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Quick Hits: Fister, Mets, Giants, Rangers

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With less than three days until the trade deadline, here are the latest rumors and notes from around MLB…

  • Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus introduced us to some prospects on contenders who should come with a "buyer beware" sign. Jonathan Singleton of the Phillies and Jesus Montero of the Yankees make the list, which is at ESPN.com. 
  • One team with interest in Doug Fister heard there's "zero" chance the Mariners part with him, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). 
  • Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger hears that the Mets aren't likely to sign first round pick Brandon Nimmo until close to the August 15th deadline for teams to sign their draft picks (Twitter link).
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the Giants still have interest in adding a catcher (Twitter link). 
  • The Rangers appear to be involved in serious talks with the Padres and A's regarding relievers, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). For the latest on Heath Bell and Mike Adams, click here.

Carlos Beltran Trade Reactions

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The Giants acquired Carlos Beltran and $4MM from the Mets yesterday for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, in a deal that became official today.  The latest reactions:

  • ESPN's Adam Rubin has notes from Mets GM Sandy Alderson from today's conference call.  Alderson said there was a possibility of sending Beltran to an AL team, but it was contingent on him playing right field and the available NL options.
  • Giants GM Brian Sabean said today that vice president of player personnel Dick Tidrow assured him the team has enough pitching talent in the minors to withstand the loss of Wheeler, tweets Andrew Baggarly.
  • Though Wheeler is no sure thing, ESPN's Keith Law says the Giants risked "an enormous long-term cost" for about 60 games of Beltran.
  • The Beltran trade is the Mets' "most meaningful July 2011 victory," writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Sherman says it helped that the Giants "do almost no statistical analysis" and are not active in talking to many other teams.  They simply go after the players their scouts like "with disregard to how it will be viewed by the rest of the sport."    
  • Yahoo's Jeff Passan praises Giants GM Brian Sabean for going for it, but was not a fan of the win-now deal in which the Cardinals sent Colby Rasmus to Toronto.

Alderson: Mets Unlikely To Make More Trades

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After snagging Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran, Mets GM Sandy Alderson is probably done dealing this month.  He told reporters he doesn't expect more trades "unless something extraordinary comes up," as he's reluctant to make it tougher on the current club.  So, those hoping to pluck Chris Capuano, Tim Byrdak, or Jason Isringhausen can probably stand down.

Giants Acquire Carlos Beltran

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The Giants have the worst offense of any National League contender, so GM Brian Sabean pounced on the best hitter available.  The Mets officially announced today they've traded right fielder Carlos Beltran and cash considerations to San Francisco for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.  Reportedly, the Mets are sending $4MM to the Giants in the trade.

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Beltran (pictured) is hitting .289/.391/.513 with 15 home runs in 419 plate appearances, in what has already become his healthiest season since 2008.  Signed by the Mets to a seven-year, $119MM free agent contract before the 2005 season, Beltran's agent Scott Boras negotiated a clause preventing his team from offering arbitration at the deal's conclusion.  Such an offer was no sure thing anyway, with Beltran earning $18.5MM this year.  About $6.5MM of that remains, of which the Mets are assuming $4MM.  Since Beltran has 10-and-5 rights, the trade took 24 hours to become official.  The Braves, Red Sox, Pirates, Rangers, Indians, and Phillies had also been involved in trade talks for Beltran.

Wheeler was a big price to pay for two months of Beltran's services.  The Giants' sixth overall pick in the 2009 draft, the hard-throwing righty has a 10.0 K/9 in High-A ball this year.  The consensus among Keith Law, Baseball America, and Kevin Goldstein is that Wheeler is among the top 36 prospects in the game.

Tim Brown first reported the deal, with Buster Olney and Joel Sherman adding details.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Quick Hits: Blue Jays, Beltran, Astros, Zambrano

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Congratulations to Ervin Santana, who threw the third no-hitter of the season this afternoon. Santana joins Francisco Liriano and Justin Verlander on this year’s list of pitchers to author a no-no. Here are the latest links from around MLB… 

  • Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says he's likely done making trades, according to Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star (on Twitter). The GM will continue monitoring the trade market in case something comes up, but his work might be done. 
  • The Rangers offered a group of "OK" prospects for Carlos Beltran and Philadelphia's offer was even weaker, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). San Francisco eventually acquired Beltran.
  • The Astros are stepping up their efforts to trade Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers and Michael Bourn, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • Carlos Zambrano told reporters, including Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, that he wants to stay in Chicago as long as there is "change" (Twitter link). The right-hander, who is available in trades, did not specify what kind of change he's looking for.
  • Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears that the Reds have serious misgivings about making an all-in move to save their season (Twitter link). After tonight's loss, Cincinnati is 50-54.

Minor Moves: Evans, Restovich

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The Mariners signed Wily Mo Pena to a minor league pact earlier today and we'll keep track of any other minor moves here…

  • Nick Evans has cleared waivers and is headed back to Triple-A, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (on Twitter). The Mets designated Evans for assignment late last week after he hit .148/.343/.333 through 35 plate appearances as a first baseman, third baseman and left fielder.
  • The Diamondbacks have acquired outfielder Michael Restovich from the White Sox and assigned him to Triple-A, reports Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com (on Twitter). The 32-year-old Restovich was hitting .229/.282/.365 in 103 plate appearances for Chicago's Triple-A squad. He hasn't played in the big leagues since 2007.

Giants To Acquire Carlos Beltran

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3:11pm: The Giants and Mets have reached a tentative agreement on a Beltran trade, report Rosenthal and Morosi.

2:27pm: The Mets will pay $4MM of the $6MM remaining on Beltran's contract, an executive not directly involved with the trade tells Sherman.  The number is confirmed by ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link).

1:30pm: If nothing happens in the next 24 hours to scuttle the deal, it's just Wheeler for Beltran and cash, tweets Sherman.  The Mets are sending a significant amount of money, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.

12:45pm: Olney tweets that Giants pitching prospect Zack Wheeler is expected to be the centerpiece in the trade, and Jon Paul Morosi agrees.  

12:17pm: Carlos Beltran is going to the Giants, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown, with logistics being worked out. Just minor details remain, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the two teams are at the one-yard line, while Brown reminds us that a 24-hour waiting period applies since Beltran has 10-and-5 rights.  The Phillies are just barely hanging on for Beltran, according to multiple reports.

Carlos Beltran Rumors: Wednesday

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Yesterday's Carlos Beltran learnings: the Indians offered to pick up all of Beltran's contract and include a good player, but nothing was presented to the player; the Phillies won't trade Jonathan Singleton for Beltran and many other top prospects can't be had either; the Mets' asking price has come down from two weeks ago and they're talking two and three-prospect deals with suitors.  The latest:

  • Beltran is not going to the Rangers, tweets Rosenthal.  The Giants are his presumed frontrunner.  He says the Mets had asked about Giants prospects Zack Wheeler and Gary Brown.  They won't get Wheeler, but Rosenthal says "we'll see" on Brown.
  • Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez could go to the Mets as part of a Beltran trade, tweets Sherman.
  • Some executives believe Boras is trying to direct Beltran to the Giants, a team that has the money to retain him after the season, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Meanwhile Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Rangers are offering the Mets a greater number of players for Beltran than the Giants, who are offering fewer players but more quality.  The Phillies are still serious, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.
  • The Indians walked away from the Beltran talks convinced that agent Scott Boras is controlling the process, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.  They won't shut the door on Beltran but believe he won't change his mind, tweets Yahoo's Jeff Passan.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Mets have "moved off A-level prospect requests" for Beltran, but Andy Martino of the New York Daily News has a high-level source who denies the Mets have lowered their asking price.
  • The Mets are making progress in negotiations with the Rangers and Giants, reports ESPN's Buster Olney.  The Braves remain involved.

Miller On Upton, Angels, Slowey

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Scott Miller of CBSSports.com has updates on the trade market. Here they are… 

  • Miller’s sources expect the Rays to trade B.J. Upton by Sunday (click here for the latest on Upton).
  • Angels owner Arte Moreno has approved a payroll increase, according to Miller. The Angels are looking for a third baseman, but they would send Erick Aybar to the Mets for Jose Reyes straight up, according to Miller. The Mets, however, aren’t interested; they’ll keep Reyes instead.
  • Minnesota is expected to trade Kevin Slowey, who continues to draw interest, according to Miller. Earlier tonight, we heard that the Rockies are interested in Slowey.

Carlos Beltran Rumors: Tuesday

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Yesterday right fielder Carlos Beltran shot down the notion that he's told the Mets he won't accept a trade to an American League team.  Writers agree that the Rangers are making a big push and that the Phillies have cooled, but the standing of the Braves, Red Sox, and Giants is unclear.  The latest up top:

  • Beltran says he never blocked a deal to the Indians, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post (on Twitter). He says the Mets haven't come to him with possible deals.
  • The Indians offered to pick up all of Beltran's remaining contract and give the Mets a good player in return according to MLB.com's Peter Gammons, but Cleveland was not a fit for the Scott Boras client. Heyman reports (on Twitter) that the deal was never presented to Beltran, so the Mets must know which teams he'll accept a trade to.
  • The Phillies won't give up Jonathan Singleton for Beltran, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com, who confirms that Cosart and Brown aren't available either (Twitter link). More Phillies prospects will soon be off the table as well, according to Heyman.
  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin declined to speak about Beltran in particular, but he told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com that he's always open to making the right deal, generally speaking.
  • Agent Scott Boras told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that Beltran's decision to accept or block a trade will revolve around his chances of winning a title. Crasnick's take on the leading suitors for Beltran confirms what we've read for the past 24 hours or so: the Rangers have ramped up their pursuit of Beltran and the Braves and Giants remain interested, while the Red Sox and Phillies appear to have slipped to the back of the pack.
  • There's a strong belief the best offer may come from the Rangers, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.
  • The Mets' asking price has come down a bit from two weeks ago, an interested executive told Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links).  Sherman says the Mets are talking two and three-prospect deals with the Rangers, Red Sox, Giants, Braves, Phillies, and Brewers.
  • The Mets have been turned down on requests for Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, or Arodys Vizcaino of the Braves, Zack Wheeler or Gary Brown of the Giants, and Domonic Brown or Jarred Cosart of the Phillies, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark.  Stark says the Mets are telling teams the Beltran deal isn't about money, and the team that offers the best players will get him.
  • A high-ranking source tells ESPN's Buster Olney there is no clear frontrunner for Beltran as of right now (Twitter link).  Meanwhile, a source close to the talks tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports he expects things to intensify within the next 48 hours (Twitter link).
  • The Giants "look like a possible favorite" for Beltran at the moment, reports SI's Jon Heyman.  The Braves are very interested as well, while the Phillies "don't seem all that involved."
  • The Reds are not currently involved in trade talks for Beltran, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • An executive from a team that has expressed interest in Beltran told Joel Sherman of the New York Post, "They are not getting a top-40-ranked prospect for Beltran even if they eat all the money [left on his contract]."  Sherman's article goes on to explain why the Mets will probably have to settle for less-than-elite prospects.  He reiterates that the Rangers are aggressively pursuing Beltran and the Braves and Red Sox are the other two most interested clubs.      
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