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Infield Options For The Phillies

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Today Chase Utley and Placido Polanco became the latest star infielders to hit the disabled list. Greg Dobbs and Brian Bocock got called up, but the Phillies will have options if they decide to pursue infielders who can help between now and the All-Star break, when Utley and Polanco may be ready to return. 

The Red Sox and Rockies have been quiet since losing Dustin Pedroia and Troy Tulowitzki, respectively. The Red Sox acquired Eric Patterson, but so far neither club has made a major move. Since Polanco is hurt, the Phillies have a hole at third, but they may find themselves considering many of the same players who have been linked to the Red Sox and Rockies.

Adam Everett, Mark Grudzielanek, Garrett Atkins, Edwin Encarnacion and Akinori Iwamura are not on MLB rosters and could presumably be acquired for a small financial commitment. Jhonny Peralta, Miguel Tejada, Adam Kennedy, Willie Bloomquist and Mike Aviles are in the majors, but could be available. Ty Wigginton, Dan Uggla and Kelly Johnson would be expensive and the Phillies wouldn't have room for them once their injured players return.

It's not clear whether the Phillies will weather the storm like the Rockies or pursue a player who can start in Utley and Polanco's absence and fill in once Philly's stars return. Utley will see a hand specialist tomorrow, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Until the Phillies know the severity of their second baseman's sprained thumb ligament, they can't do much more than scour opponents' rosters in case they need to make a deal.

Yanks President Expects Jeter, Rivera Back

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Yankees president Randy Levine was quoted last night on impending free agents Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera:

"We don’t negotiate in public, but I would find it highly, highly unlikely if both of them were not back with the Yankees.  Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are the Yankees."

The comment came from a New York Times session, as reported by Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues.  Kabak notes that despite the pledge to avoid public negotiation, the Yankees may have already reduced their leverage.

Levine and GM Brian Cashman also touched on their approach toward Japanese scouting, the draft, and other topics, so be sure to check out Kabak's summary.

Rosenthal On Cliff Lee, MacDougal, Dunn, Valentine

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Cliff Lee starts tonight at Yankee stadium, and it figures to be one of his last outings in a Mariners uniform.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports leads his column with an examination of the market for Lee, noting that "the acquisition cost should be lower than the last two times he was traded."  Rosenthal sees no obvious favorite for the lefty at this time, though Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times believes "the buzz about a possible deal with the crosstown Mets is growing louder and louder."  Rosenthal's other rumorage:

  • The Nationals have until Thursday to decide whether to promote Mike MacDougal.  Otherwise, he can elect free agency.  The hard-throwing righty has a 4.71 ERA, 5.6 K/9, and 4.7 BB/9 in 21 minor league innings.
  • Rosenthal confirms other reports that the White Sox and Angels like Nationals slugger Adam Dunn.  He notes that Dunn "does not want to become a DH."
  • One executive feels that Jose Guillen will continue to hit well with the contract year carrot dangling.  Yesterday we learned from ESPN's Buster Olney that the Royals are pushing hard to move Guillen and will eat much of the $6.3MM remaining on his contract.  As for David DeJesus, an exec told Rosenthal the Royals "want to hit a home run" in any trade.
  • The Giants seek stability in their left-handed relief crew (currently Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler), but the need could be addressed internally.
  • The Cardinals "likely will wait until at least the All-Star break to fully assess their needs."  The starting pitching situation will depend on the recoveries of Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse.
  • At another link, Rosenthal updates the Bobby Valentine-Marlins situation.

Odds & Ends: A-Rod, Beltre, Athletics, Rockies

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Links for Tuesday, as Tigers reliever Casey Fien returns to the Majors after spending the offseason in waiver wire hell…

MLBPA Does Not Oppose Trading Draft Picks

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The executive director for the Major League Baseball Players Association says he can imagine an improved version of the MLB draft. Michael Weiner says players have accepted the draft and it works – to an extent.

“Everything is relative,” Weiner told MLBTR from Manhattan. “Does it work for the players as opposed to a system where players could be free agents and could freely negotiate with any club as they enter major league baseball? No.”

That’s because players have little leverage once they’re drafted by an MLB team. They can choose not to sign for a year, but that has limited appeal to most ballplayers. The draft isn’t perfect and Weiner, who maintains regular contact with players through e-mail, text messaging and face-to-face contact, notes that the MLBPA was in favor of trading draft picks in 2002 and again in 2006. Weiner says the MLBPA would consider trading picks to further competitive balance when the current collective bargaining agreement between players and owners expires after 2011.

“I’m not sure it gives the player more leverage,” Weiner said, noting that players would only be able to negotiate directly with one club. “But it clearly gives the club that selected the player more leverage.” 

Others, including Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, have suggested that trading picks would allow players to refuse to sign unless the team that drafted them dealt them to specific clubs. That could give players more say in their future, though not necessarily more money.

Now, teams can’t trade draft picks and can’t trade the players they sign for a year after their first pro contracts. Weiner points out that clubs would have more options if they could trade draft picks like NBA, NFL and NHL teams. 

Astros Sign Ramon Vazquez

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The Astros signed infielder Ramon Vazquez to a minor league deal on Friday, the team confirmed to MLBTR.  Vazquez has already appeared in four games for the Triple A Round Rock Express, playing shortstop and second base.  The Astros' middle infield currently features Jeff Keppinger, Oswaldo Navarro, and Geoff Blum as they wait for Tommy Manzella's broken finger to heal.

The Pirates released Vazquez on April 8th, assuming his $2MM salary in the process.  He was signed to a minor league deal by the Mariners eleven days later.  Vazquez's '09 offensive struggles carried over to his Tacoma stint, and Matt Eddy of Baseball America reported his recent release.

Could Mets Acquire Cliff Lee Without Mejia?

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Will Jenrry Mejia's posterior cuff strain prevent the Mets from trading for Mariners ace Cliff Lee?  GM Omar Minaya obviously could not talk specifically about Lee when asked by Kevin Kernan of the New York Post "if the Mejia setback is a setback to trade possibilities."  But Minaya kept a brave face and replied, "I don’t think so because I think we have other very good possibilities."  At least one of Minaya's current players does think the team lost its chance to acquire Lee with Mejia's injury, according to Kernan.

Maybe there is a chance, given Ken Rosenthal's June 19th report for FOX Sports suggesting the Mariners want young hitters in return for Lee.  At that time Rosenthal didn't think the Mets would be willing to give up Ike Davis to rent Lee.  John Hickey of AOL FanHouse wrote yesterday about a consensus among Mariners insiders that the team should add talent around the Double A level in a Lee deal.  More specifically, outfielders and lefthanded starters would be a good fit.

In my opinion, the Mets probably couldn't swing a Lee trade with Fernando Martinez as the centerpiece. He's hitting .248/.299/.397 at Triple A currently.  Starter Brad Holt is struggling at Double A, though second baseman Reese Havens was raking before hitting the DL with an oblique injury.  We heard from Rosenthal on June 7th that the Mets are high on infielder Ruben Tejada, enough that they would be reluctant to include him in a Roy Oswalt trade.  In a June 23rd article, Mark Hale of the New York Post found the Mets unlikely to include Mejia, Davis, or Jonathon Niese in a Lee offer.  He opined that the Mets would have to build the deal around names like Tejada, Martinez, Wilmer Flores, Jeurys Familia, and Josh Thole.  From where I'm sitting, the Mets don't seem like the team that will ultimately make the best offer for Lee. 

Super Two Cutoff Less Than Expected

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The next Super Two cutoff will require fewer days of service time than usual, MLBTR has learned.  Last year's Super Two cutoff was at two years and 139 days of service time.  In previous years, the cutoff was never less than two years and 130 days.  However, MLBTR has confirmed with two different team sources that the 2010 cutoff will be two years and most likely 123-125 days.  Service time projections may change over the next three months, but the cutoff is likely to be in that range.

The abnormal cutoff is described by one source as an anomaly.  But since the cutoff is percentage-based, the reduced service time needed for Super Two in 2010 may be the result of the recent trend in teams holding back MLB-ready prospects until late May or early June.  Perhaps once Super Two-based service time manipulation became widespread, it lost its effectiveness.

The top beneficiary of the reduced Super Two requirement is Reds right fielder Jay Bruce.  After this season Bruce will have two years and 125 days, and MLBTR has confirmed he'll be the Super Two with the least amount of service time.  The Reds delayed his MLB debut until May 27th back in 2008, but he's still going to arbitration four times – starting after this season.  Instead of earning $450K in 2011, he'll get millions.  Diamondbacks second baseman Tony Abreu is another winner, at two years and 127 days after the season.  Abreu can credit agent Scott Boras for fighting for an extra 30 days service time with last year's grievance.  Chase Headley, at two years and 123 days after the season, will be the player with the most service time to miss Super Two status.

Looking ahead, a similar early Super Two cutoff after the 2011 season could affect a player like Matt Wieters, who could be at two years and 129 days.  However, the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 11th, 2011, and the Super Two process figures to be one issue on the table.

Odds & Ends: DePaula, Padres, Yost, Fasano

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Links for Monday, as Jason Heyward hits the DL…

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