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Ryan Dempster Rumors: Wednesday

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The Cubs are working hard to move Ryan Dempster and they could trade him by the end of the week. The Dodgers, Tigers, Braves, Red Sox and Nationals have all expressed interest in the right-hander, who can veto any trade. The Dodgers would top Dempster's list of potential destinations, followed by the Braves, Ken Rosenthal reported yesterday. There are only a few teams to which the right-hander wouldn't accept a trade. 

Dempster, 35, has a 1.86 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 92 innings for the Cubs this year. He earns $14MM in 2012 — more than $6MM between now and the end of the season — but the Cubs are said to be willing to absorb salary to facilitate a deal. Here are the latest rumors surrounding Dempster, with the most recent developments up top:

  • Interest from the Nationals and Yankees isn’t as strong as some reports indicate, Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. While the Dodgers had been considered the favorite to land Dempster, teams such as the Tigers, Red Sox and Braves could still acquire him.
  • ESPN.com’s Buster Olney and Bob Nightengale of USA Today both hear the Dodgers are considered the favorites to acquire Dempster.
  • The Dodgers are viewed as the favorites for Dempster with the Tigers seen as “strong pursuers” and the Red Sox considered long shots, Joel Sherman reported today.

NL East Links: Oviedo, Nationals, Hamels

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A few items of note out of the National League East, where the Nationals held a 2.5-game lead over the Braves entering Tuesday night's action. …

  • Marlins president Larry Beinfest said right-hander Juan Carlos Oviedo will become a free agent after this season, regardless of whether he makes it back to the Major Leagues in 2012, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Oviedo, formerly known as Leo Nunez, was nearing the conclusion of an eight-week suspension for identity fraud but suffered a sprained elbow ligament during a minor league rehab stint. The severity of the injury is not yet known. Just reading between the lines, it sounds like Miami is not interested in re-signing Oviedo.
  • The Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said he will approach this year's trade deadline as he has in years past, with an emphasis on deals that will make the team better for the long-term, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The Nats are intrigued by, but not committed to, the idea of trading for a pitcher who can account for the innings they'll lose when Stephen Strasburg rests in accordance with his innings cap, although the price of brand-name arms like Zack Greinke, Ryan Dempster and Francisco Liriano is probably too high, not to mention that those pitchers are all free agents at season's end and therefore don't fit into the aforementioned long-term plans.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is facing a difficult decision in determining what to do with lefty Cole Hamels, writes Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (subscription required). Bowden examines the plusses and minuses of extending and trading Hamels, as well as letting him walk.

Nationals Interested In Ryan Dempster, Others

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Nationals starters lead MLB in everything from ERA (3.21) to wins above replacement (10.7) to average fastball velocity (93.6 mph), but the team’s decision makers are eyeing rotation help all the same. The Nationals are exploring trades for starters, including Ryan Dempster, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.

Zack Greinke of the Brewers, who was nearly traded to Washington following the 2010 season, and Francisco Liriano of the Twins are among the other potential targets for the Nationals, Rosenthal reports. Meanwhile, the Braves, Tigers, Dodgers and Red Sox are among the other clubs pursuing Dempster. 

The Nationals’ interest in adding pitching depth makes sense given the team’s stated intention to limit Stephen Strasburg’s innings. John Lannan is an internal candidate to start for Washington if GM Mike Rizzo doesn't find any deals to his liking. 

The Nationals are also seeking an everyday catcher, and Ramon Hernandez of the Rockies is one of their potential targets, Rosenthal reports. Wilson Ramos is out for the season, so the Nationals have been relying on Jesus Flores and Jhonatan Solano behind the plate.

Draft Notes: Appel, Pirates, Giolito, Twins

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The Pirates inability to sign right-hander Mark Appel is a sign of a larger problem with the new draft system, opines Keith Law of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd).  The previous system with no real penalties for exceeding slot would have allowed Pittsburgh to sign the Stanford standout and in turn allow them to feel more comfortable in parting with Gerrit Cole or Jameson Taillon in a trade.  Even though the Bucs will have the ninth pick in next year's draft as compensation, Law writes that the 2013 crop appears to be weaker than this year's.  Here's the latest draft news..

  • The Pirates‬ offered Appel $3.8MM, the most they could give without losing a first-round pick, a source tells Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter).
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said that the club was‬ "dangerously close" to the 4pm CDT deadline before signing Lucas Giolito.  The 16th overall pick received a $2.925MM bonus from Washington.
  • Andre Martinez signed with the Twins for $80K after originally agreeing to a $260K, bonus, tweets Callis.  A physical exam raised questions about the left-hander's shoulder, leading to a renegotiation.

Nationals To Sign Lucas Giolito

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The Nationals have agreed to sign first round selection Lucas Giolito, ESPN.com's Keith Law reports (on Twitter). MLB recommends a $2.1MM bonus for the 16th overall selection, but Giolito obtained a $2.925MM bonus, according to Law.

The high school right-hander entered the year as one of the most talented draft eligible players, but suffered an elbow injury in March. “I’m confident that this issue is behind me,” he said the day after the Nationals selected him.“I’m looking forward to getting on the mound soon.” Giolito's fastball can reach 99 mph and he sits at 94-96 mph, according to Baseball America. He also throw s a plus-plus curveball and a plus change-up.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Pence, Young

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The Nationals will have to directly protect their NL East lead right out of the gate after the All-Star Break, as Washington's first 14 games of the second are all against division rivals.  Here are some items from around the NL East…

  • The Nationals may be relatively quiet at the trade deadline, as Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider write that the team is relying more on injured players (Drew Storen and Jayson Werth) returning to fill holes in the roster.
  • If the Phillies dealt Hunter Pence, they could use the salary earmarked his possible long-term extension and spend it on re-signing Shane Victorino at a discount and signing another outfielder, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Using Andre Ethier's $85MM extension with the Dodgers as a model for a future Pence contract, Gelb argues that if the Phils don't want to pay Pence that much, they should move him now to create salary relief and add prospects.  Pence has one more arbitration year before being eligible for free agency following the 2013 season.
  • Chris Young's minor league contract with the Mets can pay him as much as $4.85MM if he reaches all his incentive clauses, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.  Young's one-year deal pays him a base salary of $1.1MM.

Draft Notes: Indians, Giolito, Gausman, Mets

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We're less than a day away from the draft signing deadline, as teams have until 4 PM CST on Friday to sign their picks.  Here's the latest on the status of some high-round picks who have yet to agree to terms, plus some signings…

  • The Indians have signed fourth-round pick D'vone McClure, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter).  McClure signed for a $750K bonus, more than double the recommended slot price of $314.7K.
  • The Nationals can pay Lucas Giolito just under $2.813MM without going over the draft spending cap, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, citing calculations from Baseball America.  MLB's recommended slot price for the 16th overall pick is $2.125MM.  Kilgore outlines the situation surrounding Giolito, who the Nats say they will not sign to a contract that puts them over the spending cap and causes the team to incur a fine.
  • "We are making progress. We’re waiting to hear their next proposal," Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich tells Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) about the club's negotiations with first-rounder Kevin Gausman.  The fourth overall pick has a slot price of $4.2MM, which Gausman and his representatives are looking to "slightly" exceed, tweets Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com.
  • The Mets are at a "standstill" with second-round pick Teddy Stankiewicz, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America (via Twitter).  Callis hears that Stankiewicz is willing to sign for the recommended slot price for the 75th overall pick ($680.4K) but the Mets haven't offered that large of a bonus.
  • The Giants have signed third-rounder Mac Williamson, tweets Baseball America's Nathan Robe.  Williamson will receive a $390K bonus, which is under the $412.3K recommended price for the 115th overall pick.
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo outlines the rules of the newly-instituted Competitive Balance Lottery, which takes place on July 18 and will distribute six total bonus picks among low-revenue and small-market teams for the 2013 amateur draft.

Quick Hits: Draft, Headley, Phillies, Pence

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For the most part, the new draft system has reined in costs and pushed players to sign early, writes Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com.  However, six first-round picks remain unsigned as the Friday deadline approaches.  Of course, the draft pool limit should keep the drama in check as teams are unwilling to overspend to the point where they have to forfeit draft picks.  The two most interesting teams to watch figure to be the Pirates (Mark Appel) and the Nationals (Lucas Giolito), Mayo writes.  Links from around baseball as Wednesday turns into Thursday..

  • If the Padres make Chase Headley available, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter) expects the Orioles to inquire on him.  For his part, the third baseman has said that he would prefer to remain in San Diego.
  • Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence might have the most trade value of anyone on the team, including Cole Hamels, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Pence, 29, should make close to $15MM through arbitration for 2013.
  • It may seem like a no-brainer for the Phillies to have an all-out fire sale, but Richard Justice of MLB.com writes that it's not quite that simple.  Philadelphia is leading the majors in attendance for a second straight year and their core players believe that they can still make a run in 2012.  Regardless, one has to imagine that Ruben Amaro Jr. & Co. will make trades with the future in mind.
six first-round picks who haven't signed

NL East Notes: Sheets, Bourn, Schwinden

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Ben Sheets, who last pitched for the 2010 Athletics, will start for the Braves this Sunday, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The right-hander started two games at Double-A and posted a 5.06 ERA with a 10K/1BB ratio after signing with Atlanta. Here are today's NL East links…

  • Braves center fielder Michael Bourn believes the Nationals were interested in him last summer, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports. The Nationals, who continue to seek a long-term answer in center field, are expected to pursue Bourn when he hits free agency this coming offseason. Bourn told Kilgore he’ll take his time deciding on where to sign his next contract. “Right now, I’m focused on this season right now,” he said. “I think I’m on a good team right now in the Atlanta Braves.”
  • Chris Schwinden cleared waivers after being claimed four times in the span of five weeks, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). The right-hander’s playing in the Mets’ minor league system, but he’s no longer on their 40-man roster.

Morosi On Nationals, Broxton, Scutaro

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The Nationals are willing to boost payroll midseason if the right opportunity emerges, principal owner Mark Lerner told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. “We’ve never let dollars get in the way of us making decisions that will help this organization,” Lerner said. “That will always be our philosophy.” Here’s more from Morosi, starting in Washington: 

  • Lerner said the Nationals “don’t want to get somebody who’s a rental player,” Morosi reports. The Nationals have a club-record payroll in the $90MM range for 2012.
  • The Royals are now asking for a Major League piece in return for Jonathan Broxton, Morosi tweets. The Royals are open to moving Broxton, Morosi and Ken Rosenthal reported last night. The 28-year-old right-hander has a 1.99 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and 21 saves this year.
  • Marco Scutaro is available, but the Rockies’ asking price remains high, Morosi tweets. Scutaro would prefer to stay in Colorado, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reported today.
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