Steve Trachsel Rumors

Steve Trachsel Designated For Assignment

According to Roch Kubatko of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles designated pitcher Steve Trachsel for assignment today. The move was expected, given Trachsel's 8.39 ERA and 0.59 K/BB in 39.6 innings this year. The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec talked with Trachsel this spring and got the impression that he'd retire if the Orioles let him go (unless another team puts him in the rotation).   Continue Reading

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Talking Retirement: Smoltz, Trachsel, Mercker

Today we've got a trio of pitchers who may be ready to call it quits. John Smoltz will have season-ending shoulder surgery. Retirement is not out of the question, but right now he's got his eye on returning in '09. Jeff Zrebiec talked with Steve Trachsel in spring; he'll probably retire if the Orioles release him. Hal McCoy expects Kent Mercker to hang it up. He's on the 60-day DL with a sore back.   Continue Reading

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Odds And Ends: Duncan, Mather, Huntington, Trachsel, Rusch

A few notes to wrap up what I've come across this Saturday: The Hardball Times has an interview with Pirates GM Neal Huntington. It's plenty long. He talks about the dynamics in dealing with his former team, the Cleveland Indians. Steve Trachsel might be on his way out with the Orioles. Tough to argue against that move. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the O's are in the cellar, and might not climb out for the rest of 2008. Chris Duncan down, Joe Mather up. Could Mather be the piece that rounds out a powerful outfield? Or could he...   Continue Reading

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Orioles Discuss Lohse, Villone, Chacon

Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun says the Orioles are looking at various one or two-year stopgap free agents. According to Scott Boras, he and Andy MacPhail have discussed six or seven of his clients. Among them are Kyle Lohse, Ron Villone, and Corey Patterson. Lohse would probably not sign for two years, I'm guessing. Or in the American League. Who else might they have discussed? Jeff Weaver? Anyway, it's nice to see the Orioles getting along with Boras! Zrebiec notes that the O's have had "preliminary talks" with the agents for Shawn Chacon and Steve Trachsel. Looks like MacPhail..   Continue Reading

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Rockies Eyeing Burke, Ohman, Capuano

Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News has a list of available players the Rockies like. He names Chris Burke, Mark Redman, Steve Trachsel, Will Ohman, and Chris Capuano as the targets. Trachsel and Redman we know about; they are two among a slew of starters the Rockies are considering. Capuano is new to the list, however. They'll have some competition from the Cardinals on him. Burke is an option for second base and a player the Rox liked a year ago for the Jason Jennings deal. Now he'll come ultra-cheap. Mark Loretta is considered a long shot. The Rockies..   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Colon, Clark, Gagne

Random rumors, let's round 'em up. How about Bartolo Colon to the Mets? David Lennon notes that Omar Minaya sold the farm to acquire him in 2002 as the Expos' GM. Scott Lauber says Aaron Rowand is insisting on a five-year deal. He adds that the Phils have interest in Geoff Jenkins but he might be too expensive. Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller are considered untouchable, so don't look for the Tigers to make any big trades. Patrick Saunders runs down some free agents the Rockies may consider for the back end of their rotation: Tony Armas, Matt Clement, Steve..   Continue Reading

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Rockies Talking To Redman, Trachsel

UPDATE, 11-30-07 at 11am: Troy E. Renck spoke to Dan O'Dowd, who indicates the Rox are not close on Redman or Trachsel. They like that pair, but Brett Tomko and Jason Jennings continue to catch O'Dowd's eye. FROM 11-29-07 at 2pm: According to Tracy Ringolsby, the Rockies already have their 2008 rotation picked out: Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, Franklin Morales, and Jason Hirsh. Of course, counting on each to make 30 starts would be folly. With that in mind, Dan O'Dowd is looking for some veteran filler. Specifically, he's trying to sign Mark Redman and Steve Trachsel. Trachsel..   Continue Reading

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Zrebiec On O's and Free Agents

The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec was recently named Rumor Royalty for the Orioles. Jeff answered a few questions for MLBTR. MLBTR: Andy MacPhail has said he doesn't expect to be in on many free agents, but there was a rumor that the O's are entertaining Jose Guillen [note: written prior to debunking]. Do you expect them to spend any money on free agents this winter? Zrebiec: First, the Guillen report was inaccurate. He's exactly the type of player the Orioles are not interested in at this stage. As for other free agents, I see the Orioles making a couple of..   Continue Reading

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Cubs Rumors: Wood, Schilling

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has a Cubs update for us this morning. Let's start with Kerry Wood, who would garner plenty of interest on the open market. Despite rumors that Wood might look elsewhere for a chance to start, he's likely to stay with the Cubs as a starter. The Cubs are on Curt Schilling's list, and they'll be in the mix for him if his price is reasonable. I take that to mean not much more than $12-13MM. A cheaper option might be Hiroki Kuroda, though that could take a three-year commitment. So, perhaps a larger cash..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Bonds, Nathan, Barrett

Ken Rosenthal has a new rumor column up. Feels like it's been a while. Rosenthal thinks it's a sign of desperation that the Angels would entertain signing Barry Bonds, who doesn't fit in with their club. His OBP would fit in anywhere, but he would tie up the DH spot at the expense of Juan Rivera and Vladimir Guerrero. The Cubs are expected to bring Daryle Ward back at $1.2MM (makes sense) and Steve Trachsel at $4.75MM (questionable). Cubs fans can only hope Trachsel would be considered a tradeable asset, as Rosenthal opines. Rosenthal also quashes the idea of trading..   Continue Reading

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Cubs Acquire Steve Trachsel

The prodigal son returns - Chicago radio stations are reporting that the Cubs have acquired starter Steve Trachsel for third baseman Scott Moore and reliever Rocky Cherry. Apparently the two minor leaguers were able to slip through waivers, or perhaps Baltimore won claims on them. The obvious question - where does Trax fit into the Cubs' rotation? It's hard to picture him outpitching Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill, Jason Marquis, or Sean Marshall. Zambrano, Lilly, and Marquis are locks given their contracts, and Hill has the best ERA on the staff. Marshall doesn't seem to be ailing; his last..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest Videos: Hunter, Piazza

A couple of Ken Rosenthal new videos - Inside Pitch and Full Count - are up at FOXSports.com. Here's a summary of the rumor-related stuff. Rosenthal says Torii Hunter rejected a four-year, $56MM offer from the Twins. However, Hunter said today that he received no such offer. The Twins approached him about a contract extension, but he'll wait until the winter to negotiate. At any rate, Rosenthal believes Hunter will end up in the $18MM per year territory occupied by comparables Ichiro Suzuki and Vernon Wells. Mike Piazza could be an option for the Tigers if Gary Sheffield's shoulder problems..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Damon, Glaus, Wells

Ken Rosenthal has a new column up; here are some rumor-related points of interest. As you know, it doesn't make sense for the Yankees to keep both Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon around for 2008. It's just not an efficent way to spend $29MM. Rosenthal says Damon would be open to waiving his no-trade clause, if the Yankees struck a deal with a team that fell under his 12-team protection. Damon is apparently open to regular playing time on teams not located on the West Coast. The White Sox, Phillies, Braves, or Astros might make sense, in my opinion. The..   Continue Reading

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Rockies Rotation In Shambles

The Rockies are five games out in the NL West and two out in the Wild Card. Baseball Prospectus sets their playoff odds at a healthy 22-27%. Their main strength has been team OBP (second best in the league). The Rockies' offense has dominated at Coors Field. They've also had some fine relief work from Manny Corpas, Jeremy Affeldt, and even Jorge Julio. But to have a legitimate shot, the Rockies need to sort out their starting rotation. According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, injuries to Jason Hirsh, Rodrigo Lopez, and Aaron Cook have decimated the starting..   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal's Latest: Possible Waiver Deals

Ken Rosenthal has a new post up; below are some points of interest for rumor-hounds like us. Josh Towers and Steve Trachsel have both cleared waivers. You'll find their contract info as well as a complete list of those who have cleared waivers here. Rosenthal says the Rockies are monitoring both pitchers; they were forced to start journeyman Tim Harikkala today. The Rox also called the A's about Chad Gaudin but found the price prohibitive. Another reason a Gaudin trade wouldn't make sense is that he wouldn't pass through waivers. Towers is attracting multiple suitors. I think he'll have moderate..   Continue Reading

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Mets Hunting For Reliever, Second Baseman

Pretty much the same old story with the Mets, though Joel Sherman and Mark Hale of the New York Post do have some new tidbits. The authors name Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch, Octavio Dotel, and Eric Gagne as relievers on the radar. However it seems the asking price is too high for Gagne and the Indians have become the frontrunner for Dotel (they may have passed the Dodgers). Shawn Chacon doesn't catch the Mets' eye, and they don't want Chad Bradford's three-year commitment. They had that option with Bradford this winter. I think that logic is silly - Bradford's pitched..   Continue Reading

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Stark's Latest: Tejada, Buehrle, Morris

Jayson Stark posted a new column for ESPN yesterday; let's take a glance at the trade rumors therein. Miguel Tejada's out until August, so that obviously means he won't be traded this season. Right? Wrong - Stark and an AL exec think $30MM or so due to Tejada for the remaining 2.3 seasons on his contract would allow him to pass through waivers. Miggy could be a hot topic for the August 31st trade deadline. You may recall that last August Andruw Jones was placed on waivers, claimed, and pulled back. Andruw called the affair "rude." Here is a refresher..   Continue Reading

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Orioles To Become Sellers?

Jeff Zrebiec's article for the Baltimore Sun this morning discusses the possibility that the Orioles start selling off veteran parts as we approach the trading deadline. He specifically names Scott Williamson, Corey Patterson, Jay Gibbons, and Steve Trachsel as trade candidates. In a related note, Gotham Baseball's Mark Healey spoke to an industry source indicating that the Mets might be interested in trading for Williamson and Jay Payton. Williamson makes $900K this year, with additional incentives based on his number of games. Patterson, a Scott Boras client, makes $4.3MM and is a free agent after the season. His terrible hitting..   Continue Reading

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The Resurrection Of Steve Trachsel?

This article isn't really about the Orioles trading Steve Trachsel this July; it's more about how the starter nobody wanted is doing a fine job so far with a 3.82 ERA through 13 starts. Even a cursory glance at the underlying stats reveal that Trachsel's success this year is a house of cards. First, he has an absurdly low strikeout rate of 2.75 per nine. That's right, he's whiffed 23 in 75 innings. Lowest strikeout rate in the Majors given 70 IP? We have a winner, although Zach Duke and his 5.75 ERA is right there. How about his control?..   Continue Reading

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Orioles Sign Steve Trachsel

UPDATE: The O's wasted no time replacing Benson, signing Steve Trachsel to a one-year $3.1MM deal with a $4.75MM club option for '08. PECOTA says the Orioles overpaid by $625,000. Assuming he can hold together for 180 innings, Trax should be a tolerable replacement. The big news today courtesy of Ken Rosenthal is that Orioles starter Kris Benson is out for the season because of a rotator cuff tear. It's a bummer for Benson, as it may result in his $7.5MM option for '08 being declined. The injury leaves the Orioles scrambling to find a starter who can provide 180..   Continue Reading

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Orioles Sign Steve Trachsel

UPDATE: The O's wasted no time replacing Benson, signing Steve Trachsel to a one-year $3.1MM deal with a $4.75MM club option for '08. PECOTA says the Orioles overpaid by $625,000. Assuming he can hold together for 180 innings, Trax should be a tolerable replacement. The big news today courtesy of Ken Rosenthal is that Orioles starter Kris Benson is out for the season because of a rotator cuff tear. It's a bummer for Benson, as it may result in his $7.5MM option for '08 being declined. The injury leaves the Orioles scrambling to find a starter who can provide 180..   Continue Reading

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Nats Not Interested In Trachsel

Apparently Steve Trachsel has priced himself out of the Nationals' range ($3 million is too much I guess). Washington is not one of the three teams in the running for him, according to Bill Ladson. A few days ago, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Astros were talking to Trax but that Tim Purpura did not consider it hot and heavy. The Twins are out now too. So who are these two other teams? Trachsel was born in Oxnard, CA, so maybe he'd like to play on the west coast. The Dodgers and Angels would be closest to his hometown, but..   Continue Reading

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Nats Not Interested In Trachsel

Apparently Steve Trachsel has priced himself out of the Nationals' range ($3 million is too much I guess). Washington is not one of the three teams in the running for him, according to Bill Ladson. A few days ago, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Astros were talking to Trax but that Tim Purpura did not consider it hot and heavy. The Twins are out now too. So who are these two other teams? Trachsel was born in Oxnard, CA, so maybe he'd like to play on the west coast. The Dodgers and Angels would be closest to his hometown, but..   Continue Reading

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Astros Flirting With Trachsel

According to Tim Purpura, the Astros are flirting with free agent Steve Trachsel, but no heavy petting has taken place. Or something like that. Ken Rosenthal, for one, thinks the Astros should stop fretting about the $2-3MM price tag and sign him already for some depth. Personally, I don't know. I see what Trax has done this decade, and it's respectable. But the man is in serious decline. PECOTA says Chris Sampson, Fernando Nieve, or Troy Patton could do pretty much the same thing for the league minimum. This smacks of the Ramon Ortiz signing. It's just not a good..   Continue Reading

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Astros Flirting With Trachsel

According to Tim Purpura, the Astros are flirting with free agent Steve Trachsel, but no heavy petting has taken place. Or something like that. Ken Rosenthal, for one, thinks the Astros should stop fretting about the $2-3MM price tag and sign him already for some depth. Personally, I don't know. I see what Trax has done this decade, and it's respectable. But the man is in serious decline. PECOTA says Chris Sampson, Fernando Nieve, or Troy Patton could do pretty much the same thing for the league minimum. This smacks of the Ramon Ortiz signing. It's just not a good..   Continue Reading

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Mets Scoop: Tavarez, Zito, Benson, Baez

A slew of information coming from my Mets source today. Let's see what we've got. My source believes the Mets will give Julian Tavarez the four-year deal he's looking for. The market explosion has necessitated this length, and Omar Minaya will go to great lengths to avoid a subpar bullpen like last year's. The Mets are the current frontrunners for Barry Zito, and Lastings Milledge is still a requirement. As reported earlier, the Mets plan to request a 72 hour contract extension window upon trading for Zito, but would make the trade with just a verbal agreement from the pitcher...   Continue Reading

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Soriano for Milledge and Trachsel Proposed

We have some new details from my Mets source concerning a possible trade of Alfonso Soriano to the Mets. The latest report is that the Mets would send Lastings Milledge and Steve Trachsel to the Rangers for Soriano. The deal would be contingent on Soriano signing a long-term extension to play second base (not outfield). The 35 year-old Trachsel would be a decent, affordable addition to the back-end of the Texas rotation. Jon Daniels may express concerns about Trachsel's performance away from Shea Stadium in his last full season (2004). That year, Trachsel posted a 5.65 ERA with 16 HR..   Continue Reading

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