Odds And Ends: Sano, Red Sox, Pedro
Another round of links for the afternoon…
- ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. says the Angels looked at Miguel Angel Sano, but aren't close to offering the Dominican shortstop prospect a deal.
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports that the Red Sox signed Jason Thompson, their 11th round pick, for $300k. The team also appears to be on its way to signing 10th rounder Brandon Jacobs for second-round money.
- Ben Klayman of Reuters reports that at least a third of MLB teams will send out send out season ticket renewal offers earlier than usual to keep revenues flowing.
- As MLB.com's Todd Zolecki notes, Pedro Martinez will start for the Phillies Wednesday and bump Jamie Moyer to the bullpen.
Odds And Ends: Prospects, Giambi, Angels
Some links for your Friday afternoon…
- Baseball America lists the hottest prospects in the country. Chris Carter, Pedro Alvarez and Martin Perez are some of the more recognizable players heating up.
- A's prospect Brett Wallace tops Marc Hulet's list of top prospects traded this summer over at FanGraphs.
- Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail hears that the Jays have no interest in Jason Giambi.
- Angels manager Mike Scioscia tells ESPN.com's Tim Kurkjian the keys to his club's suddenly unstoppable offense: effective baserunning and contributions from all 13 position players. Kendry Morales has performed well at first in place of Mark Teixeira and the rest of the Angels are all hitting.
- Torii Hunter, who was having a big year before hitting the DL, experienced a setback this week, according to his blog.
- The Angels signed 40th overall pick Tyler Skaggs for an undisclosed amount, according to Ben Bolch of the LA Times.
Odds And Ends: Byrd, Timlin, Giambi
Some links to look through…
- Bobby Abreu tells Yahoo's Tim Brown that it was frustrating to see other players sign big contracts last offseason. Abreu waited and finally settled for a $5MM deal, but now he loves LA.
- The Jason Giambi signing didn't work out nearly as well for the A's. When MLB.com's Mychael Urban asked manager Bob Geren if Giambi will be back next year, Geren avoided the question. Presumably the A's would rather buy the slugger out for $1.25MM than pay him $6MM next year.
- Paul Byrd told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he's in Boston to win a World Series ring.
- Mike Timlin is rehabbing in the Rockies' minor league system to prove he can still pitch, according to Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.
- Justin Smoak, Martin Perez and Julio Borbon top Jamey Newberg's updated list of top Rangers prospects at MLB.com.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Pirates, Rays
Some links on this not-necessarily-manic Monday:
- Jen Langosch at MLB.com has a nice scorecard put together of the Pirates' recent acquisitions and how they've performed so far, as well as a rundown of the players they were dealt for.
- Fred Mitchell at the Chicago Tribune has an amusing piece about the lengths what MLB general managers go to keep their stress levels low this time of year.
- MLB.com beat reporter Lyle Spencer answers fan questions, including why they let Roy Halladay get away.
- Jim Callis at Baseball America re-ranks the Pirates' and Indians' systems after their major prospect acquisitions.
- Brian Hoch at MLB.com answers Yankees fans' questions, specifically about the trade deadline and why the team was mostly inactive.
- R.J. Anderson at Fangraphs re-visits the circumstances that led to the Rays obtaining Wade Townsend, who was released today.
Deadline Roundup: Cabrera, Astros, Nats
More links as we sift through all the trades and slowly realize that there are actual games to be played, too:
- MLB.com's Kelly Thesier passes on a nice line from the Twins' latest addition, Orlando Cabrera. When asked why he's happy to join the team, Cabrera said "Who doesn't like M&Ms?"
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says the Astros did the right thing by holding onto the players that could help them win this year and the prospects that could help them win in the future.
- The Angels had no restrictions from owner Arte Moreno, but weren't comfortable making any deals, according to MLB.com.
- SI.com's Tom Verducci lists the Tigers, Red Sox and Phillies as his deadline winners.
- Acting GM Mike Rizzo says the Nats are in building mode, not rebuilding mode, acccording to MASN's Pete McElroy. Pretty soon they'll have to be in Stephen Strasburg mode, since they have just over two weeks to sign their top pick.
Heath Bell Rumors: Friday
2:54pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale, via Twitter, says the Twins' talks for Bell are all but dead. However, they're in on Arizona's Jon Rauch.
2:38pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Marlins are no longer pursuing Bell or Nick Johnson. That should leave the Angels or Dodgers if anyone.
2:11pm: ESPN's Buster Olney says the Twins have interest in Bell, as well as Oakland's Michael Wuertz.
1:18pm: Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says the Angels and Dodgers are battling for Bell.
9:19am: Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Padres wanted Cameron Maybin and Miller for Bell. The Fish have seen other trade ideas dry up as well, leading Rodriguez to suggest "it might be Nick Johnson or bust for the Marlins." SI's Jon Heyman agrees.
7:02am: The latest on Padres closer Heath Bell, who is under team control through 2011…
Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that "late Thursday night, both the Angels and Marlins were still talking to the Padres regarding Bell." We learned yesterday that the Padres requested Andrew Miller or Sean West from the Marlins, and Florida declined. Marlins president David Samson appeared on the radio yesterday to discuss the trade deadline, and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald has a nice summary of that.
Angels Trade Coming?
Mark Saxon of the OC Register thinks an Angels trade may be in the works, with the Halos recalling catcher Bobby Wilson and infielder Sean Rodriguez despite one free roster spot. Of course, someone could be headed to the DL.
Dodgers & Angels Seek Relievers
FRIDAY, 11:30am: A deal between the Dodgers and Jays for Frasor is unlikely, according to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
THURSDAY, 5:13pm: Even after adding George Sherrill, the Dodgers are looking to add relievers, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. They're interested in adding a right-handed setup man. Teams in conversation with the Dodgers say they have interest in Mark Lowe, David Weathers, Matt Capps, Arthur Rhodes and Jason Frasor.
Meanwhile, the Angels are prioritizing relievers over starters, Stark reports. One scout says the Angels are after "premium" relievers. They were considering Heath Bell today and inquired about Chad Qualls only to find that the D'Backs aren't likely to move him.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday Night
1:04pm: Rosenthal and Morosi report that the Blue Jays are asking for Holland, Justin Smoak and two other prospects.
11:47pm: Heyman reports that the Rangers had a "pretty decent chance" to acquire Halladay today. With just over 15 hours to go, the Rangers' chances appear to have decreased in recent hours, Heyman says.
10:52pm: Sources tell Grant that the Rangers have asked the Jays to pay a significant amount of Halladay's 2009 salary in a potential trade. Ryan confirmed that the team would need ownership approval to make a trade for Halladay.
9:59pm: Rangers president Nolan Ryan told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Rangers are pursuing Roy Halladay, but says it's premature to predict whether a deal will happen.
Ryan confirmed to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that the Rangers have had discussions with the Jays "for awhile and there have been names talked about."
9:27pm: Ricciardi is "not saying definitively" that Halladay will remain a Blue Jay, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. However, the GM says it's looking more and more like Halladay will stay put.
9:23pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that, as of an hour ago, the Jays had no active talks about Halladay. The Dodgers approached the Jays yesterday, but the two sides aren't in the process of exchanging names.
8:38pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian hears that there's "nothing to" the reports that the Rangers are going hard after Halladay.
8:30pm: Evan Grant of D Magazine hears that talks between the Blue Jays and Rangers remain "very serious."
8:17pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says "nothing seems hot" on the Halladay front, even though many executives would be surprised if the Jays' ace isn't playing for a different team by the weekend.
8:11pm: Sullivan hears indications that the Rangers are willing to take on the rest of Halladay's contract if they can agree on which players to send the Blue Jays. Vicente Padilla, Marlon Byrd and Hank Blalock are free agents after the season, so the Rangers could create space for Halladay's $15.75MM salary by letting the trio of veterans walk after the season.
6:40pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear from a major league source who says the LA Times report below is "not accurate." However, FOX Sports hears that the Rangers have a legitimate chance of trading for Halladay.
6:22pm: So just how much do the Blue Jays want for Halladay? Marlins president David Samson told 790 The Ticket that J.P. Ricciardi wants "two left legs, a right arm and a left cerebellum" for Doc, according to the Miami Herald.
6:06pm: MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan hears that the Rangers have "significant ongoing communications" with the Blue Jays. He also suggests that the Rangers won't let money prevent them from acquiring Halladay if they can do so for a reasonable price.
5:57pm: Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports that the Dodgers and Blue Jays spent the afternoon "negotiating extensively" over Roy Halladay. Apparently talks aren't "dead" after all. The Dodgers would allow the Jays to get a "haul of prospects" but are trying to acquire Halladay without giving up Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley.
5:38pm: Here are the latest highlights from the incessant stream of Roy Halladay rumors. The Jays aren't talking actively with anyone. Not the Red Sox, not the Yankees, not the Rangers. The Dodgers acquired George Sherrill for a pair of minor leaguers, but they still have enough pieces to tempt the Jays. Like the Angels, they're focused on relievers now. GM J.P. Ricciardi says he has "nothing going on," but won't rule out a trade until the deadline is upon us. On to tonight's rumors:
- Ricciardi tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney what he told Jack Curry earlier today: talks are "dead," but the Jays would listen to offers for Doc.
Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Thursday
11:05pm: Executives from three teams that have spoken with the Mariners tell ESPN.com's Buster Olney that they get the sense the Mariners won't move Washburn. The Mariners made a request earlier today, without asking for Hughes or Chamberlain, but the two sides haven't spoken since.
10:33pm: Heyman says the Yankees and Mariners are now "talking Washburn." The Yankees won't part with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, Austin Romine or Jesus Montero, but with those exceptions, Heyman says the M's have their pick of Yankees prospects.
9:05pm: Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he expects the Mariners to hold onto Washburn.
8:05pm: Tyler Kepner of the New York Times reports that the Yankees are still talking to the Mariners about Washburn.
Talks with the Yankees are still in their early stages, according to Rosenthal and Morosi, and it's unclear whether the Mariners would actually move Washburn. The Tigers are interested and the Brewers could become involved again, according to FOX's sources.
3:26pm: ESPN's Buster Olney rejects the idea that the Ms asked for Chamberlain or Hughes.
2:19pm: SI's Jon Heyman says that in their initial conversation, the Mariners requested Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes for Washburn. That pair and other top Yankees prospects figure to be off limits, but Heyman still sees New York as the favorite. He notes that the Angels would have interest in bringing Washburn back, but the Mariners might balk at the same-division issue.
1:11pm: Ken Davidoff of Newsday says the Brewers are no longer in on Washburn. And the Rangers are seen as a long shot, say Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports. According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, about ten teams have called the Mariners on Washburn.
12:30pm: Lefty Jarrod Washburn would be one of the better available starters, should the Mariners decide to sell. Joel Sherman of the New York Post chatted with Ms GM Jack Zduriencik about the possibility. Jack Z's quote:
"I am not giving this guy away. He is a valuable piece to us. He shouldn't come cheap if he is moved. No one in the league is pitching better than (Washburn). So if we move him, we need to get good pieces. Because if we keep him he is a very, very good piece for us."
Sherman says the Yanks have checked in on Washburn but have not exchanged names. Unlike last year, the Yankees are reluctant to take on salary.