West Rumors: Angels, Iannetta, Rangers
The latest on a few AL and NL West clubs…
- The Marlins "are scouting the Angels closely," reports Kevin Baxter of the L.A. Times. Baxter believes Marlins closer Leo Nunez could be a fit for L.A., but the two teams might not match up. Head over to CloserNews for Dan Mennella's look at which other closers might be on the move this month.
- The Pirates have cooled on Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports would be shocked if the Rangers don't address their bullpen, regardless of what happens with Carlos Beltran.
- Padres reliever Mike Adams was affected by recent trade rumors, he admitted to Don Norcross of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- David DeJesus' wife "goes to the trade rumor sites," the A's outfielder told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. DeJesus and teammate Josh Willingham leave the trade chatter to their better halves. Willingham told Susan Slusser of the Chronicle he'd be open to discussing an extension with Oakland, but Slusser's team source says they don't want to talk to potential free agents about contracts until after the season.
Quick Hits: Hanley, Phillies, Zduriencik, Darvish
The Mariners' losing streak extended to 14 games after dropping a 3-1 result to Boston today. Seattle's 14-game skid ties a franchise record for consecutive losses.
Some news from around the majors….
- In a radio appearance with Dan LeBatard (partially transcribed by Matt Forman of the Miami Herald), Jeff Conine said that if it was up to him, the Marlins would trade Hanley Ramirez. Conine might have just been using the interview to vent, but given Conine's status as a special assistant to Marlins president David Samson, it's worth wondering if others in the Florida front office feel the same way about the club's star shortstop.
- Also from Forman's post, Marlins manager Jack McKeon doesn't think his team will do much, if anything at the trade deadline.
- Ruben Amaro's reputation for major trade deadline deals has raised expectations that the Phillies GM will make another big move this summer, writes Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- The Mariners' losing streak has erased the fact that the club was in the AL West hunt just two weeks ago. GM Jack Zduriencik tells Larry Stone of the Seattle Times that he tried to find help for the Mariners' terrible offense but to no avail. "That big bat doesn't seem to be out there at a reasonable cost. It's not as easy as saying, 'We need a bat. Let's go get a bat.' Great. Who's giving one up? Lots of clubs who are doing well are looking for a bat," Zduriencik said.
- The Nationals still have an interest in Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
- It's been almost 20 years since the Dodgers were last sellers at the trade deadline, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Angels aren't expected to make any huge deals at the deadline, though Kevin Baxter of the L.A. Times notes the Halos have been "eagerly courting" the Padres with the hopes of adding Heath Bell or Mike Adams.
- Dennis Manoloff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer looks back at the Indians' history at the trade deadline since 1994.
Stark On Shields, Melky, Soria, Marlins
Astros GM Ed Wade has been determining the market for his players, including Hunter Pence, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports. Incoming owner Jim Crane urged Wade to do so in case appealing offers emerge. Here are the rest of Stark’s rumors:
- Given Wade’s uncertain future in Houston, at least one executive suggests the GM needs to make a "job-saving deal" if he trades Pence.
- The Rays are more likely to trade B.J. Upton than James Shields, though they realize Shields’ value has never been higher (the right-hander won't be going to the Bronx).
- The Phillies remain in contact with the Royals about Melky Cabrera, but the Royals have told teams they’re more likely to deal Jeff Francoeur. Kansas City is asking for a number three starter who’s nearly Major League ready in return for Cabrera.
- Clubs that have inquired on Vance Worley have heard that he’s off of the market.
- The Braves have shown some interest in Heath Bell, whose most aggressive suitors have been the Rangers, Cardinals, Phillies and Angels. The Padres are telling teams that they’ll need to “clearly surpass” the value of two compensatory draft picks in any deal for Bell, though they’re flexible in terms of the type of player they’d accept in return.
- The Padres continue to field calls on Mike Adams, who will be tougher to obtain than Bell.
- The Yankees, Phillies and Diamondbacks appear to have checked in on Joakim Soria.
- The Red Sox are looking at everything, but aren’t approaching the deadline with much urgency, one AL executive told Stark.
- Rival teams expect that the Dodgers will trade Jamey Carroll and there are indications that Rafael Furcal is drawing interest as well.
- The Marlins, who hope to build momentum before opening their new stadium in 2012, are in a “holding pattern,” Stark reports. They’ve shown interest in third basemen.
- Rival teams report that the Phillies say they won’t move Domonic Brown or top pitching prospect Jarred Cosart. Jonathan Singleton is available in the right deal, but the Phillies don’t expect to trade him for a rental player.
- Stark reminds us that commissioner Bud Selig ruled out contraction at the All-Star Game.
Marlins Have Interest In Brandon Inge
The Marlins are said to be seeking a veteran third baseman, and MLB.com's Joe Frisaro says they have their eyes on Brandon Inge. Inge was designated for assignment after the Tigers acquired Wilson Betemit yesterday, but he said he would accept an assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers.
The 34-year-old Inge has hit just .177/.242/.242 this season and there's approximately $8.5MM left on his contract through 2012, assuming his 2013 option is bought out. That salary almost guarantees that he will go through waivers unclaimed. Marlins' third basemen have hit just .267/.333/.347 this season.
Phillies, Marlins Discussed Leo Nunez
The Phillies have talked to the Marlins about closer Leo Nunez, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The Marlins seek young pitching in return, Crasnick adds.
Nunez fits with the Phillies' goal of acquiring players they can control beyond this year, though his salary will get a healthy bump from this year's $3.65MM. Over at CloserNews, we're speculating on Mike Dunn for saves in Florida if Nunez is dealt.
Crasnick tweets that the Marlins are not ready to pull the plug yet, even if the team's recent strong play still doesn't make them a mathematical contender. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro believes the Marlins will stay the course, and maybe even consider adding a third baseman or pitcher. Keep in mind that even if the Marlins don't want to pay Nunez $6-7MM next year, they can always trade him in August or the offseason.
Knobler On Tigers, Vargas, Fister, Marlins
Danny Knobler of CBS Sports has the latest on the market for starters, from Miami to Detroit to Seattle. Here’s the latest:
- Though the Tigers are a possible destination for Carlos Beltran, they've been focusing all of their attention on upgrading their rotation at this point (Twitter link). Derek Lowe and Jeremy Guthrie are two of the pitchers who have drawn the Tigers' interest.
- The Mariners have suggested to teams that they would discuss dealing starting pitching – specifically Jason Vargas and Doug Fister, according to Knobler. They may not get much for Erik Bedard, but they're getting calls on Adam Kennedy and Jamey Wright.
- Though the Marlins will consider trading Javier Vazquez, Leo Nunez and Randy Choate, they won't talk about Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez or Josh Johnson, according to Knobler. The Marlins are looking to add starting pitching and a third baseman, though those moves may not happen this month.
Rosenthal On Nolasco, Rays, Upton, Jimenez
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brought us another edition of Full Count today while sporting yet another fantastic bow tie. Here are some highlights..
- The Marlins could wind up trading Ricky Nolasco if they fail to get back to the .500 mark. The Rangers have shown interest in Nolasco since last winter and the Yankees could look to reunite him with manager Joe Girardi. If the Fish make such a deal, it won't be in one of their classic salary dumps, it will be instead for baseball reasons. They're looking to increase their payroll ahead of their move into a brand new stadium and they could be major players for free agents this winter.
- The Rays still could end up as sellers but right now they appear to be buyers as they were looking to get Francisco Rodriguez before the Brewers swooped in at the final hour. If Tampa Bay sells, it's doubtful that they'll move any of their starters but B.J. Upton is another story. In theory, the Nationals, Phillies, and Braves could all be potential destinations for the outfielder.
- The three teams with the best chance of meeting the Rockies' asking price for Ubaldo Jimenez are the Yankees, Tigers, and Reds. The concerns with Jimenez are that he's not back to his 2009/early 2010 form and that his velocity has dropped. One scout told Rosenthal that he's not back to his ace form yet but he's getting close.
- The first-place Pirates are after upgrades but they should also improve from within. They have a number of injured players returning such as Jose Tabata, Evan Meek, and Ross Ohlendorf. The Bucs continue to search for a bat but they're not terribly interested in the Cubs' Carlos Pena.
Marlins Seek Third Baseman & Starting Pitching
Marlins' owner Jeffrey Loria told MLB.com's Joe Frisaro that the team is looking to add an experienced third baseman and starting pitching, though not necessarily before the trade deadline. The Marlins are opening up a new stadium next year and want to build a foundation for the future.
Florida has used six different third basemen this year and they're hitting a collective .269/.331/.345 with two homers. Top prospect Matt Dominguez is hitting .245/.306/.410 with their Triple-A affiliate since coming back from a broken elbow, but the team would prefer a veteran stop gap until he's ready to take over the hot corner. Loria said they'll monitor the market now and continue to do so into the offseason.
Both Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco were rumored to be on the trade block, but Frisaro says the team has little interest in trading either. Dealing one or both of the right-handers would weaken an already thin starting staff that has been without ace Josh Johnson since mid-May. The Marlins have used nine different starting pitchers this year, the second most in baseball.
NL East Notes: McKeon, Beltran, Phillies
Let's check out some notes from the NL East..
- Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria will consider Jack McKeon to manage the club in 2012, writes Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. Loria added that former skipper Edwin Rodriguez resigned on his own and was not pressured by the front office to quit.
- Loria also says that his team can work its way back into the playoff picture in 2011, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
- A source told Jeff Passan of Yahoo (via Twitter) that the no-arbitration clause in Carlos Beltran's contract does transfer to his new team if he is traded.
- History always tells us that the Phillies always make a move and they usually go with a pitcher over a bat, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
Rangers Have Checked In On Marlins’ Arms
The Rangers have asked the Marlins about their pitching, though the sides have yet to exchange names for possible trades, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Talks are “not far along” now, but the clubs had more serious discussions about pitching at last year’s Winter Meetings.
Derek Holland pitched a shutout last night, leading the Rangers to their eighth consecutive win. Before their hot streak, they were searching for starting pitching and relief help.
Leo Nunez, who is arbitration eligible in 2012, Brian Sanches and Edward Mujica are among the trade candidates on Florida's pitching staff. For more on those names and others, check out this piece by Tim Dierkes, which explains what will happen if the Marlins – now fifth in the NL East with a 44-48 record – become sellers.