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Angels Acquire Dan Haren

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It took some time, but the Angels got even. Two weeks after the Rangers acquired Cliff Lee, the Angels traded for a highly-coveted pitcher of their own, obtaining Dan Haren from the Diamondbacks, according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. In exchange for Haren, the Angels gave up Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez, and a player to be named later (Twitter link).  The player to be named later is going to be Tyler Skaggs, barring something unexpected, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). 

The deal brings an end to months of speculation surrounding Haren, who became the most desirable hurler on the trade block after the Mariners shipped Cliff Lee to the Rangers.  Unlike Lee, Haren's contract extends beyond this season.  Haren is under contract for 2011 and 2012 at $12.75MM per season with a club option for 2013 of $15.5MM ($3.5MM buyout).  The righthander has a 4.60 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 21 starts thus far in 2010.

Saunders, a former first round pick of the Angels, will change teams for the first time in his career.  The lefty owns a career-high 4.62 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 on the season.  The 29-year-old will earn a shade over $1MM for the rest of this season, after which point he is arbitration-eligible. The D'Backs will control his rights in 2011, but Saunders will hit free agency after 2012.

Skaggs was the Halos' supplemental first-round selection (40th overall) in 2009.  The 19-year-old signed for $1MM in early August.  According to Baseball America, Skaggs is armed with a fastball in the 88-91 mph range that could reach 91-93 mph when his upper body matures.  Skaggs, in their estimation, projects as a solid mid-rotation starter.

Corbin, who turned 21 on Monday, is a lefthander with "much of his value tied to the development of his fastball", according to Baseball America's Prospect Handbook.  At 6'3", the super-athletic hurler can dunk a basketball without a running start.  Rodriguez, soon to be 26 years old, saw some time with the varsity squad in 2009, turning in a 5.58 ERA with 10 Ks and 9 BBs in 30.2 innings.  Baseball America writes that he "features two plus pitches" at his best.

The Phillies, Cardinals, Tigers, Yankees and Dodgers were among the many teams connected to Haren this summer. The Angels did not appear to be a frontrunner for his services, but GM Tony Reagins pulled the deal off nonetheless. His counterpart, D'Backs interim GM Jerry Dipoto, faced the same challenge Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos faced last winter: his first major trade involved his team's best pitcher.

It was first reported by Bill Plunkett and Dan Woike of the Orange County Register that Saunders was involved in a trade. 

Odds & Ends: Hart, Angels, Blue Jays, Mariners

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Some links for Saturday as Roy Oswalt prepares to make what might be the final start of his Astros' career…

Gammons On Ankiel, Crawford, Iannetta, Martin

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In his latest appearance on WEEI's Big Show, Peter Gammons opines that the trade deadline isn't as significant as it's made out to be. He cites only a handful of teams over the last decade who have made the World Series after making major deals prior to the deadline, arguing that the idea of pennant-altering trades is "essentially fiction." Here are a few other interesting tidbits from Gammons' conversation:

  • Gammons thinks Rick Ankiel could be a good fit for the Red Sox, if he shows that he's healthy.
  • The Angels' top priority this offseason will probably be trying to sign Carl Crawford. Gammons notes that the club put Crawford's locker next to Torii Hunter's at the All-Star Game.
  • The Rockies aren't eager to trade Chris Iannetta, hoping instead to platoon him with Brad Hawpe at first base as long as Todd Helton is out.
  • The Red Sox could try to make a run at Russell Martin, rather than Iannetta, since Martin's price tag may be getting too high for the Dodgers.
  • There's still a chance the Sox could be sellers this year if they fall out of contention, though it's more likely to happen in August than before July 31st.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gillies, Oswalt, Hart, Lilly

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On this date ten years ago, a 36-year-old Barry Larkin signed a three-year contract extension with the Reds worth $27MM. This came a day after Larkin invoked his ten-and-five rights to block a trade to the Mets, who agreed to send then-top prospect Alex Escobar and two others to Cincinnati. New York dealt Melvin Mora and three other players to Baltimore for Mike Bordick five days later, filling their shortstop hole. Larkin, the first 30-30 shortstop in baseball history, hit just .257/.328/.372 during the life of the extension.

Here are some links with the trade deadline seemingly right around the corner…

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

Angels Acquire Alberto Callaspo

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Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star is reporting (via Twitter) that infielder Alberto Callaspo has been dealt from the Royals to the Angels in exchange for right-hander Sean O'Sullivan and minor league left-hander Will Smith.

Callaspo has a modest .275/.308/.410 line in 373 plate appearances this season, though that still represents a big upgrade over the .411 OPS of Brandon Wood, who has seen most of the action for the Halos at third base.  Callaspo was originally signed by the Angels as a free agent in 2001, and spent four years in the club's system before being dealt to Arizona for Jason Bulger in 2006.  With Callaspo now in L.A., it potentially opens up a spot at third base for Mike Moustakas should the Royals want to give their top prospect a look over the last two months of the season.  Moustakas has an OPS of 1.067 in 326 plate appearances at Double-A and Triple-A this season.  

O'Sullivan, 22, has spent most of his year at Triple-A Salt Lake City, where he has posted a 4.76 ERA in 15 starts.  A third-round pick in the 2005 amateur draft, O'Sullivan was the Angels' organizational pitcher of the year in 2007 and has a 5.15 ERA in 17 career major league games (11 of them starts).

The Royals rejected a previous offer for Callaspo two days ago that consisted of O'Sullivan and "a fringe prospect," so presumably K.C. was more attracted to Smith, a seventh-round pick in the 2008 amateur draft.  Smith has a 4.24 ERA and a 3.47 K/BB ratio in 55 games (52 of them starts) in the Los Angeles minor league system, though his numbers have worsened this season as he's been elevated from high-A ball to Triple-A. 

Morosi On Reds, Berkman, Blue Jays

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The Reds have signed Russ Springer and they're close to adding Jason Isringhausen, but that doesn't mean GM Walt Jocketty is content with his team's bullpen. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports has the details on the Reds, plus other notes from around the majors:

  • The Reds have been looking for late-inning relievers aggressively, since they don’t want to tire out Francisco Cordero, Arthur Rhodes and Nick Masset.
  • The Angels are not interested in taking on Lance Berkman’s contract, at this point (Twitter link). Berkman, 34, has a .799 OPS and about $5.8MM remaining on his salary this year. That's not it though – there's also a $2MM buyout for next year's $15MM option.
  • The Tigers, Twins, Phillies, Yankees, and Rockies were checking out the Blue Jays’ relievers and bats this week in Kansas City (Twitter link).

Angels Discussed Cantu, LaRoche

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Jorge Cantu and Adam LaRoche are among the names the Angels have discussed, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Those veteran rentals could help the Halos at first base, but changing leagues is said to be a big factor for the Angels.  Alberto Callaspo wouldn't be making the change; Rosenthal says the Royals infielder is on the Angels' short list.  Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles first reported that target yesterday afternoon.

Regarding the first base situation, the Angels are said to prefer a rental player since Kendry Morales will be back next year.  Aside from Cantu and LaRoche, the market features Lance Berkman, Derrek Lee, Xavier Nady, Lyle Overbay, and others.  Despite the name value, keep in mind that many of these first basemen are having lackluster seasons. 

Angels Focused On Alberto Callaspo

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The Angels don’t have the resources to trade for a big-name slugger, so they have turned their attention to Alberto Callaspo. GM Tony Reagins is targeting the former Angels minor leaguer, according to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Saxon reports that the Angels “are believed to have offered” Sean O'Sullivan and a fringe prospect for Callaspo, only to have Royals GM Dayton Moore turn the offer down. Callaspo, 27, has a .276/.310/.413 line this season and could play second or (more likely) third for the Angels.

Reagins considered pursuing Adam Dunn, but backed off when he realized that other teams only have “marginal interest” in the pitchers the Angels have in the upper minors. Top prospect Mike Trout is not going anywhere, though teams do have interest in him.

Angels Designate Paul McAnulty For Assignment

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The Angels have designated Paul McAnulty for assignment, tweets Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. The move clears a roster spot for Maicer Izturis, who was activated off the disabled list following a month-long hiatus due to a forearm issue.

McAnulty, 29, hit just .136/.174/.273 in 23 plate appearances for the Angels, his first big league action since 2008. He certainly impressed in the minors this year, posting a .344/.412/.610 batting line in 294 plate appearances split between Double-A and Triple-A.

Mike Trout Unlikely To Be Traded

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Angels prospect Mike Trout reached base in all four of his at-bats at this year's All-Star Futures Game, twice on hits, and twice after "forcing errors on sharply struck grounders," to quote MLB.com's Lyle Spencer.  It was yet another impressive performance for the 18-year-old Trout, and one that reiterates his value to the Los Angeles organization.  This is why Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that any potential deal of Trout for a proven major leaguer seems highly unlikely.

It shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise that the Halos are hesitant to deal their first-round pick (25th overall) from the 2009 amateur draft.  After all, Trout has a .358/.440/.509 line in 579 plate appearances for the Angels' rookie ball and single-A affiliates, plus 58 steals in 69 attempts and a good center field glove.  Baseball America's John Manuel ranks Trout second amongst all minor leaguers on BA's list of the top 25 midseason prospects. 

So while holding onto Trout bodes well for LAA's future, it might also curb their ability to acquire a big hitter at this season's trade deadline.  Players like Prince Fielder or Adam Dunn who have been rumored to be on the Angels' radar could almost certainly be had for a trade package that included Trout.  But since Trout seems to be untouchable, Los Angeles probably doesn't have the necessary minor league talent to attract a superstar big bat.  Hank Conger and Peter Bourjos were both ranked on BA's preseason top 100 prospects list, and Luis Jimenez also played well in the Futures Game, but overall, the Angels' system lacks depth.  The 2010 Baseball America Handbook ranked the Angels' minor-league system as 25th among all major league teams, the same spot that they finished in the 2009 ranking.

Dealing prospects at this point would only serve to weaken an already-thin system, so as we approach the deadline, it's most likely that we see the Angels make a "plan B" style move for some bench help.  For example, Hank Blalock's name has already been mentioned in connection with the Halos, and Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles speculates that Russell Branyan could be made available now that Seattle has Justin Smoak at first base.

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