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?
Odds and Ends: Lane, Dodgers, Huntington
A collection of links to browse on this fine Monday.
- Jason Lane can exercise an out clause if he’s not promoted to the bigs today. The 31 year-old outfielder is hitting .248/.340/.485 with 11 home runs in 202 Triple A at-bats.
- The Dodgers hope to acquire a veteran utility infielder as an insurance policy for Rafael Furcal. Any suggestions?
- The Hardball Times’ Mike Lee did an enjoyable interview with Pirates GM Neal Huntington. I have a feeling we’ll get a better grasp on Huntington’s trading abilities within the next few months.
- CBSSports.com added Danny Knobler to their team. He’s always been a good source for inside info on the Tigers.
- RotoAuthority has waiver wire advice at every position.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Sabathia, Griffey, Dunn
The latest from Ken Rosenthal’s Inside Pitch video:
- The Indians are going to have to at least entertain deals for C.C. Sabathia. If they continue to fall in the standings, Rosenthal expects the Indians to try for a Dan Haren type deal involving numerous prospects in return. Two teams he mentions with interest are the Dodgers and Yankees.
- Ken Griffey Jr. will not be traded until after he hits his 600th home run.
- Rosenthal also touches on Adam Dunn. He can block any trade before June 15th. After that he can block trades to ten unknown teams. The Reds are still weighing their options – it is possible they sign him to a long-term deal.
Posted by Shannon McKeown
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.
Odds and Ends: Pokey, Lowe, Boss
Before you fire up the grill, check out these links.
- Dayn Perry has an enjoyable series at Baseball Prospectus called Mock Blockbuster. He proposes trades that would benefit both teams. His latest: Greg Maddux and Brian Giles for Jordan Schafer.
- Rays Index wonders whether Eric Hinske or Gabe Gross could be expendable once Willy Aybar returns.
- Joe Capozzi remembers Mike Piazza’s five game stint as a Marlin.
- Pokey Reese sighting!
- Ned Colletti told struggling free-agent-to-be Derek Lowe the Dodgers aren’t slamming the door on him coming back.
- The Red Sox signed an Australian teen named Boss Moanaroa.
- Athletics Nation chats with Billy Beane.
- Jerry Reinsdorf hasn’t ruled out re-signing Joe Crede after the season.
- R.I.P. Geremi Gonzalez. I remember him as a bright spot on the ’97 Cubs. I mailed him a baseball card for an autograph, and it came back signed.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Hunter, Santana, Quentin
It’s Sunday again, so we’ve got some tidbits from Ken Rosenthal’s Full Count video:
- Torii Hunter was courted by the White Sox and Rangers before signing with the Angels this past offseason; however, according to Hunter, he had a meeting scheduled with the Dodgers to discuss taking the spot that Andruw Jones would come to occupy. The Angels signed him, preventing the meeting.
- As we enter June, the sky is falling in Seattle…
- Rosenthal doesn’t think there’s a lot of regret in the Yankee organization for not acquiring Johan Santana. One executive notes Santana’s throwing with increased effort this season yet without increased results.
- In this piece, Rosenthal commends the White Sox for their deal for Carlos Quentin. Writes Rosenthal, "’I give Kenny credit — he was on Quentin for a while,’ Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes said. ‘He believed that the same Carlos Quentin would return now that his shoulder is fixed.’"
By Nat Boyle
Esteban Loaiza DFA’d – Kershaw Called Up
It’s a DFA kind of day, I suppose. To make room for the much-anticipated call-up of 20-year old lefty Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers designated Esteban Loaiza for assignment today. The team now has ten days to either trade him or release him unless Loaiza accepts a demotion to AAA Las Vegas.
In his final year of a three-year deal worth over $21MM, Loaiza is guaranteed at least $7MM in 2008, plus has a $375K buyout on a 2009 option. Picked up by the Dodgers after he was waived by Oakland back in August, Loaiza’s struggles in the Bay Area followed him down to LA, where he compiled a 6.94 ERA in twelve appearances. The 36-year old righty has been on the DL since early May due to a shoulder problem.
Posted by Paul Moro
Odds and Ends: Kershaw, Medders, Tavarez
Hopefully they’ll let you leave work early today in anticipation of the holiday weekend. Before you go, here are some random links.
- RotoAuthority takes a look at Clayton Kershaw, who may be called up soon.
- Brandon Medders was DFA’d to make room for Doug Davis. Not to be mean, but the 28 year-old reliever doesn’t do anything particularly well.
- The Glendon Rusch signing takes the Rockies out of the Julian Tavarez sweepstakes. Jayson Stark said the Brewers made a run at Tavarez a week ago.
- Paul Sullivan suggests that Jim Edmonds may be on a short leash in Chicago.
- Jon Heyman grades last winter’s trades.
- We’ve filled the Sunday afternoon writing gig…many thanks to all who applied.
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.
Mike Piazza Retires
Catcher Mike Piazza has decided to retire. I thought he had a little bit left in the tank as a possible DH this year, but it seems that teams did not agree.
Piazza finishes with a .308/.377/.545 career line in 19 seasons. He mashed 427 home runs and is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Dodgers or Mets cap? Marlins?