Athletics Rumors

Stark On Holliday, Relievers, Relocation

By Tim Dierkes | April 30, 2009 at 2:10pm CDT

Stark compared 2009 April attendance to 2008, excluding the New York teams given their new stadiums. He found virtually no change, overall. One anonymous agent complained that Bud Selig "overdramatized the potential financial losses so as to limit and to artificially control spending on free agency."
The Royals may need a bat, but Stark says they're unwilling to discuss any of their best or most advanced prospects in trades.
Stark talked to one exec about Billy Beane's Matt Holliday situation. If Holliday's power outage continues, could he become a July salary-dump candidate? If the A's keep him all year, will they risk offering him arbitration? And is Holliday headed toward a one-year "redeem yourself" deal on the free agent market?
Stark says the Marlins would love to add a late-inning reliever via trade. He runs through possible relief trade candidates. In addition to the players I listed on Tuesday, Stark mentions Alan Embree, Octavio Dotel, Matt Thornton, Tom Gordon, Eddie Guardado, and Ron Mahay. The Phillies are also in the market.
Remember the Zack Greinke trade rumors of years past? Stark talked to one exec who says Royals GM Dayton Moore never wanted to trade him.
If, down the road, the A's or Rays have to relocate, Stark says San Antonio, Las Vegas, and Mexico were the locations MLB was considering in reference to the Marlins.

Matt Holliday Interested In Yankees

By Tim Dierkes | April 24, 2009 at 8:26am CDT

FRIDAY: Kevin Kernan of the New York Post asked Holliday specifically about playing for the Yankees. He said:

"I think a little bit as a human being you can't help but to think that if the Yankees are interested I would definitely consider it. I wouldn't be looking around if I were under contract for the four years, but I think I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be interested, especially with the Yankees being such a storied franchise. So yeah, you take a look around; you never know what's going to happen. This is a beautiful place."

WEDNESDAY: Not a big surprise, but Newsday's Ken Davidoff learned that Matt Holliday is willing to play in New York. The Mets or Yankees could consider the Scott Boras client, who is a free agent after the season. For what it's worth, Holliday's father Tom told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times in November that he'd like to see Holliday traded to the Yankees, or at least an East Coast team.

What's your prediction for Holliday's next contract? Will he top the four year, $82MM extension offered by the Rockies? And will the A's trade him in July?

Odds & Ends: Zimmerman, Devine, Wolf

By Tim Dierkes | April 22, 2009 at 11:30am CDT

Links for Wednesday…

WEEI's Alex Speier points out that Ryan Zimmerman's deal mirrors the Kevin Youkilis extension, despite the difference in performance. Tyler Hissey of Around The Majors likes the Zimmerman contract nonetheless.
Speier also reports that the Red Sox placed pitcher Devern Hansack on unconditional release waivers, not long after he dislocated his shoulder. UPDATE: Hansack will be re-signed to a minor league deal.
Athletics reliever Joey Devine had Tommy John surgery, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star talked to Royals GM Dayton Moore, who said the decision to recall Brian Bannister over Luke Hochevar was not financially motivated.
Randy Wolf doesn't have hard feelings toward the Astros, according to MLB.com's Michael Murphy. The 'Stros wisely yanked their three-year, $28.5MM offer to Wolf in November.
Josh Levitt names the worst contract extensions in the game.

Cafardo’s Latest: Peavy, Mulder

By Nat Boyle | April 19, 2009 at 11:11am CDT

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has a couple notes in his Sunday column:

Should he be dealt this season, the Red Sox appeal to Jake Peavy, who hit it off with Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia in the World Baseball Classic. Padres GM Kevin Towers is hopeful his clubs success will continue and trading Peavy won't have to come up. Only twelve games into the season and the Pads are tied with the Dodgers at 9-3.
The Nationals, A's, and Dodgers are all interested in Mark Mulder who believes he "could be ready two weeks after signing."

Odds & Ends: Closers, Holliday, Kent

By Tim Dierkes | April 15, 2009 at 11:28am CDT

Links for Wednesday…

Chat today, 2pm CST.
Interesting diary entry from an anonymous pro scout over at Baseball America. Don't bug these guys at games.
Digging for saves? RotoAuthority has the latest Closer Report.
Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker looks at the Japanese free agents for the 2009-10 offseason.
Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN wrote about Matt Holliday's future.
Justin Murphy of Seamheads.com examines the three Jeff Kent trades.
Curtis Granderson wrote an article for Yahoo about protecting his identity.

Athletics Claim Dan Giese

By Tim Dierkes | April 8, 2009 at 2:16pm CDT

Peter Abraham of The Journal News passes along a release from the A's: they've claimed pitcher Dan Giese off waivers from the Yankees. The A's designated pitcher Chris Schroder for assignment to make room.

Giese, 32 in May, posted a 3.53 ERA in 43.3 innings with the Yanks last year. He also spent 59 innings at Triple A, tallying a 1.98 ERA. In his career Giese has also bounced around with the Red Sox, Padres, Phillies, and Giants organizations.

Odds & Ends: A’s, Hammel, Manny, McPherson

By Tim Dierkes | April 7, 2009 at 9:58am CDT

Links for Tuesday…

Chat today, 2pm CST.
Yahoo's Tim Brown says there was never a mandate from A's owner Lew Wolff to remake the team into a contender. The strategy this winter was Billy Beane's idea.
Tyler Hissey of Around The Majors examines the Jason Hammel trade from both sides.
Manny Ramirez responds to Ken Rosenthal's comments, talking to T.J. Simers of the L.A. Times.
The SoftBank Hawks seek a foreign third baseman, and Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker suggests Dallas McPherson.
A look at the slugging percentage leaders of Spring Training 2009.
In a Wall Street Journal article, Russell Adams and Tim Marchman write about newspapers cutting money spent on the baseball beat.

Odds & Ends: Metcalf, Baisley, Predictions

By Steve Adams | April 5, 2009 at 4:53pm CDT

Links for the afternoon…

T.R. Sullivan informs us that the Rangers have designated Travis Metcalf for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster.
Another DFA this afternoon: Susan Slusser reports that the A's have DFA'ed Jeff Baisley.
ESPN had its writers predict the divisional outcomes, playoff outcomes, and the MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year for each league. Mostly Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays, but Jim Caple spiced it up by picking the Twins, and Peter Pascarelli went with the Cardinals.
The Braves will retire Greg Maddux's number 31 this July. Not entirely MLBTR-relevant, but I'm all for honoring one of the best pitchers we'll ever have the privilege of seeing.

Odds & Ends: Opening Day Rosters

By Nat Boyle | April 5, 2009 at 10:03am CDT

After the longest spring training in history, it felt like Opening Day might never arrive. As teams finalize their 25-man rosters, here are some notes from yesterday and today's headlines:

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval was made the lone-backup for catcher Bengie Molina as the Giants finalize their Opening Day roster and go with a 12-man pitching staff, according to Chris Haft of MLB.com.
As anticipated, Mike Sweeney and his .408 spring batting average made the Mariners' roster, says Larry Stone of the Seattle Times and the M's are without a lefty reliever. Ichiro Suzuki could make a return by next Friday in Oakland, reports the Kyodo News.
The AP reports the Diamonbacks added Ryan Roberts as a utility man.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle points out that 24-year old Andrew Bailey, "an unheralded nonroster invitee to major-league camp who hadn't pitched in relief before last summer is now a member of Oakland's bullpen."
The Phillies added Miguel Cairo.

Odds & Ends: Minor Deals, Catalanotto, Gwynn Jr.

By | April 2, 2009 at 12:07pm CDT

Your Thursday links, with more to come…

Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Phillies have acquired RHP Manny Ayala from the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later. Ayala will probably spend the entire '09 season in the minors.
According to Steve Holley of Scout.com, the A's have plucked right-hander Rocky Roquet from the Cubs for a player to be named later. He's another minor league guy.
The Boston Globe's Tony Massarotti would like the Red Sox to pursure Frank Catalanotto, but writes that there's "no indication that they plan to do so."
Marc Hulet over at BaseballAnalysts.com reviews the production of the 2008 Rule 5 Draft class. It's not a very impressive group.
SI.com's Jon Heyman explores the Rays' and Phillies' offseasons.
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wonders if Tony Gwynn Jr. could be on the way out.
Even with the loss of Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes, the Rockies will come close to setting a franchise payroll record this season.

« Previous Page

Load More Posts

Show all

Headlines

Athletics Rumors

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect