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Latest On Victorino, Pence, Pierre

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Earlier today, Yahoo's Jeff Passan wrote that the Phillies haven't shopped center fielder Shane Victorino nearly as aggressively as right fielder Hunter Pence, even though Victorino will be eligible for free agency after the season and Pence is under team control for 2013.  The latest on the Phillies' outfielders:

  • The Dodgers and Reds seem to be the last two Victorino suitors remaining, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweets.
  • The Giants are discussing Pence, but not Victorino, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
  • The Reds still want a leadoff hitter and Victorino has been their top target, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. The Reds don't like the Phillies' asking price for Victorino, and their interest in Pierre seems to have been exaggerated, Knobler writes.
  • The Dodgers are more likely to acquire Victorino, but they're also in on Pence, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
  • The Reds appear to be zeroing in on Pierre, writes ESPN's Jayson Stark.  He says the Dodgers look like the frontrunner on Victorino, while teams that have checked in on Pence believe the Phillies will wait until the offseason.
  • The Phillies' asking price on Victorino is outrageous, an executive of one team tells Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
  • The Orioles have interest in Victorino, Pence, and Juan Pierre, tweets Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, who notes Pierre is the best fit cost-wise.  The Reds have quietly evaluated Pierre as a possible target since June, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and USA Today's Bob Nightengale says the Reds' coaching staff loves him.    
  • The Pirates did not seem alive on Victorino as of late last night, tweeted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Giants, Reds, and Dodgers have been named as other potential suitors for the 31-year-old.  Victorino is hitting .261/.324/.401 in 431 plate appearances this year.
  • The Phillies have pushed Pence but want a big return, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.  Salisbury says most interest is on Victorino and starter Joe Blanton.

Latest On Giants’ Search For Outfielders

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10:34pm: Alfonso Soriano has told the Cubs he won't accept a trade to San Francisco, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio tweets.

8:31pm: There's some juice to the trade talks and a deal "could happen," Heyman tweets.  The Giants remain determined to acquire a hitter.

2:43pm: There is no Pence deal in place or close between the Giants and Phillies, writes Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

12:09pm: The Giants are talking to the Phillies about Pence, confirms Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  However, ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Giants "appear to have too many payroll issues and too few chips to make that deal work right now."  Stark mentions the Justin Morneau idea for San Francisco, which Heyman alluded to earlier today.  Morneau, however, will make more money than Pence through next year.

10:36am: "It would be a shocker" if the Giants don't acquire an outfielder before the trade deadline, writes ESPN's Buster Olney.  Jon Heyman of CBS Sports agrees that the Giants are seeking an outfielder.  The Giants have been linked to the Phillies' Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, but it appears no deal is in place currently.

NL East Notes: Bonifacio, Nationals, Braves, Phillies

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No team in baseball has a better ERA than the Nationals (3.25), who are seeking infield depth and monitoring the market for arms as the trade deadline approaches. Here are the latest links from the NL East, starting with the 61-40 Nationals…

  • Though the Nationals liked Emilio Bonifacio, the Marlins said a trade "ain't happening," Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
  • The Nationals are looking for a utility player and are focusing on players who can back up at shortstop, Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports (on Twitter). The team has discussed 15-20 players in the Marco Scutaro, Jamey Carroll, Nick Punto mold, Adam Kilgore reported last week. With Ian Desmond on the disabled list, Washington needs middle infield depth. 
  • The Braves have checked in on relievers and Wade Davis' name has come up in discussions, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. However, the Rays seem reluctant to trade the right-hander.
  • The Phillies are more likely to trade Hunter Pence than Cliff Lee, but it's possible both will be moved, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).

Projected 2013 Salaries For Pence, Choo, Headley

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You may remember Matt Swartz from such MLBTR projects as the 2012 arbitration projections.  Matt's model was very accurate the first time through, and he's made it even better for the 2013 projections.  I asked Matt for a sneak peek at 2013 projected salaries for some arbitration eligible trade candidates.  He used Dan Szymborski's rest-of-season ZiPS projections to account for the remainder of the 2012 season.

Passan On Beckett, Marlins, Headley, Pence

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Yahoo's Jeff Passan posted his latest information in an early-morning column; here are a few highlights.

  • Passan already noted that the Red Sox contacted the Braves and Rangers shopping Josh Beckett; in this article he mentions that the Sox shopped Beckett in the offseason as well.  WEEI's Rob Bradford also reports Beckett discussions between the Red Sox and Rangers and that Boston has engaged other clubs on the righty.  This morning, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweeted that the Red Sox talked to a handful of teams that inquired about their starting pitching, including Beckett, but a trade is unlikely.  ESPN's Buster Olney also considers a Beckett trade unlikely.
  • The Marlins are far more concerned about their club beyond 2013 as opposed to 2013 itself, executives who have inquired on Josh Johnson told Passan.  Those sources say the Marlins plan to cut payroll next year, after this year's franchise high, and thus seek cheap, young players.
  • The Padres expect to decide today whether they'll trade third baseman Chase Headley this month, a source tells Passan.  Headley, who is under team control through 2014, projects to earn $6.1MM for '13, according to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.  The Padres are growing more leery of trading Headley, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post, a sentiment we've been seeing the last several days from other reports.  Sherman does not believe there was much life to talks between the Yankees and Padres about Headley.
  • The Phillies haven't shopped Shane Victorino nearly as aggressively as Hunter Pence, writes Passan.  Swartz projects Pence at $14.3MM for 2013.

Phillies Could Be “Most Active Sellers”

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The Phillies entered this weekend needing to perform well in a critical series against the division rival Braves. Instead, they were swept and now appear to be in the position to sell off several pieces. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Phillies could be baseball's "most active sellers" in the next two days, and that they've laid the groundwork for several trades. Olney's colleague Jayson Stark hears from several teams that the Phillies could make 2-3 trades prior to Tuesday's deadline, though they've yet to officially declare themselves sellers (Twitter link).

CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury agrees that selling is likely, and runs down several of the possibilities for the Phillies in the coming days. Salisbury writes that Shane Victorino is the "most likely" Phillie to be dealt, and lists the Giants, Pirates, Reds and Dodgers as possible destinations for Victorino. Interest in Victorino was said to be "heating up" as recently as yesterday.

The Reds have also inquired on Juan Pierre, and both the Orioles and Cardinals are potential destinations for Joe Blanton according to Salisbury. He also says that Hunter Pence could be moved if GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is blown away by an offer, and speculates that Ty Wigginton would fit on several teams looking for bench help.

Salisbury reiterates that the Phillies are likely to keep Cliff Lee for the time being, although he could be shopped this offseason in an attempt to fill multiple holes.

Mariners Seek Controllable Hitters

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2:35pm: The Mariners are trying hard to obtain Brandon Belt, Dave Cameron of FanGraphs reports (on Twitter).

1:32pm: Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik is looking to acquire hitters who could contribute for the next two or three seasons, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. The Mariners aim to improve an offense that currently ranks last in the American League with just 3.9 runs per game. 

The Mariners are more focused on players such as Josh Willingham and Allen Craig than players like Shin-Soo Choo and Hunter Pence. Choo and Pence are eligible for free agency after the 2013 season, while Willingham is under contract through 2014 and Craig won't even be arbitration eligible before the 2013-14 offseason.

Stark On Johnson, Rangers, Phillies

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The results of Josh Johnson’s start against the Padres and Roy Halladay’s start against the Braves could have major consequences for the trade market, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark writes. More than a dozen scouts are on hand to watch Johnson pitch in Miami today, while Halladay is attempting to prevent the Braves from sweeping the Phillies out of town and, possibly, out of the playoff mix. Here are the details from Stark:

  • MLB executives are wary of Johnson’s past shoulder troubles, his career-high ERA and his diminishing fastball velocity, but no other available starter has his kind of stuff. The Marlins continue to look for a “dream package” for Johnson and they’re prepared to keep him if no club meets their asking price, Stark reports.
  • The Rangers seem especially cautious about Johnson, but they have people watching his start today. The Marlins told the Rangers  they aren’t interested in discussing a trade unless Mike Olt is involved, yet the Rangers haven’t been willing to make Olt available.
  • As of last night, the Phillies were telling clubs they haven’t decided how they’ll approach the deadline. They’ve likely done enough talking to trade Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Juan Pierre and Ty Wigginton in short order if necessary, Stark writes.
  • The Phillies continue dangling Hunter Pence, but seem intent on waiting until the offseason to start serious trade discussions.
  • Philadelphia could keep its trade chips for now and make moves in August, when players have to be placed on waivers to be dealt.

NL West Notes: Pence, Giants, Headley

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The Giants lead the Dodgers by one game in the NL West, and the 51-50 Diamondbacks are just 4.5 games out of first place. Here's the latest from the division…

  • The Giants are eyeing outfielders now and Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence of the Phillies could be options in San Francisco, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes (Twitter link).
  • Pence is likely too pricey for the Giants, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). But as Rosenthal notes, the Dodgers might be able to afford him. Pence earns $10.4MM in 2012 and will get a raise through the arbitration process this coming offseason.
  • Giants GM Brian Sabean continues to look for a right-handed reliever, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (on Twitter).
  • The Padres are sending signals they'll keep Chase Headley if they don't receive a better offer for him in the next two days, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter).

Interest In Shane Victorino Heating Up

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Trade buzz surrounding Shane Victorino has started to pick up, reports Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. The Reds, Dodgers, Pirates, and Giants all have interest in the outfielder and are scouting the Phillies. Cincinnati also has interest in Juan Pierre.

Victorino, 31, is hitting just .256/.321/.391 this season and will become a free agent this winter. He's owed approximately $6.3MM through the end of the season and thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement, any team that acquires him in a trade will not be eligible to receive draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere as a free agent.

Teams are also showing interest in Hunter Pence but are being told the price is high according to Salisbury. The Orioles and Blue Jays have also been keeping an eye on Joe Blanton's recent starts.

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