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Quick Hits: Upton, Red Sox, Yankees, Dempster

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The Yankees have inquired on Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton and Joel Sherman of the New York Post opines that GM Brian Cashman should make it happen.  Sherman argues that three of their best trades of the past two decades involved landing outfielders in their 20s who had fallen out of favor with their clubs: Paul O’Neill, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Swisher.  Upton would fit the profile as some in the D'Backs organization have questioned his heart and motivation.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • With the Red Sox possibly eyeing some major acquisitions before the deadline, Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal runs down the movable pieces and the near untouchables in their farm system.
  • One National League official told Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter) that he expects Ryan Dempster of the Cubs to be the "first domino to fall", followed by the Twins' Francisco Liriano.
  • The new collective bargaining agreement and the altered free agent compensation system has made this year's deadline harder to figure out that most, writes Tim Britton of The Providence Journal.
  • Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter) opines that while the Astros' purge might make sense from a baseball perspective, it is harmful from a business perspective as it will turn off a large section of fans.

Cafardo On Hernandez, Upton, Bard, Gordon

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As teams scan the trade market for pieces that can make a difference down the stretch, many GMs are experiencing sticker shock, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  “Some of the demands out there are ludicrous,” said one NL adviser. “We asked about a lefty pitcher and they asked us for our best pitching, best hitting, and a couple of other established players. I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ That’s why I’m thinking despite all the talking, I’m not sure much is going to get done.”  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Rays have sniffed around on Rockies catcher Ramon Hernandez.  The Mets and Nationals are also said to have interest in the veteran, though teams are wary of the $3.2MM owed to him in 2013.
  • Diamondbacks rightfielder Justin Upton hasn’t drawn as much interest as expected.  The Pirates obviously have a great deal of interest in him but find the asking price was prohibitive.  Pittsburgh may also be interested in B.J. Upton of the Rays and they inquired on Billy Butler of the Royals and the Phillies' Shane Victorino.
  • The Cubs could be interested in Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard in a Matt Garza trade. Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and Jason McLeod all have a strong history with the right-hander.
  • There hasn't been much news about him in the last week or so, but Red Sox catcher Kelly Shoppach remains a viable option for teams like the Mets in need of a catcher.  Boston can afford to part with him as well with Ryan Lavarnway waiting in Pawtucket. 
  • Cafardo cautions not to dismiss possible interest by the Yankees in Royals outfielder Alex Gordon, with Brett Gardner having surgery.
  • The Orioles, Tigers, and Royals are among the teams that have made inquiries on Mariners left-hander Jason Vargas.

Braves Inquired About Jon Lester

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The Braves are seeking pitching help prior to the trade deadline, and MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that they recently called the Red Sox about Jon Lester. Boston is not yet looking to sell, something we heard earlier this month.

"Pitching is at a premium," said GM Frank Wren. "It's so hard to get pitching because there are a limited amount of guys. There are a lot of guys being bantered around out there, and they're not really available because teams have not determined whether they're in or out. In some cases, they haven't determined whether they can sign them or not. It's really a tough market."

Lester, 28, is in the middle of the worst full season of his career. His 4.80 ERA is more than a full run higher than his 3.67 career mark, and his strikeout rate (7.6 K/9) is his lowest since 2008. The good news is that his 2.6 BB/9 is a career-best. Lester is owed $11.625MM next season with a $13MM club option for 2014.

Bowman says the Braves appear to be much more interested in Zack Greinke than Ryan Dempster, but they will not mortgage the future for a rental player. Atlanta is also in the market for bullpen help and Bowman opines that they may check in former Brave Omar Infante.

Dodgers Shift Focus To Matt Garza

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The Dodgers don't want to surrender prospects for a rental and are "very unlikely" to acquire Ryan Dempster, but Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reports that they have shifted their focus to Matt Garza. Los Angeles had a deal on the table to acquire Dempster yesterday but it was not consummated.

Garza, 28, left tonight's game after three scoreless innings with tightness in his triceps. The team announced that x-rays were negative. Garza has pitched to a 4.02 ERA in 17 starts this year and unlike Dempster, he is under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season.

Dodgers “Very Unlikely” To Trade For Ryan Dempster

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Ryan Dempster allowed four runs in six innings against the Cardinals last night, an outing that is not likely to hurt his trade value. Yesterday we heard that the Dodgers, Tigers, Nationals, and Cardinals all have some level of interest in the right-hander while the Red Sox are likely out. The Cubs want one or two young arms in exchange for their vetreran ace, but it's unclear if he'll waive his no-trade clause to switch leagues. Here are today's Dempster rumors with the latest up top…

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the Dempster sweepstakes is currently down to the Braves, Nationals, and Cardinals. 
  • The Dodgers are "very unlikely" to trade for Dempster according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). They prefer not to trade prospects for a rental, making Matt Garza a more logical target.

Ryan Dempster Rumors: Friday

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Ryan Dempster is scheduled to start in St. Louis against the Cardinals tonight amid rumors that his time with the Cubs will soon come to an end. The Red Sox are no longer in on Dempster, but the Dodgers, Braves and Nationals still seem to be involved, based on yesterday's rumors. Here are today's Dempster rumors, with the most recent updates up top:

  • In addition to the Dodgers, there are six to eight other teams interested in Dempster, a source told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.  Even though a report yesterday suggested that the Red Sox are out on Dempster, Boston has made an offer, according to another source.  However, it is unclear if the right-hander is willing to switch leagues. 
  • Dempster is one of four or five starters the Nationals are pursuing, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports (Twitter links). The Nationals would need to get creative to complete a trade and the Braves don't appear to be pursuing Dempster aggressively. They prefer starters under team control beyond 2012.
  • A handful of teams are involved in trade talks and some proposals have been exchanged, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets.
  • The Cardinals are monitoring every starter on the market, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. They aren't a likely fit for Dempster, since they're reluctant to part with prospects for a rental player.
  • The Cubs would likely get one or two young arms in return for Dempster if they trade him to Los Angeles, Morosi tweets.
  • The Cardinals have checked in on Dempster, Heyman tweets.
  • There's a 50-50 chance the Dodgers and Cubs will complete a deal for Dempster, Morosi tweets. The sides are still discussing prospects, so there's time for another team to jump in with an impressive offer.
  • The Nationals are said to be trying hard on Dempster, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Braves are in as well, and one GM believes the Dodgers are the favorites to land the righty.
  • The Tigers maintain interest in Dempster, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.
  • The Dodgers continue in "hot pursuit" of Dempster, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com tweets. The Dodgers still have an offer on the table and are hoping to complete a deal as soon as possible.
  • Trade talks could drag on for a few more days, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.
  • The Dodgers and Cubs haven’t found common ground in discussions about Dempster, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). Other teams are being aggressive.

Starting Pitching Rumors: Nationals, Greinke, Tigers

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The Nationals, Braves, Tigers and Dodgers are in on Ryan Dempster, who could be traded sooner, rather than later. But what about the rest of the starting pitcher market? Here’s the latest:

  • The Nationals don't intend to trade top prospects for a starting pitcher, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets.
  • The Tigers intend to trade for a difference-making starting pitcher, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). The Rays appear to be telling teams James Shields isn't available yet, Knobler adds.
  • It’s possible that Cole Hamels and Zack Greinke will both remain with their current teams at the trade deadline, and if they stay put demand will increase for the next tier of available starters, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. The trade value of pitchers such as Shields and Matt Garza would increase and teams undecided about their midseason plans — the Marlins and Rays, for example — could decide to take advantage of the market and sell.
  • One rival executive said he’s “very” concerned about Greinke given his recent poor performances and potential fatigue issues. Another executive told Rosenthal that Greinke is a scary potential trade target.
  • The Orioles are among the teams that have shown interest in Bartolo Colon, Rosenthal reports.
  • The Tigers are still interested in acquiring a starting pitcher, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). However, they aren’t serious players in the market for Greinke.
  • In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney explained that players can improve their trade value by performing well in the days and weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Paul Maholm of the Cubs is one example, and clubs have already shown an interest in him. – Mike Axisa

Red Sox Still Eyeing Garza; Ross Drawing Interest

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The Red Sox are lagging behind a few teams in their attempts to acquire Matt Garza from the Cubs, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter links). Not everyone in Boston's front office believes Garza would be an upgrade over the team's existing options.

Though the Red Sox are drawing lots of interest in Cody Ross, they aren't interested in moving him unless they're getting a ton in return for him Cafardo reports. Ross, 31, signed a one-year, $3MM contract with the Red Sox this past offseason. The right-handed hitter has a .274/.348/.570 batting line with 16 home runs in 254 plate appearances.

Quick Hits: Strasburg, Rangers, Hunter, Cubs

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Cody Ross was a walkoff hero for the Red Sox tonight, slugging a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth off White Sox closer Addison Reed to give Boston a 3-1 win in the Battle Of The Sox.  Here are some links from around the majors as we wrap up a busy Thursday of trade rumors…

  • The Nationals have decided on to shut down Stephen Strasburg at some point this season though it may not be at the 160-inning limit, GM Mike Rizzo tells ESPN's Pedro Gomez.  "There is no magic number," Rizzo said. "It will be the eye test. (Manager) Davey (Johnson) won't decide and ownership won't decide. It will be the general manager, and that's me."
  • The Rangers have "a very small list" of pitchers on their wish list and may be out of the pitching market entirely if Cole Hamels signs an extension with the Phillies, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • If Torii Hunter is really willing to take a big discount to re-sign with the Angels, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal speculates that the Halos could save money by keeping Hunter and Peter Bourjos at low costs and then non-tender or trade Kendrys Morales to free up more money to pursue pitching.
  • The Cubs are unlikely to make a major free agent signing this winter, as Theo Epstein tells CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney that the team isn't far enough along in its rebuilding process.  “Free agency’s definitely a nice way to add talent to an organization without giving up talent," Epstein said. "But you cannot make an organization that way. And we have a lot of steps ahead of us that we need to take care of before we’re in a position to add a finishing piece or two through free agency.”
  • Beyond their big-name talent, the Cubs are also getting calls about right-handed hitting bench players Jeff Baker and Reed Johnson, reports Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link).
  • The Twins led all teams in draft spending this year, as Baseball America's Jim Callis breaks down how much each club spent on their draft picks.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America recaps the week's minor league transactions.
  • Dodgers president Stan Kasten hinted that his team isn't likely to splurge in a blockbuster trade deadline deal, saying any trade the Dodgers make will "have to be governed by reason" and "make sense long term," he tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
  • Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest told reporters (including MLB.com's Joe Frisaro) that his team is running out of time to prove they're contenders before the Fish could be forced to sell some pieces at the deadline.  “In terms of decision making, I don’t how that’s going to go,” Beinfest said. “I really don’t. We need to win games here to make sure we’re on the periphery of even thinking about getting into things….You believe in your talent and hope we get hot. I think that’s where we are right now. But every day that goes by, it gets tougher and tougher to do that.” 

Ryan Dempster Rumors: Thursday

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The Red Sox are out of the Ryan Dempster sweepstakes but there is still plenty of trade interest in the Cubs' starter.  Here's the latest on today's Dempster-related news, with the freshest items at the top of the page.

  • The Braves have had general discussions with the Cubs about Dempster "without getting real specific" about players, tweets FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
  • Dempster has had "occasional contact" with the Cubs' front office and hasn't been told a deal is imminent, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
  • The Dodgers and Cubs are negotiating over prospects and don't appear to be close to a trade tonight, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  While the Dodgers may be in the lead now, Heyman says that other teams are "still in the picture," including the Braves and Nationals.
  • The Dodgers have made an official trade proposal for Dempster, reports Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago.  The Dodgers are known to be the frontrunners for Dempster and the pitcher himself favors Los Angeles as his top destination if he is to be dealt, an important factor given his 10-5 trade protection rights.  Levine isn't sure what the Dodgers' offer entails or if pitching prospect Zach Lee is involved, though the Cubs are known to be looking for young pitching above all else in trades.
  • The Cubs will have a Triple-A pitcher on hand in St. Louis who will be ready to pitch in case Dempster is traded before his scheduled start against the Cardinals on Friday, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
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