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Odds and Ends: Bradley, Floyd, Threets

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Let’s round up some links.

Stark’s Latest: Holliday, Lofton, Hudson, Greinke

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Time to delve into Jayson Stark’s latest column for ESPN.

  • The Rockies are 9.5 games out, and if they slip further over the next month they may trade Matt Holliday or Garrett Atkins (not both).  If so, they’d be flexible on the number and ages of the players they’d want in return.  Aaron Cook will not be traded.
  • Stark talked to one team official who speculated the Pirates could keep their outfield intact in the name of a run at .500.  Presumably they’d be doing this for the fans, but diehards would probably prefer a sweet bounty of young players and a better ’09 draft pick.
  • As we’ve discussed here, the Mariners don’t have much to trade.  Raul Ibanez has decent value, but Erik Bedard will probably stay put unless a new GM is installed.    
  • The White Sox "made the most serious run yet" at Kenny Lofton, but he they balked at his $2.5-3MM asking price.  Kenny…c’mon.  We want to see you in baseball this year.
  • Orlando Hudson might’ve signed below-market to play in New York, but the Mets signed Luis Castillo through 2011.  How about the other New York team, in the event of a Robinson Cano trade?
  • One AL exec believes the Royals would be best served to trade Zack Greinke now, and get an influx of even younger talent.

Meche Available?

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WEDNESDAY: Jon Heyman of SI.com says Meche is "expected to be shopped by the Royals at the trade deadline," tossing out the Cubs as a possibility.  Who knows.  On a related topic, Buster Olney says "some folks within the industry" believe the Cubs would be C.C. Sabathia’s most aggressive suitor if he becomes available.

TUESDAY: Yesterday, ESPN’s Peter Gammons said the Cubs are "sifting through names that could be available," mentioning starters A.J. Burnett, Gil Meche, Randy Wolf, Paul Byrd, Joe Blanton, Erik Bedard, and Aaron Cook.  Gammons notes that the Cubs tried to sign Meche in the winter of ’06 (as did the Jays).

The Kansas City Star’s Bob Dutton spoke to Meche as well as a club official.  It doesn’t seem that the Royals will shop Meche, and he wouldn’t necessarily waive his no-trade clause for Chicago anyway.  Dutton’s club source indicated that Meche is expected to be a big part of the next winning Royals team.  Meche earns $11MM this year, $11MM in ’09, $12MM in ’10, and $12MM in ’11.

Dodgers Acquire Berroa From Royals

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9:49pm The LA Daily News is reporting that the Royals are picking all of Berroa’s ’08 salary.

9:32pm The Kansas City Star is reporting that the Royals have traded Angel Berroa and cash to the Dodgers for minor leaguer Juan Rivera.

Berroa, the ’03 AL Rookie of the Year, spent most of ’07 and all of ’08 in triple-A. He was hitting .291/.323/.519 with 10 home runs in 51 games this season for Omaha. Juan Rivera is hitting .241/.267/.345 in single-A.

Berroa is making $4.75MM this season and there is a $5.5MM club option for ’09 with a $0.5MM buyout.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Jayson Stark’s Latest

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Jayson Stark’s latest column is up and as usual he dips into the rumor-mill several times…

  • Indians: According to other clubs, Cleveland is starting to float C.C. Sabathia’s name, but are making it clear that they are not ready to trade him. Stark says the Indians are scouting the Red Sox heavily. One executive says that it is hard to imagine somebody giving up prospects for a guy that will almost certainly test the free agency waters. That same executive says they would have a hard time giving seven years to a pitcher as big as Sabathia.
  • Tigers: One AL executive says the Tigers don’t have any prospects of value left, but wonders if they won’t do something crazy in the trade market because of their "all in" payroll. Stark wonders if they would be willing to trade Jeremy Bonderman or a big bat for an arm.
  • Braves: Atlanta might be more interested in bringing back Kevin Millwood as opposed to Greg Maddux, but Stark says that is very unlikely.
  • Rockies: In addition to Matt Holiday and Brian Fuentes, there is a slim chance that Aaron Cook would be made available, but his salary goes up $1MM per year if he is dealt.
  • A’s: Apparently the bounty sought by Oakland for Joe Blanton ("three young building-block players") has not been lowered since last summer.
  • Royals: The Royals have already started listening to offers for a number of players but one executive says that list does not include their relief pitchers and those are the pieces of highest interest.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Draft Roundup

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Today’s draft links.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Padilla, Greinke, Hatteberg

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Let’s discuss Ken Rosenthal’s lastest column.

  • There’s some chatter that the ’09 draft class will be weak.  This could motivate teams to trade their impending free agent stars this July rather than collect compensation picks.
  • Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson has "fallen out of favor with some in the organization."  Rosenthal believes he’d be a hot commodity if fired.
  • The Rangers are open to trading Vicente Padilla, as you’d expect.  We’ve heard some crazy things about the asking price.
  • While the Royals don’t seem to consider Zack Greinke untouchable, they’d have to be bowled over to trade him.
  • The Yanks probably don’t have room for Ben Broussard, and the Orioles could swoop in and sign him if he’s granted free agency this month.
  • Look for Scott Hatteberg to become a free agent today; interest appears to be tepid.
  • The Florida teams are willing to spend money for midseason upgrades.  They’re understandably reluctant to trade prospects.
  • Doesn’t seem like Orlando Cabrera will be signing long-term with the White Sox.

Odds And Ends: Weaver, Mulder, Pena, Giambi

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Here are a few random notes from the MLBiverse…

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.  Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.

Gammons On Available Pitchers

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ESPN’s Peter Gammons names ten starting pitchers who could be available in the coming months.  We’ll try to devise a comprehensive list when we get to the position in our Trade Market series.

Gammons’ trade possibilities: Paul Byrd, Jeremy Sowers, Derek Lowe, Rich Harden, Odalis Perez, Brett Tomko, Jarrod Washburn, Zach Duke, Vicente Padilla, and Kevin Millwood.  Byrd, Lowe, Perez, and Tomko will be free agents after the season.  Sowers and Duke are the kids.  Harden is the oft-injured ace.  Washburn, Padilla, and Millwood bring burdensome contracts.

Gammons also five "unlikely, but not impossible" scenarios.  He suggests A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Joe Blanton, Greg Maddux, and Ben Sheets could be moved under the right circumstances.

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