Carlos Beltran Rumors: Friday
The Carlos Beltran rumors kept streaming in yesterday. Here's a quick recap: the Giants are having some trouble matching up with the Mets; the Indians' interest is cooling; the Mets aren't worried about obtaining Beltran's permission for a deal; The Tigers are focused on pitching; the Rangers have some interest in Beltran; the Brewers would like to scrape together a package and it's too early to rule out the Phillies, Red Sox, Braves or Yankees. Here are today's rumors with the most recent updates up top:
- Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal (via Twitter) notes that if the Mets deal Beltran, he cannot officially approve the trade until 24 hours later. This means that the deadline to trade him is effectively 3:59pm EST Saturday.
- It is highly doubtful that the Giants would part with Zack Wheeler or that the Phillies would move Domonic Brown in a deal for Beltran, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- The Mets contacted Scott Boras, Beltran's agent, if his client would be open to the idea of returning to the Mets in the offseason if traded, two sources tell David Waldstein of the New York Times. They were informed that Beltran would consider the idea of re-signing with the Mets.
- Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter) thinks its highly doubtful that the Braves would part with Mike Minor in a deal for Beltran.
- The Mets are interested in Zack Wheeler, Brandon Belt, and Gary Brown of the Giants and Domonic Brown of the Phillies, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. The Braves, he adds, also have prospects of interest.
- The Reds have discussed Beltran, according to John Fay on the Cincinnati Enquirer.
- Some baseball people expect Beltran to use his no-trade clause to ensure that he remains in the National League, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
- Beltran's full no-trade clause will likely force the Mets to have a few deals lined up days prior to July 31 so that they can move on from one proposal to another should Beltran veto one, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.
- The trade talks are down to five serious teams, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links). The Red Sox, Giants, Phillies, Braves and Rangers are involved. The Pirates and Indians are basically out of the conversation, according to Olney. The Mets thought the Giants were the frontrunner two days ago, but other teams have since caught up.
- The Giants, Phillies and Braves appear to be the leaders in the Beltran sweepstakes, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. The Brewers are also a possibility.
- Beltran told Newsday's David Lennon that he would prefer to stay in the National League. The outfielder prefers not to DH more than once per week and will consider a team's pitching staff before accepting a deal.
- A Mets official told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that there are six or seven active suitors for Beltran. The Mets were watching Braves Triple-A lefty Mike Minor closely yesterday, according to Sherman.
NL Central Notes: Reds, Wandy, Bourn, Gomez
The Brewers lead the NL Central by half a game, but they lost their center fielder to injury last night. Here's the latest from the division…
- "There is some urgency, but not tremendous urgency" said Reds GM Walt Jocketty to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon when asked about making a trade before the deadline. "I still have a lot of confidence that we're good enough to win, but if there is a chance to upgrade the club, we would try to pursue it."
- MLB.com's Peter Gammons spoke to three AL clubs who have "no interest" in Wandy Rodriguez of the Astros, fearing the NL-to-AL switch (Twitter links).
- Stephen Goff of the Houston Astros Examiner hears that Michael Bourn's name isn't coming up much on the trade market, though writers continue mentioning the speedy outfielder as a trade candidate (Twitter link).
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he may look for center field help to restore outfield depth (Twitter link). Carlos Gomez fractured his left clavicle last night.
- Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times suggests Cubs GM Jim Hendry may be best-suited to lead the organization after 2011. Some baseball insiders believe former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes and current Dodgers GM Ned Colletti would be near the top of the Cubs' list of possible replacements, Wittenmyer writes. Reports linking the Cubs to longtime executive Pat Gillick and White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn have been shot down, according to the Sun-Times.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that incoming Astros owner Jim Crane hasn’t told current GM Ed Wade to keep any particular player.
- Hunter Pence is likely staying in Houston, since the Astros aren’t seeing multi-player offers they like, according to Peter Gammons of MLB Network (on Twitter). Gammons explains that the market for Wandy Rodriguez is hurt because AL teams are wary of NL pitchers.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Thursday
Carlos Beltran homered last night, which should help the Mets convince their rivals that Beltran is the difference-making bat teams are looking for. He'll cost a lot in terms of prospects, can block any trade and earns $18.5MM, but that didn't stop the rumors from swirling yesterday and it won't stop them from continuing today. The latest updates are up top:
- The Indians interest in Beltran has cooled according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- The Mets aren't concerned about obtaining Beltran's permission for a deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who reports that GM Sandy Alderson has had at least one conversation with agent Scott Boras on the topic.
- The Phillies have been scouting Beltran and the Mets have been scouting the Braves’ system in anticipation of possible trades, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets may try to obtain Randall Delgado or Arodys Vizcaino from the Braves, Rubin reports.
- Though the Tigers are interested, they’re focused on starting pitching, according to Rubin.
- The Rangers are interested in Beltran, but their priority is improving their bullpen, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Other clubs likely need and value Beltran more than Texas.
- Carlos Gomez broke his collarbone last night, and SI.com's Jon Heyman says (on Twitter) it'll be interesting to see if the injury increased Milwaukee's interest in Beltran. He lists the Phillies, Giants, Braves, and Brewers as the top suitors at the moment.
- Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports is hearing that the Giants still intend to make a hard run at Beltran despite the report that the two sides do not match up well for a trade (Twitter link).
- The Mets and Giants are having trouble matching up for a trade, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. San Francisco is willing to take on most or all of the $6MM or so remaining on the outfielder's contract, but won't part with a high-end prospect. The Mets are willing to absorb salary, but are insisting on high-end talent in return for Beltran.
- Alderson and Beltran told Mike Sielski of the Wall Street Journal that they'd be open to signing a deal after the season, when Beltran hits free agency.
- The Brewers will acquire Beltran if they can scrape together a package for him, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links). Olney, who repeats that the Mets are still insisting on a high-end prospect for Beltran, likens the Brewers' pursuit to "searching for nickels under couch cushions."
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson is narrowing the field of possible trade partners, according to Yahoo’s Tim Brown. Beltran, who received a list of possible destinations from Alderson Tuesday, does not appear to have ruled out trades to the Phillies, Red Sox, Braves, Giants and Brewers. The Yankees may also be in the mix.
Trade Market Update: Drew, Gomez, Beltran
Two contenders lost key players in the same game tonight and the injuries could affect the trade market for the remainder of the season. The Diamondbacks announced that Stephen Drew fractured his right ankle and will likely require surgery. Soon afterwards, the Brewers learned that Carlos Gomez fractured his left clavicle. Those events could shape the trade market and so could the following developments from around the Major Leagues:
- Carlos Beltran appears to have recovered from the flu – he homered off of Kyle McClellan (by the way, McClellan pitched well enough, though he may lose his rotation spot if the Cardinals add a starter).
- Old-school GMs might like Ryan Ludwick's 61 RBIs (he added four today), but his on-base percentage is just .309.
- The Yankees are looking for pitching, but they can't complain about Freddy Garcia, who pitched into the seventh and struck out seven without allowing a run.
- Meanwhile, Casey Kotchman improved his trade value by collecting three hits and boosting his season line to .337/.396/.467.
- The Braves used Jonny Venters again in a losing effort to the Rockies. The lefty has now appeared in 54 games this year, so the Braves will want to ease up on the 26-year-old or acquire a reliever to bolster the 'pen.
- Duane Below pitched reasonably well for the Tigers in his MLB debut, but GM Dave Dombrowski continues eyeing starting help. The Tigers, who have used seven left-handed relievers this year, could look to acquire another southpaw after last night. David Purcey walked the bases loaded to kick-start Oakland's four-run seventh.
- Who says the Red Sox need reinforcements? Josh Reddick picked up two hits and a walk and Andrew Miller didn't allow a run in 5 2/3 innings. Still, the Orioles' lineup isn't a powerhouse and Miller walked twice as many hitters (6) as he struck out (3).
- Lyle Overbay was hitless in four at bats for the Pirates, who scored just one run for the second consecutive night. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Pirates explore ways of getting more production from first base now that Overbay's line has dropped to .236/.304/.357.
- Bruce Chen pitched eight innings, allowing just one run, one walk and four hits while striking out four.
- Frank Francisco and Octavio Dotel allowed home runs to the light-hitting Mariners, which doesn't help the Blue Jays' chances of trading the relievers for valuable pieces.
- The Giants are still having trouble scoring (Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw didn't allow a single run against San Francisco).
- Hunter Pence reached base four times and Brett Myers and Livan Hernandez pitched well in a contest between the Astros and Nationals, two teams who aren't in the race.
Minor Moves: Texeira, Ring, Padres
Matt Eddy of Baseball America has updates on the latest minor moves (Twitter links)…
- The Yankees re-signed right-hander Kanekoa Texeira to a minor league deal. They released the reliever earlier in the month after re-acquiring him in May.
- The Red Sox signed left-hander Royce Ring to a minor league deal. The former first rounder logged 23 2/3 innings for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate this year, posting a 6.08 ERA with 12.5 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9.
- The Padres signed right-hander John Van Benschoten from the Atlantic League. The former Pirate hasn't appeared in the Major Leagues since 2008.
- The Rays released R.J. Swindle, who last appeared in the Major Leagues in 2009. The left-hander had been pitching at Triple-A, where he had a 4.15 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 34 2/3 innings.
- The Dodgers released Merkin Valdez. The right-hander, who appeared in two games for Toronto last year, had a 3.58 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 in 50 1/3 innings at Triple-A.
- The Brewers released 28-year-old lefty Chase Wright. The former third round pick had a 5.83 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 71 innings in the upper minors this year.
NL Central Notes: Pirates, Barmes, Reds
Already today we've seen the Pirates add one player and contemplate more changes. We've seen the Brewers express interest in a versatile infielder and learned about how the Cubs intend to approach the deadline. Here's the rest of the day's news from the NL Central…
- Rival GMs believe Pirates GM Neal Huntington over-values his prospects, so they're suspicious that he can be an effective 'buyer,' according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Pirates haven't made progress toward a contract extension with Paul Maholm, according toJenifer Langosch of MLB.com. Pittsburgh has a $9.75MM 2012 option for Maholm, who has said he'd like to remain with the Pirates long-term.
- The Brewers have had internal discussions about Clint Barmes of the Astros, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter).
- The Brewers expressed interest in Jeff Keppinger before the Astros sent the infielder to San Francisco, according to Crasnick (on Twitter). Milwaukee continues looking for help on the left side of the infield.
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin made the first major trade of the summer, acquiring Francisco Rodriguez from the Mets, but he says there’s "not much happening right now," according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
- GM Walt Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that the Reds are “definitely” buyers. “We’re looking to upgrade any area,” Jocketty said. For more detail on the Reds’ needs, check Tim Dierkes' analysis from yesterday.
Brewers Expressed Interest In Jamey Carroll
2:42pm: Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hears that there's "nothing hot" between the Dodgers and Brewers regarding Carroll.
1:54pm: The Brewers reached out to the Dodgers about infielder Jamey Carroll, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. For quite a while now, Carroll has been regarded as a natural fit for the Brewers on the left side of their infield.
Carroll, 37, is hitting .290/.360/.360 this year in 321 plate appearances for the Dodgers. He's capable of playing all around the infield and handling the outfield corners as well. With under $600K owed to Carroll after the trade deadline, he's affordable too.
I spoke to Carroll last month; check that out here.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Wednesday
Though he's well-compensated and has full no-trade protection, Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran is the best available hitter. The latest:
- The Red Sox aren't willing to part with the prospects the Mets want, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. The Mets are interested in Josh Reddick, Ryan Kalish, Jose Iglesias, Anthony Ranaudo, Felix Doubront and Will Middlebrooks, according to Edes. Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald hears that the Red Sox are focusing on internal solutions, particularly Reddick.
- SI's Jon Heyman runs through ten Beltran suitors, naming the Phillies the "clear favorite." The Mets' first target would be Domonic Brown, a concession Matt Gelb can't see happening.
- Boston's talks with the Mets about Beltran have not advanced beyond preliminary discussions, reports WEEI's Alex Speier. Eight to ten teams are said to be in the mix, with the Red Sox among the top six.
- Some Mets officials feel a deal could get done well before the July 31st deadline, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman agrees with a previous Ken Rosenthal report that the Phillies and Red Sox are the most aggressive suitors. Sherman says they're followed by the Braves, Giants, Indians, and Pirates. He notes that the Mets "have been somewhat surprised by Detroit's disinterest."
- Yesterday the Mets provided Beltran with a short list of teams to consider, and the Phillies are believed to be on it, report Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo. The writers add that the Mets have indicated a willingness to pay much or all of the $6MM owed to Beltran depending on the return. They list the Red Sox, Giants, and Yankees as other suitors, and wonder if the East Coast teams have an edge since Beltran lives in New York. Brown and Passan named the Brewers as a dark horse, but they don't have much in the way of top prospects.
NL Central Notes: Cardinals, Soriano, Betemit, Pence
Four teams are within striking distance of the NL Central lead: the Brewers, the Cardinals and the Reds and Pirates, who are currently playing at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The latest links from the division…
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio that he can take on payroll and would prefer not to trade players currently on the Major League roster (Twitter link).
- Alfonso Soriano told Carrie Muskat of MLB.com that he isn't worried about trade rumors, since he doesn't control what happens leading up to the trade deadline. The 35-year-old has 14 homers and a .255/.298/.456 line for the Cubs, who owe him $18MM annually through 2014. Soriano told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times that he would consider waiving his no-trade clause to join a contender.
- Dave Gershman of Beyond the Boxscore suggests the Cubs should consider trading Sean Marshall if they can get a top prospect like Jonathan Singleton.
- The Brewers and Royals are still in contact about Wilson Betemit, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Brewers have had interest in the infielder since earlier in the month, but haven’t made substantial progress so far. Morosi reports that the Brewers would like any acquisition to be capable of playing the outfield.
- Rival teams get the impression that it will take a "major, major overpay" to obtain Hunter Pence from the Astros now, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
Rosenthal On GM Job Security
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tells us which GMs are on the hot seat in his latest column. A few details…
- Ed Wade (Astros) and Jim Hendry (Cubs) are deemed to be on the hot seat. New Astros owner Jim Crane is expected to try to lure Rays decision-maker Andrew Friedman with the chance to run his hometown team. As for the Cubs, Rosenthal finds speculation of a Pat Gillick-Hendry pairing to be far-fetched. Rosenthal notes that the Cubs job, which has been occupied by Hendry for more than nine years, "might draw interest from some of the game's top current GMs."
- Jack Zduriencik (Mariners), Tony Reagins (Angels), and Dave Dombrowski (Tigers) are viewed as "less than secure."
- Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Andy MacPhail (Orioles) are in the final year of their contracts. Rosenthal says "even some of Cashman’s friends in the industry think he might be ready to bolt." Rosenthal says it'd be an upset if MacPhail returns for Baltimore.
- Ned Colletti (Dodgers) and Kenny Williams (White Sox) are in unusual positions. Colletti has an out after 2012, and of course his club is a picture of uncertainty. As for Williams, he could theoretically become club president to allow the team to retain Rick Hahn, but Rosenthal's sources believe "such an arrangement would be difficult on both men."
- Rosenthal tosses a "you never know" tag on Doug Melvin (Brewers) and Bill Smith (Twins), but finds the Pirates' Neal Huntington secure.
- We'll have much more on the topic of GM candidates next month. But in MLBTR's survey of dozens of team executives and agents, the following people were named as candidates at least five times: Hahn, Jerry Dipoto, Thad Levine, David Forst, Ben Cherington, Tony LaCava, Mike Chernoff, Bryan Minniti, A.J. Preller, and Billy Eppler.