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Pirates Rumors: Wilson, Bay, Nady, Marte, Grabow

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Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the latest Pirates hot stove chatter.

  • The Pirates are not opposed to creating a hole at shortstop for the rest of the year by trading Jack Wilson.  They would just need the right return.  Teams are still calling on Wilson, with the Dodgers confirmed and the Tigers possible.
  • A Jason Bay deal seems less likely – the Pirates’ price is high for their star.
  • Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte continue to draw interest, with John Grabow in the mix as well.  Nady or Marte would require two prospects each.  Nady’s suitors are the Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Braves.  Marte has roughly a dozen suitors.
  • Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger says the injury to Hideki Matsui led to heightened interest from the Yankees in Nady and Bay.  They’re also in on Marte and Grabow.  The Bucs aren’t interested in Melky Cabrera.
  • Interesting stuff in this John Perrotto article found via DRays Bay.  He names the Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, and Rays as teams interested in Marte.  The Tigers, Phillies, and Cardinals also have an eye on Grabow.
  • Perrotto runs through all kinds of names of interest to the Pirates: Anthony Reyes, Chris Duncan, Jeff Larish, Matt Joyce, Ross Ohlendorf, Brent Lillibridge, Brandon Jones, Jeff Niemann, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz, and Bobby Parnell. 

Manny To Meet With Boras

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Earlier this week, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that he heard a rumor that Manny Ramirez switched agents, from Scott Boras to Legacy Sports Group.

Now the Boston Globe reports Manny is set to meet with Boras this weekend. "We’ll have a discussion about Manny’s future," Boras told the Globe.

So it looks like Manny and Boras are still together. Thank goodness. If those two crazy kids can’t make it work, what hope is there for the rest of us?

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. He can be reached here.

Teams Expected To Make A Move

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Now that the second half of the season is underway, and less than two weeks before the trade deadline, the acquisitions of CC Sabathia by the Brewers, Rich Harden by the Cubs, and most recently, Joe Blanton by the Phillies (not to mention Tony Clark by the Diamondbacks and Richie Sexson by the Yankees) must have had an impact on the way teams still in the hunt are gauging their chances.

Let’s run down rumors by teams five or less games behind first place and I’ll attempt to sound like a baseball expert and predict the probability of some of those trades happening:

Marlins:
Arguably the team most active in trade rumors of those considered "still in it," the Fish have been mentioned in numerous trade scenarios. Most recently, they inquired on the availability of Ivan Rodriguez, but the Tigers said thanks but no thanks.

The Marlins have also been part of the Brian Fuentes trade speculation express, but they might be better served looking for a bat – thus the interest in Willy Taveras.

Sage prediction: It’s in their blood; the Fish have been active during trade deadline season in the past and now that the Phillies added Blanton (not to mention, hot play by the Mets) they’ll trade for a bat.

Cardinals:

The Birds are in second place behind the Cubs, but with the aforementioned trades by the other two teams out of the top three in the NL Central, it’s looking like a major move is inevitable to keep up with the pace.

In fact, the Cards have been mentioned in some trade speculation but those rumors have consistently been shut down. Barry Bonds to the Cards? Nope. Jason Bay rumors debunked, only to have them flare up again tied to top Cardinals prospect Colby Rasmus…until the press talks to the team chairman and they die back down.

Sage prediction: The Cards have to make a move for a bat and for pitching. There I said it. And I’m not the only one.

Twins:

As a small-market team that always competes with what it’s got, the Twins are again quiet in the trade market. There is, however, continuing speculation that they’re interested in upgrading at 3B, inquiring on the availability of Adrian Beltre. Earlier this week, Charlie Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press put together an interesting money-saving trade scenario involving a slugging third baseman.

Sage prediction: The AL Central is up for grabs, and it sure looks like an upgrade will help the Twins down the stretch to when (not if) the Tigers catch up and if (not when) the White Sox let up.

Mets:

Call it oversight, call it my subtle bias that I think the Mets will win the NL East, but commenter D Wright 5 is dead-on for calling me out on not including the Amazin’s in this list. I like his assessment:

The Mets are obviously looking to get a corner outfielder by way of trade. How come you didn’t add Raul Ibanez as a possible candidate to becoming a Met? Not one word about the rumors swirling around the David DeJesus might also become another possibility for the Mets? Not a word about Brian Fuentes being another option.

Honorable mention:

Dodgers: The problem is money. They have a big payroll and would probably only trade for role players that can help off the bench. Plus, they’re really being carried by the young hitters that ostensibly would be coveted by other teams. But don’t discount the possibility of someone like Raul Ibañez.

Red Sox: In an interesting twist, the Sawks were mentioned in connection to Mark Teixeira… but as a possible free agent signing next year. I’m gonna go out on limb and say they’ll stay pat and wait for the Rays to cool off.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com. Comments? Rumors? email me: alexo05 [at] umpbump [daught] com.

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.

Heyman’s Latest: Yankees, Manny, Bowden, Pudge

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new column up.

  • Given Richie Sexson’s expected part-time role, the Yankees are in the market for an everyday outfielder to replace Hideki Matsui’s bat.  Barry Bonds is not under consideration.  Heyman tosses out names such as Matt Holliday, Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, and Adam Dunn, while noting that the price on most is too high (the Pirates deny this).
  • Heyman is still saying the Cardinals will consider trading Colby Rasmus, despite various denials.
  • The Yanks are also looking to add a #3-4 starter type.  Here’s a look at the market.
  • Manny Ramirez probably isn’t going to get what he wants – free agency, an extension, or a trade. 
  • The Nationals are supporting GM Jim Bowden despite his recent problems.  Heyman reported rumblings last month that Bowden "could be in trouble."
  • Despite the Marlins’ interest, the Tigers are unlikely to trade Ivan Rodriguez.  Jon Paul Morosi agrees, while noting that Pudge’s salary might be too high for Florida anyway.

Manny Drama

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Elusive Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez opened up to the Boston Herald’s Rob Bradford, implying dishonesty by team management:

"I want to know what’s my situation.  I want no more (expletive) where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing. I think I’ve earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want, this is what we want to do."

Ramirez would like to sit down with Red Sox brass after the season and discuss his $20MM club option for ’09 (and perhaps the ’10 option as well).

Team owner John Henry took exception to Manny’s implication, replying:

"I find remarks that we have been anything other than completely straightforward to be personally offensive."

Ramirez is hitting .293/.389/.518, almost identical to last year.  But he played in 133 games in ’07 and is on pace to play 150 this year.  The little public spat through the Boston Herald really doesn’t change the situation – it’s still a close call for the Red Sox.  By the way, Buster Olney’s heard rumblings that Ramirez has changed agents again, from Scott Boras to Legacy Sports Group. 

Heyman’s Latest: Holliday, Fuentes, Teixeira

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Jon Heyman of SI.com posted a new column yesterday.

  • Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd is quietly calling other teams about Matt Holliday scenarios.  One that was "floated," perhaps by Colorado, involved Holliday, Willy Taveras, Fernando Martinez, and Carlos Beltran.  The Mets don’t want to trade Beltran, nor does the player want to waive his no-trade clause.  The Holliday-Mets scenario is deemed a long shot.  Meanwhile, Troy E. Renck says the Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets are "all panting after" Holliday.
  • As you know, Brian Fuentes is likely to be traded.
  • Heyman talked to a GM who expects Mark Teixeira to stay put.  That does seem likely; the Braves are 6.5 games out.

Sherman’s Latest: Bay, Nady, Holliday, Fuentes, Blake

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The New York Post’s Joel Sherman is working hard today, filing blog posts here and here.

  • Multiple teams are in the hunt for a right-handed hitting outfielder: the Mets, Rays, and maybe the Yankees.  The Pirates are asking for too much for Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, while the Rockies are waiting to see what Bay costs so they can ask for more for Matt Holliday.  The Rays’ might find their solution internally, with Rocco Baldelli.
  • Holliday as a replacement for Manny Ramirez this winter?  Right now it’s just a couple of execs speculating to Sherman.
  • The Rockies want either Jon Niese from the Mets or Ian Kennedy from the Yankees for Brian Fuentes, but the two New York clubs aren’t having that.
  • Nolan Ryan doesn’t want to punt on ’08 with the Rangers.
  • Sherman wonders if the Marlins could match up with Texas on a catcher.
  • Juan Rivera is not available at this point.
  • Casey Blake is likely to be traded, partially because the Indians probably wouldn’t offer him arbitration after the season.  The Mets and Yankees are said to have "at least mild interest."
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