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Astros Owner Open To Signing Clemens

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Astros owner Jim Crane told Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports in Houston that he is open to the idea of signing 50-year old Roger Clemens. The Astros have not been contacted about signing Clemens this year, but they’re preparing for the possibility, Berman reports. The Astros were in attendance at a recent workout to watch Clemens, who signed with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters this week.

Crane said he doesn’t aim to set up a publicity stunt for the sake of selling a few extra tickets. He’d seek approval from MLB before completing a deal with Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner. Clemens already has a personal services contract with the Astros, Berman notes.

Indians Will Consider Offseason Trades For Choo

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The Indians don’t expect to be able to sign Shin-Soo Choo to an extension and will listen to trade offers for him this offseason, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. GM Chris Antonetti told Heyman the Indians have attempted to sign Choo long-term “multiple times” in recent years. However, Choo and agent Scott Boras have been unreceptive to possible extension discussions, Antonetti said.

Choo, 30, is on track to hit free agency after the 2013 season. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz recently projected a 2013 salary of $7.6MM for Choo, who will go to arbitration for the final time this coming offseason. 

Antonetti pointed out that the Indians can trade Choo at next year’s trade deadline or hold onto him for the entire 2013 season if they don’t find an offer to their liking this winter. The GM suggested the Indians would make Choo a one-year qualifying offer if he’s still in Cleveland at the end of the 2013 season. Doing so would enable the Indians to collect a compensation pick in 2014. If the Indians trade Choo midway through the 2013 campaign, the acquiring team wouldn’t be able to obtain draft pick compensation the following season. 

The Phillies, Pirates, Dodgers, Rangers and Reds were linked to Choo leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline last month. If Choo were available in the offseason, it wouldn’t be hard to envision teams such as the Mets and Giants expressing interest.

Assessing Early Returns On Recent Giants Extensions

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No MLB team finalized more extensions this offseason than the Giants, who locked up five of their top players. General manager Brian Sabean committed more than $200MM in future salaries in the four-month period from the beginning of January to the beginning of April. The extensions promised to solidify the team’s rotation long-term and cap the future earnings of a pair of arbitration eligible All-Stars. 

For the most part, the extensions have worked for the team. Tim Lincecum's disappointing season is the largest blemish on an otherwise encouraging set of contracts for San Francisco. 

Matt Cain - Giants (PW)

Lincecum, whose early-career accomplishments assured him of a substantial raise, signed a two-year, $40.5MM contract extension to cover his final two arbitration years. Though he has pitched better lately, his ERA sits at 5.30 in what has been the most disappointing season of his MLB career. It’d be understandable if the Giants are relieved Lincecum didn’t accept their $100MM extension offer before the season. In that context, $40.5MM isn’t so expensive. Still, if the team had gone year to year with Lincecum, he wouldn’t have been locked in for a $22MM salary in 2013; a non-tender would have been possible.

Three other Giants starters have exceeded expectations since signing multiyear deals. Vogelsong, who signed a two-year, $8.3MM contract in January, is repeating last year's success. He has a 2.85 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 on his way toward a career high in innings pitched. Vogelsong would have been a free agent after the 2012 season if the Giants hadn't locked him up. They'll surely be glad to have him back for just $5MM in 2013 (the extension also includes a 2014 club option).

Like Vogelsong, Madison Bumgarner has replicated his 2011 success. The 23-year-old left-hander has inserted himself into the NL Cy Young Award race by posting a 2.83 ERA with five times as many strikeouts as walks in 171 2/3 innings this year. He obtained a record deal for pitchers with one-plus years of MLB service (five-years, $35MM), so it’s not as though Bumgarner obtained anything less than full value back in April. But this deal could hardly be going better for the Giants.

Matt Cain also obtained a record-setting contract this spring. He obtained a five-year, $112.5MM contract that established a record for right-handed pitchers. He's earning Cy Young Award consideration again after pitching a perfect game and posting a 2.83 ERA in 174 2/3 innings. If Cain had reached the free agent market this offseason, he would be the most sought-after pitcher available. The Giants could have re-signed him, of course, but not without spending considerably more than they did in April.

Lastly, Pablo Sandoval's play has justified his new three-year, $17.15MM contract — at least when he's been on the field. Although he spent time on the disabled list with a strained hamstring and a fractured hamate bone, he does have an .821 OPS in 294 plate appearances. This extension had limited upside for the Giants in the first place, since it didn’t buy out any free agent years or include any club options.

For now the Giants are presumably focused on maintaining their division lead over the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. A few months from now, once the most chaotic part of the offseason has ended, Sabean and the rest of the San Francisco front office will encounter a familiar challenge: it'll be time to consider extensions for a new set of players led by All-Star catcher Buster Posey.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Red Sox, Dodgers Nearing Blockbuster

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SATURDAY, 7:52am: The deal is "pretty much done," reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that both Beckett and Crawford have agreed to waive their no-trade clauses while Rosenthal adds that both clubs have signed off on the medicals.

FRIDAY, 10:00pm: Crawford has the Dodgers on his partial no-trade list and the outfielder has yet to be asked to accept a trade, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).  It has been previously reported that Crawford can block trades to two clubs but Heyman writes that Crawford has the ability to block trades to three teams.

9:34pm: Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine says that he still expects Beckett to make his start on Saturday, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

9:01pm: The Dodgers are expected to pick up more than $260MM of the $271.5MM in combined salary that the Red Sox are sending to them, a source tells Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.

6:45pm: The Dodgers have agreed to send Webster, De La Rosa, Loney, Sands, and De Jesus to the Red Sox, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Meanwhile, a source tells Rob Bradford of WEEI (Twitter link) not to expect a deal to be completed tonight.

6:42pm: The Red Sox have yet to secure permission from Beckett, who has 10-and-5 rights, or Crawford, who has a partial no-trade clause, a source tells Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.  However, neither player is expected to block the deal.

6:38pm: Pitcher Allen Webster will go to the Red Sox in the trade, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

6:15pm: The Red Sox and Dodgers are currently reviewing medical records, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (via Twitter).  The deal would include Rubby De La Rosa, James Loney, Jerry Sands, Ivan De Jesus, and a top prospect, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link).

6:04pm: Adrian Gonzalez was scratched from the lineup and summoned from the dugout into the clubhouse along with Nick Punto, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (via Twitter).

5:52pm: There are two deals on the table, one mega deal involving Carl Crawford and another with just Beckett and Gonzalez, tweets Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

5:48pm: Though the deal may not happen in its current nine-player form, something is expected to happen, tweets Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

5:10pm: Dodgers minor leaguers in the trade talks have included Allen Webster, Zach Lee, Rubby De La Rosa, and Jerry Sands, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

5:06pm: The Red Sox would receive prospects and not just salary relief if the deal happens, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

4:52pm: Boston would send some cash to Los Angeles if the sides complete a deal Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. Morosi confirms that the sides are close to a trade (Twitter links).

4:34pm: The Red Sox and Dodgers are closing in on a trade that would send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports (on Twitter). Hurdles remain, but the sides continue working toward a deal.

The Dodgers recently won the claiming rights to Gonzalez and Beckett. Gonzalez can't block a trade to Los Angeles, but Beckett must approve any assignment as a player with ten and five rights. Crawford and Punto cleared waivers earlier this month and can be traded without waiver-related restrictions. 

The Dodgers have been willing to take on considerable salaries since their new ownership group gained control of the club at the beginning of the 2012 season. Adding the four Red Sox players would represent a substantial financial commitment:

  • Gonzalez will earn $21MM per season through 2016 and obtain a raise to $21.5MM for 2017-18. The total exceeds $130MM when accounting for the remainder his 2012 salary. 
  • Beckett will earn $15.75MM per season through 2014. As noted above, he must approve any trade.
  • Crawford will earn $20MM in 2013, $20.25MM in 2014, $20.5MM in 2015, $20.75MM in 2016 and $21MM in 2017. His contract allows him to block trades to two teams.
  • Punto earns $1.5MM per season through 2013.

The Dodgers claimed Cliff Lee on waivers earlier this month after trading for Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Blanton and Brandon League. The Dodgers would have to place MLB players on waivers before trading them to Boston, which could complicate trade talks. 

Zach Links contributed to this post, which was originally published on August 24th.

Padres Designate Neil Wagner For Assignment

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The Padres announced that they designated right-hander Neil Wagner for assignment. The move creates 40-man roster space for Thad Weber, who was claimed off of waivers from the Tigers today. The Padres placed right-hander Jason Marquis on the 15-day disabled list and recalled right-hander Brad Boxberger in related moves.

The Padres claimed Wagner off of waivers from the Athletics at the end May, but haven't promoted him to the MLB level. The 28-year-old has a 5.28 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 58 innings of relief pitching for the Pacific Coast League affiliates of the A's and Padres this year.

Dodgers Could Pursue Adrian Gonzalez

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The Dodgers probably won’t trade for Adrian Gonzalez this month, but there’s a remote chance of a deal, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times writes. Gonzalez, who’s now on revocable waivers, drew trade interest from the Dodgers last month. However, Hernandez hears that the Dodgers don’t expect the Red Sox to make Gonzalez available. 

If the sides do discuss a trade, they won’t have to worry about Gonzalez’s limited no-trade clause, He can’t block a move to the Dodgers, according to Hernandez. The point would be moot if an American League team or a National League team with a worse record than the Dodgers were to claim the first baseman.

Gonzalez will earn $21MM per season through 2016 and obtain a raise to $21.5MM for 2017-18. The total exceeds $130MM when accounting for the remainder of Gonzalez's 2012 salary. While this sum would deter most teams, the Dodgers have been willing to spend under their new ownership group. 

"We are trying to add players. That doesn't mean we will be able to," chairman Mark Walter said, speaking in general terms.

The Dodgers claimed Cliff Lee on waivers earlier this month after trading for Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Blanton and Brandon League. They’ve also shown aggressiveness on the international market, signing Yasel Puig.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has heard that the Red Sox would only move Gonzalez in a transformative or franchise-changing move (Twitter link). A trade isn’t out of the question, but seems unlikely. Executives could see the Dodgers claiming Gonzalez, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Still, the Red Sox wouldn’t let him go for nothing.

Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times examines the possibility that the Dodgers could persuade the Red Sox to part with Gonzalez by taking on Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett as well. Beckett drew some interest from the Dodgers leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, according to Hernandez. However, this scenario sounds extremely unlikely to me given the money involved and Crawford’s elbow injury (he was scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery today).

Pirates Release Juan Cruz

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The Pirates released Juan Cruz after he cleared waivers and refused an assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the Sports Network (via the Miami Herald). The Pirates had designated the veteran right-hander for assignment earlier in the week.

Though Cruz pitched effectively for Pittsburgh, the Pirates needed fresh arms following Sunday's 19-inning game against the Cardinals. The 33-year-old appeared in 43 games for the Pirates, posting a 2.78 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 35 2/3 innings. He signed a one-year, $1.25MM contract with the team this past offseason.

Cubs Claim Socolovich, Designate Lalli

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The Cubs have claimed right-hander Miguel Socolovich off of waivers from the Orioles, Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs designated catcher Blake Lalli for assignment to create roster space for Socolovich, who they optioned to Triple-A.

Socolovich had been designated for assignment nine days ago. The 26-year-old appeared in six games with the Orioles this year, allowing eight earned runs in 10 1/3 innings, while striking out as many as he walked (6). He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a 1.90 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 52 innings of relief work.

Like Socolovich, Lalli made his MLB debut this year and appeared in six games. He has a .257/.292/.392 line in 319 plate appearances at Triple-A Iowa, where he has been playing since May.

Dodgers Sign Julio Urias

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The Dodgers signed left-hander Julio Urias, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. Urias, a 16-year-old from Mexico, signed for an unknown amount that will only partially count against the Dodgers’ $2.9MM spending pool for 2012-13. The prospect’s rights were transferred from Mexico City of the Mexican League, so only a limited percentage of the bonus applies to the Dodgers’ pool.

Some scouts considered Urias one of the better pitching prospects available. He has reached 92 mph on the radar gun and his change-up is one of the best secondary pitches in this year's class, according to Baseball America. Some teams had suggested that Urias would sign along with a few others for more than $1MM and maybe close to $2MM, Badler reported last month.

Padres Claim Thad Weber

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The Padres claimed right-hander Thad Weber from Detroit, according to Brian Britten of the Tigers (on Twitter). The Tigers reinstated Al Alburquerque from the 60-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Toledo in a related move.

Weber, 27, made his MLB debut this year, appearing in two games for the Tigers in April. The 2008 16th round selection has spent the majority of the 2012 season at Toledo, where he was a 4.30 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 128 2/3 innings, mostly as a starter.

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