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Morosi On Giants, Downs, Myers, Tigers

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Let's check out the latest updates from Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports….

  • The Giants continue to search for a left-handed reliever, with Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler injured. While we've heard the club had been eyeing lefties such as Will Ohman and Scott Downs, Morosi indicates that, like every other team that has inquired on Downs, the Giants weren't enthused by Toronto's asking price. CSNBayArea.com's Mychael Urban (via Twitter) reports that the Giants are "working hard" to complete a trade tonight, though there's no indication of whether it would be for bullpen help or another piece.
  • Starters like Ted Lilly and Brett Myers appear unlikely to be traded to Minnesota. The Twins would need to overpay to pry Myers away from the Astros.
  • The Tigers aren't looking to make a blockbuster deal, but could still make minor moves to upgrade their roster. The club doesn't want to "overexpose" their young players, which played a part in their acquisition of Jhonny Peralta. A bullpen addition is still a possibility for the Tigers, who were scouting the Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

Rangers Inquired On Josh Johnson

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While the Rangers and Marlins were working out the trade that sent Jorge Cantu to Texas, the Rangers also took a chance to "reach for the sky" and inquired on the availability of Josh Johnson. According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, the Rangers were willing to offer their top three prospects, but were told the Marlins' ace is "unmovable."

Johnson, 26, signed a four-year extension worth $39MM with Florida in January, virtually eliminating him as a possible trade chip for the near future. Given his performance this year, which includes a 1.72 ERA over 141.1 IP, Johnson figures to be even more untouchable now than he was at the time of the extension.

White Sox Acquire Edwin Jackson

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12:01pm: The D'Backs announced they've traded Jackson to the White Sox for Hudson and pitching prospect David Holmberg.

11:54am: Jackson has been told he's been traded to the White Sox, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.

9:46am: Sox GM Kenny Williams has something big cooking, tweets Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, and if he gets it done the Jackson deal is off.  Meanwhile USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets that the Sox would pay all of Jackson's salary if the deal gets done. 

AOL FanHouse's Steve Phillips says the White Sox would try to flip Jackson to the Nationals in a Dunn trade but would be happy to keep him.  MLB Network's Peter Gammons adds that the Nationals are "not that hot" for Jackson, though SI's Jon Heyman tweets that they love him.  Rosenthal tweets that the deal is in the Nationals' hands, but Hudson would end up with the D'Backs either way.  There's almost no chance Hudson makes his scheduled start tonight, tweets Cowley.

1:51am: If the two sides were to agree on a deal, the second prospect heading to the D'Backs would also be a pitcher, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

1:14am: The White Sox are on the verge of acquiring Jackson, report Rosenthal and Morosi.  Chicago would send Hudson and another prospect to the D'Backs in the proposed deal.

12:26am: The White Sox are looking into acquiring Edwin Jackson from the Diamondbacks, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Although the Sox have been linked peripherally to Jackson for much of the week, reports to date have indicated that Chicago's only interest in the right-hander would be as a chip to facilitate a three-way Adam Dunn trade. Rosenthal suggests, however, that the Sox may be interested in acquiring and keeping Jackson, rather than flipping him.

While Chicago covets Dunn, they are becoming less convinced they'll be able to work out a deal with the Nationals before Saturday's deadline. As such, they've been focusing more on bolstering their starting rotation. Rosenthal writes that the Sox are exploring other pitchers in addition to Jackson, as they look to replace the injured Jake Peavy.

Peavy's current replacement in the rotation, Daniel Hudson, could be a key piece in a potential trade for Jackson, according to Rosenthal.

Competition For Scott Downs Heating Up

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MONDAY, 11:13pm: Talks between Blue Jays and Red Sox about a potential Downs deal aren’t currently progressing, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. However, things can change quickly in the week leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, so the Blue Jays are still scouting Red Sox single A pitcher Roman Mendez, according to Alex Speier.

SUNDAY, 12:28pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney says the Blue Jays' discussions involving Downs are drawing "fascination" from rival executives who are curious to see what Toronto can acquire. The Jays have been asking for a significant return in part because of Downs' Type A status, but some execs don't believe that should be a factor, and feel the Jays are demanding too much for a non-closer (all Twitter links).

9:14am: The competition in the Scott Downs sweepstakes is "fierce," tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi suggests that the Yankees and the Red Sox are the current front-runners, but that the Mets, Reds, and Twins are also involved.

In a year where the bullpen options are scarce, Downs stands out as not only the top left-handed arm available among an underwhelming group of southpaws, but also as one of the best overall relievers on the market. As MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith pointed out when he examined Downs' trade value, the lefty seems headed for Type A designation, meaning he could potentially be worth a pair of draft picks for whichever team he finishes the year with.

Besides the clubs Morosi names, the Dodgers, Rockies, and Phillies are among others that have been linked to Downs this month.

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Sunday

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The Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, and Cardinals were among the teams that had scouts watching Roy Oswalt's start against the Reds last night. Oswalt didn't exactly dazzle, allowing six runs over five innings, but there still seems to be plenty of interest in the right-hander, according to yesterday's round of Oswalt rumors. Here are today's updates, with the latest notes being added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • With Haren off of the trade market, Houston's asking price for Oswalt will likely be too high for the Cards' tastes, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart writes that Oswalt's pursuit of becoming the all-time wins leader in Houston won't affect his trade status. One win shy of the record, Oswalt says it would be nice to reach the mark, but won't veto a trade to make it happen.
  • In an update for FOX Sports, Rosenthal says the Astros are having trouble matching up with the Cardinals and Dodgers, leaving the Phillies as the most logical suitor. However, in a pair of tweets, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Phils are exploring the possibility of swapping Werth directly for a starter if they can't work out a deal for Oswalt or Dan Haren.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Phillies, as opposed to the Dodgers and Cards, are best positioned to acquire Oswalt if they move Jayson Werth. However, Rosenthal hears from an executive that Philadelphia's demands in a Werth deal appear to be changing daily.
  • Astros president Tal Smith tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he expects Oswalt to be moved. According to Smith, the Astros' ace is drawing "considerable interest," with at least "three or four" teams attempting to acquire the 32-year-old.
  • Cafardo also hears from an Astros official that New York might be too "big time" for the quiet Oswalt, meaning there's a chance the righty may not waive his no-trade clause to play for a Big Apple team.

Odds & Ends: Reds, Happ, Edmonds, Rangers, Tigers

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Links for Sunday, as Jim Thome cranks his 576th career home run….

Dan Haren Rumors: Sunday

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The Diamondbacks' asking price for Dan Haren still exceeds what most teams are willing to offer, as the Yankees and Tigers have balked at deals centered around Joba Chamberlain and Jacob Turner respectively. However, despite being on Haren's no-trade list, the Tigers are still in play since the right-hander is expected to strongly consider playing anywhere he has a chance to win. Those were the highlights of yesterday's Haren rumors, so let's move on to today's. Any new updates will show up at the top of the page throughout the day….

  • SI's Jon Heyman tweets that in addition to Chamberlain, the Yankees are hesitant to part with pitchers Hector Noesi and Dellin Betances in a potential Haren trade.
  • John Harper of the New York Daily News writes that the Yankees are under no pressure to trade for Haren and that any deal they make will be on their own terms. ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider required) agrees with Harper's assessment, noting that the Yanks would take on Haren's salary and give up "B-plus prospects" in a trade, but that they won't move their best prospects.
  • If the Yankees were to acquire Haren, it would compromise their chances of signing Cliff Lee this winter, says Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman also hears that the D'Backs would like to get their payroll down to about $60MM for 2011, further motivating them to move Haren now.

Hernandez Wants To Retire As A National

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Speaking to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, Livan Hernandez said on Saturday that he would like to return to Washington next season, and that he can picture himself spending the rest of his career in a Nationals uniform.

"To come back again next year, I would be really happy with something like that," said Hernandez. "This is something special, this year with the Nationals. It's a great organization. It's very classy and professional. I'm really happy to be here."

Kilgore notes that the 35-year-old has said he'd like to pitch for four more years, and when asked about the possibility of spending those years (and more) in Washington, Hernandez replied, "I wish. It would be really nice. When I retire, I'm thinking about working in baseball…. If they give me a chance, why not?"

Hernandez has exceeded every expectation the Nats had when they signed him for a minor league deal this winter. He leads the Nats in innings (132.2) by a wide margin, and his 3.12 ERA represents a career-best. Even so, it's hard to imagine any team investing in Hernandez on a multi-year deal, given his 5.45 mark from 2007-09 and his mediocre peripherals this year. If he does pitch four more seasons, Hernandez may end up signing three or four more contracts, whether with Washington or another club.

Marlins Unlikely To Move Uggla, Ross

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Although they've been the subject of frequent trade rumors this year, Dan Uggla and Cody Ross may remain in Florida past July 31st, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal says while the Marlins have not ruled out trading Uggla and Ross, it looks unlikely that the pair will be dealt.

According to Rosenthal, Leo Nunez and Ricky Nolasco appear unavailable, though Jorge Cantu could be on the move this week. In another tweet, Rosenthal confirms the Rangers are making an aggressive play for Cantu, but notes that the Marlins are unconvinced Logan Morrison could adequately replace Cantu's production.

Uggla and Ross will each enter their final year of arbitration in 2011, while Cantu becomes a free agent after this season. Nolasco and Nunez each have two more arbitration seasons, and are under team control through 2012.

Olney’s Latest: Tigers, Hart, Sheets

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Injuries could play a part in increasing trading before Saturday's deadline, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link). With a handful of teams, most notably the Tigers, seeing key players head to the disabled list, many clubs' needs are in flux. Detroit, for instance, had been focusing on acquiring a starting pitcher, but with Brandon Inge, Carlos Guillen, and Magglio Ordonez all recently placed on the DL, the team may need to look into bats as well. Here are the other highlights of Olney's column:

  • If the Tigers pursue an outfielder, they could ask about Jayson Werth, Jose Guillen, or Jeff Francoeur. Dave Dombrowski has said he won't trade top prospects for rental players though, according to this tweet by Tom Gage of the Detroit News.
  • Corey Hart's hand injury doesn't appear serious, but one GM tells Olney: "If [the Brewers] are going to get anything in a trade, he's got to play before the deadline and show he's healthy."
  • Scouts had noticed a dip in Ben Sheets' velocity and less use of his breaking ball before the right-hander hit the DL with elbow trouble. Olney notes that Oakland's "Matt Holliday plan" has been a bust in Sheets' case, since his injury means they're stuck with him.
  • Olney hears from a GM that there's "a lot of conversation about a lot of players" happening right now, meaning we could see a flurry of trade activity this week.

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