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Tigers, Indians Interested In Aaron Harang

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The top two teams in the American League Central are both looking for starting pitching depth and, in at least a couple of instances, they're interested in the exact same pitcher. The Indians and Tigers have interest in Aaron Harang, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Earlier today, Heyman reported that both clubs have interest in Hiroki Kuroda.

The Indians, who lead the Tigers by a half game after today's win, are looking to add a starting pitcher (here's a look at who's available). The Tigers hope to do the same and have some interest in Ubaldo Jimenez, Jeremy Guthrie, Derek Lowe and others.

Harang, 33, has a 3.19 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 through 93 innings this year. He may be profiting from pitcher-friendly Petco Park and the fact that opponents are hitting just .281 against him on balls in play (26 points below his career mark).

The ten-year veteran earns $4MM this season with a $5MM mutual option for 2012 ($500K buyout). He doesn't project as a ranked free agent under the Elias formula, so draft pick compensation does not appear to factor in to Harang's trade value.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports confirms that the Tigers are interested in Harang and adds that Detroit is not taking serious looks at Mark Reynolds or Wilson Betemit at the moment (Twitter links).

Indians Seeking Starter, Outfielder

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The Indians are clinging to first place, and now they've lost center fielder Grady Sizemore to the 15-day DL.  Sizemore suffered a right knee contusion in yesterday's game.  Michael Brantley is the last man standing in the Indians' outfield, with Shin-Soo Choo out until mid-August for a broken thumb.

The Tribe has been linked to Carlos Beltran, the top outfielder on the market.  However, the $6MM remaining on Beltran's contract could be an obstacle.  If the Indians are otherwise looking for right-handed hitters, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports suggests, they may be limited to Hunter Pence, Marlon Byrd, Jeff Francoeur, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, Reed Johnson, and Scott Hairston in my opinion.  And Pence is considered a long shot to be dealt.

Rosenthal, as well as Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, feel the Indians will also go after a starting pitcher.  Here's a look at what's out there, with the Marlins' top starters probably off the board.  SI's Jon Heyman reports that the Indians inquired on the Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda, as have the Tigers, Red Sox, Rangers, and Yankees.

Rosenthal On Phillies, Adams, Royals, Guthrie

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It's been a busy weekend for FOX's Ken Rosenthal, who brought us a pair of rumor-packed videos yesterday. He shared a few more tidbits this morning in his newest column, so let's check out the highlights….

  • The Phillies are telling teams that they can add about $2MM in salary, which would keep them below the luxury tax threshold. They would also prefer to trade for players they can control through at least 2012, which makes rentals like Carlos Beltran or Heath Bell less appealing.
  • Mike Adams is one player under control past this season who has drawn "serious interest" from the Phillies, as we heard yesterday. But the Yankees and Rangers, among other teams, are also very interested in the righty.
  • The Royals are pushing to trade Melky Cabrera rather than Jeff Francoeur.
  • The Mets attempted to restructure Francisco Rodriguez's contract before sending him to the Brewers, ultimately deciding that trading their closer was the "cleaner" solution.
  • When John Danks comes off the disabled list this week, trade talks involving Edwin Jackson could heat up. Given Jake Peavy's injury history though, moving Jackson would be a risky move for a White Sox team just four games back in the AL Central.
  • The Orioles are willing to listen to offers for Jeremy Guthrie, but would want pitching back in any trade.
  • While they'd like to add a bat, the Indians may need a starting pitcher even more, since they have some question marks at the back of their rotation.

Carlos Beltran Rumors: Sunday

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The market for Carlos Beltran will become much more interesting if the Mets are willing to pay most or all of the outfielder's remaining salary in a deal, as ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter) and Joel Sherman of the New York Post write. Within Sherman's column, an AL assistant GM points out that not many teams can afford to take on $6MM at this point, meaning the Mets have a decision to make: "Do they want salary relief or do they want to open up the field of interested teams by eating a lot of dollars, and get a better return?" Here are today's other Beltran rumors, with any new updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….

  • Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says that it's bad news for the Giants if the Mets are open to paying Beltran's price tag, since San Francisco would rather absorb salary and give up lesser prospects.
  • According to executives polled by Sherman, only the Giants and Tigers could afford to take on all of Beltran's remaining salary, among potentially interested clubs. If the Mets paid most or all of the cost, teams like the Indians, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Red Sox, Phillies, and Braves would all be in play.
  • Beltran is on the Angels' radar as well, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • One Mets official told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that trading Beltran within the NL East isn't out of the question, saying it "would be a factor, but not prohibitive." In Sherman's piece, however, one AL exec questions whether the Wilpons would allow the team to deal Beltran to the Phillies or Braves, even if Sandy Alderson is willing to do so.
  • New York would probably have to gain about five games on Atlanta by July 31st to make keeping Beltran a viable option, says Newsday's Ken Davidoff.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Beltran, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees

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Earlier today it was the Full Count video, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has some more notes in a separate video…

  • Carlos Beltran doesn't figure to be with the Mets much longer, especially since the team is willing to pick up the majority of the $6MM or so left on his contract. The Giants, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, and Phillies all have interest.
  • The Phillies prefer Mike Adams to Heath Bell because they'd have him under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. They're concerned they may lose Ryan Madson as a free agent this winter.
  • The Red Sox keep saying they don't need starting pitching, but that could change before the deadline. Hiroki Kuroda is one possible target. 
  • The Yankees continue to look for starting pitching, especially after Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia got knocked around in their first starts after the All-Star break. Ubaldo Jimenez is out there, and the Rockies will at very least dangle him just to see if someone overwhelms them with an offer.

Cubs Do Not Intend To Trade Jeff Baker

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Despite being "open for business," the Cubs will not trade utility man Jeff Baker according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Rival executives are saying Chicago envisions him as part of their team next season.

Baker, 30, is hitting .304/.324/.422 in 139 plate appearances this year, and he's played the three non-shortstop infield positions as well as the corner outfield spots. The FOX scribes say the Cubs are under no pressure to shed payroll, and Baker is making just $1.175MM this year and will remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. The Red Sox and Indians have reportedly shown interest in him. 

Heyman’s Latest: K-Rod, Jackson, Twins, Reyes

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Let's round up the latest from SI.com's Jon Heyman…

  • The Mets were telling interested clubs that Francisco Rodriguez would be with a new team "within 48 hours" of the reliever's decision to switch agents and hire Scott Boras. The trade with the Brewers was announced four days later.
  • Heyman lists 40 players that could be traded before the deadline, headlined by the usual suspects: Carlos Beltran, Heath Bell, B.J. Upton, and Josh Willingham.
  • "Calls are coming in" about Edwin Jackson, and the White Sox will have the rotation depth to move him once John Danks returns from the disabled list.
  • Jose Reyes has told the Mets he won't negotiate a contract extension during the season, but he hasn't completely ruled out an extension with a new team if traded.
  • The Mets are "unlikely" to trade Mike Pelfrey, despite his climbing salary. 
  • The Twins are telling teams they're going for it.
  • Beltran's salary would be an issue for both the Indians and Reds, though Cleveland is looking for an outfield bat.
  • In a tweet, Heyman notes that the Reds and Phillies match up well with the Padres for a trade, since both teams are looking for a right-handed outfield bat and bullpen help. San Diego has Ryan Ludwick and a stable of quality relievers to offer.

Indians Looking For Offense

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The Indians are "kicking the tires for offensive help," according to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince (Twitter links). Cleveland can add some salary – though Carlos Beltran is probably not a realistic target – and remains reluctant to surrender top prospects in trades.

Indians president Mark Shapiro said on Twitter today that GM Chris Antonetti and his staff spent the All-Star break "burning up phone lines" to make sense of the trade market and discuss possible deals. Though the market is developing slowly, the Indians are looking at "every opportunity" to improve, accoridng to Shapiro.

The Indians, who are second in the AL Central with a 47-42 record, rank seventh in the American League with 386 runs scored. They are a logical suitor for a corner outfielder, since Shin-Soo Choo is on the disabled list and probably won't return to the lineup before late-August. Austin Kearns, Travis Buck and Michael Brantley are currently covering left and right for the Indians.

Olney On Market For Carlos Beltran

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The Mets have indicated that they will hold onto Carlos Beltran until they get exactly what they want for him, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. They believe that a team in need of offense will give in to their demands and surrender a top prospect for Beltran, who earns $18.5MM this year.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson traded Francisco Rodriguez to Milwaukee this week, partly because they wanted to move before the market for relief pitching developed further. But the Mets believe Beltran is the best available outfielder, so they’re not in a hurry to trade him.

The Indians aren’t limiting themselves to small-budget options, according to Olney. Beltran would fit on the Pirates, the Tigers could be interested and the Giants would love to acquire him. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently named those teams, plus the Red Sox, Rays, White Sox and Reds as contenders that could use a corner outfield boost. Here's a look at what Beltran was traded for seven years ago.

Quick Hits: Iwakuma, Draft, Mariners

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On this date in 2009, the Nationals fired manager Manny Acta and replaced him with Jim Riggleman. A lot has changed in two years – Riggleman resigned as the Nationals' skipper over a contract dispute last month and Acta, now the Indians' manager, is a leading candidate for AL Manager of the Year. Here's the latest from around MLB…

  • The Rays, Indians, Astros and Angels scouted Hisashi Iwakuma's recent rehab start, according to a Sponichi report passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. The 30-year-old right-hander posted a 2.72 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 from 2007-10 in Japan.
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America explains the give and take between the commissioner's office and the players' union when it comes to the double standard between draft-eligible amateurs and international free agents.
  • One NL executive told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that we should expect an intense week leading up to the trade deadline, since teams will wait until the last possible moment before becoming ‘sellers.’
  • GM Jack Zduriencik told Greg Johns of MLB.com that he has discussed possible moves, but doesn’t want to get caught up in whether the Mariners will be buyers or a sellers this summer.
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