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Archives for May 2009

Odds & Ends: Bray, Fox, Manny, Crow

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Links for Wednesday…

Heyman On Mets, Trades, Billingsley

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman wonders why the Mets aren't giving Daniel Murphy a chance as their regular first baseman.  He names trade possibilities, in order of likelihood: Nick Johnson, Aubrey Huff, Russell Branyan, Victor Martinez/Mark DeRosa, and Garrett Atkins.
  • Heyman names 22 players who might hit the trading block this summer, headed by Jake Peavy, Matt Holliday, and Erik Bedard.  The A's could potentially have a lot of veterans to spin off.
  • Heyman says "the Dodgers briefly tried to lock up Chad Billingsley this winter, and probably wish they had."  Billingsley will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season, so his salary figures to jump up past $4MM.

Indians Fielding Offers For Mark DeRosa

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According to SI's Jon Heyman, the Indians are now fielding offers for infielder Mark DeRosa.  DeRosa, 34, is hitting .242/.312/.412 on the season in 170 plate appearances as the Tribe's third baseman.  He has about $4.15MM left on his contract.

Heyman says the Indians "are looking mainly for pitchers who can help them now."  Heyman believes DeRosa is below Nick Johnson, Aubrey Huff, and Russell Branyan on the Mets' wish list.  What other teams would make sense – the Braves, Cubs, Brewers, or Cardinals perhaps?  You can discuss it in the comments here, and also head over to our Facebook fan page and jump into that discussion.

Over at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Paul Hoynes says Indians GM Mark Shapiro "is talking to general managers, but it's not about subtracting players in preparation for next year."

Nick Johnson Rumors

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The Nationals' injury-prone first baseman, Nick Johnson, is off to a .333/.432/.468 start in 169 plate appearances.  He hasn't played a full season since '06, so it might make sense for GM Mike Rizzo to trade him while he's healthy and hitting.  Johnson has about $4.2MM left on his contract.

On Saturday, ESPN's Peter Gammons wrote:

The Nationals have let it be known that Nick Johnson is available, but Boston won't trade Clay Buchholz.

I think MLB.com's Bill Ladson was responding to that Gammons sentence when he wrote today:

Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson has been mentioned in trade rumors of late. The Red Sox are said to be scouting Johnson, but the truth is, according to a baseball source, Washington and Boston haven't talked since April.

Ladson goes on to say that the Nationals would want a pitching prospect in a Johnson trade, and the player had kind words for the Red Sox.

How about the Giants, who are 14th in the NL with 3.97 runs scored per game and have gotten a .228/.275/.272 line out of first basemen Travis Ishikawa and Rich Aurilia?  Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says "I heard Nick Johnson's name on the lips of more than one uniformed person Tuesday."  Aurilia might be on the way out, but to make room for Jesus Guzman.

The Mets are another team often speculated as a suitor for Johnson.  GM Omar Minaya will stay in-house for now for Carlos Delgado's replacement, but maybe he'll make a deal if Delgado has a setback.

Melvin On Second Base Situation

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Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel talked to Brewers GM Doug Melvin about the team's second base situation.  Rickie Weeks is out for the season with wrist surgery, but Melvin is not interested in the three free agent second basemen: Ray Durham, Mark Grudzielanek, and Damion Easley.  Durham's agent called Melvin, saying his client would need a while to get ready.  Melvin decided not to pursue Durham, who played for the Brewers last year.  Easley's agent also reached out to no avail, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

There have been no trade talks, either.  Instead, the Brewers will mix and match with internal options at second base and go back to Weeks next year.

Keith Foulke Attempting Comeback

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Stan Grossfeld of the Boston Globe talked extensively with Keith Foulke, who currently closes for the Newark Bears.  It's an amusing read.

Foulke hopes the independent league stint is a springboard back to the bigs:

"I'm not hoping to lead the Atlantic League in saves.  I hope the phone rings today and it's the Diamondbacks and I can pack my stuff and get out of here.  Any big league city is better than being here.  I'd even play for the Yankees. I still think I have something to offer."

Grossfeld talked to a couple of scouts who gave Foulke mixed reviews, but he does have an 0.75 ERA in 12 innings with seven saves.  Other members of the Bears' pitching staff include Armando Benitez, Bobby Brownlie, Ryan Bukvich, Shawn Chacon, and Aaron Fultz.

You may recall that Foulke walked away from $5MM from the Indians in 2007, choosing to retire due to injuries.  Foulke commented on Curt Schilling, who was paid $8MM last year without pitching for the Red Sox: "He's got to wake up and look himself in the mirror every day."  Grossfeld adds that Foulke hinted the A's did not pitch him in September last year due to his incentive-laden contract.

Noah Lowry Misdiagnosed?

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8:00pm: The Chronicle has a statement from the Giants, in which they deny Lapa's accusations.

2:41pm: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick has the latest on Giants pitcher Noah Lowry.  The 28 year-old southpaw hasn't pitched in the Majors since August of 2007 due to injuries.  Today he is having surgery to remove a rib to facilitate circulation.  Lowry's agent Damon Lapa told Crasnick the condition, thoracic outlet syndrome, has "existed since 2007 and essentially been misdiagnosed."  Lapa says the Giants had the wrong surgery performed and had the pitcher do the wrong rehab as well.  Henry Schulman has more from Lapa for the San Francisco Chronicle.

Lowry signed a four-year contract in April of 2006, and there's a $6.25MM club option for 2010.  The Giants figure to decline that and non-tender Lowry since he will still be arbitration-eligible.  I am guessing this whole situation will result in a lot of legal wrangling.  Lowry is expected to enter 2010 with a clean bill of health.

Eric Chavez Explains Situation

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6:22pm: Talking to MLB.com's Mychael Urban, Chavez clarified his injury situation:

"I just want to make sure everyone's clear: I'm not getting surgery. I'm rehabbing. I hope to be back when I'm eligible, and if I hurt my back again after I come back, I'm still not getting surgery. I'll rehab it again."

He explained that a spinal fusion would be something he'll have when he's 45 or 50.

9:44am: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has the latest details on the health of A's third baseman Eric Chavez.  While Chavez hopes to join the team soon, his career will be over if the herniated disk in his back goes out.  In that case he'd need a career-ending spinal fusion procedure.  Since the disk can go out with as little as a sneeze, Slusser says "his future in baseball will be operating on a very thin line."

Chavez's six-year, $66MM extension was signed in March of 2004.  He's owed an additional $8.6MM this year plus $12MM in 2010 and a $3MM buyout for 2011, for a total of $23.6MM left on the contract.  Sadly the contract has been a sunk cost for a while now.  As Slusser says, A's GM Billy Beane figures to be on the lookout for third base prospects in trades.

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