More Trade Reactions
Lots of ink and keystrokes are being spent on analyzing yesterday's big deals. Here are a few, with more to be added on throughout the day:
- The Peavy deal, despite its earlier iteration in May, came "out of nowhere," says Scott Miller at CBS Sports. A rival executive says that White Sox GM Kenny Williams has "the biggest balls in sports," according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, who calls it one of his "all-time favorite" trades. Both of these stories, though similar, are good reads.
- Jayson Stark at ESPN lays out his top winners and losers at the deadline.
- South Side Sox notes that since the Peavy deal had the future in mind as well as the present, they "can't complain in the slightest" about the trade.
- Keith Law at ESPN thinks the Jays came out "extremely well" in the Scott Rolen deal. He also likes the versatility now afforded to the Red Sox in acquiring Victor Martinez.
- Rob McQuown at Baseball Prospectus says that in the Rolen deal, "Walt Jocketty undersold his assets. Badly."
Odds And Ends: Hudson, D’Backs, Expos, Jays
More links to look through for the evening, including a little history…
- MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that Tim Hudson was scratched from his rehab start tonight with a sore groin.
- D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes told MLB.com that he expects a "pretty active" August around the league, trade-wise. It'll be interesting to see if Doug Davis and Jon Garland clear waivers; if they do, the D'Backs could be among the teams making trades.
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro says Nick Johnson was the last member of the Nationals to play for the Expos.
- Erik Manning of FanGraphs doesn't get the Scott Rolen deal from the Reds' perspective. Neither does Tyler Hissey.
- You thought the Roy Halladay saga was over, but it's merely on hold. J.P. Ricciardi says he'd "have to listen" to offers for his ace after the season, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Next time, the GM hopes the offers are "a little better."
Reds Acquire Scott Rolen For Edwin Encarnacion
6:09pm: Blair also hears that the Jays will send about $4MM to the Reds.
4:50pm: Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star reports that the Jays will pay all of Rolen's 2009 salary, nearly $4MM. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that an undisclosed amount of cash is changing hands.
4:26pm: The Jays will pay some of the $4MM Rolen makes between now and the end of the season, according to Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail.
4:25pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports that Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi says Rolen asked to be traded for "personal reasons."
3:14pm: Rolen approved the deal, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). ESPN's Keith Law says Yonder Alonso is not in the deal. Instead, it'll be Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart heading to Toronto according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
2:56pm: FOX Sports says the Blue Jays will get Edwin Encarnacion and a minor leaguer. Rolen is expected to approve the deal. It's a massive upgrade for the Reds defensively.
2:40pm: The Reds acquired third baseman Scott Rolen, according to SI's Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The next step is Rolen approving the trade. He's owed $4MM this year and another $11MM in 2010. The slick-gloved 34 year-old has bounced back to hit .320/.370/.476 in 373 plate appearances this year.
Yankees Acquire Jerry Hairston Jr.
The Yankees acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. from the Reds, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter) says the Reds will receive minor league catcher Chase Weems.
Reds Back Off Rolen Deal
4:13pm: ESPN's Peter Gammons says the Reds "backed off a potential deal" for Rolen. The Reds are actually hoping to move some contracts, and will listen on Bronson Arroyo, David Weathers, Aaron Harang, and Arthur Rhodes. Plus there's the issue of the Jays not wanting to trade Rolen if they keep Halladay.
2:00pm: CBSSports' Danny Knobler says the Jays would get Edwin Encarnacion and others, if this does get done. The sticking point appears to be how much of Rolen's remaining $15MM the Jays would assume.
Meanwhile, Bastian (via Twitter) has a source saying all is quiet here.
1:39pm: A Ken Rosenthal/Jon Paul Morosi source says the Reds-Rolen talks are "going nowhere." The writers suggest a Halladay trade could help move things along.
1:19pm: Via Twitter, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian says his source would not deny the Rolen-Reds talks (hat tip Drunk Jays Fans).
12:34pm: No mention of Alonso from him, but Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets, "Looks like Rolen to Reds has a 'good chance' of getting done."
12:20pm: Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal says the Reds and Jays are talking about a Rolen-Yonder Alonso swap. Say what? Alonso, who signed on August 15th of last year, would have to be a player to be named later in the unlikely event he's dealt.
9:07am: The Blue Jays have many trade targets aside from Roy Halladay, so let's collect that information in one post.
Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says the Twins are still chasing shortstop Marco Scutaro, after Freddy Sanchez landed with the Giants. Elliott adds that the Reds "met last night to decide to come up with a package to land third baseman Scott Rolen."
Heyman Talks Giants
In a new blog post, SI's Jon Heyman discusses the Giants' plans.
- The Giants "haven't ruled out trading for more offense" after getting Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko. Heyman says that at some point the Giants scouted Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee, Josh Willingham, Nick Johnson, Mark Teahen and Marco Scutaro. We can probably cross Johnson off the list. And we've seen no sign the Astros would sell.
- The Giants would like to add a fifth starter, given the loss of Randy Johnson for at least August. Heyman speculates on a few names such as Bronson Arroyo, Doug Davis, and Jon Garland.
Odds & Ends: Rangers, Yankees, Braves
Did anyone expect the deadline to be this active? What a week. Some more tidbits:
- The Rangers signed their third-round selection, LHP Robbie Erlin, reports T.R. Sullivan at MLB.com.
- Jayson Stark has an extensive breakdown of the Cliff Lee trade–the Cy Young pitcher they needed, not the one they necessarily wanted.
- The Yankees have interest in Tigers OF Josh Anderson, says Danny Knobler at CBS Sports, and now Jim Leyland agrees, says Steve Kornacki at mlive.com.
- John Fay at the Cincinnati Enquirer notes that in a very roundabout fashion, the Reds traded Paul O'Neill for Wladimir Balentien.
- Mark Bowman at MLB.com reports that the Braves have been quiet on the trade front, and aren't pressured to make a big splash after the Cliff Lee deal. They've inquired on a few relievers that apparently aren't available.
- Despite the Phils' acquisitions, the Marlins are still in it to win it, says Alden Gonzalez at MLB.com.
- Fangraphs gives their analysis of the Freddy Sanchez and Jason Hirsh deals.
- Todd Zolecki at MLB.com gets Phillie rival players' takes on the Lee deal.
Reds Acquire Wladimir Balentien
Ed Price of AOL FanHouse reports that the Reds acquired Wladimir Balentien from the Mariners for righty Robert Manuel, who was MiLB.com's right-handed reliever of the year in Double A last year, as Jonathan Mayo points out. The Mariners designated Balentien for assignment over the weekend.
Quiet Deadline For Yankees?
Joel Sherman of the New York Post has the latest on the Yankees, and it sounds like they could have a quiet trade deadline. Sherman says the team is showing no inclination to pursue Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee, and has not engaged in extensive talks for Jarrod Washburn. They're not in on Bronson Arroyo, Doug Davis, or Jon Garland either. Sherman believes the Yanks might be content to let the Red Sox get Halladay:
A person close to the Steinbrenner family said that Cashman has not even asked permission to expand the 2009 payroll nor is there anticipation that ownership would allow a significant financial increase now. This is pertinent because the Yankees do believe that the Red Sox have put Clay Buchholz into a trade offer for Halladay and that Boston just might get the ace righty.
So the first-place Yankees are tightening the purse strings, despite Chien-Ming Wang's season-ending shoulder surgery.
Odds & Ends: Harang, Brewers, Orioles
Here are some fresh links from only the most verified sources on the Internet:
- Mark Gonzales at the Chicago Tribune reports that White Sox GM Kenny Williams spoke with Josh Fields' agent. Gonzales wonders if Fields might be on the outs.
- Andy Martino at the Philadelphia Inquirer gets a rundown of the Phils' big prospect names being tossed around in a potential deal for Roy Halladay from Baseball America's Ben Badler.
- Mark Sheldon at MLB.com reports that Aaron Harang has a limited no-trade clause, but Harang had this to say: "I don't know which teams I put. I put them down a couple of years back."
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin is still in buying mode, he tells Tom Haudricourt at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- Steve Melewski at MASN Sports talked to O's president Andy MacPhail about Miguel Angel Sano. No offers yet, apparently.
- Roch Kubatko at MASN says that there are "rumblings" that the Orioles might have interest in the Dodgers' 3B prospect Josh Bell, potentially as a piece in a George Sherrill deal.