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AL East Notes: Yankees, Hafner, Rays

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If the Yankees don't acquire a hitter before the July 31st trade deadline, it won't necessarily be for a lack of trying.  "The phone calls are taking place, but nothing to show for it,” Cashman said. “I think if you’re looking for offense, Exhibit A is, name me the bat that’s moved already? It hasn’t. Exhibit B is, look at all the big rumors out there – they’re involving pitchers … It’s just an offensive offense market."  Here's the latest on the Yankees and other news out of the AL East..

  • Travis Hafner's inability to play the field could result in his release from the Yankees, explains Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  When/if Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez return to action, they'll need the respite of playing DH more than ever.  Hafner could save his job if he picks things up, but he hasn't hit with much power lately.
  • Rays team president Matt Silverman isn't a huge fan of MLB's competitive balance lottery, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  "The competitive balance lottery is a lot more lottery and a lot less competitive balance," Silverman said. "Perhaps one day these picks will make strides against the imbalance in our game. For now it is about competitive balance in name only."  The Rays got a Round B pick in the inaugural lottery (after Round 2) rather than the preferred Round A (after Round 1).
  • While the Yankees would like to count on an in-house boost rather than give something up via trade, they have to accept that guys like Jeter and Rodriguez are basically day-to-day for the rest of their careers and cannot plan to have them next week, next month, or next year, Sherman writes.

AL Central Notes: Peavy, White Sox, K-Rod

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Here's the latest out of the AL central…

  • The White Sox's Jake Peavy may be the top name on the trade market now that he's returned from the DL, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com says. Up until now, most of the market's attention seems to have been on another Chicago hurler, the Cubs' Matt Garza, but a survey of GMs and assistant GMs favored Peavy, Heyman writes. Executives say they like Peavy's extra year of club control – allowing a club to extend a qualifying offer, which won't be an option for the team that acquires Garza – and overall appeared to be "pretty enamored" of the Chicago righty.  "Peavy has been better than Garza except for lately and he has done it in a hitter's park in the American League," an NL GM said. "Garza's better for 2013, but I think Peavy has more overall value." 
  • Scouts from the Blue Jays, the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Orioles and the Diamondbacks were on hand for the White Sox's matchup with the Braves today, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal tweets. However, not all were there to watch Peavy, who started for the White Sox and went six innings, striking out three and walking none. Rosenthal says Yankees scouts were in attendance merely as a part of the team's normal coverage, while the Diamondbacks aren't in on the righty.
  • The Tigers hope to be the team that ends up with the Brewers' Francisco Rodriguez when the trade deadline passes, ESPN's Buster Olney reports (Twitter link).  K-Rod appears to make the most sense for Detroit and Boston, Olney tweets, as he has experience in the ninth inning but can pitch in any role and any market. 

AL East Links: Yankees, Cashman, Red Sox, O’s

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In a piece for CBSSports.com, Danny Knobler notes that the Yankees are pinning their playoff hopes on strong returns from aging stars like Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Knobler opines that a recent comment from GM Brian Cashman ("These guys are trying, but…") is an admission that the current Yankees' lineup may not be good enough to carry the team to the playoffs. Cashman also commented on A-Rod's eventual return, saying his production at third base should be "better than [what] we've gotten from third base, with all due respect." However, in a recent tweet, ESPN's Buster Olney suggests that Rodriguez is likely to spend more time at DH than at third when he rejoins the Yankees. On to tonight's AL East links…

  • Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News says Cashman needs to acquire a bat to bolster the team's fizzling attack, but Cashman reports that it's tough to find offense in this year's trade market. "The phone calls are taking place, but nothing to show for it,” Cashman said. “I think if you’re looking for offense, Exhibit A is, name me the bat that’s moved already? It hasn’t. Exhibit B is, look at all the big rumors out there – they’re involving pitchers … It’s just an offensive offense market." McCarron suggests that the addition of the second wild card slot may be causing more teams to consider themselves contenders later into the season.
  • Sources in the Red Sox organization tell Knobler that the team's top priority is relief pitching despite continuing uncertainty about starter Clay Buchholz, who hasn't pitched since June 8 and has no target return date. The Sox began the season with a strong bullpen, but injuries to Andrew Bailey, Joel Hanrahan and Andrew Miller have thinned out the team's relief corps, leading GM Ben Cherington to acquire lefty Matt Thornton from the White Sox last week. The Sox appear to be content with Koji Uehara as their closer, Knobler observes.
  • The Red Sox also continue to monitor the trade market for third basemen, and it's believed they have significant interest in the Phillies' Michael Young, according to Knobler. However, Philadelphia's recent run of success means they don't appear to be in sell mode. The Brewers' Aramis Ramirez is a potential fit, but he's currently on the disabled list with a knee issue and may not return until right at the deadline, Knobler writes. Meanwhile, third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who manned the hot corner for much of 2012 for the Sox, continues to post mediocre numbers at Triple-A Pawtucket. However, Knobler says some in the Boston organization continue to hope he'll put things together.
  • The Orioles are "tapped out" financially in terms of adding another player via trade, a team-connected source tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. GM Dan Duquette added righty Scott Feldman in a trade with the Cubs earlier this month. The O's aren't in the market for an ace pitcher, and any deal for a DH or outfielder would have to fit the team's limited budget. The Twins' Justin Morneau, who's owed $6MM for the remainder of the year, would be "too expensive," an Orioles source tells Heyman. Instead, O's fans should look for any help to come from within, Heyman says, citing the recently promoted outfield prospect Henry Urrutia and pitcher Kevin Gausman.
These guys are trying, but . . . "

Yankees Designate Alberto Gonzalez For Assignment

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12:21pm: Gonzalez has in fact been designated for assignment, the Yankees announced in a press release. The club has placed outfielder Zoilo Almonte on the 15-day DL to clear the other needed active roster spot.

12:03pm: The Yankees have removed infielder Alberto Gonzalez from the club's active roster, tweets Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. While the precise roster move to be made has not yet been reported, Gonzalez is out of options and would need to clear waivers to be sent down, making it likely that he has been designated for assignment (assuming he has not been released). The move will create space for the call-ups of outfielders Melky Mesa and Thomas Neal. 

New York acquired Gonzalez from the Cubs in May. They promptly designated him and then assigned him to Triple-A when he cleared waivers. On the year, Gonzalez has accumulated just 60 plate appearances for the Yankees and Cubs, posting a meager .193/.217/.281 line and six stolen bases. The 30-year-old is a career .239/.275/.315 hitter across 1023 big league plate appearances spanning seven seasons.

Gonzalez became expendable with the team's decision to activate third baseman Alex Rodriguez from the DL on Monday. It continues to be a busy season of transactions for the Yanks, who originally designated Gonzalez to make room for the since-designated Reid Brignac. The club will certainly hope that Rodriguez can hold down a spot on the hot corner for the rest of the year.

AL Central Notes: Morneau, Tigers, Rios, Peavy

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We'll end the evening with some links from the AL Central …

  • Twins first baseman Justin Morneau talked to reporters, including MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, about the recent trade rumors that have circulated. While he has a six-team no-trade clause, Morneau said that none of those teams are among the clubs reportedly interested in dealing for him.
  • Morneau also expressed that he hopes to stay in Minnesota, but has not been contacted about an extension. Set to become a free agent in 2013, the 32-year-old figures to be worth far short of his now-expiring six-year, $80MM deal.
  • For his part, Twins owner Jim Pohlad told La Velle E. Neal II of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that, while he would not "feel great about [Morneau] being traded," the team ultimately must "do whatever it takes to win." He added that Minnesota has twice rebuffed Morneau when he approached the club to try and discuss an extension.
  • Even with Joaquin Benoit, Drew Smyly, and Bruce Rondon pitching well at the back of the bullpen, the Tigers continue to explore the trade market, according to CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler. He says that Detroit is scouting the Marlins, Brewers, Padres, Mariners, and Astros in search of bullpen pieces.
  • While Knobler does not connect the Tigers to any specific relievers, he does say that the team is not interested in Joba Chamberlain of the Yankees. Dan Martin of the New York Post, on the other hand, reports precisely the opposite. (Hat tip to River Ave. Blues.) He writes that the Tigers may be one of the only teams interested in Chamberlain, with the Phillies, Braves, and Giants not intrigued.
  • There was a moment of excitement tonight when White Sox outfielder and trade candidate Alex Rios was pulled from the game after the sixth inning. Rumored to have been seen hugging in the dugout, it turns out that Rios was pulled for not hustling on the basepaths. MLB.com's Scott Merkin was among the first (Twitter link) to firmly quash the speculation that a Rios trade had gone down. 
  • Since peaking in late May with an OPS that reached .928, Rios has seen his on-base and (especially) power numbers plummet. On the heels of two substandard months, Rios now stands at a league-average OPS of .755 for the year, making him a less compelling trade piece than he looked to be back in May. 
  • Expect a lot of teams to be watching Jake Peavy's start today for the White Sox. Peavy, who could be the most valuable starter available since he is controlled through next season, will look to prove that he is healthy and effective after a DL stint.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Boesch, Dickerson

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As regular season baseball returns, let's have a look in at some links involving the American League East, which is the only MLB division to feature four teams with winning records:

  • The Red Sox will emerge from the All-Star break down yet another bullpen arm, with reports emerging that Andrew Bailey will likely be lost for the season. In addition to making Boston's acquisition of Bailey look even less beneficial than it already did, the news could increase the likelihood that the Sox will return to the reliever market before the trade deadline. The team already moved to add two prominent names — Jose Contreras and Brandon Lyon — on minor league deals earlier today.
  • Boston GM Ben Cherington says that Bailey's loss will "move the needle" in determining whether the team will look to pick up another reliever, reports WEEI.com's Alex Speier. He did maintain that the Red Sox have adequate internal options and said that he is disinclined to do anything major. "As I said when [Andrew] Miller went down, when a guy goes down you have to replace him somehow," said Cherington. "You hope that the guys are already here internally, but you've got to keep an open mind and continue to do that over the course of the next couple days."  
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman also discussed the deadline today, telling reporters including Jack Curry of the YES Network that his club has active in trying to work up a deal but that the trade market is "a tough one." (Twitter link.) Cashman described the market for offensive players as "an offensive offensive market," tweets Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger. 
  • There could be a structural reason for the trouble the Yanks are finding, writes Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal. With the two-wild card system leaving more teams in contention longer, he reasons, New York is less able to utilize its deep pockets to take on late-year salary dumps.
  • The reason that the Yankees dropped injured outfielder Brennan Boesch earlier today, his agent tells Dayn Perry of CBSSports.com, is not Boesch's ability. "The Yankees' decision to release Brennan Boesch is a matter of timing, not talent," said agent Brodie Van Wagenen. "Brennan's rehab on his shoulder is going well and he expects to be full strength and able to make a meaningful contribution to a major league team in August."
  • After designating outfielder Chris Dickerson for assignment earlier today, the Orioles are hoping to work out a trade to get some value back for him, writes MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli. Manager Buck Showalter says that he believes Dickerson is a big league player who will catch on with another club. To complete a busy day for the O's, the club learned that it will likely go without backup outfielder Nolan Reimold for the rest of the year.

Cafardo On Rios, Young, Peavy, Aramis

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The Red Sox have scouted both Alex Rios and Michael Young recently, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). Cafardo adds that the team is likely to scout Jake Peavy's next few starts for the White Sox as he returns from the disabled list. In a separate tweet, Cafardo reports that the Yankees and Red Sox are both likely to scout Aramis Ramirez next week when he returns from the disabled list.

Boston's in Rios is somewhat of a surprise, as both Shane Victorino and Jacoby Ellsbury have played well across the board, and Daniel Nava is hitting .288/.374/.429 while playing the outfield corners. Nava's OPS has declined in each month this season, however, and he grades out as a poor defender according to both Ultimate Zone Rating and The Fielding Bible. Rios would also present the Sox with a right field option if they wish to move Victorino to center field in 2014, should Ellsbury sign elsewhere (my own speculation).

The Young connection makes sense in light of recent reports that they're looking at upgrades on the left side of their infield. There's said to be "intense" interest in Young from a number of teams, and the Phillies could probably move him even if they don't wish to fully commit as sellers.

Ramirez hasn't hit for much power this season when on the field, but he's hitting .271 with a .359 on-base percentage, which should appeal to both teams. Neither has received much production at the hot corner. He's under control through 2014, but the $16MM salary that he is guaranteed next year could be prohibitive for interested parties.

Earlier today it was reported that the Red Sox are also interested in Houston's Bud Norris, and last night the Pirates were also connected to Rios.

Heyman Talks Twins Trade Chips

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While earlier reports have said that the Twins are likely to trade longtime first baseman Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP isn't drawing significant interest, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Multiple teams that make sense as landing spots are "cool to the idea" at this time, Heyman writes.

The Rangers and Yankees prefer to focus their efforts on acquiring right-handed bats. The Orioles could use an extra bat, but they don't want to pay the $6MM remaining on the final year of Morneau's six-year, $80MM contract. ESPN's Jim Bowden recently connected the Rays and Pirates to Morneau, but Heyman says the Pirates "aren't heavily involved yet," and the financial element is a deterrent to the Rays as well.

Twins-connected sources tell Heyman there's almost no chance that Josh Willingham will be dealt, and closer Glen Perkins is likely to stay as well. The southpaw told Heyman over the All-Star break: "I'd love to be part of the future. And from what I gather, [the Twins] feel the same." Even Kevin Correia, halfway through the first season of a two-year, $10MM deal, doesn't sound likely to be dealt at this time, according to Heyman's contacts.

Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez Could Sign Next Week

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THURSDAY: Jaime Torres, Gonzalez's agent, told Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com that he doesn't expect a deal to go down this weekend but that he hopes to announce an agreement next week. Torres is working on Gonzalez's visa process while the most interested teams make "their last internal consultations," the agent said.

Rojas added the Yankees, the Twins and the Marlins to the list of teams interested in the righty, citing a source close to Gonzalez, though the source adds that Minnesota and Miami are not expected to win the bidding because of Gonzalez's high salary demands. 

WEDNESDAY: The market is taking shape for Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and the right-hander could sign with a club as early as next week, an industry source tells MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez.  There's also a trio of new teams in the mix for Gonzalez in the Phillies, Blue Jays, and Braves.  They'll vie with the Cubs, Dodgers, Rangers, and Red Sox, who have all been showing serious interest in his services.

While teams are working the phones vigorously to land an impact pitcher before the July 31st deadline, Gonzalez could provide a boost to a contender without giving up anything other than money.  Scouts believe Gonzalez needs only a few starts in the minors before making his MLB debut and his addition could move the needle as much as finding an arm via trade.

Gonzalez, who was cleared to sign with an MLB team earlier this week, could get as much as $60MM over five years.

Aaron Steen contributed to this post.

Yankees Inquired On Chase Headley

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The Yankees recently called the Padres to ask about third baseman Chase Headley and, in a brief discussion, were told there wasn’t a deal to be made, sources told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  The Padres are willing to listen on any of their players, but Headley appears to be on the edge of untouchable.

People who have spoken with San Diego have gotten the impression it would take a special prospect to make the Padres even think about trading their star player.  In the case of the Yankees, they don’t have that kind of prospect to give and they’ll probably have to seek out a bat elsewhere

Other teams had been hoping the Padres would consider moving Headley since Jedd Gyorko is a natural third baseman and could slide over without issue.  Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reported earlier this week that the Padres would listen on Headley, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll be changing uniforms this summer.

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