Red Sox Have Inquired About Available Outfielders
6:46pm: Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com tweets that even though DeJesus would be a good fit for the Sox, word is that Kansas City is asking for "way too much."
10:48am: With injuries decimating their outfield corps, the Red Sox have contacted multiple teams around the league to gauge the availability of outfielders in advance of the trade deadline, writes Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald. He adds that one such conversation centered around David DeJesus.
Outfield depth was one area that MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith highlighted when he reviewed the team's needs, which is obvious given the injuries to Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hermida, J.D. Drew, and Mike Cameron. The Royals are said to "love" currently injured shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias, though there has been no indication that Boston would part with him in a deal for DeJesus.
The 30-year-old DeJesus is enjoying a career year at .320/.389/.475, and he's owed approximately $2.6MM the rest of the season. There is also a $6MM club option for 2011 in his contract with a $500K buyout. Some other outfielders that could end up on the trading block include Austin Kearns, Coco Crisp, Scott Podsednik, Gabe Gross, Brad Hawpe, and Xavier Nady, all of whom can become free agents after the season.
Will Pedroia’s Injury Force The Sox To Make A Move?
The Red Sox were dealt a huge blow today when they learned that 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia will require a stint on the disabled list after fouling a ball off his right instep last night. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe tweets that Pedroia could be out as many as six weeks with a fracture, and manager Terry Francona indicated that Bill Hall will take over second base duties for the time being, according to The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham.
Prospects Jose Iglesias and Jed Lowrie are both on the disabled list, so there's no immediate help coming from within. The three injuries have made the Red Sox thin in the middle infield as Alex Speier of WEEI.com explained, so Pedroia's injury could be the one that presses GM Theo Epstein into action.
The team reportedly had interest in Adam Everett, who could certainly provide temporary relief, though he's hardly going to strike fear into opposing pitchers. Other names that could be in play are the same ones we discussed when the Rockies lost Troy Tulowitzki, and include Cesar Izturis, Ryan Theriot, Kelly Johnson, and Dan Uggla. Some would obviously cost more than others, and each would fit differently into the big picture.
Boston is currently three games back in the AL East, and losing their .292/.370/.502 middle infielder isn't going to make the uphill climb any easier. The Red Sox have already inquired about available outfielders, and their shopping list may have gotten just a little bit longer.
Cardinals Reach Agreement With Renyel Pinto
Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post tweets that Renyel Pinto, who was released by the Marlins on Wednesday this week, will sign with the Cardinals. The deal is pending a physical. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirms the deal and says Pinto will report to Triple-A Memphis, assuming he passes his physical.
Pinto was designated for assignment back on June 16 prior to his release, in spite of pitching relatively well this season. While he's had his typical control issues (nine walks in 15.2 IP), he's also notched 16 Ks on the year. Pinto has two years of arbitration remaining, so St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan could have plenty of time to work with the southpaw and his career 5.9 BB/9.
Left-handed opponents have been a problem for Pinto throughout his career, despite being a lefty himself. He's allowed a .253 opponent batting average to lefties versus just a .209 average to right-handers, though he does strike out more left-handed hitters (11.7 career K/9) than right-handed (7.0 career K/9).
Gardenhire On Twins’ Trade Philosophy
4:26pm: MLB.com's Kelly Thesier has more from Gardenhire, who says that he and GM Bill Smith are aware of who's out there and talk casually about trades up until the All-Star Break, when they typically sit down to discuss potential moves in a more serious manner.
1:57pm: Mired in a four-game losing streak, and having lost six of their last ten games, the Twins find themselves with just a half-game lead on the AL Central as they square off against their former ace Johan Santana in New York today.
Since Santana's trade following the 2007 season, the Twins have lacked a definitive ace atop their rotation. Francisco Liriano has shown flashes of brilliance and looks to have returned to form somewhat in 2010. However, it seems a long shot that he'll ever recapture the dominance he exhibited in his 2006 breakout, which was cut short by Tommy John surgery.
Currently relying on Liriano, Carl Pavano, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, and Nick Blackburn, the Twins' rotation has begun to falter over recent weeks. Slowey and Blackburn in particular have struggled of late, posting ERAs of 5.18 and 9.47 over the last month, respectively.
The combination of need and the presence of blocked catching prospect Wilson Ramos have led many to believe the Twins to be the front-runners to acquire Seattle's Cliff Lee.
Knowing that the Twins are a front-runner for Lee and that they've explored a trade for Houston's Roy Oswalt, Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune spoke with Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire today regarding the club's trade philosophy. If the Twins are pursuing Lee, who is rumored to be available immediately, Gardenhire isn't tipping their hand:
"This organization’s pretty set in its ways about not ever giving up your system for a rental, as they say. We haven’t done that in the past, and I wouldn’t think they would be leaning that way now."
Gardenhire's comments aren't necessarily entirely accurate. While the Twins haven't dealt elite prospects for talent in the past, they did trade for two rentals last season when they acquired Orlando Cabrera from the Athletics and traded the Indians for Pavano's services in August. Pavano remains a Twin after accepting arbitration this past offseason.
Gardenhire does concede that "things happen" and mentions increased revenue from the sellout crowds every game at the Twins' new home, Target Field. He's quick to cover that admission, however:
"But it still goes with the philosophy of the organization and that’s develop and bring these guys to the big leagues — and that’s never going to change here, I don’t believe."
The one hole in Gardenhire's statement? Ramos, ranked as the game's 58th-best prospect by Baseball America in late February, won't supplant AL MVP Joe Mauer, making it impossible to see him being brought to the big leagues as a regular — at least in a Twins uniform.
While those comments may leave the door more open for Oswalt, the Astros recently called up their own elite catching prospect, Jason Castro. There's also the issue of Oswalt's contract. At $16MM in 2011, it will be a considerable burden to any club looking to acquire the Houston ace, making Lee a far more logical target for Minnesota, despite its past philosophy.
Mets Acquire Jorge Padilla for Clint Everts
JUNE 26: Rubin tweets that the Blue Jays will receive minor league reliever (and, like Padilla, former National) Clint Everts to complete the trade.
Everts, the fifth overall pick in the draft back in 2002, has appeared in 26 games for Double-A Binghamton this season and notched an unsightly 6.94 ERA through 35 innings. As usual, strikeouts aren't a problem for the right-hander (9.5 K/9 this season, 9.0 for his career), but he's walking 5.4 hitters and allowing 11.8 hits per nine innings.
Everts, the former pride of the then-Expos farm system, has struggled since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2004.
JUNE 19: The Mets have acquired outfielder Jorge Padilla from the Blue Jays, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). There's no word on what Toronto will receive on the deal at this time.
Padilla, 30, has a slash line of .330/.405/.459 with four homers for Toronto's Triple A affiliate this season. He came to the plate 26 times with the Nationals last year, picking up just three singles and walk. The Mets have assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, so he'll presumably serve as extra depth.
Marlins To Hire Bobby Valentine?
SATURDAY, 4:02pm: Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post tweets that the Marlins gave Rodriguez a last-minute formal interview. In a separate tweet, Capozzi says Rodriguez will travel to Puerto Rico, but it may not be as the manager.
FRIDAY, 7:24pm: In a text message, Valentine said no job offer has been made yet, and that the "process will take some time," according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
1:00pm: A person involved in the negotiations confirmed to the Associated Press that Valentine was speaking with the Marlins today. The sides are moving closer to a deal (link via the Boston Herald).
9:15am: Valentine told Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post that any report suggesting he starts Monday is "absolutely not true." The Marlins plan to interview D'Backs third base coach Bo Porter. Capozzi, who believes Heyman's report is true, points out (via Twitter) that Valentine has to deny it.
8:19am: The Marlins will hire Bobby Valentine to manage the team, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). Valentine and the Marlins have at least a tentative deal in place (Twitter link).
Constant chatter has linked Valentine to the Marlins since they dismissed manager Fredi Gonzalez and Valentine withdrew his name from consideration for the Orioles' managerial job. According to ESPN, the network that currently employs Valentine, the Marlins are set to offer him a four-year deal.
Heyman says Valentine will start by Monday, when the Marlins play the team he once managed – the Mets – in Puerto Rico. That will add intrigue to the series, but will prevent interim manager Edwin Rodriguez from managing in his country of birth. Rodriguez, who is 1-1 since taking over the Marlins, became the first Puerto Rican-born manager in baseball history this week.
Poll: Best Second Tier Starting Pitcher
While Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt will dominate the starting pitcher trade rumor circuit for the next month or so, most teams can't afford (both in terms of prospects and/or money) to add someone of that caliber to their staff. Instead, they'll look to smaller upgrades, similar to what the Tigers did with Jarrod Washburn last season.
Which second tier starting pitcher is the most desirable trade target?
Click here to take survey and here to see the results.
Nationals Exploring A Trade For Edwin Jackson?
Edwin Jackson enjoyed the finest moment of his big league career last night when he no-hit the Rays, which coincidentally came at the same time MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling heard that the Nationals "were exploring a trade" for the righthander. Current Nats' GM Mike Rizzo has plenty of ties to the Diamondbacks, having joined the franchise when they were created in 1998 and serving as their scouting director from 2000-2006.
This year, the 26-year-old Jackson has been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed during in his breakout 2009 season. He's pitched to a 4.63 ERA in 107 innings, striking out 7.1 batters per nine innings while walking 3.8 per nine. The Scott Boras client is owed approximately $2.28MM for the rest of the season, and is under contract for $8.35MM next year.
Rizzo said he has identified starting pitching as the club's biggest need, though we really haven't seen them linked to any specific names until now. Arizona has yet to indicate that a fire sale is coming, but that could change in a heartbeat.
Olney’s Latest: Zambrano, Starting Pitchers, Indians
In today's blog post at ESPN (Insider req'd), Buster Olney writes about how Diamondbacks' manager A.J. Hinch went against the grain by leaving Edwin Jackson in to throw 149 pitches as he no-hit the Rays last night. One unnamed manager blamed the media for the pitch count craze, but I want to add that much of it has to do with teams protecting investments. With the rise of salaries throughout the game even from just ten years ago, teams don't want to unnecessarily put a pitcher in the line of danger, so to speak.
Here are the rest of Olney's rumors…
- The Cubs may wish they could get rid of Carlos Zambrano following his latest tirade, but Olney points out that there's still $45MM left on his contract. Chicago would have to eat a huge chunk of that money to unload him.
- The trade market doesn't figure to be very robust this summer because there just isn't a lot of money available around the league. The starting pitching market probably won't budge until Cliff Lee is dealt, at which point second tier fodder like Ben Sheets and Kevin Millwood would draw more attention.
- The Indians' two most marketable players are Austin Kearns and Russell Branyan because neither is making big money. Kearns is owed approximately $417K the rest of the season, Branyan $1.11MM, and both will become free agents as season's end.
Mariners Willing To Trade Cliff Lee Immediately?
Mariners' GM Jack Zduriencik has maintained that he is not yet willing to throw in the towel and trade ace lefty Cliff Lee, but Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com heard from two executives that Seattle is willing to deal him "immediately for the right offer." One of those executives predicted that he could be moved in the next seven to ten days, similar to the timetable the Indians used when dealing CC Sabathia two years ago.
By moving Lee now as opposed to waiting until the deadline, the Mariners could maximize their return since the acquiring team will be getting an extra month of the 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner. They'll also save a larger percentage of the approximately $4.94MM owed to Lee the remainder of the season, and of course reduce the risk of a trade value crippling injury.
Rosenthal's sources say that the Mets, Dodgers, and Rangers have all inquired about Lee, but many project the Twins as the front runner. The Mariners have scouted the Yankees' farm system, but the Yanks' scouting of Lee is just the team's routine coverage of a pitcher on their free agent wish list. They are happy with their five-man rotation at the moment.
Seattle is currently 14 games back in the AL West while Cleveland was 13.5 back when they dealt Sabathia. They received a four prospect package highlighted by Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley, and the Mariners can reasonably expect a similar return for Lee. The 31-year-old lefty has made 11 starts this year after missing time with an oblique injury, and has pitched to a 2.39 ERA in 86.2 innings. He's struck out 76 and walked just four.