Dan Haren Rumors: Friday
The D’Backs have started exchanging names with teams about possible Dan Haren trades and the Tigers, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals and Twins appear to have varying degrees of interest in the righty. That’s just the abbreviated version of what we heard yesterday, but there’s more. The D’Backs’ asking price? High-quality major league-ready pitching. With that in mind, here are today’s Dan Haren rumors, with more to come:
- Updating his earlier story, Magruder quotes Hall, the D'Backs CEO, as saying: "There are some other teams involved that have deals of at least equal value out there. I would not categorize the Yankees as a front-runner."
- In a piece for FOXSportsArizona.com, Jack Magruder notes that the Yankees aren't one of the teams that require Haren's approval. Magruder also suggests a trade with the Yanks could involve New York taking on other players that the D'Backs would like to move, such as Aaron Heilman, Chad Qualls, or Chris Snyder.
- D'Backs' CEO Derrick Hall tells Piecoro (Twitter link) that there's no clear front-runner for Haren and reiterates "nothing [is] imminent." However, most reports still indicate that the Yanks are the favorite. AOL FanHouse's Frankie Piliere (via Twitter) and Morosi both hear that Ivan Nova could be a key piece in a Haren trade with New York.
- Expanding on his earlier tweet, Price hears that nothing is imminent between the Yankees and Arizona, but that the D'Backs "seem determined" to move Haren before his next start on Tuesday.
- According to Rosenthal, the Yankees appear to be the front-runners for Haren now, with the D'Backs telling clubs that they're in "advanced negotiations" with one team. Ed Price of AOL FanHouse adds (via Twitter) that the Cardinals may be out of the Haren sweepstakes.
- The Yankees are actively talking to the D’Backs about Haren, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. If the Yanks can acquire Haren for prospects, Stark says they are poised to accelerate talks.
- The Cardinals aim to add an innings-eater this summer, though not necessarily an ace, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Tigers and Twins, who both have interest in Haren, are on his no-trade list, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Haren would also have to approve a trade to the Rays or Reds. Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported that the Twins were on Haren's list.
- The D'Backs have told rival teams that they are intent on moving Haren before the deadline, according to Olney (via Twitter).
- MLB executives tell ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that the D’Backs seem much more willing to deal Haren these days. Some talent evaluators believe the Tigers would have a tough time building an offer for Haren without including pitching prospect Jacob Turner.
- A D'Backs source tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that expectations have shifted and it seems more likely that the D'Backs will trade Haren.
Minor League Transactions: Vazquez, Rabelo, Calero
The focus at this point in the season is on major league transactions – trades, to be precise. But that doesn't mean the minor league transactions stop. Matt Eddy of Baseball America has the latest on the minor league transactions that occurred between July 6th and July 13th:
- One year after posting a 1.95 ERA in 67 major league games, Kiko Calero finds himself a free agent once again. He signed with the Mets and then with the Dodgers, but the Dodgers released him after he posted a 3.00 ERA in 15 minor league appearances. Calero struck out 11 and walked seven in 15 innings.
- The Tigers released Mike Rabelo, a backup catcher who spent parts of 2006-08 with Detroit. The 30-year-old struggled through 36 plate appearances at Triple A before the Tigers let him go.
- Ramon Vazquez hit much better in the Astros' system than he did in the Mariners', but the Astros released the former Pirate anyways. The 33-year-old had a .900 OPS in 64 plate appearances.
A’s, Suzuki Agree To Extension
The A’s signed Kurt Suzuki to an extension that will keep the catcher in Oakland through 2013, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). The A’s, who have been discussing a possible extension with Suzuki since the spring, added a 2014 option to the deal.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the deal guarantees Suzuki $16.25MM over four years, supplanting his 2010 contract. The 2014 option will vest if Suzuki plays in 118 games in 2013, and would earn him $9.25MM. If the option doesn't vest, the club could still choose to exercise it for $8.5MM or buy it out for $650K. Suzuki would have been eligible for free agency after 2013, so the extension buys out his three arbitration seasons and possibly a free agency season.
When MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined a possible Suzuki extension in April, he suggested that the backstop ought to seek at least $12MM for his remaining arbitration years, so the $16.25MM figure is a little higher than we were expecting for the 26-year-old.
Suzuki is hitting .257/.316/.408 this season, right in line with his career averages. He is throwing 26% of would-be base stealers out, also in line with his career marks.
Roy Oswalt Rumors: Friday
The Twins, Cardinals and Phillies are talking to the Astros about Roy Oswalt, who seems to prefer one of those clubs to the others. Yesterday we heard that the Cardinals are Oswalt’s first choice and are a “very real” threat to acquire him. The clubs have struggled to find a fit, possibly because the Cardinals want the Astros to take on salary. That's not the only complication, as Oswalt may decide to demand that his $16MM option for 2012 is picked up. Here are today’s rumors, with more to come throughout the day:
- Oswalt told Alyson Footer of the Astros that his 2012 option won't be a deal-breaker if the Astros approach him with a deal that he likes (Twitter link).
- The Twins are not in on Oswalt and have not even contacted the Astros about him, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Rosenthal confirms that the Dodgers are talking to the Astros about their ace, but suggests L.A. may not have the prospects to satisfy GM Ed Wade.
- The Dodgers are actively discussing Oswalt with the Astros and the teams have exchanged names, according to Stark. The Dodgers would likely need the Astros to pick up some salary in any trade.
- The Astros would prefer not to trade Oswalt within the division, so they continue talking to the Phillies, while maintaining contact with the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. A source tells ESPN that the Cardinals would include major leaguers Jon Jay or Brendan Ryan in a deal. The Astros, who would like to engage other clubs, appear to want a catcher and/or corner infielders.
- The Phillies are still shopping Jayson Werth, partly to see if they can obtain prospects that they could use in an Oswalt trade, according to Stark. However, they don’t appear to be making progress on a Werth trade.
- The Cardinals aim to add an innings-eater this summer, though not necessarily an ace, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Oswalt would consider re-structuring his contract to accomodate a trade to the Cardinals, but he still wants his 2012 option picked up in a deal, according to Amy Nelson of ESPN (via Twitter). Re-structuring the deal would likely mean deferring salary (Twitter link).
- An NL exec tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Astros are looking to obtain “two top prospects, a third minor-league player and a young player who is ‘major league ready’” if they trade Oswalt. Cards GM John Mozeliak didn’t comment on specific trade possibilities, but said the team is exploring a “spectrum” of opportunities.
David DeJesus Out For The Year
The Royals have lost their best outfielder and their best trade chip. David DeJesus has a complete ligament tear in his right thumb, is out for the year and will likely undergo surgery Monday, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). DeJesus crashed into the outfield wall last night and the Royals placed him on the 15-day DL this morning.
The outfielder's strong all-around play and team-friendly contract made him a consideration for teams like the Giants, Padres, Red Sox and Rays. The Royals will still have the option of buying DeJesus out for $500K or paying him $6MM for 2011. The 30-year-old spent most of his time in right field, but he also played in center. He finishes the season with a .318/.384/.443 line.
The news is a major blow for the Royals, who miss out on the chance to acquire valuable pieces for DeJesus. The team still has trade chips (Kyle Farnsworth, Willie Bloomquist, Jose Guillen) but none appear to be as valuable as DeJesus was.
Lilly Can Block Trade To Rays
Ted Lilly can block a trade to the Rays, but not to the Mets or Tigers, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Ken Rosenthal reported over the weekend that Lilly can block trades to ten teams, including the Twins and Phillies. Morosi notes that interest in Lilly picked up this week after his strong outing Wednesday. There was already plenty of interest in the left-hander and it appears that the Cubs will deal him.
The 34-year-old projects to be a Type A free agent after the season, though not by much. That means teams could obtain picks in the 2011 draft if they're willing to risk an offer of arbitration. Lilly has a 3.88 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 this year and he makes $12MM (about $4.8MM remains).
Odds & Ends: Greinke, Cardinals, DeJesus, Guillen
Links for Friday, exactly one year after the Rockies acquired Rafael Betancourt…
- A source tells George A. King III of the New York Post that the Royals will listen on all of their players, including Zack Greinke. As one MLB source explained to Yahoo’s Jeff Passan, the Royals would really need to be blown away to trade their ace (Twitter link).
- The Cardinals have slowed their search for a shortstop who can hit, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Here's a major blow for the Royals: David DeJesus will miss two to six weeks, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter). Either way, he's out until after the deadline.
- The Giants scouted Jose Guillen last night, according to Olney (Twitter link).
- Brewers manager Ken Macha appears to have job security for the rest of the season, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
- Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News suggests that the Phillies should send Raul Ibanez back to Seattle. That's a deal that wouldn't interest the Mariners in the least.
- Jeff Francoeur told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork that he loves New York, but wouldn't mind being traded if it means he gets to play more. The Mets appear to be trying to trade Francoeur.
Lyle Overbay Has No-Trade Clause
Lyle Overbay has a no-trade clause, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The first baseman still has $2.8MM remaining on his $7MM contract and there aren’t many contenders for whom Overbay’s bat would be an upgrade, so Morosi’s source doubts the clause will become an issue this month.
Overbay will become a free agent after the season and the Blue Jays have top prospect Brett Wallace poised to take over at first, but they don't necessarily want to deal Overbay. The 33-year-old has recovered from a slow start and his line now stands at .251/.329/.413, but it’s hard to imagine that contenders other than the Angels would give him much of a look. That said, the no-trade clause is worth noting, since a lot can change in a week.
Rays Don’t Expect To Acquire Werth
A Rays source tells Yahoo's Tim Brown that the team doesn't expect to acquire Jayson Werth (Twitter link). Before David DeJesus hit the DL, the Royals outfielder was a more likely target for Tampa Bay, according to Brown's source. The Phillies are shopping Werth, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. They would like to obtain prospects – possibly so they can send them to Houston for Roy Oswalt – and Werth would be able to command some quality young players.
Werth projects as a Type A free agent and in spite of a recent slide (.612 OPS and zero homers since June 26th), has solid numbers for the year. His .279/.369/.498 line is quite good and he leads the league in doubles. Teams like the Rays, White Sox and Giants are looking for big bats, and the Phils can call on Domonic Brown – arguably the top prospect in the minor leagues – to replace Werth.
Orioles Designate Scott Moore For Assignment
The Orioles designated Scott Moore for assignment to make room for Brian Roberts, according to the team. Roberts is returning from an abdominal strain that has sidelined him since early April, so the Orioles made room by cutting Moore, a 26-year-old utility infielder.
Moore doesn't have Ty Wigginton's power, but he can also play first, second or third. In 96 plate appearances this year, Moore has a .209/.274/.337 line with three homers. He was designated for assignment earlier in the year, when the O's finalized their deal with Wigginton.