International Notes: July 2, Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
Fresh off of wielding the biggest budget in the domestic amateur draft, the Astros are preparing once again to open the club's wallet for some high-risk, high-reward prospects. The 16-year old international signing period opens on July 2, and Houston will have an available bonus pool of $4.9MM to spend, the most in all of baseball. As GM Jeff Luhnow described it to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, the onset of the signing period "is basically a free-for-all." Luhnow continued: "From Monday at midnight and Tuesday at midnight, there will be about $20-30MM spent by the industry in that one day."
- As MLBTR's Marc Hulet explained earlier today, Baseball America's Ben Badler is a key source of information on the July 2 market. Expanding on his previous work, Badler released his list of the top thirty available prospects who are expected to sign just a few days from now. He also provides an excellent explanation of the way the market works. His top five players are Eloy Jimenez (outfielder, Dominican Republic), Gleyber Torres (shortstop, Venezuela), Rafael Devers (third baseman, D.R.), Luis Encarnacion (third baseman, D.R.), and Leonardo Molina (center fielder, D.R.).
- One international prospect who will not go through the draft process is 26-year-old Cuban righty Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. As the recently-declared free agent awaits government authorization to begin negotiating a deal, he has already been heavily scouted by interested clubs. MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez notes (via Twitter) that he expects Gonzalez to sign quickly once the government clears him.
- Meanwhile, CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler — who reported that Gonzalez could get as much as $60MM on a five-year pact — tweets that the Dodgers could be planning to "go all out" to sign the hurler. Peter Gammons, likewise, said on Twitter that there were many teams interested but that "the bets are still on the Dodgers."
- The deep pockets of Los Angeles, along with the broad interest of many big league clubs, could drive a substantial price for Gonzalez. A reported 45 scouts were on hand to watch him throw for the Tijuana Toros, writes Knobler. Teams that sent representatives included the Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Angels. Knobler says that scouts have estimated a Gonzalez signing bonus at anywhere from $40MM to $60MM and above.
Dodgers Designate Luis Cruz For Assignment
The Dodgers have designated infielder Luis Cruz for assignment, the team announced on Twitter. In a corresponding move, the club reinstated outfielder Scott Van Slyke from the 15-day DL. According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter), Cruz's agent says that he has not yet decided whether he would accept a minor league assignment by the Dodgers if he clears waivers.
The 29-year-old Cruz entered the season looking to seize the opportunity presented by the Dodgers' opening at third and an injury to shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Instead of building on his solid 2012, in which he posted a .297/.322/.431 line in 296 plate appearances, Cruz struggled from the get-go. He currently sports an anemic .127/.175/.169 triple-slash across 128 plate appearances. As Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times noted on Twitter, Cruz is worst in the bigs in each of those categories among hitters with at least 100 at-bats.
Matt Garza Rumors: Friday
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported last night that the Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, Orioles and Blue Jays were scouting Matt Garza in his dominant performance over the Brewers yesterday. Garza fired seven innings of one-run ball, allowing eight hits and a walk to go along with 10 strikeouts. He figures to be one of the most popular names on the trade market this summer. Here's the latest on the 29-year-old Garza…
- There's "heavy traffic" on Garza, who should be dealt well in advance of the July 31 non-waiver deadline, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
- Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes that the Dodgers, Orioles, Giants, Padres, and Rangers all have "varying degrees of interest" in Garza. He adds that the Blue Jays and Red Sox are also seen as possibilities.
- Rosenthal tweets that the Rangers were also on hand to scout Garza for yesterday's start against the Brewers.
- Earlier today, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported that the Rockies are among the teams that are interested in Garza.
NL Central Links: Garza, Cubs, Lohse, Pujols
With the Cubs and Brewers both more than 14.5 games out of first place, the NL Central figures to be the source of plenty of rumors this summer. Both teams have an ample amount of trade chips that should ultimately exchange hands. Here's the latest out of the division…
- The Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, Orioles and Blue Jays all had scouts on hand to watch Matt Garza's dominant start against the Brewers today, tweets MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
- Cubs president Theo Epstein told ESPN Chicago's Sahadev Sharma that he owes it to the organization to explore trades of Garza and the team's veteran players to improve the future. Garza added that he doesn't pay attention to rumors.
- From that same piece, Epstein said that trading for additional pool space in this year's international free agency market isn't a huge priority, though he didn't specifically deny rumors that the Cubs are looking to acquire additional funds. For those who don't recall, the new CBA will allow teams to trade international spending money.
- Teams have ramped up their evaluations of Kyle Lohse to determine if he's a worthwhile trade target, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
- Albert Pujols told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that St. Louis is still a special place for him and it made him the person that he is today. The longtime Cardinal said he's slightly bitter about the way the front office handled his departure, though he declined to get into specifics on the topic.
Ricky Nolasco Rumors: Thursday
Significant trades remain rare in June, but the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco has four days left to join a club that has added Kevin Youkilis, Mark Ellis, Joel Hanrahan, Sean Burnett, Mark DeRosa, Chris Perez, Nate McLouth, Jeff Locke, and Charlie Morton in recent years. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN today that there have been far more serious trade discussions five weeks from the deadline than he can ever recall, and you have to wonder if Colletti is thinking of his own discussions for Nolasco while making that comment. The entire NL West plus the Orioles have been linked to the 30-year-old righty, who is scheduled to face the Padres tomorrow night. Nolasco has about $6MM left on his contract, which will certainly be part of the trade negotiations. The latest:
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Marlins are seeking a "good" prospect as well as the full $6MM of salary relief in exchange for Nolasco. The financial implications of those demands have pushed the Rockies out of the running. The Dodgers are the front-runners, according to one executive, though the Giants and Padres are still involved in talks. The Orioles are "less confident" in their chances, and the Rangers "loom as a possibility," according to the FOX duo.
- The Dodgers are likely to pay more of Nolasco's salary if it means saving a prospect, tweets Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. The Dodgers are pleased with the current direction of their minor league system.
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Dodgers and Marlins have indeed made progress in talks for Nolasco. One source tells Olney that there's a 70 percent chance the deal gets done.
- The Marlins and Dodgers are indeed in talks about Nolasco, hears Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- As a Southern California native, Nolasco would naturally prefer to pitch on the West Coast, notes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. The interest from the NL West bodes well for that goal, though the Red Sox scouted Nolasco's last start, writes Frisaro. Nolasco's opinion on being a walking trade rumor? "Whatever happens, happens," he told Frisaro.
- What might it take to acquire Nolasco? Bowden offers proposals for each NL West team in this ESPN article.
Cuban Prospect Dariel Alvarez Eligible To Sign
It's been months since we've heard significant news on Cuban defectors Dariel Alvarez and Aledmys Diaz, but MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez writes that Alvarez has been cleared by the Commissioner's Office to sign with a Major League team. He has actually been cleared to sign for several months, but the process has been slowed by a change in agents. Diaz, according to a separate tweet from Sanchez, will not be eligible for free agency until next February.
The Dodgers, Rangers, Red Sox, Royals, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Padres and Yankees were among the teams in attendance for an Alvarez showcase in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. yesterday, according to Sanchez. The Marlins did not attend his workout despite its proximity to Miami, which gels with reports from the offseason that the Marlins weren't interested.
Alvarez, 24, is capable of playing all three outfield positions and has drawn praise for a strong throwing arm. The new collective bargaining agreement states that players who are at least 23 years of age and have a minimum of three years of professional experience are not subject to the international signing limitations. In other words, teams will be able to spend as freely as they wish to acquire Alvarez's services. In addition to the previously mentioned teams, the Twins and Cardinals were both connected to Alvarez this past winter as well.
Marlins Working To Trade Nolasco ASAP
WEDNESDAY, 10:59pm: The Marlins are surprisingly open to eating some of Nolasco's contract, but only if the prospect return is significantly better than alternative deals, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, the Padres continue to have talks with the Marlins on multiple players, including Nolasco, but nothing is close or imminent, a source tells Bowden (Twitter link).
5:21pm: The Marlins have told other clubs that they have teams willing to take on all of the prorated portion of Nolasco's $11.5MM salary, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Nolasco is owed roughly $6MM between now and the end of the season.
TUESDAY, 12:41pm: The Marlins have been aggressively working to move starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco as soon as possible, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. So far the Orioles, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies, and Giants have been connected to the righty, and the Marlins' aggressive approach was noted by Andy Martino of the New York Daily News yesterday. And earlier today, ESPN's Jayson Stark wrote that Nolasco might win the "Most Likely to Get Traded Before the All-Star Break pool." Moving Nolasco with over a month remaining until the July 31st trade deadline makes sense, because there's added value to a contender in having him for all of July.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new article on Nolasco, where he names the Giants, Dodgers, Padres, Rockies, and Orioles as interested parties (the NL West teams have expressed interest). As opposed to Olney's report, Rosenthal writes, "The Marlins are 'kicking around' names in a potential Nolasco trade with clubs, sources say, but their talks have not progressed to the point where a deal is close."
Nolasco, 30, has a 3.68 ERA, 6.9 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 0.81 HR/9, and 41.6% groundball rate in 100 1/3 innings this year, making him one of the better available starting pitchers. He has about $6MM remaining on his contract, after which he'll be a free agent. Another of the top starting pitchers available, Matt Garza, is under pursuit by the Padres and Dodgers, according to Rosenthal. Any player traded midseason becomes ineligible for a qualifying offer in the offseason, removing the possibility of draft pick compensation and increasing the player's value to winter suitors.
Click here to see a leaderboard I've created of all the potentially available starting pitchers.
Dodgers Pushing Hard For Nolasco
WEDNEDSAY, 10:20pm: The Dodgers are deep into trade talks with the Marlins about Nolasco, a source confirmed to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com. However, it's hard to know if anything is close right now, the source added.
A move for Nolasco would not mean the Dodgers are only targeting players to only help them this season, however. They are looking to add a starting pitcher and reliever before the deadline, but they have also talked about moving a veteran to add prospects that could help them beyond 2013. A third baseman is not a major priority for them, however, as they seem content with Juan Uribe.
TUESDAY, 4:36pm: The Dodgers aren't close to acquiring Nolasco at this time, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio. Four to six teams have shown serious interest in the right-hander.
3:52pm: The Dodgers are "on blitzkrieg" to acquire Ricky Nolasco from the Marlins, tweets Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. As noted by Schulman, the matchup makes sense. The Dodgers can easily absorb the remaining $6MM or so on Nolasco's contract, and such a deal would prevent division rivals like the Padres and Giants from landing Nolasco.
The Padres, Giants and Rockies have all been connected to Nolasco at various points thus far, so it would be logical for the Dodgers, who also have the most ground to make up in the division, to pursue the 30-year-old.
Nolasco has a 3.68 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, and a 41.6 percent ground-ball rate in 100 1/3 innings this year. He's slated to be a free agent following the season, which makes him a strict rental for the Dodgers, as teams can no longer receive compensatory draft picks for players who were acquired midseason.
Schulman adds that a deal could happen "soon," which meshes with reports from earlier today that the Fish are trying to move Nolasco ASAP.
NL West Notes: Giants, Dodgers, Gonzalez, Rockies
The Giants are hoping to get back to the .500 mark as they take on the Dodgers tonight and one might expect them to be eager to upgrade their roster for a late-season push. However, we learned earlier today that San Francisco isn't planning to make a deal anytime soon. At this stage, GM Brian Sabean believes that the asking price is simply too high for the desirable players on the block, but that can certianly change as we approach the deadline. Here's more out of the NL West..
- The Dodgers are determined to find an upgrade at third base and their pitching over the next five weeks, tweets JIm Bowden of ESPN.com. The Dodgers have given Juan Uribe a great deal of time in the hot corner this season and so far he has responded with his best offensive season in a while, hitting .268/.356/.399 over 50 games.
- Speaking of the Dodgers, they had multiple scouts watching Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez in his most recent game, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Dodgers are reportedly one of several clubs interested in Gonzalez and Red Sox GM Ben Cherington recently watched him throw in person.
- The word in the scouting community is that Gonzalez could get as much as $60MM across five years, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
- Any trade the Rockies make would likely happen after All-Star break in the two weeks before trading deadline on July 31st, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
Stark On Astros, Ethier, Brewers, Papelbon, Stanton
The latest column from ESPN's Jayson Stark is jam-packed with trade-related information. Highlights:
- One National League executive predicted that the Cubs' Matt Garza will be the first pitcher traded; he's thought to be eminently available, as the Cubs are not comfortable with his asking price on a potential new contract. The Padres and Dodgers are among the teams pursuing Garza, reported Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports earlier today.
- The Astros are looking for volume in any deal they make, one NL exec told Stark. Bud Norris is an obvious trade chip for Jeff Luhnow and company, while I imagine Carlos Pena, Jose Veras, Erik Bedard, Lucas Harrell, Wesley Wright, Ronny Cedeno, and others can be had as well.
- The Dodgers are not actively dangling right fielder Andre Ethier. What's more, the team still views itself as a buyer despite being eight games out. They may be interested in adding a third baseman they can control for multiple years, implies Stark.
- Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche could be dealt, hears Stark, in a scenario where Ryan Zimmerman moves to first base, Anthony Rendon moves back to third base, and Danny Espinosa gets healthy. LaRoche's name is not out there at present, however.
- The Brewers will "gladly listen" on third baseman Aramis Ramirez, as well as any position player other than Jean Segura, Carlos Gomez, and Ryan Braun. I wonder if that means names such as Jonathan Lucroy and Norichika Aoki will be in play next month.
- Execs who spoke to Stark seem divided on whether the Brewers want to trade Yovani Gallardo, with one saying, "To be honest, I think they would love to move him." Click here for thoughts from Brewers GM Doug Melvin on the situation.
- The Phillies are talking to the Red Sox and Tigers about closer Jonathan Papelbon right now, one exec tells Stark, even if they say otherwise.
- Officials of three teams that have talked to the Marlins about slugger Giancarlo Stanton are convinced owner Jeffrey Loria won't trade him this summer. In an April poll of over 13,000 MLBTR readers, over 40% thought Stanton would be dealt this summer.
- Other teams say the Tigers are willing to surrender top prospects Nick Castellanos or Avisail Garcia if necessary. The team is focused on finding a closer.
- The Braves are "all over the bullpen market," which jives with a couple of other reports today.
- The Giants "have taken on a whole new fervor in the last week in their hunt for another starter." They've been connected often to Nolasco, but there are around 20 viable candidates out there of varying quality. The Orioles could make a move before the All-Star break, hears Stark, and they seem to be prioritizing starters over relievers.