Phillies Have Interest In Heath Bell & Mike Adams
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Jose Contreras’ Season In Jeopardy
Jose Contreras has suffered a setback in his recovery from a right forearm injury, and Will Carroll tweets that the setback is "very serious" and has the remainder of the season in jeopardy for the 39-year-old right-hander.
Contreras has been limited to just 14 innings due to injuries in the first year of the two-year, $5.5MM extension he signed with the Phillies this offseason. This setback is just the latest in what's been a season of bad luck for the Philadelphia bullpen. Both Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson are on the shelf, which has led to Antonio Bastardo's emergence as the Phillies' closer for the time being.
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has already said he's seeking bullpen help. The Phils have contacted the Padres about Heath Bell and Chad Qualls, and a serious injury to Contreras will likely strengthen their desire to add some proven arms to the back-end of the bullpen. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed some potentially available right-handed relievers last month, many of whom could now be on Amaro's radar with Contreras' future in question.
Quick Hits: Krol, K-Rod, Trade Deadline
On this date in 1997, the Yankees signed a 17-year-old named Yhency Brazoban as an amateur free agent. Over the next 14 years, Brazoban was traded for Kevin Brown, closed games for the Dodgers, signed minor league contracts with four different teams, and, most recently, allowed yesterday's game-tying homer to Albert Pujols. Here are this afternoon's links, as Brazoban and the Diamondbacks look to recover from last night's loss in St. Louis….
- Athletics minor leaguer Ian Krol was suspended indefinitely for a derogatory tweet, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Krol, a left-hander who was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 draft, was ranked ninth among the A's prospects by Baseball America pre-season.
- Even contenders who are eyeing Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez as an eighth-inning guy have to worry about his vesting option, says ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider only). As one GM points out, if your team acquires Rodriguez as a setup man and your closer gets hurt, it would be hard to justify not inserting K-Rod into the role.
- Jim Bowden of ESPN.com examines five prospects taking part in today's Futures Game who trade deadline sellers might target.
- There are eight teams who should definitely be sellers at this point, argues Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter): the Blue Jays, Orioles, Royals, Athletics, Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, and Padres.
- Despite being big spenders in Major League free agency, the Phillies are once again exercising restraint when it comes to international free agents, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter) reiterates that the Nationals need to acquire a leadoff man, citing the team's .203/.270/.306 slash line from the top of the order.
Cafardo’s Latest: Bell, Kazmir, Kendall, Aramis
Heath Bell's name has been near the top of this season's list of trade candidates for months, and in this week's Sunday Baseball Notes, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe adds a new potential suitor to the mix. According to Cafardo's source, the Rays are interested in the Padres' closer, but will have to determine over the next couple weeks whether they have "enough firepower" to go all out to catch the Red Sox and Yankees. Here are a few other highlights from Cafardo:
- The Yankees, Rangers, Diamondbacks, and Phillies are a few other teams monitoring Bell.
- While there hasn't been a whole lot of interest in Scott Kazmir, the Padres and Rangers have "taken a look."
- Jason Kendall, who hasn't played this year as he recovers from shoulder surgery, has re-torn two rotator cuff tendons. Kendall will undergo additional surgery, possibly ending his career. Royals manager Ned Yost on the procedure: "That takes him out of the picture for this year and out of the picture for next year…. I think it’s more a quality-of-life surgery so he can have function in his shoulder."
- The Angels appear to be the team most interested in Aramis Ramirez, though Cafardo names the Mariners, Giants, Braves, and D'Backs as other clubs who could look into the Cubs' third baseman. Of course, Ramirez's agent said earlier this week that his client likely won't waive his no-trade clause, so inquires may be futile.
Mets Notes: Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Wilpons
One of three Mets' starting infielders currently on the disabled list, David Wright is making good progress in his rehab, according to MLB.com's Adam Berry and Anthony DiComo. The third baseman, who has been on the DL since May 18th, could start a minor league rehab assignment on Wednesday and return to the Mets for the club's ten-game road trip later this month. Let's check out some other Mets-related notes….
- According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, executives around the league have very different opinions about what sort of contract Jose Reyes will earn in free agency. Before Reyes was placed on the DL, estimates ranged from "no more than $90MM" to as much as $160MM.
- Within the same piece, Sherman looks at some teams besides the Mets that could be in on Reyes this winter, including the Phillies, Brewers, Mariners, Nationals, and Tigers. One GM says the Giants are the "obvious choice," predicting a bid of $120MM or so from San Francisco.
- The Mets' solid play heading into the second half makes the decision on whether to trade Carlos Beltran tougher, says Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. While the team probably won't seriously contend for the postseason, dealing Beltran this month would be a "white flag" move that would hurt attendance.
- The Wilpons' chances of maintaining ownership of the Mets are looking better, write Teri Thompson and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.