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The Lefty Reliever Market

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Let’s take a look at some of the left-handed relievers on the market.

George Sherrill, Orioles

Brian Fuentes, Rockies

Damaso Marte, Pirates

  • 33 years old, $6MM club option for ’09 with a $250K buyout.  Type A status likely.
  • Known suitors: Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, Rays
  • Asking price: Perhaps a package exceeding the value of two draft picks

Ron Mahay, Royals

  • 37 years old, signed for ’09 at $4MM. 
  • Known suitors: Cardinals, Yankees, Rays
  • Asking price: Unknown, but Royals intend to keep him. Rany Jazayerli wonders if trading Mahay now would discourage future free agents from signing with KC.

John Grabow, Pirates

  • 29 years old, under team control through ’09.  Elbow stiffness last year.
  • Known suitors: Tigers, Phillies, Cardinals
  • Asking price: Less than that of Marte

Eddie Guardado, Rangers

Alan Embree, Athletics

  • 38 years old, $3MM club option for ’09.  Type A status possible, but may choose to accept offer of arbitration.  Embree wouldn’t be surprised if he was traded.
  • Known suitors: None
  • Asking price: Unknown

Jeremy Affeldt, Reds

  • 29 years old, free agent after season.  Type B status possible, could accept offer of arbitration.
  • Known suitors: Yankees, Rays, Astros, Phillies last offseason
  • Asking price: Unknown

Orioles Talked Extension With Markakis

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Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles recently discussed a contract extension with right fielder Nick Markakis.  However, talks have already reached a standstill and will wait until after the season.

Markakis will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after the season.  He’s earning $455K this year, so his ’09 salary should increase at least tenfold.  Zrebiec says the O’s wanted to buy out Markakis’ three arbitration years, at the least.

Zrebiec speculates that Markakis’ contract could fall somewhere between those of Alex Rios and Hanley Ramirez.  Rios is an odd case since he was a Super Two player.  He will receive about $16.3MM for his last three arb years and then $12.25MM annually covering four free agent years.  Ramirez gave up his three arb years for $23.5MM and then three free agent years at an average of $15.5MM.

Splitting the difference, the Orioles could offer Markakis a six-year, $62MM extension.

Rosenthal’s Latest: K-Rod, Maddux, Wolf, Street

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Rumor guru Ken Rosenthal is at it again.

  • Angels GM Tony Reagins is doing his due diligence on available hitters.  Rosenthal admits his own suggestion of a Mark Teixeira/Will Ohman blockbuster acquisition is unlikely.
  • Rosenthal believes Francisco Rodriguez’s expected asking price to be five years, $75MM.  The Angels would not bite on that.
  • Greg Maddux only wants to be traded to a West Coast team.  He might accept a trade back to the Dodgers, if Ned Colletti and Kevin Towers want to go down that road.
  • The Orioles would trade George Sherrill if someone wants to overpay.  Tons of teams are looking for lefty relievers, and many are available.  Rosenthal notes that the Orioles have plenty of players likely to clear waivers, making August trades quite possible.
  • The Dodgers are apparently interested in Toronto shortstop John McDonald.  Talks for Cristian Guzman and Jack Wilson have stagnated.  An extension is more likely than a trade for Guzman.
  • Randy Wolf and Cla Meredith are the most popular Padres in trade talks.  Wolf’s no-trade clause doesn’t include the teams that like him, so that won’t be an issue.  If the Friars were to move Kevin Kouzmanoff, they’d ask for a young outfielder back.
  • Even with their second base surplus, the A’s want to sign Mark Ellis to an extension.
  • A Milton Bradley deal is unlikely, but the Rangers are getting calls on Marlon Byrd and Nelson Cruz.  In return, they might be looking for young starting pitchers.
  • The Royals are said to be "actively shopping" Miguel Olivo and Mark Grudzielanek.  However, it’s been suggested that the Royals might not have the catching depth to move Olivo.
  • Rosenthal’s list of Huston Street suitors: Mets, White Sox, Dodgers, and Brewers.

Perrotto’s Latest: Reliever Rumors, Bard, Cooper

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John Perrotto from Baseball Prospectus has his Sunday column up. Here’s the highlights:

  • The Marlins have recalled Jesus Delgado, a right handed reliever, from Double-A Carolina with the intention of showcasing him for trading possibilities.
  • The Cardinals have narrowed their search for a reliever and are now focusing on either Ron Mahay or Brian Fuentes.
  • Detroit would be willing to include Fernando Rodney in a trade for a starting pitcher.
  • The Orioles don’t want to trade George Sherrill unless they are overwhelmed by an offer.
  • San Diego is expected to activate Josh Bard from the DL this week, and will immediately place him on the trading block.
  • Perrotto feels that Houston manager Cecil Cooper’s job could be in danger after this season if the Astros fail to come up with a strong finish.

Odds & Ends: Nady, Loewen, Torrealba

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Just a few loose ends:

  • Adam Loewen’s career as a pitcher is over.  The once highly-touted prospect is planning to reinvent himself as an outfielder/first baseman rather than opt for surgery and face a year and a half off.
  • Dejan Kovacevic reports that Xavier Nady was out of the lineup on Saturday not because of any pending trade, but because Manager John Russell wanted to give him another day to catch up to himself after a number of days spent sitting in a hospital for the birth of his son, Xavier Jr.
  • Yorvit Torrealba is still unhappy as a backup for Chris Ianetta.  Most likely not a coincidence that he’s voicing it now with the deadline approaching.

Orioles Acquire Juan Castro

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According to MLB.com’s Spencer Fordin, the Orioles acquired shortstop Juan Castro from the Rockies today for minor leaguer Mike McCoy.  Castro played 18 games for Colorado’s Triple A club.

Fordin spoke to Andy MacPhail, and the implication is that the Orioles’ midseason hunt for a shortstop may have come to an end with Castro.  Castro is understandably happy, as there aren’t too many places where he’d have a shot at a starting gig.  I’m sure MacPhail will continue hunting for a long-term option at short, even if it carries into the offseason.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Fuentes, Holliday, Sherrill

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Ken Rosenthal tops off the day with a column full of rumors.

  • Signing Mark Teixeira as a replacement for Manny Ramirez doesn’t make sense for the Red Sox, who don’t want to take on that kind of mega-contract.
  • The Phillies were recently working on a blockbuster with Colorado that would have netted them Brian Fuentes and Matt Holliday for something like Shane Victorino, J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, and Lou Marson.  Those talks have stalled, and the added payroll might’ve been a problem for the Phillies anyway.
  • Though Frank McCourt denies it, Rosenthal says the Dodgers owned vetoed a CC Sabathia/Casey Blake/Jamey Carroll blockbuster because of a desire to keep trades payroll-neutral.
  • The Rockies, as well as the many suitors for Brian Fuentes, fear he could accept an offer of arbitration and saddle them with an $8MM salary in ’09 instead of two draft picks.  Given Fuentes’ stated desire to close, I find this unlikely.
  • A Pirates scout watched David Price’s last start, though he was likely looking at other members of the Montgomery Biscuits.  The Rays are known to be interested in Xavier Nady.
  • The A’s, stacked with second base candidates, are already getting calls on Adrian Cardenas.  Trading Mark Ellis would make more sense though.
  • Rosenthal believes the Orioles are reluctant to trade George Sherrill because they don’t have a suitable replacement for him in the ninth inning this year.
  • Brewers minor league shortstop Alcides Escobar is untouchable, and his ascent could lead the team to shop J.J. Hardy this winter.

Odds and Ends: Roberts, Clark, Vidro, Manny

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Time for today’s link collection.

Odds and Ends: Rasmus, Ozuna, Giles

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Time to run down today’s links.

Odds and Ends: Vizquel, Saito, Burnett, K-Rod

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So many links, so little time.

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