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Pirates Have Strong Interest In Jason Kubel

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The Pirates have strong interest in Twins outfielder/designated hitter Jason Kubel, reports MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.  ESPN's Jayson Stark reported earlier that the Pirates have their eye on Kubel.

Langosch reports that the Pirates would likely not have to part with top prospects to obtain Kubel.  However, the big question is whether the Twins, at 6.5 games out, would move him.  So far, indications are that the Twins still consider themselves contenders, or at least aren't interested in selling off pieces.  The Reds and Mets are 6.5 games out as well.

Kubel, 29, is hitting .308/.359/.463 in 248 plate appearances this year.  He missed all of June and three weeks of July with a sprained foot.  He's got $1.76MM remaining on his contract this year and projects as a Type B free agent currently, at least in the American League.

NL Central Notes: Ramirez, Reds, Pirates

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We've already checked in on the NL East and the NL West. Now it's the NL Central's turn with precisely 48 hours remaining before the non-waiver trade deadline…

  • The Angels would love the chance to acquire Aramis Ramirez from the Cubs, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Yesterday evening, after Ramirez suggested he would consider trades, Ramirez's agent said the third baseman wants to stay put.
  • John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer says it would be pointless for the Reds to make moves strictly for this season. 
  • As Morosi writes, the 50-55 Reds may not be a pitcher away from contending. Ubaldo Jimenez could only do so much – "He’s a pitcher, not a roster mechanic."
  • The Reds want pitching in exchange for Ramon Hernandez, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).
  • The Pirates remain active in the market for outfielders, Morosi reports (on Twitter).

NL West Notes: Iannetta, Ellis, Jimenez, Hernandez

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One of the biggest trade chips in baseball – Carlos Beltran – joined the NL West this week, but a handful of impact players could leave the division within 50 hours. Heath Bell, Mike Adams (latest rumors), Ubaldo Jimenez (latest rumors) and Hiroki Kuroda (latest rumors) are all on the block. Here are the latest notes and rumblings from the NL West…

  • The Padres have some interest in Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter). The Pirates' interest in Iannetta has cooled.
  • The Rockies intend to try to re-sign Mark Ellis, who hits free agency after the season, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports.
  • Tom Verducci of SI.com presents the nine pitchers to throw 500 innings for the Rockies before Jimenez. Jason Jennings, Shawn Chacon and Jeff Francis are among the pitchers on the list, so Verducci says Colorado “should absolutely see if they can prey upon the needs of the Yankees, Reds and Tigers.”
  • The Giants remain interested in Ramon Hernandez, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Reds haven't made the backstop available at this point, but the Giants have had interest since early July (and perhaps earlier).
  • Yhency Brazoban reached an agreement with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, according to a Sports Hochi report that Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along. We heard earlier in the week that the reliever was on the verge of leaving the Diamondbacks' organization for Japan.

Hunter Pence Very Likely To Be Traded?

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We learned yesterday that the Astros are deep into trade talks for Hunter Pence and that a deal could be completed today. The Phillies, who appear to be willing to include Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton and others in a deal, may have a Friday pre-deadline for reaching an agreement, so that the Astros have time to explore deals with other suitors, like the Braves, Reds and Red Sox. The Pirates, Rangers and Angels aren't seriously in the mix at this point. Here are today's rumors with the latest updates up top:

  • The Braves are looking to be creative and are still involved, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • Pence is very likely to be moved now, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  He believes the Phillies are the favorite, with the Indians, Red Sox, and Reds also in.
  • A two-team swap remains the Astros' focus, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.  Indeed, ESPN's Jayson Stark says there's no more talk of three-team deals.
  • The Braves have not considered Pence a priority, reports MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  However, Ken Rosenthal tweets that they seek an athletic corner bat who is controlled beyond this year, and Pence fits that description.  
  • The Phillies currently have no intention of putting Brown in a deal for Pence, tweets Buster Olney.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com suggests the Phillies will continue negotiating with the Astros until Sunday if they need to, since Pence "is the guy" for them (Twitter link).
  • The Astros want pitching for Pence, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
  • The Phillies and Astros are exploring potential three-team deals involving Pence, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. Jon Heyman of SI.com and Joel Sherman of the New York Post agree (Twitter links). The Phillies may be willing to trade Brown to a third team to get the prospects the Astros want for Pence, Stark writes.
  • The Braves offered a package that included prospects they didn’t offer to the Mets for Carlos Beltran, but the Astros turned the offer down, according to Stark. The Braves may be moving on, which would leave the Phillies as Pence’s primary suitor.  The Red Sox, Reds, Pirates and Indians appear to have peeled off, according to Stark.
  • Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter) hears that the Astros don't love the Phillies' prospects, and that may even include Domonic Brown.
  • Houston is still playing the Pence market and working to bring other teams into the mix besides the Phillies, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Astros would prefer to deal Pence to the Braves, but Atlanta continues to be very protective of their big-time pitching prospects, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.  The Phillies are still working to get something done.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Astros prefer the Braves' prospects to the Phillies' prospects (Twitter link). Atlanta won't give up the "key guy," who is believed to be Mike Minor, Sherman writes.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Braves, generally speaking, have zero enthusiasm about giving up Minor, Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino or Randall Delgado (Twitter link).
  • Pence was told during last night's game that he was being pulled because of a trade, then wasn't pulled, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • The Reds are in on Pence, but he's the Phillies' to lose, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • There's a sense that the Phillies might be able to obtain Pence by offering Domonic Brown instead of Singleton and including Cosart in the deal, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • The Astros still have an "unreasonable" asking price for Pence, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • There's a "huge bidding war" going on for Pence, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter links). The Braves don't value on-base percentage as much as other teams, one NL official told Olney (Pence has a .354 OBP).

B.J. Upton Rumors: Friday

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The Braves, Indians, Nationals, Phillies and Pirates have all been linked to B.J. Upton this week, so it won't be surprising if the center fielder is suiting up for a National League team within a week. With Carlos Beltran and Colby Rasmus off of the trade market, Upton and Hunter Pence (latest rumors) are the top available outfielders. Here's the buzz on Upton, who hit his 16th homer last night:

  • Upton is “available,” but a number of teams linked to him appear to be focused on other moves at this point, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark writes. The Phillies, Braves and Pirates, for example, are working on other fronts. The Nationals remain interested.
  • The Rays' asking price for Upton is more reasonable than the Astros' asking price for Pence, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).

Hunter Pence Rumors: Thursday

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Yesterday we learned that the Phillies offered Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, and a second-tier pitching prospect for Hunter Pence, but the Astros did not pull the trigger.  Domonic Brown may have been available as well, but it appears Pence will remain with Houston until the offseason at least.  The latest:

  • The Astros are deep into trade talks and could deal Pence as soon as Friday, according to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle, who confirms that the Phillies are the leading candidate to acquire the outfielder.
  • The Astros are "mulling" the Braves' offer for Pence, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark (on Twitter). The Braves' offer is "significant" and is built around highly-regarded pitching prospects, but does not include Julio Teheran, according to Stark.
  • The Phillies are making progress toward a deal for Pence, but they'll have to reach an agreement by Friday or the Astros will move on to other suitors, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Phillies would include Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton in a deal for Pence, according to FOX. The Astros prefer younger prospects and Domonic Brown is not currently in the trade. The Braves, who have "more restrictions" on their prospects, would enter the fray along with the Reds and Red Sox if the Phillies don't complete a deal.
  • The Phillies have been Pence's most serious suitor and the Braves have a high level of interest as well, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Angels aren't seriously pursuing Pence and the Astros may be reluctant to trade Pence to the Reds and Pirates, two NL Central rivals.
  • The Phillies and Braves continue pursuing Pence and the Indians are still involved, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). There's a better than 50/50 chance of a deal. The Rangers aren't seriously pursuing Pence, however.
  • The Astros appear to be moving closer to trading Pence, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Six teams are involved, but no deal is imminent.
  • The Phillies' hope that the Astros will move Pence seems to be holding up the Phils' conversations with the Padres about Ryan Ludwick and Mike Adams, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.  Olney's colleague Jayson Stark adds that interest in Pence is exploding since the Beltran trade, naming the Phillies, Braves, Reds, and Red Sox as suitors.
  • Interest in Pence has picked up considerably with Carlos Beltran off the market, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.
  • As many as eight teams are in on Pence, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, including the Phillies and Braves.  Rosenthal says the Astros are listening.
  • The Braves are the last team in on Pence, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  The Phillies "seem to have all but given up" on Pence after their big offer was rejected.

Multiple Teams Interested In Jamey Carroll

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4:40pm: The D'Backs and Pirates are also looking at Carroll, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).

11:48am: The Brewers would like to acquire Dodgers infielder Jamey Carroll more than ever with Rickie Weeks hitting the DL for an ankle sprain, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  However, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Indians are continuing to show interest in Carroll.

Though they acquired outfielder Kosuke Fukudome earlier today, Indians president Mark Shapiro tweeted that the front office is "still working to improve the team with other additions."  Potential targets vary from Ryan Ludwick to Ubaldo Jimenez, based on tweets from Jon Heyman and Troy Renck.

Stark On Quentin, Pirates, Braves, Indians, Reds

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Another must-read column from ESPN's Jayson Stark…

  • Stark has updated his take on Carlos Quentin's availability.  He says there is "increasing evidence the White Sox are talking to several teams about Quentin, one of which is believed to be Atlanta."  An executive of a team that has talked to the Sox says that while they are not "bound and determined" to trade Quentin, they would do it.
  • The Pirates are focused on finding a professional hitter, but aren't hot on Carlos Pena or Josh Willingham.  They're eyeing the Twins' Jason Kubel, but GM Bill Smith considers his team a contender at six games out.
  • Stark hasn't heard much that suggests the Braves are still bullpen shopping.
  • The Indians are turning their attention to starting pitching, but players Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Jason Kipnis appear to be untouchable.
  • The Astros continue to shop Wandy Rodriguez, and Stark wonders if he'll fit for the Yankees as a salary dump type.
  • The White Sox dangled Adam Dunn.  Dunn has over $48MM remaining on the four-year, $56MM deal he signed in December.
  • The Reds have "stepped up their calls this week on controllable middle-of-the-order bats," although it's hard to name any available hitters of that nature.

Giants Notes: Burrell, Rowand, Beltran, Hernandez

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Before accepting a trade to San Francisco, Carlos Beltran refused to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Pirates, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Like the Indians, the Pirates made an aggressive push for Beltran before he headed for Northern California. Here’s the latest on the Giants, as they prepare for a run at a second consecutive title…

  • Jon Heyman of SI.com suggests that there won't be much room for Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand in San Francisco (Twitter link). Beltran, Nate Schierholtz, Andres Torres and Cody Ross figure to get most of the playing time in the Giants’ outfield. The Giants are expected to release Burrell to create space on the roster for Beltran.
  • The Giants aren't discussing an extension for Beltran, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). The switch-hitter hits free agency after the season and cannot be offered arbitration.
  • Some Giants people believe the Reds will deal Ramon Hernandez for a pitcher, according to Schulman (on Twitter).

Giambi Injury Could Prevent July Trade

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7:24pm: The Rockies have placed Giambi on the disabled list, reports Renck (Twitter links). He's unlikely to be traded before the deadline (players can be traded while injured, though it's rare), but Renck mentions that Giambi could be a waiver trade candidate in August.

TUESDAY, 10:16am: Giambi injured his left quad last night, and Renck says it's a potential disabled list situation.  That could end the chances of a July trade.  In another article, Renck explains that the Phillies "called about Giambi before this road trip and are expected to circle back soon," while the Pirates "are considered long shots."

MONDAY, 3:57pm: The Phillies are interested in Rockies first baseman Jason Giambi, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Pirates have interest as well, tweets Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.  Giambi isn't looking to leave, but if he asks to go to a contender, the Rockies will help that happen, Renck reports (on Twitter).

Giambi, 40, has made the transition to useful bench player since joining the Rockies.  This year he's hitting .263/.360/.632 with ten home runs in 111 plate appearances.

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