Astros Rumors

Odds & Ends: Green, Oswalt, Mets, Gaudin, Werth

By Mike Axisa | May 22, 2010 at 9:01pm CDT

Links for Saturday….

With Rafael Furcal returning to the Dodgers, the out-of-options Nick Green is a candidate for demotion, writes Evan Drellich of MLB.com.
Roy Oswalt told Houston owner Drayton McLane that he wouldn't mind coming back and finishing his career with the organization, tweets Alyson Footer of the Astros.
More on Oswalt: Footer (via Twitter) is skeptical about the Mets' chances of acquiring Houston's ace. Meanwhile, manager Brad Mills doesn't expect Oswalt's trade request to be a clubhouse distraction, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
At MLB.com, Peter Gammons takes a look at a few underachieving teams who are under pressure to make changes.
Scott Olsen has been placed on the disabled list, but Stephen Strasburg won't be the pitcher called up to take his roster spot, tweets Bill Ladson of MLB.com.
Jack Curry of the YES Network (via Twitter) asked Mets GM Omar Minaya if Jerry Manuel is managing to save his job. Minaya answered, "I don't want to say that. I wouldn't say that's the case."
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that Chad Gaudin received and turned down a minor league assignment offer from the A's.
Mike Lowell told Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald that he has no regrets about passing on a four year, $37.5MM contract offer from the Phillies after the 2007 season.
Jayson Werth said he's "played [his] entire career for this year," according to David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Werth, of course, is referring to his contract year and impending free agent payday.
Chris Iannetta remains the one who got away for the Red Sox, who almost drafted the catcher back in 2004 according to WEEI.com's Alex Speier.
Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune analyzed the Carlos Gomez–J.J. Hardy trade now that we're six months out.
John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer notes that the Reds have gotten tremendous production out of their bargain basement left field combo of Jonny Gomes and Laynce Nix ($1.4MM combined salary).

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Oswalt, Lowell, Griffey

By Luke Adams 2 | May 22, 2010 at 7:52pm CDT

With FOX airing Saturday evening games this weekend rather than afternoon games, Ken Rosenthal's new Full Count video showed up on their website a little later in the day too. Now that it's been posted, let's recap Rosenthal's latest hot stove tidbits….

Roy Oswalt is making $15MM this year and $16MM next year, which will make it difficult to trade him. Making it even trickier, owner Drayton McLane won't want to include money in a deal, even if it means getting better prospects in return.
If the Mariners become sellers, that would further diminish the chances of an Oswalt deal, since the M's could make Cliff Lee available. Lee is the much more affordable ace, earning only $9MM this season.
The Red Sox don't want to release Mike Lowell, since he provides injury protection at both corner infield spots, and can DH against left-handers. Additionally, if the Sox were to release Lowell, many of their AL rivals, such as the Angels, Rays, and Twins, could have interest in him.
Ken Griffey's current role of pinch-hitter, occasional DH, and clubhouse mentor is exactly what the Mariners were hoping for when they re-signed the 40-year-old this winter. For now, the club has no desire for Griffey to retire.
Carlos Zambrano appears to be headed back to the Cubs' rotation, even though he may currently be their sixth-best starter. The team could attempt to trade Tom Gorzelanny or move him to the bullpen, but Rosenthal opines that it would make their pitching staff weaker.

Oswalt Explains Trade Request

By Luke Adams 2 | May 22, 2010 at 5:45pm CDT

Houston ace Roy Oswalt said today that he didn't explicitly demand a trade, but rather expressed to Astros owner Drayton McLane that a deal may be in the best interest of both sides, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

"I just kind of asked as an option, and what they were thinking as far as which direction they're going, do they plan to get young, or try to get some more players, or what direction are they going?" said Oswalt. "They didn't really have an answer for what they were going to do right now."

"I'm not looking for an 'out' for me, from the standpoint as a franchise player for ten years," the right-hander added. "But I think it would be a good thing for both of us."

According to sources, Oswalt would only waive his no-trade clause if he was being dealt to a team he felt could immediately contend for a championship. Olney says that the 32-year-old has a few preferred destinations in mind, but that he wouldn't specify them.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk wrote last night that a few clubs who could be on Oswalt's wish list aren't necessarily good fits. Olney also looks at some potential destinations in his article, naming the Tigers, Rangers, Dodgers, and Angels as some teams whose interest in Oswalt might be outweighed by various roadblocks. Given Oswalt's no-trade clause, his salary, and the lack of clear-cut suitors, a deal may be difficult to work out.

Astros Sign Two Top Dominican Pitchers

By Zachary Links | May 22, 2010 at 4:05pm CDT

Houston has signed two of the top arms from the Dominican Republic, 16-year-old righthander Michael Feliz and 17-year-old righthander Jose Montero, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America. Feliz's deal is worth $400K while Montero will reportedly earn $350K.

Feliz reached agreement with the A's on a deal worth $800K in the offseason, but Oakland voided the deal upon the pitcher testing positive for an anabolic steroid and receiving a 50-game suspension. Scouts who have kept tabs on the hurler this year say that he was regularly hitting 92-93 mph on the radar gun before the positive drug test but has been topping out at 91 mph in recent months.

Montero can pitch at 89-92 mph and has hit 93 mph on the radar gun for some scouts. Latin American sources have said that the Yankees and Padres were also interested in his services. While he throws a slider and an occasional changeup, his secondary stuff and overall feel for pitching isn't as advanced as Feliz's.

The Astros now appear poised to have three first-year fireballers on their Dominican Summer League staff, with lefty Edgar Ferreira also expected to be on board. Ferreira, 17, signed with Houston in December of last year.

Olney’s Latest: Oswalt, Mariners, Jays, Sonnanstine

By Mike Axisa | May 22, 2010 at 9:47am CDT

In today's blog post at ESPN, Buster Olney wrote about the major hurdles the Astros will face in trying to trade Roy Oswalt. The biggest obstacles are Oswalt's salary (owed $29MM through 2011), his history of back trouble, his full-no trade clause, and the fact that teams are coveting young players more than ever and might not be willing to give up a package good enough to convince owner Drayton McLane to move one of his star players.

As one GM put it, "a no-trade clause doesn't become a must-trade clause." Another believes they won't "just give the guy away." Here's the rest of Olney's rumors…

The Mariners continue to search for a hitter.
Toronto's asking for one or two prospects for relievers Jason Frasor and Scott Downs, but rival executives believe that asking price to be very high.
Some executives believe that the Rays will make Andy Sonnanstine available at some point this summer. Olney suggests the Mets as a potential fit, noting that there were brief talks between the two teams about a trade this offseason.

Astros Notes: Oswalt, Berkman, Reds, Castro

By Mark Polishuk | May 21, 2010 at 9:49pm CDT

Not surprisingly, there's a lot of talk about the Astros tonight in the wake of Roy Oswalt's trade demand. Here are a few pieces of hot stove info about Houston and their possibly-departing ace….

Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle thinks the Astros should completely look to the future and start looking to trade the likes of Lance Berkman, Brett Myers, Matt Lindstrom and other notable players. Justice sets 2012 as the date when Houston "might be good again" and says "if [Astros GM Ed Wade] thinks a player would still be capable of contributing in 2012, then he ought to stay."
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle dismisses a reader's tweet about any possible interest from the Giants in Oswalt, replying that San Fran needs hitting, not (another) ace pitcher. In another tweet, he mentions that Berkman is an Astro who would "make more sense" for a Giants trade, and adds that it wouldn't take a prospect the caliber of Madison Bumgarner or Buster Posey to make it happen.
An unnamed Reds official "was intrigued" at Oswalt's availability, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Fay is doubtful a trade could be worked out due to Oswalt's contract, but he notes that Oswalt's 2010 salary isn't much larger than those of Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo, both of whom can be bought out of their 2011 contracts for $2MM. (Harang's buyout is worth $500K more if he's traded.) An NBA-style deal for a semi-expiring contract might interest the Astros since it would free up a lot of payroll space.
Wade tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that catching prospect Jason Castro still needs some more time at Triple-A before Houston thinks about calling him up. Castro, the 10th overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft, has a peculiar .259/.390/.295 line in 136 plate appearances for Triple-A Round Rock this season.
The Astros will have a hard time getting full value back for Oswalt, says R.J. Anderson of Fangraphs. Anderson notes that only the Padres were able to get a good return on a pitcher in a similar situation when they dealt Jake Peavy to Chicago.

Oswalt’s Preferred Destinations Aren’t Good Fits

By Mark Polishuk | May 21, 2010 at 7:16pm CDT

Roy Oswalt's request to be dealt from the Astros means that the sweepstakes for the veteran pitcher are officially on. We've heard that Oswalt is willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to a contending team, and three teams that he would reportedly be interested in joining are the Braves, Cardinals and Rangers.

If these really are the top choices on Oswalt's wish list, the right-hander might need to expand his horizons. Several obstacles stand between Oswalt pitching for any of these clubs:

Texas. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News is pessimistic about the Rangers' chances at Oswalt, noting that the team's unsettled ownership situation would make it difficult to take on Oswalt's big salary. The right-hander is owed $16MM in 2011 and has a club option for $16MM in 2012. That final year can be bought out for $2MM, but that still adds up to an $18MM investment in Oswalt, not to mention the remainder of his $15MM salary this season. Rich Harden is the only experienced arm currently in the Texas rotation, but given the number of promising young arms in the Rangers' system, committing a lot of money to a veteran like Oswalt doesn't make much long-term sense.
St. Louis. Even if Oswalt's no-trade clause and salary limits Houston's options, it's hard to imagine the Astros dealing one of their franchise icons within the division. MLB.com's Matthew Leach (via Twitter) doesn't think the Cardinals will seriously pursue Oswalt since the St. Louis rotation is already so strong. Leach thinks the Cards will "put in a call" to keep their bases covered, but it's a longshot.
Atlanta. Much like St. Louis, the Braves have no pressing need for another starter, even one of Oswalt's caliber. If the Braves make any moves before the trade deadline, it will be to acquire a hitter to improve their struggling lineup. There's also the fact that while the Cardinals and Rangers currently lead their divisions, Atlanta is 21-20 heading into Friday's play and will face a tough uphill climb to catch the Phillies in the NL East. The Braves might not fit Oswalt's definition of a "contender."

There's also the possibility that Oswalt might not go anywhere. As Houston GM Ed Wade told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, "Roy's contract includes a no-trade clause, not a trade-me clause…I just want to acknowledge the request has been made, but it really doesn't change anything on our end." It has been well-documented that Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. is loath to commit to a full rebuilding process for his team and give up on the Oswalt/Lance Berkman/Carlos Lee era, but now that Oswalt has outright asked to be traded, perhaps that's the sign that McLane needs to see that changes are necessary in Houston.

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Scheppers, Pirates, Blue Jays

By Mark Polishuk | May 21, 2010 at 5:55pm CDT

As we prepare for a weekend of watching AL pitchers take ineffective swings, here are a few news items…

Dave Cameron of Fangraphs thinks the Orioles should take advantage of their terrible start by being the first team to put its assets on the trade market.
Texas relief prospect Tanner Scheppers could be in the majors by the All-Star Break or even sooner, predicts John Sickels of MinorLeagueBall.com.
ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill looks at what the Pirates might do with the second overall pick in next month's amateur draft.
The Blue Jays want "a top prospect" for either Scott Downs or Jason Frasor, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and other teams consider that to be too high a price for either reliever.
Olney also notes (via Twitter) that Seattle is still looking for batting help.
Matt Eddy of Baseball America discusses several prospects in a chat with fans. In regards to Indians prospect Lonnie Chisenhall, Eddy predicts that Cleveland will buy out Jhonny Peralta (for $250K) rather than pick up his $7MM club option in 2011, and then have Chisenhall take over as the everyday third baseman. Chisenhall has just a .641 OPS at Double-A Akron this season, so it might be too much to expect him to move up to the majors that quickly.
Larry Stone of the Seattle Times compares the situations of fading future Hall-of-Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Trevor Hoffman.
ESPN's Rob Neyer thinks Colorado can do better than Luis Castillo or Kazuo Matsui if the club is serious about improving itself at second base.
Trevor Plouffe, Minnesota's first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2004 amateur draft, will make his major league debut tonight for the Twins, reports Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Roy Oswalt Requests Trade From Houston

By Mark Polishuk | May 21, 2010 at 4:24pm CDT

The Chicago Tribune's Mark Gonzales is reporting that Astros ace Roy Oswalt has asked Houston owner Drayton McLane Jr. to be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline. Astros GM Ed Wade confirmed Oswalt's request to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Oswalt said last week that he was "open" to a potential deal and would waive his no-trade clause if he could join a contending team.

Oswalt has been rumored to be possibly the top starter available at the deadline, and after a somewhat shaky 2009 season, he has looked like his old self this year — a 2.66 ERA and 3.75 K/BB ratio in nine starts, though his record is just 2-6 for the last-place Astros. The right-hander is guaranteed to earn $15MM this season, $16MM in 2011, and will require a $2MM buyout of his contract for 2012, a club option for another $16MM. It's a steep price for a pitcher who will be 33 in August.

We've already heard that the Mets might not have the money to make a play for Oswalt, though given their recent struggles, they might not be looking to add players at the deadline anyway. Atlanta, St. Louis and Texas are reportedly Oswalt's top preferences for a new team.

Odds & Ends: Resop, Gamel, Santana, Bumgarner

By Mark Polishuk | May 20, 2010 at 10:16pm CDT

Happy birthday, Jayson Werth! Let's celebrate by reading these news items…

FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi outlines the unique contract situation of right-hander Chris Resop, who has been a revelation as a starting pitcher this season for Atlanta's Triple-A team.
A bit further down the FOX Sports Buzz page, Morosi notes that Mat Gamel's time playing first base during his rehab assignment isn't necessarily a hint about Prince Fielder's fate in Milwaukee.
In response to a piece about the Dodgers' spending under Frank McCourt, Fanhouse's Tom Krasovic relates how L.A. shipped Carlos Santana to Cleveland in the Casey Blake deal rather than pick up $2MM of Blake's salary. If Santana becomes the star catcher that he's projected to be for the Tribe, Dodger fans might be regretting that $2MM worth of savings for a long time.
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says the Giants may have Eric Hacker replace the struggling Todd Wellemeyer in the rotation. Star prospect Madison Bumgarner has pitched well in Triple-A this season, but Schulman thinks the Giants want the young left-hander to have more innings at that level before they bring him up to the majors.
Troy Renck of The Denver Post writes that the recently DFA'ed Willy Taveras worked out in Houston this week. The Astros offered Taveras a minor league deal over the winter, so Taveras' workout could represent a rekindling of the club's interest, or it could've just been a courtesy extended to a former Astro.
Terry Pluto of The Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks Michael Brantley and the Indians would both be better served by having the outfield prospect back in the majors. Pluto points out that if the Tribe are trying to stall Brantley's service time, then they shouldn't have had him start with the club on Opening Day.
The Rays have had almost as many key injuries as the Yankees this season, but Tampa Bay's depth made them better prepared to deal with it, writes Steve Slowinski of the DRaysBay blog.
Speaking of those Yankee injuries, Brian Cashman said today that the club would look within their system to fill the holes, reports Chad Jennings of The Journal News.

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