Royals Open To Trading Prospects
With baseball's best farm system at his disposal, Royals GM Dayton Moore acknowledged that he's willing to trade prospects for pitching, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Dutton says Moore would like to find a deal similar to the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, where the Indians acquired a talented, controllable starter in exchange for prospects.
"We'll be aggressive in trades," Moore said, looking ahead to the offseason. “We'll try to make a trade or two that helps us. We have to look internally first, but then we have to look at trades. Then, finally, we have to look at free agency. We’ll explore all of those options…. We have a minor league system that's ranked pretty good. So we'll see what's out there. We're a pitcher or two away."
This spring, Baseball America said Kansas City's minor league system was "among the best we've seen," with nine Royals ranking among BA's top 100 prospects. So while there's no doubt that the Royals have the depth to make such a move, you could contest Moore's assertion that the club is only "a pitcher or two away." Even in a weak AL Central division, with some of their youngsters starting to make an impact in the bigs, the Royals are 25 games below .500 this season.
Still, according to Dutton, club officials believe that the rotation doesn't need to be overhauled for 2012, and that adding a top-of-the-rotation starter to their current core is the key for a "rapid rise" in the standings.
"What we need, if we're going to win a championship," one official said. "Is somebody who can match up with [Justin] Verlander and [C.C.] Sabathia and [Josh] Beckett."
ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link) identifies the Mariners, Diamondbacks, and Braves as teams who might match up with the Royals, specifically naming Mike Moustakas as a player who could interest Atlanta as a successor to Chipper Jones at third base.
A Look At Notable Moves Of August 2010
August transactions don't boast the same excitement as their July counterparts, but they can still have ramifications for contenders and non-contenders alike. Teams readying for the postseason will often fine-tune their rosters by adding a specialty piece — a LOOGY or power bat off the bench, for example — and ones looking ahead to next year will look to shed payroll.
There's still a few days left before September arrives, and prominent players such as the Rays' B.J. Upton was claimed as recently as Friday. But in the meanwhile, here's a look back at some of the bigger names who were on the move — whether by trade or waiver claim — in August 2010, and the subsequent fallout (for the complete list, check out MLBTR's Transaction Tracker):
- Mike Sweeney, acquired by the Phillies from the Mariners on Aug. 4: Seattle sent the right-handed-hitting veteran and what remained of his $650K salary to Philly, where he hit .231/.310/.385 down the regular season's stretch and went 1-for-1 in his lone postseason at-bat. The M's later received cash from the Phils for Sweeney, who signed a one-day contract with the Royals in March and retired.
- Jim Edmonds, acquired by the Reds from the Brewers on Aug. 9: Cincinnati added Edmonds for its postseason push, sending Chris Dickerson back to Milwaukee in exchange. Edmonds didn't do much, hitting .207/.281/.586 in the regular season before being left off the Reds' postseason roster due to an Achilles injury. He retired this spring after signing a minor league deal with the Cards, while Dickerson was traded in March to the Yankees for Sergio Mitre.
- Mike Fontenot, acquired by the Giants from the Cubs on Aug. 11: The Lads scooped up Fontenot for infield depth during their run to the World Series in exchange for minor league outfielder Evan Crawford. Fontenot remains in San Francisco is under team control for through 2013, though he could be a non-tender candidate this offseason, as he was last.
- Derrek Lee, acquired by the Braves from the Cubs on Aug. 18: Lee joined Atlanta after his long tenure in Chicago, the Cubs acquiring three prospects in return. Lee was one of the better acquisitions of this period, posting a fine .287/.384/.465 line for the Braves to help them reach the postseason, though he went just 2-for-16 in their NLDS loss to the Giants. He signed with the Orioles before this season.
- Pedro Feliz, acquired by the Cardinals from the Astros on Aug. 19: St. Louis sent David Carpenter and cash to Houston in exchange for Feliz, who was added to help out at the hot corner when David Freese was injured. Feliz's already declining bat didn't improve for the Redbirds, who missed the postseason. Feliz signed a minor league deal with the Padres this month, while Carpenter is currently in the Astros' bullpen.
- Cody Ross, acquired by the Giants from the Marlins on waiver claim on Aug. 22: The Giants added an eventual World Series hero in acquiring Ross from the Marlins, who had little interest in retaining Ross, as he was becoming expensive with his final year of arbitration-eligibility looming.
- Brian Fuentes, acquired by the Twins from the Angels on Aug. 27: Minnesota added Fuentes to bolster its bullpen, and the lefty threw 9 2/3 shutout innings in the regular season and 2 2/3 shutout innings in the postseason before signing with the Athletics this offseason. The Angels acquired Loek Van Mil from the Twins as a player to be named.
- Manny Ramirez, acquired by the White Sox on a waiver claim from the Dodgers on Aug. 29: This was arguably the most notable move of the August post-deadline period, but it didn't amount to much for either teams or the player. The White Sox missed the postseason, the cash-strapped Dodgers got some salary relief, and Manny hit a quiet .261/.420/.319 before signing with the Rays this offseason (and eventually retiring).
- Manny Delcarmen, acquired by the Rockies from the Red Sox on Aug. 31: The Rox, still in contention for the wild card, needed bullpen depth, so they sent Chris Balcom-Miller to Boston for Delcarmen. The righty didn't pan out in Colorado, posting a 6.48 ERA in 8 1/3 innings for a team that missed the playoffs before being non-tendered this offseason. He's kicked around since then.
- Jeff Francoeur, acquired by the Rangers from the Mets on Aug. 31: Texas sent Joaquin Arias to the Mets for Frenchy, who played well in his brief time in Texas, hitting .340/.357/.491 down the stretch and seeing playing time during the postseason. Arias was waived by the Mets, while Francoeur signed the Royals this offseason and recently inked a two-year extension.
NL East Notes: Braves, Morrison, Rodriguez
Jason Heyward hit his first MLB grand slam at Wrigley Field tonight, helping the Braves in their attempt to strengthen their hold on the NL Wild Card. Here are the rest of today’s links from Heyward’s division…
- As Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains, the Braves' late-inning combination of Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel is the kind of shutdown late-inning tandem most teams can only dream of having.
- The Marlins are calling Logan Morrison back to the Major Leagues tomorrow, a week and a half after demoting him to the minors, according to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro (on Twitter). Morrison can still receive credit for a full year of service this year, so the demotion probably won’t affect his service clock.
- Agent Scott Boras says the Nationals should re-sign Ivan Rodriguez when the veteran catcher hits free agency after the season, according to Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com.
NL East Notes: Nationals, Hamels, Pelfrey, Braves
Jimmy Rollins announced on Twitter that he has a mild grade 2 groin strain and will be on the disabled list until September. Here's the latest on the 81-44 Phillies and the rest of their division…
- Ryan Zimmerman repeated to MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he'd like to spend his entire career in Washington. The third baseman is set to hit free agency after the 2013 season.
- Scouts tell Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Nationals will be powerful in a couple of years and would compete in the NL West right now (Twitter link).
- The Phillies and Cole Hamels want to work out a long-term deal this offseason, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Gelb shows that Jered Weaver is about as statistically similar to Hamels as possible and suggests that the Phillies and Hamels could agree to a contract that mimics Weaver's recent five-year, $85MM extension. Hamels should earn more than Weaver, given his higher 2011 salary and proximity to free agency.
- Mets manager Terry Collins asked starter Mike Pelfrey if he'd be up for becoming the team's closer in 2012 and Pelfrey said he "absolutely" would, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. However, it's unlikely that Pelfrey will become the Mets' closer, since GM Sandy Alderson is opposed to the idea, Martino writes. Check out CloserNews.com for more on each team’s bullpen.
- Braves GM Frank Wren told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he has focused on adding speed in recent years, bringing in players such as Jose Constanza and Michael Bourn.
- Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty switched agents and is now a client of Dan Lozano's Icon Sports Group, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown (on Twitter). Steve Canter formerly represented the left-hander, who will be arbitration eligible for the second time after the season. Keep track of each player's representation with MLBTR's Agency Database.
Rosenthal’s Full Count: Cubs, Zimmerman, Minor, Rox, Span
Ken Rosenthal has his weekly Full Count Video up over at FOXSports.com, so let's take a look:
- All GMs — past, present, and prospective — would love a crack at the Cubs' recent opening, says Rosenthal. Some GMs who are in their last contractual year, like Brian Cashman of the Yankees, line up better than others. Rosenthal feels the Rays might let Chicago interview Andrew Friedman, but finds it highly unlikely that the Red Sox would allow the Cubs to interview Theo Epstein, who is under contract through 2012.
- While the Nationals have spent almost $40MM on the Amateur Draft in the past three seasons, Rosenthal says they'd be wise to check in with their first draft pick ever: Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman is controlled through 2013, but Rosenthal likens him to another prominent young star, saying that Zimmerman is to the Nats what Troy Tulowitzki is to the Rockies. He feels the Nats should approach their cornerstone about a similar extension before he gets so close to free agency that he considers testing it.
- The Mets were far from the only team interested in Mike Minor at the July 31st trade deadline. The Indians offered the Drew Pomeranz to the Braves in exchange for Minor, thinking that with Atlanta trying to acquire Hunter Pence at the time, the Astros may prefer Pomeranz to Minor. Cleveland would get a more Major League-ready arm in return, but the Braves had no intention of dealing Minor.
- The Rockies will look to add a big bat this winter, preferably at third base or a corner outfield spot. If they can find a third baseman despite a weak market, they may be inclined to pursue a leadoff hitter like the Twins' Denard Span. Rosenthal says the Rox have long coveted Span, and almost drafted him in 2002, but instead took Jeff Francis due to concerns over Span's asking price. Minnesota grabbed Span 11 picks later at No. 20 overall, though they showed a willingness to move him at this year's deadline when negotiating with the Nats.
Chipper Jones Will Play In 2012
We can put the speculation to rest, Chipper Jones has told Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution that he will play in 2012. There had been some belief that Jones would walk away after another injury interrupted year.
"I'm playing next year," said Chipper. "I still feel like I can go out there and play a good third base and be a threat, at least, at the plate. I'm having a good defensive year and the average is on the rise."
Jones, 39, is under contract for $13MM next season. The team holds a $7MM club option for his services in 2013, though that can vest and/or increase in value based on various games played incentives. Chipper did not rule out playing in 2013, but did say he'll wait until next year to make that decision. He's hitting .271/.345/.455 with 11 homers in 374 plate appearances this year.
Quick Hits: Damon, Choate, Braves
August 18th featured significant trades in 2009 (Ivan Rodriguez to the Rangers) and 2010 (Derrek Lee to the Braves). So far, today we've seen the Rangers acquire Tim Wood from the Pirates. Here are today’s links…
- As of today Jason Giambi and Jim Thome had yet to be placed on waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal wonders if Johnny Damon, who has already cleared waivers, could be a fit for the Phillies.
- Marlins left-hander Randy Choate told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald that he's not likely to pitch again this season. The left-hander, who is under contract for 2012, would have been an August trade candidate if healthy.
- Chipper Jones told David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the Braves have more pitching than they know what to do with. “It’s almost embarrassing how much talent we have at the minor league level that can help this ballclub,” he said (Twitter link).
Braves Sign Juan Jaime
The Braves signed righty Juan Jaime to a minor league deal, MLBTR has learned. The deal covers the rest of 2011 as well as 2012.
Jaime, 24, was released by the Diamondbacks yesterday after being designated for assignment to create a roster spot for Lyle Overbay. He had Tommy John surgery in April of last year, prior to which Baseball America ranked him 17th among Nationals prospects. At that time BA saw Jaime as a future power arm out of the bullpen. With a mid-90s fastball, his ceiling is high.
Braves Sign Wes Helms
The Braves have signed Wes Helms to a minor league contract, reports Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). MLB.com's Mark Bowman says (on Twitter) that he will report to their Triple-A affiliate on Saturday and likely be called up when rosters expand on September 1st.
Helms, 35, was released by the Marlins earlier this week. He was hitting .191/.276/.236 in 124 plate appearances at the time, though the righty swinger is just a year removed from a .324/.420/.521 performance against lefties. Helms has spent the majority of his time at the corner infield spots over the last few years. The Braves will only have to pay him the pro-rated portion of the league minimum, the Marlins are on the hook for the rest of his $1MM salary.
Draft Notes: Meo, Braves, Blue Jays
The latest draft signings, with the deadline for deals just four days away…
- Lou Nero of Octagon Sports reports that second rounder Anthony Meo has signed with the D'Backs (Twitter link). Meo obtained an above-slot bonus of $625K, according to Callis, who notes that MLB's recommended bonus was 580K (Twitter link).
- The Marlins have signed second rounder Adam Conley, a left-handed pitcher out of Washington State, for $625K, according to Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA (via Twitter).
- The Athletics have signed third rounder B.A. Vollmuth, a third baseman out of Southern Miss, for $304.2K, according to Callis (via Twitter).
- The Royals have signed fifth rounder Patrick Leonard, a high school outfielder from Texas, for $600K, writes Callis. It's the highest bonus awarded to a player outside the first four rounds this year, according to Callis. The MLB commissioner's office slot recommendation for that selection, No. 156 overall, is $161K.
- The Cubs have signed seventh-rounder Trevor Gretzky, a high school first baseman out of California, for $375K, according to Callis (on Twitter). Trevor is the son of hockey great Wayne Gretzky and was a San Diego State recruit.
- The Yankees have officially signed 25th round pick Adam Smith for $157.5K, according to Callis (on Twitter). The third baseman will be converted into a right-handed pitcher.
- The Braves signed 14th round pick Navery Moore for $400K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). The Vanderbilt right-hander can throw 92-96 mph and has now obtained the second-highest known bonus after the second round so far this year.
- The Blue Jays signed 17th rounder Brady Dragmire, according to Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA (on Twitter).