Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Astros Rumors

Odds & Ends: Konerko, Kuroda, Astros, Morgan

By | at

A few links to check out while we wait to see if Jon Garland can halt the Padres' eight-game losing streak and get his team's season back on track…

  • The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo wonders out loud (via Twitter) if Paul Konerko could be a fit for the Red Sox in 2011. That speculation, of course, likely depends on Adrian Beltre's future in Boston.
  • In a piece for MLB.com, Sarah D. Morris opines that the Dodgers should re-sign Hiroki Kuroda, even though the team's financial situation makes it unlikely.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider req'd) draws the parallels between this year's Astros and last year's Padres, pointing out that both clubs traded long-time stars at the deadline for young players and payroll savings, then went on to have strong second halves.
  • Olney also notes that given his disappointing season (.255/.314/.315) and recent suspension troubles, Nyjer Morgan is hurting his chances for future employment. FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi also chimed in on the subject.
  • The Nationals plan to call up Cuban defector Yunesky Maya following Monday's game according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Washington signed the 28-year-old righthander early last month.
  • USA Today's Bob Nightengale recently sat down for a chat with Dan Hudson. Among other things, the righty said it's nice to be with a team that wants him. Hudson was traded from the White Sox to the Diamondbacks for Edwin Jackson before this year's deadline.

Odds & Ends: Hill, Sampson, Butler, Lewis

By | at

On this day in 1977, Sadaharu Oh hit his 756th career home run, passing Hank Aaron for the (known) all-time professional record.  It's just the 'known' record since we don't know for sure how many homers Josh Gibson hit in the Negro Leagues.  Oh finished his Japanese career with a whopping 868 long balls. 

Some news items…

  • Andrew Stoeten of the Drunk Jays Fans blog and The Toronto Sun's Bob Elliott both recently outlined the Blue Jays' upcoming decision about Aaron Hill's 2012-14 club option years.  If the Jays decline to exercise all three options at once by next Opening Day, Hill can no longer be retained by the team on his $10MM club option for 2014.  It's very likely that Toronto will pass on the three-years-at-once option and then look at Hill's $8MM options for 2012 and 2013 after next season.  In short, Hill's lackluster play this year has cost him $10MM thus far.
  • Chris Sampson has accepted his minor league assignment from the Astros and will report to Triple-A Round Rock, tweets Alyson Footer of MLB.com.  Sampson could've opted for free agency, but will instead finish the season in Houston's system and pursue free agency in the offseason.
  • If Eric Hosmer continues to develop, ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill suggests that Kansas City might trade Billy Butler to avoid paying him a significant contract.  Butler is a first-time arbitration candidate this offseason and could make 10 times his current $470K salary in 2011.
  • Cleveland manager Manny Acta says that Jensen Lewis' future with the Tribe may depend on how he looks in relief outings this September, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Lewis will reach arbitration for the first time this winter and is out of options, so he's a possible non-tender candidate.
  • In a reader chat, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News gave his opinion on such Rangers hot stove topics as Cliff Lee's future with the club and whom the Rangers might target in free agency this winter.
  • Brandon Boggs has cleared waivers and been assigned to Texas' Triple-A affiliate, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez.  Boggs was designated for assignment on Tuesday.
  • Eric Chavez "is not ready to announce [his] retirement," tweets MLB.com's Jane Lee, but would consider a post-playing career of coaching or broadcasting (also from Twitter).
  • Blogger El Lefty Malo looks at how the Giants have gotten better at acquiring "band-aid" veterans.
  • Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall tells FOXSportsArizona.com's Jack Magruder that money will not be a factor in hiring the team's new general manager, but admits "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an issue."
  • Alex Rodriguez's recent split with agent Scott Boras may have been influenced by advisers from the entertainment business and Rodriguez's "infatuation with Hollywood stardom," reports ESPNNewYork.com's Wallace Matthews.  Somewhere, Ari Gold is yelling at Lloyd to place a call on his behalf…

Odds & Ends: Huff, Marlins, Sampson, D’Backs

By | at

Links for Thursday, exactly ten years after the Angels signed Ervin Santana as an amateur free agent…

  • Aubrey Huff is enjoying his time in San Francisco, writes Chris Haft of MLB.com.  Huff, who signed a one-year, $3MM deal with the Giants in the offseason, will be a free agent at season's end.
  • The Marlins still consider Bobby Valentine a candidate for their managerial opening and Valentine didn't rule out the possibility of re-starting talks with the team, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). 
  • The Astros announced that they removed Chris Sampson from their 40-man roster. He has three days to accept a minor league assignment or opt for free agency. Sampson told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he realizes his time with the Astros is likely over.
  • The Mariners say they knew little about Josh Lueke's history with the law when they acquired the pitching prospect in the Cliff Lee trade, but both the Rangers and former Mariners pitching coach Rick Adair have different versions of the story, as Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times explains.
  • Unsure where your team is going to pick in next year's draft? Check out our reverse standings page, which we link to under 'Features' on the right side of the page.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the D’Backs plan to speak to De Jon Watson, the Dodgers assistant GM for player development, about their permanent GM job. Also in the running, some familiar names: Jerry Dipoto, D’Backs assistant GM Peter Woodfork, Kevin Towers, Damon Oppenheimer and Logan White.
  • Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic believes Chien-Ming Wang, who signed for $2MM plus incentives, is a better comparable for Brandon Webb than Rich Harden, Tim Hudson, or the other pitchers his agent compared him to. 
  • Chone Figgins told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that he doesn't regret signing in Seattle.
  • Rookie pitcher Hisanori Takahashi can become a free agent after the season, as David Waldstein of the New York Times reports. He and the Mets haven't started negotiating an extension, but there's mutual interest in one.

Odds & Ends: White Sox, Hoffman, Britton, Cubs

By | at

As Albert Pujols joins the 400-homer club, here are some items of note…

  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams hinted that his club may be pursuing a lower-profile waiver wire target than Manny Ramirez, reports MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  This target, however, is apparently not Trevor Hoffman. Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com writes that Williams denied a report saying that the Sox put in a claim on Hoffman, but were unable to work out a trade with the Brewers.
  • The Orioles are "increasingly less likely" to call up left-hander Zach Britton in September, reports MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.  Britton, ranked as the 63rd-best prospect in the game by Baseball America's preseason rankings, would only be in line to start every six or seven days given Baltimore's full staff and a number of September off-days.  Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun adds that Britton is already nearing his 2010 innings limit.
  • The Cubs interviewed Eric Wedge today for their open manager's job, reports Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.  Levine mentions that Fredi Gonzalez, Pat Listach and Ryne Sandberg are all slated for interviews, and Chicago GM Jim Hendry wants a new manager hired before the team's November organizational meetings.
  • It's "unlikely at this point" that the Diamondbacks will be making any more trades, a team executive tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.
  • The Pirates were wise to get Jameson Taillon signed at an over-slot price rather than take their chances with two top-3 picks in the 2011 amateur draft, writes Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Jeff Bagwell isn't sure if he wants to return as Houston's hitting coach next season, says MLB.com's Alyson Footer.

Astros Claim Matt Downs

By | at

The Astros claimed infielder Matt Downs off waivers from the Giants, tweets Alyson Footer.  Downs has been assigned to the team's Triple A affiliate.  He was designated for assignment on Monday to clear a spot for Cody Ross.

Downs, 26, struggled in the bigs over 148 career plate appearances in 2009-10.  He played second base in the Majors, but has minor league experience at shortstop, third base, and the outfielder corners as well.  This year marked his third Triple A stint; his power slipped as he posted a .254/.348/.416 line in a half-season.  Downs was still considered a prospect heading into the 2009 season, when Baseball America ranked him 24th on their Giants list and published praise from GM Brian Sabean.

What’s Next For Wandy Rodriguez?

By | at

The Twins, Reds, Mets, Dodgers, and Blue Jays tried to acquire lefty Wandy Rodriguez on July 31st, wrote ESPN's Jayson Stark, but the Astros "never seriously entertained trading him."  Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle wrote yesterday that Rodriguez, the longest-tenured Astro, had his representatives sit down with GM Ed Wade over the weekend to discuss his future.  Wandy hopes to remain with the Astros, but Wade will wait on specific discussions until the offseason.

The Astros have Rodriguez for 2011, as he'll be arbitration-eligible one last time.  The team's victory over the pitcher in a February arbitration hearing will continue to benefit them, as his raise will be added to a $5MM salary rather than a $7MM base. 

If Rodriguez seeks an extension that buys out free agent years, Joe Blanton's deal might be an apt comparison.  Blanton, entering his final arbitration year, signed a three-year, $24MM deal with the Phillies in January of 2010.  Aside from strikeouts, their numbers stack up quite well.  Check out Wandy's projected career numbers through 2010 (with ZiPS projecting the rest of the season) and Blanton's through 2009:

  • Innings pitched: 1026.6 for Blanton, 983.6 for Rodriguez
  • ERA: 4.21 for Blanton, 4.25 for Rodriguez
  • Wins: 63 for Blanton, 63 for Rodriguez
  • Strikeouts: 643 for Blanton, 826 for Rodriguez 

One other point in Rodriguez's favor is that his ERA in his last three seasons should be around 3.50 while Blanton's was 4.22.  Wandy has really turned it around recently after a rough start to the 2010 season.  He had a 6.09 ERA as recently as June 19th, but has allowed five earned runs over his last six starts to drop his season ERA to 4.00.

Rodriguez turns 32 in January, so he qualifies as a late bloomer.  His agent Barry Praver might suggest that as a southpaw who does not depend on velocity, Wandy figures to age well.

Stark On Zambrano, Beltran, Keppinger, Torre

By | at

Owners want a rigid slotting system like the ones in the NFL and the NBA, but ESPN.com's Jayson Stark finds it hard to believe that the MLBPA would agree to hard slotting, since it has traditionally avoided caps of any kind. One National League executive compared baseball's current slotting system to “traffic lights in the Dominican,” since he doesn’t know “what they're even there for." A hard slotting system would give teams the certainty of pre-determined bonuses, but the MLBPA wouldn't like it. Here are the rest of Stark's rumors:

  • One executive believes the Cubs could find a taker for Carlos Zambrano this winter as long as they take on most of the big righty's salary, but another executive says there's no way the Cubs could trade Big Z.
  • Executives are similarly divided on Carlos Beltran. One says trading him is "impossible," but another would take a flier on Beltran, partly because he's headed into a contract year.
  • Jeff Keppinger was claimed on waivers, so the Astros cannot trade him this month.
  • A longtime acquaintance of Joe Torre's expects the manager to sign with the Mets this winter.

Cardinals Acquire Pedro Feliz

By | at

The Cardinals acquired Pedro Feliz and cash from the Astros for pitcher David Carpenter, according to Astros director of social media Alyson Footer (on Twitter). Feliz, 35, has a .221/.243/.311 line this season with four homers in 304 plate appearances. He hasn't hit much in recent years, but has a reputation as a strong defender. UZR suggests that Feliz's defense has been excellent throughout his career (though he has a -7.9 rating in 530 innings so far in 2010).

The Cardinals acquired Feliz to help out at third base, since an injury to David Freese and a Felipe Lopez slump have left St. Louis thin at the hot corner. The Cardinals intensified their search for infielders this week, showing interest in multiple third basemen. Feliz makes a total of $4.5MM in 2010 (he has yet to receive about $1.1MM of that) before becoming a free agent this winter. 

Carpenter, 25, was the closer for the Cards' Florida State League (High A) affiliate. He has 20 saves this year with a 2.36 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9. The Cards drafted Carpenter in the 12th round of the 2006 draft as a catcher. Astros GM Ed Wade describes the right-hander as a "power arm" who could become a major league contributor. 

Barret Loux To Be Granted Free Agency

By | at

Press release from the Diamondbacks and unsigned draft pick Barret Loux:

"We have reached an agreement regarding Barret Loux’s status that is mutually beneficial to the parties. Today Commissioner Selig has announced that Loux will become a free agent on September 1. As such, he will be free to sign with any Major League Club at that time. In addition, the Arizona Diamondbacks will receive a Supplemental Selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. The agreement also provides an opportunity for the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association globally to the address the issues that can arise from questions concerning a drafted player’s health. Given the private nature of the underlying disagreement here, neither party will be making any further public comments about this situation."

Chosen sixth overall by the D'Backs, Loux's July physical revealed a labrum tear and elbow issues according to Yahoo's Jeff Passan.  The D'Backs backed out of a $2MM agreement, as was their right, and will receive the seventh overall pick as compensation in 2011.  With the money freed up the Diamondbacks went over slot yesterday to sign draft picks such as Ty Linton ($1.25MM), Tyler Green ($750K), and Blake Perry ($500K).

Once Loux reaches free agency, Yahoo's Kendall Rogers wouldn't be surprised to see the White Sox pursue him (Twitter link).  The Astros will look into signing Loux, GM Ed Wade told Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.  Free agency is a very positive outcome for Loux, as one MLBTR commenter explains here.

Draft Pick Signings

By | at

Today's draft pick signing deadline passed at 11pm central time.  This post contains notable signings outside of the first round, with the latest up top.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top