Rosenthal Discusses George Sherrill
Orioles closer George Sherrill sports a 2.51 ERA with 17 saves, and had been lights out recently until today's outing against the Red Sox. The 32 year-old southpaw is under team control through 2011. Since the Orioles are 10.5 games out of the wild card, it's only natural to expect a few trade rumors involving Sherrill.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports discusses the possibility of a deal in an article tonight. His source speaks of talks with Florida that have "tiny legs" that "could grow given time." The Marlins' closer, Matt Lindstrom, is currently on the shelf with an elbow sprain. Rosenthal says the Fish would not be willing to part with Chris Coghlan for Sherrill, though the O's like the rookie. The Orioles have a clear organizational need on the left side of the infield.
A trade of Sherrill is no sure thing, according to Rosenthal. He speaks of Sherrill's stabilizing presence on the team's young pitching staff. I imagine it would be easier for the Orioles to part with Danys Baez, especially with over $2.8MM remaining on his contract.
DeRosa Has A Shot At Type A Status
When we last checked, Mark DeRosa was ranked as a Type B free agent as a member of the Indians. At that time, he was grouped with the American League second basemen, third basemen, and shortstops. His 61.7 score put him about ten points below the lowest Type A in the group, Melvin Mora.
Now a Cardinal, DeRosa will be ranked with the NL 2B/3B/SSs by Elias after the season. I just ran the numbers with DeRosa as part of this group, and his score jumped to 67.9. He's still a Type B, but is now only three points from the lowest Type A in the group (Troy Tulowitzki at 70.9). The seven stats that go into DeRosa's ranking: plate appearances, batting average, on-base percentage, home runs, runs batted in, fielding percentage, and total chances at his designated position.
So the Cardinals may have received more than just three months of DeRosa; they also could end up with one or two draft picks as free agent compensation. For that to happen they'd need to offer him arbitration, then see him decline and sign elsewhere. Offering arbitration means the Cards would risk DeRosa accepting and landing a one-year contract for 2010 north of his current $5.5MM salary. As Ken Rosenthal alluded to today, some teams might prefer certain free agents ranked as Type Bs so that there would be no deterrent for another club to sign them.
Cardinals Pursuing Matt Holliday
SATURDAY, 7:05pm: Peter Gammons tweets (account protected) that any discussions would have to start with Brett Wallace, as the A's don't need to trade Holliday.
FRIDAY, 11:13pm: The Cardinals are "redoubling efforts to acquire" Matt Holliday, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Strauss says the Cards have warmed to the idea of offering a multiplayer package. They were previously reluctant to send a Ryan Ludwick-fronted package to Colorado in November. Strauss believes that the Cardinals would now probably be willing to offer Ludwick, one of Jason Motte, Chris Perez, and Kyle McClellan, and a prospect to Holliday's current team, the Athletics. Strauss adds:
Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., who opposed the November deal for Holliday, is apparently on board with assuming the remainder of Holliday's $13.5 million salary.
Only about $7.6MM remains on Holliday's contract, and he is of course a free agent after the season. Holliday, a Scott Boras client, currently profiles as a Type A free agent despite a decrease in production with Oakland.
Ludwick has about $2MM remaining on his contract this year. He's under team control through 2011 as an arbitration-eligible player. Ludwick was actually drafted by the A's in 1999, 60th overall. In 2002, they sent him to the Rangers with Gerald Laird and others for Carlos Pena and Mike Venafro. Ludwick, like Holliday, has dropped off significantly from his huge 2008 season.
Dodgers Interested In Jarrod Washburn
SATURDAY: Ben Bolch of the L.A. Times spoke to Washburn, who had positive comments regarding the Dodgers and their stadium.
SUNDAY: MLB.com's Ken Gurnick suggests Dodgers GM Ned Colletti is eyeing Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn, saying the lefty is "rumored on his radar." Gurnick says Colletti left this weekend to scout his own prospects, perhaps to gather information for future deals.
Washburn, 35 in August, has a sparkling 3.24 ERA in 13 starts this year. His strikeout rate is up a touch, but his peripheral stats are mostly near his normal level. So it appears to be a possible sell-high opportunity for Seattle. On the other hand, the Mariners are only 2.5 games out in the AL West. Washburn has about $5.9MM left on his contract, as well as no-trade protection.
Brandon Backe Designated For Assignment
According to Alyson Footer, the Astros designated pitcher Brandon Backe for assignment to make room on the roster for Felipe Paulino. Backe, 31, allowed 15 runs and 21 hits in 13 innings. This year he's dealt with an intercostal strain; he had Tommy John surgery in September of 2006. Backe still has about $870K coming on this year's contract, so the Astros will have to assume most of that. Jason Grodsky of MLB.com has a few comments from Backe and Astros GM Ed Wade. Backe hopes to latch on as a starter somewhere.
Backe is probably best known for his solid postseason work for the Astros in 2004 and 2005.
Elias Rankings
At the end of each season, The Elias Sports Bureau ranks all MLB players numerically based on a bunch of stats. Every player is categorized in one of five position groups and by league. The rankings cover a two-year time period. They are used to determine whether free agents are Type A, Type B, or neither. If you'd like a reminder on how draft pick compensation works, read up here.
Eddie Bajek of Detroit Tigers Thoughts reverse-engineered the Elias Rankings last year. Eddie's incredible work was made possible in large part due to information provided by ESPN's Keith Law. Eddie is now providing the rankings exclusively to MLB Trade Rumors. Today's snapshot covers the beginning of the 2008 season through June 25th of 2009. So the rankings will obviously change over the next few months.
Click here to see the latest Elias Rankings.
Angels, Dodgers Will Pass On Pedro Martinez
According to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times, the Angels scouted Pedro Martinez last week. There was some question as to which teams actually saw the Friday audition. However, Shaikin learned from Angels GM Tony Reagins that the Halos will pass on Martinez for baseball (not financial) reasons. Shaikin's source says Pedro was working around 85 mph.
Shaikin adds:
The Dodgers did not scout the workout, and Manager Joe Torre said today that the team has not discussed Martinez since spring training.
Summing up previous reports: the Nationals weren't in attendance Friday, the Brewers didn't get a chance to see him, and the Yankees will pass. We don't have definitive word on the Rays, Rangers, Cardinals, D'Backs, Indians, and Cubs. Rays exec Andrew Friedman downplayed his team's interest though.
Shawn Chacon Signs With Athletics
10:20am: Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Chacon will report to Triple A Sacramento today and is tentatively scheduled to start tomorrow night.
12:24am: MLBTR has learned tonight that pitcher Shawn Chacon signed a minor league deal with the A's. Pitching for the independent league Newark Bears, the 31 year-old Chacon posted a 4.29 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 16 walks in 42 innings this year. The Astros released him about a year ago after he threw the team's GM, Ed Wade, to the ground in a clubhouse altercation.
Possible Type B Free Agents
Yesterday we listed the projected Type A free agents. Today let's take a look at the projected Type B free agents, based on work done by Eddie Bajek for MLB Trade Rumors.
Catchers
- Rod Barajas
- Ivan Rodriguez
- Ramon Hernandez*
- Brian Schneider
- Jason Kendall
First Base/Outfield/DH
- Vladimir Guerrero
- Hideki Matsui
- Carl Crawford*
- Marlon Byrd
- Hank Blalock
- Carlos Delgado
- Brian Giles
- Garret Anderson
- Jerry Hairston Jr.
- Reed Johnson
- Mike Cameron
- Rick Ankiel
- Nick Johnson
Second Base/Third Base/Shortstop
- Placido Polanco
- Adrian Beltre
- Mark DeRosa
- Pedro Feliz*
- Freddy Sanchez*
- Felipe Lopez
Starting Pitchers
- John Lackey
- Andy Pettitte
- Erik Bedard
- Tim Wakefield*
- Justin Duchscherer
- Randy Johnson
- Randy Wolf
- Todd Wellemeyer
- Doug Davis
- Braden Looper*
Relievers
- Darren Oliver
- Brian Shouse*
- Rafael Betancourt
- Luis Ayala
- Troy Percival
- Fernando Rodney
- Russ Springer
- LaTroy Hawkins
- Will Ohman
- Scott Eyre
- J.J. Putz*
- Joe Beimel
- Trever Miller
* denotes a 2010 option.
Keep in mind that there is a lot of time left for these designations to change. Free agents on the border between Type B and nothing: Ramon Castro, Mike Redmond, Gregg Zaun, Jose Molina, John Smoltz, Jamey Wright, Chad Bradford, Brandon Lyon, Eddie Guardado, Fernando Tatis, Jack Wilson, Brett Myers, Jon Garland, Jason Marquis, Ron Villone, Chan Ho Park, and Bob Howry.
Possible Type A Free Agents
Eddie Bajek has reverse-engineered the Elias rankings, and we'll now be providing that information exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. Today let's take a look at the 2010 free agents who would be Type A, if the season ended today. Click here for an explanation on free agent compensation.
Catchers
- Victor Martinez*
- Jason Varitek*
- Bengie Molina
First Base/Outfield/DH
- Matt Holliday
- Aubrey Huff
- Jason Bay
- Magglio Ordonez*
- Johnny Damon
- Bobby Abreu
- Jim Thome
- Jermaine Dye*
- Xavier Nady
- Randy Winn
Second Base/Third Base/Shortstop
- Marco Scutaro
- Orlando Cabrera
- Melvin Mora*
- Chone Figgins
- Miguel Tejada
- Orlando Hudson
- Troy Glaus
Starting Pitchers
- Cliff Lee*
- Vicente Padilla*
- Josh Beckett*
- Rich Harden
Relievers
- Octavio Dotel
- Jose Valverde
- Trevor Hoffman
- Billy Wagner*
- John Grabow
- Mike Gonzalez
- Kevin Gregg
- Ryan Franklin*
- Doug Brocail*
- Rafael Soriano
* denotes an option for 2010
Near the borderline of Type A/B status: Rod Barajas, Vladimir Guerrero, Placido Polanco, Adrian Beltre, John Lackey, Darren Oliver, Carlos Delgado, Randy Johnson, LaTroy Hawkins.
Of course, a lot can change between now and the end of the season. But it's interesting to see that players such as Guerrero, Beltre, and Lackey are no locks for Type A. Wondering about Erik Bedard? He has 69.259 of 100 points, while the lowest Type A American League starter has a 74.815 score. He's in the middle of the AL Type B starting pitchers at the moment. But if Bedard is traded to an NL club, he'll be ranked with that league's starters.