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Javier Vazquez

Odds and Ends: Aurilia, Vazquez, Al Reyes, Varitek

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Some random links for today…

White Sox Discuss Vazquez, Garland

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There hasn’t been much buzz on Javier Vazquez, but as suspected, Kenny Williams is at least willing to discuss him.  According to Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times, Williams was discussing Vazquez with the Phillies before the Phils got Kyle Lohse.  Pat Gillick and Kenny Williams really get along it seems.  It would be interesting to see Vazquez in play over the next 6.5 hours.

SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports some talks surrounding Jon Garland.  Heyman says Garland is "by far the best available starting pitcher right now."  The Dodgers, Mets, and Diamondbacks have all inquired and found the price unreasonable, however.  And don’t forget the Mariners and Yankees, who liked Garland earlier this month.

Mariners Watching Starters

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UPDATE: Hickey writes that the Mariners have also scouted Kyle Lohse, Matt Morris, Jason Johnson (thought he went to Japan), and Octavio Dotel.  However, a deal seems unlikely because none of those players are worth top Mariner prospects.

According to Jim Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Mariners have been scouting all kinds of available and not-so-available starters lately.

  • The Mariners have been scouting the White Sox "religiously" lately.  If they saw Javier Vazquez beat the Tigers on Tuesday, they came away impressed.  (However, Vazquez can and probably would veto a trade to the AL or NL West).  They were on hand to watch Jose Contreras tonight; the Tigers had batting practice with him and his ERA is up to 6.22.  Did you hear that?  That was the sound of Contreras’ remaining ounce of trade value evaporating.
  • As you know, the Ms watched Dontrelle Willis on Monday.  Compared to Contreras, Willis pitched well – four earned runs, nearly seven innings. 
  • The Ms also had a scout on hand to see Livan Hernandez twirl a gem over the Marlins on Tuesday.  Hey, at least he takes the ball every fifth day.  That has to be worth something.
  • Hickey says Seattle has also been monitoring the Astros, perhaps in hope of acquiring Dan Wheeler or Chad Qualls.  He speculates that Wandy Rodriguez would be a coup for the Mariners.  Wand-Rod has thrown up stinkers in his last two outings but tossed a complete game shutout over the Mets in the game prior.  He’s inconsistent like that.  The Astros’ #2 starter for 2008 wouldn’t come cheap.

Graziano On Greinke, Pettitte

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Good stuff today from Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger.  Here’s my summary:

  • Beyond the Cubs, Graziano lists the Braves, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks as teams interested in pitcher Zack Greinke.  If the initial asking price for Octavio Dotel was as high as reported, I can’t imagine what Dayton Moore would want for Greinke.
  • Graziano’s Dotel suitors: Cubs, Dodgers, and Brewers.  The Red Sox, Rockies, and Indians have been mentioned by other sources.  Quite a market for this guy.
  • David Weathers is seen as the poor man’s Dotel/Gagne.  Let’s see if Wayne Krivsky can get something useful for him.  Stormy makes another $2.75MM in ’08 before his contract is up.
  • The Mets are mostly focused on a power relief arm, as Roy Oswalt and Dontrelle Willis are said to be unavailable.  I have no idea why Willis keeps getting lumped in with Oswalt; they are nowhere near equal.  Graziano says the Mets still like Javier Vazquez but the White Sox keep trying to pawn off Jose Contreras instead.
  • The Braves are trying to deal for southpaw reliever C.J. Wilson of the Rangers.  The 26 year-old has an undeserved 2.81 ERA right now.  His control has been worse this year, so he’d have to remain unhittable to be effective.
  • The Mariners inquired on Andy Pettitte, but the Yankees aren’t giving up yet.

White Sox Buehrle Extension Close?

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UPDATE: Readers are writing in saying 670 AM The Score in Chicago is reporting that Buehrle is "likely" to sign an extension for four years and "around" $50MM.

In a surprising turnabout, White Sox starter Mark Buehrle is off the trading block.  Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the exclusive – the two sides might agree on a contract extension by week’s end.  It’s possible that Buehrle has reduced his demand from five years to four.  Would 4/60 get it done?  Cowley says the White Sox remain Buehrle’s #1 choice for the future, by a long shot.  Even over the Cardinals, apparently.

While the White Sox may lock up Buehrle, they’re still looking to trade Tadahito Iguchi and Jermaine Dye.  Additionally, Jose Contreras or Javier Vazquez may be shopped.  In Vazquez, the Sox would still probably own the best starter on the trading block.  The Astros and Braves were known to be scouting last night’s White Sox-Devil Rays game.

What About Other White Sox Pitchers?

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A couple of Chicago newspapers raised a logical possibility today: what if the impending White Sox fire sale extends beyond those who will become free agents?  Specifically, the Sox have three veteran starting pitchers under contract and any of them could be traded. 

Take Javier Vazquez.  He’s a fine addition to any team looking for a complementary, solid, healthy pitcher.  Vazquez is signed through 2010 at $11.5MM annually, about the market rate.  He’ll turn 31 soon, and has no health issues.  His strikeout rate is strong, his walk rate low.  Granted he’s HR prone and his ERA never quite seems to match his other stats, but he’s plenty valuable.

There’s Jon Garland, who’s only 27 and has quietly posted a 3.51 ERA.  I’m quite skeptical, because his strikeout rate is at a career low but his hit rate is too.  That’s not sustainable.  Nonetheless, he can really eat up innings and has been healthy for years aside from minor concerns this spring.  Garland makes $10MM this year and $12MM in ’08.   

Jose Contreras is the riskiest White Sox pitcher.  Contreras earns $9MM this year, $10MM in ’08, and $10MM in ’09.  His control this year has been his worst since ’04, and his strikeout rate is a career worst.  He’s 35 and looks like he’s 40.  He is compensating for his declining skills by getting more groundballs. 

Any of these three could be available in the coming weeks.  Williams might find that he can get much better prospects in return for pitchers who will not walk after 2007.  Imagine what he could get if he were to package two of them.  That would be almost unprecedented.

Fallout From Vazquez Extension

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From Jermaine Dye’s point of view, it may have been odd to see the White Sox negotiate a contract extension with Javier Vazquez on Tuesday.  After talking to the club earlier, Dye’s agent told the outfielder that the Sox would not talk contract extension with any player before the end of the season.  The Daily Herald says he might accept less than Carlos Lee’s 6/100 package.  I think the Sox might consider 4/60 but he’s a long shot to re-sign.

And then there’s Mark Buehrle, whose situation is more directly related to Vazquez since both are starters.  It’s pretty clear that Buehrle wants at least four years, and the Sox have their unofficial policy to limit pitcher contracts to three.  Both sides are saying their doors are open.  It’s kind of like being on a job interview when the company asks your salary expectations.  Neither side wants to blink first. 

I know there is going to be some level of outrage/disappointment in Chicago when Buehrle hops over to the Cardinals or some other club after the season, especially if he bounces back to post an ERA around 4.  He was a huge part of the World Series team.  But sentiment should not get in the way of reality.  I think the team’s three-year policy is excellent.  I’m sure they’d bend on it if the right pitcher came along at the right price, but Buehrle isn’t it.

The Sox have Buehrle’s best seasons in the bank, and the price was reasonable.  Locking him up for his age 29-32 seasons as a reward for that isn’t good business.  It’s nothing personal.  Kenny Williams’s limit was probably the 3/30 offer he made last summer.  He was right to draw the line there.

You can question whether the Garcia/McCarthy deals made sense – the Sox are trying to have their cake and eat it too by winning and rebuilding simultaneously.  You have to admire them for trying and for Williams’s foresight.  Re-signing Buehrle or Dye at anything near the market rate just doesn’t make sense.

White Sox Extend Javier Vazquez

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In a surprise move, the White Sox signed 30 year-old right-handed starter Javier Vazquez to a three-year, $34.5MM extension today.  The deal starts in 2008, as Vazquez is due $12.5MM this year.

I love the move.  If the Sox had to choose one of their guys to extend, Vazquez was the right one.  Plus, they get him at a slight discount after a 4.84 ERA that did not represent his skills.  How many American League pitchers strike out 8 batters per nine and walk fewer than 2.5?  Not many.  Vazquez’s command, as measured by K/BB, is among the best in the AL. Only Schilling, Santana, Haren, and Halladay pitched 200 innings with better command.  And Vazquez is a virtual lock for 32+ starts.

PECOTA says the White Sox overpaid by $7MM, but given the current market, I think it’s more than fair.  If Ted Lilly requires 4/40 and Gil Meche 5/55, Vazquez’s deal is a steal.  One of these years, maybe 2007, Don Cooper is going to solve the enigma of his disproportionately high ERAs.

Kenny Williams, Dealmaker

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Either Ken Williams is keeping busy at the GM meetings, or the reporters covering the Sox have very fertile imaginations.  I’m sure the truth is somewhere in between.  In addition to the Andruw Jones deal I mentioned in the previous post, here’s a roundup of possible White Sox moves:

Chris De Luca reports on a possible Freddy Garcia / Ervin Santana swap.  Oddly enough, his sources say that the "package" would be built around Santana.  Garcia might be a better pitcher right now, but just barely: last year, Garcia was worth 15 win shares, while Santana was worth 13.  Santana’s younger, and is under the Angels control for four more years.  Bill Stoneman couldn’t covet Garcia that much, could he?  South Side Sox chimes in on the improbability of that deal.

De Luca also repeats the thinking that Williams could bring Aaron Rowand back, especially if the Phillies land Alfonso Soriano.

Phil Rogers has a flurry of rumors, some of the recycled variety.  He keeps stoking the flames of Javier Vazquez-to-the-Mets, and suggests there’s the makings of a "monster deal" between the Sox and Rangers with Vazquez or Mark Buerhle headed to Texas.  Rogers is clearly speculating, but if his source is correct that John Danks is in play, there’s certainly the possibility of something getting done.

By Jeff Sackmann

Rubin: Mets Could Get Garcia Or Vazquez

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According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, the Mets may be able to acquire Freddy Garcia or Javier Vazquez from the White Sox.  He says:

"The White Sox have been calling around to clubs – including the Mets – letting it be known that Javier Vazquez or Freddy Garcia would be available. The price: top-notch relief help, which would allow the Sox to fortify their bullpen leading to closer Bobby Jenks, sources told the Daily News. Chicago has 23-year-old Brandon McCarthy ready to step into its rotation."

Seems like relievers are the hot ticket item of this particular trading season.  They’re always a popular deadline commodity but the price seemed quite high yesterday.  My Mets source is adamant that New York would not give up Duaner Sanchez (2.45 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 6.4 K/9) for Garcia or Vazquez.  He tells me that Aaron Heilman is an option.  To me, sounds like just the pitcher Don Cooper could fix after he’s stumbled a bit this season.

This year, the Mets have seen fine work from Heath Bell (0.83 ERA in 21 Triple A innings plus a 3.68 ERA in 22 big league innings) and Royce Ring (1.53 ERA in 29 Triple A innnings).  Henry Owens jumped up from Double A after 25 innings of 1.08 ball.

Rubin’s story also indicates that the Sox could have some interest in Tom Gordon, the best reliever on the trade market.  Flash has pitched for both Chicago teams.  He posted a 3.16 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 12 saves, and 11.0 K/9 in 74 innings for the Sox back in 2003.

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