Odds & Ends: Yelich, Harper, Tigers, Minaya, Guillen
Links on a Friday night…
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reports that negotiations between the Marlins and first round pick Christian Yelich are progressing slowly, but all signs point to a deal being reached before the August 16th deadline.
- Meanwhile, Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post says there is nothing new to report about talks between the Nationals and first overall pick Bryce Harper.
- Like the Marlins and Yelich, talks between the Tigers and their top picks will go down to the wire according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Four of Detroit's top five selections remain unsigned, including their two first rounders Nick Castellanos and Chance Ruffin.
- When asked about his job security, Omar Minaya responded "The fact of the matter is that I have a contract beyond this year, two years beyond this," according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Owner Jeff Wilpon recently implied that Minaya's job is safe through 2011.
- Jack Curry of the YES Network says (via Twitter) we shouldn't expect the Yankees to have any interest in Jose Guillen. We heard this morning that they were going to keep an eye on the recently DFA'd outfielder.
- Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News spoke to an American League GM who said he can't see Derek Jeter signing anywhere but back with the Yankees after the season. I suspect that's the general belief pretty much everywhere.
- The Tigers have expanded the roles of three front office members, reports Steve Kornacki of MLive.com.
Astros Release Brad Thompson
The Astros have released Brad Thompson according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America and this week's edition of minor league transactions.
Houston signed Thompson back in June after he chose to become a free agent when the Royals designated him for assignment. The 28-year-old righthander appeared in 15 games for the Astros' Triple-A affiliate, posting an 8.87 ERA with a 1.93 WHIP in 23.1 innings. He struck out 12 and walked four.
Twins Sign First Rounder Alex Wimmers
The Twins have signed first round pick Alex Wimmers according to Kelsie Smith of The Pioneer Press (via Twitter). Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune tweets that he will receive a $1.33MM signing bonus, matching MLB's recommended bonus.
Minnesota selected Wimmers with the 21st overall pick back in June. The Ohio State righthander boasts the best changeup in the draft according to Baseball America, who also says that he throws his fastball at 90-92 and touches 94 mph. Smith says Wimmers will report to the Twins' Class-A Advanced affiliate in Fort Myers next week (Twitter link).
There are still 17 unsigned first round picks with ten days to go before the signing deadline.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Mets, Park, Garza, Wieters
On this date four years ago, the Mets locked up franchise cornerstone David Wright to a six-year deal worth $55MM guaranteed. A club option for 2013 could put another $15MM in his pocket, and he's already earned an extra $300K in award based incentives. Wright, just 23 at the time and now a .307/.387/.517 career hitter, would have become a free agent after this season had he not opted for the long-term security. Can't say I blame him.
Here's a look at what's being written in the baseball corner of the blogging universe…
- Mets Paradise hosts a post-trade deadline roundtable discussion with fellow Mets bloggers.
- 1 Blue Jays Way interviews Toronto prospect Danny Farquhar.
- NPB Tracker recaps the deals made on the July 31st trade deadline in Japan.
- River Ave. Blues wonders what would have happened if Alex Rodriguez hadn't opted out of his contract after the 2007 season.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. defends the Pirates' Chan Ho Park pick-up.
- Bright House Sports Network thinks Matt Garza's time with the Rays may soon come to an end.
- Camden Crazies looks at what's wrong with Matt Wieters.
- SD Sports Net deciphers the Padres' deadline deals.
- More Hardball breaks down the young players the Pirates have coming up through the system.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Salty, Braves, Cards
Ken Rosenthal has a new Full Count video up, so let's dive in…
- The Red Sox scouted Jarrod Saltalamacchia hard before acquiring him this afternoon, and they feel that he is throwing better and will benefit from a change of scenery. 18 months ago the cost for Salty was Clay Buchholz, so they feel he's worth the gamble considering the uncertain futures of Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek.
- The Braves didn't need either Kyle Farnsworth or Rick Ankiel, but picking up both improves their depth considerably. Ankiel will be the regular center fielder against righties, platooning with Melky Cabrera, while Farnsworth will help lessen the burden on Takashi Saito and Jonny Venters. The Braves are clearly going for it in Bobby Cox's final season.
- It seems odd that the Cardinals would trade Ryan Ludwick given their offensive inconsistency this year, but the team likes what Jon Jay has done and they'll save big when Ludwick goes to arbitration for the final time next season.
- Relative to its competition, no team did as poorly as the Mets at the deadline. They were outbid for Ramon Ramirez, and the Cubs wanted no part of a Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez for Carlos Zambrano swap. The Cubbies are hopeful that Big Z will come back and rebuild his value down the stretch.
Odds & Ends: Duffy, Tigers, Yankees, Reds, Red Sox
Some leftovers in the wake of another trade deadline…
- I'll be appearing on Sporting News Radio at 8:25pm PT tonight to talk about the deadline. You can listen in here.
- ESPN's Jayson Stark named his trade deadline winners and losers, with the Rangers, Padres, and Yankees among the teams earning praise.
- The Phillies released Triple-A outfielder Chris Duffy, reports Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told Steve Kornacki of MLive.com that he "had a chance to do something surprising and big," and that it was like "getting the wind knocked out of you" when it fell through. He didn't elaborate any further, so we'll have to keep playing the guessing game.
- Joel Sherman of The New York Post says the Yankees took on $4.8MM at the deadline, more than any other team (Twitter links). The bankrupt Rangers came in second at $4.1MM.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that he was working on some deals in recent days, but they "fell apart at the end."
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets the Red Sox finished second in the Kerry Wood race, ditto the Rays and Lance Berkman, both of whom ended up with their biggest rival.
- Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider tweets that Yunesky Maya's deal with Washington will be made official within the hour.
- The Padres inquired about Jacoby Ellsbury before picking up Ryan Ludwick, but were told he's not available according to ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes (Twitter links).
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Dodgers took on about $3MM with all their deadline moves. Their financial situation has been in question basically all season.
- Chad Tracy has exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Yankees and is now a free agent, tweet Conor Foley with the Triple-A Scranton Yankees.
- Barret Loux has joined the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod League according to the team's official Twitter feed. Loux was the sixth overall pick in last month's draft, but recently failed his physical with the Diamondbacks and could be looking to rebuild his stock.
- The Royals traded minor league catcher Jeff Howell to the Twins for future considerations according to milb.com's official Twitter feed.
Players Not Traded At The Deadline
Even with all of the moves that occurred prior to this afternoon's non-waiver trade deadline, there are still plenty of players that did not change teams even though we thought they would. Let's recap the guys that did not move this year…
- Adam Dunn: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo wanted to be blown away in any Dunn deal, and even though several clubs inquired, he never found an offer to his liking. Dunn isn't a lock to clear trade waivers in August.
- Jose Bautista: The Major League homerun king drew plenty of interest for obvious reasons, but his versatility gave him even more value than your typical slugger. The Blue Jays are content keeping their top hitter after no one was willing to meet their demands.
- David DeJesus: Nothing but a case of bad luck here, DeJesus tore a ligament in his thumb crashing into the wall last week, ending his season prematurely.
- Joe Beimel: Lefty relievers are always on the move at the deadline, but Colorado couldn't find a taker for Beimel. He could easily be on the move next month.
- Brett Myers: Even though Houston gutted their team by dealing Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman, they chose to not only hang onto Myers, but they're close to giving him a multi-year extension.
- The Blue Jays Bullpen: The trio of Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Kevin Gregg were very much available, but the Matt Capps trade set the market, and no one was willing to go there for any of these guys.
- Adam LaRoche & Kelly Johnson: The Diamondbacks held a mini-firesale, but the right side of their infield stayed put. Both could be had in August, LaRoche more likely than Johnson.
- David Aardsma & Brandon League: Seattle was expected to shop their end-game bullpen duo, but with both players under team control for a few more seasons, the Mariners weren't desperate to move either. No one blew them away with an offer, so Aardsma and League stayed put.
For every team that made a move to improve, there was another that didn't do anything. Here is a look at the clubs that were unable to pull the trigger on a deal…
- Red Sox: Even though the Sox picked up Jarrod Saltalamacchia, GM Theo Epstein told ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes that it was an "empty feeling" not being able to add a reliever or outfield depth.
- Mets: The Amazins were reportedly after both rotation and bullpen help, but they didn't make a single move before the deadline.
- Giants: GM Brian Sabean did add some reinforcements for his bullpen, but he did not add any offensive help despite casting a wide net.
- Brewers: Milwaukee's deadline plans took a big hit when Corey Hart injured his wrist, keeping him on the bench for the last week or so. Even though Prince Fielder's name was mentioned in rumors, he was unlikely to be moved unless someone offered GM Doug Melvin a package he couldn't refuse.
- Athletics: Like the Brewers, the A's deadline plans were sabotaged by injury. Ben Sheets hit the disabled list with an elbow issue, though the team didn't seem interested in moving him anyway. GM Billy Beane never seemed fond of moving Coco Crisp either.
- Reds: Cincinnati was a somewhat surprise contender for both Cliff Lee and Dan Haren, but GM Walt Jocketty ended up sitting on his hands and making no trades before the deadline.
- Rockies: Stuck trying to figure out if they were buyers or sellers, the Rockies didn't move any of their veterans: Aaron Cook, Brad Hawpe, and Melvin Mora among others.
There are sure to be plenty of moves made during the waiver period in August, so these teams will still have ample opportunity to fill these holes. If you're unclear how post-July 31st trades occur, make sure you check out our primer. Last year we saw players like Scott Kazmir, Jim Thome, Carl Pavano, Alex Gonzalez, Brad Penny, Aubrey Huff, Billy Wagner, Jon Garland, and Ivan Rodriguez change teams in August, so there are definitely going to be quality players available on the market next month.
2010 Trade Deadline Recap
There was certainly no shortage of moves not just today, but in the several days leading up to this afternoon's non-waiver trade deadline. The dominoes started to fall when the Rangers beat out the Yankees for Cliff Lee and Dan Haren landed with the Angels, and the action hasn't stopped since. Here's a recap of all the major moves that were made recently…
AL East
- The defending World Champs made as many trades as anyone over the past two days. First they acquired Lance Berkman and cash from the Astros for minor leaguers Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes, then they pounced on Austin Kearns at the cost of a player to be named later or cash. Today they added Kerry Wood, sending Cleveland a player to be named later and cash considerations.
- The Rays responded by strengthening their bullpen with the acquisition of Chad Qualls, who cost them a player to be named later.
- Boston acquired Jarrod Saltalamacchia from the Rangers for minor leaguers Roman Mendez and Chris McGuiness, a player to be named later, and $350,000.
AL Central
- The White Sox fortified their rotation by acquiring Edwin Jackson from Arizona in exchange for Daniel Hudson and David Holmberg.
- Even with Jon Rauch doing a fine job in the interim, the Twins solidified the ninth inning by acquiring closer Matt Capps from the Nationals. They gave up Wilson Ramos and Joe Testa.
- After suffering a string of injuries, the Tigers acquired Jhonny Peralta from the Indians for minor league lefty Giovanni Soto.
AL West
- The first place Rangers continued to position themselves for a playoff run. With Lee and Bengie Molina already aboard, they went out and acquired Jorge Cantu from the Marlins in exchange for minor league arms Evan Reed and Omar Poveda.They also brought in Cristian Guzman, sending minor leaguers Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark to the Nationals. Texas also received $2MM in the deal.
NL East
- The division-leading Braves added depth to their bullpen and outfield by acquiring Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel from the Royals for Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco, and Tim Collins. Atlanta also acquired Wilkin Ramirez from the Tigers in a minor deal.
- A few days before the actual deadline, the Phillies made a huge splash and acquired Roy Oswalt and $11MM from the Astros in exchange for J.A. Happ and prospects Anthony Gose, and Jonathan Villar.
- The Marlins bought instead of sold, receiving lefty reliever Will Ohman from the Orioles in exchange for Rick Vanden Hurk.
NL Central
- The most complicated trade of the deadline involved three teams and four players. The Cardinals received starter Jake Westbrook and prospect Nick Greenwood, the Padres outfielder Ryan Ludwick, and the Indians prospect Corey Kluber.
- The Pirates took advantage of the Diamondbacks' sale, acquiring Chris Snyder, minor leaguer Pedro Ciriaco, and $3MM in exchange for Bobby Crosby, D.J. Carrasco, and Ryan Church.
- After trading away Oswalt, the Astros turned around and flipped Gose to the Blue Jays for the suddenly well-traveled Brett Wallace.
NL West
- The division-leading Padres added a veteran presence in Miguel Tejada, sending minor league pitcher Wynn Pelzer to Baltimore. They also acquired Ludwick in the three team trade mentioned above.
- Despite perceived payroll constraints, the Dodgers were one of the deadline's most active teams. Their first move was to acquire Scott Podsednik from Kansas City for minor leaguers Lucas May and Elisaul Pimentel. They then added Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot, sending Blake DeWitt and minor leaguers Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit back to the Cubs. The final move was to bring in Octavio Dotel, surrendering James McDonald and Andrew Lambo.
- The Giants acquired a pair of arms for their bullpen. They picked up Javier Lopez from the Pirates for John Bowker and Joe Martinez, plus Ramon Ramirez from the Red Sox for minor leaguer Daniel Turpen.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Berkman, Dunn, Dodgers
On this date two years ago, Ichiro Suzuki picked up his 3,000th career hit with a first inning single against the Rangers. The hit was his 1,722nd in the big leagues, which came after he racked up 1,278 hits with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. Including the postseason, the 36-year-old Ichiro has 3,456 career base hits to his credit, a staggering number no matter how you look at it.
Here is the latest from around the baseball blogosphere, a day before the non-waiver trade deadline…
- Phoul Ballz spoke to Lakewood Blue Claws manager Mark Parent about Jonathan Villar's inclusion in the Roy Oswalt deal. Parent managed Villar this season.
- Pale Hose Pariah looks at the trade value of Lance Berkman and Brad Hawpe.
- River Ave. Blues wants to see the Yankees swing a trade for Berkman to be the team's designated hitter.
- 1 Blue Jays Way breaks down to the Anthony Gose–Brett Wallace swap.
- The Process Report tackles the Adam Dunn to the Rays rumor.
- Meanwhile, SD Sports Net wants to see the Padres trade for Dunn.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness explains why the Dodgers shouldn't add a starter before the deadline.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. calculates Paul Maholm's trade value.
- Scouting The Sally compares the trade value of top prospects Jesus Montero and Wilmer Flores.
- Blogging From The Bleachers breaks down the various Cliff Lee hauls.
- Bleacher GM steps into Dave Dombrowski's shoes for a little while.
- More Hardball looks back at some terrible trades from the 1990's.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Roy Oswalt Rumors: Saturday
Astros righty Roy Oswalt indicated yesterday that he would be willing to re-structure his contract to accommodate a trade to the Cardinals, and that his 2012 option worth $16MM would not be a deal-breaker if the team approached him about a deal. The Phillies are still trying to unload Jayson Werth to help facilitate a trade for Oswalt while the Dodgers and Astros have exchanged some names. The Twins, however, are not in on the 32-year-old right-hander.
That's a quick summary of what we learned yesterday, so here is today's batch of Oswalt rumors…
- Philadelphia remains more focused on Oswalt than Haren, tweets Heyman.
- The Phillies could swing a three-way trade involving Jayson Werth in order to land Oswalt, writes Ed Price of Fanhouse. Earlier tonight, we learned that the Phillies could also use Werth to get the prospects needed to land Dan Haren.
- Astros owner Drayton McLane says that there's nothing imminent right now, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
- In addition to the aforementioned Phillies, the Yankees, Dodgers, and Cardinals will all be watching Oswalt's start tonight, according to the Houston Chronicle's Zachary Levine.
- The Dodgers' chances of landing Astros ace Roy Oswalt do not look good, Rosenthal says in his latest Full Count. In fact, some major league executives think that Houston won't trade Oswalt at all. The fact that the Astros were seeking both major league-ready position players and prospects in a deal with Los Angeles may indicate that they're not all that anxious to move the hurler.
- The Phillies, along with a dozen other clubs, will scout Oswalt tonight as he takes the mound against the Reds, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia.
- Rosenthal tweets that the Astros asked the Dodgers for both big league-ready position players and prospects in a deal for Oswalt.
- Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that the Astros rejected a proposal from the Cards earlier this week that would have sent Brendan Ryan and one other player to Houston.
- The Yankees may be in on Dan Haren, but they aren't in on Oswalt, according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.