Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for July 2013

D’Backs, Brewers Talking Gallardo, Relievers, Skaggs

By | at

11:14am: The Diamondbacks have "no interest" in moving Skaggs, writes MLB.com Steve's Gilbert. Gilbert also notes that Skaggs has been impressive at Triple-A as of late and is likely to replace the injured Trevor Cahill in the rotation tomorrow.

THURSDAY, 11:08am: The Diamondbacks are also interested in relievers John Axford, Jim Henderson and Francisco Rodriguez, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi adds that given the recent injury to White Sox setup ace Jesse Crain — who some considered to be the best reliever on the market — interest in the Brewers' relievers could pick up quickly.

WEDNESDAY: While nothing is imminent, the Diamondbacks and Brewers have been talking about possible trades involving right-hander Yovani Gallardo and one of the Arizona names that's surfaced in discussions is top pitching prospect Tyler Skaggs, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

The two teams appear to be good partners as the Brewers have another veteran starter in Kyle Lohse and Arizona has plenty of solid young pitching, including Skaggs and Randall Delgado.  However, it doesn't appear anything is close at this point and one person familiar with the talks said, "There's no traction at this point.''

Even though a deal isn't going down today or tomorrow, Heyman says that it's a situation worth keeping an eye on.  Gallardo fits the bill for the Diamondbacks as they are targeting younger, high-upside, controlled starters.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Trade Market For Second Basemen

By | at

Last July, a pair of notable second basemen exchanged hands in trades. Omar Infante was acquired by the Tigers (along with Anibal Sanchez) for Jacob Turner, Rob Brantly, Brian Flynn and a swap of competitive balance draft picks. Infante didn't hit much in 2012, but he remained under control for 2013 and has been worth 2.4 wins above replacement (per Fangraphs) this season alone.

More famously, Marco Scutaro was acquired by the Giants in exchange for Charlie Culberson. Scutaro's Herculean .362/.385/.473 batting line down the stretch helped propel the Giants to the playoffs where he won NLCS MVP honors by hitting .500 over the course of the seven-game series.

Here's a look at some keystone players who could be on the move in 2013…

Starters

Chase Utley (Phillies), Daniel Murphy (Mets), Rickie Weeks (Brewers), Gordon Beckham (White Sox), Darwin Barney (Cubs), Mark Ellis (Dodgers)

Utley, with his .279/.348/.510 batting line and plus defense, is the prize of the crop. However, there's no guarantee that the Phillies will part with a player who has long been one of the faces of the franchise. Any offer will need to exceed the value of a compensatory draft pick, as the Phillies will surely make a qualifying offer to Utley after the season given his play thus far.

Murphy is once again enjoying an under-the-radar season. The 28-year-old has been a league average hitter according to both OPS+ and wRC+ (each is an even 100) to go along with solid defense and good baserunning. He's hit .296/.336/.417 over the past three seasons and looks headed for double-digit totals in homers and steals in 2013. With two years of team control remaining, the price tag would be high.

Weeks got off to another brutally slow start, but he's hitting .316/.385/.571 with six homers since May 22. He's owed $11MM in 2014 with an $11.5MM option for 2015, and another three weeks of strong offensive play could grab a contender's attention. Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin could help his case by including some cash in a trade.

Beckham missed almost two months with a broken hamate bone this season, but he's hit well when on the field (.331/.360/.424). He's not hitting for power or walking though, so the primary source of his production has been a .384 BABIP that's exactly 100 points higher than his career mark. Because he's controlled through 2015, the Sox won't part with the former No. 8 overall pick cheaply, but they're reportedly listening to offers anyone other than Chris Sale and Paul Konerko. A career .250/.315/.384 hitter, Beckham hasn't lived up to expectations and could be a "change of scenery" trade candidate.

Barney doesn't hit much, but only Dustin Pedroia has graded out as a better defender at second (according to both UZR and The Fielding Bible) since the start of the 2011 season. He's not yet arbitration-eligible, so the Cubs would likely ask for a lot, but given their full rebuild, it'd make sense for them to listen.

Ellis is a free agent after the season, and even if the Dodgers position themselves as buyers, they could look to move him and pursue an upgrade. He's hitting .267/.310/.359. Others may not view him as a starter, but he's a reasonably competent bat with a strong defensive track record.

Backups

Nick Punto (Dodgers), Kevin Frandsen (Phillies), Cliff Pennington (D-Backs), Skip Schumaker (Dodgers), Jamey Carroll (Twins)

Punto, Pennington and Carroll all profile as glove-first acquisitions, though Punto has had a decent season with the bat (.260/.328/.320). Carroll hasn't hit much, but his batted-ball profile hasn't worsened from last season's solid offensive performance. A .259 BABIP has kept his overall production down, but even if that corrects itself, he'll never hit for power. Pennington has a $3.25MM guaranteed salary in 2014 and is arb-eligble for 2015, while Punto is a free agent after the season and Carroll has a $2MM vesting option for 2014 that triggers at 401 plate appearances.

Frandsen has been hitting well this year and has been particularly tough on left-handed pitching (.310/.429/.552). He's not a good defender, but he has MLB experience at all four infield positions and has even seen a little time in the outfield. He's arbitration-eligible for a second time this winter.

Schumaker hasn't done anything with the bat this season nor is he regarded as a good defender. The Dodgers would likely be happy just to shed his modest salary and open a roster spot. He could be a candidate to be designated for assignment if they do make an upgrade.

Other Possibilities

Danny Espinosa (Nationals), Ryan Roberts (Rays)

There haven't been strong indications that the Nats would part with the struggling Espinosa, but Anthony Rendon has hit well at second base since taking over after Espinosa's struggles and wrist injury. Teams could try to pluck Espinosa away from Washington, though the asking price would likely be steep, as he was viewed as a core player just a couple months ago. He did draw some trade speculation in late June.

Roberts was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Tuesday and doesn't seem to have a spot on the Rays' current roster. He hit .250/.303/.402 in 142 plate appearances this season and is regarded as a solid defender at both second base and third base.

For more on the 2013 trade market, check out Tim Dierkes' analysis of the trade market for catchers and the trade market for first basemen.

Prospect Rumor Roundup: 2012 Trade Deadline Review

By | at

If you're a fan of Major League Baseball and of reading sports tickers on the television, then July is the perfect month for you. More than 20 trades occurred in July 2012 as playoff-hopeful clubs looked to position themselves for strong second halves of their seasons and robust drives for the postseason.

For just about every veteran player on the move to a contending club in July, there is a prospect or two heading back in the other direction — towards a rebuilding club desperate for a cost-controlled building block. Close to 80 players changed jerseys last July prior to the looming trade deadline at the end of the month, and the 2013 season is expected to be no different.

But just how many of those young players that changed allegiances have maintained their values with their new organizations? Below is a list of the Top 10 young players who were traded last July. Only players who had not exceeded their MLB rookie eligibilities (50 IP for pitchers, 130 AB for hitters) at the 2012 trade deadline were considered for the article, and the list is in alphabetical order.

Rob Brantly, C (Tigers to Marlins): Given the Marlins' starting catcher gig at the beginning of the 2013 season, the offensive-minded backstop's bat has wilted under the pressure, and he has a .587 OPS in 49 games. The good news is that his defense has improved noticeably — perhaps thanks to the guidance from veteran second-string receiver Jeff Mathis, an excellent defensive player, and manager Mike Redmond, a former catcher. Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel looked at Brantly's inconsistent season.

Matt Dominguez, 3B (Marlins to Astros): It's been an inconsistent season for the young third baseman — both at the plate and in the field, despite his reputation as a strong defender. Just 23, Dominguez has time on his side as he looks to breathe new life into his withering bat, but questions about his offensive abilities have been floating around since his amateur days. Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle penned a piece about Dominguez' focus on the future rather than the past.

Robbie Grossman, OF (Pirates to Astros): Grossman earned a shot at a starting outfield gig in Houston after a hot April in Triple-A. Unfortunately, he posted an OPS of just .553 and was returned to the minors after 28 games. His offensive struggles followed him back to Oklahoma City and he managed a measly .512 OPS in June.

Johnny Hellweg, SP (Angels to Brewers): Hellweg's raw ability is undeniable but command and control issues have haunted him throughout his pro career. Tall pitchers are considered late bloomers in those areas, and the 6'9'' right-handed hurler definitely fits into that category. He recently received his first big league promotion, but he was roughed up during his first two appearances in The Show. Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel spoke to the rookie, as well as his manager, after his first outing.

Tommy Joseph, C (Giants to Phillies): Joseph has experienced a major setback with the bat in 2013. After beginning the year in Triple-A, he hit just .209 before a concussion knocked him out of action. Now healthy again, Joseph is getting back into playing shape while at the A-ball level. The struggles and injury helped to ensure that he missed an opportunity to fill in at the big league level when both Carlos Ruiz and Erik Kratz went down in Philadelphia. Jeff Schuler of The Morning Call wrote a piece on Joseph's return from the disabled list.

Jean Segura, SS (Angels to Brewers): Perhaps the biggest success story on this list, Segura is currently in the hunt for a batting title in the National League. He also has surprising pop and an outside chance at eventually becoming a 20-20 (HR-SB) hitter. Originally a second baseman, the sturdy but diminutive hitter was relocated to the left side of the infield, but it remains to be seen how long he'll stick there. Either way, he could be a mainstay in the middle of the diamond for years to come. Mike Woods of the Sheboygan Press recently spoke to Segura who admitted to being surprised by his success in 2013.

Jacob Turner, SP (Tigers to Marlins): Turner's value has taken a hit over the past year or two as his stuff has regressed. Scouting forecasts focus more on the ceiling of a No. 3 or 4 starter now, rather than that of the No. 1 or 2 starter ceiling from the early days of his pro career. Despite that, Turner has had an excellent start to the 2013 season at the big league level by posting a 1.76 ERA and holding hitters to a .229 batting average in six starts.

Christian Villanueva, 3B (Rangers to Cubs): The emergence of Mike Olt in the Rangers system made Villanueva expendable. The Cubs third baseman has the chance to develop into a multifaceted player, albeit one without any true standout tool. He's showing solid gap power at the Double-A level but both his batting average and his on-base percentage are down in 2013.

Arodys Vizcaino, SP (Braves to Cubs): Vizcaino, 22, hasn't pitched since 2011, but he's been the property of three organizations thanks to his power arm. The right-hander injured his elbow early on in his career with the Yankees and finally underwent Tommy John surgery, missing all of the 2012 season. He looked ready to return in 2013 before undergoing a second surgery on his throwing elbow.

Asher Wojciechowski, SP (Blue Jays to Astros): One of the most unheralded acquisitions of 2012, Wojciechowski was a supplemental first round selection from the 2010 amateur draft. He didn't respond well at all when the Jays attempted to rework his delivery and his results suffered. He has rediscovered his prospect value with the Astros, although inconsistency continues to haunt him. It remains to be seen if his future lies in the starting rotation or the bullpen.

Honorable Mentions: Colton Cain, SP (Pirates to Astros); Kevin Comer, SP (Blue Jays to Astros); Kyle Hendricks, SP (Rangers to Cubs); Marc Krauss, OF (Diamondbacks to Astros); Ethan Martin, SP (Dodgers to Phillies); Carlos Perez, C (Blue Jays to Astros); David Rollins, SP (Blue Jays to Astros).

2012 Trade Deadline Winners: Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers

2012 Trade Deadline Losers: Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays

Analyzing The Cubs’ International Expenditures

By | at

The Cubs have been extremely active on the international free agent market in the past two days, signing Gleyber Torres ($1.7MM), Jefferson Mejia ($850K), Erling Moreno ($650K), Johan Matos ($270K) and reaching agreement with Eloy Jimenez ($2.8MM). If those figures are accurate, the Cubs have $6.27MM in international expenditure.

As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted yesterday (Twitter link), the Cubs began the international free agency period with a bonus pool of $4,557,200. They acquired an additional $388,100 in the Scott Feldman trade with the Orioles and $784,700 from the Astros in the Ronald Torreyes trade before sending $209,700 to the Dodgers in the Carlos Marmol swap. All told, they gained an additional $963K in bonus space.

That total brought their bonus pool to $5,520,300 — which is a significant ways short of the $6.27MM they've spent following the Jimenez signing.That would mean the Cubs are over their allotted bonus pool by $749,700 — an overage of 13.6 percent. Baseball America's Ben Badler reported back in April that the penalty for exceeding a bonus pool by 10-15 percent would be a 100 percent tax on the overage as well as the inability to sign a player for more than $500K in next year's signing period.  The penalty for exceeding the pool by 15% or more is a 100 percent tax on the overage and a $250K per player limit next year.

If the reported signing bonuses aren't 100 percent accurate, the Cubs could be less than 10 percent over. However, barring a significant inaccuracy, they would still fall into the 5-10 percent overage bracket, which would prevent them from signing a player for more than $500K in 2014-15 but require only a 75 percent overage tax.

The other thing to consider is that the Jimenez deal isn't official as of yet. It could be possible for the Cubs to acquire additional bonus money in trades, as they haven't technically spent the $2.8MM on Jimenez.

Per the new CBA, teams are allowed to acquire up to 50 percent of their initial bonus pool. That would be a total of $2,278,600 for the Cubs, meaning they can still acquire an additional $1,315,600. That would be enough to cover the remaining difference and keep the Cubs from incurring limitations on next year's spending.

AL West Notes: Manny, Rangers, Gonzalez, Angels

By | at

It's the start of trade season with July underway, but the Rangers made the biggest splash of the day with a minor league signing.  Fresh off of a very successful stint in Taiwan, Manny Ramirez will attempt to join the majors for the first time since his brief stint with the Rays in 2011.  Whether Manny can bring his hot hitting from overseas to Arlington, Texas, however, remains to be seen.  Here's more out of the AL West..

  • Some many wonder if Ramirez is worth the gamble at age 41, but in the case of the Rangers, he absolutely is, opines Todd Wills of ESPNDallas.com.  Texas needs a right-handed bat ever since Opening Day and Ramirez's minor league deal is a no-risk move.  
  • Before signing with the Rangers, Ramirez told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) that he also had conversations with the Nationals.  The slugger believes that Washington had some interest in him as a pinch hitter.
  • The Angels have scouted Cuban pitching prospect Miguel.Alfredo Gonzalez, but likely will not compete for him as hard as others, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  Gonzalez is being pursued by a number of clubs, but we've heard recently that the Yankees won't try to sign him and he's "not a fit" for the Nationals either.

Ricky Nolasco Rumors: Wednesday

By | at

Last night it was reported that the Rockies, Rangers and Dodgers were the three teams that are "in heavy pursuit" of Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco. The 30-year-old's name has been the most frequently mentioned trade candidate of the summer to date, and reports have said that today could be a "soft deadline" by which to trade him. Here's the latest on Nolasco…

  • The Yankees are scouting the start as well, Knobler tweets.
  • Knobler also tweets that the Rangers have a scout in attendance. The Dodgers don't have a scout there, though Knobler notes that may not be worth reading into.
  • Nolasco is pitching for the Marlins right now, and Danny Knobler of CBS Sports tweets that the Giants, Padres and Rockies all have scouts in attendance.
  • While the Dodgers are still the frontrunners for Nolasco, about a half-dozen teams are showing interest in Nolasco, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaso. Nolasco could still be moved before the first pitch tonight, he adds. Frisaro also spoke to an NL scout regarding Nolasco's recent pair of rough outings. The scout downplayed the struggles, telling Frisaro: "He did nothing to not get himself traded."
  • All signs point to Nolasco making tonight's start for the Marlins, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. In a separate tweet, he notes that rain in the forecast could be an issue. A rainout would buy the Marlins some extra time, as the team has been said to prefer to move him prior to this start.

Draft Notes: Clinton Hollon, Kent Emanuel

By | at

Here are today's notable draft-related news items and non-first-round draft signings (all slot information courtesy of Baseball America)…

  • The Blue Jays have signed second-round pick Clinton Hollon for a $467K bonus that is just 40 percent of the No. 47 overall selection's assigned pick value, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America. There was an issue with Hollon's ulnar collateral ligament on his physical, which caused the prep right-hander from Kentucky to sign well below slot. Hollon can touch 95 mph with his heater and has a sharp slider, according to Callis. The extra money should be especially beneficial to the Jays, who have yet to sign first-rounder Phil Bickford. Bickford is one of just five remaining unsigned first-round picks.
  • Third-round pick Kent Emanuel received the full slot value of $747,700 from the Astros, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (on Twitter). Callis tweets that the UNC left-hander has good command of his 87-91 mph fastball and features a plus changeup as well.
  • Callis also tweets that the Blue Jays ($1.3MM), Astros ($1.077MM), Red Sox ($691K) and Rockies ($491K) are the current bonus pool savings leaders.

Cubs Designate Shawn Camp For Assignment

By | at

The Cubs have designated right-hander Shawn Camp for assignment and optioned Chris Rusin to Triple-A Iowa to clear roster space for Matt Guerrier and Pedro Strop, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (on Twitter).

Camp, 37, re-signed with the Cubs on a one-year deal worth $1.35MM plus another $200K in incentives this offseason. He appeared in an NL-leading 80 games for the Cubs in 2012, pitching to a 3.59 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 77 2/3 innings. This season has been another story entirely, however, as he's posted a sky-high 7.04 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9.

Both Guerrier and Strop were acquired in trades yesterday. Guerrier was acquired in a swap for Carlos Marmol, while Strop came to the Cubs as part of the return for Scott Feldman.

Mariners Sign Greifer Andrade

By | at

MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez tweets that the Mariners have signed Venezuelan Greifer Andrade for a bonus of $1.05MM. While Andrade showcased for teams as an outfielder, he will begin his career as a shortstop and could possibly move to third base, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America. Andrade ranked as MLB.com's No. 20 international prospect and was No. 21 on Badler's Top 30 list.

The 16-year-old Andrade draws praise for his hand-eye coordination, bat speed and strong throwing arm in MLB.com's scouting report. Badler writes he doesn't have the speed to stay in center and lacks the power profile to fit as a corner outfielder, so the move to the infield makes him a more intriguing prospect. Badler noted in his Top 30 profile that scouts have wondered if Andrade could transition to catcher as well.

The Mariners began the international free agency period with a bonus pool of $2.58MM, according to Baseball America.

Marlins Designate Miguel Olivo For Assignment

By | at

The Marlins have announced that catcher Miguel Olivo has been reinstated from the restricted list and designated for assignment.

The soon-to-be 35-year-old was placed on the restricted list after he told the team that he was quitting due to frustration surrounding his playing time. Weeks later, he was said to be seeking his release from the Marlins.

Olivo hit just .203/.250/.392 in 80 plate appearances over 33 games for the Marlins. The team's 25-man roster had become clogged with catchers after Jeff Mathis returned from the disabled list to back-up Rob Brantly. In parts of 12 Major League seasons with the Marlins, Mariners, White Sox, Rockies, Royals and Padres, Olivo is a .241/.275/.417 hitter with 145 home runs. He's caught 34 percent of opposing base-stealers, but only once has he posted an OBP north of .300.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top