D’Backs, Angels, Mets, Rays, A’s Unlikely To Make Trades
2:05pm: Count the D’Backs out, per Buster Olney.
1:35pm: Toss the Angels into the "not making a deal today" barrel.
12:38pm: The Rays and Mets also seem quiet today.
11:00am: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the A’s are not likely to make a trade today. Olney’s source puts it at 1%. So, looks like Justin Duchscherer and Huston Street can rest easy.
White Sox Targeting Street
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the White Sox are targeting reliever Huston Street in trade talks. However, they might not have the prospects to pull it off. GM Kenny Williams may have to include a third or even fourth team to find a group of players Billy Beane likes.
Street, 25 in August, is under team control through 2010.
Sherrill Unavailable?
SI.com’s Jon Heyman believes Orioles closer George Sherrill might be off the market, as Andy MacPhail was not able to snag a quality young shortstop for him. Heyman believes Huston Street may be the only closer left on the market, if he even is.
Odds and Ends: Street, Zaun, Guardado, Blalock
Let’s round up some odds and ends for a rumor-packed day.
- The Reds had a scout at a recent Rangers-A’s game; they may have been eyeing a Texas catcher.
- Billy Beane is still fielding offers for Huston Street; Jon Heyman mentions the same teams we’ve heard in the past.
- Ed Wade told Miguel Tejada he’s staying put.
- Gregg Zaun would welcome a trade. GM J.P. Ricciardi responded by saying "someone has to want you." The Marlins could make sense; their catcher hunt may hinge on Matt Treanor‘s decision whether to have surgery.
- John Maine has a mild rotator cuff strain. I wonder if this will affect the chances of long-term extension talks with Maine. Anyway, it’d make sense to bring in some rotation insurance.
- Geoff Baker says the Brewers, Marlins, and Tigers are eyeing Eddie Guardado.
- Hank Blalock is on the DL and off the trade market.
- Ken Davidoff believes the Mets are scouting George Sherrill.
Marlins Looking For Catcher, Reliever
The NL East is a three-team race, with the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins all within a game of each other. Who’d have thought the Marlins would be contending after trading Miguel Cabrera?
According to Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Marlins have intensified their search for a catcher. The targets: Bengie Molina, Ramon Hernandez, Gerald Laird, and Ryan Doumit. Molina and Hernandez are the pricey options. Doumit would be especially tough to pry loose; he has a .937 OPS this year as a 27 year-old.
MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro wonders if Miguel Olivo, Gregg Zaun, and Paul Lo Duca could also enter the mix. He says it could even be a three-way possibility where the Jays acquire Olivo and move him to Florida.
The Marlins are also hunting for a lefty reliever, with Arthur Rhodes, Jack Taschner, John Grabow, Eddie Guardado, George Sherrill, Will Ohman, and Alan Embree all considered candidates. Dejan Kovacevic rattled off five suitors for Grabow this morning, the Marlins not among them. Also, the Marlins’ interest in Guardado is light. The Giants and Mariners both scouted the Marlins recently, and Berardino wonders if Mike Jacobs would interest them.
Berardino says acquiring a catcher and reliever in one trade would be ideal. The one Marlins minor leaguer considered off-limits is Sean West.
Rockies Eyeing Byrd, Duchscherer
MONDAY: The Rockies won’t be acquiring Arroyo, but add Cleveland’s Paul Byrd to their list. Buster Olney wonders whether Byrd might clear waivers in August if need be. He has about $2.7MM left on his contract.
SUNDAY: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Rockies have inquired on A’s starter Justin Duchscherer as part of their hunt for a starter. Duchscherer is under team control through ’09. As you know, the Rockies also asked the Reds about Bronson Arroyo.
Olney notes that GM Dan O’Dowd continues to talk to other teams about Brian Fuentes. It seems quite possible that the Rockies will try to have it both ways.
Perrotto’s Latest: Ross, Jacobs, Kent, Burnett
Baseball Prospectus’ John Perrotto has a new column.
- The Mets are looking at relievers Huston Street, Brian Fuentes, Arthur Rhodes, and Eddie Guardado. On the radar for outfielders: Jason Bay, Raul Ibanez, and Randy Winn.
- A new suitor for Fuentes has emerged: the Diamondbacks. Would they really make another move for a reliever? Other known suitors were named here.
- The Marlins would consider trading Cody Ross or Mike Jacobs for relief help.
- New name on the Rays’ radar: Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent. They’re better off with Akinori Iwamura aren’t they?
- George Sherrill suitors: Cardinals, Tigers, Dodgers, Marlins, and Phillies.
- The Blue Jays may offer A.J. Burnett an additional $2MM per year to convince him to stay for 2009-10.
- The Rangers are "expected to be among the top bidders" for CC Sabathia this winter.
More From Rosenthal: Bay, A’s, Mets, Rays
Now we have Ken Rosenthal’s regular video contribution…
- In an interesting twist, Rosenthal says the A’s have had regular conversations with the Pirates about Jason Bay. Rosenthal notes the A’s are hoping that other teams will balk at the asking price.
- The Mets are making it clear they will not part with any of their top three prospects Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese and Robert Parnell.
- Now that Xavier Nady has been traded, the Rays are more interested in acquiring a relief pitcher rather than an outfielder.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Jayson Stark’s Latest: Rays
Jayson Stark touches on a few rumors circling around the Tampa Bay Rays…
- The Rays and the Phillies both made multiplayer offers to the Indians for Casey Blake, but neither was willing to offer a top prospect and a second prospect close to the big leagues.
- With Blake and Xavier Nady both traded, the Rays are leaning towards eventually filling their need for a right-handed outfielder with Rocco Baldelli who played in the outfield this week on a rehab assignment. It was his first outfield action since May of ’07 and will play 5 more innings today.
- After discussing Mark Teixeira, the Rays have decided to pass, not wanting to move Carlos Pena to DH.
- While the Rays would still like to acquire a relief pitcher, they feel the price is too high for Brian Fuentes and they have little interest in Huston Street. Stark notes that last year’s top pick, David Price, could be called up to provide insurance for the bullpen.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Torre Talks Dodgers’ Needs
Update 1:55 pm: The Dodgers have acquired Casey Blake from the Indians.
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Before Friday night’s game, Torre discussed the team’s options and how they’ll address them if indeed they’ll make a move before this year’s trade deadline.
He mentioned the need to be active on the trade front, but noted that after the injuries to Nomar Garciaparra and Rafael Furcal, other teams are asking too high a price. He did confirm, however, that Dodgers’ GM Ned Colletti is looking to make a move while reiterating that the team won’t "mortgage the future" in exchange for a rental:
Where we’re at, are we interested in a player that can help us now? Yes. Will we mortgage the future? No. We’re willing to give up something. I don’t think you want to sacrifice the future for somebody who’s going to be here just this year. If you borrow or rent for half a season and give up more, next year you’re filling holes again."
MLBlogs writer Ken Gurnick followed up with Dodgers’ sources on the rumor that they’re on the verge of trading Andy LaRoche (possibly +1) for A’s reliever Huston Street, to which they scoffed.
For the record, Street signed a one year deal with the A’s in January to avoid arbitration.
Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com. Comments? Rumors? alexo05 [at] umpbump [daught] com.