Ted Lilly Rumors: Wednesday
Ted Lilly may have made his last start as a Cub last night, tossing five-plus shutout innings in Houston while lowering his ERA to 3.69. The latest on the lefty up top:
- The Dodgers are more focused on Lilly and Paul Maholm than Roy Oswalt, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.
- The market for Lilly has picked up, according to Stark (on Twitter). The Tigers are involved, and so are the Dodgers, Twins and Phillies.
- The Phillies have inquired on Lilly, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter). Ed Price of AOL FanHouse hears rumblings about a possible Lilly-J.A. Happ deal (Twitter link). However, Stark hears that the Phils, who are on the lefty's no-trade list, won't deal Happ for Lilly. The Twins and Dodgers remain involved, but the Mets are waiting to hear "from above" before pursuing Lilly more aggressively, according to Rosenthal.
- The Cubs have indicated a recent willingness to assume some of the $4.43MM owed to Lilly, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark. That'd help the chances of a Dodgers deal. Unfortunately for the Cubs, potential Lilly suitors like the Mets and Tigers may be reassessing their chances.
- The Twins have asked about Lilly, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, but their presence on his no-trade list means he'd require additional compensation to accept a deal.
Roy Oswalt Rumors: Wednesday
The lowdown on Roy Oswalt, with the newest buzz up top…
- The Phils and Astros have a deal in place that would send Oswalt to Philadelphia, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports in Houston. Oswalt, who is aware of the potential deal, can make it official by waiving his no-trade clause. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman are working to confirm the story on Twitter.
- Talks between the Phillies and Astros have intensified in the last day, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. The clubs have more or less agreed on players – J.A. Happ and prospects would go to Houston – but they can’t agree on how much salary the Astros will absorb. Jayson Werth is off the market, so taking on payroll won’t be easy for the Phils.
- The Dodgers are now more focused on trying to obtain Ted Lilly or Paul Maholm.
- The Phillies and Astros are now dealing one-on-one, with no other teams involved, according to Olney (via Twitter). Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Phillies are the favorites to acquire Oswalt and notes (on Twitter) that the Yanks inquired once.
- Three or four teams will likely be involved if the Phillies acquire Oswalt, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter).
- Astros owner Drayton McLane told Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle that a trade seems likely. "I'd say it's about 60% that something could be done and 40% that Roy will be here next year," McLane said.
- Oswalt is telling friends that he can’t wait to leave Houston, according to Newsday’s Ken Davidoff. The righty says he won’t necessarily insist that teams pick up his 2012 option.
- Oswalt wants ample time to decide on any trade, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. He doesn't want the Astros coming to him an hour or two before Saturday's deadline.
- The Reds made a cursory call on Oswalt, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, but no names were exchanged. John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote today that Oswalt is too expensive for the Reds.
- The Cardinals are out and the Dodgers are making no progress, reports Rosenthal. The Phillies' front office is still divided about giving up prospects and taking on Oswalt's contract, though the players they'd send to the Astros are "pretty much agreed on." Earlier today, Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote that the Cardinals remain in contact with the Astros for Oswalt.
- If Oswalt takes the mound Friday night against the Brewers, "the odds of him being traded are down to almost nothing" says Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Astros are "working very, very hard" to find an acceptable Oswalt deal despite all the obstacles.
- The Phillies "remain top contenders" for Oswalt, writes MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Zolecki's source thinks Oswalt's 2012 club option "is not the sticking point it has been made to be." On the other hand, ESPN's Jayson Stark feels that if the Phillies retain Jayson Werth as expected they won't have a way to clear 2010 payroll for Oswalt.
Sherman on Phillies, A’s, Blue Jays
Some of the biggest trade chips have already been moved, some contenders are dropping out of the race and few teams seem willing to take on salary. All of these factors give MLB executives the sense that this trade deadline could be a quiet one, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Lots can happen in the coming three days, so here are Sherman’s latest rumors:
- One NL scout says the Phillies are “the most active team out there.”
- The A’s think their young pitching will keep them in contention next year. The club expects to be able to afford a major power hitter like Adam Dunn this offseason.
- The Blue Jays tell rival teams that they are content to keep Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg, Jason Frasor and John Buck. The Jays claim they’d offer arbitration to all four, but some teams believe they’re just posturing. Frasor (barely) and Downs project as Type A free agents, while Buck and Gregg project as Type Bs. Click here for the details, but essentially the Jays could obtain six top picks in 2011 if all four players turn down arbitration to sign elsewhere.
- Toronto officials say Downs would earn a contract comparable to Darren Oliver ($3.5MM) or Jeremy Affeldt ($4.5MM) if he accepts arbitration.
- Twelve teams have called on Downs and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports notes on Twitter that the Dodgers are a “longshot” to acquire the lefty. Ned Colletti & Co. have interest in the Jays’ relievers, according to Rosenthal.
Dodgers Moving Closer On Scott Podsednik
3:06pm: The Dodgers also have interest in Tigers outfielder Ryan Raburn, according to Stark (via Twitter).
2:37pm: The Dodgers are considering a second outfielder, along with Podsednik, according to Rosenthal on Twitter. Earlier in the afternoon, Rosenthal reported that the Dodgers are “in conversation” with the Royals regarding Podsednik (via Twitter). A second source tells Rosenthal that the Giants are still in on Podsednik.
1:23pm: The Dodgers are moving closer on Podsednik, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark.
WEDNESDAY, 12:43pm: The Dodgers are making the strongest push for Podsednik, tweets Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, but the Giants remain involved.
MONDAY, 10:40pm: NL West teams are bombarding the Royals with interest in Scott Podsednik, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star confirms the report (via Twitter) and so does Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. Rosenthal suggests the Giants, Padres and Dodgers could be fits. The Giants and Padres have been linked to outfielders for weeks now and Dodgers GM Ned Colletti recently said he wants to add outfield depth.
Podsednik, 34, has a .309/.353/.399 line with 29 steals in 41 attempts. It's a carbon copy of the season he put together last year, when he batted .304/.353/.412 with 30 steals in 43 attempts. Teams know what they're getting in Podsednik: a speedy left fielder who can play center and get on base.
The Royals signed Podsednik to a team-friendly deal that guarantees the outfielder $1.65MM this season (about $580K remains). The team has an option for 2011 worth $2MM, but Podsednik will likely be able to void it. He had 421 plate appearances entering today's action and needs just 525 to neutralize the option.
Dodgers Sign Juan Castro
The Dodgers signed infielder Juan Castro to a minor league deal, tweets Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. Castro was released by the Phillies on July 17th.
Castro, 38, came up through the Dodgers' system and also spent the '09 season with the club. He tallied a .198/.237/.238 big league line before the Phillies released him this year.
Stark On Werth, Willingham, Cantu, Theriot
Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth told ESPN's Jayson Stark he's "not up late reading the blog sites" regarding trade rumors, but he doesn't expect to be dealt. Stark agrees, though he notes that the Phillies did toss Werth's name out there to many teams. On to Stark's other rumors…
- The Dodgers are looking at Ted Lilly, but they haven't completely abandoned the idea of acquiring Roy Oswalt. Still, the impediments to an Oswalt deal remain significant. Lilly appears certain to be traded.
- Josh Willingham is drawing interest from the Braves, Rays, and Red Sox. Adam Dunn remains a trade candidate as well, but the Nationals would only deal one of the two.
- Money might be holding up a Jorge Cantu-Rangers deal, as the Rangers can't add any payroll and would want the Marlins to pick up the entire $2.25MM tab.
- The Padres have been linked to infielders Ryan Theriot and Jeff Keppinger, as outfield targets such as David DeJesus, Corey Hart, and Jayson Werth drop out of the picture for various reasons.
- Don't look for anything major from the Red Sox outside of some bullpen tweaking. They will prowl the waiver wire in August, though.
Odds & Ends: Sweeney, Downs, Martin
Links for Monday, as we celebrate the anniversary of the Mark DeRosa (2009), Casey Blake (2008), Xavier Nady (2008), and Ben Broussard (2006) trades. More importantly, Chris Perez, Carlos Santana, Jose Tabata, and Shin-Soo Choo were surrendered for those veteran acquisitions. The trade deadline is five days away; who will mortgage the future this year?
- MLB.com's Adam McCalvy has good quotes from Brewers GM Doug Melvin, who said, "Teams talk, but they don't give you legitimate offers. The toughest part is that teams don't want to take anybody off their Major League club. Teams will offer prospects in A-ball." In the piece, McCalvy outlines Melvin's options regarding Prince Fielder.
- Orioles owner Peter Angelos doesn't want to deal with the Yankees, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. That means one less trade partner for the Orioles as they try to move Ty Wigginton.
- The Blue Jays reached a $600K agreement with second-round pick Kellen Sweeney, reports Baseball America's Jim Callis. Sweeney, brother of A's outfielder Ryan, will move to third base to begin his pro career. News of the agreement first surfaced Friday via Jeff Johnson of The Gazette.
- WEEI's Rob Bradford looks at Boston's bullpen options, noting that it'd be dangerous to overpay for Scott Downs. The Jays continue to ask for an elite prospect for Downs, writes Bradford's colleague Alex Speier. One exec who spoke to ESPN's Jayson Stark expects Toronto to continue "stoking fires" and wait until Friday or Saturday to trade Downs.
- Will the Dodgers, possibly reluctant to give Russell Martin another raise through arbitration, trade the catcher in the early offseason? Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports examines.
- Speaking of the offseason, D'Backs CEO Derrick Hall says the team will be pursuing a closer and another reliever despite a decreasing payroll (Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reporting).
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs explains that MLB teams may view Dan Haren as less than an ace due to his tendency to allow home runs. The Diamondbacks moved Haren at the worst possible time, says Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Roy Oswalt Rumors: Sunday
The Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, and Cardinals were among the teams that had scouts watching Roy Oswalt's start against the Reds last night. Oswalt didn't exactly dazzle, allowing six runs over five innings, but there still seems to be plenty of interest in the right-hander, according to yesterday's round of Oswalt rumors. Here are today's updates, with the latest notes being added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- With Haren off of the trade market, Houston's asking price for Oswalt will likely be too high for the Cards' tastes, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart writes that Oswalt's pursuit of becoming the all-time wins leader in Houston won't affect his trade status. One win shy of the record, Oswalt says it would be nice to reach the mark, but won't veto a trade to make it happen.
- In an update for FOX Sports, Rosenthal says the Astros are having trouble matching up with the Cardinals and Dodgers, leaving the Phillies as the most logical suitor. However, in a pair of tweets, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Phils are exploring the possibility of swapping Werth directly for a starter if they can't work out a deal for Oswalt or Dan Haren.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Phillies, as opposed to the Dodgers and Cards, are best positioned to acquire Oswalt if they move Jayson Werth. However, Rosenthal hears from an executive that Philadelphia's demands in a Werth deal appear to be changing daily.
- Astros president Tal Smith tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he expects Oswalt to be moved. According to Smith, the Astros' ace is drawing "considerable interest," with at least "three or four" teams attempting to acquire the 32-year-old.
- Cafardo also hears from an Astros official that New York might be too "big time" for the quiet Oswalt, meaning there's a chance the righty may not waive his no-trade clause to play for a Big Apple team.
Relief Rumors: Capps, Jays, Dotel
Bullpen help is always in great demand as the deadline approaches, and 2010 is no exception. With all of the relief rumors circulating today, let's take a look at some of them:
- Earlier today, we heard that the competition for Scott Downs was heating up, but that some executives think the Jays are asking too much. Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Jays are asking a lot for all three of their available relievers — Downs, Kevin Gregg, and Jason Frasor. The Dodgers inquired but are now looking elsewhere as a result of those demands.
- Buster Olney has heard that several executives think the Nationals will trade Matt Capps. The Washington closer is having a strong rebound season, but makes $3.5MM and will be in line for a large raise through arbitration prior to the 2011 campaign. With the strong results seen from Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen this year, the Nats have quality in-house options to replace Capps. GM Mike Rizzo recently said he's not shopping Capps, but he's getting lots of calls.
- Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes that the Rockies had a scout at Octavio Dotel's last outing, but they're concerned about his durability and switching from a closer to setup role. According to Renck, teams are monitoring the Pirates to see if they'd make Evan Meek or Joel Hanrahan available as well.
Brad Ausmus To Retire After Season
When this season comes to an end, Brad Ausmus will call it a career, according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles. After playing last night for the first time since April 8th, Ausmus addressed a reporter's post-game inquiry about his future by replying: "This year is it."
After signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers this winter, Ausmus started just one game before being placed on the disabled list with back pain. When Ausmus' back issues required surgery, many assumed he would simply retire, but the 41-year-old backstop has fought his way back and intends to finish out the season.
Ausmus' contract, which pays him $850K this year, includes a $1MM mutual option ($150K buyout) for next season which won't be exercised now that he plans to retire. The veteran catcher, who has spent time with the Padres, Tigers, Astros, and Dodgers since breaking into the league in 1993, has earned over $36MM in his career, according to Baseball-Reference.