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Pirates Rumors: Nady, Marte, Bay

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New blog to bookmark: PBC Blog.  It comes from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette baseball writers Dejan Kovacevic and Paul Meyer, and already has plenty of good Pirates info up.  On to the hot stove chatter:

  • Kovacevic talked to a Pirates official who disputes the reports that the team’s asking prices for Xavier Nady, Damaso Marte, and Jason Bay are exorbitant.  Kovacevic notes that many of these reports come from New York, and in some cases they’re created as tests for rookie GM Neal Huntington.  Welcome to the club, Neal!
  • Bay is unlikely to be traded, but Nady and Marte are available.  Kovacevic says many teams are in on Nady, and the Braves and Mets even conducted recent conference calls with the Pirates about him.  The Pirates are focused on receiving two quality players for Nady, with an emphasis on pitching.  It’s not a concern yet, but if the Rockies truly shop Matt Holliday it could upset the Nady market.
  • Kovacevic speculates on what it might take for the Pirates to sign Bay to an extension beyond ’09, which may well happen.

Heyman’s Latest: Yankees, Manny, Bowden, Pudge

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new column up.

  • Given Richie Sexson’s expected part-time role, the Yankees are in the market for an everyday outfielder to replace Hideki Matsui’s bat.  Barry Bonds is not under consideration.  Heyman tosses out names such as Matt Holliday, Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, and Adam Dunn, while noting that the price on most is too high (the Pirates deny this).
  • Heyman is still saying the Cardinals will consider trading Colby Rasmus, despite various denials.
  • The Yanks are also looking to add a #3-4 starter type.  Here’s a look at the market.
  • Manny Ramirez probably isn’t going to get what he wants – free agency, an extension, or a trade. 
  • The Nationals are supporting GM Jim Bowden despite his recent problems.  Heyman reported rumblings last month that Bowden "could be in trouble."
  • Despite the Marlins’ interest, the Tigers are unlikely to trade Ivan Rodriguez.  Jon Paul Morosi agrees, while noting that Pudge’s salary might be too high for Florida anyway.

Burnett Wants To Stay

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Blue Jays pitcher A.J. Burnett doesn’t expect or desire a trade:

"I’m a Blue Jay and I plan on being here for the rest of the season.  Just because my name’s out there and all this stuff, and I made one mistake talking to a Chicago writer…I enjoy being a Blue Jay and that’s where I’m at. That’s where I plan on being."

The Phillies didn’t seem terribly interested in Burnett anyway, but that’s one less suitor after their Joe Blanton acquisition.  Burnett is healthy, and despite his 4.96 ERA he’s the best available starter right now.  The Blue Jays apparently won’t shop him around because they don’t want to lower his value.  Plus, J.P. Ricciardi said the Jays have no trades cooking for Burnett or anyone else.

That doesn’t mean we can’t speculate.  Three teams that I feel could be in the market for a starter: the Mets, Cardinals, and White Sox.  The Mets’ Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez are both hurting; will they answer the other National League starter acquisitions?

Blanton Reactions

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I’m on record as liking the Phillies’ acquisition of Joe Blanton.  Let’s round up other reactions to the trade today.

  • Bill Conlin isn’t a fan of Blanton.
  • The Transaction Guy sees nearly a 1.5 win gain for the Phillies this year, and isn’t too impressed by Oakland’s return.
  • Keith Law thinks the Phillies’ gain could approach two wins this year, even while considering the smaller park and inferior defense for Blanton.  He considers the prospect package reasonable.
  • Joel Sherman considers Blanton the pitcher Adam Eaton was meant to be.
  • Tom Goyne says Blanton is the B-level acquisition we expected the Phillies to make.  He doesn’t think the Phillies will miss the prospects they gave up.
  • Dave Cameron believes Phillies fans will ultimately be frustrated with Blanton, as his low home run per flyball rates are not sustainable.
  • Rob Neyer says Justin Duchscherer is at peak value, and Billy Beane hasn’t given up on ’08 unless he moves Duke.
  • Or could Huston Street be the next to go?
  • Ken Davidoff is surprised Pat Gillick and Billy Beane matched up for a trade, and gives the edge to the Phillies.  This does appear to be the first Gillick-Beane matchup, but I wonder how much of the work A’s assistant GM David Forst did.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman thinks the A’s waiting too long to trade Blanton, noting their spring demand for Johnny Cueto and then some.
  • With all the deals this month, it’s nice to not read the tired annual story about how the trade deadline is mostly talk and little action.

Phillies Acquire Joe Blanton

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According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Phillies have acquired Joe Blanton for minor leaguers Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matthew Spencer.

Blanton, 27, has a 4.96 ERA in 127 innings.  Compared to ’07, his strikeout rate has fallen while walks have risen.  Still, he can probably eat a lot of innings for the Phillies at an ERA near 4.00.  That’s quite valuable, and the Phillies have him under control for ’09 and ’10.

Cardenas and Outman were ranked as the Phillies’ #2 and #4 prospects coming into this season by Baseball America.  With quality second base prospects in Cardenas and Jemile Weeks (and maybe Eric Patterson), the A’s might not have much use for Mark Ellis long-term.  Or, the A’s could consider moving Cardenas back to shortstop.  The 20 year-old is currently hitting .309/.374/.444 in High A ball. 

Outman has been solid in Double A, posting a 3.20 ERA in 70.1 innings.  The deceptive lefty was switched to relief in May, with the Phils hoping for a quick rise to their big league bullpen.  I imagine the A’s will switch him back to starting.  Spencer, a 22 year-old outfielder, has struggled in High A.

Cubs Rumors: Fuentes, Greene

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Cubs beat writer Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald has a new blog post up.

  • Miles’ Cubs sources "emphatically" denied interest in Padres shortstop Khalil Greene.  And as we noted Monday, the San Diego Union-Tribune killed that rumor several hours after they posted it.
  • Jim Hendry is in the market for a reliever, and Miles expects him to be one of many GMs inquiring on Colorado’s Brian Fuentes.  Roughly a dozen teams are eyeing the lefty, so the Rox should get something good.
  • Miles mentions the possibility of the Cubs pursuing an extra bat, presumably of the bench variety.

D’Backs Acquire Tony Clark

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2:37pm: Turns out the Padres will get a Single A pitcher for Clark: Evan Scribner.

1:41pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney says it’s a done deal.

12:04pm: According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the D’Backs "appear to be closing in" on a trade for first baseman/pinch-hitter Tony Clark.  It would be for a Double A pitching prospect, and could get done today.  Piecoro says Clark will apparently waive the $500K bonus he was to receive upon a trade.

Clark almost re-signed with Arizona last winter.  He was known as a clubhouse leader in his previous stint with the D’Backs.

Francisco Liriano Frustrated

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Ken Rosenthal spoke to Francisco Liriano’s agent, Greg Genske.  The 24 year-old lefty is frustrated that he’s still at Triple A, and Genske has contacted the Players’ Association about filing a grievance.  The union will investigate.  Liriano is now dominating in the minors.

Rosenthal says Liriano’s arbitration year has already been pushed back by his time in the minors.  Twins GM Bill Smith denies any shady money-saving tactics, saying "our starters are all doing the job."

Most likely, the Twins would be an improved team by replacing Livan Hernandez in the rotation with Liriano.  But this isn’t the first time the Twins have chosen veteran mediocrity or worse over promising young players.

Yankees To Sign Richie Sexson

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According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Yankees reached a tentative agreement with first baseman Richie Sexson.  The idea is that Sexson will improve the team’s performance against left-handed pitching.

There’s little risk, so you can’t blame Brian Cashman for the move.  However, it should be noted that Sexson didn’t hit lefties much in 2006-07 and only faced them 70 times this year.

By the way, the Yankees aren’t interested in Barry Bonds.

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