Phillies Exploring Oswalt, Werth Trades
The Phillies are exploring acquiring Roy Oswalt and moving Jayson Werth in a companion trade, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says nothing is close, but Ed Price of AOL FanHouse says the Oswalt talks are "heavy." Oswalt has yet to be presented with a deal for his approval. Stark says the Phils have also discussed Dan Haren, Jeremy Guthrie, and Ben Sheets as they leave no rock unturned. As for Werth, Stark believes the Rays "head the list of interested teams." The impending free agent would be moved to save money, stock the farm system, and open up a spot for Domonic Brown. Stark says the Red Sox, Giants, and Padres are also interested in Werth.
The Phillies recently optioned Kyle Kendrick to the minors and lost Jamie Moyer to an elbow strain, so they could use starting pitching depth. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. hinted today that the club could acquire a starter by Saturday. The Phils have already committed $135MM to next year's payroll, so adding an expensive arm like Haren or Oswalt would take some maneuvering.
One candidate to start Saturday, or perhaps be traded, is J.A. Happ. Stark says the Phillies have shopped the lefty, and the Astros scouted him on Tuesday.
Click here to predict the Phillies next move.
Poll: The Phillies’ Rotation
GM Ruben Amaro Jr. hinted that the Phillies could trade for a starting pitcher earlier today, telling reporters that he has a plan for Saturday, when there's a hole in the team's rotation.
"We know exactly what we’re going to do," Amaro said. "I just choose not to tell you."
Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com heard that the Phils are still looking for a "high-end" starter and that was before Jamie Moyer strained his left elbow tonight. So will the Phillies wait it out with J.A. Happ and others already in the organization? They have already committed $135MM to next year's payroll, but the third-place Phils consider themselves "buyers."
Will the Phillies trade for either Dan Haren or Roy Oswalt?
Click here to take the survey and here to view the results.
Odds & Ends: Hanrahan, Phillies, Berkman, Yankees
Another round of links for Tuesday, with 11 days remaining before the deadline…
- The Pirates are getting calls about Joel Hanrahan, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Not surprisingly, they're asking a lot for the reliever.
- Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com hears that the Phillies would still like to add a top starter. Earlier today, before Jamie Moyer strained his left elbow, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. hinted that the club could trade for an arm.
- Lance Berkman tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he realizes he may hit free agency after the season. The Astros can buy Berkman out for $2MM or pay him $15MM next year.
- Former big league player and minor league manager Pat Listach would have interest in managing the Cubs next year, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman tells Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger that he doesn't like the looks of the current trade market and isn't optimistic about making major deals.
- MASN.com's Ben Goessling explains that offering Adam Dunn a four-year deal would be risky.
- USA Today considers some potential replacements for Lou Piniella, starting, of course, with Ryne Sandberg.
- The Cubs will have a new manager next year, but Jim Hendry is still the team's GM going forward, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).
- The Pirates signed eight Latin American players and Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com has the details.
- An AL executive tells ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that teams are demanding a ton for their relievers (Twitter link). Here are some of the arms teams can consider.
Wes Helms On Rangers’ Radar
The Rangers have been connected to Ty Wigginton, Mike Lowell and Jorge Cantu and we can now add a new name to the list of corner infielders they have had interest in: Wes Helms. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports that the Rangers have had interest in Helms, though no deal for him or any other player is imminent. Assistant GM Thad Levine confirmed to Sullivan that the Rangers are looking to add depth around Chris Davis.
"For quite some time, we have been looking for a right-handed complement [at first base]," Levine said. "That hasn't changed as a piece we'd like to add."
The Rangers hope to see Davis translate his minor league success (.958 OPS in Triple A) into major league production. They can’t take on salary, so Levine and others in the Rangers front office are hoping Davis can start hitting.
Helms, 34, has just $390K remaining on his contract before he becomes a free agent. The corner infielder has only played four games at first base since 2008, but he has played 300 games at the position in his career. The Yankees are also interested in Helms, who is hitting .241/.296/.388 this season.
The Rangers do not seem high on Xavier Nady, according to Sullivan. The 31-year-old has many incentives in his contract that could inflate his price, but Nady has not hit well for the Cubs so far in 2010.
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Multiple Teams Interested In D.J. Carrasco
At least five teams have inquired about Pirates reliever D.J. Carrasco, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter). The 33-year-old makes $950K this season and is under team control through 2012. We have seen recent indications that it's a hostile market for teams looking to add relievers, though there are some options available.
The righty has posted a 4.14 ERA in 50 innings, so it's not surprising that teams are asking the Pirates about him. The White Sox non-tendered Carrasco last winter and he has responded with 7.0 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. His $950K salary makes him one of the cheaper relievers available.
Reds Offer Isringhausen Contract
Walt Jocketty can't resist those former Cardinals. The Reds have offered Jason Isringhausen a contract and expect resolution soon, according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Jocketty told Fay that he expects to hear from Isringhausen within a day or two.
The Reds watched Isringhausen throw today and manager Dusty Baker told Fay that he liked what he saw. If the Reds do sign the 37-year-old, he'll help former Cards teammates Scott Rolen and Russ Springer try to lead Cincinnati back to the playoffs.
Angels Focused On Alberto Callaspo
The Angels don’t have the resources to trade for a big-name slugger, so they have turned their attention to Alberto Callaspo. GM Tony Reagins is targeting the former Angels minor leaguer, according to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Saxon reports that the Angels “are believed to have offered” Sean O'Sullivan and a fringe prospect for Callaspo, only to have Royals GM Dayton Moore turn the offer down. Callaspo, 27, has a .276/.310/.413 line this season and could play second or (more likely) third for the Angels.
Reagins considered pursuing Adam Dunn, but backed off when he realized that other teams only have “marginal interest” in the pitchers the Angels have in the upper minors. Top prospect Mike Trout is not going anywhere, though teams do have interest in him.
The Nate Robertson Market
Nate Robertson’s numbers don’t scream ‘deadline difference maker,’ but he could be just that in the right situation. His ERA is 5.10, his WHIP is 1.49 and he is only striking out 5.3 batters per nine, but Robertson could still appeal to contenders. Here’s why:
Contract
Robertson makes $10MM this year, but the Tigers are paying all but $400K of it. The Marlins only owe the lefty $163K before the end of the season, at which point Robertson's contract expires. Salary-wise, he is as cheap as it gets.
Robertson is not close to Type B status, so free agent compensation is not currently a factor. His team will not offer arbitration even if he shoots into Type B territory.
Performance
Robertson's ERA has been better than the league average in only one season, but against lefties, he has actually been quite effective. For his career, the 32-year-old has 7.1 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9. Robertson allows fewer hits against lefties and induces more ground balls (55% ground ball rate vs. LHB, 44% vs. RHB). Like most pitchers, Robertson fares better against batters the first time they hit against him in a game.
These splits suggest that Robertson could be an effective left-handed specialist in a contender’s ‘pen. There aren't many quality left-handers available and given the high asking price for Scott Downs, Robertson could become a cheap, outside-the-box alternative for teams seeking a lefty reliever.
Asking Price/Availability
The Marlins made Robertson available earlier in the month, according to this tweet from ESPN.com’s Buster Olney.
Interested Teams
- No teams have been directly linked to Robertson, but the Yankees and Red Sox are known to have interest in left-handed reliever Scott Downs.
- The Dodgers are interested in pitching and lefty George Sherrill has been a disappointment this season.
- The Rangers are looking for a left-handed reliever.
- The Angels could add a second lefty to complement Brian Fuentes.
White Sox Focused On Dunn, Not Fielder
TUESDAY, 12:07pm: The Sox are focused on Dunn, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, and they're not in on Prince Fielder or Lance Berkman.
MONDAY, 11:15pm: White Sox GM Kenny Williams has been trying “desperately” to acquire Adam Dunn from the Nationals, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley’s source says the White Sox don’t want to move Carlos Quentin or Gordon Beckham to acquire Dunn, but would move any minor leaguer, and would trade Dayan Viciedo or Daniel Hudson. But Williams still finds that Nats GM Mike Rizzo is asking a lot, according to Cowley’s source.
"The problem Kenny is finding out is that Rizzo is acting like Dunn is Ryan Howard,'' the source said.
Though the White Sox appear to have interest in Dunn, Williams said that he isn’t optimistic about completing deals this summer.
"If I'm being honest and completely transparent right now of the price that is being asked for some of the players that we've inquired about, for us, it's more detrimental to our present and our future than we'd like,” Williams said.
The White Sox could definitely use an upgrade at DH, but as Williams pointed out, the team could still add a player in August. The White Sox acquired Alex Rios from the Blue Jays in an August 2009 waiver claim.