Angels Interested In Sherrill
The Angels are interested in George Sherrill, but may not be willing to part with the talent the Orioles seek, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. The Orioles are looking for two top prospects in exchange for their closer and were scouting last night's Angels game to evaluate the talent on LA's major league roster.
Angels Release Rudy Seanez
According to a press release, the Angels have released right-hander Rudy Seanez.
Signed to a minor league contract in mid-May, the 40-year-old reliever allowed four earned runs on eight hits during nine innings of relief for Triple-A Salt Lake. Seanez posted a 3.53 ERA in 43.3 innings for the Phillies in '08, but also walked 5.2 batters per nine innings. He'll look for a minor league contract elsewhere.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Saturday
3:11pm: FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi reports the Tigers have had internal conversations about Halladay, but doesn't see a deal happening:
"Meantime, the Tigers have had some internal discussions about Toronto ace Roy Halladay," writes Morosi," but have yet to initiate a trade dialogue with the Blue Jays about him. It's unlikely that Detroit would be able to meet Toronto's price in prospects, and Halladay, who has a no-trade clause, would have to approve the deal."
12:39pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that the Phillies are still the favorites to land Halladay. He hears that the Angels want to keep their prospects while the Rangers don't have the money to bring Doc aboard.
9:25am: Add the Brewers to the mix of teams who've talked to the Blue Jays about All Star Roy Halladay. Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel spoke to GM Doug Melvin, who confirmed that he did have a conversation with Toronto, but wouldn't go into details. It was previously reported that the Brewers weren't likely to part with top prospects Mat Gamel and Alcides Escobar, a point that was reiterated by Melvin.
Bill Shaikin of The LA Times reports that the Angels have pursued Halladay as well, but "club officials are not confident they can satisfy the Blue Jays in a trade." He says the Halos would consider parting with Brandon Wood, but would be hesitant to include one of their young Major League pitchers in a deal.
Angels Waiting To Talk With Their Free Agents
The Angels are going to hold off on negotiating with their seven potential free agents until after the season, according to Bill Shaikin of The LA Times. The Angels will have a 15 day window to talk exclusively with their players after the World Series, but after that all teams can bid for their services.
"It's unlikely we'd do anything during this time period," General Manager Tony Reagins said Friday. "We don't want it to be a distraction. We want to focus on trying to win."
The team had discussed an extension with ace John Lackey earlier this season, but no agreement was reached. Third baseman Chone Figgins and outfielders Vladimir Guerrero and Bobby Abreu highlight the rest of the Angels' potential free agent class, which includes utility man Robb Quinlan and pitchers Kelvim Escobar and Darren Oliver.
Rosenthal On Halladay, Frasor, Rios, Bay
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Angels and Cardinals will have a hard time assembling a package enticing enough for the Blue Jays to part with Roy Halladay. One GM said the Angels have "zero chance" at acquiring the Jays ace. Players like Brandon Wood and Howie Kendrick have lost some of their appeal and prospect Jordan Walden finds himself on the DL for the second time this season.
- The Dodgers are interested in Halladay, Jason Frasor and George Sherrill.
- The White Sox would probably have to part with Gordon Beckham to acquire Doc.
- The Jays and White Sox haven't discussed an Alex Rios deal recently, but the White Sox have long been interested in the Jays outfielder.
- Jason Bay is close to setting a cutoff date for negotiations on an extension with the Red Sox.
Angels Interested In Aroldis Chapman
Aroldis Chapman isn't ready to sign with an MLB team yet, but once he is, the Angels will be interested, according to Mark Saxon of the OC Register. Angels scouting director Eddie Bane told Saxon that the Angels always have interest in top pitchers. They scouted Daisuke Matsuzaka and took a look at Stephen Strasburg even though there's no way he was falling to the Angels at 25th overall.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Tuesday
Roy Halladay will start tonight's All-Star Game, but that doesn't stop the rumors. Here's the latest:
- Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse adds this quote from the Blue Jays ace: "I've never been a person that had to be wooed. I know what I'm looking for. … If things did come up, it would be a pretty easy decision."
- According to CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler, Halladay wouldn't reveal his list of desired destinations Tuesday, saying only that he would like to join a contender.
- Halladay told WEEI's Rob Bradford that a long-term extension isn't his top priority in a trade. It's more about a desire to win: “I really haven’t got that point. I think I’ve been fortunate that early in my career I was able to take care of my family and get in the situation to start putting the emphasis on what I would like and I think at this point it’s trying to win,” said the Toronto ace. “For me I don’t see it foresee it being hugely important, and if something is worked out afterward… I think you’re just looking for a chance to win.”
- Steve Kornacki of MLive.com hears that the Blue Jays want a shortstop prospect and pitching in return for Halladay, He suggests the Tigers could include a shortstop like Brent Dlugach, Cale Iorg or Danny Worth in an offer for Halladay.
- Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe hears the Red Sox would love to go after Halladay, but want the price to come down first.
- Last week Ricciardi told Cafardo that he doesn't expect to make a deal for Halladay.
- Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says the Angels and Yankees are the favorites to land Halladay.
- Doc jokingly "declined comment" when Aaron Hill asked him which team he was headed to, according to Elliott.
- Woody Paige of the Denver Post says the Rockies need to go after Halladay, who happens to be from Colorado.
Cafardo’s Latest: Jenks, Teahen, Wood, Mulder
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has some rumors from around the league. Let's sift through them.
- The Dodgers, Brewers, and Phillies remain interested in Mark Mulder who is finishing his rehab and hopes to entertain offers in a week.
- Cafardo speculates if former Royals GM Allard Baird will deliver Mark Teahen, a former player of his, to the Red Sox. Baird is currently assistant to the GM in Boston.
- The Mets might be able to add about $5 to $6MM in payroll before the deadline.
- Brandon Wood would have to be a part of the package for Roy Halladay if the Angels were to make a serious push.
- There's a "good chance" Kenny Williams is looking into Halladay, says Cafardo. He wonders if Williams, who now has back-of-the-bullpen depth, would trade Bobby Jenks to shave payroll.
- The Red Sox are confident with the pieces they have, even if obtaining Halladay might guarantee them a championship. Regardless, the Jays "would likely not want to deal Halladay within the division," says Cafardo.
Odds & Ends: Betancourt, Francoeur, Halladay, Angels
We managed to find some rumors in between all of the Jonathan Sanchez no-hitter coverage this morning. Congrats to Jonathan, hopefully Juan Uribe will be buying him a very big and expensive steak dinner. Or ten. On to the links…
- ESPN's Keith Law doesn't like the Yuniesky Betancourt trade for the Royals, saying he might be the worst everyday player in the big leagues.
- David Lennon of Newsday says that Mets GM Omar Minaya wanted to send a message by acquiring Jeff Francoeur, but it's "more like a gentle poke than a full-blown shake-up."
- SI's Jon Heyman tweets that he'd include the struggling Joba Chamberlain in a package for Roy Halladay "no problem."
- ESPN's Jorge Arangure writes that the Angels efforts on the international market stalled this year after the firing of international scouting supervisor Clay Daniels, who is under investigation by Major League Baseball for his part in the bonus-skimming scandal. Arangure also has notes on several other big name international signees, including Cuban shortstop Jose Iglesias, who received $8.2MM from the Red Sox.
- MLBTR's own Ben Nicholson-Smith will be on 940 ESPN Radio at 10am CST this morning talking rumors. Click the link to give a listen.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday
All of this morning's Roy Halladay rumors:
- Could the Red Sox make a play for Halladay? Sure, but Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe says "they won't."
- Nick Cafardo of the Globe says the Red Sox hadn't inquired about Halladay as of late yesterday afternoon.
- Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox would have to be prepared to surrender Clay Buchholz and two other top prospects to acquire Halladay.
- Josh Beckett told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he'd like to pitch in the same rotation as Halladay, but thinks the Red Sox have enough talent to win already.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Jays would need "near-perfect health and near-peak production" to contend next year, so their best chance to obtain more than draft picks for their ace could be right now.
- Halladay's one of the best, but as Joe Berkery reminds us, Doc struggled mightily before finding his place in the majors.
- Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun lists the Angels and Brewers as the leaders to acquire Halladay.
- Andy Martino and Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer report that the Phillies have been in regular contact with the Jays about Halladay and are "serious players."
- They may be the favorites, but Sherman hears that the Cardinals and Rangers have real interest, and the Angels do too.