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A.J. Burnett

Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Burnett, Sherrill

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, who should probably take a vacation in August.

  • The D’Backs inquired on Mark Teixeira, but a trade is unlikely.  Tex might be the best available hitter, as Matt Holliday seems likely to stay put.
  • The Rockies scouted Nick Adenhart’s last start.  The Angels have more interest in Brian Fuentes than Holliday.
  • Tons of scouts converged on Camden Yards last night to watch A.J. Burnett and George Sherrill pitch (those hoping to see Sherrill were disappointed).  The Cardinals, Phillies, Yankees, Brewers, Marlins, Dodgers, and Tigers all had scouts there to watch at least one of the pitchers. 
  • Rosenthal says trade interest in Burnett "remains minimal," as teams fear the pitcher’s contract.
  • The Orioles are taking a look at the Brewers’ Triple A team, but it is believed that they are reluctant to part with more prospects.
  • The A’s chose first baseman Chris Carter over Emilio Bonifacio in the Dan Haren trade.

Phillies Scouting Burnett?

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Let’s check in with the Phillies.

  • Robert MacLeod notes the presence of the Phillies’ director of Major League scouting at A.J. Burnett’s start tonight in Baltimore.  Would the Phillies add another starter?
  • Jim Salisbury talked to Phils GM Pat Gillick about the rumored Matt Holliday blockbuster.  Gillick rolled his eyes at the rumor. 
  • In general, Gillick seems higher on catching prospect Lou Marson than pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco.
  • Gillick’s top target is a left-handed reliever, with a bat on the radar as well.  Some kind of acquisition is a "good possibility."

Rosenthal’s Latest: Laird, Washburn, Nady, Bay

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Ken Rosenthal has more new material.  I’ve updated the post, as Rosenthal updated his.

  • The Yankees are looking for catching – Rosenthal and Jon Heyman do not agree with Peter Abraham. Rosenthal says the Yanks have expressed interest in Gerald Laird and Miguel Olivo.  The Rangers want young pitching for Laird, however.
  • Jarrod Washburn’s limited no-trade protection includes the Yankees.  He might want compensation to waive that, putting him out of the Yanks’ price range.  Washburn, a Boras client, wouldn’t mind pitching in New York though.  The Mariners are looking for young pitching for him.  It sounds like the Yankees aren’t willing to eat the entire contract and send good prospects.
  • The Yankees may explore other trades, and are said to have interest in A.J. Burnett and Bronson Arroyo.
  • The Nationals were apparently locked in on a second baseman for Jon Rauch, perhaps explaining why they traded him for just Emilio Bonifacio.  The jury is still out on the speedy young infielder.
  • The White Sox explored a scenario where they would’ve acquired Brian Roberts from Baltimore, traded Orlando Cabrera to the Dodgers, and moved Alexei Ramirez to shortstop.  That obviously didn’t work out.  The Sox may be currently trying to decide whether to part with third baseman Josh Fields, their best trade chip and third baseman of the future.
  • Suitors for Xavier Nady, such as the Rays, Yankees, and Phillies, are balking at Pittsburgh’s asking price.  The Bucs continue to insist they’re being reasonable.
  • Interestingly, the A’s are still talking to the Pirates about Jason Bay.  Rosenthal says a trade seems unlikely.
  • The Cardinals had scouts in Baltimore yesterday, and their interest in George Sherrill is well-known.  But they might not match up with the Orioles’ needs.

Yankees Eyeing A.J. Burnett?

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Back on July 10th, ESPN’s Jayson Stark said it was "dubious that Toronto would even talk to [the Yankees] about A.J. Burnett." Presumably this is because the Yankees and Jays are division rivals.  It should be noted, though, that J.P. Ricciardi and Brian Cashman matched up on a July ’02 trade that sent Raul Mondesi to New York for prospect Scott Wiggins.

Yesterday, CBSSports.com’s Danny Knobler wrote:

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told Toronto reporters that he now doesn’t expect to trade A.J. Burnett. But Burnett’s Friday night start at Tampa Bay attracted more than a dozen scouts, including two from the Yankees. Several of the scouts in attendance didn’t stay for the rest of the weekend series, a clear indication that they were in town strictly to watch Burnett.

So while we have nothing concrete, there are signs that the Yankees are looking at Burnett.  The Cubs reportedly had a guy watching him, too.  He and Justin Duchscherer are the two best remaining starters who could conceivably be pried loose via trade.

Week in Review

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Another week in the history books! Here’s a look back from July 13-19:

  • The Phillies acquired Joe Blanton from the A’s for a package of three minor leaguers: Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matthew Spencer. Cardenas and Outman were the Phils’ #2 and #4 prospects. Personally, that seems like a lot to bring a pitcher who’s already struggling to a much smaller park. Blanton is a much better pitcher than he’s showed this season, however.
  • Francisco Rodriguez will test the free-agent market this offseason. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see K-Rod sign a record-setting contract for a reliever.
  • The Yankees signed Richie Sexson.
  • Francisco Liriano – or at least his agent – is not pleased that the Twins still have him in AAA. The Twins won’t blame Liriano for the investigation. Upsetting a player who’s that young and that talented seems like a bad idea to me…
  • The Padres traded Tony Clark to the Diamondbacks for minor leaguer Evan Scribner. The D’Backs have looked like they can use all the help they can get lately.
  • A.J. Burnett likes Toronto and doesn’t want to be traded. My advice: Don’t talk to Chicago reporters anymore, A.J.
  • Tim updated the third base and second base markets.
  • Erik Bedard’s injury looks like it will keep him in Seattle. And if you don’t believe me yet, here’s another one for you.
  • The Twins balked at Seattle’s asking price for Adrian Beltre. And considering they asked for one of Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins, or Kevin Slowey as well as other minor league prospects, can you blame them?

Burnett Wants To Stay

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Blue Jays pitcher A.J. Burnett doesn’t expect or desire a trade:

"I’m a Blue Jay and I plan on being here for the rest of the season.  Just because my name’s out there and all this stuff, and I made one mistake talking to a Chicago writer…I enjoy being a Blue Jay and that’s where I’m at. That’s where I plan on being."

The Phillies didn’t seem terribly interested in Burnett anyway, but that’s one less suitor after their Joe Blanton acquisition.  Burnett is healthy, and despite his 4.96 ERA he’s the best available starter right now.  The Blue Jays apparently won’t shop him around because they don’t want to lower his value.  Plus, J.P. Ricciardi said the Jays have no trades cooking for Burnett or anyone else.

That doesn’t mean we can’t speculate.  Three teams that I feel could be in the market for a starter: the Mets, Cardinals, and White Sox.  The Mets’ Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez are both hurting; will they answer the other National League starter acquisitions?

Phillies Eyeing Cain, Blanton

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Randy Miller had some interesting Phillies rumors yesterday.  According to Miller:

The latest has the Phils hoping San Francisco, an NL West pretender, will shop 23-year-old right-hander Matt Cain.  Word is the Giants might part with Cain, who is 5-7 with a 4.06 ERA in 20 starts, if offered an intriguing package of young talent.

However, Jayson Stark wrote on Thursday:

We keep hearing people speculate about the Giants trading Matt Cain. But we can’t find a team that has gotten anywhere in its attempts to even get the Giants to discuss him. "I don’t know who got that rumor rolling," said an official of one club. "But they told us, emphatically, no."

Moving on, Miller says the Phils aren’t interested in A.J. Burnett.  Buster Olney said the same on Wednesday.  Miller also notes that the Phils have interest in lefty relievers John Grabow and Brian Fuentes.

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Phillies’ talks for Joe Blanton are "gaining momentum."  Olney believes this deal makes sense, and that it could come together quickly.

Carroll’s Latest: Burnett, Twins, Cardinals

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Baseball Prospectus’ Will Carroll has plenty of rumors in his latest post.

  • Pat Gillick "doesn’t seem that interested" in going back to work for the Mariners.
  • One team asked the Blue Jays to include players to be named later on both sides of an A.J. Burnett deal, to serve as a balance for the pitcher’s uncertain tricky contract. The Jays passed on that idea.  By the way, the Toronto Star’s Richard Griffin thinks the Jays will keep Burnett unless offered a player who can improve the ’08 team.
  • Carroll wonders whether the Pirates would consider trading Ian Snell.  Snell is signed through 2010 with club options for ’11 and ’12.
  • Beyond Adrian Beltre, the Twins "have taken a hard look" at Hank Blalock, Garrett Atkins, and Casey Blake.
  • The Cards are searching the Triple A ranks for the next Ryan Ludwick.  Maybe they were one of the teams inquiring on Nelson Cruz?

Phillies Looking At Joe Blanton

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Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes today that the Phillies are taking a look at Oakland righty Joe Blanton.  Additionally, the Phils will bring Brett Myers back to the Majors on July 23rd.

Blanton, 27, had a rough first half – he has a 4.96 ERA in 127 innings.  All his numbers are worse compared to ’07 – strikeouts, walks, home runs. A move to the NL would help, even if he has to leave the friendly Oakland Coliseum for Citizens Bank Park.

Blanton is under team control through 2010, though he will not necessarily be cheap since he will have to go through the arbitration process twice more. We’ve heard that the Phillies don’t want to discuss prospects Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, or Greg Golson so we’ll have to see if Pat Gillick and Billy Beane can find a match.  Despite their long tenures I cannot find an example of a previous trade between these two GMs.  By the way, Buster Olney says the Phillies are not currently looking at A.J. Burnett.

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.
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