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B.J. Upton

Olney’s Latest: Bell, Phillies, B.J. Upton

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Buster Olney of ESPN.com has passed along some interesting tidbits tonight via Twitter. He also touched on some of these notes in his daily column this morning. Here's Olney's latest:

  • The Padres' sweep at the hands of the Twins this weekend could hasten their decision on if and when they should trade closer Heath Bell, Olney thinks. The sooner the Friars deal Bell, the more they can ask in return (Twitter links).
  • The Phillies are looking for a right-handed hitter and have checked in on the Twins' Michael Cuddyer and the Athletics' Josh Willingham (Twitter link). Olney first reported the Phils' interest in a righty stick last week. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that the Phils are seeking someone cheap, such as the Rockies' Ryan Spilborghs, because of payroll constraints.
  • The Rays will listen to offers for B.J. Upton but probably won't deal him unless they can obtain a good bat, although that wouldn't necessarily have to happen within the same trade (Twitter link).

Rosenthal On Rangers, Upton, Marlins, Indians

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With only five teams more than seven games out of first place, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports thinks this year's trade market could play out differently than your usual scenario of struggling teams selling to contenders.  An unnamed general manager tells Rosenthal “It might be more of a reallocation of pieces than classic buying or selling…Parity also means that teams that aren’t close are saying, ‘Next year, it can be us.’ Maybe they buy a two- to three-year asset that they wouldn’t otherwise.”

Here's the latest from Rosenthal on a number of teams looking to fill needs as the pennant races begin to heat up…

  • The Rangers are looking for right-handed relievers and have a number of trade chips to offer other teams.  Rosenthal speculates Texas could offer Taylor Teagarden to the Giants for a righty arm, or possibly Chris Davis to the Padres or another team that is looking for offensive help. 
  • Todd Coffey is drawing interest from the Rangers, and Rosenthal thinks Coffey could be part of a package for Julio Borbon since the Nationals need a center fielder/leadoff hitter type.
  • Of course, Washington is also looking at B.J. Upton to fill that hole in center.  Rosenthal thinks it's unlikely the Rays move Upton, though they could change their minds if the Nats offer Tyler Clippard and a young positional prospect.
  • The Marlins are interested in acquiring veteran bullpen help in exchange for one of their minor league relievers.  Right-handers Jose Ceda, Jhan Marinez and Sandy Rosario have all attracted some attention from other clubs.
  • While "the Indians’ most obvious need remains a quality starting pitcher," Rosenthal also thinks the Tribe could be in the market for right-handed hitting help.  One of Rosenthal's Twitter followers asked if Cleveland could make a move for Hunter Pence, but Rosenthal doesn't think Houston will move Pence and the Indians already have Shin-Soo Choo in right field.
  • The Brewers "would love to add another power arm to their 'pen," as Milwaukee relievers rank 13th in the league in K/9. 
  • The Diamondbacks had an interest in David Purcey before the A's dealt the left-hander to the Tigers on May 27.
  • Bruce Bochy thinks rookie shortstop Brandon Crawford can be a productive Major League hitter, which would seem to lessen the Giants' chances of acquiring Jose Reyes before the deadline or trying to sign Reyes this winter in free agency.
  • Rosenthal "can't see" Jim Hendry returning as the Cubs' general manager given the team's current state.  "Forget about signing a free agent such as the Cardinals' Albert Pujols or the Brewers' Prince Fielder," Rosenthal writes.  "The Cubs are so far gone, they are much more than one player away."  Carlos Pena, John Grabow, Kosuke Fukudome, Kerry Wood and Jeff Baker are all trade candidates this summer; MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently looked at the values of these players and others on the struggling Cubbies. 

Nationals Have Interest In B.J. Upton

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The Nationals' search for a center fielder has the team eyeing B.J. Upton, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. According to Ladson's source, Nats GM Mike Rizzo believes that a change of scenery could help the Rays outfielder, whose 2011 slash line of .228/.324/.389 ranks below his career rates.

We heard in April that the Nationals were scouting Upton, but weren't considering a trade at the time. Since then, center field has become a more glaring need for the club. For the season, their internal options have combined to post a .591 OPS in 253 plate appearances at the position.

With the Rays in the thick of the AL East race, it's not known whether Upton will be available this summer. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that the Rays could consider an Upton trade even if they're contending, while Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports said the team would have to fall out of the playoff hunt before exploring deals involving the 26-year-old. Ladson reported last week that the Nationals are "willing to overpay" to acquire a center fielder, in which case the Rays would at least have to listen.

Cafardo On Dodgers, Upton, Doumit, Red Sox

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Do not expect Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to go quietly into the night, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  The McCourt-Bud Selig saga could turn out to be one of the great sports legal battles of the 21st century.  While he's been silent publicly, major league sources close to McCourt indicate he is flabbergasted by Selig’s actions, and that he has not been able to discuss the issues with the commissioner face-to-face.  Here's more from Cafardo's Sunday column..

  • A couple of major league evaluators say the Rays could explore moving B.J. Upton if they fall out of contention, or even if they’re in contention.  They’d like to make a deal similar to the Matt Garza trade, in which they received good talent, including Sam Fuld.
  • The Pirates received calls on catcher Ryan Doumit this winter but the talks eventually petered out.  The Red Sox could be in the market for a backstop, but one talent evaluator says that Doumit isn't a great receiver and the club is better off sticking with Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  Pittsburgh’s Chris Snyder, who is off to a hot start, could also be available.
  • The Nationals are thought to be in the market for a center fielder and/or someone who can add give a boost to the Nats offense.
  • The White Sox lead the majors with six blown saves, but one club exec stands by the team's decision to let Bobby Jenks go.  Even though Jenks may do very well with Boston, it was the right decision, even if it doesn't look like it right now.
  • Cafardo was surprised to see BoSox chariman Tom Werner issue a statement that he wasn’t interested in pursuing ownership of the Dodgers.  Werner has Los Angeles roots and was once the owner of the Padres.  The chairman himself pointed out that his business and personal relationships with John Henry are too good to walk away from.

A History Of Upton Brothers Trade Rumors

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B.J. Upton has spent nearly a decade in the Rays organization. His brother, Justin, has spent all six years of his pro career with Arizona. Neither one has ever been traded, B.J. has shown interest in signing a long term deal and Justin signed an extension that keeps him under team control through 2015. Yet without fail, one of the Upton brothers always seems to be all over MLBTR.

Just about every team has been linked to at least one of the two brothers over the years, as you can see below. Here's a historical look at the Upton brothers' involvement in trade rumors:

B.J. Upton

Justin Upton

  • The Red Sox were linked to the younger Upton throughout this past offseason. By some accounts they were the only team to seriously discuss an Upton trade last winter.
  • You thought B.J. drew lots of interest? 15 or 16 teams approached the D'Backs about Justin this November.
  • The Mariners, Marlins, Orioles and Yankees showed interest and even the Rockies inquired. He was also on the Blue Jays' radar last offseason.

D'Backs GM Kevin Towers maintained over the winter that he'd have to be overwhelmed to move Justin. B.J., meanwhile, earns $4.8MM this year and becomes a free agent after the 2012 season. He'll become even more expensive through arbitration next year and the Rays are on a tight budget. That can only mean one thing: B.J. will continue to be a regular in trade rumors this summer.

Nationals Scouted Upton; Haven’t Talked Trade

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The Nationals have scouted B.J. Upton, but aren’t interested in acquiring him now and haven’t discussed a possible trade with the Rays, according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. Ladson’s source says the Nationals scouted Upton on routine assignments.

The Nationals are eyeing center field help around the league, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. However, they’re happy with the play of Rick Ankiel, who has become the everyday center fielder since the Nationals sent Nyjer Morgan to Milwaukee. 

GM Mike Rizzo is a supporter of Ankiel’s because he can handle right-handers (.778 career OPS) and plays strong defense, though he struggles to hit left-handers and always has (.658 career OPS). Jerry Hairston Jr. and Roger Bernadina are other internal options for the Nationals to consider.

Nationals Eyeing Center Fielders

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The Nationals are looking for potential upgrades in center field, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Though they have options in center, they are considering possible moves.

They recently traded Nyjer Morgan to the Brewers, making Rick Ankiel the everyday center fielder. Ankiel struggles to hit lefties (career .658 OPS against southpaws) and the versatile Jerry Hairston Jr.  is hitting just .154/.267/.308 so far. Club officials have mixed opinions about Triple-A center fielder Roger Bernadina, according to Rosenthal. 

Though the Rays will not consider trading B.J. Upton unless they fall out of contention, the Nationals would figure to have interest in acquiring him if he became available, Rosenthal writes. Upton, 26, earns $4.825MM this year and is set to hit free agency after 2012.

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Rays, Twins, Ackley

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up, so let's dive in…

  • Rival executives are already speculating that the Rays could be sellers at the trade deadline in the wake of Evan Longoria's injury and Manny Ramirez's retirement. James Shields and B.J. Upton are most likely to go.
  • The Twins nearly traded for David Eckstein in 2009, but they're not going to sign him or anyone else to fill in for the injured Tsuyoshi Nishioka. The team is currently over-budget, so they'll fill the hole from within.
  • The Mariners are having second base trouble for the second straight season, but Rosenthal spoke to some scouts who said the position figures to be a question for the foreseeable future. Top prospect Dustin Ackley will hit, but they say his defense is sketchy.

Quick Hits: Wagner, Andruw, Chavez, Upton

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One year ago today, the Angels signed Joel Pineiro to a two-year, $16MM deal. Yesterday, the Twins agreed to a similar deal with a similar pitcher: Carl Pavano. Here are today's links…

  • Billy Wagner is on the Braves' 40-man roster, but the lefty is going to retire as planned, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains.
  • Agent Scott Boras and Yankees GM Brian Cashman had a long meeting about Andruw Jones yesterday, but the sides are still apart on money, Jack Curry of the YES Network reports (on Twitter). Jones appeared to be nearing a deal with the Yankees earlier in the week.
  • Eric Chavez worked out for the Dodgers today, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. The Mariners and Blue Jays have also been linked to the six-time Gold Glover and Gurnick says the White Sox and Yankees are potential suitors for Chavez.
  • B.J. Upton told Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times that he would consider signing a long-term deal in Tampa Bay if the Rays approached him about one. The center fielder signed a one-year deal earlier in the week, avoiding arbitration.

Players To Avoid Arbitration: Monday

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Teams and players exchange arbitration figures tomorrow if they haven't already come to terms for 2011. That means plenty of players will likely avoid arbitration today. We'll keep track of them all right here and with our Arbitration Tracker; the latest updates are at the top of this post:

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