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David DeJesus

Odds & Ends: Chipper, DeJesus, Rincon

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A few links to check out as you celebrate Kansas City being awarded the 2012 All-Star Game…

  • Chipper Jones isn't ready to talk about his future yet, reports Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A settlement of the $28MM left on his contract is one issue that has to be cleared up before Jones can announce any retirement plans, if any.
  • Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star says the Royals should find a way to maximize David DeJesus' value, either through trade or letting him leave as a free agent and receiving compensation draft picks. DeJesus currently projects to be a Type-B free agent, assuming the team declines his $6MM option for 2011.
  • Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post mentions that Rockies' manager Jim Tracy indicated that Juan Rincon would likely be the reliever to bounce back and forth between the big leagues and Triple-A this year, however he's out of options and would need to clear waivers each time he is sent down.

Olney On Rangers, Mariners, DeJesus

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Rangers fans should soon know how quickly the team's sale will be completed, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The timeline of the sale could determine how aggressive the Rangers are at this summer's trade deadline. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:

  • Rival executives tell Olney that they expect the Mariners to become one of the summer's most aggressive sellers. Cliff Lee would be the most appealing trade chip on the 24-40 Mariners if they decide to sell.
  • Olney hears that few teams are willing to take on money this year. Fair enough, but I'd be surprised if five or ten teams don't add payroll this summer. Teams seemed similarly hesitant to take on money this time last summer, but found ways to do it.
  • The Padres, Angels, Giants and Reds could be fits for David DeJesus in Olney's opinion.

Royals Will Listen To Offers

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Royals GM Dayton Moore told Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that the club has some "nice pieces" to market this summer. The 27-37 Royals have a number of players who might appeal to contenders and Moore is ready to listen, even though the Royals aren't actively looking to move players at this point.

"We'll evaluate what comes our way if anything does come our way," he said. 

It wouldn't be surprising to see an offer or two for David DeJesus come the Royals' way. Dutton reports that clubs are already scouting the outfielder, who is hitting .314/.392/.479. DeJesus makes an affordable $4.7MM salary this year and there's a club option for $6MM in 2011 ($500K buyout). 

If the Royals hold onto DeJesus, they could decline his option and offer him arbitration. If he turns down their offer to sign elsewhere, they would obtain at least one draft pick, possibly two. The promise of draft picks makes the Royals hesitant to deal him for a pedestrian return, but there are advantages to dealing now. DeJesus must climb into Type A territory under the Elias rankings system and decline arbitration for them to get two picks. Even if they get the picks, they would have to wait a year and pay each draftee about $1MM. 

Rival teams could also have interest in Scott Podsednik, Jose Guillen, Kyle Farnsworth, Willie Bloomquist, Brian Bannister, Kyle Davies, Alberto Callaspo and Rick Ankiel.

Olney On Fielder, Lowell, DeJesus

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In today's blog post for ESPN.com (Insider-only link), Buster Olney looks ahead to Stephen Strasburg's big-league debut on Tuesday. Olney suggests that Strasburg will be doing very well if he starts his career as strongly as Mike Leake has. In 11 starts for the Reds this year, the rookie right-hander has posted a 2.22 ERA and doesn't have a single loss to his name. A few other tidbits from Olney:

  • Responding to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel column in which Michael Hunt argues that the Brewers need to trade Prince Fielder, Olney examines the slugger's market value and finds a few factors working against a possible trade. The Brewers are unlikely to move their marquee player unless they could land a package close to what the Rangers received when they dealt Mark Teixeira in 2007. After seeing the talent Atlanta gave up in that trade, and knowing how expensive it would be to extend Fielder, teams may be reluctant to roll the dice.
  • The first base and designated hitter markets appear flush this summer, meaning it will be even more challenging for the Red Sox to find a suitor for Mike Lowell.
  • David DeJesus has been hot lately, raising his average above .300, and there should be plenty of teams in need of offensive production who will notice.

Odds & Ends: Sizemore, Lewis, Red Sox, Haren

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Some links for Friday before Roy Halladay tries to restore order for the slumping Phillies…

The David DeJesus Trade Market

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We heard from ESPN.com's Jayson Stark back on May 20 that the Royals were telling teams interested in making a trade to "get back to them in a month."  There's still a couple of weeks to go before that supposed deadline, but really, it should never be too early for Kansas City to continue their rebuilding process by trying to move some of their veterans.  Scott Podsednik has had a solid year but is somewhat of a one-dimensional speed threat, and Jose Guillen, as Stark noted, is hard to move given his big contract.

The most attractive overall bit of trade bait seems to be David DeJesus.  The career Royal is having another solid season, posting an .846 OPS over 228 plate appearances going into today's play.  That OPS would be a career-best mark over a full season for DeJesus if he can keep it up.  Defensively, he has been above average in right field this year but could be a real asset in left field given his 18.9 lifetime UZR/150 rating at the position.

Contract-wise, DeJesus has about $3.14MM left on the $4.7MM salary he's slated to earn in 2010.  The final year of his current deal is a club option worth $6MM for 2011, with a $500K buyout.  For a team in need of outfield help, a $3.64MM minimum for two-plus months of DeJesus is pretty reasonable, and that $6MM option might not be a bad pickup either given the circumstance.

With his good play in 2010, DeJesus might have generated the trade market for himself that the Royals hoped would be there last winter.  What contenders could be possible destinations for DeJesus?

  • San Diego.  It's still odd to think of the Padres adding salary at the deadline, but if they're still near first place in July, DeJesus could fill holes at either corner outfield spot.
  • San Francisco.  Pat Burrell has been signed but he's a major defensive liability in the outfield and may be also be used at first base and as a pinch-hitter.  The Giants may not have the money for DeJesus and have a lot of options in LF and RF already, but DeJesus is certainly a more proven contributor than the likes of Andres Torres and Nate Schierholtz.  San Fran's need could grow if Mark DeRosa ends up spending more time on the disabled list.
  • Tampa Bay.  Adding DeJesus would allow the Rays to move Ben Zobrist out of right and back to second base if Sean Rodriguez continues to struggle.  DeJesus' contract is modest enough for the Rays to absorb and they certainly have enough good prospects to spare in a swap with K.C.
  • Texas.  Nelson Cruz's hamstring problems, plus the hitting woes of Julio Borbon and David Murphy, leave the Rangers in need of some outfield reinforcements.  With the uncertainty surrounding the club's ownership situation, though, the Rangers might not be able to afford any decently-priced help at the trade deadline. 
  • Washington.  It might be a stretch to consider the Nationals as contenders given their 6-14 mark over their last 20 games, but if the Nats can ride the Stephen Strasburg momentum and get back in the race, DeJesus would be a big help to their right field problems.  DeJesus' presence would eliminate the need to put Cristian Guzman in right as a defensive replacement, thus preventing critical errors like the one that cost Washington this afternoon.

No Upcoming Moves For Royals

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The Royals already trail the Twins by ten games, but GM Dayton Moore told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that he is not about to make any player moves. The Royals are 11-21, but Moore says he does not anticipate any action in the near future.

"No, nothing planned," Moore said. "There shouldn't be anything in the works tomorrow unless there's something unforeseen."

Some expect the Royals to listen to offers for Jose Guillen and David DeJesus. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported yesterday that Dejesus is "more than available" already. The Mariners have some interest in Jose Guillen, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, though the Seattle has yet to inquire formally about Guillen's availability.

Royals manager Trey Hillman has frustrated some fans, including Rany Jazayerli, who says Hillman has "crossed the point of no return in Kansas City." However, Moore told Kaegel that he thinks his manager has done a "terrific job."

Cafardo On Fielder, Wood, DeJesus

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe would like to see the Red Sox acquire a marquee player in his prime.  Let's dive in and check out the tidbits that he has for us today..

  • The Red Sox will shed a great deal of payroll this offseason thanks in large part to David Ortiz and Mike Lowell coming off of the books.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined the team's 2011 contract issues recently, suggesting $40MM could be freed up.  With that newfound breathing room, Cafardo writes that the BoSox would like to zero in on one of three elite first basemen this winter.  While he anticipates Albert Pujols remaining in St. Louis, he says that Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzalez could be acquired via in-season trades.
  • If Kerry Wood can show that he's healthy, he should be able to attract a contending team as we approach the trade deadline.  Wood was recalled from his rehab assignment in Akron on Friday.  The 32-year-old is set to make $10.5MM this season but if a team were to trade for him they would only have to assume the prorated portion of that.
  • David DeJesus is "more than available" for teams seeking a lefty outfield bat.  In return, the Royals would seek bullpen help and a positional prospect.  Kansas City was said to be expecting serious interest in DeJesus this winter.  The 31-year-old earns $4.5MM this season with a $6MM option for next season.
  • While there's still some skepticism in Houston that Lance Berkman would really leave the organization, one Astros organizational person opined that the 34-year-old would "fit Boston like a fiddle".  However, considering his advanced age and his offensive struggles this season, he's an unlikely fit for the club at present.  Meanwhile, Cafardo mentions the Mariners and White Sox as teams that could really use a bat like Berkman's.
  • Meanwhile, Jeremy Hermida is an outfielder that would seem to fit Seattle, though it doesn't appear that the Red Sox would entertain offers for him right now.

Top Trade Chips: AL Central

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Let's continue our look at each club's top trade chips today with the AL Central…

  • Indians: The Tribe have dealt their Opening Day starter in each of the last two seasons, and there's a good chance they'll do it again with Jake Westbrook in 2010. The 32-year-old righty will earn $11MM this season, the last one on his contract. After dumping Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez in cost-cutting moves last year, expect them to shop Westbrook around for prospects this summer.
  • Royals: All four of Kansas City's outfielders come off the books after this season (assuming some options are bought out for six figures), so Rick Ankiel, David DeJesus, Scott Podsednik, and even Jose Guillen could be moved in a deal for a young player. The team would obviously have to eat a lot of money to move Guillen. The contracts of relievers Juan Cruz and Kyle Farnsworth also expire after the season, so there might be some interest in them.
  • Tigers: Detroit isn't going to move any of their young power arms, but if they eat a large chunk of salary like they did with Nate Robertson, there might be interest in Jeremy Bonderman and/or Dontrelle Willis. Young backstop Alex Avila could make Gerald Laird expendable as well. The Tigers have four lefty relievers on their 40-man roster (Phil Coke, Fu-Te Ni, Daniel Schlereth, and Brad Thomas), and that demographic is always in demand.
  • Twins: Minnesota has one of the best trade chips in the league, blocked catching prospect Wilson Ramos. Lefty Glen Perkins is pitching in Triple-A and seems to have fallen out of favor with the club after filing a grievance, so he could be made available as well. He has four years of team control left.
  • White Sox: GM Kenny Williams isn't shy about emptying out the farm system in a trade for an established big leaguer, which has left him with little minor league ammo. Their best young prospects are catcher Tyler Flowers and starter Daniel Hudson, who would seem to have a future with the club, but I'm not going to put anything past Williams. Flowers could make A.J. Pierzynski or Ramon Castro expendable, ditto Hudson and Freddy Garcia. Gordon Beckham should be untouchable, obviously.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Twins, Beltre, Giants

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On New Year's Day 49 years ago, the stadium on the corner of Michigan Ave. and Trumbull Boulevard in Detroit was officially renamed Tiger Stadium. The then 49-year-old park had previously been known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium. Tiger Stadium would serve as the home of Detroit's ball club until the 2000 season, and was demolished completely in 2009.

Here's a look at what's being written around the baseball blogosphere…

  • Bucco Fans takes a look at what could have happened if the Pirates had kept their 2008 roster together.
  • Twins Overlook runs down Minnesota's top seven prospects, led by outfielder Aaron Hicks.
  • Meanwhile, Nick's Twins Blog examines the current state of the Twinkies' starting rotation.
  • The Bottom Line looks at how signing Adrian Beltre could affect the big picture in Boston.
  • DRaysBay compares Matt Joyce to Matt LaPorta, and finds that the gap between the two may not be as big as you think.
  • Jorge Says No! looks at the potential risk and reward of the Mark DeRosa signing.
  • El Lefty Malo guesses that the Giants will wait to see how Jonathan Sanchez's arbitration case turns out before deciding on whether or not to move a starter for a bat. 
  • Pinstripes Published suggests David DeJesus as a possible left field solution for the Yankees. 

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

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