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George Sherrill Rumors

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4:50pm: The Baltimore Sun lists the Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers, Cubs, Reds, Phillies, Marlins, and Tigers as teams represented at yesterday’s Orioles-Blue Jays tilt.  The article implies that those clubs were there hoping to scout Sherrill, though a few might have been eyeing A.J. Burnett or both pitchers.

Jeff Zrebiec says the O’s want two or three prospects for Sherrill, who is under team control for a long time.

2:16pm: According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Brewers are not engaged in trade talks for Orioles closer George Sherrill.  The O’s are looking for a shortstop, and the Brewers aren’t willing to part with J.J. Hardy or Alcides Escobar.  Makes more sense to wait until Escobar forces their hand, anyway.

GM Doug Melvin told Haudricourt he doesn’t expect to add a reliever this month.

A.J. Burnett Rumors

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Let’s put all of the A.J. Burnett rumors and links in one place.

  • Joe Strauss says the Cardinals were one of 15 teams scouting Burnett yesterday.  Strauss says that Burnett’s contract allows a trade to the Cardinals, and they "remain intrigued" after Walt Jocketty pursued him as a free agent in ’05.
  • Will Carroll says he’s been heavily scouted but demand is low.  Carroll thinks the Phillies could jump back in if the price comes down.  He also wonders whether Burnett would clear waivers in August.
  • Jayson Stark says Burnett is "eminently available," with the Yankees, Phillies, and Cardinals checking in.  He adds that the Blue Jays won’t trade within the division, the Phillies chose Joe Blanton, and the Cardinals balked at the price of two premium players.
  • Jim Molony expects Burnett to stay put.
  • Dave Cameron thinks Burnett is underrated.
  • Ken Rosenthal finds trade interest in Burnett minimal, noting that teams would prefer a guarantee that the pitcher will opt out after the season.

Carroll’s Latest: Duchscherer, Burnett, Ibanez, Cabrera

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Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus has some rumors to consider this afternoon.

  • The Tigers are 5.5 games out, but are still on the fence about buying or selling.
  • Carroll says there’s "much more substance to rumors of the White Sox going after Justin Duchscherer" as compared to the one about the A’s pursuing Jason Bay.
  • The Phillies could jump back in on A.J. Burnett if the price comes down.  Also – could Burnett clear waivers in August?
  • The Rockies’ demands for Brian Fuentes might be holding up the relief market.
  • Regarding Raul Ibanez, the Mariners either want to tack Jose Vidro on in a deal or get back premium prospects.
  • The White Sox have become aggressive, and apparently had failed talks about Orlando Cabrera with the Red Sox.  Josh Fields is not considered untouchable.

Stark’s Latest: Teixeira, Padilla, Sheffield, Beltre

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings up.  You may want to grab a glass of water or something, because this is a beast of a column.

  • If the Braves have a bad weekend and decide to trade Mark Teixeira, a deal could come together quickly.  Stark says the Braves have already touched base with the Rays, Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels and Yankees.  Where Tex fits on the Rays, I’m not sure.  Additionally, interest in Will Ohman is said to be "massive."
  • A Jorge Posada move to first base could affect the Yankees’ interest in Teixeira this winter.
  • Though Brian Fuentes has many suitors, the Rockies have actually exchanged names with only the Marlins and Yankees.  GM Dan O’Dowd has not dropped his price.  By the way, Todd Helton’s injury takes Garrett Atkins off the market.  As for Matt Holliday, many execs believe the Rockies will never trade him.
  • The Phillies are focused on a left-handed reliever, with Fuentes, Damaso Marte, George Sherrill, and Jack Taschner in the mix.
  • The Phillies were scared off by the asking prices on Holliday and Xavier Nady, and never even made an offer.  They still could acquire a lesser hitter.
  • The Pirates are inspiring much grumbling with high asking prices for Jason Bay, Nady, Marte, John Grabow, and Jack Wilson.
  • The Rangers are looking for young, controllable starting pitching.  Vicente Padilla is available, with the Tigers and Yankees showing mild interest.  Eddie Guardado and Jamey Wright are not available.
  • In pursuing Jarrod Washburn, Bronson Arroyo, and Padilla, the Yankees are demonstrating their plan to reduce the prospect price for pitching by taking on a decent-sized contract.
  • While A.J. Burnett is "eminently available," no trade talks are cooking.  The Jays apparently won’t deal him within the division.  Other Jays veterans might be available, though Roy Halladay isn’t among them.
  • The Tigers are looking for pitching and a long-term shortstop.  They’d be willing to move Gary Sheffield, though they’d have to eat salary.
  • Top Rays prospects such as Wade Davis, David Price, and Jeremy Hellickson are off-limits. Rays Index recently ran through the more likely trade candidates.
  • The Braves asked the Royals about Jose Guillen, but Dayton Moore is asking for a ton.
  • Stark says the Twins’ talks for Adrian Beltre are "far from dead."  The Twins are zeroed in on a third base upgrade.  Beltre, by the way, has the Dodgers on his no-trade list.  Joe Christensen says the Twins have found the asking price prohibitive for various third basemen.
  • The Rangers are looking for a young pitcher for Hank Blalock, who is drawing interest from the Twins, Giants, and Dodgers.  The Dodgers also like Casey Blake, who is likely to be traded somewhere.

Odds and Ends: Alvarez, Kotsay, Street

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Time to round up today’s links.

Molony’s Latest: Francoeur, Bay, Blalock

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MLB.com’s Jim Molony has a new column up.

  • The Braves will listen to offers for Jeff Francoeur and Will Ohman, and maybe Mark Teixeira if the Braves struggle in the next week.  The Royals are said to be interested in Francoeur.  Mike Gonzalez is unavailable.
  • The Braves have scouted Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, in case they decide to become buyers.
  • The Phillies had an exec scouting the Pirates recently.  The Phils are looking for a lefty reliever.  The Phillies also may be looking at relievers on the Jays and Orioles.
  • Molony rattles off Freddy Garcia suitors: Astros, Cardinals, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Royals, Tigers, Mets, White Sox and Yankees.  The Royals might be a new one.
  • At least five teams are in on Casey Blake, including the Twins.  However the Twins seem to prefer Hank Blalock.  I like the Blalock idae for the Twins.
  • Molony sees A.J. Burnett staying put.

Jays Quietly Discussing Halladay?

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According to Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger:

Roy Halladay is apparently unhappy in Toronto and has let management know it, and management has apparently responded by doing some quiet surveying of teams (such as St. Louis and the Dodgers) that are far, far away from the AL East in an effort to see what it could get for the 2003 Cy Young Award winner.

Apparently, the returns other teams are getting for top-talent pitchers such as CC Sabathia, Rich Harden and Erik Bedard has inspired the Blue Jays to at least find out what it could get for one of the best pitchers in the American League. It remains unlikely that they’d deal him, but you never know.

Halladay has been ridiculously good this year, and he is signed through 2010 at a below-market rate.  Doc is the face of the franchise, though, and if anything the Jays might try to extend him further.

Yankees Looking At Catchers

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Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger says the Yankees have inquired on four catchers: Gerald Laird, Paul Lo Duca, Miguel Olivo, and Rod Barajas.

  • Laird, 28, is expected to rejoin the Rangers Saturday after his hamstring injury.  He’s a Boras client with a $1.6MM salary this year.  He’s under team control through 2010, and Ken Rosenthal says the Rangers want young pitching for him.
  • Lo Duca, 36, will be a free agent after the season.  He’s got about $1.9MM left on his contract this year.  He understands that he’s a strong trade candidate.
  • Olivo, 30, is splitting time with John Buck in Kansas City.  Olivo has hit lefties quite well.  He has a $2.7MM club option for ’09.  Rosenthal says the Royals are "aggressively shopping" him.
  • Barajas, 32, is slumping currently.  He has a $2.5MM club option for ’09.  Eddie Bajek took a stab at projecting the Elias rankings for catchers, and Barajas seems to be right on the border of Type B status. However, he might choose to accept an offer of arbitration.  Peter Abraham says that the Blue Jays might be reluctant to trade within the division.

Rockies Interested In Arroyo

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According to Pat Rooney of the Rocky Mountain News, the Rockies are interested in starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo.  Rooney says the Reds might be willing to pick up some of the $22.5MM owed to Arroyo for 2009-10.

Arroyo spoke out yesterday, saying he’d be disappointed if traded.  If Walt Jocketty moves him, it won’t be just a salary dump.  The Yankees are said to be another possible suitor.

Elias Sports Bureau Rankings: Cracking The Code

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Eddie Bajek, who runs the blog Detroit Tigers Thoughts, has come tantalizingly close to cracking the code behind the Elias Sports Bureau ranking system.  Every year, Elias puts every player into one of five groups and ranks them based on various stats.  Players are classified as Type A, Type B, or nothing, and this determines free agent compensation.

Eddie has been working to reverse-engineer the formula based on the information we have.  His last hurdle is the adjustment for time spent on the disabled list.  Apparently stats can be restored for up to 60 days of missed playing time, according to Keith Law.

If you are able to provide info on the DL adjustment, please email me or Eddie.  A dream of mine: real-time Elias rankings available for all.  I wonder if a player ever lost Type A status on the last day of the season?

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