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Archives for September 2009

MLBTR Looking For Writers

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Would you like to join the MLB Trade Rumors team?  We are looking to add a couple of writers.  The position pays on an hourly basis.  The criteria:

  • Strong evening availability – typically 5-10pm CST shifts.  Weekday daytime availability is a plus. 
  • Knowledge of all 30 baseball teams, no discernible bias toward your favorite.  Knowledge of basic hot stove concepts, arbitration for example.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs.  I want the best of both worlds, as you have to be able to do this very quickly after the source article is published.  It's preferred that you add value to the article with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
  • Attention to detail – absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.  Ability to follow the MLBTR style and tone.  Also it is important to avoid duplicating content previously covered on the site and avoid posting about topics MLBTR does not cover.
  • Ability to use an RSS feed reader such as Google Reader.  Ability to use Twitter.  Both of these are crucial.
  • Blogging experience is preferred.  We use TypePad, which is easy to use if you have blogged before.
  • You have to be able to put up with me, responding to constructive criticism and digesting the MLBTR instruction document quickly.
  • If you're interested, email mlbtrhelp@gmail.com and explain your qualifications.  Also, within the body of your email (not as an attachment) write one sample, fictional MLBTR post using real players.  For this sample post, come up with something that could actually happen.
  • Please don't send anything to my other email address.  Usually we receive a few hundred inquiries, so unfortunately I cannot reply to all or even most.  Thanks.

Cameron Might Take Discount To Stay In Milwaukee

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Center fielder Mike Cameron "would be willing to make a sacrifice" to remain with the Brewers beyond this year, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. (Hat tip to Aaron Gleeman, and check out his analysis as well).  McCalvy notes Cameron's $10MM salary and likely Type B status.  Gleeman writes of Cameron's continued defensive prowess, and says the center fielder is already a bargain at 10 mil.  FanGraphs agrees.

The free agent market does not have many legitimate starting center fielders.  Beyond Cameron, Marlon Byrd may be the best bet.  Coco Crisp is another decent possibility, should the Royals decline his $8MM option.  Rick Ankiel will be out there, though the Boras client has not impressed in his contract year.

Stark On Lackey, Rays, Jeter

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More from Jayson Stark's Rumblings and Grumblings column at ESPN.com…

  • One of Stark's sources says the Angels' acquisition of Scott Kazmir is not linked to John Lackey's future.  Lackey is said to have dropped his price from the C.C. Sabathia range ($161MM over seven years) to A.J. Burnett money ($82.5MM over five years) due to his recent injury history.  The Angels will attempt to re-sign Lackey, but they have their limit.  Stark's suggestion that Lackey had a "Sabathia-esque" price tag in Spring Training runs counter to Mike DiGiovanna's report that the pitcher wanted Burnett money at that time.
  • Stark feels that the Rays' trade of Kazmir will help them allocate money toward retaining Carl Crawford and/or Carlos Pena.  Crawford's 2010 club option is worth between $10-11.5MM.  Pena is signed at $10.125MM for '10 and is represented by Scott Boras.  One positive: the slugging first baseman inked a below-market deal in January of '08.
  • Derek Jeter is not talking about his next contract, but Stark feels the Yankees will take care of him.  They may wait until after next season, when Jeter finishes his current deal.
  • Rockies manager Jim Tracy is familiar with Brad Penny, and his opinion might have caused the team to back off.  And the Yankees cooled Jon Garland because they didn't see him as a difference-maker in the AL East.
  • The Marlins were in on Mike Cameron, but the Brewers decided to keep their players and win as many games as possible.
  • The White Sox "wanted something good" for Jermaine Dye, according to one Stark source.  He would not have been as easy to pry away as Jim Thome and Jose Contreras were.
  • A couple of sources are skeptical that the Red Sox will shop closer Jonathan Papelbon this winter.
  • Stark notes that only two players – Ryan Franklin and David Eckstein – signed extensions in-season.  These days it makes more sense to talk during the exclusive negotiation period after the season.  Plus, there were many bargains to be had on the free agent market last offseason.

Stark On Mets, Wright, Reyes

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Mets GM Omar Minaya tells ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that he will be "very creative and very open-minded" this offseason as he tries to improve one of baseball's most disappointing teams. Here are the details:

  • A variety of executives don't believe the Mets are close to winning soon. One says "there's no quick fix" for the team and another believes they have to rebuild.
  • One scout believes it will take more than restored health and minor changes for the Mets to compete with the Phillies, Braves and Marlins next year.
  • One of Stark's sources says Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya could be fired if the team falls apart in September.
  • More than one executive believes the Mets have a weak farm system. One exec says the prospects they do have are far from contributing in the majors.
  • The Mets will need starting pitching, a catcher, a first baseman, at least one corner outfielder and a left-handed reliever after the season. They will have some money to spend, but it will be tough to meet those needs with dollars alone.
  • One exec believes there's no chance they trade David Wright in an attempt to fill multiple holes.
  • Three executives tell Stark the Mets have to trade Jose Reyes.

September Trade Candidates

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We won't see nearly as many trades as we did in July, or even in August, but teams can still make deals. New acquisitions won't be eligible to play in the post-season, but they could still help their new clubs make the playoffs. Here are a few of the players who could be dealt this month:

  • Mark Hendrickson and Danys Baez are among the players known to have cleared waivers; they could appeal to clubs.
  • Kevin Millar has managed a .750 OPS against lefties in an otherwise disappointing offensive season, so clubs may want him off the bench, especially considering his reputation as a positive clubhouse presence. His teammate, John McDonald, could appeal to teams as a defensive specialist. He has a well-earned reputation as an excellent defender up the middle.
  • Buster Olney suggested today that the Rangers will look into infielders now that Michael Young is injured. Jamey Carroll could appeal to the Rangers and other clubs.
  • Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported recently that the Phillies have an eye on Nomar Garciaparra.

Odds And Ends: Grabow, Brewers, Blue Jays

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Time for another round of links…

D’Backs Rumors: Snyder, Garland, Abreu

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Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has the latest on the D'Backs catchers and their return for Jon Garland:

  • Chris Snyder's back problems may not be serious, but they could become a problem for both the club and the catcher. The D'Backs hope to trade Snyder in the offseason to address other weaknesses and Snyder would presumably like to play every day. If Snyder returns in time to re-establish some of his value, he would help himself and the D'Backs.
  • Piecoro hears that the Dodgers won't necessarily send Tony Abreu to the D'Backs to complete the Jon Garland trade. It remains likely that Abreu will join the D'Backs, however.

Olney On White Sox, Rangers, Yankees

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ESPN.com's Buster Olney says Giants catching prospect Buster Posey is probably more likely to be on the team's Opening Day roster, now that they club started his service time clock. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:

  • Olney says Kenny Williams has a responsibility to publicly discuss the moves that sent Jim Thome and Jose Contreras elsewhere.
  • Olney hears that the Rangers will likely consider various infielders now that Michael Young is hurt. A player like Jamey Carroll could help the Rangers, but Olney doubts they'll make a move.
  • Here's a suggestion for the Yankees from Olney: offer both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui one-year deals after the season, but say "we'll keep whoever takes our offer first."

Odds And Ends: Royals, Kazmir, Hudson

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Some links for the morning…

  • Jeff Sackmann of the Hardball Times can imagine an excellent Royals team in 2012, but says there's no guarantee we'll see such a thing.
  • As MLB.com's Doug Miller shows, cheap, no-name closers can be just as effective as proven commodities.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the addition of Scott Kazmir should help the Angels reach the playoffs once again.
  • Tim Hudson and Dan Meyer were traded for each other in 2004. This week, Hudson pitched against Meyer's team for the first time, as MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports.
  • Jamey Newberg ranks Justin Smoak and Martin Perez ahead of the other Rangers minor leaguers in this week's prospects report for MLB.com.

Giants Rumors: Penny, Molina, Posey

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The latest on the Giants, who trail the Wild Card-leading Rockies by just a game:

  • Brad Penny gave the Giants more than they could have expected in his return to the NL, as Dan Gelston of the AP notes (via the Miami Herald).
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law would like to see the Giants play Buster Posey enough down the stretch to prepare him for a starting role in 2010. They could then let Bengie Molina walk and spend on another bat. 
  • Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle wonders if the Giants are trying to "light a fire" under Bengie Molina. 

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