Archives for July 2010

Red Sox Inquired On Leo Nunez, Cody Ross

By Tim Dierkes | July 19, 2010 at 9:45am CDT

The Red Sox inquired about Marlins players Leo Nunez and Cody Ross, reports Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Spencer adds that the Rangers asked about Jorge Cantu.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported Saturday that the Yankees are talking to the Marlins as well. Rosenthal speculated that Nunez and Ross would make sense for the Yanks. Brian Cashman's actual level of interest in the pair is unknown, but perhaps the AL East foes are targeting the same players. Nunez is in the midst of his best season, with a 2.87 ERA, 9.3 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, and 50.5% groundball rate. About $837K remains on his contract, and he's under team control through 2012 as an arbitration-eligible player.

Ross' power has taken a dip, as his line stands at .279/.331/.409. ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted that the Marlins' asking price is "very, very high, despite the fact that some teams view him as a non-tender candidate." Ross is earning $4.45MM this year after beating the Marlins in arbitration in February. He's under team control for next year, but as Olney suggests, the Marlins might be unwilling to give him that final arbitration raise. The Braves are known to have interest in Ross, while Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse reports today that the Padres are not a fit.

Cantu would be a two-month rental, as he's a free agent after the season. Surely the Marlins would like to clear some of his remaining $2.5MM. Despite a .258/.309/.416 line, Cantu has 52 RBIs. Aside from the Rangers, the Rockies are known to have an eye on him. Both teams might prefer a cheaper player like Ty Wigginton, however.

Isringhausen To Audition For Reds

By Tim Dierkes | July 19, 2010 at 9:20am CDT

Appearing on KFNS 590 The Fan with Doug Vaughn this morning, free agent reliever Jason Isringhausen said he has a tentative plan to audition for the Reds tomorrow. Isringhausen added that he expects to hear back from the Cardinals this week and implied that his agent has been in contact with the Yankees, Rays, and Royals.

Isringhausen admitted it'd be weird to pitch for the Reds against the Cardinals this summer as the teams battle for the NL Central. Walt Jocketty's Reds already count Scott Rolen and Russ Springer as organization members. Izzy, of course, tallied 217 saves in seven seasons for the Cards from 2002-08. Isringhausen's last appearance in the Majors came in June of 2009 with the Rays, after which he went down for Tommy John surgery. He said he's currently throwing three times a week and working on a changeup. He expects he'd need a couple of weeks in the minors to get ready.

Passan On Fielder, DeJesus, Oswalt

By Tim Dierkes | July 19, 2010 at 8:09am CDT

The latest from Yahoo's Jeff Passan…

The Rays "won't go near" Prince Fielder due to a potential $16MM salary in 2011, says one Passan source. So far any Rays-Fielder connection has been purely speculative, though the team has a history of chasing big names at the trade deadline. To play devil's advocate to Passan, they could theoretically acquire Fielder now and trade him again in the offseason.
Passan feels that the White Sox and Giants could match up on a Fielder trade, or the Brewers could wait until the offseason to trade their slugger.
The Royals' steep asking price for David DeJesus: "a major league-ready prospect, along with at least one midlevel prospect or a pair of lower-level players." Another take on their asking price tweeted by Dan Hayes of the North County Times: an "ML-ready pitcher and a top prospect."
Passan wonders if the Yankees will pursue Roy Oswalt, as they're "about the only team that could fit the $23 million left in his contract for the next year and a half onto their budget." Indeed, ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted today that the Yanks "have an advantage in that they're one of the few teams willing to take on payroll." We'll have to see whether the Yankees actually inquire on Oswalt and/or Ted Lilly in the coming days.

Odds & Ends: Nationals, Lilly, Haren, Marlins, Kotsay

By Zachary Links | July 18, 2010 at 10:35pm CDT

Sunday night linkage..

Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com wonders if the reason Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo has made players like Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham available is because the team's offense is struggling with them as it is, so he'll try to improve other areas of the team.
ESPNChicago's Bruce Levine says the Yankees could join the mix for Ted Lilly following Andy Pettitte's injury today. Meanwhile, Yanks' GM Brian Cashman told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that he is "not inclined" to make a move to replace Pettitte yet, saying that he prefers to give internal options a try first. Levine has the Tigers, Twins, Mets, and Dodgers also in the hunt for Lilly.
Scott Miller of CSBSports.com wonders if this weekend's poor play (three losses to the Padres) makes a Dan Haren trade more likely.
David Villavicencio of Fox Sports Florida tells us that players like Cody Ross and Ricky Nolasco want to stay with the Marlins, and know they need a strong run to make that a reality.
Mark Kotsay knows what it's like to be the player who's desired in a trade, but also to be the player who would lose playing time as a result of one, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
Jose Bautista was honored that Alex Anthopoulos called him to help get Yunel Escobar settled into his new environment, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Bautista says that he loves Toronto and would like to stay there long-term.
The Yankees, who have been interested bystanders through most of the process, are now getting more interested in Mexican amateur pitcher Luis Heredia, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. However, the Pirates and the Blue Jays remain the frontrunners for the 15-year-old, who is sure to get a bonus of more than $2MM.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN tweets that Tampa Bay expressed interest in Yunel Escobar before he was dealt to Toronto. He also tweets that Reid Brignac was part of the talks.
Hayden Penn, a pitcher for the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate who was reportedly nearing a deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines, is on his way to Japan, according to Indianapolis Indians Triple-A announcer Scott McCauley (via Twitter). McCauley also says that another Indianapolis hurler is "close to a deal".
The White Sox, who have been linked to Nationals slugger Adam Dunn, have had a scout present for Washington's series against the Marlins, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post (via Twitter).
Reliever David Aardsma is a possible fit for the Tigers, tweets Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
R.J. Anderson of Fangraphs attempted to peg Fausto Carmona's trade value.
Roy Oswalt wants to claim the Astros win record before leaving, writes Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle.
Jean-Jacques Taylor of The Dallas Morning News praised the moves made by Rangers GM Jon Daniels.
Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun senses deja vu all over again as the deadline approaches.

Could Pitching Injuries Push Yankees To A Trade?

By Mike Axisa | July 18, 2010 at 9:37pm CDT

The Yankees made a valiant effort to acquire Cliff Lee before the Mariners decided they liked the Rangers' offer better, but the general feeling at the time was that Lee was just a luxury for a team that already boasted a strong starting five. CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, A.J. Burnett, Javier Vazquez, and Phil Hughes were already a championship-caliber group without Lee, and they have started all but two of the Yanks' games this season.

Things may have changed this weekend, however. Burnett cut his pitching hand slamming a clubhouse door in frustration on Saturday, and even though he is on track to make his next start, there's no telling how it will affect him. Furthermore, the Yanks have to monitor Hughes' workload down the stretch. The young righty has already thrown 101 innings this year, and it is widely believed that the team will limit him to 170-180 total. The indication is that they will use off days to skip Hughes' turn every so often in the second half.

The biggest issue of all is Pettitte, who left today's start with a Grade I groin strain. GM Brian Cashman said he anticipates a four-to-five week absence, but groin injuries can linger if not addressed properly. Pettitte's spot will be filled by Sergio Mitre for the time being, who is coming off the disabled list himself. Suddenly the rotation went from deep and reliable to having a couple of question marks.

Buster Olney reported that the team had no plans to acquire another starting pitcher following their failed pursuit of Lee, who they considered a "special case." Pettitte's injury may change things. Former Yankee Ted Lilly seems like a logical fit since he has history with the team and is very much available. His reduced velocity could be a cause for concern, and also the fact that he hasn't pitched in the AL regularly for quite some time. Brett Myers and another former Yankee in Jake Westbrook could be options as well.

Of course, whenever you talk about the Yankees, you have to mention the big names. Roy Oswalt appears to be fine after leaving today's start with an ankle injury, but he would require a significant payroll increase. Dan Haren is also out on the market. The Yanks have indicated that they would not trade top prospect Jesus Montero for anyone currently on the trade market, which would limit their ability to acquire a big-time piece.

When the Yankees needed a starter down the stretch last year, Cashman made a small waiver trade for Chad Gaudin, who pitched well for them in August and September (3.19 ERA in six starts).Brian Bannister, whom the Yanks inquired about last year, and David Bush could still be available this August.

The Yankees have a deeper rotation than last year even with Pettitte's injury, so they might not rush out to make a deal before the non-waiver trade deadline on the 31st. If nothing else, Cashman has shown a willingness to be patient, giving internal options a chance before making a major trade.

Contenders Scouting The Athletics

By Mike Axisa | July 18, 2010 at 8:31pm CDT

The Athletics' record stands at exactly .500 after 92 games, but they sit seven games back of the molten hot Rangers in the AL West. GM Billy Beane said he didn't anticipate being that active before the non-waiver trade deadline, but that hasn't stopped contending teams from checking out his roster for potential fits.

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle brings us the latest and greatest from the East Bay…

Ben Sheets is a potential target for both the Phillies and Twins, though the A's have no desire to move the righthander. He is still owed $4.3MM for the remainder of this season, and he is currently on pace to earn the full $2MM worth of incentives in his contract, which are based on innings pitched. $6.3MM total is pricey for a guy with a 6.66 ERA away from his home park.
Slusser says that Vin Mazzaro's emergence (3.50 ERA in 64.1 innings) could make Sheets expendable, ditto healthy returns by Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden.
Detroit scouted reliever Michael Wuertz this weekend, which is not the first time they've done so this season. They also have their eye on Craig Breslow. Slusser says Oakland might not want to sell low on Wuertz, who's gone from a 2.63 ERA and 11.67 K/9 last year to 5.30 and 6.75 this year, respectively.

Angels Designate Paul McAnulty For Assignment

By Mike Axisa | July 18, 2010 at 7:29pm CDT

The Angels have designated Paul McAnulty for assignment, tweets Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. The move clears a roster spot for Maicer Izturis, who was activated off the disabled list following a month-long hiatus due to a forearm issue.

McAnulty, 29, hit just .136/.174/.273 in 23 plate appearances for the Angels, his first big league action since 2008. He certainly impressed in the minors this year, posting a .344/.412/.610 batting line in 294 plate appearances split between Double-A and Triple-A.

Week In Review: 7/12/10 – 7/18/10

By Mike Axisa | July 18, 2010 at 7:11pm CDT

Baseball lost George Steinbrenner this week, easily its most recognizable owner, and the National League won its first All Star Game in what feels like an eternity (actually 13 years). Let's look back at the week that was…

This week's big trade featured the Blue Jays and Braves swapping shortstops. Toronto received Yunel Escobar and Jo-Jo Reyes, Atlanta Alex Gonzalez, Tim Collins, and Tyler Pastornicky. Clearly, one team was looking ahead while the other was looking at the present. Reactions to the deal were pretty split.
The Cardinals gave GM John Mozeliak a three-year contract extension, while Cubs' GM Jim Hendry got a vote of confidence from his team's chairman.
Several teams are interested in Corey Hart, including the Giants, Rays, and Padres.The Brewers asked San Francisco for Jonathan Sanchez or Madison Bumgarner in exchange for the slugger. The Braves are interested in another righty hitting outfielder, Cody Ross of the Marlins.
The Padres might need some pitching in addition to an outfielder, and they do not want any rental players. San Diego has not yet had any contract talks with Adrian Gonzalez, and unsurprisingly the Red Sox maintain interest in the star first baseman.
The Blue Jays made Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Kevin Gregg available, and should certainly get some bites. The Reds were looking for some right-handed relief help, so they signed Russ Springer. The Giants and Mariners went to the scrap heap for pitching help, signing Dontrelle Willis and Jamey Wright, respectively.
The Rockies are looking to add several pieces before the deadline, and have interest in Dan Uggla. The Marlins are likely to keep their second baseman, however. The Dodgers have no intentions of trading Matt Kemp, and Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo doesn't like the offers he's received for Adam Dunn.
The Orioles are close to hiring Buck Showalter to manage the team, but no official announcement has been made. Orioles' executive Andy MacPhail said that he would be willing to trade his young players, but it would be hard to give them up. Talks with the Phillies about Ty Wigginton and Miguel Tejada are dead.
The Red Sox have in fact exceeded the luxury tax threshold, which may impact their willingness to take on money at the deadline. They were discussing David DeJesus with the Royals before the news broke, however. David Ortiz is looking for a contract extension.
The Yankees have their eye on Marlins' utility man Wes Helms, but their crosstown rivals might not make a move to add a pitcher after all. They did try to swap Oliver Perez for Gil Meche, however.
Philadelphia doesn't expect to add any pitching, and a reunion with Pedro Martinez appears unlikely.
The Mariners signed a trio of international prospects, while the Blue Jays signed a pair of their own.
Here's the crop of players that were removed from their team's roster in some way: Dane Sardinha by the Phillies, George Sherrill by the Dodgers, Nelson Figueroa by the Phillies, Armando Benitez by the Marlins, Mike Redmond by the Indians, Fernando Cabrera by the Red Sox, Juan Castro by the Phillies, Mike Lamb by the Marlins, Nick Green by the Blue Jays, Anderson Hernandez by the Indians, Gustavo Molina by the Red Sox, and Casey Daigle by the Astros.
Ben Nicholson-Smith wrapped up our series on The 2010 Trade Market.

Nothing Imminent For The Diamondbacks

By Mike Axisa | July 18, 2010 at 5:58pm CDT

The non-waiver trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and the Diamondbacks figure to be one of the game's biggest sellers given their position at the bottom of the NL West. Despite that, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert says no moves are imminent for the D-Backs, but that doesn't mean interim GM Jerry Dipoto isn't trying.

"It's been a canvassing, finding out where other teams are at," said Dipoto. "Obviously, we've exchanged a lot of rhetoric. I don't think anybody is really in a deal-making mode yet. We've been very open in discussing with teams what we'd be interested in doing."

Dipoto added that the he believes the Cliff Lee trade was the first domino, and expects there to be a flurry of moves over the next 13 days. Arizona has already traded away Conor Jackson and Billy Buckner, and they're sure to find plenty of interest in Kelly Johnson, Adam LaRoche, Edwin Jackson, and Mark Reynolds if they make them available.

Dan Haren's name is out there, but Dipoto is asking for a substantial return: two starters and a reliever. They have no motivation to trade him though, since he's signed through 2012 at a below market rate.

Padres Still Eyeing Hart, May Need Arms Too

By Steve Adams | July 18, 2010 at 4:04pm CDT

Much has been made of the surprising first-place Padres' needs as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches. It's a known fact that they've relied on tremendous pitching to win in spite of an offense that ranks 27th in the Majors with a .701 team OPS and 21st with 396 runs scored.

The San Diego Union Tribune's Tim Sullivan says that manager Bud Black made a subtle pitch to Corey Hart, a known Padres target, at the Home Run Derby, opining to the Milwaukee right fielder that a lot of his home runs would also have gone out in Petco Park to gauge a reaction. While Hart kept an even keel and simply replied, "Yeah, they would have," Black says he wanted Hart to know that the Padres were interested.

Padres closer Heath Bell also spoke with Hart, and relayed that Hart isn't happy to be on the trading block. If he does get moved, he would like to train in Arizona near his newly-purchased house.

While Hart's 22 home runs would look nice in the middle of the Padres lineup and add some much needed support for Adrian Gonzalez, it's worth noting that the offense may no longer be the club's main focus.

Both Mike Adams and Mat Latos have landed on the disabled list in the past week. While Latos is expected to recover quickly, the Padres will likely be limiting his second half innings.

Padres general manager Jed Hoyer did acknowledge that they have the resources to improve both the offense and the defense, but said that the odds of a significant improvement to both seemed "remote." Any trades that send away cost-controlled young players will require a return that's controlled beyond 2010 for the Padres as well, according to Hoyer, who stressed that financial limitations make cost-control important to San Diego.

Sullivan asked Bell about his personal wish list for acquisitions, and Bell named Hart, Cody Ross, Miguel Tejada, and Milton Bradley before floating a unique idea: acquire Lance Berkman and put him back in the outfield. It's unlikely that Berkman would play a respectable outfield at this point, but the scenario suggests that Bell clearly would like to see a proven, veteran bat added to the lineup.

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