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Archives for July 2011

Brewers, Royals Have Discussed Wilson Betemit

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Unsatisified with the production they're getting from third base, the Brewers have talked to the Royals about acquiring Wilson Betemit according to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Kansas City GM Dayton Moore is willing to move Betemit in the right deal according to the FOX scribes.

Casey McGehee hit 23 homers with a .801 OPS last season, but he's hit just .221/.276/.311 with five homers in 362 plate appearances this year. Betemit, 29, has a .285/.345/.415 batting line in 223 plate appearances this season, but he's lost playing time to Mike Moustakas of late. He is making just $1MM this year and can be a free agent after the season. Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at Betemit as a trade candidate back in May.

Rosenthal On Nolasco, Rays, Upton, Jimenez

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brought us another edition of Full Count today while sporting yet another fantastic bow tie.  Here are some highlights..

  • The Marlins could wind up trading Ricky Nolasco if they fail to get back to the .500 mark.  The Rangers have shown interest in Nolasco since last winter and the Yankees could look to reunite him with manager Joe Girardi.  If the Fish make such a deal, it won't be in one of their classic salary dumps, it will be instead for baseball reasons.  They're looking to increase their payroll ahead of their move into a brand new stadium and they could be major players for free agents this winter.
  • The Rays still could end up as sellers but right now they appear to be buyers as they were looking to get Francisco Rodriguez before the Brewers swooped in at the final hour.  If Tampa Bay sells, it's doubtful that they'll move any of their starters but B.J. Upton is another story.  In theory, the Nationals, Phillies, and Braves could all be potential destinations for the outfielder.
  • The three teams with the best chance of meeting the Rockies' asking price for Ubaldo Jimenez are the Yankees, Tigers, and Reds.  The concerns with Jimenez are that he's not back to his 2009/early 2010 form and that his velocity has dropped.  One scout told Rosenthal that he's not back to his ace form yet but he's getting close.
  • The first-place Pirates are after upgrades but they should also improve from within.  They have a number of injured players returning such as Jose Tabata, Evan Meek, and Ross Ohlendorf.  The Bucs continue to search for a bat but they're not terribly interested in the Cubs' Carlos Pena.

NL West Links: Padres, Adams, Ubaldo

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The Giants have won four in a row to open up a 4.5 game lead in the NL West. Let's check in on the latest from the division…

  • Padres scouts have spent a lot of time looking at Phillies and Rangers prospects recently, says Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Earlier today we heard that Philadelphia has interest in Heath Bell and Mike Adams.
  • Meanwhile, ESPN's Buster Olney says rival GMs believe the Padres should trade Adams now to maximize his value, especially since he'll be 33 in two months and has a lengthy injury history (Twitter links). Olney adds that Adams has more trade value than Bell because he's under team control next season.
  • Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd shot down speculation that the Rockies are open to trading Ubaldo Jimenez because of his attitude, writes Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. "I don't know where that's coming from. That's not even close to the truth," said O'Dowd. "He's as fine as a kid you will come across in this game."

Red Sox Designate Tommy Hottovy For Assignment

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The Red Sox have designated Tommy Hottovy for assignment, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford (on Twitter). The move frees up a 40-man roster spot for lefty Randy Williams, who was called up from Triple-A.

Hottovy, 30, reached the big leagues for the first time this year after being drafted in fourth round of the 2004 draft. The left-handed reliever appeared in eight game for Boston, posting a 6.75 ERA with three walks and two strikeouts in four inning. He faced eight lefty batters, giving up two hits and a walk.

Marlins Seek Third Baseman & Starting Pitching

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Marlins' owner Jeffrey Loria told MLB.com's Joe Frisaro that the team is looking to add an experienced third baseman and starting pitching, though not necessarily before the trade deadline. The Marlins are opening up a new stadium next year and want to build a foundation for the future.

Florida has used six different third basemen this year and they're hitting a collective .269/.331/.345 with two homers. Top prospect Matt Dominguez is hitting .245/.306/.410 with their Triple-A affiliate since coming back from a broken elbow, but the team would prefer a veteran stop gap until he's ready to take over the hot corner. Loria said they'll monitor the market now and continue to do so into the offseason.

Both Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco were rumored to be on the trade block, but Frisaro says the team has little interest in trading either. Dealing one or both of the right-handers would weaken an already thin starting staff that has been without ace Josh Johnson since mid-May. The Marlins have used nine different starting pitchers this year, the second most in baseball.

Cubs Do Not Intend To Trade Jeff Baker

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Despite being "open for business," the Cubs will not trade utility man Jeff Baker according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Rival executives are saying Chicago envisions him as part of their team next season.

Baker, 30, is hitting .304/.324/.422 in 139 plate appearances this year, and he's played the three non-shortstop infield positions as well as the corner outfield spots. The FOX scribes say the Cubs are under no pressure to shed payroll, and Baker is making just $1.175MM this year and will remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. The Red Sox and Indians have reportedly shown interest in him. 

Olney’s Latest: Trade Market, Tigers, D’Backs, Beltran

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In today's Insider-only blog post, Buster Olney says that a high-ranking official told him the "dam is about ready to burst on the trade market." The number of phone calls is multiplying and everyone is getting more serious. "I think that once July 24 hits, that's when you're going to see a bunch of things happen," said an AL official. "There's a lot of talk."

Let's round up Olney's rumors…

  • The Tigers continue to look for high-end starters, not the third and fourth starter types that flood the market. They had scouts at Ubaldo Jimenez's most recent start.
  • The Diamondbacks are focused on less expensive relief pitchers, like Brad Ziegler and Jason Isringhausen.
  • The Mariners are pitching-rich and willing to listen to offers. Erik Bedard's knee may be healthy in time for him to make two starts before the deadline.
  • Josh Willingham "is going to be traded at some point."
  • Since the left-handed relief market is so thin, teams have begun scouting right-handed relievers that are effective against lefties. David Pauley, Mike Adams, Koji Uehara, Tyler Clippard, and Joel Peralta fit the bill.
  • In a tweet, Olney says the Mets are insisting on a top prospect in return for Carlos Beltran. He adds that pressure on the Giants to add a bat is decreasing as their division lead continues to grow.

Phillies Have Interest In Heath Bell & Mike Adams

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The Phillies are looking to shore up their bullpen before the trade deadline, and a source tells Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com that the team is interested in Padres relievers Heath Bell and Mike Adams. Nothing appears imminent, however.

Philadelphia just welcomed Ryan Madson back from the disabled list, but there's a chance Jose Contreras will miss the rest of the season. Reports from Brad Lidge's most recent rehab outing was not encouraging either; he hit two batters, threw three wild pitches, and topped out at 89 mph in 2/3 of an inning on Thursday night. Mike Stutes (3.45 ERA in 31 1/3 IP) and Antonio Bastardo (0.79 ERA in 34 IP) have stepped up in the late innings through all the injuries.

Although Bell and Adams are their two most attractive pieces, the Padres also have Chad Qualls and Luke Gregerson to trade. Salisbury reiterates that the Phillies are also looking for a right-handed outfield bat despite John Mayberry Jr.'s recent hot streak, and San Diego has Ryan Ludwick to offer. For all the latest on late-game bullpens with a fantasy twist, check out Closer News.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: K-Rod, Holland, Shields

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Two years ago today, the Phillies and Pedro Martinez finalized a one-year deal worth $1MM. The then-37-year-old Martinez made nine starts down the stretch for Philadelphia, posting a 3.63 ERA in 44 2/3 innings. He also made three playoff starts for the eventual NL Champs but hasn't pitched since, and it looks like he's finally heading towards official retirement.

Are this week's links as good as Pedro in his prime? Probably not. But they're still worth your time…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.

Quick Hits: Mariners, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Bailey

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Friday night linkage..

  • The Mariners are receiving calls on Jamey Wright and Adam Kennedy, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
  • Both the Red Sox and the Yankees have scouts at tonight's Mets–Phillies game, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
  • Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers has made the rounds of his minor league teams and is willing to part with pieces at the deadline, writes Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.  Club ownership has told Towers that he will have some financial flexibility if he wants to add some payroll at the Deadline.
  • The Athletics have received calls on Andrew Bailey, though their current position is that they would need to be overwhelmed by an offer, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • Ken Davidoff of Newsday looks at some of the best mid-season rentals in recent years.  No surprise here, No. 1 is the Brewers' acquisition of C.C. Sabathia in 2008.
  • Over at Fangraphs, Dave Cameron continues his 2011 Trade Value series with a look at players ranked No. 25-21.

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