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Enter The DraftStreet Trade Deadline Freeroll

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Pick one player from each of eight tiers and you've got a shot at part of the $400 prize pool in DraftStreet's latest MLBTR freeroll!  You've got nothing to lose by signing up and making your picks, as this game has no entry fee.  You'll be competing based on the stats your eight players accumulate in games on Tuesday, July 31st – trade deadline day.

I've chosen an all-offense strategy, with huge power coming from bats like Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Michael Morse, plus plenty of speed from Mike Trout, Ian Kinsler, and Jacoby Ellsbury.  Check out the scoring categories in the rules section.  A screenshot of my roster:

Roster

Take five minutes to make your picks for Tuesday's games, and you've got a shot at the $400 prize pool!  Please note that this post is a paid advertisement by DraftStreet.

Latest On Victorino, Pence, Pierre

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Earlier today, Yahoo's Jeff Passan wrote that the Phillies haven't shopped center fielder Shane Victorino nearly as aggressively as right fielder Hunter Pence, even though Victorino will be eligible for free agency after the season and Pence is under team control for 2013.  The latest on the Phillies' outfielders:

  • The Dodgers and Reds seem to be the last two Victorino suitors remaining, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweets.
  • The Giants are discussing Pence, but not Victorino, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
  • The Reds still want a leadoff hitter and Victorino has been their top target, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. The Reds don't like the Phillies' asking price for Victorino, and their interest in Pierre seems to have been exaggerated, Knobler writes.
  • The Dodgers are more likely to acquire Victorino, but they're also in on Pence, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
  • The Reds appear to be zeroing in on Pierre, writes ESPN's Jayson Stark.  He says the Dodgers look like the frontrunner on Victorino, while teams that have checked in on Pence believe the Phillies will wait until the offseason.
  • The Phillies' asking price on Victorino is outrageous, an executive of one team tells Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
  • The Orioles have interest in Victorino, Pence, and Juan Pierre, tweets Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, who notes Pierre is the best fit cost-wise.  The Reds have quietly evaluated Pierre as a possible target since June, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and USA Today's Bob Nightengale says the Reds' coaching staff loves him.    
  • The Pirates did not seem alive on Victorino as of late last night, tweeted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Giants, Reds, and Dodgers have been named as other potential suitors for the 31-year-old.  Victorino is hitting .261/.324/.401 in 431 plate appearances this year.
  • The Phillies have pushed Pence but want a big return, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.  Salisbury says most interest is on Victorino and starter Joe Blanton.

Josh Beckett Rumors: Monday

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Despite a report of the Red Sox shopping righty Josh Beckett to the Rangers and Braves, there was a clear vibe from reporters this morning that a trade is unlikely.  Beckett can veto any trade given his 10-and-5 rights, and he's owed $37MM through 2014.  The latest on the 32-year-old Texan…

  • The Red Sox won't trade Beckett before the deadline, Gordon Edes tweets.
  • The Rangers haven't ruled out the possibility of trading for Beckett, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.  Yet a rival GM estimates that there's just a 2% chance of a deal being completed. "Too much money involved, and Beckett isn't pitching that well," the GM told Edes.
  • Beckett will not be traded to the Rangers, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford.
  • Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com has a different take on the Beckett situation.  He says the Red Sox are willing to listen but not aggressively seeking to move him, and it is the Rangers, Braves, and Dodgers who called to inquire on Beckett.  McAdam says the Sox won't assume much of the $37MM owed to Beckett, and the chances of a deal are less than 50-50.
  • Asked by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe whether reports of him trying to move Beckett were accurate, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said no.
  • The Braves are not a viable landing spot for Beckett right now, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford.  Bradford says the Braves are not in position to assume Beckett's financial obligation, even if the Red Sox pick up a significant portion.  MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the Braves are not a likely fit for Beckett, but Atlanta would be more interested in Jon Lester.  The Red Sox are saying no, flatly, regarding calls about Lester, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • Rangers people aren't too excited about the Beckett speculation, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • There is a sense that Beckett might waive his 10-and-5 rights for certain teams, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but clubs are concerned about his attitude and performance.  In comments made to Bradford a couple days ago, Beckett said he prefers to stay, "But if people don’t want you, you don’t want to be there. Obviously I have some things where it would be very difficult for them to trade me if I didn’t want to be traded. But you have to think realistically. If you’re not wanted somewhere, why stay there? Know what I mean? It kind of makes it a little more difficult. But [GM Ben Cherington] assured me during spring training that he wants me here, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s just made-up fodder."
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says there is no longer a required 24-hour waiting period for 10-and-5 players to approve a trade, so trade talk for players like Beckett and Ryan Dempster can go right down to the wire.

Latest On Giants’ Search For Outfielders

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10:34pm: Alfonso Soriano has told the Cubs he won't accept a trade to San Francisco, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio tweets.

8:31pm: There's some juice to the trade talks and a deal "could happen," Heyman tweets.  The Giants remain determined to acquire a hitter.

2:43pm: There is no Pence deal in place or close between the Giants and Phillies, writes Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

12:09pm: The Giants are talking to the Phillies about Pence, confirms Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  However, ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Giants "appear to have too many payroll issues and too few chips to make that deal work right now."  Stark mentions the Justin Morneau idea for San Francisco, which Heyman alluded to earlier today.  Morneau, however, will make more money than Pence through next year.

10:36am: "It would be a shocker" if the Giants don't acquire an outfielder before the trade deadline, writes ESPN's Buster Olney.  Jon Heyman of CBS Sports agrees that the Giants are seeking an outfielder.  The Giants have been linked to the Phillies' Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, but it appears no deal is in place currently.

Orioles Are Blanton’s Most Interested Suitor

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8:55pm: The teams continue haggling about players and money, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).  The Phillies would absorb more money if they get a better prospect in return.

8:15pm: The Orioles are declining to trade Schoop for Blanton, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).  The teams are deep in negotiations, Connolly writes.  Five to seven teams, including the Blue Jays, have showed interest in Blanton, according to Connolly.

8:04pm: The Phillies want to shed all of Blanton's contract (he's owed $3.02MM from here until the end of the season), but the Orioles are hesitant to take on that much salary in this case, Connolly reports (Twitter links). The Phillies believe they have other options, so negotiations could continue until the trade deadline on Tuesday.

7:03pm: Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer hears the Phillies want infield prospect Jonathan Schoop for Blanton.  Schoop, 20, entered the season as the Orioles' number three prospect behind Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado, according to Baseball America.  However, he didn't crack the publication's midseason list of the top 50 prospects in the game.  Schoop has a .244/.301/.391 batting line in 413 plate appearances at Double-A this year.

4:39pm: The Phillies have sent Blanton's medical records to the Orioles, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (on Twitter).

11:04am: The Orioles are Joe Blanton's most interested suitor, according to MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli.  She reminds us that the Cardinals and Blue Jays have also expressed interest.  But for the Orioles, the Phillies' righty is "there if they want him," a source tells Ghiroli.  Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com says the Orioles have been checking Blanton out since spring training, and Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported on the team's interest as well today.  Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun tweets that while the Orioles are one of five to seven teams that inquired on Blanton and they may be the most intrigued, the organization is torn on whether he'll help.

Ghiroli says the Orioles have scouted Blanton heavily, and one source tells her the Phillies seek an MLB-ready utility player or a middle relief prospect.  Blanton, 31, has a 4.59 ERA, 7.8 K/9, 1.2 BB/9, 1.49 HR/9, and 43.9% groundball rate in 133 1/3 innings this year, and he's averaged over 6.6 innings per start.  He'll take the ball every fifth day and won't hurt himself with walks, but will also allow tons of hits and home runs.  Blanton signed an extension with the Phillies in January of 2010 and has just over $3MM left on his contract.     

Latest On Ryan Dempster

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8:26pm: The Cubs and Dodgers are still discussing scenarios involving Dempster and Soriano, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).  The Dodgers repeated today that they won't trade Webster for Dempster, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter).

4:57pm: There hasn't been any recent dialogue between the Dodgers and Cubs, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter).

2:41pm: Dodgers pitching prospects Zach Lee, Allen Webster, and Chris Reed are all off the table in Dempster talks, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.

1:41pm: Talks between the Dodgers and Cubs for Dempster are gaining momentum, reports Scott Miller of CBS Sports.  The Cubs are trying to bend over backwards to get Dempster to the Dodgers, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

1:09pm: The Nationals have positioned themselves as the perfect fallback option for the Cubs on Dempster, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark.  It's unknown whether Dempster would approve a trade to the Nats.

12:08pm: The Cubs and Dodgers are still discussing righty Ryan Dempster, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.  Left fielder Alfonso Soriano remains part of these trade talks, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Dodgers are said to be Dempster's first choice, and he controls the process with 10-and-5 rights.  Yesterday, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote that the Cubs' failed attempt to obtain pitching prospect Allen Webster from the Dodgers for Dempster left those talks stalemated.  The Dodgers have had an offer on the table for Dempster since July 19th, writes Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com.

Last week, the Braves seemed close to acquiring Dempster for Randall Delgado, and Wittenmyer has a few details on that still-vague failed deal.  Dempster said Sunday, "Who’s to say I was going to say no or yes to whatever team.  All I said was that I just, at that time, needed to think about everything."  From the Braves' end, there's no guarantee Delgado would still be available, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

Chase Headley Rumors: Monday

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With a .267/.363/.423 line that looks even better on the road, 28-year-old Padres third baseman Chase Headley has drawn interest from many teams this month.  Throw in team control through 2014 and you've got a hot commodity, but it appears Headley may stay put for now.  The latest:

  • The Padres wanted Jake Arrieta and two prospects for Headley, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports (Twitter links).  After Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado, Arrieta is the young Orioles player rival teams covet most, Connolly writes.  However, those clubs are trying to buy low on Arrieta.  Connolly reports that one of the two prospects the Padres sought with Arrieta is a high ceiling player at Class A Delmarva.
  • The Padres told clubs Sunday they'll keep Headley unless the market changes dramatically, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark.  Earlier, Yahoo's Jeff Passan wrote that the Padres expect to decide today whether to keep Headley.
  • The Athletics won't trade starting pitching prospect Dan Straily in a Headley deal, tweets Peter Gammons of MLB Network.  Lightly regarded by prospect gurus prior to the season, the 23-year-old is in the midst of a breakout campaign and is now considered a quality pitching prospect.  Still, despite leading the minor leagues in strikeouts, Straily did not crack top 50 prospects lists published by ESPN's Keith Law and Baseball America this month.

Latest On Brandon League

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2:02pm: The White Sox, Rangers, Giants, Dodgers, and other clubs are in on League, writes Scott Miller of CBS Sports.

11:19am: The Giants are still involved on Mariners reliever Brandon League, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, adding along with colleague Ken Rosenthal that the Dodgers inquired.  Yesterday afternoon, Morosi tweeted that the Mariners were discussing League with multiple teams.

League, 29, has a 3.63 ERA, 5.4 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 0.20 HR/9, and 46.9% groundball rate in 44 2/3 innings this year.  He's allowed just one home run despite the lowest groundball rate of his career.  League has $1.71MM remaining on his contract and will be eligible for free agency after the season.  His earning power was hurt a bit by the loss of the Mariners' closing job in late May.

Marlins Expect To Keep Josh Johnson

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The Marlins told teams today they're going to keep Josh Johnson barring something unforeseen, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark.  The 28-year-old is under contract through 2013.  Johnson has been healthy this year, though his strikeout rate and fastball velocity are down and he's allowed more hits than innings pitched.  The Marlins wouldn't be trading him at peak value, but it never hurts to listen.

Dodgers No Longer A Fit For Morneau

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The Dodgers are no longer a fit for Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, now that they've sent Nathan Eovaldi to Miami in the Hanley Ramirez deal.  Rosenthal says the Twins seek a Major League ready starting pitcher for Morneau, and of course will have to work out the $19MM remaining on his contract.

Earlier today, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports named the Blue Jays and Giants as potential Morneau suitors.

The Dodgers appear to have their sights set on Shane Victorino and Ryan Dempster, ESPN's Jayson Stark wrote today.

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