Benitez Interest Limited?
Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal has a Giants source who indicated that the Marlins are the only team so far to show interest in Armando Benitez. With another dire report on J.J. Putz‘s elbow, perhaps the Mariners will reconsider. If they think he could handle the pressure, perhaps the Phillies would get involved.
The Benitez discussion seems to have grown old for some Giants fans.
Aside from Benitez and Jorge Julio, possibly available relievers include Byung-Hyun Kim, Scott Linebrink, Chad Cordero, Akinori Otsuka, Rheal Cormier, Rudy Seanez, Rick Bauer, and Scott Feldman.
Latest On Jorge Julio
The latest word on $3.6MM reliever Jorge Julio is that the Diamondbacks don’t intend to pick up any of his salary. Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel speculates that the Marlins are showing public interest in Julio "as a way of forcing the Giants’ hand in an Armando Benitez deal." The Giants countered by inquiring on Julio as well.
Rodriguez also mentions that the Marlins and Larry Beinfest have some past history of trading or attempting to trade for Julio.
Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post says the Giants would pay more of the $3.6MM than the Marlins, but the D’Backs covet Florida’s Yusmeiro Petit.
From the Arizona side, Nick Piecoro writes that more teams than just the Giants and Marlins are interested. He believes Julio will start the season with Arizona, though.
That there is this much action on a guy who hasn’t had an impressive season since 2002 just shows how desperate teams are for relief help.
Marlins Interested In Jorge Julio
In a move that has serious implications for fantasy geeks everywhere, the Marlins sent a scout yesterday to watch Diamondbacks reliever Jorge Julio pitch. As you know, the Fish have an unsettled closer situation with Kevin Gregg, Matt Lindstrom, Henry Owens, and Taylor Tankersley candidates to earn the gig when the season begins.
Among pitchers with 60 IP last year, Julio’s 12.0 K/9 ranked fifth, right between Takashi Saito and Francisco Rodriguez. If Marlins pitching coach Rick Kranitz could help Julio get his BB/9 down around 3, he could be quite an asset. Pitching in Dolphin Stadium as opposed to Chase Field would cut down on his troublesome HR rate.
The main sticking point would be figuring out how to divy up Julio’s $3.6MM salary. Julio would be the third highest-paid Marlin behind Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.
UPDATE: The Giants are now in on Julio, who is essentially a younger version of Armando Benitez. The Giants would take on more of Julio’s salary than the Marlins, but parting with Yusmeiro Petit might seal the deal for Florida. And to think, Petit was traded for Carlos Delgado a year ago.
Marlins, Mariners Interested In Benitez
This morning, Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel mentioned that the Marlins had two scouts on hand for Armando Benitez‘s Tuesday night appearance. The Fish would’ve sent scouts to his first appearance but the Giants didn’t give them a heads up.
Berardino talked to a scout who had Benitez at 92-94 mph and looking loose. Berardino speculates that the Marlins would only need to pay about a million of Benitez’s $7.6MM salary. Are the Giants that desperate to get rid of him despite their questionable bullpen?
Then John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer mentioned today that the Mariners also had two scouts at the game. Benitez would be used to set up J.J. Putz. The Mariners are said to find Jeremy Reed and Ben Broussard expendable. For Reed, I think the Giants should make the deal. Hickey mentioned that 40 scouts were at the game because it was the only one in town. So we could probably connect Benitez to most clubs at this point.
Maybe the three clubs can work something out where Reed ends up a Marlin?
UPDATE: According to the Boston Herald, the Red Sox have never talked to the Giants about Benitez.
UPDATE 2: The Mariners are out on Benitez. This is like the Juan Gonzalez denials or something. John Hickey says the Giants won’t even swallow half of Benitez’s salary, which contradicts other reports that suggested they’d eat over 85% of it.
Marlins Trade Rumors
The Fish might do some minor dealing in the coming days. Let’s see what they have cooking.
For one, Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel thinks they should bring Armando Benitez back, now that he’s healthy. He says it would probably only cost the Marlins a million bucks in addition to the player(s) they trade. Benitez says he hasn’t been in shape like he is now since he played for the Orioles.
The Marlins may have their eye on a couple of Red Sox: center fielder David Murphy and pitcher Kyle Snyder. The Nationals also have interest in Snyder. Snyder, 29, hails from Florida for what that’s worth. He can probably post an ERA below 5 in the NL, so he belongs on someone’s roster. Murphy still has a chance to become a credible CF, especially if his new build adds a little power. Houston also likes Murphy.
Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post has another tidbit: though the Marlins scouted Jorge Julio, they’re not close to proposing a deal.
Finally, the Marlins have no interest in Javy Lopez but are drawing interest for outfielder Cody Ross.
Florida Teams Talking Trade?
Here’s a rumor I missed from Jayson Stark’s column on Friday. Stark notes:
"Despite talk of the Marlins and Devil Rays reviving their long-rumored deal involving Rocco Baldelli, Florida actually appears to be more focused on the younger (and cheaper) B.J. Upton and Elijah Dukes as center field possibilities."
That makes sense, but what would Florida give up at this point? Scott Olsen has to be off-limits. Josh Johnson is hurting. Anibal Sanchez‘s shoulder inflammation has died down, but he’s still a risk. Ricky Nolasco might be reasonable, though it would chip away at the team’s strength. Nolasco for Dukes seems fair. Nolasco has maybe a 20% chance at becoming a star, while Dukes hovers around 40-50% (based on BP’s Stars and Scrubs charts). Dukes’s off the field stuff would even out the trade.
Meanwhile, Peter Gammons wrote on February 28th:
"[The Marlins] are not trading any of their good young pitchers to fill center field. They know every good team has flaws, and it’s a lot more difficult to get by with a pitching hole than with a center fielder like Eric Reed who, at worst, runs down balls."
John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus mentions another lower-cost possibility for Florida – Cory Sullivan of Colorado.
Marlins Not Amused With Cabrera
Marlins President David Samson went out of his way last weekend to express the team’s displeasure with Miguel Cabrera. He said the team is "extremely disappointed" that Cabrera missed the team’s FanFest. In several of Samson’s quotes he stresses how Cabrera was not there with his teammates.
The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Capozzi has a source indicating that Cabrera skipped the event because he isn’t happy being taken to arbitration over $700,000. He’ll already be accounting for a third of the payroll; you have to wonder if the Marlins are already priming fans for Cabrera’s exit. There seemed to be the same lack of professionalism prior to Joe Girardi’s departure.
Cabrera is the rare young star player who may reach free agency after his first six seasons. The Marlins have several years to sit back and wait for the offer they can’t refuse.
Marlins Not Amused With Cabrera
Marlins President David Samson went out of his way last weekend to express the team’s displeasure with Miguel Cabrera. He said the team is "extremely disappointed" that Cabrera missed the team’s FanFest. In several of Samson’s quotes he stresses how Cabrera was not there with his teammates.
The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Capozzi has a source indicating that Cabrera skipped the event because he isn’t happy being taken to arbitration over $700,000. He’ll already be accounting for a third of the payroll; you have to wonder if the Marlins are already priming fans for Cabrera’s exit. There seemed to be the same lack of professionalism prior to Joe Girardi’s departure.
Cabrera is the rare young star player who may reach free agency after his first six seasons. The Marlins have several years to sit back and wait for the offer they can’t refuse.
Marlins Considering Shannon Stewart
There’s not much left among free agent outfielders; Shannon Stewart may be the best bat still standing. On Friday, the Marlins observed Stewart at a private workout. They’re considering him as a center field option.
As Clark Spencer writes, Stewart hasn’t played center since 2000. Even then it was just one game. He hasn’t played the position even semi-regularly since playing 44 games there in 1998 with the Blue Jays. Stewart will be 33 soon and has problems with both feet. Even if he could hit like a center fielder, he probably can’t stay on the field regularly or play credible defense. The Marlins would probably offer a million bucks plus incentives, and then use Alex Sanchez as the backup plan.
I’m surprised they can’t snag a Reggie Willits or David Murphy type, a blocked young guy who could be an average center fielder.
David Murphy Drawing Interest
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe had an interesting tidbit at the bottom of his column today. He says the Red Sox and Marlins haven’t discussed center fielder David Murphy in a while, but Murphy is drawing interest from various clubs and talks could be renewed with Florida. Cafardo notes that the Fish might part with lower-ceiling guys like Ricky Nolasco or Yusmeiro Petit but want to keep Taylor Tankersley.
The Red Sox passed on Conor Jackson to take Murphy in the 2003 draft. Baseball America doesn’t place him among Boston’s top ten prospects, but considers his center field defense respectable. Murphy improved his production upon a promotion to Triple A in 2006. Translating his work at Pawtucket to a Major League Equivalent nets a .238/.311/.376 result. PECOTA sees something similar for ’07. Remarkably, that’d be an improvement upon Marlins center fielders last season. By ’08 Murphy could develop a little more power and become a solid regular.