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Quick Hits: Romero, Melky, Michael, Mondesi, Bailey

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Saturday evening linkage..

  • The Mets have signed infielder Niuman Romero to a minor league contract, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (on Twitter). Romero appeared in two games for the Red Sox last season and hit .222/.294/.244 in 159 plate appearances in the Phillies' and Blue Jays' farm systems this year.
  • Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Giants, Angels, and Phillies are among the teams with some level of interest in Melky Cabrera. The Melkman has delivered a .293/.332/.452 line for the Royals this season.
  • The Twins are making progress in talks with first round pick Levi Michael, tweets LaVelle E. Neal III of The Star Tribune. Michael was the 30th overall pick, which carries a slot recommendation of $1.1MM or so.
  • Adalberto Mondesi, the 16-year-old son of Raul Mondesi, is expected to sign for $1MM when eligible in two weeks according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes (link in Spanish). Rojas says the Royals have the inside track, but the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Athletics are also interested. Make sure you tell your friends about our Spanish-language sister site Rumores de Beisbol.
  • Yesterday we learned that the Athletics have received calls on closer Andrew Bailey.  Two sources tell Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that the Rangers are among those teams and the A's have at started looking more in-depth at Texas' farm system.
  • The Braves are in search of a bat, but Athletics outfielder Josh Willingham isn’t high on their list, a source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Earlier today, ESPN's Buster Olney wrote that Willingham "is going to be traded at some point".
  • With their payroll already at an all-time high, the White Sox might be better off making in-house moves rather than deals, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  If GM Ken Williams & Co. do make a deal they may look to land a right-handed reliever, despite the emergence of Brian Bruney.
  • Rival evaluators say that the degree of separation in the standings could impact the the aggressiveness of the Phillies, Braves, and Giants before the deadline, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  
  • The Cardinals have been one of the most aggressive teams in baseball as far as looking at starters, a source tells Morosi (via Twitter).

Rosenthal’s Latest: Beltran, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees

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Earlier today it was the Full Count video, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has some more notes in a separate video…

  • Carlos Beltran doesn't figure to be with the Mets much longer, especially since the team is willing to pick up the majority of the $6MM or so left on his contract. The Giants, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, and Phillies all have interest.
  • The Phillies prefer Mike Adams to Heath Bell because they'd have him under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. They're concerned they may lose Ryan Madson as a free agent this winter.
  • The Red Sox keep saying they don't need starting pitching, but that could change before the deadline. Hiroki Kuroda is one possible target. 
  • The Yankees continue to look for starting pitching, especially after Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia got knocked around in their first starts after the All-Star break. Ubaldo Jimenez is out there, and the Rockies will at very least dangle him just to see if someone overwhelms them with an offer.

Rosenthal On Nolasco, Rays, Upton, Jimenez

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brought us another edition of Full Count today while sporting yet another fantastic bow tie.  Here are some highlights..

  • The Marlins could wind up trading Ricky Nolasco if they fail to get back to the .500 mark.  The Rangers have shown interest in Nolasco since last winter and the Yankees could look to reunite him with manager Joe Girardi.  If the Fish make such a deal, it won't be in one of their classic salary dumps, it will be instead for baseball reasons.  They're looking to increase their payroll ahead of their move into a brand new stadium and they could be major players for free agents this winter.
  • The Rays still could end up as sellers but right now they appear to be buyers as they were looking to get Francisco Rodriguez before the Brewers swooped in at the final hour.  If Tampa Bay sells, it's doubtful that they'll move any of their starters but B.J. Upton is another story.  In theory, the Nationals, Phillies, and Braves could all be potential destinations for the outfielder.
  • The three teams with the best chance of meeting the Rockies' asking price for Ubaldo Jimenez are the Yankees, Tigers, and Reds.  The concerns with Jimenez are that he's not back to his 2009/early 2010 form and that his velocity has dropped.  One scout told Rosenthal that he's not back to his ace form yet but he's getting close.
  • The first-place Pirates are after upgrades but they should also improve from within.  They have a number of injured players returning such as Jose Tabata, Evan Meek, and Ross Ohlendorf.  The Bucs continue to search for a bat but they're not terribly interested in the Cubs' Carlos Pena.

NL West Links: Padres, Adams, Ubaldo

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The Giants have won four in a row to open up a 4.5 game lead in the NL West. Let's check in on the latest from the division…

  • Padres scouts have spent a lot of time looking at Phillies and Rangers prospects recently, says Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Earlier today we heard that Philadelphia has interest in Heath Bell and Mike Adams.
  • Meanwhile, ESPN's Buster Olney says rival GMs believe the Padres should trade Adams now to maximize his value, especially since he'll be 33 in two months and has a lengthy injury history (Twitter links). Olney adds that Adams has more trade value than Bell because he's under team control next season.
  • Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd shot down speculation that the Rockies are open to trading Ubaldo Jimenez because of his attitude, writes Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. "I don't know where that's coming from. That's not even close to the truth," said O'Dowd. "He's as fine as a kid you will come across in this game."

Phillies Have Interest In Heath Bell & Mike Adams

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The Phillies are looking to shore up their bullpen before the trade deadline, and a source tells Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com that the team is interested in Padres relievers Heath Bell and Mike Adams. Nothing appears imminent, however.

Philadelphia just welcomed Ryan Madson back from the disabled list, but there's a chance Jose Contreras will miss the rest of the season. Reports from Brad Lidge's most recent rehab outing was not encouraging either; he hit two batters, threw three wild pitches, and topped out at 89 mph in 2/3 of an inning on Thursday night. Mike Stutes (3.45 ERA in 31 1/3 IP) and Antonio Bastardo (0.79 ERA in 34 IP) have stepped up in the late innings through all the injuries.

Although Bell and Adams are their two most attractive pieces, the Padres also have Chad Qualls and Luke Gregerson to trade. Salisbury reiterates that the Phillies are also looking for a right-handed outfield bat despite John Mayberry Jr.'s recent hot streak, and San Diego has Ryan Ludwick to offer. For all the latest on late-game bullpens with a fantasy twist, check out Closer News.

NL East Notes: McKeon, Beltran, Phillies

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Let's check out some notes from the NL East..

  • Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria will consider Jack McKeon to manage the club in 2012, writes Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.  Loria added that former skipper Edwin Rodriguez resigned on his own and was not pressured by the front office to quit.
  • Loria also says that his team can work its way back into the playoff picture in 2011, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
  • A source told Jeff Passan of Yahoo (via Twitter) that the no-arbitration clause in Carlos Beltran's contract does transfer to his new team if he is traded.
  • History always tells us that the Phillies always make a move and they usually go with a pitcher over a bat, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.

Olney On Tigers, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Beltran

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Teams looking to trade for outfield help will encounter a buyers’ market, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Here’s the latest from around MLB, with the most recent rumors up top:

  • The Tigers are pursuing pitching aggressively, checking in on high-end arms, according to Olney (on Twitter). 
  • The Pirates are looking for an outfielder who can be a stable presence in their lineup. They have asked around for veteran outfielders (Twitter link). 
  • The D'Backs are looking for relievers who have yet to go to arbitration, not expensive veterans (Twitter link).
  • The Red Sox, Braves and Phillies would “undoubtedly” love to acquire Carlos Beltran, but all three clubs are distancing themselves from the teams behind them in the standings, so they could decide to acquire a second-tier bat instead of surrendering an elite prospect for Beltran.
  • Hunter Pence will likely stay in Houston unless the Astros are “overwhelmed,” according to Olney.
  • The A’s are listening on Josh Willingham.
  • Rival GMs believe that a deal for Ubaldo Jimenez is “all but impossible,” since the Rockies would ask for so much in a trade for their ace. The Rockies will listen on Jimenez, who is on the Reds' radar.

Gillick On Phillies, Werth, Daniels, Orioles

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Longtime baseball executive Pat Gillick will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next weekend alongside Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar. The former Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners and Phillies GM reflected on his career and the state of the game on a conference call with reporters this morning. Congratulations in advance to Gillick; here are some highlights from his conversation:

  • Gillick, who is now a senior advisor for the Phillies, would like to see Philadelphia add a right-handed bat this summer. Though doing so is not imperative, it's "very important."
  • Gillick now provides the Phillies with scouting reports on amateur players on the West Coast and talks with GM Ruben Amaro Jr. about twice per week.
  • Jayson Werth's $126MM contract with the Nationals "stunned and shocked" Gillick, who once signed Werth for $850K under considerably different circumstances. The longtime GM says he's not a fan of long-term deals. "It wouldn't have been something I would have recommended," Gillick said.
  • Jon Daniels of the Rangers reminds Gillick of himself. "I always considered myself a little adventurous," Gillick said, "and I think Jon and his Texas group are headed in the right direction."
  • Gillick says he admires some moves by Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, especially the deal that brought Adam Jones to Baltimore for Erik Bedard.
  • Gillick says he doesn't expect to be a GM again, but he would consider becoming a club president in the right situation.
  • The Pirates are the surprise of 2011 for Gillick.

Heath Bell Talks Trade Possibilities

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Padres closer Heath Bell appears to be keeping tabs on his own market, telling Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times he views the Angels, Yankees, Cardinals, Rangers, and Phillies as potential suitors (Twitter link). 

Bell discussed the trade possibility at length with MLB.com's Matthew Leach and other reporters today at the All-Star game media session, saying he's willing to set up for the rest of the year if a team acquires him for that role.  Of course, he doesn't really have any say in the matter; if a team wants him to play shortstop he'll have to do that to collect his paycheck.  Bell does not seem to have a league preference.  As you might expect, Bell will want a closing job when he signs a contract as a free agent.

An NL executive spoke to Tom Krasovic about Bell's trade value, wondering if Padres setup man Mike Adams is valued more.  As far as fantasy baseball trade value, Dan Mennella at CloserNews wonders if it's time to try flipping Bell.

Contenders In Need Of A Left Field Upgrade

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As many as seven contenders could seek a left field upgrade at the trade deadline:

  • Rays: The Rays are five games out in the wild card, so acquiring talent for the short-term remains possible.  They've been using Sam Fuld and Justin Ruggiano lately.
  • Tigers: The team has employed a bunch of different corner outfielders, but primary options Brennan Boesch and Magglio Ordonez might be sufficient.
  • White Sox: The Sox have stuck with Juan Pierre, who was at least useful in May and is having a solid July.  Internally, they could give more playing time to Brent Lillibridge or promote Dayan Viciedo.
  • Phillies: Raul Ibanez has had a rough year, but has shown power this month and in May.  He's earning $11.5MM, which limits the Phillies' flexibility.
  • Braves: The Braves have been using Nate McLouth in left and Jordan Schafer in center lately with Martin Prado on the DL.  Prado will fill in for Chipper Jones at third upon his return.
  • Reds: The Reds have tried Chris Heisey, Jonny Gomes, and Fred Lewis.  Overall none of them have been awful but no one has run away with the job.
  • Giants: Aaron Rowand, Cody Ross, and perhaps Pat Burrell are in the mix.  Brandon Belt could enter the picture as well, so the Giants may already have enough to choose from.

None of these clubs are a slam dunk to acquire a left fielder, but the Braves, Phillies, and Reds seem more likely than the others.  Potential trade targets could include Josh Willingham, Ryan Ludwick, Luke Scott (if healthy), David DeJesus, Marcus Thames, Laynce Nix, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, and Juan Rivera, with Soriano and Lee long shots to be dealt.

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