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Quick Hits: Romero, Melky, Michael, Mondesi, Bailey

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Saturday evening linkage..

  • The Mets have signed infielder Niuman Romero to a minor league contract, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (on Twitter). Romero appeared in two games for the Red Sox last season and hit .222/.294/.244 in 159 plate appearances in the Phillies' and Blue Jays' farm systems this year.
  • Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Giants, Angels, and Phillies are among the teams with some level of interest in Melky Cabrera. The Melkman has delivered a .293/.332/.452 line for the Royals this season.
  • The Twins are making progress in talks with first round pick Levi Michael, tweets LaVelle E. Neal III of The Star Tribune. Michael was the 30th overall pick, which carries a slot recommendation of $1.1MM or so.
  • Adalberto Mondesi, the 16-year-old son of Raul Mondesi, is expected to sign for $1MM when eligible in two weeks according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes (link in Spanish). Rojas says the Royals have the inside track, but the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Athletics are also interested. Make sure you tell your friends about our Spanish-language sister site Rumores de Beisbol.
  • Yesterday we learned that the Athletics have received calls on closer Andrew Bailey.  Two sources tell Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that the Rangers are among those teams and the A's have at started looking more in-depth at Texas' farm system.
  • The Braves are in search of a bat, but Athletics outfielder Josh Willingham isn’t high on their list, a source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Earlier today, ESPN's Buster Olney wrote that Willingham "is going to be traded at some point".
  • With their payroll already at an all-time high, the White Sox might be better off making in-house moves rather than deals, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  If GM Ken Williams & Co. do make a deal they may look to land a right-handed reliever, despite the emergence of Brian Bruney.
  • Rival evaluators say that the degree of separation in the standings could impact the the aggressiveness of the Phillies, Braves, and Giants before the deadline, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.  
  • The Cardinals have been one of the most aggressive teams in baseball as far as looking at starters, a source tells Morosi (via Twitter).

Rosenthal’s Latest: Beltran, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees

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Earlier today it was the Full Count video, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has some more notes in a separate video…

  • Carlos Beltran doesn't figure to be with the Mets much longer, especially since the team is willing to pick up the majority of the $6MM or so left on his contract. The Giants, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, and Phillies all have interest.
  • The Phillies prefer Mike Adams to Heath Bell because they'd have him under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season. They're concerned they may lose Ryan Madson as a free agent this winter.
  • The Red Sox keep saying they don't need starting pitching, but that could change before the deadline. Hiroki Kuroda is one possible target. 
  • The Yankees continue to look for starting pitching, especially after Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia got knocked around in their first starts after the All-Star break. Ubaldo Jimenez is out there, and the Rockies will at very least dangle him just to see if someone overwhelms them with an offer.

Olney’s Latest: Trade Market, Tigers, D’Backs, Beltran

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In today's Insider-only blog post, Buster Olney says that a high-ranking official told him the "dam is about ready to burst on the trade market." The number of phone calls is multiplying and everyone is getting more serious. "I think that once July 24 hits, that's when you're going to see a bunch of things happen," said an AL official. "There's a lot of talk."

Let's round up Olney's rumors…

  • The Tigers continue to look for high-end starters, not the third and fourth starter types that flood the market. They had scouts at Ubaldo Jimenez's most recent start.
  • The Diamondbacks are focused on less expensive relief pitchers, like Brad Ziegler and Jason Isringhausen.
  • The Mariners are pitching-rich and willing to listen to offers. Erik Bedard's knee may be healthy in time for him to make two starts before the deadline.
  • Josh Willingham "is going to be traded at some point."
  • Since the left-handed relief market is so thin, teams have begun scouting right-handed relievers that are effective against lefties. David Pauley, Mike Adams, Koji Uehara, Tyler Clippard, and Joel Peralta fit the bill.
  • In a tweet, Olney says the Mets are insisting on a top prospect in return for Carlos Beltran. He adds that pressure on the Giants to add a bat is decreasing as their division lead continues to grow.

NL East Notes: McKeon, Beltran, Phillies

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Let's check out some notes from the NL East..

  • Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria will consider Jack McKeon to manage the club in 2012, writes Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post.  Loria added that former skipper Edwin Rodriguez resigned on his own and was not pressured by the front office to quit.
  • Loria also says that his team can work its way back into the playoff picture in 2011, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
  • A source told Jeff Passan of Yahoo (via Twitter) that the no-arbitration clause in Carlos Beltran's contract does transfer to his new team if he is traded.
  • History always tells us that the Phillies always make a move and they usually go with a pitcher over a bat, writes Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.

Morosi On League, Astros, Red Sox, Blue Jays

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It's unlikely that incoming Astros owner Jim Crane would want to start his tenure as Houston's new owner by opposing MLB's other teams, as Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports points out. That means it will be hard for Crane to turn Bud Selig down if the commissioner asks the Astros to move to the American League West at some point. Here are more of Morosi's notes from around MLB:

  • The Mariners are taking calls on Brandon League and have no plans to make Felix Hernandez available (Twitter link).
  • Despite the many injuries to their starting pitchers, the Red Sox haven't begun an all-out search for rotation help, according to Morosi. The Red Sox, who have checked in on Carlos Beltran, are prioritizing a right-handed hitting outfielder.
  • The Blue Jays are hearing from teams interested in their relievers (Twitter link).
  • The Angels prefer left-handed hitters over right-handed hitters, according to Morosi (on Twitter). They had serious discussions about the left-handed hitting Garrett Jones earlier in the year.

Olney On Tigers, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Beltran

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Teams looking to trade for outfield help will encounter a buyers’ market, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Here’s the latest from around MLB, with the most recent rumors up top:

  • The Tigers are pursuing pitching aggressively, checking in on high-end arms, according to Olney (on Twitter). 
  • The Pirates are looking for an outfielder who can be a stable presence in their lineup. They have asked around for veteran outfielders (Twitter link). 
  • The D'Backs are looking for relievers who have yet to go to arbitration, not expensive veterans (Twitter link).
  • The Red Sox, Braves and Phillies would “undoubtedly” love to acquire Carlos Beltran, but all three clubs are distancing themselves from the teams behind them in the standings, so they could decide to acquire a second-tier bat instead of surrendering an elite prospect for Beltran.
  • Hunter Pence will likely stay in Houston unless the Astros are “overwhelmed,” according to Olney.
  • The A’s are listening on Josh Willingham.
  • Rival GMs believe that a deal for Ubaldo Jimenez is “all but impossible,” since the Rockies would ask for so much in a trade for their ace. The Rockies will listen on Jimenez, who is on the Reds' radar.

Heyman’s Latest: K-Rod, Jackson, Twins, Reyes

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Let's round up the latest from SI.com's Jon Heyman…

  • The Mets were telling interested clubs that Francisco Rodriguez would be with a new team "within 48 hours" of the reliever's decision to switch agents and hire Scott Boras. The trade with the Brewers was announced four days later.
  • Heyman lists 40 players that could be traded before the deadline, headlined by the usual suspects: Carlos Beltran, Heath Bell, B.J. Upton, and Josh Willingham.
  • "Calls are coming in" about Edwin Jackson, and the White Sox will have the rotation depth to move him once John Danks returns from the disabled list.
  • Jose Reyes has told the Mets he won't negotiate a contract extension during the season, but he hasn't completely ruled out an extension with a new team if traded.
  • The Mets are "unlikely" to trade Mike Pelfrey, despite his climbing salary. 
  • The Twins are telling teams they're going for it.
  • Beltran's salary would be an issue for both the Indians and Reds, though Cleveland is looking for an outfield bat.
  • In a tweet, Heyman notes that the Reds and Phillies match up well with the Padres for a trade, since both teams are looking for a right-handed outfield bat and bullpen help. San Diego has Ryan Ludwick and a stable of quality relievers to offer.

Mets Finalizing Deal With Supplemental Pick Fulmer

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JULY 15: Callis tweets that the terms of Fulmer's signing bonus have not yet been finalized, contrary to yesterday's report.

JULY 14: Fulmer's bonus will be $950K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America, though the deal has not been quite finalized yet.  MLB's recommended slot price for the 44th overall pick is $776.7K.

JUNE 24: The Mets have agreed to terms with suppelemental first round pick Michael Fulmer, the pitcher announced (on Twitter). He said he agreed to a contract yesterday, though he has yet to sign paper (hat tip to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork).

Baseball America ranked Fulmer 45th among draft eligible prospects and the Mets selected him with the 44th overall pick. Fulmer's fastball reaches the mid-90s and he can maintain his velocity late into games, according to BA. He has a hard slider, though he'll have to work on developing a change-up. Here's MLBTR's complete list of top picks that have signed. 

Red Sox Notes: Beltran, Ortiz, Papelbon, Garza

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The Red Sox kick off the second half on Friday with a big series at Tropicana Field against the Rays.  Here are some notes about the club with the AL's best record…

  • The Red Sox have contacted the Mets about Carlos Beltran, a Boston team official tells Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston  (Twitter link).  According to the official, however, the Sox were "just doing [their] due diligence."
  • Beltran would certainly fill Boston's hole in right field, an area that GM Theo Epstein admitted is an area of concern, reports MLB.com's Ian Browne.  Epstein said he would make a move if necessary, but the GM also noted that the Sox could improve at the position from within, either with Josh Reddick playing more or J.D. Drew breaking out of his season-long slump.
  • WEEI.com's Ryan Hannable has a partial transcript of Peter Gammons' appearance on the Mut & Merloni radio show today.  Gammons said Boston faces "difficult decisions" on pending free agents David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon, particularly Papelbon since Daniel Bard is waiting in the wings as the club's next closer.  Gammons believes if Papelbon wants a three-year deal worth $36MM or more, the Sox will let him go.
  • Also from Gammons, he doesn't think Boston will trade a number of prospects for a starter like Matt Garza in order to solve its lack of rotation depth.
  • The Red Sox face a 40-man roster crunch this winter, reports Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal.  "For that reason, the Red Sox can afford — and, indeed, might be wise — to trade three or four high-level prospects for an impact player," MacPherson writes.  "Not only could that impact player help them win the World Series, but the trade could clear the 40-man-roster logjam and allow the Red Sox to retain some of the other prospects they've devoted so many resources to developing." 

NL East Notes: Beltran, Sanchez, Nationals, Braves

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The Marlins are the only NL East team whose second half begins tonight, as the Fish start a four-game series at Wrigley Field.  The other four teams will begin intra-divisional matchups (Phillies at Mets, Nationals at Braves) on Friday.  Here's the latest from the East…

  • The Carlos Beltran rumors are already swirling but the Mets will wait right until the deadline to move him, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  The Mets will wait, Heyman says, since the team still thinks it has a chance at the playoffs and because the club isn't sure Beltran would clear waivers.
  • The Marlins' organizational lack of pitching depth make them likely to pursue an extension with Anibal Sanchez, tweets Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  2012 is Sanchez's last arbitration-eligible year, so Rodriguez thinks an extension might cost a bit more than Josh Johnson's four-year, $39MM with the team since this deal would be cover more of Sanchez's free agent years.
  • Also from Rodriguez, Larry Beinfest said prospect Matt Dominguez is being considered by the Marlins for a September call-up.  Dominguez was the 12th overall pick of the 2007 amateur draft and was ranked 81st on Baseball America's preseason list of the game's 100 best prospects.  He hasn't hit well at Triple-A this season (a .239/.303/.394 line in 201 plate appearances) but Dominguez also spent a month recovering from a fractured elbow.
  • Terry Collins announced today that Pedro Beato, Jason Isringhausen and Bobby Parnell will all get chances to close games for the Mets.  For more on this move and other late-game news, check out MLBTR's sister site, Closer News.
  • The Nationals announced the signings of four picks from this year's amateur draft.  Right-hander Taylor Hill (a sixth-round pick) was the highest-selected of the four new Nats.
  • Frank Wren talks to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Braves' needs at the trade deadline.  Wren feels the return of Martin Prado and Chipper Jones from the DL will help the club's offense and thus Atlanta may just look for role players to come off the bench, sch as a right-handed bat.  The Braves are often mentioned as a team that could move its pitching depth in a trade but Wren says that other clubs haven't contacted him about such deals "because I think they’re smart enough to know that we’re not going to be trading our young pitching unless there’s something extraordinary out there to us."
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