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AL East Notes: Red Sox, Orioles, Montero, Rays

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The Orioles sent Mike Gonzalez to Texas earlier this afternoon, but not before a division rival got involved in the trade talks. Here's the latest from the AL East…

  • Red Sox GM Theo Epstein responded to speculation about the Cubs' GM opening by saying that he's happy in Boston and “all Red Sox, all the time," according Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • Gonzalez told MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli that he'd listen to offers from the Orioles if they're interested in signing him this offseason.
  • ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick looks back at what went wrong for the Orioles this year and starts to address the question of how they can turn things around.
  • The Yankees were also involved in trade talks for Gonzalez, according to MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko. However, Baltimore president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail preferred the pitcher the Rangers were offering.
  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi sounds like he's ready for Jesus Montero to join the team tomorrow, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (on Twitter).
  • As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes explained earlier today, Montero would have to be added to the Yankees' now-full 40-man roster before getting called up.
  • The Rays aren't expect to make any deals today, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter).

Montero Among Expected September Call-Ups

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Last September, 22 players were designated for assignment as teams cleared spots on their 40-man rosters.  One reason to open a 40-man spot is to add a September call-up when the active roster expands.  

For example, Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Yankees intend to promote Jesus Montero, but not Manny Banuelos or Dellin Betances.  Montero will have to be added to the Yankees' 40-man roster, which is currently full.  A spot can be created by designating someone for assignment, or transferring a player from the 15-day DL to the 60-day.

MLBTR's 40-man roster count post indicates that 11 teams currently have at least one open spot on the 40-man.  Montero, Martin Perez, and Devin Mesoraco are a few top prospects who would have to be added to 40-man rosters, notes MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo, and the Yankees, Rangers, and Reds are all currently full.

Heyman On Reds, Swisher, Astros

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SI's Jon Heyman leads his latest column with his MVP picks: Curtis Granderson and Ryan Braun.  His hot stove info:

  • Heyman's sources suggest that "there has been some difference of opinion over playing time between Reds GM Walt Jocketty and manager Dusty Baker."   It was Jocketty, however, who chose not to trade veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez.
  • Heyman wonders if the next Orioles GM will have ties to manager Buck Showalter, suggesting former Rangers GM John Hart as one possibility.
  • The Yankees "will surely pick up" Nick Swisher's club option for 2012.  The 30-year-old right fielder rebounded from a rough first two months and now owns a .267/.384/.459 line in 534 plate appearances. 
  • Astros owner Drayton McLane "is said by other owners to be nervous about the sale and also the state of the money that's in escrow at a time the stock market is tanking," as MLB continues to review the candidacy of expected new owner Jim Crane.  Something has clearly changed in the last few weeks, wrote Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle yesterday.

Arbitration Eligibles: New York Yankees

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We've looked at the Orioles and Red Sox so far; now let's look at the Yankees players who will be arbitration eligible after the season.

I expect all six players to be tendered a contract.  Robertson, Logan, and Chamberlain should all come in under $2MM.  Gardner looks to be in the $2.4-3.3MM range for his first time through; a stolen base title would put him toward the higher end of that range.  Hughes will get a mild raise, perhaps to $3.4MM or so.  We have Martin around $5.2MM, though his is a little tricky to determine because he's coming from a free agent salary.

Cafardo’s Latest: Cubs GM, Vazquez, Greene, Kubel

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The Cubs' GM search has the potential to impact the Red Sox front office, if Theo Epstein or Ben Cherington are near the top of Chicago's wish list. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe leads his Sunday Baseball Notes by addressing the possibility of a mutual interest between Epstein and the Cubs. As one AL team president points out, even if that interest exists, the Red Sox don't have to grant the Cubs permission to talk to Epstein: "I don't see why they would [grant permission]. They have one of the best GMs in the game. I know if I were the team president of the Red Sox or in ownership, I wouldn't let that happen."

Here are the other highlights from Cafardo's piece:

  • Brian Cashman's name has also come up in Cubs GM rumors, but Cafardo's source doesn't expect Chicago to land Cashman or Epstein: "My best guess is both stay where they are and get the paycheck they're looking for…. They're not going to make more money elsewhere. The Cubs may offer a lot, but both Boston and New York can offer more, and I think they will."
  • Marlins right-hander Javier Vazquez is seriously considering retirement after this season, and appears to have made up his mind one way or the other, as he told reporters earlier this week.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak would like to see former first round pick Tyler Greene get some big league playing time in September so the club has a better idea of how to plan for 2012.
  • The Red Sox were among the teams who put in a waiver claim for Jason Kubel, though they were blocked by the Indians.

New York Notes: Chavez, Reyes, Burnett

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Hurricane Irene washed out Saturday's contests for both New York clubs, and today's Braves/Mets game has been postponed as well. Weather permitting though, the Yankees and Orioles will play two, with Bartolo Colon and Ivan Nova looking to help the Yanks make up ground on the Red Sox in the AL East. Before they get underway, let's check out the latest from Queens and the Bronx….

Outrighted To Triple-A: Jeff Marquez

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Let's keep track of Saturday's outright assignments right here…

  • The Yankees have outrighted Jeff Marquez to Triple-A according to the International League transactions page. The 27-year-old right-hander was claimed off waivers from the White Sox back in June, though he's currently on the disabled list and rehabbing a shoulder problem. Marquez has allowed three runs in five career big league innings, four coming with New York this season.

Cubs Interested In Friedman, Colletti, Cashman

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Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts has been gathering information about Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Cubs, who are on the hunt for a new general manager, also appear to have interest in Rick Hahn of the White Sox and Josh Byrnes of the Padres.

The Cubs are drawn to Colletti, a Chicago native and former Cubs employee, since they believe he could bring Hall of Fame second baseman turned minor league manager Ryne Sandberg back as the team’s Major League skipper. Sandberg has said he’d return to the Cubs now that former GM Jim Hendry has been fired, according to Wittenmyer.

Ricketts has also discussed the possibility of trying to lure Yankees GM Brian Cashman to Chicago along with New York manager Joe Girardi. Cashman’s contract expires after the season, but Girardi, a Peoria, Illinois native, is under contract with the Yankees through 2013.

Wittenmyer hears from associates of Friedman that the Rays executive isn’t likely to leave Tampa Bay for Chicago.

Yankees Claim Carlos Pena; Deal Unlikely

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10:41pm: Pena has been told that the Cubs will pull him back off of waivers, according to Muskat (on Twitter).

5:59pm: The Cubs and Yankees haven't had contact about Pena as of this evening, according to Olney (on Twitter).

5:06pm: GM Brian Cashman told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch that a trade is "very unlikely" for the Yankees and that he's "not optimistic" about making a deal. MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter) that Pena isn't going anywhere.

4:16pm: The Yankees claimed Pena, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). That means every team in baseball other than New York and possibly Boston passed on Pena. It's clear that the Yankees want Pena, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Cubs remain reluctant to make a deal (Twitter links).

1:09pm: Cubs slugger Carlos Pena was claimed on waivers by an unknown team, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  The Cubs made the decision to place Pena on trade waivers on Monday, triggering a 48 hour window in which teams could put in claims.

In 480 plate appearances this year for the Cubs, the 33-year-old is hitting .222/.342/.455 with 23 homers.  Pena is owed about $1MM for the rest of the year and projects as a Type B free agent this winter.  The Cubs will be on the hook for a deferred $5MM in January even if they deal him.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Maddon

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Links from the AL East before some of the division's top pitchers – Josh Beckett, C.C. Sabathia and Ricky Romero – start for their respective teams…

  • Red Sox owner John Henry told John Tomase of the Boston Herald that chatter about GM Theo Epstein and the Cubs shows "how highly regarded Theo is by the media and baseball in general.”
  • Prospective free agent David Ortiz tells Yahoo’s Jeff Passan that his ability to tune criticism out helps him perform on the field. “I’m not a five-tool player. I may be a two-tool player. But one of them tools is this one right here,” he said, pointing to his head.
  • Bartolo Colon has slowed down, so the Yankees figure to rely on Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova more than ever, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes.
  • MLB players consider Joe Maddon of the Rays the manager they'd most like to play for, according to a recent Sports Illustrated poll. Red Sox manager Terry Francona placed second in the poll and Yankees manager Joe Girardi placed seventh. Having a popular manager in place no doubt helps teams trying to attract free agents or sign players to long-term extensions.
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