Athletics Rumors

Odds And Ends: Byrd, Timlin, Giambi

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 6, 2009 at 10:13am CDT

Some links to look through…

Bobby Abreu tells Yahoo's Tim Brown that it was frustrating to see other players sign big contracts last offseason. Abreu waited and finally settled for a $5MM deal, but now he loves LA.
The Jason Giambi signing didn't work out nearly as well for the A's. When MLB.com's Mychael Urban asked manager Bob Geren if Giambi will be back next year, Geren avoided the question. Presumably the A's would rather buy the slugger out for $1.25MM than pay him $6MM next year.
Paul Byrd told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he's in Boston to win a World Series ring.
Mike Timlin is rehabbing in the Rockies' minor league system to prove he can still pitch, according to Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.
Justin Smoak, Martin Perez and Julio Borbon top Jamey Newberg's updated list of top Rangers prospects at MLB.com.

Odds And Ends: Cubans, Waivers, Indians, A’s

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 5, 2009 at 11:49am CDT

A few more links to look through…

ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. hears that Yasser Gomez, Yadel Marti and Juan Yasser Serrano, who are now free agents, will showcase their talents for major league teams this Friday.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says Jamey Carroll and Carl Pavano, who will both become free agents after the year, will likely clear waivers.
Craig Brown at RoyalsAuthority.com says there's no way any team would claim Jose Guillen or Kyle Farnsworth. Gil Meche, on the other hand, would probably not clear waivers in Brown's opinion.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that A's first rounder Grant Green toured the Oakland Coliseum yesterday. His representative, Scott Boras, met with A's GM Billy Beane, who says he expects to sign Green.

Which Teams Shed Salary At The Deadline?

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 4, 2009 at 11:42am CDT

Yesterday we found that the Cardinals led the group of 12 teams that took on at least $1MM leading up to the trade deadline. They took on $6.6MM and were the only team to add as much as $5MM in payroll. So what about the sellers? Here's a look at the teams that traded away at least $1MM in 2009 salary this summer. Again, all totals are approximate:

The Indians trimmed $8.1MM from their payroll, trading Mark DeRosa ($2.9MM), Victor Martinez ($2MM), Cliff Lee ($2MM) and Rafael Betancourt ($1.2MM).
The Pirates shed $7.3MM in trades, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The A's saved $5MM by dealing Matt Holliday ($3.7MM) and Orlando Cabrera ($1.25MM).
The Mariners' decision to trade Jarrod Washburn saved them $3.6MM.
The Padres saved $2.8MM in the Jake Peavy deal.
The D'Backs shed $1.4MM by trading away Felipe Lopez.
The Orioles saved $1MM by trading George Sherrill.

Seven teams saved $1MM or more this deadline. The Indians, Pirates and A's saved considerably more than that this year and the Padres saved considerably more than that in the future. Surprisingly, the Nationals don't appear on this list. Their decision to trade Joe Beimel saved them $700k and they're paying Nick Johnson to play for the Marlins, so ironically, the team everyone thought would sell wasn't much of a seller.

Odds & Ends: O’s, Halladay, Pirates

By Eddie Schmid | August 2, 2009 at 1:40pm CDT

Some links as we ponder what team might be desperate enough to pick up Sidney Ponson:

Peter Schmuck at the Baltimore Sun notes that the George Sherrill trade sends mixed signals about whether the Orioles believe they can contend in 2010.
Nick Cafardo at the Boston Globe has a lot of interesting stuff from Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi in the aftermath of the Roy Halladay talks.
Pirates owner Bob Nutting was "emphatic" in saying that ownership would not change for the near future, says Dejan Kovacevic at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Kovacevic also talked with general manager Neal Huntington, and has the highlights of that interview.
Recently dealt Orlando Cabrera says he'd be interested in returning to the A's as a free agent this offseason, says Susan Slusser at the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bill Madden at the New York Daily News calls the Indians' and Pirates' trade deadline "a disgrace."
Indians GM Mark Shapiro is "not looking for applause now" for the Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez deals, says Bud Shaw at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
Bob Klapisch from FOX Sports looks at how each divisional race is impacted by the flurry of deals made at the end of July.

A’s Rumors: Garciaparra, Springer, Crosby

By Eddie Schmid | August 2, 2009 at 9:55am CDT

Susan Slusser at the San Francisco Chronicle says that the A's will be pressed to make a roster move upon the return of Jason Giambi this Tuesday, though it's unclear what the move will be. She notes that the A's essentially have five first basemen on their roster and wonders if one could be traded.

Slusser suggests that Nomar Garciaparra could generate interest as a bench bat in a waiver deal, but Billy Beane would likely ask for Garciaparra's approval before any move. She also notes that four teams' interest in Russ Springer before the deadline could spell a deal this month (the Cardinals were known to have some interest in Springer). No teams have reportedly made a call about Bobby Crosby, and she believes it's unlikely he is waived.

Odds & Ends: More Deadline Reactions

By Mike Axisa | August 1, 2009 at 6:51pm CDT

A few more links in the aftermath of the trade deadline…

MLB.com's Bill Ladson says that Nationals interm GM Mike Rizzo "didn't have a choice but to trade Nick Johnson because the latter did not want to negotiate an extension with the Nationals." Johnson is looking for a two year deal according to Ladson.
ESPN's Keith Law ranks the prospects traded at this year's deadline. Brett Wallace, acquired by Oakland in the Matt Holliday deal, tops the list.
John Sickels of Minor League Ball chimes in with his thoughts on all of this year's deadline trades.
The Padres signed sixth rounder James Needy to a $298K bonus according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. Needy is just the second player this year to sign a deal worth more than $100K over MLB's slot recommendation.
As exciting as yesterday was, Ryo at NPB Tracker tells us that the trade deadline in Japan went by rather quietly. There has been exactly one trade made all year in Nippon Professional Baseball, and it involved just two players filling supporting roles. Where's the fun in that?

Twins Acquire Orlando Cabrera

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2009 at 6:59pm CDT

6:59pm: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the A's will send a total of $500k to the Twins.

12:45pm: Via Twitter, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Twins are also getting cash in the deal.

12:08pm: Yahoo's Tim Brown said it was a done deal, with the Twins sending shortstop prospect Tyler Ladendorf to Oakland for Cabrera.

Cabrera, 34, is hitting .280/.318/.365 on the season in 448 plate appearances. He has $1.75MM remaining on his contract, once you factor in a $250K bonus for being dealt. Though he profiles as a Type A free agent after the season, Cabrera's agent wisely negotiated a clause disallowing his club to offer arbitration. So, no draft picks for the team for the loss and no impediment to signing Cabrera from the player's point of view.

11:56am: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says Cabrera to the Twins is "very close." Slusser says Valencia is not part of the deal.

11:41am: La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune doesn't see the Twins as close to a deal for Cabrera. The A's apparently want third base prospect Danny Valencia. Neal wonders whether the Twins might go after David Eckstein or Kennedy instead.

FRIDAY, 1:26am: ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the A's and Twins are making "steady progress" as they discuss a deal that would send Cabrera to Minnesota.

THURSDAY, 11:31pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Twins are making progress in their attempt to acquire Cabrera. The teams continued talking today and expect discussions to resume tomorrow.

9:30am: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has a few hot stove notes on the A's this morning.

Despite interest, the A's do not intend to trade infielder Adam Kennedy. They might even try to re-sign him for 2010 eventually. The 33 year-old is hitting .296/.350/.434 in 327 plate appearances while playing second and third base. Oakland acquired Kennedy back in May from the Rays.
Slusser debunks a Providence Journal report from Daniel Barbarisi that the Red Sox turned down a trade for Orlando Cabrera. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe agrees with Slusser, saying Cabrera "is not keen on returning to Boston."
We do know that the Twins have talked to the A's about O-Cab. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says the Twins are "still chasing" Marco Scutaro as well.

Heath Bell Rumors: Friday

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2009 at 2:54pm CDT

2:54pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale, via Twitter, says the Twins' talks for Bell are all but dead. However, they're in on Arizona's Jon Rauch.

2:38pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Marlins are no longer pursuing Bell or Nick Johnson. That should leave the Angels or Dodgers if anyone.

2:11pm: ESPN's Buster Olney says the Twins have interest in Bell, as well as Oakland's Michael Wuertz.

1:18pm: Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says the Angels and Dodgers are battling for Bell.

9:19am: Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Padres wanted Cameron Maybin and Miller for Bell. The Fish have seen other trade ideas dry up as well, leading Rodriguez to suggest "it might be Nick Johnson or bust for the Marlins." SI's Jon Heyman agrees.

7:02am: The latest on Padres closer Heath Bell, who is under team control through 2011…

Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that "late Thursday night, both the Angels and Marlins were still talking to the Padres regarding Bell." We learned yesterday that the Padres requested Andrew Miller or Sean West from the Marlins, and Florida declined. Marlins president David Samson appeared on the radio yesterday to discuss the trade deadline, and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald has a nice summary of that.

Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday

By Tim Dierkes | July 30, 2009 at 5:07pm CDT

5:07pm: Ricciardi tells Ed Price of AOL FanHouse that he's not ruling out a trade. "We're waiting 'til 4 o'clock tomorrow," Ricciardi said.

4:23pm: Jack Curry of the New York Times has additional comments from Ricciardi on Halladay:

"We've got nothing going on. We expect him to be with us."

The Phillies are out, and the other suitors failed to wow Ricciardi.

3:19pm: Rosenthal and Morosi say the Dodgers have enough in their system to make a competitive offer for Halladay, even after acquiring Sherrill. And for Evan Grant's thoughts on the Rangers and Halladay, click here.

However, in another entry Rosenthal and Morosi talk to J.P. Ricciardi and label the Halladay sweepstakes "all but over." Ricciardi's comments indicate the same. Toronto's GM seems intent on keeping Scott Rolen, Marco Scutaro, and others if Doc stays.

2:23pm: Morosi says Halladay is looking unlikely for the Angels, who shot down a Toronto proposal that included Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, and Brandon Wood.

The Halos are also looking for bullpen help, with names such as Heath Bell and George Sherrill in play (their offer for Mike Wuertz fell short).

1:26pm: Rosenthal and Morosi have a source saying things are "very quiet" on the Halladay front. Still, the Dodgers, Angels, Rangers, Rays, and Red Sox remain interested.

1:14pm: Yahoo's Tim Brown sees the Dodgers and Red Sox as the frontrunners for Doc in what is shaping up as a two-team race. Brown says the only Major Leaguer in the Dodgers' offer is James McDonald, while the Sox will part with Clay Buchholz, one of Justin Masterson, Michael Bowden, and Lars Anderson, and some lesser prospects. My guess is that the Red Sox find a way to get this done, given the quality they're already offering. ESPN's Jayson Stark says one Dodgers prospect who is off-limits is shortstop Devaris Gordon.

Meanwhile, Lynn Henning of the Detroit News says the Jays wanted Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry, and Casey Crosby from the Tigers for Halladay. Henning says the Tigers bowed out upon that request. Henning adds that the Tigers would consider adding Adam Dunn or Josh Willingham but the price is steep on the sluggers as well.

12:59pm: A Rosenthal/Morosi source with knowledge of the Jays' thinking discusses a package of Dodgers minor leaguers that could catch Toronto's attention in a Halladay deal.

12:21pm: Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal sees the Dodgers in the lead for Halladay, with the Rangers in the mix and talks with Boston calming down.

9:09am: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe feels the chances of the Red Sox acquiring Halladay are "remote," and believes that Boston has yet to increase their initial offer for him. And in an earlier column, Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald said the Blue Jays and Red Sox have not been in contact over the last three days.

8:37am: SI's Jon Heyman says the Dodgers balked at the Blue Jays' asking price for Halladay and are moving on to Orioles closer George Sherrill. Check out yesterday's Sherrill info here.

Meanwhile, Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun finds Halladay unlikely to be traded. ESPN's Buster Olney says there are "no active talks" at present.

7:55am: We'll start with a review of yesterday's Roy Halladay rumors. The Phillies acquired Cliff Lee instead, cutting into J.P. Ricciardi's leverage for Doc. Ricciardi now has the Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, Dodgers, and possibly Angels and Rays to work with. The Blue Jays' GM is thinking about keeping Halladay for 2010, based on his comments to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. On to a few new links…

Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports say the Jays are not requiring the Dodgers to include Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley. Instead, they'd just take five or six of the team's top prospects.
Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News say Ricciardi is trying to get the Yankees and Red Sox into a bidding war. Kind of cliche, J.P. The authors imply the Yanks may be more focused Jarrod Washburn, who obviously wouldn't require as big a bounty.
Halladay's plan for today, according to Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer – lock himself in his hotel room. Might want to unplug the TV and disable the Internet. Doc is understandably drained from pitching last night amid all the rumors.

Cardinals After Relievers?

By Eddie Schmid | July 29, 2009 at 7:37pm CDT

WEDNESDAY: Strauss has more on the proceedings. He says the Cardinals are "definitely pushing" for a right-handed setup man. There's "strong internal support" to obtain Chad Qualls, but the search is "apparently directed elsewhere."

TUESDAY: Joe Strauss at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that the Cardinals are in "hot pursuit" of right-handed relievers. He also says that they had tried to include former Redbird Russ Springer in the deal for Matt Holliday from the A's, but balked when they learned they'd have to throw in another starting pitching prospect. Still, with the bullpen struggling, Strauss says they "may revisit" a deal for Springer.

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