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Cubs, Hendry Standing Pat

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According to Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Sports Tribune, Jim Hendry is comfortable with how the Cubs look going forward.

"’You have to stay on top of it,’ Hendry said. ’We got an extra bullpen guy in the trade with Oakland in Chad Gaudin. What you obviously need is for [Kerry Wood] to come back healthy and then everything else usually falls in line. And Samardzija is going to give us a lift.’"

Wood is aiming for Tuesday to be his return date.  Along with Gaudin and Sean Marshall in the bullpen, the emergence of Jeff Samardzija may be all they need.  Says Lou Pineilla, "If he continues to throw the ball [well], it’s almost like trading for a reliever."

On offense, Hendry feels Alfonso Soriano’s bat is only going to get hotter.  He conclusively adds,

"’We aren’t hitting since the break like we want to, but we aren’t going to go out and replace our star players because they’re having a bad week,’ Hendry said. ’And the other players, let’s give them their due, the Ryan Theriots, Mike Fontenots, Reed Johnsons and Henry Blancos. Those people are doing more than their fair share. You don’t upgrade from that.’"

Mets Focus On Raul Ibanez

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Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News brings us insight on the Mets’ interest in acquiring an outfielder, namely Raul Ibanez, before the deadline:

"The Mets scratched a second name off their list of four primary trade targets when Cleveland dealt Casey Blake to the Dodgers yesterday, one day after Xavier Nady landed with the Yankees. Seattle’s Raul Ibanez appears the most logical remaining target, since Pittsburgh seems less inclined to trade Jason Bay after having dealt Nady."

The price tag for Ibanez may be too high for the Mets, but with the Nady and Blake deals being within reason the cost of Ibanez should come down to earth.

Mark Teixeira Roundup

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More on the Mark Teixeira front:  Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution names four guys the Braves have been reportedly targeting in deals for Teixeira.  Nobody new appears, but it’s good fodder for conversation:

Kevin Youkilis: Ortiz is healthy and Youkilis has been arguably the Red Sox MVP so far this season, not far off from Teixeira in production. Both sides deny it. Mixed reviews from MLBTR readers. Can we put this to rest?

James Loney: Keith Law reported yesterday on the Dodgers as a good fit with the caveat that Loney would have to either be included in the deal or default to the bench. If included, Loney would be a good a catch for the Braves. At age 24, he’s getting paid $411,000 to hit .301 and drive in a team-high 57 RBI. He won’t hit free agency until 2013. Far be it from me to predict what the Dodgers will do, but Loney has to be at least somewhat untouchable.

Conor Jackson:  These rumors have been dispelled for now.

Casey Kotchman: Maybe the only intriguing possibility on this list, Kotchman is 25 and not eligible for free agency until 2012. The Angels dangled him and Joe Saunders in a deal for Teixeira before the Braves one-upped them.  The Halos’ offense has picked it up this month and Scioscia’s saying they don’t need help. Still, with the addition of Teixeira, the Angels would be scary.

Teixeira To D’Backs Unfounded

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"A D-Backs executive called the speculation ’rumors without any real basis.’ An attempt to obtain Teixeira, who is a free agent after 2008, would fly in the face of the D-Backs way of operating, which is to build for the future on a conservative, mid-market budget."

Conor Jackson and Chad Tracy were two names mentioned as pieces, but with Teixeira set to make upwards of $20MM per year next season and CoJack not even in arbitration yet, it never made a whole lot of sense.  Chad Tracy and prospects Jarrod Parker and Dallas Buck were suggested to be in consideration by Peter Gammons but apparently that is a non-story.

From Jack Magruder of the East Valley Tribune, there appears to be no substance to Arizona’s interest in Mark Teixeira as reported by Ken Rosenthal yesterday.

Odds & Ends: Nady, Loewen, Torrealba

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Just a few loose ends:

  • Adam Loewen’s career as a pitcher is over.  The once highly-touted prospect is planning to reinvent himself as an outfielder/first baseman rather than opt for surgery and face a year and a half off.
  • Dejan Kovacevic reports that Xavier Nady was out of the lineup on Saturday not because of any pending trade, but because Manager John Russell wanted to give him another day to catch up to himself after a number of days spent sitting in a hospital for the birth of his son, Xavier Jr.
  • Yorvit Torrealba is still unhappy as a backup for Chris Ianetta.  Most likely not a coincidence that he’s voicing it now with the deadline approaching.

Astros Looking For Reliever

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The Astros won’t give up and are aggressively pursuing trades "specifically looking for relievers" according to Krysten Oliphant of MLB.com.  Oliphant notes that GM Ed Wade’s decisions will be determined by the clubs success over the next few series:

"’We’d like to get some late-inning bullpen help to help with Doug Brocail so we’re not wearing Doug out,’ Wade said prior to Friday’s win against the Cubs. ’And obviously we’re always trying to see if there are ways to upgrade our starting rotation, but that doesn’t put us in exclusive company with anybody.’"

There are a lot of names on the reliever market.  I’d be surprised to see them land one of the big fish.

Ray Durham To Brewers

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1:33PM Keith Law says the Giants got prospects Darren Ford and Steve Hammond in exchange for two months of Durham.

Buster Olney’s reporting the Brewers have acquired Ray Durham.  It’s not yet known what they received in return, although according to the Milwaukee Sentinel, OF prospect Darren Ford was removed from his class-A Brevard County starting lineup yesterday "with indications he is being traded."  MLBTR covered movement on this yesterday.

Durham, a switch hitter, brings his bat to the Brewers bench and could take over Rickie Weeks’ spot on the depth chart if Weeks continues to struggle in the second half.

Rockies Release Nix For Olympics

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Jayson Nix was designated for assignment by the Rockies on Saturday.  If Nix clears waivers, and he should, then he will be rejoining Team USA in Beijing.

According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, USA Baseball talked with Rockies Assistant GM Bill Geivett about acquiring Nix.  The 25 year old second baseman failed to hold onto the starting job in Colorado this season, but he’s still young and has met success in the past with Team USA.  Writes Harding:

"It was with Team USA that Nix has had his highest baseball moment. In the 2007 International Baseball Federation World Cup in Taipei City, Taiwan, Nix went 12-for-31 with six extra-base hits to lead the U.S. to the gold medal and the earn tournament’s most valuable player honors."

Royals To Stand Pat

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Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star doesn’t expect the Royals to move anyone before the deadline because all of their pieces are under contract beyond this season and/or integral to their plan to contend in the future.

The Royals 2-prospect pricetag is too steep for Jose Guillen who’s signed through 2010 and leads the team in HR and RBI.  Gil Meche has a no-trade clause and even so, the Royals feel he’s a key piece to their future chances.  Even though the team isn’t discussing any long term deals with him, Zack Greinke is under control through arbitration through 2010 and the Royals are in no rush there.  David Dejesus’ contract, at $14.3MM for the next 3 years, is too good to trade away.  And Ron Mahay is under contract through next year and filling a void left by Jimmy Gobble who continues to get worse.

Mark Grudzielanek remains the only name the Royals could deal, but there doesn’t seem to be much demand.  Writes Dutton,

"’It will probably have to be a need-based thing for somebody,’ a club official said. ’Somebody loses a second baseman and really needs to go get one. Otherwise, I don’t see it happening.’"

Braves To Keep Teixeira?

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According to Terence Moore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Braves are apparently sticking to their guns and going forward as buyers, not sellers.  Moore writes:

"Braves manager Bobby Cox informed [Mark] Teixeira and others as much on Friday in a team meeting. ’Bobby pointed out that there had been rumors about me and [reliever Will Ohman], and he told us not to listen to media reports and to those rumors, because this team is still trying to win the [National League East],’ said Teixeira."

The Braves could dramatically tumble out of it quickly if they struggle against the Marlins and Phillies in upcoming series’, but Moore feels they wouldn’t mind the draft picks or even the chance to re-sign Teixeira if it meant remaining competitive.

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