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Red Sox Designate Jonathan Van Every

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Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports (via Twitter) that the Red Sox have designated Jonathan Van Every for assignment.  The move was made to free up a roster spot for Jacoby Ellsbury's activation from the disabled list.

The Red Sox traded for Van Every on April 24 in order to fill the holes in their outfield left by Ellsbury and Mike Cameron's trips to the DL.  Appearing mostly as a late-game defensive replacement, Van Every hit .211/.286/.421 in 21 plate appearances this season.  It was Van Every's second stint in Boston, as the outfielder appeared in 18 games for the Sox over the 2007-08 seasons before being released last July.

Though this is Van Every's tenth year of pro ball and he might have a bit of that "quadruple A" stigma, you have to think that there's room somewhere on a major league roster for an guy who brings a decent glove to every outfield position and has an .853 career OPS at Triple-A.

Remembering the 2000 Trade Deadline

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Ah, times were different back in 2000. Bush and Gore were locked in a closely-contested race. Reality television was the exception, not the rule. And What Women Want taught us that Mel Gibson would be best remembered for capturing Helen Hunt's heart.

Meanwhile, let's climb into the Wayback Machine (though I believe Sherman has already called shotgun) and look at some of the biggest trade deadline hits from the year 2000…

  • The first deal of significance near the non-waiver trade deadline came on July 12, when the Yankees acquired Denny Neagle (and Mike Frank) for Jackson Melian, Drew Henson, Brian Reith and Ed Yarnall. The Yankees didn't lose much, since Henson's production never approached his hype. Neagle, however, was actually nearing the end of a good career, and posted just a 5.81 ERA after coming to New York.
  • Little-discussed, however, is one of the most impressive trade-deadline pickups of all time. On July 21, the Yankees dealt the forgettable Ben Ford and Oswaldo Mairena to the Cubs for Glenallen Hill. For Hill, the deal provided the last, best jolt of power in a home run-packed career. He hit .333/.378/.735 (!) with 16 home runs in 143 at-bats for the Yankees. It is hard to imagine a better example of acquiring an impact bat. Hill, who last played in 2001, publicly admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs late in his career.
  • The most important trade of that time took place on July 26, 2000, when the Phillies traded Curt Schilling to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Omar Daal, Nelson Figueroa, Travis Lee and Vicente Padilla. Padilla was the most productive of the bunch, with a pair of 14-win seasons, while Travis Lee, the centerpiece, hit just .258/.343/.402 in Philadelphia. Schilling, meanwhile, still had 111 of his 216 career victories ahead of him. He posted a 22-6 record in 2001, a 23-7 record in 2002, and had a successful Red Sox career after the trade.
  • Probably the biggest surprise of the players acquired at this time was Melvin Mora, traded with three other players by the Mets to the Orioles for Mike Bordick. The Mets wanted a shortstop and Bordick had a reputation as a strong defender. He posted a .260/.321/.385 mark with the Mets in 2000 and Mora went on to hit 158 home runs for the Orioles through 2009.
  • The Indians dealt a 25-year-old Richie Sexson, along with Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon and a player to be named later to the Brewers for three pitchers to shore up their pitching staff: Jason Bere, Bob Wickman and Steve Woodard. Of the three, only Wickman posted a reasonable ERA, and the Charlie Manuel-led Indians finished five games behind the Jerry Manuel-led White Sox. Sexson, meanwhile, hit 45 home runs in two of the next three seasons. And adding insult to injury, the player to be named later turned out to be Marco Scutaro.
  • In my favorite trade of the 2000 deadline, the Cardinals sent minor league slugger Jose Leon to the Orioles for first baseman Will Clark. All Clark did was hit .345/.426/.655 with the Cardinals, leading them into the NLCS. He then retired- the textbook case of going out on top.

Rangers Looking To Trade For Rod Barajas?

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The Rangers' search for a reliable catcher may be taking them to a former Ranger who they pursued in the offseason.  T.R. Sullivan and Chris Cox of MLB.com report that if the Mets put Rod Barajas on the market, the Rangers will have an interest in the veteran catcher.  Sullivan and Cox notes that Texas is contacting several clubs about finding a solution to their catching problems.

Barajas turned down a minor-league contract from Texas over the winter, eventually signing a one-year deal with New York worth $500K.  He has already earned a $400K bonus for making the Opening Day roster, and another $1MM is also available if Barajas reaches other incentive plateaus.  Even if he gets to that maximum price, Barajas has been a bargain for the Mets, hitting a club-leading 10 homers and carrying an OPS of .893 into Friday's game with the Yankees.  

Sullivan and Cox cite sources who say that if the Mets do choose to deal Barajas, it won't be until much closer to the July trade deadline.  This could be to try and create a bidding war for the catcher's services, or maybe the Mets still think they can get back into contention.

Gammons On Martinez, Lowell, Iannetta

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Peter Gammons made one of his regular appearances on WEEI's The Big Show on Friday afternoon to chat about the Red Sox.  Matt West has the full transcript, but here are a few of the more pertinent notes….

  • David Ortiz's improved play led to a question about Boston's future plans at the DH spot.  Gammons thinks that it will depend on if Victor Martinez is willing to re-sign "at a DH price or at a catcher’s price.  If its a catcher’s price I don’t think Victor will come back; if its a DH price I think they’ll bring him back."
  • Along those same lines, Gammons notes that "a DH price" is lower since league-wide, designated hitters are producing fairly average numbers: "The DH has been devalued, there are a lot of 35-, 36-year-olds who used to have the juice of life that don’t have it anymore."
  • Mike Lowell's agents have told Gammons that eight to ten teams are interested in their client, though Gammons doesn't necessarily believe them.  He thinks Lowell will end up being dealt from Boston at some point, though Gammons notes that two possible contenders for his services (the Mets and Rangers) are out of the running given the production of Ike Davis and Vladimir Guerrero, respectively. 
  • Gammons cites Tampa Bay as a potential destination for Lowell if the Sox end up releasing him.  Lowell would split time in a platoon at DH with Hank Blalock.
  • In regards to the rumors about Chris Iannetta, Gammons says the Red Sox attempted to acquire the catcher two years ago and "do really love him."  A deal could still happen later in the year though Gammons doesn't know if Boston could meet Colorado's trade needs.

Oswalt’s Preferred Destinations Aren’t Good Fits

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Roy Oswalt's request to be dealt from the Astros means that the sweepstakes for the veteran pitcher are officially on.  We've heard that Oswalt is willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to a contending team, and three teams that he would reportedly be interested in joining are the Braves, Cardinals and Rangers.

If these really are the top choices on Oswalt's wish list, the right-hander might need to expand his horizons.  Several obstacles stand between Oswalt pitching for any of these clubs:

  • Texas.  Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News is pessimistic about the Rangers' chances at Oswalt, noting that the team's unsettled ownership situation would make it difficult to take on Oswalt's big salary.  The right-hander is owed $16MM in 2011 and has a club option for $16MM in 2012.  That final year can be bought out for $2MM, but that still adds up to an $18MM investment in Oswalt, not to mention the remainder of his $15MM salary this season.  Rich Harden is the only experienced arm currently in the Texas rotation, but given the number of promising young arms in the Rangers' system, committing a lot of money to a veteran like Oswalt doesn't make much long-term sense.
  • St. Louis.  Even if Oswalt's no-trade clause and salary limits Houston's options, it's hard to imagine the Astros dealing one of their franchise icons within the division.  MLB.com's Matthew Leach (via Twitter) doesn't think the Cardinals will seriously pursue Oswalt since the St. Louis rotation is already so strong.  Leach thinks the Cards will "put in a call" to keep their bases covered, but it's a longshot.
  • Atlanta.  Much like St. Louis, the Braves have no pressing need for another starter, even one of Oswalt's caliber.  If the Braves make any moves before the trade deadline, it will be to acquire a hitter to improve their struggling lineup.  There's also the fact that while the Cardinals and Rangers currently lead their divisions, Atlanta is 21-20 heading into Friday's play and will face a tough uphill climb to catch the Phillies in the NL East.  The Braves might not fit Oswalt's definition of a "contender."

There's also the possibility that Oswalt might not go anywhere.  As Houston GM Ed Wade told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, "Roy's contract includes a no-trade clause, not a trade-me clause…I just want to acknowledge the request has been made, but it really doesn't change anything on our end."  It has been well-documented that Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. is loath to commit to a full rebuilding process for his team and give up on the Oswalt/Lance Berkman/Carlos Lee era, but now that Oswalt has outright asked to be traded, perhaps that's the sign that McLane needs to see that changes are necessary in Houston.

Brian Bruney Clears Waivers

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FRIDAY, 7:04pm: Kilgore reports that Bruney has refused his minor league assignment.  The Nats now have a week to deal the reliever, and will probably release him if they can't find a trade partner.  Until Bruney signs with another club, Washington still owes Bruney his $1.5MM salary for 2010.

FRIDAY, 1:35pm: Bruney cleared waivers and now has 24 hours to accept or refuse a minor league assignment, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Bruney told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he isn't sure if he'll accept the assignment.

SUNDAY: The Nationals have designated reliever Brian Bruney for assignment, according to MLB.com's William Ladson (via Twitter).  The move was made to create room for right-hander Drew Storen.  

Bruney, 28, has a 7.64 ERA with 16 Ks and 20 walks in 17.2 innings for the Nats this season.  Washington manager Jim Riggleman indicated yesterday that the club might make a roster move involving Bruney.  While the limited sample size should not be overlooked, it is worth noting that the velocity on Bruney's fastball has dipped from 94.6 mph last season to 92.8 mph in 2010.

Meanwhile, Storen has been outstanding this year in both Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse.  Between the two stops, Storen has a 1.12 ERA with 15 Ks and just three walks in 16 innings of work.  Baseball America's Prospect Handbook predicts that the 22-year-old – ranked third in the Nats' farm system – could be closing games in Washington by the end of the season.

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Scheppers, Pirates, Blue Jays

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As we prepare for a weekend of watching AL pitchers take ineffective swings, here are a few news items…

Capuano, Brewers Push Back Opt-Out Date

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Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers and left-hander Chris Capuano have mutually agreed to postpone the opt-out date in the pitcher's contract to May 29.  Capuano could've opted out of the minor league deal he signed last November since he wasn't on Milwaukee's major league roster by May 20, but the date was extended because Capuano "wasn't physically ready for that kind of decision."

The Brewers' pitching problems this season have been well-documented, but a healthy Capuano could provide a much-needed (and cheap) boost.  The former All-Star hasn't pitched in the majors since 2007 due to the second Tommy John surgery of his career, but he has been lights-out in the minors this season.  In five starts for Milwaukee's A+ and Triple-A affiliates, Capuano has a 1.55 ERA and an eye-popping 14.5 K/BB ratio.

Roy Oswalt Requests Trade From Houston

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The Chicago Tribune's Mark Gonzales is reporting that Astros ace Roy Oswalt has asked Houston owner Drayton McLane Jr. to be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline.  Astros GM Ed Wade confirmed Oswalt's request to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).  Oswalt said last week that he was "open" to a potential deal and would waive his no-trade clause if he could join a contending team.

Oswalt has been rumored to be possibly the top starter available at the deadline, and after a somewhat shaky 2009 season, he has looked like his old self this year — a 2.66 ERA and 3.75 K/BB ratio in nine starts, though his record is just 2-6 for the last-place Astros.  The right-hander is guaranteed to earn $15MM this season, $16MM in 2011, and will require a $2MM buyout of his contract for 2012, a club option for another $16MM.  It's a steep price for a pitcher who will be 33 in August. 

We've already heard that the Mets might not have the money to make a play for Oswalt, though given their recent struggles, they might not be looking to add players at the deadline anyway. Atlanta, St. Louis and Texas are reportedly Oswalt's top preferences for a new team.

Dodgers Release Josh Towers

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MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports that Los Angeles has granted Josh Towers his release.  The right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last December, and Gurnick said the contract contained a clause where Towers could opt out if he wasn't on the major league roster by this point in the season.

Towers had an 8.05 ERA in eight starts for the Dodgers' Triple-A team this season, and has a 4.95 ERA in 139 major league games with the Orioles, Blue Jays and Yankees since 2001.

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