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AL East Notes: Red Sox, Orioles, Montero, Rays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 31, 2011 at 5:12pm CDT

The Orioles sent Mike Gonzalez to Texas earlier this afternoon, but not before a division rival got involved in the trade talks. Here's the latest from the AL East…

  • Red Sox GM Theo Epstein responded to speculation about the Cubs' GM opening by saying that he's happy in Boston and “all Red Sox, all the time," according Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • Gonzalez told MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli that he'd listen to offers from the Orioles if they're interested in signing him this offseason.
  • ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick looks back at what went wrong for the Orioles this year and starts to address the question of how they can turn things around.
  • The Yankees were also involved in trade talks for Gonzalez, according to MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko. However, Baltimore president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail preferred the pitcher the Rangers were offering.
  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi sounds like he's ready for Jesus Montero to join the team tomorrow, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (on Twitter).
  • As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes explained earlier today, Montero would have to be added to the Yankees' now-full 40-man roster before getting called up.
  • The Rays aren't expect to make any deals today, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter).
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Jesus Montero Mike Gonzalez Theo Epstein

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Players Who Cleared Waivers

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 31, 2011 at 5:05pm CDT

This is a running list of players who have cleared waivers, based on published reports. Once a player clears waivers, he can be traded to any team (barring a no-trade clause). This list can always be found in the sidebar under MLBTR Features. Player names are linked to the source articles.

Updated 8-30-11 at 10:56pm

Starting pitchers

  • Aaron Harang, Padres - Harang's ERA is a respectable 3.92 with 6.7 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in pitcher-friendly Petco Park.
  • Dontrelle Willis, Reds – Willis has bounced back with the Reds, posting a 4.10 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 0.68 HR/9, and 56.8% groundball rate in 52 2/3 innings.
  • Carlos Zambrano, Cubs – Zambrano cleared waivers prior to being placed on the disqualified list.  He has a short fuse, lousy stats, and over $22MM remaining on his contract through next year.
  • Rodrigo Lopez, Cubs – Not surprising to see the journeyman clear waivers.
  • Chris Capuano, Mets – Capuano owns a 3.74 SIERA as of August 14th and earns only $1.5MM plus incentives, so it's hard to see why a few teams didn't place claims.
  • Bronson Arroyo, Reds – His peripheral stats haven't changed much, but Arroyo has a 5.31 ERA as of August 15th.  $15MM of his $35MM contract is deferred through 2021 without interest.  The deferrals are voided if he's traded, however.  At any rate, expect Arroyo to stay put.
  • Bruce Chen, Royals – Chen has his moments, but it's not surprising to see him clear waivers.
  • Jason Vargas, Mariners – Like many of the starters here, Vargas' fastball wouldn't break a window.  But he has less than a million bucks left on his contract this year and is under team control through 2013.  He'd fit nicely at the back end of several rotations.    
  • Chien-Ming Wang, Nationals – His three starts this season were his first in over two years, so it's understandable that contenders wouldn't jump to claim him.
  • Tom Gorzelanny, Nationals – Booted to the bullpen last month, the 29-year-old flyballing southpaw has posted strong strikeout rates in recent years but can't hold a rotation job.
  • Ted Lilly, Dodgers – He always has strong strikeout-to-walk numbers, but is prone to the longball.  With over 82% of his $33MM contract remaining ($27MM+), it's no surprise he cleared waivers.

Relievers

  • Joe Nathan, Twins - Nathan won't be traded, according to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
  • Chad Qualls, Padres – Qualls is enjoying a bounce-back season, though his strikeout rate dipped to 5.3 K/9 this year.
  • Bill Bray, Reds – Bray has been decent this year, and a little tougher against lefties.  He'll be arbitration eligible for the second time this offseason.
  • Hong-Chih Kuo, Dodgers – A dominant reliever last year, Kuo has dealt with a back injury and anxiety disorder as his control has eluded him.
  • Huston Street, Rockies – Between a recent triceps injury and the $9MM+ owed to him through 2012, Street was expected to clear.
  • Brian Fuentes, Athletics – He's owed over $6MM through next year, and has been mediocre for the A's.
  • Jon Rauch, Blue Jays – Rauch is affordable, but he's on the DL for an appendectomy and wasn't great before that.
  • Mike Gonzalez, Orioles – Gonzalez has been dominant in August, and against lefties.  The problem is that he's still owed almost a million bucks.
  • Kevin Gregg, Orioles – Gregg might be the worst reliever holding down a closer's job, and he's owed at least $6.4MM through next year.
  • John Grabow, Cubs – He's been ineffective even against lefties, and he has over $700K remaining.
  • D.J. Carrasco, Mets – The Mets signed Carrasco to a two-year deal in December – their biggest acquisition of the offseason - but optioned him to Triple-A in April.  He stayed there until mid-June.

Position players

  • Aramis Ramirez, Cubs – In July, Ramirez's agent said that his client would consider an August deal but he has since had a change of heart.  The Cubs hold an option on Ramirez's deal worth $16MM.
  • Alfonso Soriano, Cubs – This one was also obvious.  SI's Jon Heyman notes on Twitter that the Cubs are willing to pay a "major, major chunk" of the $58.35MM owed to the left fielder through 2014.
  • Lance Berkman, Cardinals – Berkman has said he hopes to re-sign with St. Louis after the season, when he hits free agency.  Still, it's a surprise to see him clear waivers.
  • Ryan Theriot, Cardinals - Theriot earns $3.3MM this year and will be a non-tender candidate after the season.
  • David Wright, Mets - It's surprising that Wright cleared waivers, but it doesn't mean the Mets have interest in dealing him. Wright earns $15MM next year and can void a $16MM club option for 2013 if traded.
  • Conor Jackson, Athletics – Olney notes that the Red Sox asked about the light-hitting 1B/LF/RF, but there doesn't seem to be any traction there.
  • David DeJesus, Athletics – DeJesus has had a rough year but could at least be useful against right-handed pitching.
  • Hideki Matsui, Athletics – The Athletics have several waiver trade candidates, and Matsui's hot second half and low salary (owed less than $2MM the rest of the season) could make him a popular target.
  • Jason Bay, Mets – With Bay being owed at least $38.8MM through 2013, this was expected.  It's only been 12 games, but Bay is at least having his first good month of 2011.
  • Willie Harris, Mets – The versatile Harris has less than $200K left on his contract.
  • Angel Pagan, Mets – It's been a dismal year for Pagan, who may be in line for a non-tender after the season.
  • Carlos Lee, Astros – No surprise here, as the 35-year-old is hitting .263/.321/.417 and is owed almost $23MM through next year.  El Caballo's ten-and-five rights kick in after the season.
  • Johnny Damon, Rays – Damon blocked an August trade last summer and 12 months later he's a candidate to be traded once again.

Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

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Baltimore Orioles Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Houston Astros Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets Oakland Athletics San Diego Padres Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Washington Nationals Aaron Harang Alfonso Soriano Angel Pagan Aramis Ramirez Bill Bray Brian Fuentes Bronson Arroyo Bruce Chen Carlos Lee Carlos Zambrano Chad Qualls Chien-Ming Wang Chris Capuano Conor Jackson D.J. Carrasco David DeJesus David Wright Dontrelle Willis Hideki Matsui Hong-Chih Kuo Huston Street Jason Bay Jason Vargas Joe Nathan John Grabow Johnny Damon Jon Rauch Kevin Gregg Lance Berkman Mike Gonzalez Rodrigo Lopez Ryan Theriot Ted Lilly Tom Gorzelanny Willie Harris

41 comments

Chicago Notes: Guillen, Dunn, Aramis

By Tim Dierkes | August 30, 2011 at 2:17pm CDT

The Cubs are vying for a prime pick in next year's draft, while the White Sox have won four in a row and sit five games back of the Tigers.  The latest on Chicago's teams:

  • The relationship between White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and GM Kenny Williams is "now beyond repair," a source tells Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.  Cowley's sources say the Sox are getting a feel for managerial candidates and are renewing talks with the Marlins about compensation for trading Guillen.  Ozzie had plenty to say on the topic; be sure to check it out.
  • Adam Dunn is having "perhaps the most inexplicably awful season" of the last 50 years, writes Dave Cameron of FanGraphs.  The $56MM designated hitter is hitting .163/.290/.289 in 435 plate appearances.  With reduced playing time, he may at least be spared the full remaining 67 plate appearances he'll need to qualify for the lowest batting average since Billy Sullivan hit .162 for the 1909 White Sox.  Rob Deer's .179 mark in 1991 is the modern-day worst; Chuck Garfien of CSN Chicago spoke to Deer about that season.
  • Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez doesn't know how his future will play out with the team, he told CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney.  Mooney's article counters the notion that Ramirez does not have a positive influence on young teammates Darwin Barney and Starlin Castro.
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Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Miami Marlins Adam Dunn Aramis Ramirez

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Quick Hits: Soria, Bourn, Transactions, Wilson

By Zachary Links | August 28, 2011 at 10:34pm CDT

Sunday linkage..

  • A look at Royals closer Joakim Soria's contract situation shows that his $6MM option vested on July 30, when he pitched his 110th game between the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Soria's option vesting merely locks in his salary for 2012; he'd have been arbitration-eligible at any rate.
  • David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if the Braves should extend Michael Bourn, and what the cost of it would be. As O'Brien points out, it's hard to come by comparables for Bourn, and the best may be Juan Pierre, whose contract is widely regarded as a tremendous mistake.
  • Baseball America's Matt Eddy runs down the week's minor league transactions.
  • Recently, impending free agent C.J. Wilson said that now is not the time to look ahead to the offseason and his next contract.  In an interview on 103.3 FM ESPN (audio link), Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine seemed to agree and said that the club isn't looking to negotiate mid-season, writes Bryan Dolgin of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Infielder Felipe Lopez will report to the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate on Monday after being outrighted on Wednesday.  The veteran didn't impress on Milwaukee's big league roster this year, batting .182/.245/.182 in 51 trips to the plate.
  • It's time for Athletics GM Billy Beane to move on to a different challenge, writes Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle.  While he's been linked extensively to the Cubs job, Jenkins wonders if Beane could be a fit for the Dodgers if GM Ned Colletti winds up being hired by Chicago.
  • The Marlins have begun the process of looking at managerial candidates and there is still interest in some corners of the Florida organization in Ozzie Guillen, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The White Sox skipper has another year on his current deal but it remains to be seen whether Guillen will be invited back.

MLBTR's Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the contract information used in this post.

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Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers Oakland Athletics Texas Rangers C.J. Wilson Felipe Lopez Joakim Soria Michael Bourn

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NL Central Links: McCutchen, Cubs, Ramirez, Crane

By Luke Adams 2 | August 28, 2011 at 11:31am CDT

After Yovani Gallardo struck out ten Cubs en route to another Milwaukee victory, the club's division lead reached double digits for the first time this season, with the Cardinals now 10.5 games back. The Brewers will send Zack Greinke to the hill today as they look to sweep the Cubs and continue chipping away at their magic number (19). Let's check out the rest of the morning's updates from the NL Central….

  • Although the Pirates and Andrew McCutchen were discussing a possible extension earlier this year, talks remain at a standstill for now. The outfielder's agent, Steve Hammond, told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that "it's time to focus on playing baseball and winning games" and that further extension discussions could happen later.
  • A raise and increased payroll flexibility wouldn't necessarily convince Andrew Friedman to leave the Rays for the Cubs, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. "Don't think because this is a glamorous situation he's going to want to jump to it," said manager Joe Maddon. "That's not true."
  • Aramis Ramirez tells Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune that, having never reached free agency before, he's unsure what to expect if it happens this winter.
  • Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle wonders if the delay in approving new Astros ownership is the league's way of saying it has "lingering doubts" about Jim Crane.
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Chicago Cubs Houston Astros Pittsburgh Pirates Tampa Bay Rays Andrew McCutchen Aramis Ramirez

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Cafardo’s Latest: Cubs GM, Vazquez, Greene, Kubel

By Luke Adams 2 | August 28, 2011 at 10:19am CDT

The Cubs' GM search has the potential to impact the Red Sox front office, if Theo Epstein or Ben Cherington are near the top of Chicago's wish list. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe leads his Sunday Baseball Notes by addressing the possibility of a mutual interest between Epstein and the Cubs. As one AL team president points out, even if that interest exists, the Red Sox don't have to grant the Cubs permission to talk to Epstein: "I don't see why they would [grant permission]. They have one of the best GMs in the game. I know if I were the team president of the Red Sox or in ownership, I wouldn't let that happen."

Here are the other highlights from Cafardo's piece:

  • Brian Cashman's name has also come up in Cubs GM rumors, but Cafardo's source doesn't expect Chicago to land Cashman or Epstein: "My best guess is both stay where they are and get the paycheck they're looking for…. They're not going to make more money elsewhere. The Cubs may offer a lot, but both Boston and New York can offer more, and I think they will."
  • Marlins right-hander Javier Vazquez is seriously considering retirement after this season, and appears to have made up his mind one way or the other, as he told reporters earlier this week.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak would like to see former first round pick Tyler Greene get some big league playing time in September so the club has a better idea of how to plan for 2012.
  • The Red Sox were among the teams who put in a waiver claim for Jason Kubel, though they were blocked by the Indians.
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Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Miami Marlins New York Yankees St. Louis Cardinals Jason Kubel Javier Vazquez Tyler Greene

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A Look At Notable Moves Of August 2010

By Dan Mennella | August 27, 2011 at 9:46pm CDT

August transactions don't boast the same excitement as their July counterparts, but they can still have ramifications for contenders and non-contenders alike. Teams readying for the postseason will often fine-tune their rosters by adding a specialty piece — a LOOGY or power bat off the bench, for example — and ones looking ahead to next year will look to shed payroll.

There's still a few days left before September arrives, and prominent players such as the Rays' B.J. Upton was claimed as recently as Friday. But in the meanwhile, here's a look back at some of the bigger names who were on the move — whether by trade or waiver claim — in August 2010, and the subsequent fallout (for the complete list, check out MLBTR's Transaction Tracker):

  • Mike Sweeney, acquired by the Phillies from the Mariners on Aug. 4: Seattle sent the right-handed-hitting veteran and what remained of his $650K salary to Philly, where he hit .231/.310/.385 down the regular season's stretch and went 1-for-1 in his lone postseason at-bat. The M's later received cash from the Phils for Sweeney, who signed a one-day contract with the Royals in March and retired.
  • Jim Edmonds, acquired by the Reds from the Brewers on Aug. 9: Cincinnati added Edmonds for its postseason push, sending Chris Dickerson back to Milwaukee in exchange. Edmonds didn't do much, hitting .207/.281/.586 in the regular season before being left off the Reds' postseason roster due to an Achilles injury. He retired this spring after signing a minor league deal with the Cards, while Dickerson was traded in March to the Yankees for Sergio Mitre.
  • Mike Fontenot, acquired by the Giants from the Cubs on Aug. 11: The Lads scooped up Fontenot for infield depth during their run to the World Series in exchange for minor league outfielder Evan Crawford. Fontenot remains in San Francisco is under team control for through 2013, though he could be a non-tender candidate this offseason, as he was last.
  • Derrek Lee, acquired by the Braves from the Cubs on Aug. 18: Lee joined Atlanta after his long tenure in Chicago, the Cubs acquiring three prospects in return. Lee was one of the better acquisitions of this period, posting a fine .287/.384/.465 line for the Braves to help them reach the postseason, though he went just 2-for-16 in their NLDS loss to the Giants. He signed with the Orioles before this season.
  • Pedro Feliz, acquired by the Cardinals from the Astros on Aug. 19: St. Louis sent David Carpenter and cash to Houston in exchange for Feliz, who was added to help out at the hot corner when David Freese was injured. Feliz's already declining bat didn't improve for the Redbirds, who missed the postseason. Feliz signed a minor league deal with the Padres this month, while Carpenter is currently in the Astros' bullpen.
  • Cody Ross, acquired by the Giants from the Marlins on waiver claim on Aug. 22: The Giants added an eventual World Series hero in acquiring Ross from the Marlins, who had little interest in retaining Ross, as he was becoming expensive with his final year of arbitration-eligibility looming.
  • Brian Fuentes, acquired by the Twins from the Angels on Aug. 27: Minnesota added Fuentes to bolster its bullpen, and the lefty threw 9 2/3 shutout innings in the regular season and 2 2/3 shutout innings in the postseason before signing with the Athletics this offseason. The Angels acquired Loek Van Mil from the Twins as a player to be named.
  • Manny Ramirez, acquired by the White Sox on a waiver claim from the Dodgers on Aug. 29: This was arguably the most notable move of the August post-deadline period, but it didn't amount to much for either teams or the player. The White Sox missed the postseason, the cash-strapped Dodgers got some salary relief, and Manny hit a quiet .261/.420/.319 before signing with the Rays this offseason (and eventually retiring). 
  • Manny Delcarmen, acquired by the Rockies from the Red Sox on Aug. 31: The Rox, still in contention for the wild card, needed bullpen depth, so they sent Chris Balcom-Miller to Boston for Delcarmen. The righty didn't pan out in Colorado, posting a 6.48 ERA in 8 1/3 innings for a team that missed the playoffs before being non-tendered this offseason. He's kicked around since then.
  • Jeff Francoeur, acquired by the Rangers from the Mets on Aug. 31: Texas sent Joaquin Arias to the Mets for Frenchy, who played well in his brief time in Texas, hitting .340/.357/.491 down the stretch and seeing playing time during the postseason. Arias was waived by the Mets, while Francoeur signed the Royals this offseason and recently inked a two-year extension.
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Atlanta Braves Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers Minnesota Twins New York Mets Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies San Francisco Giants Seattle Mariners St. Louis Cardinals Texas Rangers Brian Fuentes Chris Dickerson Cody Ross Derrek Lee Jeff Francoeur Jim Edmonds Joaquin Arias Manny Delcarmen Manny Ramirez Mike Fontenot Mike Sweeney Pedro Feliz

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Rosenthal On Kubel, Carroll, Ramirez, Fielder, Pujols

By Zachary Links | August 27, 2011 at 4:29pm CDT

Let's take a look at the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..

  • The free agent market for outfielders is rather thin and after Carlos Beltran, Jason Kubel might be the next most attractive option.  Rosenthal floats the idea of Kubel going to a more hitter-friendly park, such as Fenway where he can replace a departing J.D. Drew.  The Twins want to re-sign Kubel, but he intends to test the market.
  • Veteran Jamey Carroll is on waivers and almost certain to be claimed.  The Dodgers might be more open to dealing Carroll than they were before the July 31st deadline.  Justin Sellers has played well, Dee Gordon should be back soon, and Ivan DeJesus is a candidate for promotion.  The Brewers had interest in him before the trade deadline but they've since acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. and Rickie Weeks will return to action soon.
  • Aramis Ramirez has cleared waivers but he'll remain with the Cubs this month.  His agent, Paul Kinzer, told Rosenthal in July that his client might be open to waiving his no-trade clause in August, but he's since turned red hot and will play it out in Chicago.  He'll be a very interesting decision for the Cubs' next GM and maybe an interesting free agent.
  • Rosenthal says that the choice between Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder is no longer obvious.  Fielder has had the better season and he's nearly four-and-a-half years younger than Pujols.  Still, Pujols has 31 homers and a slugging percentage that's just ten points lower.  The big question for both men is how will they look three years and five years from now.
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Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Los Angeles Dodgers Minnesota Twins Albert Pujols Aramis Ramirez Jamey Carroll Jason Kubel Prince Fielder

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Quick Hits: Dempster, Wright, Kubel, Bell, Thome

By Zachary Links | August 26, 2011 at 10:59pm CDT

Let's take a look at some links as the northeast prepares for Hurricane Irene..

  • Cubs starter Ryan Dempster was non-committal when asked about his player option for 2012, but he doesn't sound like he wants to leave town either, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  The 34-year-old's 2012 option is worth $14MM.
  • Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com wonders if the Cubs will keep Reed Johnson in the fold in 2012.  Johnson, he points out, could help groom top prospect Brett Jackson next season.  This year the 34-year-old is hitting .347/.385/.539 in 209 plate appearances.
  • Despite his insistence to the contrary, the swirl of trade rumors throughout the season have bothered David Wright, a Mets staffer told Andy Martino of the Daily News.  The third baseman surprisingly cleared waivers this week.  Wright is owed $15MM next year and can void a $16MM club option for 2013 if he is dealt.
  • Jason Kubel is happy to still be a member of the Twins, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.  Earlier this evening we learned that the Indians were the team to place the winning claim on him, not the White Sox as once thought.
  • Padres closer Heath Bell didn't let the recent round of trade speculation get to him, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com.  Earlier today, Ben Nicholson-Smith outlined the club's options regarding Bell this offseason.
  • Veteran Jim Thome is happy to return to the Tribe as the elder statesman, writes Zack Meisel of MLB.com.  The slugger will celebrate his 41st birthday tomorrow.
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Chicago Cubs Cleveland Guardians Minnesota Twins New York Mets San Diego Padres David Wright Heath Bell Jason Kubel Jim Thome Reed Johnson Ryan Dempster

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Heyman On Cubs, Valverde, Bell, Hernandez

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 26, 2011 at 11:20am CDT

Jon Heyman of SI.com runs through the Cubs’ options for their open GM position and concludes that White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn is “perhaps the most logical choice” for chairman Tom Ricketts. Click here for more rumblings about the Cubs and keep reading for Heyman’s other notes from around MLB… 

  • Manager Mike Quade is seen as a “long shot” to return as the Cubs’ manager next year.
  • The Tigers will “surely” exercise Jose Valverde’s $8MM option for 2012, Heyman writes.
  • No one with the Giants or Padres saw a Heath Bell trade as a likely possibility, according to Heyman. The Giants won the claim for Bell earlier in the week.
  • The Reds are believed to be open to trading Ramon Hernandez, since catching prospect Devin Mesoraco could replace him. Hernandez hit the waiver wire this week.
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Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Detroit Tigers San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Heath Bell Jose Valverde Ramon Hernandez

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