Odds & Ends: Church, Yuniesky, Pirates
A few links for the afternoon as the All-Star Break approaches:
- Ryan Church has no animosity or hard feelings towards the Mets organization. He says that he's appreciative of Omar Minaya and everything that he has done for Church over his career. He's also excited to be playing with Chipper Jones. Says Church:
- Joe Posnanski continues to lament the recent acquisition of Yuniesky Betancourt by the Royals, stating that either the numbers are right, or the Royals are right. Posnanski's bet seems to be on the numbers.
- MLB.com's Jen Langosch has some notes on the Pirates, including an update on Ian Snell who allowed one run on seven hits through six innings in his most recent Triple-A start. That outing lowers Snell's ERA to 0.45 since being demoted. We've heard Snell's names in trade rumors this year, and he appears to be taking some strides toward re-establishing his value. Langosch also mentions the two international signings that Mike wrote about here yesterday, and I feel obligated to give my vote to Dovydas Neverauskas for having the coolest name in baseball.
Huntington: Snell Deal A “Mistake”
As Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, Pirates GM Neal Huntington says signing Ian Snell made "all the sense in the world" on paper, but the move failed.
"It certainly feels like a mistake on out part," Huntington said.
Before last season, the Pirates signed Snell to a multi-year deal that guaranteed him $8.6MM. They have the option of keeping him through 2012, but, as Kovacevic points out, it's unlikely they'll pick up the options on his contract.
Snell, who just struck out 17 in Triple A, could soon be someone else's concern. Huntington's been trying to trade him for months and he may be content to dump the $5.75MM remaining on Snell's deal at this point.
Odds And Ends: Snell, DeRosa, Kearns
Some links to start the week off…
- East Windup Chronicle reports that the Pirates signed a Taiwanese high schooler to a minor league deal. Chi Ping-hong is small and speedy with good range.
- Ian Snell faced 24 batters in his first Triple A start this year and struck out 17 of them, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Neal Huntington says the Pirates are trying to "salvage some value" from Snell, who has $5.75MM remaining on his contract.
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gathered some of the Cardinals' responses to the Mark DeRosa deal and they all agree the move shows the Cards are built to win now.
- Bud Shaw of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says the Indians' "summer garage sale" shows the best and worst sides of the club.
- Ben Goessling of the Washington Times wonders whether the Nats will trade Austin Kearns, release him, or simply buy him out for $1MM after the season.
Odds And Ends: Draft, Nady, Kinsler, Snell
A few links to start the morning off…
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star says the draft picks who ask for big bonuses aren't always the bad guys.
- The biggest bonus so far belongs to Tony Sanchez of the Pirates ($2.5MM). Check out our updated list of first rounders to sign.
- Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports that Xavier Nady suffered a setback during his rehab assignment.
- Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic shows how the D'Backs missed out on Ian Kinsler even though they drafted him twice.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggests we shouldn't expect Ian Snell to be dealt soon.
- SI.com's Tim Marchman calls Willy Taveras and Edgar Renteria this year's biggest free agent busts.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Red Sox are hesitant to deal a starter, since Tim Wakefield and John Smoltz are the only two starters over 40 in the AL.
- Definitely not a trade rumor, but WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports that Smoltz received 71 text messages after his start last night.
Odds And Ends: Snell, Tigers, Dotel
Some more links for a quiet Thursday…
- MLB.com's Jen Langosch says it's "almost certain" that Ian Snell will be demoted to Triple A and Dejan Kovacevic confirms the news. Snell has been mentioned in some rumors, but his value's pretty low at this point.
- Chris Iott of MLive.com reports that the Tigers signed two of their picks and a non-drafted free agent.
- Octavio Dotel realizes he could be traded and says nothing will surprise him, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
- In a piece for MLB.com, Jamey Newberg says Justin Smoak and Martin Perez lead the list of top Rangers prospects.
- Don't forget to tune in at 6:20 CST when I'll be talking rumors on the TEAM 1380 in St. Louis.
Stark On Lee, DeRosa, Phillies, Rays, Beltre
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com calls this one of the slowest-moving trade markets in a while, but provides lots of rumors anyways:
- Teams are making introductory calls now to set the tone for the next five weeks.
- One official looking to add a reliever says no one is available.
- With so few teams willing to part with players, sellers are asking for a lot.
- The Brewers, Dodgers, Phillies and Mets are among the teams to call about Cliff Lee. The Indians would still have to be overwhelmed to part with him.
- The Cubs have considered trying to reacquire Mark DeRosa.
- They've also done some preliminary searching for a bat, but they're not sure where they'd play a new hitter so that gives the versatile DeRosa extra appeal.
- Stark's heard nothing to suggest Bobby Valentine will end up managing the Nationals.
- The Phillies have given indications that they'd part with Michael Taylor and/or Jason Donald in a deal for a top starter.
- However, they won't listen on these players: Dominic Brown, Lou Marson, Kyle Drabek, Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco and Antonio Bastardo.
- Doug Davis and Ian Snell aren't Phillies targets.
- The Rays are looking for long-term upgrades. They'd like to acquire "the next J.P. Howell."
- They're asking about young corner outfielders, rather than Jermaine Dye types.
- Pedro Martinez still wants a $5MM salary (prorated) plus incentives, so don't expect him to sign soon.
- The Reds have the best minor leaguers in the division and some could become trade chips.
- The Mets checked in on Garrett Atkins.
- Tony Reagins believes 2009 free agent Vladimir Guerrero can still hit.
- At least one scout can't imagine Adrian Beltre being traded. Makes sense, given his shoulder injury and contract.
Rangers Inquired On Snell
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Rangers inquired about Pirates starter Ian Snell. The Pirates haven't had serious talks about dealing Snell to the Rangers or anyone else, since other teams value him as a reliever and the Pirates value him as a starter.
We heard yesterday that the Rockies don't have interest in Snell.
Olney On Mets, Holliday, Snell
ESPN.com's Buster Olney says the Mets have begun discussing which hitters they want to target. Here's what Olney has heard about the Mets, along with the rest of his rumors:
- It's fair to assume the Mets would like to acquire a "big-time bat."
- Omar Minaya could pursue Nick Johnson. He already traded for him once as the GM of the Expos.
- Other players that could play first and hit: Aubrey Huff, Jorge Cantu, Mark DeRosa and Dan Uggla.
- Uggla's an outside-the-box solution, but the Mets could use his power.
- Don't assume the A's will be able to collect compensation picks for offering arbitration to Matt Holliday if they don't trade him at the deadline. Holliday's numbers have fallen off, making him more likely to accept arbitration if the A's offer it. He could make upwards of $16MM, meaning the surest way for the A's to get something back would be to deal him now.
- Olney says the Rockies don't have interest in Ian Snell. Yesterday John Perrotto suggested they could trade for him.
- Colorado will likely wait another month before deciding whether to deal Huston Street.
- The Mariners don't have to rush their deal-making either, especially since their division looks winnable.
Pirates Rumors: Snell, LaRoche, Grabow
John Perrotto of PiratesReport.com provides more detail on the Ian Snell rumors and adds a couple new ones in his latest article:
- The Rockies could have interest in Snell and the Pirates would be looking to get a "decent prospect" in return, despite Snell's tendency to blame others and his poor start to the season.
- Colorado "figures to make a play for him."
- The Giants have interest in Adam LaRoche.
- The Angels are interested in John Grabow, now that they can't count on Scot Shields or Jose Arredondo.
Colorado A Possible Destination For Snell
John Perrotto of Inside Pittsburgh Sports reports "indications" that the Pirates are willing to trade Ian Snell and says the Rockies are becoming their most likely trade parter. Multiple people in the team clubhouse appeared convinced that Snell was about to be traded yesterday.