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Rosenthal’s Latest: Braves, Upton, Keppinger, Bell

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FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, whose bow tie took some playful mocking from Brandon Phillips yesterday, is back with another handful of hot stove notes….

  • While the Braves still figure to acquire a right-handed hitter, Rosenthal points out that Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward have recently shown signs of heating up. Increased production from that pair could be the equivalent of adding an impact bat.
  • The Braves view their starting rotation depth as one of their greatest strengths, and aren't inclined to compromise it by dealing Derek Lowe.
  • Rosenthal backed off his Saturday guarantee that B.J. Upton will be traded before the deadline, cautioning that he doesn't know the Rays' exact intentions.
  • Before the Giants acquired Jeff Keppinger from the Astros, the Yankees inquired on the infielder.
  • The Cardinals are "hotter" on Heath Bell than Mike Adams, especially considering the Padres continue to "need to be overwhelmed" to move Adams.
  • One executive offered this metaphor on Pirates GM Neal Huntington using his farm system to facilitate potential acquisitions: "He’s been planting a garden for four years, and now he’s going to be picking flowers out of it."

AL East Rumors: Frasor, Red Sox, Scott, Yankees

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Here's the latest news from "The Beast"…

  • The Blue Jays and Diamondbacks have discussed a trade involving Jason Frasor, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com, though the D'Backs aren't close to a deal with the Jays (or any club) for now.  We heard last week that the Jays and Snakes were talking and the two clubs seem like a good fit — Arizona wants veteran relievers and Toronto has Frasor and several other experienced bullpen arms.  Frasor has a 3.12 ERA and a 7.8 K/9 rate this season and recently became Toronto's all-time leader in pitching appearances.
  • The Red Sox have no deals coming in the near future and at the moment, "nothing likely on [the] trade front," several team sources tell The Boston Herald's Mike Silverman (Twitter link).
  • Luke Scott will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury and he may have played his last game with the Orioles, notes MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.  The O's could choose to non-tender Scott, who is entering his last year of arbitration and is due a raise from his $6.4MM 2011 salary.  Scott, for his part, says he wants to stay in Baltimore.
  • ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews thinks the Yankees should pursue another hitter before the trade deadline, rather than starting pitching.
  • The Rays aren't sure if they're sellers or buyers yet, which "is typical of a team with no room for budgetary error and plenty for restocking the cupboard," writes Yahoo's Jeff Passan.

Yankees Rumors: Adams, Sabathia, Pitchers, Igawa

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It's scorching hot in New York, but not as hot as the trade rumor circuit. Here are the latest Yankees' rumors…

  • There's a "big gap" between what the Padres are asking for Mike Adams and what the Yankees are willing to pay, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). He says a deal is unlikely.
  • In today's Insider-only blog post, Olney writes about CC Sabathia's impending opt-out clause, saying that the exclusive negotiating period between the end of the World Series and the start of free agency will be crucial to the team's efforts to bring back their ace.
  • Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record says (on Twitter) that the Yankees are still leaning towards not trading for a starter even though Phil Hughes got hit around by the Athletics last night. Their next option is summoning Ivan Nova back from the minors.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Bill Pennington of The New York Times that he negotiated deals in 2008 and 2009 that would have let Kei Igawa return to Japan, but the lefty refused both times. Cashman also said he was prepared to trade Igawa to the Padres in 2007 after San Diego claimed him off waivers, but "ownership was not willing to let him go yet."

Stark On Shields, Melky, Soria, Marlins

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Astros GM Ed Wade has been determining the market for his players, including Hunter Pence, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports. Incoming owner Jim Crane urged Wade to do so in case appealing offers emerge. Here are the rest of Stark’s rumors: 

  • Given Wade’s uncertain future in Houston, at least one executive suggests the GM needs to make a "job-saving deal" if he trades Pence.
  • The Rays are more likely to trade B.J. Upton than James Shields, though they realize Shields’ value has never been higher (the right-hander won't be going to the Bronx). 
  • The Phillies remain in contact with the Royals about Melky Cabrera, but the Royals have told teams they’re more likely to deal Jeff Francoeur. Kansas City is asking for a number three starter who’s nearly Major League ready in return for Cabrera.
  • Clubs that have inquired on Vance Worley have heard that he’s off of the market.
  • The Braves have shown some interest in Heath Bell, whose most aggressive suitors have been the Rangers, Cardinals, Phillies and Angels. The Padres are telling teams that they’ll need to “clearly surpass” the value of two compensatory draft picks in any deal for Bell, though they’re flexible in terms of the type of player they’d accept in return.
  • The Padres continue to field calls on Mike Adams, who will be tougher to obtain than Bell.
  • The Yankees, Phillies and Diamondbacks appear to have checked in on Joakim Soria.
  • The Red Sox are looking at everything, but aren’t approaching the deadline with much urgency, one AL executive told Stark.
  • Rival teams expect that the Dodgers will trade Jamey Carroll and there are indications that Rafael Furcal is drawing interest as well.
  • The Marlins, who hope to build momentum before opening their new stadium in 2012, are in a “holding pattern,” Stark reports. They’ve shown interest in third basemen.
  • Rival teams report that the Phillies say they won’t move Domonic Brown or top pitching prospect Jarred Cosart. Jonathan Singleton is available in the right deal, but the Phillies don’t expect to trade him for a rental player.
  • Stark reminds us that commissioner Bud Selig ruled out contraction at the All-Star Game.

Yankees Asked About Shields, Rays Said No

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The Yankees asked the Rays about James Shields and heard that he is not available, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Olney suggests that the right-hander would also be off-limits to the Red Sox, since they're ahead of Tampa Bay in the standings, like the Yankees.

The Yankees are looking for top-of-the-rotation help and Shields, a Cy Young candidate in 2011, certainly qualifies. The 29-year-old has a 2.53 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 156 1/3 innings into the season. Shields, who made his first All-Star team this month, is under team control through 2014.

Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues considered Shields as an option for the Yankees earlier today and suggested that Tampa Bay would be asking for two top prospects and three other players who are nearly ready to contribute in the Major Leagues. Mike ultimately drew the conclusion that a deal of that magnitude between the AL East rivals is unlikely.

Heyman On Astros, Adams, Matsui, Yankees

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Incoming Astros owner Jim Crane has ordered a decrease in payroll from $76MM to $60MM, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Here’s the latest on Houston’s deadline plans and other notes from around MLB:

Yankees Sign Marcus Thames

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The Yankees signed Marcus Thames to a minor league deal, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. The 34-year-old, who played for the Yankees in 2002 and 2010, will report to the Yankees' minor league complex before he's assigned to Triple-A. Thames hit .288/.350/.491 in a part-time role with the Yankees last year, adding 12 home runs.

The Dodgers released Thames this week after a disappointing stint in which he hit .197/.243/.333 in 70 plate appearances. Though the Dodgers acquired the 34-year-old for his ability to hit left-handed pitching (.824 career OPS), he struggled against southpaws, posting just a .167/.231/.306 line. In ten big league seasons, he has a .246/.309/.485 line with 115 homers.

Minor Moves: Chico, Singleton, Dobies, Dodgers

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Here’s where we’ll keep track of the day’s minor moves…

  • Baseball America's Matt Eddy has a host of moves in this week's edition of minor league transactions, highlighted by a number of draft signings.
  • The Nationals have released lefty Matt Chico according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. The 28-year-old had a 5.87 ERA in 46 innings in the Nats' minor league system this year.
  • Steve Singleton, who was released by the Twins this weekend, has signed with the Phillies, according to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (on Twitter). The 25-year-old has a .282/.329/.418 line in six seasons with Minnesota's farm teams.
  • The Royals signed left-hander Andrew Dobies from the Atlantic League, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). The 2004 third rounder has a 4.08 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in six minor league seasons.
  • The Yankees released right-hander Alan Horne, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter). Horne, a first rounder ten years ago, allowed 13 runs in 6 1/3 innings at Double-A Trenton this year.
  • Eddy also reports that the Dodgers released left-hander Wilkin De La Rosa and right-hander Justin Orenduff. De La Rosa, 26, has a 3.24 ERA with 9.2 K/9 in 328 minor league innings as a starter and occasional reliever.

New York Notes: Dickey, Isringhausen, Garcia

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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

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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.
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