The Angels were first linked to Ben Revere in trade rumors in May but the rumors almost became a reality. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Phillies and Angels came close a few weeks ago on a trade that would’ve sent Revere to Anaheim for right-hander Trevor Gott. The Phils thought the deal was done but the Halos “pulled out of the deal at the last minute and tried to redirect the Phillies toward a starting pitching prospect.” Talks fell through after that. Here’s some more from Cafardo’s weekly notes column, with a particular focus on news from Toronto…
- Ian Kennedy has a 2.31 ERA over his last six starts and the Padres right-hander has begun to generate some trade interest in his services. Kennedy had an ugly 7.15 ERA over his first eight starts and owns a 4.86 ERA for the season, though his peripherals (8.51 K/9, 3.04 K/BB rate, 3.74 xFIP, 3.70 SIERA) are are pretty solid, aside from a 22.1% homer rate that more than double his career average. Kennedy is a free agent this winter and would be a natural trade chip for San Diego if the Friars decided to sell.
- Cole Hamels has publicly said he’s willing to consider deals to any team but is reportedly unlikely to waive his no-trade clause if he’s dealt to the Astros or Blue Jays. Cafardo wonders if Hamels would remain adamant against a move to Houston or Toronto, however, if those were the only deals on the table and his only avenues away from the rebuilding Phillies.
- Attracting free agents north of the border has long been an issue for the Blue Jays, as Cafardo cites higher taxes, customs delays and the Rogers Centre’s artificial surface as factors that can sometimes make Toronto a tough sell. (Josh Donaldson and Jose Reyes both praised their city, though Reyes admitted he isn’t a fan of the turf.) The bigger problem for the Jays, however, is that they have barely contended since their last playoff appearance in 1993. “It just seems GM Alex Anthopoulos has to go through corporate layers to OK big expenditures, slowing the process considerably,” Cafardo writes. “Players always want to know that their ownership is doing all it can to produce a winner.”
- Braves closer Jason Grilli is one of the Blue Jays’ targets as the team looks for bullpen help. Grilli would cost less in both salary and trade chips than Jonathan Papelbon or Francisco Rodriguez, two closers who have also been connected to the Jays this summer. Atlanta isn’t yet looking to move Grilli, however, as the team is still in the race.
- Other have asked the Blue Jays about several players in trade talks, including young talent like Miguel Castro, Daniel Norris, Roberto Osuna, Kevin Pillar, Dalton Pompey, Aaron Sanchez and Devon Travis.
- “Every indication is that” R.A. Dickey is in his last year with the Blue Jays, as the team will either use their $1MM buyout of Dickey’s $12MM club option for 2016 or Dickey may just retire. The 40-year-old knuckleballer had a tough start today against the Tigers and now owns a 5.02 ERA over 107 2/3 innings this season.
- Jeff Samardzija “may be the first starting pitcher moved ahead of the trading deadline” since “scouts are constantly at his games,” Cafardo writes. The White Sox aren’t ready to start selling yet, but they’ll find a strong market for Samardzija’s services that includes the Royals, Astros and Tigers. (Cafardo cited several more teams in the Samardzija market in his column last week.
- “Nobody knows what the Red Sox are going to do because they don’t know what they’re going to do,” one NL executive said. Boston has played modestly better as of late, winning 10 of its last 16 games, though the Sox are still just 38-45 on the season. Koji Uehara is cited by the executive as one of “a few players teams would want” if the Red Sox decided to start selling. The team is known to be looking for young pitching on the trade market.
If Amaro’s asking price for Revere is really a rookie middle reliever it dispels the idea that he’s asking for too much. If the Angels turned that down I do have to wonder what they’d be willing to give up. Since they haven’t filled the hole, it’s clearly not much. Of course, DiPoto is gone.
Gott has been on fire since his promotion to the Bigs
He’s a nice player with some potential, but young relief pitchers who were the team’s #13 prospect aren’t worth a starting leftfielder/lead off hitter. Maybe as the second player in a deal with a much better player.
But he is paid very well for a guy who has zero power.
Gott might have been the Angels #13 prospect in the minors two months ago. But he’s not anymore. He’s now their #1 7th inning reliever at the MLB level.
Amaro is crazy for asking for gott , he has been lights out since they brought him up, I don’t think he has allowed an earned run. Since he has secured the 7th inning role, maybe they can trade mike morin since he is struggling. But I go back to the offseason, since they traded jepsen for joyce, anyone think they could of traded him to the blue jays for adam lind?
So he’s not been Traded for anybody other then another Prospect if Trade.
Revere would be Traded maybe to Blue Jays along with Harang for like Norris and others.
Kennedy or Benoit to Blue Jays maybe.
Sheids back to Royals that would be interesting.
No one is trading for James Shields. They weren’t willing to offer him as much money as the Padres so why would they give up prospects in order to do EXACTLY THAT!?
The Blue Jays aren’t gonna trade Norris for Revere and Harang.
To be fair to Amaro, Gott was in AA when this trade was supposed to have happened.
angelsfan4life412, you want to only give up worthless players for players who can help the Angels. It’s a great strategy if you can convince other teams to do that.
A guy who sets up the setup man is expendable. Sure, Revere has a noodle arm and doesn’t hit for power, but he has good speed and fielding, and can steal bases. A single with a stolen base is almost as good as a double.
Ya know there is a problem in Boston when the front office doesn’t know which way it is going. That points to the problem being the front office.
What do you mean? Right now they are hovering around the mark where they can go both ways. They still have awhile to decide which path they are going to take. I’m not sure what problem this points to. Many teams are in the same situation as Boston right now.
Exactly. There’s 26 days til the trade deadline and it would be bad business for the Red Sox (or any other team in a similar spot) to declare themselves buyers or sellers this early.
They could decide July 30 to become sellers and there would still be a market for their players. Or on that date they could become buyers and there would still be players available for them to trade for. Yeah, some guys will have been dealt by then, but there’s always more out there.
Agreed. If I were the Red Sox, I would not give up the season just yet. It’s just too early IMHO, to raise the white flag when you’re only 6 games out.
I wonder if their making Hoffman untouchable than. In a perfect world for the Jays I think you build a package around Norris, Pentecost, Castro & Pompey…Surely some combination of these guys and some add on fillers would be appealing to a rebuilding club that has an ace + bullpen ace
Hamels and Papelbon = the Ace and Bullpen Ace you mentioned the Blue Jays needed.
(and cash)
for
Norris / Pompey / Pentecost and a reliever.
If I was the gm, I’d do it
No. Why would the Phillies kick in any cash in a trade of Hamels? He’s already way cheaper than any of the free agent pitchers of his caliber and you expect to get him even cheaper???
Poor Dickey, he never really stood a chance in Toronto. Coming off a CY young while costing Syndagaard and d’arnaud raised expectations enough, so he was sort of set up for failure. And Jays fans always say how bad of a pitcher he is because of his record, but the offence always shuts down and he pretty much loses every game 3-2
Jays should engage Roy Halladay as a means of persuading Hamels toward the merits of Toronto. Great city, Halladay would know – Hamels should reconsider his rumoured stance against Toronto.