Odds and Ends: Viciedo, Broussard, Rincon, Threets
Time to round ’em up.
- The A’s are leading the charge for international free agent pitcher Michael Inoa; they could offer him $4MM. All teams have scouted him.
- MLB.com’s Jim Molony names the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals, Angels, Mets, and Pirates as teams considering Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo (assuming he becomes a free agent).
- The Orioles would like to sign Ben Broussard, if he’ll accept a minor league assignment. Broussard if mulling his options and should sign within 24 hours. He could step in if the Orioles trade Kevin Millar.
- Jeff Weaver has been released by the Brewers. Weaver’s lost it; he has a 6.22 ERA in nine Triple A starts.
- The Twins have asked Juan Rincon to accept a minor league assignment. If he refuses, the Twins will be on the hook for his salary and he’ll become a free agent. Rincon’s last decent year was 2006.
- No team was willing to keep lefty reliever Erick Threets in the Majors. He cleared waivers and will head to Triple A as a member of the Giants organization.
- Andy Pettitte wouldn’t commit, but admitted it’d be a "joy and an honor" to pitch at the new Yankee Stadium next year.
- Tigers backup catcher Vance Wilson may retire after a setback in his elbow recovery.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Kemp, Bradley, Fuentes, Street
New Rosenthal. Seems like he just put a column out a few days ago.
- Rosenthal believes the Dodgers would consider trading a young player (especially Matt Kemp) for a slugger. He discusses what it would take to get Jason Bay, Magglio Ordonez, Adam Dunn, or Matt Holliday. This all seems like a bad idea for the Dodgers.
- There are certainly arguments for the Rangers to keep or even extend Milton Bradley. But Rosenthal thinks he could net "multiple high-end prospects" if Jon Daniels goes the trade route. He says the Rangers could shop some of their veterans while also trying to acquire a controllable reliever.
- Rosenthal’s best guess is that the Pirates will trade Xavier Nady or Jason Bay but not both. He says Neal Huntington is not under pressure to clear salary.
- The Cubs are interested in Brian Fuentes, which is a new one. Rosenthal adds that Jim Hendry plans to pursue the best available starter.
- The Brewers have many quality minor league trade chips, and they may be looking for a starter.
- Minimal trade interest in Huston Street, and the A’s have backed off the extension idea.
- The Yankees are "aggressively" trying to move LaTroy Hawkins.
- The Dodgers wanted to do an Esteban Loaiza–Juan Uribe swap, but the Sox just waited them out and signed Loaiza.
- Rosenthal says the Phillies "lack the prospect inventory" to get an impact starting pitcher, which I don’t agree with. He says they may look for another lefty reliever or bench bat.
Ellis Still Wants To Stay
More from John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle: Mark Ellis still wants to re-sign with the Athletics in the offseason rather than test free agency, which could be lucrative for him. This remains even after the A’s drafted second baseman Jemile Weeks with their first pick in the draft. Says Ellis,
"You never know what’ll happen in the draft. You need players. Baseball drafts aren’t like football or basketball drafts where you see these guys right away."
True. If Jemile Weeks comes up in 2-3 years, Ellis could be a trade piece for Beane but that’s very conditional and Ellis is happy in Oakland. Solidifying reports that he’ll stay in Oakland, Ellis says,
"I would think if something got done, it would be before the season’s over. I’m not saying (free agency) wouldn’t be fun to do, but I’m happy here. The organization has been good to me, and it’s an organization (in which) you always have a chance to win. You never know what’s out there (on the open market). You don’t know if everyone will like you or if nobody will like you."
Nothing new there, but it’s always refreshing to see a player take a hometown discount, as Ellis seemingly will, instead of the big payday in free agency. I’m sure Orlando Hudson agrees.
By Nat Boyle
Jays Acquire Melillo
In a minor transaction, the Oakland A’s traded Kevin Melillo to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations.
Melillo a second baseman, had been designated for assignment last week to make room on the 40-man roster. He was hitting .260-5-17 with a .773 OPS in triple-A.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
Jayson Stark’s Latest
Jayson Stark’s latest column is up and as usual he dips into the rumor-mill several times…
- Indians: According to other clubs, Cleveland is starting to float C.C. Sabathia’s name, but are making it clear that they are not ready to trade him. Stark says the Indians are scouting the Red Sox heavily. One executive says that it is hard to imagine somebody giving up prospects for a guy that will almost certainly test the free agency waters. That same executive says they would have a hard time giving seven years to a pitcher as big as Sabathia.
- Tigers: One AL executive says the Tigers don’t have any prospects of value left, but wonders if they won’t do something crazy in the trade market because of their "all in" payroll. Stark wonders if they would be willing to trade Jeremy Bonderman or a big bat for an arm.
- Braves: Atlanta might be more interested in bringing back Kevin Millwood as opposed to Greg Maddux, but Stark says that is very unlikely.
- Rockies: In addition to Matt Holiday and Brian Fuentes, there is a slim chance that Aaron Cook would be made available, but his salary goes up $1MM per year if he is dealt.
- A’s: Apparently the bounty sought by Oakland for Joe Blanton ("three young building-block players") has not been lowered since last summer.
- Royals: The Royals have already started listening to offers for a number of players but one executive says that list does not include their relief pitchers and those are the pieces of highest interest.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Blanton, Furcal, Penny, Burnett, Greinke
The latest from Ken Rosenthal’s Full Count video:
- The Braves called the A’s about Joe Blanton but did not even come close to meeting Billy Beane’s price.
- The Dodgers may not want to lock up Rafael Furcal, the oft-injured shortstop, to a long term contract. Also, with Brad Penny‘s struggles, they may pass on his 2009 club option and trade him this season. They’d get something in return rather than pay his $2MM buyout in the offseason.
- The only way the Jays will trade A.J. Burnett is if they fall completely out of contention. Otherwise, he is a cornerstone to their only chance: "pitching teams into the ground."
- The Royals could field offers for Zack Greinke. Their farm system has thinned and they could replace Greinke in the rotation with Joakim Soria.
By Nat Boyle
Transaction Roundup: Athletics, Medders, Pena, German, Brower
I woke up to a ton of small transactions this morning, so let’s lead with them.
- In MLBTR-friendly transactions, the A’s designated Lenny DiNardo and Kevin Melillo for assignment. The team made a bevy of other moves, though, recalling Travis Buck, Brad Ziegler, and Carlos Gonzalez, placing Joey Devine, Mike Sweeney, and Ryan Sweeney on the 15-day DL, and activating Kiko Calero and Eric Chavez from the DL.
- Brandon Medders, recently DFA by the Diamondbacks, has cleared waivers and has been assigned to AAA.
- Brayan Pena, recently DFA by the Braves, has been claimed by the Royals.
- Rangers RHP Franklyn German has refused an assignment to AAA, and will hit the free agent market.
- The Reds traded RHP Jim Brower to the Cubs for cash considerations. He has a double-digit major league ERA in limited time over the past two seasons.
Joe Pawlikowski writes for River Ave. Blues, a Yankees blog, and can be reached here.
Gammons On Available Pitchers
ESPN’s Peter Gammons names ten starting pitchers who could be available in the coming months. We’ll try to devise a comprehensive list when we get to the position in our Trade Market series.
Gammons’ trade possibilities: Paul Byrd, Jeremy Sowers, Derek Lowe, Rich Harden, Odalis Perez, Brett Tomko, Jarrod Washburn, Zach Duke, Vicente Padilla, and Kevin Millwood. Byrd, Lowe, Perez, and Tomko will be free agents after the season. Sowers and Duke are the kids. Harden is the oft-injured ace. Washburn, Padilla, and Millwood bring burdensome contracts.
Gammons also five "unlikely, but not impossible" scenarios. He suggests A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Joe Blanton, Greg Maddux, and Ben Sheets could be moved under the right circumstances.
Odds and Ends: Ivan Rodriguez, Hall, Street
Time for today’s link roundup.
- MLBTR live chat here at 2pm CST, don’t miss it!
- Ivan Rodriguez expects to play ball beyond this season.
- Bill Hall isn’t happy with the Brewers’ callup of Russell Branyan. Hall is hitting .220/.292/.418 in 196 plate appearances. He’s signed through 2010.
- Susan Slusser ponders the future of A’s relievers Huston Street, Alan Embree, Santiago Casilla, and Joey Devine. Might be tough to deal anyone unless the team drops out of contention.
- Part 2 of AN’s Billy Beane interview.
Odds and Ends: Pokey, Lowe, Boss
Before you fire up the grill, check out these links.
- Dayn Perry has an enjoyable series at Baseball Prospectus called Mock Blockbuster. He proposes trades that would benefit both teams. His latest: Greg Maddux and Brian Giles for Jordan Schafer.
- Rays Index wonders whether Eric Hinske or Gabe Gross could be expendable once Willy Aybar returns.
- Joe Capozzi remembers Mike Piazza’s five game stint as a Marlin.
- Pokey Reese sighting!
- Ned Colletti told struggling free-agent-to-be Derek Lowe the Dodgers aren’t slamming the door on him coming back.
- The Red Sox signed an Australian teen named Boss Moanaroa.
- Athletics Nation chats with Billy Beane.
- Jerry Reinsdorf hasn’t ruled out re-signing Joe Crede after the season.
- R.I.P. Geremi Gonzalez. I remember him as a bright spot on the ’97 Cubs. I mailed him a baseball card for an autograph, and it came back signed.