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Rangers Rumors: DeJesus, Lamb, Millar

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Evan Grant writes for the Dallas Morning News, but he posted this column at night.  Go figure.  He’s got some new info regarding the Rangers.

  • As you know, the Rangers have had difficulty finding a long-term center fielder.  That’s the main focus of this offseason.  The team has already shown interest in Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand, the top center fielders available.  Other free agents such as Andruw Jones and Mike Cameron appear to be in play as well.  Grant’s trade candidates: Coco Crisp, David DeJesus, Mark Kotsay, and Carlos Beltran.  We’ve speculated on DeJesus to Atlanta in the past.  With DeJesus signed cheaply through 2011 and the market at the position robust this winter, it might make sense for Dayton Moore to wait a year to shop him aggressively.
  • Grant adds that Jon Daniels is considering some affordable options for first base.  They’ve already talked to Mike Lamb’s agent and like Kevin Millar as well.  Lamb came up through the Rangers’ system but was traded to the Yankees in ’04.  Millar is under contract for ’08 but it’s in the $3-4MM range and the Orioles should be open to a trade.  Grant says Ben Broussard could pique the Rangers’ interest if he’s non-tendered.
  • Grant concludes with five Rangers whose names will be bandied about in trade talks: Gerald Laird, Vicente Padilla, Joaquin Arias, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Nelson Cruz.  Salty’s not being shopped but Grant expects teams to ask.  He proposes some kind of bad contract swap for Padilla – Jason Giambi, Richie Sexson, or Adam Eaton are named.  I still think it’s funny the way Padilla crawled away from the brawl he started this year. 

Odds and Ends: Cabrera, Schilling, Stewart

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Your daily collection of random rumors and links…

  • MLB.com’s Free Agent Frenzy has begun.  You can win Opening Day tickets by closely predicting where 15 free agents will land.  A good strategic move would be to wait until deadline day, November 15th, before submitting.  That way you’ll have more info (keep your browser right here for all the latest free agent info).  By the way, my Top 50 Free Agents list should be ready around Monday.
  • Fielding Bible has their 2007 awards (click the Winners tab).  So much for those who say Andruw is slipping!
  • Miguel Cabrera is available, according to Peter Gammons.  Gammons thinks any package would have to begin with a top pitching prospect such as Phil Hughes, Clay Buchholz, or Clayton Kershaw.
  • Sounds like the Rockies want to keep the 2007 club mostly intact by bringing back free agents (Kaz Matsui, Yorvit Torrealba, Matt Herges, LaTroy Hawkins).  However Josh Fogg and Jeremy Affeldt may be allowed to leave.
  • Though they’re on his list, it doesn’t sound like the D’Backs can afford Curt Schilling.
  • The A’s are talking about re-signing Shannon Stewart, but I don’t see it.  That would have to cost at least $3-4MM.  Meanwhile, Mike Piazza might retire.  Susan Slusser talks about how the A’s would receive compensation for Stewart and Piazza, both Type B free agents.  But that’s only if they offer them arbitration, which is questionable.
  • Comeback time!  Matt Mantei is all surgically repaired and wants to get back into action.  He feels great!  He’d take a minor league contract and/or play for the minimum.  Can’t wait til spring, when we can hear about all the guys who are in the best shape of their careers.  The Tigers might need him with Joel Zumaya’s new, odd injury.
  • A couple of 40+ southpaws will pitch in ’08 – Tom Glavine and David Wells.
  • The O’s will pass on Kris Benson at $7.5MM next year, no surprise.  He had rotator cuff surgery last March.
  • U.S.S. Mariner’s "reasonable" offseason plan.

Giles Released, Snelling Claimed

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Some odds and ends to catch us up in the minor-moves department:

  • ESPN reports Marcus Giles was released by the Padres after an abysmal .229/.304/.317 in 420 at-bats.  They declined his $4MM club option and bought out his contract for $500,000.  He joins the 2B free agent market on the lower end of the talent spectrum.
  • The Mercury News notes Oakland OF Chris Snelling was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay.

Posted by Nat Boyle

Duchscherer To The Rotation?

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According to Buster Olney, the A’s are thinking about moving 30 year-old Justin Duchscherer to the starting rotation.  Duke hasn’t started a big league game since 2003 (he started 20 in the minors that year).  His 2007 season ended in July as he opted for surgery on his arthritic hip.  He’s battled elbow, triceps, neck, and back problems in the past.

Why is this relevant to rumor junkies?  Because even if Duchscherer and Rich Harden are health question marks, more starting pitching depth increases the chances of a Joe Blanton or even a Dan Haren trade this winter.  As I mentioned in my A’s Needs and Luxuries post, Billy Beane’s best attribute seems to be digging up underappreciated starters.  Beane could trade one of his front-end rotation guys for a shortstop, third baseman, and/or top pitching prospect.  Chin-Lung Hu and Andy LaRoche would be a sweet bounty.

Odds and Ends

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Here are some various trade rumors that didn’t quite have enough behind them for individual posts.

  • There’s a gossip section in the Boston Herald called Inside Track, written by Gayle Fee, Laura Raposa, and Erin Hayes.  They heard that Coco Crisp told fans at the recent Division Champs celebration that he expects to be dealt this winter to make room for Jacoby Ellsbury.  By most accounts Crisp has developed into a fine defensive center fielder, and he’s under contract for $4.75MM in ’08, $5.75MM in ’09, and an $8MM club option in ’10.  Perhaps Crisp could be used to acquire a third baseman in the event that Mike Lowell leaves and the Red Sox can’t sign A-Rod. 
  • Phil Wood of the Washington Examiner speculates that the Nationals could get in on Jason Bay.  Not the worst idea, but the Nats don’t seem to have the available young pitching for the deal.
  • Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution likes the Nate Robertson to Atlanta idea, tossing Joe Blanton and Shaun Marcum into the mix as other options.
  • Bob Wickman may quietly retire, bumming out these guys.
  • El Lefty Malo dissects recent comments from Giants GM Brian Sabean.
  • Peter Abraham suggests the Mets trade Carlos Beltran for pitching.

A’s May Explore Long-Term Deal With Street

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According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Alan Hendricks recently spoke to Billy Beane about a possible long-term contract for closer Huston Street.

Street’s just 24 but he’s already got 76 saves in three seasons and great peripheral stats.  His strikeout rate shot all the way up to 11.3 per nine this year.  Slusser notes that his nerve injury earlier this year appeared to be a freak occurrence.

There’s one contract Hendricks can probably use as a comparable.  After J.J. Putz finished his third season, the Mariners gave him a three-year, $13.1MM deal with an $8.6MM club option for what would be his first year of free agency.

Locking Street up through his arbitration years would only improve his trade value, so I expect the A’s to do it.  If I recall correctly, one tactical tenet of Moneyball was to pump up the value of the closer, trade him at his peak, and develop another internally.  Making a deal this offseason is wise given the fairly weak market for closers.  Assuming the Yankees keep Mariano Rivera, Francisco Cordero will be the only available closer in Street’s league.  Since he could cost as much as $40MM over four years, some teams might prefer to pay for Street with young players.  Random thought, but how about the Devil Rays?

A’s Exercise 2008 Option On Mark Ellis

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30 year-old second baseman Mark Ellis has had a solid season, hitting .273/.333/.440 with 19 HR in 568 ABs.  He’s generally regarded as a fine defender.  Today, the A’s exercised their $5MM club option on the second baseman for the 2008 season.

It’s a smart move; the market seems to continually undervalue this position (Brian Roberts signed for $14.3MM over two years).  PECOTA actually figures Ellis to be worth a surprising $13.4MM in ’08, with much of that value coming from his defense.

Billy Beane may still shop Ellis this winter.  Baseball Prospectus’s Kevin Goldstein feels that the club wouldn’t lose much in switching to 25 year-old prospect Kevin Melillo.  Ellis is locked in at a reasonable price and is better than any free agent second baseman.  The Mets, Astros, or Rockies could be possible fits this winter.

More On Bonds

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All the sportswriters have had a chance to weigh in on possible destinations for Barry Bonds in 2008. Here’s a summary.

Bonds For Cust?

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Scott Ostler has a suggestion in today’s San Francisco Chronicle: some kind of Barry Bonds for Jack Cust trade.  How would this work, with Bonds becoming a free agent after the season?  Cust, meanwhile, is under Oakland’s control for another five seasons or so.

Cust has easily been the Athletics’ most valuable hitter this year, despite spending April in the minors.  Bonds’ season currently ranks 16th among all hitters for VORP even in only 458 plate appearances.

The Giants have a chance to save $700,000 this year by keeping Bonds from reaching 525 plate appearances.  It’ll probably go right down to the wire.  Preventing him from reaching the last incentive would seem petty, and could mark the end of Barry’s long relationship with the team.  Problem is, no one can figure out another team that would have him. 

Needs and Luxuries: Oakland Athletics

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Let’s try a new feature here at MLBTR.  I’ll start going through teams and identifying positions they need to fill as well as positions that might be considered surpluses.  For lack of a better name it’ll be called Needs and Luxuries.  We’ll begin with the A’s.

For each team I’m going to set up the roster as seen below.  I won’t include backups for position players.  I won’t go into the full pitching staffs to keep it simple. 

C – Kurt Suzuki
1B – Daric Barton/Dan Johnson
2B – Mark Ellis/Donnie Murphy
SS – Bobby Crosby/Marco Scutaro
3B – Eric Chavez
LF – Travis Buck
CF – Mark Kotsay/Chris Denorfia/Chris Snelling
RF – Nick Swisher
DH – Jack Cust

SP – Dan Haren
SP – Joe Blanton
SP – Chad Gaudin
SP – Lenny DiNardo
SP – Rich Harden/Dan Meyer/Colby Lewis/Dallas Braden

Closer – Huston Street
Setup – Alan Embree/Justin Duchscherer

Needs

The A’s are an interesting club in that they’re trying to compete on a small-time payroll.  Realistically I could say that they need a solid, healthy center fielder to give some stability at that position.  I see Swisher and Buck as future corner guys.  But we know the A’s are not going to make a major signing to fill center field.  They’ll try to eke some value out of Kotsay in the last year of his deal.  They’ll hope Snelling can somehow stay healthy.  I think their best long-term bet is Denorfia, who will be recovered from elbow surgery by next season.  He could be a quiet steady presence in the coming years, and should have the defensive chops.

The A’s have some options in center but I think they should look outside of the organization for a shortstop.  A healthy and productive Crosby seems a long shot at this point.  He’s signed through ’09, so I think you just do what you can with that ugly contract and bring someone else in.  Maybe sign Juan Uribe on the cheap and give him a fresh start.  Perhaps try to match up with the Braves by offering up a Joe Blanton for Yunel Escobar.  The less adventurous and most likely option is to just go with Marco Scutaro.

Luxuries 

First baseman Dan Johnson is a luxury, sort of.  He seems like he might be able to muster up an .800 OPS and help some team like the Twins at DH.  Even though Johnson isn’t great the A’s need to make sure Barton is ready before unloading him.  Barton seemed on the verge after hitting .454 in Triple A in June, but he was very disappointing in July and August.  First base might be a surplus for the A’s at some point but it isn’t right now.

We can probably call starting pitching a luxury for the A’s.  While the cast has changed, Oakland has typically had a strong rotation in recent years.  Even if you’re not sold on Gaudin and DiNardo as 4.00 ERA guys, we have to assume Billy Beane can dig up more of these types.  And if Beane’s best at finding unappreciated starters, then he might be able to part with Blanton or Haren.  Haren is signed cheaply through 2010; Blanton hasn’t reached arbitration yet.  The discussion for either would begin with two top-flight prospects, hopefully position players.  The A’s could revamp the left side of their infield with say, Andy LaRoche and Chin-Lung Hu.  The Angels have the goods as well but don’t match up well.  Almost any team in baseball would have interest in Blanton or Haren.  Beane should shoot for a shorstop, third baseman, and top pitching prospect.

I wouldn’t call Eric Chavez a luxury, though the A’s may shop him because of his contract.  Trading him would require a third baseman in return, or else they’d just open up another hole.  There are no top prospects nipping at Chavez’s heels.

Thoughts on Oakland’s needs and luxuries as well as the new feature?

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