Here's a hodgepodge of links as Tuesday turns into Wednesday …
- Jamie Moyer's minor league contract with the Blue Jays is for two Triple-A starts, at which point the club must decide whether to promote the left-hander, tweets Shi Davidi of sportsnet.ca.
- Despite the recent rash of injuries among the Jays' starters, GM Alex Anthopoulos won't rush to acquire pitching help, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. Anthopoulos said the soonest a big move might happen would be mid-July, if at all.
- There are four teams that will obviously be in sell mode as the non-waiver trade deadline approaches, writes Ken Davidoff of the New York Post: the Mariners, Padres, Cubs and Astros. San Diego and Chicago, in particular, figure to be the most active.
- The Braves and Nationals were recently scouting at a Twins game, tweets Phil Mackey of ESPN's 1500 Twin Cities radio. Atlanta was there to see Francisco Liriano, while Washington was likely keeping tabs on center fielder Denard Span.
- Hall of Famer Frank Robinson has been named MLB's Executive Vice President of Baseball Development, tweets Amanda Comak of the Washington Times.
- Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca asked to be reassigned and has been made a special assistant to GM Dan O'Down, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Apodaca has been with the Rox since 2002.
- The Dodgers have hired Mickey Hatcher as a special assistant to GM Ned Colletti, the club announced. Hatcher began the season as hitting coach for the Angels but was let go when the Halos were struggling offensively.
Liriano would be awesome to see in a Braves uniform. He struggled at the beginning of the year so his numbers don’t look great but his starts over the past month have looked good. I can see a Jurrjens for Liriano trade. Both get a change of scenery and maybe straighten out their careers more.
I think it’s more likely the Braves get him to replace Minor in the rotation. Though if JJ starts struggling again that might change things. But as things stand the Braves are interested in adding another pitcher while not removing someone like JJ. Again, I expect a trade for someone to replace Minor the most likely at this point.
Liriano would be a good pick-up if we can get him cheap.
Minor could also be part of the trade for Liriano. Maybe some thing like Minor for Liriano, Jamey Carroll and a prospect. If Minor develops into a top starter at least it would be in the AL where the Braves wouldn’t have to face him.
As a Braves fan, I actually think the chance of Minor turning into a top starter in the AL East is slim to none. Kid is hard on himself as it is and that’s not exactly the best division to be in to put up bad performances and not be roasted in the spotlight.
Put Minor in a lower pressure situation and he will thrive and develop into the solid #2 he has shown he can be in flashes. Put him in the AL East and he’s just another Jo-Jo Reyes.
I would just hate to see a good talent wasted.
The Twins aren’t in the AL East 😉
Their new stadium is also very pitcher friendly.
Wow, I need coffee. I think I just read the AA line about pitching right before I typed this…
Thanks for catching that.
Minor would not get a package like that. And I don’t think Liriano is much of an upgrade, if one at all, from Minor. Both have a lot of upside but are INCREDIBLY inconsistent. Minor’s younger, cheaper, and more controllable, but Liriano you can count on at least for a little bit longer. If Carroll came with Liriano, I’d say do it, but I highly doubt MIN would trade 2 nice trade chips for just Minor.
I know some Braves fans find it hard to believe but Mike Minor has a TON of trade value. Not all young pitchers come to the major leagues and dominate right away. He is a former 1st round pick and top 50 overall prospect. He is young and cost-controlled. In fact, I really doubt the Braves would make the trade that I proposed. They will probably just give up a low tier prospect for Liriano. I was just thinking of a way they could also get someone to replace Jack Wilson.
The Twins wouldn’t want Jurrjens. My guess is that they would want young, cost controlled players or prospects.
So what does the MLB’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Development do, in a nutshell?
Develops baseball.
He helps baseballs be all they can be through high level development…..
Even though they’re just 3 under .500, the A’s could probably be added to that sellers list.
right now the A’s have a positive run differential and a better one than several contenders with almost an entire major league rotation on the DL.
unless its dumping Crisp once Cowgill gets off the DL or DFAing Fuentes (moves that should be made regardless of the team’s W-L record), i don’t see much point in selling anything else unless a GM wants to make a massive-overpay offer for Balfour.
the team shouldn’t be buying, but holding unless things get really bad is probably the best way to go IMO. A rotation with McCarthy, Parker, and Anderson in it is a really good one.
Is Moyer going for the record for most teams played for in a season without a trade?
Christ…Denard Span? That’s the CF the Nats are scouting?
Denard Span is a very solid CF that could definitely take over Cf for the Nationals.
I would think the Nats would be happy with that. He’s on pace for a 4.0+ WAR season. Above average defense, plays hard. Gap hitter, a lot of those doubles will find the odd walls in National Park and turn into triples. It would be a solid pickup.
Is he signed for 2013? If so, I hope the nats get him, one less suitor for Bourn in the offseason. I really want to keep Bourn.
I was thinking the same thing. I think Span has at least 2 more years on his contract.
I don’t think it’ll matter, Bourn’s likely a gonner regardless of who the Nationals sign. I’d hate to see him in a Nationals uniform though….
Braves really need to try and lock up Heyward if he finishes with a line similar to the one he’s got now. Don’t want him jumping on the Boras train and he’s got as much upside as any player in the bigs. Given the hype, his .261, .360, .444 career line seems a bit underwhelming before you remember that’s what he’s done in his age 20-22 seasons, one of which he was killed with injuries. If he finishes strong, an extension should be more important to this team than re-signing Bourn.
Jamie Moyer…most teams played for without playing for the New York Yankees?
This is his tenth team and he’s played for only 8 of them in the majors.
Matt Stairs has played for 12 teams, 13 if you want to count the Expos and Nationals as different teams, none of them the yanks.
just to clarify, I’m pretty sure you meant that those 12 teams played for Matt Stairs.
wow, well I was close. probably up there on that list. For some reason I thought stairs played for the yanks at least briefly.
I think when Doc comes back we should pick him up. Phillies are selling and we are probably closer to a title than they are at this point. I’d rather him go out without a championship here than with his second chance team anyway.
Doc isn’t going to waive his no trade clause.
Do you know this for a fact and have sources? Not trying to take away but I would like to know for sure. I’m sure that he would be willing to come back to all his loving fans in Toronto and he probably knows that the Phillies are going under for a bit anyway. He would definitely put us that much closer.
The Jays have as much of a chance to win a championship with Doc and AA’s management as the Astro’s have in staying within the NL.
And I’m a Jays fan!!
Maybe not this season but in the next couple seasons everyone knows Jays will be coming around. Doc only has about 5 years left probably and the Phillies are planning to start over then he would have a better chance here overall. Even if they don’t though I would love to see him finish here.
As much as I would like to see that as well it will never happen. Doc is from the Philly area and I am willing to wager that he would retire first before being traded. Secondly with Roger’s pennypinching the Jays will not give Doc what he’s worth to finish off his career here. You know Doc’s bound for the HOF and if anything I hope he goes in a Jays uni as opposed to a Philly’s.
Actually Doc is from the Denver area. Second Rogers has said that they would be willing to pay up in the coming years. I really don’t think it that much of a long shot. I definitely think Doc would be an exception for Rogers. It would certainly create a lot of buzz again.
Actually Doc is from the Denver area. Second Rogers has said they would be willing to pay up in the coming years. If there was ever an exception I think Doc would be it. It would definitely cause a lot of buzz. I really don’t think it’s a long shot.
I don’t understand the Nats continuing fascination with Span. They need a long-range solution who is at least a step up from Span in talent. (Not that Span is bad…not at all….he’s good)….but the Nats are in a diviision where they’ll be scrapping every year and will need every last ounce of offense and defense.
I doubt there’s any player available like that though. Maybe Dexter Fowler? He’s not that much better than Span. Upton and Bourn aren’t likely to be dealt, and they’d be a half-year rental if they were. I can see the Phillies moving Victorino, but again……rental.
Why’d SPANdemonium get blocked? He’d be on here being Denard Span’s personal spokesperson