July 2006

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D'Rays Come Up Big With Joel Guzman

Given his insistence on playing shortstop after this season, it seems apparent that Julio Lugo truly is a rental player for the Dodgers. Lugo will certainly add more to the 2006 Dodgers than Joel Guzman could have, so the move is somewhat defensible for Ned Colletti. Still, the Devil Rays won big by getting the 21 year-old. Tampa Bay surrenders two months of Lugo for six years of young Guzman. Entering the 2005 season, Guzman was a 20 year-old shortstop compared to Alfonso Soriano by Baseball Prospectus. He ranked 7th overall on their top 50 prospects list. Even then he..   Continue Reading

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Yuliesky Gourriel Defection Rumor Untrue

Remember how we thought Cuban superstar Yuliesky Gourriel had defected? Not so, according to a couple of sources. Prensa Latina indicates that Gourriel returned to Cuba on Thursday. And the Westchester Journal News calls the rumor "untrue" (scroll down). Thanks to RotoWire for the tip. Looks like one of the most intriguing free agents is not available, after all   Continue Reading

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Viva El Birdos: Cardinals Acquire Jorge Sosa

You might have a hard time getting over there, as SB Nation's servers have been overwhelmed. But the Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos reports that the Cards have acquired pitcher Jorge Sosa for Triple A reliever Rich Scalamandre. Sosa's progression this year was as follows. First, he signed a $2.2MM deal with the Braves in January after posting a very flukey 2.55 ERA in 134 innings. Then Sosa pitched for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic as a reliever in March. The Braves decided to begin the season with Sosa as their #4 starter and John Thomson in..   Continue Reading

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Alfonso Soriano Stays Put

In the most surprising non-trade of the afternoon, the Nationals have retained Alfonso Soriano. Will the two sides be able to hammer out a long-term contract extension, or will the Nats just have to take a couple of draft picks for their left fielder? It'll be interesting to hear how the team spins this one. Right now it's hard to see how this was the right choice   Continue Reading

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Report: Affeldt, Bautista Dealt For Shealy

Reportedly, a Royals TV affiliate in Kansas City is saying that Jeremy Affeldt has gone through the clubhouse to say goodbyes. Word from MLB Radio is that Affeldt was sent to Colorado along with Denny Bautista for Ryan Shealy and Scott Dohmann. This one's been in the works for a while now, dating back to July 19th   Continue Reading

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Julio Lugo Traded To Dodgers

Word comes via ESPN that the Dodgers have acquired Julio Lugo for Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza. I definitely didn't see this one coming. Jeff Kent should begin swinging a bat right around now after hitting the DL with an oblique strain on July 18th. The Lugo acquisition gives the Dodgers excellent depth in their infield. Former second base fill-ins Willy Aybar and Cesar Izturis have been sent out in other, solid deals. Once Kent is 100% and ready to play Wilson Betemit becomes an excellent bench player for the rest of the year. He'd still remain the second baseman..   Continue Reading

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MetsBlog: Perez and Bell Traded For Linebrink

MetsBlog confirms Scott Miller's earlier scenario: the Mets have sent Oliver Perez and Heath Bell to San Diego for Scott Linebrink. UPDATE: Seems that all outlets are backing off this deal; it had been reported everywhere. Reportedly, Omar Minaya recently appeared on SportsNet New York and said rumors of the Linebrink deal are not true   Continue Reading

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Dodgers Acquire Greg Maddux

Ken Rosenthal tells us that the Dodgers have acquired Greg Maddux. Will be interesting to see who the Cubs end up with. UPDATE: CBS Sportsline indicates that the Cubs received Cesar Izturis in return. The Chicago Tribune's Dave van Dyck has a different take, but ESPN has confirmed the Izturis part   Continue Reading

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Stark: Yanks After Craig Wilson, Salomon Torres

According to Jayson Stark: "The Yankees are making a last minute run at Craig Wilson and are also talking to Pittsburgh about Salomon Torres." UPDATE: ESPN reports that Shawn Chacon goes to Pittsburgh for Wilson   Continue Reading

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Carroll On Twins' Last Minute Soriano Discussions

Via Will Carroll: "The Twins are in rapid-fire discussions with the Nationals regarding Alfonso Soriano. The offers center around pitching, with Matt Garza and Scott Baker the keys. The Twins offered Jason Kubel in the deal in lieu of Garza, but were rebuffed. I'm told that the Twins have informed Torii Hunter that he's being offered around; his option, if declined, would help "pay for" Soriano." We should know within minutes what Jim Bowden ultimately settles for with Soriano. My guess is that the Twins would rather stand pat than part with Garza. I think Kubel and Baker would be..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal: Kip Wells To Texas

Though the Red Sox seemed close, Ken Rosenthal now reports that the Rangers have acquired righty Kip Wells from the Pirates. Guess Jon Daniels stepped in with something better than Abe Alvarez. UPDATE: The Pirates snagged 22 year-old reliever Jesse Chavez in the deal. Chavez just got promoted to Triple A   Continue Reading

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ESPN, MLB Radio: Stairs To Texas

According to ESPN, the Rangers have acquired DH type Matt Stairs from the Royals. MLB Radio adds that the Royals received 26 year-old righty reliever Joselo Diaz in return   Continue Reading

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Stark: Mets To Get Roberto Hernandez, Oliver Perez

According to ESPN's Jayson Stark: "Mets are closing in on a big deal with the Pirates, for Roberto Hernandez and Oliver Perez. Still haggling about the rest of that deal." The Mets have been interested in these guys for a while; first I heard of it was back when Jeff Keppinger was dealt. SI.com now reports that Xavier Nady goes to Pittsburgh in the deal. I'm told that the Mets also have coveted Edwin Jackson as a project for Rick Peterson, but that interest may be on hold with this acquisition. UPDATE: Word via Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline is..   Continue Reading

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Duaner Sanchez Out For Season

Duaner Sanchez, one of the game's best setup men, is out for the season after separating his shoulder in a car accident, according to Ken Rosenthal. I'm just glad to see he is OK. Omar Minaya has 51 minutes to step it up and find a replacement. I think MetsBlog caught wind of this shortly after midnight   Continue Reading

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Carroll: Red Sox Looking At Craig Wilson, Geoff Jenkins, Moises Alou

In his latest update, Will Carroll tell us: "The Sox are also looking for cheap outfield help as a backup in case tests on Trot Nixon come up with a poor result. There are several names in play, including Craig Wilson, Geoff Jenkins, and Moises Alou. The question here will be price and fit. The Sox, even if Nixon is out for the year, could go with Gabe Kapler and Wily Mo Pena if the price is too high on an acquisition." My hunch is that the BoSox go with the latter solution, but I'm surprised how little action there..   Continue Reading

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CBS: Padres Acquire Todd Walker

According to Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline, the Cubs are about to send Todd Walker to the Padres. Another low-rent fix for Kevin Towers. UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal has learned that Walker was dealt for 19 year-old righty Jose Ceda, currently in rookie ball   Continue Reading

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McAdam: Red Sox Discussing Extension With Lugo

Via RotoWorld: "The Providence Journal's Sean McAdam said on WEEI radio that the Red Sox have been in contact with Julio Lugo's agents to discuss a contract extension." Nothing on this from the Boston Globe guys just yet. The D-Rays are going to have to scramble if they want to get something better than a couple of compensation draft picks for Lugo. One hour left   Continue Reading

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ESPN: Lidge, Ensberg Deals Dead

Buster Olney informs us that Brad Lidge will not be dealt, and Jayson Stark has indicated that a possible Padres trade for Morgan Ensberg is off. Plan B for the Pads looks like Aaron Boone...ugh   Continue Reading

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Tejada Off The Market

Ken Rosenthal has taken Jayson Stark's 5% chance of Miguel Tejada being traded and one-upped that by indicating that Tejada is off the trade market entirely. The Orioles had various offers floating about, but Peter Angelos ultimately did not see one he liked. We'll never be positive that the Angels really offered Ervin Santana and Erick Aybar. But if they did, the Orioles may have made a mistake by passing   Continue Reading

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Edes: Red Sox Inquire On Kip Wells

Check out Gordon Edes's latest blog posting for the Boston Globe. Through a Pirates source, Edes has learned that the Red Sox are discussing a trade for starter Kip Wells. Wells has been decent with a 3.16 ERA this month. He shut down the Giants last time out. UPDATE: ESPN's Amy Nelson says this one is on the verge of getting done. Also, word via Sons of Sam Horn is that this deal could be for Abe Alvarez   Continue Reading

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Lieber Rocked In Philly

In case you forgot, there is an actual baseball game going on today. Jon Lieber has been taken out of today's game after just four and two-thirds innings, but not because of an impending deal. He was yanked because the Marlins destroyed him with eleven hits and nine earned runs. Looks like Lieber's staying put. At this point, if David Dellucci or Pat Burrell is pulled from the game, it may just be to rest them because it's become a blowout. With Burrell, I think there's little sense of urgency because his contract would probably pass through waivers. UPDATE: My..   Continue Reading

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Olney: Red Sox Discussing Andruw Jones

According to ESPN's Buster Olney: "The Red Sox and the Braves have talked about a deal that would send Andruw Jones to Boston for Coco Crisp, Craig Hansen and a prospect. But according to an executive familiar with the discussions, the Braves made a counter offer, asking for Jon Lester to be the third player." This may be the surprise blockbuster that's been rumored; it's a testament to Theo Epstein that there hasn't been a whisper of this til now. We've got just 2.5 hours to go. If I'm John Schuerholz, I'd just try to get Lester involved and not..   Continue Reading

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Stark: A's Making Run At Soriano

With three hours and change left to go, add Oakland to the list of teams interested in Alfonso Soriano. Jayson Stark's latest also indicates that the Twins are "all over the Soriano scene." Soriano doesn't work the count, but he adds slugging. The A's are last in the league with a woeful .393 SLG. Hasn't been any better in July, either - they're at .375 this month   Continue Reading

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Justice: McLane Orders Lidge Trade

According to Richard Justice on his SportsJustice blog: "I'm told Drayton McLane ordered Purpura to trade Brad Lidge. I got this information from an official with another team. I would expect the Astros to deny it." Justice also mentions that Roger Clemens is pushing Drayton McLane for help, who has in turn orderd GM Tim Purpura to make something happen. Mets closer Billy Wagner is campaigning for Omar Minaya to bring Lidge in so Wagner can fix him. Also, I'm told Justice was recently on 610 AM in Houston. He mentioned that if the Astros trade Lidge for Hank Blalock..   Continue Reading

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Reds Acquire Lohse, Cormier

Wayne Krivsky did some tinkering this morning, picking up Kyle Lohse and Rheal Cormier in separate trades. Lohse, 27, was demoted on May 17th. After four solid efforts in Rochester, he was recalled and used in middle relief. Maybe, just maybe, he can get by as a fifth starter in the NL. The aggregate line of all the hitters Lohse has faced this year is .269/.334/.426 (.760 OPS). In comparison, Bronson Arroyo's batters faced have managed an aggregate .756 OPS and Aaron Harang's competition is at .754. So it's not like the NL Central is that much easier than the..   Continue Reading

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Red Sox Trade Rumors

It's tough to get anything out of Boston these days; Theo Epstein has plugged all of his leaks. Let's see what we can piece together though. According to Sean McAdams of The Providence Journal: "Friends of the Rocket insist he's sorry that he chose the Astros over the Red Sox." McAdams mentions that Clemens would love a trade to Boston if it could be done without infuriating the Houston fanbase. Also, a source of mine tells me that the Mets have inquired about Clemens. Then there's the possible three-way trade with the Rockies and Padres. The Padres would get Mike..   Continue Reading

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Tigers Trade For Sean Casey

Latest from Ken Rosenthal: the Tigers have found their left-handed bat in Sean Casey. Detroit gave up a minor league pitcher in the deal. Casey makes $8.5MM this year, but the Reds are paying one million of that. That leaves approximately $2.6 mil for the Tigers to cover. Casey should get most of the time at first base, as the Tigers demoted Chris Shelton to make room for him. In return the Pirates received right-hander Brian Rogers, not among Detroit's top 30 prospects entering the season. The 24 year-old has worked in relief at Double A this year, posting a..   Continue Reading

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Olney: Would Yanks Exercise Sheff's Option?

With Bobby Abreu now under contract for 2007, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Yankees would not exercise Gary Sheffield's $13MM option. He seems poised to head up a small group of free agent right fielders. However, Buster Olney makes a good argument for the Yankees to exercise his option even with Abreu in the fold. Remember, the Yankees are a team Olney knows well; he wrote a book about them. Sure, Sheffield may not be worth the full $13MM next year. But one of New York's competitive advantages is its ability to take on salaries. How many..   Continue Reading

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Mets Trade Rumor: Milledge For Oswalt Or Schmidt

Jon Heyman busts out a big one early Monday morning: the Mets are in "serious talks" for Jason Schmidt or Roy Oswalt. The key to any deal would be Lastings Milledge. Heyman mentions that Brian Bannister would be needed to pry Oswalt away but not Schmidt. He also says Aaron Heilman could be used to "enhance" a deal. It seems now that Oswalt really is in play, which is strange given the Astros' lack of depth behind Roger Clemens. Speaking of which, why not put the Rocket on the block instead   Continue Reading

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Carroll: Marquis For Heilman?

Fueled by pierogis, time to write up another rumor before I hit the hay. Monday should be good times. According to Will Carroll this evening, the Mets and Cardinals are talking about an Aaron Heilman for Jason Marquis swap. Most Mets fans seem up in arms at the possibility. After all, Marquis will be a free agent after this season and currently sports a 5.67 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. "But wait!" you're saying. "What about those times Tony La Russa sacrificed his ERA to save the bullpen?" Alright, alright, let's take those out (which is more than a tad generous)...   Continue Reading

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Washington Post: Marlins In On Soriano

Less than fifteen hours to go, and things are getting crazy. Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reports that the Marlins, yes, the Marlins, have made a bid for Alfonso Soriano. Apparently they have offered pitchers Yusmeiro Petit, Renyel Pinto, and Jason Vargas. That's not a bad bounty, though it lacks a future star type guy. I was surprised to discover this afternoon that the Marlins actually lead the NL in starter ERA. Scott Olsen's been lights out since June 1st, one of the best in baseball. Dontrelle Willis has been a touch above average. Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco..   Continue Reading

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ESPN: Dodgers Want Maddux

A report from ESPN's Amy Nelson indicates that the Dodgers are the "hottest team on Greg Maddux." According to Nelson: "The deal would be two L.A. prospects for Maddux; one would be a position player, the other a pitcher. And both would be high-level, likely coming from their loaded Triple-A team in Las Vegas." Well, let's have a look at Las Vegas's roster. I could see Delwyn Young as a part of this, and maybe Hong-Chih Kuo as the pitcher. Southpaw starter Greg Miller would be an impressive bounty. Anything above that - Andy LaRoche, Joel Guzman, or Matt Kemp..   Continue Reading

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Gotham Baseball On The Mets

Gotham Baseball's Mark Healey has an update with the latest buzz surrounding the Mets. Healey talks to various team officials and uncovers Billy Beane's reported asking price for Barry Zito: John Maine, Carlos Gomez, and Aaron Heilman. If you're not familiar with Gomez, here's a little background. He's a 20 year-old CF/RF currently residing in Double A. Gomez is holding his own with a .281/.341/.432 line so far, including a blistering July (1.096 OPS). He's a raw prospect and has struggled with lefties. Baseball America seems enamored of his tools and ranked him third among Mets prospects entering the season...   Continue Reading

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Stark: Mets, Rangers, Red Sox Inquire On Jason Schmidt

Jayson Stark's got a good one for us this evening over in his Stark Market. Stark indicates that the Giants are now listening to offers for Jason Schmidt on the heels of their recent losing streak. Apparently the Mets, Red Sox, and Rangers have inquired. Schmidt will be a free agent after this season, and he's said he would like to play for the Mariners. The 33 year-old grew up in Kelso, Washington. If the Giants really do change gears and pack it in for 2006, Moises Alou and Ray Durham could be a couple of other names that could..   Continue Reading

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Soriano Suitors Down To Two

Word from a source is that the teams still standing in the Alfonso Soriano sweepstakes are only the Astros and Angels. The White Sox, Tigers, and Twins appear to be out of the game, decreasing Jim Bowden's leverage. Would've been nice to play off the AL Central rivals against one another. Plenty of trade candidates have been connected to the Astros in recent days, including Roy Oswalt, Morgan Ensberg, Willy Taveras, Brad Lidge, and Adam Everett at the Major League level. L.A. seems to be dealing more in prospects, with Erick Aybar likely on the way out   Continue Reading

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Milledge Lifted From Tonight's Game?

I don't have the details yet, but it appears leadoff hitter Lastings Milledge was pulled from the Norfolk Tides game tonight after one at-bat (a strikeout). Does that mean he's Oakland-bound? I'll look into it. UPDATE: Never mind, he was ejected. False alarm   Continue Reading

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Carroll: Astros-Rangers Trade?

Will Carroll's latest rumor mill is churning up a new trade scenario: Brad Wilkerson and Rod Barajas for Brad Lidge, Morgan Ensberg, and Fernando Nieve. Barajas is most certainly expendable with Gerald Laird hitting .347/.380/.579 in 121 at-bats this year. Barajas will be a member of this offseason's weak free agent catcher class. Wilkerson's been subpar this season even while playing at Ameriquest, so I don't see how swapping out Ensberg's bat for his helps the club. Even Barajas's below-average hitting would be an improvement upon Brad Ausmus, but the Astros just wouldn't gain enough in the proposed deal. I..   Continue Reading

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Roy Oswalt's Name Enters The Fray

Here's a new one: could Roy Oswalt be traded in the next 18 hours? According to the Baltimore Sun: "Several industry sources confirmed the Orioles and Astros are negotiating dealing Tejada for third baseman Morgan Ensberg, shortstop Adam Everett and Oswalt, 28, who has already won 91 major-league games." The O's have said they are looking for established Major Leaguers in return for their superstar shortstop, and Oswalt fits the bill. Baltimore would have to have competitive designs for the 2007 season, as Oswalt is a free agent after that. According to Value Over Replacement Player, Oswalt has been the..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal: Belliard To Cards

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Cardinals will acquire Ron Belliard from the Indians sometime soon. Belliard went 2 for 4 in today's game against Seattle. Will Carroll is reporting that Hector Luna would go to the Tribe. Belliard, a 31 year-old second baseman, was hitting .289/.335/.419 entering today's game. He's been consistently solid since becoming a regular in 2003. The second base class plays at a higher level in the NL; league average is .276/.341/.424. Belliard is also middle of the pack as far as defense, but he will make a skilled double play partner for David Eckstein. Belliard,..   Continue Reading

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Abreu Traded To Yankees

As many are aware at this point, Bobby Abreu has been pulled from Philadelphia's lineup today against Anibal Sanchez in favor of Shane Victorino. It appears that a trade is imminent. UPDATE: ESPN's Buster Olney reports the deal is tenatively done - Abreu and Lidle to the Yankees. Jayson Stark is now indicating that 27 year-old lefty reliever Matt Smith may be part of the deal along with C.J. Henry. Smith has a 2.08 ERA in 26 Triple A innings this season   Continue Reading

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Pirates Trade Rumors

Let's run down all the possible trades Dave Littlefield and the Pirates have brewing. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review still has Oakland as the favorite for Sean Casey, a move that makes little sense to me. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette mentions a possible swap of John Grabow for Ryan Shealy. That sounds reasonable. Dejan Kovacevic's article also indicates that the Mets and Yankees are leading the charge for Kip Wells. The Yankees also want Craig Wilson and Roberto Hernandez. Wilson and Wells seem unlikely at this point, though, as the Abreu deal looks close   Continue Reading

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Houston Chronicle: Lidge For Blalock?

Jose De Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle mentions this morning that the Rangers are asking the Astros about Brad Lidge, and that Hank Blalock could be part of a deal. Such a trade would really pile on the third basemen for Houston, who already have Morgan Ensberg and Aubrey Huff. Ensberg is on the road to recovery from a shoulder injury, but Huff can play the outfield corners or first base   Continue Reading

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Miguel Tejada Trade Update

Next up, Miggy. Tejada got cold feet yesterday, saying that he wanted to stay in Baltimore and didn't want to move to third base. Also, the Orioles have rejected the offer of Ervin Santana and Erick Aybar. Seems foolish. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun: "If the Angels added another prospect to their package of Santana and Aybar, like possibly first base prospect Casey Kotchman, the trade could be completed. It is believed that the Angels' top two offensive prospects - Double-A shortstop Brandon Wood and second baseman Howie Kendrick - are not available." Angelos! We are talking..   Continue Reading

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Bobby Abreu Update

About 29 hours remain for GMs to get their deals done. Plenty of new stuff popped up this morning, as many sportswriters were saving good stuff for the Sunday edition. Let's start off with the Bobby Abreu saga. Late last night, we went to bed with Jayson Stark's update as the last word. Seemed like talks between the Yankees and Phillies were in advanced stages, and that it would be Abreu, Cory Lidle, and all their salary for a couple of lower-grade prospects. The latest from Ken Rosenthal is that the Red Sox are getting into the game, trying to..   Continue Reading

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Bernie Miklasz Gives Cards Update

Bernie Miklasz, the fine columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has a message board with the newspaper called Bernie's Pressbox. Miklasz dropped by Saturday night to provide an update on all sorts of Cardinals trade rumors. Here's a quick summary. Starting pitchers on the radar: Jon Lieber, Kip Wells, and Dontrelle Willis. Relievers: Rheal Cormier, Mike Gonzalez, Salomon Torres. Outfielders: Shawn Green, Jeff Conine. Infielders: Mark Loretta, Ron Belliard. Pirates GM Dave Littlefield has gotten a lot of criticism for his asking prices and unwillingness to trade certain players. I think he could redeem himself by dealing Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez..   Continue Reading

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Stark: Yanks Close To Abreu Trade

No, those weren't Jayson Stark's exact words. But he does have a late night trade update indicating that the Yankees and Phillies are hammering out a deal for Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle. Apparently the two clubs are negotiating which prospects will head to Philly. The Phillies are said to be targeting shortstop C.J. Henry and starter Steven White. For some reason Stark says C.J. Wilson in his update, but I believe he meant to say Henry. C.J. Henry was the Yanks' first round draft pick in '05. He's the best athlete in the system according to Baseball America. The..   Continue Reading

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Brent Clevlen Gets The Call

Is there any reason to call up a Double A outfielder who's hitting .224/.307/.350? Brent Clevlen joins the Tigers today, in the midst of his best month with the Erie SeaWolves (a .776 OPS in July). One possibility is that a trading partner wanted the kid showcased and the Tigers obliged. Entering this season, Clevlen was ranked Detroit's second-best position player behind Cameron Maybin. Clevlen is a 22 year-old right fielder with above average power potential, according to Baseball America. Back on July 17th, Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press mentioned that the Tigers could offer a package..   Continue Reading

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Maddux Leaves With Tip Of Cap

Many are speculating that Greg Maddux's excellent performance today against the Cardinals was his last as a Cub. He got the win and departed to a standard ovation, tipping his cap to the Chicago faithful. In other Cubs rumors, Will Carroll mentions today in his latest Will's Mill update that "the Cubs have received some indications that Aramis Ramirez is going to opt out of his contract at the end of the season, putting them in the same situation that the Brewers were in before moving Carlos Lee." Though many Cubs fans may not want to admit it, there's a..   Continue Reading

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Carroll: Final Offers Made On Tejada

In his the latest Will's Mill, Will Carroll indicates that the Astros and Angels have put in their final bids for Miguel Tejada. He also mentions that the Astros may turn to Julio Lugo if they can't get Tejada. In that case they'd have to compete with the Blue Jays. Lugo was released by the Astros in 2003 by Gerry Hunsicker. Chuck LaMar was a bad GM, but you have to give him credit for the Lugo signing and the Kazmir deal. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, right? Carroll also tells us that not..   Continue Reading

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Note To Hendry: Do Something!

1060West is a Cubs blog not afraid to tell it like it is. In this post, they compare Jim Hendry's situation right now to Mark Shapiro's: two teams that were expected to compete but now have no chance. Both clubs have plenty of veterans, and Shapiro has done a good job getting young players in return so far. Hendry, on the other hand, has two mediocre A-ball pitchers to his credit. Is there any good reason for the Cubs to hang on to Jones, Ramirez, Maddux, Eyre, Howry, Barrett, Dempster, and the rest   Continue Reading

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2007 Free Agent Market: Right Fielders

Updated 12-23-06 As you may know, I've been covering baseball free agents by position for several months now. Next up: right fielders. 2006 League Averages for Right Fielders: AL: .286/.349/.468 (.817 OPS) NL: .268/.345/.453 (.798 OPS) I'll be using info from John Dewan's Fielding Bible to assess these free agents' defensive abilities. Aubrey Huff played right field in 2003 and 2005, but it seems likely he'll be used elsewhere. Jeromy Burnitz - The Pirates and Burnitz have a mutual option for $6MM for 2007. When it's declined, he gets a $700,000 buyout. Burnitz slipped to an ugly .230/.289/.422 line for..   Continue Reading

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This Date In Recent Trade Deadline History

In recent years, July 29th has been the calm before the storm for deadline deals. Last year, not a single trade was made on this date. Same goes for 2004 and 2001. We have to go back to 2003 to find a July 29th with significant trading. The Yanks picked up Raul Mondesi for David Dellucci and some bums. The Red Sox snagged Scott Williamson. And a few other relievers changed hands. 2002 featured a blockbuster that is still reverberating: the Phillies sent Scott Rolen to the Cardinals for Placido Polanco, Mike Timlin, and Bud Smith   Continue Reading

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Boston Herald: Crisp In Trade Talks

Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald and Buster Olney of ESPN are hearing the same thing: that Coco Crisp is available in trade talks. In fact, Crisp was offered to the White Sox for a starting pitcher. The Sox have six of 'em, so it's anybody's guess. Maybe a buy low attempt on the fatigued Mark Buehrle? Nah. Crisp is hitting just .269/.322/.389 since returning from a broken finger and kidney stones on May 28th. His OBP is not down because he's drawing fewer walks - in fact, his walk rate has remained remarkably steady for years. It's down because..   Continue Reading

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Olney: Cards Interested In Shawn Green

In his blog this morning, Buster Olney mentioned that he'd heard that Shawn Green might be a match with the Cardinals. I think there had been rumblings to this effect, but haven't seen much in print until now. At .296/.354/.447 this season, Green falls below league average in the NL (.277/.360/.477). Still, he's pretty close and represents an improvement from what the Cards have thrown in left field this season. On the other hand, Green may not represent any improvement over John Rodriguez or Chris Duncan. All of this would be moot if Green won't waive his no-trade clause to..   Continue Reading

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Soriano Removed From Tonight's Game

Looks like something could be cooking, as Alfonso Soriano was just removed for Robert Fick in the 5th inning of tonight's game. The realist in me says it could just be that the Nats want to protect their top commodity given that they have no chance to win tonight's game down 11-1   Continue Reading

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Stark: Phils To Package Abreu and Lieber?

ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new lead on the Bobby Abreu discussions: the Phils have begun pitching Abreu and Jon Lieber as a package deal. Stark says that only the Yankees could consider it, and that the price would actually lessen in this scenario because of all the salary. Check out the Phils' salary page at Cot's Baseball Contracts; they've got a host of ugly commitments handcuffing Pat Gillick. Beyond Abreu and Lieber, there are contracts for Pat Burrell, Randy Wolf, Mike Lieberthal, Arthur Rhodes, and Tom Gordon. In my opinion, if you're going to blow it up, don't half-ass..   Continue Reading

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Braves Swap Betemit For Baez, Aybar

I step out for a twenty minute jog, and another deal goes down. Ned Colletti and the Dodgers made a nice move by snagging Wilson Betemit from the Braves for Willy Aybar and Danys Baez. The Braves add another free-agent-to-be reliever with closer credentials in Baez. While the 28 year-old has been more hittable than ever this season, he's compensated by posting career-low walk and home run run rates. The hits may stem from a strikeout rate that's become dangerously low at just 5.26 per nine innings. While Baez is a decent reliever overall, he's not the shutdown guy the..   Continue Reading

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Cuban Star Yuliesky Gourriel Defects

According to Will Carroll, Cuban third baseman Yuliesky Gourriel has defected. I'll try to relay what I've learned about Gourriel, who is likely to become quite the hot commodity in short order. Gourriel is approximately 21 years old. At least, that's his reported age. He's a third baseman but has experience at second as well. Last winter he flashed immense power at the baseball World Cup with eight home runs in eleven games; he also performed well in the WBC. Baseball America indicates that Gourriel would certainly be a first-round pick if he came up through the American system. A..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal: Angels, Astros Make Tejada Offers

Ken Rosenthal's got the scoop on a sweet offer made to the Orioles for Miguel Tejada: starter Ervin Santana and shortstop Erick Aybar. The Orioles, characteristically an indecisive team, need to pounce on this offer. Baltimore will not be ready to compete in the AL East for several years, and prime young pitching isn't offered up every day. Put Santana under Leo Mazzone's tutelage and he could blossom into a true ace. And Aybar, while overshadowed by the Halos' other infield prospects, looks to be an above average regular for many years. Not surprising to see Aybar used as a..   Continue Reading

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Burrell Continues To Sit

As a friend mentioned to me, Pat Burrell is one expensive bench player at $9.5 mil. Burrell is out of the lineup tonight for the fourth time in five games. Definitely seems like the Phils are attempting to showcase David Dellucci, who has a .976 OPS in 128 ABs this season (not including the 0-fer tonight). Dellucci, a left-handed hitter, had an .879 OPS in 435 ABs last year with the Rangers. As crazy as it sounds, Dellucci might be every bit as productive as Carlos Lee for the remainder of the season. Pat Burrell is doing his thing, with..   Continue Reading

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Carroll On Tejada-Astros Discussions

Baseball Prospectus author Will Carroll has opened up Will's Mill for the weekend, and he'll be burning up the phone lines fishing for all sorts of good trade rumors. Today he mentions an offer Tim Purpura has given to the Orioles for Miguel Tejada: Adam Everett, Morgan Ensberg, and Fernando Nieve. According to Carroll, Tim Purpura is focused on Tejada and is being urged by Roger Clemens to go get him. In Everett, the Orioles would be acquiring the game's best defensive shortstop. His hitting, at .241/.300/.327 this year, lags far behind the average AL shortstop. The average AL shortstop..   Continue Reading

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Carlos Lee Trade Fantasy Analysis

Visit RotoAuthority for a look at how today's trade should affect Carlos Lee for fantasy baseball purposes. Keep checking back at RotoAuthority as I'll address the other players in the Lee trade and any other major trades that occur   Continue Reading

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ESPN: Carlos Lee To Rangers

Breaking news from ESPN's Keith Law: "The Milwaukee Brewers are trading slugger Carlos Lee to the Texas Rangers as part of a multi-player deal, ESPN.com learned Friday. The Brewers are sending Lee, minor-league outfield prospect Nelson Cruz and a player to be named later to the Rangers for relief pitcher Francisco Cordero and outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix." Initial opinion: Jon Daniels got the best of Doug Melvin here. Daniels gets a player comparable to Mench in Cruz, only cheaper. He adds a huge addition to the middle of the lineup for the stretch run in Lee. Mench is..   Continue Reading

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Trade Rumor Roundup: 3 Days Left

Here's the latest Trade Rumor Roundup. Word is that TV broadcasts picked up Jerry Krause working the radar gun in Wednesday night's Royals-Orioles game. The former Chicago Bulls GM currently works for the Mets. That particular ballgame included work by LaTroy Hawkins, Andy Sisco, and Jeremy Affeldt, all of whom could interest New York. Buster Olney mentions in his blog today that Greg Maddux could go to the Brewers, Dodgers, or Padres. The Chicago Tribune says the Mets are an option as well. The Daily Southtown adds the Giants to the list. Olney also indicated that the D-Rays and Blue..   Continue Reading

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Latest Carlos Lee Trade Rumors

Doug Melvin, who I think is one of the game's better GMs, is currently fielding offers for Carlos Lee. According to Ken Rosenthal, Melvin recently offered a four-year, $48MM contract to the slugger, which was immediately rejected. A source close to Lee tells me that he had planned to come to Chicago on yesterday's off-day (he owns a house there), but was instructed by his agent and Milwaukee management to sit tight in because he's close to being traded. Lee mentioned that the Cubs are his number one choice in the offseason. ESPN's Jayson Stark indicated that the Twins are..   Continue Reading

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Brad Lidge On The Trading Block?

Both Ken Rosenthal and Richard Justice are hinting at the same idea: struggling closer Brad Lidge could be trade bait for the Astros. According to Rosenthal: "If general manager Tim Purpura dangles struggling closer Brad Lidge — as he did last off-season in a deal for Tejada — the possibilities could get interesting." The possibility first popped up in mid-December, though the situation was much different back then. Now, Lidge is pitching badly and his stock has fallen dramatically. Justice, a sportswriter for the Houston Chronicle, indicated in his blog today: "By the way, Fernando Nieve was sent to Round..   Continue Reading

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Trade Rumor Roundup: 4 Days Left

What's cooking this morning in the world of MLB trade rumors? Gotham Baseball's Mark Healey spoke to all sorts of baseball sources; here's his latest Rumor Mill. New developments: the Mets could pursue various Rockie pitchers, and the Yanks crave John Smoltz. My Mets guy indicates that the Wilson Betemit for Scott Linebrink deal that's been bandied about could go down at the last minute. What? He hears things outside of the Mets. SportsBlah sorts through the Alfonso Soriano rumors. Jimmy Gobble was scratched from his start last night. Let the rampant rumormongering begin. Actually, KC just switched him with..   Continue Reading

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Source: Cubs Turned Down Kendry Morales For Aramis Ramirez

A trusted Angels source gave me the scoop on the team's inquiries concerning third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Word is that Los Angeles offered first baseman Kendry Morales straight up for Ramirez and the Cubs turned it down. Morales, a 23 year-old Cuban defector, was called up to start for the Angels after hitting .311/.352/.463 in 42 Triple A games. He responded by hitting just .240/.302/.388 in 183 ABs between the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th spots in the batting order. According to Baseball America, Morales's defensive deficiencies limit him to first base or DH. Still, a team could probably get..   Continue Reading

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Tribe Trades Broussard For Choo

Ben Broussard was reunited with his former platoonmate Eduardo Perez today. He was dealt to the Mariners for outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. Broussard and Perez will combine to make a lethal combo, just as they did at first base for Cleveland. More teams ought to assemble this sort of sweet platoon. The combined efforts of Broussard and Perez this season come out to a .316/.358/.550 line, including 22 HR and 63 RBI. The .908 OPS is roughly equivalent to what Carlos Lee has done this season. The difference is that Broussard and Perez, or as I like to call them, Brourez,..   Continue Reading

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Kenny Williams Trade Profile

Given all the speculation of Kenny Williams's next move to fix his stumbling White Sox, I thought it would be useful to pull together a history of all the trades he's made since 2001. Download chicago_white_sox_williams.xls to take a look at that in an Excel file. As far as Kenny's July tendencies, he's made such acquisitions as Roberto Alomar, Carl Everett, Scott Schoeneweis, Carl Everett again, and Jose Contreras in the past. But Williams's signature trades have come in the winter: David Wells, Todd Ritchie, Billy Koch, Bartolo Colon, Juan Uribe, Scott Podsednik, Jim Thome, and Javier Vazquez. The exception,..   Continue Reading

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Braves Shopping Wilson Betemit

It's well known that the Braves are shopping infielder Wilson Betemit for more relief help, with the Yankees and Padres interested. At this point, Betemit is a .282/.340/.434 career hitter in about 500 ABs. The 24 year-old has played second base, third base, and shortstop in the Majors. Any team acquiring him should use him in the middle infield, where his offense is above average. As far as projection goes, Baseball Prospectus sees Betemit peaking in 2009 with an OPS around .815. Scouts have always loved him. Baseball America ranked him 99th in 2000, 29th in 2001, 8th in 2002,..   Continue Reading

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Hatteberg Signed For 2007

In a minor move today, Reds GM Wayne Krivsky signed first baseman Scott Hatteberg for 2007 with an option for '08. The 36 year-old slumped to an awful .256/.334/.343 line for the A's in '05. He signed a free agent deal in February for $750,000 with Cincinnati. This year, Hatteberg has surged to a .324/.417/.505 performance in 275 ABs. He's drawn a walk in an impressive 14% of his plate appearances, 12th in the league. Hatteberg historically performs worse against southpaws, and Jerry Narron has done well to use him primarily against righties. In the previous three seasons, Hatteberg faced..   Continue Reading

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L.A. Times: Angels Inquire About Ramirez, Tracy, Ensberg

We've heard Miguel Tejada as well as various mid-tier firstbasemen bandied about as possible trade targets for Bill Stoneman and the Angels. Mike DiGiovanna's article for the Los Angeles Times today also indicates that the Halos could pursue various slugging third basemen. Specifically, DiGiovanna mentions that the Angels have inquired about Aramis Ramirez, Chad Tracy, and Morgan Ensberg. Ramirez is on fire, hitting .329/.391/.763 this month with nine home runs. What some folks may not realize is that Ramirez has every reason and the ability to test the free agent market this winter. He would most certainly top the money..   Continue Reading

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Fantasy Baseball Rookies And More

New to MLBTradeRumors.com? Then you may not be familiar with our sister site, RotoAuthority. RotoAuthority is a fantasy baseball blog that's updated daily with all sorts of fun projections, sleepers, busts, and strategy. Our latest post concerns rookies predicted to make a splash before the season began. Another member of the network is AllCubs.com. The purpose of that one is pretty obvious. We have a team of writers discussing Chicago's National League ballclub. Check out the latest post over at Rays Index, an excellent Devil Rays blog. Cork ranks everyone's trade value and makes thorough roster projections for next season...   Continue Reading

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Royals Trade Dessens, Graffanino

Busy day for Dayton Moore, as he acquired all sorts of pitchers for his veterans. Let's start with his first trade: Elmer Dessens to the Dodgers for Blake Johnson, Julio Pimentel, Odalis Perez, and cash. If you're like me, you've never heard of Johnson or Pimentel, so let's start there. Pimentel and Johnson were ranked 16th and 17th among Dodgers prospects entering the 2006 season by Baseball America. Pimentel is a 20 year-old converted outfielder currently struggling in High Class A. Pimentel's teammate Blake Johnson is a 21 year-old righty who was drafted in the second round in '04. Just..   Continue Reading

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Trade Rumor Roundup: 6 Days Left

What's new in the world of trade rumors? It wasn't just Humberto Sanchez missing a start - Tigers prospect Jair Jurrjens is skipping two starts because of a stiff neck. While it certainly seems that recent trade winds could be at play here, it may just be a case of bad luck for Detroit. Both players can still be dealt despite the minor injuries. A few more nuggets concerning the White Sox's efforts to acquire Alfonso Soriano surfaced in newspapers today. Phil Rogers notes sources indicating that Scott Podsednik, and not Brian Anderson, would be part of a package for..   Continue Reading

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Soriano, Sanchez, Meche: Much Ado About Nothing

Seems that a couple of the more interesting rumors to come up today have proven to be nothing at all. The first was ESPN's rumor that Brandon McCarthy would be included in a Soriano to the White Sox deal, which was to be extremely close. It seems that the deal has fallen through at least in the short term, and Kenny Williams stated publicly that neither McCarthy nor Josh Fields will be traded. Still in the stockpile: Brian Anderson, Ryan Sweeney, Jerry Owens, Sean Tracey, Lance Broadway, Casey Rogowski, and Charlie Haeger. It has also been noted that Humberto Sanchez..   Continue Reading

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Humberto Sanchez Scratched

Looks like Tigers prospect Humberto Sanchez has been scratched from tonight's start for the Mud Hens. Maybe it really is this vague "health reason," or maybe a deal is in the works. According to the Boston Globe a few days ago, Sanchez was being scouted by the Nationals, Twins, Diamondbacks, and Pirates last Wednesday   Continue Reading

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Mariners Trade Rumor: Todd Walker

According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the Mariners are scouting the Cubs' Todd Walker. Walker would be platooned with Eduardo Perez at DH and would be used against right-handed pitching. From 2003-05, Walker has batted .290/.346/.458 against right-handers. The 33 year-old impending free agent makes $2.5MM this season. The Cubs have been trying to trade him since spring training   Continue Reading

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Donald Trump Interested In Buying Cubs

Interesting note from BenMaller.com this afternoon: Donald Trump would consider purchasing the Cubs, if they became available. The Donald is currently building a Trump International Hotel and Tower, a condo/hotel thingie, on the former site of the Chicago Sun-Times building. It should be completed in 2009, just one year after the 100th anniversary of the last time the Cubs won a World Series. If the Cubs ever become available, Trump would have competition from Mark Cuban. There's already a petition going   Continue Reading

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ESPN: White Sox Alfonso Soriano Trade?

Breaking news from ESPN is that the White Sox are "extremely close" to acquiring Alfonso Soriano. It seems that Brandon McCarthy is the main piece of the deal. The result would be a Murderer's Row with five players currently slugging .539 or better: Thome (.632), Dye (.620), Soriano (.594), Konerko (.555), and Crede (.539). The Sox already lead baseball in home runs with 146. What's more, ESPN also reports that Kenny Williams is looking to strengthen his bullpen by sending 23 year-old southpaw Double A starter Tyler Lumsden to the Royals for Mike MacDougal. Lumsden isn't striking anyone out, but..   Continue Reading

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Trade Rumor Roundup: 7 Days Left

Here's the latest from around baseball... Dejan Kovacevic mentions that the A's are considering Sean Casey. Casey's doing his usual good batting average/low slugging thing and he's getting $8.5MM for it. The combined efforts of Dan Johnson and Nick Swisher have been inadequate at first, but would Casey really help? Johnson is hitting .485/.575/.848 in 33 Triple A at-bats; maybe he deserves another look. The Athletics, who are dead last in the AL in slugging, wouldn't be helped by adding the powerless Casey. They need Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, Pat Burrell, or even Raul Ibanez to make a difference. The..   Continue Reading

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Trade Rumor Roundup: 8 Days Left

To begin with, this just isn't true. With the Kearns deal and probably Soriano trade, the 2006 deadline just can't be classified as a dud. That honor belongs to 2005 for sure. The trading action never matches the buildup, but this year's still a good one. Read Ken Rosenthal's latest. The White Sox are in the Soriano game, the Rangers have interest in Luis Gonzalez, the Braves could add another reliever, Julio Lugo still might become a Blue Jay, and the Brewers look like sellers. In my opinion, some Brewers besides Carlos Lee that could be unloaded: Geoff Jenkins, Corey..   Continue Reading

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Padres Acquire Scott Williamson

The Padres picked up 30 year-old reliever Scott Williamson from the Cubs today. In return the Cubs received some Class A pitchers: Fabian Jimenez Angulo and Joel Santo. Santo was ranked 16th among Padres prospects coming into this season, while Angulo was not in the top 30. Williamson is making $2MM this year. He was one of Jim Hendry's Tommy John rehab projects. This season, Williamson has dealt with a problem similar to tennis elbow. Speculation is that the Padres acquired Williamson to set up a trade of Scott Linebrink for a third baseman. The deal marks Jim Hendry's first..   Continue Reading

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