McAdam: Red Sox Discussing Extension With Lugo
Via RotoWorld:
"The Providence Journal’s Sean McAdam said on WEEI radio that the Red Sox have been in contact with Julio Lugo‘s agents to discuss a contract extension."
Nothing on this from the Boston Globe guys just yet. The D-Rays are going to have to scramble if they want to get something better than a couple of compensation draft picks for Lugo. One hour left.
Edes: Red Sox Inquire On Kip Wells
Check out Gordon Edes’s latest blog posting for the Boston Globe. Through a Pirates source, Edes has learned that the Red Sox are discussing a trade for starter Kip Wells. Wells has been decent with a 3.16 ERA this month. He shut down the Giants last time out.
UPDATE: ESPN’s Amy Nelson says this one is on the verge of getting done. Also, word via Sons of Sam Horn is that this deal could be for Abe Alvarez.
Olney: Red Sox Discussing Andruw Jones
According to ESPN’s Buster Olney:
"The Red Sox and the Braves have talked about a deal that would send Andruw Jones to Boston for Coco Crisp, Craig Hansen and a prospect. But according to an executive familiar with the discussions, the Braves made a counter offer, asking for Jon Lester to be the third player."
This may be the surprise blockbuster that’s been rumored; it’s a testament to Theo Epstein that there hasn’t been a whisper of this til now. We’ve got just 2.5 hours to go.
If I’m John Schuerholz, I’d just try to get Lester involved and not worry about the rest.
UPDATE: Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe tells us that the Andruw Jones talks are dead, and that they didn’t really go anywhere. He says the Sox may still be in on Soriano. He also throws Chris Young of the Padres into the mix for the first time.
Red Sox Trade Rumors
It’s tough to get anything out of Boston these days; Theo Epstein has plugged all of his leaks. Let’s see what we can piece together though.
According to Sean McAdams of The Providence Journal:
"Friends of the Rocket insist he’s sorry that he chose the Astros over the Red Sox." McAdams mentions that Clemens would love a trade to Boston if it could be done without infuriating the Houston fanbase. Also, a source of mine tells me that the Mets have inquired about Clemens.
Then there’s the possible three-way trade with the Rockies and Padres. The Padres would get Mike Lowell, the Red Sox would get Ryan Shealy and a starter, and who knows what the Rockies would get.
Don’t get that rumor confused with the other three-team scenario from Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe. In that case, the Red Sox get Julio Lugo and Scott Linebrink, the Padres get Mike Lowell, and the D-Rays get prospects.
Plus, Jayson Stark mentioned last night that the Red Sox are "making a late run at Alfonso Soriano." He doesn’t have much more than that, but it can’t be dismissed. Stark has also connected Boston to Jason Schmidt and Brad Lidge.
Stark: Mets, Rangers, Red Sox Inquire On Jason Schmidt
Jayson Stark’s got a good one for us this evening over in his Stark Market. Stark indicates that the Giants are now listening to offers for Jason Schmidt on the heels of their recent losing streak. Apparently the Mets, Red Sox, and Rangers have inquired.
Schmidt will be a free agent after this season, and he’s said he would like to play for the Mariners. The 33 year-old grew up in Kelso, Washington.
If the Giants really do change gears and pack it in for 2006, Moises Alou and Ray Durham could be a couple of other names that could interest teams as the deadline clock ticks away.
Carroll: Final Offers Made On Tejada
In his the latest Will’s Mill, Will Carroll indicates that the Astros and Angels have put in their final bids for Miguel Tejada. He also mentions that the Astros may turn to Julio Lugo if they can’t get Tejada. In that case they’d have to compete with the Blue Jays. Lugo was released by the Astros in 2003 by Gerry Hunsicker. Chuck LaMar was a bad GM, but you have to give him credit for the Lugo signing and the Kazmir deal. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, right?
Carroll also tells us that not much is leaking out of Boston’s front office, so reporters are left to connect the dots with info from other teams. He leaves us with hope for some action soon enough:
"One of my best sources says the first of the Red Sox deals will happen this afternoon."
Boston Herald: Crisp In Trade Talks
Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald and Buster Olney of ESPN are hearing the same thing: that Coco Crisp is available in trade talks. In fact, Crisp was offered to the White Sox for a starting pitcher. The Sox have six of ’em, so it’s anybody’s guess. Maybe a buy low attempt on the fatigued Mark Buehrle? Nah.
Crisp is hitting just .269/.322/.389 since returning from a broken finger and kidney stones on May 28th. His OBP is not down because he’s drawing fewer walks – in fact, his walk rate has remained remarkably steady for years. It’s down because Crisp’s OBP is normally driven by a .300 average and the hits aren’t quite there this season. That’s the problem with an OBP reliant on base hits. The culprit may be a reduction in Crisp’s contact rate. Normally he puts the bat on the ball 86% of the time but this year he’s down to 83%.
Even an average center fielder should post a .335 OBP and .425 SLG, and normally Crisp tops that. He’s still just 26. Defensively, Crisp is one of the game’s best as a left fielder. In center field, not so much.
The Red Sox seemingly wanted to keep Crisp around, signing him to a three year contract extension in April. However, they did trade Bronson Arroyo after signing him to a contract extension.
Trade Rumor Roundup: 8 Days Left
To begin with, this just isn’t true. With the Kearns deal and probably Soriano trade, the 2006 deadline just can’t be classified as a dud. That honor belongs to 2005 for sure. The trading action never matches the buildup, but this year’s still a good one.
Read Ken Rosenthal’s latest. The White Sox are in the Soriano game, the Rangers have interest in Luis Gonzalez, the Braves could add another reliever, Julio Lugo still might become a Blue Jay, and the Brewers look like sellers. In my opinion, some Brewers besides Carlos Lee that could be unloaded: Geoff Jenkins, Corey Koskie, Brady Clark, and Dan Kolb. Koskie will need to recover quickly from his concussion, however.
Still hearing that the Cubs like Willy Taveras, which would definitely fit their m.o. of players who don’t get on base. Phil Rogers also mentions that Seattle’s Rafael Soriano is being asked about. It would be surprising to see the Mariners deal that kind of young talent.
Tons of great rumors coming from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. He’s got a rundown of the Red Sox, all sorts of teams scouting Humberto Sanchez, and more.
Buster Olney mentioned in his blog today that the Astros are among various teams scouting Elmer Dessens. The Astros are also looking at Damaso Marte.
Unfounded rumor department: Could the Dodgers be after Aramis Ramirez? Ramirez has picked a fantastic time to heat up, and L.A. has some top shelf young talent…is there anywhere Julio Lugo could go besides Toronto? How about the Rockies?
Red Sox Call Royals About Mark Redman
A source tells me that the Red Sox have placed a call with Kansas City to assess their demands for 32 year-old All-Star southpaw Mark Redman. I say All-Star with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
In 15 starts this year, Redman has a 5.38 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. Redman’s walks have been up this season, and it’s hard to survive when striking out 3.3 batters per nine. He missed a start with forearm tightness in late May, and missed the first two weeks of April because of knee surgery.
Redman chose to exercise his $4.5MM player option last November with the Pirates, leading to a trade to the Royals the next month. Another possible contributor is rumored trouble in the clubhouse.
To his credit, Redman did manage a decent June with five wins and a 3.74 ERA. He’s tied with Scott Elarton for the team lead in quality starts, with six in fifteen tries. That’s a backhanded compliment, as even Jeff Weaver has had seven quality starts. Scuffy Moehler, too. I’m not sure what the Red Sox or any other suitor would have to give up for Redman, but it won’t be much.
Red Sox Interested In Klesko?
A reader passed along a trade rumor heard this morning on WEEI in Boston from Sean MacAdams. Here’s the report:
The Red Sox would send reliever Rudy Seanez to the Padres for first baseman Ryan Klesko.
Some background seems appropriate. Seanez is a 37 year-old right-handed reliever signed to a one-year, $1.9MM deal by the Red Sox this winter. The club has a $2.1MM option for ’07 that can be bought out for $200,000. Seanez also will earn incentives this year for his number of appearances.
Last year with the Padres was easily the best season of his career; he was worth more than three wins and had the third best strikeout rate in the game among pitchers with 60 innings. He’s toiled for eight different teams and a return to San Diego would mark his third stint with the Pads. Seanez has seen all of his peripherals decline in his 33 innings this year, and he’s projected by Baseball Prospectus to be out of the game by ’08. He spent time on the DL last year with shoulder discomfort.
I’m sure you’re familiar with 35 year-old slugger Ryan Klesko. He was once a feared six-win player in the early part of the decade with San Diego. The left-hander was acquired by the Padres in a blockbuster deal in 1999 along with Bret Boone in exchange for Quilvio Veras, Wally Joyner, and Reggie Sanders. Klesko has a no-trade clause as a 10 and 5 player as part of his complicated, reworked contract; he makes $8MM in the final year of the deal. Kevin Towers has already said he will not exercise the ’07 option.
Klesko hopes to return to the Padres around August 1st after having shoulder surgery on his A/C joint in April. He hasn’t topped 500 ABs since 2002, but remains adept at drawing walks and may owe last year’s career-low slugging percentage to his painful shoulder and a pinched nerve in his neck. Klesko would certainly clear waivers, so the Padres have until August 31st to deal him. He’s willing to waive his no-trade rights if he’s not getting playing time with the Padres and he’s being sent to a contender. That’s probably the main wrinkle in this possible deal – Klesko would only be a bench player in Boston. In addition, Kevin Towers’s main concern right now is finding a third baseman.