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Quick Hits: Wilpon, Rios, Mozeliak, Blue Jays

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National League All-Star starter Matt Harvey has become a well-known name around baseball…though not necessarily a well-known face.  Harvey personally explored his relative anonymity in a comedy bit tonight on The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon (YouTube link).  If it makes Harvey feel better, I rarely hear, "Hey, are you Mark Polishuk from MLB Trade Rumors?!" when I'm strolling around New York.  Here's some news from around baseball on the eve of the All-Star Game…

  • Jeff Wilpon promised that the Mets are willing to spend in 2014, the team COO said in an interview on WFAN radio (and partially transcribed by Newsday's Neil Best).  The Mets will be helped when the Johan Santana and Jason Bay contracts expire this winter, which will by themselves free up $43.625MM in payroll space.  "We haven't set a payroll for next year, but I can tell you we're ready to invest with those big contracts coming off the books," Wilpon said. "We have the money to invest. We're going to invest it prudently. Sandy [Alderson] is going to set a path."
  • The Rangers could avoid giving up top prospects for White Sox right fielder Alex Rios, depending on how much of Rios' contract Texas is willing to eat, ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett writes.  Rios is owed roughly $4.85MM for the rest of 2013, $12.5MM in 2014 and a $13.5MM club option for 2015 that can be bought out for $1MM.  The Rangers are one of several teams interested in acquiring Rios, though his trade stock has dipped due to a six-week slump.
  • “A lot of teams you think might normally would be breaking things up aren’t,” Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “There just aren’t a lot of players that are truly available. That could change. That’s my observation today.”  The Cardinals are known to be interested in acquiring starting pitching and have recently been connected to Matt Garza, though the Cards aren't too keen to trade within the NL Central and are unlikely to make a deal that would cost them one of their top prospects.
  • Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Cecil all tell Sportsnet's Shi Davidi that the Blue Jays already have the talent to turn their season around.  Bautista, for one, doesn't think GM Alex Anthopoulos necessarily needs to make any further roster additions.  “Alex is not out on the field playing for us, we’re totally capable of playing a lot better baseball than we’ve shown, we just need to play better as a team,” Bautista said.  If the Jays don't make any moves, Bautista "wouldn’t look too much into it" since Anthopoulos “made plenty of moves in the off-season to make our team the best team that he could put on the field.”
  • The three prospects acquired by the Nationals in the Michael Morse trade have performed well for Washington thus far, MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr observes.  Right-handers A.J. Cole and Blake Treinen have pitched well at high A-ball and Double-A, respectively, while southpaw Ian Krol reached the Majors and delivered a 1.80 ERA, 13 strikeouts and just one walk over 15 relief innings for the Nats.
  • Chase Lambin turned 34 years last week and has played 12 years of professional baseball in the minors and in Japan, but the veteran has still yet to reach the Major Leagues.  Kent Babb of the Washington Post profiles Lambin, who currently plays for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate.
  • The Mets' infamous long-long-term deferred contract with Bobby Bonilla is actually a pair of contracts that will pay the retired slugger $42MM between 2004 and 2035, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.  While the Orioles are paying part of Bonilla's ongoing salary, the Mets are solely responsible for another 25-year deferred payment plan, this one to Bret Saberhagen.  The former two-time Cy Young Award winner has received $250K per year from the Mets since 2004.

Orioles Notes: Davis, Wieters, Duquette

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As the baseball world gathers at Citi Field for the All-Star break, the Orioles are looking to bring the Midsummer Classic back to Baltimore in 2016, Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun reports.  It would be the first time the O's have hosted the All-Star Game since 1993, and a 2016 hosting date would also mark the team's 25th season at Camden Yards.

Here's the latest from Charm City…

  • Scott Boras told reporters (including Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun) that he hasn't had any conversations with Orioles executive VP Dan Duquette about contract extensions for Chris Davis or Matt Wieters.  “Dan and I talk all the time, but it’s the kind of thing where the focus is on the play and not really their contracts now," Boras said.  Both players have two years of arbitration eligibility remaining before they're eligible for free agency after the 2015 season.  There was talk of a Wieters extension last offseason but the team now believes Wieters will test the open market in 2015.  Davis is sure to receive a huge arbitration raise on his current $3.3MM salary, and it will be very interesting to see how any extension talks develop given Boras' involvement and Davis' sudden emergence as an elite slugger.
  • The Orioles have been quiet on the international signing front since July 2, but Dan Duquette tells MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski that the team is actively working to identify and access international talent.  "We're working all the markets. Teams have different strategies to acquire talent. Our strategy is to sign good players and look for value in the market and that is what our scouts are doing," Duquette said.  "We are active on the international markets.  We will be out executing our international recruiting strategy for the whole [2013-14] season."  You can check out all of MLBTR's coverage of the 2013-14 international signing period here.

Knobler On Padres, Urrutia, Cardinals, Stanton

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Here's the latest from CBS Sports' Danny Knobler:

  • The Padres, who are now 42-54, have decided they're sellers, Knobler writes. They will listen to offers for Chase Headley (who is eligible for free agency after next season), but Knobler suggests they're in no rush to deal him. Instead, they could deal Edinson Volquez and/or bullpen arms like Huston Street. 
  • The Orioles have already traded for Scott Feldman, and they might continue to be active on the trade market, but Knobler suggests their biggest addition might come from the promotion of Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia, who is hitting .367/.406/.467 in his first 15 games at Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Knobler confirms that the Cardinals have talked to the Cubs about Matt Garza, and suggests that the two teams' front offices might not find the possibility of trading with one another quite as strange as some fans might. Knobler notes that the last significant deal between the rival squads occurred in 2002, when the Cubs sent Jeff Fassero to St. Louis.
  • Elsewhere, Knobler writes that the Marlins may be becoming less inclined to trade Giancarlo Stanton. The Marlins feel that they could improve quickly, and may want to wait to see how Stanton (who is only 23 and is not eligible for free agency until after the 2016 season) and their other top young players perform together. The Marlins will continue to shop relievers and older position players, but youngsters like Jose Fernandez, Jacob Turner and Marcell Ozuna evidently have the Marlins wondering whether they could join Stanton as part of the core of the next good Marlins team.

AL Notes: Rangers, Blue Jays, Orioles, Rodriguez

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If you're looking for some interesting reading late into this Saturday night, you might try one of these two pieces. Recent Rangers acquisition and all-time great hitter Manny Ramirez may have remade himself over three months in Taiwan, writes Sam Graham-Felsen, or he may have just kept being Manny. Either way, with a strong start to his Triple-A assignment, Ramirez could be close to a fascinating return to the bigs. Just as unlikely, if not moreso, is the path of Blue Jays reliever Steve Delabar from washout to All Star; Harry Pavlidis of the Washington Post has the story. Elsewhere in the American League …

  • While the Cubs' Matt Garza currently pitches in the National League, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com says that he could soon return to the AL. Levine reports that the Rangers and Blue Jays are the "front runners" in acquiring Garza's services for the balance of 2013. Though the Rangers have frequently been mentioned as pursuers of Garza, who figures to be the top starter available, the Jays have generally not been placed atop the list. Nevertheless, Levine says that Toronto has been very active in scouting the righty over his last three starts. As for Texas, Levine says that power-hitting prospect Mike Olt would probably be included in a deal.
  • Another American League club, the Orioles, is likely out on Garza, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. After already dealing for one Chicago starter, Scott Feldman, Baltimore apparently believes that Garza will require too large a commitment in prospects and cash to warrant a deal.
  • If the Yankees were still hoping to get a contribution this year from fallen star Alex Rodriguez, the odds appear to be on the downturn. Bill Madden and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News report that, after learning today of the nature of MLB's case against him arising out of the Biogenesis scandal, Rodriguez's representatives could be contemplating an attempt at a "plea deal" that could result in a 150-game suspension. (That a "clearly shaken" A-Rod reportedly went on to engage in yet another dust-up with the club over his rehab situation could be another hurdle to his return.)
  • With Rodriguez and possibly other players considering such an arrangement to limit the scope of punishment, and the league reportedly prepared to move aggressively after the All-Star break, it is looking more and more likely that the impact of the scandal will be felt this season. While the potential for a drawn-out process remains, any agreements to bypass the appeals procedure and agree to penalties would presumably result in a more immediate imposition of suspensions.

East Notes: Red Sox, Mets, Byrd, Buchholz

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The Red Sox bolstered their bullpen last night when they acquired Matt Thornton (and cash) from the White Sox in exchange for minor league outfielder Brandon Jacobs.  The left-hander hasn't been quite as sharp this season as he has in years past, but Boston hopes that he'll help fill their need for a quality southpaw after losing Andrew Miller for the season.  Here's more out of the AL and NL East..

  • Mets assistant GM J.P. Ricciardi told Jim Bowden of SiriusXM (via Twitter) that the club will only move Marlon Byrd if they can get a serious return.  Andy Martino of the Daily News heard earlier this week that the Mets were unlikely to trade the veteran, though one scout noted that GM Sandy Alderson & Co. could just be looking to drive up the price.
  • Clay Buchholz's timeline for returning has been pushed back a bit, which could lead the Red Sox to put a little more thought into acquiring a starter before the deadline, writes Tim Britton of the Providence Journal.  Buchholz was originally scheduled to make a rehab start tomorrow, but he'll instead spend some time regaining his arm strength with bullpen sessions.
  • In speaking to season ticket holders, Orioles Executive Vice President Dan Duquette explained that the club has the financial resources to make deals that are worthwhile, writes Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.  “The addition of Scott Feldman to our team was a sign that we want to be in this thing,” Duquette said.
  • Ed Rendell of the Philadelphia Daily News suggests that the Phillies should look to add a quality reliever like Jesse Crain of the White Sox while moving Carlos Ruiz, who he has value given the lack of quality catching out there.

Quick Hits: Orza, Orioles, Boras, Gardenhire

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Here's tonight's look around baseball..

  • A source tells MLB Network's Peter Gammons (Twitter link) that Gene Orza may rejoin the MLB Players Association. Orza retired as the organization's chief operating officer before the 2011 season. In a Thursday article, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported that Donald Fehr, the predecessor to current MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner, could also return to the association,. 
  • Orioles Vice President Dan Duquette says his club wants to see how its newly revamped rotation, which features recent acquisition Scott Feldman and a now-healthy Wei-Yin Chen, performs before it considers adding another starting pitcher via trade. Duquette also discussed the possibility of trading prospects for big leaguers in an article by Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com. "I wouldn't handicap our opportunities to make additional deals," Duquette said. "We're going to be active in the market to try and help our team so we can go back to the playoffs and have another crack at it."
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter) notes that the top four MLB draft bonuses of all time went to players advised by Scott Boras: Gerrit Cole ($8MM), Stephen Strasburg ($7.5MM), Bubba Starling ($7.5MM) and Kris Bryant ($6.7MM).
  • Leaks of names associated with the Biogenesis scandal are a violation of baseball's collective bargaining agreement, Scott Boras says in an article by Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. "I don't know where [the leaks] are coming from," Boras said. "There are only a very small group of parties that have access to this information. Whenever these things happen, whoever is doing it, is not serving the game well." MLB Players Association executive director Michael Weiner has also criticized the leaks in recent days, saying they "threaten to harm the integrity of the Joint Drug Agreement and call into question the required level of confidentiality needed to operate a successful prevention program."
  • Twins manager Ron Gardenhire doesn't intend to resign, despite the team's recent poor play, Phil Miller of the Star Tribune reports.  In comments earlier this month, Twins GM Terry Ryan accepted some of the blame for the Twins' losing ways. "I put this roster together. I've told Gardy to do the best he can. I understand that I don't have a perfect roster here," Ryan acknowledged.
  • White Sox GM Rick Hahn said in a conference call with reporters that the team remains active in trade discussions after shipping reliever Matt Thornton off to Boston. "We're going to keep talking and see where it leads over the coming weeks," Hahn is quoted as saying in a tweet from the South Siders' official feed.

Phillies Notes: Lee, Papelbon, Utley, Ruiz

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Phillies' right-hander Luis Garcia looked the part of a big league pitcher when he made his MLB debut on Wednesday, striking out Ryan Zimmerman and getting a double-play grounder from Adam LaRoche. However, prior to this season he'd been out of organized baseball for two years, working for a moving company and in a barbershop, Todd Zolecki and Stephen Pianovich of MLB.com write. After showing the Phillies a mid-90s fastball and a decent slider, the team assigned him to their high-A club, and he's now pitching out of a major league bullpen. Some more Friday night Phillies links…

  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. isn't expected to make drastic changes to his team as the trade deadline approaches, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Though the Phils remain under .500, the team is playing well lately, having just taken five of seven from divison rivals Washington and Atlanta.  A model for the Phillies' approach to the trade market this year might be the 2007 club under GM Pat Gillick, which plugged holes by acquiring infielder Tad Iguchi and pitcher Kyle Lohse for two non-prospects. Gelb also discussed the market for Michael Young, highlighting the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Dodgers and the Orioles as potential trade partners.
  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com runs down possible trade pieces for the Phillies at the deadline. From conversations with people around baseball, it would seem that Lee is staying put while rival execs see at least a small chance of Jonathan Papelbon being traded. Opinions seem to be split 50/50 on Chase Utley, though there's a strong belief that Young is a goner if they're not in position to contend. Finally, execs could see the club trading catcher Carlos Ruiz if they remain on the cusp of the race or fall further.
  • The Phillies signed 11th-round pick Denton Keys to a $350K bonus (plus a $200K college scholarship) that will put them over their bonus pool and force them to pay a luxury tax, according to Baseball America's Jim Callis (Twitter links). Because Callis mentions no loss of future draft picks, it seems that the Phils exceeded their pool by 0-5 percent. Any further overage would result in a loss of their 2014 first-rounder. Keys, according to Callis, is a prep left-hander from Colorado whose fastball touches 91 mph. He was committed to Kansas.

Orioles Designate Jair Jurrjens For Assignment

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The Orioles announced on Twitter that they have designated right-hander Jair Jurrjens for assignment in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for Jairo Asencio, who has been called up from Triple-A Norfolk.

The 27-year-old Jurrjens appeared in two games (one start) for the Orioles after agreeing to a minor league contract with Baltimore this offseason, allowing four runs in 7 1/3 innings of work. He pitched well out of the gates for Norfolk but has posted an unsightly 5.32 ERA over his past eight starts for the Tides. In 94 2/3 minor league innings this season he has an impressive 2.3 BB/9 rate but just a 4.9 K/9 rate.

Asencio was acquired from the Brewers in Spring Training for a player to be named later or cash. In 37 2/3 innings for Norfolk this season, he has a 2.15 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9. The Orioles will be the fourth big league team for which the 30-year-old Asencio has pitched. He has compiled 53 1/3 innings of Major League experience betweeen the Braves, Cubs and Indians.

Pirates, O’s Swap Russ Canzler, Tim Alderson

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The Pirates have acquired Russ Canzler from the Orioles, according to his agent, William Appleton (Twitter link; hat tip to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). Kubatko tweets that the Orioles will receive right-hander Tim Alderson in the deal. The Orioles PR department has confirmed the move.

Canzler, 27, was designated for assignment when the Orioles acquired Alex Liddi (another DFA casualty) from the Mariners. In 374 plate appearances for Triple-A Norfolk this season, Canzler hit .276/.369/.430. Canzler is primarily a first baseman but also has significant experience in left field and at third base. The former has appeared in 29 big league games — three with the Rays and 26 with the Indians.

Alderson, 24, was a one-time top prospect with the Giants after being selected 22nd overall in the 2007 draft. The Pirates acquired him in a trade deadline deal for Freddy Sanchez in 2009, and it was considered to be an impressive pull for the Buccos at the time of the deal. Alderson's star has faded, however, and after failing as a starter he's been shifted to the bullpen. In 29 relief appearances at Triple-A this season, he has a 2.43 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. He did not rank among the Pirates' Top 30 prospects in either of the past two seasons, according to Baseball America.

East Links: Byrd, Phillies, Yanks, Young, Joba, Urrutia

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Matt Warden of River Ave. Blues completed his 2013 series on potential Yankees' trade targets, highlighting the Rockies' Tyler Colvin, Peter Bourjos of the Angels, the Mariners' Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez, and Logan Morrison of the Marlins. Here's more out of baseball's Eastern divisions…

  • The Mets aren't likely to trade Marlon Byrd, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. General manager Sandy Alderson will likely employ the same strategy he did with Scott Hairston last summer. However, one scout told Martino that he's not sure if the team's plan to stand pat is just posturing to drive up trade prices.
  • The Phillies would be buyers right now if it were July 31, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters (including Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). Amaro said he doesn't feel he has a replacement for Jonathan Papelbon and needs his closer to contend. However, he also doesn't want to part with young talent, and Zolecki calls the Phillies' situation "fluid."
  • The Yankees and Red Sox at one point appeared to be one of the most serious contenders for the Phillies' Michael Young, George A. King III of the New York Post writes. However, the Red Sox's main focus is now on bullpen help. Young isn't opposed to playing in the Bronx, according to King.
  • Within that same post, King notes that Howie Frieling, a special assignment scout for the Phillies, was in attendance to watch the Yankees against the Twins last week. The Phils also sent Sal Agostinelli, their director of international scouting, to watch the Yankees on Wednesday.
  • King adds that Joba Chamberlain's trade stock is falling, and the Phillies "have questions about what is perceived as the reliever’s immaturity," King says. In addition, one team that was previously interested in Chamberlain told King that they don't plan to make an offer for him because it's believed that the Yankees could eventually release him.
  • Marlon Byrd told Daniel Nelson of Mets Merized Online that he'd love to stay with the Mets but understands that he could be shipped to a contender at the deadline. "Sandy Alderson’s going to do anything possible to make this organization the best it can be," Byrd says.
  • Orioles prospect Henry Urrutia is "getting closer" to being an option, Buck Showalter told reporters, including Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Urrutia entered the season as the Orioles' No. 13 prospect, according to Baseball America, but has likely upped his stock with a big performance at Double-A and Triple-A. The Cuban defector is hitting .365/.429/.536 with seven homers in 280 minor league plate appearances this season.

Aaron Steen contributed to this post.

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