Odds and Ends: Darvish, Giles, Teixeira
Today’s link roundup…
- I was a guest on Get Sports Radio yesterday to talk about the Reds. Click here to download an mp3 of the show.
- NPB Tracker notes that 21 year-old phenom Yu Darvish threw 165 pitches last night.
- GM Dave Dombrowski says the Tigers are definitely not sellers. They’re undecided on whether to buy or stick with internal options. The Tigers’ approach to the relief market may hinge on Freddy Dolsi‘s fatigued shoulder.
- Buster Olney says the Mets and Padres have discussed right fielder Brian Giles. He’d earn $11MM in ’09 if traded. However, Joel Sherman doesn’t think Giles is on the Mets’ radar.
- Learn about the PITCHf/x system in a Josh Kalk Q&A.
- D’Backs beat writer Nick Piecoro doesn’t think there’s much to the Mark Teixeira rumors.
- ESPN’s Keith Law isn’t impressed with Emilio Bonifacio. He’s also not a fan of the Cristian Guzman extension.
- RotoAuthority finds a Tim Lincecum–Johnny Cueto parallel for fantasy baseball players to consider.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Burnett, Sherrill
Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, who should probably take a vacation in August.
- The D’Backs inquired on Mark Teixeira, but a trade is unlikely. Tex might be the best available hitter, as Matt Holliday seems likely to stay put.
- The Rockies scouted Nick Adenhart‘s last start. The Angels have more interest in Brian Fuentes than Holliday.
- Tons of scouts converged on Camden Yards last night to watch A.J. Burnett and George Sherrill pitch (those hoping to see Sherrill were disappointed). The Cardinals, Phillies, Yankees, Brewers, Marlins, Dodgers, and Tigers all had scouts there to watch at least one of the pitchers.
- Rosenthal says trade interest in Burnett "remains minimal," as teams fear the pitcher’s contract.
- The Orioles are taking a look at the Brewers’ Triple A team, but it is believed that they are reluctant to part with more prospects.
- The A’s chose first baseman Chris Carter over Emilio Bonifacio in the Dan Haren trade.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Laird, Washburn, Nady, Bay
Ken Rosenthal has more new material. I’ve updated the post, as Rosenthal updated his.
- The Yankees are looking for catching – Rosenthal and Jon Heyman do not agree with Peter Abraham. Rosenthal says the Yanks have expressed interest in Gerald Laird and Miguel Olivo. The Rangers want young pitching for Laird, however.
- Jarrod Washburn‘s limited no-trade protection includes the Yankees. He might want compensation to waive that, putting him out of the Yanks’ price range. Washburn, a Boras client, wouldn’t mind pitching in New York though. The Mariners are looking for young pitching for him. It sounds like the Yankees aren’t willing to eat the entire contract and send good prospects.
- The Yankees may explore other trades, and are said to have interest in A.J. Burnett and Bronson Arroyo.
- The Nationals were apparently locked in on a second baseman for Jon Rauch, perhaps explaining why they traded him for just Emilio Bonifacio. The jury is still out on the speedy young infielder.
- The White Sox explored a scenario where they would’ve acquired Brian Roberts from Baltimore, traded Orlando Cabrera to the Dodgers, and moved Alexei Ramirez to shortstop. That obviously didn’t work out. The Sox may be currently trying to decide whether to part with third baseman Josh Fields, their best trade chip and third baseman of the future.
- Suitors for Xavier Nady, such as the Rays, Yankees, and Phillies, are balking at Pittsburgh’s asking price. The Bucs continue to insist they’re being reasonable.
- Interestingly, the A’s are still talking to the Pirates about Jason Bay. Rosenthal says a trade seems unlikely.
- The Cardinals had scouts in Baltimore yesterday, and their interest in George Sherrill is well-known. But they might not match up with the Orioles’ needs.
Odds and Ends: Bedard, Hudson, Inoa, Varitek
Let’s dig through today’s links.
- Cork Gaines takes a look at the Rays most likely to be traded.
- According to Ken Davidoff, the Rockies have been scouting Yankees pitching prospect Humberto Sanchez. He’d be a more reasonable return for Brian Fuentes.
- Erik Bedard‘s MRI came out clean, but it’s still hard to see him in a big league game before August.
- Dan Haren used to follow every trade rumor on the Internet, but Justin Duchscherer doesn’t monitor the hot stove buzz.
- Shane Victorino is aware of the rumors, but wants to stay in Philly.
- With Emilio Bonifacio gone, Scott Bordow thinks the D’Backs should try to sign Orlando Hudson. Bordow would only offer $8MM a year though.
- Paul Hoynes looks at the Indians’ areas of need for the offseason.
- Peter Abraham doesn’t expect the Yankees to pursue a catcher.
- Melissa Segura of SI.com writes about Michael Inoa‘s buscon.
- Patrick Newman profiles Kenshin Kawakami, who should be quite popular this winter.
- Buster Olney expects Jason Varitek to feel a ripple effect from Jorge Posada‘s injury. His sources expect the Red Sox to offer Varitek one or two years at $6-8MM per.
- MLB.com is looking for a fan to guest host their show The Dish.
Tim Brown’s Latest: Peralta, McPherson, Putz
Yahoo’s Tim Brown posted a new column this evening.
- The Nationals got an OK return for Jon Rauch, acquiring second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. That could set the pace for reasonable reliever prices.
- The Indians are listening on Casey Blake, Paul Byrd, and Jamey Carroll, as you know. Jhonny Peralta isn’t off-limits either.
- Here’s a new name of interest for the Dodgers: Marlins minor league third baseman Dallas McPherson. He’ll be 28 soon, and carries a .287/.400/.650 line with 32 home runs in 314 Triple A at-bats. This could be the second time McPherson blasts 40 home runs in a minor league season.
- The Red Sox inquired on J.J. Putz, but the Mariners say he’s not available.
Jon Rauch Traded To Diamondbacks
According to Baseball Digest Daily, the Diamondbacks acquired reliever Jon Rauch from the Nationals for second baseman Emilio Bonifacio.
Bonifacio was ranked sixth among D’Backs prospects heading into the season. He’s hitting .302/.348/.387 in Triple A currently. He’s incredibly fast and plays above-average defense.
The D’Backs get a fine late-inning reliever in Rauch; I thought Jim Bowden would ask for more. Rauch is signed cheaply through 2010 and has been an above average reliever for several years now.
Heyman’s Latest: Bay, Rivera, Chacon
New column from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.
- Fresh Jason Bay rumors: the D’Backs and Cardinals are in pursuit. The Mets and Rays have kicked the tires as well. Heyman believes the Pirates want Emilio Bonifacio from the D’Backs, and maybe Colby Rasmus from the Cards. At any rate, the price will be steep with Bay signed for ’09.
- Juan Rivera is a "surprise target" of the Mets, though they’ve had interest in him since March. Rivera will be hard to acquire, though, because he’s gaining playing time for the Angels.
- Heyman believes Shawn Chacon will win his grievance and get paid his full salary.
D’Backs Put Offer On Table For Haren
According to John Mahnke of the East Valley Tribune, the Diamondbacks have a trade offer out to the A’s for Dan Haren. The package includes Carlos Gonzalez, Emilio Bonifacio, and Brett Anderson – but not Max Scherzer.
Gonzalez is apparently the headliner – the A’s would try him in center field even though he’s mostly played right. Mahnke says Gonzalez hasn’t appeared in a winter league game in over a week, and that’s a sign that he’s part of a possible trade.
It’d be surprising to see Josh Byrnes pull this off without giving up any young Major Leaguers. However, none have been named as part of Arizona’s offer as of yet. The D’Backs are one of few teams that could pull this off without disrupting their big league club much. Pairing Brandon Webb with Haren could really help the team plow through playoff series.
D’Backs Still Searching For A Starter
The D’Backs’ loss of Livan Hernandez should become official today when he declines their offer of arbitration. That leaves the team with a rotation of Brandon Webb, Randy Johnson, Doug Davis, and Micah Owings. The Big Unit is a question mark, so a starter must be acquired.
Back on November 15th, Nick Piecoro noted the team’s interest in Matt Clement and Bartolo Colon. But the Diamondbacks are sticking to their no bonuses/no escalator clauses mandate. So that pair will probably look elsewhere.
Hiroki Kuroda received a three-year offer and a pitch video featuring Randy Johnson. He’ll visit Arizona next week. If he chooses Seattle, L.A., or Kansas City, the D’Backs will have to move on. It’s rumored that the Ms added a fourth year to their offer.
The big name is Dan Haren. Jack Magruder says Arizona’s proposal included two of Carlos Gonzalez, Emilio Bonifacio, and Brett Anderson. Magruder believes the A’s are also seeking Major Leaguers, which makes sense. So that huge untouchables list might have to be compromised if the D’Backs are to get Haren.
Dan Haren Rumors: Wednesday
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 11:20am: Joel Sherman says Stephen Drew, Mark Reynolds, and Tony Pena are also off the table in the Haren talks.
UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 8:09am: Susan Slusser adds that the A’s aren’t being unreasonable with Arizona – they haven’t asked for Justin Upton or Chris Young. Slusser also notes that Billy Beane wouldn’t sit down with the Tigers unless they’d discuss Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin. That’s when the Tigers turned to the Marlins. Beane downplayed the chances of trading Haren, but what else is he going to say?
FROM 12-5-07 at 12:09am:
Technically it’s Wednesday now, and some of the more rumor-filled threads were getting really long. So I’m happy to start a set of new ones. You can check out Tuesday’s Dan Haren thread here.
According to Jack Magruder of the East Valley Tribune, the D’Backs are willing to discuss a package of Carlos Gonzalez, Emilio Bonifacio, and Brett Anderson for Haren. That the D’Backs could spare these three very talented youngsters without skipping a beat speaks to how deep their farm system is. Magruder’s source says the A’s could ask for a staggering six players.
Jose Valverde, Dustin Nippert, and/or Alberto Callaspo could be involved to give the A’s some MLB-ready talent. From previous reports, we know that Conor Jackson and Max Scherzer will not be involved. Ken Rosenthal had suggested last night that the A’s initial request scared the D’Backs off, but he’s since corrected that information.
The A’s, however, want to wait for something to happen with Johan Santana before trading Haren.
Additionally, Magruder adds that the D’Backs have a touch of interest in Noah Lowry.