Carlos Beltran Rumors: Wednesday
Though he's well-compensated and has full no-trade protection, Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran is the best available hitter. The latest:
- The Red Sox aren't willing to part with the prospects the Mets want, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. The Mets are interested in Josh Reddick, Ryan Kalish, Jose Iglesias, Anthony Ranaudo, Felix Doubront and Will Middlebrooks, according to Edes. Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald hears that the Red Sox are focusing on internal solutions, particularly Reddick.
- SI's Jon Heyman runs through ten Beltran suitors, naming the Phillies the "clear favorite." The Mets' first target would be Domonic Brown, a concession Matt Gelb can't see happening.
- Boston's talks with the Mets about Beltran have not advanced beyond preliminary discussions, reports WEEI's Alex Speier. Eight to ten teams are said to be in the mix, with the Red Sox among the top six.
- Some Mets officials feel a deal could get done well before the July 31st deadline, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman agrees with a previous Ken Rosenthal report that the Phillies and Red Sox are the most aggressive suitors. Sherman says they're followed by the Braves, Giants, Indians, and Pirates. He notes that the Mets "have been somewhat surprised by Detroit's disinterest."
- Yesterday the Mets provided Beltran with a short list of teams to consider, and the Phillies are believed to be on it, report Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo. The writers add that the Mets have indicated a willingness to pay much or all of the $6MM owed to Beltran depending on the return. They list the Red Sox, Giants, and Yankees as other suitors, and wonder if the East Coast teams have an edge since Beltran lives in New York. Brown and Passan named the Brewers as a dark horse, but they don't have much in the way of top prospects.
Tigers Close To Acquiring Wilson Betemit
The Tigers are close to acquiring Wilson Betemit for two prospects, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Kansas City would receive two prospects in the deal. Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star originally reported that a trade appeared imminent (on Twitter). The Brewers, Angels, and Marlins had expressed interest in Betemit recently.
This post was originally published on July 20th.
Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Tuesday
We heard yesterday that at least 12 teams have checked in on Ubaldo Jimenez, though the Rockies are likely going to hold on to the right-hander. Scouts will get another look at Jimenez tonight, when he toes the rubber against the Braves. In the meantime, here are the latest rumors, with the most recent updates up top:
- The Red Sox inquired on Jimenez, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. However, the level of Boston's interest isn't yet clear. Jon Heyman of SI.com reported Sunday that the Red Sox had "probably" checked in on Jimenez, but this is the most definite interest we've heard of so far.
- People familiar with the Rockies' plans say the Reds and Rangers have a better chance of obtaining Jimenez than the Yankees, according to Knobler. The Tigers, who are prioritizing starting pitching, have asked about most available starters, including Jimenez.
Rosenthal On GM Job Security
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tells us which GMs are on the hot seat in his latest column. A few details…
- Ed Wade (Astros) and Jim Hendry (Cubs) are deemed to be on the hot seat. New Astros owner Jim Crane is expected to try to lure Rays decision-maker Andrew Friedman with the chance to run his hometown team. As for the Cubs, Rosenthal finds speculation of a Pat Gillick-Hendry pairing to be far-fetched. Rosenthal notes that the Cubs job, which has been occupied by Hendry for more than nine years, "might draw interest from some of the game's top current GMs."
- Jack Zduriencik (Mariners), Tony Reagins (Angels), and Dave Dombrowski (Tigers) are viewed as "less than secure."
- Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Andy MacPhail (Orioles) are in the final year of their contracts. Rosenthal says "even some of Cashman’s friends in the industry think he might be ready to bolt." Rosenthal says it'd be an upset if MacPhail returns for Baltimore.
- Ned Colletti (Dodgers) and Kenny Williams (White Sox) are in unusual positions. Colletti has an out after 2012, and of course his club is a picture of uncertainty. As for Williams, he could theoretically become club president to allow the team to retain Rick Hahn, but Rosenthal's sources believe "such an arrangement would be difficult on both men."
- Rosenthal tosses a "you never know" tag on Doug Melvin (Brewers) and Bill Smith (Twins), but finds the Pirates' Neal Huntington secure.
- We'll have much more on the topic of GM candidates next month. But in MLBTR's survey of dozens of team executives and agents, the following people were named as candidates at least five times: Hahn, Jerry Dipoto, Thad Levine, David Forst, Ben Cherington, Tony LaCava, Mike Chernoff, Bryan Minniti, A.J. Preller, and Billy Eppler.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Monday
Yesterday we learned that the Mets are willing to pick up a substantial portion of Carlos Beltran's $18.5MM salary if it means getting better prospects in return for the switch-hitting outfielder. Here's the latest on Beltran, with the most recent updates up top:
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson hasn't yet approached Beltran with a list of possible destinations for the outfielder to approve or turn down, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown. As a ten and five player, Beltran has earned the right to block any deal, though he'll waive that right under certain circumstances.
- The Pirates will "kick the tires" on Beltran, a source tells MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.
- The Phillies, Giants, Tigers, Brewers, Braves and Red Sox have called the Mets about Beltran, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter links). The Yankees and Rangers may also have checked in with the Mets, who appear willing to deal Beltran within the NL East.
- The Phillies and Giants are the most likely fits, followed by the Tigers and Braves. The Brewers are focused on adding infield help and Boston's interest has been mild so far.
- Earlier today, Heyman reported that the Mets don't believe Beltran would pass through waivers in August, as he did a year ago.
Tigers, Indians Interested In Aaron Harang
The top two teams in the American League Central are both looking for starting pitching depth and, in at least a couple of instances, they're interested in the exact same pitcher. The Indians and Tigers have interest in Aaron Harang, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Earlier today, Heyman reported that both clubs have interest in Hiroki Kuroda.
The Indians, who lead the Tigers by a half game after today's win, are looking to add a starting pitcher (here's a look at who's available). The Tigers hope to do the same and have some interest in Ubaldo Jimenez, Jeremy Guthrie, Derek Lowe and others.
Harang, 33, has a 3.19 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 through 93 innings this year. He may be profiting from pitcher-friendly Petco Park and the fact that opponents are hitting just .281 against him on balls in play (26 points below his career mark).
The ten-year veteran earns $4MM this season with a $5MM mutual option for 2012 ($500K buyout). He doesn't project as a ranked free agent under the Elias formula, so draft pick compensation does not appear to factor in to Harang's trade value.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports confirms that the Tigers are interested in Harang and adds that Detroit is not taking serious looks at Mark Reynolds or Wilson Betemit at the moment (Twitter links).
Knobler On Tigers, Vargas, Fister, Marlins
Danny Knobler of CBS Sports has the latest on the market for starters, from Miami to Detroit to Seattle. Here’s the latest:
- Though the Tigers are a possible destination for Carlos Beltran, they've been focusing all of their attention on upgrading their rotation at this point (Twitter link). Derek Lowe and Jeremy Guthrie are two of the pitchers who have drawn the Tigers' interest.
- The Mariners have suggested to teams that they would discuss dealing starting pitching – specifically Jason Vargas and Doug Fister, according to Knobler. They may not get much for Erik Bedard, but they're getting calls on Adam Kennedy and Jamey Wright.
- Though the Marlins will consider trading Javier Vazquez, Leo Nunez and Randy Choate, they won't talk about Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez or Josh Johnson, according to Knobler. The Marlins are looking to add starting pitching and a third baseman, though those moves may not happen this month.
Tigers Interested In Jeremy Guthrie
The Tigers have interest in Orioles righty Jeremy Guthrie, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The 32-year-old is behind Ubaldo Jimenez and Hiroki Kuroda on Detroit's wish list, however.
Guthrie sports a 4.45 ERA, 5.8 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 1.17 HR/9, and 35.7% groundball rate in 123 1/3 innings this year. He's earning $5.75MM this year, and depending on how his peers do in arbitration, Guthrie could jump to the $10MM range in 2012. Word is that the Orioles will listen on Guthrie, but they'll need to get pitching back in return.
Morosi notes that the Orioles had a Major League scout at Sunday's game between the Triple-A affiliates of the Tigers and Yankees. Not only did the Tigers' second-best pitching prospect Andy Oliver start that contest, but the Tigers' front office instructed manager Phil Nevin to use Charlie Furbush. It appears that the Tigers and Orioles match up well for a Guthrie trade.
On the Derek Lowe front, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweets that the chances of the Tigers acquiring him are extremely low. He says the Braves would have to pick up at least 75% of the $21MM owed to Lowe through next year, so about $15.75MM, and that's not happening. Surely there's a team that values Lowe at more than $5.25MM through 2012.
Quick Hits: Wigginton, Reyes, Phillies, Lowe
Some assorted links for your Sunday reading:
- Ty Wigginton's name has come up in talks between the Yankees and Rockies, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman. As Heyman points out, Wigginton could fill in for Alex Rodriguez as he recovers from surgery.
- The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo feels that the Red Sox should go all-in and acquire Jose Reyes to put the team over the top.
- Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer spoke to a scout from each league and got their takes on several Phillies' trade targets, including: Josh Willingham, Ryan Ludwick, Heath Bell, Mike Adams, Hunter Pence, and Carlos Beltran.
- Derek Lowe isn't concerning himself with trade rumors and is even making light of the Tigers' interest in him, writes Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Rogers speculates that the Braves could move Lowe to clear salary for a big-name hitter.
- The Tigers are looking at improving their rotation and possibly third base, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. With Carlos Guillen coming back and Phil Coke being placed back in the bullpen, GM Dave Dombrowski doesn't feel second base and relief help are big areas of need.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Sunday
The market for Carlos Beltran will become much more interesting if the Mets are willing to pay most or all of the outfielder's remaining salary in a deal, as ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter) and Joel Sherman of the New York Post write. Within Sherman's column, an AL assistant GM points out that not many teams can afford to take on $6MM at this point, meaning the Mets have a decision to make: "Do they want salary relief or do they want to open up the field of interested teams by eating a lot of dollars, and get a better return?" Here are today's other Beltran rumors, with any new updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….
- Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says that it's bad news for the Giants if the Mets are open to paying Beltran's price tag, since San Francisco would rather absorb salary and give up lesser prospects.
- According to executives polled by Sherman, only the Giants and Tigers could afford to take on all of Beltran's remaining salary, among potentially interested clubs. If the Mets paid most or all of the cost, teams like the Indians, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Red Sox, Phillies, and Braves would all be in play.
- Beltran is on the Angels' radar as well, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- One Mets official told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that trading Beltran within the NL East isn't out of the question, saying it "would be a factor, but not prohibitive." In Sherman's piece, however, one AL exec questions whether the Wilpons would allow the team to deal Beltran to the Phillies or Braves, even if Sandy Alderson is willing to do so.
- New York would probably have to gain about five games on Atlanta by July 31st to make keeping Beltran a viable option, says Newsday's Ken Davidoff.