New York Notes: Dickey, Isringhausen, Garcia
The Mets lost to Albert Pujols and the Cardinals today and the Yankees will take on the Rays later tonight. Here's the latest news regarding MLB's two New York teams…
- The Yankees have some interest in Jeremy Guthrie according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter), but they know Orioles' owner Peter Angelos will not trade with them.
- The Mets may have decided to keep him, but Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that the Reds and Diamondbacks still have interest in Isringhausen (Twitter link).
- An American League contender called the Mets about R.A. Dickey and heard that the knuckleballer isn't going anywhere, according to Peter Gammons of MLB Network (on Twitter).
- The Mets have apparently decided to keep Jason Isringhausen, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- Even though Isringhausen would prefer not to be traded, he told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he has "unfinished business" in St. Louis. Cardinals sources tell Goold that they wouldn't rule out a reunion with Isringhausen at some point. The 38-year-old spent seven years with the Cardinals, saving 217 games.
- Freddy Garcia told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that he hopes to continue pitching for the Yankees, though he understands he may get bumped from the rotation if New York makes a trade.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff dares to wonder if Garcia and Bartolo Colon can keep pitching this well into October.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Thursday
Carlos Beltran homered last night, which should help the Mets convince their rivals that Beltran is the difference-making bat teams are looking for. He'll cost a lot in terms of prospects, can block any trade and earns $18.5MM, but that didn't stop the rumors from swirling yesterday and it won't stop them from continuing today. The latest updates are up top:
- The Indians interest in Beltran has cooled according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- The Mets aren't concerned about obtaining Beltran's permission for a deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who reports that GM Sandy Alderson has had at least one conversation with agent Scott Boras on the topic.
- The Phillies have been scouting Beltran and the Mets have been scouting the Braves’ system in anticipation of possible trades, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets may try to obtain Randall Delgado or Arodys Vizcaino from the Braves, Rubin reports.
- Though the Tigers are interested, they’re focused on starting pitching, according to Rubin.
- The Rangers are interested in Beltran, but their priority is improving their bullpen, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Other clubs likely need and value Beltran more than Texas.
- Carlos Gomez broke his collarbone last night, and SI.com's Jon Heyman says (on Twitter) it'll be interesting to see if the injury increased Milwaukee's interest in Beltran. He lists the Phillies, Giants, Braves, and Brewers as the top suitors at the moment.
- Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports is hearing that the Giants still intend to make a hard run at Beltran despite the report that the two sides do not match up well for a trade (Twitter link).
- The Mets and Giants are having trouble matching up for a trade, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. San Francisco is willing to take on most or all of the $6MM or so remaining on the outfielder's contract, but won't part with a high-end prospect. The Mets are willing to absorb salary, but are insisting on high-end talent in return for Beltran.
- Alderson and Beltran told Mike Sielski of the Wall Street Journal that they'd be open to signing a deal after the season, when Beltran hits free agency.
- The Brewers will acquire Beltran if they can scrape together a package for him, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links). Olney, who repeats that the Mets are still insisting on a high-end prospect for Beltran, likens the Brewers' pursuit to "searching for nickels under couch cushions."
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson is narrowing the field of possible trade partners, according to Yahoo’s Tim Brown. Beltran, who received a list of possible destinations from Alderson Tuesday, does not appear to have ruled out trades to the Phillies, Red Sox, Braves, Giants and Brewers. The Yankees may also be in the mix.
Olney On Wandy, Phillies, DeJesus, Cardinals, Mets
In addition to all the talk about a potential Hunter Pence trade, ESPN's Buster Olney notes the Astros are "making it clear" that they're willing to trade Wandy Rodriguez in today's Insider-only blog post. The left-hander has caught the eye of the Reds, but Houston will reportedly want as much for Rodriguez as the Rockies would want for Ubaldo Jimenez.
Here are the rest of Buster's rumors…
- Olney hears that the Phillies would prefer to frame any offers for Pence around right-hander Vance Worley (Twitter link). Worley owns a 2.02 ERA in ten starts and two relief appearances for Philadelphia this season.
- The Pirates have talked internally about pursuing David DeJesus, but it's unclear how aggressive they plan to get in trade talks (Twitter link).
- The Cardinals have cast a wide net in their search for bullpen help, and other clubs expect St. Louis to land a right-handed reliever before the deadline (Twitter link).
- There is growing confidence in the Mets' organization that the Bernie Madoff case "is veering in favor of the Wilpons," which could allow them to re-establish full control of the team. There is also some unhappiness with how David Einhorn has taken the spotlight without having a deal to become minority owner finalized.
Braves Fully Intend To Acquire Hitter
The Braves ‘fully intend’ to add a hitter before the end of the month, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Some of Rosenthal’s sources suggest the Braves are close to a trade, as David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution indicated yesterday.
If the Braves are indeed close to completing a trade, it isn’t for Carlos Beltran, Rosenthal writes. Hunter Pence is not Atlanta’s slugger of choice, though the Braves have expressed interest in him, B.J. Upton, Ryan Ludwick, Jonny Gomes and others.
The Braves are reluctant to overpay for a rental player and they’re uncomfortable with the Astros’ asking price for Pence. The Braves would prefer not to send Jason Heyward to the minors, though the sophomore slugger’s struggles have compounded Atlanta’s need for a bat.
Carlos Beltran Rumors: Wednesday
Though he's well-compensated and has full no-trade protection, Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran is the best available hitter. The latest:
- The Red Sox aren't willing to part with the prospects the Mets want, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. The Mets are interested in Josh Reddick, Ryan Kalish, Jose Iglesias, Anthony Ranaudo, Felix Doubront and Will Middlebrooks, according to Edes. Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald hears that the Red Sox are focusing on internal solutions, particularly Reddick.
- SI's Jon Heyman runs through ten Beltran suitors, naming the Phillies the "clear favorite." The Mets' first target would be Domonic Brown, a concession Matt Gelb can't see happening.
- Boston's talks with the Mets about Beltran have not advanced beyond preliminary discussions, reports WEEI's Alex Speier. Eight to ten teams are said to be in the mix, with the Red Sox among the top six.
- Some Mets officials feel a deal could get done well before the July 31st deadline, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman agrees with a previous Ken Rosenthal report that the Phillies and Red Sox are the most aggressive suitors. Sherman says they're followed by the Braves, Giants, Indians, and Pirates. He notes that the Mets "have been somewhat surprised by Detroit's disinterest."
- Yesterday the Mets provided Beltran with a short list of teams to consider, and the Phillies are believed to be on it, report Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo. The writers add that the Mets have indicated a willingness to pay much or all of the $6MM owed to Beltran depending on the return. They list the Red Sox, Giants, and Yankees as other suitors, and wonder if the East Coast teams have an edge since Beltran lives in New York. Brown and Passan named the Brewers as a dark horse, but they don't have much in the way of top prospects.
Mets Certain They Won’t Trade Reyes
11:36am: The Mets "are now 100 percent certain they will not trade Reyes before the deadline," tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. SI's Jon Heyman wrote something similar earlier today.
9:58am: The Mets' careful handling of Jose Reyes' minor hamstring strain "speaks to the evolution of the relationship" between the two parties, writes Newsday's David Lennon. In the past, says Lennon's source, Reyes would have returned earlier from such an injury due to "pressure from above."
Additionally, Mets GM Sandy Alderson appears to be getting along well with Reyes' agent Peter Greenberg. Lennon says Reyes was privately infuriated when owner Fred Wilpon's April comments became public in May. Things are better now, and I think if the Mets hang on to Reyes at the trade deadline it will be evidence that they're serious about re-signing him after the season. ESPN's Adam Rubin tweets that he's very confident Reyes would love to remain a Met, and he'll stay if their offer is competitive.
Earlier today, however, Yahoo's Tim Brown and Jeff Passan said that Reyes has told friends he'd love to sign with the Angels as a free agent.
Red Sox Not Pursuing Anyone Aggressively Right Now
The Red Sox are "not pursuing anyone aggressively right now," a source familiar with the team's thinking told WEEI's Alex Speier. Instead, the team is currently trying to determine which internal solutions will work. We've heard the Red Sox named as one of the most aggressive suitors for Carlos Beltran, but that may not be the case.
The Sox are still taking their normal approach of "inquiring about anyone who may make an appreciable difference to the team," in the words of the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo. Cafardo says the Red Sox have inquired on Beltran, Ubaldo Jimenez, Felix Hernandez, Jose Reyes, Jeff Francoeur, Jeff Baker, Michael Cuddyer, Ty Wigginton, Hiroki Kuroda, Ted Lilly, Jeremy Guthrie, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, Conor Jackson, Ryan Spilborghs, Mike Adams, and others. The team needs include starting pitching, a reliever, an outfielder, and a shortstop, but the Red Sox may prefer internal options in many cases.
Brown, Passan On Rockies, Reyes, Angels
A few more notes from Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo…
- The Rockies are not actively shopping Chris Iannetta and Ty Wigginton, though they appeal to other teams.
- Mets shortstop Jose Reyes told friends he'd love to sign with the Angels after the season. However, the writers feel that Angels owner Arte Moreno is unlikely to win the bidding. Plus, the team is content with Erick Aybar at shortstop.
- The Halos' trade deadline emphasis is their bullpen, though they believe the cost of top-tier relievers like Heath Bell and Mike Adams is prohibitive. They'll look at the next tier, and also consider third base upgrades.
Sabean Talks Offense, Trade Market, Prospects
11:59pm: It's possible Sabean's "something bigger" referred to the Twins' Michael Cuddyer, writes Baggarly. The Giants recently expressed interest in him with a second base job in mind. The asking price was steep, so Sabean closed the Keppinger deal with Houston. Still, Baggarly would not rule out the Twins revisiting Cuddyer.
10:15pm: After the Giants acquired Jeff Keppinger, GM Brian Sabean explained that his work isn't done. The 56-41 Giants are lucky to be 15 games above .500, according to Sabean, who discussed the trade market in detail tonight. Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has the details on the Giants, who are taking on the division rival Dodgers tonight:
- Sabean said he's still committed to improving the San Francisco offense. No winning team has scored fewer runs than the Giants (356).
- Before the Keppinger deal, Sabean was working on “something [he] thought was much bigger.” That deal did not involve Carlos Beltran, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).
- Sabean described the market for catchers and shortstops as “almost nonexistent.”
- General managers eyeing Zack Wheeler and Brandon Belt may want to think twice. Sabean suggested some of the team's top young players are virtually untouchable. “There are guys we definitely won’t trade, and baseball people know that, too,” Sabean said.
D’Backs Eye Starters, Intend To Acquire Reliever
The Diamondbacks will add at least one reliever and could add a starter, too, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Giants, who lead Arizona by 3.5 games in the NL West, acquired Jeff Keppinger tonight and D'Backs GM Kevin Towers is expected to respond before long.
The D'Backs "would love" to acquire Kerry Wood, who can block any trade the Cubs propose. Arizona also has interest in Todd Coffey, Jason Isringhausen and Jason Frasor. John Gambadoro of Sports 620 KTAR reported last week that the D'Backs would consider Isringhausen, Wood and possibly Frasor.
Though the D'Backs are looking for starting pitching, Ubaldo Jimenez, Hiroki Kuroda and Aaron Harang are unlikely to be traded within the NL West. For more on what the D'Backs, Giants and other contenders are looking for, check out Tim Dierkes' analysis from earlier today.