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NL Central Notes: Dempster, Cubs, Brewers, Appel

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Items out of the NL Central as Wednesday turns into Thursday..

  • Amid heavy trade talk, Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster had a long chat with Theo Epstein in the stands of Wrigley Field before today's game, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.  Dempster told Muskat that the two discussed an upcoming fundraiser.  Meanwhile, some execs believe that the hurler could be moved early, perhaps even before the All-Star break.
  • The Brewers expect to announce a number of draft signings by the end of the week, including a deal with second-round pick Tyrone Taylor, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.  Taylor is a center fielder out of Torrance High School in California.
  • Many of this year's top picks have already signed with their respective clubs and when all is said and done, Keith Law of ESPN.com (via Twitter) believes that Mark Appel is the only first round pick who may not sign.  The Pirates' eighth-overall pick was said to be in the mix to go No. 1 but asked for more than the Astros were willing to pay.

Quick Hits: Teahen, Soler, Ethier, Hamilton, Youkilis

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The Dodgers officially announced their five-year, $85MM extension with Andre Ethier this afternoon on a day that featured lots of draft news. Here are some of Tuesday’s non-draft-related links, starting in Los Angeles…

  • Mark Teahen can opt-out of his minor league contract with the Nationals if not called up by June 15th, MLBTR has learned. The 30-year-old has hit .293/.347/.404 with Washington's Triple-A affiliate while playing all four corner spots.
  • Jorge Soler is still in the process of securing a visa prior to officially signing with the Cubs, reports MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter). That could take about a week.
  • The Dodgers’ deal with Ethier could eliminate them from the Josh Hamilton sweepstakes after the season, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes (Twitterlinks). This could limit Hamilton’s leverage with the Rangers whenever the sides resume contract talks.
  • Olney points to the abundance of quality outfielders nearing free agency and suggests it makes sense for the players to accept deals now instead of waiting for what could be a buyer’s market.
  • There are no new developments in contract discussions between Cole Hamels and the Phillies or Zack Greinke and the Brewers, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
  • GM Sandy Alderson told Ken Davidoff of the New York Post that the Mets haven't drawn up plans to buy or sell this summer. Davidoff suggests that the Mets could decide to stay the course at the upcoming trade deadline.
  • One scout watched Kevin Youkilis play and wasn’t impressed, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). "For what he costs, he can't do anything," the scout said.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Cubs Notes: Jaramillo, LaHair, Dempster

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The Cubs, who rank 14th out of 16 NL teams in runs scored, announced that they replaced hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo with minor league hitting coordinator James Rowson. Here are some more Cubs-related notes and rumors…

  • President of baseball operations Theo Epstein confirmed that the Cubs are ready to start trading players to improve the organization's future, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports (on Twitter).
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com examines the rosters of potential sellers, including the Cubs. Most scouts believe Bryan LaHair has legitimate late-blooming power like Nelson Cruz and Jose Bautista, according to Bowden.
  • Some executives believe Ryan Dempster could be traded early, perhaps even before the All-Star break, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The Dodgers are interested in Dempster, who is in the last year of his contract.
  • An American League exec likes the looks of Dempster, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). "He's pitching well and he'd give you a good character guy/leader," the person said.
  • David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution lists off a number of reasons why the Braves may not pursue trades for veteran pitchers like Dempster this summer. The new collective bargaining agreement could impact the Braves’ interest in making a deal, and Kris Medlen gives them an additional internal candidate for the rotation.

Dodgers Interested In Ryan Dempster

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The Dodgers are "definitely interested" in Ryan Dempster, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs are expected to consider trade offers for Dempster, a free agent after the season.

As Knobler points out, the Dodgers were interested in Dempster two years ago, but the right-hander preferred to stay in Chicago. Dempster has full no-trade protection as a player with ten and five rights, yet he understands that the Cubs may look to move him for controllable players. The Cubs are open to retaining Dempster long-term and have discussed the possibility with the 35-year-old himself.

Dempster has started 11 games this year and owns a 2.31 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 74 innings. He'll earn $14MM this season before hitting free agency. If a trade is completed, the acquiring team won't be able to obtain draft pick compensation should Dempster sign elsewhere for the 2013 campaign.

Rosenthal On Phillies, Dempster, Soriano, Chavez

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Phillies general partner David Montgomery told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he’s not thinking about trading away established players since opportunity still exists for his 29-33 club. “Come August or something, maybe we feel differently,” Montgomery acknowledged, noting that the team’s current goal is to re-enter the playoff picture.

Here are more rumors and notes from Rosenthal…

  • Though the Cubs want to add talent, they are reluctant to start a long rebuilding process. Of all the Cubs, Ryan Dempster is most likely to be traded, according to Rosenthal. One general manager said the right-hander seems like a “classic Ned Colletti buy,” so don’t be surprised if the Dodgers show some interest in Dempster. 
  • Rosenthal speculates that the Indians could be a fit for Alfonso Soriano. Though the Cubs would be paying most of the outfielder’s salary in any trade, Soriano can still hit, especially against left-handers. Rival teams expect the Indians to be aggressive this summer, and they could use a right-handed bat like Soriano.
  • Teams aren’t sure that Wandy Rodriguez would succeed in the American League.
  • One person said there’s “no chance” the Red Sox could obtain prospects for Kevin Youkilis without paying most of his salary.
  • The Reds want to add a left-handed hitter, Rosenthal reports.
  • Though Eric Chavez can still play, preparing for games has become “a huge hurdle to climb physically.” The Yankees and White Sox were the only teams to show interest in the 34-year-old this past offseason, and he would have been content to retire if necessary.
  • Don’t be surprised if the Giants look to acquire a reliever, Rosenthal writes.
  • One executive wonders if the Orioles could trade Brian Matusz in a deal for a more established starter.

Cubs Win Bidding For Jorge Soler

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5:30pm: Heyman adds another caveat to Soler's deal (Twitter link). Soler will be allowed to opt out of the agreed-upon salaries and go to arbitration once he is eligible. That scenario would likely push the total value of the deal beyond $30MM.

1:48pm: Soler and the Cubs agreed to a nine-year deal worth approximately $30MM, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. At least three or four teams placed bids of $20MM plus, according to Heyman. Depending on how long Soler spends at the minor league level, the deal could cover all of his arbitration seasons and multiple free agent years. 

Soler can opt out of his yearly salaries and file for arbitration once eligible, ESPN.com's Keith Law reports. As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains, this means Soler could earn more than $30MM with the Cubs.

1:15pm: The Cubs won the bidding for Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (on Twitter). Many teams appeared to have interest in Soler, a top international prospect.

Soler has to sign by July 2 if he aims to maximize his earning potential and avoid spending restrictions imposed under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement. It's not clear what kind of bonus the Praver Shapiro Sports Management client will obtain from the Cubs, but a sum in excess of $15MM would not be surprising.

MLB declared Soler a free agent earlier this month after verifying his paperwork. The Phillies have since offered him a contract and the Astros, Pirates, Indians, Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays also appeared to have some level of interest in the 20-year-old.

Soler was an up-and-coming power hitter in Cuba before leaving the country, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. His calling card is right-handed power, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America, who considers him a top-50 prospect in MLB.

Quick Hits: LaRoche, Lee, Cubs

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Let’s not let the day’s biggest story — that the Cubs will sign Jorge Soler to a nine-year deal worth $30MM — overshadow some other notes and rumors from around MLB. Here are the latest links…

  • Yahoo’s Jeff Passan checks in on the players heading toward free agency, noting that the stock for players such as Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera and Andre Ethier is way up.
  • Derrek Lee would be open to returning for the “right opportunity,” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The Pirates could be interested in re-signing Lee, who joined the team in a midseason trade last year.
  • Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster and Bryan LaHair are all in play as the trade deadline nears, Rosenthal notes (on Twitter). The Cubs could look to supplement their core of young players by dealing established Major Leaguers for controllable players this summer.

Jorge Soler Rumors: Monday

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Cuban outfield prospect Jorge Soler could sign any day now. A number of teams have been linked to Soler, who must sign by July 2 if he aims to maximize his earning potential and avoid the spending restrictions that will soon take effect. Here’s the latest on Soler:

  • The Phillies have maintained a stealth pursuit of Soler and have made him an offer, Jim Salisbury‏ of CSNPhilly.com reports (on Twitter).
  • Some competing executives see the Cubs as the favorite for Soler, Heyman tweets.
  • The Dodgers are no longer engaged on Soler, Yahoo’s Tim Brown reports (on Twitter). ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported late last week that the Dodgers were among his most aggressive suitors.
  • The Blue Jays are said to be in the mix for Soler, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Heyman notes that the Cubs and Yankees also appear to be involved.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Saunders, Quentin, Cards, Pirates

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up. Let's recap…

  • Teams looking for rotation help should call the Diamondbacks about Joe Saunders. Arizona wants to get top prospect Trevor Bauer into their rotation, but right now there's just no room.
  • The identity of the Padres' new owner will not be known before August, leaving the front office to make its own call on Carlos Quentin prior to the trade deadline. They could keep him and make him a qualifying offer after the season (entitling them to draft pick compensation), though they'd be gambling on future payroll before knowing the new owner's plans. The safest move could be trading the outfielder.
  • The Cardinals will wait to hear more about Chris Carpenter's status before making a move for a veteran starting pitcher in the wake of Jaime Garcia's shoulder injury. St. Louis wanted Jeff Francis badly, but the timing wasn't right; Garcia appeared to be healthy when Francis hit the market.
  • The Pirates have inquired about a number of corner infield bats, including Kevin Youkilis, Chase Headley, and Bryan LaHair. Some of those targets are more realistic than others, plus the trade market has yet to really materialize. There are far more buyers than sellers, though Pittsburgh has the pitching depth to swing a deal.

Jorge Soler Rumors: Friday

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The Astros, Cubs, Pirates, Indians, Red Sox, Phillies, Yankees and Blue Jays appear to have some interest in Jorge Soler, while the Marlins and Mets are not pursuing him. The Cuban outfield prospect must sign by July 2nd if he aims to avoid spending restrictions imposed under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement. Here’s the latest:

  • Angels GM Jerry Dipoto confirmed to Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times that they "won't be a player" for Soler (Twitter link). "I don't know who his agent is. Tells you how involved we are," added Dipoto.
  • The next round of bids for Soler are due this weekend, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). The Cubs, Yankees, Braves and Dodgers have been the most aggressive teams so far, Olney reports.
  • Ben Badler of Baseball America reports that Soler may be trying to establish his residency paperwork through Haiti, instead of the Dominican Republic, where he has been living and working out. Some agents say they would never consider trying to establish a Cuban player's residency through Haiti, which is not known for accurate record keeping.
  • However, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com hears that MLB verified Soler's residency in Haiti before granting him free agency (Twitter link). It's not an issue, according to Crasnick's source.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

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