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Quick Hits: Wigginton, Reyes, Phillies, Lowe

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Some assorted links for your Sunday reading:

Gammons Talks Trade Market

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Peter Gammons spoke with a host of scouts, general managers, and MLB executives, all of which is compiled in his latest piece at MLB.com, which is chock full of trade-related news:

  • The Astros are asking for as much in return for Wandy Rodriguez as the Rockies are for Ubaldo Jimenez. General manager Ed Wade is in a difficult position, caught between an ownership change.
  • Half a dozen teams are looking for right-handed offense, but the Rockies won't trade Ryan Spilborghs and the Cubs are holding onto Jeff Baker. Gammons says that reduces that market to Conor Jackson, Josh Willingham, Reed Johnson, Lastings Milledge, and Jeff Francoeur. The Twins recently announced they won't trade Michael Cuddyer as well.
  • The Dodgers want to shed salary, but don't have much to shed besides Jamey Carroll and Hiroki Kuroda. Gammons spoke with two East coast executives that said Kuroda, who has a full no-trade clause, won't accept a deal to an East Coast team.
  • The Athletics will move veteran bats and probably a reliever or two.
  • The Mariners won't have a fire sale, and aren't likely to get much for Erik Bedard in light of his injury.
  • The Nationals are willing to trade Tyler Clippard, and have been continually pursuing Michael Bourn. They're also one of several teams who showed interest in Julio Borbon prior to his injury.
  • Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is in a tough spot because he doesn't know which way owner Peter Angelos wants him to go, according to a rival GM.
  • Jordan Pacheco and Wilin Rosario make it possible for the Rockies to trade Chris Iannetta, but the Red Sox seem content wth their catching options.

Olney’s Latest: Willingham, Rangers, Red Sox, Twins

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Buster Olney continues to share hot stove notes via Twitter and his Insider-only ESPN.com blog, so let's dive right into his latest updates:

  • Josh Willingham is being eyed by the Pirates, who have been in touch with the Athletics about the outfielder (Twitter link).
  • The Rangers are considered favorites to land either Heath Bell or Mike Adams (Twitter link). Rival executives believe that now is the time for the Padres to move Adams, whose trade value will probably never be higher, considering his age and injury history.
  • The Red Sox will likely give Josh Reddick and the rest of their outfield about a week to ten days before deciding whether to pursue another bat.
  • Olney speculates that the Giants could be a fit for B.J. Upton, as the Rays continue to "weigh interest" in the 26-year-old.
  • Now just six games out of first place, the Twins are telling teams they're not interested in dumping players like Michael Cuddyer.

Carlos Beltran Rumors: Sunday

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The market for Carlos Beltran will become much more interesting if the Mets are willing to pay most or all of the outfielder's remaining salary in a deal, as ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter) and Joel Sherman of the New York Post write. Within Sherman's column, an AL assistant GM points out that not many teams can afford to take on $6MM at this point, meaning the Mets have a decision to make: "Do they want salary relief or do they want to open up the field of interested teams by eating a lot of dollars, and get a better return?" Here are today's other Beltran rumors, with any new updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….

  • Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says that it's bad news for the Giants if the Mets are open to paying Beltran's price tag, since San Francisco would rather absorb salary and give up lesser prospects.
  • According to executives polled by Sherman, only the Giants and Tigers could afford to take on all of Beltran's remaining salary, among potentially interested clubs. If the Mets paid most or all of the cost, teams like the Indians, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Red Sox, Phillies, and Braves would all be in play.
  • Beltran is on the Angels' radar as well, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • One Mets official told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that trading Beltran within the NL East isn't out of the question, saying it "would be a factor, but not prohibitive." In Sherman's piece, however, one AL exec questions whether the Wilpons would allow the team to deal Beltran to the Phillies or Braves, even if Sandy Alderson is willing to do so.
  • New York would probably have to gain about five games on Atlanta by July 31st to make keeping Beltran a viable option, says Newsday's Ken Davidoff.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Beltran, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees

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Earlier today it was the Full Count video, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has some more notes in a separate video…

  • Carlos Beltran doesn't figure to be with the Mets much longer, especially since the team is willing to pick up the majority of the $6MM or so left on his contract. The Giants, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, and Phillies all have interest.
  • The Phillies prefer Mike Adams to Heath Bell because they'd have him under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. They're concerned they may lose Ryan Madson as a free agent this winter.
  • The Red Sox keep saying they don't need starting pitching, but that could change before the deadline. Hiroki Kuroda is one possible target. 
  • The Yankees continue to look for starting pitching, especially after Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia got knocked around in their first starts after the All-Star break. Ubaldo Jimenez is out there, and the Rockies will at very least dangle him just to see if someone overwhelms them with an offer.

Red Sox Designate Tommy Hottovy For Assignment

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The Red Sox have designated Tommy Hottovy for assignment, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford (on Twitter). The move frees up a 40-man roster spot for lefty Randy Williams, who was called up from Triple-A.

Hottovy, 30, reached the big leagues for the first time this year after being drafted in fourth round of the 2004 draft. The left-handed reliever appeared in eight game for Boston, posting a 6.75 ERA with three walks and two strikeouts in four inning. He faced eight lefty batters, giving up two hits and a walk.

Cubs Do Not Intend To Trade Jeff Baker

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Despite being "open for business," the Cubs will not trade utility man Jeff Baker according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Rival executives are saying Chicago envisions him as part of their team next season.

Baker, 30, is hitting .304/.324/.422 in 139 plate appearances this year, and he's played the three non-shortstop infield positions as well as the corner outfield spots. The FOX scribes say the Cubs are under no pressure to shed payroll, and Baker is making just $1.175MM this year and will remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. The Red Sox and Indians have reportedly shown interest in him. 

Morosi On League, Astros, Red Sox, Blue Jays

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It's unlikely that incoming Astros owner Jim Crane would want to start his tenure as Houston's new owner by opposing MLB's other teams, as Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports points out. That means it will be hard for Crane to turn Bud Selig down if the commissioner asks the Astros to move to the American League West at some point. Here are more of Morosi's notes from around MLB:

  • The Mariners are taking calls on Brandon League and have no plans to make Felix Hernandez available (Twitter link).
  • Despite the many injuries to their starting pitchers, the Red Sox haven't begun an all-out search for rotation help, according to Morosi. The Red Sox, who have checked in on Carlos Beltran, are prioritizing a right-handed hitting outfielder.
  • The Blue Jays are hearing from teams interested in their relievers (Twitter link).
  • The Angels prefer left-handed hitters over right-handed hitters, according to Morosi (on Twitter). They had serious discussions about the left-handed hitting Garrett Jones earlier in the year.

Red Sox Expressed Interest In Kuroda

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The Red Sox called the Dodgers about Hiroki Kuroda, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). The Red Sox don't appear to have started an all-out search for rotation help, but it's not surprising to hear of their interest in Kuroda given the injuries their starters have sustained.

Daisuke Matsuzaka is out for the season, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are on the disabled list and there's no guarantee that Josh Beckett, who did not pitch in the All-Star Game because of a sore left knee, will make his scheduled start Sunday. As a result, Andrew Miller, Tim Wakefield and Kyle Weiland are members of the rotation, which seems considerably less formidable than it did a few months ago.

The Tigers and Yankees are among the many clubs interested in Kuroda, according to Heyman. The 36-year-old right-hander will require compensation to waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal.

Olney On Tigers, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Beltran

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Teams looking to trade for outfield help will encounter a buyers’ market, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Here’s the latest from around MLB, with the most recent rumors up top:

  • The Tigers are pursuing pitching aggressively, checking in on high-end arms, according to Olney (on Twitter). 
  • The Pirates are looking for an outfielder who can be a stable presence in their lineup. They have asked around for veteran outfielders (Twitter link). 
  • The D'Backs are looking for relievers who have yet to go to arbitration, not expensive veterans (Twitter link).
  • The Red Sox, Braves and Phillies would “undoubtedly” love to acquire Carlos Beltran, but all three clubs are distancing themselves from the teams behind them in the standings, so they could decide to acquire a second-tier bat instead of surrendering an elite prospect for Beltran.
  • Hunter Pence will likely stay in Houston unless the Astros are “overwhelmed,” according to Olney.
  • The A’s are listening on Josh Willingham.
  • Rival GMs believe that a deal for Ubaldo Jimenez is “all but impossible,” since the Rockies would ask for so much in a trade for their ace. The Rockies will listen on Jimenez, who is on the Reds' radar.
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