Random Rumors: Erstad, Gagne, Podsednik
Here’s a smattering of random rumors.
- The Twins have tried and failed to acquire Mike Piazza, Jermaine Dye, and Kevin Mench. Instead of Dye, the White Sox offered up 33 year-old outfielder Darin Erstad, he of the .671 OPS. The Twins passed.
- Eric Gagne will apparently earn Type A status as a free agent, despite pitching only two innings in 2006. Rob Bradford has the details. This was apparently a big factor for the Red Sox in making the deal.
- The Chicago Sun-Times debunks a rumor that the Cubs are trying to trade for Scott Podsednik. How come I wasn’t told about this rumor previously? Who started it? I feel left out.
- The Pirates and Tigers are still talking about Jack Wilson. Apparently the deadline version of the deal died when the Bucs asked for Craig Monroe. Really? The deal died over that guy?
- Gordon Edes has a Major League source indicating that the Orioles are "the kind of team that might have interest" in Wily Mo Pena. That’s not the same as saying that they do have interest, however.
Olney: Tejada, Piazza Put On Waivers
ESPN’s Buster Olney has some waiver activity for us this evening. Keep in mind that many, many players are put on waivers; there’s no risk for a team in doing so.
Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada was placed on waivers, and the White Sox made a claim. Olney simply says that the two sides "did not work out a deal," but doesn’t say whether they negotiated. The Sox have had their eye on Tejada for a while; they had talks with the Orioles about him back in December of 2005. Olney says the Orioles will now keep Tejada for at least the rest of the season. There’s no real rush for the Orioles; they can get more teams involved during the winter meetings.
Tejada makes another $3.85MM this year plus $13MM in each of the 2008 and 2009 seasons. He’s also owed $4MM in signing bonus money spread over those last two seasons. So, $33.85MM for 2.32 seasons. That’s an average annual value of about $14.6MM. He’d certainly create some much-needed excitement on the south side of Chicago.
Olney also adds that Mike Piazza passed through waivers without being claimed. Any team in baseball could’ve had Piazza if willing to pay the remaining $2.6MM on his contract. Instead, the A’s will try to work out a trade and would most likely have to assume some of Piazza’s salary. The Twins, Angels, and Mariners seem to be the main possibilities.
Failed Trades
Let’s take a look at some deals that almost happened yesterday.
Kyle Farnsworth for Bob Wickman. This would’ve been fun, reunions with former teams for both players. However, the Braves wanted the Yankees to pick up all of Farnsworth’s salary, apparently. Brian Cashman didn’t want to make him go away that badly, and Wickman would probably be a nonfactor back in the AL.
Mariners acquire Mark Loretta. Eh. Let’s not overstate the abilities of Loretta. It sounds like Tim Purpura wanted some kind of legitimate prospect for him.
Rockies send Jeff Baker and others to Tampa Bay for Dan Wheeler. We can’t really evaluate this one without knowing who else would’ve been involved. And the Rays don’t really have a place to play Baker; they’re already squeezed finding playing time for Jonny Gomes. If Rocco Baldelli ever gets healthy they’ll really have a pickle. I mentioned in a recent interview at D-Rays Bay – Wheeler would probably be one of the ten best relievers available if he was a free agent after the season. The Rays can pump up his value and get a promising young pitcher next year, as the Royals did with Octavio Dotel.
Brewers send Tony Gwynn Jr., Zach Jackson, and another minor league for Eric Gagne. This could’ve been the difference-maker that Scott Linebrink ain’t in a tight NL Central race. But it doesn’t seem like Doug Melvin got a chance to counter the Red Sox offer, so you can’t really fault him.
Red Sox send Wily Mo Pena and Craig Hansen to White Sox for Jermaine Dye. Well, there has to be some statistical way to evaluate whether this pair beats two draft picks. You’d have to know the attrition rates of first/second rounders, and get some scouts on Pena and Hansen to see if they can ever reach their potential. If I was the Kenny Williams I probably would’ve made the deal. I think Pena gets docked in value from where he was two years ago, but still has pretty much the same upside if you manage him right. Who knows, maybe Williams will go after Pena again this winter.
White Sox Talking Extension With Dye
It sounds like the White Sox will truly entertain a contract extension for right fielder Jermaine Dye, but only if they get him at a discount price once again. They’ve paid just $16.75MM for Dye to hit .280/.344/.542 for them over 381 games so far since 2005. Among right fielders, only Vladimir Guerrero has slugged higher from 2005 to present.
Dye says "Something can probably get done." Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times believes Dye wants three years, but the White Sox are hesistant to even do two. I get the impression the Sox want to do one year with a reasonable option for 2009, but might guarantee the second year if the price is right. A decent comparable might be Jim Edmonds‘ two-year, $19MM extension. However, Dye wouldn’t get the no-trade protection Edmonds did. And the Edmonds contract might actually serve as a cautionary tale for Kenny Williams.
The White Sox will have some offseason alternatives for right field – Kosuke Fukudome, Bobby Abreu, Milton Bradley, Geoff Jenkins, Trot Nixon, and Shawn Green. They’ll have to weigh those players against Dye. Teams often pass on the in-house option just to get some fresh blood, even if it’s not logical. We’ll have to wait and see what the White Sox decide.
Dye To Boston May Be Dead; Extension Coming?
UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal’s source says the Dye to Boston deal is "seemingly dead." He lists the Cubs, Angels, and D’Backs as possible alternatives.
UPDATE 2: Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune still thinks the White Sox might hammer out some kind of two-year extension with Dye. But Kenny Williams has a half hour to see if he can get something better than Pena and Hansen.
According to Jayson Stark’s sources, the Boston’s latest offer for Jermaine Dye was Wily Mo Pena and Craig Hansen. The White Sox want Manny Delcarmen instead; perhaps the Red Sox will be more willing to do that if they complete the Eric Gagne trade. Otherwise, the White Sox may just take Pena and Hansen over the two draft picks they’d get if they kept Dye.
Padres Acquire Rob Mackowiak
Jayson Stark recently mentioned on ESPN’s Trade Deadline special edition of Baseball Tonight that the Padres acquired White Sox outfielder/utility guy Rob Mackowiak. The White Sox received 23 year-old High A reliever Jon Link.
Dye Not Asked To Waive No-Trade Yet
The Boston Globe’s Gordon Edes spoke to Jermaine Dye‘s agent, Robert Bry. It seems that certain concessions will have to be made for Dye to approve a trade to Boston – most likely money rather than playing time.
However, Bry has yet to be contacted regarding Dye waiving the no-trade clause. That implies that the Red Sox and White Sox still haven’t reached an accord. If they are to pull off a Dye trade, it might go down to the wire.
Jermaine Dye Travels With White Sox
This is barely a rumor or anything, but the Tribune’s Mark Gonzales notes that Jermaine Dye accompanied the White Sox to New York to play the Yankees. Of course, Dye could hop a plane to Boston pretty easily if a deal goes down.
White Sox Discuss Vazquez, Garland
There hasn’t been much buzz on Javier Vazquez, but as suspected, Kenny Williams is at least willing to discuss him. According to Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times, Williams was discussing Vazquez with the Phillies before the Phils got Kyle Lohse. Pat Gillick and Kenny Williams really get along it seems. It would be interesting to see Vazquez in play over the next 6.5 hours.
SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports some talks surrounding Jon Garland. Heyman says Garland is "by far the best available starting pitcher right now." The Dodgers, Mets, and Diamondbacks have all inquired and found the price unreasonable, however. And don’t forget the Mariners and Yankees, who liked Garland earlier this month.
“Pretty Good” Chance Of Red Sox Getting Dye?
UPDATE: Edes says it would be Manny Delcarmen or Justin Masterson as the pitcher.
UPDATE 2: Now Edes is saying that the Red Sox are not close to a deal for Dye. They are currently refusing to give up Delcarmen or Masterson.
Things are heating up…Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe has a Major League source indicating that the Red Sox have a "pretty good" chance of completing a trade for Jermaine Dye.
The White Sox would apparently receive Wily Mo Pena and a pitching prospect other than Jon Lester or Clay Buccholz. That could still leave Michael Bowden, Daniel Bard, Bryce Cox, or Craig Hansen. All four have struggled this year but still have plenty of promise. Justin Masterson is another intriguing name, but he’s pitched well in four starts at Double A.