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Odds And Ends: Sosa, Rhodes, Twins, Rays, Cubs

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A few minor notes from around the MLBiverse…

  • The Mariners have signed Jorge Sosa to a minor league deal. This is Sosa’s third organization this season.
  • Despite reports that the Brewers would not add a relief pitcher, Milwaukee had a scout at Friday’s game and Geoff Baker believes the scout was there to watch Arthur Rhodes.
  • Joe Christensen says that the Twins may prefer to promote Francisco Liriano, and move him or another starter to the bullpen, rather than trade for a relief pitcher.
  • Joe Maddon says that there is only a "50-50 chance" that the Rays make a move before the deadline.
  • Jim Hendry says that the Cubs are not likely to make any trades unless an injury necessitates a move. Carrie Muskat says that a move may depend on how well Kerry Wood recovers from the blister on his throwing hand.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Knobler’s Latest: Pirates, Brewers, Beltre, Cabrera

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Here’s the latest from CBSSports.com’s Danny Knobler.

  • A rumor made the rounds that Pirates president Frank Coonelly and GM Neal Huntington were at odds over the team’s strategy, with Coonelly pushing .500 as a goal.  Huntington denied that, and has five coveted players to work with in the next week.  Keep in mind that only Damaso Marte is a free agent after the season, so moves can be made in the offseason.
  • Teams with available relievers believes the Brewers are still in the market, despite Doug Melvin’s claims.  Many teams are scouting the Brewers’ Double A club.
  • Adrian Beltre’s contract wouldn’t be a problem for the Twins, but the teams haven’t found a match on players.
  • Knobler heard that the Marlins might consider Baltimore catcher Ramon Hernandez.
  • The rumor about Kevin Towers becoming a candidate for the Seattle GM vacancy won’t die.
  • Some folks expect the White Sox to move shortstop Orlando Cabrera before the deadline.  They’re still looking for pitching.

Stark’s Latest: Teixeira, Padilla, Sheffield, Beltre

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings up.  You may want to grab a glass of water or something, because this is a beast of a column.

  • If the Braves have a bad weekend and decide to trade Mark Teixeira, a deal could come together quickly.  Stark says the Braves have already touched base with the Rays, Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels and Yankees.  Where Tex fits on the Rays, I’m not sure.  Additionally, interest in Will Ohman is said to be "massive."
  • A Jorge Posada move to first base could affect the Yankees’ interest in Teixeira this winter.
  • Though Brian Fuentes has many suitors, the Rockies have actually exchanged names with only the Marlins and Yankees.  GM Dan O’Dowd has not dropped his price.  By the way, Todd Helton’s injury takes Garrett Atkins off the market.  As for Matt Holliday, many execs believe the Rockies will never trade him.
  • The Phillies are focused on a left-handed reliever, with Fuentes, Damaso Marte, George Sherrill, and Jack Taschner in the mix.
  • The Phillies were scared off by the asking prices on Holliday and Xavier Nady, and never even made an offer.  They still could acquire a lesser hitter.
  • The Pirates are inspiring much grumbling with high asking prices for Jason Bay, Nady, Marte, John Grabow, and Jack Wilson.
  • The Rangers are looking for young, controllable starting pitching.  Vicente Padilla is available, with the Tigers and Yankees showing mild interest.  Eddie Guardado and Jamey Wright are not available.
  • In pursuing Jarrod Washburn, Bronson Arroyo, and Padilla, the Yankees are demonstrating their plan to reduce the prospect price for pitching by taking on a decent-sized contract.
  • While A.J. Burnett is "eminently available," no trade talks are cooking.  The Jays apparently won’t deal him within the division.  Other Jays veterans might be available, though Roy Halladay isn’t among them.
  • The Tigers are looking for pitching and a long-term shortstop.  They’d be willing to move Gary Sheffield, though they’d have to eat salary.
  • Top Rays prospects such as Wade Davis, David Price, and Jeremy Hellickson are off-limits. Rays Index recently ran through the more likely trade candidates.
  • The Braves asked the Royals about Jose Guillen, but Dayton Moore is asking for a ton.
  • Stark says the Twins’ talks for Adrian Beltre are "far from dead."  The Twins are zeroed in on a third base upgrade.  Beltre, by the way, has the Dodgers on his no-trade list.  Joe Christensen says the Twins have found the asking price prohibitive for various third basemen.
  • The Rangers are looking for a young pitcher for Hank Blalock, who is drawing interest from the Twins, Giants, and Dodgers.  The Dodgers also like Casey Blake, who is likely to be traded somewhere.

Molony’s Latest: Francoeur, Bay, Blalock

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MLB.com’s Jim Molony has a new column up.

  • The Braves will listen to offers for Jeff Francoeur and Will Ohman, and maybe Mark Teixeira if the Braves struggle in the next week.  The Royals are said to be interested in Francoeur.  Mike Gonzalez is unavailable.
  • The Braves have scouted Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, in case they decide to become buyers.
  • The Phillies had an exec scouting the Pirates recently.  The Phils are looking for a lefty reliever.  The Phillies also may be looking at relievers on the Jays and Orioles.
  • Molony rattles off Freddy Garcia suitors: Astros, Cardinals, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Royals, Tigers, Mets, White Sox and Yankees.  The Royals might be a new one.
  • At least five teams are in on Casey Blake, including the Twins.  However the Twins seem to prefer Hank Blalock.  I like the Blalock idae for the Twins.
  • Molony sees A.J. Burnett staying put.

Heyman’s Latest: Nady, Teixeira, Sherrill

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Jon Heyman is cranking out a lot of rumorage.  Here’s his latest.

  • The price has dropped a tad on Xavier Nady, as the Pirates have become more interested in moving him.
  • The Braves still might trade Mark Teixeira right before the deadline, and Heyman thinks they can easily beat two draft choices.
  • Many teams scouted George Sherrill recently: the Marlins, Dodgers, Cardinals, Phillies, and Brewers.
  • Some execs "expressed annoyance" at the D’Backs underpaying for Jon Rauch.
  • Heyman says the Yankees are looking for catching, though Peter Abraham doesn’t agree.
  • The Twins, Giants, and Dodgers have interest in Hank Blalock, who has a $6.2MM option for ’09.

Will Carroll’s Latest: Blake, Mike Gonzalez, Fuentes

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Baseball Prospectus’ Will Carroll checks in with a slew of rumors.

  • Carroll believes Orioles relievers Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford would clear waivers.  Bradford isn’t striking anyone out, but he does have a 2.45 ERA by virtue of good control and tons of grounders.  He has a reasonable $3.5MM commitment for ’09.
  • Casey Blake suitors: Mets, Rays, and Twins.
  • Carroll wonders if the Rangers could send an outfielder to Atlanta for closer Mike Gonzalez.  MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan also linked the Rangers to Gonzalez.  Gonzalez is under team control through ’09; I’d be surprised to see him traded.
  • The Marlins are "very aggressively" pursuing Rockies closer Brian Fuentes.

Week in Review

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Another week in the history books! Here’s a look back from July 13-19:

  • The Phillies acquired Joe Blanton from the A’s for a package of three minor leaguers: Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matthew Spencer. Cardenas and Outman were the Phils’ #2 and #4 prospects. Personally, that seems like a lot to bring a pitcher who’s already struggling to a much smaller park. Blanton is a much better pitcher than he’s showed this season, however.
  • Francisco Rodriguez will test the free-agent market this offseason. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see K-Rod sign a record-setting contract for a reliever.
  • The Yankees signed Richie Sexson.
  • Francisco Liriano – or at least his agent – is not pleased that the Twins still have him in AAA. The Twins won’t blame Liriano for the investigation. Upsetting a player who’s that young and that talented seems like a bad idea to me…
  • The Padres traded Tony Clark to the Diamondbacks for minor leaguer Evan Scribner. The D’Backs have looked like they can use all the help they can get lately.
  • A.J. Burnett likes Toronto and doesn’t want to be traded. My advice: Don’t talk to Chicago reporters anymore, A.J.
  • Tim updated the third base and second base markets.
  • Erik Bedard’s injury looks like it will keep him in Seattle. And if you don’t believe me yet, here’s another one for you.
  • The Twins balked at Seattle’s asking price for Adrian Beltre. And considering they asked for one of Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins, or Kevin Slowey as well as other minor league prospects, can you blame them?

Twins Out Of Running For Beltre

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La Velle E. Neal III of Twins Insider is reporting that the Twins are bowing out of the Adrian Beltre sweepstakes. The price for Beltre, rumored to be similar to what the Phillies gave up for Joe Blanton, was just too high. Neal says:

In the Twins’ case, it could mean one of their four young starters plus a couple prospects.

Beltre is scheduled to make $12 million next season and any team that trades for the third baseman would have to pay that.

Just how much is Beltre worth? USS Mariner tackled that question in depth last September. Their findings might surprise you.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com and can be reached here.

Teams Expected To Make A Move

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Now that the second half of the season is underway, and less than two weeks before the trade deadline, the acquisitions of CC Sabathia by the Brewers, Rich Harden by the Cubs, and most recently, Joe Blanton by the Phillies (not to mention Tony Clark by the Diamondbacks and Richie Sexson by the Yankees) must have had an impact on the way teams still in the hunt are gauging their chances.

Let’s run down rumors by teams five or less games behind first place and I’ll attempt to sound like a baseball expert and predict the probability of some of those trades happening:

Marlins:
Arguably the team most active in trade rumors of those considered "still in it," the Fish have been mentioned in numerous trade scenarios. Most recently, they inquired on the availability of Ivan Rodriguez, but the Tigers said thanks but no thanks.

The Marlins have also been part of the Brian Fuentes trade speculation express, but they might be better served looking for a bat – thus the interest in Willy Taveras.

Sage prediction: It’s in their blood; the Fish have been active during trade deadline season in the past and now that the Phillies added Blanton (not to mention, hot play by the Mets) they’ll trade for a bat.

Cardinals:

The Birds are in second place behind the Cubs, but with the aforementioned trades by the other two teams out of the top three in the NL Central, it’s looking like a major move is inevitable to keep up with the pace.

In fact, the Cards have been mentioned in some trade speculation but those rumors have consistently been shut down. Barry Bonds to the Cards? Nope. Jason Bay rumors debunked, only to have them flare up again tied to top Cardinals prospect Colby Rasmus…until the press talks to the team chairman and they die back down.

Sage prediction: The Cards have to make a move for a bat and for pitching. There I said it. And I’m not the only one.

Twins:

As a small-market team that always competes with what it’s got, the Twins are again quiet in the trade market. There is, however, continuing speculation that they’re interested in upgrading at 3B, inquiring on the availability of Adrian Beltre. Earlier this week, Charlie Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press put together an interesting money-saving trade scenario involving a slugging third baseman.

Sage prediction: The AL Central is up for grabs, and it sure looks like an upgrade will help the Twins down the stretch to when (not if) the Tigers catch up and if (not when) the White Sox let up.

Mets:

Call it oversight, call it my subtle bias that I think the Mets will win the NL East, but commenter D Wright 5 is dead-on for calling me out on not including the Amazin’s in this list. I like his assessment:

The Mets are obviously looking to get a corner outfielder by way of trade. How come you didn’t add Raul Ibanez as a possible candidate to becoming a Met? Not one word about the rumors swirling around the David DeJesus might also become another possibility for the Mets? Not a word about Brian Fuentes being another option.

Honorable mention:

Dodgers: The problem is money. They have a big payroll and would probably only trade for role players that can help off the bench. Plus, they’re really being carried by the young hitters that ostensibly would be coveted by other teams. But don’t discount the possibility of someone like Raul Ibañez.

Red Sox: In an interesting twist, the Sawks were mentioned in connection to Mark Teixeira… but as a possible free agent signing next year. I’m gonna go out on limb and say they’ll stay pat and wait for the Rays to cool off.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com. Comments? Rumors? email me: alexo05 [at] umpbump [daught] com.

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