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July 2 Update: Abad, Peguero, Sanchez

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We're still more than a month away from July 2nd, when teams can officially sign a new crop of international talent. That means most of us are thinking about Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and the other American, Canadian and Puerto Rican prospects eligible for the upcoming amateur draft. But Melissa Segura of SI.com has the latest on some international players who are attracting heavy interest (all Twitter links):

  • Righty Luis Alvaro Abad is attracting interest from the Yankees, Astros, A's and Blue Jays.
  • Six to eight teams are pursuing dominican shortstop Estalin Peguero and interest is heating up.
  • Elvis Sanchez is also picking up momentum; the Mets, Pirates and Astros appear to be interested.

Rangers Inquire On Roy Oswalt?

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Rangers President Nolan Ryan called to inquire on Roy Oswalt, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports.  Yesterday, however, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan wrote that the Rangers are not going to get involved in Oswalt trade talks, as it's unlikely they could even take on a fraction of his contract.  Plus, Sullivan learned from GM Jon Daniels that adding starting pitching is not a high priority.  Also yesterday, ESPN's Tony Jackson said the Astros are not looking to trade Oswalt at this point.

Buster Olney wondered today if the Rangers could take on a less-expensive player like Cliff Lee.  Olney's example: if the Rangers convinced the Mariners to take Rich Harden and his contract, they could offer better prospects for Lee.  We've seen the Dodgers make payroll-neutral trades in recent years, even giving up Carlos Santana and Jon Meloan for Casey Blake in 2008. 

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Tuesday

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9:00pm: The Astros are not looking to trade Oswalt now, according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Dodgers are not in active talks to trade for the right-hander at this point.

8:15pm: The Rangers are content with their current pitchers and have limited financial flexibility, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. GM Jon Daniels told Sullivan that the club is not looking for pitching – at least for now.

"That could always change," Daniels said. "You've got to be open-minded about adding an impact pitcher."

8:34am: Prepare yourself for a couple months of Roy Oswalt rumors.  Today's batch:

How Do Nationals Match Up For Oswalt?

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The Washington Nationals have made no secret of their interest in Roy Oswalt, and with good reason. The 32-year-old lays waste to the wins statistic, pitching to just a 2-6 record despite a 2.66 ERA, 16 walks and 60 strikeouts in 61 innings. That 8.9 K/9 mark should go a long way toward assuaging teams concerned about taking on the hefty salary Oswalt commands- $15MM this year, $16MM in 2011, and a $16MM 2012 option (with $2MM buyout).

Assuming the Nationals would take on Oswalt's contract and the pitcher is willing to play for them, what would constitute a reasonable haul of young players from Washington?

For Houston's part, they need help, essentially, everywhere. The farm system is pretty sparsely populated, prospect-wise, and the major league club has needs all over. Their 15-29 record is earned honestly; their Pythagorean mark, based on runs scored and runs allowed, is 14-30.

Some major league pieces that could interest Houston include Ian Desmond, who could provide middle infield help for the Astros, and Tyler Clippard, whose value might never be higher after a strong start (and with Houston GM Ed Wade a longtime lover of bullpen pieces).

But the deal would almost certainly have to revolve around minor league pieces. Houston would be right to ask for Drew Storen or Derek Norris as a centerpiece, though both are extremely prized by Washington, and the latter plays the same position as Houston's best prospect, Jason Castro. The smart money is probably on a deal centered around pitcher Brad Meyers, whose tremendous results at Double-A this year- 27 strikeouts, four walks in 22 2/3 innings, 0.79 ERA- are only tempered by questions about how his stuff will translate at higher levels.

Other pieces that could draw Houston's interest include 2006 first rounder Chris Marrero as a possible replacement for Lance Berkman at first base (though his Double-A numbers are underwhelming so far), and Danny Espinosa, whose strong play and effective plate discipline at shortstop for Double-A Harrisburg makes him appear pretty close to big-league ready.

From this view, a reasonable trade for Oswalt would be Meyers, Marrero, Clippard and another minor piece. And given the massive needs of the Astros, such a deal would certainly be in their interest.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Resop, Trembley, Harper

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Links for Monday, as Edwin Encarnacion and the Blue Jays swing away in Anaheim…

  • Michael Young told MLB.com's Chris Cox that he was relieved to hear that the Rangers' sale won't affect the team's regular spending.
  • As MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan explains, the Rangers' sale will go before a judge to speed up the process. In the meantime, the Rangers should be able to spend normally.
  • The Rangers probably won't be drafting players who demand over-slot money this year, according to Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Jon Paul Morosi expects Chris Resop, who has a June 15th opt-out clause, to be in the majors within a couple weeks (Twitter link). The Braves could trade him or call him up.
  • Dave Trembley is still the Orioles' manager after today's meeting with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. 
  • Bryce Harper keeps making the Nationals' decision easier. The 2010 draft prospect slugged four homers, a triple and a double in one game over the weekend, writes John Manuel of Baseball America.
  • In a mock draft for ESPN.com, Keith Law has the Harper going first overall to the Nationals, because "there's no argument left for taking anyone else."
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo shows that the D'Backs and A's have drafted many major league contributors this past decade.
  • The Koji Uehara signing was a regrettable but not unforgivable move by the Orioles, writes Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Former Astros manager Phil Garner told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he thinks Roy Oswalt would prefer to play near his Mississippi home. Garner, who hasn't spoken to Oswalt in three years, believes Brad Ausmus and Jake Peavy could draw Oswalt to the Dodgers and White Sox, respectively.

The Phillies’ Search For Pitching

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The Phillies are looking at pitchers around the league, though they don’t need arms as badly as they did last year, writes MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Roy Oswalt is not a likely fit, despite his availability, since the Phillies would prefer to hold onto their prospects.

"We're going to be reluctant to move talent, because we've moved a lot of talent out of our system," GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "But we'll see how things shape up over the next several months."

Since Oswalt makes $16MM next season and the Phillies have already guaranteed their players $135MM in 2011, acquiring Oswalt would likely mean letting Jayson Werth leave as a free agent after the season unless the Astros took on salary. The Astros would demand better prospects if they had to take on salary, so the Phillies are keeping tabs on cheaper options. As ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reported last week, the Phillies are in touch with Pedro Martinez.

"We haven't seen him throw, but we check in with him," Amaro told Zolecki.

Martinez, who pitched well for the Phillies down the stretch last year after they signed him mid-season, would not cost prospects, so the Phillies are intrigued. They are eyeing a pair of White Sox relievers, too.

Rosenthal On Oswalt, Kearns, Dunn

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports leads his latest column with an imagined conversation between Astros owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade, in which Wade attempts to educate McLane on the realities of Roy Oswalt's trade value.  Rosenthal's hot stove notes…

  • Like most people, Rosenthal can't see the Reds splurging on Oswalt.  He finds the Mets "an even less serious contender" due to limited finances.
  • Rosenthal points out that Carlos Zambrano hasn't shown himself to be worthy of replacing anyone in the current Cubs' rotation.  At the moment, the Cubs appear to have a surplus.
  • Rosenthal notes that the Majors' current home run kings – Jose Bautista, Paul Konerko, and Ty Wigginton – could be available at the trade deadline.  Who would've predicted these three would top the leaderboard on May 24th?  With Kelly Johnson tied for fourth?  The Jays acquired Bautista in August of '08 without much fanfare, sending catcher Robinzon Diaz to Pittsburgh.  The Pirates designated Diaz for assignment last November.
  • Austin Kearns would be a nice match for the Giants, suggests Rosenthal.  The 30-year-old outfielder is hitting .304/.377/.487 in 130 plate appearances for the Indians this year.  Nate Schierholtz hasn't been much worse, though he's dealing with a bruised shoulder at the moment.
  • Rosenthal feels that the Nationals will strike a deal to keep Adam Dunn in Washington before he reaches free agency.

Kaz Matsui Clears Waivers

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MONDAY, 2:09pm: Matsui has cleared waivers and is now a free agent, tweets Alyson Footer.  The Astros will be on the hook for his $5MM salary, minus the pro-rated league minimum.

WEDNESDAY, 11:02pm: The Astros have asked waivers on Kaz Matsui and intend to release the infielder, GM Ed Wade said in a team press release. If no team claims Matsui by Monday, he will become a free agent, though the Astros will be responsible for his $5MM salary. The Astros called Oswaldo Navarro up from Triple A in a corresponding move.

The Astros signed Matsui to a three-year $16.5MM deal in 2007 and were rewarded a promising initial season. Matsui hit .293/.354/.427 with 20 steals in 25 attempts in 2008, though he played in just 96 games. The 34-year-old hasn't been as productive since and his batting line has fallen off to .141/.197/.155 this year. The Astros, whose offense ranks last in the NL, had to move on.

Matsui's batting line won't have suitors lining up and his fielding has been below average since joining the Astros (according to UZR). Last fall, Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle reported that the Astros could consider the possibility of Matsui returning to Japan. Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports today that Matsui did not say whether he would consider a return to his native country.

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Sunday

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6:24pm: Nats GM Mike Rizzo will neither confirm or deny the club's interest in Oswalt, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

Kilgore writes that even if the Nationals are interested, it is unlikely a deal could be struck between the two sides.  First, Washington would have to be willing to part with farmhands that they have worked diligently to stock.  Secondly, they would have to take on Oswalt's hefty contract. 

Finally, Oswalt would have to approve a deal to the nation's capital.  Despite the fact that the Nats appear to be contenders at present, Kilgore wonders how the 32-year-old feels about a club that has lost more than 100 games in back-to-back seasons.

12:58pm: A baseball source tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson that the Nationals are interested in trading for Oswalt.

12:27pm: Roy Oswalt's trade request has inspired plenty of speculation about potential suitors for the right-hander. Here's a roundup of the latest discussion about possible trade partners for the Astros:

Odds & Ends: Reds, Rookies, Pelfrey, Lima, Alvarez

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Links for Sunday, as we await tonight's Subway series rubber match….

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