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Pirates Rumors: Bay, Morris, McLouth, Nady

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Dejan Kovacevic and John Perrotto have the latest on the plans of Neal Huntington’s Pirates.

  • Both beat writers are saying not to expect Jason Bay to be traded at the Meetings.  It would be a sell-low move with bad PR.
  • Both also agree that Matt Morris staying put.  Kovacevic spins it as if the Pirates should actually want to keep Morris, while Perrotto’s sources suggest the Bucs would have to eat more than 70% of Morris’ contract to ditch him.
  • Kovacevic also suggests that the Pirates need Jack Wilson, and that’s why he won’t be going anywhere.
  • Relievers Salomon Torres, Damaso Marte, and John Grabow are available and drawing some interest.  Marte in particular interests the Yankees.
  • Chris Duffy can be had; the Braves and Marlins have previously expressed interest.  Maybe they’ll renew that with center field vacancies and a new Pirates GM.  Duffy will start in Triple A if he’s not dealt.
  • The Pirates are still talking to Shawn Chacon about returning.
  • Perrotto notes that interest in center fielder Nate McLouth is picking up, with the Padres and Marlins interested.
  • Xavier Nady won’t be non-tendered, contrary to previous reports.

Odds and Ends: Rolen, Silva, Capps

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Here are some hot stove links to digest this evening.

Healey’s Latest: Wilkerson, Marte

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Gotham Baseball’s Mark Healey has a new post up with some good trade rumors:

  • The Mets are talking to the Rangers about Brad Wilkerson, not Eric Gagne.  This makes sense, as Wilkerson has hit lefties well this year and can play right field.
  • The Mets are also talking to the Reds; could’ve been about Ken Griffey Jr. or David Weathers.  From what we’ve heard, though, Weathers is not available.  And would Junior approve a trade to the Mets?  He vetoed a trade there once before.
  • The Pirates want Alan Horne from the Yankees for Damaso Marte.  Given that Brian Cashman didn’t seem to want to give him up for Gagne, I don’t see this happening.
  • The Orioles are shopping Chad Bradford, but the Yankees aren’t allowed in the store.

Pirates Trade Rumors

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Time for a Pirates roundup.  They deserve some love here at MLBTradeRumors.

  • Dejan Kovacevic reports that Salomon Torres’s grievance against the Pirates may prevent the team from trading him.  On the off chance he wins the grievance, he would become a free agent and the acquiring team would be screwed.  While that scenario is unlikely, it does look like this thing needs to be resolved before any deal is made.  I imagine that if some team wanted him badly all the involved parties could figure something out.
  • The Bucs owe Shawn Chacon a phone call on whether they’re open to negotiating a contract extension with him.  Their lack of action speaks volumes; even Dave Littlefield isn’t going to sign Chacon for multiple years at $4MM+ per.  Chacon has managed to subdue righties this year and increase his strikeout rate significantly.  He’s still got lousy control though.  He’s a trade candidate but shouldn’t bring much.
  • On the other hand, Damaso Marte is known to be available.  He’d be helpful as a lefty-killer.  For Marte, Chacon, or Torres, the Pirates want a Major Leaguer of some sort (according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman).  Bowman says the Braves would get in on Marte if Littlefield would drop the price. 

McAdam On Red Sox Trade Possibilities

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Yesterday, Sean McAdam of The Providence Journal posted an article discussing trade possibilities for the Red Sox.  Let’s discuss.

  • It seems that the Red Sox will add a bullpen arm despite the fine work of Manny Delcarmen.  Apparently they want someone with experience.  Eric Gagne doesn’t seem likely, nor does Brad Lidge.  Instead, Chad Qualls, Dan Wheeler, and maybe Salomon Torres or Scott Linebrink could be acquired.  The focus is said to be on the Houston relievers.  Wheeler seems like a solid buy-low option.  You can add Octavio Dotel to the radar as well.  And let’s throw Brian Fuentes into the mix.  UPDATE: Today, McAdam added Damaso Marte as a reliever the Red Sox like.  He says the price for Torres is "way too high" at present.  And according to the Boston Globe, Drayton McLane will not even consider moving Lidge.
  • The Sox would get involved on a top-flight starter like Roy Oswalt or Dontrelle Willis.  Calling Willis "top-flight" is a stretch, but that’s what McAdam said.  They also like Jon Garland, if they can pry him loose for a reasonable price.  Other available starters don’t seem markedly better than internal options.
  • The Royals would love to pawn Reggie Sanders off, but the Red Sox don’t have interest.  Instead, they could reacquire Kevin Millar or even go after Jermaine Dye.  Is Dye really a perfect fit, though?  Wouldn’t his acquisition make he and J.D. Drew part-time players?  That wouldn’t be good for the clubhouse.  UPDATE: McAdam says today that this playing time issue will indeed thwart a trade.  On the Millar front, the Boston Globe debunks that rumor on the basis that the Sox want someone who can play center field.
  • Speaking of people who can play center field, the Boston Herald mentions Randy Winn and Dave Roberts as possibilities.  The fans would love a Roberts acquisition, I imagine. 
  • The trade Mike Lowell/acquire Mark Teixeira scenario is highly unlikely.
  • The Boston Globe is saying that the Red Sox are "actively shopping" Wily Mo Pena.  I discussed Wily Mo in a post yesterday.  The Boston Herald today said that he might be the trading chip for a deal with Houston.

Healey’s Latest

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Mark Healey at Gotham Baseball has long been a solid, underappreciated source of inside information.  He’s got another Rumor Mill up at his site.  My summary follows.

  • The Yankees have an eye on big-name 1Bs like Mark Teixeira and Todd Helton.  But more realistically, they’re looking at Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena.  He’s got the defense, so even if he regresses to a 20 HR bat it’s a nice pickup.  Healey’s source believes Tyler Clippard is too much but the Rays like Sean Henn.  The Yanks have also inquired about the versatile Ty Wigginton.
  • The Reds, Rockies, and others have been scouting the Yankees’ Double A Trenton affiliate.  Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, and Brett Gardner are probably the most desirable players on that roster.  Gotham Baseball has previously connected the Yankees to Brian Fuentes and David Weathers.  Another reliever the Yankees like is Chad Bradford, though the O’s price may be too high.
  • Gotham quotes an NL scout who doesn’t believe the Mets will acquire a starter by trading Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez, or Fernando Martinez.  That scout believes the return of Pedro will supply the needed boost.  Personally, I can see Milledge going.
  • Some former Mets on the radar: Brady Clark, Jay Payton, and David Weathers.
  • Healey says the Mets sent scouts to look at Randy Winn this weekend.  They must not be pleased with Moises Alou’s progress.  As I mentioned earlier, Winn is signed through 2009.  He has a full no-trade clause this year.  For 2008-09 he can block deals to ten teams.
  • The Pirates have some vets to trade, and have contacted the Mets regarding Shawn Chacon and Damaso Marte.  Marte is quietly having a fine season with a 1.21 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.  Marte earns $2.45MM this year, and $2MM in ’08 with an odd $6MM club option for 2009.  He can also earn incentives based on games finished.

Trade Rumor Roundup: 8 Days Left

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To begin with, this just isn’t true.  With the Kearns deal and probably Soriano trade, the 2006 deadline just can’t be classified as a dud.  That honor belongs to 2005 for sure.  The trading action never matches the buildup, but this year’s still a good one.

Read Ken Rosenthal’s latest.  The White Sox are in the Soriano game, the Rangers have interest in Luis Gonzalez, the Braves could add another reliever, Julio Lugo still might become a Blue Jay, and the Brewers look like sellers.  In my opinion, some Brewers besides Carlos Lee that could be unloaded: Geoff Jenkins, Corey Koskie, Brady Clark, and Dan Kolb.  Koskie will need to recover quickly from his concussion, however.

Still hearing that the Cubs like Willy Taveras, which would definitely fit their m.o. of players who don’t get on base.  Phil Rogers also mentions that Seattle’s Rafael Soriano is being asked about. It would be surprising to see the Mariners deal that kind of young talent.

Tons of great rumors coming from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  He’s got a rundown of the Red Sox, all sorts of teams scouting Humberto Sanchez, and more. 

Buster Olney mentioned in his blog today that the Astros are among various teams scouting Elmer Dessens.  The Astros are also looking at Damaso Marte.

Unfounded rumor department: Could the Dodgers be after Aramis Ramirez?  Ramirez has picked a fantastic time to heat up, and L.A. has some top shelf young talent…is there anywhere Julio Lugo could go besides Toronto?  How about the Rockies?

Damaso Marte Dealt For Rob Mackowiak

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Two emailers just told me that Bruce Levine of ESPN Radio 1000 is reporting that the White Sox have dealt lefty reliever Damaso Marte for super-utility man Rob Mackowiak.

For his career, the 30 year-old Marte is 14-14 with a 3.21 ERA in 303 innings.  He’s been tough to hit and strikes out many, but walks have always been a problem.  In 2005, Marte walked a ridiculous 6.55 batters per nine innings.  This will be a return to Pittsburgh for the southpaw.  He was dealt for Matt Guerrier back in 2002.

Mackowiak, a native of Oak Lawn, IL, can handle most of the infield positions and anywhere in the outfield.  His career numbers are .258/.328/.414.  He’s a useful part if kept in a utility role.

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