Odds & Ends: Giants, Tigers, Brewers
Some more links as we unwind from yesterday:
- Bob Ryan at the Boston Globe doesn't like the trade deadline, as he thinks it creates an unfair market for richer teams.
- Aaron Rowand is comfortable with the Giants' additions and thinks the lineup can lead to a playoff appearance, reports Andrew Baggarly at the San Jose Mercury-News.
- Lynn Henning at the Detroit News says that the Tigers still have much on their to-do list after acquiring Jarrod Washburn, which would include plugging in some "muscle" into their batting order.
- Kevin Kaduk at Yahoo Sports wonders what the Indians should do with their two planned Victor Martinez stadium giveaways now that he's a goner.
- The Orioles mostly held on to their veteran free-agents-to-be at the deadline, notes Spencer Fordin at MLB.com.
- Adam McCalvy at MLB.com has more on the three-team trade that fell through yesterday, where the Brewers would have acquired a pitcher. One clue to the unnamed pitcher: He reportedly would not have been able to start for the Brewers today.
Giants Done Dealing?
7:47pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear that the Giants still have some interest in Mark Teahen.
7:38pm: Giants GM Brian Sabean told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he doesn't expect to trade for a starter or a bat today or tomorrow. Here are the details:
- The available starters aren't enticing, considering their cost.
- The bats that interest the Giants aren't available now. Schulman wonders if Josh Willingham might be one of the interesting, unavailable bats Sabean hints at.
- The Giants don't plan on trading Kevin Frandsen. They'd rather keep him in the system as a utility man.
Heyman Talks Giants
In a new blog post, SI's Jon Heyman discusses the Giants' plans.
- The Giants "haven't ruled out trading for more offense" after getting Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko. Heyman says that at some point the Giants scouted Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee, Josh Willingham, Nick Johnson, Mark Teahen and Marco Scutaro. We can probably cross Johnson off the list. And we've seen no sign the Astros would sell.
- The Giants would like to add a fifth starter, given the loss of Randy Johnson for at least August. Heyman speculates on a few names such as Bronson Arroyo, Doug Davis, and Jon Garland.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Mets, Red Sox
Thursday linkage…
- La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Pirates wanted Aaron Hicks or Danny Valencia from the Twins for Freddy Sanchez. LEN3 has a few other hot stove tidbits as well.
- ESPN's Keith Law finds the Giants' trade of Tim Alderson for Sanchez reasonable, due to "slippage in Alderson's stuff."
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe talks about how major additions such as Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez, or Victor Martinez would help the Red Sox. Via Twitter, ESPN's Amy K. Nelson heard from a source guessing that Gonzalez has a ten percent chance of being moved.
- Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports via Twitter that the Mets designated pitcher Elmer Dessens for assignment to make room for catcher Robinson Cancel.
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say the Mets "do not intend to give up a significant prospect" in their quest to add a left-handed reliever.
- Via Twitter, Ken Davidoff of Newsday informs us that the Blue Jays expanded their coverage of the Yankees' farm system. Davidoff feels that this coverage more likely reflects the Yanks' interest in relief help than in Roy Halladay.
- The Pirates don't have anything serious going on with relievers Matt Capps or John Grabow, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. They might be done.
- Joe Smith and Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times find the Rays unlikely to make a major deal, with Cliff Lee off the table.
- ESPN's Buster Olney lists all kinds of holes that could be filled via the trade market for various clubs.
Giants Acquire Freddy Sanchez
6:19pm: Kovacevic says that no money is being exchanged in the Sanchez deal, which makes it all the more impressive for the Pirates. Keith Law (Insider) recently ranked the 20-year-old Alderson the 26th-best prospect in all of baseball.
5:51pm: Kovacevic is reporting that the minor leaguer is AA pitcher Tim Alderson. This is an impressive haul for Sanchez–Alderson was ranked the #4 prospect in the Giants' system by Baseball America. What we thought was a salary dump deal has turned into a pretty solid coup for the Pirates.
5:46pm: Henry Schulman at the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that it's a done deal, Sanchez straight up for a minor-leaguer. Stay tuned for the name.
5:42pm: Instead of making a scheduled flight to Phoenix, Sanchez has apparently been asked to stay at AT&T Park in San Francisco, reports Kovacevic. Looks like we'll find out the details of a deal very soon.
4:52pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear that the Pirates are talking to the Giants, Twins and at least one other team about Sanchez, but don't have a deal in place.
4:43pm: Kovacevic reports that the Giants' doctors found no major problems with Sanchez's knee and consider him day-to-day.
3:31pm: Kovacevic hears that the Pirates turned down Sanchez's offer. He proposed a deal that would have paid him $6MM next year, $6.5MM in 2011 and $7.5MM in 2012.
3:17pm: Langosch hears that Sanchez's offer is for $20MM over three years.
Meanwhile, Kovacevic hears that the Pirates have absolutely "no deal" in place, though the Giants and Pirates have the framework for one.
2:52pm: Kovacevic hears that the Giants are examining Sanchez within the hour. Is there a deal in place? Kovacevic hears 'yes' and 'no.'
2:46pm: Kovacevic reports that Sanchez made the Pirates a three-year offer.
2:40pm: MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports that the Giants and Pirates have a deal in place that would send Sanchez to San Francisco. The Giants will look at the infielder's knee this afternoon before deciding whether to complete the deal, which wouldn't send any major leaguers to Pittsburgh.
However, Kovacevic says no deal is in place.
2:20pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says the Giants are in serious talks for Sanchez. The teams are discussing John Bowker, Kevin Frandsen and Jesus Guzman.
2:04pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Giants are "definitely getting Freddy Sanchez." The Pirates already traded Jack Wilson today, so they could conceviably lose their entire double play combo in one day.
10:27am: Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hears that the Pirates worked on possible trades involving Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson until late last night. The Giants seem to have the greatest chance of acquiring Sanchez since GMs Brian Sabean and Neal Huntington had extensive discussions earlier in the week and may even have set up the framework of a deal.
The Twins are interested in John Grabow and Sanchez, whose knee injury may have slowed down the trade process. Meanwhile, the Red Sox still have interest in Wilson.
And you're not the only one checking out the Pirates rumors. Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Sanchez and Wilson are MLBTR readers. We're glad to have them aboard!
Giants Interested In Sanchez, Scutaro, Teahen
Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reports that Freddy Sanchez remains atop the Giants' list of bats as they continue their determined search for offense. Free agent-to-be Marco Scutaro and Mark Teahen also interest the Giants.
Rays, Red Sox Talking Blockbusters With Tribe
4:33pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear that the Rays may be shying away from a blockbuster deal. They're 5.0 games behind Boston in the Wild Card race, so their next two games against the Yankees could determine the team's direction.
If the Rays are discouraged after the Yankees series, they could make Dan Wheeler, Chad Bradford, Grant Balfour, Joe Nelson and Lance Cormier available, according to the FOX Sports source.
12:59pm: The Rays have shopped Scott Kazmir to the Mets and Rangers, according to Joel Sherman. The Rangers turned down an offer from the Rays and the Mets just had initial interest. The Rays would consider dealing Kazmir, Carlos Pena and even Carl Crawford to free up enough salary to make a blockbuster deal for Martinez and Lee.
The Rays still have interest in Halladay.
TUESDAY, 11:16am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has more dish on the idea of a team acquiring both Lee and V-Mart in a blockbuster trade. The idea has been considered in Cleveland but is considered very unlikely due to the magnitude of prospects required. While the Red Sox could technically pull it off, the Rays wouldn't have the payroll space.
MONDAY, 4:35pm: Ed Price of AOL FanHouse hears the Rays are still "in on" V-Mart and Lee. There's still a chance that they'll trade Scott Kazmir to the Angels, too.
1:35pm: The Rays and Red Sox are each discussing blockbuster deals with the Indians for both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Here are the details and the rest of Sherman's rumors:
- The Rays would deal Wade Davis, but the Red Sox are hesitant to deal Clay Buchholz.
- The Phillies, Brewers and Rangers have interest in Lee and the Giants have interest in V-Mart.
- One executive is "1,000%" confident the Indians will move Lee and Martinez to free up money.
- An AL executive says the Phillies will acquire Lee, Roy Halladay or Jarrod Washburn by Friday afternoon.
- The Padres may be more willing to deal Heath Bell than expected. As one official says, Bell will be an expensive closer on a bad team if the Padres don't trade him.
- The Yankees have been interested in Bell, whose value is higher than ever.
Odds & Ends: White, White Sox, Bard, Willingham
More links as the rumors keep flowing in…
- La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune "heard the Twins might be sniffing around Seattle reliever Sean White." White's best skill is a decent groundball rate; his strikeout and walk rates do not impress.
- The White Sox inked second-round pick Trayce Thompson, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. The high school outfielder, chosen 61st overall, gets $625K.
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe is fairly sure the Red Sox won't trade Daniel Bard this week.
- Chico Harlan of the Washington Post believes the Nats should keep Josh Willingham because he's relatively affordable, powerful and plays well enough defensively.
- ESPN.com's Keith Law says Ryan Garko is a small upgrade for the Giants at first base.
- The Rangers believed they were frontrunners to acquire Garko yesterday, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. They'd still like a right-handed hitting first baseman.
- The Mets signed former big leaguer Adam Pettyjohn to a minor league deal, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.
Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.
Giants Acquire Ryan Garko
8:52pm: Via email, ESPN's Buster Olney says the Tribe will call up Andy Marte to take Garko's place on the roster. Marte is hitting .330-.371-.599 with Triple-A Columbus, and has six homers in his last ten games.
8:46pm: MLB.com's Anthony Castovince says there is no player to named in the deal. It's Garko for Barnes, straight up.
8:31pm: Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus says the Indians received LHP prospect Scott Barnes and a player to be named later in the deal. Barnes was the Giants 8th round pick in 2008, and has a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts with High-A San Jose. Baseball America rated him the Giants' 9th best prospect coming into the season.
8:22pm: Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse is reporting that Giants have acquired Ryan Garko from the Indians. Garko, 28, was hitting .285-.362-.464 in 273 plate appearances coming into today, playing mostly first but spending some time in the corner outfield spots.
The Giants have been looking to add a bat to their lineup pretty much all season.
Giants Considering Many Bats
Giants fans have heard all about Freddy Sanchez and Nick Johnson in recent weeks, but those are far from the only players the team would consider adding, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. GM Brian Sabean says the team is considering "six to eight scenarios or names," some of which involve players on teams in the fringes of the playoff race.