Phillies, Royals Discussing Melky Cabrera
The Phillies and Royals have discussed a deal that would send Melky Cabrera to Philadelphia, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The sides have exchanged names, but they aren't close to completing a trade.
Morosi notes that it's unlikely that the Royals will trade both Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur, since that would create openings in next year's outfield. The Royals and Francoeur have a mutual option for 2012 and Cabrera is arbitration eligible after the season.
Phil Anastasia of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Philadelphia's interest in Cabrera earlier this week. Some Phillies people think the Royals are asking for a "small fortune" for Cabrera, Francoeur and Joakim Soria, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
Cabrera earns just $1.25MM this season, so he's considerably cheaper than another one of Philadelphia's targets, Carlos Beltran. Beltran, a switch-hitter like Cabrera, earns $18.5MM this year and though the Mets appear willing to cover a substantial portion of that, they're asking for top young players in return. The Phillies appear to be one of the favorites to acquire Beltran.
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.
West Notes: Pentland, Bell, Breslow, Bedard
The latest on a few AL and NL West clubs…
- The Dodgers fired hitting coach Jeff Pentland and named Dave Hansen interim coach through season's end, the team announced on Twitter. Not that it's entirely Pentland's fault, but the Dodgers are 15th in the NL with 3.63 runs scored per game.
- Padres closer Heath Bell appeared on ESPN's Doug Gottlieb show yesterday. He thinks his top three suitors are the Rangers, Phillies, and Cardinals, and believes he'd probably close only for the Cards. SI's Jon Heyman says the Padres have considered taking draft picks for Bell after the season or re-signing him if they don't get what they want this month. Heyman lists the Phillies, Reds, Rangers, Cardinals, Pirates, Angels, (and the White Sox and Yankees to a lesser degree) as suitors. By the way, check out our Bell archive over at CloserNews for fantasy advice.
- Athletics lefty Craig Breslow interests the Brewers, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi expects many A's to be dealt this month, and notes that the Rangers, Orioles, Giants, Pirates, Blue Jays, Brewers and Reds scouted Tuesday's game in Detroit.
- Trade candidate Erik Bedard will likely have his return delayed until after the Mariners' series with Boston at Fenway this weekend, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. He might have one start to display his health prior to the July deadline.
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik told SI's Jon Heyman he hasn't heard nor has he asked about his situation. Zduriencik's contract is up after this season.
- Dodgers GM Ned Colletti explained to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times that "it's not that cut and dry" to label his club buyers or sellers. Though the team has no chance in 2011, Colletti may be willing to acquire players who are controlled beyond this year.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Tuesday
The trade deadline is just 12 days away, and the Mets possess the best available bat in Carlos Beltran. The Mets are willing to assume a chunk of his $18.5MM salary to improve the return. Beltran will have to approve the trade, and the Phillies, Giants, Tigers, and Braves might be the most likely suitors. The latest:
- The Pirates, who won again tonight, have called on Beltran, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- The Pirates rate Beltran as the top available bat, but aren't going after him full-speed, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (on Twitter).
- The Phillies and Red Sox are among the most aggressive suitors for Beltran, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Other clubs remain "strongly in the mix" for Beltran, Rosenthal reports. Both the Phillies and Red Sox are up against the luxury tax and want the Mets to pick up substantial salary in any deal. The Mets may trade the switch-hitter several days before the deadline and may have to include less money than they originally expected to send. Though Beltran can block any trade, the Mets don't expect that to become a problem.
- The Giants, who acquired Jeff Keppinger earlier today, remain interested in Beltran, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- The Yankees aren't in the market for Beltran, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). They won't be interested in him unless somone on their roster gets injured, according to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger.
- Rival executives tell ESPN's Buster Olney that Beltran's trade value would be much higher if not for a contractual clause that prevents his team from offering arbitration after the season, therefore eliminating draft pick compensation. My take: Beltran is not a lock for Type A status, and most teams would have been reluctant to offer arbitration to him given his health history and $18.5MM salary. The impact of Beltran's "no arbitration offer" clause on his trade value seems overstated.
- The Yankees discussed Beltran with the Mets, reports Olney, but he cannot see a deal happening unless it's a pure salary dump. Bob Klapisch goes a step further, saying the Yankees briefly entertained the idea but decided it's not a fit.
NL East Notes: Braves, Nationals, Hairston, Byrdak
The Phillies and Braves will be buyers this month, the Mets appear to be sellers, the Nationals will be 'buyers and sellers' and the Marlins are fielding inquiries on their players. Here's the latest on the NL East…
- The Braves are happy with Jordan Schafer, so even though they're among the teams with interest in Carlos Beltran, they wouldn't necessarily put Beltran in center field if they were to acquire him, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
- If the Braves trade Derek Lowe it will be to create payroll flexibility for the rest of 2011 and in 2012, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links). Such a deal would also show that the Braves have lots of confidence in Brandon Beachy, as Olney explains.
- Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com explains that Nationals GM Mike Rizzo is willing to listen on just about all of his players, including relievers Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard. Goessling says it's more likely that the Nationals trade a starter than Clippard or Storen, however.
- The Phillies are scouting Scott Hairston and Tim Byrdak of the Mets, not just Beltran, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
Phillies, Marlins Discussed Leo Nunez
The Phillies have talked to the Marlins about closer Leo Nunez, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The Marlins seek young pitching in return, Crasnick adds.
Nunez fits with the Phillies' goal of acquiring players they can control beyond this year, though his salary will get a healthy bump from this year's $3.65MM. Over at CloserNews, we're speculating on Mike Dunn for saves in Florida if Nunez is dealt.
Crasnick tweets that the Marlins are not ready to pull the plug yet, even if the team's recent strong play still doesn't make them a mathematical contender. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro believes the Marlins will stay the course, and maybe even consider adding a third baseman or pitcher. Keep in mind that even if the Marlins don't want to pay Nunez $6-7MM next year, they can always trade him in August or the offseason.
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.
NL East Notes: Reyes, Phillies, Nationals
Is the American League East really the best division in baseball? National League East teams have averaged 51 wins apiece so far this year, two more than AL East teams and more than any other division in baseball. Here’s the latest from the division, which is home to the two winningest teams in the National League…
- Jose Reyes prefers the Mets to other teams, but wants to see the club's offseason plan, since he's unsure about the kind of offer they'll be able to make, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com that he'd like to see the Phillies add a reliever and a bat this month. The skipper makes it clear that he's looking for an upgrade, not just a lateral move. “If we’re going to get somebody, I want somebody good that will help us," Manuel said. "I don’t want someone we’ve already got."
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that rival teams have called the Nationals about relievers, veteran starters and Ivan Rodriguez (Twitter link). The Nationals will listen on their relievers, including Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard.
The Price For Mike Adams
32 year-old reliever Mike Adams has a microscopic 1.70 ERA in 212 innings in his Padres career, spanning four seasons. He's under team control through next year, causing some to suggest the Padres' asking price will exceed that of closer Heath Bell.
Adams does have an injury history, including surgery to repair a torn labrum and damage to his rotator cuff in October of '08. He missed a little time with a shoulder strain in August of '09, after his return. Last year's injury was only an oblique strain, so on the bright side his arm and shoulder have been pretty healthy since the surgery.
The Rangers, Yankees, and Phillies are known to be in on Adams, and SI's Jon Heyman says Padres GM Jed Hoyer wants "a very big prospect" in return. Heyman explains that Rangers shortstop Jurickson Profar, generally considered among the ten or so best prospects in the game, would be too much.
On the other hand, Tom Krasovic reports that the Phillies are willing to trade first base/left field prospect Jonathan Singleton for Adams, but that might not be enough for San Diego. Singleton was ranked #24 on Keith Law's top 50 prospects list, but #41 on Baseball America's list. He failed to crack Kevin Goldstein's top 50 at Baseball Prospectus.
The prospect gurus are pretty far apart on Singleton, making it tough to identify the lower bound on the expected return for Adams. Still, if the two prospect-related Adams rumors are accurate, an appropriate return might be pitching prospects Robbie Erlin (Rangers) or Dellin Betances (Yankees).
Heyman On Beltran, Giants, Padres
Rumors from SI's Jon Heyman…
- The Mets don't believe Carlos Beltran would pass through waivers in August. Beltran is well-compensated at $18.5MM, but he's also the best hitter available this summer. Heyman says the Mets may try to make a deal a few days before the deadline to avoid any hitches with Beltran's no-trade rights.
- The Giants "do not want to part with any decent prospects for a hitter," perhaps taking them out of the Beltran mix.
- The Phillies and Reds match up well with the Padres, who can offer Ryan Ludwick plus a number of different veteran right-handed relievers. Padres GM Jed Hoyer has yet to match up with Ruben Amaro Jr. or Walt Jocketty in his two years at the helm.
- The Padres would want a "very big prospect" for setup man Mike Adams, but Heyman says Rangers prospect Jurickson Profar isn't going anywhere.