Clayton Kershaw Pulled After One Inning
Dodgers fans following phenom southpaw Clayton Kershaw‘s start tonight may have been disappointed. The 19 year-old was pulled after just one inning. Conspiracy theorists have already established that Kershaw must be involved in a trade.
Usually I’m quick to contribute to any conspiracy, but I decided to take a few minutes to listen to the Great Lakes Loons broadcast instead. Turns out that the plan all along was to have Kershaw pitch just one inning – this plan was outlined before the game started. Apparently the Dodgers sent down this directive to keep Kershaw’s innings count down this year. After all, this is Kershaw’s first full pro season.
You could call BS on the Dodgers and insist Kershaw is headed to Oakland in a Joe Blanton deal. After all, there had to be some kind of party line for the announcer to use to explain the one-inning stint. But if he really had been traded, why let him pitch at all? Why not just scratch him and say he has the flu?
Kershaw might be the best pitching prospect in all of baseball right now. He’s definitely the top lefthander. Most likely, the Dodgers are just being careful with him.
Additionally, I’m still trying to track down why Mets prospect Fernando Martinez was pulled from tonight’s game after one at-bat. But I do know he recently came off the DL for a right hand contusion, so taking it easy with him is entirely reasonable.
One more for you: apparently Philip Humber was supposed to start tonight for the Zephyrs after being scratched Friday for food poisoning. Adam Bostick started instead, but I’m not sure why.
Mets Close To Deal For Luis Castillo
UPDATE: Doesn’t look like the Twins got much here – Double A catcher Drew Butera and High A outfielder Dustin Martin. Martin might become a fourth outfielder one day.
Ken Rosenthal snags another one: the Mets are close to acquiring Luis Castillo for two minor leaguers.
If my memory serves me correctly, this would be Omar Minaya’s first deal since December’s acquisition of Ambiorix Burgos. [Edit: Well, the Jake Gatreau acquisition in June counts.] He’s been uncharacteristically inactive. Is Castillo even an upgrade at second base? Maybe, but it’d be hard to argue he’s a difference-maker. The Mets have a 4.5 game lead over the Braves; Atlanta’s Teixeira and Dotel upgrades may be worth right around that difference.
Finding a lefty-masher to pair with Shawn Green should be Minaya’s next task. Sammy Sosa makes almost too much sense. Jonny Gomes or Brad Wilkerson could work too. Hell, they could throw Damion Easley out there.
The Market For Eric Gagne
Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog has the latest regarding Texas closer Eric Gagne. It seems the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, and Dodgers may all be in on him depending on who you listen to. We’ve heard the Tigers in on him previously but not so much anymore. We’ve heard the Diamondbacks and Cubs connected to Gagne in the past but not as much lately.
There still seems to be some confusion about which teams Gagne can be dealt to without his consent. To review what’s been published:
Gagne can be traded to the Yankees, Mets, Angels, and nine other clubs without his consent.
If Gagne is to be traded to the Tigers, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, or thirteen other unknown clubs, he must consent. That means additional concessions on the part of the acquiring team.
So, we don’t know where the Mariners, Dodgers, Cubs, or Diamondbacks fall. But I don’t know why the Yankees would have to worry about Gagne missing his incentives if they acquire him. Being on the first list is a big plus for the Yanks.
Mets Hunting For Reliever, Second Baseman
Pretty much the same old story with the Mets, though Joel Sherman and Mark Hale of the New York Post do have some new tidbits.
- The authors name Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch, Octavio Dotel, and Eric Gagne as relievers on the radar. However it seems the asking price is too high for Gagne and the Indians have become the frontrunner for Dotel (they may have passed the Dodgers). Shawn Chacon doesn’t catch the Mets’ eye, and they don’t want Chad Bradford‘s three-year commitment. They had that option with Bradford this winter. I think that logic is silly – Bradford’s pitched well this year, and acquiring him now would be akin to a two-year contract. Sometimes it seems GMs pass over certain players because they simply want to add a fresh name.
- You can add Al Reyes to the mix for the Mets, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
- The Mets think many of the available starting pitchers could be traded in August – Jose Contreras, Kyle Lohse, and Steve Trachsel for example. I don’t agree on Lohse – he’ll be traded today or tomorrow. But Contreras’s contract would probably get through waivers without a claim.
- The Post reports no substantive talks to the Royals about Mark Grudzielanek. An inquiry has been made on Mark Loretta.
- Meanwhile, Newsday says the Twins are open to trading Luis Castillo but don’t want any of the current Major League Mets. Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger seems to disagree, citing a Twins scout at Shea yesterday. Graziano does not believe Castillo would get through waivers unclaimed. He believes the Twins want Double A starter Kevin Mulvey and then some (perhaps Ruben Gotay).
- Graziano says a deal for Castillo could be expanded to include 28 year-old righty reliever Juan Rincon. Rincon had been consistently solid for three years (perhaps aided by steroids) but has seen his strikeout rate and overall performance plummet in 2007. Rincon is under control next year and will make at least $2MM again.
- Graziano notes that the Mets have talked to the A’s about Joe Blanton, but Billy Beane wants Lastings Milledge. The Mets can’t do that without damaging the current team. The Mets could actually add an outfielder in Jay Payton; the Cubs’ interest has waned. The Sammy Sosa rumor also has some legs, as the Mets could bring him in to platoon with Shawn Green if they decide they can tolerate the sideshow.
Mets and Devil Rays
Ryan McConnell of the New Jersey Star-Ledger posted a run-down of Mets’ rumors, mostly old hat by now. Items of note:
- The Mets are being asked too much for both Chad Cordero and Octavio Dotel, causing them to take another look at Eric Gagne. They are also looking at Matt Thornton (White Sox), Shawn Chacon (Pirates), Chad Bradford (Orioles) and Jon Rauch (Nationals). I think they should go for Chad Bradford, silly contract be damned.
- We’ve all heard about second base possibilities in Mark Grudzielanek, Mark Loretta and Luis Castillo. I think that of these candidates, Grudzielanek is the best defender, while Castillo is the best offensive player, even though Loretta is putting up better numbers this year. All three will be free agents this off-season, with the exception of Grudzielanek if he earns the $4M player option for 2008 which vests with 500 plate appearances, a slim possibility. Castillo is the youngest player and the best choice for the Mets, if they can get him. He’s likely be a Type A free agent if the Mets let him go; if they don’t, he could be their 2008 second baseman. All in all, though, I’d prefer the Mets stick with Damion Easley and Rubén Gotay.
- Now the kicker. This is what makes trade deadlines fun (and painful). From McConnell:
And, finally, the hot, completely unsubstantiated rumor floating around my workplace was that the Mets and D-Rays were discussing a Lastings Milledge and "a Minor League pitcher" (probably Pelfrey, maybe Humber) for Carl Crawford. It didn’t pass my smell test — I’d think Tampa would command a lot more for their stud outfielder — but it’s fun to think about regardless. Plus, for what it’s worth, a Met scout was spotted at Tropicana Field last week.
It doesn’t pass my smell test either, but it’s still fun to think about, unless you’re convinced that Lastings Milledge is the next Gary Sheffield, like I am.
John Peterson writes for the Met-blog Blastings! Thrilledge.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Dye, Lamb, Jennings
Ken Rosenthal has a new article up. Let’s see what’s in there beyond the Teixeira stuff.
- The Angels have a few alternatives to Mark Teixeira in Jermaine Dye and Mike Piazza. However, the team isn’t exactly bursting with open outfield/DH spots, especially once Juan Rivera returns. Troy Glaus still makes a ton of sense, but the Blue Jays would want a lot. Probably 2/3 of the Teixeira package.
- Aside from Mark Loretta, the Padres would also like to acquire Mike Lamb from the Astros. Even tossing aside his awful April, Kevin Kouzmanoff has been about average for his position offensively (.271/.328/.476 since May 1). If the Padres instead used Lamb against southpaws and Kouzmanoff against lefties, they’d have a nifty platoon.
- The Mets have inquired on Joe Blanton and Jon Garland but have found the price prohibitive. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that both are just innings eaters. They’re just elevated by a terrible market for starters.
- The Phillies also asked about Blanton, but are more likely to settle for Kyle Lohse or Jason Jennings. Phil Garner decided to offer Jennings’ ERA up for sacrifice today, leaving him in to allow 11 earned runs in two-thirds of an inning. That was a several million-dollar decision, as Jennings is a free agent after the season.
- The Mets seem to have only mild interest in Luis Castillo and Mark Grudzielanek due to salary and injury concerns.
Rosenthal’s Latest Videos: Teixeira, Dye, Garland
Ken Rosenthal has a couple of recent videos up at FOXSports. Check ’em out. Some highlights:
- The Mark Teixeira talks are at a standstill; the Braves and Angels are reluctant to improve their offers. The Dodgers are said to be out of the picture. Daniels, Schuerholz, Stoneman – which one blinks first? I’ll say Daniels; he’ll go with Atlanta’s best offer.
- Jermaine Dye is Plan B for the Angels, but as you know the Red Sox still have interest.
- Jon Garland can be had, but Kenny Williams’ price is sky-high. The Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Mets, and Braves all have interest. The Braves had offered not only Edgar Renteria but a top pitching prospect, and still were rejected. Rosenthal expects Garland to stay put because as the asking price is not met.
- The Dodgers are still the leaders on Octavio Dotel, but the Tribe could jump in if they part with Ben Francisco. Would Francisco really be missed?
- The Cubs are looking at role players like Jay Payton and Jeff Conine. Many Cubs fans have written me looking for some good rumors – anything I would hear would go on the site. My gut feeling is that they do nothing major.
- The Orioles asked about Kei Igawa, but were told he’s not available.
- Rosenthal can see Adam Dunn and Eric Gagne staying put at the deadline. The need to deal Gagne is a bit more pressing, in my opinion.
Latest Mets Rumors: Luis Castillo, Chad Cordero
Let’s have a look at the latest rumors swirling around the Mets.
- Second base remains an area of focus. A Twins scout was at Shea recently, presumably trying to figure out what to ask for from the Mets for Luis Castillo. The Mets were recently scouting the Twins as well. The problem is that Castillo is not yet officially available. A couple of Marks, Grudzielanek and Loretta, remain on the radar. The Astros might consider signing Loretta to an extension, though no details have been discussed.
- The Devil Rays hosted the Red Sox last night, and a Mets scout was on hand. Speculation on my part, but possible targets include Ty Wigginton, Jonny Gomes, Edwin Jackson, Al Reyes, and Casey Fossum. The Mets had some interest in Jackson way back in November.
- According to Dan Graziano, the Mets are still pushing for Chad Cordero or Jon Rauch. Graziano is skeptical that the Nationals can arrive at a trade. Matthew Cerrone believes the Mets might give up Mike Pelfrey to get Cordero.
- Will Carroll has some other relievers the Mets are considering: Matt Thornton, Chad Bradford, and Shawn Chacon.
- The Mets had a scout in attendance yesterday to watch Jon Garland. He gave up ten hits but only three runs in 7.1 innings to the Blue Jays.
Padres Interested In Loretta, Iguchi
The Padres have gotten a woeful .244/.315/.328 line out of their second baseman, most of it from Marcus Giles. They’re starting to work Geoff Blum in more often, but it’s a clear area for an upgrade.
The two names on the radar, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, are Mark Loretta and Tadahito Iguchi.
Iguchi’s slugging percentage is down this year, mostly from an awful May. But he still represents an upgrade on Giles.
The more versatile Loretta is hitting .297/.373/.390 this year; he’s done a nice job drawing walks. Loretta pushed to sign with the Padres, but Kevin Towers stood him up. Now the Friars have come crawling back. The problem is that the Phillies and Mets have sustained injuries to their second basemen and could get in on him.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Dunn, Wheeler, Izzy
Ken Rosenthal posted a new column last night, and has updated it very recently. I’ve already spoken about the Teixeira stuff, but there’s other good material in there too.
- Some of the wilder speculation out there has been that the Twins might trade Torii Hunter or Johan Santana if they decide they’re out of it. Various Baseball Prospectus reports put the Twins’ playoff chances between 5-10%. Rosenthal debunks the idea that Minnesota would shop Hunter without first making him an offer, and keeping Santana for at least 2008 makes sense. Plus, Santana has a no-trade clause.
- Rosenthal does have some Twins for us who might be traded: Luis Castillo and Carlos Silva. Castillo has already been connected to the Mets in rumors, though Silva is a new one. One could definitely envision Silva’s style working in the National League (I know, I say that a lot). There was a recent Silva to Atlanta rumor, though Silva’s agent seems to have debunked it.
- Rosenthal says Dontrelle Willis is not available. Perhaps he and Tim Brown will engage in fisticuffs over this disagreement.
- The Diamondbacks have kicked the tires on Adam Dunn. He might make sense as a rental – the D’Backs playoff changes sit between 16-27%, worth fighting for. No doubt they’ve got a stable of young players to offer.
- Rosenthal says the Astros have yet to receive interest on the Lidge/Wheeler/Qualls troika, while Jayson Stark said yesterday that the Astros hadn’t opened shop on them. Thunderdome match #2, Rosenthal vs. Stark. Assuming Ken survives Tim Brown. Anyway, word is that the Rockies have their eye on Wheeler.
- Parties interested in Zack Greinke: Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Braves, and Cubs. This gels with Dan Graziano’s findings. Of course, trading a player like Greinke requires an equally talented youngster in return.
- The Royals may not be able to do better than Cleveland’s Ben Francisco as a bounty for Octavio Dotel. More on him in a separate post.
- Trades of Joe Blanton and Huston Street are "highly unlikely." So you’re saying there’s a chance?
- The chances of the Cardinals trading Jason Isringhausen are described as "remote." The Cards would have a hard time replacing him next year; he’s got a reasonable $8MM option. He also has no-trade protection, so he’d probably want a better extension if he was to accept a trade.