Angelos Gives MacPhail Permission To Move Roberts
This morning it was reported that the Cubs had two scouts at the Orioles’ spring game yesterday to watch Brian Roberts.
Now, several people have written in to let us now that Bruce Levine of ESPN 1000 is reporting that Peter Angelos has given Andy MacPhail the green light to trade Roberts. It has long been rumored that Angelos might have been holding up the trade to the Cubs because of his personal affection for Roberts. With Angelos’ blessing, this deal may finally happen in the next few days.
Of course, if this deal doesn’t get done soon, Tim is going to have to change the name of this site to BrianRobertsTradeRumors.com.
By Cork Gaines
Brian Roberts Auditions For Cubs’ Scouts
Brain Roberts angered pitcher Mark Hendrickson yesterday by stealing a couple of bases. The Florida Marlins starter in Friday’s spring game apparently thinks baserunners should lay low during the exhibition season.
The Cubs, though, had two scouts in the stands. The New York Times positioned the larceny as Roberts strutting (or shall we say galloping) his stuff for his potential future employers.
Brian Roberts Rumors
Jeff Zrebiec and Roch Kubatko of the Baltimore Sun are on top of the Brian Roberts rumors. Let’s discuss.
The Cubs had two scouts watching Roberts play yesterday, so this thing is still alive and kicking. The Sun gets the impression that the Mark DeRosa heart surgery does add some urgency for the Cubs. Perhaps this means they’ll concede a little bit extra on their offer.
The authors reiterate Ronny Cedeno and Sean Gallagher as part of the deal. They say the O’s might want Jose Ceda or Donald Veal as the third player, and could ask for a fourth as well. It’s been said that the Cubs are unwilling to part with Ceda. We’re probably a few weeks from completion but a deal seems plenty possible.
Gammons’ Latest: Bonds, Murton
ESPN’s Peter Gammons has a new blog post with some hot stove info.
- Gammons has a quote from Andrew Friedman that should be the final word on Barry Bonds to Tampa Bay: If I didn’t entertain ideas, be it a signing of a great hitter like Bonds or a trade, I should be fired. But that is past. Let’s take Friedman at his word and rule Bonds out for the Rays.
- Gammons notes that the Cubs have discussed Matt Murton with the Rangers and Red Sox, but he alone wouldn’t get them Marlon Byrd or Coco Crisp. Murton was drafted 32nd overall by Boston in ’03, and then traded to the Cubs a year later in the Nomar Garciaparra deal. Murton would remain pretty well blocked in Boston though.
Brian Roberts Rumors
Nothing groundbreaking on the Brian Roberts front, but here’s the latest from Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Zrebiec says the O’s won’t send their scout to watch the Cubs until next week. It’s still looking like Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, and one or two others. Zrebiec adds:
Both sides remain optimistic that a deal could get done.
This is obviously dragging, but the Orioles have no incentive to rush.
Blocked Prospects: Eric Patterson
Time for a new series here at MLBTR called Blocked Prospects. We’ll name some position players with Double A or better experience who seem to be buried on their current team’s depth chart.
One such player is Cubs second baseman/center fielder Eric Patterson, who turns 25 in April. Patterson hit .297/.362/.455 in Triple A last year. Baseball America applauds his speed and surprising power, but isn’t keen on his defense. Patterson is able to draw a walk, something his brother Corey never figured out. Patterson is behind Mark DeRosa, Mike Fontenot, Ronny Cedeno, Sam Fuld, and Felix Pie in the eyes of the Cubs; repeated tardiness last year didn’t help.
With a .268/.332/.422 projection from Baseball Prospectus, Patterson’s bat would be league average at second base or center field. He could make sense as Brian Roberts‘ replacement in Baltimore. He could be useful in Minnesota, where center field and second base are unsettled. Patterson could provide competition for Jose Lopez in Seattle. The Giants need any kind of position-playing talent, though their outfield is more than full. San Diego is somewhat feasible, especially since Kevin Towers and Jim Hendry often match up for deals. What kind of future do you see for Eric Patterson?
Odds and Ends: Spiezio, Pavano, Gross, Jackson
Links, rumors…
- Scott Spiezio is in trouble with the law, and the Cardinals decided to release him for it. Joe Ostermeier notes that the Cards now have about $20MM in dead money on the payroll for ’08.
- Evan Grant believes the Rangers would want Jose Ceda or Donald Veal in a deal for Marlon Byrd.
- Call it informed speculation, but Mike Berardino wonders whether Carl Pavano could end up back with the Marlins eventually.
- Ken Rosenthal recently wrote that the Padres were eyeing Gabe Gross. Tom Haudricourt found out that Kevin Towers never inquired on the Brewers outfielder, but that doesn’t mean the Friars weren’t eyeing him.
- Ken Davidoff makes a case for why the Astros should sign Roger Clemens.
- Sadly, the Rockies pulled the plug on a deal with Neifi Perez at the last minute.
- We hear "best shape of his life" often in Spring Training, but not with the newly signed Bartolo Colon. The Red Sox have some history pursuing Colon, as noted by Rob Bradford.
- Conor Jackson switched agents.
Brian Roberts Rumors
Yesterday, SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote that the Cubs-Orioles Brian Roberts trade talks still have a little life, and the O’s are scouting various young Cubs. On Sunday Jim Salisbury said the Orioles only needed to decide which pitchers they want to complete a deal.
Today, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times checks in with the latest. To begin with, Mark DeRosa‘s heart complications seem under control, and won’t force the Cubs’ hand.
Wittenmyer adds that the ball is indeed in Baltimore’s court, and their scouts will need at least a week to observe various Cubs. He says the Orioles are requesting Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, and two more top youngsters. That steep price could cause the Cubs to turn to Coco Crisp or Marlon Byrd. However, neither the Red Sox nor the Rangers seem to value either as a fourth outfielder.
Brian Roberts Rumors
MONDAY: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says a Roberts to Chicago trade still has a little life, and the Orioles are scouting Cubs’ players. Meanwhile Jason Churchill wrote a few days ago that the O’s may require Felix Pie or Tyler Colvin instead of the Cubs’ apparent offer of Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, and Kevin Hart. Churchill says the O’s are also high on Eric Patterson.
SUNDAY: Check out this piece by Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Here’s the one-liner that has caught some readers’ attention:
Sources say that Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts will be traded to the Cubs as soon as the Orioles decide which pitchers they want in return.
All sorts of Cubs pitchers have been rumored in these talks: Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Jason Marquis, Jose Ceda, Donald Veal. It’s been said that the Cubs won’t part with Ceda. My best guess is that this deal does get done before Opening Day.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Gross, Weaver, Encarnacion
Ken Rosenthal is on the scene with some new rumors.
- Astros president Tal Smith arguing other teams’ arbitration cases. Rosenthal finds it a bit awkward, while Keith Law finds it to be a hilarious conflict of interest.
- Possible trades of Matt Murton to the Padres or Rangers seem to have fizzled. The Padres may turn to the Brewers’ Gabe Gross, a player who previously caught the eye of the A’s, Indians, and Braves. Our good friend PECOTA sees a .267/.366/.467 line from Gross this year. With Gross and various veteran starters, the Brewers have some surpluses to work with.
- Rosenthal believes the Cardinals’ interest in Jeff Weaver to be not especially serious. They’ve got in-house candidates to start, and Matt Clement needing some time is not a revelation.
- We’ve read about extension possibilities for Matt Capps and Alex Rios. To that mix, Rosenthal adds Edwin Encarnacion. The Reds might want to do it now; he seems primed for a big year.