Red Sox Claim Mike Napoli, No Deal Reached
MONDAY, 4:06pm: The Red Sox will not trade for Napoli, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. A source familiar with the situation told Speier that the Angels were "not really looking to move" the catcher.
SUNDAY, 6:29pm: The Angels will likely pull Napoli back as they can create more of a trade market for him over the winter, a league source told John Tomase of the Boston Herald.
3:38pm: ESPN's Joe McDonald tweets that the Red Sox have claimed Napoli on waivers, but in a separate tweet says it's unlikely the two teams work out a deal for the slugging catcher.
Sitting 5.5 games back of the Wild Card and first place in their division, the Red Sox are a logical fit to claim Napoli. His right-handed power would fit well in Fenway, and his presence would also serve as an insurance policy to Jarrod Saltalamacchia beyond the 2010 season. The claim also blocks Tampa Bay from getting their hands on Napoli.
Ken Rosenthal points out (via Twitter), that if the Angels are intent on trading him, they could likely get more for Napoli in an offseason deal when they can incorporate more teams into the bidding.
9:23am: Mike Napoli has been claimed on waivers by an unknown team, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Angels have until Monday afternoon to work out a trade with the claiming team, which Morosi speculates is an American League club.
Napoli, 28, has been a consistent source of power for the Angels, hitting 61 homers in his last three seasons, including a career-high 21 this year. However, Mike Scioscia seems to prefer Jeff Mathis, a superior defensive backstop, behind the plate. Since Mathis came off the disabled list in June, Napoli has seen far more playing time at first base, replacing the injured Kendry Morales, than at catcher.
As Morosi notes, most American League contenders could use some help at catcher, first base, or designated hitter, and Napoli may also appeal to non-contenders like the Tigers, since he's under team control through 2012. As they exhibited on Friday by dealing Brian Fuentes, the Angels aren't averse to making August trades, but the bet here is that Napoli remains in Anaheim.
Multiple Teams Interested In Troy Glaus
Multiple American League teams have some interest in Troy Glaus, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Glaus has been on the disabled list since August 18th, but has been hitting well on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Gwinnett.
When Glaus returns from the DL, the Braves plan to give him some playing time at third base and as a pinch-hitter. However, given his defensive limitations, he would make more sense for an AL contender in need of some power at first base or designated hitter. The Red Sox, Rays, Twins, White Sox, and Rangers could all be fits, particularly at Glaus' affordable price – he has about $340K remaining on his $1.75MM deal.
We've yet to hear whether or not Glaus has passed through waivers already in August. Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported earlier in the month that players could not clear waivers while on the disabled list, but Morosi later indicated that, as long as the player exhibited good health, he could be placed on waivers prior to being activated. Given Glaus' .391 average and two homers on his rehab assignment, he appears to be healthy, so that shouldn't be a roadblock.
Odds & Ends: Dodgers, Overbay, Hawpe, Lilly, Marlins
Links for Friday…
- Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times says (via Twitter) that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti hasn't asked anyone to waive their no-trade clause, which would include Manny Ramirez.
- Lyle Overbay was pulled from tonight's game in the 6th inning, and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com says there has been trade interest in the Jays' first baseman recently. However, Overbay left for precautionary reasons as he's been feeling under the weather according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian (Twitter links).
- Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports that Brad Hawpe chose the Rays over the Red Sox was because there was "a perceived better fit in terms of guaranteed playing time."
- The Dodgers placed Ted Lilly on waivers today, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported yesterday that the Dodgers aren't inclined to trade Lilly.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports that Marlins president David Samsom directed millions of dollars to owner Jeffrey Loria. Samson has said publicly that he did no such thing, but Passan contests that "what Samson said was so provably false that it was akin to a 3-year-old trying to hide his peas under a pile of mashed potatoes."
- Stephen Strasburg will probably need Tommy John surgery, according to the Nationals.
- Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says the idea of Joe Girardi leaving the Yankees for the Cubs this offseason is "pure insanity," since the Yankees will always provide Girardi with the chance to win.
- However, Cubs sources confirmed to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times that the Cubs will pursue Girardi to manage, possibly as the leading candidate, if he is available.
- Padres GM Jed Hoyer told MLB.com's Corey Brock that he and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein joked about the inevitable Adrian Gonzalez rumors last winter. As Brock shows, those rumors are a thing of the past for the first place Padres.
Red Sox, Rays, Rangers In On Brad Hawpe
The Red Sox, Rays and Rangers are in on Brad Hawpe, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Hawpe should clear release waivers today at which point he'll be free to sign with any MLB team.
It's not surprising that the Red Sox are interested in Hawpe, since Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury are out indefinitely. The Red Sox are open to adding outfielders from outside the organization, as we saw when they tried to re-acquire Johnny Damon.
The Rays have shown interest in bats since last month and the Rangers' interest in Hawpe is no secret. The Padres had interest, but no longer appear to be considering Hawpe seriously.
The Rockies designated the 31-year-old for assignment after he posted a .255/.343/.432 line in 300 plate appearances.
Odds & Ends: Weeks, Blue Jays, Daisuke, Vazquez
Links for Wednesday, after a roller coaster win by Joey Votto and the Reds…
- GM Doug Melvin told MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that the Brewers won't discuss an extension with Rickie Weeks until the season's over. Weeks, who will hit free agency after 2011, recently switched agents.
- Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, Shawn Camp, Kevin Gregg and John Buck all hit waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). There's no indication that the Blue Jays intend on moving any of their players this month.
- Over at RotoAuthority, Tim Dierkes analyzes the seasons some top second basemen are having.
- Number 18 is an 'ace number' in Japan, so Daisuke Matsuzaka has a clause in his contract ensuring that he gets to wear it. Matsuzaka explained to Alex Speier of WEEI.com that a childhood idol of his, Masumi Kuwata, wore the number for the Yomiuri Giants.
- Ben Kabak of River Ave. Blues calls the Javier Vazquez trade a "true disappointment," but hesitates to label it a "true bust."
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post argues that the Mets should make decisions with the future of the organization in mind, instead of "letting a lame-duck manager make choices" to win as much as possible.
- Manny Ramirez isn't the only Dodger on waivers. As Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times notes (on Twitter), Casey Blake, Jay Gibbons and Scott Podsednik also hit the waiver wire today.
This Date In Transaction History: Wagner, Bautista
A pair of interesting trades went down on August 25th in years past. One year ago, the Red Sox acquired reliever Billy Wagner from the Mets for a pair of players to be named later (Chris Carter and Eddie Lora). And two years ago today, the Blue Jays completed their earlier Jose Bautista trade by sending catcher Robinzon Diaz to the Pirates.
Last year Wagner was coming back from Tommy John surgery with the Mets; he'd tossed nine pro innings on the season before Boston made the deal. The Red Sox picked up the remainder of Wagner's $10.5MM salary, so the Mets saved more than $2.2MM. Wagner waived his no-trade clause, but only if the Red Sox agreed not to pick up his 2010 club option. They did, however, offer arbitration to the Type A free agent. The Sox drafted Kolbrin Vitek and Bryce Brentz with the #20 and 36 picks this year as compensation when Wagner signed with the Braves. Wagner pitched well in 13.6 regular season innings for the Red Sox. Beyond the cost savings with Wagner, the Mets have gotten some use out of Carter.
When the Jays acquired Bautista from the Pirates two years ago, it wasn't a deal of much consequence. He wasn't particularly good that year, and was widely considered a non-tender candidate after the '08 and '09 seasons. The Pirates seemingly were clearing third base for new acquisition Andy LaRoche. This year, Bautista posted one of the most surprising 40 home run seasons in recent memory and could hit 50 by year's end. There will be no non-tender rumors this winter. Diaz seemed like a decent return for Bautista at the time, but the Pirates cut him loose in November of last year. Former GM J.P. Ricciardi deserves credit; check out this passage from a CBC Sports article from September of 2008:
Following the Blue Jays' thrilling come-from-behind 8-7 win over Baltimore on Wednesday night, a fan phoned a Toronto sports radio station and criticized J.P. Ricciardi for dealing catching prospect Robinson Diaz to Pittsburgh. The general manager, who was taking calls, defended the move, saying there were players in the team's minor-league system who had developed quicker than Diaz. He also said infielder/outfielder Jose Bautista, the player Toronto received in the trade, would be a valuable part of the team in 2009 and 2010.
Johnny Damon Says He Will Stay In Detroit
3:20pm: Damon says he's "not going," according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
2:45pm: Damon spoke to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe on his way to the ballpark today, saying he's still leaning toward staying with the Tigers. However, he would change his mind if the Tigers tell him they plan to reduce his playing time in favor of younger players.
9:05am: Johnny Damon, the Red Sox, and Tigers have until 1:30pm eastern time on Wednesday to decide whether Damon will rejoin his old team, reports WEEI's Alex Speier. The two clubs would have to reach an agreement, and Damon would have to approve it.
Damon was ready to go to the Yankees or Rays, reports Tom Gage of the Detroit News, but the Red Sox had first dibs. MLB Network's Peter Gammons tweets that the Tigers explained to Damon that the Red Sox claimed Damon because they want him, not as a blocking move. Gammons says the Rays did not even make a claim. Damon told reporters last night he's "definitely leaning" toward staying in Detroit, as he'd like to help young Tigers players develop and wants to return in 2011. He left the door open on his decision, as he needs to talk to GM Dave Dombrowski about what would be in the team's best long-term interest.
I think Damon will approve the trade or claim, if the teams can reach an agreement. It can't be measured, but Damon might agree that an extra $1.8MM is better for the Tigers' future than one month of his mentoring. I agree with ESPN's Buster Olney that Damon will be mostly embraced by Red Sox fans. Finally, Damon is a competitive player and Boston's 21% chance of reaching the playoffs sure beats Detroit's 0.36% shot.
Let's hear your prediction: will Damon accept a trade to Boston? Click here to make your pick and here to see the results of the poll.
Odds & Ends: Weeks, Cliff Lee, Cody Ross
Four years ago today, the Devil Rays traded Russell Branyan to the Padres for Evan Meek and a player to be named later (Dale Thayer). Meek would be taken from the Rays by the Pirates in the '07 Rule 5 draft but was designated for assignment the following May. Meek cleared waivers and the Rays rejected his return, taking cash considerations from the Bucs. This year, Meek represented the Pirates at the All-Star game. Today's links:
- Rickie Weeks chose Greg Genske of Legacy Sports as his new agent after his previous representative, Lon Babby, became president of the Phoenix Suns, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- A Mets official told ESPN's Adam Rubin the team won't be pursuing Cliff Lee in the offseason.
- Giants assistant GM Bobby Evans confirmed to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that they claimed Cody Ross in part to block him from going to the Padres.
- Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia talked to WEEI's Rob Bradford about why they signed long-term extensions. Youkilis knows he could've made more as a free agent after this season, but he points out that he's making more money than he ever thought he would. Youk believes players should go through arbitration at least once, as he did. For more on players who would've been eligible for free agency after this season had they not signed extensions, check out our August 16th article.
- Bradford's colleague Alex Speier looks at Boston's recent history of acquiring players despite being included in their no-trade clauses.
- Joe Posnanski explains that pitchers with Hall of Fame stuff getting beaten by injuries is the rule, not the exception.
Arbitration Eligibles: Boston Red Sox
A look at the Red Sox players who will be arbitration-eligible after the season…
- First time: Jacoby Ellsbury, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Kevin Cash
- Second time: Hideki Okajima
- Third time: Jonathan Papelbon
Okajima stands a good chance of being non-tendered as the Sox try to revamp a portion of their bullpen. I expect Theo Epstein to shop him around in advance of the December 2nd non-tender deadline. As for Cash, Boston would probably non-tender him and try to re-sign him to a minor league deal if they want him back.
Ellsbury seems to be on thin ice in Boston, while Papelbon is having his worst season. Both players are trade candidates. It might be wise to wait for Ellsbury to rebuild value. Papelbon presents a tricky situation. He's still a useful reliever, and could return to greatness in 2011, but the cost may approach $12MM. The Red Sox have to decide whether to trade him, keep him, or even non-tender him.
Red Sox Claim Johnny Damon
9:36pm: Damon repeated after tonight's game that he's leaning toward staying in Detroit, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck (Twitter links). Damon's gut and his teammates are telling him to stay in Detroit.
3:45pm: Damon hasn't decided whether he'd accept an assignment to Boston, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck, who notes that the outfielder has about 48 hours to make up his mind (Twitter link).
3:09pm: A no-trade clause does not necessarily give a player the right to prevent his team from handing him over on waivers, according to an MLB Players Association official who spoke to MLBTR this afternoon. In many cases, a player has a non-assignment clause that would prevent trades and waiver claims. However, not all players with no-trade clauses can prevent their teams from handing them over on waivers.
In other words, Damon's ability to prevent the Tigers from handing him to the Red Sox depends on the wording in his contract.
2:51pm: Damon told Ed Price of AOL FanHouse he's not inclined to go back to Boston (Twitter link).
2:28pm: The Red Sox claimed Johnny Damon off waivers from the Tigers, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. The next question is whether the Tigers will work out a trade with the Sox, dump Damon on them for nothing, or pull him back. Damon can veto a trade to the Red Sox. Of Damon's $8MM salary, about $1.8MM remains. Heyman opined earlier today that he believes the Tigers would let Damon go if a deal cannot be worked out.
Damon played for the Red Sox from 2002-05, but had an acrimonious departure and signed with the Yankees. The Red Sox would be getting a diminished version of Damon this time, but he'd still be useful with Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury currently on the disabled list. The Sox may have made the Damon claim to block the Rays or Yankees, but they know it is possible they end up with the player.
Damon, 36, predictably saw his power slip with the switch from Yankee Stadium to Comerica Park. He's hitting .270/.355/.409 on the season and has logged only 268 innings in the outfield. He profiles as a Type B free agent after the season, but an arbitration offer seems unlikely.