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Jermaine Dye

Byrnes Extension Seems Unlikely

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It seems unlikely that the Diamondbacks will sign 31 year-old outfielder Eric Byrnes to a contract extension.  According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the team won’t even approach Juan Pierre’s five-year, $45MM deal.  And Juan Pierre isn’t good.

It’s just the business reality – the Diamondbacks have way too much outfield talent in their system to give Byrnes anything near what he’s worth.  He’d probably have to take something like two years, $20MM to remain in Arizona.  Earlier I said 4/32 might do it but now I’m thinking even that wouldn’t work.  I still like him as a possible White Sox next year.

Piecoro also mentioned that Josh Byrnes inquired on Bobby Abreu and Jermaine Dye, but is backing off because Carlos Gonzalez was requested.  Buster Olney proposes Shannon Stewart as a lower-cost alternative.

McAdam On Red Sox Trade Possibilities

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Yesterday, Sean McAdam of The Providence Journal posted an article discussing trade possibilities for the Red Sox.  Let’s discuss.

  • It seems that the Red Sox will add a bullpen arm despite the fine work of Manny Delcarmen.  Apparently they want someone with experience.  Eric Gagne doesn’t seem likely, nor does Brad Lidge.  Instead, Chad Qualls, Dan Wheeler, and maybe Salomon Torres or Scott Linebrink could be acquired.  The focus is said to be on the Houston relievers.  Wheeler seems like a solid buy-low option.  You can add Octavio Dotel to the radar as well.  And let’s throw Brian Fuentes into the mix.  UPDATE: Today, McAdam added Damaso Marte as a reliever the Red Sox like.  He says the price for Torres is "way too high" at present.  And according to the Boston Globe, Drayton McLane will not even consider moving Lidge.
  • The Sox would get involved on a top-flight starter like Roy Oswalt or Dontrelle Willis.  Calling Willis "top-flight" is a stretch, but that’s what McAdam said.  They also like Jon Garland, if they can pry him loose for a reasonable price.  Other available starters don’t seem markedly better than internal options.
  • The Royals would love to pawn Reggie Sanders off, but the Red Sox don’t have interest.  Instead, they could reacquire Kevin Millar or even go after Jermaine Dye.  Is Dye really a perfect fit, though?  Wouldn’t his acquisition make he and J.D. Drew part-time players?  That wouldn’t be good for the clubhouse.  UPDATE: McAdam says today that this playing time issue will indeed thwart a trade.  On the Millar front, the Boston Globe debunks that rumor on the basis that the Sox want someone who can play center field.
  • Speaking of people who can play center field, the Boston Herald mentions Randy Winn and Dave Roberts as possibilities.  The fans would love a Roberts acquisition, I imagine. 
  • The trade Mike Lowell/acquire Mark Teixeira scenario is highly unlikely.
  • The Boston Globe is saying that the Red Sox are "actively shopping" Wily Mo Pena.  I discussed Wily Mo in a post yesterday.  The Boston Herald today said that he might be the trading chip for a deal with Houston.

Mets Interested In Dye, Relief Help

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According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, the Mets have interest in White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye.  The Mets had also been monitoring Mark Buehrle, but he’s officially off the market now.   Gonzales seems to indicate that the Buehrle extension will lessen the Mets’ interest in Dye.  Dye’s been awful this season, perhaps limited by his strained quad. 

Gonzales’s source also mentioned that Omar Minaya is hunting for bullpen help.  A few days ago David Lennon noted that the Mets have an eye on Hector Carrasco.  The 37 year-old should be traded somewhere by Friday.

As far as more effective available relievers, Peter Gammons rattled off the usual names in a recent blog entry (Akinori Otsuka, Eric Gagne, Octavio Dotel, Salomon Torres, Brad Lidge, Dan Wheeler, and Chad Qualls).  Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog considers Otsuka the perfect fit, though the price could be Lastings Milledge.  Another name in Gammons’ list, Brad Lidge, may be unavailable based on Ken Rosenthal’s info.  Gammons mentioned one intriguing pitcher that’d certainly be worthy of surrendering Milledge: Zack Greinke.  Seems crazy that the Royals would give him up, but he’ll be a hot commodity if they do shop him.

Padres Failed Trade Talks: Dye, Pie

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Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune has a couple of blurbs about inquires trade inquiries made by Padres GM Kevin Towers.

The first says that Kenny Williams’s asking price for Jermaine Dye a few weeks ago was Khalil Greene and Scott Linebrink.  I’m surprised the White Sox would focus on Greene, as him game isn’t terribly different from Juan Uribe’s.  But the Padres don’t have anyone else to turn to at shortstop.  Greene doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2009 season.  Anyway, the Padres chose to go with Milton Bradley instead of Dye.

Additionally, the Padres asked the Cubs about Felix Pie.  Jim Hendry informed Towers that he’s untouchable.  Maybe no one is truly "untouchable," but what could the Padres realistically offer?  Jake Peavy or Chris Young seems silly, leaving the most valuable young Padres as Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Chase Headley, and maybe Cla Meredith.  There doesn’t seem to be a fit for the Cubs.  Maybe Towers was just inquiring to see if Hendry would sacrifice the future for a useful 2007 piece. 

Yankees Interested In Buehrle, Dye?

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According to George King of the New York Post, the White Sox have been scouting Yankee Double A pitchers Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain.  King says to "expect the Yankees to be interested" in Mark Buehrle and Jermaine Dye, which is not the same as saying the Yankees have inquired.

Jon Heyman of SI.com has a source saying the White Sox are seeking Kennedy, Chamberlain, or Phil Hughes.  Heyman’s source also believes that the trio is unavailable. 

My friend and I were trying to figure out how a Dye acquisition would work for New York, assuming Bobby Abreu is not included in the deal.  Maybe Dye in left, Hideki Matsui in center, and Abreu stays in right?  And then Johnny Damon plays first base or DH?  The alternative would be Matsui at first base, but only if Damon is healthy.  It seems a long shot. 

The Yanks do have room for Buehrle in place of Kei Igawa, though Igawa has earned a second chance.  And such an acquisition would shut Phil Hughes out if he were to return in mid-August.  All in all I can see the Yankees poking around because the Red Sox are interested, but I don’t see them getting Buehrle or Dye.  They could be after a number of other lesser White Sox players.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are treating Buehrle as a want and not a need.  Theo Epstein is in the catbird seat, and my guess is he won’t make a deal if Kenny Williams requires Clay Buchholz.  Sean McAdam says Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury are "strictly off-limits." 

Curt Schilling’s health is the wild card; if he turns out to have a major problem within the next few weeks the Red Sox could step up their efforts.

   

Latest From Gammons

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The man himself, Peter Gammons, had a blog posting on Saturday that I neglected to mention here.

  • Gammons mentions some suitors for Mark Buehrle: the Mets, Cardinals, and Mariners.  He draws the Jermaine Dye/Padres connection we have seen in the past.
  • Gammons believes the Astros will move one of Brad Lidge, Dan Wheeler, or Chad Qualls.  However, that was written before Lidge hit the DL for a strained oblique.  Houston would also love to move Morgan Ensberg, but that’s nothing new.
  • The Dodgers are looking for a corner infield slugger, but aren’t interested in Troy Glaus or Scott Rolen.  Adam Dunn isn’t in the Dodgers’ plans, either.  Dunn’s defensive limitations really seem to be hindering a deal.  If they are going to give up multiple young future stars, it’s going to take Mark Teixeira.  In other words, they’d go all-in. 
  • Bill Stoneman is "cautiously looking for a bat."  Cautious is the name of the game with Stoneman.  It’s a seller’s market for power hitters.  Imagine what the Marlins could get for Miguel Cabrera. 

Stark’s Latest

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has his latest Rumblings and Grumblings column up, and it’s chock full o’ rumors.

  • Stark speaks to one NL exec who thinks any Barry Bonds trade rumor is hogwash.  That source believes that there would be no market for him.  Personally, I don’t buy it.  There would only be $8MM or so left on the deal, and as a two-month DH Bonds could make a huge impact on a contender.  And he did indicate he’d waive his no-trade clause.
  • Word is that the Mets wouldn’t trade Lastings Milledge for an impending free agent – Mark Buehrle included.  Milledge could go in a Dontrelle Willis deal though.
  • The Braves are seen as a more likely suitor for Buehrle, once he’s truly made available in a week or two.  Atlanta won’t settle for a Mike Maroth type.  What would the Braves give up for Buehrle?  Kenny Williams should pry away Jarrod Saltalamacchia if he can.  Otherwise a package involving Brent Lillibridge or Brandon Jones would make sense.
  • Meanwhile, the market on Jermaine Dye seems tepid.  It would help if he was healthy and hitting.  Ah, alliteration.
  • Stark debunks the popular Ken Griffey Jr. to Atlanta rumor.  He says the Braves aren’t looking for big contract commitments and are more focused on pitching than offense.  Rightfully so.
  • The Yankees have added Scott Hatteberg to their list of first base targets.  As if they needed more OBP. 

White Sox Trade Winds

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Tons of articles today about the plans of Kenny Williams and the Chicago White Sox.

Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune speaks of a rumor involving both Mark Buehrle and Jermaine Dye going to the Mets for prospects.  This one may have originated on ESPN.  Or maybe it’s a contortion of Saturday’s Newark Star-Ledger rumor.  When you see a rumor like that, a red flag should go off.  Why would Williams trade both in a package deal?  Maximum value is extracted with separate deals. 

Both van Dyck and Buehrle himself give much credence to this particular trade talk.  Buehrle wants to stay, but chances are slim because he’s looking for a five-year contract.  He deserves it, but it’s not the White Sox way.  Five years, $70MM sounds appropriate.  Poor guy’s got a kid coming soon; I’m sure he’d rather not go through this.

Van Dyck also reports that GMs have been "circling Williams like vultures."  At least publicly, Williams is saying that he has not yet decided whether to wave the white flag on the 2007 season.  The Sox are 10.5 games out in the AL Central and 9.5 games out of the wild card.  It would take a miracle.  Williams, Ozzie Guillen, and Paul Konerko met yesterday to discuss the current club and came up empty on fresh ideas.  If Scott Podsednik and Darin Erstad don’t spark the lineup when they return later this month, the Sox will likely officially give up.

Williams has more to offer than his future free agents (Buehrle, Dye, and Tadahito Iguchi.)  He’s also receiving interest in some of his relievers.  Perhaps Mike MacDougal or Matt Thornton could be sent packing. 

Olney Speculation: Dye To Diamondbacks

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Buster Olney had an idea today worth discussing.  With the Diamondbacks in the thick of a pennant race and Carlos Quentin pressing, how about acquiring Jermaine Dye from the White Sox as a rental?

GMs Josh Byrnes and Kenny Williams seem to get along, matching up on the Javier Vazquez/Chris Young deal in December of ’05 and the smaller Alex Cintron trade in spring 2006.  Olney believes Williams is ready to trade Dye now.  So far the Padres and Dodgers seem to be the main contenders, so keeping Dye away from those clubs would provide an additional benefit.

Earlier this month Williams said he wouldn’t be trading for prospects, but I don’t think that rules out good young players.  The Diamondbacks won’t be returning Chris Young, but they do have expendable quality guys like Alberto Callaspo, Mark Reynolds, and Scott Hairston.  However, I have a feeling KW would ask for Micah Owings given the demand for Dye.  25 year-old reliever Tony Pena could be a target as well.  Dustin Nippert is another intriguing arm for the White Sox, even if the results haven’t been there recently. 

Owings may be off limits or simply too much for an impending free agent.  But two of the other players mentioned above would make a nice package for Dye.

Padres, Dodgers Remain Interested In Dye

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Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times has a couple of trade rumors for us this morning.

  • Shaikin reiterates Ken Rosenthal’s scoop that the Padres and Dodgers have interest in White Sox slugger Jermaine Dye.  Shaikin believes the "we won’t trade for prospects" edict from Kenny Williams could be stretched if Jonathan Broxton or Chad Billingsley were made available.    Those guys may have graduated from prospectdom anyway.  Ned Colletti is definitely working the phones for a slugger. 
  • Scott Linebrink is named as an available Padre, but I would not expect Kenny Williams to go for that.  Throw in Clay Hensley or Chase Headley and maybe we have something.
  • Shaikin also mentions that the Tigers have interest in Rangers closer Eric Gagne.  Yes, I understand that most contending teams with bullpen issues will at least show a passing interest in him.  Shaikin seems to indicate that Gagne’s "no-trade protection" is full and would give him leverage to change his current incentive-based contract.
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