Quick Hits: Victorino, Phillies, Dempster, Pirates
Shane Victorino was a late scratch for today's game against the Braves, but it's apparently nothing more than a manager's decision by skipper Charlie Manuel. However, Victorino doesn't appear to be long for Philadelphia anyway as he will almost certainly sign elsewhere if he is not dealt before July 31st, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. People familiar with the familiar with the Phillies' thinking have suggested that while they intend to make a strong effort to keep Cole Hamels, their efforts to retain the outfielder are expected to be lukewarm at best. The Dodgers have a bit of interest in Victorino while he could also be a fit for the Pirates, Indians, and Tigers, Heyman tweets. More Sunday afternoon linkage..
- A big scouting presence is expected for Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster's start against the Mets today, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The right-hander was on the disabled list for three weeks with a sore right lat.
- Former Rangers and Indians GM John Hart told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter) that while it's "common knowledge" that the Bucs are looking for offense, he believes that they should also consider adding a big pitcher.
- Giving Jonathan Papelbon a four-year, $50MM contract has handcuffed the Phillies from making other essential moves, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While Papelbon has posted a 3.45 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 on his way to a fifth All-Star selection, the rest of the bullpen has been battered by injuries.
Cafardo On Beckett, Quentin, Hernandez, Phillies
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe hands out his midseason awards. His award for "Most Surprising Team" so far goes to the White Sox in the American League and the Mets in the National League. Cafardo credits the Mets' management team of Sandy Alderson, Paul DePodesta, and J.P. Ricciardi for piecing together the scraps and overshadowing the team's Bernie Madoff public relations nightmare. Here's more from today's piece..
- Red Sox starter Josh Beckett can block any deal with his ten-and-five rights, but it wouldn’t shock baseball people if Boston eventually pursues it. “He would get some interest if some of the money was absorbed,” said one National League GM. “He’s not what he was, but he can still pitch. He’s got the postseason resume and still seems to have some competitiveness on the mound, which are all things you look for. The things you have to evaluate would be the issues in the clubhouse, to some extent, and breaking down a little more than he used to.”
- Earlier today we learned that the Pirates have had preliminary talks with the Padres about Carlos Quentin. Cafardo writes that the outfielder could be the next big bat to go and would also be desirable for the Dodgers and Blue Jays.
- Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik keeps insisting he will not trade Felix Hernandez, but he would likely be able to take care of three or four positions by doing so. However, Zduriencik has been tempted with great offers in the past and declined to part with the right-hander.
- While the Phillies are obviously giving serious thought to dealing Cole Hamels, one consideration for the club is that they have aging pitchers in Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, and Hamels is younger. The 28-year-old would be even more valuable down the road and rebuilding in Philadelphia is tough.
Olney On Upton, Greinke, Rays, Phillies
The Diamondbacks have let other clubs know that they are willing to consider offers for Justin Upton and Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) writes that teams are attaching red flags to the situation. Rival clubs wonder why Arizona would look to move a 24-year-old who is signed through 2015. and there is some concern about whether Upton has a chronic left shoulder problem. The D'Backs are looking for third base help, and there aren't a lot of options at the position. Meanwhile, we learned this morning that they have talked with the Pirates about a possible deal. More from today's column..
- If the Brewers decide to deal Zack Greinke and the Orioles have a chance to land him, the question is whether Baltimore can generate an offer strong enough to top the draft pick that Milwaukee would get by hanging onto the pitcher instead. Baltimore won't part with Manny Machado or Dylan Bundy, leaving the Brewers to look beyond the club's two best prospects. Brian Matusz could be an interesting name in the talks if Milwaukee is a fan.
- It remains to be seen whether the Rays will turn into sellers, but they have assets to dangle if they decide to go in that direction, including James Shields, B.J. Upton, and Matt Joyce. Upton is making $7MM this year and Joyce is headed to arbitration for the first time this winter.
- The Phillies are already prepared to weigh any offers for Cole Hamels right now and the decision to sell continues to get easier as they fall in the standings. Headed into this afternoon's game against Atlanta, Philadelphia is 14 games behind the Nationals.
Rosenthal On Greinke, Hamels, Ellsbury, Victorino
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has posted his latest edition of Full Count. Let's dive in..
- As of this morning, the GMs of the Orioles and Brewers have not spoken about a trade involving Zack Greinke. But the O's, despite sending three starters to the minors this week, continue to indicate that they are buyers. Brewers pitching coach Rick Kranitz was previously in Baltimore and O's right-hander Jake Arrieta was originally a Brewers draft pick in 2005 and could be of interest as part of a package for Greinke. However, the Orioles may not want to pay a steep price for a potential free agent when they might only be playing for a wild card.
- Rival teams covet Rangers third base prospect Mike Olt and the Phillies would likely target him in any talks for Cole Hamels, but the odds of Philly landing him are slim. Texas would view Hamels as a rental and are looking at Olt at first base and right field, in addition to third. His bat will be needed next season if they lose Hamilton or Mike Napoli to free agency.
- The Red Sox face ongoing luxury tax concerns and are over the threshold by $10MM, according to a source. That could make holding on to Jacoby Ellsbury difficult after 2013 and trading him might make sense at the end of this season. Unfortunately, the free agent market will be flooded with outfielders including Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, and Shane Victorino. That will obviously hurt the market for the 28-year-old.
- Victorino could be a fit for the Pirates or Indians as they aggressively pursue hitters. The Pirates like Carlos Quentin but his asking price is steep. The Tribe has inquired on Corey Hart, but he is unavailable. Victorino would be a solid fit for Cleveland as he is a switch-hitter (who would join a predominantly left-handed lineup) and can play either left or center field.
Draft Notes: Gausman, Phillies, Rash, Brewers
Earlier today, we ran down the remaining unsigned first-round picks from the 2012 draft. Here's today's latest draft news..
- An Orioles source tells Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com (via Twitter) that the team remains "very confident" of signing top pick Kevin Gausman. However, talks between the two sides still could go into next week. The fourth-overall pick in the draft has said that he expects to reach agreement with the O's but there hasn't been a great deal of news on that front lately.
- The Phillies were unable to reach agreement with second-round pick Alec Rash, writes Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register. The right-hander's father said the family requested $800K while the Phillies countered with an offer of $500K plus $120K for college. Rash will now attend Missouri in the fall.
- The Brewers signed eighth-rounder Edgardo Rivera for $200K, more than the suggested pick value of $132K, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America. The high school outfielder out of Puerto Rico boasts plus-plus speed and could be solid left-handed bat, Callis writes.
Reds, Others Interested In Juan Pierre
The Reds are among the teams showing interest in Juan Pierre, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). The Phillies have not yet indicated a willingness to sell, but that won't stop clubs from calling.
Pierre, 34, is hitting a solid .317/.355/.387 with 20 steals in 23 chances while taking over Philadelphia's left field job on an everyday basis. Cincinnati is said to be seeking a leadoff hitter type, and Pierre certainly fits the bill.
Cole Hamels Rumors: Friday
The Phillies once believed that they could contend this year, but the confidence of the five-time defending NL East winners seems to have dwindled, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com writes. Now Phillies people say things like "you don't know if a team is just going to blow you out of the water" for a player of Cole Hamels’ caliber. Here’s the latest on Hamels, who would arguably be the top available pitcher if the Phillies put him on the market:
- People who know Hamels believe him when he says he likes Philadelphia, Knobler reports. "I've had no indication that he doesn't want to be here," GM Ruben Amaro told Knobler. Hamels’ contract expires after the season and he'd presumably command a contract of at least five years for $20MM-plus per season on the open market.
- The Phillies won't trade Hamels before trying to sign him to a long-term deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. They have discussed Hamels with other teams but would prefer to keep him. "Since we are built on pitching, and have had success with it, having those three guys are essential, if possible,'' Amaro said in reference to Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.
- The Rangers watched Hamels’ start last night, Knobler adds.
Olney On Headley, Rangers, Branyan
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
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
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.