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Carlos Zambrano

Yanks Prefer Left-Handers And Rentals

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8:37PM: The Yankees are "watching everyone, focused on no one," a source tells Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger (via Twitter).

2:23PM: George A. King III of the New York Post lists both Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster as two pitchers of potential interest to the Yankees (which we also heard yesterday), but soon after notes that the Yankees would prefer to add a left-handed starter, and that they also prefer players who are only signed through 2011.

King names Wandy Rodriguez as the best available southpaw starter, though he's anything but a rental; his contract is guaranteed through 2013 with an option for 2014. Dempster better fits the criteria of a rental player; he has a $14MM player option for 2012, but after a disastrous start owns a 3.21 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 56 innings of work since May 1. If he continues to pitch that well through season's end, he can likely find more money on the free agent market. Dempster also has full no-trade protection, making him a difficult target.

Left-handed starters whose contracts expire following the 2011 season include Paul Maholm, Bruce Chen, Jeff Francis, and Zach Duke. Of the four, only Maholm is currently pitching well enough to be considered an upgrade. Mark Buehrle is also a free agent following 2011, but a clause in his contract states that he will receive an extra year at $15MM if he's traded this season.

Maholm earns just $5.75MM this year and has a $750K buyout on his $9.75MM option for 2012. To date, he's compiled a strong 3.12 ERA that's supported fairly well by his 3.53 FIP and 3.89 xFIP. Chen has been solid in 42 2/3 innings for the Royals, but is currently rehabbing from a lat muscle injury. Those names, of course, are pure speculation based on the Yanks' stated desires.

New York is currently sixth in the American League in starters' ERA with a mark of 3.89, but that's been largely supported by surprising performances from Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon, who was recently put on the 15-day disabled list. As King points out, the club expects Phil Hughes to return at some point as well. He's set for a rehab start tomorrow.

Central Notes: Zambrano, Francoeur, Astros, Pirates

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A few items of note coming out of the Central divisions as Carlos Carrasco loses his no-hit bid in the sixth in Cleveland:

  • Cubs righty Carlos Zambrano is trending in trade rumors recently, as he has already said that he would waive his no-trade clause. We've also learned that the Yankees have no interest in acquiring the hurler. However, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reminds us that no team has actually checked in with the North Siders on the hurler's availability (via Twitter).
  • Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur could draw interest at the trade deadline as a fourth outfielder for a contending team, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. However, Francoeur has a strong relationship with GM Dayton Moore and isn't blocking the imminent arrival of any corner-outfield prospects, so the Royals probably aren't feeling any urgency to deal him, according to Dodd.
  • The Astros have signed Arizona State lefty Mitchell Lambson, their 19th-round pick, according to Stephen Goff of the Houston Examiner (via Twitter). Houston has now signed 28 of its 50 selections, per Goff.
  • The Pirates have signed Louisiana Tech lefty Mike Jefferson, their 22nd-round pick, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter).

Yankees Have “Zero Interest” In Zambrano

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Despite recent reports that the Yankees have been scouting long-time Cub Carlos Zambrano, ESPN's Wallace Matthews spoke to a source who called the rumors "B.S." and said that the Yankees have "zero interest" in acquiring the fiery right-hander.

Matthews' source cites Zambrano's declining fastball velocity (he's checking in at 89.8mph this year) as well as his large contract over the next few seasons:

"He's just not worth the money," the official said. "The Cubs would have to pick up most if not all of the contract. I just don't see it happening."

Zambrano is being paid $17.875MM in 2011, $18MM in 2012, and has a $19.5MM vesting option for 2013, though he would need serious Cy Young consideration over the next two years (Top 2 in 2011 or Top 4 in 2012) plus a clean bill of health at the end of the 2012 season for it to vest. Earlier today we learned that the Yankees prefer rental players and left-handed pitchers, neither of which applies to Zambrano.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi both declined to comment on any potential interest in Zambrano, while pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who spent nine years as a pitching coach for the Cubs, praised Big Z as a person:

"He's a good person," Rothschild said. "Off the field, he's a great family man, he was a good guy to coach, he'll listen (to) all the things you would expect from a professional player. The stuff you see on the field is a result of just the passion he takes to the mound."

Zambrano said earlier this week that he would waive his no-trade clause if the Cubs approached him about a potential deal, but for the time being, it doesn't sound like he'll end up in Yankee pinstripes should that occur.

Carlos Zambrano Would Waive No-Trade Clause

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Carlos Zambrano does not want to leave the Cubs, but he told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he would waive his no-trade clause if the team asked him to do so.

"If they come to me and want to trade me, obviously it's because they don't want me here anymore," said Zambrano. "I always say that. I'll be here until the Cubs decide to trade me … I've heard rumors. I've already talked to my family. They said,'It's OK. If you think it's good for you, if you feel you want to be traded, do it.' I don’t want to leave. I've been here 10 years. The town has been special to me, the fans, too."

This morning we learned that the Yankees had several top advisors watch Zambrano recently, though Rosenthal hears that their interest is minimal due to his volatile personality. Since he is due to earn $17.875MM this year and $18MM next, it's likely the Cubs would have to include some cash to facilitate a trade. The Yankees are one of the few teams able to absord that kind of payroll hit, and it's worth noting that their pitching coach, Larry Rothschild, held the same position with the Cubs for the last several years.

Zambrano, 30, owns a 4.59 ERA in 96 innings across 15 starts this season. His strikeout rate (6.3 K/9) is the second lowest of his career and his ground ball rate continues to decline, though his walk rate (3.3 BB/9) is a career best. It's also worth noting that Zambrano's fastball velocity is trending downward as well.

Cubs Rumors: Zambrano, Dempster, Soriano

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A few Cubs rumblings from ESPN's Bruce Levine…

  • Yankees scouts watched Carlos Zambrano pitch on the Cubs' recent road trip, writes Levine.  Levine notes that these were not advance scouts, but rather top advisers to GM Brian Cashman.  Hopefully they saw his start against the Cardinals rather than the Phillies.  Levine is of the opinion Zambrano would waive his no-trade clause, as a friend of the pitcher told him earlier this month, "At this point Carlos would probably let the Cubs trade him to Siberia."  As a 4.50 ERA guy in the National League with clubhouse concerns and over $28MM remaining on his contract through 2012, Zambrano would be a tough sell for any team.
  • Some of the Yankees top evaluators have more interest in Ryan Dempster, reports Levine, as you might expect.  They'll get a look at him Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.  Dempster has $7.7MM remaining on his contract this year, as well as a $14MM player option for 2012.  He also has full no-trade rights and strong ties to Chicago.
  • Alfonso Soriano told Levine he expects to stay with the Cubs (he's signed through 2014), but if the team wants to trade him he wouldn't stay.  Soriano, who is owed about $64MM through '14, has a full no-trade clause.
  • I tackled the possibility of the Cubs becoming sellers earlier this month.  They're ten games out in the NL Central and the wild card.

Stark On Rollins, Fielder, Pujols, Olivo, Tigers

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A number of iconic players are in contract years, so ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark looks ahead to their free agent stock and provides other rumors from around the league. Here are the details:

  • No one Stark spoke with predicts David Ortiz will leave the Red Sox for another team.
  • Jose Reyes will be the number two free agent on the market this winter behind only Albert Pujols, according to one executive.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledges that it wouldn't be easy to replace Jimmy Rollins, even though the shortstop is no longer an MVP-caliber player. The Phillies ‘poked around’ for possible alternatives at short last offseason, according to Stark, who predicts a two-year deal for Rollins and the Phils this winter.
  • Prince Fielder will no doubt sign a lucrative free agent deal, but one executive says the first baseman’s body will be an issue: "It has been since high school, and it always will be." Fielder is 27 now, so an eight-year deal would expire after his age-35 season.
  • Pujols will test the market, but Stark and his sources find it hard to believe that he’d leave St. Louis for any old team. One executive predicts that the Cubs are the Cardinals’ main threat.
  • The Cubs aren’t ready to start selling and haven’t started shopping Carlos Zambrano, despite his recent outburst.
  • The Red Sox offered Miguel Olivo a one-year deal before re-signing Jason Varitek last offseason. Olivo eventually signed a two-year deal with the Mariners.
  • The Rangers are ‘stepping up’ their search for a right-handed setup man and maintain interest in Nationals reliever Todd Coffey.
  • Rival teams say the Tigers are looking for a left-handed reliever. Southpaws Daniel Schlereth, David Purcey, Charlie Furbush and Adam Wilk are currently in Detroit’s bullpen.

Quick Hits: Zambrano, Stewart, Reds, Hall

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We at MLB Trade Rumors are delighted that our site has been selected as one of TIME Magazine's Best Blogs Of 2011.  Thanks to TIME for the tip of the cap, and thanks to all of our readers for your support in making MLBTR one of the internet's top sports news sites.

Some news items from around the league….

  • Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com and David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune both feel that Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs should part ways in the wake of Zambrano's recent tirade against the club, and that the right-hander would certainly waive his no-trade clause in order to leave town. 
  • Levine and Haugh each cite the Yankees as a potential trade partner, though it's hard to imagine the Yankees taking on a high-priced pitcher with such baggage.  It's even harder to imagine New York parting with a significant player like Joba Chamberlain or Brett Gardner in exchange for Zambrano, as Levine suggests.
  • Ian Stewart is "the best player to buy low on," a non-Rockies scout tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post.  For that reason, Renck feels the Rockies will hold onto the struggling third baseman until he gets back in form or at least improves his trade value.
  • The Reds have won just five of their last 18 games, which has B.J. Bethel of the Dayton Daily News and John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer both calling for a "shake-up."  Bethel suggests the club should look for relief pitching, a veteran starter, or a solid bat for left field and/or at third base or shortstop.  Fay suggests that a prospect like Yonder Alonso, Todd Frazier or Zack Cozart could help fill those holes in the lineup, and also thinks Cincinnati could deal one of its catchers (Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan).   
  • Bill Hall drew some attention from the Yankees last winter and the Bombers could sign Hall for the minimum salary now that the veteran utilityman has been released by the Astros, writes Mike Axisa of the River Avenue Blues blog.  As Axisa notes, Hall doesn't offer much more than what the Yankees currently have in bench options, but for a minimum salary, Hall is a no-risk signing.   

Chicago Notes: Byrd, Fuld, Zambrano, Peavy

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It was on this day in 1959 that Cubs right-hander Glen Hobbie, then 23, took a perfect game into the seventh inning against the Cardinals.  The great Stan Musial broke up Hobbie's bid for immortality with a two-out double in the seventh — the only hit Hobbie would allow to Chicago's arch-rivals in a complete game gem.

Let's look at some items from both Hobbie's old team and their South Side brethren…

  • The Cubs aren't looking to deal Marlon Byrd, reports Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald.  Miles also looks at some of the Cubs' top prospects.
  • With Sam Fuld off to a hot start in Tampa Bay, some fans are wondering why the Cubbies couldn't have held onto the young outfielder rather than include him in the Matt Garza trade package.  As part of a mailbag, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat explains that Fuld was out of options and, had he remained in Chicago, he wouldn't have received much playing time in the crowded Cubs outfield.
  • Carlos Zambrano tells CSNChicago.com's David Kaplan that a proposed worldwide amateur draft would favor American-born prospects over Latin American prospects.  "I think a worldwide draft would be bad for the kids from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela because we are late developers. We don't have little league or a system of organized baseball to help us learn the game," Zambrano said. "When I was a kid we played maybe once a week, that's it. If kids from my country were drafted and then didn't develop quickly enough they wouldn't be around long."
  • Also from Kaplan, up to 65% (roughly $24MM) of Jake Peavy's remaining salary could be covered by an insurance policy.  This could give the White Sox some financial room to acquire another pitcher.  Barry Axelrod, Peavy's agent, tells Kaplan that it is much more difficult for teams to get insurance on multiyear pitching contracts today than it was for San Diego in 2009.  Peavy has yet to pitch in 2011 due to his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, and is tentatively scheduled to return to the Sox rotation by mid-May.
  • Despite his team's seven-game losing streak, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen isn't worried about being on the hot seat, reports MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

Quick Hits: Zambrano, Blue Jays, Phillies

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On this date 12 years ago, the Indians signed amateur free agent Jhonny Peralta. The Indians rest today, but Peralta will suit up for their division rivals, the Tigers. Here are today's links…

  • Carlos Zambrano, who homered again yesterday, may be more dangerous at the plate than he is on the mound, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Zambrano has a 6.11 ERA through three starts this year, after pitching well in 2010.
  • Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports that the Blue Jays are working to make the most of their minor league talent by adopting a "Major-League centric" approach throughout their system.
  • ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick lists the Phillies, Yankees, Orioles and White Sox as some of the teams with the best collection of up-the-middle players (catchers, shortstops, second basemen, center fielders).
  • MLBTR's Tim Dierkes told Between the Ravine that if he could cover baseball during any period it would be after the 2000 season, when Alex Rodriguez signed his first free agent deal. Click through to check out Tim's thoughts on the Dodgers.

Olney On Vlad, Zambrano, Yankees, Fuentes

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The latest from ESPN.com's Buster Olney on potential contracts and trades:

  • The Rangers and Vladimir Guerrero are now "on the same page" and are discussing the parameters of a one-year deal. Vlad originally sought a multiyear contract.
  • Though there's been speculation that the Yankees could inquire on Carlos Zambrano, Olney reports that they will not attempt to acquire him.
  • Now that the Red Sox have agreed to sign Bobby Jenks, their payroll is higher than the Yankees' (Twitter link).
  • Brian Fuentes is looking for a deal that resembles the three-year $15MM contract Scott Downs signed, according to Olney (on Twitter).
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