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Quick Hits: Krol, K-Rod, Trade Deadline

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On this date in 1997, the Yankees signed a 17-year-old named Yhency Brazoban as an amateur free agent. Over the next 14 years, Brazoban was traded for Kevin Brown, closed games for the Dodgers, signed minor league contracts with four different teams, and, most recently, allowed yesterday's game-tying homer to Albert Pujols. Here are this afternoon's links, as Brazoban and the Diamondbacks look to recover from last night's loss in St. Louis….

  • Athletics minor leaguer Ian Krol was suspended indefinitely for a derogatory tweet, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Krol, a left-hander who was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 draft, was ranked ninth among the A's prospects by Baseball America pre-season.
  • Even contenders who are eyeing Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez as an eighth-inning guy have to worry about his vesting option, says ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider only). As one GM points out, if your team acquires Rodriguez as a setup man and your closer gets hurt, it would be hard to justify not inserting K-Rod into the role.
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com examines five prospects taking part in today's Futures Game who trade deadline sellers might target.
  • There are eight teams who should definitely be sellers at this point, argues Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter): the Blue Jays, Orioles, Royals, Athletics, Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, and Padres.
  • Despite being big spenders in Major League free agency, the Phillies are once again exercising restraint when it comes to international free agents, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter) reiterates that the Nationals need to acquire a leadoff man, citing the team's .203/.270/.306 slash line from the top of the order.

Olney On Deadline Plans For AL Teams

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ESPN's Buster Olney outlined plans for National League teams heading into the trade deadline yesterday, and today he follows up with the American League in an Insider-only column that comes highly recommended. Here's a brief recap…

  • The Mark Ellis trade could just be the first domino that falls for the Athletics. Other veterans like Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, and Grant Balfour could follow him out the door.
  • The Twins aren't as willing to trade now as they were a few weeks ago, and the big question they have to ask themselves is if eating a chunk of the $5.5MM left on Michael Cuddyer's contract is worth it to trade him.
  • We've heard this before, but B.J. Upton and Kyle Farnsworth of the Rays figure to draw interest.
  • The Red Sox and Angels don't have a lot of financial flexiblity and are more likely to target smaller pieces.
  • Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, and Wilson Betemit are all affordable and reasonably productive, but Olney notes that the Royals might want to keep some veterans around so the youngsters don't get pounded.
  • The Indians and Mariners will not blow up their rebuild processes despite their surprising runs at contention. Erik Bedard's injury took away Seattle's best chip.
  • Poor seasons from Alex Rios and Adam Dunn make it difficult for the White Sox to do anything. They need those two to get back on track more than anything.
  • The Yankees are convinced their internal pitching options are better than what's available on the market right now. A Rafael Soriano setback would put them in the reliever market.
  • It's all about right-handed relief pitching for the Rangers, who will have plenty of options to choose from. The Blue Jays have lots of bullpen help to deal.
  • The Tigers are asking around about pitching, specifically left-handers.
  • The Orioles are having an internal debate about whether or not to trade Jeremy Guthrie, but they are expected to at least listen to offers.

Rockies Acquire Mark Ellis

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No second baseman has suited up for the A's as often as Mark Ellis, but when the 34-year-old lost his starting job earlier this month, it became clear that his time in Oakland would likely end soon. Ellis' nine-year tenure with the Athletics is now officially over. The A's announced that they sent Ellis and cash considerations to the Rockies for right-hander reliever Bruce Billings and a player to be named later.

Mark Ellis

Ellis hit .217/.253/.290 this year and lost his starting job to 24-year-old second baseman Jemile Weeks. The veteran pinch hit for the A's and even played a little first base, but he wasn't producing on offense the way he did in 2010, when he posted a .358 OBP. 

The A's exercised Ellis' $6MM option last offseason and the infielder will be eligible for free agency this fall. He still has $3MM remaining on his 2011 contract and the Rockies will cover $1MM of that, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Though Ellis currently projects as a Type A free agent, draft pick compensation was probably not a major factor in the deal, as there's no guarantee he'll receive an offer of arbitration.

The Rockies have used six second basemen this year: Jonathan Herrera, Chris Nelson, Jose Lopez, Eric Young, Alfredo Amezaga and Jose Morales. The group has combined for a .610 OPS, 23rd among MLB second basemen. Herrera, the Rockies' primary second base option, has struggled to hit nearly as much as Ellis; the 26-year-old has a .237/.311/.303 line.

Billings, 25, pitched in his first (and so far only) MLB game on May 27th, when he allowed one earned run on five hits in two innings against the Cardinals. The former 30th round pick has a 4.47 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in his first season at Triple-A and his first full season as a reliever.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Starting Pitchers Among Best Low-Risk Pickups

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Bartolo Colon didn’t pitch an inning in the Major Leagues last year. Neither did Erik Bedard, or Brandon McCarthy, or Ryan Vogelsong. Halfway through the 2011 season, each one of them has already made a difference at the highest level. The quartet of reclamation projects has combined for 309 2/3 innings of 2.88 ERA baseball this year with three times as many strikeouts (257) as walks (77).

Vogelsong

A year after splitting his time between two Triple-A teams, Vogelsong (pictured) is a key contributor on one of baseball’s most effective pitching staffs. His 2.09 ERA leads a San Francisco rotation that includes the likes of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.

Yet there’s no denying that the same issue that kept the others off of MLB mounds in 2010 – health – persists. Colon could return from the disabled list this weekend; the Mariners placed Bedard on the DL today; McCarthy has been on Oakland’s disabled list for more than a month.  

But before their respective teams placed them on the disabled list, their contributions surpassed all expectations. It’s been six weeks since McCarthy toed the rubber, yet A’s fans probably haven’t forgotten the 3.39 ERA and 37K/10BB ratio he posted through 63 2/3 innings.

The Yankees will be hoping for more of the same from Colon when he returns from the DL. The former Cy Young Award winner has tremendous numbers in 2011: a 3.10 ERA with a 72K/18BB ratio in 78 1/3 innings.

Two years after Colon won his Cy Young, Bedard posted a 3.16 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 en route to a top-five finish for the award. If the lefty’s 2011 numbers look familiar, it’s probably because Bedard was pitching as well as ever before hitting the DL. He has a 3.00 ERA with an 85K/26BB ratio 90 innings into the season.

Don’t forget that the Mariners signed Bedard for just $1MM. McCarthy signed with Oakland for the same amount and the Yankees’ deal with Colon is worth just $900K in base salary. Like Colon, Vogelsong signed a minor league contract in January.

The pursuit of high-risk, high-reward arms does not guarantee success by any means. Brandon Webb ($3MM) and Rich Harden ($1.5MM) signed for more than any of the pitchers above and neither has thrown a pitch in the majors this year.  

Naturally, that won’t stop teams looking to gamble on seemingly injury-prone pitchers this offseason. Someone – Ben Sheets, Jeremy Bonderman or 48-year-old Jamie Moyer perhaps? – will return from the discard pile after a year-long absence and make an impact, whether it's for a handful of starts or an entire season season. It’s just a question of who will resurface and which team will sign him.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Heyman On Padres, Athletics, Twins

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • The Padres are being aggressive in engaging in trade discussions, say executives who have spoken to them.  They're even willing to discuss dominant set-up man Mike Adams, who is under team control for next year.  Many teams prefer Adams over closer Heath Bell, who Heyman says is "very likely" to be dealt.  There are a couple of surprise suitors for Bell, but one exec told Heyman the righty "won't bring as much as you think."
  • The impending returns of Rich Harden, Brandon McCarthy, and Tyson Ross are delaying the Athletics' decision on whether to sell.  If they do sell, here's a look at who might be available.
  • A rival executive believes the Mets would have to be bowled over to trade Jose Reyes, though teams seem convinced Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez will be traded.  Teams haven't even called the Mets yet about Reyes' availability, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • Heyman says that the Dodgers have not received any calls on Matt Kemp.
  • Though they are nine games out, Heyman says there is no evidence the Twins will start shopping soon.  A competing exec thinks they'll stand pat.  While Michael Cuddyer would be coveted, his value in the clubhouse might compel the Twins to keep him.
  • The Giants don't have much interest in Cleveland's Orlando Cabrera, writes Heyman.
  • The Reds "seem reluctant" to trade catcher Ramon Hernandez.  For more on Hernandez, click here.
  • The Rockies are in wait-and-see mode, but if they sell they'll look to move closer Huston Street.  Street is signed through 2012 with a club option for '13.

Contenders In Need Of A Right Field Upgrade

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As many as eight contenders might try to improve their right field situation:

  • Red Sox: They may just seek a right-handed hitter who can handle lefties, suggested WEEI's Alex Speier.  Jeff Francoeur, Conor Jackson, Ryan Spilborghs, and Matt Diaz could be possibilities, or Michael Cuddyer if the team aims for a bigger name.
  • Tigers: When Brennan Boesch plays left field, Casper Wells and Magglio Ordonez are options in right.  Wells has shown pop in a limited sample, and Maggs has a big contract.  The Tigers' offense isn't lacking overall, so this isn't an urgent need.  The same could be said for the Red Sox.
  • Indians: The Indians just announced that Shin-Soo Choo had thumb surgery today and recovery time is eight to ten weeks.  That means a late August return in the best case, so the Tribe could look to upgrade on the Travis Buck/Austin Kearns platoon.
  • Phillies: They've got Domonic Brown and Ben Francisco in the current mix.  Francisco normally at least handles lefties, but not this year.  Brown has star potential, but it's unclear how much leeway the Phillies want to give him this year to learn on the job.  They've got a middle of the pack offense this year, and have been linked to Cuddyer, Ryan Ludwick, and Josh Willingham.
  • Cardinals: Lance Berkman has taken over at first base in Albert Pujols' absence, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote yesterday that the Cards do not plan to pursue a hitter.  Allen Craig could return from a fractured kneecap around the All-Star break and Jon Jay has done a nice job.
  • Pirates:  The Bucs have employed Garrett Jones, Xavier Paul, and Diaz this year.  Jones takes care of righties, so if Diaz returns to his lefty-mashing ways they'll be fine.
  • Giants: The Giants are using Nate Schierholtz in right, with Cody Ross also capable.  Schierholtz has struggled against lefties. 
  • Athletics: At six games out the A's are fringe contenders.  They could end up selling right field candidates in Willingham, Jackson, David DeJesus, and Ryan Sweeney.  Even if they do stay in the race an outfield acquisition seems unlikely.

The Red Sox, Tigers, Indians, and Phillies seem most likely to pursue right field acquisitions.  Andre Ethier and Hunter Pence are unlikely to be dealt, leaving names such as Carlos Beltran, Jason Kubel, Kosuke Fukudome, Ludwick, Willingham, Cuddyer, Ordonez, Francoeur, Jackson, Spilborghs, Diaz, and DeJesus on the Major League market.

Quick Hits: Maholm, Chulk, Cardinals

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Two years ago today, the Indians traded third baseman Mark DeRosa to the Cardinals for Chris Perez, with Jess Todd also going to Cleveland as the player to be named later.  DeRosa injured his wrist shortly after the trade and struggled in his time with the Cards, but they received a consolation prize in righty Seth Blair, chosen in the 2010 draft as compensation when DeRosa signed with the Giants.  Perez has racked up 42 saves as the Indians' closer.  Todd was designated for assignment in April of this year, claimed by the Yankees, designated again in May, claimed by the Cardinals, and recently outrighted to Triple-A.  On to today's links…

  • Rangers reliever Darren O'Day may return this week from the 60-day DL, meaning the team will need to open up a 40-man roster spot.
  • The Red Sox announced they activated righty Junichi Tazawa from the 60-day DL and optioned him to Double-A; lefty Rich Hill was placed on the 60-day DL to keep the 40-man roster at 40.
  • Pirates lefty Paul Maholm reiterated to Karen Price of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he'd like to stay in Pittsburgh, but he's not going to beg or initiate extension talks.  In general terms, GM Neal Huntington expressed a strong preference for avoiding in-season negotiations.  He has a $9.75MM option on Maholm for 2012.  For more on the Maholm situation, click here.
  • Athletics reliever Vinnie Chulk can opt out of his contract Friday, notes SI's Jon Heyman (Twitter link).  The 32-year-old righty has a 2.75 ERA, 6.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, and 0.2 HR/9 in 39 1/3 Triple-A innings this year.
  • Heyman talked to agents and executives, asking them to predict contracts for Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Jose Reyes.  Everyone sees Pujols getting at least $27.5MM and at least six years.  I have to wonder if he'd prefer a one-year deal if his return is less than stellar.  Meanwhile, most of the participants saw Fielder getting $24-25MM a year and at least five years.
  • The Cardinals could try to acquire two relievers rather than go after a big fish like Heath Bell, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

New York Notes: Crosstown Trades, Osuna, Reyes

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The Yankees own the best record in the American League and a half-game lead in the AL East over the Red Sox.  The Mets are at .500 and sit 4.5 games out in the wild card race.  The latest on New York's teams…

Giants Notes: Ellis, Reyes, Catching Search

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The Giants enter today's action riding a four-game winning streak and holding a half-game lead over the Diamondbacks in the NL West. Despite sitting atop the division, the team is looking for opportunities to upgrade. The Giants' search for catching help has them eyeing Yorvit Torrealba, and catcher isn't the only position where the club could use some help. Here are the latest updates on some of the Giants' trade possibilities:

  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe confirms a previous report, writing that Mark Ellis probably won't be headed across the Bay. "We need RBI bats. That's what we're looking for right now," one Giants official said in shooting down the possibility of acquiring Ellis.
  • A deal that sends Jose Reyes to San Francisco is looking increasingly like a long shot, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Even if the Mets decide to move Reyes, the Giants would be very reluctant to part with the prospects and pay the salary necessary to complete a trade.
  • Within the same piece, Rosenthal quotes a Giants official's response when asked if the club would like to find a more offensively-inclined catcher than their current options: "Name me one (available) catcher hitting over .250."

Heyman On Riggleman, Hardy, Melvin

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Much to everyone’s surprise, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman stepped down yesterday. Baseball writers, including MLBTR’s Howard Megdal, have been buzzing about the move since. Jon Heyman of SI.com now weighs in on the decision before providing other notes from around the league…

  • Riggleman had considered resigning a few times before actually doing so yesterday, according to Heyman. In the past, agent Burton Rocks advised Riggleman to wait it out, but the skipper’s patience evidently wore thin this week despite his club’s hot streak.
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo wants a veteran manager, according to Heyman. Rizzo will consider Davey Johnson, the 68-year-old former manager who is currently one of Rizzo’s advisors. 
  • The Orioles are considering an extension for J.J. Hardy and would like to limit the deal to two or three years. Hardy, 28, is hitting .304/.366/.532 in his contract year.
  • Though teams have to conduct thorough searches for every managerial opening, interim boss Bob Melvin will remain Oakland’s permanent manager “barring something unforeseen,” according to Heyman.
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