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Jayson Werth Rumors: Friday

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The Yankees, Red Sox and Rays have told the Phillies that they would have interest in Jayson Werth if he is available, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. We heard yesterday that the Phillies, who would like to add a proven starter, are discussing possible Werth trades with ‘a lot of teams.’

Werth, 31, will hit free agency after the season and is projected to be a Type A free agent. That ranking likely boosts his value in the long-term. For now, Werth boasts a .278/.365/.514 line and plays solid defense in right field. Check back throughout the day for the latest rumors on Werth:

  • The Red Sox have shown interest in Werth, but no deal is imminent, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
  • An official of one team the Phillies discussed Werth with told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that he would be very surprised to see the Phils trade him. Stark reports that the Phillies appear to have evaluated the market for Werth, Ibanez and Shane Victorino. The Phillies would have interest in Vazquez if the Yankees make him available.
  • There’s no reason to believe that the Phillies will trade Werth to the Yankees for Javier Vazquez, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. The Phillies would want major league-ready players who are under team control after 2010 if they deal Werth, Zolecki confirms.
  • The Phillies would part with Werth in the right deal, but aren't sure how they would do without a comparable right-handed bat, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
  • The Phillies would prefer to move Raul Ibanez than Werth, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter). The chances of that happening seem slim.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Phillies would be looking to obtain players who can contribute instantly and who are under team control after 2010 (Twitter link).
  • Rosenthal puts the odds of a Javier Vazquez-Werth swap at 50-1 and says the Rays are not likely to acquire the Phillies' outfielder (Twitter link).

Phillies Interested In Scott Downs

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The Phillies have shown interest in Blue Jays left-hander Scott Downs, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Teams have had interest in Downs all year, though it has picked up recently, according to one of Morosi’s sources.

Downs projects to be a Type A free agent after the season, according to our latest Elias rankings. This means the Blue Jays will have the chance to obtain draft picks for him after the season. Downs, arguably the best left-handed reliever on the market, has substantial trade value.

The 34-year-old has a 2.65 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 37.1 innings this year. He earns $4MM in 2010, about $1.9MM of which remains.

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Cardinals, Padres, Oswalt

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Some links for Thursday, a day that has even the most intense baseball fans wondering about LeBron James' decision…

Phillies Discussing Werth Trades

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As they search for a proven starter, the Phillies are discussing Jayson Werth trades with “a lot of teams,” according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter links). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that the Phillies would likely consider trading Werth if they fall from contention. The Phils are 43-40, three games out of a playoff spot, but it appears that they are open to trading Werth now.

Werth, 31, is about to hit free agency and his projected Type A ranking likely boosts his trade value. Werth's team will probably be able to obtain two top picks in next year's draft by offering arbitration. But Werth would have a big impact before next season. He is hitting .279/.365/.518 with 13 homers and plays solid defense in right field.

The Giants, Padres, Red Sox and Rays are among the teams that could be discussing a deal with the Phillies, though that is speculation on my part.

Odds & Ends: Marcum, Reds, Marlins, Munson

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A few more links, on the night of Johnny Damon's 2,500th career hit….

Cliff Lee Rumors: Tuesday

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The Twins offered prospects Wilson Ramos and Aaron Hicks to the Mariners for Cliff Lee, according to a report by Jeff Fletcher of AOL FanHouse yesterday. Reports have since indicated that the two clubs are not close to a deal. If nothing works out between the Twins and Mariners, other teams, such as the Yankees, Mets, Rangers and Reds would likely be involved. We'll keep track of all the day's Cliff Lee rumors right here, so check back later in the day to see if we have moved this post back to the top of the page with updates.

  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter link) hears that Lee trade talks are "heating up," since some teams want to add the southpaw as soon as possible.
  • An official from one team interested in Lee tells AOL FanHouse's Ed Price that his club has yet to hear back from Jack Zduriencik regarding what sort of return the Mariners are seeking.
  • B.J. Upton, now involved in the Lee rumors, tells Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times that he doesn't want the Rays to trade him (Twitter link). Joe Maddon also talks to Topkin about the Upton rumors, saying there's "nothing from our end regarding that being true."
  • The Yankees believe they could trade for Lee if they wanted to, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter).
  • The Yankees are “kicking the tires” on Lee, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The source estimates that the Yanks have less than a 50% chance of obtaining Lee and suggests the Yankees could flip Javier Vazquez to another team if they do acquire Lee.
  • The Rays are on the periphery of the Lee sweepstakes, according to Rosenthal’s sources, who confirm that B.J. Upton–Cliff Lee trade talk surfaced amoung scouts last night.
  • The Tigers like Lee, but aren't optimistic about acquiring him, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
  • Olney hears that the Mariners "really like" Brewers prospect Brett Lawrie (Twitter link). The 20-year-old second baseman recently made Baseball America's mid-season All-Star team. Lawrie "still strikes out too often and is a work in progress at second base," but is among the offensive leaders at AA. The Mariners have 2009 first rounder Dustin Ackley, also a second baseman, hitting well in AA, though Ackley's presence doesn't mean they can't pursue Lawrie.
  • Morosi hears that talks between the Mets and Mariners have not progressed much (Twitter link).
  • Jerry Crasnick's sources estimate that there's a 60-100% chance that the Mariners trade Lee this month. The Mets prefer Lee to innings eaters and the Yankees ‘covet’ him, but the Phillies would be more likely to pursue Dan Haren if they go after an ace, according to Crasnick’s report for ESPN.com. One AL executive suggested the Mariners might have to explore three-way trades to get as much as possible in return for the left-hander.
  • A rival executive told Ed Price of AOL FanHouse that the Twins will ‘go hard’ after Lee. Some believe the Rangers called Omar Beltre up to showcase him for the Mariners.
  • Peter Gammons hears rumblings of a Lee-B.J. Upton deal and wonders if a third team could be involved along with the Mariners and Rays (Twitter link).
  • Rosenthal hears that no deal between the Twins and Mariners is imminent. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik declined to characterize the talks he has had with the Twins, but Jon Paul Morosi hears that the Mariners have scouted the Twins extensively. Executives were divided on whether the Twins, who have traditionally held onto their prospects, would offer Hicks and Ramos in the same deal.

Price On Oswalt, Wood, Dotel, Marlins

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Earlier today, we heard rumors from AOL FanHouse's Ed Price involving Cliff Lee and the Tigers' hunt for bullpen help. In his latest column, Price provides a few more hot stove notes. Let's take a look:

  • According to Price, the Astros are looking for teams interested in Roy Oswalt to take on Oswalt's entire salary and give up three major-league-ready players. There have been indications lately that the Astros would be willing to pay part of their ace's salary in order to get better prospects, so it's hard to believe the team will stick to the demands described by Price.
  • The Indians have been trying to drum up interest for Kerry Wood.
  • Pittsburgh "seems willing" to move Octavio Dotel.
  • A source tells Price that members of the Marlins' front office will meet this week to decide whether to become buyers or sellers.
  • In a bullet point at the bottom of Price's piece, FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher says that the Phillies had one of their "top special assignment scouts" watching Ben Sheets' last start. As Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated today, the Phils are more likely to trade for a pitcher than an infielder.

Amaro Discusses Phillies’ Trade Possibilities

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Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. talked to reporters today about his areas of focus as the trade deadline approaches, and MLB.com's Todd Zolecki has a transcript of the conversation. Here are a few highlights:

  • The Phillies are being "pro-active" on the trade market, talking to a handful of teams about possible deals.
  • Amaro implies that he's exploring acquiring an infielder, but cautions that the Phillies "may have a totally different need come July 31 than adding a piece in the infield."
  • If they could only make one move, the team would prefer to add a pitcher as opposed to an infielder, since Placido Polanco and Chase Utley will be back eventually.
  • The Phils would consider trading not just prospects, but players from their major league roster.
  • The club has the flexibility to add to its payroll.

Phils Remain Buyers; Could Sell

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If the Phillies fall from contention, they could sell, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The 43-38 Phillies are in the race now, but a lot depends on how the team plays over the course of the coming weeks.

“I could be buying and selling,” Amaro told FOX Sports, without naming specific players.

If the Phillies are buyers, they could add Ty Wigginton, Miguel Tejada or one of the other infielders they have expressed interest in. Rival teams are demanding substantial returns for their infielders, since Chase Utley and Placido Polanco are on the DL, so the Phils are in a vulnerable position. Amaro could also pursue a pitcher like Cliff Lee or Pedro Martinez, two major pieces of last year’s NL Championship team. 

Sources tell FOX Sports that the Phillies would likely consider trading Jayson Werth if they fall from contention. The right fielder hits free agency after the season and would instantly become one of the top hitters available. For now the Phillies are buyers, but that won’t necessarily be the case at the deadline.

Odds & Ends: Phillies, Orioles, Nats, Rangers, Lowell

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Monday night linkage..

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