Headlines

  • Stuart Sternberg Has Agreed To Sell Rays To Patrick Zalupski, Deal Expected To Be Final By September
  • Nationals Select Eli Willits With First Pick Of 2025 Amateur Draft
  • 2025 MLB Draft, First Round Results
  • Red Sox Place Hunter Dobbins On 15-Day IL Due To ACL Tear
  • Astros Promote Brice Matthews
  • Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Pirates Rumors: Dotel, Ankiel, Iwamura

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | January 8, 2010 at 8:39am CDT

The Pirates won't spend as much on free agents as their division rivals, the Brewers and Cardinals, but they're still being aggressive. Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates are gaining momentum with Octavio Dotel, though talks with Rick Ankiel aren't progressing as well.

The Pirates, who made initial inquiries on Jose Valverde and Kevin Gregg before talks with the two relievers slowed, have offers out to Dotel and other relievers. As Ed Price reported yesterday, the Pirates are interested in Dotel's former teammate, D.J. Carrasco.

The Pirates aren't willing to promise any free agent – including Rick Ankiel – a starting job. The outfielder's agent, Scott Boras, hopes to find a full-time role for his client, so talks aren't developing, though the Pirates are open to signing the one-time pitcher.

Kovacevic also updates us on a couple former Rays. In this article, we hear that Akinori Iwamura has a release clause in his contract that allows him to become a free agent before he has six years of service time. He'll hit the open market after this year year if the Pirates don't lock him up. Also, the Pirates aren't interested in Jonny Gomes.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Pittsburgh Pirates Akinori Iwamura D.J. Carrasco Jonny Gomes Jose Valverde Kevin Gregg Octavio Dotel Rick Ankiel

Jose Valverde Has Four Offers
Main
Olney On Holliday, Valverde, Cust, Branyan
View Comments (13)
Post a Comment

13 Comments

  1. Phillip_Cannon

    16 years ago

    Everyone should be interested in Jonny Gomes. He his is a prime low risk high reward candidate.

    Reply
    • venn177

      16 years ago

      Yeah, it’s really weird how him and Kiko Calero are both getting just about ignored.

      Reply
      • bucs_lose_again

        16 years ago

        I’d love Calero to be added to the Pirates roster. He’d immediately bolster their putrid looking bullpen. However, as great as Gomes is with the bat, he’s right there with Dunn and Cust when it comes to glovework.

        Reply
        • venn177

          16 years ago

          I can’t think of a single team that couldn’t use Calero.

          For Gomes, if his defense gets THAT BAD, he can DH in the AL or be a hell of a bench bat in the NL.

          Reply
  2. bigkev88

    16 years ago

    A lot of us Pirates fans feel Akinori Iwamura is hear for the short term anyway. We fully exspect him to be traded at the deadline and Andy to be moved to 2nd base full time.

    Ankel doesn` t do a whole lot for me we have a bunch of Of right now as it is. Milledge,McCuthen and Jones are the starters and guys like Young,Moss,Bixler, and the kid we got from Flordia will be fighting for the bench jobs.

    i would love to have Dotel here as a teacher to our young closers in waiting. Meek I still think is a year away and Hangerhan needs to be pushed.

    Reply
  3. Jiujitsu411420

    16 years ago

    Glad to see the pirates and royals making moves. Even though they aren’t making huge splashes at least they’re trying to put a competitive team on the field. If they fall out of contention they will have some valuable trade chips at the deadline.

    Reply
  4. bigkev88

    16 years ago

    I would love to have Octavio Dotel has our Closer. He would sereve 2 fold 1 as a mento to our young Bullpen guys like Grabrow did and 2 he would push Hanerhan and Meek.

    D.J. Carrasco dont know much about him his bio says he might be a decent starter.

    Rick Ankiel where would he play. Milledge,McCuthen and Jones are going be our opening day starters. Young,Moss and the kid from Flordia will compete for 2 bench spots. Not to mention Tabata and Herndez down on the farm who might get a look this year more likely for Tabata but still.

    I would like them to sign a 1st basemen to push Clement cause if his d is not ML ready after St we can still send him to AAA if we need an have a rental at 1st that we can flip with Duke for a couple decent Prospects at the Deadline.

    Akinori Iwamura was brought here for a short term fix. He will be traded at or near the deadline and Andy will asume 2nd. This will allow Alverez once ready to take over 3rd.

    Reply
    • John Sparrow

      16 years ago

      Dejan, from the PPG, says that the Pirates have really zeroed in on Dotel. That’s good news, imo, and Dotel would be a big boost to the bullpen.

      I don’t think we need a 1B to push Clement, at this point. With Tabata close to the bigs, he might push Jones to 1B while taking the OF spot, which in turn would put pressure on Clement. Same with Alvarez, if he can’t stay at 3rd. So, I’d say Clement is being pushed plenty!

      I m really curious to see what happens to Iwamura if he stays healthy and plays well. If they don’t flip him, then Andy goes to the bench. If they do, then you have 2 question marks in the field, Andy at 2B and Pedro at 3B. Be interesting.

      Reply
  5. dennybones

    16 years ago

    Kiko Calero Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

    Reply
    • jdub220

      16 years ago

      What’s so funny? Kiko Calero is really good. Last two years, he’s had FIPs of 2.06 and 2.56. Pitchers like that don’t grow on trees.

      Reply
      • dennybones

        16 years ago

        he pitched in 5 games in ’08 and last year was the first decent year he has had since he posted a very average 3.41 / 1.28 ERA / WHIP in ’06. Pitchers like that do grow on trees.

        Reply
  6. bigkev88

    16 years ago

    I would love to have Octavio Dotel has our Closer. He would sereve 2 fold 1 as a mento to our young Bullpen guys like Grabrow did and 2 he would push Hanerhan and Meek.

    D.J. Carrasco dont know much about him his bio says he might be a decent starter.

    Rick Ankiel where would he play. Milledge,McCuthen and Jones are going be our opening day starters. Young,Moss and the kid from Flordia will compete for 2 bench spots. Not to mention Tabata and Herndez down on the farm who might get a look this year more likely for Tabata but still.

    I would like them to sign a 1st basemen to push Clement cause if his d is not ML ready after St we can still send him to AAA if we need an have a rental at 1st that we can flip with Duke for a couple decent Prospects at the Deadline.

    Akinori Iwamura was brought here for a short term fix. He will be traded at or near the deadline and Andy will asume 2nd. This will allow Alverez once ready to take over 3rd.

    Reply
  7. BravesRed

    16 years ago

    Until he can learn to have better command, give up less runs and hits, Keven Gregg will be nother more than a middle reliever. He wants to much money, and anyone that inquires on him is laughing at his price.

    Ankiel, if healthy can be very affective, he has proven this.

    Dotel also has proven when he can be good, he can be one of the better relievers in baseball, but when he is in his “bad streak” time, he is horrible. That’s why the FA market is “Buyer Beware”

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Stuart Sternberg Has Agreed To Sell Rays To Patrick Zalupski, Deal Expected To Be Final By September

    Nationals Select Eli Willits With First Pick Of 2025 Amateur Draft

    2025 MLB Draft, First Round Results

    Red Sox Place Hunter Dobbins On 15-Day IL Due To ACL Tear

    Astros Promote Brice Matthews

    Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

    Phillies Reportedly Targeting Controllable Relievers

    Yankees Prioritizing Pitching, Also Searching For Infield Help

    Orioles Trade Bryan Baker To Rays

    Yankees Release DJ LeMahieu

    Trevor Williams To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Nationals Fire PBO Mike Rizzo, Manager Dave Martinez

    Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff

    Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Bobby Jenks Passes Away

    Braves Release Alex Verdugo

    Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

    Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim

    Yankees Have Shown Interest In Ryan McMahon

    Royals Interested In Bryan Reynolds

    Recent

    Travis Jankowski Elects Free Agency

    Twins Acquire Noah Davis

    Orioles Outright David Bañuelos

    Stuart Sternberg Has Agreed To Sell Rays To Patrick Zalupski, Deal Expected To Be Final By September

    Adolis Garcia Drawing Trade Interest

    Poll: Who Will Win The 2025 Home Run Derby?

    Royals Place Michael Lorenzen On Injured List

    Yankees Claim Rico Garcia

    Blue Jays, Joe Mantiply Agree To Minor League Deal

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLBTR Podcast

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Alex Bregman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version