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Archives for July 2010

Mets Agree With 24th-Rounder To Over-Slot Deal

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The Mets reached an agreement with 24th-round pick Erik Goeddel on an over-slot deal, MLBTR has learned.  A source close to Major League Baseball indicated that Goeddel agreed to a contract believed to be worth just under $500K.  Goeddel, a righty out of UCLA, received third-round money.  He's one of the first over-slot signings, which is surprising since he's a college junior rather than a prep player.  Just before the draft, Goeddel had what Baseball America's Dave Perkin called an "eyebrow-raising outing" in front of scouts.

Reached by MLBTR, Goeddel's advisor Matt Sosnick denied an agreement is in place.

D’Backs Designate Dontrelle Willis For Assignment

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The Diamondbacks have designated Dontrelle Willis for assignment, per a team press release. The move clears a roster spot for Jordan Norberto, who was recalled from Triple-A.

The D'Backs traded for Willis just over a month ago, acquiring the left-hander shortly after the Tigers had designated him for assignment. Although Willis got off to a promising start in Arizona, tossing six shutout innings in his debut, control issues plagued his later outings. He walked 27 hitters in just 22.1 IP for the D'Backs.

After Willis' last DFA, there were reportedly four teams interested in the 28-year-old, so we'll see if one of those other clubs gets involved now that his time in Arizona appears to be over.

Tejada Prefers To Remain In Baltimore

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Though he's been the subject of a handful of trade rumors lately, Miguel Tejada tells Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun that he'd like to stay in Baltimore. Tejada not only indicated that he'd prefer not to be dealt this month, but suggested he wouldn't mind wearing an Orioles uniform past this season.

"If they want me to be here, I’m staying here," said Tejada. "I definitely like it. I live in Florida, but I’ve always said, Baltimore is like my home. I signed my big contract here and the fans really have treated me this time like they did last time. I love playing at Camden Yards. But there’s nothing I can do. It’s out of my hands."

The Phillies are rumored to be interested in acquiring Tejada, and the 36-year-old could also appeal to the Twins, among other teams. With third base prospect Josh Bell now on the major league roster and the Orioles in the AL East cellar by a wide margin, a Tejada deal looks more and more likely as the deadline approaches. The former AL MVP has about $3MM left on his one-year contract, and would also receive a $150K bonus if he's traded.

Cafardo On Hart, Farnsworth, Dunn, Guillen

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The Red Sox' ability to plug holes in their roster following a slew of injuries can be attributed in large part to Allard Baird, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. After discussing Baird's importance to the Sox and listing his All-Star picks, Cafardo shares a few hot stove items….

  • The Giants are "very interested" in Corey Hart, but with Milwaukee not entirely out of the NL Central race, the Brewers haven't yet elected to become sellers.
  • Although it's unclear whether or not Boston would have any interest in Kyle Farnsworth, Cafardo thinks he could be an option for the Sox. Farnsworth's strikeout rate is down to 6.8 K/9 this season, but a National League scout opines that the right-hander's stuff is as strong as ever.
  • Cafardo speculates that the White Sox would part with a promising prospect or two in exchange for Adam Dunn, and suggests that the Braves, Giants, and Rays could be fits for Jose Guillen.
  • After being told by a couple potential suitors that they needed to see him play, Wily Mo Pena is attempting to earn another shot at the bigs by playing in the Atlantic League.
  • A friend of D'Backs interim general manager Jerry DiPoto tells Cafardo that he thinks DiPoto may not have total freedom to make moves this month: "I get the feeling the major shots will be called above Jerry. If Jerry gets a chance, he’ll do some interesting things, but we’ll see whether he’ll have some reins on him."

Marlins Open To Making Changes

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The further out of contention the Marlins fall, the more willing they'll be to entertain trading their veteran players, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. According to Frisaro, Florida could listen to offers for anyone besides Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez.

Frisaro names Jorge Cantu as the most likely Marlin to be dealt before the trade deadline, since the 28-year-old will be eligible for free agency after this season and may be out of the Marlins' price range. The club could also explore what's available in exchange for arbitration-eligible players such as Dan Uggla, Cody Ross, and even Ricky Nolasco, as Ken Rosenthal suggested yesterday. Nate Robertson and Wes Helms might appeal to some teams as well, though Frisaro notes that the Marlins like Helms a lot, and picture him becoming a coach in their system when he retires.

We've heard that the Marlins are searching for bullpen help, and they may also look to add offensive pieces. Presumably though, if they decide to trade veterans like Cantu or Uggla, the team would be looking less for immediate help and more to the future.

Indians Rumors: Peralta, Wood, Westbrook

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The last-place Indians are poised to become sellers this month, and have already cashed in one of their trade chips, in Russell Branyan. Paul Hoynes and Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer discuss potential upcoming moves for the Indians in a series of articles:

  • Although the Indians have pieces they'd like to deal, they haven't received a whole lot of interest from other teams yet, writes Hoynes. Unlike in the past couple summers, there's no Indian on the block nearly as appealing as Cliff Lee or C.C. Sabathia.
  • Despite their holes in the infield, the Phillies aren't interested in Jhonny Peralta, according to a Hoynes source.
  • One scout on Kerry Wood: "He's got a power arm, but I don't like him closing. He walks too many people. But his experience is valuable."
  • In a separate mini-mailbag, Hoynes says that Wood needs consistent work to be effective, and that Chris Perez is ready to be the Tribe's full-time closer.
  • There haven't been any trade talks concerning Wood, and there hasn't been much interest in Austin Kearns either, according to Pluto.
  • Pluto writes that a few teams have inquired about Jake Westbrook, but that "it has to be a compelling trade" for the Indians to move him. They aren't just looking for salary relief.

Octavio Dotel Addresses Trade Rumors

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Octavio Dotel would prefer not to hear about any trade rumors involving him unless he actually gets dealt, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Although the Marlins are rumored to be interested in the Pirates' closer, Dotel says "I just don't want to hear any of it, how I'm going here or there."

Given Dotel's contract and the Pirates' place in the standings, there has been speculation that the right-hander could be one of the more attractive bullpen trade chips on the market. The 36-year-old will earn $3.5MM this year, and has a $4.5MM club option ($500K buyout) for next season, though it becomes a mutual option if he's traded. With the Pirates already 23 games below .500 at the season's midpoint, Dotel discussed how the team's record affects his enthusiasm for playing in Pittsburgh:

"I like it here," Dotel said. "But I want to have more winning games. The past month, it wasn't that good for us…. I'll be honest with you: I don't want to be over here if we're going to play that way…. But if we're playing close games and fighting and trying hard like this week, yeah, of course, I want to be here. I love this town. I love this ballpark. It's good for me as a pitcher."

Kovacevic indicates that the Pirates aren't known to be shopping any of their relievers, but that could change in the coming weeks. Besides Dotel, D.J. Carrasco is another of the team's bullpen arms who signed a one-year contract and could appeal to a contender.

Odds & Ends: Zambrano, Millwood, Orioles, Ausmus

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Let's check out some tidbits from around the web on this Fourth Of July eve..

Rosenthal On Padres, Uggla, Blue Jays, Nats

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Let's dive into the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..

  • The Padres are seeking a durable starting pitcher as they approach the deadline.  The Padres know that they need a bat but their offense is so weak that they fear a lack of quality starting pitching might derail them faster than a lack of hitting.  Durable starters are hard to come by on the trade market, but the Diamondbacks' Edwin Jackson could be a fit.
  • The Marlins changed skippers thinking that they were a better team than they've shown, but that hasn't been the case thus far.  Unless they rally, the club will end up as sellers.  Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross, and Ricky Nolasco all hold value.  Nolasco's name hasn't come up much, but he could be one of the better starting pitchers on the market.  Uggla and his big bat are still sought after, even though his salary could rise to about $10MM in arbitration next season.
  • Toronto's Shaun Marcum could still be a trade chip, even after going on the disabled list with inflammation of the right elbow.  The club expects him to be back before the All-Star break and if so, he should be one of the better starters available.  The Jays could be active sellers as they have several more attractive pieces.  Relievers Scott Downs and Jason Frasor are both potential free agents.  Shortstop Alex Gonzalez and outfielder Jose Bautista could also get some bites.
  • Nats GM Mike Rizzo told Rosenthal that the club is getting interest in five or six players in trade discussion. While Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham are getting all the buzz, Cristian Guzman and Adam Kennedy could be attractive to teams in need of infield help.  Matt Capps could be a trade chip as well now that he has recovered from his slump.  They control the closer through next season, though they may look to cash in on his value while it is peaking.

Jack Of All Trades: Bobby Bonilla

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As any MLBTR reader knows, there are many different types of trades. It takes a certain kind of player to be traded in numerous different kinds of trades, but one such player is Bobby Bonilla. He was part of nearly every type of trade there is: as a prospect, for prospects, in a megadeal, even in an exchange of bad contracts. This doesn't even include the times he switched teams via the Rule 5 Draft, or when he became the highest-paid free agent in baseball history.

Let's review the transaction madness, shall we?

Bonilla was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1981. However, after just three home runs in 39 games for the Single-A Prince William Pirates of the Carolina League, Pittsburgh left him unprotected and the Chicago White Sox picked him up in the Rule 5 Draft. Bonilla handled the jump pretty well, hitting .269/.361/.355 with the 1986 White Sox. The Pirates managed to re-acquire him in July 1986, dealing established starter Jose DeLeon, who had been struggling terribly with Pittsburgh.

DeLeon went on to pitch reasonably well for Chicago in 1986-87, but Bonilla quickly established himself as a star for the Pirates. In his five full seasons with Pittsburgh, Bonilla posted OPS+ marks of 118, 143, 145, 132 and 149. He went to four All-Star games and helped the Pirates to two division titles. Clearly, Pittsburgh got the better end of that deal.

After Bonilla signed with the Mets, he performed reasonably well, but many of the other Mets didn't. As a result, smack in the middle of his best major league season, Bonilla was traded in July 1995, this time as the star player, for prospects Damon Buford and Alex Ochoa. While Buford and Ochoa never established themselves as starters, Bonilla picked up right where he left off in New York. After posting a 160 OPS+ with the Mets, he had a 139 OPS+ over the remainder of 1995 and helped Baltimore to the postseason in 1996 with an OPS+ of 114.

Bonilla then signed with the 1997 Marlins as a free agent, and helped them to a World Series title with his 125 OPS+. But by 1998, Florida was in firesale mode, and so Bonilla was one of the firesold, traded along with Gary Sheffield, Jim Eisenreich, Charles Johnson and Manuel Barrios for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile. (Piazza and Zeile, in turn were dealt for prospects.)

But Bonilla was finished as a useful major league hitter, posting just an OPS+ of 81 after heading to Los Angeles. The Dodgers had him under contract in 1999 for $5.9MM. The Mets, meanwhile, had a relief pitcher named Mel Rojas under contract for approximately $4.6MM in 1999, and Rojas had posted a 6.05 ERA in 1998. Therefore, an auspicious marriage of convenience occurred, with the two players getting exchanged for one another.

The deal helped neither team, with Rojas pitching to a 18.00 ERA for three teams in 1999. Bonilla, now 36 and largely unable to run, became New York's Opening Day right fielder and number five hitter, two roles he quickly lost in a season with an OPS+ of 48. In the spring of 2000, the Mets agreed to an annual payment of approximately $1.2MM a year from 2011 to 2035 to buy out Bonilla's 2000 contract worth $5.9MM.

So as Bonilla sits back and cashes Met checks well into his 70s, he can reflect on a truly fantastic legacy of trades.

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