years away from free agency, Kemp five years away, making him an attractive target for the cash conscious Marlins.

Kemp batted .342 and hit 10 HR with 42 RBI in 292 at bats last season.

Trading Kemp would make the Dodgers bigger players for Aaron Rowand, Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones.

Hunter is scheduled to have dinner at Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks‘ house tonight, along with general manager Jon Daniels, manager Ron Washington, starting pitcher Kevin Millwood and Hunter’s agent Larry Reynolds according to a report in the Dallas Morning News.