Justin Duchscherer May Return Tuesday
Oakland pitcher Justin Duchscherer may make his big league season debut Tuesday against the Yankees, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Duchscherer, 31, had arthroscopic elbow surgery on March 31st.
Slusser says other teams have been scouting Duchscherer's rehab appearances, and the Tigers and Red Sox are among the clubs expected to be represented tonight. Whether these scouting missions fall outside of the teams' normal coverage and imply trade interest, I don't know.
Back on July 31st, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggested salary relief (about $1.06MM remains) and a "modest prospect" might be an acceptable return for the A's. As of right now, Duchscherer projects as a Type B free agent in the American League. Could the Rangers be a match? Here's what ESPN's Buster Olney wrote in today's blog:
I'd guess that the Rangers will claim him on waivers, whenever he passes through.
The Brewers and Dodgers are a couple teams seemingly on the lookout for pitching, though their interest level in Duchscherer is unknown.
Marlins Interested In John Smoltz
The Marlins are interested in recently-designated veteran pitcher John Smoltz, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Smoltz refused a minor league assignment; the Red Sox will trade or release him soon. Boston will be on the hook for the vast majority of the money remaining on Smoltz's contract.
The Marlins are currently tied with Smoltz's former team, the Braves, for second place in the NL East. They're three games out of the wild card. The Marlins' rotation is 11th in the NL with a 4.67 ERA. Perhaps Smoltz would be more at home back in his old league and division. At least a few analysts feel he still has something left to contribute despite an 8.33 ERA in 40 innings this year.
Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said last week he was not interested in Smoltz, "but things can change." ESPN's Buster Olney named the Rangers as an interested party but admitted Boston might be unwilling to deal with a competitor.
Smoltz Refuses Minor League Assignment
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that John Smoltz refused a minor league assignment, leaving the Red Sox with the choice of trading or releasing him. Smoltz cleared waivers, so the Red Sox can trade him to any club, but they would likely have to pay much of his $5.5MM salary in any deal. Smoltz, who makes $500k if he's traded, received $35k for every day he was on Boston's roster, but he would no longer pick up those bonuses if he's released and picked up by another club.
Heyman On White Sox, Mets, Bay, Holliday
Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Blue Jays asked for a player currently on the White Sox in exchange for Alex Rios before asking for a prospect and eventually settling for salary relief. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi didn't get MLB talent back for his right fielder, but executives around the league say they understand the thought process behind the trade. Here are the rest of Heyman's rumors:
- One GM says Rios would be a good gamble at $30-35MM, but the $60MM remaining on his deal is too much.
- White Sox GM Kenny WIlliams says he's fully confident that Jake Peavy will transition into the American League and help the White Sox down the stretch.
- It's uncertain whether Gary Sheffield and Pedro Feliciano were claimed off waivers. Two AL teams were interested in Sheffield before his hamstring injuries popped up.
- Teams are claiming more cheap, young players than ever.
- The Red Sox would love Marco Scutaro, but aren't likely to get the chance to acquire him since teams with worse records would presumably claim him.
- Heyman hears that Matt Holliday could press for a no-trade clause and may not take the biggest deal he sees as a free agent this offseason.
- Some estimate that Jason Bay could make about $60MM over four years when he hits free agency after the season.
- The Nats could name a new GM by the end of the month. Acting GM Mike Rizzo is receiving praise around the league for acquiring Nyjer Morgan.
- Most execs believe John Smoltz is more likely to land in the NL.
Brewers GM On Trades, Free Agents, Draft
Brewers GM Doug Melvin said on 1250 WSSP in Milwaukee that he's glad he didn't go after some of the free agent arms that were available last offseason. Here's the clip and here are the details:
- Melvin admits that pitchers like John Smoltz and Oliver Perez were tempting, but says he's glad he resisted.
- The Brewers were interested in Jarrod Washburn at the deadline, but didn't have enough young pitching to complete a deal with the Mariners.
- The Brewers were in on the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, but were reluctant to give up Alcides Escobar and Mat Gamel.
- Melvin sounds hesitant to experiment with Rickie Weeks in center field.
- The Brewers will have some "some flexibility" to add free agents this offseason.
- Melvin expects the Red Sox to pursue free agent position players aggressively.
- As of today, Melvin says he's not motivated to move J.J. Hardy, but hints that the Brewers could move him after the season to make room for Alcides Escobar.
- Melvin's pleased with the progress 2009 first rounder Eric Arnett has made.
Olney On Rios, Upton, Davis, Smoltz, Webb
ESPN.com's Buster Olney suggests that Alex Rios would sign a deal worth $20MM over two years or $30MM over three if he were a free agent right now. That means the White Sox are paying more than market value for their new outfielder, but clubs can't often acquire talented players in their prime. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:
- The White Sox are better equipped to win this year and, even though they took on lots of money, they didn't give up a single player to acquire Rios.
- Some talent evaluators are convinced the Rays will listen to offers for B.J. Upton this offseason.
- Olney hears that Doug Davis is currently on waivers and John Smoltz cleared waivers.
- If the D'Backs don't exercise Brandon Webb's $8.5MM option for 2010, he could become a gamble for big-market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox.
Odds And Ends: Webb, Tazawa, Morgan, Aurilia
A few links for the morning…
- Today's chat starts at 2pm CST.
- Brandon Webb says he'll pitch next year and he hopes it's with the D'Backs, according to Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic. The team has the option of paying Webb $8.5MM or buying him out for $2MM.
- MLB.com's Jason Beck says the Tigers, who had interest in Junichi Tazawa last Winter, now have to face the righty as he makes his first MLB start.
- How about this stat, from Tracee Hamilton of the Washington Post: The Nats were 21st in the majors in runs before Nyjer Morgan's arrival. Since trading for him, they're third.
- MLB.com's Chris Haft wonders if the Giants may be about to release Rich Aurilia.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America reports that the Red Sox agreed to sign 10th rounder Brandon Jacobs for $750k, which exceeds the recommended bonus by about $600k.
- Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle hears that the A's have budgeted first round money for fourth rounder Max Stassi. However, there appears to be a 50% chance he accepts a scholarship at UCLA instead of going pro.
Rosenthal On Bell, Mets, Padilla, Braves
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Dodgers were on the brink of acquiring Heath Bell before the July 31st trade deadline. The Padres will listen to offers for Bell and Adrian Gonzalez again after the season, but they're under less pressure to deal those players with Jake Peavy's contract off the books. Here are the rest of Rosenthal's rumors:
- The Mets are not considering replacing Omar Minaya with assistant GM John Ricco right now, but we could see Ricco deal with the media more.
- A pair of NL teams, possibly the Dodgers and Brewers, are "kicking the tires" on Vicente Padilla. Teams are more likely to wait for him to clear waivers than strike a deal now, however.
- The Braves offered Casey Kotchman to the Pirates for Adam LaRoche before acquiring LaRoche from the Red Sox.
- The Rays and Rangers have been claiming players off of waivers aggressively.
- Rosenthal notes that the Rockies' revamped 'pen has pitched well so far.
Alex Rios Claimed; Trade Next?
MONDAY, 5:26pm: According to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, Blue Jays manager J.P. Ricciardi has just called a pre-game press conference. Bastian wonders if it'll involve news on the Rios situation. Stay tuned.
SUNDAY, 5:01pm: Ken Rosenthal says that Jays have to let Rios go, regardless of what kind of return – if any – they receive. Freeing up $58.7MM over the next several years is too valuable of an opportunity. As Rosenthal points out, $12MM this offseason (Rios' approximate average salary) could have bought Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson, Russell Branyan, and Adam Everett, while leaving $800K to spare.
6:52pm: Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune spoke to White Sox GM Kenny Williams, who abided by league rules stating he can't comment about specific players placed on waivers. He did offer up this, though:
"I’m not confirming or denying any interest or any claims or any thing, but if these things get out on a daily basis, boy, it’s going to be a heck of an August around here in terms of how many players you claim and how many you don’t claim. It will make your head spin if you follow each report. A lot of players getting claimed every day. Why is this a big deal?"
1:50pm: According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, we should know by "early Tuesday afternoon" where Rios is headed.
SATURDAY, 1:34pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian asked Rios about the waiver claim before Saturday's tilt with the Orioles. It sounds like everyone is still in the dark. "I can't do anything," said the outfielder. "If I get traded, I get traded. I'm going to have to go wherever I get traded to, but I don't know. At this point I'm thinking that I'm staying here."
For what it's worth, Rios is 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI since the waiver claim was reported.
FRIDAY, 10:02pm: Olney is now reporting that the White Sox "are most likely the team awarded claim on Rios, but the Blue Jays have not confirmed it." The Sox face a mutual option on right fielder Jermaine Dye after the season, and could also consider using Rios in center field if they acquire him.
8:44pm: Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times reports that the Mariners did not put the claim in on Rios.
7:58pm: John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that "someone high in the front office" confirms that the Reds did not claim Rios.
6:16pm: Henry Schulman of The SF Chronicle says that vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans "hinted strongly" that the Giants are not the team that claimed Rios.
4:41pm: Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports that the Red Sox didn't claim Rios, either.
4:39pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears from a high-ranking Mets official that the Mets did not claim Rios. J.P. Ricciardi didn't get into specifics with MLB.com's Jordan Bastian and just said it's normal to place players on waivers.
2:52pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that Alex Rios has been claimed on waivers by an unknown team. The Blue Jays now have three choices:
- They can let the claiming team have Rios and the $60MM-plus remaining on his contract.
- They can pull him back from waivers and keep him.
- They can work out a deal with the claiming team.
One executive calls this an "incredible opportunity" for the Blue Jays to shed payroll.
Odds And Ends: Sano, Red Sox, Pedro
Another round of links for the afternoon…
- ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. says the Angels looked at Miguel Angel Sano, but aren't close to offering the Dominican shortstop prospect a deal.
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports that the Red Sox signed Jason Thompson, their 11th round pick, for $300k. The team also appears to be on its way to signing 10th rounder Brandon Jacobs for second-round money.
- Ben Klayman of Reuters reports that at least a third of MLB teams will send out send out season ticket renewal offers earlier than usual to keep revenues flowing.
- As MLB.com's Todd Zolecki notes, Pedro Martinez will start for the Phillies Wednesday and bump Jamie Moyer to the bullpen.