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Teams That Could Take On Payroll This Summer

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The ability to absorb a few million dollars at the trade deadline is a pretty powerful bargaining chip. Teams never mind shedding salary, but you won't find many clubs willing to take it on. Some teams always have the financial might to absorb a contract or two; others can take on payroll under the right circumstances and some are sitting tight no matter what.

To predict which teams will be able to take on payroll this trade deadline, MLBTR looked to recent history and the latest rumors. Here are the results:

  • Yankees – It's hard to imagine a team with an Opening Day payroll of $213MM letting a few more million stand between them and a deal this summer.
  • Cubs – Same goes for the Cubs, who opened the season with a $144MM payroll. It's the team's first summer under new ownership.
  • Red Sox – Not only are they big spenders ($168MM Opening Day payroll), they are aggressive at the deadline. Last year, the club added Victor Martinez, Alex Gonzalez and Casey Kotchman. 
  • Nationals – The Nats could have the financial might to take on Roy Oswalt's entire contract, if you believe one of the officials ESPN.com's Jayson Stark spoke to. They also have to budget for the bonus their number one pick will demand. We're talking many millions no matter what, but possible selection Bryce Harper could demand an eight-figure deal.
  • Dodgers – An official told Stark that he can imagine the Dodgers taking on $5MM or so. GM Ned Colletti said earlier this week that he could add payroll in the right deal, in spite of the McCourt divorce.
  • Angels – The Angels have some money, according to Stark's sources.
  • Giants – Adding Pat Burrell at the major league minimum wouldn't exactly constitute "buying," but the Giants operate under a relatively big budget.
  • Rays – They are expected to lower payroll in 2011, so they don't seem like a logical candidate to add salary, but they have been creative and aggressive at the deadline in recent years, discussing deals for the likes of Jason Bay and Victor Martinez.
  • Reds – The Reds have financial flexibility and a willingness to get creative, according to one of Ken Rosenthal's sources.
  • Phillies – They're staying in touch with Pedro Martinez, which presumably means they have at least a million or two to work with. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has said he'll be reluctant to give up prospects, but it's not hard to imagine the Phillies taking on payroll. 
  • Cardinals – The Cardinals were big spenders at last year's deadline, acquiring Mark DeRosa and then Matt Holliday. They may look for starters this year, which could cost them a few million, even though ESPN.com's Buster Olney expects a buyer's market.
  • Blue Jays – Team president Paul Beeston is "all about winning" in the words of GM Alex Anthopoulos (via the Toronto Star). It will be a balancing act between short-term needs and long-term goals, but the Jays could spend if they're in contention.
  • Some teams that don't appear on this list will likely become spenders this summer, but these are at least some of the clubs that could take on salary in the right deal.

Odds & Ends: Padres, Chipper, Pagan, Phillies

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Links for Thursday, as the Phillies attempt to get their offense going…

Odds & Ends: Miner, Gorzelanny, Heyward, Twins

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Links for Wednesday, as the lights go out at Wrigley Field…

  • Tigers pitcher Zach Miner will undergo Tommy John surgery, writes MLB.com's Jason Beck.
  • The Tigers are better-known for developing power arms, but as Beck shows, the Tigers have successfully developed some position players, too.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Cubs don't appear to be involved in serious talks to trade Tom Gorzelanny, but wonders if clubs like the Tigers and Rangers could inquire if the lefty becomes available.
  • You knew Jason Heyward was good, but Dave Cameron of FanGraphs puts the outfielder's amazing start in perspective, saying he's on his way to "one of the great rookie seasons of all time."
  • Meanwhile, Cameron wonders if the Rays should deal B.J. Upton to a team looking to capitalize on talent. It would save the Rays money and improve their chances of keeping Carl Crawford around.
  • One AL assistant GM told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that he doesn't expect the Twins to trade for a reliever this summer.
  • 2010 draft prospect and Arlington native Michael Choice tells Chris Cox of MLB.com that it would be "a dream come true" to play for the Rangers, who pick 15th this year. Jonathan Mayo, Frankie Piliere and Keith Law all predicted Choice would be selected before that in their most recent mock drafts.

Rosenthal On Oswalt, Kearns, Dunn

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports leads his latest column with an imagined conversation between Astros owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade, in which Wade attempts to educate McLane on the realities of Roy Oswalt's trade value.  Rosenthal's hot stove notes…

  • Like most people, Rosenthal can't see the Reds splurging on Oswalt.  He finds the Mets "an even less serious contender" due to limited finances.
  • Rosenthal points out that Carlos Zambrano hasn't shown himself to be worthy of replacing anyone in the current Cubs' rotation.  At the moment, the Cubs appear to have a surplus.
  • Rosenthal notes that the Majors' current home run kings – Jose Bautista, Paul Konerko, and Ty Wigginton – could be available at the trade deadline.  Who would've predicted these three would top the leaderboard on May 24th?  With Kelly Johnson tied for fourth?  The Jays acquired Bautista in August of '08 without much fanfare, sending catcher Robinzon Diaz to Pittsburgh.  The Pirates designated Diaz for assignment last November.
  • Austin Kearns would be a nice match for the Giants, suggests Rosenthal.  The 30-year-old outfielder is hitting .304/.377/.487 in 130 plate appearances for the Indians this year.  Nate Schierholtz hasn't been much worse, though he's dealing with a bruised shoulder at the moment.
  • Rosenthal feels that the Nationals will strike a deal to keep Adam Dunn in Washington before he reaches free agency.

Odds & Ends: Reds, Rookies, Pelfrey, Lima, Alvarez

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Links for Sunday, as we await tonight's Subway series rubber match….

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Oswalt, Lowell, Griffey

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With FOX airing Saturday evening games this weekend rather than afternoon games, Ken Rosenthal's new Full Count video showed up on their website a little later in the day too. Now that it's been posted, let's recap Rosenthal's latest hot stove tidbits….

  • Roy Oswalt is making $15MM this year and $16MM next year, which will make it difficult to trade him. Making it even trickier, owner Drayton McLane won't want to include money in a deal, even if it means getting better prospects in return.
  • If the Mariners become sellers, that would further diminish the chances of an Oswalt deal, since the M's could make Cliff Lee available. Lee is the much more affordable ace, earning only $9MM this season.
  • The Red Sox don't want to release Mike Lowell, since he provides injury protection at both corner infield spots, and can DH against left-handers. Additionally, if the Sox were to release Lowell, many of their AL rivals, such as the Angels, Rays, and Twins, could have interest in him.
  • Ken Griffey's current role of pinch-hitter, occasional DH, and clubhouse mentor is exactly what the Mariners were hoping for when they re-signed the 40-year-old this winter. For now, the club has no desire for Griffey to retire.
  • Carlos Zambrano appears to be headed back to the Cubs' rotation, even though he may currently be their sixth-best starter. The team could attempt to trade Tom Gorzelanny or move him to the bullpen, but Rosenthal opines that it would make their pitching staff weaker.

Remembering the 2000 Trade Deadline

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Ah, times were different back in 2000. Bush and Gore were locked in a closely-contested race. Reality television was the exception, not the rule. And What Women Want taught us that Mel Gibson would be best remembered for capturing Helen Hunt's heart.

Meanwhile, let's climb into the Wayback Machine (though I believe Sherman has already called shotgun) and look at some of the biggest trade deadline hits from the year 2000…

  • The first deal of significance near the non-waiver trade deadline came on July 12, when the Yankees acquired Denny Neagle (and Mike Frank) for Jackson Melian, Drew Henson, Brian Reith and Ed Yarnall. The Yankees didn't lose much, since Henson's production never approached his hype. Neagle, however, was actually nearing the end of a good career, and posted just a 5.81 ERA after coming to New York.
  • Little-discussed, however, is one of the most impressive trade-deadline pickups of all time. On July 21, the Yankees dealt the forgettable Ben Ford and Oswaldo Mairena to the Cubs for Glenallen Hill. For Hill, the deal provided the last, best jolt of power in a home run-packed career. He hit .333/.378/.735 (!) with 16 home runs in 143 at-bats for the Yankees. It is hard to imagine a better example of acquiring an impact bat. Hill, who last played in 2001, publicly admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs late in his career.
  • The most important trade of that time took place on July 26, 2000, when the Phillies traded Curt Schilling to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Omar Daal, Nelson Figueroa, Travis Lee and Vicente Padilla. Padilla was the most productive of the bunch, with a pair of 14-win seasons, while Travis Lee, the centerpiece, hit just .258/.343/.402 in Philadelphia. Schilling, meanwhile, still had 111 of his 216 career victories ahead of him. He posted a 22-6 record in 2001, a 23-7 record in 2002, and had a successful Red Sox career after the trade.
  • Probably the biggest surprise of the players acquired at this time was Melvin Mora, traded with three other players by the Mets to the Orioles for Mike Bordick. The Mets wanted a shortstop and Bordick had a reputation as a strong defender. He posted a .260/.321/.385 mark with the Mets in 2000 and Mora went on to hit 158 home runs for the Orioles through 2009.
  • The Indians dealt a 25-year-old Richie Sexson, along with Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon and a player to be named later to the Brewers for three pitchers to shore up their pitching staff: Jason Bere, Bob Wickman and Steve Woodard. Of the three, only Wickman posted a reasonable ERA, and the Charlie Manuel-led Indians finished five games behind the Jerry Manuel-led White Sox. Sexson, meanwhile, hit 45 home runs in two of the next three seasons. And adding insult to injury, the player to be named later turned out to be Marco Scutaro.
  • In my favorite trade of the 2000 deadline, the Cardinals sent minor league slugger Jose Leon to the Orioles for first baseman Will Clark. All Clark did was hit .345/.426/.655 with the Cardinals, leading them into the NLCS. He then retired- the textbook case of going out on top.

Cubs Sign Bob Howry

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The Cubs are bringing Bob Howry back. They signed him to a major league deal today in the hopes that he can stabilize their bullpen and his career. They designated David Patton for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster and will option Justin Berg to the minors to create space on the active roster. Earlier in the week, the D'Backs released Howry, who used to set-up for the Cubs. The right-hander posted a 10.67 ERA in 14 appearances this year before the D'Backs had had enough of their $2.25MM investment.

MLBTR reported the signing after Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reported that the Cubs were interested in signing Howry and that the sides were close to a deal. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Cubs expected Howry to join the team today. MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reported the details of the roster moves (via Twitter).

Cubs GM Jim Hendry had said that Cubs were on the lookout for right-handed relief, and he had many options to consider. The trade market has yet to fully develop, so Hendry went back to Howry, a reliever whose work he knows well. Howry posted a 3.90 ERA in 228.2 innings with the Cubs from 2006-08. Back then, Howry was much more effective than he was in Arizona this year. Still, his career numbers, especially those against right-handers (6.7 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9), suggest he's capable of better things.

Odds & Ends: Peavy, Duchscherer, Vasquez, Piniella

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Links for Monday, as Jose Bautista continues to astound…

  • Jake Peavy told MLB.com's Scott Merkin that he has no interest in being part of a rebuilding effort at this point in his career. He hasn't given up on the White Sox, though.
  • The injured Justin Duchscherer tells John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that he wants to pitch in 2011 (Twitter link).
  • Yahoo's Tim Brown lists Dave Trembley, Jerry Manuel and other managers whose jobs aren't completely secure.
  • Frankie Piliere of MLB FanHouse names 24 international player to watch leading up to July 2nd, when teams can start signing a new crop of free agents. The Giants are among the favorites to sign top Dominican outfielder Eskarlin Vasquez.
  • Cubs GM Jim Hendry says he doesn't have "one thought" in his mind about firing Lou Piniella, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
  • Another manager whose contract expires after the season, Jerry Manuel, tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork that he isn't worried about his status (Twitter link).
  • RotoAuthority identifies some pitchers who have gained and lost velocity this season. Francisco Liriano's fastball has more zip than ever and, now that he's in the rotation, C.J. Wilson isn't throwing as hard.
  • Rival executives feel that the Nationals could become aggressive this trade deadline, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The Nats, now 20-18, could take on an apparently-oversized contract and make a playoff push.
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo explains that top college pitchers Anthony Ranaudo and Drew Pomeranz have struggled recently and aren't as attractive to teams as they once were.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports believes the Cubs should consider firing Lou Piniella if they don't jump into serious contention.
  • Dave Cameron of FanGraphs explains that Jose Bautista and Jake Westbrook could be attractive trade chips later in the summer.
  • South Side Sox says Kenny Williams' roster construction "lacked imagination and vision" this year. The result so far: a 15-22 record for the White Sox.

Cafardo’s Latest: Padres, Lee, Iannetta, D’Backs

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In this week's Baseball Notes column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe praises the Padres for building a roster suited to their home ballpark. Let's take a look at a few other highlights from Cafardo's piece….

  • The Padres aren't talking about Adrian Gonzalez at the moment, but according to a GM who has inquired about the slugger, a losing streak might be all it takes for San Diego to reconsider Gonzalez's availability.
  • According to multiple scouts, the Cubs would move Derrek Lee if they could. Lee is earning $13MM in the final year of his contract, and also has a no-trade clause.
  • Rhode Island native Chris Iannetta acknowledged he'd heard rumors that he could be traded to the Red Sox, but said: "They’re just rumors. I don’t put any stock in any of that until someone directly involved actually tells me."
  • The Diamondbacks may have to think about dealing someone like Kelly Johnson in an attempt to acquire help for their bullpen (7.42 ERA).
  • Some managerial speculation: Cafardo thinks that if Joe Torre doesn't return to the Dodgers, he'd fit with the Braves, Mets, or Blue Jays next year, and wonders if the Orioles might consider Davey Johnson to replace Dave Trembley.
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