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Cuddyer Would Waive Limited No-Trade Clause

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Michael Cuddyer's limited no-trade clause consists of just three teams, but he indicated to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com that he wouldn't stand in the way of a trade to one of those teams if it came down to it.

"I care so much about this organization," said Cuddyer. "I do … I care so deeply about this team, that if it helps the organization…"

As for the three teams included in the no-trade clause, well not even Cuddyer is sure who they are: "Can't remember … I think Oakland is one. Toronto. And … I'm not sure."

Cuddyer's loyalty to the Twins is admirable, and there figures to be a market for his services before the trade deadline. Steve Adams explored Cuddyer's trade candidacy last weekend, noting that similar players like Casey Blake and Mark DeRosa have yielded decent returns in the last few years.

The 32-year-old Cuddyer is making $10.5MM this year, though the Twins could eat some of that in exchange for a better return. He's hitting .282/.347/.449 in 259 plate appearances this year, and he has experience playing first, second, third, and the corner outfield spots. Cuddyer's .292/.381/.491 career batting line against left-handed pitchers could also be a big help to a number of clubs.

When Batting Champions Get Traded

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It shouldn't come as any surprise that if Jose Reyes, the current National League leader in batting average, gets traded, the move will be almost entirely unprecedented. Generally, players at the top of the league leaders category in batting average are considered irreplaceable, and stay put. But as should be obvious by now, these aren't ordinary times for the New York Mets.

But the only time a batting champion was ever dealt mid-year, it was by the arch rivals of the New York Mets back in the most successful period of the franchise's history. The year was 1990. The player was Willie McGee, the team the St. Louis Cardinals, and the statistical ramifications were truly wacky.

It had been a rough year for the Cards, who'd won a National League pennant in 1987, and 86 games in 1989. A team whose best seasons were built around speed, defense and pitching saw all three areas decline. Other than John Tudor, the pitchers were decidedly average- and Tudor, now 36, pitched just 146 1/3 innings.

The hitters were slowing down, too. Ozzie Smith turned 35. Vince Coleman, who'd stolen more than 100 bases three times, swiped just 77. Terry Pendleton hit .230 with six home runs, and no one had the power of Jack Clark – the home run leader was a young catcher named Todd Zeile, who clouted 15.

But Zeile, along with young outfielders Bernard Gilkey and Ray Lankford, appeared to be the foundation of the next Cardinals team. That made for a very different fit in the manager's chair, and halfway through the season, the great Whitey Herzog called it quits. Rebuilding mode was on.

But that didn't stop McGee, who'd already won a batting title and MVP back when the stakes were higher in 1985. Playing primarily center field, McGee posted a .335 batting average in 125 games during his age 31 season. The Oakland Athletics had Dave Henderson in center field, and wanted a better defensive alternative to the aging Hendu. So on August 29, Oakland traded Felix Jose, Stan Royer and Daryl Green to St. Louis for the magical McGee.

Jose was supposed to be the centerpiece of the deal, but he simply never developed into the top-tier slugger the Cardinals wanted. (Actually, his numbers mirror, rather dramatically, his minor league production). McGee's pace fell off as well, and he hit just .274 with the Athletics- enough, however, to get them to the 1990 World Series. McGee, a free agent-to-be like Reyes, then signed with the San Francisco Giants that winter.

Thanks to the math of the time, however, McGee's .274 didn't prevent him from winning a batting title. Back then, totals accrued in the American League were considered separate from NL totals. So McGee, with his .335 NL average in the required number of plate appearances, sat frozen atop the batting average leaderboard. Thus, he edged out the full seasons of Eddie Murray (.330), Dave Magadan (.328) and Lenny Dykstra (.325). George Brett's .329 took home AL honors. McGee's combined .324 average wouldn't have won either league.

How baseball would handle the leaderboard if Jose Reyes switched leagues is still unclear. Currently, Reyes trails Adrian Gonzalez, the AL leader in batting average, by a single point. But if Reyes should get dealt while winning a batting title, Mets fans cannot accurately bemoan an unprecedented occurrence. And in a fascinating twist, the GM who'd deal Reyes, Sandy Alderson, is the same GM who traded for McGee with the Athletics. Maybe the man just hates untainted batting titles.

Stark On Dempster, Adams, Reyes, Braves

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Jayson Stark leads his latest column for ESPN with a debate with colleague Buster Olney about realignment possibilities.  He notes that his sources say there's no chance divisions are dissolved and baseball becomes two 15-team leagues.  On to Stark's other rumblings…

  • An NL executive who spoke with Cubs GM Jim Hendry says there's no likely scenario where Ryan Dempster is traded.  Earlier today, there were indications the Yankees at least have an eye on Dempster, who has full no-trade rights and a $14MM player option for 2012.
  • Padres reliever Mike Adams also is likely to stay put, as the Padres are only interested in trading impending free agents Heath Bell and Chad Qualls.
  • Jose Reyes might not be Brian Sabean's type of player, says one baseball man who speaks with the Giants' GM regularly.  Still, Stark's source wondered if the liberation of winning last year's World Series might compel Sabean to take more chances.  Of course, the Mets are looking like potential buyers right now.
  • The Braves are "aggressively positioning themselves to deal for an outfield bat as soon as they can find a team ready to open its sell-off shop for business," writes Stark, and they've already checked in on Josh Willingham and Hunter Pence.  We outlined potentially available power bats earlier this month.

West Notes: Giants, Teagarden, Harden, Angels

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Jhoulys Chacin lowered his ERA to 2.81 today after allowing just one run on three hits in six innings today against the Padres.  Chacin picked up his eighth win of the season and improved his case for inclusion on the NL All-Star Team.

Some notes from both divisions out west….

  • The Giants are looking to the Rangers as a potential source of catching help, reports CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler.  Taylor Teagarden is cited as a possible candidate once Mike Napoli returns from injury and resumes backing up Yorvit Torrealba.  Knobler says the Giants' catching search has extended to the minor leagues as the club has sent scouts to look at various Triple-A backstops.
  • Rich Harden looked good in his most recent simulated game and the Athletics are looking to send Harden on a rehab assignment in Triple-A next week, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • The Angels have signed 30 of their 49 draft picks, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.  The highest pick to sign thus far is fifth-round outfielder Andrew Ray.
  • The Angels and Rockies were the only MLB teams in the top 10 of ESPN The Magazine's annual list of the best franchises in sports, reports Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times.  The Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers topped the list, while the Angels were fourth and the Rockies eighth.  The lowest-ranked baseball team?  The Mets, who ranked 117th out of 122 teams in MLB, the NFL, NHL and NBA.

AL West Notes: Weaver, Davis, Anderson, Ellis

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As the Angels and Mariners begin a three-game series at Safeco Field tonight, let's look at some items concerning those clubs and their other two division rivals….

  • Could the Angels considering moving Jered Weaver this summer?  FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal looks at what might happen if the Halos fall out of contention, with a Weaver deal being the biggest possible move the club could make to rebuild.  I looked at Weaver as both a trade and an extension candidate last April.
  • MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan looks at some reader suggestions about what the Rangers might do before the trade deadline.  Sullivan speculates that the Orioles could be a good trade partner for the Rangers — Texas wants right-handed relivers (like Jim Johnson or Koji Uehara) and Baltimore could use a first baseman for the future like Chris Davis.
  • Athletics southpaw Brett Anderson will not need Tommy John surgery, reports ESPN's Buster Olney.  (Twitter link)  Dr. James Andrews instead recommended six weeks of rehabilition for Anderson, and the two will meet again in three weeks for a re-evaluation.
  • Also from Buster Olney, (via Twitter), the Athletics could find a suitor for Mark Ellis without leaving the Bay Area.  The Giants need second base help with Freddy Sanchez possibly out for the season, while the A's might prefer to give playing time at second base to Jemile Weeks or Scott Sizemore.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed Ellis as a possible trade candidate in his examination of what the A's might do if they become sellers.  Of note: Ellis does have no-trade protection in his contract, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.
  • The three-team deal between the Mariners, Indians and Mets in December 2008 has proven to be a boon for the M's, writes Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.

If The Athletics Become Sellers

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Having lost 12 of their last 13 games, the A's are eight games back in the AL West.  It's time to discuss their potential trade offerings.

  • David DeJesus has been playing right field in recent years, but he has plenty of experience at the other outfield positions.  At .239/.319/.373 in 236 plate appearances, his contract year has not gone as hoped.  He did hit well in May.  DeJesus is affordable at $6MM, and will appeal to any contender seeking a top of the order outfielder who bats left-handed.  Our latest Elias rankings have DeJesus on the cusp of Type A status in the AL, but I'm not sure the A's would offer him arbitration.
  • Second baseman Mark Ellis is on the DL with a strained right hamstring.  His $6MM salary will be prohibitive unless he starts raking upon his return.  With Jemile Weeks and Scott Sizemore joining Oakland's second base mix, shopping Ellis makes sense if he gets healthy.
  • Left fielder Josh Willingham is another $6MM Athletic.  At .235/.315/.423, he's having the worst year of his career as he heads toward free agency.  Willingham is more firmly a Type A free agent than DeJesus, and given how the free agent market values power an arbitration offer seems more feasible for him.  Willingham should be one of the better available right-handed bats.
  • The A's could break up their entire starting outfield, as Coco Crisp ($5.75MM salary) is also an impending free agent.  Like Willingham, Crisp is helping some fantasy teams offensively but is not getting on base thus far.  Crisp's ability to play center field sets him apart.  The Braves are often mentioned as a potential fit.
  • Hideki Matsui might be tough to move, as a DH hitting .216/.268/.332.  If he doesn't show signs of life over the next six weeks, a release is more likely than a trade.
  • First baseman/outfielder Conor Jackson could be a complementary piece for someone if the A's assume part of his $3.2MM salary.  Jackson can still get on base a little bit but his modest early-career power seems gone.
  • Relievers are always a trade deadline hot commodity, and Oakland's pen has a 3.25 ERA despite their leading innings guy, Brian Fuentes, checking in at 4.71.  The A's might have a chance to bail on Fuentes' contract, which pays $5MM next year.  Their other big relief signing, Grant Balfour, has produced better results despite shaky control; he earns $4MM in 2012.  Both relievers have club options for '13.  Michael Wuertz, who has been excellent, has a club option for '12 and a more modest salary.  The A's could also consider moving a pair of arbitration eligible relievers in Craig Breslow and Brad Ziegler.
  • We've covered the Cubs, Padres, Pirates, Twins, and Astros as potential sellers previously.

Badler Examines July 2nd Class

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Less than thrilled by your team's draft haul?  Don't forget about the July 2nd class of international players.  This year's group is an improvement on the 2011 class, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America.  He names the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rangers, Royals, Mariners, Pirates, Red Sox, and Reds as teams that could be active in the international market.  Badler's info on a few of the top prospects:

  • Outfielders Ronald Guzman, Elier Hernandez, and Nomar Mazara could challenge Miguel Sano's $3.15MM record for a Dominican hitter, writes Badler.  The Rangers, Red Sox, and Blue Jays have been connected to Guzman and the Royals are the frontrunner for Hernandez.
  • Speedy Venezuelan shortstop Wilmer Becerra has been linked to the Cardinals, Twins, and Athletics, says Badler.  Becerra is projected by many to move to the outfield.
  • Mexican righty Roberto Osuna, nephew of Antonio, is a top prospect who is currently pitching in the Mexican League.  The 15-year-old is battling all kinds of former big leaguers.  Venezuelan righty Victor Sanchez is another one to watch, according to Badler.
  • Key MLBTR posts are translated into Spanish at our Rumores De Béisbol site, which has a unique Latin American focus with features such as Hits Latinos.  Tell your Spanish-speaking friends!

Cafardo On Capps, Clippard, Athletics, Cabrera

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There are indications that Cubs owner Tom Ricketts could be considering a management overhaul in Chicago, and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe thinks Ricketts would do well to hire as many Red Sox people as possible. Cafardo suggests that Allard Baird, Ben Cherington, and DeMarlo Hale are among the names that should be attractive to the Cubs. Here are some other highlights from the Globe's Sunday Notes:

  • Matt Capps should draw plenty of trade interest if the Twins decide to move him. However, the closer likely won't become available until the Twins are absolutely sure they're out of the race, as the defending AL Central champs will be reluctant to give up on their season.
  • If the Nationals are willing to deal him, there will be a strong market for setup man Tyler Clippard. Cafardo speculates that Clippard would be a good fit for the Yankees or Phillies.
  • An AL GM on the Athletics' decision to replace manager Bob Geren with Bob Melvin: "[GM Billy] Beane made the move now because he thought there was something to salvage. They still have the pitching. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility."
  • Any contenders with interest in Orlando Cabrera may be able to acquire him sooner rather than later, after the Indians' promotion of Cord Phelps reduced Cabrera to a part-time role.
  • Jason Bay's most recent slump had the Mets' $66MM man out of the lineup this week. "His bat is slow and he’s just not himself," said one veteran scout. "The ballpark [Citi Field] isn’t good for him, but the way he hit his home runs, I never thought that was a big issue."

Outrighted To Triple-A: Todd, Gibbons, Kouzmanoff,

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Here's where we'll keep track of all players who get outrighted to Triple-A today…

NL Central Notes: Astros, Fielder, Pirates, Cubs

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When the Brewers take on the Cardinals tonight, St. Louis skipper Tony La Russa will be managing his 5,000th MLB game. Here are notes on the Cardinals, the Brewers and their NL Central rivals…

  • The Astros announced that they have signed second round pick Adrian Houser via press release. His signing bonus is unknown, but MLB's slot recommendation for the 69th overall pick is approximately $530K.
  • Prince Fielder says he isn't competing with Albert Pujols or thinking about his next contract. But Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Brewers' first baseman may be a safer free agent target than Pujols this coming offseason.
  • Pirates owner Bob Nutting told Bob Cohn of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he is "extremely pleased" with the progress the 30-31 Pirates have made this year. “Tremendous improvement from last year,” Nutting said. “I'm very pleased where we are. And, I really believe that we're beginning to see the impact of the changes we've made in the organization over the last three and a half years.”
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders how long A’s GM Billy Beane will want to remain in Oakland and points out that the Cubs and Astros could be looking for new leadership before long. Beane would be a “leading candidate” for any GM job if he were not in Oakland.
  • Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says new Astros owner Jim Crane should aim to draft and develop players as successfully as the Cardinals have.
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