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Amaro On Taking On Salary In Trades

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Based on comments Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. made to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, it appears the team would not be inclined to take on money in the unlikely event they trade expensive pitchers Cliff Lee or Jonathan Papelbon.  Asked about eating money to ensure the highest return in a trade, Amaro said:

"That's usually the case with most deals in this era.  In the cases of the players rumored out there, like the Lees and Papelbons, taking back money is not going to be an issue because the talent is too high. That's not going to be debilitating for anybody. The teams who would be interested would be willing to take on the dollars associated with it. Particularly in those deals – I don't anticipate doing those – but it's about making baseball deals, not monetary deals. I haven't been mandated to go and shed payroll. I've never had that mandate."

Lee will be owed over $70MM through 2015 at the trade deadline, while Papelbon will have over $30MM through 2015 remaining (more if his 2016 option vests).  Having dropped their last two contests, the Phillies sit at 9.5 games out in the NL East and eight back in the wild card.  As Gelb explains, the team can afford to wait until the end of the month.

Minor Moves: Bonser, Perry, LeBlanc, Seaton

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Today's minor moves…

  • Right-hander Boof Bonser has been released by the Giants, tweets Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 31-year-old made his way back to the Giants organization in 2012. Bonser was selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2000 draft and traded to the Twins along with Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano for A.J. Pierzynski in 2003. He ultimately made 60 starts for the Twins and slotted into their postseason rotation in 2006 after a solid rookie campaign.
  • The Nationals have outrighted Double-A right-hander Ryan Perry from their 40-man roster, the team announced on Twitter. The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for Taylor Jordan, who will step into the rotation in lieu of the injured Dan Haren. Perry, a former first-round pick of the Tigers, has an unsightly 8.52 ERA in 43 1/3 innings between Triple-A and Double-A this season.
  • The Astros announced yesterday they've outrighted pitchers Wade LeBlanc and Ross Seaton to the minors.  LeBlanc, 28, had joined the organization from the Marlins in a waiver claim earlier this month.  The soft-tossing southpaw has a 5.50 ERA, 5.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.20 HR/9, and 38.3% groundball rate in 52 1/3 innings this year, including seven starts.  
  • Seaton, 23, was drafted out of high school in the third round in 2008 under previous Astros GM Ed Wade and signed to an above-slot deal.  Seaton hasn't reached the Majors, but others chosen in that round before him include Craig Kimbrel, Danny Espinosa, and Vance Worley.  Seaton was ranked by Baseball America as the Astros' third-best prospect after he was drafted, and even before this season was ranked 21st.  Before this season, BA downgraded their assessment to say that Seaton "profiles as a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater."  Having grown up in the Houston area, Seaton was excited to have been added to the Astros' 40-man roster in November, but he's lost that spot after 55 innings in 2013.
  • Three players currently reside in DFA limbo: Francisley Bueno of the Royals, Carlos Marmol of the Cubs and Eric Thames of the Mariners.

Ricky Nolasco Rumors: Thursday

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Significant trades remain rare in June, but the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco has four days left to join a club that has added Kevin Youkilis, Mark Ellis, Joel Hanrahan, Sean Burnett, Mark DeRosa, Chris Perez, Nate McLouth, Jeff Locke, and Charlie Morton in recent years.  Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN today that there have been far more serious trade discussions five weeks from the deadline than he can ever recall, and you have to wonder if Colletti is thinking of his own discussions for Nolasco while making that comment.  The entire NL West plus the Orioles have been linked to the 30-year-old righty, who is scheduled to face the Padres tomorrow night.  Nolasco has about $6MM left on his contract, which will certainly be part of the trade negotiations.  The latest:

  • Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Marlins are seeking a "good" prospect as well as the full $6MM of salary relief in exchange for Nolasco. The financial implications of those demands have pushed the Rockies out of the running. The Dodgers are the front-runners, according to one executive, though the Giants and Padres are still involved in talks. The Orioles are "less confident" in their chances, and the Rangers "loom as a possibility," according to the FOX duo.
  • The Dodgers are likely to pay more of Nolasco's salary if it means saving a prospect, tweets Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. The Dodgers are pleased with the current direction of their minor league system.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Dodgers and Marlins have indeed made progress in talks for Nolasco. One source tells Olney that there's a 70 percent chance the deal gets done.
  • The Marlins and Dodgers are indeed in talks about Nolasco, hears Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
  • As a Southern California native, Nolasco would naturally prefer to pitch on the West Coast, notes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.  The interest from the NL West bodes well for that goal, though the Red Sox scouted Nolasco's last start, writes Frisaro.  Nolasco's opinion on being a walking trade rumor?  "Whatever happens, happens," he told Frisaro.
  • What might it take to acquire Nolasco?  Bowden offers proposals for each NL West team in this ESPN article. 

Draft Signings: Jones, Eades, Overton

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Today's notable draft signings…

  • The Pirates signed third round pick JaCoby Jones for $612K, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America.  That's exactly slot for the Boras Corporation advisee.  A speedy second baseman out of Louisiana State, BA ranked Jones as the 75th best draft prospect and noted that he's said to prefer the outfield.
  • The Twins signed second round draft pick Ryan Eades, tweets director of baseball communications and player relations Dustin Morse.  Eades received the slotted amount of $1,294,100, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.  Eades, a righty out of Louisiana State, ranked 37th on the Baseball America 500.  He's advised by the Boras Corporation.  The Twins have two unsigned picks from the first ten rounds: Indiana righty Aaron Slegers from the fifth round, and his teammate Dustin DeMuth from the eighth.
  • The Athletics agreed to terms with second-round draft pick Dillon Overton yesterday, reported the Associated Press.  The Oklahoma lefty, chosen 63rd overall, signed for $400K according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.  That's well under the slot value of $885,600 for the Jonathan Gray teammate, which makes sense given the report from Yahoo's Jeff Passan that Overton will have Tommy John surgery within the next two weeks.  Overton is advised by The Legacy Agency.  With the signing, the A's have inked their top 13 picks according to BA.  They had a bonus pool of $6,036,800 for the top ten, and spent 93% of it at $5,619,100.  Savings on Overton and going cheap on their ninth and tenth-round picks enabled the A's to go over slot on fifth rounder Bobby Wahl and seventh rounder Dustin Driver.
  • Seven first-round draft picks remain unsigned in advance of the July 12th deadline: Kris Bryant of the Cubs, Colin Moran of the Marlins, Austin Meadows of the Pirates, Phil Bickford of the Blue Jays, Hunter Renfroe of the Padres, Ryne Stanek of the Rays, and Aaron Judge of the Yankees.  The Marlins hope to have a deal worked out with Moran "sooner rather than later," a source with knowledge of the negotiations tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

The initial version of this post said that JaCoby Jones signed for under slot; our apologies for the error.

Phillies Acquire John McDonald

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The Phillies acquired infielder John McDonald from the Indians today for a player to be named later or cash considerations, announced the team.  McDonald is expected to join the Phillies tomorrow in Los Angeles, at which point they'll make a corresponding 25-man roster move.  The Phils cleared a 40-man spot by outrighting catcher Steven Lerud.

Johnny Mac, 38, joined the Pirates in a March trade with the Diamondbacks and was traded to Cleveland on June 10th.  The Indians designated McDonald for assignment yesterday to make room for Asdrubal Cabrera.  The veteran is known for his glovework; he's played shortstop, second base, and third base this year.

Latest On Corey Hart

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THURSDAY: Hart is likely to miss the rest of the season, sources tell Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  "We don't know yet," said Brewers GM Doug Melvin.

TUESDAY: There was a time when Brewers first baseman/right fielder Corey Hart looked like an extension candidate, or at least a trade candidate, but those ideas might be out the window due to a delayed recovery from January knee surgery.  As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel explains, Hart once talked about a May season debut, but he suffered setbacks in recent workouts and still isn't close to a minor league rehab assignment.  There's no talk of a timetable; a mid-July return after the All-Star break appears unlikely.  Adds Haudricourt, "At this point, it's not completely out of the question that he will miss the entire season, though nobody is ready to say that yet."

The Brewers are clearly defined sellers this summer, and Hart could have been a primary asset since he's in his contract year and offers good power.  But Hart won't be traded by the July 31st deadline, and the idea of moving him in August is speculation at best.  He's earning $10MM and can block deals to 15 teams.

The Brewers weren't interested in extending Hart prior to the injury, he explained to Haudricourt, saying, "They weren't really open to talks beforehand so it's not like me having a bad knee affected it."  Hart, who will play next season at age 32, averaged 29 home runs per year from 2010-12.  Given the seriousness of his knee injury, Hart seems a candidate for a one-year free agent deal in the offseason.

Mets Notes: Parnell, Ricco

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At 11.5 games out in the NL East, the Mets are among the game's clear sellers here in late June.  The latest on the team:

Braves Expected To Show Interest In Gregg

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The Braves are "among the many teams expected to show interest in Cubs closer Kevin Gregg," writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  Bowman notes that the righty closed for current Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez when both were with the Marlins in 2007-08.  Gregg is just one of many relievers the Braves may be looking at as they pursue veteran help with Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters out for the season.

Gregg, 35, has become an unlikely asset for the Cubs, returning to their closer role and posting a 1.42 ERA, 9.2 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 0.71 HR/9, and 36.5% groundball rate in 25 1/3 innings.  He's proof of the volatility of relievers.  In March, ESPN Los Angeles' Mark Saxon wrote that Gregg "quietly stewed" over the fact that he couldn't find a Major League deal in the offseason coming off a 2012 campaign in which he posted a 4.95 ERA and 1.5 K/BB ratio in 43 2/3 frames for the Orioles.  He signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers, who couldn't find a spot on their big league pitching staff due to their starter surplus and released him.  He then signed a minor league deal with the Cubs, who selected his contract in a mid-April bullpen shakeup.

It's a little early for a clear picture of Gregg's market, but the Braves, Reds, Red Sox, Tigers, and Padres are likely to be on the hunt for bullpen help.  The Cubs and Braves hooked up on a notable trade near the deadline last year, with Chicago shipping veterans Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson to Atlanta for prospects Arodys Vizcaino and Jaye Chapman.

Marlins Unlikely To Trade Giancarlo Stanton

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Dreaming of slugger Giancarlo Stanton manning right field for your contending team this summer?  Forget about it.  Multiple reports this week suggest Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria will not trade Stanton before the July 31st deadline.  According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Loria is "adamant about wanting to build around Stanton."  And two days ago, ESPN's Jayson Stark wrote that officials of three different teams told him Loria "has decided this isn't the time to deal him."

Stanton, who is under the Marlins' control through 2016, "remains extremely unlikely to sign with the club long term," according to Rosenthal.  Regardless, Rosenthal hears Loria is "hell-bent on winning in the near future - and proving that he made the right baseball decisions when he tore apart his roster."  The Marlins traded Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante, Edward Mujica, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio, and John Buck in the last year, but as Rosenthal notes, many of their young players are coming on strong.  How interesting would it be if this team made significant acquisitions during the offseason?  Top free agents would be extremely wary, but money talks and trades remain possible.

The Marlins do have trade candidates this summer aside from Stanton, including Ricky Nolasco, Placido Polanco, Greg Dobbs, Juan Pierre, Jeff Mathis, Chad Qualls, Ryan Webb, Kevin Slowey, Steve Cishek, and Mike Dunn.

Trade Market For First Basemen

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Last July one of the most notable first baseman trades came early in the month, as the Marlins acquired Carlos Lee from the Astros for Matt Dominguez and Rob Rasmussen.  The Marlins later dealt the man Lee replaced, Gaby Sanchez.  The Lee trade might have marked the last time the Marlins will act as buyers for a while; they moved Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante, Hanley Ramirez, and Edward Mujica for younger players weeks later, sparking a new direction.  This year, teams such as the Yankees, Royals, Rockies, and Giants could be looking for help at first base.

Starters

Mike Morse (Mariners), Kendrys Morales (Mariners), Justin Smoak (Mariners), Adam Dunn (White Sox),  Paul Konerko (White Sox), Justin Morneau (Twins), Carlos Pena (Astros), Chris Carter (Astros), Logan Morrison (Marlins), Ike Davis (Mets), Lucas Duda (Mets)

A closer look at the teams and situations listed here:

  • Mariners: Morse and Morales are probably the most eminently available bats who are capable of playing first base, though neither has spent much time there in 2013 and Morse is currently on the DL with a quad strain.  Both players are free agents after the season and are unlikely to receive qualifying offers.  They've got some pop and don't come with ridiculous contracts.  Smoak, 26, was the primary piece acquired by Seattle upon sending Cliff Lee to Texas three years ago.  This year, he's missed time with an oblique strain and has continued to fail to show the power typical of a first baseman.  With arbitration eligibility ahead (not that he'll receive a large salary), the Mariners could choose to use Smoak in a deal.
  • White Sox: I don't expect Dunn or Konerko to be traded, but they should at least be available.  Dunn's walks can't save a .200 batting average, his defense at first is not beloved, and he's owed around $20MM through 2014.  Konerko has started to hit somewhat in June, but he is a Chicago icon with no-trade protection.  He'd have to want to go to a contender, and with around $4.5MM left on his contract the money would have to be worked out with the acquiring team.
  • Twins: Morneau has spent his entire career in Minnesota, winning the MVP in '06.  Like Konerko, he has no-trade protection, over $4.5MM remaining on his contract, and a slugging percentage below .400.  Trying to move guys like Konerko and Morneau might be more trouble than it's worth unless the players are completely on board and the teams can find significant savings.
  • Astros: Pena is a veteran on a cheap one-year deal, but he's not hitting enough to bring back anything notable.  The Astros might rather just have him in their clubhouse.  Carter, 26, is tied for 12th in the AL with 15 home runs.  He also leads all of baseball with 108 strikeouts.  He appears to be the 30 home run, low batting average slugger we thought he was, which is OK but shouldn't prevent the Astros from listening.
  • Marlins: Morrison's season debut was June 9th, as he was recovering from September knee surgery.  There's no particular reason to expect LoMo to be dealt, but he'll be arbitration eligible next year, and it's the Marlins.
  • Mets: Considered a probable long-term piece for the Mets as the season began, Davis was brutal over 207 plate appearances to begin the season and was optioned to Triple-A.  A recall seems imminent, but as with the Mariners and Smoak, the Mets could just send him packing in a change of scenery deal.  Davis will probably be tendered a contract this winter, but not necessarily by the Mets.  Duda has drawn some walks and hit some home runs, but similar to Carter, there's no reason the Mets shouldn't listen on the 27-year-old.

Backups

The Marlins' Greg Dobbs should be available, and the Astros' Pena would fit in a backup role.

Other Possibilities

The Brewers' Corey Hart looks like an August trade candidate, if anything, as he's dealt with delays in his recovery from January knee surgery.  The Phillies' Ryan Howard would be nice to add in the larger part of a platoon, facing righties, but he's owed about $65MM through 2016 with good no-trade protection.  The logistics of a deal would be complicated, and the Phillies might not have the desire anyway.  The Nationals' Adam LaRoche gets a mention because of a scenario from ESPN's Jayson Stark, but it doesn't feel too likely to me.  The Giants' Brandon Belt has been OK, and as you've seen in this post, there are few available players who would serve as a clear upgrade.

Check out our Trade Market For Catchers post as well.

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