Garland Clears Waivers
D'Backs starter Jon Garland has cleared waivers, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Now the team can trade him to any one of the clubs seeking rotation help without restriction. Morosi hears that Garland is one of the more appealing starting pitchers available, in spite of his considerable contract. The righty makes $6.25MM this year and will receive $2.5MM if his team doesn't want to pick up the $10MM mutual option for next year.
Dodgers Sign Vicente Padilla
6:35pm: Jayson Stark at ESPN is reporting that the move is official. Padilla will sign a minor-league deal and make at least one start in the minors before he's called up to the Dodgers' rotation. He'll be owed the prorated portion of the league minimum–around $100k.
It's a cheap way for the Dodgers to add depth, since they'll only be responsible for the pro-rated MLB minimum, with the Rangers paying Padilla the rest of his $12MM salary.
4:36pm: Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times hears that the Dodgers are "very" close to adding Padilla.
12:45pm: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that the Dodgers are "moving closer" to an agreement with Padilla.
12:19pm: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark hears that Vicente Padilla has become "a consideration" for the Dodgers now that a liner to Hiroki Kuroda's head has further depleted the team's rotation. The Dodgers are talking with Padilla's agent, Paul Kinzer, and we could hear of a deal this afternoon. The Dodgers, who would only be responsible for about $100k if they add Padilla, had uncertain interest as recently as yesterday but they're now considering him.
Boras On The Strasburg Negotiations
Scott Boras told 619 Sports that he was never looking to sign Stephen Strasburg to a $50MM deal, despite reports that he was using Daisuke Matsuzaka's contract as a reference point for the number one overall pick.
"I can assure you our first offer was well less than half of that," Boras said.
Here are some more points Boras makes over the course of the interview:
- Boras says revenues around baseball have increased in the last decade, so he argues that money should trickle down to players and draft picks.
- He also suggests that more teams are holding onto their players, which leads to smaller crops of free agents.
- Boras says American players deserve as much as international ones.
- Boras says J.D. Drew didn't sign with the Phillies because they told him they didn't believe him.
- The agent praises Donavan Tate and Strasburg on their intelligence.
- Boras says every organization makes mistakes with players, but suggests adding players with questionable character hurts teams most of all.
- Check out the audio for Boras' description of deadline day. It's pretty interesting stuff.
Selig Wants Worldwide Draft, Capped Bonuses
Commissioner Bud Selig wants MLB to adopt a worldwide draft and more rigid bonuses for picks when the current collective bargaining agreement expires after 2011, according to Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post. Selig said the Nats and Stephen Strasburg agreed on a "fair" deal, but wants to cap the bonuses draftees receive.
Odds And Ends: Tejada, Varitek, Smoltz
Some afternoon links…
- Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle reports that Miguel Tejada has been led to believe that the Astros pulled him back off waivers after another team claimed him.
- John Tomase of the Boston Herald suggests that the Red Sox need Jason Varitek because he coaxes the best results out of Josh Beckett.
- The Baltimore Sun passes along an AP report saying the Nationals will sell some tickets for $1 Friday to celebrate their deal with first overall pick Stephen Strasburg, who will be introduced to the fans.
- Via Twitter, Jon Heyman of SI.com says John Smoltz found the perfect spot in St. Louis.
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that Smoltz's deal includes post-season awards incentives.
Smoltz Clears Waivers, Reaches Deal With Cards
The Cardinals continued a summer-long streak of big-name acquisitions this afternoon, agreeing to a deal with the recently-released John Smoltz, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cards, who have already added Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday, are exptected to slot Smoltz into their rotation. They'll only be responsible for the pro-rated portion of the major league minimum, a total of about $100k at this point.
A’s Looking For Starting Pitching
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the A's are looking outside the organization for starting pitchers because they don't want to overwork rookies Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill and Vin Mazzaro. The A's considered going to a six-man rotation, but Justin Duchscherer and Dallas Braden are on the DL. Slusser mentions former A's starter Mark Mulder as a possible addition.
Heyman On Strasburg, Harper, Piniella
Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Nationals made the "acquisition of the year" when they signed Stephen Strasburg 77 seconds before Monday night's deadline to sign draft picks. Nats president Stan Kasten says he's proud to have signed Strasburg even if he's not proud to have agreed to a record-setting deal. Like many others, Scott Boras believes the agreement was good for both sides. Here are the rest of Heyman's rumors:
- Bryce Harper shouldn't come close to Strasburg's $15MM-plus if he signs next year.
- The Rays offered first rounder LeVon Washington $1.1MM. It wasn't enough and Scott Boras was very disappointed not to reach a deal.
- Heyman says there's no way the Cubs fire Lou Piniella after picking up his $4MM option for next year.
- Jerry Manuel shouldn't have picked on Ryan Church, Heyman says.
Odds And Ends: Astros, Halladay, Phillies
More links for Wednesday morning…
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says it's insincere for Astros owner Drayton McLane to act like his team's still in contention.
- As Alex Speier notes, Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said on WEEI in Boston that it's too soon to tell whether Roy Halladay will hit the trade market again this winter. Once the team has a permanent president and a firm payroll, it will be easier to tell.
- Phil Wood of MASN.com says Mike Rizzo has earned a shot at the permanent Nats GM job.
- Scott Miller of CBS Sports wouldn't be surprised if Lou Piniella decided not to manage the Cubs next year. His contract, which runs through 2010, will surely be his last, Miller says.
- Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that he doesn't expect to make a waiver trade, though the Phils have claimed players.
Astros Don’t Expect To Trade More Players
The Astros traded Ivan Rodriguez to the Rangers yesterday, but don't expect more deals soon. GM Ed Wade told Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle that he expects to hold onto the rest of his players this month.