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Phillies Downplaying Pedro Interest?

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Jayson Stark at ESPN says the Phillies are "exploring all possibilities" to shore up their rotation, and one of those possibilities has been Pedro Martinez, who they saw throw today. While manager Charlie Manuel didn't seem to indicate Pedro was the answer to the team's issues, a major-league source told Stark that "If [Pedro] throws well, they'll do something."

The source, based in the Dominican Republic, goes on to say that the Phillies have already notified Martinez that they likely won't reach his demands of a $5MM prorated salary. Instead, they're shooting for an incentive-laden deal of some kind. Keep up with the latest Pedro rumors here.

Halladay Season: Link Round-Up

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The baseball realm is a-twitter with the news that the Blue Jays will listen to offers on Roy Halladay. Let's run down the latest bullet points on this front:

Roy Halladay Rumors: Tuesday

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4:20pm: Ricciardi told Jon Heyman of SI.com that he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't at least listen to offers for Halladay.

3:20pm: Ricciardi told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he prepared his ace for a possible trade. Halladay told his GM that he will listen if Ricciardi decides on a deal and needs approval.

"We're going to see what's out there," Ricciardi told Olney.

Speaking to the Canadian Press, Ricciardi said he's not confident the Jays and Halladay have a future once their current deal expires after next year.

"I'm not so sure payroll-wise where we're going to be able to be after 2010," he said. "I'm not so sure that the player wants to stay here beyond 2010."

1:27PM: Roy Halladay can be had, but any team looking to acquire him will have to part with a number of top young players or prospects. Here are the details on the latest name to become available:

  • Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail talked to J.P. Ricciardi who repeats that the Jays will listen to offers for Roy Halladay. However, the Jays are only going to trade him for an awesome collection of talent.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com sees the Phillies and Yankees as early favorites for Halladay, followed by the Angels.
  • MLB.com's Todd Zolecki points out that the Blue Jays "hold all the cards." If they hear a great offer, they can take it; if not, they have their ace around for 2010.

Odds And Ends: O’s, Phillies, Braun, DeRosa

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More links for the afternoon…

Olney On Pedro, Holliday, Hairston, Manny

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The Phillies are going to watch Pedro Martinez throw today, but he'll need more than an impressive workout to latch on with the NL East leaders, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

  • Pedro will have to accept that teams are going to want to pay him "like a 37-year-old pitcher who had a 5.61 ERA last season," not a future Hall of Famer.
  • Olney wonders whether Pedro's low ground ball rate might prevent him from succeeding at Citizens Bank Park.  
  • The A's aren't currently involved in trade talks regarding Matt Holliday or the recently-acquired Scott Hairston. 
  • One scout who watched Manny Ramirez this week said he looked "heavy-legged" and out of shape.   

Phillies Will Watch Pedro Throw

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8:02pm: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel doesn't seem to think Martinez is the answer to his club's pitching woes (quote courtesy of MLB.com's Todd Zolecki):

"What I saw of him last year was, basically, he could give you five or six innings, probably," said Manuel.  "His fastball is going to be 85-90, 86-90, somewhere in there. … I think the five-inning pitcher, I think you can find those guys. Also, for myself — and don't get me wrong, I want anybody that can improve our team, that means pitcher or position player or whatever — but at the same time, I'm a firm believer that in the Major Leagues today, if you go back and look and you look at All-Star teams and things like that, the good pitchers are young pitchers. Young pitchers with high-ceiling stuff, plus they're good enough right now to throw strikes."

6:19pm: David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News has confirmed that the Phillies will watch Pedro throw tomorrow in the Dominican Republic.  Special assistant to the general manager Charlie Kerfeld will be on hand.

11:18am: MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reports that the Phillies will scout Pedro in the Dominican Republic today or tomorrow.

9:21am: Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Phillies will scout Pedro Martinez in the near future to see if he can contribute to their injury-depleted rotation. Last week, Jon Heyman reported that the Phils had discussed Pedro, and they now have renewed interest. 

However, there's been no suggestion that Pedro will accept an offer worth less than $5MM prorated. The Phillies have more payroll flexibility than most teams, but that doesn't mean they'll use it to sign the Cooperstown-bound right-hander.

Heyman On Street, Indians, Pedro, Davis

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Jon Heyman of SI.com lists his mid-season award winners, led by Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer. Here are Heyman's latest rumors:

  • Huston Street alone is worth more on the trade market than Matt Holliday. Dan O'Dowd must be happy with his return, which also included Carlos Gonzalez.
  • Jhonny Peralta, Kerry Wood and Carl Pavano are all available.  
  • Indians GM Mark Shapiro believes he can still get a fair return for Cliff Lee if he deals him a year from now, a few months before the lefty is scheduled to become free agent.
  • One executive says the Royals are "pushing" Brian Bannister as a trade candidate. However, they're reluctant to deal Gil Meche and Joakim Soria.  
  • Pedro Martinez intends to sign soon. We know the Phillies are scouting him. Could there be a match in Philly?  The Rays are "thought to be in the mix," while the Yankees are not, even with Chien-Ming Wang's injury.
  • There's apparently been "little progress" between the Brewers and D'Backs regarding Doug Davis. 
  • Nolan Ryan is part of one group trying to buy the Rangers.  

Phillies, Rangers Interested In Wang

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Saturday: Heyman says the Phillies offered "a prospect apparently not to Yankees' liking" for Wang.

Friday: SI's Jon Heyman tweets that the Phillies and Rangers are among the teams interested in Yankees righthander Chien-Ming Wang. We first learned of Philadelphia's interest in the sinkerballer last weekend, but the Rangers are new to the discussion. With the recent news that Ben Sheets may not pitch all at this season, Texas could turn to Wang for help as they prepare to make a second half run at the first place Angels. They certainly have the young players to offer in exchange for Wang, or any other pitcher in the big leagues for that matter. 

Wang famously struggled earlier in the season but has settled down of late, allowed three earned runs or less in his last four starts.

Phillies DFA Jack Taschner

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The Associated Press reports that the Phillies have designated lefty reliever Jack Taschner for assignment to make room on the roster for tonight's starter Rodrigo Lopez. Taschner allowed 54 baserunners in 27.2 innings out of the pen this year, as lefthanders tattooed him for a .303-.465-.394 batting line.

The Phillies acquired Taschner in the offseason in exchange for catcher Ronnie Paulino.

Heyman On V-Mart, Red Sox, Chapman

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Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Red Sox will come calling if the Indians are willing to part with Victor Martinez. And take this for what it's worth, but the Indians were scouting Boston's best prospects this week. Here are details on those two clubs and the rest of Heyman's rumors:

  • Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden are just the sort of MLB-ready pitchers the Indians seek.
  • Still, the Indians would require a stunning amount in return for Martinez or Cliff Lee, since both players can be part of a contending Indians club for affordable 2010 options.  
  • Generally speaking, the Red Sox are reluctant to deal their top young pitching.
  • The Indians are relatively deep at catcher, with Kelly Shoppach and prospect Carlos Santana.  
  • Red Sox first base prospect Lars Anderson could also appeal to the Indians. 
  • The Pirates initially asked for Craig Stammen or Garret Mock in their recent deal with the Nats, but Mike Rizzo wasn't willing to deal them. 
  • The Phillies discussed Pedro Martinez, since there are few good fits for them on the trade market now. 
  • Heyman says Doug Davis makes sense for the Brewers. 
  • A D'Backs person says "[Dan] Haren stays," even though many of his teammates are believed to be available.
  • Heyman names the Yankees as the early favorites to sign Aroldis Chapman.  
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