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Sherman’s Latest: Adenhart, Burnett, Niese, Ibanez

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post has been digging up rumors left and right – here, here, and here in recent days.  Let’s discuss.

  • The Angels have "hinted at a willingness to build a deal around pitching prospect Nick Adenhart."  This would apparently involve Mark Teixeira or Matt Holliday.
  • The Phillies made an initial offer last week for A.J. Burnett, and the Jays were thoroughly unimpressed.  The Phillies won’t discuss prospects Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, or Greg Golson in trades.
  • The Yankees have zero interest in Burnett.
  • The A’s are willing to move Joe Blanton.  He’s not perfect, but he can eat innings and is under team control through 2010.
  • Six games out of the wild card with a league-best offense, the Rangers don’t look like sellers.
  • At least ten teams watched Mets’ Double A starter Jon Niese pitch Saturday.  He’s their top trade chip given the unavailability of Fernando Martinez.
  • The Pirates have their eye on the Yankees’ Ross Ohlendorf, if the Yanks become buyers for players like Damaso Marte or Xavier Nady.
  • Three Raul Ibanez suitors are named: the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Red Sox.
  • At least nine teams are monitoring Freddy Garcia: the Yankees, Mets, Astros, Rangers, Royals, Red Sox, Phillies, Tigers, and White Sox.  We’ve seen the Braves, Rays, and Cubs mentioned too.  Garcia’s agent isn’t up for an ’09 option with his client.  A-Rod is said to be pushing for the Yankees to sign him. 
  • Sherman notes a rumor around the game that has Pat Gillick becoming Mariners president next year, and Brian Cashman coming on as his GM.

Odds & Ends: Bonds, Church, Myers, Teixeira

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Some odds and some ends:

  • Ozzie Guillen says "Barry [Bonds] can’t play for my team," according to Joe Cowley from the Chicago Sun Times.
  • The New York Daily News’ Adam Rubin is reporting Ryan Church’s diagnosis was positive and his ability to return may "lessen the pressure" on the Mets to find a replacement.  They will also get Angel Pagan back next week and management’s "not averse" to promoting 19-year old prospect Fernando Martinez in the second half.
  • Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Brett Myers feels he’s ready to return.
  • The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s David O’Brien notes the Braves are mum on whether they’re buyers or sellers.  If they can prove they’re in it then they will seek a right handed hitter.  If they can’t, then they will entertain offers for upcoming free agents Mark Teixeira and Will Ohman.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Holliday, Burnett, Rauch, Ibanez

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Ken Rosenthal has a new Full Count video up.

  • The Angels are not interest in Matt Holliday, while the Dodgers and Red Sox "could play" on him.  Rosenthal names the Nationals as an "intriguing dark horse," saying they’ve been checking up on Holliday.  They like the idea of having him for ’09, and could even entertain signing him long-term.
  • The Phillies have minimal interest in A.J. Burnett, plus they’re on his 15 team no-trade list.  Rosenthal notes that Burnett nearly signed with the Cardinals a few years back, but their interest is not mutual.
  • Jon Rauch is a hot commodity, drawing interest from the Rays, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks.  His price will exceed that of Brian Fuentes, since he’s under team control through 2010.
  • The D’Backs would like to add a left-handed hitting outfielder, and Raul Ibanez is under consideration.  Rosenthal suggests Matt Stairs or Tony Clark as possible bench additions.

Stark’s Latest: Burnett, Nady, Greinke, Burrell

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FRIDAY: We have an update to Stark’s column – he is now saying that Burnett does have veto power over 15 teams.

THURSDAY: Let’s take a look at Jayson Stark’s latest over at ESPN.com.

  • The Phillies and Yankees both made failed runs at CC Sabathia.  The Phils wouldn’t include Carlos Carrasco or Lou Marson, while the Yanks insisted on a negotiating window.  The Phils are looking at Erik Bedard and A.J. Burnett by default, while neither of those pitchers makes sense for the Yankees.  The Yanks checked in on Aaron Harang, but that’s a moot point since he’s ailing.
  • Despite the Dodgers’ run at Sabathia, they’re apparently not looking at other starters.
  • Ken Rosenthal recently wrote that Burnett had veto power over 15 teams, but Stark’s source says it’s just a handful of teams.  It’ll be tough to convince Burnett not to opt out of his contract after the season, unless he’s hurt.
  • The Braves still haven’t made the buy/sell decision.  If they buy, Xavier Nady is the top target.  If they sell, Mark Teixeira is the best chip.  Apparently Scott Boras is talking about $23MM per year for Tex this winter.
  • The Giants are pretty clearly not trading Matt Cain.
  • The Orioles, making a run at .500, don’t seem motivated to move George Sherrill or othe top veterans.
  • The Brewers’ Plan B beyond Sabathia was Zack Greinke, rather than Rich Harden.  Ken Rosenthal recently said the Royals were "decidedly uninterested in moving Greinke," however.
  • Stark says it "wouldn’t be out of the question" for the Cubs to pursue a lefthanded starter like Randy Wolf, despite the Harden acquisition.
  • Extension with the Phillies for Pat Burrell did not get very far.

Odds and Ends: Kemp, Kearns, Carrasco, Garcia

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Friday linkage…

No One Wants Bonds

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FRIDAY: Just to hammer it home a little further, we have Bonds rejections from the Dodgers, Yankees, Cardinals, and Phillies today.

THURSDAY: Barry Bonds’ agent Jeff Borris makes it clear that none of the 30 teams are interested in his client:

"I am not talking to any club about Barry Bonds, because they all made it very clear to me they are not interested in him. Every club.  I can’t believe he doesn’t have a job. No one has offered even the minimum salary. He made the All-Star team last year, and there’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t have a repeat performance in 2008, except for the conspiracy against him."

Borris says Bonds could be ready in ten days.  Contenders such as the Angels, Rays, Tigers, and A’s have gotten subpar performance out of the DH spot but they’ve all decided to pass on Bonds for various reasons.  Borris would have to admit that even some of these clubs would have trouble fitting Bonds onto the roster.

Phillies Like Burnett, Lowe

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12:58pm: Jeff Blair of The Globe and Mail has details on the Phillies’ pursuit of Burnett.  He says the Jays are scouting the Phils’ Double A club, and like Greg Golson, Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, Jason Donald, and Brad Harman.  It seems that Carrasco, Golson, or Marson would have to be in a deal.  Blair says the Phillies might try to convince Burnett not to opt out of his contract so he can remain near his Baltimore home for the 2009-10 seasons.

Additionally, the Phillies inquired about Derek Lowe’s availability with the Dodgers.

11:46am: Pitching and hitting…two things you need to win baseball games.  Insightful, eh?  The Philles are looking for both – manager Charlie Manuel wants a "blue-chip pitcher" as well as a "good bat."

Pitching is the team’s priority.  David Murphy bandies about names like A.J. Burnett, Roy Oswalt, and Erik Bedard.  Or the Phillies could look to the B list, like they did last year when they acquired Kyle Lohse.  Lohse, by the way, wasn’t a fan of the "B list" comment by Pat Gillick.

So who’s on the ’08 B list?  I’ll suggest Bronson Arroyo, Joe Blanton, Boof Bonser, Greg Maddux, Randy Wolf, Jarrod Washburn, Odalis Perez, Jason Marquis, Tim Redding, and Paul Byrd.  Most of these guys appeared on my June 4th look at the starting pitching market.  I’ll try to revisit that list this afternoon with a fresh post.

On the hitting side, the Phillies don’t have an obvious position to upgrade.  Thoughts?

Odds and Ends: Resop, Myers, Gallardo, Fuentes

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Today’s link collection:

  • Joel Sherman says the Mets would be willing to eat some money on a contract to reduce the prospect price for a corner outfielder.  He suggests names like Xavier Nady, Raul Ibanez, Randy Winn, and Adam Dunn.  The salary-eating strategy would probably only help with Winn.
  • The Hanshin Tigers purchased reliever Chris Resop’s contract from the Braves.
  • Ricky Bottalico says Brett Myers wants to be traded, but Myers and the Phillies denied it.
  • It would be cool to see Yovani Gallardo return this year, if only to see him line up with CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets for a brief period of time.  That’s three aces.
  • The Yankees are still interested in Rockies closer Brian Fuentes; the Rox might be interested in Mark Melancon.
  • More rumblings that the Dodger front office is confusing other teams.
  • SI.com’s Jon Heyman ranks the most impactful potentially available players, raising the question of whether impactful is a word.  Heyman also includes odds of each player being dealt.

The Phillies-Bedard Situation

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The Phillies-Erik Bedard situation is an intriguing one.  The details:

  • As you know, the Phillies have had longstanding interest in the lefty.  Bedard recently appeared on a Philadelphia radio show, an odd choice given that he avoids the Seattle media.
  • Possible conflict of interest: what if Pat Gillick trades a bevy of prospects to the Mariners for Bedard, and then gets a high-ranking position with the Ms in ’09?
  • Will Carroll notes that Rich Harden, A.J. Burnett, Randy Wolf, and Bedard all carry injury risk.  However, the Phillies do not seem concerned about Bedard’s health.  He says Gillick wants Bedard at a discount, however.  Bedard has been shut down until after the All-Star break to recover from nagging injuries.
  • I imagine Bedard would command a package similar to the one the A’s got for Harden.  Both pitchers have ace potential and injury risk and are controlled through ’09.  The situations do differ, though – Bedard is less risky than Harden, and the Cubs deal was complicated by adding a good pitcher in Chad Gaudin.  Anyway, I think the Phillies could pull off a Bedard deal if centered around a healthy Carlos Carrasco.

Rich Harden Links

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It’s only July 9th, and we’ve already seen two huge names moved.  Today let’s round up the Rich Harden links.

  • Susan Slusser says the A’s weren’t discussing Harden with any other teams.  Jim Hendry was persistent for weeks, while Billy Beane has had his eye on Sean Gallagher for years (however, Buster Olney says this deal was pulled together within the last two days).  Chad Gaudin was included in the deal as insurance for Harden.  Slusser wonders whether Joe Blanton could be next to go.
  • Rob Neyer is reminded of the Mark Mulder trade, and thinks the A’s might even be better this year from this deal.  Similarly, Dave Cameron thinks the deal favors the A’s.
  • Keith Law notes that no available pitcher had better stuff than Harden and that Gaudin is "an outstanding second player."  He thinks the move to Oakland will help Gallagher and that Harden was at risk of breaking down at any time.  He seems to consider it a fairly even swap.
  • Joel Sherman sees a Kerry Wood/Mark Prior parallel here.
  • The Phillies didn’t get involved due to Harden’s injury history.
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