Ben Sheets

Oswalt’s Demands Slowing Trade Talks

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 21, 2010 at 3:15pm CDT

Roy Oswalt is making the most of his no-trade clause and it's slowing the Phillies down as they attempt to acquire him. Two people familiar with the discussions tell ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that Oswalt is asking that his 2012 option be picked up by any team that trades for him. The Phillies don't mind the idea of paying Oswalt $6MM this year and $16MM next year, but they are not comfortable guaranteeing the right-hander $16MM in 2012.

J.A. Happ would likely head to Houston in an Oswalt trade, probably along with some prospects from the lower minors. For now, the Phillies are pursuing Dan Haren and Ben Sheets, but are not actively pursuing Jeremy Guthrie, Fausto Carmona or Ricky Nolasco.

The Phillies are talking to a number of teams about Jayson Werth, but are demanding a lot in return. They asked the Rays for B.J. Upton or Wade Davis, and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is not willing to take on any of the $2.8MM remaining on Werth's deal.

Mets Considering Dotel, Downs

By Tim Dierkes | July 21, 2010 at 10:38am CDT

The Mets have discussed relievers Octavio Dotel and Scott Downs, report Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. John Harper of the New York Daily News reported yesterday that the Mets scouted Downs and Kevin Gregg over the weekend. The Mets agreed to terms with free agent reliever Chad Cordero earlier today.

The FOX writers say the Mets are now more focused on relievers than starters. While they maintain interest in Ted Lilly, they've cooled on Jake Westbrook, Ben Sheets, and Brett Myers. Speaking of Myers, ESPN's Adam Rubin learned that the Mets and Astros have had very little conversation.

Dotel came up through the Mets' system more than a decade ago and was traded in December of '99 to the Astros with Kyle Kessel and Roger Cedeno for Derek Bell and Mike Hampton. That deal was engineered by Steve Phillips and Gerry Hunsicker back when Dotel was a starter. If Hunsicker had been able to give the Yankees a window to negotiate with Hampton before his walk year, imagine how New York baseball history would've been altered.

This year as the Pirates' closer Dotel sports a 4.62 ERA, 10.9 K/9, and 4.1 BB/9 in 37 innings, with five home runs allowed and 20 saves in 25 attempts. He has a 2.60 ERA since May 4th. Still, as ESPN's Jerry Crasnick implies, Dotel's stats suggest he should be a righty specialist. By the way, Dotel's 2011 club option becomes mutual if he's traded.

Morosi noted on Twitter last night that the Pirates are also getting calls on Joel Hanrahan, "but the price remains very high." Armed with a 95.6 mph fastball, Hanrahan has 56 strikeouts in 40.6 innings. His 12.39 K/9 ranks behind only Carlos Marmol, Billy Wagner, and Brian Wilson in the National League.

Phillies Exploring Oswalt, Werth Trades

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 20, 2010 at 10:44pm CDT

The Phillies are exploring acquiring Roy Oswalt and moving Jayson Werth in a companion trade, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says nothing is close, but Ed Price of AOL FanHouse says the Oswalt talks are "heavy." Oswalt has yet to be presented with a deal for his approval. Stark says the Phils have also discussed Dan Haren, Jeremy Guthrie, and Ben Sheets as they leave no rock unturned. As for Werth, Stark believes the Rays "head the list of interested teams." The impending free agent would be moved to save money, stock the farm system, and open up a spot for Domonic Brown. Stark says the Red Sox, Giants, and Padres are also interested in Werth.

The Phillies recently optioned Kyle Kendrick to the minors and lost Jamie Moyer to an elbow strain, so they could use starting pitching depth. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. hinted today that the club could acquire a starter by Saturday. The Phils have already committed $135MM to next year's payroll, so adding an expensive arm like Haren or Oswalt would take some maneuvering.

One candidate to start Saturday, or perhaps be traded, is J.A. Happ. Stark says the Phillies have shopped the lefty, and the Astros scouted him on Tuesday.

Click here to predict the Phillies next move.

Contenders Scouting The Athletics

By Mike Axisa | July 18, 2010 at 8:31pm CDT

The Athletics' record stands at exactly .500 after 92 games, but they sit seven games back of the molten hot Rangers in the AL West. GM Billy Beane said he didn't anticipate being that active before the non-waiver trade deadline, but that hasn't stopped contending teams from checking out his roster for potential fits.

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle brings us the latest and greatest from the East Bay…

Ben Sheets is a potential target for both the Phillies and Twins, though the A's have no desire to move the righthander. He is still owed $4.3MM for the remainder of this season, and he is currently on pace to earn the full $2MM worth of incentives in his contract, which are based on innings pitched. $6.3MM total is pricey for a guy with a 6.66 ERA away from his home park.
Slusser says that Vin Mazzaro's emergence (3.50 ERA in 64.1 innings) could make Sheets expendable, ditto healthy returns by Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden.
Detroit scouted reliever Michael Wuertz this weekend, which is not the first time they've done so this season. They also have their eye on Craig Breslow. Slusser says Oakland might not want to sell low on Wuertz, who's gone from a 2.63 ERA and 11.67 K/9 last year to 5.30 and 6.75 this year, respectively.

Odds & Ends: Sheets, Padres, Scutaro, Nationals

By Mike Axisa | July 16, 2010 at 10:54pm CDT

A few links to check out while the Yankees play their first game without George Steinbrenner at the helm since 1972…

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Phillies have had a "top scout" on hand for the A's last four series, though Oakland isn't going to move Mark Ellis and Ben Sheets isn't scheduled to pitch this weekend.
James Schmehl of MLive.com says that Sheets could be a "rather inexpensive" trade option for the Tigers if they're looking to add a starting pitcher.
MLB.com's Corey Brock reports that Padres' GM Jed Hoyer told reporters he would like to make a move to improve the team, not just a cosmetic one (all Twitter links). He says the prices must first come down, and that he has the resources to add multiple pieces.
WEEI.com's Rob Bradford says (via Twitter) that the Braves did not talk to the Red Sox about a potential Yunel Escobar–Marco Scutaro deal. He says that the Blue Jays were the only team Atlanta spoke to about an Escobar trade.
Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo ranked the team's international free agent signings for MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling.
Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times tweets that the Tokyo Giants have a scout attending tonight's Dodgers-Cardinals game. If nothing else, it shows that Japanese teams scour the U.S. for talent just like MLB teams do in Japan.

Odds & Ends: Marlins, Wigginton, Rockies, Wood

By Mark Polishuk | July 15, 2010 at 9:12pm CDT

It was on this day in 1905 that Shirley Povich, one of the great sportswriters of all time, was born in Bar Harbor, Maine. Povich, who passed away in 1998, would've been 105 today and no doubt still would've been keeping an eye on Stephen Strasburg for the Washington Post.

Some news items….

The Palm Beach Post's Joe Capozzi wonders if Edwin Rodriguez's planned lineup changes in Florida are a hint towards a possible trade of Cody Ross or Jorge Cantu.
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun adds the Padres and Rangers to the list of "potential fits" for Ty Wigginton.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweeted a few follow-up points to his story about Colorado's interest in Dan Uggla. Renck mentions right-hander Esmil Rogers and outfielder Matt Miller as possibilities for a trade package with Florida, but "there's no way" that Jhoulys Chacin would be dealt. Renck also thinks the Rockies "will listen" to offers for Franklin Morales, though those offers might not be related to any Uggla deal.
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince shares some Cleveland hot stove talk in a reader mailbag. Castrovince says that Kerry Wood has drawn "minimal, at best" trade interest, but he notes that Wood could be dealt in late August to a team that didn't want to pay an extra month of Wood's contract.
In another MLB.com mailbag, Bill Ladson "would be shocked" by a Matt Capps trade. The Nationals still have Capps under control for 2011, and with Drew Storen still a rookie and Tyler Clippard not pitching well lately, Ladson doesn't think Washington will want to risk dealing their closer.
It's "all quiet on [the] Ben Sheets trade front," tweets FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, though Sheets' recent success "should change" that.
Aroldis Chapman's inconsistent control means that Chapman probably won't be promoted to the majors until September, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
We already know that the Giants have shown some interest in acquiring David DeJesus, and now Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that a "top Royals talent evaluator" was on hand for the Mets/Giants game at AT & T Park tonight.
Steve Kornacki of Mlive.com looks at what the Tigers need to do in the second half and weighs in on some trade options. Kornacki says that trading for Jack Wilson wouldn't cost much for Detroit, whereas acquiring Dan Haren isn't worth the cost since he doesn't think "the Tigers are good enough to get past the first round of the playoffs. And that’s the only reason to gamble that much for somebody like Haren."
Rice's Anthony Rendon, thought to be a potential first overall pick in the 2011 Amateur Draft, is undergoing ankle surgery on Friday, reports MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.
Fangraphs' Dave Cameron has the latest installment of his ranking of the players with the most trade value. As he goes from #20 to #16, Cameron cites a defending Cy Young Award winner and two potential Cy winners for this season.

Odds & Ends: Jays, Haren, Nolasco, Lee, Hunter

By Mike Axisa | July 10, 2010 at 1:46pm CDT

Some links before Cliff Lee makes his Rangers' debut this evening…

Toronto has plenty of trade chips heading into the deadline, writes Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi says that the Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, White Sox, Angels, and Yankees all had scouts in attendance for last night's Dan Haren–Ricky Nolasco matchup, though it's unclear how many (or if any) were there specifically to watch the righthanders.
Prospect maven Jim Callis of Baseball America said (via Twitter) that he considers the various packages offered to Seattle for Lee to be "a wash."
A's GM Billy Beane said that he doesn't anticipate "being that active at the trade deadline," according to John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle. Ben Sheets (4.89 ERA, 6.6 K/9) hasn't built up the trade value Beane hoped he would when they signed him this winter, but there is always a market for starting pitching.
Joel Sherman and George A. King III of The New York Post heard that club officials from other teams were "irked" by the Mariners' actions during the Lee trade discussions. They also have info on some other prospects Seattle requested from the Yankees.
Sherman tweets that the Mariners wanted top outfield prospect Desmond Jennings from the Rays in a deal for Lee.
Torii Hunter told Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times that he wants to be a GM one day, and he thinks that Seattle broke an unwritten rule by trading Lee within the division.
Derrek Lee told The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan that he wouldn't ask Cubs' GM Jim Hendry to trade him to a contender.
Lance Berkman told Bernando Fallas of The Houston Chronicle that it feels different to see the Astros in sell mode.

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Cardinals, Padres, Oswalt

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 8, 2010 at 5:42pm CDT

Some links for Thursday, a day that has even the most intense baseball fans wondering about LeBron James' decision…

MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reviews all of the players Pirates' GM Neal Huntington has acquired after they were designated for assignment by another team. The best of the lot: Delwyn Young.
Tony LaRussa is happy with the Cardinals' recent bullpen additions, according to MLB.com's Matthew Leach. St. Louis added Mike MacDougal today and Renyel Pinto about two weeks ago.
Padres GM Jed Hoyer confirmed to Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio that the Padres have payroll flexibility and would like to add a well-rounded hitter and a starting pitcher (all Twitter links).
Peter Gammons notes a Corey Hart–Mike Minor rumor (via Twitter). The Braves are interested in Hart and other right-handed hitting outfielders, but Hart tells MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that he wants to stay in Milwaukee.
The Mets, Phillies, Rays and Dodgers are among the teams watching Roy Oswalt today, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (Twitter link).
Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog hears that the Mets, Phillies and Rangers are among the many teams eyeing Ben Sheets.
Yahoo's Steve Henson dials the clock back to 1999 and takes a look at the little league team that included Stephen Strasburg and Mike Leake.
Cubs draftee Matt Szczur has a deal that will give him an additional $500K if he gives up football, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
Jamey Newberg says the Rangers should seriously consider trading Chris Davis or Justin Smoak if there's a real chance to improve the club.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the D'Backs will listen to offers for Dan Haren, but will likely have to be blown away to deal him (Twitter link).
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun asks Orioles fans: should the O's have any untouchable players in trade talks this year?
Billy Wagner repeated something he said earlier in the year, telling Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he intends to retire after 2010.
Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the Phillies – like every other team in baseball – would be better with Cliff Lee.
David Ortiz tells John Tomase of the Boston Herald that he hopes to talk to the Red Sox about staying in Boston after this season. The Red Sox hold a $12.5MM option for Big Papi in 2011.

Price On Oswalt, Wood, Dotel, Marlins

By Luke Adams 2 | July 6, 2010 at 7:17pm CDT

Earlier today, we heard rumors from AOL FanHouse's Ed Price involving Cliff Lee and the Tigers' hunt for bullpen help. In his latest column, Price provides a few more hot stove notes. Let's take a look:

According to Price, the Astros are looking for teams interested in Roy Oswalt to take on Oswalt's entire salary and give up three major-league-ready players. There have been indications lately that the Astros would be willing to pay part of their ace's salary in order to get better prospects, so it's hard to believe the team will stick to the demands described by Price.
The Indians have been trying to drum up interest for Kerry Wood.
Pittsburgh "seems willing" to move Octavio Dotel.
A source tells Price that members of the Marlins' front office will meet this week to decide whether to become buyers or sellers.
In a bullet point at the bottom of Price's piece, FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher says that the Phillies had one of their "top special assignment scouts" watching Ben Sheets' last start. As Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated today, the Phils are more likely to trade for a pitcher than an infielder.

Olney’s Latest: Zambrano, Starting Pitchers, Indians

By Mike Axisa | June 26, 2010 at 10:20am CDT

In today's blog post at ESPN (Insider req'd), Buster Olney writes about how Diamondbacks' manager A.J. Hinch went against the grain by leaving Edwin Jackson in to throw 149 pitches as he no-hit the Rays last night. One unnamed manager blamed the media for the pitch count craze, but I want to add that much of it has to do with teams protecting investments. With the rise of salaries throughout the game even from just ten years ago, teams don't want to unnecessarily put a pitcher in the line of danger, so to speak.

Here are the rest of Olney's rumors…

The Cubs may wish they could get rid of Carlos Zambrano following his latest tirade, but Olney points out that there's still $45MM left on his contract. Chicago would have to eat a huge chunk of that money to unload him.
The trade market doesn't figure to be very robust this summer because there just isn't a lot of money available around the league. The starting pitching market probably won't budge until Cliff Lee is dealt, at which point second tier fodder like Ben Sheets and Kevin Millwood would draw more attention.
The Indians' two most marketable players are Austin Kearns and Russell Branyan because neither is making big money. Kearns is owed approximately $417K the rest of the season, Branyan $1.11MM, and both will become free agents as season's end.

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