Braves Talk: Infante, Francoeur
MLB.com's Mark Bowman has a new blog post about the Braves' current situation.
- Utility man Omar Infante is out six to eight weeks after Manny Corpas broke a bone in his hand with a fastball. There is a trickle-down effect on the trade market – the Braves have less depth now, and probably can't move a guy like Kelly Johnson.
- Bowman adds that the Braves are likely to shop Jeff Francoeur, but the prospects are grim given his performance in recent times. The Braves are still hurting for power at the corner outfield spots.
Oakland A Fit For Mark DeRosa?
According to the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser:
Oakland is likely to talk to the Indians about Mark DeRosa, who is on the block. The A's had some interest in the infielder after the 2006 season. The Indians are believed to be looking for pitching, but the A's won't trade any of their hotshot young pitchers.
Second baseman Mark Ellis should be back in June, but the A's are getting a .177/.270/.300 line over at the hot corner. The A's are currently 7 games out and in last place, though, so they might be the ones shopping veterans a month from now.
Speaking of DeRosa, Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if a deal involving him, Jamey Carroll, and J.J. Putz could be worked out between the Mets and Indians. He says Carroll is an Omar Minaya favorite.
Cardinals Could Acquire A Third Baseman
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talked to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, who said the Cardinals could look outside the organization for a third baseman if they get bad news about Troy Glaus next month. The team's current third basemen, mainly Brian Barden and Joe Thurston, have provided a .243/.323/.357 line. Mozeliak says top prospect Brett Wallace is not under consideration.
Who might be available for trade? Mark DeRosa, Garrett Atkins, Melvin Mora, and Adrian Beltre seem like possibilities.
Davidoff On Free Agents
Newsday's Ken Davidoff runs through six current free agents, digging up new information about a few.
- Paul Byrd never received a call from the Angels, so he'll continue to wait until later this summer to see what's available.
- Frank Thomas is working with hitting coach Mike Easler, who believes "Frank might give it to the All-Star break." Easler says another client of his, Jacque Jones, could help a club.
- Jim Edmonds would play in the right situation, but his agent Paul Cohen doesn't know if there will be an offer. Damion Easley, another Cohen client, would also like to continue his career.
- A friend of Orlando Hernandez's tells Davidoff he's considering a comeback. El Duque didn't pitch in the Majors last year.
- In my opinion, these free agents are better served playing independent league ball than working out privately.
Rosenthal On Atkins, Red Sox, Webb
It's time for a new Ken Rosenthal column. He's cranking these out daily now?
- Add Rosenthal to the list of columnists who don't understand why the Mets don't just use Daniel Murphy at first base.
- The Rockies have kicked around a Garrett Atkins for Mark DeRosa swap, but it doesn't work from the Cleveland side. Rosenthal likes the Brewers and Mets as possible fits for DeRo.
- If the Red Sox are to trade Clay Buchholz or Michael Bowden, they'd want an elite hitter under similar team control (for example, Justin Smoak or Brett Wallace). Players aren't eligible to be traded until a year after signing, anyway.
- Given his injury situation, Rosenthal does not see Brandon Webb as a viable trade candidate this summer. More likely, a Jon Garland deal.
- Rosenthal sees Joe Beimel as a trade chip for Washington if he starts pitching decently.
Rays To Sign Joe Maddon To Three-Year Extension
3:56pm: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times says the Rays and Maddon have agreed to a three-year extension, to be announced soon.
10:54am: According to MLB.com's Noah Coslov, the Rays are discussing a multiyear extension with manager Joe Maddon. Coslov says Maddon is on good terms with Executive VP of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and the talks shouldn't linger much longer. Ken Rosenthal wondered what the Rays are waiting for, in his column yesterday.
Athletics Claim Craig Breslow
According to La Velle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the A's claimed lefty reliever Craig Breslow off waivers from the Twins. The Twins called up Anthony Swarzak in his place. Breslow, a 28 year-old Yale alum, posted a 6.28 ERA in 14.3 innings this year. Last year, though, he posted a 1.91 mark in 47 innings.
Swarzak, a righthanded starter, ranks as the Twins' 6th-best prospect according to Baseball America. BA says he has a plus fastball and curveball.
Odds & Ends: Bray, Fox, Manny, Crow
Links for Wednesday…
- Today's chat will be at 3pm CST.
- According to Andy Martino, the Phillies claimed righty Steven Register off waivers from the Rockies today and sent him to Triple A.
- Reds reliever Bill Bray will miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon yesterday.
- Dave Cameron at FanGraphs says Jake Fox belongs in the Majors, given his ridiculous Triple A numbers (.431/.513/.954 in 130 ABs with 17 HR and 50 RBI). The Cubs, though, are already trying to find ways to get Micah Hoffpauir into the lineup.
- ESPN's Buster Olney pictures what would've unfolded if Manny Ramirez hadn't used PEDs.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle on the Noah Lowry situation.
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe speculates on possible moves for the Red Sox.
- Baseball America's Jim Callis says Nationals GM Mike Rizzo has been talking to Randy Hendricks about getting Aaron Crow's consent in the event the Nationals want to draft him again.
Heyman On Mets, Trades, Billingsley
The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…
- Heyman wonders why the Mets aren't giving Daniel Murphy a chance as their regular first baseman. He names trade possibilities, in order of likelihood: Nick Johnson, Aubrey Huff, Russell Branyan, Victor Martinez/Mark DeRosa, and Garrett Atkins.
- Heyman names 22 players who might hit the trading block this summer, headed by Jake Peavy, Matt Holliday, and Erik Bedard. The A's could potentially have a lot of veterans to spin off.
- Heyman says "the Dodgers briefly tried to lock up Chad Billingsley this winter, and probably wish they had." Billingsley will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season, so his salary figures to jump up past $4MM.
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