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Perrotto’s Latest: Atkins, Holliday, Howard

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Baseball Prospectus’ John Perrotto has a new column up; let’s discuss the hot stove tidbits.

  • Perrotto wouldn’t be surprised to see Clay Buchholz rejoin the Red Sox as a reliever, though some have suggested he’ll just remain in Pawtucket.  The Red Sox have an embarrassment of starting pitching right now.
  • The Indians are "bringing up Garrett Atkins and Matt Holliday in trade talks."  Holliday just hit the DL, but there’s plenty of time before the deadline.
  • Perrotto’s sources suggest the Phillies may deal Ryan Howard before the ’09 season, to avoid his probable large salary.  Can you think of any reasonable fits for him?

Stark’s Latest: Young Players, Giles, DeJesus

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Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings and Grumblings column is chock full of information.

  • Stark rattles off Dan Uggla, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Russell Martin, Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Felix Hernandez, Jeff Francoeur, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia as youngsters who do not have long-term deals in the works.  With Uggla and Greinke, the opposition seems more on the team’s side.  With Hamels and Howard neither side wants a long-term deal.  With the rest, the player is resisting.
  • The Padres’ top trading chip is probably Brian Giles, though a deal would further deplete a weak offense.
  • The A’s are willing to deal, with pitching considered the surplus.  Billy Beane might be able to snag one good prospect for Rich Harden.
  • There’s some doubt as to whether the Rockies will make Matt Holliday this year’s Mark Teixeira as we approach the deadline.
  • Teams other than the Royals are speculating that center fielder David DeJesus might be available.
  • The Marlins and Hanley Ramirez battled over a no-trade clause…and the Fish won.  He has none.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Victorino, Hatteberg, Paul Byrd

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The Padres stuff got its own post; let’s see what else Ken Rosenthal has for us today.

  • Rosenthal thinks it makes sense for the Phillies to shop Shane Victorino for pitching, since Jayson Werth is playing well.  That’d increase reliance on Geoff Jenkins, though.  The Marlins expressed some interest in Victorino last year.
  • Rosenthal expects the Reds to move Scott Hatteberg and a catcher before they get down to the more serious business of mullling offers for Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr.
  • Trading Paul Byrd would make sense for the Indians.  Rosenthal says the Brewers, Braves, and Astros "likely would show interest."  Byrd sports a 3.61 ERA and 4.4 K/BB. 

Howard Not Sweating Recent Extensions

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Over the past few months, Troy Tulowitzki, Miguel Cabrera, Evan Longoria, Hanley Ramirez, and Ryan Braun have been locked up to long-term contracts. There appears to be no such deal in place for Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. Though the two teams have talked long-term over the past two off-seasons, they aren’t particularly close on terms.

The difference, of course, is that Tulowitzki, Longoria, Ramirez, and Braun all signed before reaching arbitration. Cabrera went to arbitration once with the Marlins, taking home $7.4MM before being traded to the Tigers, where he signed a monstrous extension. However, there is no reason to believe that Howard will get similar treatment. The former MVP is three years Cabrera’s senior.

While Howard’s potential free agency pay day has been slightly hindered by his extended time in the minor leagues, he should still make out well before then. In his first year of arbitration eligibility, he took home a record $10MM. He’ll face arbitration before each of the next three seasons before he reaches free agency after the 2011 season, at the age of 32.

He could rack up over $50MM prior to that, though (counting this year’s bounty). And at 32, he might be able to land a decent sum, likely with an AL team to split time at first base and DH. Howard himself says it best: "I’ve always said it’s something that you can’t control. The only thing I can control is what I do on the field. If it ever happens, whenever it happens, it happens."

Joe Pawlikowski is a writer for River Ave. Blues, a Yankees blog, and can be reached here.

Phils Not Ready To Talk Extension With Hamels

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Phillies GM Pat Gillick isn’t talking about a contract extension with ace pitcher Cole Hamels at present.  It seems that he first wants to see more healthy work from Hamels; Gillick expects to talk to him "at some point."  Things could change, as this is Gillick’s last season as the team’s GM.

Hamels called the Phillies’ $500K renewal a "low blow" back in March.  Jayson Stark noted in April that Hamels’ agent, John Boggs, isn’t one to hand out club options for free agent years.

Hamels won’t be arbitration-eligible until the 2010 season.  Scott Kazmir may have raised the bar for the three arb years of a young ace.  Typically those three years were going for $13.75MM, but Kazmir will earn almost $18MM.

Odds And Ends: Rusch, Griffey, Myers, Brewers

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A few more notes for your ogling…

  • This morning we told you that Glendon Rusch declined his assignment to AAA and chose to become a free agent. Troy E. Renck says that the Rockies are already expressing interest in the lefty.
  • Brewers owner Mark Attanasio has given Doug Melvin permission to trade for a starting pitcher noting that there is enough flexibility in the payroll to take on another contract. However, Attanasio also indicated that it was too early to explore those possibilities.
  • The Delaware News Journal takes a look at this past offseason’s crop of free agent starting pitchers and how they are performing so far in ’08. They wonder if any of those arms would have been a better option for the Phillies rotation than moving Brett Myers back from the bullpen.
  • Doug Harris says that the smart move for the Reds is trading Ken Griffey Jr, noting that if they are waiting for him to hit his 600th home run, they could be in for a long wait.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Lidge, Daniel Cabrera, Bonds, Edmonds

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up.  I put the Griffey info in a separate post; let’s discuss the rest.

  • Rosenthal suggests that Brad Lidge would be harder to replace than Pat Burrell, and for that reason the Phillies will make a bigger effort to re-sign him.  I imagine Phillies fans would prefer that course of action.  The problem?  The Phillies have little chance of offering four years, according to Jayson Stark.
  • The Rangers will face a delicate situation in coming years: moving Michael Young to a different position.  The chain reaction could make Hank Blalock available.  Blalock has a club option for ’09 at $6.2MM.
  • Aside from Rick Porcello replacing Kenny Rogers at some point, the questionable Detroit rotation is set and signed through 2010.
  • One scout seems to think Daniel Cabrera has turned the corner and shouldn’t be traded.  He’ll become a free agent after the 2010 season and earns $2.875MM this year.
  • Though it might be seen as a desperation move, the Tigers don’t have much to lose by signing Barry Bonds.  Gary Sheffield endorsed it.
  • Rosenthal says the Rays and Jays are teams with "possible interest" in Jim Edmonds but are likely to pass.  That leaves the Cubs.
  • Will Jason Giambi find a job next year after the Yankees decline his option?  He plans to try.
  • The Red Sox asked about Mark Loretta during Spring Training as "infield insurance."  Rosenthal suggests the Sox consider Omar Vizquel, a defensive upgrade over Julio Lugo.

Gillick Not Opposed To In-Season Extension Talks

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According to Todd Zolecki of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Phillies GM Pat Gillick is open to breaking from his own policy and negotiating in-season with the team’s impending free agents.  Gillick’s lame-duck status may necessitate it.  I never liked the "no in-season negotiation" idea.  Even with the possible distraction, you can’t deny the huge cost savings compared to negotiating after the season.

The two Phillies everyone’s wondering about are left fielder Pat Burrell and closer Brad Lidge.  Burrell, 31, has cooled off a bit after a monstrous April.  He still has a 1.042 OPS.  He’d probably require four years and close to $60MM, and I don’t see the Phillies doing it.  Lidge is a more likely possibility; the 31 year-old is unscored upon in 17 innings.  Fine acquisition by Gillick, even with Geoff Geary pitching well for Houston.

Stark’s Latest: Griffey, Daniel Cabrera, Lidge

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new column up; it’s a must-read.

  • Stark examines the impact of ten deals made last offseason; check it out.
  • Because of last year’s surprise playoff clubs, teams may wait extra long this year before throwing in the towel and trading veterans.
  • As Peter Gammons has noted, Ken Griffey Jr.’s 2009 option will be an impediment in dealing him.  Even if the Reds find a suitor Griffey will probably want that $16.5MM guaranteed for ’09.
  • Daniel Cabrera will be available again this summer.  The Orioles should trade him as soon as possible; the .213 BABIP and 1.62 K/BB ratio indicate that his 3.54 ERA is a fluke.
  • The Royals will have pitching to spare this summer, with guys like Ron Mahay, Jimmy Gobble, and Brett Tomko on the block.  Might make sense to shop Gil Meche, too.
  • The Phillies may want to explore an extension with impending free agent Brad Lidge before season’s end.  Three years might be their max, though.  The extension subject has not yet been broached with Pat Burrell.

Odds And Ends: Clemens, Soria, Randolph, Mulder

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A couple of notes for this Thursday afternoon.

  • Bob Watson, GM of the U.S. Olympic baseball team, says Roger Clemens is not welcome. "We don’t need that type of distraction," said Watson.
  • Should the Royals give Joakim Soria a shot as a starter? I’m always inclined to say yes. If he fails in the rotation, just bump him back to the bullpen. Same logic goes for Joba Chamberlain.
  • In a minor trade, the Astros have sent 34-year-old lefty Stephen Randolph to the Phillies for a player to be named later. Randolph was 0-1 with a 1.23 ERA in AAA this year.
  • Rehabbing Cardinal Mark Mulder will be sidelined for the next week to 10 days with a rotator cuff strain.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski.

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