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Cafardo On Red Sox, Morneau, Broxton, Lee

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The Red Sox could be in the enviable position of being both buyers and sellers at the deadline, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Once their outfield is healthy, Cody Ross, Daniel Nava, Ryan Sweeney, Scott Podsednik, and Marlon Byrd could be trade bait.  Kevin Youkilis is obviously a major chip and guys like Aaron Cook, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Mark Melancon, and Kelly Shoppach may also find themselves on the block.  The Nationals are in a similar position as they could sell off pitchers John Lannan and Chien-Ming Wang while still contending.  Meanwhile, the two teams most willing to move players will be the Astros and Cubs.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Twins will likely entertain offers at the trading deadline for Justin Morneau but won’t necessarily deal him.  The Blue Jays are a team to watch as they are trying to do something significant to help their offense.  Morneau earns $14MM this year and next and the Jays have money saved.  Toronto also has the kind of prospects Minnesota desires.
  • A decision the Royals made last week will likely enhance Jonathan Broxton’s trade value.  They have been cautious with him because of past elbow issues but are no longer barring him from pitching consecutive days.  Broxton has a 1.74 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 20.2 innings this year.
  • Despite the Astros’ surprising start, they will still listen to offers for their top trade candidates.  That includes closer Brett Myers, lefty starter Wandy Rodriguez, first baseman Carlos Lee, right-hander Brandon Lyon, and shortstop Jed Lowrie.
  • Lee could be a fit for the Dodgers as they look to replace Matt Kemp's power bat, but Lee has always had West Coast teams on his no-trade list.
  • Eventually, Twins GM Terry Ryan try to make the best possible deals for assets such as outfielder Josh Willingham, starters Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano, closer Matt Capps, and infielder Jamey Carroll.
  • A's starters Bartolo Colon and Brandon McCarthy, relievers Grant Balfour and Brian Fuentes, outfielder Coco Crisp, catcher Kurt Suzuki, and others are in play.   They also wouldn’t be against moving Josh Reddick.

Rosenthal On Wright, Astros, Garza, Youkilis

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Here's the latest Full Count video from Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com …

  • Mets third baseman David Wright, a free agent after next season assuming his 2013 option is picked up, will likely seek an eight-year contract extension of $150MM, using the long-term deals of franchise players Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Kemp and Joey Votto as negotiating points.
  • With several hard-to-trade veterans on the roster in Wandy Rodriguez, Carlos Lee and Brett Myers, the Astros might be well advised to trade second baseman Jose Altuve as a means to replenish their farm system. Houston has a well-regarded second base prospect in the minors in Jimmy Paredes, who was acquired in the deal that sent Lance Berkman to the Yankees.
  • Most teams expect the Cubs to trade Matt Garza, but the North Siders are also considering re-signing the right-hander to a long-term extension. If the Cubs opt to trade Garza, though, they should be able to draw interest from pitching-needy AL East teams, as well as the Tigers.
  • The Red Sox are motivated to trade Kevin Youkilis sooner than later, wanting to preclude a distraction and limit the positional shuffling of Adrian Gonzalez, but potential suitors want to see Youkilis remain healthy and productive before buying. The Dodgers are an obvious fit, while the Diamondbacks, who expressed interest last offseason, might not have the financial flexibility to take on the $12MM owed to Youk.

Chicago Cubs Rumors: Saturday

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Two days ago we heard that the Cubs are letting teams know that almost all of their players — other than Jeff Samardzija and Starlin Castro — are available in trades. Chicago's north side will be a hot source of rumors over the next few weeks, so let's keep track of today's news here, with the latest up top…

  • Contrary to spring rumors, the Cubs never had a handshake agreement with outfielder Jorge Soler, but their interest in the Cuban was legit and figures to intensify now that he's officially a free agent, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Manager Dale Sveum, who watched Soler workout this offseason, described his hitting as "pretty strong" today.
  • Matt Garza is available for the right offer, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter links). The Yankees have interest and Olney speculates that the Blue Jays could be a fit given their need for high-end starting pitching and cache of tradeable prospects.
  • "If I'd known that, it would have made me think about it," said Castro to reporters (including Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune) when asked about the trade rumors. "That's what I want — to be here all my career. I don't want to go anywhere. I have my family here. I don't want to be traded."

Quick Hits: Dodgers, Byrd, Soler, Red Sox, Cubs

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The Dodgers have been sliding as of late and though they could use some reinforcements, they might not get them any time soon. General Manager Ned Colletti said that he has been contacting other teams for the last month to inquire about potential trades but hasn't found much yet, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.  More from around baseball..

West Notes: Dodgers, Dempster, Angels, Hamilton

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After taking a look at the AL and NL East, it's only fair that we turn our attention to the Western divisions..

  • The Dodgers are expected to pursue pitching and hitting and Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) wouldn't be surprised to see the club pursue Ryan Dempster of the Cubs.  Knobler adds (Twitter link) that that the Dodgers wanted Dempster two summers ago but settled for Ted Lilly once he was taken off the market by the Cubs.
  • Juan Rincon opted out of his contract with the Angels this morning but Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (via Twitter) says that the Halos released him, making it a mutual decision in essence.
  • Rangers president Nolan Ryan says that there's nothing new to report when it comes to contract talks with Josh Hamilton.  Over the weekend, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports opined that the slugger is unlikely to sign an extension with Texas.

Yankees Eyeing Matt Garza

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Matt Garza interests the Yankees more than other potentially available starters, so GM Brian Cashman could pursue the right-hander this summer, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Red Sox could also pursue Garza, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com notes (on Twitter).

The Yankees appear to have little interest in Brewers right-handers Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, Heyman writes. The team has concerns about how Greinke would pitch in New York and members of the New York front office aren’t sure about Marcum as an American Leaguer.

The Yankees also have concerns about Ryan Dempster’s ability to transition to the American League. While the Brewers have a buyer’s mindset, the Cubs appear willing to listen on most of their players. Wandy Rodriguez of the Astros could be another option for the Yankees, Heyman notes.

Cubs Claim Asencio, DFA Bowden

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The Cubs claimed right-hander Jairo Asencio off of waivers from the Indians, ESPN.com's Keith Law tweets. Chicago designated right-hander Michael Bowden for assignment in a corresponding move.

The Indians acquired Asencio from the Braves for cash at the end of March then designated him for assignment four days ago. The out of options reliever posted a 5.96 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 25 2/3 innings for the Indians this year. He led the International League in saves in 2009 and 2011 and posted a 1.81 ERA with 11.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 54 2/3 innings at Triple-A last year.

The Cubs acquired Bowden from the Red Sox in the April trade that sent Marlon Byrd to Boston. The 25-year-old has a 7.45 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 in 9 2/3 innings with the Cubs since the trade.

Draft Notes: Indians, Cubs, Royals, Yankees, Orioles

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Some items from around the league as baseball prepares for Monday's amateur draft…

  • The Indians could target a pitcher with the 15th overall pick since the organization is thin on top-level hurlers, though Indians' director of amateur scouting Brad Grant tells MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that type of short-term focus can backfire.  "As soon as you start to draft towards needs, I think that's when you can make mistakes," Grand said.  "I think it's important to take the best player available. You take the player that you feel has the most ability rather than concentrating on needs."
  • The Cubs, meanwhile, are targeting power arms, says Doug Padilla of ESPN Chicago, though that doesn't necessarily mean Chicago will look to draft a pitcher with their first pick (sixth overall).
  • The Royals have a need for a college pitcher who is close to the Majors, writes Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, which would indicate that K.C. could take one of three right-handers (Mark Appel, Kevin Gausman or Kyle Zimmer) with the fifth overall pick.
  • Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees vice president of amateur scouting, says his team focuses on prospects who can handle the pressure of playing in New York, reports MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.  "We're always looking to get players who can play for the New York Yankees and not just be Major Leaguers," Oppenheimer said. "That is our shopping list, to see who can impact us. It's not easy to be a Yankee, so sometimes we will take a little more risk to find somebody who can fit for us."
  • Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com talks to Gary Rajsich, who is preparing for his first draft as the Orioles' scouting director.
  • The draft is entering a new era due to the changes made by the latest collective bargaining agreement, writes Jerry Crasnick for Baseball America.  Crasnick outlines the new rules in place for this year's draft and how they affect players, teams, scouts and agents.
  • The new draft rules particularly impact the Blue Jays.  MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm talks to GM Alex Anthopoulos about how the Jays' strategy of gaining compensatory picks and paying over-slot prices for prospects will change.

Cubs Not Moving Castro, Epstein Confirms

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Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has denied that his team is exploring deals for Starlin Castro, report Doug Padilla and Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago.  "Starlin Castro is the type of player we're looking to build around," Epstein said. "There has been no trade consideration with him whatsoever."

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported earlier today that the Cubs were open to dealing anyone but Jeff Samardzija from the roster, including Castro, who was reportedly available for the price of "two impact prospects."  Castro, 22, is under team control through 2016 and is arbitration-eligible for the first of four years this winter due to his Super Two status.

Padilla and Levine cite an Epstein quote from earlier in the week, where the executive said that while no player was entirely untouchable, some players "are core pieces that it's almost impossible to foresee moving. You would have to be completely blown away to even contemplate it."  Clearly it would take such a knockout trade offer for the Cubs to swap Castro, who would be the most sought-after trade chip in baseball if Chicago actually put him on the market.  It wouldn't be out of the question for the Cubs to ask for not just two major prospects in exchange, but also for a team to take Alfonso Soriano's big contract (roughly $48MM remaining through 2014) off the Cubs' hands.

Cubs Will Consider Offers For Almost Every Player

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6:31pm: Castro is "first on the list of players [the Cubs] won't trade," according to a team that recently spoke to the Cubs, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.  Knobler also says the Cubs have told teams that they will cover as much as $45MM of the approximately $48MM remaining on Soriano's contract if the outfielder is moved (Twitter link).  At least one team has already expressed interest in Dempster, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.

1:45pm: The Cubs are letting teams know that nearly every player except Jeff Samardzija is available in trades, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Some teams are already calling the 18-32 Cubs about potential deals.

"We're starting to get some early calls now," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told Nightengale. "There might be fewer sellers than usual and a lot more buyers. This has a chance to help us. We need core players."

Starlin Castro could be obtained for two impact prospects, according to Nightengale. First baseman Bryan LaHair and starters Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster could also be acquired. The Cubs will contribute cash in a deal involving Alfonso Soriano, who earns $18MM per season through 2014.

Though Epstein's longtime team, the Red Sox, hasn't been a seller for years, Chicago GM Jed Hoyer was trading Major Leaguers for prospects as recently as last summer. He acquired Joe Wieland and Robbie Erlin from the Rangers for Mike Adams in 2011 when he was the Padres' GM.

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