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Graziano’s Latest: Andruw, Dunn, Fukudome

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Dan Graziano has a new article up regarding the free agent outfielder crop.  He spoke to two anonymous GMs.  Let’s take a look at some highlights.

  • Andruw Jones has an awful .216/.312/.418 line this year.  He’s been outdone by Shawn Green, Sammy Sosa, Jose Vidro, and Shannon Stewart in terms of OPS.  Nonetheless, Jones isn’t expected to come at a discount.  Scott Boras will just play up the defense, the RBIs, the career totals, whatever. 
  • Graziano says "it’s hard to see" the Reds picking up Adam Dunn’s $13MM option.  This would just be plain dumb on Wayne Krivsky’s part.  Given the $0.5MM buyout, it’s basically like signing Dunn to a one-year, $12.5MM deal.  How many teams would pass on a huge power bat on a no-risk one-year commitment?  If the Reds don’t exercise the option, it will be change for change’s sake.  And a bad decision.
  • Kosuke Fukudome is the dark horse, a possible impact right fielder from Japan.  He will not require a posting fee.  Graziano says the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, and White Sox are among the teams scouting him.  More on Fukudome in a separate post.

Odds and Ends: Wells, Piazza, Dunn

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Here are some miscellaneous happenings around baseball that weren’t worthy of individual posts…

  • The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the Padres might release starter David Wells this week.  Boomer earns about $175K per additional start, which needn’t continue the way he’s pitching.  He’s tossed up a lot of seven earned run performances lately.  Wells would probably retire if released, though it would be fun to see him hook on with the Dodgers.
  • The Yankees designated ageless LOOGY Mike Myers for assignment on Monday.  That leaves Ron Villone as the only southpaw currently in the bullpen.  Phenom pitcher Joba Chamberlain might join the team today;  the Yankees hope he’ll be their K-Rod.  But they have to make the playoffs first (Baseball Prospectus puts their playoff odds at 55-65% currently).
  • The Indians signed Russell Branyan to a minor-league contract.  He still might be able to provide some pop off the bench against righties.
  • Yes, Mike Piazza passed through waivers.  But he also has a gentleman’s agreement with Billy Beane about accomodating his wishes if Beane trades him.  And one of those wishes might be to avoid Minnesota.
  • The Reds plan to either exercise Adam Dunn’s option and then trade him in the offseason, or else just not exercise the option.  Dunn might command a Carlos Lee-sized free agent deal.  One added wrinkle: Dunn would gain full no-trade protection until June 15th if the Reds pick up the option.

Cubs Considering Outfielders

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Multiple readers have emailed me about a radio report on WSCR 670 The Score out of Chicago today. According to the report, the Cubs are considering multiple trade possibilities to fill the monthlog gap left by Alfonso Soriano’s quad injury.  On the radar: Craig Monroe, Matt Stairs, Jeff Conine, and Adam Dunn.  Additionally, Cubs GM Jim Hendry came out and said today that he’s working the phones to find some help.

Contract situations of each player:

Monroe – $1.5MM left in ’07, should earn $5MM+ in ’08 before reaching free agency
Stairs – $267K left in ’07, free agent after season
Conine – $630K left in ’07, free agent after season
Dunn – $3.3MM left in ’07, free agent after season if traded

Monroe is the right-handed Jacque Jones, contract situation and all.  He’d be a poor and mildly expensive addition.  He’d probably clear waivers.

Stairs is doing what he does best, mashing righties.  He’s having his best season since 2003.  He’s not earning much and has no ’08 commitment.  He played for the Cubs in ’01 and did a decent job. The problem?  He might be claimed off waivers before he gets to the Cubs.  Jim Hendry really should’ve made this deal in July.  Every AL team will have a crack at him first on waivers.  Plus the Jays might fancy themselves contenders at six games out of the wild card. 

Conine is on the last leg of his career and doesn’t really offer anything Matt Murton doesn’t.  I don’t really see the point but this pickup seems most likely.

Dunn is the most intriguing and also by far the least likely option here.  The Cubs would have to give up some good players and pay out a decent chunk of salary for less than two months of Dunn.  They’d also have to do something ugly like put him in right field when Soriano comes back.  I don’t see this happening. 

Nats Just Messing With Reds On Dunn?

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John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer has an interesting tidbit today: did Jim Bowden engage Wayne Krivsky in talks about Adam Dunn just to string him along and waste his time?  Fay’s source says Bowden never intended to trade for Dunn, but strung Krivsky along in some sort of childish maneuver.

The Reds still have a pending grievance regarding reliever Gary Majewski, who they believe was damaged goods when they received him.  Is bad blood lingering, or can the two clubs play nice? Chris Needham doesn’t buy Fay’s story.

Adam Dunn To The Nationals?

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Surprisingly, with roughly four hours to ago, Adam Dunn’s most likely suitor still appears to be the Washington Nationals.

Will Carroll says that Dunn would love to be reunited with good friend Austin Kearns in Washington, and might sign an extension there.  He could become the face of the franchise.  The problem is that the Nats don’t have what the Reds want, so a third team would have to get involved. 

Just speculating, but I could see some bad blood lingering between the two teams over the Gary Majewski thing.  That has to make you wonder how Wayne Krivsky would ever let Dunn end up in Washington.  Maybe he and Jim Bowden can let bygones be bygones.

Nationals Working On Cordero Or Rauch Trade

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According to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, the Nationals are definitely shopping Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch.  Svrluga’s source believes one of them will go for prospects, most likely Rauch.  Glad to hear it; I was worried both would stay put.  I always prefer more trade action.

There’s also the possibility of packaging both relievers together to get one top-notch prospect.  The Dodgers seem most likely to agree to something like that.  Matt Kemp would probably work for Jim Bowden.  The post mentions that Bowden indeed asked for Cameron Maybin from the Tigers for Rauch.

One last note: Adam Dunn remains on the radar, but right now it’s mostly just interest.

Rosenthal’s Latest Videos: Teixeira, Dye, Garland

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Ken Rosenthal has a couple of recent videos up at FOXSports.  Check ’em out.  Some highlights:

  • The Mark Teixeira talks are at a standstill; the Braves and Angels are reluctant to improve their offers.  The Dodgers are said to be out of the picture.  Daniels, Schuerholz, Stoneman – which one blinks first?  I’ll say Daniels; he’ll go with Atlanta’s best offer.
  • Jermaine Dye is Plan B for the Angels, but as you know the Red Sox still have interest.
  • Jon Garland can be had, but Kenny Williams’ price is sky-high.  The Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Mets, and Braves all have interest.  The Braves had offered not only Edgar Renteria but a top pitching prospect, and still were rejected.  Rosenthal expects Garland to stay put because as the asking price is not met.
  • The Dodgers are still the leaders on Octavio Dotel, but the Tribe could jump in if they part with Ben Francisco.  Would Francisco really be missed?
  • The Cubs are looking at role players like Jay Payton and Jeff Conine.  Many Cubs fans have written me looking for some good rumors – anything I would hear would go on the site.  My gut feeling is that they do nothing major.
  • The Orioles asked about Kei Igawa, but were told he’s not available.
  • Rosenthal can see Adam Dunn and Eric Gagne staying put at the deadline.  The need to deal Gagne is a bit more pressing, in my opinion.

Unconfirmed Rumor: Cubs Looking At Griffey, Dunn

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UPDATE: Will Carroll chimed in on the idea of Dunn to the Cubs in a recent update.  He cited the intra-division and salary factors as reasons it won’t happen.

Didn’t hear the report myself, but a loyal reader dropped me an email.

Apparently a recent Bruce Levine report for ESPN Radio 1000 had some interesting Cubs rumors.  Levine says the Cubs might try to trade for Adam Dunn or Ken Griffey Jr.  Any deal would likely include Sean Gallagher, and the Cubs called up Matt Murton today to showcase him.

This rumor leaves more questions than answers:

  • Would the Cubs again move their superstar signing Alfonso Soriano to center or right field to create a spot for Dunn?
  • If not, how ugly would Dunn be in right field at Wrigley?  He hasn’t played the position regularly since 2001.
  • With the management situation in flux, could the Cubs really take on Griffey’s contract, which runs through 2008?  Or even the $3.8MM still owed to Dunn this year?
  • Are Arby’s new popcorn chicken shakers as tasty as they look on TV?
  • Would Gallagher and Murton be enough for either of those players?

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dunn, Wheeler, Izzy

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Ken Rosenthal posted a new column last night, and has updated it very recently.  I’ve already spoken about the Teixeira stuff, but there’s other good material in there too.

  • Some of the wilder speculation out there has been that the Twins might trade Torii Hunter or Johan Santana if they decide they’re out of it.  Various Baseball Prospectus reports put the Twins’ playoff chances between 5-10%.  Rosenthal debunks the idea that Minnesota would shop Hunter without first making him an offer, and keeping Santana for at least 2008 makes sense.  Plus, Santana has a no-trade clause. 
  • Rosenthal does have some Twins for us who might be traded: Luis Castillo and Carlos Silva.  Castillo has already been connected to the Mets in rumors, though Silva is a new one.  One could definitely envision Silva’s style working in the National League (I know, I say that a lot).  There was a recent Silva to Atlanta rumor, though Silva’s agent seems to have debunked it.
  • Rosenthal says Dontrelle Willis is not available.  Perhaps he and Tim Brown will engage in fisticuffs over this disagreement. 
  • The Diamondbacks have kicked the tires on Adam Dunn.  He might make sense as a rental – the D’Backs playoff changes sit between 16-27%, worth fighting for.  No doubt they’ve got a stable of young players to offer.
  • Rosenthal says the Astros have yet to receive interest on the Lidge/Wheeler/Qualls troika, while Jayson Stark said yesterday that the Astros hadn’t opened shop on them.  Thunderdome match #2, Rosenthal vs. Stark.  Assuming Ken survives Tim Brown.  Anyway, word is that the Rockies have their eye on Wheeler. 
  • Parties interested in Zack Greinke: Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Braves, and Cubs.  This gels with Dan Graziano’s findings.  Of course, trading a player like Greinke requires an equally talented youngster in return.
  • The Royals may not be able to do better than Cleveland’s Ben Francisco as a bounty for Octavio Dotel.  More on him in a separate post.
  • Trades of Joe Blanton and Huston Street are "highly unlikely."  So you’re saying there’s a chance?
  • The chances of the Cardinals trading Jason Isringhausen are described as "remote."  The Cards would have a hard time replacing him next year; he’s got a reasonable $8MM option.  He also has no-trade protection, so he’d probably want a better extension if he was to accept a trade.

Heyman’s Latest: Teixeira, Otsuka

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Jon Heyman of SI.com has been working the phone lines; here are some notable rumors from his latest column.

  • The Braves seemed fairly close to a Mark Teixeira trade yesterday, but the Angels are definitely knee deep in it.  They’ll make a solid offer including Casey Kotchman, Ervin Santana, and Major League player.  Adam Dunn remains Plan B.
  • Heyman says there’s speculation that Akinori Otsuka could need Tommy John surgery, which might compel the Rangers to sign Eric Gagne and/or keep Joaquin Benoit.
  • Refresher on Gagne’s 12-team allowable list can be found here.  Gagne must consent to a trade to Detroit, and it seems the Rangers asked for Cameron Maybin.  Not gonna happen.  The Yankees appear to be out on Gagne because he wants to close.  I’m skeptical – he wouldn’t pitch as a setup man if they guaranteed his entire contract?
  • Seems the Yanks entertained a Morgan Ensberg acquisition.  They would’ve used him at first base.  Joe Torre nixed the idea because Ensberg hasn’t hit for a long time.
  • Heyman’s top five available starters are Matt Morris, Livan Hernandez, Jose Contreras, Jason Jennings, and Kyle Lohse, in that order.  That ranking is reasonable.  A Jon Garland, Noah Lowry, or Joe Blanton would easily jump to that top of the list if made available.
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