Odds & Ends: Aramis, Podsednik, Huff, Hawpe
Links for Thursday, exactly two years after the Padres traded Greg Maddux to the Dodgers…
- Aramis Ramirez told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com that he plans to honor his contract. Presumably that means he intends on exercising his 2011 player option worth $14.6MM.
- As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports points out on Twitter, Scott Podsednik has now reached 525 plate appearances for 2010, so he will have the power to void his 2011 option. The Dodgers have a $2MM option for next season with a $100K buyout.
- Mark Pieper of SFX now represents Aubrey Huff, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Huff, a free agent this winter, left ACES earlier in the season.
- Brad Hawpe, who was officially released today, thanked the fans for his seven years in Colorado, via Troy Renck of the Denver Post. It's been a rough year for Hawpe, who was "a player who everybody would have wanted" last winter, according to a GM who spoke to ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe says he would offer Adrian Beltre a three-year $45MM deal this winter if he were running the Red Sox, but he's not sure about $60MM over four years.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggests all parties would benefit if the Dodgers trade Manny Ramirez this month. Manny is rehabbing, but can soon be placed on waivers. He will likely clear waivers and draw trade interest.
Phillies Could Pursue Hawpe; Red Sox Unlikely
The Phillies could have interest in Brad Hawpe when he clears release waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). A club official told Rosenthal that the Phillies will be a “maybe” on Monday or Tuesday once he can sign with any team.
The Red Sox, who were looking for a left-handed hitting first baseman before we learned that Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury were out for the season, will not likely pursue Hawpe, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Hawpe has spent most of his career in right field, but has appeared in a handful of games at first base this year. He hasn't hit like a first baseman, as his .255/.343/.432 line shows.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes suggested the White Sox and Rays could also have interest, before the Rockies released Hawpe.
Will Brad Hawpe Be Traded?
Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe was placed on waivers yesterday, reported Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. That means the window to claim Hawpe will expire Wednesday afternoon at the latest. The Rockies "want to move" Hawpe, writes Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.
The first question is whether Hawpe will be claimed by one of the other 29 clubs. His playing time has dwindled in recent months, and his .252/.341/.430 line is his worst since 2005. Hawpe has consistently posted poor UZR defensive numbers in right field. This year, for the first time, he's played a few games at first base.
Hawpe has shown enough offense over the past several seasons that he would still appeal to several contenders. The problem is that a claim could compel the Rockies to dump his contract on another team. That club would pay the prorated portion of his $7.5MM salary (currently $1.96MM) plus a potential $500K buyout of his $10.15MM club option for '11 (unless Hawpe voids it, which seems unlikely).
The White Sox were linked to Hawpe in July, and they came up empty looking for a bat last month. The Padres and Braves made additions, so a National League claim seems unlikely. The White Sox would have first crack in the AL, before the Twins, Red Sox, Yankees, or Rays. The Red Sox and Rays may at least consider Hawpe, but I suspect he'll make it through waivers unclaimed. That'd open up trade possibilties for the Rockies, who probably won't get draft pick compensation for the Type A free agent. It'd only be possible if they declined Hawpe's option and then offered arbitration, an unlikely scenario.
Odds & Ends: Padres, Oswalt, Farnsworth, Theriot
We here at MLBTR really appreciate everyone staying up past their respective bedtimes to keep up on all of the latest rumors. Here's some news from around the web..
- The Padres prospect drawing the most interest from other clubs is Double-A starter Cory Luebke, writes Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres.
- The Dodgers had a chance to land Roy Oswalt from the Astros, but it would have cost them Chad Billingsley, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
- Plenty of major leaguers read MLBTR, but it doesn't sound like Kyle Farnsworth is one of them in this article by Dick Kaegel and Samuel Zuba of MLB.com.
- ESPN's Buster Olney (in these three tweets) says that the Red Sox, who have found the market for outfielders and relievers to be shallow, might make a smaller deal before the deadline or make their moves in the August waiver period.
- The Diamondbacks offered second baseman Kelly Johnson to the Cubs for Ryan Theriot and lefty James Russell in return, writes ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine.
- Brad Hawpe says that he isn't concerned about being involved in a deadline deal, writes MLB.com's Thomas Harding. Based on news from earlier today, it sounds like Hawpe doesn't have anything to worry about.
- Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that the Cubs could move Ryan Theriot to the Diamondbacks for Kelly Johnson.
- The Phillies may be done trading and are telling teams that they are out of money and prospects, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark.
- The Tigers and Jays are talking, and John Buck may be an even better fit for Detroit than the relievers, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Rockies Not Likely To Trade Cook Or Hawpe
6:00pm: The Rockies are telling teams they can't move Hawpe right now no matter what, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark (Twitter link).
1:55pm: The Rockies aren’t likely to move Aaron Cook or Brad Hawpe, but Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Colorado is looking for MLB-ready prospects if they deal either player (all links on Twitter). Earlier today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Rockies would deal Cook for a bullpen piece and a prospect.
The White Sox and Tigers are still eyeing Hawpe, so Renck suggests things could get “interesting” if Chicago doesn’t acquire Adam Dunn. The White Sox still appear to have interest in Dunn, but Hawpe’s left-handed bat could be an alternative for GM Kenny Williams. So far this season, the 31-year-old is batting .262/.340/.454 with seven homers.
Lance Berkman, another player the White Sox are considering as an alternative to Dunn, drew interest from the Rockies, who ‘kicked the tires’ on him before their recent skid.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Berkman, Dunn, Dodgers
On this date two years ago, Ichiro Suzuki picked up his 3,000th career hit with a first inning single against the Rangers. The hit was his 1,722nd in the big leagues, which came after he racked up 1,278 hits with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. Including the postseason, the 36-year-old Ichiro has 3,456 career base hits to his credit, a staggering number no matter how you look at it.
Here is the latest from around the baseball blogosphere, a day before the non-waiver trade deadline…
- Phoul Ballz spoke to Lakewood Blue Claws manager Mark Parent about Jonathan Villar's inclusion in the Roy Oswalt deal. Parent managed Villar this season.
- Pale Hose Pariah looks at the trade value of Lance Berkman and Brad Hawpe.
- River Ave. Blues wants to see the Yankees swing a trade for Berkman to be the team's designated hitter.
- 1 Blue Jays Way breaks down to the Anthony Gose–Brett Wallace swap.
- The Process Report tackles the Adam Dunn to the Rays rumor.
- Meanwhile, SD Sports Net wants to see the Padres trade for Dunn.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness explains why the Dodgers shouldn't add a starter before the deadline.
- Pittsburgh Lumber Co. calculates Paul Maholm's trade value.
- Scouting The Sally compares the trade value of top prospects Jesus Montero and Wilmer Flores.
- Blogging From The Bleachers breaks down the various Cliff Lee hauls.
- Bleacher GM steps into Dave Dombrowski's shoes for a little while.
- More Hardball looks back at some terrible trades from the 1990's.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Tigers, White Sox, Padres Have Interest In Hawpe
9:34pm: The Tigers are interested in Hawpe, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
5:03pm: The Padres and White Sox have asked the Rockies about Brad Hawpe, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (all Twitter links). Chicago’s interest hinges on the pursuit of Adam Dunn and the Padres’ interest may have softened, now that they have acquired Miguel Tejada.
Hawpe, who hit his seventh homer this afternoon, began the day with a .259/.337/.439 line. The 31-year-old has about $2.8MM remaining on his contract this year. The Rockies have a $10MM option for 2011 with a $500K buyout. If the Rockies trade Hawpe, he can void the option.
Rockies Considering Selling, Shopping Cook
2:54pm: The Rockies had feelers out a week ago on names ranging from Adam Dunn to Dan Haren, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman says the Rockies are now "quietly shopping" Aaron Cook and are willing to help make the financial aspect work. Cook is still owed $3.75MM this year if traded, plus $10.25MM for 2011, a $500K buyout for '12, and $125K per year if he reaches 200 innings.
7:51am: The Rockies are preparing for the possibility of becoming sellers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. They've not yet committed to that course, but they're eight games back in the NL West. But at 4.5 games out of the wild card, the Rockies still appear to have a legitimate playoff shot. Baseball Prospectus' postseason odds report puts their chances at a healthy 23.4% despite a recent losing streak.
Rosenthal says the Rockies are still eyeing Jorge Cantu and could move Melvin Mora, Ryan Spilborghs, and/or Brad Hawpe regardless of their direction. If the team's rough week continues and they start thinking about 2011, Jorge de la Rosa would be an interesting addition to the trade block. Rosenthal names Aaron Cook, Rafael Betancourt, and Joe Beimel as other possibilities.
De La Rosa has made three starts since returning from the DL for a finger injury. His last effort was solid, and he takes on the Pirates tonight. He'll be a free agent after the season and currently profiles as a Type B.
Rockies Rumors: Peralta, Gregg, Iannetta, Hawpe
Let's check in on the latest Rockies-related rumors and notes…
- Jhonny Peralta has "emerged as a potential fit" for Colorado, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Rockies and Indians have made trades in the past, including Colorado's acquisition of Rafael Betancourt last year, and Peralta can play all over the infield.
- As we heard earlier this weekend, bullpen help is still a priority for the Rox, and Kevin Gregg appears to be their top target.
- The Red Sox will likely look to reopen talks for Chris Iannetta during the offseason.
- With Jorge de la Rosa and Jeff Francis both facing free agency, Renck believes the Rockies should explore a deal for Dan Haren, though there's no indication Colorado is involved in those sweepstakes.
- In a separate Denver Post piece, Mark Kiszla argues that the Rockies should attempt to trade Brad Hawpe. Renck notes, in a tweet, that Hawpe could be a fit for the White Sox if Chicago can't land Adam Dunn or another big bat.
Rosenthal On Fielder, Padres, Rockies
Let's see what Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has for us in his latest installment of Full Count..
- White Sox GM Ken Williams is said to be confident about landing either Prince Fielder or Adam Dunn. Williams continues to talk to the Brewers about Fielder but there doesn't seem to be a match as they seek pitching in return. Meanwhile, the Nats have told everyone that they'll need to be overwhelmed by an offer to move Dunn. If the White Sox strike out on the two big-time left-handed sluggers, they're unlikely to reach for a player such as Russell Branyan or Brad Hawpe. Instead, they'll look to go small and try to improve their bullpen and bench.
- The Padres are now more focused on offense than pitching, but don't expect them to make a big splash. The club expects pitchers such as Jake Westbrook to clear waivers rather easily in August. Ultimately, they're likely to make two or three small acquisitions, bringing in guys that won't cost a lot but will help their squad contend.
- The Rockies are looking for a right-handed hitting first baseman in Todd Helton's absence. Jorge Cantu was a possibility but his price was high to begin with and now the Marlins appear to be back in contention. Ty Wigginton also appears to be out of reach as the O's want a young shortstop in return. Colorado made an inquiry on Jayson Werth but the Phillies are telling teams that they won't deal him unless they get a major league-ready starter.