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Dan Haren Will Be Pricey

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UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 11:09pm: Hank Steinbrenner weighed in on the Haren-Yankees talks, calling Billy Beane’s request "ridiculous."  The Yankees are out on Haren.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 2:00pm: Nick Piecoro’s source says Conor Jackson is not a part of the Haren talks, actually.

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 12:13pm: The Boston Herald’s Rob Bradford says the A’s and D’Backs have had "constructive talks" about Haren for Carlos Gonzalez, Conor Jackson, and two others.

FROM 12-4-07 at 10:58am:

OK, you already knew that.  But Joel Sherman has details.

  • Billy Beane sees Dan Haren as equal in value to Johan Santana, all things considered.  Over the next three years, that could be true – plus Haren is much more reasonable in terms of salary.
  • Beane’s focus is young pitching.
  • Beane doesn’t want Melky Cabrera from the Yankees.  He wants a package starting with Phil Hughes and one of Ian Kennedy or Alan Horne.
  • Sherman says the Mets don’t have the blue-chippers in Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber, and Kevin Mulvey. 
  • The Dodgers and D’Backs match up better for Haren than the Yankees and Mets, though Arizona doesn’t really have the young pitching.
  • Joe Blanton won’t be cheap either; Beane equates him with Brad Penny.
  • Athletics Nation believes Blanton is much more likely to be traded than Haren this winter.

D’Backs Rumors: Haren, Kuroda, Carlos Gonzalez

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MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert has some trade rumors to digest this evening concerning the D’Backs.

  • Arizona had discussions with the A’s about Dan Haren today.  Many names were thrown about.  Conor Jackson was not involved.  The A’s asked about Max Scherzer and were told he’s not available.  We learned earlier that Carlos Gonzalez’s name came up. 
  • By the way, the D’Backs aren’t interested in Joe Blanton.
  • Arizona is still around 3/30 on Hiroki Kuroda.
  • The Rangers inquired about Carlos Gonzalez but wouldn’t consider parting with Eric Hurley for him.
  • The Nats are indeed interested in Miguel Montero, as reported previously.

Odds and Ends: Kendrick, Uggla, Haren

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Another random collection of rumorage…

  • The Braves have "many millions more" to spend on players this winter.  One emailer suggested that maybe the Braves will offer arbitration to Andruw Jones and he’ll accept. 
  • Corey Patterson and the Nationals have mutual interest.  Baseball Prospectus’ Joe Sheehan considers him a possible bargain, noting that he is only 28.
  • We figured the Padres and Matt Clement had mutual interest.  Now it’s official.  Clement wants a one-year deal with incentives.
  • Tracy Ringolsby confirms that Yorvit Torrealba wants a three-year deal.  He says the Rockies are at two years, $7MM, the Marlins are in the same range, and the Mets are at two years, $9MM.  UPDATE: The Denver Post says Torrealba will have a decision Thursday.
  • Interesting Miguel Cabrera stuff from the L.A. Times.  Howie Kendrick is not considered untouchable, but the Marlins might have to include Dan Uggla.  Basically if the Marlins are to get four players back, they’ll have to add Uggla or Dontrelle Willis to the deal.   
  • Our friends at Gotham Baseball say if the Mets were to acquire Dan Haren, the package would start with Billy Beane favorite John Maine.  Mark Healey figures Lastings Milledge and Aaron Heilman would have to go also.
  • Ken Rosenthal thinks a one-year, $8MM offer from Atlanta would be enough to secure Tom Glavine.
  • The D’Backs’ main trading chip is outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.  It appears that the team explored what they could get for Conor Jackson and decided to keep him.

Latest D’Backs Rumors: Bonderman, Ervin Santana

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Nick Piecoro has the scoop regarding all things Diamondbacks.  Let’s dive in.

  • It had slipped my mind that the D’Backs don’t do incentive-laden contracts when I suggested they’d sign Randy Wolf. Bad prediction on my part.
  • The team’s best trade chip: outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.  The 22 year-old hit .286/.330/.476 in Double A last year, and has star potential.  Kevin Goldstein recently ranked Gonzalez third among corner outfield prospects behind Travis Snider and Chris Marrero.  Gonzalez could bring a coveted starter in a trade.  Carlos Quentin is also talked about as a trade candidate, but he needs to get healthy and hit a little first.
  • Conor Jackson is also a trade candidate, more so if the D’Backs can sign Tony Clark.  They’re thinking something close to the two years, $3.25 Matt Stairs received.  Meanwhile Clark’s agent is thinking he could get a near full-time role elsewhere.
  • Piecoro brings up the intriguing idea of shopping Jose Valverde.  He’s getting pricey soon, and could be at peak value.  I like it.  A safer trade option from the team’s strong pen is Juan Cruz.
  • All these great young players to trade, but who to target?  Piecoro tantalizes by telling us Ervin Santana and even Jeremy Bonderman are in the D’Backs’ sights.  Santana is known to be available for a bat.  Bonderman would be attractive to many teams if not for his late-season elbow woes.  He’s signed through 2010.
  • I could see the A’s poking their head in on all of this, with Joe Blanton and even Dan Haren to offer.

Will D’Backs Add A Starter?

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There are two schools of thought regarding the young, successful Arizona club.  The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro seems to think Josh Byrnes will stay quiet this winter, re-signing Tony Clark and letting Randy Johnson replace Livan Hernandez.  The East Valley Tribune’s Scott Bordow would rather not rely on The Big Unit, instead trading a young position player for a young starter.

Specifically, Bordow notes that Carlos Quentin and Conor Jackson could be expendable.  However, injuries complicate possible trades of either player.  With Quentin it’s direct – he had surgery to repair the rotator cuff and labrum of his non-throwing shoulder in October.  It’s a six-month timeline for recovery, so he could be ready for Spring Training.  Jackson is fine and healthy, but trading him becomes easier if Chad Tracy can prove his health.  He had microfracture knee surgery and also expects to be ready in March.

Jackson seems to be the best trading chip – even if Tracy has complications, Clark wouldn’t be a terrible full-time stopgap.  Jackson, who turns 26 next May, has a respectable if not spectacular .280/.362/.441 line in 310 games.  He slugged .555 after the break this year.  Which team has an available young starter and badly needs position players?  The Giants, with Noah Lowry.  I’m not sure if Lowry would impress the D’Backs, though.  Plus, the teams are in the same division.  The Twins also make for an interesting match, as they might be able to use Jackson in left field.  The D’Backs could ask for Matt Garza or Kevin Slowey.  The White Sox could use an outfielder; would one year of Jon Garland be an even swap?

Matt Harrison Removed From Teixeira Deal

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UPDATE: Sent Bowman an email about Harrison – it was definitely supposed to be his left (pitching) shoulder.  The MLB.com article has been updated. 

22 year-old Double A southpaw Matt Harrison might be the Braves’ top pitching prospect, and he was part of the team’s offer for Mark Teixeira.  However, Harrison is having shoulder problems and has apparently been removed from the deal.  Ken Rosenthal does not indicate which shoulder, while MLB.com’s Mark Bowman repeatedly says it’s his right shoulder.  Harrison is to see a doctor on Monday.

Furthermore, one source of Bowman’s thinks Harrison is still in the Braves’ offer along with Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Elvis Andrus.  Another source of Bowman’s believes the injury isn’t a dealbreaker.

Rosenthal, however, says the Braves gave Texas a list of pitchers to choose instead of Harrison, not including Jo-Jo Reyes.  Rosenthal adds that talks are fluid and it could become a 4 for 2 deal.  That might convince the Braves to part with Reyes.

Salty was the only position player not used in today’s 14-0 blowout; Brian McCann did not get relief.  That decision certainly seems related to an impending trade.

Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks inquired on Teixeira and were told it would take Conor Jackson, Carlos Gonzalez, and a pitching prospect.  The Dodgers have been slipping while Arizona has been playing well, and the result is a virtual tie for first place.  It would be interesting if the Diamondbacks jump in and become aggressive buyers. 

Update On Conor Jackson Showcase

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According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, yesterday’s rumor about the Diamondbacks showcasing Conor Jackson in left field for the White Sox is false.  Piecoro quotes a sarcastic email between a couple of Sox and Diamondback execs:

"Let us know next time you’re showcasing someone for us."

The rumor seemed logical, as both teams have something the other needs and the GMs have made many deals before. 

Conor Jackson Showcased For White Sox?

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You may have noticed Conor Jackson oddly playing left field last night.  On the surface, the idea was just to get Jackson, Mark Reynolds, and Chad Tracy into the same lineup against Dave Bush.

However, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Diamondbacks’ real motivation was to showcase Jackson for the White Sox.  Left field is the only place the Sox could use him.

Rogers writes that while the D’Backs scouted Jose Contreras, they’re after Jon Garland or even John Danks.  Javier Vazquez’s name did not come up, but wouldn’t it be crazy to see the Chris Young trade reversed?  [As the always sharp commenters immediately noted, Vazquez has a no-trade clause allowing him to block trades to all nine AL/NL West teams.  But it would still be cool to see the trade reversed.]  Baseball America had some interesting thoughts on the impending Young/Justin Upton center field logjam today (the On The Brink section).

Rogers also adds that the D’Backs would trade right fielder Carlos Quentin.  Quentin is 10 for 22 since his return to Triple A Tucson.  Keep in mind that he was dealing with a small labrum tear in his left shoulder in the beginning of the season, which probably contributed to his poor play.

Either player would be a nice pickup for the Sox, who desperately need outfielders for 2008.  If you’re a PECOTA fan, here are the projections for ’08 in the AVG/OBP/SLG format:

Jackson: .305/.389/.512
Quentin: .288/.380/.491

Josh Byrnes and Kenny Williams work well together, and match up nicely for another deal this summer.

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