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Stark On Mariners, Felix, Sizemore, Lohse

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MLB executives tell ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark that they make sure to consider the differences between baseball’s two leagues when evaluating trade candidates. “I think it's safe to say you can look a lot smarter taking a pitcher from the American League to the National League than the other way around," one executive told Stark. Here are some highlights from his latest ESPN.com column:

  • Baseball people expect the Mariners to sign Felix Hernandez long-term instead of trading him, Stark reports. Hernandez is under contract through 2014.
  • Two scouts said they’d recommend signing Grady Sizemore if it doesn’t require much guaranteed money. The outfielder’s season is over and he figures to obtain a one-year, incentive-based contract this winter.
  • One scout said he’d be nervous about trading for Johan Santana given his health issues. The Mets recently shut the left-hander down for the remainder of the season.
  • Cardinals executives have told people they’re going to let Kyle Lohse’s contract situation play itself out. Lohse, who is headed for free agency this offseason, hasn’t had recent contract talks with the team, so it’s a safe bet he’ll hit the open market.

Dodgers Awarded Claim On Adrian Gonzalez

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4:22pm: The Dodgers are "very serious" about trading for Gonzalez and have lots of options, Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports (on Twitter).

2:51pm: There’s a growing possibility that the Red Sox will trade Gonzalez to the Dodgers, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports. However, Red Sox officials told Edes they “love Adrian” and are simply exploring all ways of improving their team.

2:12pm: The Red Sox are listening to the Dodgers' trade pitch for Gonzalez, but the chances of a deal being completed are slim, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter).

12:52pm: The Dodgers have erased any lingering doubts about their willingness to spend big on impact MLB players. They were awarded the waiver claim on Adrian Gonzalez, the latest in a series of aggressive moves by the team's new ownership group, Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports (on Twitter). The Dodgers and Red Sox now have until Sunday to discuss a possible trade, but August waivers are revocable, so the Red Sox can elect to hold onto Gonzalez.

Alternatively, Boston GM Ben Cherington could work out a trade involving Gonzalez or assign the San Diego native and the $130MM-plus remaining on his contract to the Dodgers. The Dodgers couldn't have won the claiming rights unless every American League team passed on Gonzalez, as well as every National League team with a worse record than Los Angeles.

Gonzalez can’t block a move to the Dodgers, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday. However, the Red Sox would only move Gonzalez in a transformative or franchise-changing move, Ken Rosenthal reported. Boston wouldn't let him go for nothing, Jon Heyman added. Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.com asked a Red Sox official if Boston will trade Gonzalez to Los Angeles in the next two days and the person replied 'no' (Twitter link). If the Red Sox are willing to consider trading Gonzalez, they could wait until the offseason and engage more teams.

Gonzalez, the first overall pick in the 2000 draft, will earn $21MM per season through 2016 and obtain a raise to $21.5MM for 2017-18. The total exceeds $130MM when accounting for the remainder of Gonzalez's 2012 salary. The 30-year-old has a .300/.343/.469 batting line with 15 home runs and 37 doubles in 527 plate appearances this year. He would represent a considerable upgrade over James Loney for the Dodgers.

Since taking over at the beginning of the 2012 season team president Stan Kasten and chairman Mark Walter have made it clear that they're willing to spend aggressively. The Dodgers claimed Cliff Lee on waivers earlier this month after trading for Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Blanton and Brandon League.

Dodgers Awarded Claim On Josh Beckett

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3:48pm: The Dodgers claimed Beckett, McAdam reports (on Twitter). This will create many possibilities for a larger trade involving Adrian Gonzalez.

3:35pm: An unidentified team has claimed right-hander Josh Beckett off of waivers, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports (all Twitter links). One MLB executive believes the mystery team could be the Dodgers, but that hasn't been confirmed. Beckett can veto any trade or waiver assignment as a player with ten and five rights.

The Red Sox now have until Sunday to select one of three options. They can let Beckett (and his contract) go to the claiming team, they can complete a trade with the claiming team, or they can pull him back off of waivers. American League teams had claiming priority on Beckett.

McAdam suggests the Red Sox would probably allow the claiming team to take on Beckett and his salary — $15.75MM per season through 2014. He has posted a 5.23 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 127 1/3 innings this year, while facing considerable scrutiny for his on-field performance and off-field actions. The Rangers showed some interest in Beckett leading up to the July 31st trade deadline.

Gonzalez was claimed by the Dodgers today, but reportedly won't be traded unless the Red Sox obtain a substantial return.

Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury On Waivers

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Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury have been placed on revocable waivers, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Lester will earn $11.625MM next year and his contract includes a $13MM team option for 2014. Ellsbury will obtain a raise from $8.05MM when he goes to arbitration this offseason. He's on track to hit free agency following the 2013 season.

Teams routinely place players on waivers, even if they don't plan on trading them, so this is not an indication that the Red Sox intend to move Lester and Ellsbury. If they go unclaimed, the Red Sox will be able to complete a trade just as easily as they could have before the current waiver period began at the beginning of August.

If a team claims either Lester or Ellsbury, the Red Sox will have three choices. They can let the player (and his contract) go to the claiming team, they can complete a trade with the claiming team, or they can pull him back off of waivers. American League teams will have claiming priority on the Red Sox players.

Here’s a recap of which players have cleared waivers, plus a list of players who have been placed on revocable waivers.

Red Sox, Dodgers Nearing Blockbuster

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SATURDAY, 7:52am: The deal is "pretty much done," reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that both Beckett and Crawford have agreed to waive their no-trade clauses while Rosenthal adds that both clubs have signed off on the medicals.

FRIDAY, 10:00pm: Crawford has the Dodgers on his partial no-trade list and the outfielder has yet to be asked to accept a trade, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).  It has been previously reported that Crawford can block trades to two clubs but Heyman writes that Crawford has the ability to block trades to three teams.

9:34pm: Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine says that he still expects Beckett to make his start on Saturday, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

9:01pm: The Dodgers are expected to pick up more than $260MM of the $271.5MM in combined salary that the Red Sox are sending to them, a source tells Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.

6:45pm: The Dodgers have agreed to send Webster, De La Rosa, Loney, Sands, and De Jesus to the Red Sox, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Meanwhile, a source tells Rob Bradford of WEEI (Twitter link) not to expect a deal to be completed tonight.

6:42pm: The Red Sox have yet to secure permission from Beckett, who has 10-and-5 rights, or Crawford, who has a partial no-trade clause, a source tells Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.  However, neither player is expected to block the deal.

6:38pm: Pitcher Allen Webster will go to the Red Sox in the trade, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

6:15pm: The Red Sox and Dodgers are currently reviewing medical records, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (via Twitter).  The deal would include Rubby De La Rosa, James Loney, Jerry Sands, Ivan De Jesus, and a top prospect, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link).

6:04pm: Adrian Gonzalez was scratched from the lineup and summoned from the dugout into the clubhouse along with Nick Punto, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (via Twitter).

5:52pm: There are two deals on the table, one mega deal involving Carl Crawford and another with just Beckett and Gonzalez, tweets Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

5:48pm: Though the deal may not happen in its current nine-player form, something is expected to happen, tweets Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

5:10pm: Dodgers minor leaguers in the trade talks have included Allen Webster, Zach Lee, Rubby De La Rosa, and Jerry Sands, tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

5:06pm: The Red Sox would receive prospects and not just salary relief if the deal happens, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

4:52pm: Boston would send some cash to Los Angeles if the sides complete a deal Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. Morosi confirms that the sides are close to a trade (Twitter links).

4:34pm: The Red Sox and Dodgers are closing in on a trade that would send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports (on Twitter). Hurdles remain, but the sides continue working toward a deal.

The Dodgers recently won the claiming rights to Gonzalez and Beckett. Gonzalez can't block a trade to Los Angeles, but Beckett must approve any assignment as a player with ten and five rights. Crawford and Punto cleared waivers earlier this month and can be traded without waiver-related restrictions. 

The Dodgers have been willing to take on considerable salaries since their new ownership group gained control of the club at the beginning of the 2012 season. Adding the four Red Sox players would represent a substantial financial commitment:

  • Gonzalez will earn $21MM per season through 2016 and obtain a raise to $21.5MM for 2017-18. The total exceeds $130MM when accounting for the remainder his 2012 salary. 
  • Beckett will earn $15.75MM per season through 2014. As noted above, he must approve any trade.
  • Crawford will earn $20MM in 2013, $20.25MM in 2014, $20.5MM in 2015, $20.75MM in 2016 and $21MM in 2017. His contract allows him to block trades to two teams.
  • Punto earns $1.5MM per season through 2013.

The Dodgers claimed Cliff Lee on waivers earlier this month after trading for Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Blanton and Brandon League. The Dodgers would have to place MLB players on waivers before trading them to Boston, which could complicate trade talks. 

Zach Links contributed to this post, which was originally published on August 24th.

Quick Hits: Ortiz, Marlins, Scioscia, McCann

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As if the Rays didn't have enough top starting pitching, Alex Cobb is providing Tampa Bay with some high-quality innings.  The right-hander threw a complete game, four-hit shutout of the Athletics today, leading the Rays to a 5-0 victory over their fellow AL Wild Card contenders.  Minus his August 18 outing (eight runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Angels), Cobb has a 1.46 ERA in five starts since July 27.

Here are some items from around the majors…

  • David Ortiz doesn't think his Achilles injury will result in a lesser contract this winter, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford.  The Red Sox slugger feels his still-potent bat will outweigh concerns about his age or fitness.  “That’s what everybody is looking for right now,” Ortiz said. “They don’t care if you’re a catcher, first base, DH, whatever. If you can produce, trust me, you’re going to play.”
  • For the Marlins to rebound from their disappointing 2012 campaign, manager Ozzie Guillen feels the team needs to decide if it will take a step back next season or reload for another run at a playoff spot, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
  • Rumors about Mike Scioscia's job security with the Angels has been "a distraction," GM Jerry Dipoto tells Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  "Mike has been the manager of this team for a long time. He has a very long track record that suggests he's qualified. I say, let him do his job."  Angels owner Arte Moreno said on Tuesday that he isn't considering changing managers.
  • Brian McCann's willingness to play through oblique and shoulder injuries has limited his production for the last year and could affect his next contract, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  McCann is in the last guaranteed season of his six-year contract with the Braves, and despite the catcher's struggles, the Braves are very likely to pick up their $12MM option on McCann for next season.  Past 2013, however, McCann's injury history could keep him from scoring a big deal on the free agent market or in an extension from Atlanta.
  • The Rangers are one of baseball's top teams right now but face a number of questions this offseason, writes Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas.

AL East Links: Lucchino, Beckett, Jeter, Hardy

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Four AL East teams can be found amongst the top eight in ESPN's Future Power Rankings, which measure how well-positioned teams are for success over the next five years.  The list can be found in two parts (ESPN Insider subscription required).

Here's the latest from the AL East…

  • Larry Lucchino discussed his team's turbulent season both on and off the field in a radio interview on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show (WEEI.com's Morley Quatroche has a partial transcript) and the Red Sox president didn't rule out making large changes in the offseason. "I think we’ll examine all options, absolutely,” Lucchino said. “It’s not a question of fine tuning. It’s a question of looking back to the fundamental things….do we have the right kind of system in place? You need to build it all on pitching and we will focus heavily on that, but we’ll look at everything. We’ll look under every rock.”
  • With Josh Beckett a sure bet to pass through waivers, the Nationals could be a good trade partner for the Red Sox, opines Fangraphs' Dave Cameron.  Beckett could give the Nats an experienced arm in the rotation once Stephen Strasburg is shut down.  Cameron thinks, however, that the Red Sox would only be able to move Beckett if they agree to eat at least $20MM of the approximately $36MM owed to the right-hander through the 2014 season.
  • Derek Jeter is a good bet to finish in the top six of AL MVP voting this season, which ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews points out will earn Jeter an extra $2MM if he picks up his 2014 player option with the Yankees.  That option is worth $8MM, though incentives could push the value to $14MM.
  • "No chance. No chance. Nada. Zero. No, not a chance," is how Jeter described his interest in someday becoming a manager, reports CSN Chicago's Jeremy Lynn.
  • J.J. Hardy "makes a ton of sense" as a trade target for the Diamondbacks this winter, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.  The Orioles could unload Hardy to make room for Manny Machado at his natural shortstop position, while the D'Backs pick up Hardy as a "stopgap" for the next two seasons until prospect Chris Owings is ready for the majors.  Arizona GM Kevin Towers said yesterday that his team would likely pursue a shortstop via the trade market in the offseason as the D'Backs look to replace Stephen Drew.

Dodgers Could Pursue Adrian Gonzalez

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The Dodgers probably won’t trade for Adrian Gonzalez this month, but there’s a remote chance of a deal, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times writes. Gonzalez, who’s now on revocable waivers, drew trade interest from the Dodgers last month. However, Hernandez hears that the Dodgers don’t expect the Red Sox to make Gonzalez available. 

If the sides do discuss a trade, they won’t have to worry about Gonzalez’s limited no-trade clause, He can’t block a move to the Dodgers, according to Hernandez. The point would be moot if an American League team or a National League team with a worse record than the Dodgers were to claim the first baseman.

Gonzalez will earn $21MM per season through 2016 and obtain a raise to $21.5MM for 2017-18. The total exceeds $130MM when accounting for the remainder of Gonzalez's 2012 salary. While this sum would deter most teams, the Dodgers have been willing to spend under their new ownership group. 

"We are trying to add players. That doesn't mean we will be able to," chairman Mark Walter said, speaking in general terms.

The Dodgers claimed Cliff Lee on waivers earlier this month after trading for Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Blanton and Brandon League. They’ve also shown aggressiveness on the international market, signing Yasel Puig.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has heard that the Red Sox would only move Gonzalez in a transformative or franchise-changing move (Twitter link). A trade isn’t out of the question, but seems unlikely. Executives could see the Dodgers claiming Gonzalez, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Still, the Red Sox wouldn’t let him go for nothing.

Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times examines the possibility that the Dodgers could persuade the Red Sox to part with Gonzalez by taking on Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett as well. Beckett drew some interest from the Dodgers leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, according to Hernandez. However, this scenario sounds extremely unlikely to me given the money involved and Crawford’s elbow injury (he was scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery today).

Josh Beckett On Waivers

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The Red Sox have placed right-hander Josh Beckett on waivers, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Competing executives don’t expect him to be claimed, Heyman writes.

Beckett, 32, earns $15.75MM per season through 2014. He has posted a 5.23 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 127 1/3 innings this year, while facing considerable scrutiny for his on-field performance and off-field actions.

One unnamed GM recently told Heyman "Boston's first priority has to be to trade Josh Beckett'' this August. The Red Sox and Rangers discussed a trade that would have sent Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kelly Shoppach to Texas leading up to the trade deadline, so the Rangers could be considered a long-shot suitor.

Teams routinely place players on waivers, even if they don't plan on trading them, so this is not an indication that the Red Sox intend to move Beckett. If he goes unclaimed, the Red Sox will be able to complete a trade just as easily as they could have before the current waiver period began at the beginning of August.

If a team claims Beckett, the Red Sox will have three choices. They can let him (and his contract) go to the claiming team, they can complete a trade with the claiming team, or they can pull him back off of waivers. American League teams will have claiming priority on Beckett.

Carl Crawford and Nick Punto have already cleared waivers this month. Adrian Gonzalez is also on waivers now.

Red Sox Place Adrian Gonzalez On Trade Waivers

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The Red Sox have placed Adrian Gonzalez on trade waivers, a source tells Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via Twitter).  A player being placed on trade waivers does not necessarily mean that he will be traded, but the first baseman could potentially draw interest from other clubs.

At one point this summer, the Dodgers inquired on the slugger, though its not clear how receptive the Red Sox were to the interest.  Ned Colletti & Co. reportedly offered pieces that could help Boston in the future, though the Dodgers' farm system isn't tremendously deep.  

Gonzalez's seven-year contract extension calls for him to make $4.82MM for the remainder of 2012 ($21MM total), $21MM annually through 2016, and $21.5MM in '17 and '18.  The veteran also holds a partial no-trade clause.

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