West Notes: Angels, Nathan, Diamondbacks, Wilson
The Angels are "open for business," Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan tweets. That means deals for Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick and others could be on the table. It remains to be seen what the Angels might be able to do with less than three days before the deadline, but Kendrick would be a particularly attractive trade candidate — his consistently high batting averages and solid defense make him a dependably productive player, and he's under contract through 2015 at a reasonable cost, making a bit over $9MM both in 2014 and 2015. Aybar isn't having as good a year as Kendrick, but he might make an interesting buy-low candidate. If the Angels are open to selling other players, reliever Scott Downs, who becomes a free agent after this season, would also be an obvious possibility, as CBS Sports' Jon Heyman suggested yesterday. Here are more notes from the West divisions.
- With a 13-game deficit in the AL West and with Albert Pujols on the disabled list, however, the Angels have "nothing to sell," ESPN's Jim Bowden says (Insider-only). Several of their top players, like Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, aren't candidates to be dealt, and much of the rest of their roster has been disappointing, which is why they're 13 games back to begin with. That leaves a handful of relievers as the Angels' only viable trade pieces.
- If the Rangers want to trade Joe Nathan, the Dodgers are the only suitor that makes much sense, Bowden writes (Twitter links). Boston or Detroit could be possible destinations, but Bowden guesses that the Rangers won't relish the possibility of dealing Nathan to the Red Sox or Tigers and then having to face him in the playoffs. Instead, they could send him to L.A., possibly in a deal involving Andre Ethier.
- The Diamondbacks are looking for a second bullpen lefty, FOXSportsArizona.com's Jack Magruder tweets.
- Five teams, four of them from the National League, are interested in former Giants closer Brian Wilson, who's returning from Tommy John surgery, tweets Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown.
Central Notes: Royals, Hanson, Tigers, Cardinals
The Royals will not be sellers at the deadline, Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan tweets. The Royals are still seven games back in the AL Central, but they've won six games in a row. Passan indicates that if the Royals deal pitchers Ervin Santana or Luke Hochevar, they would want to receive players who can help immediately. Here are more notes from the Central divisions.
- The removal of Pirates infield prospect Alen Hanson from a game with Class A+ Bradenton Sunday triggered speculation that Hanson had been traded, but Hanson's agency, LA Sports Management, tweets that Hanson had simply been promoted to Double-A Altoona. It does not appear, then, that a trade is imminent.
- Although the Tigers may trade for relief help, they appear happy with Joaquin Benoit at closer and Drew Smyly in their eighth-inning role, MLB.com's Jason Beck writes. "All I can say is that we feel very comfortable in the ninth and eighth innings with Benoit and Smyly. I don’t know where you’re really going to go out and improve that significantly," says GM Dave Dombrowski. The GM also echoes comments from other front office executives who say this year's market is a particularly tough one for buyers, since few teams identify as sellers at this point.
- The Cardinals currently do not appear likely to make big moves at Wednesday's deadline, but ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets that they might actually trade one of their relievers. Stark notes that, in particular, teams have asked about the Cardinals' bullpen lefties. The left-handers currently in the Cards' bullpen are Kevin Siegrist, Randy Choate and Marc Rzepczynski.
Cardinals Unlikely To Make Big Move At Deadline
Cardinals GM John Mozeliak says he probably won't be terribly active at the trade deadline, given the high prices of upgrades, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold (on Sulia). Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, meanwhile, tweets that, according to Mozeliak, the Cardinals are unlikely to make a big splash. "We're probably not likely going to do much," Mozeliak says.
Mozeliak blames the slow trading market on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, as well as the trend throughout the game of signing cost-controlled players to long-term contracts. "Clearly having more teams alive right now or believing they are competitive makes it more difficult for the trading market," he says. "Clearly teams are trying to secure their younger talent. That's just the way the game is going. Seeing players moved to be moved is somewhat archaic."
The Cardinals have been connected to White Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy and shortstop Alexei Ramirez. Mozeliak's comments, if they can be taken at face value, seem to indicate a deal for either player is unlikely. The Cards are nearly certain to make the playoffs, but they are just two games ahead of the Pirates and five ahead of the Reds in the NL Central.
Week In Review: 7/21/13 – 7/27/13
Here's a look back at this week at MLBTR.
- The Rangers acquired pitcher Matt Garza from the Cubs for infielder Mike Olt, pitchers Justin Grimm and C.J. Edwards, and at least one player to be named.
- The Red Sox signed infielder Dustin Pedroia to an eight-year extension.
- MLB suspended Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun for the remainder of the season.
- The Phillies agreed to terms with Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez on a six-year, $48MM deal.
- The Yankees acquired outfielder Alfonso Soriano and cash from the Cubs for minor-league pitcher Corey Black.
- The Orioles acquired reliever Francisco Rodriguez from the Brewers for minor-league infielder Nick Delmonico.
- The Cubs signed Taiwanese pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng for $1.625MM.
- The Orioles signed Cuban outfielder Dariel Alvarez for $800K.
- The Reds signed Dominican pitcher Luis Tejada for $600K.
- The Giants acquired pitcher Guillermo Moscoso from the Cubs for a PTBNL or cash.
- The Mets acquired the Angels' No. 2 international bonus slot for minor-leaguers Julio Concepcion and Andres Perez.
- The Mariners signed catcher Humberto Quintero.
- The Marlins promoted top outfield prospects Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick.
- The Angels claimed pitcher J.C. Gutierrez from the Royals.
- The Mets placed pitcher Shaun Marcum on unconditional release waivers.
- The Dodgers designated pitcher Ted Lilly for assignment.
- The Pirates designated infielder Brandon Inge for assignment.
- The Giants designated pitchers Yusmeiro Petit and Hunter Strickland for assignment.
- The Reds designated pitcher Greg Reynolds for assignment.
- The Orioles designated pitcher Jairo Asencio for assignment.
- Outfielder Chris Dickerson of the Orioles cleared waivers after being designated for assignment.
- The Angels outrighted pitcher Billy Buckner to Triple-A.
- The Marlins outrighted infielder Chris Valaika to Triple-A.
- The Athletics outrighted pitcher Vinnie Catricala to Double-A.
- The Yankees signed infielder Brendan Harris.
- The Tigers signed pitcher Jair Jurrjens.
- The Giants re-signed pitcher Chris Heston.
- The Phillies released pitcher Carlos Zambrano.
- The Astros released shortstop Ronny Cedeno.
- The Twins released pitcher Rich Harden.
- The Orioles released infielder Brandon Wood.
- The Royals released outfielder Willy Taveras.
- The Blue Jays released pitcher Claudio Vargas and infielder Eugenio Velez.
Phillies To Sign Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
The Phillies have reached agreement with Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez on a six-year deal, $48MM deal, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports. With bonuses, Gonzalez's contract could be worth as much as $59MM. MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reported that Gonzalez's contract includes a vesting option for 2019, and Passan noted that the vesting option is worth $11MM.
Passan notes that, with the option, Gonzalez's deal would be bigger than the $56MM the Rangers gave Yu Darvish, and the guaranteed portion is already much more than the $42MM Yasiel Puig received from the Dodgers. The Red Sox were the other main contender for Gonzalez, who is represented by Jaime Torres.
Yesterday, it looked likely that Gonzalez would be making a decision soon, so the timing of the signing wasn't a surprise. Gonzalez fled Cuba this year, first to El Salvador and then to Mexico. Since he is over 23 and has played more than three seasons in a Cuban professional league, he is not subject to the international bonus pool system that limits bonuses that can be given to Dominican and Venezuelan players.
Gonzalez throws a mid-90s fastball, along with a curveball, splitter and changeup. In a scouting report for Baseball America, Ben Badler notes that Gonzalez's curveball is his weakest pitch and that his splitter and changeup are just "a tick above average." Scouts who like Gonzalez rate him as about a No. 3 starter in the big leagues, Badler says, while others think he might be a back-of-the-rotation starter or low-leverage reliever.
Badler says, however, that scouts mostly agree Gonzalez is a Major League talent. The 26-year-old is also fairly widely perceived as being big-league ready, or close to it, despite having not pitched much in the past two years after being suspended from the Cuban national team for trying to defect. Passan also notes that one factor in the Phillies' decision to sign Gonzalez is that they will soon be negotiating a new TV deal — they're getting a big-league pitcher, and they'll have plenty of money with which to pay him.
Beyond that, it isn't yet absolutely clear how Gonzalez fits into the Phillies' long-term plans, although, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes, the Phillies' additional starting pitching depth might allow them to deal another starter, possibly Cliff Lee.
Chicago Notes: Crain, Beckham, Russell
A month ago, White Sox reliever Jesse Crain appeared very likely to be traded at the deadline, but now, it looks like it would be tricky for the team to deal him. Crain's shoulder injury, which has kept him out since June 29, is still a problem, and he won't throw until next week, as Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets. ESPN's Buster Olney (via Twitter) has an idea of how a trade might work despite that injury, though — the Sox might ship him to a contender in a conditional deal, with the return predicated upon how much he's able to pitch down the stretch. Here are more notes out of Chicago.
- The Blue Jays asked the White Sox about trading for second baseman Gordon Beckham earlier this season, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. There is currently no activity on that front, however. The Jays are now 14 games out of the AL East race, and it would be surprising to see them trade for a veteran. Also, the Jays' top infielders are now healthy.
- "At least five teams" are interested in Cubs lefty reliever James Russell, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago reports. Russell does not become a free agent until after the 2015 season, however, and Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein says his top priority is trading players who are set to become free agents after the season, like Kevin Gregg. "Potentially, we will be hearing from people on the guys who we don’t control after this year," says Epstein. "It would make more sense moving those guys."
- The Cubs have already dealt Scott Feldman, Scott Hairston, Carlos Marmol, Matt Garza and Alfonso Soriano, and they're not sure if they're done dealing, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports. "There are some things we'd like to explore, and if we can find the right fit and bring value back to the organization, sure, we would be [interested]," says Epstein. Of the veterans still with the Cubs, Gregg and outfielder Nate Schierholtz appear most likely to be traded.
Indians Looking For Relief Help
The Indians are looking for lefty relief help, tweets MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Rich Hill is the only lefty reliever on Cleveland's active roster, and he has struggled this season, posting a 6.51 ERA and 5.5 BB/9, albeit with 11.7 K/9. The Indians haven't had much better luck this season with fellow lefty relievers Nick Hagadone, Scott Barnes and David Huff. Here's more out of Cleveland.
Pat McManamon of FOXSportsOhio.com confirms that the Indians are looking for relief help, particularly of the left-handed variety, but says not to expect much beyond that. McManamon reports that GM Chris Antonetti is pleased with the Indians' starting pitching, offense and defense, which only leaves the bullpen as a possible spot to upgrade. Antonetti remains open to a bigger trade, but he is unlikely to trade a young talent like Francisco Lindor or Danny Salazar, and he says he "feel[s] good about the group of guys that we have."
Antonetti also notes that it's a tough market for buyers, according to McManamon. "[Y]ou could make the argument that there are 24, maybe 25 teams that are buying or at least holding onto players," Antonetti says. That's particularly problematic for the Indians, since one of the few clear sellers (the White Sox) is in the Indians' division, and two other potential ones (the Twins and Royals) are as well. Those teams might not want to trade within the AL Central. Antonetti says it might actually easier to make deals in August, despite the barrier of the waiver process, because more teams will realize that they're out of the race by then.
Royals Notes: Santana, Holland
As we approach the trading deadline, teams like the Royals (along with the Phillies and Mariners) must decide not only what might be in their best long-term baseball interest, but also in their best business interest, ESPN's Buster Olney writes (insider-only). That means considering that, by selling in July, they would effectively be telling their fanbases that the season is over. Olney suggests that for a team like the Royals, who haven't made the playoffs since 1985, that might be difficult to do. Here's more out of Kansas City.
- The Royals should trade not only Ervin Santana, but also one or both of relievers Greg Holland and Luke Hochevar, Rob Neyer of SB Nation writes. The Royals, currently seven games out in the AL Central, have very slim odds of reaching the playoffs, and Neyer points out that top-performing relievers tend not to remain so for long. The way Holland eventually replaced former top closer Joakim Soria demonstrates how relievers are, at least in the long run, replaceable.
- The Royals won't be dealing Santana unless they get "something we can't refuse," a club official tells Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). As we noted earlier today, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal recently tweeted that the Royals could be shooting for an even better return than the one the Cubs got for Matt Garza. Dutton guesses that the Royals would particularly be interested in a second baseman or right fielder who solidify one of those positions for the next several years. Santana, who becomes a free agent after the season, currently has a 3.06 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 138 1/3 innings.
Phillies To Listen To Offers On Cliff Lee
The Phillies will listen to offers on starting pitcher Cliff Lee, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports. It doesn't sound like GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is in any rush to move Lee, however. "Although we don't have any desire to move a guy like that because we view him as someone who will be key to our future, I am a businessperson as well and I'll be a good listener," Amaro says. There's another Lee-related story line to watch as we approach the trade deadline — as Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes (via Twitter), Lee has been scratched from his start on Saturday due to a stiff neck.
If the Phillies were to become more receptive to moving Lee, it would mark a dramatic change in the trade market for starting pitching. With the Cubs having found a new home for Matt Garza in Texas, some of the top potential trade targets remaining include Jake Peavy, Ervin Santana, Bud Norris and Yovani Gallardo, and it's far from certain that all those players will be dealt.
As Crasnick suggests, Lee's contract will be an obstacle for potential suitors, particularly those with smaller payrolls. Lee has a salary of $25MM this season, and is owed $25MM per season for both 2014 and 2015. He has a $27.5MM club option for 2016 with a $12.5MM buyout. He has a limited no-trade clause that allows him to decline trades to 21 teams. Lee, 34, has a 3.05 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 this season.
The Phillies have lost five in a row, and their chances of making the playoffs are remote — they're eight games back in the NL East, and 9.5 games back in the NL Wild Card chase. But Amaro still sounds noncommital about selling at the deadline, even if he's potentially open to it. "I can't sit here and say I'm not going to trade Chase (Utley), or Cliff, or Michael Young or Chooch (Carlos Ruiz), or any of these guys," he says. "Some guys are less tradeable than others. But I think I owe it to us as an organization to listen."
Giants Acquire Guillermo Moscoso
The Giants acquired pitcher Guillermo Moscoso from the Cubs in exchange for cash or a player to be named, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Moscoso was pitching for Triple-A Iowa with the Cubs, but he will report to the Giants' big-league team and will be activated Saturday.
Moscoso had a 3.93 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 with Iowa. He has pitched parts of four big-league seasons, appearing with the Rangers, Athletics and Rockies. Schulman indicates that the Giants have acquired Moscoso to add another starting pitching option. Moscoso started 21 games for the A's in 2011.