Odds and Ends: Murphy, Vizquel, Roberts
Today’s collection of links and rumors.
- I’ll be doing the weekly live chat here at 2pm CST. Right after that I’ll be on New Jersey’s Fox Sports Radio 1260AM.
- White Sox GM Kenny Williams talked about difficult it is to find an impact starter on the trade market.
- River Ave. Blues thinks the Yankees should pursue Josh Bard.
- The Athletics designated second baseman Donnie Murphy for assignment. Murphy, 25, showed a hint of promise at Triple A last year.
- The Giants don’t want to embarrass Omar Vizquel by releasing him.
- The Red Sox aren’t likely to make a major bullpen addition.
- A Brian Roberts trade is unlikely.
- David O’Brien on the difficulty in trading Mark Teixeira.
Posada May Be Out For Season
Tough news for the Yankees – catcher Jorge Posada is headed back to the DL and is considering season-ending shoulder surgery.
Jose Molina can certainly handle the job in the short-term, but the Yankees may want to replace Posada’s bat. Here’s a look at the catching market, in case Brian Cashman decides to pursue a trade.
Pirates Rumors: Wilson, Bay, Nady, Marte, Grabow
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the latest Pirates hot stove chatter.
- The Pirates are not opposed to creating a hole at shortstop for the rest of the year by trading Jack Wilson. They would just need the right return. Teams are still calling on Wilson, with the Dodgers confirmed and the Tigers possible.
- A Jason Bay deal seems less likely – the Pirates’ price is high for their star.
- Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte continue to draw interest, with John Grabow in the mix as well. Nady or Marte would require two prospects each. Nady’s suitors are the Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Braves. Marte has roughly a dozen suitors.
- Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger says the injury to Hideki Matsui led to heightened interest from the Yankees in Nady and Bay. They’re also in on Marte and Grabow. The Bucs aren’t interested in Melky Cabrera.
- Interesting stuff in this John Perrotto article found via DRays Bay. He names the Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, and Rays as teams interested in Marte. The Tigers, Phillies, and Cardinals also have an eye on Grabow.
- Perrotto runs through all kinds of names of interest to the Pirates: Anthony Reyes, Chris Duncan, Jeff Larish, Matt Joyce, Ross Ohlendorf, Brent Lillibridge, Brandon Jones, Jeff Niemann, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz, and Bobby Parnell.
Yankees Eyeing A.J. Burnett?
Back on July 10th, ESPN’s Jayson Stark said it was "dubious that Toronto would even talk to [the Yankees] about A.J. Burnett." Presumably this is because the Yankees and Jays are division rivals. It should be noted, though, that J.P. Ricciardi and Brian Cashman matched up on a July ’02 trade that sent Raul Mondesi to New York for prospect Scott Wiggins.
Yesterday, CBSSports.com’s Danny Knobler wrote:
Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told Toronto reporters that he now doesn’t expect to trade A.J. Burnett. But Burnett’s Friday night start at Tampa Bay attracted more than a dozen scouts, including two from the Yankees. Several of the scouts in attendance didn’t stay for the rest of the weekend series, a clear indication that they were in town strictly to watch Burnett.
So while we have nothing concrete, there are signs that the Yankees are looking at Burnett. The Cubs reportedly had a guy watching him, too. He and Justin Duchscherer are the two best remaining starters who could conceivably be pried loose via trade.
Phillies No Longer Interested In Fuentes?
MLB.com’s Trade Talk blog speculates that the Phillies may no longer be pursuing Colorado closer Brian Fuentes, after Philadelphia traded three prospects for Joe Blanton. The blog wonders, "How many chips do (the Phillies) have to play?" Then, the blog hedges its bets:
If an earlier report is correct, the Rockies have asked the Phillies for right-hander Carlos Carrasco or catcher Lou Marson in return for Fuentes, so something could still be possible.
Trade Talk goes on to say that the Rockies would "hit the jackpot if a team came up with a young, talented starter — like, say, the Yankees’ Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy, or a couple of top Double-A prospects such as the Rays’ Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson."
It’s highly unlikely the Phillies will deal Carrasco, the organization’s top prospect, for a set-up man. It’s an absolute impossibility that the Yankees will trade Hughes for Fuentes. The Rays are still considered the front-runners for Fuentes, the blog says.
Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com and can be reached here.
Rockies Rumors: Fuentes, Barmes, Taveras
Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post has a handful of Rockies rumors today.
- Saunders believes the Phillies’ spent too much prospect capital on Joe Blanton to be able to acquire Brian Fuentes. He says the Rays, Yankees, and Mets are still in the mix for Fuentes.
- The Rays are interested in two other Rockies: Clint Barmes and Willy Taveras. Unexpected targets…what do you think? Would Barmes be an upgrade at shortstop?
Heyman’s Latest: Yankees, Manny, Bowden, Pudge
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new column up.
- Given Richie Sexson‘s expected part-time role, the Yankees are in the market for an everyday outfielder to replace Hideki Matsui‘s bat. Barry Bonds is not under consideration. Heyman tosses out names such as Matt Holliday, Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, and Adam Dunn, while noting that the price on most is too high (the Pirates deny this).
- Heyman is still saying the Cardinals will consider trading Colby Rasmus, despite various denials.
- The Yanks are also looking to add a #3-4 starter type. Here’s a look at the market.
- Manny Ramirez probably isn’t going to get what he wants – free agency, an extension, or a trade.
- The Nationals are supporting GM Jim Bowden despite his recent problems. Heyman reported rumblings last month that Bowden "could be in trouble."
- Despite the Marlins’ interest, the Tigers are unlikely to trade Ivan Rodriguez. Jon Paul Morosi agrees, while noting that Pudge’s salary might be too high for Florida anyway.
Yankees To Sign Richie Sexson
According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Yankees reached a tentative agreement with first baseman Richie Sexson. The idea is that Sexson will improve the team’s performance against left-handed pitching.
There’s little risk, so you can’t blame Brian Cashman for the move. However, it should be noted that Sexson didn’t hit lefties much in 2006-07 and only faced them 70 times this year.
By the way, the Yankees aren’t interested in Barry Bonds.
Odds and Ends: Rasmus, Ozuna, Giles
Time to run down today’s links.
- SI.com’s Jon Heyman heard the Cardinals "might even consider parting with top outfield prospect Colby Rasmus."
- Here’s a feature on Baseball Prospectus’ Nate Silver in University of Chicago Magazine.
- According to Bud Selig, the idea of an international draft won’t be debated until the next collective bargaining agreement, which will start in 2012.
- I did a Q&A with The Chuck Knoblog.
- Pablo Ozuna is a free agent.
- Paul DePodesta explains why the Padres intend to keep Brian Giles.
- RotoAuthority has some disabled list hitters to consider picking up for your fantasy team.
- Jeff Zrebiec discusses the Orioles’ trade candidates.
Heyman’s Latest: Holliday, Fuentes, Teixeira
Jon Heyman of SI.com posted a new column yesterday.
- Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd is quietly calling other teams about Matt Holliday scenarios. One that was "floated," perhaps by Colorado, involved Holliday, Willy Taveras, Fernando Martinez, and Carlos Beltran. The Mets don’t want to trade Beltran, nor does the player want to waive his no-trade clause. The Holliday-Mets scenario is deemed a long shot. Meanwhile, Troy E. Renck says the Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets are "all panting after" Holliday.
- As you know, Brian Fuentes is likely to be traded.
- Heyman talked to a GM who expects Mark Teixeira to stay put. That does seem likely; the Braves are 6.5 games out.