Discussion: What Should The Indians Do?
Earlier tonight we noted that the Indians were looking to "cut corners because of the economy" when setting next year's payroll, not something you'd like to hear from the team with worst record in the American League and second worst overall. The Indians have already moved Mark DeRosa, and they have several other desirable pieces in closer Kerry Wood and infielder Jamey Carroll.
However, the Tribe's two best trade chips are reigning Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and All Star backstop Victor Martinez, but the club hasn't made it known that either player is available just yet. The team holds options on both players for 2010, totalling $15MM combined.
Given their financial situation for next year, do you think the Indians should deal Lee and V-Mart now and maximize the return, or hold on to them and try to contend next year? Both players would bring significant young and cost controlled piece back, and if GM Mark Shapiro plays his cards right, he could be looking at not one, but two Mark Teixeira-esque hauls here. So, what do you think?
Odds & Ends: Halladay, Rays, Indians, Rockies, Draft
With another round of deals today, we're reminded that the trade deadline is just three weeks away. Here's some evening linkage…
- Joe Haggerty rounds up Peter Gammons' weekly appearance on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike this morning. Among many other topics, Gammons touched on Roy Halladay, saying that he believes "there’s about a 20 percent chance that Halladay gets traded."
- MLB.com's Zach Schonbrun writes that Rays owner Stuart Sternberg says the team is unlikely to cut payroll during the season, assuming they stay in the hunt of course.
- The Indians aren't so lucky. Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer says that when "it comes to setting next year's payroll, the Indians are going to be looking to cut corners because of the economy." He mentions Rafael Betancourt and Kelly Shoppach as candidates to be moved because of their salaries.
- The Denver Post's Troy Renck says the Rockies are unlikely to move Ryan Spilborghs and "aren't in a hurry" to trade Garrett Atkins.
- Team president Frank Coonelly refuted a report saying that the Pirates had "essentially completed a deal" with fourth round pick Zack Dodson, according to Dejan Kovacevic.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports that the Orioles have signed four more draft picks.
Padres Sign Russ Adams
MLB.com's Corey Brock tweets that the Padres have signed Russ Adams to a minor league deal. The Blue Jays designated the former first round pick for assignment last week. Adams has been assigned to Triple-A Portland.
Dodgers Looking For A Reliever
Diamond Leung notes that during an interview with Seth Everett and Jim Duquette on Sirius XM Radio, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said that his top priority is adding a bullpen piece.
“If we’re assuming that everybody’s healthy from here on out, I would say that our top priority would be a bullpen piece, especially somebody with veteran stature. I think that would be No. 1. If we can find a starter that’s obviously better than who we have starting now, that would be No. 2. The number of names that have been tossed around out there that we’ve made contact with clubs that would definitively make our starting rotation better…it’s a very, very short list. It might be a longer list in the bullpen. We’re concentrating on both, and hopefully will be able to do one if not both between now and July 31.”
Colletti also said that the price for Roy Halladay may be too high, but didn't rule out potentially pursuing the righthander. Speaking on Sportscenter earlier this evening, ESPN's Buster Olney noted that the Dodgers had two scouts watch Halladay's start in Tampa yesterday.
Mets, Braves Swap Church For Francoeur
6:07pm: Hubbuch clears up some confusion: the Braves are sending the Mets cash in the deal. That makes more sense given the difference in salaries.
5:48pm: Adam Rubin of The NY Daily News reports that Braves also received cash in the deal. Church is making $2.8MM this year, his second arbitration eligible season. Francoeur is making $3.375MM in his first arbitration eligible year.
5:04pm: Hubbuch says the deal was straight up, one for one.
5:01pm: David Lennon tweets that Church was traded to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur has put up a .250-.282-.352 batting line in 324 plate appearances in 2009.
5:00pm: Bart Hubbuch of The NY Post tweets that the Ryan Church has "apparently been traded." Church is hitting .280-.332-.375 in 255 plate appearances this season, and has been playing centerfield recently while Carlos Beltran is the DL.
Pirates Release Chris Snelling
John Perrotto tweets that the Pirates have released outfielder Chris Snelling to make room on the Triple-A Indianapolis roster for the recently acquired Lastings Milledge. Snelling owns a career .302-.392-.456 batting line in the minors, but has struggled to stay healthy and managed just a .244-.360-.400 line in close to 300 big league plate appearances.
Discussion: Who Should Start The All-Star Game?
It's a slow night in Rumorville, so let's go a little off-base and talk about players we'd like to see in this year's All Star Game. No, we're not going to bother talking about position players since fans are allowed to vote for those guys, instead let's talk about which pitchers we think should start the game.
Here's some of the deserving candidates from the American League:
- Zack Greinke: 2.00 ERA in 121.1 IP, both tops in the bigs
- Roy Halladay: 2.79 ERA and tied for the league lead with 10 wins
- Justin Verlander: leads the AL with 130 K and the majors with 10.70 K/9
And now, the senior circuit:
- Dan Haren: 113-15 K/BB ratio & 0.81 WHIP are by far the best in baseball, second to Greinke with a 2.19 ERA
- Josh Johnson: 7-1 record with a 2.76 ERA
- Tim Lincecum: leads the majors with 141 K, holding opponents to a .218 AVG
I've only picked a select few, so don't get upset if I'd didn't list the pitchers you think should start the game above. If it was up to me, I'd go with Greinke and Haren. What about you guys?
Odds & Ends: Grabow, Yankees, Orioles
One more roundup of links for the night…
- George. A. King III of The New York Post mentions that the Pirates had two scouts watch the Yankees earlier this week, possibly in advance of a deal involving lefty reliever John Grabow.
- He mentions that the Dodgers and Rockies had scouts on hand as well. The Yanks have already expressed interest in Huston Street earlier this season.
- King also says that the Yanks refuse to talk about prospects Austin Jackson and Austin Romine in trade talks according to other organizations.
- Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun recaps the first half of the Orioles' season and says they're building towards something, he's just not quite sure what. He does however praise the performance of young players like Nolan Reimold.
- On the day of his tragic and untimely death, let's not forget that Steve McNair was quite the baseball player as well, getting selected by the Mariners in the 35th round of the 1991 Draft. (hat tip: Jesse Spector of The NY Daily News)
International Free Agent Signings: Saturday
These signings will trickle in throughout the day, so let's keep track of the notable ones in a single post. Keep checking back in for updates.
- Baseball America's Ben Badler reports that the Padres have signed Dominican centerfielder Yoan Alcantara. ESPN's Jorge Arangure says he received a $135,000 signing bonus. Alcantara is said to be a good athlete with plus speed and a plus arm.
- Arangure tweets that the Rockies signed Dominican shortstop Rosmel Herrera for $550,000.
- Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News says that the Giants signed righthander Marvin Barrios out of Panama to a six-figure bonus.
- Badler has another: The Rangers have signed Venezuelan shortstop Luis Sardinas. No word on the exact financial details, but he's expected to receive a singing bonus over $1MM.
- MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports that the Rangers have signed 16-yr old Jurickson Profar out of Curacao. Profar stared in the 2004 Little League World Series, and is a legitimate prospect both at short and on the mound.
Twins A Distant Third For Sano
ESPN's Jorge Arangure tweets that the Twins are now just a distant third behind the Pirates and Orioles in the sweepstakes for Dominican megaprospect Miguel Angel Sano. He notes that the Twins don't have unlimited funds, and instead are "simply moving on."
Earlier today we recapped everything we know about Sano, the top prospect on this year international market.