The Twins released Mark Grudzielanek just weeks after signing the veteran middle infielder to a minor league deal, according to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Apparently Grudzielanek took the news like a pro.
Twins Rumors
Eckstein Preferred To Stay In San Diego
Corey Brock from MLB.com writes that David Eckstein told general manager Kevin Towers he'd prefer to remain in San Diego when the Twins called to ask about his availability, prior to the July 31 deadline.
According to Brock, Towers didn't want to move Eckstein but thought he owed Eckstein the chance to go to a team with some playoff hopes if he desired. Eckstein didn't:
"I want to be a guy who can help these young guys out. I don't think this club is as far off as some people think. They've got to learn how to play the game the right way, because next year, there's not going to be any excuses. These guys are starting to step up."
San Diego is in rebuild mode, with lots of young players such as Kyle Blanks, Chase Headley, and Eckstein's partner up the middle, Everth Cabrera, whom Eckstein enjoys playing with:
"Playing alongside a guy like Everth, that inspires you."
Eckstein signed a one-year deal with the Padres this offseason worth $850K, but Towers says that he'd like to talk with Eckstein about extending his contract before season's end.
Twins Acquire Carl Pavano
The Twins deepened their rotation today, acquiring Carl Pavano from the Indians for a player to be named later, according to a team press release. Pavano, 33, has allowed 150 hits in 125.2 innings, posting a respectable 88K/23BB ratio.
His base salary is just $1.5MM, but in addition to the $500k remaining on his contract, Pavano stands to earn a lot through incentives. If he makes 10 more starts and averages 6.0 IP per outing, he'll make another $1.75 in bonuses. We heard yesterday that the Indians expect to lose $16MM this year, but they'll receive some relief if the Twins are paying the rest of Pavano's contract.
A note from Kelsie Smith of the Pioneer Press: The Twins claimed Pavano off waivers before making the deal.
Which Teams Took On Salary At The Deadline?
As the trade deadline approached, we heard many writers and executives suggest teams would be unable to add payroll this year. Here's a breakdown of the teams that added at least $1MM in salary to their 2009 payrolls this summer. All totals are approximate:
- The Cardinals added $2.9MM to the team's payroll when they traded for Mark DeRosa and $3.7MM when they added Matt Holliday for a total of $6.6MM.
- The Red Sox added $4.5MM between the Victor Martinez and Adam LaRoche deals.
- Acquiring Jarrod Washburn added about $3.6MM to the Tigers' payroll.
- The White Sox added $2.8MM in salary when they made the Jake Peavy deal.
- The Giants added $2.1MM in the Freddy Sanchez trade.
- The Phillies added $2MM in the Cliff Lee deal.
- The Rockies added $1.9MM in the Rafael Betancourt and Joe Beimel deals.
- The Brewers took on $1.4MM by dealing for Felipe Lopez.
- The Braves took on $1.3MM to add Nate McLouth.
- The Twins added $1.25MM in salary by trading for Orlando Cabrera.
- They didn't take on much salary, but between the Eric Hinske deal and the Jerry Hairston Jr. acquisition, the Yanks added $1.1MM.
- The Dodgers added about $1MM when they dealt for George Sherrill.
In total, 12 teams added payroll, but only one took on more than $5MM. The prognosticators were right about one thing: teams didn't take on much payroll. However, few predicted 12 teams would take on salary at the deadline. Looks like many teams set economic concerns aside when presented with the chance to win.
Twins Seek Pitching
According to Joe Christensen at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins were hot after pitching before the July 31st deadline but came up empty. However, they're optimistic that they can get something done in August. As Twins GM Bill Smith told Christensen:
“There were very few relievers who got traded this week,” GM Bill Smith noted. “I won’t claim this, I read this the other day: Every team with a reliever was trying to turn a Larry Anderson into a Jeff Bagwell.”
With recent rocky starts by the Twins' young staff and a depleted bullpen, Christensen believes the team could use simply a consistent option–it need not be a "sexy addition," just a veteran to provide depth. He lists Jon Garland, Doug Davis, Kevin Correia and Miguel Batista as potentially interesting names for the Twins.
Odds And Ends: Blue Jays, Twins, Marlins
More links to wrap up a busy July 31st…
- J.P. Ricciardi tells ESPN.com's Peter Gammons that the Jays "may be able to contend" next year with Roy Halladay around.
- For all of their pitching injuries, the Jays have had remarkably healthy position players this year. Eight of their position players have appeared in 82 games or more.
- Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer tell MLB.com's Kelly Thesier they're pleased the Twins' front office added Orlando Cabrera, but they're aware that their division rivals made moves, too.
- Yahoo's Gordon Edes says the Pirates, Tigers and Red Sox are some of this trade deadline's winners.
- Juan C. Rodriguez of the Florida Sun-Sentinel gives the Marlins credit for finding a high-OBP hitter to slot into the lineup in Nick Johnson.
- MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reported earlier this evening that the Marlins designated Andy Gonzalez for assignment. The 27-year-old utility man hadn't appeared in a game in almost two weeks and has spent most of his season in Triple A.
Twins Acquire Orlando Cabrera
6:59pm: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the A's will send a total of $500k to the Twins.
12:45pm: Via Twitter, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Twins are also getting cash in the deal.
12:08pm: Yahoo's Tim Brown said it was a done deal, with the Twins sending shortstop prospect Tyler Ladendorf to Oakland for Cabrera.
Cabrera, 34, is hitting .280/.318/.365 on the season in 448 plate appearances. He has $1.75MM remaining on his contract, once you factor in a $250K bonus for being dealt. Though he profiles as a Type A free agent after the season, Cabrera's agent wisely negotiated a clause disallowing his club to offer arbitration. So, no draft picks for the team for the loss and no impediment to signing Cabrera from the player's point of view.
11:56am: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says Cabrera to the Twins is "very close." Slusser says Valencia is not part of the deal.
11:41am: La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune doesn't see the Twins as close to a deal for Cabrera. The A's apparently want third base prospect Danny Valencia. Neal wonders whether the Twins might go after David Eckstein or Kennedy instead.
FRIDAY, 1:26am: ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the A's and Twins are making "steady progress" as they discuss a deal that would send Cabrera to Minnesota.
THURSDAY, 11:31pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Twins are making progress in their attempt to acquire Cabrera. The teams continued talking today and expect discussions to resume tomorrow.
9:30am: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has a few hot stove notes on the A's this morning.
- Despite interest, the A's do not intend to trade infielder Adam Kennedy. They might even try to re-sign him for 2010 eventually. The 33 year-old is hitting .296/.350/.434 in 327 plate appearances while playing second and third base. Oakland acquired Kennedy back in May from the Rays.
- Slusser debunks a Providence Journal report from Daniel Barbarisi that the Red Sox turned down a trade for Orlando Cabrera. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe agrees with Slusser, saying Cabrera "is not keen on returning to Boston."
- We do know that the Twins have talked to the A's about O-Cab. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says the Twins are "still chasing" Marco Scutaro as well.
Deadline Roundup: Cabrera, Astros, Nats
More links as we sift through all the trades and slowly realize that there are actual games to be played, too:
- MLB.com's Kelly Thesier passes on a nice line from the Twins' latest addition, Orlando Cabrera. When asked why he's happy to join the team, Cabrera said "Who doesn't like M&Ms?"
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says the Astros did the right thing by holding onto the players that could help them win this year and the prospects that could help them win in the future.
- The Angels had no restrictions from owner Arte Moreno, but weren't comfortable making any deals, according to MLB.com.
- SI.com's Tom Verducci lists the Tigers, Red Sox and Phillies as his deadline winners.
- Acting GM Mike Rizzo says the Nats are in building mode, not rebuilding mode, acccording to MASN's Pete McElroy. Pretty soon they'll have to be in Stephen Strasburg mode, since they have just over two weeks to sign their top pick.
Heath Bell Rumors: Friday
2:54pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale, via Twitter, says the Twins' talks for Bell are all but dead. However, they're in on Arizona's Jon Rauch.
2:38pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Marlins are no longer pursuing Bell or Nick Johnson. That should leave the Angels or Dodgers if anyone.
2:11pm: ESPN's Buster Olney says the Twins have interest in Bell, as well as Oakland's Michael Wuertz.
1:18pm: Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says the Angels and Dodgers are battling for Bell.
9:19am: Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Padres wanted Cameron Maybin and Miller for Bell. The Fish have seen other trade ideas dry up as well, leading Rodriguez to suggest "it might be Nick Johnson or bust for the Marlins." SI's Jon Heyman agrees.
7:02am: The latest on Padres closer Heath Bell, who is under team control through 2011…
Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that "late Thursday night, both the Angels and Marlins were still talking to the Padres regarding Bell." We learned yesterday that the Padres requested Andrew Miller or Sean West from the Marlins, and Florida declined. Marlins president David Samson appeared on the radio yesterday to discuss the trade deadline, and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald has a nice summary of that.
Odds And Ends: Torre, Ross, Braves
The rumors keep coming; here are a few tidbits for the evening…
- Joe Torre gave Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch his take on unnamed sources: "It's really embarrassing that their parents don't name them."
- Cody Ross told MLB.com's Joe Frisaro that he would trade for Roy Halladay and Matt Holliday if he were an MLB GM.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Braves could make a minor addition.
- USA Today's Bob Nightengale suggests the Twins could deal for David Eckstein or Adam Kennedy instead of Orlando Cabrera.
- One GM tells Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that Boston's pursuit of Adrian Gonzalez won't affect a possible Victor Martinez trade between the Red Sox and Indians.
