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Archives for July 2009

Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Friday

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The Mariners are eight games out, but we're still not sure whether they'll trade starter Jarrod Washburn within the next five hours.  He does project as a Type B free agent, so they could get something for him after the season.  Here's a look at yesterday's Washburn chatter, which involved the Yankees, Tigers, and Brewers.

Today Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tell us the Tigers have spoken to Seattle about Washburn, but may not have the goods to pull off any big deal (especially in the position player department).  SI's Jon Heyman says the Ms asked for catcher Jesus Montero from the Yankees for Washburn and were rebuffed.  ESPN's Jayson Stark says Austin Jackson was another Mariners target.

Orioles Intend To Keep Hendrickson

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The Orioles will keep lefty Mark Hendrickson, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports.  They swapped names with the Rockies to no avail, plus the George Sherrill trade made Baltimore less inclined to move a second veteran southpaw.

Hendrickson, 35, has allowed a .253/.301/.414 line to lefties this year.  He has about $565K remaining on his contract, plus incentives.

Elias Rankings

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Note – moving this post back up top in case you missed it yesterday.

At the end of each season, The Elias Sports Bureau ranks all MLB players numerically based on a bunch of stats.  Every player is categorized in one of five position groups and by league.  The rankings cover a two-year time period.  They are used to determine whether free agents are Type A, Type B, or neither.  If you'd like a reminder on how draft pick compensation works, read up here.

Eddie Bajek of Detroit Tigers Thoughts reverse-engineered the Elias Rankings last year.  Eddie's incredible work was made possible in large part due to information provided by ESPN's Keith Law.  Eddie is now providing the rankings exclusively to MLB Trade Rumors.  Today's snapshot covers the beginning of the 2008 season through July 29th, 2009.  The rankings will obviously change over the next few months. 

Keep in mind that if players change leagues, they are ranked in their new league.  A few quick hits: Jack Wilson falls short of Type B status in the AL, and Cliff Lee remains a Type A in the NL (though his 2010 option is a lock).

Click here to see the latest Elias Rankings.

Odds & Ends: Yankees, Rockies, Tigers

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Deadline day links!

Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday Night

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1:04pm: Rosenthal and Morosi report that the Blue Jays are asking for Holland, Justin Smoak and two other prospects.

11:47pm: Heyman reports that the Rangers had a "pretty decent chance" to acquire Halladay today. With just over 15 hours to go, the Rangers' chances appear to have decreased in recent hours, Heyman says.

10:52pm: Sources tell Grant that the Rangers have asked the Jays to pay a significant amount of Halladay's 2009 salary in a potential trade. Ryan confirmed that the team would need ownership approval to make a trade for Halladay.

9:59pm: Rangers president Nolan Ryan told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Rangers are pursuing Roy Halladay, but says it's premature to predict whether a deal will happen. 

Ryan confirmed to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that the Rangers have had discussions with the Jays "for awhile and there have been names talked about."

9:27pm: Ricciardi is "not saying definitively" that Halladay will remain a Blue Jay, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. However, the GM says it's looking more and more like Halladay will stay put.

9:23pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that, as of an hour ago, the Jays had no active talks about Halladay. The Dodgers approached the Jays yesterday, but the two sides aren't in the process of exchanging names.

8:38pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian hears that there's "nothing to" the reports that the Rangers are going hard after Halladay.

8:30pm: Evan Grant of D Magazine hears that talks between the Blue Jays and Rangers remain "very serious."

8:17pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says "nothing seems hot" on the Halladay front, even though many executives would be surprised if the Jays' ace isn't playing for a different team by the weekend.

8:11pm: Sullivan hears indications that the Rangers are willing to take on the rest of Halladay's contract if they can agree on which players to send the Blue Jays. Vicente Padilla, Marlon Byrd and Hank Blalock are free agents after the season, so the Rangers could create space for Halladay's $15.75MM salary by letting the trio of veterans walk after the season.

6:40pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear from a major league source who says the LA Times report below is "not accurate." However, FOX Sports hears that the Rangers have a legitimate chance of trading for Halladay.

6:22pm: So just how much do the Blue Jays want for Halladay? Marlins president David Samson told 790 The Ticket that J.P. Ricciardi wants "two left legs, a right arm and a left cerebellum" for Doc, according to the Miami Herald.

6:06pm: MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan hears that the Rangers have "significant ongoing communications" with the Blue Jays. He also suggests that the Rangers won't let money prevent them from acquiring Halladay if they can do so for a reasonable price.

5:57pm: Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports that the Dodgers and Blue Jays spent the afternoon "negotiating extensively" over Roy Halladay. Apparently talks aren't "dead" after all. The Dodgers would allow the Jays to get a "haul of prospects" but are trying to acquire Halladay without giving up Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley.

5:38pm: Here are the latest highlights from the incessant stream of Roy Halladay rumors. The Jays aren't talking actively with anyone. Not the Red Sox, not the Yankees, not the Rangers. The Dodgers acquired George Sherrill for a pair of minor leaguers, but they still have enough pieces to tempt the Jays. Like the Angels, they're focused on relievers now. GM J.P. Ricciardi says he has "nothing going on," but won't rule out a trade until the deadline is upon us. On to tonight's rumors:

  • Ricciardi tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney what he told Jack Curry earlier today: talks are "dead," but the Jays would listen to offers for Doc. 

Marlins Make Offer For Nick Johnson

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1:00am: Rosenthal and Morosi report that the Marlins are waiting to see if the Nationals accept their proposal for Johnson. They offered minor league pitcher Ryan Tucker and asked the Nats to pay part of the $1.8MM remaining on Johnson's contract.

5:50pm: The Marlins are making a "strong push" for Nats first baseman Nick Johnson, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Marlins have offered minor league pitchers to the Nationals, but the sides haven't come to an agreement on which players Washington would receive. They're discussing Aaron Thompson and Ryan Tucker.

Red Sox & Indians Considering Three-Way Deal

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The Red Sox and Indians discussed a three-way deal Thursday night that would send Victor Martinez to Boston and Clay Buchholz to Cleveland, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. The deal would include a third team and send prospects in all directions.

The Red Sox and Indians contacted other teams to find a match. The Red Sox would want to trade recently-acquired Adam LaRoche to the third team, according to one of Stark's sources. LaRoche wouldn't fit on the Red Sox anymore if they add Martinez and there don't appear to be many suitors for him, especially now that the Giants added Ryan Garko. We know a team other than the Giants made the Pirates an offer for LaRoche earlier in the month.

The Indians are "heavily scouting" the Rays' system, but it's a "long shot" that Martinez goes to Tampa because the Rays have financial limitations that would likely force them to make a preliminary deal before acquiring Martinez. With just over 14 hours left, they don't have much time.

Day In Review: 7/30/09

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We've got less than 24 hours until the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. We didn't see any Cy Young winners change hands today, a la Cliff Lee, but there was still action. With the clock winding down, there only figures to be more. Let's take a look back at today:

What we know:

  • The Dodgers missed out on Cliff Lee, but they acquired a different lefty when they got George Sherrill from Baltimore in exchange for minor leaguers Josh Bell and Steve Johnson. Sherrill shores up the Dodger bullpen, while Bell gives the O's a potential new long-term option at third base once Melvin Mora departs. It may seem a steep price for Sherrill, but he's under control through 2011 and has posted a fantastic season thus far.
  • Another pair of lefties were on the move, as the Cubs acquired both John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates in exchange for Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio, and Josh Harrison. The Pirates continue to sell off veteran players; is anyone safe on their roster? For that matter… is anyone left on their roster?
  • Another trade happened within a division today, as the Royals acquired Josh Anderson from the Tigers for cash considerations. Anderson started red hot, hitting .341 in April, but his numbers have plummeted since. Anderson's Detroit tenure lasted just a few months.
  • Rough day to be Russ Ortiz. The Astros right-hander was absolutely dismantled by the Cubs, surrendering 9 ER in just 2.1 IP. He was then released shortly after the game. Ironically, his opponent that game: Kevin Hart, also no longer with his club.
  • The Reds backed off a potential deal that would send Scott Rolen to Cincinnati, possibly in exchange for Edwin Encarnacion and others. Rolen seems likely to remain in Toronto.

Potential moves on the horizon:

  • So many Roy Halladay rumors, we had to create two posts about him. Early on, it sounded like Doc was staying put; the Dodgers weren't offering Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw, the Red Sox chances were "remote," the Angels' offer of Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, and Joe Saunders was denied, and the Tigers balked at the asking price of Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry, and Casey Crosby. Then came conflicting reports about the severity of discussions with the Rangers. Jon Heyman even reports the Rangers "came close to acquiring" Halladay. Texas has the farm system to get the job done, but they'll need ownership approval, as well as cash from Toronto to make a deal. Has Texas emerged as the frontrunner, or will Boston or an LA team still sneak in a late blockbuster? Or, does Doc stay right where he is?
  • Another pitcher that's coming up more and more is Jarrod Washburn, and there's plenty of rumors about him as well. It's sounding like Washburn may stay put, but the Yankees are still involved, and the Rangers could show interest if the Halladay talks fall through. Original reports stated that the M's asked for Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, but those were refuted by Buster Olney.
  • One team who likely won't acquire an arm is the Brewers. General manager Doug Melvin says the Brewers "aren't a match for anyone right now." It's beginning to look grim in Milwaukee, given their pitching injuries, the St. Louis acquisitions, and surging Cubs.
  • The Giants could be done dealing after their acquisitions of Ryan Garko and Freddy Sanchez, although Ken Rosenthal hears they've still got interest in Mark Teahen.
  • After releasing Russ Ortiz, and with some uncertainty surrounding Roy Oswalt, the Astros are looking for some pitching. However, they'll reportedly only make a deal if someone "falls into their lap," according to Jayson Stark. That seems a tad unlikely.
  • Don't worry folks, not everyone's closing up shop. The Marlins were said to be in serious discussions for San Diego closer Heath Bell today, though they're unwilling to part with Andrew Miller or Sean West. If the Marlins don't get Bell, they could turn within the division and acquire Nick Johnson; FOX Sport reported today that the Fish were making a push for the Nationals' first baseman.
  • The Dodgers acquired George Sherrill, but apparently not even the highly-desireable Baltimore closer is enough for Ned Colletti. The Dodgers and Angels are both said to be on the market for relievers, and could look to Toronto, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, or Seattle.
  • The Rockies need bullpen help, and after promptly hanging up the phone when Eric Young Jr. was mentioned in talks for John Grabow and Joe Beimel, they've shifted their sights to Mark Hendrickson and Scott Downs. Just to give you an idea of how hard the Rockies are pursuing bullpen help, they signed 43-year-old Mike Timlin to a minor league deal. The Rockies are also interested in Nick Johnson.
  • The Twins are stepping up efforts to acquire Orlando Cabrera. Is he a vast upgrade over Brendan Harris?
  • The Red Sox have talked "at length" with the Padres about Adrian Gonzalez, but apparently, as Olney points out, little progress has been made. In that same piece, Jerry Crasnick says it's "very unlikely" that we see Chad Qualls moved.
  • Keep checking back here as tomorrow's deadline approaches. We've got less than a day to go, but sometimes, the best is saved for last. Let's not forget the last-minute blockbuster that sent Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles and Jason Bay to Boston last season!

ESPN On Qualls, Adrian Gonzalez, Mahay

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11:19pm: Olney reports that the Padres and Red Sox had made very little progress in their discussions about Adrian Gonzalez as of 9pm CST.

4:19pm: In regard to the Qualls item below, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick has an update.  His source says the D'Backs are "very unlikely" to trade their closer.

11:58am: All kinds of good stuff from ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider required and recommended).

  • The big news: the Red Sox and Padres talked "at length" about an Adrian Gonzalez trade Wednesday night.  Those discussions are expected to resume today; of course you can expect top prospects to be involved.
  • On the D'Backs front, there has been interest in Doug Davis and Jon Garland.  Jeff Wilson of the Dallas Morning News says the Rangers have spoken to the D'Backs about a deal for starting pitching, but would probably have to unload salary (Hank Blalock?) first.  A D'Backs scout took a look at Rangers reliever Guillermo Moscoso.  However, Arizona is actually considering whether to extend Davis.  Might make sense, with Brandon Webb going under the knife.
  • Olney says there's momentum building toward a Chad Qualls trade, but the closer won't come cheap.  Chad Tracy would be a fourth available D'Back, but Bob McManaman and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic feel that August trades are more likely for the club.
  • The Royals would like to move the contract of southpaw reliever Ron Mahay (.274/.292/.468 against lefties).  He's got about $1.5MM left.
  • ESPN's Jayson Stark tosses in this nugget: the Marlins made a run at Roy Halladay but balked at an asking price that included Cameron Maybin and Mike Stanton.

Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Thursday

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11:05pm: Executives from three teams that have spoken with the Mariners tell ESPN.com's Buster Olney that they get the sense the Mariners won't move Washburn. The Mariners made a request earlier today, without asking for Hughes or Chamberlain, but the two sides haven't spoken since.

10:33pm: Heyman says the Yankees and Mariners are now "talking Washburn." The Yankees won't part with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, Austin Romine or Jesus Montero, but with those exceptions, Heyman says the M's have their pick of Yankees prospects.

9:05pm: Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he expects the Mariners to hold onto Washburn.

8:05pm: Tyler Kepner of the New York Times reports that the Yankees are still talking to the Mariners about Washburn.

Talks with the Yankees are still in their early stages, according to Rosenthal and Morosi, and it's unclear whether the Mariners would actually move Washburn. The Tigers are interested and the Brewers could become involved again, according to FOX's sources.

3:26pm: ESPN's Buster Olney rejects the idea that the Ms asked for Chamberlain or Hughes.

2:19pm: SI's Jon Heyman says that in their initial conversation, the Mariners requested Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes for Washburn.  That pair and other top Yankees prospects figure to be off limits, but Heyman still sees New York as the favorite.  He notes that the Angels would have interest in bringing Washburn back, but the Mariners might balk at the same-division issue.

1:11pm: Ken Davidoff of Newsday says the Brewers are no longer in on Washburn.  And the Rangers are seen as a long shot, say Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports.  According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, about ten teams have called the Mariners on Washburn.

12:30pm: Lefty Jarrod Washburn would be one of the better available starters, should the Mariners decide to sell.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post chatted with Ms GM Jack Zduriencik about the possibility.  Jack Z's quote:

"I am not giving this guy away.  He is a valuable piece to us.  He shouldn't come cheap if he is moved.  No one in the league is pitching better than (Washburn).  So if we move him, we need to get good pieces. Because if we keep him he is a very, very good piece for us."

Sherman says the Yanks have checked in on Washburn but have not exchanged names.  Unlike last year, the Yankees are reluctant to take on salary.

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