Rosenthal On Rios, Johnson, D’Backs, Reds
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has posted his latest edition of Full Count. Here's a look at the highlights..
- It'll be interesting to see what the White Sox get for Alex Rios if they decide to deal him. Position players are usually easier to move in the winter and clubs view his deal differently. He earns $12.5MM per season through 2014 with a $13.5MM club option for 2015. On one hand, that's a reasonable price tag for someone who hits 20 homers, gets 20 steals, and can play outstanding defense. On the other, as recently as 2011, he had a .613 OPS. For the White Sox to make a worthwhile deal, they may have to throw in prospects and cash.
- It was amusing to hear that the Blue Jays weren't interested in trading Josh Johnson since his value has plummeted anyway. The best move for Toronto is to keep him, hope he has a strong second half, and make him a qualifying offer after the season. That would either net the Blue Jays a compensatory pick or another year of Johnson at less than $14MM.
- The Diamondbacks aren't jumping after Matt Garza, Jake Peavy, or even Bud Norris. What they want is a younger starter that they can control long term, ideally someone like the White Sox's Chris Sale or the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija. There's no evidence that either player is available in any way, but Samardzija in particular would fit the tough demeanor that Arizona wants out of their starters. Another option is to promote Archie Bradley, but first they want to see how Brandon McCarthy and Trevor Cahill come back from their injuries.
- The Reds are one of the teams that have inquired about the Phillies' Michael Young, but they remain in a difficult spot. Three of their most important pitchers, Jonathan Broxton, Johnny Cueto, and Sean Marshall, remain on the DL. They're getting below average production out of third base and left field and both prospect depth and payroll flexibility are issues. A healthy Ryan Ludwick would help matters as well, but he hasn't played the entire season and he relies on timing more than most.
Prospect Rumor Roundup: Trade Bait
The July trade deadline in Major League Baseball is less than two weeks away on the 31st. We don't exactly know who will be on the move, or how many trades will be completed, but we do know that a lot of minor league prospects will be changing uniforms within the next 13 days.
Below is a look at some of the prospects who could be on the move to new organizations looking to build for the future.
American League
Athletics: Oakland hasn't shied away from leaning on young players while in a playoff hunt and recent promotions for pitcher Sonny Gray and infielder/outfielder Grant Green could also serve a secondary purpose: showcasing. Gray, a right-handed hurler, was extremely successful in Triple-A and was lights-out during his one big league appearance before the All-Star break. He could develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter, or a high-leverage reliever. Green has played sparingly since his promotion but the former first round draft pick's versatility could be highly coveted.
Indians: Cleveland has one of the top shortstop prospects in (untouchable) Francisco Lindor, which could make fellow infielder Dorssys Paulino expendable in the right deal. Just 18, his numbers don't look great but he's holding his own in Low-A ball at a young age and has shown signs of improvement in June and July.
Orioles: L.J.Hoes doesn't have a huge ceiling but the 23-year-old prospect can play all three outfield positions, as well as second and third base. Currently hitting .308/.405/.413 at Triple-A, he makes good contact and can run the bases well.
Rangers: It would probably take a very intriguing veteran player with more than one year of control but Texas' middle infield depth could allow the club to dangle shortstop Luis Sardinas on the trade market. The 20-year-old infielder is a slick defender with little-to-no power but the ability to hit for average and steal some bases.
Rays: Right-hander Alex Colome made three starts with Tampa Bay earlier this year and the organization's pitching depth could allow the right-hander to be offered in an attractive deal, but he's currently on the Triple-A disabled list with what has been called a "mild elbow strain." Second baseman Ryan Brett, 21, received a 50-game suspension last year, so that cloud is still hanging over his head, but the scrappy baseball player can really hit. He's currently batting .336/.392/.480 with 17 steals in 39High-A ball games.
Red Sox: Boston is in an enviable position with a fair amount of depth that can be used to help strengthen the big league product. The presence of top prospect Xander Bogaerts means that the club can comfortably move third base prospect Garin Cecchini or shortstop Deven Marrero, should the right deal come along, because Bogaerts could probably handle either position at the big league level. Cecchini swings a mean stick but he lacks the prototypical power that teams look for from the hot corner. Marrero's numbers have been respectable in 2013 but nothing to write home about. A team that really liked him in college, though, might be willing to bite.
Tigers: The Tigers system is pretty thin, which could impact the organization's ability to make key moves via the trade market. Outfielder Danry Vasquez is highly projectable thanks to his frame and left-handed swing, both of which hint at future power. Just 19, he's aggressive but makes good contact given his limited experience.
Yankees: Catcher J.R. Murphy could be an attractive name on the trade market, if New York is willing to part with him knowing that Gary Sanchez is not that far behind. Murphy is an offensive-minded backstop who's improved his defensive game, especially with throwing out baserunners.
National League
Braves: On the surface it seems like the Braves haven't really made the amateur draft a priority in recent years and that has hurt the organization's depth. The versatile Joey Terdoslavich's strong performance in Triple-A earned him a promotion to the big league level where he's possibly been showcased for a deal. The pop in his bat, along with his ability to switch hit and positional versatility could make him an intriguing trade target.
Cardinals: The Cardinals have some impressive middle infield depth and former first round draft pick Kolten Wong could become a casualty. The second baseman can hit, but converted third baseman Matt Carpenter has been nothing short of brilliant at the big league level. Any team that acquires Wong is getting a player who's very close to MLB ready.
Diamondbacks: If Arizona is looking to make a big splash at the trade deadline, the club has a lot of pitching depth to deal from, including (likely) untouchables Archie Bradley and Tyler Skaggs. It would take a special player coming over to Arizona to nab him, but lefty David Holmberg is an underrated talent that could help a lot of ball clubs. His ceiling is probably that of a No. 3 or 4 starter but he's been durable and isn't afraid to throw strikes.
Dodgers: Los Angeles is always rumored to have a lot of irons in the fire and the club is definitely looking to improve itself despite the massive payroll. Southpaw Onelki Garcia, signed out of Cuba in 2012, made just one appearances during the regular season last year. In 2013, he's been very good in Double-A thanks to his above-average fastball. He's mostly viewed as a future reliever but Garcia has made six starts.
Pirates: To get value back, you often have to trade quality players. Pittsburgh has enjoyed breakouts over the past year in the form of infielder Alen Hanson, outfielder Gregory Polanco and pitcher Tyler Glasnow, among others, and that trio is probably safe at the trade deadline barring a blockbuster deal. However, pitcher Luis Heredia could perhaps be had at the right price. The right-hander is just 18 with three years of pro experience under his belt. He's a larger-framed pitcher and hasn't developed quite as hoped, suggesting a modest ceiling as a starter. He's been passed on the depth chart by a number of guys like Jameson Taillon, Nick Kingham and Glasnow.
Reds: Outfielder Jesse Winker doesn't wow with his tools but he gets the most out of his abilities and is one of the safer bets in Cincinnati's system to have a big league career. The 19-year-old prospect has modest power and doesn't steal bases so he's going to have to hit for average to provide value as a hitter — along with his willingness to take a free pass.
Rockies: Colorado doesn't have much in the way of tradable commodities, but the organization could cash in on the lack of catching depth around the game — much like the Yankees — with Tom Murphy. The second-year catcher, who's now 22 years old, has inexplicably been left in Low-A ball all year long despite overpowering the younger competition. He's by no means a finished product and has holes in his game but an OPS over 1.000 is going to attract some suitors.
Quick Hits: Delgado, Top Prospects, Byrd, Relievers
The Blue Jays will add Carlos Delgado to the Level of Excellence at the Rogers Centre this weekend — an honor bestowed upon the greatest Jays in franchise history. Delgado spent a dozen seasons with the Jays, hitting .282/.392/.556 with 336 homers in 6,018 plate appearances. He will join Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Tony Fernandez, George Bell and Dave Stieb as players to receive the distinction. Here's more from around the league…
- ESPN's Keith Law unveiled the latest edition of his Top 50 prospects (ESPN Insider required and recommended), and it's fronted by Twins Class A Advanced center fielder Byron Buxton, though Law cautions that even he is a little uncomfortable with the amount of hype Buxton is receiving. Oscar Taveras, Xander Bogaerts, Miguel Sano and Francisco Lindor round out Law's Top 5.
- The Mets will need to be "overwhelmed" to trade Marlon Byrd, writes Jorge Castillo of the Newark Star Ledger. "Overwhelmed," of course, is a relative term, and manager Terry Collins states things more lightly later in the article: "Right now, Marlon Byrd’s a huge piece. If Marlon Byrd’s going to get moved, we’re going to get something good back." Castillo's article meshes with previous reports that the Mets may simply stand pat at the deadline.
- A team official tells Mike Puma of the New York Post that the Mets haven't had any action yet on Byrd or closer Bobby Parnell (Twitter link).
- ESPN's Jim Bowden examines the trade market for relievers (video link), naming all of the usual suspects that have been mentioned previously but also adding Jared Burton, Huston Street and Luke Gregerson, who haven't been mentioned often this summer. All three are controlled beyond 2013. Bowden's colleague Buster Olney tweeted earlier today that the Diamondbacks continue to be players on the relief pitching market.
- Uncertainty surrounding Clay Buchholz's injuries hasn't changed Boston's approach to the trade deadline, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox still plan to be "selective" as they debate possibilities to upgrade what they consider to be strong rotation depth. The team is also still interested in upgrades at third base and in the bullpen.
Cubs, Rangers Getting Closer On Garza Deal
The Matt Garza rumors have picked up steam in the past couple of days, with ESPN's Jim Bowden stating Wednesday that there's an 80 percent chance he's traded before his next start. On Tuesday, we learned that the Cubs have a slight preference toward pitching prospects as opposed to position players and that the Rangers are unwilling to part with Martin Perez to acquire Garza. Here's the latest on Garza…
- Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes that while the Rangers are "prominently involved," other teams are still in the mix for Garza at this point.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Class A right-hander C.J. Edwards is indeed in play in trade talks. Edwards, 21, has a 1.83 ERA with 11.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 93 1/3 innings for Class A Hickory this season.
- One official tells Rosenthal that the Cubs and Rangers are "getting closer" on a Garza trade (Twitter link). Rosenthal adds that third base prospect Mike Olt is "possibly" in play, but the two sides are discussing prospects from multiple levels.
Earlier Updates
- The Cubs are asking teams for their "last and best offers" for Garza, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and other clubs think he's thrown his last pitch as a Cub. In a separate pair of tweets, Olney adds that while the Rangers don't want to move Perez, they have other pitching prospects such as C.J. Edwards and Luke Jackson that could be of interest to the Cubs. Jackson ranked as the team's No. 6 prospect prior to the season according to Baseball America, while Edwards ranked 14th. Both have had strong minor league seasons.
- Rosenthal writes that the Rangers have the most motivation to acquire Garza and have had extensive talks with the Cubs. He adds that the Dodgers are still in the mix even after acquiring Ricky Nolasco from the Marlins.
- If the Rangers don't acquire Garza, rival executives see the Cardinals, Red Sox, Diamondbacks and Dodgers as the likeliest destinations, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
- As reported earlier by Troy Renck of the Denver Post, Rockies owner Dick Monfort issued a letter to season-ticket holders saying the team wouldn't surrender top prospects for rentals. That, presumably, officially takes them out of the running for Garza's services.
Diamondbacks Sign Shawn Camp
The D-Backs have signed Shawn Camp and assigned him to Triple-A Reno according to the Pacific Coast League transactions page. The 37-year-old veteran was released by the Cubs after being designated for assignment earlier this year.
Camp posted a 7.04 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 23 innings for the Cubs this season, thanks to an alarming seven homers allowed in that short time. He was significantly better for the Cubs in 2012 when he pitched to a 3.59 ERA and led the National League with 80 appearances.
Hinske Released By D-Backs; Likely To Retire
The Diamondbacks have released veteran Eric Hinske from Triple-A Reno, according to the Pacific Coast League transactions page. Chris Gabel of the Reno Gazette-Journal reports that the 2002 American League Rookie of the Year is likely to retire (Twitter link).
The 35-year-old Hinske batted .173/.259/.288 and appeared in 52 games for the D-Backs this season, but just three of those contests were starts. He was used almost exclusively as a pinch-hitter before being designated for assignment and ultimately accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Reno.
In parts of 12 Major League seasons with the Blue Jays, Braves, Red Sox, Rays, Pirates, Diamondbacks and Yankees, Hinske batted .249/.332/.430 with 137 home runs. He was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 17th round of the 2002 draft — a round that also produced notable Major Leaguers B.J. Ryan and Ty Wigginton. Hinske earned more than $22MM in his career, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
2014 Competitive Balance Lottery Results
The Competitive Balance Lottery for the 2014 MLB Draft took place today. Twelve competitive balance picks are awarded, with the first six taking place after the first round's conclusion and the next six taking place following conclusion of the second round. Here are the results, per MLB.com (Twitter links)…
Competitive Balance Round A
- Rockies
- Orioles
- Indians
- Marlins
- Royals
- Brewers
Competitive Balance Round B
- Padres
- Diamondbacks
- Cardinals
- Rays
- Pirates
- Mariners
As explained by MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo, the teams in the 10 smallest markets and teams with the 10 lowest revenues were eligible to be entered into the Round A lottery. This doesn't mean there were 20 teams in the lottery, as there's overlap in that criteria. All teams who don't win a pick in the first round are re-entered into the second round, along with any team that received revenue sharing this year, which accounted only for the Mariners.
These picks are eligible to be traded, as we saw in 2012. Last year, the Tigers and Marlins swapped Competitive Balance picks as part of the Anibal Sanchez trade. The Marlins received a second Competitive Balance pick when they traded Gaby Sanchez to the Pirates in the offseason.
The A's and Reds are the two eligible teams from this year's selection that were not awarded a Competitive Balance pick.
Bowden’s Latest: Garza, Rox, Rios, Morneau, Perkins
The trade deadline is just two weeks away, and with the All-Star Game in the rear-view mirror, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio writes that the market will pick up rapidly beginning Friday. Here are some highlights from the highly informative article penned by the former GM of the Reds, Expos and Nationals (ESPN Insider required and recommended)…
- Bowden hears there's an 80 percent chance that Matt Garza will be traded before his next scheduled start (Monday or Tuesday of next week). The Rangers, Red Sox and Diamondbacks are still involved, He describes the D-backs as "dark horses," adding that their odds in the Garza sweepstakes would increase if they were willing to part with left-hander David Holmberg.
- The Rockies could also be interested in Garza, but they're not clear-cut buyers right now, and the prospective cost is prohibitive to them. If they were to sell, Rafael Betancourt and Matt Belisle could be had. Michael Cuddyer could be moved, but only if Colorado is "blown away."
- The White Sox have been "extremely disappointed" with offers for Alex Rios thus far. Bowden feels that offers will improve as the deadline draws closer.
- The Justin Morneau era in Minnesota is coming to an end, and the Twins are prepared to trade the former MVP, according to Bowden. The Rays, Pirates and Yankees are said by Bowden to be possible destinations for Morneau.
- The Cardinals, Reds, Dodgers and Braves have all inquired on Twins closer Glen Perkins and been turned away. Those four teams are all monitoring the health of Jesse Crain as well.
- The Yankees are trying to use Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and catching prospect J.R. Murphy to acquire a bat but have had no luck thus far. None of those players figure to interest the Twins in regards to Morneau, Bowden adds, given the impending free agency of Hughes and Chamberlain and the presence of Joe Mauer behind the plate for the Twins.
Matt Garza Rumors: Tuesday
On January 8th, 2011, the previous Cubs front office led by GM Jim Hendry finalized a trade that brought Matt Garza (and Fernando Perez and Zach Rosscup) to Chicago from the Rays for Chris Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Robinson Chirinos, Sam Fuld, and Brandon Guyer. At the time, ESPN's Buster Olney heard that Andrew Friedman and the Rays "didn't get much in the way of high-end prospects; more depth type guys than impact." Archer, 24, seems ready to challenge that evaluation as a member of the Rays' rotation, while Lee, a 22-year-old shortstop, was knocking on the door of the Majors until a knee injury ended his season in April. It's clear now the Cubs gave up a huge haul to acquire three years of Garza; now their new regime is marketing the remaining two to three months of his services to recoup as much young talent as possible. The latest:
- Jon Heyman of CBS Sports echoes Sullivan's earlier report that the Rangers aren't willing to include Martin Perez in a trade for Garza. The Red Sox are said to be "thinking about" Garza and would be a major threat if they entered the fray, according to Heyman. Boston has many pitching prospects acquired by Theo Epstein during his time as the team's GM. The Diamondbacks are in the mix as well, though they may prefer Jake Peavy. The Cubs are likely to place more emphasis on ceiling than proximity to the Major Leagues, according to Heyman, with a slight preference for pitching as opposed to position players.
Earlier Updates
- The Rangers, Cardinals, Pirates, Indians, Blue Jays, and Dodgers "are the strongest pursuers" with a handful of other teams showing at least cursory interest in Garza, writes David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. A handful of club executives who spoke to Kaplan consider Garza a very strong No. 3 starter, for whom the Cubs have an "exceptionally high" asking price. Kaplan adds that the Rangers and Blue Jays "are both deciding how far they want to go to acquire Garza." Kaplan's baseball personnel experts feel the Cubs will come close but fall short of the Brewers' Zack Greinke package from last summer, which consisted of shortstop Jean Segura and pitchers Johnny Hellweg and Ariel Pena. Complicating that comparison is the fact that Segura raised his stock considerably this year; at the time of the deal, Baseball America ranked him 43rd among prospects and ESPN's Keith Law had him outside of his top 50.
- Baseball America's midseason top 50 prospects list came out last week. Prospects in the 35-50 range who play for potential Garza suitors include Joc Pederson of the Dodgers, Anthony Ranaudo and Garin Cecchini of the Red Sox, Alen Hanson of the Pirates, Aaron Sanchez of the Blue Jays, Mike Olt of the Rangers, Kolten Wong of the Cardinals, and Adam Eaton of the Diamondbacks. Kaplan notes that the Rangers are "thought to be dangling" Olt, a third baseman. A lot of the position players named here either seem unlikely to be traded or aren't great fits for the Cubs, who might prefer to get a pitcher as the headliner.
- The personnel heads who spoke to Joel Sherman of the New York Post picture Garza going to the Rangers, who have the need and the goods to make a deal. 22-year-old southpaw Martin Perez "could be a key element for the Cubs to move Garza to Texas," writes Sherman. The Rangers are not going to give up Perez, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. He names Neil Ramirez, Carlos Pimentel, Leury Garcia, and Luis Sardinas as more realistic possibilities.
Garza Likely To Be Traded This Week
9:54pm: ESPN's Jim Bowden hears that there is an 80% chance Garza is dealt before his next start (Twitter link). The Cubs have an off-day on Thursday and Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to start on Friday, so Garza's next start could come on Saturday at the earliest. Bowden also listed the Diamondbacks as a possible Garza suitor, the first time we've heard that team in the mix, as well as the usual suspects of the Rangers, Nationals, Red Sox, Rockies and (to a lesser degree) the Indians.
12:51pm: Kaplan is hearing that Garza will be moved by Saturday, though the Cubs will still make sure that someone meets their price as opposed to rushing a trade. One AL scout tells Kaplan that the Cubs are in a "phenomenal spot to land a tremendous deal" because Garza has looked so strong of late (Twitter links).
12:46pm: Following his recent string of success, teams are willing to engage Cubs president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer in serious trade talks over the All-Star break, according to David Kaplan of CSN Chicago. A former general manager told Kaplan on Sunday that it's become "crystal clear" to other teams that Garza is at 100 percent.
A second "significant industry source" told Kaplan that the Rangers, Blue Jays and Indians are all involved in talks for Garza, but that the Cardinals are the dark horse in the pursuit of Garza. St. Louis saved loads of money by letting Albert Pujols walk, and their farm system is rife with high-upside prospects. Hoyer and Epstein will have no problem dealing Garza within the division, writes Kaplan, though he cautions that the Cardinals themselves (as well as the Pirates) may be hesitant to deal top prospects to a division rival.
Garza, 29, has a 3.17 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 39.8 percent ground-ball rate in 71 innings for the Cubs this season, his final year before free agency.