Nationals’ Surpluses Could Lead To Trades
Nationals GM Jim Bowden signed veterans Dmitri Young and Ron Belliard to curious two-year extensions last year. He’s now faced with a logjam at two infield positions.
Ben Goessling of the Washington Times describes the first base battle between Young and Nick Johnson, who get along well. Johnson has more trade value, given his age. Neither player is a lock for 150 games though. Johnson is injury-prone, but his perennial .400 OBPs are appealing. He and Young are both signed through ’09; Young has a vesting option for ’10. The Yankees or Mets could be in the market for Johnson if their current options don’t work out. Either team could then add Mark Teixeira after the season, creating another surplus.
The Nats have handed the starting shortstop job to Cristian Guzman, creating a battle for second base between Belliard and Felipe Lopez. Lopez responded with a "hell no" regarding a bench role. Hell no to your .659 OPS and lousy defense, Felipe! Belliard is more open to a part-time role, though he’s been outplaying Lopez. Lopez may be the one to trade, given his impending free agency. Barry Svrluga notes that the Orioles have been scouting the Nationals this spring, perhaps with the idea of acquiring Belliard or Lopez if they trade Brian Roberts to the Cubs. The O’s are also interested in Mark Loretta and Juan Uribe for that reason.
Odds And Ends: White Sox, Angels, Crisp, Gillick
Here are a few links to whet your appetite, including a Brian Roberts sighting. You didn’t think we could go two days without a Robert update, did you?
- Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune notes that the White Sox are looking for a middle infielder and wonders if they might get involved in the Roberts sweepstakes. However, Rogers wonders if there is anything left in the system to intrigue the Orioles.
- Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline looks at the recent rash of injuries plaguing the Angels pitching staff and wonders if it was a blessing that they did not trade for Miguel Cabrera. Considering the staff should be healthy by May, this sounds a little like when some try to put a positive spin on the Scott Kazmir trade for the Mets. They really do.
- Coco Crisp spoke to the media about recent trade rumors and noted that he is not worried about being able to audition for other teams do his injury status saying that he hopes other teams already believe in him and what he is capable of.
- The Deleware News-Journal interviews Phillies GM Pat Gillick, who is retiring at the end of the year, about his career.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
Cubs Did Not Offer Ceda
FRIDAY, 7:42pm: I have it on good authority that Ceda has not, in fact, been added to any kind of offer to Baltimore. With minor league games having begun today, the O’s are still doing their due diligence. Dave van Dyck’s sources agree that no deal is imminent.
FRIDAY, 7:13am: We’ve actually got some movement this morning on the Brian Roberts front. According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs have added hard-throwing 21 year-old reliever Jose Ceda to their offer. They’d also send Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno, and Donald Veal to Baltimore. The Cubs had been holding out on Ceda, a nasty relief prospect. With him included, they’d be sending their three best pitching prospects (according to Baseball America) in the 4-for-1 deal.
Wittenmyer also notes that the deal could be expanded to a 5-for-2 with cash if Jason Marquis and Jay Payton are included. He believes a deal will get done before Opening Day, but it may go down to the wire.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Roberts, Horacio, Willits
Rumor guru and baseball insider Ken Rosenthal has a new column at FOX Sports. Let’s discuss.
- Rosenthal does not see the Cubs taking on the salaries of both Brian Roberts and Coco Crisp, even if they shed their Jason Marquis commitment. Roberts remains the focus.
- Horacio Ramirez‘s agent says seven clubs have already expressed interest in his client. Perhaps he meant to say 0.7.
- Rosenthal runs through many Rocco Baldelli replacement options for the Rays: Reggie Willits, Kenny Lofton, Gabe Gross, and Reed Johnson. Only Willits seems the perfect fit, and the Angels aren’t making him available. Willits and his .393 career OBP could be headed to Triple A.
- The Phillies are looking for middle relief help; Rosenthal suggests a possible match with Arizona. Or, how ’bout signing Bob Wickman? Is he officially retired?
MLB Roundup: Brian Roberts
MLB Roundup is back, hosted by Stephanie Rosa. This week I talk about…what else? Brian Roberts.
Stark’s Latest: Davis, Valdez, Roberts, Lofton
ESPN’s Jayson Stark checks in with a blog entry jam-packed with rumorage.
- Stark says the Giants are shopping Rich Aurilia, Ray Durham, Steve Kline, Randy Winn, Tyler Walker, Rajai Davis, and Merkin Valdez. The vets we knew about; the last two are a surprise. Probably stems from both being out of options.
- Brian Roberts update: Stark talked to a club official who’s in touch with the Cubs and O’s. That guy expects a deal to be done next week. Plus, Stark sees the O’s as an active suitor for Kyle Lohse at the right price.
- Stark confirms the rumblings that the Rays have checked in on Kenny Lofton. Lofton could be a nice bargain this year for a couple mil.
Brian Roberts Rumors
Ah, Brian Roberts. The Cubs’ talks with the Orioles have stagnated, though the O’s still watched a slimmed-down Sean Gallagher on Sunday. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times still thinks it gets done by Opening Day.
For now I just have a tidbit to add from the esteemed Peter Gammons in Saturday’s blog:
The Cubs will eventually get Brian Roberts. Andy MacPhail has to decide whom he wants. But the Cubs are convinced it will happen.
Odds and Ends: Roberts, Gibbons, Matthews
- The Cubs and Orioles continue to be linked in trade speculation involving Brian Roberts. The latest from the Chicago Tribune says that an Orioles scout was in attendance for Sean Gallagher’s two hitless innings on Saturday. The amount of time it’s taking for these two clubs to get their acts together on this deal continues to be mind-boggling.
- The Trib is also reporting that Jon Lieber took a big step towards earning the fifth spot in the Cubs rotation on Saturday, coming through with four shutout innings against the Diamondbacks. Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis are also in the mix. It figures that the loser(s) of this battle could be trade candidates.
- Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun is reporting that Jay Gibbons looks like a natural pick to be the odd man out in Baltimore’s outfield, but the two years and $11.9MM left on his contract– plus the small matter of an appearance in the Mitchell Report and his upcoming 15-day suspension for violating MLB’s drug policy– means he’s not exactly going to be the easiest fourth outfielder in the world to move.
- Speaking of expensive fourth outfielders named in the Mitchell Report, Gary Matthews Jr. insists to the Orange County Register that he’s perfectly happy with the Angels decision to bring in Torii Hunter. No, seriously.
Posted by Andrew Stoeten of Drunk Jays Fans.
No Recent Brian Roberts Talks
SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote on Monday that the Cubs and Orioles had resumed talks for Brian Roberts. However, Cubs GM Jim Hendry came out on Wednesday and said he hadn’t had any trade talks for five or six days. Tonight, the Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec chimes in, confirming Hendry’s statement of inactivity.
Zrebiec was able to confirm from two sources that the Cubs offered Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, Donald Veal, and another unknown player for Roberts. The teams can’t agree on the fourth player, and the O’s may want a fifth too. The Orioles are said to like top Cubs’ prospects like Jose Ceda, Felix Pie, and Tyler Colvin. Andy MacPhail is clearly demanding a high price for two years of his second baseman. Zrebiec also confirms that the Cubs and Orioles have talked about a scenario where outspoken veterans Jason Marquis and Jay Payton are in the deal.
For now, it appears that the Cubs will open the season without Roberts. I’m of the opinion the Cubs would be better off going with Mark DeRosa and Cedeno as their doubleplay combo over Roberts and Ryan Theriot.
Quiet On The Roberts Front?
On Monday, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said the Cubs and Orioles had resumed talks for Brian Roberts, and one of his sources said these talks were getting serious.
Not so, according to Jim Hendry and Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Hendry says he’s had "no active talks in any trade situation in the last five, six days." Wittenmyer talked to one Cubs source who indicated that no progress has been made toward acquiring Roberts since camp began. Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has the same story. Both journalists reference "Internet rumors" rather than Heyman’s specific report, a practice that still strikes me as odd.