Dodgers Acquire Scott Podsednik
The Dodgers acquired Scott Podsednik from the Royals for catcher Lucas May and right-handed pitcher Elisaul Pimentel, the Royals announced. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, who first reported the deal on Twitter, notes that the Dodgers will pay the rest of Podsednik's salary.
Podsednik has a .309/.352/.400 line with 30 steals in 42 attempts. If those numbers look familiar, it’s because he batted .304/.353/.412 with 30 steals in 43 attempts a year ago. Podsednik has spent most of his time in left field this year, though he has played hundreds of games in center over the course of his ten-year MLB career.
The 34-year-old makes $1.65MM this year (about $620K remains). The Dodgers have a $2MM option for 2011, but Podsednik will probably be able to void it. He has 430 plate appearances and needs just 525 to neutralize the option.
Royals GM Dayton Moore said the club would likely have offered arbitration to Podsednik, a projected Type B free agent the season. The Royals remain open to signing the outfielder if he hits free agency this winter, but Moore wanted to acquire value for him now.
May, 25, is hitting .285/.344/.472 with 11 homers in the upper minors, mostly at Triple A. The Dodgers drafted him as a shortstop in the eighth round of the 2003 draft and current Royals scout Mitch Webster signed him. Moore says May is a "slam dunk MLB catcher" in some capacity, though he is still developing behind the plate.
Before the 2007 season, May became a full-time catcher. Baseball America said he was still an "inconsistent" receiver before this season, when they ranked May 17th among Dodgers prospects. BA noted his ability to square up fastballs and his struggles with off-speed and breaking pitches.
Pimentel, who was honored as the Topps Midwest League Player of the Month for June, has a 3.49 ERA in 16 starts this year. The 22-year-old Dominican native has, to borrow Moore's words, "eye-popping" minor league numbers: 9.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 with that tidy 3.49 ERA.
This afternoon, the Dodgers were pursuing Podsednik and other outfielders, including Ryan Raburn. GM Ned Colletti wanted outfield depth, since Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson are on the DL. Now, Colletti tells Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times that his focus has turned to pitching (Twitter link).
White Sox Tell Beckham He Will Stay In Chicago
Gordon Beckham isn't going anywhere. GM Kenny Williams told the second baseman he won't be traded, according to Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald. The Nationals and Mariners are among the teams that like Beckham, but Williams wants to hold on to the 2008 first rounder. Gregor reports that the White Sox appear to have provided Carlos Quentin with similar assurances.
Beckham struggled early on, but has hit .345/.356/.586 with 14 extra base hits since June 25th. Yes, it's an arbitrary date, but we can safely say Beckham is hitting well. The 23-year-old posted an .808 OPS in his rookie season and still appears to be a major part of his team's future. He's under team control through 2015, so the White Sox have quite an asset.
Beckham doesn't face uncertainty this week, but others within the organization do. Daniel Hudson, Jordan Danks, Tyler Flowers and Brent Morel have all popped up in the latest rumors, partly because the White Sox are eyeing premier power bats such as Adam Dunn and Prince Fielder.
Tigers Acquire Jhonny Peralta
The Tigers acquired Jhonny Peralta and cash from the Indians for minor league pitcher Giovanni Soto, according to the team. MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince reports on Twitter that the Tigers are getting cash to cover all but the pro-rated portion of the major league minimum salary. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Tigers designated Wilkin Ramirez for assignment (Twitter link).
Brandon Inge and Carlos Guillen are on the disabled list, so Peralta gives the Tigers infield depth as they chase the Twins and White Sox. The infielder switched to third base last season after years at short. Peralta hasn't hit much this year, as his .246/.308/.389 line shows. The 28-year-old makes $4.6MM this season (about $1.7MM remains) and the Tigers have a $7.25MM option for 2011 with a $250K buyout.
In Soto, the Indians acquire a promising left-hander who still appears to be years away from the majors. The 2009 draft pick (21st round) has a 2.61 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 as a starting pitcher in A ball this year.
This deal should set the market for Miguel Tejada, another former shortstop who is having a similar season to Peralta at the plate. The Cardinals are interested in the former AL MVP.
Earlier today, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reported on Twitter that Mike Lowell wasn't drawing much interest, even though he hit three homers last night. The Tigers had some interest in Lowell, but today's trade likely means the Red Sox will have to find another trade partner.
Sheets Requires Flexor Tendon Surgery
Ben Sheets needs flexor tendon surgery, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). ESPN.com's Buster Olney suggested Sheets could require the surgery earlier today (Twitter link). The right-hander, who first underwent the operation last year, will presumably miss the rest of the 2010 season.
The A's signed Sheets to a $10MM deal last winter and the 32-year-old responded with a 4.53 ERA, 6.3 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 119.1 innings. Sheets was drawing interest as a trade chip as recently as last week, but he will not be traded in 2010. Even if Sheets recovers from the surgery, finding a guaranteed contract won't be easy.
Sherman on Phillies, A’s, Blue Jays
Some of the biggest trade chips have already been moved, some contenders are dropping out of the race and few teams seem willing to take on salary. All of these factors give MLB executives the sense that this trade deadline could be a quiet one, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Lots can happen in the coming three days, so here are Sherman’s latest rumors:
- One NL scout says the Phillies are “the most active team out there.”
- The A’s think their young pitching will keep them in contention next year. The club expects to be able to afford a major power hitter like Adam Dunn this offseason.
- The Blue Jays tell rival teams that they are content to keep Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg, Jason Frasor and John Buck. The Jays claim they’d offer arbitration to all four, but some teams believe they’re just posturing. Frasor (barely) and Downs project as Type A free agents, while Buck and Gregg project as Type Bs. Click here for the details, but essentially the Jays could obtain six top picks in 2011 if all four players turn down arbitration to sign elsewhere.
- Toronto officials say Downs would earn a contract comparable to Darren Oliver ($3.5MM) or Jeremy Affeldt ($4.5MM) if he accepts arbitration.
- Twelve teams have called on Downs and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports notes on Twitter that the Dodgers are a “longshot” to acquire the lefty. Ned Colletti & Co. have interest in the Jays’ relievers, according to Rosenthal.
Dodgers Moving Closer On Scott Podsednik
3:06pm: The Dodgers also have interest in Tigers outfielder Ryan Raburn, according to Stark (via Twitter).
2:37pm: The Dodgers are considering a second outfielder, along with Podsednik, according to Rosenthal on Twitter. Earlier in the afternoon, Rosenthal reported that the Dodgers are “in conversation” with the Royals regarding Podsednik (via Twitter). A second source tells Rosenthal that the Giants are still in on Podsednik.
1:23pm: The Dodgers are moving closer on Podsednik, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark.
WEDNESDAY, 12:43pm: The Dodgers are making the strongest push for Podsednik, tweets Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, but the Giants remain involved.
MONDAY, 10:40pm: NL West teams are bombarding the Royals with interest in Scott Podsednik, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star confirms the report (via Twitter) and so does Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. Rosenthal suggests the Giants, Padres and Dodgers could be fits. The Giants and Padres have been linked to outfielders for weeks now and Dodgers GM Ned Colletti recently said he wants to add outfield depth.
Podsednik, 34, has a .309/.353/.399 line with 29 steals in 41 attempts. It's a carbon copy of the season he put together last year, when he batted .304/.353/.412 with 30 steals in 43 attempts. Teams know what they're getting in Podsednik: a speedy left fielder who can play center and get on base.
The Royals signed Podsednik to a team-friendly deal that guarantees the outfielder $1.65MM this season (about $580K remains). The team has an option for 2011 worth $2MM, but Podsednik will likely be able to void it. He had 421 plate appearances entering today's action and needs just 525 to neutralize the option.
Rockies Relievers Drawing Interest
A handful of teams have scouted the Rockies' bullpen to check in on Joe Beimel and Rafael Betancourt, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter). The Red Sox are among the teams that have considered the Rockies relievers, but they aren't the only interested team. The Phillies and three or four other clubs have shown interest in Beimel, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links).
Renck gets the impression from GM Dan O'Dowd that the Rockies will be open to making deals in August (Twitter link). So far, the Rockies haven't decided whether to buy, sell or tinker before Saturday's trade deadline. It's important to note that Huston Street, one of the team's best relievers, was taken to the hospital after getting struck by a line drive in batting practice yesterday.
Dan Uggla Switches Agencies
Heading into his final season of arbitration, Dan Uggla has switched agents. The second baseman left Jeff Borris and the Beverly Hills Sports Council and joined Terry Bross at Gaylord Sports Management, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Uggla makes $7.8MM this season and will earn more than that in 2011 before becoming eligible for free agency. The Marlins may not let him hit free agency, however. President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest told Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the team has interest in locking up some players to long term deals. Uggla, who just reached the 20-homer plateau for the fifth consecutive season, is a prime candidate for an extension.
Tigers Interested In Jhonny Peralta
The Tigers are discussing Jhonny Peralta, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse (via Twitter). Brandon Inge and Carlos Guillen are on the disabled list, so the Tigers could use infield depth as they chase the Twins and White Sox. Peralta, who switched to third base last season after years at short, is batting .246/.308/.389 in 2010.
The 28-year-old makes $4.6MM this season (about $1.7MM remains) and the Indians have a $7MM option for 2011 with a $250K buyout. Peralta isn't cheap, but the Yankees do have some interest. Like Miguel Tejada, another former shortstop who is having a similar season at the plate, Peralta could likely be had for secondary prospects.
Odds & Ends: Reds, Royals, Geary, Rockies
Links for Tuesday, as Jose Bautista becomes the first major leaguer to reach the 30-homer plateau this season…
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that trade talk has been "very quiet." The Reds aren't on the brink of making any deals (Twitter link).
- Kyle Farnsworth left tonight's game with a hamstring cramp, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). It's not a strain, so he may be OK. Farnsworth's health may be a moot point, as ESPN's Jayson Stark tweeted today that the Royals are getting little action on their trade candidates.
- The Rangers released former Astro and Phillie Geoff Geary, according to the transactions page for the Pacific Coast League. Geary had been pitching at Triple A Oklahoma City, where he posted a 5.37 ERA.
- Rockies owner Dick Monfort told Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post that he would add payroll this summer if the circumstances are right. The team's approach to the deadline isn't yet clear.
- Kelly Johnson is drawing more interest than other available D’Backs, according to Jack Magruder of FOX Sports Arizona (via Twitter).
- The Rangers signed second-rounder Cody Buckel for $590K according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).
- The Rockies have inquired about Cubs infielder Ryan Theriot, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter). Troy Tulowitzki is ready to return to action, so the Rockies' need for infield help is no longer pressing.
- The Padres aren't a fit for Scott Podsednik, a source tells Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse (on Twitter). NL West teams appear to covet the speedy left fielder.
- Gil Meche needs shoulder surgery and will miss the rest of the season, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- It wasn't so long ago that Meche and Jeff Francoeur were linked by the same rumors, but, as ESPN.com's Jayson Stark points out on Twitter, Jason Bay's mild concussion makes a Francoeur deal less seem likely.