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Odds & Ends: Cubs, Phillies, White Sox, Tigers, Lilly

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Links for Saturday evening..

  • The Cubs signed second-round selection Reggie Golden for a bonus of $720K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.  Golden, the 65th overall pick in the draft, received a bonus $157K more than MLB's recommendation for his draft position.
  • Scouts from the Astros, Tigers, Rays, Red Sox, and Pirates were all in attendance at Phillies-Rockies today, tweets Jayson Stark of ESPN.
  • During FOX's telecast of Mets-Dodgers, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Phillies have scratched Double-A starter J.C. Ramirez from his Sunday start, though he is not injured.  The move, he says, could be an indication that a trade is in the works.
  • White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen thinks clubs are asking for too much in trade talks, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland wants to hang on to his young talent unless the club can get something special in return, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
  • Despite some recent reports to the contrary, Cubs officials told Carrie Muskat of MLB.com that there is nothing imminent regarding Ted Lilly.
  • The Mets are "near-certain" to non-tender John Maine this winter, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  The right-hander underwent season-ending surgery on his right shoulder yesterday.
  • It's unlikely that the M's move Jason Vargas, a Seattle official told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Dan Haren Rumors: Saturday

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The Diamondbacks seem determined to move ace Dan Haren before his next start on Tuesday, and it appeared as though the Yankees became the favorite to land the right-hander yesterday. D-Backs' CEO Derrick Hall hedged his bets, saying there was no front-runner, and that other clubs had offers "of at least equal value out there." The Twins, Tigers, Phillies, and Cardinals all continue to maintain interest in Haren as well. 

With all that in mind, here is today's collection of Haren rumors, with more to come…

  • Haren's no-trade list probably won't matter in the way that it has for Roy Oswalt, as Haren wants to have a chance to win, a source told Olney (via Twitter).
  • Haren would prefer to stay in the west, a source told Heyman (via Twitter).  However, the hurler is willing to consider all suitors, which is why talks continue with clubs like Detroit and Minnesota.
  • It is possible that the Phillies will trade Jayson Werth in order to get the prospects necessary to land Haren, according to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Alternatively, the D'Backs could take advantage where the Phillies' farm system is strongest: its lower levels.  Arizona is said to have interest in one single-A player in particular, 18-year-old slugger Jonathan Singleton.
  • The Tigers don't want to give up Jacob Turner for Haren and they are also on Haren's no-trade list, tweets Heyman.  He adds that Ted Lilly is a "possible second choice" for Detroit.
  • There have been no conversations today between the D'Backs and the Yankees, says Olney (via Twitter).
  • Arizona is asking the Tigers for pitchers Jacob Turner and Andrew Oliver, tweets Olney.
  • The Dodgers were actively talking to Arizona about Haren before Josh Byrnes was fired according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link). They are not a prominent suitor now.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney says the Yankees do not value Haren as much as they did Cliff Lee, and they consider him a risk because of his performance this year (Twitter links). Hence their reluctance to take on Haren's entire contract and deal a boatload of prospects.
  • The Yankees are willing to surrender Nova, pitching prospect Zach McAllister, and two prospects for Haren, but they will not eat money and include Chamberlain in a trade, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman. McAllister's father works in Arizona's scouting department. In a second tweet, Heyman says the Yanks would be willing to pay all of the money left on Haren's deal, but they balked at taking Chad Qualls and Chris Snyder as well.
  • ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Yankees were "never close" to a deal for a Haren, having rejected a D-Backs' proposal that would have sent Joba Chamberlain, highly regarded pitching prospect Ivan Nova, and two others to Arizona. The Yanks countered with a package built entirely around prospects. Another sticking point is the $33MM left on Haren's contract, which the D-Backs wanted the Yanks to assume in full. New York, like other interested clubs, wanted the quality of the players in the deal to be dependent on how much of Haren's contract Arizona is willing to eat.
  • Sean Brennan, Mark Feinsand, and Roger Rubin of The New York Daily News spoke to a source who indicated that while the Yankees would like to swing a deal for Haren, they won't do so "at all costs."

Odds & Ends: Hart, Angels, Blue Jays, Mariners

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Some links for Saturday as Roy Oswalt prepares to make what might be the final start of his Astros' career…

Dan Haren Rumors: Friday

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The D’Backs have started exchanging names with teams about possible Dan Haren trades and the Tigers, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals and Twins appear to have varying degrees of interest in the righty. That’s just the abbreviated version of what we heard yesterday, but there’s more. The D’Backs’ asking price? High-quality major league-ready pitching. With that in mind, here are today’s Dan Haren rumors, with more to come:

  • Updating his earlier story, Magruder quotes Hall, the D'Backs CEO, as saying: "There are some other teams involved that have deals of at least equal value out there. I would not categorize the Yankees as a front-runner."
  • In a piece for FOXSportsArizona.com, Jack Magruder notes that the Yankees aren't one of the teams that require Haren's approval. Magruder also suggests a trade with the Yanks could involve New York taking on other players that the D'Backs would like to move, such as Aaron Heilman, Chad Qualls, or Chris Snyder.
  • D'Backs' CEO Derrick Hall tells Piecoro (Twitter link) that there's no clear front-runner for Haren and reiterates "nothing [is] imminent." However, most reports still indicate that the Yanks are the favorite. AOL FanHouse's Frankie Piliere (via Twitter) and Morosi both hear that Ivan Nova could be a key piece in a Haren trade with New York.
  • Expanding on his earlier tweet, Price hears that nothing is imminent between the Yankees and Arizona, but that the D'Backs "seem determined" to move Haren before his next start on Tuesday.
  • According to Rosenthal, the Yankees appear to be the front-runners for Haren now, with the D'Backs telling clubs that they're in "advanced negotiations" with one team. Ed Price of AOL FanHouse adds (via Twitter) that the Cardinals may be out of the Haren sweepstakes.
  • The Yankees are actively talking to the D’Backs about Haren, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. If the Yanks can acquire Haren for prospects, Stark says they are poised to accelerate talks.
  • The Cardinals aim to add an innings-eater this summer, though not necessarily an ace, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Tigers and Twins, who both have interest in Haren, are on his no-trade list, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Haren would also have to approve a trade to the Rays or Reds. Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported that the Twins were on Haren's list. 
  • The D'Backs have told rival teams that they are intent on moving Haren before the deadline, according to Olney (via Twitter).
  • MLB executives tell ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that the D’Backs seem much more willing to deal Haren these days. Some talent evaluators believe the Tigers would have a tough time building an offer for Haren without including pitching prospect Jacob Turner.
  • A D'Backs source tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that expectations have shifted and it seems more likely that the D'Backs will trade Haren.

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Friday

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The Twins, Cardinals and Phillies are talking to the Astros about Roy Oswalt, who seems to prefer one of those clubs to the others. Yesterday we heard that the Cardinals are Oswalt’s first choice and are a “very real” threat to acquire him. The clubs have struggled to find a fit, possibly because the Cardinals want the Astros to take on salary. That's not the only complication, as Oswalt may decide to demand that his $16MM option for 2012 is picked up. Here are today’s rumors, with more to come throughout the day:

  • Oswalt told Alyson Footer of the Astros that his 2012 option won't be a deal-breaker if the Astros approach him with a deal that he likes (Twitter link).
  • The Twins are not in on Oswalt and have not even contacted the Astros about him, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Rosenthal confirms that the Dodgers are talking to the Astros about their ace, but suggests L.A. may not have the prospects to satisfy GM Ed Wade.
  • The Dodgers are actively discussing Oswalt with the Astros and the teams have exchanged names, according to Stark. The Dodgers would likely need the Astros to pick up some salary in any trade.
  • The Astros would prefer not to trade Oswalt within the division, so they continue talking to the Phillies, while maintaining contact with the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. A source tells ESPN that the Cardinals would include major leaguers Jon Jay or Brendan Ryan in a deal. The Astros, who would like to engage other clubs, appear to want a catcher and/or corner infielders.
  • The Phillies are still shopping Jayson Werth, partly to see if they can obtain prospects that they could use in an Oswalt trade, according to Stark. However, they don’t appear to be making progress on a Werth trade.
  • The Cardinals aim to add an innings-eater this summer, though not necessarily an ace, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • Oswalt would consider re-structuring his contract to accomodate a trade to the Cardinals, but he still wants his 2012 option picked up in a deal, according to Amy Nelson of ESPN (via Twitter). Re-structuring the deal would likely mean deferring salary (Twitter link).
  • An NL exec tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Astros are looking to obtain “two top prospects, a third minor-league player and a young player who is ‘major league ready’” if they trade Oswalt. Cards GM John Mozeliak didn’t comment on specific trade possibilities, but said the team is exploring a “spectrum” of opportunities. 

Rays Don’t Expect To Acquire Werth

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A Rays source tells Yahoo's Tim Brown that the team doesn't expect to acquire Jayson Werth (Twitter link). Before David DeJesus hit the DL, the Royals outfielder was a more likely target for Tampa Bay, according to Brown's source. The Phillies are shopping Werth, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. They would like to obtain prospects – possibly so they can send them to Houston for Roy Oswalt – and Werth would be able to command some quality young players.

Werth projects as a Type A free agent and in spite of a recent slide (.612 OPS and zero homers since June 26th), has solid numbers for the year. His .279/.369/.498 line is quite good and he leads the league in doubles. Teams like the Rays, White Sox and Giants are looking for big bats, and the Phils can call on Domonic Brown – arguably the top prospect in the minor leagues – to replace Werth.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gillies, Oswalt, Hart, Lilly

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On this date ten years ago, a 36-year-old Barry Larkin signed a three-year contract extension with the Reds worth $27MM. This came a day after Larkin invoked his ten-and-five rights to block a trade to the Mets, who agreed to send then-top prospect Alex Escobar and two others to Cincinnati. New York dealt Melvin Mora and three other players to Baltimore for Mike Bordick five days later, filling their shortstop hole. Larkin, the first 30-30 shortstop in baseball history, hit just .257/.328/.372 during the life of the extension.

Here are some links with the trade deadline seemingly right around the corner…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Odds & Ends: Hamilton, Rangers, Moyer, Wilson

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As Alex Rodriguez takes a step closer to the 600-homer club, here are some news items…

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Thursday

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The Astros have made a major push to find suitors for Roy Oswalt, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. It appeared yesterday that talks between the Phillies and Astros slowed down when Oswalt demanded that his 2012 option be picked up in any trade.

Olney reports that Oswalt would like the chance to pitch in St. Louis, and that preference may become a factor. Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports reported last night that the Cardinals are, in fact, frontrunners for the righty. Meanwhile, MLB.com reports that Oswalt would love to pitch in St. Louis and might not even require that his option be picked up if the Astros work out a deal with the division rival Cards. Here are the rest of your Roy Oswalt rumors, with more to come throughout the day:

  • Jayson Stark of ESPN.com talks to an anonymous official from an AL team who predicts that Oswalt will drop his demand about his 2012 option: "In the end, I don't believe the guy is going to insist on getting that option picked up.  He wants out.  And if he really wants out, that's going to change."  Stark also notes that St. Louis has offered "two young players off their major-league roster" for the Astros right-hander.
  • Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Twins are showing an interest in Oswalt.
  • Jamie Moyer is out indefinitely, but GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Phils will replace him internally this weekend (Twitter link).
  • Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears that Oswalt has told the Astros that the Cardinals are his "first choice." However, a Cards official told Goold that adding a premium player is a "longshot" at this point.
  • The Cardinals want the Astros to take on a significant chunk of the $24MM or so remaining on Oswalt's contract, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). The Phillies are still involved in talks for Oswalt.
  • The Cardinals have discussed possible Oswalt trades with the Astros, but the two clubs have struggled to find a fit, someone with close knowledge of the talks tells Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Astros like Shelby Miller, but aren’t sure if they want the Cardinals prospect to be the centerpiece of a deal. It isn’t easy to imagine a situation that satisfies all of Oswalt’s demands and all of the Astros’, but Rosenthal and Morosi say it’s too early to count the Cards out.
  • One GM tells Jon Heyman of SI.com that the Oswalt-Cardinals talks are "very real" (Twitter link).
  • Cards vice president of scouting and player development Jeff Luhnow did not call pitching prospect Shelby Miller untouchable yesterday, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, since Miller would be tough to obtain whether or not the Cards publicly label him ‘untouchable.’ Strauss reports that Oswalt has told acquaintances connected to the Cardinals that he would be flexible with his 2012 option if traded to St. Louis. Presumably that means he wouldn’t demand that the Cards pick it up.
  • Brad Lidge tells Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News that he would call Oswalt, a former teammate, if it helps bring him to Philadelphia.

Timo Perez Signs With Phillies

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Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Twitter link) that Philadelphia has signed Timo Perez to a minor-league contract and assigned the outfielder to Double-A.

The outfielder hasn't played in the majors since 2007, but he has been toiling in the independent leagues, Mexican League and (this season) for the Dodgers' Triple-A franchise, posting a .762 OPS in 123 plate appearances for Albuquerque. 

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