Remembering the 1991 Trade Deadline
Ah, who can forget 1991? A little start-up network named Comedy Central was born, while the Warsaw Pact was officially dissolved. Youngsters Jeff Bagwell and Chuck Knoblauch, NL and AL Rookie of the Year, respectively, served notice that they'd be forces for years to come. And Cubs' shortstop Starlin Castro celebrated his first birthday.
Meanwhile, the hot stove produced some interesting moments as well. Let's think back to the time we furiously refreshed MLBTradeRumors.com using our 300 baud modems…
- The Toronto Blue Jays got a jump on the trading season on June 27th by dealing Glenallen Hill, Mark Whiten and Denis Boucher to the Cleveland Indians for Tom Candiotti and Turner Ward. Candiotti had been a hard-luck pitcher with Cleveland- his 2.24 ERA had produced a 7-6 record- but his trade to a contender didn't help, as his 2.98 ERA in Toronto produced a 6-7 record. Just another lesson in the perils of won-loss record. Meanwhile, Hill and Whiten went on to similar careers-both bounced around the major leagues, hitting home runs. And Boucher, a Montreal native, eventually made a triumphant homecoming, pitching to a 1.91 ERA for the 1993 Expos.
- On July 15th, the New York Mets, still in the race at 49-36, 4.5 games out of first, traded Ron Darling and Mike Thomas to the Expos for Tim Burke in an attempt to shore up their bullpen. Burke certainly did that, pitching 55.2 innings of 2.75 ERA baseball, but it didn't stop the Mets from a freefall that left them at 77-84 for the season. Darling, meanwhile, was a disaster in Montreal, posting a 7.41 ERA in three starts before being shipped just 16 days later to Oakland for Russell Cormier and Matt Grott. Back on American soil, Darling found his rhythm again, pitching to a 4.08 ERA over 75 innings for the Athletics.
- Oil Can Boyd fared only a bit better than Darling, post-trade, after being dealt from the Expos to the Rangers on July 21 for Joey Eischen, Jonathan Hurst and Travis Buckley. Boyd had a 3.52 ERA in 120.1 innings with Montreal, but collapsed to a 6.68 ERA in what turned out to be the final 62 innings of his major league career for Bobby Valentine's Rangers. Not that Boyd was finished pitching, of course- he had several more seasons in independent league baseball, including a 3.83 ERA stint in 110.1 innings for the 2005 Brockton Rox of the Can-Am League, at age 45.
- And in an indication of just how much the past 19 years has inflated the cost of deadline-deal closers, the Phillies traded Roger McDowell to the Dodgers for Mike Hartley and Braulio Castillo. Hartley was a veteran middle reliever, while Castillo was a fringe prospect at best. McDowell was just what the Dodgers needed, saving seven games and pitching to a 2.55 ERA in 42.1 innings. The Dodgers, however, finished one game behind Atlanta, meaning that a 93-69 season earned Los Angeles… nothing.
Heyman’s Latest: Lee, Oswalt, White Sox, Nady
Jon Heyman has a new column up at SI.com, so let's dive on in…
- Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt are the two big name pitchers available on the trade market, but their value is very different because of the money owed to them. "At the end of the day," says one AL exec, "I don't think Houston will be able to move the entire (Oswalt) contract and get premium players back."
- Another AL executive noted that Lee has proven that he can be successful in the American League and will fetch two draft picks at the end of the season.
- The Red Sox turned down a straight up Lee for Clay Buchholz offer last year.
- The Yankees are happy with their rotation at the moment, but they plan on putting in a call in the coming days just in case they are "pleasantly surprised" by Seattle's asking price. Oswalt, meanwhile, isn't even on their radar.
- Some wonder if the Dodgers are saving money for a big score, but GM Ned Colletti will be hard pressed to acquire either Lee or Oswalt without ownership approval.
- The Cardinals might not be willing to take on Oswalt's deal with Albert Pujols' free agency rapidly approaching.
- The Mets might not want to give up the prospects to acquire another frontline pitcher, though the Rangers would be able to work Lee's salary into the budget.
- Heyman also goes through and offers some opinion on other teams that could use one of the two aces, including the Reds, Phillies, and Angels.
- Kenny Williams would like to fire Ozzie Guillen according to one person close to the team, but owner Jerry Reinsdorf is too loyal to let it happen.
- A trade of Xavier Nady to open up the Cubs' outfield logjam seems likely.
Cafardo’s Latest: Red Sox, Brewers, Mariners, Oswalt
In today's notes column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe wonders if the Red Sox would move closer Jonathan Papelbon after the season to open up the closer's role for Daniel Bard. He speculates that the Brewers, Twins, Rays, Braves, and Phillies could be in the market for a closer this winter. Papelbon is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2011 season.
Let's round up the rest of Cafardo's rumors…
- Scott Boras said he undervalued Stephen Strasburg last year, even though he eventually signed the largest contract in draft history. Boras added that being around San Diego State coach Tony Gwynn helped Strasburg become prepared for what lied ahead.
- Cafardo says that New England isn't a high priority area for scouts before the draft because by time they can get out to see the players in the region, it's too late in the game for a cross-checker to confirm anything.
- Cafardo predicts that Jacoby Ellsbury will be traded this offseason. He'll arbitration eligible for the first time after 2010, though he's been battling rib issues basically all season.
- He also remarks that the Red Sox would have to play Mike Lowell if they want to showcase him for a trade. Lowell has received just 50 plate appearances since the end of April.
- Kevin Millwood should become major trade bait as the deadline approaches because he's pitched well and is in the final year of his contract.
- The Brewers would love to make Randy Wolf available, but no one would take him on with more than two years and $24MM left on his deal. Meanwhile, Milwaukee still isn't sure if they'll try to improve their catching situation or become sellers and look towards next season.
- The feeling is that once Seattle trades Cliff Lee, pretty much everyone on their roster not named Ichiro and Felix Hernandez will be available as well.
- Diamondbacks' CEO Derrick Hall isn't happy with his team's performance and has talked about re-evaluating his management staff. They could be major players at the deadline, with Justin Upton representing the only untouchable.
- Cafardo says that the feeling among big league executives is that the Dodgers will not give up the prospects necessary to acquire Roy Oswalt, but they would be okay taking on the money.
- Adam Dunn would be a perfect fit for the Red Sox if they let David Ortiz go after the season, assuming the Nationals don't re-sign him.
Rosenthal On Cubs, Pedro, Padres
Let's check out the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- It's hard to imagine the Cubs as sellers, but if they go that route, lefty Ted Lilly would be a logical piece to move. He's a potential free agent with some no-trade protection but they already have two replacements in their bullpen in Tom Gorzelanny and Andrew Cashner. Meanwhile, Derrek Lee has been adamant about not waiving his no-trade clause. However, hooking on with a contender would enhance his value on the open market.
- The Phillies have kept in touch with Pedro Martinez's agent but GM Ruben Amaro says that he will have to be "really motivated" to pitch this season. Rosenthal says that translates to the righty wanting more money than he was paid last season, roughly $1MM for six weeks of work. Money may not be everything for Martinez though as he will be 39-years-old in October and is said to be content.
- The Padres are confident that Ryan Webb could fill a set-up role if they move one of their strong late inning relievers. However, the team is reluctant to make such a move with Mike Adams' durability in question. That said, the Padres would listen to offers for Heath Bell if a club was willing to give them a hitter they could control for several years. Rosenthal instead suggests that they consider Cleveland's Austin Kearns as he is a cheap, affordable outfielder.
- Boston GM Theo Epstein hates trading for relievers, but chances are the club will be in the market for bullpen help come July.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ibanez, Andruw, Pena
On this date seven years ago, six Astros pitchers combined to no-hit the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. Roy Oswalt started the game but had to leave after just one inning of work because of a groin issue. He was relieved by Pete Munro and then Kirk Saarloos before the three headed bullpen monster of Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, and Billy Wagner closed things out. It ended the Yankees' streak of 6,980 games with at least one hit.
Here are a few links to check out from our fellow baseball bloggers…
- Phillies Nation says it's time for the Phightin's to part ways with Raul Ibanez.
- Meanwhile, Crashburn Alley wants to see the Phillies shake up the bench.
- The Sacrifice Bunt thinks Andruw Jones could be a nice pick-up for the Padres.
- More Hardball looks at the peculiar season of free agent to be Carlos Pena.
- Disciples of Uecker reviews the Jeff Suppan era in Milwaukee.
- River Ave. Blues believes the Yankees will only add complementary pieces this summer.
- Capitol Avenue Club sums up the Braves' approach to this week's draft.
- 1 Blue Jays Way rounds up all the different kinds of draft picks we hear about this time of year.
- Baseball Opinion goes back to the review the AL East and the 2005 amateur draft.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Odds & Ends: Harper, Cardinals, Zaun, Snell
A few more links to browse, on the night of Buster Posey's first big-league home run….
- Nationals scouting director Kris Kline tells MASN's Ben Goessling that the club is optimistic about finalizing a deal with Bryce Harper earlier in the summer than they signed Stephen Strasburg last season.
- Tony La Russa suggests that the Cardinals could pursue starting pitching, writes Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. We've heard this a couple times since both Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse hit the disabled list.
- With this year's draft barely in the books, MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo looks ahead to ten top prospects that could be drafted in 2011.
- Gregg Zaun confirmed today that he will have season-ending surgery on his shoulder, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. At the time of Zaun's injury, we looked at the Brewers' backstop options.
- Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner (via Twitter) has trouble believing the Phillies would have chosen the Mariners' package for Cliff Lee over a Yankees' offer headed by Jesus Montero, as Ken Rosenthal reported earlier today.
- Cameron also predicts that Ian Snell will be designated for assignment after a disastrous outing tonight in Texas (Twitter link).
Phillies Agree To Terms With Draft Pick Garner
The Phillies have agreed to terms with second-round draft pick Perci Garner, MLBTR has learned. The right-hander, out of Ball State, was drafted 77th overall yesterday by Philadelphia.
According to MLB.com's Zach Schonbrun, Garner shot up a few draft boards after hitting 96 mph with his fastball earlier this season. Phillies scouting director Marti Wolever expressed optimism about Garner's potential:
"He's very athletic…. We think he's got tremendous topside, great live body, loose arm, [a] chance to have at least three quality pitches."
The Phillies also agreed to a deal with first-round selection Jesse Biddle, and have now locked up their top two picks from this year's draft.
Phillies Agree With First-Round Pick Biddle
The Phillies' deal with first-round pick Jesse Biddle is done, tweets Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Gelb notes that the deal can't be made official until after Biddle graduates high school Friday. Once signed the local lefty will join the rookie league GCL Phillies.
The Phillies drafted Biddle 27th overall, with scouting director Marti Wolever comparing him to Clayton Kershaw. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki notes that the Mariners signed the #27 pick last year for $1.28MM, which is around slot. Baseball America ranked Biddle 116th overall, while ESPN's Keith Law had him at 90.
Odds & Ends: Brewers, Orioles, Werth, Weathers
Some links after an astounding debut from Stephen Strasburg…
- Brewers owner Mark Attanasio tells MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that the Brewers could hypothetically add payroll if the team starts contending soon.
- Jayson Werth had a team spokesman tell Todd Zolecki and Zach Schonbrun of MLB.com that his impending free agency isn't distracting him at the plate.
- Phillies manager Charlie Manuel thinks Werth is putting extra pressure on himself to play well in his contract year, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
- The Orioles will interview Bobby Valentine for their managerial opening, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Andy MacPhail called former Indians manager Eric Wedge to gauge his interest in the position.
- David Weathers told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he would be willing to come back and pitch for the Reds. The 40-year-old righty pitched 62.0 innings of 3.92 ERA ball for the Reds and Brewers last year.
- MLB has accepted the Mets' decision to place Oliver Perez on the DL, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
Draft Notes: Phillies, Brentz, Rays, Harper, Whitson
The reactions and updates keep trickling in, as last year's first overall pick prepares to make his much-anticipated major league debut…
- The Cubs selected Bryan Harper, Bryce's older brother, in the 26th round, writes MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
- Phillies scouting director Marti Wolever tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the team is "very close" to signing first rounder Jesse Biddle (Twitter link).
- Red Sox supplementary rounder Byrce Brentz will sign for slot money, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. That should be an $891K bonus for Brentz, who was close to a deal just hours after the draft.
- Rays second round pick Jacob Thompson tells Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times that he's ready to sign. The right-hander says he doesn't want to play "hardball" with the Rays (figuratively speaking, that is).
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he hopes to sign Bryce Harper and get his pro career started before the mid-August deadline for signing picks (Twitter link).
- The Nationals plan to have Harper play outfield, not catcher, according to Ben Goessling of MASN.com.
- Harper told the media that he intends on working out, having fun and fishing this summer, according to Goessling. In other words, don't expect the phenom to sign right away.
- The Giants took Brett Bochy (manager Bruce's son) with their 20th round pick, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter).
- Not to be outdone, the Rockies drafted manager Jim Tracy's son, Mark, in the 22nd round, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
- The White Sox selected Ozney Guillen in the 22nd round, but Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times says Guillen won't likely sign (Twitter link).
- And before those three teams made their selections, the Tigers picked Patrick Leyland in the eighth round, according to Steve Kornacki of MLive.com.
- Houston's top three picks all told Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle that they expect to sign. Delino DeShields Jr., Mike Foltynewicz and Michael Kvasnicka could all be in the Astros' system before long.
- Padres executive Paul DePodesta explains that the club selected high school righty Karsten Whitson with its first round pick because of his upside, even though the pitcher's development could take years.
- Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer explained to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that the Yankees trust their scouts, even if it means surprising people with picks like Cito Culver.
- The Tigers announced that director of player development Glenn Ezell stepped down. The timing is odd, to say the least.