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Diamondbacks Unlikely To Trade For Kevin Youkilis

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The D'Backs have not spoken to the Red Sox regarding Kevin Youkilis, a source with knowledge of the situation told Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com.  The source also termed Youkilis’ possible acquisition as a “long, long shot” because of financial reasons. 

If the Diamondbacks do decide to pursue Youkilis, left-hander Joe Saunders seems the most likely candidate to be involved, but the source said that it's "unlikely" that the club is looking to trade Saunders.  The 30-year-old has a 3.65 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 through eleven starts.

Arizona stretched their budget to $75MM when they inked free agents Jason Kubel and Joe Saunders last winter and would have to dump salary to make any deal work.  Youkilis, 33, is earning $12MM this season and a $13MM option for 2013 that can be bought out for $1MM.

Cubs Notes: Garza, Soler

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A couple of items on the 19-37 Cubs..

  • The Cubs are saying that they'll try to sign Matt Garza, but rival GMs believe that there is a decent chance of a trade, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  It could come down to an AL East battle for his services, Heyman adds, with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays all in the mix.
  • The Cubs were one of several teams that had representatives at Jorge Soler's workout today, writes Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com.  Cubs GM Jed Hoyer admitted that the club has done their fair share of homework on the highly-touted prospect.  “We’ve been following this carefully and we certainly plan to be involved," Hoyer said.

Draft Notes: Diamondbacks, Zimmer, Red Sox, Astros

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The latest on the MLB draft, which has reached its conclusion after three busy days… 

  • The Diamondbacks are "close" to agreeing to terms with first-round pick Stryker Trahan, tweets Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.  The high school catcher was tabbed with the No. 26 pick.
  • The Royals appear to be close to a deal with fifth-overall pick Kyle Zimmer, tweets Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star.  The right-hander will likely start with the club's Arizona League affiliate but may go to Idaho Falls instead.
  • The Red Sox are nearing deals with supplemental first round selection Pat Light and second rounder Jamie Callahan, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter).
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law reviews the draft class of each National League team, noting that he loves what the Astros did. The Padres impressed Law early on, and he liked the Nationals' selection of Lucas Giolito.
  • A legal dispute in Ohio could impact the future use of advisors, as Darren Heitner explains in a piece at Forbes.com. The MLBPA has warned agents that a case involving the former representatives of Andy Oliver “could represent a significant threat” to agents by placing restrictions on who can represent athletes who live or attend school in Ohio.
  • There have been lots of pre-draft agreements between teams and players, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick hears (Twitter link). "It's a bigger joke this year than it's ever been,'' one agent told Crasnick.

Quick Hits: Bard, Royals, Bauer

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There's been lots of draft chatter these past few days, but that's not all that's going on around the Major Leagues. Here are some more notes from around MLB…

  • The Red Sox optioned Daniel Bard to Triple-A, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Bard has struggled with his command in the rotation and, as Dave Cameron of FanGraphs notes, his velocity is down as well. Bard still figures to go to arbitration for the second time this coming offseason.
  • The Royals don’t intend to rush Wil Myers to the Major Leagues despite the top prospect’s minor league successes, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Royals could reduce the chances that Myers qualifies for super two status following the 2014 season by waiting another few weeks to call him up.
  • Diamondbacks pitching prospect Trevor Bauer has pitched well enough in the minors to deserve a promotion, but "nothing has been decided" regarding the right-hander's timeline, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports (Twitter links). Bauer and Myers are in similar situations; they probably won't qualify as super twos if their teams keep them in the minors for a few weeks.

Draft Notes: Astros, Gausman, Twins, Red Sox

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The MLB Draft got started last night and now the first round and supplemental round are complete. Here are some reactions to the events of day one before the action resumes at 11am CDT…

  • High school shortstop Tanner Rahier and high school outfielder Anthony Alford are among the top remaining players, Nathan Rode of Baseball America writes.
  • Keith Law of ESPN.com likes what the Astros (Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers Jr.) and Pirates (Mark Appel) accomplished yesterday. Law's list of best available players features nine high schoolers including third baseman Carson Kelly and right-hander Kieran Lovegrove.
  • Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com provides an overview of day one, including a preview of the interaction between the Pirates and Scott Boras, the advisor for Appel. Commissioner Bud Selig said he's "very optimistic" that the new system will work out, according to Crasnick.
  • McCullers and his father, Lance McCullers Sr., were selected 41st overall 30 years apart from one another, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle notes (on Twitter).
  • Blue Jays scouting director Andrew Tinnish says college right-hander Marcus Stroman is very advanced, though not necessarily MLB-ready, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
  • Top Orioles selection Kevin Gausman said he's confident he’ll be able to reach a deal with Baltimore, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (on Twitter). The Orioles drafted Gausman fourth overall, making him the first pitcher selected.
  • Scouting director Deron Johnson said the Twins wanted Byron Buxton all along and had been targeting the high school outfielder since last summer, Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com reports.
  • Arizona State coach Tom Esmay says top Red Sox pick Deven Marrero is committed to improving his game, Alex Speier of WEEI.com writes. Red Sox scouting director Amiel Sawdaye doesn’t sound concerned about the shortstop's unimpressive offensive numbers.

Quick Hits: White Sox, Diamondbacks, Mets

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It’s draft day, which means lots of coverage on MLBTR. I’ll be hosting a live chat throughout the evening, so come by and discuss the latest picks as they’re announced. MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be updating posts with each selection, so you’ll be able to see everything at a glance. Here are some non-draft links as we await the big event…

  • The White Sox are expected to target veteran bullpen help if they're in a position to add to their roster in July, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
  • Knobler hears the Diamondbacks will call top pitching prospect Trevor Bauer up “soon” (Twitter link).
  • The Red Sox called the Diamondbacks about Joe Saunders after Arizona acquired the left-hander in 2010, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. One MLB executive can imagine a trade involving Saunders and Kevin Youkilis, though the person doubts the Diamondbacks would be interested in taking on considerable salary or parting with a significant prospect.
  • The Mets will likely make three roster moves Tuesday, when Miguel Batista, Jason Bay and Chris Young are expected to return, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). The club will have to create 40-man roster space for Young.
  • The Tigers should have a better idea of what, if anything, Victor Martinez can offer in 2012 by late July, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.

Red Sox Prioritizing Starting Pitching Depth

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The Red Sox are prioritizing starting pitching depth leading up to the trade deadline, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Boston's rotation came into today with a 4.53 ERA that ranks 28th out of the 30 big league clubs.

Although Daisuke Matsuzaka (Tommy John surgery) and Aaron Cook (laceration) are currently rehabbing their way back to the club, Daniel Bard's five-run, five-out outing yesterday ballooned his ERA to 5.24 in ten starts and one relief appearance. He has more walks (37) than strikeouts (34). Southpaw Felix Doubront (3.76 ERA) is the club's only starter with an ERA below 4.25.

Ross Ohlendorf recently opted out of his minor league contract with the Red Sox after pitching to a 4.61 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 52 2/3 innings for their Triple-A affiliate.

Draft Notes: Astros, Orioles, Red Sox

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The Astros hope Stanford's Mark Appel follows in the path of Stephen Strasburg and David Price as successful big league pitchers who were first overall picks coming out of college. Houston is expected to take Appel with the top pick on Monday in the amateur draft as we noted earlier in the day. Let's catch up on the latest draft news and rumors as teams make their final preparations in the hunt for quality Major League talent…

  • The Astros need to ensure Monday's draft bolsters the team's rebuilding effort and that starts with drafting Mark Appel over Byron Buxton, opines Steve Henson of Yahoo! Sports. Selecting Appel, a starting pitcher for the Stanford Cardinal, would take the team in a different direction than the addition of Buxton, a high school outfielder with five-tool potential. While Buxton may ultimately have a brighter future than Appel, the Astros are in need of a quality player who can contribute at the big league level as soon as possible.
  • Armed with the fourth pick in the draft, the Orioles have narrowed down their list of potential selections to four players, writes Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com. Baltimore will choose between Puerto Rican high school shortstop Carlos Correa, high school left-hander Max Fried, LSU right-hander Kevin Gausman and University of San Francisco right-hander Kyle Zimmer. The Orioles have encountered mixed success with their recent first-round picks as Matt Wieters (2007) has emerged as a top catcher in baseball while Brian Matusz (2008) has struggled in Baltimore. 
  • Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington and scouting director Amiel Sawdaye talked with Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal about their approach to 2011's deep draft class. Sawdaye explains that the Sox felt fortunate to net Matt Barnes and Jackie Bradley Jr., both of whom they thought would be off the board prior to their selections at No. 19 and No. 40, respectively. Sawdaye cautions that it's dangerous for a team to set its sights on one specific player, as more often than not, that approach results in the disappointment of seeing the player go elsewhere.

Quick Hits: Bard, Halladay, De La Rosa

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Carlos Zambrano hit and pitched the Marlins into a first place tie with the Nationals in the NL East.  Zambrano hit a 431-foot home run, the longest by a pitcher in four years according to the ESPN Home Run Tracker, and struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings.  Here are today's other pitcher-related links.

Uncertainty For Red Sox Amid Youkilis Rumors

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Now that the trade chatter has started, it’ll likely gather momentum in anticipation of the July 31st non-waiver deadline. It could be a long eight weeks for Kevin Youkilis. 

The rumors have teams such as the Dodgers, Phillies, Diamondbacks and White Sox interested in acquiring the infielder from his longtime team, the Red Sox. It’s a topic Youkilis prefers to avoid.

“I’m here to play against the Jays,” he said on his way to the indoor batting cages before Sunday’s game in Toronto.

While Youkilis would rather focus on his next at bat than his next team, some players attempt to deflect the rumors and speculation that surround them with a little humor. 

“Any Cody Ross rumors?” Jarrod Saltalamacchia inquired with the outfielder himself sitting nearby (in case you’re wondering, there are no new Ross rumors).

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia has had more down time than usual since last Monday, when he injured his right thumb. But Pedroia hasn’t spent the time seeking and digesting the latest updates on his team.

“What’s the rumor mill?” he asked without apparent irony.  

Pedroia maintains that he’s not an internet person and that even a mobile phone can be excessive, so his indifference to the trade talk comes as no surprise. His teammates showed a little more curiosity, half-jokingly wondering aloud about possible trade targets for the Red Sox.

It’s nothing more than idle chatter now, but there’s no denying Youkilis’ future in Boston seems less defined than ever before. Will Middlebrooks is emerging as an option at third base, so opposing teams are starting to call general manager Ben Cherington about possible deals. 

The Red Sox maintain that they’re not looking to move Youkilis, whose contract includes a $13MM club option for 2013 ($1MM buyout). But until the trade deadline passes two months from now, Youkilis figures to deflect countless questions as onlookers, his teammates included, are left to speculate.

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