Kevin Youkilis Rumors: Sunday
The trade chatter surrounding Kevin Youkilis picked up a ton of steam yesterday as the White Sox, Pirates, Indians, and Dodgers all seem to have interest in the third baseman. As of late last night, it appeared that the White Sox were the frontrunner for the veteran with Pittsburgh in second. Here's the latest on Youkilis with the most recent news up top..
- Rob Bradford of WEEI.com tweets that a clubhouse source says Youkilis has been traded to the White Sox and his nameplate has been removed from his locker.
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets the White Sox appear to be the most likely destination for Youkilis and, as of yesterday, the two teams were haggling over money. Knobler adds in a separate tweet that Youkilis is not headed to the Dodgers.
- A deal for Youkilis is in the works, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Heyman adds late talks involved the White Sox, but new team is not yet confirmed. In a separate tweet, Heyman says the Indians are out of the running.
- Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com tweets a source has confirmed that a deal for Youkilis is in the works, but "not complete." Youkilis was removed, to a standing ovation, in the 7th inning as a precaution.
- Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers confirmed that he is not in on Youkilis, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- McAdam hears from a major league source that the Dodgers, White Sox, Indians, Braves, and a fifth team are in on Youkilis. A second source says that the Pirates and Diamondbacks are no longer involved. A source with knowledge of the talks indicated that Boston is focused on getting the best return available, whether its in the form of prospects or current major leaguers.
- Youkilis is in today's lineup and a team source tells Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe (via Twitter) that it's not indicative of one thing or another and a trade remains still in play.
- The White Sox, Dodgers, and Indians are likely going to be amongst the final five teams for Youkilis, tweets Heyman.
- The White Sox’s pursuit of Youkilis is more advanced than any other club’s and could be approaching the final stages, a major league source tells Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Sources say Boston is willing to include about $5MM of the nearly $8MM remaining on Youkilis’ contract in the trade. As of late last night, the Indians appeared to be a “longshot,” the Dodgers’ talks were minimal, and the Pirates pulled out of the discussions, according to sources.
Rosenthal On Greinke, Youkilis, Podsednik, Giants
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has his latest edition of Full Count up. Let's dive in..
- It's still too early to know if Zack Greinke will still be a member of the Brewers after the trade deadline. The club expects Shaun Marcum back as soon as next weekend and Jonathan Lucroy back after the All-Star break. The Brewers feel that they're obligated to listen on offers for all players but at the same time don't need to be the aggressors just yet.
- The Indians appear to be on the periphery of the Kevin Youkilis sweepstakes but still aren't certain if they want to squander their limited resources on a player who is far from a sure thing. While Johnny Damon is hitting much better as of late, their biggest needs are in leftfield and in the starting rotation.
- The Red Sox will face interesting positions once all four of their left-handed hitting outfielders are back in action. Things could get interesting with Scott Podsednik, who could be a trade candidate if Daniel Nava is still hot. The Reds are one team that could be in the mix as they seek a leadoff hitter.
- The Giants would like to add to their offense but some of their people aren't sure if it's worth compromising their defense. The obvious position to upgrade is second base but Ryan Theriot has hit better as of late.
Kevin Youkilis Rumors: Saturday
Yesterday we learned that the White Sox may be best positioned to swing a trade for Kevin Youkilis, who is losing playing time to rookie Will Middlebrooks. The Braves have scouted him in recent weeks though the Pirates are said to have little interest. Here are today's Youkilis rumors, with the latest up top…
- The Pirates are still interested in Youkilis, but the team is not confident in its chances of landing him, sources told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Sources indicate that the Indians are a longshot for Youkilis while the Dodgers have had minimal contact with the Red Sox today, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Signs point to the White Sox, Pirates, or another club as the veteran's destination.
- Angels GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters, including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) that he is "not involved with [Youkilis]."
- The Indians have been the most serious bidder for Youkilis but the White Sox jumped into the mix yesterday, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have maintained consistent interest.
- A new source tells Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter) that the Pirates are likely "out" on the veteran at this point.
- The Braves are not in on the Youkilis discussions, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Dodgers are on the "fringe" of talks for Youkilis, reports Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The Pirates continue to be in the mix according to Rosenthal and Morosi (on Twitter).
- Talks are described as "intense" according to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. He says the Red Sox will pay a significant portion of the $7.5MM or so left on Youkilis' contract in any trade scenario.
- The Rangers checked in on Youkilis at one point according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, but they are "not involved anymore." Texas was concerned that he would be unhappy in a part-time role.
- The Pirates will not surrender a top prospect for Youkilis but they might offer a second tier guy if Boston eats most of his salary, reports Rob Biertempfel of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (on Twitter).
- Red Sox team officials discussed potential roster moves in the wake of an impending Youkilis trade last night, reports Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. That could be an indication that a deal is close.
- Boston will trade Youkilis "sooner rather than later" according to Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald. ESPN's Buster Olney says a deal could come down as soon as today.
- The Red Sox are speaking with multiple clubs and continue to move closer to a deal, reports Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The ChiSox have engaged in "heavy dialogue" with Boston but the Dodgers remain in the mix as well. The Sox prefer to trade Youkilis to an NL club.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Mills, Carrasco, Ambriz
The latest minor moves..
- The Indians traded first baseman Beau Mills to the Reds for cash considerations, tweets Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer. The former first-round pick has been assigned to Double-A Pensacola.
- The Braves signed reliever D.J. Carrasco to a minor league deal. The Mets, who are responsible for the majority of Carrasco's $1.2MM salary, released the 35-year-old in late May after he allowed six hits, including two home runs, in 3 2/3 innings, according to the CBSSports.com transactions page.
- The Astros signed right-hander Hector Ambriz to a minor league deal. The Indians released Ambriz this past Sunday after he posted a 3.55 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in 33 Triple-A innings, according to CBSSports.com.
Kevin Youkilis Rumors: Thursday
Potential suitors for Kevin Youkilis are waiting to see if the Youkilis of old returns, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports. So far this year, the 33-year-old has a .225/.311/.359 batting line, which means he's on track for the lowest batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage of his nine-year career. Here are the latest Youkilis rumors from Boston:
- The Red Sox have stepped up their efforts to trade the infielder, and will have to absorb most of his $12MM salary to facilitate a deal, Cafardo writes. However, they want something more than salary relief for Youkilis, a homegrown player who developed into an All-Star.
- The Indians are very much involved in talks and talks with the Diamondbacks don’t appear to be dead, Cafardo reports. The Phillies have scouted Youkilis, and the Dodgers could have interest, but the White Sox are more likely to pursue pitching help.
Draft Signings: Phillies, Marlins, Padres, Pirates
The latest noteworthy draft signings from the second round and beyond…
- The Phillies have signed eight of their top 10 picks, Phillies assistant director of scouting Rob Holiday told media (including Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Second-round pitcher Alec Rash and third-round infielder Zach Green are the only two yet to sign with the team. We heard last week that the Phils had signed their top three picks, all at slot value.
- The Marlins have signed 25 players from their draft class, with outfielder Kolby Copeland (compensatory third round) being the highest-picked of the signees.
- The Padres announced the signing of second-round pick Jeremy Baltz, via the club's Twitter feed. Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that Baltz's bonus is worth $625K, well below MLB's recommended $757.9K price tag for the 68th overall pick.
- The Pirates announced that they've signed three players: right-hander Adrian Sampson (5th round), infielder D.J. Crumlich (9th round), and infielder Chris Diaz (11th round).
- The Braves announced that they have signed 26 players, including their first six selections. All but four of the 26 players signed out of college.
- The White Sox signed sixth round selection Kyle Hansen for an over-slot bonus of $250K, Jim Callis of Baseball America tweets. The right-hander can reach 96 mph and happens to be the brother of former MLB pitcher Craig Hansen.
- The Indians announced that they have signed fifth round selection Dylan Baker. The Indians also signed seventh rounder Josh Schubert for an over-slot bonus of $250K, Callis tweets. Schubert, a high school outfielder, has raw power and relatively good speed.
Draft Signings: Chargois, Lovegrove, Oswalt
The latest noteworthy draft signings from around MLB, starting with a trio of pitchers…
- The Twins have signed second round selection J.T. Chargois, according to Baseball America's Jim Callis (on Twitter). Chargois served as Rice's closer, and Callis notes that he can get his 93-95 mph fastball as high as 98 mph to go along with a plus curveball.
- The Indians signed third round selection Kieran Lovegrove for $400K, as Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported yesterday. The high school right-hander has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and has touched 94. His slider can be a wipeout pitch, and he has the makings of a decent changeup, according to Baseball America. The ASU recruit was born in South Africa, and he played some cricket growing up. He and two teammates have their own charity, the Going to Bat foundation.
- The Mets signed seventh round selection Corey Oswalt for an over-slot bonus of $475K, Callis reports (on Twitter). The projectable high school right-hander has a fastball that sits in the 89-92 mph range.
Minor Moves: Hector Ambriz
We'll keep track of today's minor league moves here, with the latest up top.
- The Indians have released right-hander Hector Ambriz from Triple-A Columbus. Ambriz saw time with the Indians in 2010 appearing in 34 games, all in relief, pitching to a 5.59 ERA. He missed the entire 2011 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Quick Hits: Bay, Indians, Brewers
Happy Father's Day to all dads! Jim Thome, a father of two, became just the fourth player in baseball history to hit 100 home runs for three different clubs with his solo shot in the Phillies' game against the Blue Jays. Thome joins Alex Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson, and Darrell Evans in that exclusive club.
- Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters, including Adam Rosenbloom of MLB.com, he is concerned about the playing career of Jason Bay, who is on the disabled list with his second career concussion. "We've got to put ourselves in his shoes, and decide what we think is the best for the future," Collins said.
- Indians GM Chris Antonetti will not show any apprehension approaching the trade deadline after the mixed results of the Ubaldo Jimenez deal last year, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I continue to trust our process and evaluators," said Antonetti. "If we feel the right guy is out there, and it's the right trade, we'll certainly be willing to make it. I don't think we'd operate any differently."
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes the Brewers recent sweep at the hands of the Royals may cause the team to be sellers at the trade deadline. Haudricourt points out the Brewers will have several question marks heading into 2013 including the starting rotation, first base, outfield, and shortstop.
Rosenthal On Dempster, O’s, Jays, Astros, Indians
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com has the latest from the rumor mill in a pair of videos, the Rosenthal Report and Full Count. Here's what's going on …
- The Cubs are shopping starter Ryan Dempster to multiple teams, including the Dodgers. Chicago is willing to include significant amounts of cash in any trade in hopes of landing better prospects. Dempster has 10-and-5 rights, however, and thus can veto any deal, although he's willing to move to a contender.
- The Orioles are pursuing starting pitching and scouted both Dempster and Matt Garza this week, although the Diamondbacks' Joe Saunders may be a better trade fit for Baltimore.
- The Blue Jays are asking around for pitching help, although they may end up sellers before the non-waiver trade deadline.
- The Astros are willing to listen on "virtually all of their players." Younger players like Jed Lowrie and third baseman Chris Johnson are all in play, although it would take a huge offer to pry away second baseman Jose Altuve.
- The Indians are unlikely to make a move for a DH type like Vladimir Guerrero or Manny Ramirez. Their bigger need is a player who can play left field — perhaps someone like Carlos Quentin — but they first need to figure out where they stand with Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore, who are both injured.
- The Marlins will have trouble bolstering their weak offense because of a depleted farm system. With Emilio Bonifacio injured, their most obvious need is center field. The Twins' Denard Span and perhaps the Phillies' Shane Victorino are potential targets.
- The Angels no longer have room in the starting lineup for the injured Vernon Wells now that Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout have solidified the outfield, and one rival GM thinks Wells could be released when he's ready to return from the disabled list.