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Buster Olney Drops Uncommon Trade Thoughts

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Buster Olney talks trade in his latest insider-only piece. Let’s have a look at the guys he names.

  • Ryan Howard. This is a tough one. Philly is in second place right now, and they should be in contention throughout the year. Howard has started poorly, but you can figure a rebound. While the Phillies might not be eager to pay Howard $25 to $30MM over the next two years, some other team might. I figure they could get a decent haul from, say, the Angels. Still, it’s hard to justify trading away your best power hitter (at least in name) while you’re vying for a playoff berth. The odds are long, very long for this one.
  • Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon. No way, no how. Then again, Phillies fans are probably saying the same about Howard. The Yanks stagnant offense figures to improve once A-Rod returns next week and Jorge Posada gets back behind the dish next month. But Matsui leads the team in average, OBP, and slugging, while Damon is second in OBP. Unless the Yanks fall out of contention, there’s no way they’re trading these guys. Even so, they’re a pair of 34-year-old outfielders making $13 million a season, with 2009 guaranteed. There’s no way a team will offer anything close to equal value.
  • Ben Sheets. If the Brewers are going to contend this year, they’re going to need Sheets in the rotation. However, they’re 16-17 right now, and likely won’t see Yovani Gallardo for the rest of the season. The Brewers likely won’t keep Sheets after this year, anyway, so if they’re still in the middle of the pack, they can use the oft-injured ace to reload on players that can help them next year. Their lineup is still very young, with only two regulars over the age of 28. An influx of pitching could set them up well for next year.

Joe Pawlikowski writes for River Ave. Blues, a Yankees blog.

Heyman On Teixeira

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Jon Heyman’s latest column does a fine job analyzing Mark Teixeira’s future.  To sum it up:

  • Heyman’s source expects the asking price to be around ten years and $200MM.  Personally, I don’t see him getting a term nearly that long.
  • Heyman and his sources do not see the Braves re-signing Tex.
  • The suitors, in order of likelihood: Yankees, Mets, Orioles, Mariners, Braves, Red Sox, Giants.  A battle of the New York powers is a reasonable prediction – both clubs should have first base open and the market for the position is otherwise poor.
  • In a February MLBTR poll, the Yankees were picked as Tex’s most likely future club.

Yanks Eyeing Derek Lowe For ’09?

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According to Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald:

There are already indications that the New York Yankees will be among Derek Lowe’s suitors during the offseason.

That’s not the point of Massarotti’s column; he’s mainly discussing Lowe’s leverage given his unique durability.  I did a piece of Lowe recently; Scott Boras should be able to get him at least three years and $39MM.  Does he make sense for the Yankees?  Could he succeed back in the AL East for his age 36-39 seasons (or more)?

Odds & Ends: Kennedy, Rays, Bonds, Wagner

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And now for something completely different, Odds and Ends:

  • ESPN reports that the Yankees optioned Ian Kennedy to Triple-A.  To take his place, they recalled Darrell Rasner who in 5 Triple-A games is 4-0 with 0.87 ERA and 27 K in 31 IP.  Kennedy relies on control and control he has had not.  He has the highest percentage of working into hitters counts of anyone in the bigs.
  • The Rays are the first team ever to hold the first pick in back-to-back years, and unlike last year when they selected David Price without thinking twice, they are presently undecided.  According to Marc Lancaster, "It’s a safe bet their choice will come from the following pool: Vanderbilt 3B Pedro Alvarez, Griffin (Ga.) High SS Tim Beckham, Florida State C Buster Posey, Missouri RHP Aaron Crow, University of San Diego LHP Brian Matusz and Riverside (Calif.) Patriot High C Kyle Skipworth."
  • Art Spander in the Oakland Tribune calls on Billy Beane to sign Barry Bonds.  Mike Sweeney and Frank Thomas aren’t enough.  Says Spander, "[Bonds] still can put balls in the seats and… butts in the seats. As opposed to you putting a tarp over them. The A’s have to stop being a secret and start becoming an attraction."
  • Brian Cashman: Phillies GM?  So speculates Jim Salisbury.  With no Johan but an injured Phil Hughes and ineffective Ian Kennedy, Cashman could find himself jettisoned by default from the organization should they miss the playoffs.  Pat Gillick’s contract is up after this year and Cashman once looked favorably on that gig.  But if you ask me, Mr. Salisbury is getting way ahead of himself.
  • Billy Wagner tells the New York Post’s Steve Serby that he expects to retire after 2009.  And he still hasn’t had a bagel.  That blows my mind.

By Nat Boyle

Stark’s Latest: Zito, Anthony Reyes, Varitek, Inoa

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has been working the phones, and the result is his latest Rumblings and Grumblings column.

  • Stark talked to an official from a "pitching-starved" team.  This person said the Giants would have to eat at least $80MM of Barry Zito’s remaining $112.5MM if they want to trade him.  One scout suggested Zito’s only chance at revival is a reunion with Rick Peterson.
  • The Cards’ Anthony Reyes is "eminently available."  Problem is, John Mozeliak has a high asking price for the 26 year-old hurler.
  • Edwin Jackson remains a hot commodity, but there’s no reason for the Rays to move him.
  • How much will Scott Boras want from the Red Sox for a Jason Varitek extension?  If it’s in the Jorge Posada four-year, $52MM neighborhood, there’s no chance.
  • Stark informs us of a highly sought-after 16 year-old Dominican pitcher named Michel Inoa.  The kid could get a signing bonus north of $1.5MM.  The Astros are one club interested in Inoa.

Odds and Ends: Morris, Moeller, de la Rosa

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Let’s kick things off with an odds and ends post today.  By the way did anyone watch Max Scherzer’s debut last night?  Damn.

Odds and Ends: Chat, Krivsky, Valverde

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Let’s discuss today’s random links.

  • We’ll be doing a chat here at 2pm CST, don’t miss it!
  • Jon Heyman suggests that the number of unqualified GMs is dwindling.  He names seven whose jobs may be in jeopardy.
  • Wayne Krivsky cleared the air on various issues, including the signings of Dusty Baker, Josh Fogg, and Corey Patterson.
  • Jose Valverde denies the notion that he made outlandish salary demands of the D’Backs.
  • Good news on Jorge Posada’s shoulder; maybe the Yanks won’t have to acquire a catcher.

Odds and Ends: Bonds, Zito, Bush

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Today’s link compilation.

  • Dusty Baker spoke to Barry Bonds on the phone a few weeks ago, and came away feeling that Bonds does not miss baseball.
  • A mere ten million bucks, a team can eat that.  But, as Andrew Baggarly says, "They don’t make mouths big enough to eat the roughly $112.5 million that Barry Zito is guaranteed."  Zito could be exiled to the bullpen.
  • Dave Bush went unclaimed by the other 29 teams because with option waivers, the team can pull the player back if claimed.
  • Jim Callis tosses out some options for the Astros with the 10th pick, noting that the team is likely to adhere to slotting guidelines.
  • Peter Abraham runs through the available catcher options for the Yankees now that Jorge Posada is DL-bound.

Frank Thomas Signs With A’s

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TODAY: Thomas has signed with the A’s, according to the AP.  Can’t help but like such a low-cost move, though it means Jack Cust can’t be stashed at DH.

WEDNESDAY, :12pm: Brown says Thomas was close with the A’s, but another team jumped in with an offer.  So he’s considering two offers currently.  That mystery team is not Ron Gardenhire’s Twins.

6:49pm: There are not quite 100% but legit-sounding stories bouncing around about the A’s signing Thomas.  One is from WWWT Radio in Washington D.C. via Baseball Digest Daily; another is a now-defunct post from Yahoo’s Tim Brown via RotoWorld.

8:17am: When we last checked in on Frank Thomas, the A’s admitted they’d have an internal discussion about him.  Today, Buster Olney writes that the A’s will have that talk within 48 hours.  They may prefer Thomas to Mike Sweeney.  Manager Bob Geren won’t comment on the situation.

Meanwhile Hank Steinbrenner says the Yankees have "never even talked about" signing Thomas.  He’s not a good fit for their team.  The Yanks still owe Jason Giambi more than $23MM this year. 

Odds and Ends: Burrell, Pedro, Fukudome

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Today’s link collection.

  • Jon Heyman notes that Pat Burrell only wanted to go to the Yankees or Red Sox when the Phillies tried to trade him a few years ago.  They’re not great fits, but perhaps Burrell will have those two clubs at the top of his list when he hits free agency.
  • Ross Newhan looks at the Dodgers’ trade of Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields.  He rates it the worst in franchise history.  He also names the Brad Penny acquisition as the fourth-worst.
  • Josh Kalk takes a look at Kosuke Fukudome’s hot start for RotoAuthority.
  • The Dodgers and Juan Castro have mutual interest.
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