Dodgers Acquire Berroa From Royals
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
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
Today’s draft links.
- Rany Jazayerli looks at possibilities for the Royals at #3. He hopes they don’t take Eric Hosmer.
- MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo has new projections for the top 30. He’s switched the Orioles from Brian Matusz to Aaron Crow at #4, among other changes.
- Keith Law has tons of good stuff…the Giants are eyeing Gordon Beckham, the Reds are considering Brett Lawrie, Jason Castro could go to the White Sox, the Dodgers like Zach Collier, and much more.
- Ken Davidoff is hearing that the Padres are in on Brett Wallace and the Twins like Christian Friedrich.
- Pedro Alvarez would be honored to be picked by the Pirates. Dejan Kovacevic continues to say they’re leaning that way.
- I am considering live-blogging Thursday’s draft, posting each pick here as soon as it’s announced (you would not have to refresh). Would that be helpful?
Rosenthal’s Latest: Padilla, Greinke, Hatteberg
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
Here are a few random notes from the MLBiverse…
- Paul Hagen is reporting that the Mets are interested in acquiring a first baseman and/or a corner outfielder. Hagen says that Omar Minaya is rumored to be interested in Kevin Millar, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Hagen must share a source with Dan Graziano, who mentions the same trio. Might Aaron Heilman be used as bait?
- According to the minor league deal that Jeff Weaver signed with the Brewers, if he was not called up by this Sunday he could ask for his release. The Brewers and Weaver’s agent, Scott Boras, have agreed to extend that deadline to June 15.
- Mark Mulder, who has made three starts since 2006, announced that he would retire if a third surgery became necessary on his ailing shoulder.
- The Royals snagged catcher Brayan Pena off waivers from the Braves.
- Rany Jazayerli proposes a Cubs-Royals trade.
- Joel Sherman wonders if the Yankees could buy out Jason Giambi for $5MM and then re-sign him.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here. Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.
Gammons On Available Pitchers
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.
Stark’s Latest: Young Players, Giles, DeJesus
Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings and Grumblings column is chock full of information.
- Stark rattles off Dan Uggla, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Russell Martin, Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Felix Hernandez, Jeff Francoeur, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia as youngsters who do not have long-term deals in the works. With Uggla and Greinke, the opposition seems more on the team’s side. With Hamels and Howard neither side wants a long-term deal. With the rest, the player is resisting.
- The Padres’ top trading chip is probably Brian Giles, though a deal would further deplete a weak offense.
- The A’s are willing to deal, with pitching considered the surplus. Billy Beane might be able to snag one good prospect for Rich Harden.
- There’s some doubt as to whether the Rockies will make Matt Holliday this year’s Mark Teixeira as we approach the deadline.
- Teams other than the Royals are speculating that center fielder David DeJesus might be available.
- The Marlins and Hanley Ramirez battled over a no-trade clause…and the Fish won. He has none.
Royals Sign Horacio Ramirez
Horacio Ramirez has finally hooked on with a team. The Royals signed him to a minor league deal and sent him to extended spring training.
Ramirez, 28, had a run as a mildly useful if oft-injured groundball pitcher before the infamous trade to Seattle for Rafael Soriano.
Odds and Ends: Royals, Cashman, Tavarez
4:45pm: Updating the Tavarez item – the Boston Herald reports that he’s accepted a minor league assignment in order to buy the Red Sox more time in trading him.
10:38am: Here’s today’s link collection.
- MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel hears the Royals are leaning toward an impact bat in the June draft. Baseball America predicted catcher Buster Posey, while Jonathan Mayo went with first baseman Eric Hosmer. First baseman Justin Smoak is another possibility.
- Paul DePodesta tells a story about the gamesmanship of the draft.
- Hank Steinbrenner says there’s a chance Brian Cashman will be the Yankees’ GM next year, if he wants to be. He might be able to find a better situation. If there’s a new GM, his first task might be negotiating with Scott Boras for Mark Teixeira.
- The Rockies still might have mild interest in Julian Tavarez, who will become a free agent today.
- The Marlins, Rockies, and Rangers were the three clubs interested in Edinson Volquez when he was a kid in the Dominican.
What’s Next For The Royals?
MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel notes that the Royals have closer Joakim Soria and outfielder David DeJesus under contract multiple years into the future. Is anything cooking with other young Royals?
- The Royals didn’t seek Soria out to sign him. Instead, he was "very aggressive" and approached the team, according to Dayton Moore. And Allard Baird signed DeJesus.
- Kaegel spoke to Alex Gordon and Brian Bannister, and learned that nothing is in the works. Bannister wondered whether his age (27) could be a factor.
- Kaegel didn’t talk to Zack Greinke or John Buck, but Bob Dutton did a week ago. Neither has been approached to talk extension. Greinke said he didn’t know what he was worth, while Buck admitted he’d welcome talks. No word on Billy Butler or Mark Teahen.
- Craig Brown of Royals Authority offers his predictions on contenders for long-term deals.