Dodgers Acquire Jim Thome
SI.com's Jon Heyman reports that the Dodgers have acquired Jim Thome. The White Sox will receive infielder Justin Fuller in the deal, and are sending cash to LA that will presumably cover at least part of Thome's salary according to Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune.
The Dodgers were reportedly seeking a run-producing bat off the bench, and Thome would certainly fit that description. It remains to be seen how the 39-yr old will be used in Chavez Ravine however, as the National League doesn't use a designated hitter. Thome has played just 28 innings at first base since 2005, and is scheduled to become a free agent after the season.
Fuller, 26, was the Dodgers 11th round pick in 2006, and is hitting .254-.340-.418 in 205 at-bats for High Class-A Inland Empire. Assuming the deal was completed before midnight ET on August 31st, Thome is eligible for the Dodgers' postseason roster.
Two Teams Interested In Garland
11:00pm: Heyman says a deal between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers "looks pretty likely to happen."
10:22pm: Heyman tweets that talks between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers about Garland are "heating up." He also mentions that the Rockies and Yankees look less likely at the moment.
9:02pm: ESPN's Buster Olney says the Yanks "are not involved in any on-going trade talks for Jon Garland."
8:03pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says the Rockies and Yankees have inquired about Garland.
7:26pm: Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports that two unknown teams have been "actively discussing" pitcher Jon Garland with the Diamondbacks. He mentions that a "potential trade likely would require the Diamondbacks to include cash to offset what remains on
The supremely durable Garland has started at least 32 games in the last seven years, and he's five starts away from making it eight consecutive years. The soon-to-be 30-yr has a 4.29 ERA and cleared waivers earlier this month. A team would need to acquire him before midnight tonight for him to be eligible for the postseason roster.
Pirates, Phillies & Dodgers DFA Minor Leaguers
The Pirates designated pitcher Jon Meloan for assignment to create roster room for Daniel McCutchen, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. The 25-year-old righty has played in the minors for the Pirates, Indians and Rays this year. In total, he's allowed 68 hits and 28 walks in 65 innings, striking out 60.
Meanwhile, the Phillies designated minor leaguer Brad Harman for assignment, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Harman hasn't played in the majors this year, but he batted 11 times in a brief call up last year. The 23-year-old, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, has played around the infield in his minor league career.
The Dodgers designated Jesus Castillo for assignment, according to MLB.com. (Hat Tip: Diamond Leung) Castillo, a 25-year-old righty, has allowed 150 hits and 55 walks in 146.0 innings at AA this year, striking out 85.
Dodgers Acquire Ronnie Belliard
Chico Harlan of The Washington Post reports that the Nationals traded infielder Ronnie Belliard to the Dodgers following today's game. Washington will receive A-ball pitcher Luis Garcia and a player to be named in the deal.
Belliard, 34, was hitting .247-.297-.376 in 203 plate appearances for the Nats this year, spending time at first, second and third base. He is in the final year of the two year, $3.5M extension he signed during the 2007 season. Garcia, 22, has a 2.92 ERA in 34 appearances (15 starts) in the Low-A Midwest League this season, and was not considered one the Dodgers' top 30 prospects by Baseball America this spring.
Dodgers Seek Run-Producing Pinch Hitter
The Dodgers are looking to acquire a pinch hitter with power for the final month of the season, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. The Dodgers have Mark Loretta and Juan Pierre off the bench, but neither player has much power, so they're looking outside the organization.
So far, Gurnick says the market for such bats appears thin. Jonny Gomes and Tony Clark could interest the Dodgers, but that's mere speculation on my part.
Giants Claimed Hoffman; Trade Unlikely
The Giants claimed Trevor Hoffman, but it appears that the Brewers will pull the reliever off waivers instead of negotiating a trade, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The Giants made the claim partly because Hoffman would help their bullpen and partly because they didn't want to give the Rockies or Dodgers a chance to acquire him.
The Brewers seem more likely to hold onto Hoffman than trade him. Speaking in general terms, GM Doug Melvin told Olney that he would "probably not" compromise the club's bullpen in the coming days.
Odds And Ends: Cordero, Schmidt, Griffey
Another round of links…
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that no team has inquired on Francisco Cordero.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports has a series of predictions for the season's final month. He doesn't expect Jake Peavy to win more than a single game for the White Sox.
- MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports that Jason Schmidt's season is over. Schmidt, who won three games in as many seasons for the Dodgers, hinted he may retire.
- Ken Griffey Jr. tells C. Trent Rosecrans of CNati.com he's having the time of his life back in Seattle. He's open to staying with the Mariners, but says he understands if the team decides to move on. Check out the entire interview – it's a great read.
- Roy Oswalt says there's "a dead feeling" in the Astros clubhouse, according to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. Justice argues that "the people in charge have screwed up the franchise."
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox evaluated Billy Wagner in depth before trading for him.
Odds And Ends: Manny, Marlins, Wagner
Some links to start the week off…
- Manny Ramirez, who has a $20MM player option for next year, shouted "I'm going to be here next year" to his Dodgers teammates, according to T.J. Simers of the LA Times. You never know with Manny, but it's hard to imagine someone offering him a better deal.
- If you've ever wondered about some of the more lucrative performance incentives around baseball, check out Jorge Says No!.
- The Marlins have a tiny payroll, but call them a surprise and Larry Beinfest starts to bristle, says Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
- Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the feeling is the Red Sox will send a marginal player to the Mets for Billy Wagner if they can work out a deal with the former closer and his agent.
Discussion: Orlando Hudson
We'll have a whole lot more on the subject this offseason, when free agency picks back up and rumors begin swirling like crazy, but it's probably a fine time to start throwing around names in the 2010 free agent class. One of the more intriguing players from that group, because of a youngster behind him and the season he's having, is Orlando Hudson.
The "O-Dog," 32 in December, is batting .291/.358/.425 this season with eight home runs and 57 RBI in 461 at-bats. He's outperforming a good amount of his career offensive averages and plays a decent second base.
But, with 24-year-old serviceable infielder Blake DeWitt waiting in the wings, it's doubtful the Dodgers will get into any sort of bidding war or offer Hudson big money to stay in Los Angeles. So, who's going to make a play? The Nationals have publicly acknowledged that they're seeking a long-term second baseman, and ESPN's Buster Olney suggested in June that Hudson could fairly demand a three or four-year deal. Is that the right fit? Who else needs a new two-sacker? Get after it in the comments.
Odds & Ends: Padilla, Riggleman, Cabrera, Twins
Some links to wrap up your Thursday night…
- Scott Miller of CBSSports.com notes that Vicente Padilla brings hefty baggage with him to Los Angeles. He points out that the circumstances are similar to the arrival of one Manny Ramirez last year.
- The Nationals will conduct a search for a permanent manager in the offseason, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Jim Riggleman, the interim manager, will be a candidate for the job.
- R.J. Anderson at FanGraphs discusses the success of of Everth Cabrera, whom the Padres swiped from the division-rival Rockies in the Rule V Draft.
- And the Twins signed a German player with a family background in ballet, according to John W. Miller of the Wall Street Journal.