White Sox Want Pitching; Unlikely To Deal Beckham
Things were finally looking up for the White Sox after a terrible start to 2010. Since June 9, the club is an astonishing 24-5, and their ace, Jake Peavy, seemed to have rebounded to his usual Cy Young caliber form. He'd allowed just seven runs over his last 36 innings of work (1.75 ERA) while striking out 29 prior to a start last week that ended his season with a detached latissimus dorsi muscle.
According to this tweet from SI.com's Jon Heyman, the White Sox made a big play to replace their injured ace last week, when Sox GM Kenny Williams tried to swing a deal for Cliff Lee before his trade to Texas. The White Sox, however, were unwilling to part with Gordon Beckham, in spite of his terrible sophomore slump (.564 OPS). Now, Heyman says, the White Sox continue to look around.
Williams is typically one of the more active, aggressive general managers in baseball, so it's unlikely that missing out on Lee will spell the end of his trade thoughts. It's been known for months that Roy Oswalt will accept a trade, though there have been reports that the Houston ace would veto a deal sending him to Chicago. Keep in mind that these things can change, though. Peavy himself vetoed a deal to the White Sox last year before eventually accepting a trade in July. We've heard about Dan Haren's availability as well, though Arizona would need to be "blown away" to trade him.
There's plenty of other non-ace starters who could also be moved. Bronson Arroyo has pitched well lately and the Reds have a great deal of pitching depth, while names like Jeremy Guthrie and Ben Sheets figure to be available as well.
The White Sox do have some help available in Daniel Hudson, who was recently recalled from the minors and is starting today. Hudson was ranked by Baseball America as the game's 66th best prospect, and third-best in the White Sox system. The 2008 fifth-rounder appeared in six games for the Sox last year, totaling 18.2 innings and a 3.38 ERA, though he struggled with his control at the big league level. In 2010, Hudson owns a 3.47 ERA through 17 minor league starts, with a strong 10.4 K/9 to just 3.0 BB/9.
It's a known fact that the White Sox are very interested in Adam Dunn's big bat as well, so Williams may focus his energy on that department. One thing remains certain — with the White Sox surging to just a half-game out of first in the AL Central, Williams will be on the phone and inquiring on just about everyone under the sun as the deadline nears.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Dunn, Oswalt, Haren
In his latest Full Count video at FOX Sports, Ken Rosenthal looks at possible next moves for the Angels, Yankees, Mets, and White Sox. Let's check out the highlights….
- The Angels are expected to respond in some form to the Rangers' acquisition of Cliff Lee, with a corner infield bat still their top priority. While Rosenthal agrees that the Halos would like a third baseman who's under team control past this season, he thinks they could look at a rental for first base, since Kendry Morales will be back next spring.
- Besides Adam Dunn, Rosenthal names Jose Bautista, Adam LaRoche, Ty Wigginton, and Jorge Cantu as potential fits for the Angels, suggesting Bautista makes the most sense. Rosenthal also speculates that, if their respective teams made them available, Mark Reynolds and Casey McGehee would intrigue the defending AL West champs.
- Lee was the only starting pitcher the Yankees really coveted, so don't expect them to pursue players like Roy Oswalt or Dan Haren now that they missed out on the left-hander.
- Rosenthal expresses skepticism that Oswalt or Haren will get dealt at all. Houston doesn't appear willing to take on enough of their ace's contract, while the D'Backs would need to be "blown away" to trade Haren.
- The Mets' search for pitching has them looking at Jake Westbrook and a handful of other arms. Rosenthal notes that the team has had interest in Octavio Dotel as a free agent in the past, and that some members of the Mets' organization are "wary" of Ted Lilly.
- The White Sox made a run at Cliff Lee, but never got close to landing him. Although a left-handed bat remains their biggest need, there aren't many on the market who appeal to them besides Dunn, whose price tag is "exorbitant." They might settle for acquiring a right-handed hitter, and could also pursue another starter if Daniel Hudson struggles.
Odds & Ends: Jays, Haren, Nolasco, Lee, Hunter
Some links before Cliff Lee makes his Rangers' debut this evening…
- Toronto has plenty of trade chips heading into the deadline, writes Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
- FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi says that the Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, White Sox, Angels, and Yankees all had scouts in attendance for last night's Dan Haren–Ricky Nolasco matchup, though it's unclear how many (or if any) were there specifically to watch the righthanders.
- Prospect maven Jim Callis of Baseball America said (via Twitter) that he considers the various packages offered to Seattle for Lee to be "a wash."
- A's GM Billy Beane said that he doesn't anticipate "being that active at the trade deadline," according to John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle. Ben Sheets (4.89 ERA, 6.6 K/9) hasn't built up the trade value Beane hoped he would when they signed him this winter, but there is always a market for starting pitching.
- Joel Sherman and George A. King III of The New York Post heard that club officials from other teams were "irked" by the Mariners' actions during the Lee trade discussions. They also have info on some other prospects Seattle requested from the Yankees.
- Sherman tweets that the Mariners wanted top outfield prospect Desmond Jennings from the Rays in a deal for Lee.
- Torii Hunter told Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times that he wants to be a GM one day, and he thinks that Seattle broke an unwritten rule by trading Lee within the division.
- Derrek Lee told The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan that he wouldn't ask Cubs' GM Jim Hendry to trade him to a contender.
- Lance Berkman told Bernando Fallas of The Houston Chronicle that it feels different to see the Astros in sell mode.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Mets, Red Sox, Meek, Giants
On this date eight years ago, Major League Baseball's 73rd All Star Game ended after 11 innings in a 7-7 tie when both sides ran out of pitchers. Shortly thereafter, commissioner Bud Selig ruled that the All Star Game will determine home field advantage in the World Series, a still unpopular decision. The American League has won every Midsummer Classic since then, and 12 of the last 13 overall (the tie being the one exception).
This year's All Star Game is still four days away, so here are some links to keep you occupied until then…
- Mets Paradise examines some trade scenarios for the Mets involving Ted Lilly and Octavio Dotel.
- The Bottom Line finds some relievers on the trade market that could entice the Red Sox.
- MLB Depth Charts lists (almost) every club's nearly big league-ready trade chips.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. looks at the possibility of the Pirates turning Evan Meek, an All Star, into a starting pitcher.
- The Dugout Report wonders if the Bengie Molina trade means the Giants are going for it, or packing it in.
- Meanwhile, More Hardball catches up with the three Molina brothers.
- River Ave. Blues lays out the case for the Yankees to acquire Kerry Wood.
- Examiner looks at the consequences of Jake Peavy's injury for the White Sox.
- The Baseball Opinion reviews the Mark Mulder trade following the lefty's retirement.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Oswalt Would Not Accept Trade To White Sox, Tigers
The White Sox and Tigers are among the teams to which Roy Oswalt would not accept a trade, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). A couple of teams are interested in Oswalt, though the market for the right-hander's services remains slow. The Astros are reluctant to pick up much of the $25MM or so remaining on Oswalt's contract, which limits the number of teams with serious interest.
It doesn't appear that Cliff Lee will be on the market for long, so teams in search of starting pitching may soon be calling the Astros about Oswalt, who has a no-trade clause. The Mets won't be one of them, at least for now. They are prioritizing Ted Lilly, according to multiple reports today.
The Tigers could use stability behind Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman and Max Scherzer. The White Sox have had a steady rotation so far, but recently lost Jake Peavy to the DL. The Tigers, White Sox and Twins are all within two games of each other in the AL Central.
Cliff Lee Rumors: Thursday
The Twins aren’t close to a deal for Cliff Lee, but the Rangers are working hard to acquire him and a number of other clubs are involved. The Mariners are seeking a monster return for Lee, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com and Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Click here to check out yesterday’s Lee rumblings and check back throughout the day for the latest on the lefty:
- MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports that talks between Seattle and the Reds have yet to "hit the serious stages." No formal proposals have been exchanged between the two teams.
- Lee appeared on ESPN 710's Brock and Salk earlier today, and said that he and his agent approached the Mariners about an extension before the season only to be told that the team wasn't "going to go down that road."
- The Mariners are interested in some of the game’s top prospects and young players, sources tell Jon Heyman of SI.com. Their wish list includes catching prospects Jesus Montero (Yankees) and Wilson Ramos (Twins) plus Justin Smoak and Wade Davis. A competing team says the Twins are a “real” threat to acquire Lee, though we’re not accustomed to seeing them give up lots of talent at the deadline.
- A rival executive told Heyman that the Rangers discussed Chris Davis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia in a possible Lee trade. As we heard earlier today, the Mariners prefer Smoak and would want more than Davis and Saltalamacchia.
- The Mariners asked the Yankees for at least three prospects, including Montero, according to Heyman.
- B.J. Upton’s name has come up, but Heyman suggests the Rays haven't offered him to the Mariners.
- Larry Stone of the Seattle Times hears rumblings that the White Sox, who just lost Jake Peavy to the DL, are at least 'kicking tires' on Lee. That would not be a surprise given Kenny Williams' track record.
- One MLB GM told Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Rangers are the favorites to acquire Lee. The Rangers don’t want to include Justin Smoak in a trade and at least one rival executive believes they would be ‘crazy’ to do so. The Rangers’ desire to hold onto Smoak is one of the biggest barriers remaining between the two teams. If the Rangers trade Smoak, they could call on Chris Davis, who has a .961 OPS in Triple A.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears the Mets mentioned with Lee less and less frequently (Twitter link). The Mariners are looking to obtain a major league-ready power bat, but the Mets don't want to part with Ike Davis.
- Jack Curry of the YES Network says the Yankees are being thorough and will inquire on Lee, just as they would on any available player of his caliber (Twitter link). That doesn't mean the Yanks are willing to out-bid everyone else, however.
- The Rangers and Mariners continue to discuss a possible Lee trade, according to Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. The Rangers have spoken to numerous teams to figure out what it will take to improve the club for the stretch run.
- In case there was any doubt remaining about the Mariners' asking price, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer clears it up. An insider tells Fay that "it's going to take a ton," but Fay does not get the sense that a trade is about to happen.
- The Rangers have financial restrictions, but MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports that they have some money ‘tucked away’ for making moves. GM Jon Daniels is ‘fully engaged’ in the Lee trade talk.
- We know a lot of teams are interested in Lee, but how many? “Pretty much every team within five games of the playoffs," a source tells Ken Davidoff of Newsday (That's 17 teams). We’ve heard that the Mets may have trouble adding payroll, but GM Omar Minaya and his front office are operating as though they can add salary. That means Lee and Ted Lilly could be targets for the Mets.
Odds & Ends: Peavy, Tigers, DeJesus, D’Backs
Links for Wednesday, as the Red Sox keep getting banged up…
- The White Sox announced that Jake Peavy is going on the DL with a detached muscle in his right shoulder. ESPN.com's Buster Olney says it looks like Peavy's season could be over (Twitter link).
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland told MLB.com's Jason Beck that he wouldn't mind if Santa delivered a reliever to the Tiger 'pen. GM Dave Dombrowski may bring Leyland the present he's hoping for; the Tigers are interested in relievers.
- Matt Klaassen of FanGraphs argues that the Royals should be looking to trade David DeJesus, even though he projects to be a Type A free agent.
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun hears that Dodgers assistant GM Logan White and former Padres GM Kevin Towers are in the running for the D’Backs GM job. However, Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, tops the D’Backs' wish list (Twitter links).
- The Orioles have scouted the Padres' system recently, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com takes a year-by-year look at the in-season bullpen moves the Red Sox have made under GM Theo Epstein.
- Paul Konerko tells Ben Bolch of the LA Times that he doesn't want to be traded. Now that the White Sox are in contention, a trade seems unlikely.
- Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says Rangers GM Jon Daniels should be creative and trade for starting pitching this summer.
- Indians GM Mark Shapiro tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney that Matt LaPorta is hitting better because his toe has healed and he has less pressure than he did earlier in his Indians career.
Rosenthal On D’Backs, Dunn, Blue Jays, Morgan
In his latest column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports argues that it's unlikely the Diamondbacks make a huge splash before the trade deadline. With interim GM Jerry DiPoto not expected to hold the position past this season, Rosenthal is skeptical that the D'Backs would give him the reins to blow up the roster. Although Arizona could trade potential free agents like Adam LaRoche, Chad Qualls, and Aaron Heilman, Rosenthal thinks the team probably won't move Dan Haren, Kelly Johnson, or Stephen Drew. Here are a few other notes from the piece:
- According to a rival club offical, the Nationals were asking the White Sox for either Gordon Beckham or Carlos Quentin in exchange for Adam Dunn.
- If the Blue Jays don't receive satisfactory offers for their free-agents-to-be, the club may take the same approach they did last year, when the departures of Marco Scutaro and Rod Barajas earned them draft picks. Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and John Buck all project to be Type As or Bs, and could potentially net the Jays multiple 2011 compensation picks.
- When teams call the Jays to talk trades, Toronto's young starting rotation is the most frequent topic of conversation.
- Some members of the Nationals organization wouldn't mind trading Nyjer Morgan to open up center field for Roger Bernadina.
- Within seven to ten days, the Marlins should make a decision on whether or not to be sellers.
- If Buck Showalter lands the Baltimore managerial job, former Orioles such as Bill Ripken and B.J. Surhoff would be candidates to join his staff.
White Sox “All Over” Adam Dunn
One MLB executive told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that the White Sox are "all over Adam Dunn" (Twitter links). Late last month, reports indicated that the White Sox and Angels were interested in Dunn, who earns $12MM this year and now has 17 homers and a .904 OPS. The Angels are without a prototypical first baseman and center fielder Torii Hunter would like to see the Angels acquire a big-time bat like Dunn. The White Sox, who have relied on Mark Kotsay to DH, could also use a power bat.
GM Mike Rizzo told ESPN Radio that it would be "very painful" for the Nationals to give up their slugging first baseman and said it would be "very painful" for the acquiring team, too. Presumably that means the Nationals will be looking for top prospects in any trade. If the Nationals hold onto Dunn and he maintains his status as a Type A free agent, they will have the chance to obtain top prospects in next year's draft.
Odds & Ends: Marcum, Reds, Marlins, Munson
A few more links, on the night of Johnny Damon's 2,500th career hit….
- Shaun Marcum would like to remain a Blue Jay, but says if he gets traded, "hopefully it's [to] someone that's obviously going to be in the playoffs." MLB.com's James Hall has the full story.
- With Edinson Volquez set to rejoin Cincinnati soon, Brandon Phillips tells CBS Sports' Danny Knobler that he doesn't think the Reds need to trade for a pitcher.
- Marlins' players are battling to stay in the playoff hunt, in hopes of convincing the front office not to break up the team, writes the Palm Beach Post's Joe Capozzi. Florida's brass should decide soon whether or not they'll become sellers.
- The Indians signed a pitcher whose pre-draft arm surgery dropped him from a potential top-50 pick to the seventh round, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- The Padres released former third overall pick Eric Munson, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock.
- Frank Wren is biding his time when it comes to making trades, writes Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Wren reiterated what we heard a couple weeks ago: the Braves likely won't need to acquire any pitching.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link) hears that the White Sox aren't currently "heavily involved" in trade talk, but concedes that with Chicago, that could change at any moment.
- The Orioles are scouting the Phillies tonight, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Gelb notes that Ty Wigginton, Miguel Tejada, and Jeremy Guthrie could all be potential targets for the Phils.
- AOL FanHouse's Frankie Piliere lists ten baseball people that ought to be considered for future general manager openings.