Deadline Strategies: Astros, Pirates
With the deadline rapidly approaching, we'll try to keep you updated on teams' strategies as much as possible. Here's a look at a bit of news from today:
- Don't look for the Astros to make any significant moves. General manager Ed Wade says that the team isn't in position to trade prospects or add salary. Wade states that last year the team had a desperate need for pitching, which resulted in acquisitions of Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins. This season, he's thrilled with both Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez, while relievers Doug Brocail and Chris Sampson will be coming off the disabled list soon, lessening the need for a move.
- The Pirates aren't sellers, per se, according to Neal Huntington. He says the Pirates are looking to improve the organization and are heading in the right direction, but also notes that many teams get into trouble by inaccurately evaluating themselves.
Odds & Ends: Glaus, Pirates, Schmidt, Cubs, Reds
A few links for your Saturday evening reading…
- MLB.com's B.J. Rains says that Troy Glaus is going to work out in the outfield as he rehabs from offseason shoulder surgery. The Cardinals haven't committed to using him in the outfield when he returns, they're just giving it a try to see what happens. Glaus played five innings in left field tonight before moving to first base. The Cards have been looking to add a bat seemingly all year.
- John Perrotto of Pirates Report.com says that it's unlikely Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez sign extensions. This morning we learned that the Bucs lowballed both players with their offers.
- Jason Schmidt will return to the Dodgers' rotation on Monday, reports MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. It'll be just his seventh start for the Dodgers since signing his three year, $47MM deal in Decemeber 2006, and his first since June 16th of 2007.
- The Cubs have signed second round pick D.J. LeMahieu, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. LeMahieu was the 79th overall pick in last month's draft, which has an expected slot recommendation of around $460k.
- Bronson Arroyo wants to see the Reds kept together at the trade deadline rather than having the veterans sold off, says MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
Pirates Ask Wilson, Sanchez To Take Pay Cuts
Both Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and John Perrotto of PiratesReport.com are reporting that the Pirates asked Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez to take sizable pay cuts when they presented them with contract extension offers yesterday. Wilson, who is making $7.25MM this year, was offered a two year deal plus a club option. Financial terms aren't known, but the offer reportedly includes a significant pay cut. Perrotto says the club has already privately decided to buy out Wilson's $8.4MM option for 2010 for $600k.
Sanchez, who is only 252 plate appearances away from having his $8MM option for 2010 vest, was offered a two year deal worth around $10MM. The extension reportedly seeks forfeiture of that 2010 option as well. Kovacevic says that he feels the team is "most interested in securing Wilson and trading Sanchez."
The Pirates have given both players a small window of opportunity to accept the deals, as they want to have as much time as possible to work out trades should the players reject the offers, according to Rob Biertempfel of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
"This is something that needs to be resolved quickly, one way or the other," general manager Neal Huntington said Friday. "If there isn't common ground, I think we'll know pretty quickly. We can't let it linger and inhibit the trade process."
"Instead of trading and wondering what could've been, we decided to step forward and see if there's something that could be done to keep them here," Huntington said.
"If a perfect world, we bring them both back under contracts that are favorable to them and favorable to us. But if we get one, then we get one. If we can't either, we can't get either."
Biertempfel echoes what FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi wrote yesterday, that the team might be making lowball offers that Wilson and Sanchez have no choice but to reject just to they can come back and say they tried to extend them before making a trade. The team was heavily criticized when they traded Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan in separate deals earlier this year.
Odds & Ends: Pirates, Sano, White Sox, Blue Jays
Here's some links to check out as you celebrate the return of a full slate of baseball games…
- Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com says something doesn't add up about the Pirates reported interest in signing Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez to contract extensions. He wonders if the team will make low-ball offers that the players have no choice but to reject just so they can say "The players refused our offers and left us with no choice but to trade them away and improve our organization's future."
- Twins vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff is in the Dominican Republic to take a look at Miguel Angel Sano, according to Charley Walters of The Pioneer Press.
- Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune notes that when asked about the team's interest in acquiring Roy Halladay, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said ""I don't think were going to give up half the organization for one player."
- Dave Cameron at FanGraphs has reached the top ten in his series of post about the 50 MLB players with the most trade value.
- The Blue Jays have signed their fourth round pick according to Bob Elliott of The Toronto Sun.
Odds And Ends: Lowell, Girardi, Pirates
Some links to read through this morning…
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Red Sox will evaluate Mike Lowell's health tonight before deciding whether to pursue the likes of Garrett Atkins and Nick Johnson.
- Sherman wonders what will happen to Joe Girardi if the Yankees miss the playoffs for a second straight year.
- The Pirates have discussed the financial side of possible extensions for Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson, but only in general terms according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star says Julio Lugo would have been easier to acquire and probably more productive than current Royals shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.
- New manager, same result. The Nats lost their first game under interim skipper Jim Riggleman.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney says the MLB draft is broken and explains why he thinks teams should be allowed to trade picks.
- ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. says the Dodgers are one of the teams relying on psychological data to select and handle their players.
Pirates Talk Extensions With Sanchez & Wilson
It looked like the Pirates might trade Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson away this month, but Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the team wants to keep its double play combination together for years. The Pirates approached Sanchez and Wilson, who are close friends, about extending their current deals.
Odds And Ends: Vinicio, Sano, Mets
More links for the afternoon…
- The Red Sox had this deal set up before July 2nd and now it's finalized. They signed Dominican SS Jose Vinicio to a $1.95MM deal, according to WEEI.com's Alex Speier.
- Roy Halladay leads the league in pitcher abuse points, as Tim shows at RotoAuthority. Click on the link for the entire list of hard-working starters.
- ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. says Miguel Angel Sano wants to sign with the Pirates, but his agent wants him to take the biggest offer.
- Newsday's David Lennon reports that Fernando Martinez had surgery and will miss 6-8 weeks.
- In spite of all the injuries the Mets have suffered, Cameron Smith of the Washington Post isn't sure a second-place finish will be enough to save Omar Minaya's job. Minaya's three-year $4.5MM extension kicks in next season.
Odds And Ends: Zito, Red Sox, Pedro
Some links for the morning…
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the Giants have to think about releasing Barry Zito after the season because he's weighing them down.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer says the Giants can't afford to release Zito just yet.
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe says the Red Sox could use another lefty specialist in the 'pen.
- Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the Pirates are confident Miguel Angel Sano is a 16 years old, like he says.
- Jamey Newberg updates us on the top 20 Rangers prospects at MLB.com. You have to think the Blue Jays are looking at a version of this list.
- Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle says no one will be watching Matt Holliday more closely than the Giants.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if Pedro Martinez can have a David Cone-like late career renaissance in Philadelphia.
- And check out the final part of my discussion over at NESN.com for a look at the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays and an under-the-radar trade candidate.
Odds And Ends: Strasburg, Huff, Pedro
Some links to read through this afternoon…
- ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick says the Nats "absolutely, positively must sign" Stephen Strasburg this summer. The Strasburg saga is just one of Crasnick's nine stories to watch in the second half.
- Stan McNeal of the Sporting News says a fringe prospect should be enough for the O's to ship Aubrey Huff and his $8MM salary away.
- Pedro Martinez said he was pitching hurt with the Mets, but feels better now, according to the AP (via ESPN).
- Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues says the Yankees would have to be prepared to give up a painful amount in a possible Roy Halladay deal.
- Pirates reliever Tyler Yates had Tommy John surgery, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Check out my thoughts on the market for outfielders this offseason at NESN.com. Evans Clinchy of NESN.com believes it's now time for the Red Sox to lock Jason Bay up.
Odds And Ends: Sano, Gonzalez, Royals
Here's some more reading material for the afternoon…
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney runs through his first half surprises, including Ben Zobrist and the Tigers. He also says Roy Halladay and the Phillies are a perfect fit.
- As Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, Miguel Angel Sano's future is still up in the air. The Orioles and Pirates and the favorites to sign the Dominican shortstop, but the Twins, Rangers and a couple other teams could still be interested.
- Adrian Gonzalez told WEEI.com's Alex Speier that winning matters most of all to him. Gonzalez is one of the players Speier looks at as potential fits in Boston, along with Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez.
- Here, Speier says Tim Wakefield has been one of the best bargains in baseball since 2002.
- Cameron Smith of the Washington Post says B.J. Ryan could be a nice addition for the Cubs.
- Dave Sheinin of the Post reports that Bud Selig said the Nats are "on the right track."
- Bradford Doolittle of the Kansas City Star says Royals GM Dayton Moore needs a better grasp of the game's statistical side.