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Archives for June 2007

Zambrano Jokes About Cardinals

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OK, this is barely newsworthy.  But it’s still rumorish and I have gotten a few emails on the topic.  Yesterday in the clubhouse, Carlos Zambrano joked that his next catcher would be Yadier Molina.

I think it’s just Z messing around, but it doesn’t take much to stir up Cubs fans.  It’s worth considering: could the Cardinals sign Zambrano after the season?

St. Louis doesn’t have much salary coming off the books in just Kip Wells and David Eckstein.  And they’ll need a replacement at shortstop if they don’t retain Eckstein.  What’s more, several players will see their salaries escalate by a million or so.  Some major creativity on Walt Jocketty’s part would be required to keep the 2008 payroll under $100MM. 

I can see the Cardinals flirting with Zambrano this winter though.  Jocketty often flirts with the top free agent starter.  In the past it’s been Mike Hampton, Pedro Martinez, and A.J. Burnett, according to Larry from Viva El Birdos.

Speaking of VEB, Larry had a humorous baseball-related exchange with some lawyers while up for jury-duty.  Have a read.

Reds and Angels Discuss Dunn

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According to Ben Bolch of the L.A. Times, the Angels had preliminary discussions with the Reds regarding Adam Dunn.  Bolch’s source indicates that talks died because the Reds requested "a proven Major League starting pitcher, a Major League infielder – preferably a second baseman – and a top prospect."

Translation: Wayne Krivsky wanted Ervin Santana, Erick Aybar, and Brandon Wood.  OK, that sounds absurd.  And Aybar is a shortstop.  Negotiation is all about asking for more than you want and meeting at the right place, but I can’t figure out what the Reds asked for.  There’s no way they asked for the above with a straight face.  Maybe they wanted Santana and Howie Kendrick?  But then a top prospect on top?  C’mon now. Bolch’s source says the Halos wouldn’t trade Kendrick for Dunn straight up.

Santana plus one other useful player would be a fine bounty for Dunn, who will reach free agency after the season if he’s traded.

I have a correction, as I earlier wrote that Krivsky could simply exercise Dunn’s 2008 option and then retain freedom to trade him.  That’s not exactly true.  The situation, according to Ken Rosenthal:

"If the Reds keep Dunn and exercise his option after the season, he will gain full no-trade protection until next June 15. After that date, he could be traded to 10 clubs, but the list would be of his own choosing."

By the way, the Angels may turn their attention back to Miguel Tejada if they can’t get Dunn.  The Halos are again interested in him, according to the Riverside Press Enterprise.

Boras And Stark Battle Over Andruw

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Interesting debate going on over at David O’Brien’s AJC blog (which is a good read by the way).

ESPN’s Jayson Stark wrote a book, called The Stark Truth: The Most Overrated and Underrated Players In Baseball History.  One of the points was that Andruw Jones is overrated currently, because he has lost a step in center field and many folks have not noticed.  I think that’s the gist of it but still have to read the book.  So then Scott Boras called up O’Brien, complaining about how Stark is just profiteering and stir up controversey with the assertion.  Boras also appeared on ESPN to defend his client.  (Incidentally, no contract talks have taken place between Boras and the Braves regarding Jones and O’Brien doesn’t think Andruw will be offering any kind of discount).

Stark then read Boras’s comments on the blog, and took offense.  His response can be read here.  I was all ready to give Stark the upper hand here until J.C. Bradbury stepped in with his analysis of Stark’s rebuttal.  Now I’m back on Boras’s side.

Padres Showcasing Headley?

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The Padres called up Double A third baseman Chase Headley today, and he’ll start against the Cubs.  There are many reasons for the cup of coffee: he’s raking, Kevin Kouzmanoff is hurting, and Bud Black doesn’t like Russell Branyan.

I think there may be one additional reason Headley is getting a look: he’s being showcased for a trade.  That’s pure speculation on my part, but as far as I can tell Headley is the Padres’ best expendable trading chip.  He’s a solid third baseman and he’s in the midst of a power breakout this year.  Of course, the Padres could keep both players and move Kouzmanoff to left field one day.

If the Padres are to get involved for a big-name slugger like Jermaine Dye or Adam Dunn, Headley’s name will come up.  The White Sox and Reds don’t actually need a third baseman, but players can be moved around.   

Could Bucs Trade Jack Wilson?

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The Pirates have benched shortstop Jack Wilson in favor of Jose Castillo for the time being, and Pirate fans are quite pleased with the decision.  Wilson, 29, is signed through 2009.  Here’s his contract situation:

2007: $5.25MM
2008: $6.5MM
2009: $7.25MM
2010: $8.4MM club option with $0.6MM buyout
Limited no-trade clause: Wilson can block trades to six teams each season

Is Wilson a $7MM player?  He is if you really like his defense.  Yahoo’s Tim Brown spoke to a baseball man who seemed to think there would be interest in Wilson.  I don’t know.  His defense had better be really, really good to put up with a sub-.700 OPS.  Cesar Izturis could do that, and the Cubs probably won’t exercise his $5.45MM option for ’08.

I was going to list some possible suitors here but I can’t really think of any teams in need of an overpriced, all-glove/no-hit starting shortstop.

Schilling Would Still Take $13MM For ’08 From Red Sox

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Steve Silva of the Boston Globe writes about Curt Schilling’s appearance on WEEI this morning in the Extra Bases blog.

Apparently if the Red Sox were to offer Schilling the same $13MM he wanted in the preseason for 2008, he would still accept.  Does it still make sense for Epstein to play it safe, and then maybe give Schilling an additional million or two as a penalty?  That would be very agreeable to the Red Sox, but then they’d risk losing him. 

The concern is that Schilling may experience the same second half decline he did in 2006.  But after a closer examination of his last three months of last year, it wasn’t that bad.  He was hittable, but his trademark command was still there and he still managed 6.4 innings per start.  If that’s the worst case scenario it’s worth tying him up right now.

What Might Have Been: Clemens Almost Joined Rangers

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Jamey Newberg looks back with a very interesting article for MLB.com.  I wasn’t aware of any of this. 

Apparently back in 1999, the Rangers almost traded talented young center fielder Ruben Mateo to the Blue Jays as part of a package for Roger Clemens.  Newberg examines how all the related dominoes fell for Texas; it’s a good read.  The main players, Jim Bowden and Doug Melvin, are of course still wheeling and dealing today.

Twins After Mike Lowell?

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At this time last year, Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell had surprised most people by batting .310/.357/.515.  He slumped a bit to .267/.327/.448 thereafter, but it was a major bonus when the unwanted throw-in to the Josh Beckett trade became an asset.  That year, he was actually the better part of the deal.

The Padres had about three different Lowell trade rumors floating about last year.  What began as a legitimate, sensible rumor somehow became Lowell for Jake Peavy.  I still don’t know how that one picked up steam.  The Twins were mentioned, though I don’t know if it ever became an official rumor.

Today, La Velle Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that Lowell might be available again this year and could be a fit for the Twins if Boston eats some of his $9MM salary.  Neal says the Sox could pull a blockbuster, acquiring Mark Teixeira, moving Kevin Youkilis to third, and trading Lowell.  Sure, it’s a long shot, but we’re all about speculation here at MLBTR.  The guy that keeps coming to mind as a very useful possibly available Twin is Scott Baker.  I still refuse to believe that his repertoire and command can’t work in a fifth or even fourth starter role in the bigs.

Ken Rosenthal recently discussed clubs that could pursue Lowell as a free agent after this season: the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Phillies, and Astros.  Any of those teams aside from the Yanks could look to make that move a few months early via trade. 

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