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Dan Haren Rumors: Friday

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The D’Backs have started exchanging names with teams about possible Dan Haren trades and the Tigers, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals and Twins appear to have varying degrees of interest in the righty. That’s just the abbreviated version of what we heard yesterday, but there’s more. The D’Backs’ asking price? High-quality major league-ready pitching. With that in mind, here are today’s Dan Haren rumors, with more to come:

  • Updating his earlier story, Magruder quotes Hall, the D'Backs CEO, as saying: "There are some other teams involved that have deals of at least equal value out there. I would not categorize the Yankees as a front-runner."
  • In a piece for FOXSportsArizona.com, Jack Magruder notes that the Yankees aren't one of the teams that require Haren's approval. Magruder also suggests a trade with the Yanks could involve New York taking on other players that the D'Backs would like to move, such as Aaron Heilman, Chad Qualls, or Chris Snyder.
  • D'Backs' CEO Derrick Hall tells Piecoro (Twitter link) that there's no clear front-runner for Haren and reiterates "nothing [is] imminent." However, most reports still indicate that the Yanks are the favorite. AOL FanHouse's Frankie Piliere (via Twitter) and Morosi both hear that Ivan Nova could be a key piece in a Haren trade with New York.
  • Expanding on his earlier tweet, Price hears that nothing is imminent between the Yankees and Arizona, but that the D'Backs "seem determined" to move Haren before his next start on Tuesday.
  • According to Rosenthal, the Yankees appear to be the front-runners for Haren now, with the D'Backs telling clubs that they're in "advanced negotiations" with one team. Ed Price of AOL FanHouse adds (via Twitter) that the Cardinals may be out of the Haren sweepstakes.
  • The Yankees are actively talking to the D’Backs about Haren, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. If the Yanks can acquire Haren for prospects, Stark says they are poised to accelerate talks.
  • The Cardinals aim to add an innings-eater this summer, though not necessarily an ace, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Tigers and Twins, who both have interest in Haren, are on his no-trade list, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Haren would also have to approve a trade to the Rays or Reds. Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported that the Twins were on Haren's list. 
  • The D'Backs have told rival teams that they are intent on moving Haren before the deadline, according to Olney (via Twitter).
  • MLB executives tell ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that the D’Backs seem much more willing to deal Haren these days. Some talent evaluators believe the Tigers would have a tough time building an offer for Haren without including pitching prospect Jacob Turner.
  • A D'Backs source tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that expectations have shifted and it seems more likely that the D'Backs will trade Haren.

Jose Guillen Drawing Interest

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There are several teams with at least "a passing interest" in Jose Guillen, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal names the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Padres, and Giants as potential Guillen suitors.

The Giants, who have been connected to virtually every available outfielder, were said to have scouted Guillen last night. However, most of the other clubs Rosenthal lists have yet to be linked to Guillen. The Yanks, Sox, Mets, and Padres could all be in the market for another outfielder, and may not have to take on too much salary to acquire Guillen — last month, we heard from ESPN.com's Buster Olney that the Royals were willing to eat a good chunk of the money owed to the 34-year-old. Guillen has approximately $4.76MM remaining on his $12MM 2010 salary.

With David DeJesus on the disabled list for the rest of the season, Guillen (.279/.342/.463) has become the Royals' most appealing chip for teams in search of outfield help.

New York Notes: Pitching, Manuel, Montero

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Whenever the trade deadline approaches, you can count on the two Big Apple teams to be right in the midst of any hot stove talks.  Here are a few news items concerning the Mets and Yankees…

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com sums up the Yankee trade deadline philosophy when he says (via Twitter) to "not rule out [the] Yankees on anything."  He notes that the Bronx Bombers have inquired about Dan Haren, Roy Oswalt and Jake Westbrook, but the club isn't interested in Ted Lilly.
  • Omar Minaya gave Jerry Manuel a (dreaded?) vote of confidence today, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  "There’s no discussion at all [of changing managers]," Minaya said.  "Jerry Manuel is our manager, will be our manager. I’m very happy with the job that he’s doing.” 
  • Benjamin Kabak of the River Ave Blues blog looks at Jesus Montero's recent hot streak and why the Yankees shouldn't rush him to the majors as a solution to their DH problem.
  • The Mets' over-slot deal with 24th-round amateur draft pick Erik Goeddel is not yet official, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America.  Callis was told that Goeddel's contract would be finalized by July 20, but it has been put off for "a few more days" due to a request from Major League Baseball.
  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (via Twitter) that the Yankees have one of their best pro scouts in Seattle for tonight's Red Sox/Mariners game.
  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs counts down the top five players with the most "negative trade value" in baseball, and a certain Yankee star tops the list.

Many Teams Pursuing Dan Haren

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7:00pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the D'Backs are looking for pitching in exchange for Haren.  Derrick Hall tells Piecoro that the team would need an "A-plus" offer to deal their ace.

"Ideally what we would ask for is major-league ready pitching, be it starters and/or bullpen, and prospects,” Hall said. “The volume doesn’t matter. It doesn’t need to be four or five or six guys. It’s really about the quality.”

6:20pm: Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall tells MLB.com's Steve Gilbert that a Haren trade, if it occurs, "will not be [a] salary dump."  (Twitter link)

4:05pm: The Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals and Twins are also pursuing Haren, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The D’Backs are not close to a deal with anyone. 

We should note that Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported last night that the Twins are 'barely monitoring' Haren, since they're on his no-trade list (Twitter link). 

2:08pm: The Diamondbacks are exchanging names with teams interested in Dan Haren and the Detroit Tigers are among the clubs with 'serious' interest in the right-hander, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (all Twitter links). The Tigers' interest is not surprising, since they need rotation help, have three high-priced pitchers coming off the books next season and scouted Haren (along with the Phillies) last night.

Haren can block deals to a dozen teams, but would consider allowing a trade, depending on the situation. The Cardinals and Phillies are among the teams interested in Haren. He won't come cheap, but as one MLB official explained to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, Haren's price may be dropping.

"[The D'Backs are] starting to get more reasonable," the official said. "Before, they were asking for two starting pitchers off your major league roster. Now they're talking prospects, so I think they've gotten realistic. I definitely think he's moving now."

Haren makes $12.75MM in 2011 and 2012, and there's a $3.5MM buyout for a $15.5MM option in 2013.

Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers Interested In Breslow

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The Yankees, Red Sox and Tigers are interested in A's reliever Craig Breslow, according to Yahoo's Jeff Passan (Twitter link). The lefty, 30 in August, has a 3.02 ERA in 44.2 innings so far in 2010. He has typically been effective against lefties and righties, but this year, righties are having a harder time against him, oddly enough. Breslow has posted 9.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 this season so it's no surprise that teams are interested.

Breslow's salary ($425K) and controllability (he isn't scheduled to hit free agency until after 2013) contribute to his appeal. The lefty's Yale degree doesn't add to his trade value, but it distinguishes him from most ballplayers this side of Doug Glanville and Ross Ohlendorf. Breslow majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry before the Brewers took him in the 26th round of the 2002 draft.

Stark On Lilly, Indians, Astros, Dodgers

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The starting pitching market may be ‘mediocre’ if you ask officials around the major leagues, as ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark did, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t tons of rumors out there with just over a week before the deadline. Here they are:

  • Six teams or more are interested in Ted Lilly, who will almost certainly get traded. The Tigers, Mets and Dodgers have interest, but the Yankees probably won’t be involved. The Cubs are not willing to pick up any of Lilly’s salary and probably won’t have to.
  • The A’s, on the other hand, will pick up much of the $4MM or so remaining on Ben Sheets’ salary and are ready to deal him.
  • The Indians are willing to deal one of Jake Westbrook or Fausto Carmona for a “compelling” package, but not both.
  • They’re also growing more and more confident that they’ll be able to trade Kerry Wood. If they don't strike a deal before the deadline, they could do so after Wood clears waivers in August.
  • The Yankees are kicking tires on many starters, including Westbrook and Dan Haren.
  • The Astros would have to be “overwhelmed” to move Brett Myers (as FOX Sports reported) or Wandy Rodriguez. Myers has a mutual option, so there’s no guarantee he returns in 2011. I find it hard to believe that the Astros wouldn’t deal him for a good-but-not-great group.
  • The Marlins appear to have decided to focus on extending Dan Uggla, instead of trading him.
  • The Dodgers have told rival teams that they have $2-3MM to play with.

Odds & Ends: Haren, Cordero, Phillies, Rangers

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Links for Wednesday, as Pedro Alvarez keeps clubbing homers…

Yankees Considering Jhonny Peralta

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Indians third baseman Jhonny Peralta is in the mix along with Florida's Wes Helms as potential bench options for the Yankees, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Rosenthal says the prices on Jose Bautista and Ty Wigginton are too high.

Peralta has a substantial commitment for a bench player, with $2.23MM remaining on his contract.  He's hitting .252/.314/.401 on the season. 

The Yankees were first linked to Helms four days ago by MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, but Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post tweets today that he's not their first choice.  Other available bench options capable of playing third base include Willie Bloomquist, Adam Kennedy, and Craig Counsell.

Odds & Ends: Hanrahan, Phillies, Berkman, Yankees

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Another round of links for Tuesday, with 11 days remaining before the deadline…

  • The Pirates are getting calls about Joel Hanrahan, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Not surprisingly, they're asking a lot for the reliever.
  • Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com hears that the Phillies would still like to add a top starter. Earlier today, before Jamie Moyer strained his left elbow, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. hinted that the club could trade for an arm.
  • Lance Berkman tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he realizes he may hit free agency after the season. The Astros can buy Berkman out for $2MM or pay him $15MM next year.
  • Former big league player and minor league manager Pat Listach would have interest in managing the Cubs next year, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman tells Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger that he doesn't like the looks of the current trade market and isn't optimistic about making major deals.
  • MASN.com's Ben Goessling explains that offering Adam Dunn a four-year deal would be risky.
  • USA Today considers some potential replacements for Lou Piniella, starting, of course, with Ryne Sandberg. 
  • The Cubs will have a new manager next year, but Jim Hendry is still the team's GM going forward, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).
  • The Pirates signed eight Latin American players and Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com has the details.
  • An AL executive tells ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that teams are demanding a ton for their relievers (Twitter link). Here are some of the arms teams can consider.

The Jake Westbrook Market

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After undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of 2008, Indians righty Jake Westbrook is finally healthy again.  It'd be reasonable for the last-place Tribe to move the veteran, so let's take a closer look.

Contract

Westbrook signed a three-year, $33MM extension in April of 2007, and he has $4.54MM in base salary remaining.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Westbrook also gets a $2MM lump sum and a pro-rated $1MM salary increase if traded.  If dealt today, Westbrook would be owed about $6.95MM.  This is clearly a major impediment to a deal.  As far as draft pick compensation, forget about it – Westbrook is nowhere close to Type B status.

Performance

Westbrook, 33 in September, has a 4.67 ERA, 5.3 K/9, and 2.9 BB/9 in 113.6 innings this year.  His 52.2% groundball rate ranks sixth in the American League among those with 80 innings, according to FanGraphs.  Interestingly, Westbrook's teammates Justin Masterson and Fausto Carmona are among the five hurlers ranked ahead of him.  The Indians rank 25th in baseball in defensive efficiency according to Baseball Prospectus, so any potential trade partner will probably be good for Westbrook. 

Asking Price/Availability

The Indians "would trade Westbrook in a minute for a mid-level prospect if the Mets would pick up most of what's left on his contract this season," wrote John Harper of the New York Daily News.  Indians writers have presented a different view.  On July 4th, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote that the Indians "are sending out messages that they don't simply intend to dump Westbrook's salary," and will have to be compelled to move him.  In June, Pluto's colleague Paul Hoynes wrote that Westbrook is "one of the least likely to be moved" on the team.  Hoynes said the Indians have a good relationship with Westbrook and may try to re-sign him after the season.  The fact that Westbrook had significant trade incentives built into his contract shows his inclination to stay put. 

Interested Teams

  • Mets: Harper says Mets officials are divided on whether to acquire Westbrook.  Indeed, reports over the last month have conflicted over the team's level of interest.
  • Dodgers: They've inquired, reports Yahoo's Tim Brown.  You may recall the Casey Blake trade of two years ago, where the Indians paid the freight and were able to acquire Carlos Santana as a result.
  • Padres: They've discussed him, reports Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse.  The Padres are known to be prioritizing starting pitching.
  • Yankees: The idea of a reunion has been broached by beat writers in a more speculative sense.  However, GM Brian Cashman told Peter Botte of the New York Daily News yesterday that "Cliff Lee was a special case" and Sergio Mitre would be in most teams' rotations.
  • We haven't seen the Tigers, Twins, Angels, Phillies, Cardinals, or Rockies linked to Westbrook, but those contenders may be looking for pitching.
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