Griffey Rumors From Rosenthal

Yesterday we ran through various complications the Reds face in trading Ken Griffey Jr. Today, Ken Rosenthal addresses many of them. Rosenthal says Griffey "would not necessarily require a team to exercise his $16.5MM option for 2009 as a condition of a deal." On May 5th ESPN's Peter Gammons had written that Griffey was "unlikely to agree to a deal without that option being guaranteed." Rosenthal adds that Junior is open to more teams than he was previously, as being closer to his Orlando home is a less pertinent need than it once was. A big league source of Rosenthal's...

Mariners Send Exec To Scout Griffey

According to Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News, the Mariners sent consultant to the GM Duane Schafer to Shea Stadium this weekend to watch Ken Griffey Jr. Junior finds himself with a .254/.333/.384 line in 156 plate appearances. He's three homers shy of 600. There are plenty of complications with the Griffey-to-Seattle scenario: The Mariners are eight games back, seven out in the Wild Card, and in last place with a .385 winning percentage. The Reds are doing about the same, making it tough to say the Ms will offer a better chance at a ring. Raul Ibanez would...

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Wells, Griffey, Olney, Tavarez, Edmonds

A lot of links today, so let's get to what is being said about some trade and signing possibilities in the Blogosphere... The Darth Boss George Brigade wants Hank Steinbrenner to sign David Wells to prove that Hank is indeed his father's son. River Ave. Blues says the Yankees are too smart to sign Wells and then goes on to list about 87 pitchers that should be given a shot in the Highlanders' rotation before Wells. Redlegs Rant feels that Ken Griffey Jr. is behind the recent stories that speculate on him being traded. Mariners Central speculates on some of...

Stark's Latest: Griffey, Daniel Cabrera, Lidge

ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new column up; it's a must-read. Stark examines the impact of ten deals made last offseason; check it out. Because of last year's surprise playoff clubs, teams may wait extra long this year before throwing in the towel and trading veterans. As Peter Gammons has noted, Ken Griffey Jr.'s 2009 option will be an impediment in dealing him. Even if the Reds find a suitor Griffey will probably want that $16.5MM guaranteed for '09. Daniel Cabrera will be available again this summer. The Orioles should trade him as soon as possible; the .213 BABIP and...

Rosenthal's Latest: Reds, Marlins, Turnbow

Ken Rosenthal has a new column; let's take a look. Aside from Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr., Rosenthal suggests Walt Jocketty could look to trade veterans Paul Bako, Scott Hatteberg, David Weathers, Jeremy Affeldt, and Kent Mercker. Most of the Marlins' best players will reach arbitration for the first time after this season, which could prompt a trade or two. Rosenthal expects collusion investigations to go nowhere. The Brewers don't plan on paying any of the $2.5MM remaining on Derrick Turnbow's contract in order to trade him. They might end up losing him and paying it anyway, however.

The Griffey Situation

WEDNESDAY: Armstrong, through a spokesman, clarified that his comments about Griffey were meant in a broad, rather than impending, context. It doesn't sound like any trade talks have occurred at this point. I'm sure we'll be revisiting this topic though. TUESDAY: Bob Nightengale spoke to Ken Griffey Jr. recently. Junior's comments were not surprising or new - if the Reds decide to trade him he wants to play for a contender. Nightengale also has a comment from Mariners President Chuck Armstrong, who admitted he'd like Griffey to retire a Mariner. Griffey makes $12.5MM this year and has a $16.5MM option...

Gammons' Latest: Bradley, Griffey, Padilla

ESPN's Peter Gammons has a new blog post to discuss. Gammons says Cubs manager Lou Piniella would like to add a left-handed hitting right or center fielder to bat fifth. Milton Bradley and Ken Griffey Jr. seem like long shots though. It's odd that the Rangers wouldn't want to move Bradley. Gammons notes that the Rangers wanted Mike Pelfrey, Aaron Heilman, and Deolis Guerra for Vicente Padilla in the offseason. Even as a negotiation starting point, that's a ton for Padilla.

Reds Podcast Appearance

Yesterday I joined Dan Clasgens and Greg Shoemaker on the Get Sports Radio Reds podcast. You can download the mp3 here. On the show, I wasn't able to explain the Cardinals' hot start. How are they doing it? The starting pitching is clicking on all cylinders (with more help on the way), and the hitters are collectively getting on base quite often.

Teams Scouting Griffey, Dunn

If the Reds slip out of contention in May, Walt Jocketty might begin to field offers for corner outfielders Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn. Both are paid well and have at least some control over trade destinations. According to MLB.com's Jim Molony, "a few teams are having their scouts keep an eye" on the pair in case they become available. The standard speculation for Griffey is that he could be traded back to Seattle after he gets his 600th home run with the Reds. Junior might be a nice boost in right field for the Ms if Wladimir Balentien...

Rosenthal's Latest: Krivsky, Scherzer, Edwin Jackson

Ken Rosenthal has a new column up; let's take a look. Rosenthal gives a good refresher on July trade candidates; pretty much the names you'd expect. Reasons for Wayne Krivsky's firing are discussed. By the way check out John Fay's blog for some candid final comments from Krivsky. One interesting note is that he had no extension talks with Adam Dunn. The D'Backs could use Max Scherzer to strengthen their bullpen, or they could shop Chad Tracy for a reliever. Rosenthal wonders whether the Nationals might consider the under-30 segment of the next free agent class. Plenty of teams continue...

Odds and Ends: Chat, Krivsky, Valverde

Let's discuss today's random links. We'll be doing a chat here at 2pm CST, don't miss it! Jon Heyman suggests that the number of unqualified GMs is dwindling. He names seven whose jobs may be in jeopardy. Wayne Krivsky cleared the air on various issues, including the signings of Dusty Baker, Josh Fogg, and Corey Patterson. Jose Valverde denies the notion that he made outlandish salary demands of the D'Backs. Good news on Jorge Posada's shoulder; maybe the Yanks won't have to acquire a catcher.

Freel Unhappy

Reds beat writer John Fay talked to Ryan Freel tonight. Freel is not amused about sitting tonight in favor of Corey Patterson. Freel has been hitting well lately, better than Patterson. Wayne Krivsky shopped Freel around this spring, calling the Twins and other clubs. The lack of interest was no surprise; Freel was coming off a lousy season and earns $7MM over 2008-09. The versatile Freel hits lefties well, and was good for a .360-.370 OBP prior to last season. Still, the Reds would probably have to eat some salary or take some back in order to move Freel.

Hatteberg Hopes For Trade

According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, first baseman Scott Hatteberg would welcome a trade. Joey Votto, off to a .310/.319/.549 start (AVG/OBP/SLG), seems to have taken Hatteberg's job. When asked about the situation, new GM Walt Jocketty said he hasn't had inquiries on the veteran. He makes just $1.85MM, so that won't be an obstacle. Hatteberg, 38, hit .310/.394/.474 in 116 games last year for the Reds while facing mostly righties (he's a lefthanded hitter with a major platoon split). For that reason, Hatteberg wouldn't pair well with Carlos Delgado on the Mets. He'd be better suited to...

Rosenthal's Latest: Crede, Lofton, Millwood, Dunn

Ken Rosenthal has a new Full Count video up; let's discuss. Despite his .268/.330/.537 start, the White Sox would still entertain trading Joe Crede if it'd help the big league team. This is a change from their apparent springtime willingness to deal him for prospects. The most likely desire would be pitching, if the Sox can find a suitor. Jake Peavy put on his GM hat, suggesting the Padres sign Kenny Lofton. Rosenthal likes the idea, but notes that Kevin Towers will first turn to his farm system. I discussed some future trade candidates for San Diego in my latest...

Will Salty Callup Lead To Laird Trade?

Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been called up, and GM Jon Daniels has no plans for him to warm the bench. Salty performed well at AAA Oklahoma, and when backup backstop Adam Melhuse broke a bone in his hand on Thursday, the call-up seemed imminent. However, incumbent Rangers catcher Gerald Laird has also been solid to start the season. Given the organization's desire to get Saltalamacchia regular at-bats and the lackluster hitting of first baseman Ben Broussard, I think it's likely that the defensively sub-par Salty will see at least some time at the "cold corner." But with the Rangers off to...

Brian Gunn On Walt Jocketty

Brian Gunn is a regular at Baseball Analysts and The Hardball Times, among other places. Recalling his fine "GM In A Box" piece on Walt Jocketty in the THT annual a few years back, I asked him to dispel his wisdom once again on the Cards ex-GM back in October of 2007. An excerpt of his piece follows. WALT JOCKETTY By Brian Gunn New Reds GM Walt Jocketty was a big-game hunter with the Cardinals. He generally looked elsewhere for talent, and he landed some of the biggest names around. Here’s a brief look at his legacy. JOCKETTY’S STRENGTHS Jocketty...

Reds Fire Wayne Krivsky

The Reds gave the axe to GM Wayne Krivsky today, replacing him with Walt Jocketty. It was a short stint - Krivsky was hired in February of 2006. The move itself isn't a shock; it's just surprising timing. Notable moves during Krivsky's tenure: 2-12-06: Scott Hatteberg signed to a one-year, $750K deal. 2-13-06: Adam Dunn signed to two-year, $18.5MM extension. 3-20-06: Acquired Bronson Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena. 3-21-06: Acquired David Ross for Bobby Basham. 4-7-06: Acquired Brandon Phillips for Jeff Stevens. 5-26-06: Traded Cody Ross to Marlins for a player to be named later. June '06: Selected Drew Stubbs...

Odds and Ends: Burrell, Pedro, Fukudome

Today's link collection. Jon Heyman notes that Pat Burrell only wanted to go to the Yankees or Red Sox when the Phillies tried to trade him a few years ago. They're not great fits, but perhaps Burrell will have those two clubs at the top of his list when he hits free agency. Ross Newhan looks at the Dodgers' trade of Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields. He rates it the worst in franchise history. He also names the Brad Penny acquisition as the fourth-worst. Josh Kalk takes a look at Kosuke Fukudome's hot start for RotoAuthority. The Dodgers and Juan...

Juan Castro Designated For Assignment

Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News notes that the Reds have designated shortstop Juan Castro for assignment. This should make room for Jerry Hairston Jr. while giving the Reds ten days to shop Castro. Castro is a 35 year-old all-glove, no-hit type. The Reds owe him $975K this year plus a $100K buyout for '09. I imagine any interested party will wait the ten days so that the Reds pay the contract.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Adam Dunn

Adam Dunn will be a free agent after this season. So it's a safe bet that Dunn is going to have a career year and will cash in this winter, right? Not so fast. Dunn, who has hit exactly 40 home runs in each of the past three seasons, has only two so far. But that's not what makes Dunn's 2008 start so interesting. This season, Dunn's OBP is a robust .418, but his batting average is an anemic .191. How do we account for this dichotomy? Quite simply, Dunn has walked more than usual. So far, he's walked 19...

Odds and Ends: Hatteberg, Colon, Longoria

And now for more Odds and Ends around the league: In his latest "Full Count" audio piece at Fox Sports, Ken Rosenthal expects the Reds to do some roster shuffling that could come down to trades. Scott Hatteberg has become "expendable" with the recent emergence of Joey Votto and by the fact that the Reds have too many lefty hitters. Cork Gaines latest Baseball Blogs Weigh In delved into the Evan Longoria signing. To add to that, Ken Rosenthal, also in his Full Count piece, notes favorably that Longoria has set himself for life without having to establish himself and...

Reds Interested In Piazza?

WEDNESDAY: Hal McCoy ran this one by Dusty, who implied that he hasn't had any discussions about Piazza specifically. Meanwhile Fay says the Reds have "mild interest" in his latest article. TUESDAY: This morning, Mark Healey of Gotham Baseball wrote that Reds manager Dusty Baker expected his team to sign free agent catcher Mike Piazza. Reds beat writer John Fay checked in on the rumor, and it he didn't get a denial. Whether or not Piazza is the target, the Reds are looking for catching help and/or a right-handed bench bat. Piazza, 39, hit .275/.313/.414 in 83 games last year....

Odds and Ends: Schilling, Piazza, Howard

Tax day roundup... Some mild drama over whether Curt Schilling would consider pitching for the Yankees next year. He reiterated that he won't. It takes two to tango, anyway. Pedro Martinez may be out until June. Nelson Figueroa's chance continues, with Claudio Vargas as the backup plan. The Mets still have a solid rotation without Pedro. Mark Healey has heard rumblings that the Reds and Yankees are looking at Mike Piazza. Phillies Nation on why they would trade Ryan Howard. Bill Barnwell looks at the four trades Randy Johnson trades. I thought the Unit looked respectable last night, though it's...

Rumor Royalty: John Fay (Reds)

John Fay covers the Reds beat for the Cincinnati Enquirer. John also has a popular Reds blog. He kindly answered some MLBTR reader questions today for our Rumor Royalty series. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MLBTR: How do you perceive the relationship between Wayne Krivsky and Walt Jocketty? Fay: On the surface, everything is fine, but I don't see what happens behind closed doors. I think if the Reds win this year, you could very well see the arrangement continue. Jocketty said as much when I did a story about the two this spring. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MLBTR: Any idea what the Reds offered for Joe...

Rumor Royalty: John Fay

Rumor Royalty's been in a bit of a hibernation lately, but we're bringing it back for the Reds. Beat writer John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer gets the nod; he's kindly agreed to answer a few questions. John's blog can be found here. If you've got Reds hot stove questions for John, fire away in the comments. I will pick a few and send them over.

Francisco Cordero Drama

There's been a little drama unfolding the last few days regarding closer Francisco Cordero's defection from Milwaukee to Cincinnati for a difference of $4MM. According to Brewers GM Doug Melvin, the Crew stretched beyond their comfort zone to offer him four years and $42MM. Melvin set a deadline for Cordero and his agent Bean Stringfellow on his offer, as he didn't want to be played. Stringfellow figured the Brewers were at their limit and never came back to Melvin to see if he'd match the Reds' $46MM offer. Cordero himself has a different account; he says Stringfellow did come back...

Odds and Ends: Harden, Bonds, Ramon Hernandez

Time to round up today's linkage. Susan Slusser believes Rich Harden and Joe Blanton will both be traded this season. She sees the Yankees and Mets as suitors for Harden, though he's already having a start pushed back. Jim Caple recently made his case for the Mariners to sign Barry Bonds; his logic is sound. Our Brian Bannister Q&A got a mention in the KC Star. Nice! RotoAuthority has the fantasy take on K-Rod's ailing ankles. Pure speculation, but Ken Rosenthal thinks Ramon Hernandez would be a good fit for the Reds. Not sure if the Reds were looking at...

D'Backs Acquire Jon Coutlangus

The Diamondbacks and Reds made a deal yesterday. The D'Backs received 27 year-old southpaw Jon Coutlangus in exchange for 23 year-old outfielder Daniel Perales. Coutlangus has control issues, but the Reds used him for 41 innings last year. Lefties batted .231/.388/.277 off him. Baseball America liked Coutlangus in '07, suggesting that the converted outfielder's deception and cutter might be enough for him to shake off the lefty specialist tag. The D'Backs were lacking in left-handed relievers; the Reds had designated Coutlangus for assignment on Opening Day. They had more than enough lefties. Perales isn't much of a prospect, though FutureBacks.com...

Boras Demands For Alvarez, Hosmer Leaked?

Kiley McDaniel reports rumors of Scott Boras' asking price for '08 draftees Pedro Alvarez and Eric Hosmer. He's hearing a $9.5MM big league deal for Alvarez and a $7MM bonus for Hosmer - steep demands. Hosmer, a high school first baseman, has been compared to Casey Kotchman by Baseball America. He's a top ten pick. Alvarez, one of the top talents in the draft, plays third base for Vanderbilt but may end up at first. He figures to go within the first four picks (Rays, Pirates, Royals, Orioles) for sure. By the way, the Reds have the seventh pick, and...

Odds and Ends: Signing Johnny Cueto

Cincinnati's top three prospects garnered so much attention this spring that Johnny Cueto's dominant debut on Thursday caught even some well-informed baseball watchers by surprise. The 22-year old Dominican, who began last year in Single A, seemed to explode upon the major leagues as Athena did from the head of Zeus: fully formed, and from a very unexpected place. If you're a GM, just how do you get your mitts on a talent like Cueto's? Courtesy of Reds Insider, we have a peek at the story of the scouting and signing of the Reds rookie (is it still too soon...

Rosenthal's Latest: DeWitt, Murton, Vargas, Hatteberg, Pena, Baek, Piazza

Ken Rosenthal has his latest column up at FoxSports.com. As usual he is not shy about stirring up rumors. Let's take a look at what the rumor-guru has to say: Rosenthal notes that the Dodgers will go with Blake DeWitt at third base who has never played a game above AA. This comes after the Dodgers failed to acquire either the Astros' Mark Loretta, who was unavailable and the Royals' Esteban German, who was too expensive. The Royals were asking for the Dodgers' third best prospect, shortstop Chin-Lung Hu. He indicates that the Padres and the Rays are pursuing Matt...

Odds And Ends: Lahey, Gibbons, Freel

A couple minor notes this morning... The Phillies claimed reliever Tim Lahey off of waivers from the Cubs. Lahey was the top pick in the Rule 5 draft from the Twins' system. The Cubs had to expose Lahey to waivers prior to offering him back to the Twinkies. Rule 5 rules still apply with the Phillies, so Lahey must remain on their 25-man roster all season or be offered back to Minnesota. John Fay notes that after the Reds latest round of cuts the roster sits at 26 which could open the door for a trade. He doesn't offer any...

Reds DFA Mike Stanton

Can't say that I exactly understand this one, but the Reds have informed Mike Stanton that his services are no longer required. It's not that Stanton is too good to let go -- far from it, actually. Rather, the move is puzzling because of the team's recent decision to option lefty reliever (and former first-rounder) Bill Bray to the minors last night. Jeremy Affeldt stands as the team's lone lefty reliever. Stanton was pretty bad for the Reds last year, posting a 5.93 ERA over 57.2 innings. His splits against lefties weren't that encouraging, either: .306/.333/.429. The Reds will eat...

Reds Shopping Freel?

John Fay, writing on his Reds Insider blog, notes that the reason for the lack of cuts in Reds camp is that they might be looking to move Ryan Freel. He didn't elaborate much, other than to say he heard talks of Philadelphia, Minnesota, "and others." Freel is pretty versatile, having handled all three outfield positions, as well as second and third base. The Twins could use his bat in the lineup. But where would he play? Second? Displace recently-acquired Carlos Gomez in center field temporarily? Or just a utility role? The same situation appears to be in place in...

Phils Talking To Giants, Reds About Helms?

THURSDAY: Jim Salisbury says the Helms for Kline idea has fallen through, and Hal McCoy nixes the Helms for Stanton possibility. WEDNESDAY: The Phillies would like to conclude their offseason by swapping third baseman Wes Helms and the $2.9MM owed to him for a lefty reliever. According to Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News, the Phils are talking to the Giants and Reds about Helms. Steve Kline ($1.75MM) or Mike Stanton ($3.5MM) are the targets. The Reds may deem Stanton too pricey to cut. The Giants recently picked up Jose Castillo, but they also lost Kevin Frandsen. Moving Kline...

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bruce, Longoria

Yesterday Rob Neyer of ESPN.com wrote about the fates of Baseball America's top two prospects, Jay Bruce and Evan Longoria. While Bruce start the season in the minors, Neyer notes that the Reds could be a playoff contender if Bruce and Joey Votto receive 1,000 plate appearances. On the other hand, a decision has yet be made on where Longoria will start the season. Neyer feels that the Rays may wish that Longoria was not playing so well in Spring Training. He thinks the Rays should forgo the potential savings of keeping him in the minors and buy some goodwill...

Lofton Turned Down Two Offers

Kenny Lofton tells Ken Rosenthal, "age ain't nothing but a number." However, he feels that his age (41 in May) is the reason he's not getting offers he deems acceptable this winter. He's turned down two offers: a minor league one from the Reds and a Major League one from the Rays in excess of $1MM. Rosenthal suggests Lofton may retire, which would be a shame. I don't think fans would think less of Lofton if he played for a million or two; most wouldn't even know his salary. As a part-time player with suspect defense, does he really deserve...

Reds Seek Catching Help

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer is hearing a rumor that the Reds are "actively seeking a catcher." He speculates that Ryan Freel could be trade bait. Fay's note conveniently gels with some info from a Jeff Brantley radio appearance that a reader passed along. Brantley reportedly said the Reds have been scouting the Rangers' Gerald Laird. On a not necessarily related note, Brantley also mentioned that they may look to trade Matt Belisle. MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan recently wrote that the Rangers don't intend to trade Laird despite some interest. On the other hand, Jon Daniels admitted in Sullivan's article...

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Rule 5 Draftees

Last year the Reds selected Josh Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft despite only 23 games above Single-A and only 15 games anywhere since 2002 (actually the Cubs picked Hamilton and traded him to the Reds the same day). Hamilton went on to hit .292-19-47 in 90 games. This year, 18 players were chosen in the Rule 5 draft (14 pitchers). These players must remain on the 25-man roster all season or be offered back to their original club for $25K. By my count, three players (Sergio Valenzuela, Lincoln Holdzkom, Jose Capellan) have already been offered back to their original...