Rosenthal On Rios, Rangers, Dodgers, A’s
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has his latest edition of Full Count up. Let's run through some of the highlights…
- Some teams considering a trade for the White Sox's Alex Rios might consider the remainder of his contract – $13MM in 2014 and a $13.5MM club option for 2015 – to be a benefit. According to Rosenthal, Rios ranks fifth in wins above replacement among all right fielders since the start of the 2012 season. That's ahead of both Nick Swisher and Shane Victorino, who were able to sign large free agent deals last offseason. Rosenthal says Rios could still be traded this month or after the season.
- Rangers officials told Rosenthal that they had more conversations about major leaguer-for-major-leaguer trades leading up to the deadline than ever before in their push to acquire a bat for their struggling lineup, but nothing came to fruition. Texas made almost every player on their roster available in trade talks, including the newly acquired Matt Garza.
- The Dodgers opted not to bid on Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez because they were unsure of whether he profiled as anything more than a back-end starter or reliever. They also want to create opportunities for prospects such as Zach Lee and Chris Reed.
- The A's decision this weekend to send Tommy Milone – the owner of a 4.39 ERA in 133.1 innings this year – to Triple A was aimed at adding another arm to the bullpen, as they don't need a fifth starter until Aug. 13. However, that Aug. 13 starter could end up being prospect Sonny Gray. The A's were originally considering putting Gray in the bullpen, but they could get left-hander Brett Anderson back within two weeks as a reliever, Rosenthal says.
Rangers Claim Adam Rosales
The Rangers have claimed infielder Adam Rosales off waivers from Oakland, the Athletics announced today (on Twitter). The 30-year-old Rosales was designated for assignment by the A's in order to clear a roster spot for Alberto Callaspo, whom they acquired from the Angels on Monday in exchange for Grant Green. In other words, that trade ultimately impacted the rosters of three separate AL West clubs.
Rosales has been with Oakland since being acquried from the Reds along with Willy Taveras in exchange for Aaron Miles and a PTBNL prior to the 2010 season. He's hitting just .193/.268/.319 in 153 plate appearances for the A's this season and is a career .220/.289/.334 hitter. Rosales is a versatile fielder, with significant experience at second base, third base and shortstop. He's also seen time at first base and in the outfield. Despite his versatility, Ultimate Zone Rating suggests he's best-suited to play second base.
The Rangers have issued a press release confirming the move, adding that Rosales will be in uniform with the big league club tonight, so a corresponding roster move will need to be made.
Prospect Rumor Roundup: Elite Shortstops
Is this the beginning of a new era for shortstops?
Four publications — Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), Keith Law at ESPN (subscription required), and FanGraphs (compiled by yours truly) — recently released their midseason Top 50 prospects lists. The rankings featured as many as eight elite shortstop prospects. That position is widely considered to be the most important (non-pitcher) spot on the baseball field and those potential star athletes are highly-sought-after commodities on the open market, through trades and via the draft.
Of those eight prospects featured on the four lists, five of the players are found in American League organizations, suggesting we may be soon entering another Era of the Shortstop, similar to what we experienced in the early 2000s with the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Miguel Tejada in the AL.
Let's have a closer look at those eight shortstop prospects…
1. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: Bogaerts was the highest ranked shortstop on all four lists. Boston is clearly planning for the day that the Aruba native is ready to contribute at the big league level as they recently had him playing games at the hot corner — an area of weakness for the playoff hungry club. However, the recent trade of Jose Iglesias, as well as the pending free agency of veteran Stephen Drew, should provide a clear path to the Major League shortstop job for Bogaerts, who has more than held his own at the Triple-A level.
2. Francisco Lindor, Indians: Just 19, Cleveland's top shortstop prospect earned a mid-season promotion from High-A to Double-A after a strong showing both in the field and at the plate. Veteran incumbent Asdrubal Cabrera's uninspired 2013 season could help convince the front office that his time with the organization is coming to an end. Lindor, who is only in his third professional season, could be ready for the Majors by the middle of 2014. He could develop into a perennial Gold Glove winner at shortstop.
3. Carlos Correa, Astros: The first overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa has produced above-average offensive numbers in Low-A ball despite being just 18 years of age. The Puerto Rico native has shown a natural hitting ability, but he has yet to tap into his raw power. There are concerns that he'll eventually outgrow shortstop, but he should have the offensive chops to be an above-average player at just about any position on the field.
4. Javier Baez, Cubs: Baez has arguably the best raw power out of any player on this list, and he already has 27 home runs in 98 games this year. Like Lindor (a fellow 2011 first-round draft pick), he's already reached Double-A. Unlike the Indians prospect, though, his offensive game is raw. He has a very aggressive approach at the plate, which has resulted in just 29 walks with 111 strikeouts in 391 at-bats. As is the case with Correa, there has been some talk of moving Baez to third base. However, with fellow prospect Mike Olt (recently acquired from the Rangers) – a plus defender at the hot corner — that move doesn't make a ton of sense now. He could also move out to right field, but the Cubs organization features a lot of depth in that area. If and when everything clicks for Baez, though, Chicago will certainly find a spot for him.
5. Addison Russell, Athletics: Russell, a 2012 first-rounder, burst onto the prospect landscape in a big way last season. His strong play earned him an aggressive assignment to High-A ball to open the 2013 season despite being just 19 years old. He struggled in the first two months of the season but has posted an OPS near 1.000 during the past two months. Russell probably won't be ready until 2015, so current big league shortstop Jed Lowrie likely has one more season of job security before he finds himself at another position or on another club.
6. Alen Hanson, Pirates: The emergence of Jordy Mercer has added some middle infield stability at the big league level for the Pirates but he's not likely to be the long-term answer at shortstop. Hanson, 20, is the best in-house option to eventually take over the position — although his name has popped up more than a few times in recent trade rumors. After a strong showing in High-A ball, the Dominican native was recently promoted to Double-A. The switch-hitter has shown the ability to steal 20-30 bases with solid line-drive pop.
7. Raul Mondesi, Royals: Previously known as Adalberto Mondesi, this shortstop prospect is one of the youngest players in full-season ball, having just recently turned 18. His inexperience has shown in 2013, and he walked just four times in May and June. His raw ability is undeniable, though, and he's made adjustments with a strong month of July — including 13 walks and his highest monthly OPS of the year at .817.
8. Corey Seager, Dodgers: Seager — whose brother Kyle Seager plays for the Mariners — is perhaps the most underrated shortstop on this list. The teenager has enjoyed his time in the Midwest League, and he's been on fire over the summer months with an OPS approaching 1.000. He's also slugged eight of his 11 home runs in June and July. Like Correa, Seager is expected to outgrow shortstop but he's shown enough skill at the position to suggest he may be able to stick there for a few more years. He's likely at least two seasons away from reaching Los Angeles.
July Trade Recap: AL West
The trade deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn't as active as deadlines in recent years, plenty of action still took place in each division. Here's a recap of the trades involving AL West teams…
Astros
- Acquired Ronald Torreyes from the Cubs in exchange for two international bonus slots.
- Acquired outfielder Danry Vasquez and a player to be named later from the Tigers in exchange for closer Jose Veras.
- Acquired right-hander Kyle Smith from the Royals in exchange for outfielder Justin Maxwell.
- Acquired outfielder L.J. Hoes, left-hander Josh Hader and the second pick in 2014's Competitive Balance Round A from the Orioles in exchange for right-hander Bud Norris and an international bonus slot valued at $213K.
Angels
- Acquired outfielder Julio Concepcion and right-hander Andres Perez from the Mets in exchange for international bonus slot.
- Acquired right-hander Cory Rasmus from the Braves in exchange for left-hander Scott Downs.
- Acquired second baseman Grant Green from the Athletics in exchange for third baseman/second baseman Alberto Callaspo.
Athletics
- Acquired second baseman/third baseman Alberto Callaspo from the Angels in exchange for second baseman Grant Green.
Mariners
- Did not make a trade.
Rangers
- Acquired right-hander Matt Garza from the Cubs in exchange for third baseman Mike Olt, right-handers C.J. Edwards and Justin Grimm and a player to be named later.
Synopsis
Predictably, the Astros were the most active team on the trade front, dealing veterans in exchange for prospects to continue to bolster their farm system. The trade of Maxwell was a surprise, as he hadn't been involved and any rumors and was marketed as a building block prior to the season.
The A's and Angels pulled off a rare intra-division trade, with Oakland giving up on a former first-round pick in exchange for an immediate (and needed) upgrade at second base. The Angels also landed a high-strikeout arm with questionable command for Downs, who is a free agent at season's end.
The Rangers made perhaps the biggest trade of July, landing Garza from the Cubs. However, they neglected to add a bat, which could prove costly down the stretch, especially if Lance Berkman is lost for the year and Nelson Cruz ultimately serves a suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis investigation.
The Mariners stood pat entirely, which is questionable considering the reported interest in players like Mike Morse, Oliver Perez, Kendrys Morales, Joe Saunders and Raul Ibanez — all of whom are free agents at season's end. At 12.5 games out of first place and 8.5 games back from a Wild Card spot, this seemed to be a prime opportunity to improve for the future. However, many have speculated that GM Jack Zduriencik feels the need to finish with as strong a record as possible, given that he's not under contract for 2014 at this time.
Athletics Designate Adam Rosales For Assignment
The Athletics announced that they have designated infielder Adam Rosales for assignment. The move will allow the club to clear a 25-man roster spot for the newly-acquired Alberto Callaspo.
Rosales hit just .193/.268/.319 in 153 plate appearances for Oakland this season. The light-hitting 30-year-old has significant experience at second base, third base, and shortstop with some time spent at first base. This marks the second time that Rosales has been designated for assignment by the A's this month with the first one coming on July 8th.
Quick Hits: Lee, A’s, Rays, Yankees
In reality, the Red Sox were a "non factor" for Cliff Lee before they landed Jake Peavy, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Will he get moved today to another club? Baseball people are highly doubtful anyone would meet the supposed Phillies' asking price of three top prospects for a pitcher who has $70MM left on his deal through 2015. "I don't know of a team in baseball that would [do] that. Taking on that much money and giving up three legit prospects seems like a stretch for anyone," one exec said. Here's more from around baseball as we approach the 3pm central deadline..
- The A's are still pursuing bullpen depth, tweets Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.
- Teams that have spoken with the Phillies say they're not upbeat about making any deals today, tweets ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Michael Young is still in play, but there's no clear destination for the third baseman.
- The Cardinals are leaning towards standing pat at the deadline unless there is a last minute drastic change, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes that the Rays have been looking into at least one more potential deal, presumably to add a bat. Tampa Bay made a splash earlier this week when they landed Jesse Crain in a swap with the White Sox.
- The Yankees were mainly working on smaller acquisitions like Alberto Callaspo this week and didn't have any interest in Alex Rios once they landed Alfonso Soriano, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Callaspo wound up going from the Halos to the A's.
- The Marlins don't expect to do much today and plan to keep Chad Qualls, Justin Ruggiano, and other trade chips if they can't get good value in return, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Meanwhile, the Marlins are gauging interest in Juan Pierre and Placido Polanco, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- The Royals' search for a second baseman continues, but they don't appear to be close on anything at the moment, writes Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. “Anything’s possible,” one club official said. “We looking at a lot of things, but I doubt anything get done unless things change in the last few hours.”
- The Indians got the left-handed reliever they needed yesterday in Marc Rzepczynski and would still be open to a rotation upgrade, but they don't like the price so far, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). For now, the Tribe is prepared to stand pat.
- There are a lot of present and veteran Braves who think the club is making a serious mistake by allowing Brian McCann hit the open market at the end of the season, writes Peter Gammons at GammonsDaily.com. "Only the people around the team understand what he means to that pitching staff. He’s a star player in the team concept,” said David Ross of McCann, who also leads the team with a .884 OPS.
- Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com spoke with Nationals players to get their take on the trade deadline. Scott Hairston and Adam LaRoche have both been involved in multiple deadline deals.
MLB Preparing 50-Game Suspensions In Biogenesis Case
12:33am: Cruz has not decided whether he will serve his suspension or appeal it, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter).
7:17pm: Major League Baseball is preparing 50-game suspensions for Biogenesis-linked players who have not been disciplined in the past, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Players such as Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, Everth Cabrera, Jesus Montero and Francisco Cervelli are among those facing these 50-game suspensions, as are minor leaguers Fernando Martinez, Cesar Puello and Fautino de los Santos. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports writes that the vast majority of players connected to these 50-game suspensions — including playoff contenders Cruz and Peralta — are believed to be willing to accept the punishment rather than file appeals. Doing so will allow suspended players to play toward the end of September and into the playoffs, though their teams would be at a significant disadvantage down the stretch
Passan also tweets that MLB has threatened to double the penalty for players who do not cooperate with the suspensions, making cooperation a much more appealing option. Additionally, he adds that players who lied during the investigation could receive an additional 15 games on their suspensions, similar to Ryan Braun's case (Twitter link).
Bartolo Colon, Melky Cabrera and Yasmani Grandal are not likely to receive additional suspensions, having already served 50-game bans, according to Heyman. Both Heyman and Passan agree that Alex Rodriguez remains firm in his refusal to cooperate with a deal, as was reported earlier today. MLB would like Rodriguez to serve a suspension through the 2014 season but could pursue a lifetime ban if he does not cooperate.
Athletics Acquire Alberto Callaspo For Grant Green
The Athletics have acquired Alberto Callaspo from the Angels, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Danny Knobler of CBS Sports tweets that the A's will send Grant Green to the Angels in the deal, which has now been officially announced.
Callaspo, 30, was hitting .253/.323/.348 with five homers for the Angels so far this season, prior to tonight's game. Originally acquired from the Royals, he has extensive experience at second and third base, though he hasn't played second base since 2010. In spite of that fact, the A's plan to use him at second, according to MLB.com's Jane Lee (Twitter link). He is under contract for the 2014 season at $4.875MM — the second year of a two-year deal he signed with Anaheim this offseason.
The Athletics selected Green, 25, with the 13th overall pick inthe 2009 draft. He's 0-for-15 with the A's thus far in 2013 — his first taste of Major League action, but he's batted .325/.379/.500 with 11 homers in 415 plate appearances at Triple-A this season. He ranked among the game's Top 100 prospects from 2010-11 according to Baseball America and in 2012, according to MLB.com.
Prior to the 2013 season, BA ranked Green eighth among A's prospects, noting that he may not be an impact bat but should provide enough offense from second base to be a solid regular. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo ranked Green as the No. 3 prospect in Oakland's system, noting that he could be an offensive-minded second baseman who has plus athleticism.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Red Sox Close To Acquiring Jake Peavy
Jake Peavy was scheduled to start for the White Sox in Cleveland tonight at 6:05pm central time, but the Sox will instead make history by promoting the Majors' first Brazilian native pitcher, Andre Rienzo, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Meanwhile, GM Rick Hahn will be entertaining offers for Peavy, according to Gonzales. Gonzales notes that even if Peavy is not traded, the Sox will "get a chance to evaluate Rienzo on the major league stage." Peavy is definitely not starting for the White Sox tonight, confirms Scott Miller of CBS Sports. The latest:
- The two sides are exchanging medical records according to Olney, and a deal is close, reports Rosenthal.
- The Red Sox are in serious talks for Peavy, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter).
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Red Sox and White Sox are discussing Peavy, and the trade talks "have legs."
- Earlier, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio reported that the Red Sox are no longer pursuing Cliff Lee. It seems as if their focus has shifted to Peavy.
Earlier Updates
- The Diamondbacks don't necessarily have to unload multiple contracts to fit Peavy into the payroll, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. However, they're still looking at moving Ian Kennedy, who could draw interest from the Angels, given the fact that Angels GM Jerry Dipoto is a former D'Backs executive.
- Despite interest from the Red Sox, A's, D'Backs, and Cardinals, the sense is the White Sox are coming down on their asking price for Peavy, tweets Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.
- Arizona would be a comfortable destination for Peavy, the righty told reporters including Mark Gonzales today.
- If the A's are to make a deal for Peavy, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle sees outfielder Michael Choice as the potential centerpiece. Otherwise, they could add a reliever. GM Billy Beane says this is the "lowest trade inventory I've seen in years."
- The D'Backs have emerged as the front runner for Peavy, tweets Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.
- The Diamondbacks could make a deal for Peavy if they get a cash adjustment, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, who notes the strong history with Peavy and GM Kevin Towers.
- The D'Backs may kick the tires again on Peavy, hears Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The White Sox are now listing Peavy for tomorrow's start against the Indians, for what it's worth.
- The price for Peavy remains a top 50 prospect in a three or four-player package, hears Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman does believe Peavy will be traded, ranking the most likely landing spots as the Cardinals, Red Sox, and A's.
- There are no current discussions between the Cardinals and White Sox on Peavy, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. And the D'Backs say they no longer have interest in Peavy with Brandon McCarthy and Trevor Cahill soon returning, adds Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
- Yesterday, we heard the White Sox were trying to move Peavy prior to tonight's start. However, the market for the righty's services became muddled as the Athletics seemingly moved on and the Sox started telling teams they plan to keep Peavy. Their decision not to start him tonight seems to indicate otherwise.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Monday
White Sox righty Jake Peavy might be the best starting pitcher traded between now and this Wednesday's deadline. He's been well-informed of trade talks by GM Rick Hahn and indicated yesterday he expects a deal, packing his belongings from the clubhouse. With Peavy under contract for 2014, the White Sox are asking more for him than the Cubs did for Matt Garza, according to Yahoo's Jeff Passan. The latest:
- An executive from a team interested in Peavy tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post that Peavy wants to be traded. While Peavy enjoys the White Sox, he knows they're rebuilding and wants to play for a contender (Twitter link).
- The Athletics have moved on from Peavy and will focus on other upgrades such as their bullpen and middle infield, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). The A's will dangle some of the players they would have offered for Peavy as they pursue other upgrades. Rosenthal adds that Chicago's desire to receive quality prospects and shed the remaining $20MM or so on Peavy's contract "remains a significant obstacle."
- The White Sox are telling interested parties that they're planning to keep Peavy and build around him, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. As Olney goes on to note, this could just be a ploy by the White Sox to increase their leverage in Peavy trade talks (Twitter links).
- Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets that the White Sox debated packaging Peavy and Jesse Crain together before ultimately electing to trade Crain to the Rays in a separate package.
Earlier Updates
- "They're definitely trying to move him before he makes that [Tuesday] start," an executive of a team monitoring the Peavy talks tells ESPN's Jayson Stark. Stark says the Red Sox are willing to take on Peavy's contract or give up prospects, but not both. Stark sees the A's as the favorite, with the money a stumbling block for the Braves, the Cardinals unlikely, and the Orioles lurking.
- The Red Sox are "very much in" the Peavy sweepstakes, tweets Passan. With their motivation and available prospects, they're in a strong position to acquire him. Passan says Hahn is asking for every interested organization's top prospect, including "complete non-starters" such as Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox and Addison Russell of the A's. Executives believe the asking price will drop in advance of the Wednesday deadline.
- In speaking with executives yesterday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post got the impression the Athletics are pushing hard for Peavy after finishing second for Garza. Oakland "seems the most motivated," writes ESPN's Buster Olney.