Dan Mennella | MLB Trade Rumors

MLBTR Originals: 5/1/11 – 5/8/11

By Dan Mennella | May 8, 2011 at 6:47pm CDT

Among the many topics covered in this week's MLBTR original analysis was, of course, the no-hitters of Francisco Liriano and Justin Verlander. You can find those pieces and other insights from MLBTR's writing staff right here:

Verlander reflected on his achievement and his career development, as Ben Nicholson-Smith writes.
With roughly five weeks of the season in the rearview, Mike Axisa looks at the performances of this offseason's free agents: Which ones have earned their keep and which ones haven't, and the best pitchers by ERA+ and best hitters by OPS+.
Here's the best baseball blogging of the week, as compiled by Mike.
Royals GM Dayton Moore's offseason is looking pretty good right now, writes Ben.
In the wake of Liriano's no-no, Howard Megdal writes that if history is any indication, the lefty improved his chances of remaining in Minnesota.
A look at the financial implications of Eric Hosmer's promotion to the bigs.
Mark Polishuk examines David Wright as a trade candidate, and Ben does the same with Wilson Betemit.
Which positions players and which pitchers were the best minor league signings?
A now famous deal between the Giants and Twins sent Liriano to Minnesota. Ben examines the transactions history of the hurlers who've thrown no-nos since 2005.
Here's the transcript from this week's MLBTR chat with Tim Dierkes.
Jered Weaver is off to a ridiculously hot start. Tim examines how much the righty will make next year.
The red-hot Indians are all the rage. Here's their recent trade history, and here's how they were built.
Our Contract Issues series continues with the Astros, the Angels, and the Mets.
This piece, by Ben, will help you keep tabs on those former relievers who have converted to starting.
Tim looks back at Tim Lincecum's historic arbitration case and wonders what it might mean as the ace is once again eligible for arbitration after the 2011 season.
The Offseason In Review series is complete.

Quick Hits: Martin, Bulger, Hudson, Draft

By Dan Mennella | May 6, 2011 at 8:44pm CDT

A few items of note on Friday night as Derek Lowe's bid for the Majors' second no-hitter of the week falls by the wayside …

Rangers prospect Leonys Martin can opt out of his five-year contract and choose to go through the arbitration process if he has enough service time to qualify for arbitration before the contract expires, MLBTR has learned. Martin, 23, is a Cuban defector whose deal with Texas became official on Tuesday.
Angels reliever Jason Bulger, who was designated for assignment on April 27, cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
Diamondbacks right-hander Daniel Hudson was part of the ill-fated trade between the Padres and White Sox in May 2009 that was vetoed by Jake Peavy, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter). Peavy later accepted a trade to the South Siders at that season's deadline, but that package did not include Hudson. Instead, Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter and Adam Russell went to the Friars. Hudson was later dealt to Arizona at the 2010 trade deadline in exchange for Edwin Jackson.
The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire at season's end, and hard-slotting for draft picks could be implemented in the new CBA, writes Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. Hard-slotting would affix a set price to each draft pick and preclude drafted prep players from using the threat of going to college as bargaining leverage. One scouting director told Mayo he expects to see more players sign this year since it could be their last chance to negotiate a hefty signing bonus.

Stark On Liriano, Hamels, Hosmer, Reyes

By Dan Mennella | May 6, 2011 at 7:19pm CDT

Here's the latest from Jayson Stark of ESPN.com …

Twins lefty Francisco Liriano could be made available via trade in July if Minnesota continues to struggle, but teams will be hesitant to acquire him because of his inconsistencies. One scout told Stark that Liriano has great stuff, but the southpaw's mechanics are a mess. Liriano is under team control through next season.
Phillies lefty Cole Hamels' three-year, $20.5MM deal expires after this season, leaving him with one year of arbitration eligibility before free agency. Stark wonders how the Phillies will approach a potential extension for Hamels, and Hamels' agent said that the sides haven't yet discussed such a deal. One point of reference to keep in mind, per Stark: Justin Verlander, whose five-year, $80MM pact with the Tigers bought out three years of arbitration eligibility.
Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer made his Major League debut today amid much fanfare, but several teams told Stark that they would have waited a while longer so as to ensure that the blue-chipper wouldn't be a Super Two. Kansas City, however, has said all along that it would call up its players when they're ready, according to Stark. Earlier today, Ben Nicholson-Smith examined the financial implications of Hosmer's promotion.
The Mets and Giants maintain that they haven't discussed a potential trade for shortstop Jose Reyes. However, Stark thinks the Giants will need to address the position, and Reyes is a perfect fit.

Mets Notes: Wright, Cohen, Valuation

By Dan Mennella | May 6, 2011 at 6:15pm CDT

Here are some Mets notes as the Amazin's open a three-game set against the Dodgers at Citi Field …

The Tigers will most certainly be interested in acquiring third baseman David Wright, should he be made available on the trade market, writes Lynn Henning of The Detroit News. Wright is signed through 2012 and has a club option for 2013. Henning speculates that Wright would probably cost the Tigers a top-end pitching prospect, and they'd also have to figure out a plan for incumbent Brandon Inge. Last night, Mark Polishuk of MLBTR identified Wright as a trade candidate and included the Tigers as a potential fit.
Steve Cohen, a billionaire "hedge-fund titan," is the frontrunner to purchase a minority stake in the Mets, according to Josh Kosman and Lenn Robbins of the New York Post. The candidates have been narrowed down to four, The Post reports, and the asking price is thought to be roughly $200MM for a 49-percent share of the team.
The Wilpons have more interested suitors than you might think, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, and the team is being valued nearer to $1 billion than previous reports of roughly $750MM.

Trade Candidate: Francisco Rodriguez

By Dan Mennella | April 24, 2011 at 10:13pm CDT

The season is but a few weeks old,and we've already seen a fair amount of upheaval at the closer's role. That's not unexpected, of course; each year seems to bring a slew of injuries and demotion-prompting ineffectiveness among the league's closers. With such a high turnover rate, many teams understandably prefer to turn over closing duties to cheaper guys – it's just better business. Still, the lure of relying on a top-tier, tested closer can be tough to resist for a contending team.

With the Mets in the early stages of what many project to be a rebuilding mode, Francisco Rodriguez makes for an intriguing potential trade candidate. He could probably be acquired without giving up much in return, but between his pricey 2012 option and limited (10 teams) no-trade clause, it won't be easy. The $17.5MM option for '12 will vest with 55 games finished (and if K-Rod's deemed healthy). That's an unsightly price tag for a closer and would be especially garish if the Mets aren't contending. If the option doesn't vest, K-Rod will get a $3.5MM buyout.

We've heard that the Mets won't allow K-Rod to finish that many games, but in his first six seasons as a full-time closer from 2005-10, K-Rod averaged 59 games finished. With eight appearances and six games finished in the Mets' first 22 tilts this season, he's on pace for 59 appearances and 44 games finished. Those figures, however, could be a bit skewed by the Mets' slow start.

As unattractive as that vesting option is for the Mets, it's equally, if not more, unattractive to a potential trade partner. Typically, a contending team that's acquiring a pending-free-agent closer would like to use the pitcher as often as necessary – and not have to worry about financial ramifications. As well, Rodgriguez's season ended prematurely in 2010 after injuring his hand in a clubhouse altercation with his father-in-law. That won't reflect well under "makeup" on those scouting reports.

Between the specter of the vesting option and Rodriguez's limited no-trade clause, it figures to severely limit his trade market. A savvy buyer, though, could look into acquiring him as a setup man/secondary closer so as to circumvent the games finished.

Whether the Mets can deal K-Rod remains to be seen, but his games finished – and option – bears watching regardless. He won't be the most sought-after closer out there, as that distinction belongs to Heath Bell. The market for Bell could be fierce, though, and he won't come cheaply, at least not for a while. But a reliever like K-Rod – a 2.49 career ERA and 272 saves – should garner some interest.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

East Notes: Beato, Ibanez, Emaus, Hulett

By Dan Mennella | April 24, 2011 at 6:37pm CDT

Here are some items of note and musings coming out of the East divisions as Phillies interim closer Jose Contreras hits the DL …

Mets reliever Pedro Beato, a Rule 5 draftee this offseason, is pitching well, writes Thomas Boorstein of MLB.com. "I've been impressed ever since he walked into camp," Mets manager Terry Collins said. Earlier this week, the Mets returned second baseman Brad Emaus – their other Rule 5 pick – to the Blue Jays, who flipped him in turn to the Rockies, but it looks like Beato has a good shot of sticking with the Mets throughout the season.
Phillies outfielder Raul Ibanez is struggling, as is Philly's lineup on the whole, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders how long the Phils will continue to start Ibanez. Should the Phils choose to divvy up starts between John Mayberry Jr., Ben Francisco and Domonic Brown, it would be interesting to see whether they would look into trading the 39-year-old. Ibanez is past his prime, sure, but he posted a triple-slash of .272/.347/.552 as recently as two years ago, and his contract expires at season's end, so he could draw interest at a cheap price. However, he does have no-trade protection.
The Blue Jays will place second baseman Aaron Hill on the DL, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. We'll never know the answer, but I wonder whether the Jays would have held onto Emaus to fill in briefly with Hill, Jayson Nix, and Edwin Encarnacion being banged up. Of course, it seems pretty clear that the Jays had made the decision that Emaus didn't factor into their plans, but they are stretched thin now, as John McDonald and Mike McCoy started at third and second base, respectively, on Sunday.
The Nationals signed infielder Tug Hulett to a minor league contract, according to NBC Sports. Hulett last appeared in the big leagues with the Royals in 2009. He was with the Rockies earlier this season but was let go after Colorado acquired Emaus.

Ryan Braun Links: Friday

By Dan Mennella | April 22, 2011 at 7:40pm CDT

Details and reactions continue to trickle in on the sizable extension Ryan Braun signed with the Brewers on Thursday. Here are the latest:

Braun's extension includes at least $18MM in interest-free deferrals to be paid out in equal increments between 2022-31, blogs Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (per The Associated Press). All told, Milwaukee will be paying Braun till he's 47.
Braun's extension makes less sense than the one Troy Tulowitzki signed with the Rockies, and it may even be riskier than Ryan Howard's with the Phillies, writes Dave Cameron of Fangraphs. The fact that Braun is a bat-first player and has a shaky glove at a non-premium defensive position doesn't bode well for the Brewers' side of the deal. Interestingly, Cameron suggests Braun could eventually move to first base, which is likely to be vacated by Prince Fielder, who is a free agent at season's end and is not expected to re-sign with Milwaukee
To that end, while most have surmised that the Brewers' immense financial commitment to Braun signifies the end of the Prince era in Milwaukee, Fielder himself hopes that is not the case, blogs McCalvy. "You never know," Fielder said. "I hope they have a little left for me."

East Notes: Wright, Salty, Bixler, A-Rod

By Dan Mennella | April 22, 2011 at 6:21pm CDT

Rainfall on the East Coast has already postponed a couple games on Friday night, but here's some items of note to hold you over …

Mets third baseman David Wright's days in New York may be winding down, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets, who may be in full-on rebuild mode as soon as midseason, could opt to trade Wright because he is signed to team-favorable terms through 2013 and would therefore yield a better haul in a trade than Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran or Francisco Rodriguez, writes Rubin. That the Mets could entertain this is indicative of how far they've fallen the past couple years; it once seemed likely Wright would spend his entire career in Queens.
Red Sox catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek have struggled so far this season, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com, but with underwhelming and unready in-house options and limited trade or free-agent targets out there, a move is not imminent. Bengie Molina, 36, is still unsigned, but as Speier points out, would he be much of an improvement?
The Nationals have purchased the contract of infielder Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse, tweets Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com. A corresponding move on the 40-man roster was to be announced. Bixler, a second-round pick of the Pirates in 2004 out of Eastern Michigan, last appeared in the bigs in 2009. In 166 career plate appearances, he has a .178/.238/.237 line.
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has hired Steve Loy of Gaylord Sports Management to handle his marketing. As our Agency Tracker shows, A-Rod has not officially announced an agent since parting ways with Scott Boras, and he may not need one for a while considering he's signed through age 42. For a complete list of Scott Boras clients, click here.

Trade Candidate: Russell Branyan

By Dan Mennella | April 7, 2011 at 9:09pm CDT

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said recently that the club has committed most of its starts at first base to Juan Miranda, who is out of options. This leaves a pretty good offensive player in Russell Branyan on the bench and an interesting prospect in Brandon Allen down at Triple-A.

It seems like the Snakes are committed to finding out what they have in Miranda, and by that logic, it stands to reason that Allen could be next in line if Miranda falters. That would leave Branyan and his prodigious power without consistent at-bats.

Signed to a one-year, minor league deal, Branyan could be a source of cheap pop for a contending team in search of power as the season wears on. Here's a look at some potential suitors for Branyan's services.

The Angels are in limbo while Kendry Morales continues to mend from last year's broken leg, and the slugger's return still appears to be a ways off. Current first baseman Mark Trumbo is considered a modest prospect, although he has gotten off to a solid start this season.
The Rangers have similar options at first base in Mitch Moreland and Chris Davis (who's currently in the minors), though Moreland has shown better on-base skills. The Rangers won't need Moreland to be a stud in what is a loaded lineup, but they can't tolerate severe struggles, either.
The Tigers could probably use another power bat, but they'd have to get creative and take a defensive risk to accomodate Branyan, moving the defensively shaky Victor Martinez behind the dish full time to free up the DH spot.
The Rays seem committed to Dan Johnson – who profiles similarly to Branyan – at first base, but he has gotten off to a slow start and has always toed the line between the Majors and minors, even spending a year in Japan recently. As well, Johnson's power is probably not quite on par with Branyan's.
The Braves have a 21-year-old rookie in Freddie Freeman at first, and though he is regarded as a high-end prospect, it's hardly a given that he'll produce adequately considering his age. Eric Hinske is the backup there but has settled in nicely as a pinch-hitter and occasional starter in recent years.

Of course, a lot could happen between now and June, when the trade market begins taking shape, as Ben Nicholson-Smith noted earlier today. But Branyan looks like a strong candidate to change teams this season – just as he did a year ago, going from the Indians to the Mariners.

Minor League Transactions

By Dan Mennella | April 7, 2011 at 6:31pm CDT

There was a slew of minor league transactions from March 30 to April 5, and Matt Eddy of Baseball America has written them up and included info on some noteworthy names. Here's more on those …

The Cubs released righty Chris Huseby, an 11th-round draft pick in 2006 who signed for a hefty $1.3MM. Huseby wasn't panning out as a pitcher and saw action in the outfield in recent seasons.
The Indians released third baseman Matt Cusick, one of the two players they received from the Yankees in last season's swap for Kerry Wood. The other player – Andrew Shive – had been previously released.
The Rockies released reliever Craig Baker, who led the Minors in saves in 2009 with 33. A fourth-round pick 2006, Baker's 2010 was derailed by the injuries that haunted him earlier in his career.
The Astros released reliever Bubbie Buzachero, who is among the active career leaders in minor league saves.
The Royals released speedy outfielder Hilton Richardson, a seventh-round pick in 2007 who has 77 steals in the minors in 100 attempts. The Braves then signed Richardson.
The Dodgers released lefty reliever James Adkins, a sandwich-round pick in 2007 out of Tennessee. The southpaw is the Volunteers' career leader in strikeouts but has struggled with control and against righties in the minors.
The Brewers released hard-throwing lefty Evan Frederickson, the 35th overall pick in 2008. Frederickson has been excessively wild in his minors career, never walking fewer than 7.6 batters per nine, according to Eddy.
Twins righty Chris Province, acquired from the Red Sox in the Boof Bonser trade in 2009, voluntarily retired. Province surrendered a lot of hits in 2010, but seeing as he posted solid groundball rates for two poor teams, Eddy wonders whether he might have fared better with a better defense behind him.
The Padres released catcher Mitch Canham, the 57th overall pick in 2007. The Friars hoped Canham would develop into an offense-first backstop, but he was abused by basestealers, and his production with the bat didn't hold up at other positions.
The Giants released righty Craig Whitaker, a supplemental-round pick in 2003. Whitaker, as Eddy notes, is something of a rarity as an unsuccessful power arm drafted by San Francisco. Outfielder Ben Copeland, the Giants' first pick (fourth round) in 2005, was also released.
The Rangers released righty Danny Gutierrez, formerly one of their top-10 prospects. Gutierrez had been acquired from the Royals, but his stuff has diminished and was suspended 50 games for amphetamines prior to the 2010 season.
The Blue Jays released speedy outfielder Eric Eiland, a second-round pick in 2007. Eiland has been an efficient basestealer but has struggled overall offensively.

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