Rosenthal On Twins, Lee, Dodgers, Nats
Let's dive into the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- A major league GM told Rosenthal that he expects the Twins to be the most active team at the deadline. While many in the industry expect the club to be players for Cliff Lee, their officials are telling teams that they have other priorities. Their greater need is at third base while they may also shop for bullpen help. However, the Twins are in a very strong financial position as they had insurance on Joe Nathan's contract. If they can recover half of that deal, they'll take in $5.6MM. On top of that, the box office numbers in their new home, Target Field, are very solid.
- Speaking of Lee, Seattle is telling clubs that they want young hitters in return for the ace. It's a desire that could be a hurdle for several interested clubs. The Mets, for example, wouldn't part with Ike Davis in order to land the hurler on a rental. Meanwhile, the Dodgers wouldn't want to give up Matt Kemp or James Loney.
- Rosenthal adds that the Dodgers may have a hard time landing the elite starter that they seek. The Astros are looking for financial relief and top prospects in return for Roy Oswalt. Pulling off a deal for Dan Haren of the Diamondbacks could prove to be difficult as Arizona likely doesn't want to trade him within the division.
- Nats GM Mike Rizzo told Rosenthal that the team could be both buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. Rizzo says he's under no orders to trim payroll and could take on salary if it meant taking on a long-term asset. Right now, the Nats have five starters on the disabled list, including Jordan Zimmermann. Once he comes back, the club will have two young power pitchers and more depth to work with.
- If the Rockies make a move to fill the void at shortstop after losing Troy Tulowitzki to injury, they might only sign someone like Adam Everett to serve as insurance in Triple A.
Astros Sign Mike Kvasnicka
MONDAY, 2:44pm: The signing is official according to a team press release. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo tweets the deal is worth $936K.
SATURDAY, 10:37pm: The Astros have reached a deal with supplemental draft pick Mike Kvasnicka, a source tells Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The University of Minnesota product was taken with the 33rd overall pick.
Kvasnicka, a catcher in college, is expected to sign in the next few days. The Astros plan on moving him to third base while allowing him to catch occasionally. ESPN's Keith Law ranked Kvasnicka as the 49th best player in the draft.
With first round pick Mike Foltynewicz also having agreed to a deal, Houston will now try to lock down their remaining unsigned first rounder, Delino DeShields Jr. Foltynewicz was taken with 18th pick while DeShields was grabbed with the eighth overall selection.
Odds & Ends: Pierzynski, Yankees, Orioles, Fox
Ted Lilly doesn't get the no-hitter, but he does get his first win in a while. Some links for tonight..
- A.J. Pierzynski is looking forward to not having to talk about the possibility of being traded, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- There have been noticeable changes for the Yanks since their last showdown with the Phillies in the Bronx, writes MLB.com's Tim Britton.
- If asked, the Dodgers aren't likely to grant the Orioles permission to interview third base coach Larry Bowa, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
- The recently DFA'd Jake Fox told MLB.com's Jane Lee (via Twitter) that he wasn't too surprised by the move.
- The Tigers are unlikely to go through lengthy negotiations with catcher Patrick Leyland, son of manager Jim Leyland, writes Chris Iott of MLive.com. Detroit took Leyland in the 8th round of the draft.
Could White Sox Stand Pat?
Tonight, the White Sox are looking to win their fifth straight game as they take on the Cubs at Wrigley Field. While the club sits in the middle of the AL Central, manager Ozzie Guillen seems to think that his club might be turning a corner:
''What's the [trade] deadline, July 31?'' Guillen said to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday. ''That's a long time, that's a long way. I said before we started this long homestand — counting the Cubs [at Wrigley Field], too, because we're still in Chicago — we have to give [General Manager] Kenny [Williams], [assistant GM] Rick [Hahn] and [chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] an idea of what kind of ballclub we have."
While Guillen would be more than happy to keep his core together, GM Kenny Williams has made it known that he does not necessarily feel the same way. While Williams doesn't appear ready to conduct a fire sale, he does sound like he is ready to make some changes. Several executives told ESPN's Buster Olney that the club is willing to deal.
The White Sox have several pieces that could be attractive to teams as we near the deadline. Several bullpen arms, including Bobby Jenks and J.J. Putz, could be trade candidates. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who is in the final year of his contract, says that he would be open to a trade. If they do go through with a rebuilding effort, Jake Peavy has said that he would prefer to be dealt.
All signs seem to be pointing to the White Sox making some significant deals before the deadline, though Guillen's latest comments imply that the team can still win the front office over.
Athletics Designate Jake Fox For Assignment
The A's have designated Jake Fox for assignment, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
Slusser also tweets that the A's are hoping that he clears waivers, though it might be tough as he has demonstrated the ability to catch. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has started seven games behind the plate this season.
Fox has struggled at the plate in 2010, posting a slash line of .214/.264/.327 in 106 plate appearances. While his offensive performance has been disappointing, Mychael Urban of CSN (via Twitter) believes that this move could be a precursor to something else.
Oakland acquired Jake Fox and Aaron Miles from the Cubs in December for Jeff Gray and a pair of minor leaguers. Miles would later be dealt to the Reds, released, and signed by the Cardinals.
Week In Review: 6/6/10 – 6/12/10
It's time to take a look back at the week that was..
- No surprise here, the Nationals drafted Bryce Harper first overall. After that, the Pirates took Jameson Taillon leaving Manny Machado to the Orioles. You can stay up to date on the status of all of the first rounders right here. So far, Jake Skole, who went to Texas at No. 15, is the highest drafted player to agree to a deal.
- Mike Lowell is once again the subject of trade rumors as the BoSox are talking to the Twins and Rangers about the 36-year-old. The third baseman is still owed approximately $7.4MM through the end of the season. Meanwhile, Angels manager Mike Scioscia isn't interested in a rental player.
- Unless the M's go on a major hot streak, it looks like Cliff Lee will be dealt for the third time since last summer. Both the Yankees and Mets would be interested in Lee's services at some point.
- Houston is still shopping Roy Oswalt, though they likely won't find a taker until they agree to eat a portion of his hefty contract.
- Jake Peavy says that he would prefer a trade to being part of a rebuilding effort in Chicago.
- The Nats and Adam Dunn have begun talks on a contract extension. Dunn is in the final year of a two-year, $20MM pact.
- A.J. Pierzynski says that he would be open to a trade, though he wants to see the White Sox start winning.
- The Cardinals brought pitcher Jeff Suppan back into the fold following his release from the Brewers. The club must now make a move on the 25-man roster to activate the veteran.
- Pirates president Frank Coonelly predicts that this will be a very quiet trading deadline for his club.
- The Diamondbacks will consider shaking things up in order to turn things around.
- Cleveland released Jamey Wright and Mark Grudzielanek after designating them for assignment.
- The Mets waived Gary Matthews Jr. after designating him for assignment late last week.
- Detroit DFA'd Adam Everett. The 33-year-old struggled mightily at the plate this season, hitting .185/.221/.247.
- Boston DFA'd Joe Nelson as part of a flurry of moves. The journeyman pitcher hinted at retirement following the move.
- Mike Lamb will remain with the Marlins organization after clearing waivers.
- Kiko Calero hooked on with the Dodgers' Triple A affiliate.
- The Angels signed Daniel Cabrera, who was cut loose by the White Sox in March.
- Arizona DFA'd Saul Rivera.
- This week we got the latest Elias Rankings update from Eddie Bajek.
- Check out this post to learn about all the ways you can get up-to-the-minute news and analysis from MLBTR.
Odds & Ends: Lee, Rockies, Orioles, Matthews
Some links for Saturday night as we take in some night games..
- Yankees special assistant and former Padres GM Kevin Towers was at Petco Park tonight with Cliff Lee pitching, tweets Corey Brock of MLB.com. However, Brock points out that Towers still lives in San Diego.
- The Rockies have agreed to terms with 11 draft picks, according to Steve Foster of Inside The Rockies. Three of their top ten selections are now in the fold as well as 22nd round pick Mark Tracy, son of manager Jim Tracy.
- Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter) wonders aloud if Bobby Valentine will want to manage the O's if he's watching them play.
- A major league source told Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that the Angels and Red Sox agreed to swap Mike Lowell for Gary Matthews Jr. last December. However, the Angels changed their minds over concerns about Lowell's thumb.
- After a breakout season in 2009, Wandy Rodriguez is struggling mightily in 2010, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McTaggart writes that if Rodriguez is unable to rebound, the Astros may have to consider his future with the club after this season.
- O's GM Andy MacPhail says that the club may not finish its managerial search before the end of this season, writes Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore has interviewed Bobby Valentine and ex-Indians skipper Eric Wedge thus far.
- Brandon Webb could be valuable trade bait for the D'Backs if he returns healthy, writes USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Mets Waive Gary Matthews Jr.
The Mets have requested release waivers on outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., writes Pete Kerzel for MLB.com. The club designated Matthews for assignment late last week which gave them ten days to release, trade, or waive the veteran.
Matthews posted a slash line of .190/.266/.241 in 65 plate appearances for the Mets in 2010. After acquiring him for Brian Stokes in January, the Mets were on the hook for just $2MM of the $23.5MM owed to him for this year and next. However, the poor performance of Matthews coupled with the strong play of Angel Pagan meant the end of his time in Queens.
Rosenthal On Cubs, Pedro, Padres
Let's check out the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- It's hard to imagine the Cubs as sellers, but if they go that route, lefty Ted Lilly would be a logical piece to move. He's a potential free agent with some no-trade protection but they already have two replacements in their bullpen in Tom Gorzelanny and Andrew Cashner. Meanwhile, Derrek Lee has been adamant about not waiving his no-trade clause. However, hooking on with a contender would enhance his value on the open market.
- The Phillies have kept in touch with Pedro Martinez's agent but GM Ruben Amaro says that he will have to be "really motivated" to pitch this season. Rosenthal says that translates to the righty wanting more money than he was paid last season, roughly $1MM for six weeks of work. Money may not be everything for Martinez though as he will be 39-years-old in October and is said to be content.
- The Padres are confident that Ryan Webb could fill a set-up role if they move one of their strong late inning relievers. However, the team is reluctant to make such a move with Mike Adams' durability in question. That said, the Padres would listen to offers for Heath Bell if a club was willing to give them a hitter they could control for several years. Rosenthal instead suggests that they consider Cleveland's Austin Kearns as he is a cheap, affordable outfielder.
- Boston GM Theo Epstein hates trading for relievers, but chances are the club will be in the market for bullpen help come July.
Wigginton Not Looking For A Trade
Orioles infielder Ty Wigginton wants to remain with the Orioles if the alternative is receiving little playing time elsewhere, according to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. Wigginton told Connolly that he's not campaigning for a deal and enjoys playing in Baltimore:
"If I were to go somewhere, I'd want it to be somewhere I could contribute," the 32-year-old said. "But I love the city of Baltimore, and I love playing here for these fans."
The nine-year big league veteran will earn $3.5MM in 2010, the final year of his contract. Earlier this week, it was reported that Wigginton would be open to playing for the Mets if the O's become sellers. However, Wigginton "chuckled" at that story as both he and Millwood were responding to a question asking if they would have a problem playing for the Amazins.
Wigginton has started 52 of 57 games for the Orioles this season while playing at first, second, and third.