Luke Adams 2 | MLB Trade Rumors

Tigers Designate Fien, Release Buckner

By Luke Adams 2 | July 25, 2010 at 9:26am CDT

To make room for Jeff Larish and Will Rhymes on their 40-man roster, the Tigers have designated Casey Fien for assignment and released Billy Buckner, according to the team's official Twitter feed. The club also placed Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen on the disabled list.

For Fien, it's his second DFA by the Tigers this year, though he spent time with the Red Sox and Blue Jays since the last time Detroit designated him for assignment. He appeared in just two games for the Tigers this year, allowing three runs in 2.2 IP.

Buckner, meanwhile, came to Detroit from Arizona in the Dontrelle Willis trade and struggled with the team's Triple-A affiliate. In 37.1 IP for Toledo, the right-hander posted a 9.40 ERA.

Rockies Rumors: Peralta, Gregg, Iannetta, Hawpe

By Luke Adams 2 | July 25, 2010 at 9:00am CDT

Let's check in on the latest Rockies-related rumors and notes…

Jhonny Peralta has "emerged as a potential fit" for Colorado, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Rockies and Indians have made trades in the past, including Colorado's acquisition of Rafael Betancourt last year, and Peralta can play all over the infield.
As we heard earlier this weekend, bullpen help is still a priority for the Rox, and Kevin Gregg appears to be their top target.
The Red Sox will likely look to reopen talks for Chris Iannetta during the offseason.
With Jorge de la Rosa and Jeff Francis both facing free agency, Renck believes the Rockies should explore a deal for Dan Haren, though there's no indication Colorado is involved in those sweepstakes.
In a separate Denver Post piece, Mark Kiszla argues that the Rockies should attempt to trade Brad Hawpe. Renck notes, in a tweet, that Hawpe could be a fit for the White Sox if Chicago can't land Adam Dunn or another big bat.

Brad Ausmus To Retire After Season

By Luke Adams 2 | July 25, 2010 at 8:32am CDT

When this season comes to an end, Brad Ausmus will call it a career, according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles. After playing last night for the first time since April 8th, Ausmus addressed a reporter's post-game inquiry about his future by replying: "This year is it."

After signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers this winter, Ausmus started just one game before being placed on the disabled list with back pain. When Ausmus' back issues required surgery, many assumed he would simply retire, but the 41-year-old backstop has fought his way back and intends to finish out the season.

Ausmus' contract, which pays him $850K this year, includes a $1MM mutual option ($150K buyout) for next season which won't be exercised now that he plans to retire. The veteran catcher, who has spent time with the Padres, Tigers, Astros, and Dodgers since breaking into the league in 1993, has earned over $36MM in his career, according to Baseball-Reference.

Odds & Ends: Lilly, Braves, Reds, Berkman

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 10:26pm CDT

Links for Friday night….

Ned Colletti says the Dodgers could use another outfielder, but not as much as they need pitching, according to Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times.
We heard recently from ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that Ted Lilly will likely be traded before the deadline. Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times says it could even happen by the end of the weekend.
Frank Wren tells David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he often has to turn away teams inquiring about the Braves' young pitchers.
The Reds could still be looking for bullpen arms, says Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
GM Dave Dombrowski tells FOX's Jon Paul Morosi (Twitter link) that the Tigers aren't close to completing any trades.
The Braves aren't showing much interest for now in Cody Ross, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
Lance Berkman is prepared to face free agency if his option isn't picked up, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Corey Hart will have an MRI on his injured wrist tomorrow, according to the Brewers' Twitter feed. Teams in the market for an outfielder, having already seen David DeJesus go down this week, will be closely monitoring the results.

Gammons On Ankiel, Crawford, Iannetta, Martin

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 9:46pm CDT

In his latest appearance on WEEI's Big Show, Peter Gammons opines that the trade deadline isn't as significant as it's made out to be. He cites only a handful of teams over the last decade who have made the World Series after making major deals prior to the deadline, arguing that the idea of pennant-altering trades is "essentially fiction." Here are a few other interesting tidbits from Gammons' conversation:

Gammons thinks Rick Ankiel could be a good fit for the Red Sox, if he shows that he's healthy.
The Angels' top priority this offseason will probably be trying to sign Carl Crawford. Gammons notes that the club put Crawford's locker next to Torii Hunter's at the All-Star Game.
The Rockies aren't eager to trade Chris Iannetta, hoping instead to platoon him with Brad Hawpe at first base as long as Todd Helton is out.
The Red Sox could try to make a run at Russell Martin, rather than Iannetta, since Martin's price tag may be getting too high for the Dodgers.
There's still a chance the Sox could be sellers this year if they fall out of contention, though it's more likely to happen in August than before July 31st.

Jose Guillen Drawing Interest

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 7:57pm CDT

There are several teams with at least "a passing interest" in Jose Guillen, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal names the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Padres, and Giants as potential Guillen suitors.

The Giants, who have been connected to virtually every available outfielder, were said to have scouted Guillen last night. However, most of the other clubs Rosenthal lists have yet to be linked to Guillen. The Yanks, Sox, Mets, and Padres could all be in the market for another outfielder, and may not have to take on too much salary to acquire Guillen — last month, we heard from ESPN.com's Buster Olney that the Royals were willing to eat a good chunk of the money owed to the 34-year-old. Guillen has approximately $4.76MM remaining on his $12MM 2010 salary.

With David DeJesus on the disabled list for the rest of the season, Guillen (.279/.342/.463) has become the Royals' most appealing chip for teams in search of outfield help.

Rockies Focusing On Bullpen Help

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 7:23pm CDT

The Rockies' main focus heading into next Saturday's trade deadline will be on acquiring bullpen help, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. We heard a few days ago that the Rockies were eyeing starting pitching and corner infielders along with relievers, but Renck indicates that their bullpen is the top priority at the moment.

According to Renck, Blue Jays relievers like Kevin Gregg and Scott Downs interest the Rockies, with SI.com's Jon Heyman tweeting of Colorado's interest in Gregg as well. Renck also expects the Rox to check in on the availability of Pirates' setup men Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan, but wonders if the price for Pittsburgh's and Toronto's relievers could be too high.

Check out our list of potentially available relievers here.

Riggleman Likely To Manage Nationals In 2011

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 7:08pm CDT

GM Mike Rizzo fully expects Jim Riggleman to return to Washington in 2011 to manage the Nationals for another season, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. The team would have had the option of buying out Riggleman for $100K after the season, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

"Yes, he will be back next season. He has done a terrific job," said Rizzo. "He is a terrific baseball manager. He has great respect from his peers in this game. When the games starts, he is as good as anybody in the game. He has the respect in the clubhouse. He is a diligent worker and he is a loyal employee."

Although the Nationals finished with baseball's worst record (59-103) last season, they showed signs of life in the second half when Riggleman took over for Manny Acta, ending the season on a seven-game winning streak. Riggleman has led the Nats to a 42-54 mark this year, after signing a contract with the team in the offseason. As Kilgore clarifies, while Riggleman's contract is for two years with a 2012 option, only one year was guaranteed.

Giants Eyeing Will Ohman?

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 6:43pm CDT

The Giants' search for another hitter has been well documented, but the team could be targeting more than just a bat. San Francisco is also looking into the possibility of acquiring Will Ohman, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Brian Sabean told listeners on his KNBR radio show Thursday that the team could use an experienced left-handed reliever, and Ohman fits the bill. Although the southpaw has had some control issues this year (5.1 BB/9), he has recorded a 2.57 ERA and struck out a batter per inning. He has also handled lefties well, holding them to a .531 OPS for the season.

If they don't acquire Ohman, the Giants could have a hard time finding another satisfactory left-handed arm for their bullpen. An already underwhelming relief market looks even more uninspiring when you consider the lack of lefties on the list. Besides Ohman and Scott Downs, whose price tag may be too high for the Giants, potentially available southpaws include Bruce Chen, Alan Embree, and Scott Schoeneweis.

Tigers Interested In Mike Lowell

By Luke Adams 2 | July 23, 2010 at 6:00pm CDT

The Tigers "have some interest" in Mike Lowell, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Lowell is in the midst of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket, and will play third base for the first time on Saturday. He hopes to be healthy enough to be activated next week.

With Brandon Inge set to miss four to six weeks with a broken hand, the Tigers are considering how to fill the void his injury leaves at third base. If they determine that Lowell is healthy and able to play the hot corner, he could be a low-cost replacement. While there is still about $4.76MM remaining on Lowell's 2010 contract, the Red Sox figure to pay nearly all of his salary if it means receiving even a mediocre prospect in return.

Lowell recently expressed pessimism about his trade stock to ESPNBoston's Gordon Edes, but a return to health for the 36-year-old could mean he draws a little more interest before July 31st.

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