Odds & Ends: Jays, Haren, Nolasco, Lee, Hunter
Some links before Cliff Lee makes his Rangers' debut this evening…
- Toronto has plenty of trade chips heading into the deadline, writes Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
- FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi says that the Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, White Sox, Angels, and Yankees all had scouts in attendance for last night's Dan Haren–Ricky Nolasco matchup, though it's unclear how many (or if any) were there specifically to watch the righthanders.
- Prospect maven Jim Callis of Baseball America said (via Twitter) that he considers the various packages offered to Seattle for Lee to be "a wash."
- A's GM Billy Beane said that he doesn't anticipate "being that active at the trade deadline," according to John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle. Ben Sheets (4.89 ERA, 6.6 K/9) hasn't built up the trade value Beane hoped he would when they signed him this winter, but there is always a market for starting pitching.
- Joel Sherman and George A. King III of The New York Post heard that club officials from other teams were "irked" by the Mariners' actions during the Lee trade discussions. They also have info on some other prospects Seattle requested from the Yankees.
- Sherman tweets that the Mariners wanted top outfield prospect Desmond Jennings from the Rays in a deal for Lee.
- Torii Hunter told Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times that he wants to be a GM one day, and he thinks that Seattle broke an unwritten rule by trading Lee within the division.
- Derrek Lee told The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan that he wouldn't ask Cubs' GM Jim Hendry to trade him to a contender.
- Lance Berkman told Bernando Fallas of The Houston Chronicle that it feels different to see the Astros in sell mode.
Cardinals Looking To Add Personality To Clubhouse
The Cardinals' trade deadline shopping list probably includes a starting pitcher and a middle infielder, but GM John Mozeliak indicated that he would also like to add some personality to the team's clubhouse according to Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"When you think about our clubhouse personality, you think 'businesslike.' I would use the word 'professional.' I think we could use a true ice-breaker at times," said Mozeliak. "I think sometimes a level of tension develops. You play 162 games with the same group of guys from February to hopefully late October, sometimes you have to be able to take a step back."
Mozeliak made it clear that he was not talking about a team's clubhouse chemistry in a negative way, he just wants to see a more energetic vibe. He mentioned Mark DeRosa, who was limited on the field after being acquired at the trade deadline last season but remained valuable to the team through his intangibles.
Manager Tony LaRussa acknowledged the positive effect that adding some more personality could have, but he emphasized that the priority should be on-field production. He went deeper into the memory bank than Mozeliak, saying that Will Clark was the perfect kind of on the field production, off the field intangibles pick up. St Louis acquired Clark at the 2000 trade deadline.
The Cardinals recently added some bullpen help on minor league deals in the form of Renyel Pinto and Mike MacDougal, and the team also dipped their toe into the Cliff Lee pool. They are also known to covet former Cardinal Dan Haren. It's hard enough to find someone that will be productive when his name is penciled into the lineup, let alone when he's in the clubhouse.
Olney’s Latest: Lee, Mets, Ibanez, Fukudome, DeJesus
In today's blog post at ESPN (Insider req'd), Buster Olney names the winners and losers in yesterday's Cliff Lee deal. Beyond the obvious, he says the Red Sox and Rays win because Lee stays away from the team they're chasing in the AL East while the Athletics and Angels lose because he's going to the team they're chasing in the AL West. Olney also dubs the Phillies losers because yesterday's trade again showed that they didn't receive as much as they could have for Lee when they traded him last winter.
Here are the rest of Buster's rumors…
- People within the Mets' front office are working under the assumption that they will not be able to expand payroll. Earlier this week we heard that the team liked the idea of acquiring Ted Lilly and taking on the now $5.55MM left on his deal as a way to move fewer prospects.
- The Phillies would prefer to move Raul Ibanez and the $17MM left on his deal to make room for top prospect Domonic Brown, but I can't imagine anyone will bite. Impending free agent Jayson Werth might go instead.
- Kosuke Fukudome's stock is falling, but the Cubs are still keeping the eye on the market for his services.
- The Royals are telling teams that they are going to hang on to David DeJesus until the trade deadline before deciding whether or not to move the outfielder.
What’s Next For The Mariners?
The Mariners cashed in their biggest chip yesterday, dealing Cliff Lee to the Rangers for Justin Smoak and three prospects. With the team currently 34-52 and 16 games back in the division, it's reasonable to expect GM Jack Zduriencik to continue making moves geared more towards contending in 2011 than righting the ship in 2010.
Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times points out that with Smoak set to man first on an every day basis, the Mariners now have three players (Milton Bradley, Russell Branyan, and Michael Saunders) for two roster spots (left field, designated hitter). Bradley's sore knee buys them some time, and Saunders could also be optioned to Triple-A, but flipping Branyan to a contender looking for some pop is very possible.
Saunders was almost sent to Philadelphia in last winter's Lee deal before the Phillies' requested Tyson Gillies instead, and Baker says the Zduriencik regime "hasn't exactly been in love" with holdover prospects from the Bill Bavasi era. Saunders could again find himself on the chopping block.
Backup first baseman Casey Kotchman could go at any time, though it's tough to believe there will be much trade interest in his .208/.292/.344 batting line, regardless of how good his defense is. The same could be said of the currently injured Mike Sweeney, though he was hitting a tolerable .263/.327/.475 before his back flared up.
Jose Lopez is very much available, but Baker doesn't think either Brandon League or David Aardsma will be dealt. Both are under team control for the next two seasons, so the Mariners aren't feeling pressure to move them immediately.
The Lee trade basically represented the white flag, but the Mariners don't have much left to trade away beyond Lopez, some relievers, and possibly Branyan. More than anything, they need to start getting better production out of Chone Figgins (.235/.334/.277) and Bradley (.211/.295/.368) while Jason Vargas (3.09 ERA) and Doug Fister (also a 3.09 ERA) continue to establish themselves as viable starters behind Felix Hernandez.
Poll: Next Player To Be Traded
The trade deadline is exactly three weeks away now, and it's entirely possible that yesterday's Cliff Lee blockbuster is the deal that starts the chain reaction. We know there are 30 teams out there looking for upgrades, but some have their eyes on stars while others are looking for role players or prospects.
Who will be the next player to be traded?
Click here to take part in the survey, and here to view the results.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Mets, Red Sox, Meek, Giants
On this date eight years ago, Major League Baseball's 73rd All Star Game ended after 11 innings in a 7-7 tie when both sides ran out of pitchers. Shortly thereafter, commissioner Bud Selig ruled that the All Star Game will determine home field advantage in the World Series, a still unpopular decision. The American League has won every Midsummer Classic since then, and 12 of the last 13 overall (the tie being the one exception).
This year's All Star Game is still four days away, so here are some links to keep you occupied until then…
- Mets Paradise examines some trade scenarios for the Mets involving Ted Lilly and Octavio Dotel.
- The Bottom Line finds some relievers on the trade market that could entice the Red Sox.
- MLB Depth Charts lists (almost) every club's nearly big league-ready trade chips.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. looks at the possibility of the Pirates turning Evan Meek, an All Star, into a starting pitcher.
- The Dugout Report wonders if the Bengie Molina trade means the Giants are going for it, or packing it in.
- Meanwhile, More Hardball catches up with the three Molina brothers.
- River Ave. Blues lays out the case for the Yankees to acquire Kerry Wood.
- Examiner looks at the consequences of Jake Peavy's injury for the White Sox.
- The Baseball Opinion reviews the Mark Mulder trade following the lefty's retirement.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Cubs Looking To Move Cumbersome Salaries
The Cubs are finally starting to get serious about making trades, and The Chicago Tribune's Fred Mitchell and David Kaplan hear that the team is picking up their efforts to shed some "cumbersome salaries." Ownership is also expected to address the media about the team's direction at some point.
"It has been very difficult for the family and the team the first half of the season," chairman Tom Ricketts told season ticket holders. "This is not where the family wanted to be in the first half of the season."
Kosuke Fukudome, who has close to $20MM left on his deal, probably represents the most "movable" of the big salaries, since the team is unlikely to find a taker for Alfonso Soriano ($62MM left) or Carlos Zambrano ($45MM) without eating a significant portion of their contracts.
Derrek Lee is owed approximately $6.2MM the rest of the season, Ted Lilly a touch less. Those two are probably Chicago's best hope for clearing payroll, though the savings will not extend beyond this season since both are scheduled to become free agents this winter. The Cubs have over $103MM in salary obligations for 2011, and more than $62MM for 2012.
Odds & Ends: D-Backs, Padres, Brewers, Rangers
Here are some links to check out while we all hope there won't be an hour long television special when Cliff Lee is traded…
- ESPN's Keith Law tweets that the Diamondbacks have signed fourth round pick Kevin Munson. Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic says Munson received a $243K bonus (via Twitter).
- FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi asked a scout if the Padres should make a trade for a right fielder now that Will Venable is on the disabled list (Twitter link)."No," said the scout. "Aaron Cunningham is playing better than Venable was." Cunningham was acquired from the A's as part of the Kevin Kouzmanoff–Scott Hairston deal, and is hitting .310/.318/.476 in 45 plate appearances this year.
- The Brewers' front office watched four straight losses during their organizational meetings this week, and Morosi thinks (via Twitter) that has them looking more like a seller than buyer.
- Baseball fans aren't the only ones getting excited about a potential Cliff Lee trade. Players inside the Rangers' clubhouse are also thrilled about the possibility of adding the former Cy Young Award winner to the staff, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
- The Nationals have signed three more draft picks according to a team press release, including third rounder Rick Hague. The Nationals' faithful are still waiting on Bryce Harper, however.
2011 Vestings Options Update
The season started with nine vesting options to watch, but we're down to just five a little beyond the season's halfway point…
- Trever Miller, Cardinals. The southpaw's $2MM option vests with 45 appearances. He's appeared in 31 of the team's 85 games, so he's on pace for 59. He should get there easily.
- Alex Cora, Mets. Cora's $2MM option vests with 80 games (not necessarily starts), and he's already appeared in 48. He's on pace for 91 games. Luis Castillo's foot and Ruben Tejada's emergence could stand in Cora's way.
- Darren Oliver, Rangers. His $3.25MM option will lock in with 59 appearances. He's already appeared in 37 games, so he should get there without a problem.
- Ramon Hernandez, Reds. Hernandez must play in 120 games for his $3.25MM option to vest. He's appeared in just 57 of Cincinnati's first 86 contests, putting him on pace for 107 games.
- Magglio Ordonez, Tigers. Ordonez's $15MM option vests with 135 starts or 540 plate appearances. He's on pace for 141 and 615, respectively, so it'll take a lengthy stint on the disabled list to knock him off track.
The vesting options for Kerry Wood, Brian Fuentes, Billy Wagner, and Matt Cain have already been addressed.
Odds & Ends: Padres, Young, Diamondbacks, Yankees
Some links on the night Atlanta became the NL's first 50-win team…
- Dan Hayes of The North County Times says (via Twitter) the international market has been slow for the Padres, and he doesn't expect any "major splashes." San Diego did sign Duanel Jones for $900K back in January.
- Meanwhile, AOL FanHouse's Tom Krasovic sheds some light on the insurance on Chris Young's contract. The Padres' righty will earn $6.25MM this year, though he made just one start before a shoulder issue forced him to the disabled list.
- MLB.com's Jason Beck and Alex DiFilippo report that the Tigers have signed their sixth through eight round draft picks.
- The Diamondbacks have signed 16-year-old Venezuelan center fielder Yorman Garcia to a six-figure bonus, reports Baseball America's Ben Badler.
- ESPN's Buster Olney says that the Yankees are currently focusing on adding a veteran player who can play third base and provide some power (Twitter links). Alex Rodriguez has been dealing with an on-and-off hip issue all season.
- Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com tweets that it is possible the Red Sox will pursue Chris Snyder after the season, though he doesn't think they'll go after him before the deadline.
- MLB.com's Peter Gammons tells us what to watch out for in the second half of the season, specifically with regards to the trade deadline and August 16th draft signing deadline.
- MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling reports that the Nationals have adjusted their plan to manage Stephen Strasburg's innings this season. The phenom will now remain on a regular schedule and be shut down when the time comes in September.
- The Athletics have called up righthander Ross Wolf according to a team press release. Oakland acquired Ross from the Orioles in exchange for Jake Fox late last month.