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Jeremy Guthrie

Price’s Latest: Red Sox, Orioles, Tigers

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Ed Price's Baseball Brunch column is up over at fanhouse.com. Let's take a look at the highlights:

  • Price names several amusing first-half awards, including the "Bg Hitter" award for Albert Pujols, in honor of Albert's mammoth home run that took out the "I" in the Big Mac Land sign at Busch Stadium.
  • The Red Sox's strategy as the deadline approaches is dependent on Mike Lowell's health. The Sox have looked at Garrett Atkins, but have found Colorado's asking price to be too much. Colorado apparently isn't impressed with Takashi Saito. If Lowell is to miss an extended period of time, Price writes that the Red Sox would have an easier time getting a first baseman and putting Kevin Youkilis at third.
  • The Orioles know they're sellers, and have good trade pieces in Aubrey Huff and Danys Baez. However, Andy MacPhail has said he wants his team to be competitive in the second half, given the September slides his team has seen the past two seasons. Price briefly speculates that Baez could intrigue the Twins.
  • The O's would have to be overwhelmed to move George Sherrill, and Jeremy Guthrie is no longer a trade candidate, with Koji Uehara ailing.
  • Huff may interest Detroit, who needs some left-handed help in the order. They'd like someone who could play in the outfield, however. Price says that the Tigers inquired on Adam Dunn, but the finances didn't line up.
  • The Rockies are in need of a quality setup man, as they've been using Joel Peralta and Matt Daley to get to Huston Street.
  • The rumors of Doug Davis going to Milwaukee have died down for now.
  • The Rays would like to upgrade in right field; they're currently using a platoon of Gabe Gross and Gabe Kapler.

Rosenthal On Guthrie, Rangers, Glaus

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Orioles would consider dealing Jeremy Guthrie under the right circumstances. Here are the details, along with highlights from the rest of his column:

  • Teams have inquired to see if Guthrie, who makes just $650K this year, is available. The Orioles would only move him if they hear "an overwhelming offer."
  • The O's are reluctant to move George Sherrill, who's pitching well and remains under team control through 2011.  
  • Danys Baez is more likely to be dealt.  
  • The Rangers could lose Josh Hamilton for an extended period, but that won't stop them from dealing a bat for a reliever. Rosenthal writes that the Rangers could replace a player like Marlon Byrd or Hank Blalock internally.  
  • The Rangers will consider pursuing a top starting pitcher.  
  • The Mariners aren't about to deal anybody away for now. "I think right now we are still in it," GM Jack Zduriencik said. The Mariners are 5.5 games out in the AL West.  
  • If Troy Glaus proves he can hit, but has trouble playing third upon his return, the Cardinals could deal him to a team in need of a first baseman or DH.

Why Are So Many Pitchers Still Unsigned?

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We are nearing Memorial Day, and many pitchers whose resumes would normally have landed them at least a minor-league deal by now remain unsigned.

  • Pedro Martinez is still homeless. While the complication may be in part due to Pedro's salary demands, it is surprising that nobody has signed him. Yes, his ERA was an unsightly 5.61 in 2008, but his 2007 stint was far better-2.57 ERA in 28 innings. His 87 strikeouts against 44 walks in 109 innings also suggests a pitcher who can help a team on the back end of a rotation. Given that it is Pedro Martinez, there is upside well beyond that, of course.
  • Odalis Perez remains strangely unsigned after his even stranger signing that wasn't with Washington this spring. Perez turns 32 on June 7, and had a perfectly average 2008, with a 4.34 ERA in 159 2/3 innings. Obviously, those numbers could help any number of teams.
  • Paul Byrd did what he always does in 2008-posted an ERA in the mid 4s (4.60 to be exact), struck out around four per nine innings, and kept his team in the game. Yet Byrd has yet to sign with anyone, either.

The lack of movement on these pitchers can't be due to overwhelming performances by all the starters currently employed. After all, there's Jamie Moyer and his 8.15 ERA, Carlos Silva and his 8.48 ERA, Oliver Perez and his 9.97 ERA… plenty of others at sixes and sevens, from Scott Olsen to Scott Kazmir. (Even as I type this, Moyer is giving up another home run. No, really.)

My suspicion is that teams view Martinez, Perez or Byrd as band-aid solutions. And that would be fine, normally. After all, band-aids have a rich tradition of stopping people from bleeding.

But the trade market for pitchers has the most top targets it's had in years. The Padres are already 10 games out, and Jake Peavy will likely hit the market. If Cincinnati fades, Aaron Harang could be available. If Toronto falls back to earth- and the smart money still has them finishing fourth- Roy Halladay could be someone else's ace by August. And Cleveland's Cliff Lee will be a prominent target as well.

There are even second-tier options that can help teams now and in the future, from Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie to Seattle's Erik Bedard.  And in the current economic climate, teams that fall out of the race may have even greater incentive to shed salary as soon as possible.

So it may well be that for veteran free agents, the market will only pick up once the trade deadline has come and gone. And with so many targets out there, once the deadline deals are made July 31, there may not be any place for Martinez, Perez or Byrd to land.

Orioles Close To Deal With Cubs For Hill

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9:41pm: Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun has more on the Orioles trading for Cubs pitcher Rich Hill.

The deal would be for a player to be named later, Zrebiec writes, and it could be announced as early as Monday.

Hill will be reunited with pitching coach Rick Kranitz and bullpen coach Alan Dunn, who worked with him in the Cubs’ organization, Zrebiec notes.

Hill is out of options, so he’ll have to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster or they could lose him. … Hill will be given an opportunity to win a spot in the rotation, which currently has three vacancies behind Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara.

6:12pm: Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun believes the Baltimore Orioles will complete a trade for Cubs left-handed pitcher Rich Hill by Tuesday — if the Orioles will do the deal at all.

Schmuck writes that now other organizations are aware that Hill could be made available, additional teams — including the Royals and Mariners — could make an offer.

Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail might be waiting to see if he can sign free agent right-handed pitcher Braden Looper, Schmuck adds.

They might be willing to acquire both pitchers, but there is the small matter of moving players off the 40-man roster to make room, so maybe Andy is just going to take one or the other.

Hill, 29 in March, is 18-17 in 57 starts with a 4.37 ERA during a short four-season career. He spend much of 2008 in Triple-A.

Looper, 34, went 12-14 in 33 starts with a 4.16 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals last season.

Jeremy Guthrie Leaves Boras

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According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, longtime Scott Boras client Jeremy Guthrie personally visited the agent in Las Vegas to inform him he’s changing representation.  Guthrie will now be represented by Casey Close and Brodie Van Wagenen.

Guthrie said his decision was not related to Boras’ preference for his younger clients to avoid long-term deals.  He simply called it a "personal preference for my career."  It’s not known whether the Orioles would like to sign Guthrie long-term.  He’ll turn 30 in April, yet has only two years of Major League service.  Guthrie spent two years on a Mormon mission.

Zrebiec’s article also addresses the Daniel Cabrera non-tender situation.  Is he worth $4MM for one more year for the pitching-starved Orioles?  Team officials are mixed on the decision.

Odds and Ends: Bonds, Crow, Odalis Perez

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Links for Tuesday…

  • Barry Bonds is enjoying his freedom.
  • MLB.com has a list of all the potential free agents. The Dodgers lead with 14, while the Royals and Giants have only two.
  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin may get an extension soon.
  • Rich Harden will have a shoulder exam soon, which will inform the Cubs’ decision on his $7MM option.
  • MLB.com’s Matthew Leach sees the Cardinals letting starter Braden Looper leave, but attempting to re-sign infielder Felipe Lopez.
  • The Kansas City Star’s Bill Reiter catches up with Aaron Crow, who is basically just chillin’ right now.  MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel says the Royals like Crow, but he may not be around when they draft 12th in 2009.
  • Ken Rosenthal agrees that the Rays owe their success to much more than just top draft picks.
  • Pete McElroy notes that Odalis Perez would love to re-sign with the Nationals.  Perez pitched 159.2 respectable innings but earned less than a million bucks.
  • Eddie Bajek has his final Elias rankings for NL relievers.  Type As: Ryan Dempster, Russ Springer, Juan Cruz, Doug Brocail, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, and Jason Isringhausen.  Type Bs: Joe Beimel, Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Shouse, Bob Howry, David Weathers, Trevor Hoffman, Eric Gagne, and Brandon Lyon.  If one of these players is offered arbitration, turns it down, and signs elsewhere, his old team gets one or two draft picks.
  • MLB.com’s Spencer Fordin doesn’t see the need for the Orioles to sign Jeremy Guthrie to a long-term deal this winter.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Redding, Laird, Wolf

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Fresh column from Ken Rosenthal.

  • The Rockies, six games out in the NL West, could certainly become buyers.  They offered Clint Barmes for Jeremy Guthrie and were turned down, and continue to monitor Bronson Arroyo and Tim Redding.  Closer Brian Fuentes still seems likely to be traded though (the demand: top of the line prospect and a secondary player).
  • Rosenthal cautions us against judging the Pirates’ new regime too quickly.  The deadline will be a good test for them.
  • The Yankees definitely have interest in Rangers catcher Gerald Laird, but haven’t asked the Royals about Miguel Olivo.
  • The Astros are unlikely to flip Randy Wolf before the deadline, partially due to lack of interest.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Fuentes, Sherrill, Nady, Kemp, Guthrie

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New Rosenthal.  Let’s take a look.

  • Rosenthal says the Marlins are in on Brian Fuentes and other top relievers, and they’re more focused on bullpen help than a catcher.  The Marlins’ interest in Fuentes was first reported by the Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck on July 9th.
  • Sources tell Rosenthal that the Brewers aren’t likely to pay up for a top reliever like George Sherrill.  Rosenthal considers the Angels the best fit for Sherrill, but doesn’t say whether they’re actually interested.
  • The Braves probably won’t discuss Tim Hudson; they’ll need him for next year.
  • Rosenthal wonders whether the Phillies will entertain trades for Brett Myers in the offseason.
  • The Phillies inquired on some interesting hitters: Matt Holliday, Xavier Nady, and Matt Kemp.
  • The Rockies asked the Orioles about Jeremy Guthrie, but he’s not available.
  • The Mets may not consider Casey Blake even of a difference-maker, though Blake is popular on the trade market.  The Rays are one team looking at him.

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