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Latest On Pirates, Mark Appel

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Mark Appel, the eighth overall selection of the 2012 draft, is leaning against signing with the Pirates, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). MLB recommends a $2.9MM bonus for Appel, who was considered a potential first overall selection. 

Jim Callis of Baseball America keeps hearing the Pirates won't give up a first round pick to sign Appel (Twitter link). Pittsburgh can offer the Stanford right-hander a maximum of $3.84MM without surrendering a 2013 pick, Callis notes. If Appel were to return to school for another season he would be draft eligible following his senior year. Agent Scott Boras is advising Appel.

Just six first round selections remain unsigned with four days to go before this Friday's deadline.

AL West Notes: Athletics, Hamilton, Napoli

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The Athletics see themselves as sellers rather than contenders, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reported earlier today. Meanwhile, the Rangers continue monitoring Cole Hamels and Zack Greinke in anticipation of possible trades, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Here's the latest from the AL West…

  • Athletics owner Lew Wolff told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he doesn't intend to move the team anywhere but San Jose (Twitter links). "We have no interest in leaving our two-team market. Our only focus is on San Jose," he said. "We are not leaving the Bay Area and that's the end of it."
  • Josh Hamilton said he’d love to stay in Texas, but noted that contract talks are on hold, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. Hamilton’s on track to hit free agency this coming offseason, when he’ll be positioned for a lucrative multiyear contract.
  • Mike Napoli, who’s also in the last year of his contract with the Rangers, said he would love to stay in Texas as well, Heyman tweets. “If something doesn't get worked out it's my time to be a free agent," Napoli said.
  • Mariners ace Felix Hernandez told Heyman he'd love to stay in Seattle (Twitter link). The Mariners have Hernandez under contract through 2014.

Minor Moves: Blue Jays, Ryan Eigsti

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The latest minor moves from around MLB…

  • The Blue Jays signed right-hander Chris Jakubauskas, according to the team's website. Jakubauskas, 33, appeared in 33 games for the 2011 Orioles, posting a 5.72 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 72 1/3 innings.
  • Right-hander David Pauley elected free agency last week, according to the Blue Jays' site. The Blue Jays removed Pauley from their roster seven days ago after he made five appearances for the team.
  • The Royals released catcher Ryan Eigsti from Triple-AA Omaha, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter). Eigsti, 26, appeared in 11 games for the Royals' top affiliate this year. He has a .213/.310/.322 batting line in parts of six minor league seasons.

Knobler On Tigers, Hamels, Upton, Royals

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Rival executives are divided on what the Tigers need to acquire for the second half of the season, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. Some say the Tigers need a pitcher, others say they should acquire a second baseman and others believe they don’t need to make a major addition. Here are more of Knobler’s notes, starting with the Tigers:

  • Detroit has shown some interest in Matt Garza, but Tigers people suggest a deal is fairly unlikely, according to Knobler. The Tigers don’t seem enthused about the possibility of trading for Marco Scutaro, though they’ve shown some interest in him.
  • The Phillies have identified about four teams that would be a fit for Cole Hamels and they’re saying they'd want players who are close to contributing in the Major Leagues. However, the Phillies aren’t ready to deal the left-hander yet.
  • Scouts believe the Diamondbacks are serious about listening to offers for Justin Upton.
  • The Royals had been considering the possibility of becoming midseason buyers this year. They don’t intend to give Jonathan Broxton or other players away because they “badly want” to win games in the second half, Knobler writes.
  • The 43-43 Athletics see themselves as sellers, rather than contenders, Knobler reports. A’s people are hoping Brandon McCarthy pitches well and increases his trade value when he returns from the disabled list.
  • Scouts are unimpressed by Cubs pitching prospect Gerardo Concepcion, Knobler notes.

Jay Gibbons Retires

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The Brewers announced that outfielder Jay Gibbons has retired, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. The 35-year-old last played in the Major Leagues with the 2010-11 Dodgers.

Gibbons appeared in 58 games for Milwaukee's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates this year, posting a .253/.345/.431 batting line. He retires with 127 career MLB home runs and a .260/.315/.453 batting line in nine seasons with the Orioles and Dodgers. Gibbons hit at least 20 homers in three of four seasons from 2002-05 and earned close to $16MM in his career, according to Baseball-Reference.

Potentially Available Shortstops

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The trade market for shortstops looks thin this summer. Here’s a closer look:

  • Marco Scutaro, Rockies – Scutaro figures to draw considerable interest because he can play second base and shortstop while contributing at the plate. Though he’s mostly playing second in Denver, he has considerable experience at shortstop, including 27 games at the position in 2012. The 36-year-old infielder has a .277/.329/.372 batting line in 2012. He earns $6MM this year and will hit free agency this coming offseason.
  • Willie Bloomquist, Diamondbacks – The Diamondbacks could consider offers for Bloomquist once John McDonald returns from the disabled list. Bloomquist, 34, has a .294/.324/.393 batting line and earns $1.9MM per season for 2012 and 2013. Now that Stephen Drew is back, Bloomquist is on the bench.
  • Cody Ransom, Brewers – The Brewers could trade Ransom if they become sellers this month. The infielder has a .214/.313/.403 batting line in 177 plate appearances so far this year and has played shortstop 32 times.
  • Brendan Ryan, Mariners – Teams might be willing to overlook Ryan's .187/.287/.276 slash line because of his reputation as a tremendous defender. He's earning $1.75MM this year and will be arbitration eligible this coming offseason.
  • Jamey Carroll, Twins – Carroll, 38, has a .234/.318/.278 batting line and more than $5MM remaining on his contract with Minnesota, so he wouldn’t have much trade value.
  • Jed Lowrie, Astros – Lowrie is essentially unavailable, Ken Rosenthal reported five days ago. The Dodgers recently asked about Lowrie, who has an impressive .254/.343/.461 batting line in his first season as a National Leaguer.
  • Rumors and speculation surrounded Starlin Castro early on this year, but it appears that the 22-year-old is staying put.

MLBTR started previewing the trade market last week with a look at potentially available catchers, first basemen, second basemen and third basemen.

Pirates Notes: Upton, Quentin, Lincoln

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The Pirates, who lead the NL Central with a 48-37 record, aim to improve their roster for the second half of the season. “We’re in a buying mode,” manager Clint Hurdle said, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Pirates have inquired on Carlos Quentin and Justin Upton, two of the top bats available this summer. Here are the details on the Pirates…

  • “Our focus is to exhaustively search all opportunities to add to this club and to execute the right move(s) to make this club better,” GM Neal Huntington said, according to Biertempfel.
  • The Diamondbacks and Padres might have some degree of interest in right-hander Brad Lincoln in potential deals involving Upton and Quentin, Biertempfel reports (on Twitter). The Diamondbacks are scouting the Pirates’ Triple-A team and the Padres are scouting the Pirates’ Class A West Virginia team, Biertempfel adds.
  • Biertempfel suggests the Pirates could use starting pitching depth.
  • Within Biertempfel’s piece a handful of former general managers share thoughts on what the Pirates should do this year.

Rosenthal On Upton, Rangers, Twins, Tigers

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The Diamondbacks are willing to trade Justin Upton even if they’re in contention, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Arizona GM Kevin Towers won’t make a deal unless he’s “dazzled”, Rosenthal reports. Here are Rosenthal’s latest rumors, starting with Upton:

  • The Diamondbacks could pursue Major Leaguers instead of prospects for Upton if they remain in contention for a postseason berth. Upton raises some questions with his effort level and body language, according to Rosenthal, but the outfielder appears to have drawn “huge” interest from teams such as the Pirates nonetheless. 
  • The Rangers prefer Cole Hamels to Zack Greinke, though they continue scouting Greinke.
  • Francisco Liriano has a 2.74 ERA in eight starts since returning to the Twins’ rotation, but clubs are “wary” of trading for the left-hander, Rosenthal reports. It’s doubtful that teams would part with significant prospects for Liriano, who’s thought of as a bullpen option by some teams. Matt Capps will also be available once he returns from the disabled list, according to Rosenthal.
  • The Tigers are prioritizing offense over starting pitching, according to an executive that has spoken to the team. The Tigers need second base help and could also explore trades for corner outfielders, starting pitchers and relievers.

Latest On Mets, Rockies, Hernandez

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The Mets are interested in Rockies catcher Ramon Hernandez, but New York officials aren’t willing to offer significant prospects to complete a trade, the New York Post reported yesterday. The Mets have shown a willingness to take on most, but not all, of Hernandez’s annual $3.2MM salary for 2012 and 2013 once the catcher comes off of the disabled list, Joel Sherman of the Post reports today.

“We are not talking about acquiring Gary Carter in 1985 here,” one Mets person told Sherman. 

The Rockies really like Mets minor leaguers Matt Den Dekker and Josh Edgin and they also have interest in prospects Wilfredo Tovar, Jacob deGrom and Domingo Tapia, Sherman writes. The Rockies have suggested the Mets might want to expand discussions to include left-handed reliever Matt Reynolds, but the Mets aren’t interested, according to Sherman.

Joel Sherman noted yesterday that the Mets also have interest in Kelly Shoppach of the Red Sox and Miguel Olivo of the Mariners. For an expanded look at potentially available catchers click here.

Cole Hamels Rumors: Friday

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The Phillies once believed that they could contend this year, but the confidence of the five-time defending NL East winners seems to have dwindled, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com writes. Now Phillies people say things like "you don't know if a team is just going to blow you out of the water" for a player of Cole Hamels’ caliber. Here’s the latest on Hamels, who would arguably be the top available pitcher if the Phillies put him on the market:

  • People who know Hamels believe him when he says he likes Philadelphia, Knobler reports. "I've had no indication that he doesn't want to be here," GM Ruben Amaro told Knobler. Hamels’ contract expires after the season and he'd presumably command a contract of at least five years for $20MM-plus per season on the open market.
  • The Phillies won't trade Hamels before trying to sign him to a long-term deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. They have discussed Hamels with other teams but would prefer to keep him. "Since we are built on pitching, and have had success with it, having those three guys are essential, if possible,'' Amaro said in reference to Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.
  • The Rangers watched Hamels’ start last night, Knobler adds.

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