Phillies Rumors

Draft Links: Pirates, Astros, Sale, Mets, Padres

By Mike Axisa | June 5, 2010 at 9:25am CDT

A few links to check out with the draft less than 60 hours away…

The Pirates still don't know who they're going to select with the second overall pick according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Karen Price. "But it's not going to be one of those things where all of a sudden you're going to say, 'I didn't see that one coming,' " said head scout Greg Smith.
Bernardo Fallas of The Houston Chronicle says that Derek Dietrich, Brett Eibner, and Chad Bettis all signed releases allowing the Astros to re-draft them. Houston selected all three out of high school in 2007 but didn't sign any of them, and a player has to consent to being re-drafted by a club. All three are considered top 100 prospects by ESPN's Keith Law (sub. req'd) and Baseball America. The Astros hold three of the top 33 picks.
Law echoes the report of the Royals pursuing a deal with Yasmani Grandal, and says it could push Chris Sale to the Diamondbacks and give the Mets their choice of Zack Cox or Matt Harvey (sub. req'd).
He also hears that Grandal going to Kansas City would put the White Sox back on college pitching, and that the Giants have interest in Yordy Cabrera for the 24th overall pick.
Law also mentions that the Padres have narrowed their options for the ninth overall pick down to Michael Choice and Kolbrin Vitek.
Zachary Levine of The Houston Chronicle looks at five of the best high school hitters available, as well as the Astros' top picks by decade.
Meanwhile, Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer reviews the Phillies' draft picks from the last decade.

Odds & Ends: Sizemore, Lewis, Red Sox, Haren

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 4, 2010 at 3:36pm CDT

Some links for Friday before Roy Halladay tries to restore order for the slumping Phillies…

Grady Sizemore will miss the rest of the season as he recovers from today's operation on his left knee, according to the team. He is expected to be ready for spring training next year.
Rogers Sportsnet reported last weekend that the Blue Jays finalized their Fred Lewis acquisition for cash, according to John Lott of the National Post.
Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Yankees will likely seek a bat with a high on base percentage and wonders if David DeJesus could fit (Twitter link).
Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe speculates that Mike Lowell and Boof Bonser could be trade bait.
Jon Heyman of SI.com says it's a "long shot" that the D'Backs deal Dan Haren.
Cuban player Yadil Mujica could sign soon, according to Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald (Twitter link).
Ebro reports (via Twitter) that the Phillies are eyeing Dominican pitcher Yunesky Maya.
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun presents 12 possible replacements for Dave Trembley, including Eric Wedge, Bobby Valentine and Bob Melvin.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says firing Dave Trembley won't be enough for the Orioles. He says the club needs to hire a "high-profile, kick-ass manager."
David Ortiz told John Tomase of the Boston Herald that he "definitely" hopes to see Lowell traded, since it would be "a wonderful thing" for Lowell's sake.
As Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports, the Red Sox have more high picks than usual this year, partly because Type A free agents Jason Bay and Billy Wagner signed elsewhere last winter.
ESPN.com's Rob Neyer wouldn't give up more than one 'B' prospect to acquire Derrek Lee if he were running the Angels.
Freddy Sanchez, who will play in Pittsburgh for the first time since the Pirates traded him last summer, tells Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he loved playing in Pittsburgh and can't wait to return.

Nelson Figueroa Clears Waivers

By Tim Dierkes | June 3, 2010 at 1:43pm CDT

THURSDAY: Figueroa cleared waivers and accepted a Triple A assignment, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki (via Twitter).

MONDAY: The Phillies designated pitcher Nelson Figueroa for assignment to make room for Brad Lidge, reports MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Figueroa isn't sure whether he'll accept a minor league assignment if he clears waivers. Figueroa, 36, was claimed off waivers from the Mets on April 7th and tallied nine games for the Phils.

Last year for the Mets Figueroa compiled a 4.09 ERA, 7.5 K/9, and 3.1 BB/9 in 70.3 innings. Figueroa has spent most of his second career Phillies stint in the bullpen, and the strikeouts disappeared.

Phillies Sign Willy Taveras

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 3, 2010 at 9:38am CDT

The Phillies signed Willy Taveras, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). Yesterday, DeWayne Wise opted out of his contract with the Phillies, who restore some minor league outfield depth by signing Taveras. The Nationals signed Taveras in February, but released him unconditionally two weeks ago after an unproductive stint in Washington.

Taveras, 28, hit .200/.243/.257 in 37 plate appearances for the Nats this year. The former stolen base champ was successful in just one of three attempts. He has had trouble reaching base for the last three seasons, but he was an above-average defender (according to UZR) as recently as last year.

Taveras will report to Triple A, where Wise was playing before he opted out, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).

DeWayne Wise Opts Out Of Phillies Contract

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 2, 2010 at 3:25pm CDT

DeWayne Wise is a free agent after opting out of his contract with the Phillies, according to the Allentown Morning Call. Wise, a 32-year-old outfielder best-known for saving Mark Buehrle's 2009 perfect game with a memorable catch, was playing in Triple A. The Phillies signed Wise last fall after he declared free agency.

He was hitting .272/.317/.515 in 145 minor league plate appearances. Wise never made it to the majors with the Phillies, but he has played at the highest level for parts of seven seasons. In total, he has a .216/ .255/.380 line with the White Sox, Reds, Braves and Blue Jays.

Odds & Ends: Trembley, Konerko, Oswalt, Athletics

By Tim Dierkes | June 1, 2010 at 8:33pm CDT

Links for Tuesday, as Scott Rolen's big season continues…

The Orioles should put manager Dave Trembley "gently out of his misery" and fire him, if you ask Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the D'Backs were smart to acquire Dontrelle Willis.
Jack Moore of FanGraphs says Oliver Perez and Jeff Suppan have "parasitic" contracts.
Paul Konerko told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune that speculation linking him to the Angels is none of his business and a "non-issue" for him.
If you're on your cell phone, consider checking out our mobile site at mlbtraderumors.mobi. It's a stripped-down version of the site that just shows headlines on the front page.
The Cardinals could use a starting pitcher, and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch runs through some options. One official told AOL FanHouse's Ed Price about a rumor that Roy Oswalt would only accept a trade to the Phillies, Cardinals, or Yankees.
Josh Willingham, Corey Hart, Jose Guillen, Luke Scott, and Garrett Jones are a few speculative names tossed out by FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi as offensive additions for the Athletics. Keep in mind, though, that Willingham is not known to be available and Jones is slugging .415.
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the Pirates will release Akinori Iwamura, though he admits it'd be "an especially bitter pill for management."
It's too early for the Rangers to think about trading Vladimir Guerrero, opines ESPN's Richard Durrett. They're only one game out!
Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe looks at Theo Epstein's midseason work from years past. This year, Massarotti feels that adding a late-inning reliever is a priority.
Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues hopes Kanekoa Texeira clears waivers and is offered back to the Yankees. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that he thinks the Yanks would take him back if given the chance.

Dan Lozano Leaves Beverly Hills Sports Council

By Tim Dierkes | June 1, 2010 at 7:57pm CDT

TUESDAY, June 1st: Crasnick reports that Lozano officially announced his departure from Beverly Hills Sports Council. Lozano will still represent all of his clients, including Pujols, Rollins, Young, Cabrera, Joey Votto, Dallas Braden and J.C. Romero. Agent Dan Horwits is not leaving BHSC (Twitter links).

THURSDAY, May 27th: Crasnick hears that Lozano is taking several employees with him. Partner Dan Horwits, who represents Kurt Suzuki, Mike Leake and Kevin Gregg, may also leave Beverly Hills Sports Council (Twitter links).

WEDNESDAY, May 26th: Agent Dan Lozano has left the Beverly Hills Sports Council, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. SI's Jon Heyman tweets that Lozano will take at least three big clients with him in his solo venture: Albert Pujols, Jimmy Rollins, and Michael Young. Felipe Lopez, Russell Branyan, and Orlando Cabrera have also been reported as clients of Lozano in recent years, but it's not known whether he retained them.

By our count BHSC had the seventh-biggest offseason, brokering $132.92MM worth of contracts. Their business takes a hit with the loss of Pujols, who is likely headed for a contract in excess of $200MM. They've still got Mark Reynolds, Tommy Hanson, Brad Hawpe, Aaron Hill, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Ludwick, Hunter Pence, Ryan Theriot, Dan Uggla, Jayson Werth, and Brian Wilson, among others.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Jamie Moyer

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 31, 2010 at 6:02pm CDT

By the time Jamie Moyer negotiates his next contract, he'll be 48 years old. He's older than Ruben Amaro Jr. and a number of other general managers around the majors, but those executives may be calling Moyer up in a few months. Sure, the lefty made his major league debut before players like Pablo Sandoval and Andrew McCutchen were born, but age hasn't been an obstacle for Moyer before. He signed a Julio Franco-esque multi-year deal back when he was 46.

Nobody would be interested in Moyer if he were no longer useful, but he can still pitch. His 81 mph fastball doesn't intimidate anyone, but he relies primarily on off-speed pitches. Plus, Moyer's fastball has been just as slow for most of the last decade. He doesn't walk anybody (1.8 BB/9) or strike anybody out (4.5 K/9) and thanks to some good luck on balls in play, he is allowing less than a hit per inning this year. All told, the lefty is averaging more than six innings per start and has a 4.26 ERA.

That kind of production led to one-year deals worth about $5MM for veteran starters like Doug Davis, Jon Garland and Vicente Padilla last winter. For Moyer to command a similar deal next year, he has to keep pitching well and he has to want to play. He said before the season that he's open to playing in 2011 and if he keeps pitching like this, major league teams will probably be more than willing to accommodate.

Rosenthal On Cardinals, Silva, Yankees

By Tim Dierkes | May 31, 2010 at 2:32pm CDT

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports leads his latest column by noting that the Angels' problems extend beyond the loss of first baseman Kendry Morales. On the business side, I wonder how Morales' abbreviated 2010 will affect his first-time arbitration payday after the season. A few other hot stove notes from Rosenthal…

Rosenthal would not be surprised to see the Cardinals add a starting pitcher. They've got payroll flexibility but a reluctance to move more prospects. In my opinion, that points toward an acquisition of someone like Jake Westbrook.
Carlos Silva has surpassed all expectations, and you have to credit Cubs GM Jim Hendry for saving money and getting a useful player for Milton Bradley. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said to Rosenthal, "We didn't see any flashes of him doing what he's doing now. It just didn't feel like it was going to work here."
Rosenthal finds it likely that the Yankees will attempt to acquire a bat as well as bullpen help.
Could Phillies first base prospect Jonathan Singleton become trade bait? Rosenthal spoke to one scout who raved about Singleton, who the Phillies drafted out of high school in the eighth round last year. Singleton, ranked 20th among Phils prospects heading into the season by Baseball America, is off to a strong start in Low A.

Remembering the 1990 Trade Deadline

By Howard Megdal | May 28, 2010 at 2:42pm CDT

Ah, 1990. Times were very different then. Ken Griffey Jr. played for the Seattle Mariners. The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live were on the air. And Congress passed a bill in response to an unprecedented oil spill.

But even if that all seems familiar, the trade deadline of 1990 certainly won't. The action came later in the season, with most of the biggest trades actually taking place in August. Let's meet at the corner of Transaction Avenue and Memory Lane…

The Boston Red Sox, keen on acquiring a first baseman, grabbed Mike Marshall from the Mets on July 27 for three minor leaguers, headlined by Greg Hansell. Marshall was actually pretty effective for Boston, with a .464 slugging percentage in 117 plate appearances, though he was near the end of his career.
An August 3 deal between the Braves and Phillies had hidden implications. The immediate deal? Dale Murphy for Jeff Parrett. Both teams also included players to be named later. Atlanta got Jim Vatcher and Victor Rosario. Philadelphia got Tommy Greene, who posted a 3.66 ERA from 1991-93 and and pitched a no-hitter in 1991.
In a Doyle Alexander-for-John Smoltz-like trade, the Pirates acquired Zane Smith from the Expos for Willie Greene, Scott Ruskin and a player to be named later. At first, the deal seemed one-sided, as Smith went 6-2 with a 1.30 ERA for Pittsburgh as the Pirates won the NL East. However, the PTBNL turned out to be… Moises Alou.
The Athletics, en route to a World Series appearance, made a pair of interesting moves just before postseason rosters could be set. On August 29, they acquired Harold Baines from the Texas Rangers for Joe Bitker and Scott Chiamparino. The same day, they traded top prospect Felix Jose, Stan Royer and Daryl Green to the Cardinals for Willie McGee. The move froze McGee's National League batting average at .335- he'd go on to win the batting title in absentia. Good thing, too- his .274 mark with Oakland brought his season line down to .324, meaning under today's rules, which combine NL and AL totals, he'd have finished behind Eddie Murray (.330), Dave Magadan (.328) and Lenny Dykstra (.325).
And the Houston Astros, on August 31, made a blockbuster move, trading longtime second baseman Bill Doran to the eventual World Champion Cincinnati Reds for Terry McGriff, Keith Kaiser and Butch Henry. Oh, and also, they made a throwaway trade, dealing reliever Larry Andersen to the Boston Red Sox for so-so prospect Jeff Bagwell.

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