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Rangers Scouting Both Zack Greinke & Cole Hamels

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With four starting pitchers on the disabled list, the Rangers are scouting both Zack Greinke and Cole Hamels prior to the trade deadline according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. In a video, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says he's heard that Rangers GM Jon Daniels "is not messing around."

Texas reportedly had a scout at Greinke's most recent start in Cincinnati. The Brewers are said to be prepared to move their ace right-hander if the two sides are unable to agree to a contract extension in the weeks leading up to the deadline. A Rangers official told MLB.com's Peter Gammons that they will not be in on Greinke, however (Twitter link).

The Phillies have yet to make Hamels available, though GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has indicated a willingness to sell if his team does not improve its performance. Morosi speculates that Rangers' prospect Mike Olt could be a fit for Philadelphia, who is looking for a long-term solution at third base.

The Rangers are currently without Derek Holland (shoulder), Colby Lewis (forearm), Alexi Ogando (groin), and Neftali Feliz (elbow). They signed Roy Oswalt as a free agent last month and he's since made two starts for Texas.

Dodgers Notes: Cubs, Brewers, Dempster, Lee

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Earlier today the Dodgers officially announced the signing of Cuban outfielder Yasel Puig to a seven-year deal.  The news of the agreement sent shock waves through baseball this week and clearly shows that the club is very serious about getting back into signing top Latin American players.  Here's more out of Los Angeles..

  • The Puig deal could be just the start of major moves to come from the Dodgers, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.  According to major league sources, they have talked multiple times to the Cubs, Astros, and Brewers.  They've also touched base with a number of other teams, including the Mariners, Royals, Twins, Blue Jays and Padres, sources said.  The Dodgers would like to add a hitter, a starting pitcher, and a left-handed reliever.
  • Speaking of the Cubs, the Dodgers are viewed as a favorite to land Ryan Dempster once he returns from the disabled list, sources suggest to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  The two sides haven't talked since the week before Dempster went down but a person familiar with the situation says Los Angeles has a very good chance to land the right-hander.
  • The Dodgers are lukewarm to the idea of signing Derrek Lee, and would prefer to explore other options first, a major league source told Rosenthal.  Lee would require time at Triple-A and the Dodgers seem to prefer more certainty and perhaps a more immediate solution at first base.

Quick Hits: Wells, Attanasio, V-Mart, Mariners

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The Padres franchise is still looking for its first no-hitter, as Andrew Cashner's no-hit bid was ended after 6 1/3 innings tonight.  It still ended up being a good night for San Diego, however, as the Friars rallied for a six-run ninth inning in their 7-3 win over the Astros.

Some notes from around the majors…

  • Vernon Wells tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he has no plans to waive his no-trade clause since he enjoys playing for the Angels, though he may not receive much playing time once he returns from the DL.  Morosi speculates that the right-handed hitting Wells could be a fit for the Dodgers, Reds or Indians.  Any trade would involve the Angels eating the large majority of the approximately $53MM Wells is still owed through the 2014 season.
  • Brewers owner Mark Attanasio covered many topics during a Q&A with local business owners (reported on by Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), such as the team's payroll, the change in how the Brewers are perceived around baseball and how the team is having "an uncomfortable time" deciding whether or not they're contenders or sellers.
  • If Victor Martinez is able to play this season, it won't until mid-September at the earliest, Tigers head trainer Kevin Rand told reporters (including Chris Iott of Mlive.com).  Martinez is recovering after tearing his ACL in January.
  • The Mariners aren't on pace to contend before Felix Hernandez's contract is up at the end of the 2014 season, argues Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, and should thus explore trading the ace right-hander.
  • With just a few days left before the July 2 international signing deadline, Ben Badler of Baseball America discusses some of the top prospects with various international scouting directors.
  • The Cardinals are looking for both starting and relief pitching, and Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines whch is a greater need for the club.
  • The Yankees announced that right-hander Adam Warren has been placed on the 25-man roster and signed to a Major League contract.  In corresponding moves, Ryota Igarashi was also called up while C.C. Sabathia was placed on the 15-day DL and Andy Pettitte went on the 60-day DL.  Warren, a fourth-round pick in the 2009 amateur draft, has a 3.05 ERA in 79 career minor league starts and he'll make his Major League debut on Friday in Sabathia's rotation spot.
  • The week's minor league transactions are recapped by Matt Eddy of Baseball America.

Rosenthal On Greinke, Hamels, Kershaw

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In the latest Hot Corner video, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal gives his take on three of baseball's top aces…

  • The likelihood of Zack Greinke being dealt "probably is growing," though the Brewers are still on the fringes on the NL Central race.  Rosenthal doesn't think the Brewers will be able to afford re-signing Greinke this winter and their best-case scenario if they do trade him would be to bring back a big prospect, as the Mets did last summer when they acquired Zack Wheeler from the Giants in exchange for Carlos Beltran.
  • Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay won't be back until after the All-Star break and Chase Utley just made his season debut, so Rosenthal says the Phillies might "wait until the last minute, perhaps" to decide whether they'll be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.  Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino, both pending free agents, would be Philly's biggest trade chips if the team did decide to look ahead to 2013.
  • There is "no urgency" for the Dodgers to pursue a longer contract extension with Clayton Kershaw.  The two sides already agreed to a two-year, $19MM deal in February and Kershaw isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2014 campaign.  Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said last month that the team wasn't going to negotiate a longer deal with Kershaw during the season.  Rosenthal notes that while the Dodgers may re-open talks in the offseason, it can't hurt to exercise a bit more caution when locking up pitchers, noting that the Giants are probably thankful they didn't extend Tim Lincecum last winter given Lincecum's struggles.

Brewers Claim Hector Gomez; DFA Brandon Kintzler

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The Brewers have claimed shortstop Hector Gomez off waivers from the Rockies, reports MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.  In a corresponding move, right-hander Brandon Kintzler has been designated for assignment.

Gomez, 24, was ranked as the 95th-best prospect in the game by Baseball America prior to the 2008 season.  He has a career .268/.306/.425 line in 1791 minor league plate appearances, and he made his Major League debut last season, appearing in two games with Colorado.  The 24-year-old has played in just three minor league games this year due to a groin injury. 

Kintzler also has limited big-league experience, making 16 relief appearances for the Brewers in 2010-11 and posting a 4.91 ERA and recording 24 strikeouts in 22 innings.  Kintzler was originally a 40th-round draft pick of the Padres in 2004 and he has a 3.56 ERA and a 2.81 K/BB ratio in 188 minor league games, 44 of them starts.

Zack Greinke Rumors: Thursday

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Zack Greinke picked up his ninth win of the season last night, allowing two runs in six innings of work during the Brewers' 8-4 win over the Reds.  Here's the latest hot stove chatter on the Milwaukee ace…

  • "A couple of teams," including the Yankees, feel that Greinke may not be suited for pitching in a large market, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  Greinke did tell the Yankees he would pitch for them when he was in the process of being dealt from the Royals to the Brewers. 
  • At the time Greinke turned down a trade to the Nationals, as he felt the Brewers were in better position to immediately contend.  As Washington has since acquired Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson, the Nats are unlikely to be looking for pitching at the trade deadline.
  • Heyman says that the Brewers were looking to offer Greinke an extension similar to Jered Weaver's deal with the Angels (five years, $85MM) but talks between Greinke and the Brewers broke off in April just after Matt Cain's five-year, $112.5MM deal contract with the Giants re-shaped the market.
  • The Braves would only be interested in trading for Greinke if they could sign him to a new long-term contract, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  The Braves could, as rumored, use some of the money budgeted for their 2013 payroll to accommodate adding Greinke or another pitcher.  As Bowman points out, the Braves will have almost $36MM (Chipper Jones, Derek Lowe and Michael Bourn's contract) coming off the books this winter, though the club will need some of those funds to re-sign Bourn or spend on another outfielder.
  • Besides Greinke, Bowman lists Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster and Edinson Volquez as "potential targets" for Atlanta.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports added some more news about Greinke earlier today.

Morosi On Greinke, Brewers, Kotsay

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It'll be a surprise if Zack Greinke is pitching for the Brewers after the July 31st trade deadline, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes. Here are some more details from Morosi, starting with the Brewers right-hander:

  • Greinke didn't offer much detail on his contract talks with the Brewers — “I don’t know anything about that. I’m not really talking about it" — but the Brewers are preparing to trade him if an extension isn't possible. 
  • Morosi is almost certain the Brewers will be sellers and notes that the Braves, Dodgers, Cardinals, Orioles, White Sox and Indians would like to upgrade their rotations. Morosi adds that the Rangers, Angels and Yankees had scouts at Greinke’s most recent start. Greinke, a free agent after the season, figures to obtain a qualifying from the Brewers this fall if he stays in Milwaukee. No other team can obtain draft pick compensation for Greinke if he leaves as a free agent this offseason.
  • Mark Kotsay will be one of the most sought-after bench bats in summer trade talks, Morosi writes (Twitter links). The Padres have outfield depth in Carlos Quentin, Chris Denorfia, Cameron Maybin, Jesus Guzman and Will Venable.

Central Notes: Greinke, Brewers, Liriano, Byrd

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A Rangers scout is in town for Zack Greinke's start against the Reds this afternoon, and that's no accident, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Morosi speculated yesterday that Texas could be in on the right-hander as they were also interested in him before Kansas City traded him to the Brewers.  As we know, Milwaukee is prepared to move Greinke before the deadline if they can't sign him to a new deal.  More news out of the Central divisions..

  • Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano could draw serious interest as the deadline approaches, but he scares a lot of evaluators around baseball, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider sub. req'd).  Three evaluators that Olney spoke with were skittish about the 28-year-old and two said that they preferred Matt Garza even though he's the more expensive option.
  • The Yankees also have a scout on hand for Greinke's start today, but that appears to be just be regular coverage and Morosi (via Twitter) would be surprised if they make a play for him.
  • The Cubs won't recoup any of the $6.5MM released outfielder Marlon Byrd is being paid this year despite his unpaid 50-game suspension, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Brewers Prepared To Move Greinke If No Extension

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The Brewers are prepared to trade right-hander Zack Greinke if they're unable to sign him to a contract extension before the trade deadline, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The team is said to be "very realistic" about their position with the former AL Cy Young Award winner. 

"I haven't sat down with ownership," said GM Doug Melvin. "I haven't talked to any club yet to say, 'Give names.' I haven’t had that conversation … We've got to make a decision on what we're doing overall. We’re hoping we can put a good week together. If we don't, we've got to be prepared to go both ways. A lot more clubs are starting to call now. Clubs are calling on different players."

The two sides were discussing a long-term contract extension earlier this year, but talks were suspended in April. The 28-year-old Greinke has pitched to a 2.81 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 96 innings across 15 starts this season. He'll become a free agent after the season and Matt Cain's five-year, $112.5MM deal with the Giants is a likely comparison during extension talks.

Phillies Have Yet To Make Hamels, Victorino Available

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The Phillies won last night but are still in fourth place in the NL East, eight games out of first and 4.5 back of the wild card spots. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he could be a seller if his team doesn't improve back in May, but in today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney says Philadelphia has yet to put Cole Hamels or Shane Victorino on the market.

Olney says contending teams are monitoring the Phillies — as well as the Brewers — to see if they become sellers in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. The Blue Jays have already inquired on both Hamels and Victorino, and you have to think almost every team in the league will check-in on those two at some point. Amaro could also market Juan Pierre, Ty Wigginton, and Joe Blanton at the deadline, though that is just my speculation.

Milwaukee could offer Shaun Marcum, though his recent elbow injury is throwing a wrench into those plans. He tried to play catch yesterday but things did not go well according to Todd Rosiak of The Journal Sentinel. The Brewers also have trade candidates in Zack Greinke, Randy Wolf, and Francisco Rodriguez.

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