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Contenders Scouting The Athletics

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The Athletics' record stands at exactly .500 after 92 games, but they sit seven games back of the molten hot Rangers in the AL West. GM Billy Beane said he didn't anticipate being that active before the non-waiver trade deadline, but that hasn't stopped contending teams from checking out his roster for potential fits. 

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle brings us the latest and greatest from the East Bay…

  • Ben Sheets is a potential target for both the Phillies and Twins, though the A's have no desire to move the righthander. He is still owed $4.3MM for the remainder of this season, and he is currently on pace to earn the full $2MM worth of incentives in his contract, which are based on innings pitched. $6.3MM total is pricey for a guy with a 6.66 ERA away from his home park.
  • Slusser says that Vin Mazzaro's emergence (3.50 ERA in 64.1 innings) could make Sheets expendable, ditto healthy returns by Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden.
  • Detroit scouted reliever Michael Wuertz this weekend, which is not the first time they've done so this season. They also have their eye on Craig Breslow. Slusser says Oakland might not want to sell low on Wuertz, who's gone from a 2.63 ERA and 11.67 K/9 last year to 5.30 and 6.75 this year, respectively.  

Rosenthal On Yankees, Hart, Haren, Werth

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new installment of Full Count up.  Let's dive in and see what he has for us..

  • The Yankees are talking to the Marlins and the two teams could match up in a few different ways.  Cody Ross, a right-handed hitting outfielder, would be a perfect fit for the Pinstripes.  Trouble is, Ross is a regular for Florida and the Yanks may not want to pay that price for a player they'd only use part-time.  Leo Nunez would also make sense for the Yankees in a set-up role but they'll want a lot for him as well.  The closer is under team control for two seasons after this one.
  • The Braves like Ross as well but their opinions on Corey Hart are mixed.  Some Atlanta officials are rather fond of Hart, but others see him as a slightly better version of Jeff Francoeur.  If Matt Diaz hits well and Nate McLouth comes back strong, they may not even need the Brewers outfielder.  If their guy ultimately is Hart though, it'll be at their price.
  • Two of the top starters on the trading block hold no-trade clauses, though they may not be much of a factor.  Ted Lilly can reject trades to ten teams, though the  only contenders on his list are the Twins and Phillies, who may not even be interested in him.  Arizona's Dan Haren can reject deals to twelve clubs, including the Reds.  However, a source says that his list is not a factor as he has not been pitching well.
  • The Phillies, at the moment, are not playing well enough to make a run at Roy Oswalt.  However, they don't expect to fall far enough out of contention to sell.  Jayson Werth, Rosenthal says, could be moved in order to improve the team in the short-term and long-term.  A Werth-for-Javier Vazquez swap could make sense if the Yankees could acquire another starting pitcher.  Cliff Lee, in theory, would have been that guy. 

Talks Between Phillies and O’s Are “Dead”

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Talks between the Phillies and Orioles regarding infielders Ty Wigginton and Miguel Tejada are currently dead, a source told Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun.  Yesterday it was reported that the Phillies have been talking to Baltimore about Wigginton for weeks and might also be interested in Tejada, who could have been a short-term solution at third base.

For now, it seems that the defending National League champs are content with leaving Placido Polanco at third base and Wilson Valdez at second until Chase Utley returns to the fold.  However, Zrebiec notes that this could all change before the deadline, especially if the O's reduce their asking price for Wigginton.

Meanwhile, Orioles GM Andy MacPhail says that the club could be in position to make a splash by picking up a big-time player on waivers:

“A claim would be something that would definitely be attractive," the GM said. "The trade for a big-time player, if it’s going to subtract from the core guys you are trying to build around, that becomes more problematic. It’s something you obviously would have to look at.”

Phillies Release Juan Castro

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The Phillies have released infielder Juan Castro according to a team press release. The move clears a roster spot for Placido Polanco, who was reinstated from the disabled list.

Castro, 38, signed a one-year deal that guaranteed him $750K with Philadelphia this winter. The team is still on the hook for the $315K owed to him during the remainder of the year, plus the $50K buyout of his $750K option for next year. Castro hit just .198/.237/.238 in 136 plate appearances this season after being pressed into semi-regular duty because of injuries to Polanco, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins.

Olney’s Latest: Hamilton, Trades, Myers, Sherrill

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In today's blog post on ESPN (Insider req'd), Buster Olney spoke to Rangers' GM Jon Daniels about Josh Hamilton's torrid streak (.374/.404/.683 since May 12th), which has coincided with the team's run to the top of the AL West. 

Here are Olney's rumors…

  • A number of executives expect there to be a "fairly robust" trade deadline. "I don't think there's going to be a lot of big names on the move," said one GM, "but I think you've got a lot of teams looking to fill specific needs, and there are a lot of conversations going on."
  • All of the executives Olney spoke to agreed that there are very few teams willing (or able) to add payroll, so many deals will include salary relief, similar to the $2.5MM the Mariners sent the Rangers in the Cliff Lee trade.
  • The Astros have not yet indicated to other teams what they would like in return for Brett Myers.
  • Olney wonders if the recently outrighted George Sherrill could land with the Phillies, given their interest in him last year.

Odds & Ends: Sheets, Padres, Scutaro, Nationals

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A few links to check out while the Yankees play their first game without George Steinbrenner at the helm since 1972…

  • Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Phillies have had a "top scout" on hand for the A's last four series, though Oakland isn't going to move Mark Ellis and Ben Sheets isn't scheduled to pitch this weekend. 
  • James Schmehl of MLive.com says that Sheets could be a "rather inexpensive" trade option for the Tigers if they're looking to add a starting pitcher. 
  • MLB.com's Corey Brock reports that Padres' GM Jed Hoyer told reporters he would like to make a move to improve the team, not just a cosmetic one (all Twitter links). He says the prices must first come down, and that he has the resources to add multiple pieces.
  • WEEI.com's Rob Bradford says (via Twitter) that the Braves did not talk to the Red Sox about a potential Yunel Escobar–Marco Scutaro deal. He says that the Blue Jays were the only team Atlanta spoke to about an Escobar trade.
  • Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo ranked the team's international free agent signings for MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling.
  • Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times tweets that the Tokyo Giants have a scout attending tonight's Dodgers-Cardinals game. If nothing else, it shows that Japanese teams scour the U.S. for talent just like MLB teams do in Japan.

Wigginton, Tejada Drawing Interest

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With baseball's worst record at 29-59, the Orioles are expected to start selling off their veteran players any day now as they build for the future. That process appears to be in full swing, with Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun reporting that several teams have interest in utility man Ty Wigginton while at least one may have their eyes on Miguel Tejada.

The Phillies, Rangers, and Yankees are all in on Wigginton, and in fact the O's have been talking to the Phillies about him for weeks. Zrebiec says Philadelphia may also have interest in Tejada, who they could use at third base while sliding the currently injured Placido Polanco over to second base while Chase Utley is on the shelf.

The Rangers, meanwhile, will have a scout in attendance for Baltimore's game against the Blue Jays tonight. Texas has been looking for a righthanded bat since the offseason, and the trade of Justin Smoak may have increased the team's efforts to find a platoon mate for Chris Davis. Wigginton could be a perfect fit given his versatility.

Zrebiec is convinced that Wigginton will not be an Oriole come August 1st, and it's hard not to agree with him. He isn't so sure about Tejada, however he does say there are several teams out there that believe the former AL MVP would elevate his game if pushed back into a pennant race.

Olney On Mets, Phillies, Fielder

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Yesterday, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported that the Mets have interest in Brett Myers. Today, Olney explains part of the reason the Mets are considering him over the many other options available. Here are the details and the rest of Olney’s rumors:

  • The Mets don’t anticipate having much financial flexibility, so Myers’ $3MM salary has appeal.
  • Myers’ former team, the Phillies, would like to add a starter, and they have discussed pursuing difference-making pitchers.
  • Executives are divided on whether the Brewers will trade Prince Fielder this July. A team that acquires Prince now would have him for two pennant races before he hits free agency at the end of the 2011 season. GM Doug Melvin won’t find many bidders for his first baseman now, but could attempt to engage more teams by marketing Fielder this winter. No matter what you think of Prince's value, we can safely say that the Brewers will have a hard time keeping him after 2011.
  • The White Sox, Rays and Angels could be fits, but rival officials doubt the White Sox would have enough to offer the Brewers unless they offer Daniel Hudson and Gordon Beckham. As MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk pointed out last night, the Angels find themselves in a similar situation.

Phillies Don’t Expect To Add Pitching

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GM Ruben Amaro Jr. explained to Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Phillies aren’t optimistic about acquiring pitching help before the end of the month. Last year, the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee, but Amaro doesn’t know if he will be able to add an impact arm in 2010.

“Do we have to have another pitcher? No,” he said. “Would I like to add some pitching? Yeah. I think we need to get healthy. I think we're getting closer."

Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and J.A. Happ are no longer on the DL, but the Phillies could use help behind Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton have been shaky in recent starts and Kyle Kendrick is no sure thing.

Last year this time, the Phillies signed Pedro Martinez, but a reunion seems unlikely, since Pedro has yet to throw off of a mound. There are plenty of starters for Amaro and the Phillies front office to consider, depending on how much they’re willing to spend and which prospects they’re willing to give up. The club could also add a reliever in an attempt to make up the 5.5 game gap between them and the Braves.

Phillies Designate Nelson Figueroa For Assignment

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The Phillies designated reliever Nelson Figueroa for assignment, according to David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter). The club also activated Chad Durbin and Antonio Bastardo and subsequently optioned Bastardo to Triple A.

The Phils claimed Figueroa off of waivers from the Mets back in April and the right-hander has since posted a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings of work, allowing 20 hits and nine walks, while striking out 15. Those numbers are solid, but MLB teams let Figueroa to clear waivers six weeks ago, so chances are it'll happen again.

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