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Olney’s Latest: Oswalt, Berkman, Rays, Wood

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In today's blog post at ESPN, Buster Olney discusses the trade value of Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman, which might not be as good as owner Drayton McLane would like. One GM noted that Houston's ace battled back trouble last year, which makes him a scary investment because of the potential to underperform and/or breakdown. 

Another executive noted that the contracts of both players might be prohibitive. Oswalt is guaranteed $33MM through 2011, while Berkman is making $15MM this season with a $2MM buyout of his $15MM club option for next season. It's also worth noting that the first baseman is hitting just .185/.290/.352 in 62 plate appearances since coming off the disabled list. If McLane decides to move one of his franchise players, it might be a tough pill to swallow since the return is expected to be less than stellar. 

Here's the rest of Olney's rumors…

  • Despite having the game's best record and run differential, the Rays need a righthanded reliever and lefty hitting designated hitter. The latter will likely have to come from outside the organization, and the opportunity to acquire such a player will assuredly arise during the summer. Remember, the Rays do have Hank Blalock hitting .388/.448/.541 in Triple-A.
  • Olney speculates that the team could use top prospect Jeremy Hellickson as that righty reliever, though it might compromise their rotation depth since he's effectively their sixth starter.
  • Kerry Wood's injury probably increased the chances that he'll be traded, because now his $11MM option for next season is unlikely to vest.

Kenny Williams On Trade Chatter

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The White Sox may or may not have inquired about Astros' first baseman Lance Berkman according to Scot Gregor of The Daily Herald, but there's no chance GM Kenny Williams is putting together a package to acquire him. However, that didn't stop Williams from talking about the state of the trade market…

“I don’t think anyone is really prepared to make any deals right now,” said Williams. “And any interest expressed in any players out there who are impact guys has been done so for quite some time. There really isn’t much substance to anything at this stage of the season. Another 30 games, and you’ll start to see talk pick up."

“But if you’re not playing well it doesn’t make any sense to go down those roads, anyway. You've got to warrant that.”

The White Sox are just 12-17 on the young season, and their offense has been carried by the resurgent Andruw Jones and Paul Konerko. They've gotten basically no production out of catcher (.626 OPS), second base (.554), shortstop (.557), third base (.649), and left field (.644), so there's plenty of room for improvement.

Of course, if the club continues to struggle, then the White Sox could become sellers, rather than buyers.  In that case, a player like Konerko could be an attractive trading chip, as CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler points out.  This is the last year of Konerko's five-year, $60MM contract, so a budget-conscious contender would just have to take on two or three months' worth of Konerko's $12MM 2010 salary without making a long-term commitment.  Konerko could fit right in on a team like the Rays — they have a hole at DH with the struggling Pat Burrell, their minor league system is deep enough to spare a decent prospect even for a short-term rental player, and in Konerko, they get a veteran right-handed bat who knows AL pichers well and has lots of postseason experience.  Konerko has the right to veto a trade, but he might welcome the chance to join a pennant contender like Tampa Bay.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Astros, Castro, Crawford

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Let's start this Friday off with some links…

  • Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com feels that Neal Huntington's rebuilding plan has yet to yield results. 
  • Olney tweets that rival executives feel that both Oswalt and Lance Berkman would have trade value, but only if Houston was willing to eat a lot of money and accept secondary prospects in return. Yesterday we learned that Berkman would be willing to waive his no-trade clause.
  • SI.com's Melissa Segura hears that MLB will announce a pilot program that will allow international amateurs to register before the July 2nd signing period begins, which should streamline age investigations and signings (link goes to Twitter).
  • Meanwhile, MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez chatted with MLB's Dominican office consultant Sandy Alderson about what he hopes to achieve regarding how he hopes to improve the international market.
  • ESPN's Enrique Rojas tweets that the Cubs have called up top shortstop prospect Starlin Castro. The 20-year-old was rated as the 16th best prospect in the game by Baseball America prior to the season, and was hitting .376/.421/.569 in 121 Double-A plate appearances. Chicago has already pushed his free agency back a year, but he can still qualify as a Super Two after 2012.
  • Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle mentions that the Astros have only $44MM in salary commitments for next season, most of which is tied up in Roy Oswalt and Carlos Lee. I respectfully disagree that Oswalt's $16MM salary "can easily be traded." How many teams have that much room in their budget?
  • ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Carl Crawford has put himself in a pretty good position going into free agency. The Rays' left fielder is hitting .343/.408/.571, but is only 7-for-11 in stolen base opportunities, and there's still 83% of the season left the play.
  • ESPN's Keith Law and Jason Churchill go back and redo the 2004 draft. Both see Justin Verlander and Dustin Pedroia going 1-2 in a redraft.

Odds & Ends: Santana, Red Sox, Lee, Saunders

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Thursday night linkage..

Berkman Willing To Waive No-Trade Clause

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7:59pm: Berkman shared his side of the conversation he had with GM Ed Wade, writes Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:

"I'm not demanding to be traded," the five-time All-Star said. "I'm perfectly content to be a Houston Astro. We were just talking hypothetical."

McTaggart also points out that Berkman has said several times in recent years that he would be willing to waive his full no-trade clause if the situation was right.

5:48pm: Some within the Astros believe that Berkman may be trying to employ reverse psychology in an effort to pressure the club into picking up his option, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Houston owner Drayton McLane is not a fan of giving up on seasons or trading away veteran players.

Meanwhile, GM Ed Wade doesn't seem terribly concerned about Berkman's comments.  He recounted the conversation he had with the outfielder last night:

"Don’t worry about it, players have every right to make whatever comments they want to the media. Focus on showing up and winning tomorrow."

The 34-year-old is hitting .213/.327/.404 with 2 HRs in 55 plate appearances this season.

10:28am: Lance Berkman would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the Astros approach him with a deal to a contender later this season, reports Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle.  Berkman explained his feelings:

"If it was me and I was running the show here, if we didn't make a great comeback like we did in '05 and be sort of around .500 by the All-Star break, I'd try to trade every veteran I could to reload.  That's the quickest way you're going to be able to reload and get it going in the right direction.  As a player, if they came to me and said, 'Hey, we've got a deal to go to a contender,' I'd take it. Heck, it's only a three- or four-month deal. It's not like I'm signing on for 10 years with another team."

Berkman opined that the Astros should try to avoid what he calls "baseball purgatory — where you're not really getting young and you're not really (competing). Where you're in this deal where every year you're signing a marginal veteran and you just never get in the mix."

Berkman's "take one for the team" approach to his no-trade clause is an interesting position, as a few months ago he talked about taking his ball and going home if the Astros didn't exercise his $15MM club option for 2011 after the season.  He does still prefer to retire an Astro.

As I mentioned yesterday, quitting on a season is not the Astros' style.  But Berkman, even at age 34 and coming off knee surgery, could give a contender an offensive boost while saving the Astros over $5MM.  The Red Sox, A's, White Sox, and Mariners could be fits if Berkman is open to DHing, while it's more difficult to find an NL contender with a first base opening.  Perhaps the Braves, depending on how Troy Glaus is doing a month or two from now.

If The Astros Become Sellers

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The Astros are ten games under .500 and 9.5 games back in the NL Central.  84% of the season remains, so they've got plenty of time to right the ship.  It's difficult to imagine this organization selling.  Recent history: on July 22nd, 2008, they were 12 games back in the division and 11 out in the wild card.  GM Ed Wade acquired Randy Wolf anyway, and the team went 40-22 from that point and finished 3.5 games out of the wild card.  The Astros hate to quit on a season, but let's suspend our disbelief and look at who'd be available if they did sell.

Carlos Lee could be attractive to teams if he starts hitting, except for the $55.5MM owed to him over 2010-12 and the full no-trade clause.  Here's what ESPN's Jayson Stark wrote about Lee a year ago: "One club that inquired about him over the winter says it was told Lee has already informed the Astros he's 'not going anywhere' as long as his no-trade is in place."  The no-trade apparently becomes partial after 2010.

Roy Oswalt is pitching well, with his best strikeout rate in years.  He's owed $31MM for 2010-11 and has a $16MM mutual option for 2012.  Stark heard from an Oswalt friend last month that the pitcher's preferred destinations are Atlanta, St. Louis, and Texas, if a trade becomes necessary.  The friend also opined that Oswalt might be willing to accept a trade to a team with a deep rotation, aside from those three.  Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports talked to Oswalt in February; he spoke about retiring after the 2011 season.  Oswalt made it clear that he'd want a trade if the Astros went into rebuilding mode.  Wade implied the team's asking price for their ace would be prohibitive.

Then there's Lance Berkman, who earns $14.5MM this year and has a $15MM club option for 2011 with a $2MM buyout.  He also has a full no-trade.  Berkman suggested in February he'd look elsewhere if the Astros decline the option, a decision they'll make toward the end of the season or after it.  Stark wrote recently that "there is also a lot of buzz that assuming the Astros pick up Berkman's $15 million option for next year, they'll tack on a short extension."  Stark talked to a Berkman friend who feels the first baseman is most likely to finish his career with the Astros.

Kaz Matsui has a limited no-trade clause; he's earning $5MM in the last year of his deal.  He's losing playing time to Jeff Keppinger and has negative trade value.  Similarly, Pedro Feliz at $4.5MM wouldn't net much.

Wandy Rodriguez is under club control through 2011; he's earning $5MM this year after losing an arbitration hearing.  He's a bit of a late bloomer, and swapping him for cheaper, controllable arms would have to be considered.  The Astros could also offer a rental in Brett Myers, who earns $3.1MM this year with a $2MM buyout for 2011.  Myers has been hittable, but otherwise pretty good this year.  Veterans such as Brian Moehler, Tim Byrdak, Geoff Blum, and Jason Michaels would probably be available.

Catcher J.R. Towles could be dealt regardless of the Astros' status.  He's frustrated about being demoted to Double A, and told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart he has to talk to his agent to see what his options are.  The 26-year-old has shown offensive promise in the high minors but it hasn't carried over yet.  The Astros' catcher of the future, Jason Castro, is playing at Triple A Round Rock.

Astros Release Max Sapp

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The Astros have released minor league catcher Max Sapp according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy (via Twitter). He was Houston's first round pick back in 2006, the 23rd overall selection.

Sapp, 22, hit just .224/.310/.313 in 839 plate appearances, none above A-Ball. He survived a life-threatening case of viral meningitis that wiped out his entire 2009 season. Sapp received a $1.4MM signing bonus when he turned pro, and was rated as the team's 17th best prospect by Baseball America as recently as two years ago.

Odds & Ends: Red Sox, Adrian, Strasburg, Mets, Zito

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Links for Saturday…

Rosenthal On Marlins, Oswalt, Rangers

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Let's see what Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has for us in his latest Full Count video..

  • If the Marlins do not start playing more consistently, manager Fredi Gonzalez will be on the hot seat.  Florida is one win below .500, which probably does not strike most as a failure considering their modest $47.4MM.  However, as Rosenthal put it, owner Jeffrey Loria is not exactly "Mr. Patient".  At the start of Spring Training, Loria said that the team had all the ammunition needed to make the postseason.
  • Roy Oswalt could be the best starter available at the deadline, depending on three factors.  The team must be willing to move him, the 32-year-old must be willing to waive his no-trade clause, and a team must be willing to take on the rest of his contract.  Oswalt will only approve deals to certain clubs and two of them, the Braves and Cardinals, are already flush with starting pitching.  Money will be a major factor, as he is set to earn $15MM this season and $16MM in both 2011 and 2012.  The final year of the deal holds a $2MM buyout.
  • Rangers pitchers Matt Harrison and Rich Harden are effectively on notice.  Tommy Hunter is set to begin a rehabilitation assignment and Derek Holland has been stellar thus far in Triple-A.  There are even more arms waiting in the farm system, including Tanner Scheppers, the 44th overall selection in the 2009 draft.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Howard, Prince, Konerko

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On this date five years ago, Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux faced off in the first matchup of 300-game winners since Don Sutton and Steve Carlton in 1987. Maddux's Cubs topped Clemens' Astros by the score of 3-2.

Let's look at what's being written around the blogosphere, with a heavy dose of Ryan Howard contract reactions…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

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