Phillies Rumors

Olney On Headley, Rangers, Branyan

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 6, 2012 at 10:16am CDT

The Padres’ most sought-after player may not be Huston Street or Carlos Quentin, Buster Olney writes in his latest column at ESPN.com. Here are the details from Olney:

Chase Headley could be the most coveted player of the summer, Olney writes. The 28-year-old third baseman has a .372 on-base percentage, earns just $3.48MM this year and has two years of team control remaining after 2012. Some rival evaluators expect Headley’s power numbers would improve if he played at a more hitter-friendly park in a more potent lineup, Olney writes.
The Dodgers, Pirates, Indians, Orioles and Diamondbacks are among the teams believed to have some interest in Headley, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported yesterday.
The Phillies haven’t decided to trade Cole Hamels, but the Rangers are already viewed as favorites to acquire the left-hander should Philadelphia make him available.
The Dodgers could consider Russell Branyan, Olney suggests. Branyan, who has 194 career MLB home runs, has 11 homers and a .302/.436/.660 batting line in 133 plate appearances for the Yankees' Triple-A team this year.

East Links: Phillies, Ortiz, Shields, Holm

By Mike Axisa | July 5, 2012 at 8:24pm CDT

Ten years ago today, the Yankees swung a three-team trade with the Athletics and Tigers. Jeff Weaver went to New York, Jeremy Bonderman and Carlos Pena went to Detroit, and Ted Lilly went to Oakland as the primary pieces. Here's the latest from baseball's two East divisions…

"We plan on being contenders in ’13, ’14, ’15 and ’16," said Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. to reporters (including Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer) when asked about selling at the deadline (Sulia link). "So we’re not blowing this team up. That’s not going to happen, regardless of what happens over the next couple of weeks."
"I'm going to be open to anything. My mentality is not going to be, 'I like it here.' It's going to be, 'Bring it to the table, and we'll see what happens," said David Ortiz of the Red Sox to Jorge Ortiz of USA Today while expressing his displeasure with going through the arbitration process over the winter. "It was humiliating. There's no reason a guy like me should go through that."
The 2013 ($9MM) and 2014 ($14MM) club options in James Shields' contract will remain intact if the Rays trade their ace right-hander, confirmed ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
The Marlins have released catcher Steve Holm, reports Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). The 32-year-old hit .135/.256/.270 in 43 plate appearances for their Triple-A affiliate.

Morosi On Nationals, Angels, Pirates, White Sox

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 5, 2012 at 9:10am CDT

The Nationals will win the NL East this year, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes. Bryce Harper appears to have solved the team's center field dilemma in the short term and the team's run prevention has been tremendous. General manager Mike Rizzo says his team's first half success isn't a fluke. “I’m very pleased with it — don’t get me wrong — but I’m not shocked by it," he told Morosi. Here are more of Morosi’s notes from around MLB:

Peter Bourjos would likely intrigue the Phillies if the Angels ask about Cole Hamels, Morosi tweets. The Angels could explore the market for starting pitching depth given Ervin Santana’s first half struggles.
There was once talk of the Pirates listening to offers on Kevin Correia, but it’s hard to see that happening now that Pittsburgh leads the NL Central, Morosi tweets.
The Cubs will listen on Bryan LaHair, but their asking price remains high at the moment, Morosi tweets. Here’s more detail on LaHair and other potentially available first basemen.
A rival executive expects the White Sox to look hard at possible relief help, Morosi tweets. Deunte Heath, Brian Omogrosso, Leyson Septimo, Hector Santiago, Nate Jones and Addison Reed join Matt Thornton in Chicago’s relatively inexperienced ‘pen.

NL East Notes: Cole Hamels, Scott Hairston

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 4, 2012 at 7:35pm CDT

The Marlins acquired Carlos Lee from the Astros for Matt Dominguez and Rob Rasmussen earlier tonight in a trade that shows Miami's leadership still intends to win this year. The Marlins should obtain some additional offense from Lee at first base, while the Astros acquire a pair of intriguing prospects for their minor league system. Here are today’s NL East links…

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. met privately with Cole Hamels yesterday, but the left-hander said the meeting didn’t have to do with his contract status, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Hamels, who’s set to hit free agency this coming offseason, isn't intent on leaving the Phillies because of the team's disappointing 2012 season. He understands that the Phillies are talking to other clubs about him and remains optimistic that he and Amaro can reach a long-term agreement, Zolecki reports.
Lefty masher Scott Hairston would be the most in-demand player on the Mets if New York were selling, a scout told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). However, the 44-37 Mets are looking to add to the big league team this summer.

Yanks Have “No Intention Of Joining” Hamels Bidding

By Mike Axisa | July 4, 2012 at 9:49am CDT

The Yankees are currently in wait-and-see mode despite injuries to both CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, though they could make a move for a starter before the trade deadline. ESPN's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter) that the team has "no intention of joining" the bidding for Cole Hamels unless the asking price diminishes dramatically, however.

Over the weekend we heard that the Phillies had started to gauge trade interest in their homegrown ace left-hander, and that they're looking for a package of four or five prospects with an emphasis on help at third base and in the outfield. Since the Yankees are aiming to get below the $189MM luxury tax threshold by 2014, trading prospects for the southpaw and then keeping him long-term may not be feasible.

Phillies Notes: Hamels, Victorino, Manuel

By Zachary Links | July 3, 2012 at 6:08pm CDT

The Phillies' trades in the past week are signs that the club is getting ready to send off even more pieces, opines Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (video link). Philly hasn't quite put Cole Hamels out on the trade market yet, but as they sit far behind the first-place Nationals, it seems inevitable. Morosi says that moves involving Hamels and Shane Victorino look likelier by the day. More on the Phillies..

The Phillies might be saying publicly that they're not prepared to sell, but that doesn't appear to truly be the case, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. One rival executive who talked to a high-ranking Phillies official told Knobler, "They told me, 'If we lose any more games, we could be selling soon.'"
Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel agreed with a reporter’s observation that the team's season riding on these next three weeks, writes Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Meanwhile, Victorino argued that the returns of Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard will make a major impact on the club and will be bigger than any two acquisitions the Phillies could possibly make.
Victorino also told reporters, including Todd Zolecki of MLB.com (via Twitter) that he doesn't think his days in Philly are numbered and it's up to the team to show the front office that they can win as-is.

Latest On Yankees’ Search For Pitching

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 3, 2012 at 4:55pm CDT

The Yankees are in wait-and-see mode for now, but could pursue starting pitching before July 31st, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports write. With C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte on the disabled list, the Yankees’ rotation now includes Freddy Garcia and David Phelps.

Zack Greinke doesn’t interest the Yankees, who are concerned about how players will adjust to playing in New York. The Yankees could pursue Cole Hamels, but they aim to lower payroll below $189MM by 2014 to avoid the luxury tax, so keeping the left-hander long term wouldn’t be easy given the team’s existing commitments. The Yankees like Matt Garza and he may be their most realistic option if they’re willing to meet the Cubs’ steep asking price.

Quick Hits: Lee, Lino, Hamels, Trade Market

By Steve Adams | July 2, 2012 at 11:08pm CDT

Some links to sift through as your Monday night winds down…

Carlos Lee is remaining quiet on the potential Astros-Dodgers trade that would have sent him to Los Angeles, writes MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. "When I'm ready to talk, I'll come to you," Lee told reporters on Monday.
Mike Newman of Fangraphs and Scouting the Sally writes that Gabriel Lino, who the Phillies acquired from the Orioles in this weekend's Jim Thome trade, is one of the Top 5 catching prospects he's scouted in person in terms of talent and ceiling. Newman opines that Ruben Amaro Jr. did well to turn a one-year deal like Thome into a talented teenage catcher.
Josh Slatger of MLive.com writes that if the Tigers decide to make a run at Cole Hamels, third base prospect Nick Castellanos could be the "golden ticket" to acquiring the Philadelphia ace. Castellanos is blocked with both Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder locked into Detroit long-term.
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince looks at the ten biggest buzz topics heading into this year's trading season.

Int’l Signings: Barrera, Cruz, Esteves, Gomez, Dodgers

By Zachary Links | July 2, 2012 at 10:13pm CDT

The 2012 international free agent signing period opened today and plenty of signings will be coming in as teams look to spend within their $2.9MM allotment. We'll be keeping track of all of the day's major agreements under $1MM right here..

The Athletics are finalizing an agreement with Luis Barrera that would pay the Dominican outfielder $450K, tweets MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez. Sanchez's colleague Jonathan Mayo ranked Barrera as the No. 13 prospect in this year's class.
Badler also adds that the Indians have signed Dominican shortstop Grofy Cruz for a bonus of $400K. Cruz is expected to shift to third base soon, and is praised by Badler for his strong arm and raw power.
Dominican third baseman Kelvin Esteves signed with the Braves for a $300K bonus, Badler writes. Badler praises Esteves' bat speed and raw power from the right side.
The Dodgers also signed Dominican shortstop Cristian Gomez to an undisclosed bonus, writes Badler. Gomez was widely expected to receive a low six-figure bonus.
The Dodgers issued a press release to announce four international signings: right-handers Lenix Osuna and William Soto, left-hander Victor Gonzalez, as well as catcher Julian Leon. Osuna is the son of former Dodgers righty Antonio Osuna. Soto hails from Venezuela while the other three were all signed out of Mexico. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times tweets that the club spent about $1MM total on the four players.
The Mets, who earlier today signed shortstop Amed Rosario to a $1.75MM bonus, also signed Venezuelan shortstop Miguel Patino and Dominican second baseman Franklin Correa, tweets ESPN's Adam Rubin. Rubin also notes that Rosario's bonus is the highest the Mets have ever given to an international free agent. That honor had previously gone to Fernando Martinez ($1.3MM).

The Tigers signed Dominican shortstops Domingo Leyba and Willy Adames, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America.

The Indians have signed Dominican catcher Francisco Mejia for $350K, according to Badler. Mejia is the second catcher Cleveland signed today after inking Yoiber Marquina out of Venezuela.

Venezuelan catcher David Rodriguez has agreed to sign with the Rays, writes Badler.

Dominican third baseman Caros Belen has signed with the Padres, according to Badler. The 16-year-old, ranked No. 8 by Baseball America, is said to have outstanding offensive potential.

The Indians have ventured outside of Latin America today, signing Naoki Hashimoto for a $250K bonus, according to Nikkan Sports (Japanese link, passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker on Twitter). Hashimoto will travel to the U.S. in a few weeks and start in Single-A.

The Cardinals announced the signing of three international players: outfielder Luis Bandes, catcher Joshua Lopez, and shortstop Edmundo Sosa. Sosa's deal is worth $425K, writes Badler.

The Cubs signed Dominican shortstop Frandy de la Rosa for $700K, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports.

The Phillies inked Dominican catcher Deivi Grullon, the No. 15 ranked international prospect, for $575K, Badler writes. The 16-year-old is a strong defensive catcher with at least a plus arm, according to Badler.

The Indians signed Venezuelan catcher Yoiber Marquina, according to Ben Badler. The 16-year-old's deal is worth $475K, according to Rafael Vásquez Martínez of Líder en Deportes (Spanish link, passed along by MLBTR's Nick Collias).

The Yankees have signed Venezuelan right fielder Alexander Palma for $800K, writes Badler. Palma was the fourth-ranked international prospect by BA and has a physical frame that projects for power.

The Dominican Prospect League announced that the Yankees have signed Dominican shortstop Yancarlos Baez for $650K, writes Badler. The 16-year-old is an athletic switch-hitter with good bat speed but was not ranked in BA's top 20.

The Giants have agreed to sign 16-year-old third baseman Natanael Javier for $475K, Badler writes. The Dominican prospect was named the MVP of the Dominican Prospect League's PG International Series all-tournament game last month.

The Pirates‬ will sign Dominican third baseman Julio De La Cruz today and have four more signings lined up, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter). The 16-year-old has mostly been connected to Pittsburgh, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America (subscription req'd) but the White Sox also seemed interested.

The Blue Jays signed Venezuelan shortstop Luis Castro, according to Ben Badler. The 16-year-old right-handed hitter, ranked No. 9 by Baseball America, marks the second major signing by the Blue Jays this morning, who also inked Venezuelan prospect Franklin Barreto. Terms of the Castro deal are not yet known but it could not be for more than ~$900K if Barreto's is worth roughly $2MM, as reported.

The Red Sox signed Dominican right-hander Jose Almonte for $610K, according to Badler. Almonte was BA's No. 17 international prospect for July 2 and is said to have a loose delivery and good projection.

The Phillies signed Dominican corner outfielder Jose Pujols for $540K, Badler writes. The 16-year-old is lanky at 6'4", 175 pounds but already has plenty of power and obviously has time to fill out. The Phillies were believed to have the most interest in Pujols heading into today.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

The Phillies have signed Dominican catcher Deivi Grullon, the No. 15 international prospect for July 2, for $575,000.

Grullon, 16, is a defensive-oriented catcher with at least a plus arm.

Phillies Gauging Trade Interest In Cole Hamels

By Zachary Links | July 2, 2012 at 6:18pm CDT

Monday: Olney adds that the Phillies are focused on acquiring help at third base and in the outfield in any trade for Hamels (Twitter link).

Sunday, 2:30 pm: The Phillies' asking price for Hamels is said to be a package of four to five prospects, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Olney adds rival executives believe such a package could be hard to come by with the new rule preventing teams from offering arbitration to potential free agents acquired in trade (via Twitter).

12:22 pm: The Phillies have begun calling teams to see about trade interest in Cole Hamels, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The left-hander will be eligible for free agency after earning $15MM in his walk year. Heyman writes there has been no progress made in contract negotiations.

It's possible that the Phillies are just scoping out early interest in Hamels just in case, Heyman tweets, but the calls make the odds of a trade seem real at this point. Less than a week ago, it was reported that the club was not ready to put Hamels or outfielder Shane Victorino on the block.

There should be no shortage of interest in the 28-year-old and the Rangers could be one of the more aggressive suitors for him. Texas is said to be scouting Hamels as well as Brewers pitcher Zack Greinke.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

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