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Dodgers, Twins, Braves In On Guerrero; BoSox Out

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8:42pm: David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) confirms that the Braves have indeed evaluated Guerrero and would be "interested if [the] price is right."  Since Andrelton Simmons is already locked in at shortstop, the Braves would move Guerrero to second or third base.

7:34pm: The Red Sox are not one of the finalists for Guerrero's services, Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown reports (via Twitter).

6:50pm: The market for Cuban shortstop Alexander Guerrero is down to four teams, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter links).  The Dodgers, Twins, Red Sox and Braves are the clubs still in the mix to sign the 26-year-old.  The Reds have also checked in on Guerrero, though they might not be (or are no longer be) a serious contender since Wolfson didn't include them in his first group.

The Dodgers and Twins had previously been cited as two of the then-three clubs known to be interested in Guerrero, and agent Rudy Santin denied reports that his client already had a seven-year deal in place with Los Angeles.  Guerrero defected from Cuba in January and is still waiting to be unblocked by the U.S. government before he can pursue a contract with a Major League team.

Quick Hits: A-Rod, Rangers, D’Arnaud, Morneau

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Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez currently faces a 211-game suspension stemming from his role in the Biogenesis scandal, but his suspension might have been far shorter, perhaps as few as 50 games, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal writes. "At different points, it could have been way, way less than where it is now," a source tells Rosenthal. Rodriguez has appealed his suspension. Here are more notes from around the Majors.

  • The Mets have decided Travis d'Arnaud's promotion won't be temporary, Rosenthal tweets. The Mets promoted d'Arnaud after starting catcher John Buck went on paternity leave. Now, Rosenthal writes, the Mets plan to keep d'Arnaud on their roster and give him "significant playing time." That would suggest that Buck is likely to play much less. D'Arnaud, 24, has hit .286/.420/.514 across three minor-league levels in 2013 after having missed much of the season with a foot injury.
  • The Rangers are looking for a pitcher to start on Tuesday, Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News writes. Texas has a need in its rotation after Alexi Ogando received an anti-inflammatory injection on Saturday. The Rangers will have Matt Garza pitch on Monday, a day earlier than expected. Josh Lindblom, who has made five starts for the Rangers this year, started Sunday night for Triple-A Round Rock, so he isn't a candidate to pitch Tuesday. The Rangers could promote the recently-acquired Travis Blackley, but Fraley raises the possibility that they could deal for a starter like Dan Haren or Erik Bedard, both of whom have passed through waivers.
  • The Indians are not interested in former Phillies outfielder Delmon Young, Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer tweets. Hoynes also notes that the Indians have put in waiver claims on "several players," although they have not been able to trade for any.
  • The Twins aren't likely to trade Justin Morneau to the Red Sox, writes Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Morneau cleared waivers on Wednesday, and Sox first baseman Mike Napoli is currently nursing a sore foot. It's not yet clear that Napoli's injury is severe, however, and it's questionable whether Morneau would be an upgrade over options like Daniel Nava and Mike Carp.

AL Central Notes: Tejada, Abreu, Indians, Gardenhire

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Earlier this afternoon, Royals infielder Miguel Tejada was suspended for 105 games after a pair of positive tests for Adderall. Tejada will serve his suspension for the rest of this season and is expected to retire rather than sign with a team and serve the remainder of the punishment in 2014. He issued the following statement:

“I apologize to my teammates, the Royals organization and to the Kansas City fans. I have a medical condition that requires medication to treat. I took that medication while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Under the requirements of the Joint Drug Program, I made a mistake in doing so.”

Here's more out of the AL Central…

  • The White Sox will attend Cuban first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu's showcase next month, writes Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. Executive vice president Kenny Williams told Hayes that the Sox need to see more of Abreu before making a decision, but spending money is something the team isn't afraid to do. Paul Konerko is a free agent at season's end, and Adam Dunn will be off the books following 2014.
  • In his latest Q&A with readers, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that while Alex Rios would've been a good fit with the Indians, the financial commitment to him was too much for the Tribe. Hoynes also tackles questions on acquiring a middle-of-the-order bat and Asdrubal Cabrera's struggles and trade value.
  • Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he's not worrying about his own future following the dismissal of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel yesterday: "In all honesty, this is my 12th year (managing the Twins). It doesn't get much better than that. Managers just don't stay in places like that. I feel like I've been blessed. I'm lucky. I'm not going to sit here, if this is my last year, and mope, believe me. If it is my last year in Minnesota, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it." Prior to Manuel's firing, he, Gardenhire and Mike Scioscia of the Angels were baseball's longest-tenured managers.

Justin Morneau Clears Waivers

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Twins first baseman Justin Morneau has cleared waivers, according to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link).  The veteran can now be traded to any club after clearing the 47-hour revocable waiver period.

The 2006 American League MVP was placed on waivers on Monday, and his waiver period expired today at noon CT.  The 32-year-old has dealt with a litany of injuries in recent years which have hurt his production tremendously.  Morneau boasted a slash line of .298/.372/.528 from 2006-10 but has hit just .257/.317/.410 over the past three seasons.

Morneau is earning $14MM in the final season of a six-year, $80MM contract, meaning that roughly $3.5MM is still owed to him for the remainder of the deal.  The Pirates, Orioles, and Rays all had interest in Morneau before the July 31st deadline, but a rough July hurt his trade value.  He's heated up recently though, hitting .268/.293/.643 with six homers and three doubles in August entering today's game against Cleveland.

A scout recently told Danny Knobler of CBS Sports that Morneau looks like a different player this month: "He's swinging the bat much better than he was," the scout said. "His body looks more lively, too." Morneau becomes the sixth player to have reportedly cleared waivers this month.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Twins Acquire Miguel Sulbaran To Complete Butera Trade

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The Twins announced that they have acquired Class A left-hander Miguel Sulbaran from the Dodgers as the player to be named later in July 31's Drew Butera trade. It's a surprisingly good return for Butera, as Sulbaran was ranked as Los Angeles' No. 14 prospect by MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.

The 19-year-old Sulbaran has pitched to a 3.01 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 92 2/3 innings this season. In his free scouting report, Mayo writes:

"Sulbaran has a good feel for his low-90s fastball and can add and subtract velocity from it as needed. His curveball is his best offspeed pitch and both his slider and changeup show promise."

Butera, 29, has hit .208/.239/.292 in 114 Triple-A plate appearances this season. He's strictly a defensive catcher, though his glove typically draws very high praise from scouts. He's received 534 Major League plate appearances and totaled a .182/.230/.262 batting line with five homers.

Justin Morneau On Revocable Waivers

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11:10am: Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer press reports that Morneau was placed on waivers yesterday, and the waiver period will expire tomorrow at noon CT (Twitter link).

10:02am: The Twins have placed Justin Morneau on revocable waivers, according to the MLB Network's Peter Gammons (Twitter link). It's unclear when he was placed on waivers, but because the waiver period is 47 hours, the latest he could be claimed or clear would be Thursday.

Morneau, 32, has had his career slowed by a season-ending concussion in 2010, which caused lingering effects into the 2011 campaign. On top of the concussion issues, he's dealt with injuries to his wrist and neck. The injuries have resulted in a .257/.318/.411 batting line over the past three seasons — light years away from the .298/.372/.528 mark he posted from 2006-10.

Morneau, the 2006 American League MVP, is earning $14MM in the final season of a six-year, $80MM contract that he inked in January of 2008. Of that $14MM, approximately $3.6MM is still remaining. He was connected to the Pirates, Orioles and Rays prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but a dreadful July swoon and his remaining salary cooled interest in the Canadian slugger.

Since the calendar flipped to August, however, Morneau has been on a power binge. He's hitting .269/.296/.673 with six homers and three doubles in 12 games this month. While it's a small sample, the resurgence of his power stroke and the fact roughly $918K has come off his salary since the trade deadline could persuade teams to renew their interest. American League teams (in order of reverse standings) will have the first crack at Morneau before he is made available to NL teams (also in order of reverse standings).

The Twins have already negotiated on August trade, sending Jamey Carroll to the Royals in exchange for a player to be named later. Other August deals thus far have seen Alex Rios traded to the Rangers and Wesley Wright traded to the Rays. Four other players have reportedly cleared waivers and are eligible to be traded to any team.

Royals Acquire Jamey Carroll

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The Royals have acquired infielder Jamey Carroll from the Twins, tweets Phil Miller of the Star Tribune. Both teams have confirmed the trade and the Twins will receive a player to be named later or cash.  Carroll

"I'm excited to go to a team that's been playing really well," Carroll told reporters including Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioner Press (video link). "I hope I can go there and contribute in a positive way. It should be pretty exciting. It's exciting to go and be in this situation."

The Royals, 7.5 games behind the Tigers in the AL Central and 4.5 games out of the second AL Wild Card spot, have lost a pair of second basemen to injury this month. Chris Getz was placed on the disabled list August 1 with a left knee sprain and Miguel Tejada landed on the DL today after suffering a right calf strain last night. Carroll has split his time between second base and third base for the Twins this year while posting a slash line of .230/.284/.262 in 202 plate appearances. Royals manager Ned Yost says Carroll "is a very solid player" and will play mostly at second, but will see time at third, tweets Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star.  

Carroll is in the final season of a two-year, $6.75MM contract he signed with the Twins in November 2011. The deal includes a 2014 mutual option worth $2MM. MLBTR's Zach Links detailed recently the 39-year-old needs 401 plate appearances for the option to vest, so he needs 199 more to reach that mark. If the option does vest, Carroll can decide to take the guaranteed $2MM and remain in Kansas City or accept a $250K buyout and test the open market this offseason.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cafardo On Stanton, Red Sox, Ramirez, Willingham,

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No one would have predicted it this time a year ago, but Red Sox–Dodgers series next week in Los Angeles could very well be a prelude to the World Series, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  It's not a surprise to see that L.A. has benefited from the swap early on, but few expected the Red Sox to be this strong in 2013.  Does Dodgers GM Ned Colletti see this intriguing World Series matchup happening?  “That’s something you can dream about. I’m worried about Tampa Bay,” Colletti said, referring to the Dodgers’ weekend opponent.  Here's more from today's column..

  • The Twins and Red Sox might be in the best position to acquire Giancarlo Stanton this offseason if the Marlins make him available since both teams have the organizational depth to make a blockbuster deal.  A few teams like the Rangers have inquired about Stanton and were consistently told he wasn’t available, but Miami would have to listen if someone offered a handful of top prospects. “The Red Sox might be in a better position than the Twins because the Twins have to rely on their top players to come up and man several positions,” said one baseball exec. “The Red Sox have veteran players so their need to keep their best guys isn’t as severe. So if they can trade them off for a young player like Stanton, they wouldn’t have to fear about thinning out as a result.”
  • The Yankees could turn out to be the best fit for White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez as they eventually will need a replacement for Derek Jeter, who could wind up DHing a lot in 2014. The Bombers' weak farm system could be a stumbling block, however. 
  • Now that he's back from knee surgery, Twins outfielder Josh Willingham could be moved before the end of August.  Willingham hasn’t had a good season but last year he hit .260/.366/.524 with 35 homers last year.  The 34-year-old is signed for one more year at $7MM.
  • ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin has been one of the most interesting names bandied about as a possible replacement for Nationals manager Davey Johnson. Another candidate is Houston manager Bo Porter, but he says he's not returning to the Nats.
  • Even though the Red Sox are looking for a right-handed power bat, they don’t see Mark Reynolds as a fit because of his poor defense and high strikeout rate. 

AL Notes: White Sox, Vargas, Morneau

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GM Rick Hahn of the White Sox says he plans on spending more on young talent in 2014, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. The White Sox have saved plenty of money in their recent trades of Jake Peavy and Alex Rios, and it sounds like Hahn doesn't plan on using those savings on Major League payroll right away. "It's going to go to making the big league club better for the long haul, no doubt," says Hahn. "One of the positives of an unfortunate season like this is we're going to have the opportunity in all probability to spend a lot more money on amateur talent." Before the season, Baseball America ranked the White Sox's farm system the second-worst of any organization. Hahn also says the White Sox could continue trading this August. Here are more notes from the American League.

  • The Angels are no longer in the playoff hunt, but free-agent-to-be Jason Vargas still has something to play for, the Los Angeles Times' Mike DiGiovanna writes. Vargas will soon rejoin the Angels' rotation after missing more than a month with a blood clot. Before that, he had a 3.65 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 91 1/3 innings this season. His performance down the stretch will likely impact his standing on the free agent market this winter, says DiGiovanna, who also notes that the Angels are interested in keeping Vargas around. One possibility is that the Angels could deal Vargas this month, then attempt to acquire him again once he becomes a free agent.
  • Twins first baseman Justin Morneau isn't sure about his waiver status, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes (on Twitter). "I have no idea if I’ve been put through waivers or claimed on waivers or whatever it is," Morneau says. "That’s still a possibility." Morneau is making $14MM in the final year of his contract.

Twins Notes: Pohlad, Fien, Davies

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The Twins placed Ryan Doumit on the seven-day concussion list today and activated Josh Willingham — who could be an August trade candidate if healthy — to take his place. Here's more on the Twins, who are in fourth in the AL Central…

  • Twins owner Jim Pohlad spoke with Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and said it's been "terrible" watching the team struggle over the past three seasons. Pohlad said the team has to be "relentless" in looking to acquire talent on the free agent market this offseason as well as through its scouting endeavors.
  • Pohlad also said that the decision on whether or not to retain manager Ron Gardenhire, whose contract expires at season's end, is up to general manager Terry Ryan.
  • Phil Miller of the Star-Tribune profiled Casey Fien's leap from journeyman to elite setup reliever. Fien tells Miller that former big leaguer Ricky Bones taught him the cut fastball that he's used to thrive since being picked up by the Twins. Fien has a 2.40 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 82 1/3 innings with the Twins dating back to last season. His 1.3 fWAR in 2013 ties him for 18th among qualified relievers.
  • Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that another minor league signee — right-hander Kyle Davies — may get a look with the big league club before the season is over. A veteran of seven Major League seasons, Davies is still just 29 years old but hasn't appeared in the Majors since 2011. He has a 3.40 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 53 innings in 2013 and has boosted his fastball velocity back up to 90 mph after pitching at 84-86 mph earlier in the year.
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