Heyman On Washburn, Halladay, Red Sox
1:21pm: Heyman hears that Adrian Gonzalez may be Boston's top target now, especially since discussions about Victor Martinez aren't progressing.
11:51am: Jon Heyman of SI.com has the latest on Roy Halladay and the next-best options for pitching-starved teams. Here are the details:
- The Yankees called the Mariners about Jarrod Washburn over the weekend. The Mariners say they aren't selling now, but that could change this week.
- The Yanks would have to give up "a top prospect or two" to acquire Washburn.
- Bronson Arroyo could be an option for the Yankees, but the Reds haven't offered to take on any of the $17MM remaining on his deal.
- The Yankees have a miniscule chance of acquiring Halladay. They wouldn't part with both Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain for him, but they might trade one.
- An executive involved in the Halladay talks says "it's early," since no one's taking tomorrow's pre-deadline too seriously.
- Sensing they don't have much of a chance at Halladay, the Dodgers are more focused on Cliff Lee.
- The Red Sox could still make a big move, but don't expect them to deal for Halladay. The Blue Jays could ask for Clay Buchholz, Jed Lowrie and Daniel Bard, according to one of Heyman's sources.
- Victor Martinez remains an option for the Red Sox, who talk with the Indians "all the time."
- The Red Sox are keeping an eye on Adrian Gonzalez, who's not available now.
- Bud Selig says he won't prevent the Rangers from taking on payroll even though the commissioner's office has helped Rangers owner Tom Hicks make payments.
- The Rangers have inquired on Halladay and Lee.
- The Cardinals will try hard to extend Matt Holliday.
- The Rockies are still looking for a reliever.
- The Giants scouted Nick Johnson and Josh Willingham this weekend.
Talkin’ Giants Baseball
As we cruise closer to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, the Giants still boast one of baseball's most intriguing situations. The club is 52-46 — 10 games behind the Dodgers in the National League West, but just two games back in the Wild Card. Most experts agree they need a bat to continue contending, and they've been linked recently to sluggers like Victor Martinez, Ryan Garko and Nick Johnson.
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle recently heard "word from [Giants] general manager Brian Sabean that chances for a deal are 50-50."
"We're talking," manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday as his club prepared to head home after a long road trip. "I'll talk to Brian. I'll discuss it with the staff on the plane on the way back and see what we can do to get this thing going again."
Schulman believes the Giants might also have interest in Toronto's Marco Scutaro or Baltimore's Aubrey Huff. Either way, it's pretty clear what San Francisco is seeking as Friday's deadline nears: offense.
Indians Acquire Jess Todd To Complete DeRosa Deal
Derrick Goold reports, via Twitter, that the Indians have acquired Jess Todd as the player to be named later from the Mark DeRosa trade.
According to an official press release, Todd will be added to the 40-man roster and report to Triple-A Columbus.
Todd, 23, entered the season as the Cardinals' #4 prospect. He's pitched very well, posting a 2.20 ERA through 49 innings, allowing just 39 hits and 13 walks while striking out 59 and collecting 24 saves. Opponents are hitting just .214 against Todd this season.
The Indians also acquired Chris Perez in the original trade, back on June 27th.
Odds & Ends: Garko, Kotsay, Holliday, Tigers
Congratulations to Rickey Henderson, Jim Rice, and the late Joe Gordon on their inductions into baseball's Hall of Fame today. The Red Sox were rumored to be looking for a righthanded bat that can play the outfield earlier today, maybe Rickey's still got something left in the tank. Anyway, here's some links…
- Terry Pluto of The Cleveland Plain Dealer says he has "a sense the Indians are working on a deal for Ryan Garko." He also notes that Andy Marte is eligible for minor league free agency after the season.
- Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle says the A's won't pursue Mark Kotsay, who was recently designated for assignment.
- Over at FoxSports.com, Tracy Ringolsby says that Cardinals GM John Mozeliak played the waiting game and won when it comes to acquiring Matt Holliday.
- Bless You Boys ran down all the names linked to the Tigers recently.
Cafardo’s Latest: Martinez, Boston, Pitching
In his latest piece for The Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo reports that the Indians turned down an offer of Clay Buchholz for Victor Martinez according to an NL scout. The Red Sox then countered with a package of Michael Bowden, Justin Masterson, and an outfield prospect, but the Indians turned that down as well.
Let's round up the rest of Cafardo's rumors…
- In addition to Boston, the Indians are also fielding offers from the Rays and Giants for Martinez, but aren't inclined to make a deal unless a team's best prospects are involved.
- Cafardo runs through the list of other pitchers that "could be pried away," including Scott Kazmir, Cliff Lee, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, and George Sherrill. He says it'll take "a blockbuster package" to land Lee.
- Aubrey Huff and Kevin Millar are also available.
- The Red Sox will "dip in the (Roy) Halladay sweepstakes" if the price comes down, but otherwise will look for a righthanded bat that can play the outfield.
- Cafardo says it will be interesting to see if the Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers are aggressive at the deadline or take a pass, considering all three clubs are playing well right now.
- The White Sox could pull off something big because GM Kenny Williams "has a bit of gambler in him."
- It'll be interesting to see if the Giants' plans to add a bat are put on hold after the sudden death of principal owner Sue Burns.
- Twins GM Bill Smith may add a middle infielder and/or a reliever before the deadline. Last night we learned that they were "deep into talks and talking composition of a deal" with the A's about Orlando Cabrera. The team might be able to stretch it's normal payroll with Target Field opening next year.
- Cafardo proposes a "swap of underachieving Scott Boras clients," J.D. Drew and Magglio Ordonez.
- While there is some uneasiness about there not being any substantive talks between the Nationals and Stephen Strasburg, those kind of deals can come together quickly. The signing deadline is August 17th.
- The Rangers are unable to add payroll, which will hamstring their efforts that the trade deadline.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Saturday
10:19pm: Heyman tweets that the Yankees might consider giving up Chamberlain for Halladay, but won't entertain both Chamberlain and Hughes.
8:14pm: Ray Parrillo and Jim Salisbury of The Philadelphia Inquirer report that the Phillies "were trying to steer the Blue Jays" towards a package centered around Carrasco and infielder Jason Donald.
7:53pm: Heyman tweets that the Jays suggested to the Yankees today that it would take Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and two more for Halladay.
7:36pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com report that the Jays countered the Angels offer by asking for a four player package that included Joe Saunders, Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, and one prospect from the group of Trevor Reckling, Peter Bourjos, and Sean O'Sullivan. They also mention that as many as five teams are talking with Toronto about Halladay.
4:17pm: According to Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports, the Angels "did indeed make a run at Halladay, offering Jered Weaver plus the Blue Jays' pick of outfield or infield prospects" Bottom line, it wasn't enough.
3:47pm: Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse has more. Here's his most recent tweet: "Source: 'I'd be shocked' if Phillies reverse course and include Happ [and] Drabek for Halladay. But [second] source [says] Blue Jays 'got to' have both."
3:08pm: ESPN's Jayson Stark reports the Blue Jays have presented similar proposals (or lists of desired prospects) to the Dodgers and Angels. "The ball is in their court," as Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi said Friday.
2:40pm: Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe and Mail heard from a Jays scout that "there's one big team yet to make a play for Doc." Blair hints that one "big team" might be the Red Sox.
1:04pm: According to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, the Phillies have formally rejected the Blue Jays' proposal. Philadelphia is reportedly opposed to giving up both Drabek and Happ.
12:43pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports are reporting that the Angels have "intensified their bid" for Halladay. The Jays are said to be asking for one player from the Halos' major-league roster and "another who could make an impact in 2010."
Additionally, Jays officials are said believe Halladay's past two brilliant outings make their recent offers "reasonable." Sources don't believe a deal will be completed this weekend.
10:46am: Jayson Stark at ESPN says that the Phillies are now balking at the Blue Jays' asking price, which was formally presented Thursday as J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown. It's believed they're hoping to substitute Carlos Carrasco for one of Happ or Drabek, particularly Drabek.
9:25am: Talks might be heating up. Jon Heyman at SI says "there's no way he stays" with the Blue Jays, as discussions with the Phils have become "intense." MLB.com's Jordan Bastian saw Halladay emerge from the clubhouse in uniform, though, so nothing's imminent for now.
3:30am: Check out the latest from Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He says that while the Jays want Drabek, Happ, and Brown for Halladay, they did send assistant GM Tony LaCava to watch Phils prospect Carlos Carrasco pitch.
Salisbury adds that the Phillies have interest in Cliff Lee, Erik Bedard, and Jarrod Washburn as backup plans, and will scout Lee Sunday.
12:20am: We learned yesterday that Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi is in serious discussions with four teams about ace pitcher Roy Halladay. The Phillies are known to be the favorite. A piece of info to kick off the Saturday post from Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail:
Know this: Halladay has told people that the Phillies are his preferred choice if he were to be traded. The Blue Jays want pitchers J.A. Happ and Kyle Drabek and one of two outfield prospects: Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown.
That's important, given Halladay's full no-trade clause. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports agree that Halladay would approve a trade to Philly.
The Phillies and Yankees were in Toronto last night scouting Halladay's gem against the Rays, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Rosenthal and Morosi say "Ricciardi has yet to engage" the Yanks in trade talks though.
Despite the rumors, Doc told Bastian and other reporters after the game he feels like he's going to remain a Blue Jay. He doesn't feel the urgency for a trade on his or the team's part. Halladay also clarified his stance on free agency, for which he's eligible after the 2010 season.
Cubs Looking For A Lefty Reliever
With starter Ted Lilly on the shelf for approximately three weeks, ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine says Cubs GM Jim Hendry may have been pushed in the direction of adding a starter before Friday's trade deadline. The team could opt to move Sean Marshall back into the rotation, but that would leave manager Lou Piniella without a reliable lefthanded option in the pen.
The Cubbies have spoken to the Pirates about reliever John Grabow, but Levine says a move for Zach Duke or Tom Gorzelanny "may be the right avenue to follow with the loss of Lilly." He lists Carl Pavano, Jon Garland and Doug Davis as other starters available right now.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Mariners, Cardinals, Indians
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has a new Full Count video up. Let's round up the rumors…
- With the Mariners fading out of contention, they could make lefties Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn available. If they do, it could cloud the market for Roy Halladay because teams will have more options.
- One GM tells Rosenthal that the Mariners are likely to play out the weekend before deciding to sell.
- The Yankees have been in touch with Seattle, and would love to see Washburn made available again after expressing interest in him in the past.
- The Brewers remain "on the periphery" of the Halladay sweepstakes, but they aren't playing well enough to justify such a major trade.
- After moving five players and adding $6MM in salary to acquire Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa, Albert Pujols shouldn't have any questions about ownership's commitment to winning. However with Holliday likely to leave as a free agent after the season, the team will be in the same situation again, looking for a bat to protect Pujols.
- Indians ownership would need to sign off on a deal involving catcher Victor Martinez or lefty Cliff Lee, neither of which is imminent. The team knows the Red Sox will not trade them Clay Buchholz in a package for Martinez, and moving Lee would be an even bigger blow given how thin their pitching staff is right now.
In a separate video, Rosenthal says that the Phillies and Blue Jays are still haggling over which players would be included in a potential deal for Halladay. The Angels have made a strong offer for Doc, and the Jays expect other teams to get involved this week. Meanwhile, Lee's agent Darek Braunecker says Lee has told his team that he will test the free agent waters at the end of next season after being told "no" when asking about a contract extension last spring. If traded, Lee prefers it to happen sooner rather than later.
Odds & Ends: Strasburg, Diamondbacks, Indians
Lots of trade talk means lots of links, so let's get right to the madness:
- Corey Brock at MLB.com examines the possibility presented by Chico Harlan at the Washington Post that Stephen Strasburg could end up a Padre.
- Bernie Miklasz at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at the Cardinals' five biggest winners in the Matt Holliday trade. Rick Hummel looks at other memorable trades in which the Cardinals dealt top prospects.
- According to Nick Piecoro at the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks are currently in a "holding pattern" with no. 16 overall pick Bobby Borchering.
- Geoff Baker at the Seattle Times wonders if the Mariners' brutal 9-0 loss last night will mark the team's transition into selling mode.
- Paul Hoynes at the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians will have a look at recently departed reliever Rafael Betancourt when he hits the free agent market.
- Hoynes also outlines the Indians' payroll obligations for next season, and wonders if low attendance and revenues will force them to trim the team's "luxury items."
- Toni Ginnetti at the Chicago Sun-Times talked to Cubs GM Jim Hendry, who expects some upgrades will come after the non-waiver deadline.
- Jamey Newberg takes a look at the concept of trading prospects through the lens of the Rangers.
- Tom Haudricourt at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel chatted with Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, who will take an "aggressive but smart" approach at the deadline.
- Jeff Zrebiec at the Baltimore Sun says director of scouting Joe Jordan is "irked" by the fact that only 20 of the Orioles' 50 picks have signed with the team.
- Rumors are swirling that Luis Gonzalez might be heading back to the Diamondbacks as a team official, says Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com.
Red Sox Scout Indians-Mariners Game
MLBTR has learned tonight that the Red Sox had a scout in attendance for tonight's Indians-Mariners game. The Indians topped the Ms 9-0 behind a nice performance from Aaron Laffey and four home runs from the offense.
The purpose behind Boston's scouting mission is unknown. But the logical connection is Indians catcher Victor Martinez. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote Thursday that the Red Sox "continue to scout and express interest in Martinez even after acquiring first baseman Adam LaRoche." However, at the time Rosenthal considered a Martinez trade a longshot. The Rays also have an eye on V-Mart, based on reports earlier this week from SI's Jon Heyman.