Cardinals Interested In Erick Aybar
7:59pm: The Angels appear to be seeking top pitching prospects in return for Aybar, but the Cardinals have no interest whatsoever in including Michael Wacha or Carlos Martinez in a possible deal, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio (Twitter links).
6:27pm: After their interest in Alexei Ramirez and Jimmy Rollins failed to produce anything meaningful, the Cardinals have reached out to the Angels regarding Erick Aybar, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.
The Cardinals have deployed Pete Kozma as their primary shortstop in 2013, and while he's provided solid defense, Kozma is batting just .241/.283/.301 through 339 plate appearances. Aybar, on the other hand, is hitting .283/.320/.410 dating back to the beginning of the 2011 season. He signed a four-year, $35MM extension prior to the 2012 season that took effect beginning this season. As such, he's under contract through 2016 at $8.5MM per season.
Knobler points out that the Cardinals are rich in pitching prospects that would be of interest to the Angels, though to this point, St. Louis GM John Mozeliak has been highly reluctant to deal from that surplus.
Stark On Howie Kendrick, Cubs, D’Backs
ESPN's Jayson Stark begins his latest column with a look at the Biogenesis situation. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported, suspension announcements are not expected today. Sherman expects the announcements to come Thursday or Friday. In Stark's opinion, the Rangers are acting like a team that knows what Nelson Cruz will do if suspended, in that their aggressive search for a bat suggests he might serve a suspension now to preserve his free agent value. Meanwhile, the Tigers' lack of pursuit of a backup plan to shortstop Jhonny Peralta suggests he'll appeal. Elsewhere in Stark's column:
- The Dodgers and Angels, who haven't made a trade in 20 years, had a "mostly casual conversation" regarding Halos second baseman Howie Kendrick. There are no indications a deal is in the works.
- The Angels are at least listening on infielders Kendrick, Erick Aybar, and Alberto Callaspo, and seeking high quality big league ready pitching in return.
- The Cubs could move Kevin Gregg and Nate Schierholtz, but are extremely unlikely to trade lefty reliever James Russell and there's just about zero chance of a Jeff Samardzija trade.
- Pitchers Ian Kennedy and J.J. Putz of the Diamondbacks and Kyle Farnsworth of the Rays "have suddenly been made available." Trading Kennedy would allow Arizona to clear around $1.4MM toward another move. Are they that hard up for cash?
West Notes: Angels, Nathan, Diamondbacks, Wilson
The Angels are "open for business," Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan tweets. That means deals for Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick and others could be on the table. It remains to be seen what the Angels might be able to do with less than three days before the deadline, but Kendrick would be a particularly attractive trade candidate — his consistently high batting averages and solid defense make him a dependably productive player, and he's under contract through 2015 at a reasonable cost, making a bit over $9MM both in 2014 and 2015. Aybar isn't having as good a year as Kendrick, but he might make an interesting buy-low candidate. If the Angels are open to selling other players, reliever Scott Downs, who becomes a free agent after this season, would also be an obvious possibility, as CBS Sports' Jon Heyman suggested yesterday. Here are more notes from the West divisions.
- With a 13-game deficit in the AL West and with Albert Pujols on the disabled list, however, the Angels have "nothing to sell," ESPN's Jim Bowden says (Insider-only). Several of their top players, like Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, aren't candidates to be dealt, and much of the rest of their roster has been disappointing, which is why they're 13 games back to begin with. That leaves a handful of relievers as the Angels' only viable trade pieces.
- If the Rangers want to trade Joe Nathan, the Dodgers are the only suitor that makes much sense, Bowden writes (Twitter links). Boston or Detroit could be possible destinations, but Bowden guesses that the Rangers won't relish the possibility of dealing Nathan to the Red Sox or Tigers and then having to face him in the playoffs. Instead, they could send him to L.A., possibly in a deal involving Andre Ethier.
- The Diamondbacks are looking for a second bullpen lefty, FOXSportsArizona.com's Jack Magruder tweets.
- Five teams, four of them from the National League, are interested in former Giants closer Brian Wilson, who's returning from Tommy John surgery, tweets Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown.
Quick Hits: Soriano, Nationals, Angels, K-Rod
Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs is on the Yankees' radar as a possible trade target, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. If any deal were to take place, though, it might not happen in July, since the $25MM remaining on Soriano's contract means he's sure to pass through waivers in August. Soriano has a full no-trade clause, but says he will consider a trade to a contending team. Wittenmyer writes that the Yankees view another Cubs outfielder, Nate Schierholtz, as more of a platoon type.
- The Nationals shouldn't be buyers at the trade deadline, the Washington Post's Thomas Boswell writes. The Nats are now 48-50, and are now seven games back of the Braves in the NL East, as well as seven games back of the Reds for the second Wild Card. Boswell points out that their chance of making the playoffs is less than 20 percent, and for a team in that position, the value of a rental player like Matt Garza or Ervin Santana is questionable. Boswell argues that even if the Nats acquire a player who is also under contract for 2014, like Jake Peavy or Yovani Gallardo, they need to do so mostly because those players can help next year, not because they can help down the stretch this season.
- The Angels are now ten games back of the Athletics in the AL West, and it looks like they should sell at the trade deadline, FOX Sports' Jon Morosi tweets. (Note that Morosi isn't predicting the Angels will sell, only saying that they should.) If the Angels were to sell, Erick Aybar and Scott Downs are two players they could trade, Morosi writes. Aybar is in the first year of a four-year, $35MM deal, and he's hitting .287/.305/.388 as the Angels' starting shortstop. Downs, who is in the last year of a three-year, $15MM contract, has a 1.32 ERA, albeit with a more pedestrian 6.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.
- The Dodgers have heavily scouted Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez recently, Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reports. Milwaukee also has two other veteran relievers in Mike Gonzalez and John Axford, and Knobler notes that the Tigers and Red Sox have also been scouting the Brewers. Still, the Brewers might opt not to trade any of their relievers before the deadline.
- The Yankees have signed left-handed pitcher Artur Strzalka, Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues notes (via Baseball America's Matt Eddy). Strzalka is the first born-and-raised Polish player ever to sign with a Major League team. As Axisa notes, one likely purpose of this signing is to help the Yankees establish themselves as bidders for talent in a new part of the world.
Angels, Erick Aybar Agree To Extension
Months after signing second baseman Howie Kendrick to an extension, the Angels have agreed to extend shortstop Erick Aybar with a four-year contract beginning in 2013. The new portion of the deal is worth $35MM and will pay $8.5MM per season with a $1MM signing bonus.
Kendrick’s four-year, $33.5MM extension was apparently used as framework for Aybar’s deal, though the shorstop was reportedly seeking at least five years and $50MM. As our Extension Tracker shows, Aybar joins Troy Tulowitzki and Alexei Ramirez as the only shortstops to sign extensions worth $30MM or more in recent years.
Aybar, 28, has been the Halos’ regular shortstop since the start of the 2008 season. He’s hit .278/.322/.386 during that time, doing his best work in 2009 (.312/.353/.423) and 2011 (.279/.322/.421). Aybar reached both the 30 stolen base and ten home run plateaus for the first time in his career last season. He took home a Gold Glove Award last year and ranks eighth among all shortstops with a +2.6 UZR/150 since the start of 2010.
MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez first reported the agreement while Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times and ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link) had the terms of the deal. Mike Axisa and Zach Links contributed to this post.
Angels, Erick Aybar Nearing Extension
The Angels are nearing a multiyear extension with Erick Aybar, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports. The deal with the SFX client could be announced by tomorrow.
Angels GM Jerry Dipoto recently acknowledged that the club has made progress in discussions with Aybar, who had been scheduled to hit free agency this coming offseason. Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reported this week that the sides had yet to agree on the value of the deal. The Angels prefer to sign Aybar for something close to Howie Kendrick’s four-year, $33.5MM extension, but the shortstop appears to seek at least five years and $50M. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has heard that the Angels have been proposing a four-year deal in the $35MM range (Twitter link).
MLBTR's Extension Tracker offers a look at recent extensions for shortstops around MLB.
Angels Notes: Aybar, Gonzalez, Thompson
It's early, but this wasn't the start the Angels were hoping for. They've lost more games than they've won, allowed more runs than they've scored and Albert Pujols still isn't hitting. Here are some links as we await tonight's home game against the Athletics…
- GM Jerry Dipoto told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that he remains very confident the Angels will be able to sign Erick Aybar long-term. “I'm very encouraged by where we are and that we will ultimately get there," he said. The Angels would prefer to sign Aybar for something close to Howie Kendrick’s four-year, $33.5MM extension, but the shortstop appears to be seeking at least five years and $50MM.
- MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez hears the Angels offered free agent left-hander Mike Gonzalez the same minor league deal they offered Jason Isringhausen. Gonzalez seeks more money and wasn't interested, however.
- There are no takers for Rich Thompson so far, Gonzalez writes. The Angels are shopping the recently-designated right-hander since his velocity is down and they don't trust him in high-leverage situations. The Angels would like to bring up ground ball pitcher David Carpenter.
Angels Notes: Pujols, Gonzalez, Aybar
The Angels will look to rebound from a 2-4 start to the season this weekend when they take on the Yankees in New York. Here are the latest Angels-related links…
- Albert Pujols told reporters including Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com that he isn't sure if the contracts given to him, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto are indicative of future deals for first basemen.
- Pujols told reporters that he doesn’t miss St. Louis these days, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News tweets. "I'm way past that,” Pujols said. “I have a new family, new teammates."
- Angels GM Jerry Dipoto said he is "looking under every rock" for relief help, Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times reports. However, there aren’t many quality relievers available, according to the GM.
- Dipoto said he is not pursuing any free agent relievers, so it doesn’t sound as though Mike Gonzalez is in the Angels’ plans.
- The Angels are "making progress" toward an extension for shortstop Erick Aybar, Dipoto told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. “I’m very confident that we’ll be able to get something done,” Dipoto said of Aybar, who's on track for free agency following the 2012 season.
Los Angeles Notes: Aybar, Abreu, Ownership
Happy birthday to Clayton Kershaw, who turns 24 years old today. Kershaw has plenty to celebrate this year, between being the NL Cy Young Award winner and his new two-year, $19MM contract extension with the Dodgers.
Here's the latest out of L.A. from both the Dodgers and the Angels…
- Erick Aybar said that his agents have left the Angels Spring Training camp, reports Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. It was reported earlier today that Aybar and the Halos had made only slight progress on a contract extension for the shortstop.
- Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that he wants to play for three more years, though his age-40 season. Abreu just turned 38 on March 11. "That's what I want. I feel that I can keep playing," Abreu said. "I believe that you have to know when your body tells you when to stop. But I'm fine. I feel fine."
- Patrick Soon-Shiong has joined Steve Cohen's ownership group in a bid for the Dodgers, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. Soon-Shiong, known as the richest man in Los Angeles, had been rumored to be joining the ownership group led by basketball legend Magic Johnson.
- Also from Shaikin, a mediator has reinstated the joint bid from Stanley Gold and the Roy Disney family into the Dodgers ownership process. The Gold/Disney group joins four other ownership groups in having their bids judged by MLB's owners, who are expected to vote on the matter by the end of the week.
- Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says it's too early to consider any possible roster needs before Opening Day, reports MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. The Dodgers are also waiting until the club is sold in late April before making any possible additions to payroll.
Extension Updates: Aybar, Hamilton, Napoli, Axford
The latest on extension talks around MLB…
- The Angels and Erick Aybar have made a bit of progress toward an extension, but agent Fern Cuza says they are “not close,” Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
- Josh Hamilton told Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio that the Rangers can sign him now for considerably less than he’ll cost as a free agent after the season (Twitter links). Hamilton says his loyalty lies with the Rangers and that they will get the first chance to sign him should he reach free agency.
- Mike Napoli told Bowden he’s letting his agent handle contract talks, but that he would like to sign a long-term deal with the Rangers (Twitter link).
- The Brewers met with John Axford's agent yesterday, but the closer’s in no rush to sign an extension, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. “If conversations keep going [after Opening Day], then they keep going,” Axford said. “I’m not going to be bothered by it.”