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Archives for August 2009

More August Trade Candidates

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Nobody's been traded so far in August, but deals are sure to go through. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick considers some trade candidates:

  • Doug Davis and Jon Garland 
  • Heath Bell – An unlikely trade candidate, since he's sure to be claimed, but he could be dealt even if he's claimed (to the NL team with the worst record among all claiming teams).
  • Lyle Overbay – He makes $7MM next year, a deterrent for possible suitors.
  • Justin Duchscherer – Some health concerns remain, as he hasn't pitched in the majors this year.  
  • Kevin Millar, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Giambi – Veteran bats for the playoffs.
  • Jamey Carroll – Mark Teahen's another utility type, but he's less likely to be dealt than Carroll.  
  • Carl Pavano – Just don't expect the Yankees to come calling. 
  • Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers  
  • Miguel Batista 

  Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times looks into Mariners trade candidates:

  • Russell Branyan won't clear waivers, but the Mariners could consider dealing six weeks of Branyan to the claiming team for a decent prospect.
  • Like Duchscherer, Erik Bedard has to prove he's healthy before anyone will commit to him.
  • Baker expects the Mariners to try to move Adrian Beltre. They won't want to offer him arbitration after the season and risk paying him $14MM or so next year, so now's their chance to get a return for Beltre. They would almost certainly have to pick up salary in the process.

Olney On Heyward, Draft, Payroll Cuts

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Top prospect Jason Heyward reminds ESPN.com's Buster Olney and Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman of the same player: Darryl Strawberry. Heyward's still in AA, but he's only 19 and he has an OPS over 1.200 so far in the upper minors. He's easily one of the top prospects in baseball, along with teammate Freddie Freeman. Braves GM Frank Wren notes that pitchers Julio Teheran, Craig Kimbrel and Jose Ortegano have all impressed this year as well. 

One AL executive pointed out that the Mets, who are the only team with one of the eight highest payrolls in baseball not currently in a playoff spot, are the only one of baseball's top-spending teams that closely follows the commissioner's recommendations on signing draft picks. Another official believes the teams with the worst systems are often the ones that don't spend over-slot.

Finally, Olney hears that many teams will attempt to slash payroll this offseason.

Heyman On Jays, Gonzalez, Peavy

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Jon Heyman of SI.com calls Toronto's team the "Blew Jays" because he believes GM J.P. Ricciardi blew the Roy Halladay trade talks. Here are the details and a couple other rumors:

  • Heyman says too much talk, too much candor and an overly steep price prevented Ricciardi from making a deal.
  • Heyman hears that Halladay would have approved trades to a variety of teams in the East and Midwest.
  • The Jays never agreed on prospects with the Rangers, but would have sent $5MM to Texas in a possible Halladay deal. 
  • One executive says the Jays "overplayed their hand." 
  • The Padres wanted more than Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson and Jed Lowrie for Adrian Gonzalez.  
  • GM Kevin Towers had a deal more or less in place to send Jake Peavy to Atlanta last offseason before the righty told the Padres he didn't want to go to Atlanta.

Odds And Ends: Cubans, Waivers, Indians, A’s

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A few more links to look through…

Super Two Update: Maybin, Snider

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Certain players come closer to Super Two status with every day they spend in the majors. The more service time they get, the closer they come to securing a fourth year of arbitration and a bigger payday. Cameron Maybin and Travis Snider could set themselves up for Super Two status if they spend enough time in the major leagues before the end of the season. We can assume that the Marlins and Blue Jays are watching the calendar as they decide if and when to call on their respective outfield prospects. 

Maybin has a career-low strikeout rate and a lofty .328/.415/.471 line at Triple A. He needs 35 more days of service time this year to have a good chance at Super Two status after 2011. If the Marlins call him up before September, there's a real possibility they'll have to go to arbitration with Maybin four times, which could cost the organization millions.

Unlike the Marlins, the Blue Jays aren't in a pennant race. They can keep the PCL player of the week in Triple A if it's best for the organization's future, since there's no need to win now. Snider, who's hitting .293/.400/.602 at Triple A, needs about 50 more days of service time this year to have a good chance at Super Two status after 2011. If the Blue Jays call him up much before August 20th, they risk letting Snider go to arbitration an extra time. 

Astros To Sign Roy Corcoran

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Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reports that the Astros will sign Roy Corcoran, who just became a free agent. The 29-year-old righty hit free agency after refusing an assignment to the Mariners' Triple A team. He allowed 25 hits in 19 innings with the Mariners and walked about three times as many batters (17) as he struck out (6).

The Mariners designated Corcoran for assignment late last month.

Odds & Ends: Red Sox, Irabu, Draft

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Some links to start the morning off…

  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders if the Red Sox would pull back John Smoltz and Mike Lowell if either veteran was claimed on waivers.
  • Hideki Irabu is closing in on a deal with an independent Japanese team, according to CBS Sports.
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo points out that there are usually a lot of unsigned draft picks this time of year. He also has a league-wide update on those who have yet to sign this season.
  • If you heard that someone determined the return on investment of top draft picks, you'd probably think it was someone in a front office. But, as Mayo reports, Pirates pitcher Ross Ohlendorf did just that as a student at Princeton.  
  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the O's haven't made progress with second rounder Mychal Givens.
  • New acquisition Jarrod Washburn told David Mayo of MLive.com that he "felt like a rookie" in his Tigers debut last night. Washburn lost to Brian Matusz, a real-life rookie who won his MLB debut.
  • Like the early 90s Braves, the Padres are building around young arms, according to Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune. 

Indians DFA Jose Veras

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Another Indian reliever has been shuffled: According to Anthony Castrovince at MLB.com, the Indians have designated RHP Jose Veras for assignment. He'll move to make room for Jess Todd, the player to be named later from the Cardinals in the Mark DeRosa deal.

Veras had been acquired from the Yankees in June, and put up a 7.62 ERA in 13 innings for the Indians.

Odds & Ends: Red Sox, Mora, Halladay

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Some links to pore over as we just miss another no-hitter:

  • Alex Speier at WEEI reports that the Red Sox won't give 16-year-old Dominican hurler Victor Payano a contract, despite being rumored as favorites to sign him. Payano, in line for a bonus around $900k, had failed his physical.
  • Peter Schmuck at the Baltimore Sun notes that top prospect Brian Matusz was called up to start tonight for the O's and they in turn optioned Kam Mickolio to Triple-A. After Melvin Mora's recent spat with manager Dave Trembley, there was speculation Mora would be gone, but he is starting tonight. He still could be moved.
  • Scott Podsednik's improved play has increased his value, but he wants to stay with the White Sox in 2010, says Scott Merkin at MLB.com.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels said in an e-mail to Yahoo's Gordon Edes that there was no effort by J.P. Ricciardi to mislead the Rangers in Roy Halladay talks, and Ricciardi was "upfront" about what he wanted.
  • The Padres officially released Mark Prior today, says CBS Sports. The move was reported to be on the horizon by Corey Brock at MLB.com Saturday.

Callis On Draft Signings

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Jim Callis at Baseball America notes that 20 of 32 first-rounders remain unsigned, and the last one was almost a month ago. He's got some very helpful news to expand upon our update on unsigned draft picks from last night. Check out his post for more specifics on names, but here's a quick rundown:

  • MLB seems very keen on their push to keep draft pick signings at their recommended slot price tags. They've gone so far as to essentially re-calculate the contract given to Jiovanni Mier, the only first-rounder signed above slot, by saying that a part of his bonus is deferred, thus making his bonus officially below slot.
  • Stephen Strasburg will likely have to settle somewhere in between the record $10.5MM bonus awarded to Mark Prior and the $50MM figure Scott Boras has previously suggested.
  • Five of the top high school players had "alarmed clubs" with high bonus demands, some likely due to the fallout of Rick Porcello's record-setting $7MM figure from '07.
  • High-school arm Zack Wheeler didn't demand nearly as much as his peers, but still figures to sign above slot.
  • Aaron Crow, Grant Green and Alex White, all once highly-touted as top-five talent, are seeking a payout more in line with such touting despite their mid-round draft spots.
  • In general, high-schoolers have been asking for more slot money than their draft positions called for even last year, where slot recommendations were higher.

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