Wanted: Android App Beta Testers
2:40pm: UPDATE: The testing group is full, thanks for the emails.
2:32pm: A beta version of our new Android app is now ready for testing. Version 2.2 of Android or better is required to use the app. I'll take the first 30 or so entrants.
If The Pirates Become Buyers
The Pirates have never been considered buyers for any of the five trade deadlines MLBTR has covered, and in fact less than two percent of the United States population had Internet access the last time they made the playoffs. So, I'm excited to have a new contender to discuss this year.
The Pirates are currently in third place in the NL Central, just one game back of the Brewers and Cardinals with 44% of their season remaining. They rank tenth out of 16 NL teams with 3.93 runs scored per game. The Bucs are tenth in OBP and 14th in SLG. They've got position players Jose Tabata, Ryan Doumit, Ronny Cedeno, and Chris Snyder on the DL, with Snyder's return a ways off. How can GM Neal Huntington improve this offense?
- Catcher: Counting on Doumit or Snyder seems unwise. The Pirates could look into the same names I mentioned in the Rays post: Chris Iannetta, Ronny Paulino, and Geovany Soto. The Reds would have to fall out of contention and be willing to deal with a division rival for Ramon Hernandez to enter the picture, so that's a long shot, as is Soto.
- First base: Lyle Overbay has not gotten the job done, and I've explained why Carlos Pena would be a good match for Pittsburgh. Derrek Lee, James Loney, and Brad Hawpe could be had, but they've been worse than Overbay. Chris Davis would be a nice addition for the longer-term, but he'd be harder to obtain.
- Shortstop: The Pirates have been looking for a long-term answer at short for a while now. If the team believes in Rafael Furcal's health, they could take a little salary off the Dodgers' hands for a possible short-term fix.
- Third base: Pedro Alvarez is trying to get on track at Triple-A after a rough start and an injury layoff, and getting him back would be the best solution. Josh Harrison and Brandon Wood haven't had success in his absence. The trade market might feature Mark Reynolds, Wilson Betemit, Casey Blake (when healthy), Mark Teahen, Mike Aviles, Ian Stewart, Davis, and Aramis Ramirez if he changes his mind about approving a trade.
- Outfield corners: There's some room for improvement, but the Pirates probably don't consider this an urgent need.
The Pirates rank fifth in the NL with a 3.62 rotation ERA, getting it done with Paul Maholm, Kevin Correia, James McDonald, Charlie Morton, and Jeff Karstens. Four of them carry ERAs of 4.01 or below, though SIERA shows that most of the starters belong in the mid-4.00s. While it's easy to suggest the Pirates need better starting pitching, it'd be tough for Huntington to replace guys who have gotten good results so far. The Pirates' bullpen has been strong, so I wouldn't expect a major change there either.
Prince Fielder Open To DH Role Next Year
July 11th: At today's All-Star Game media session, Fielder was asked about the DH possibility again and offered additional comments to WEEI's Alex Speier. Speier says Fielder "suggested that he will listen to offers from clubs that see him as a designated hitter," though the slugger noted the difficulty of the adjustment.
June 29th: First baseman Prince Fielder wouldn't rule out signing as a DH, talking to John Harper of the New York Daily News:
"I'm not ruling anything out, but as for right now, I like playing first base."
Admittedly, that's a tiny scrap of information, but Fielder has been understandably reluctant to talk in-depth about his upcoming free agency. It is notable that Fielder didn't openly rule out the possibility of signing as a designated hitter. Of course, the best offer often trumps the player's preference, as we saw with Adam Dunn and the White Sox last offseason.
Harper's article discusses the possibility of the Yankees signing Fielder to DH, since first base will be occupied by Mark Teixeira through 2016. The Red Sox could technically consider Fielder as a DH as well, but both scenarios seem highly unlikely for plenty of reasons. Surely Scott Boras would prefer those teams in the mix for his client. But we're talking about what Boras hopes to be the third-largest contract in baseball history, so Fielder will probably not ditch his glove in the first year.
Heath Bell Talks Trade Possibilities
Padres closer Heath Bell appears to be keeping tabs on his own market, telling Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times he views the Angels, Yankees, Cardinals, Rangers, and Phillies as potential suitors (Twitter link).
Bell discussed the trade possibility at length with MLB.com's Matthew Leach and other reporters today at the All-Star game media session, saying he's willing to set up for the rest of the year if a team acquires him for that role. Of course, he doesn't really have any say in the matter; if a team wants him to play shortstop he'll have to do that to collect his paycheck. Bell does not seem to have a league preference. As you might expect, Bell will want a closing job when he signs a contract as a free agent.
An NL executive spoke to Tom Krasovic about Bell's trade value, wondering if Padres setup man Mike Adams is valued more. As far as fantasy baseball trade value, Dan Mennella at CloserNews wonders if it's time to try flipping Bell.
If The Rays Become Buyers
The Rays are five games out in the wild card and six out in the AL East. With less than three weeks remaining until the trade deadline, they're currently sitting on the uncomfortable borderline of contention.
The Rays rank eighth among the 14 AL teams with 4.22 runs scored per game. They're eleventh in OBP and seventh in SLG. Evan Longoria missed most of April with an oblique strain, so just having him for the entire second half would provide a boost. On the flip side, Matt Joyce may be unable to reproduce his strong first half. How might the Rays go about improving the offense?
- Catcher: John Jaso and Kelly Shoppach have struggled offensively. Some names on which the Rays could kick the tires: Ramon Hernandez, Chris Iannetta, Ryan Doumit (when healthy), Ronny Paulino, and Geovany Soto.
- Shortstop: Out of Reid Brignac, Elliot Johnson, and Sean Rodriguez, Rodriguez has the most useful bat. The Rays might not be able to beat his .223/.308/.408 line on the trade market, with Jose Reyes, J.J. Hardy, and Hanley Ramirez unlikely to be dealt. Rafael Furcal could be worth a look, if the Dodgers pick up most of the tab.
- Left field: As I mentioned today, possible reasonably-priced trade candidates include Josh Willingham, Ryan Ludwick, David DeJesus, and Luke Scott (when healthy). Desmond Jennings and Brandon Guyer could be considerations from the Rays' Triple-A team.
By ERA, the Rays' starting pitching ranks fourth in the AL at 3.57. Wade Davis is battling a minor injury, but the team has good depth. Alex Cobb is the sixth man, and the Rays have one of the game's top pitching prospects in Matt Moore at Double-A.
The Rays' bullpen could use reinforcements; it'd be interesting to see Moore enter the picture as a September call-up. The Blue Jays, Orioles, Padres, Athletics, and Marlins might be selling some decent relievers this month.
Who might the Rays use for trade bait? Moore and Jennings are surely off-limits, and I'd be surprised to see them trade any of their top 15 prospects. Among those with big league track records, Upton could be dealt if the Rays are comfortable replacing him with Jennings and finding additional outfield help, a tough move for a contender to make. Upton will still have trade value after the season, as he'll probably earn less than $8MM next year. Andy Sonnanstine and Jeff Niemann could have value to teams seeking affordable back-end starters. We've seen names like Johnny Damon, Kyle Farnsworth, and Juan Cruz surface as trade candidates, which I'll find more likely if the Rays are further from contending in a few weeks.
Introducing CloserNews.com
CloserNews began as a Twitter account designed to help you quickly identify possible closer changes for fantasy baseball leagues. To date, about 7,000 people are using @closernews to dominate the saves category in their league.
Given the Twitter success, we're excited to take the next step with CloserNews.com. Dan Mennella has the reins on this new website, providing witty commentary on all things saves-related as well as a constantly-updated depth chart. If your fantasy league counts saves, bookmark CloserNews.com today!
Trade Candidate: Carlos Pena
First baseman Carlos Pena hit just .196/.325/.407 in 2010, and the Scott Boras client signed a one-year, $10MM deal with the Cubs last December in hopes of rebuilding value. Maybe it's due to switching leagues, but Pena's power has rebounded and now he might be the only 30 home run bat on the trade market.
Pena, 33, is hitting .225/.339/.461 with 19 home runs in 340 plate appearances for the Cubs this year. After a rough April he's produced a more robust .244/.354/.543 line. If you're a contender looking for big-time power, Pena and Mark Reynolds are probably the best bets. Both come with big strikeout totals, however. Carlos Beltran, Ryan Ludwick, and Josh Willingham are other power hitters who might be available this month.
With a $10MM salary, Pena earns more than Reynolds, Ludwick, or Willingham. But the Cubs were short on payroll space when they signed Pena, and authored a fairly unique one-year deal that deferred half of his salary until January of 2012. That means an acquiring team would owe Pena around $1.6MM for the remainder of the season if they acquire him at the deadline, but then would have to tack another $5MM for him onto their 2012 payroll. For a club lacking flexibility this might be a benefit; others could be reluctant to pay Pena after he's already signed with another team.
In terms of draft pick compensation, Pena projects as a Type B free agent. This might be a minimal factor for the Cubs or any team, as Pena is not a lock to receive an arbitration offer. And he may not be keen on a handshake agreement to turn down arbitration; he was not one of the Rays who agreed to such an arrangement last year.
Of the 16 current contenders, few are in need of first base help, which should reduce the demand for Pena. The eight AL contenders generally don't need designated hitters, so that route probably would not help Cubs GM Jim Hendry.
The Pirates and Diamondbacks strike me as two teams that would benefit from renting the Pena. The D'Backs would might prefer to turn to Brandon Allen or Paul Goldschmidt at first, leaving the Pirates as the lone suitor if they wish to improve upon Lyle Overbay. The Bucs make for an interesting match, as typically it's been the Cubs swiping useful players from them. I also like the fit because the Pirates could avoid giving up any useful young players for Pena, instead offering to relieve the Cubs of most of the slugger's remaining $6.6MM.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Contenders In Need Of A Left Field Upgrade
As many as seven contenders could seek a left field upgrade at the trade deadline:
- Rays: The Rays are five games out in the wild card, so acquiring talent for the short-term remains possible. They've been using Sam Fuld and Justin Ruggiano lately.
- Tigers: The team has employed a bunch of different corner outfielders, but primary options Brennan Boesch and Magglio Ordonez might be sufficient.
- White Sox: The Sox have stuck with Juan Pierre, who was at least useful in May and is having a solid July. Internally, they could give more playing time to Brent Lillibridge or promote Dayan Viciedo.
- Phillies: Raul Ibanez has had a rough year, but has shown power this month and in May. He's earning $11.5MM, which limits the Phillies' flexibility.
- Braves: The Braves have been using Nate McLouth in left and Jordan Schafer in center lately with Martin Prado on the DL. Prado will fill in for Chipper Jones at third upon his return.
- Reds: The Reds have tried Chris Heisey, Jonny Gomes, and Fred Lewis. Overall none of them have been awful but no one has run away with the job.
- Giants: Aaron Rowand, Cody Ross, and perhaps Pat Burrell are in the mix. Brandon Belt could enter the picture as well, so the Giants may already have enough to choose from.
None of these clubs are a slam dunk to acquire a left fielder, but the Braves, Phillies, and Reds seem more likely than the others. Potential trade targets could include Josh Willingham, Ryan Ludwick, Luke Scott (if healthy), David DeJesus, Marcus Thames, Laynce Nix, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, and Juan Rivera, with Soriano and Lee long shots to be dealt.
Next Move For Dontrelle Willis?
Dontrelle Willis was scratched from his start for the Louisville Bats tonight, leading to speculation that the Reds are calling him up or he's involved in a trade. Bronson Arroyo has dealt with a back issue this year, so it's possible Willis could take his place in the Reds' rotation for a while.
Willis' agent Matt Sosnick told me tonight that he is aware his client did not pitch, but he has no knowledge of the Reds' short-term plans. Sosnick added:
"Based on the way that Dontrelle has pitched this year, he probably would've been in the Majors by now if not for the Reds' rotation depth. I feel strongly that he has turned the corner. He's in the best shape of his career and is throwing with the highest velocity he's ever had. I feel very confident that he will be an impact player in the Major Leagues this year and for many years to come."
Willis, of course, was an impact player for the first four seasons of his career for the Marlins. He battled anxiety and injury problems after that, bouncing around after struggling with the Tigers. The 29-year-old has a 2.63 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 13 starts for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate this year.
Nationals Sign J.C. Romero
The Nationals signed lefty reliever J.C. Romero to a minor league deal, reports Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider. The 35-year-old had been released on Friday.
Romero posted a 3.86 ERA, 5.5 K/9, and 6.6 BB/9 with no home runs allowed in 16 1/3 innings for the Phillies this year, missing time with a calf injury.
The Nationals have one lefty reliever on the active roster in Sean Burnett, and he's struggled. Doug Slaten is on the DL for an elbow injury.