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East Notes: Ortiz, McGowan, Rhodes, Uggla

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As if Joe DiMaggio didn't have enough honors already, the U.S. Postal Service plans to sell a DiMaggio stamp in 2012, along with stamps bearing the likenesses of three other yet-to-be-announced baseball superstars.  A fitting tribute to a legend of the game….or a subtle way of trying to jinx Dan Uggla?  If it was the latter, the jinx didn't work, as Uggla extended his hitting streak to 29 games tonight.

Here's some more on Uggla, DiMaggio's old team and the other eastern franchises….

  • David Ortiz has been upset about the lack of contract talks between he and the Red Sox, but Fangraphs' Steve Slowinski argues that if negotiations had begun, Ortiz might not liked what he would've heard.  "Which would you prefer: a star player that’s mildly hurt you won’t talk about a new contract with him, or one that feels unappreciated and lowballed?" Slowinski asks.
  • Dustin McGowan hasn't pitched in the majors since 2008, but the injury-plagued Blue Jays right-hander hopes to finally return this September, reports MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.
  • Speaking of Blue Jays pitchers, Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi reports that Toronto has called up right-hander Henderson Alvarez.  The 21-year-old will make his first Major League start for the Jays sometime this week.
  • Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer suggests the Phillies should consider acquiring Arthur Rhodes to provide some left-handed bullpen depth.
  • Uggla's hot streak has finally made him look like the player the Braves expected when they acquired him from Florida last winter, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
  • The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo touches on a number of Red Sox-related topics in a fan mailbag, such as the likelihood of Jacoby Ellsbury signing a contract extension, how Josh Reddick has improved his trade value and if the Red Sox would get involved in the bidding for Jose Reyes this winter.
  • The Yankees won't call up Jesus Montero for Tuesday's game with the Angels, reports Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger.  There had been speculation that Montero would soon be in pinstripes given the team's announcement that Jorge Posada would be relegated to a bench role.  
  • Orioles manager Buck Showalter told Bill Madden of the New York Daily News that while fans focus on the payroll gap between big-market and small-market clubs, "the real disparity, the disparity that's hurting baseball, is the disparity that no one sees — the amount of money being spent on scouting and player development."  In a follow-up piece for the Baltimore Sun, Robbie Levin looks at how the O's have fallen behind their AL East rivals in developing Latin American talent.
  • The Marlins have agreed to terms with seventh-round draft pick Ryan Rieger, reports Baseball America's Aaron Fitt.  (Twitter link)  Rieger, a first baseman, had committed to play for Long Beach State University next year.

Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Friday

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The Tigers contacted the Rockies about Ubaldo Jimenez yesterday and they're far from the only team in the mix. The Yankees, Red Sox, Reds and Indians are still involved and the Rockies are eyeing each team's top prospects in possible deals. Colorado's asking price hasn't dropped, so it will still take multiple top young players to pry the right-hander away. Here are the latest rumors, with the most recent updates up top:

  • Danny Knobler tweets that the Tigers are out on Jimenez for now, and while the Indians have tried it looks like the Yankees or Red Sox if there's a trade at all.  He says the door is slightly open for the Tigers to have another go at it, but that's not expected to happen.
  • A Rockies source pegs the chances of a Pence deal at less than 50%, with the Yankees and Red Sox most likely, tweets Yahoo's Jeff Passan.
  • The Tigers have strong interest and are willing to include top prospect Jacob Turner in a Jimenez deal, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Turner is ranked anywhere from #11 to #26 among all prospects by the gurus.
  • The Yankees have made no calls to the Rockies thus far today, tweets Ken Rosenthal.
  • Others believe the Indians are a big threat to acquire Jimenez, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • The Yankees’ interest in Jimenez appears to be waning, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. However, the Indians are sending signals that their “untouchables” might be available in a deal for Jimenez, according to Stark.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Rockies are "mad" at Jimenez for for the way he has acted this year (Twitter link). However, Troy Renck of the Denver Post weighs in on Ubaldo the person: "There are no questions about his character," Renck tweets. "Zero."
  • The Red Sox are aggressively pursuing Jimenez while the Indians, Reds, and Blue Jays are also interested, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.  Meanwhile, Heyman says that the Yankees are "lurking".
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that the Yankees would only package Jesus Montero and Dellin Betances in the same deal in exchange for a sure thing, and they don't view Jimenez as a sure thing.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that talks between the Yankees and Rockies have not gone well (Twitter link).
  • Any Jimenez deal with the Tigers would "almost certainly" include Jacob Turner and/or Rick Porcello, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
  • Rival teams expect to know the Rockies’ true intentions regarding Jimenez tomorrow, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. If the sky-high asking price drops in the next day and a half, other teams will see the price reduction as a signal that Colorado intends to move Jimenez.

Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Wednesday

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Yesterday's Ubaldo Jimenez info: about seven teams are in on him, but the Yankees and Reds are best-positioned to make a deal if the Rockies are as motivated as has been reported.  So far, the Rockies' asking price of "three sure-thing young players, including one pitcher who goes into their rotation immediately" has not dropped.  The latest:

  • The Red Sox are still in on Jimenez, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter).
  • The Indians have asked about Jimenez, but are a "real longshot," according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
  • The Indians are strongly in the mix for Jimenez, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Indians have been working aggressively to upgrade their offense and rotation, Rosenthal writes. They're "thinking big in multiple deals."
  • Though the Yankees and Reds have been the most active suitors for Jimenez, they aren’t close to a deal, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Yankees aren’t close to matching Colorado’s asking price and it’s hard to imagine the Reds obtaining Jimenez without surrendering Mesoraco. The Tigers and Red Sox are ‘on the fringe’ of the trade talks and the Rangers are no longer considered a candidate to acquire the right-hander.
  • The Yankees have the best chance of landing Jimenez, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.  The Rangers are all but out, while the Tigers and Blue Jays are remote.
  • The Rockies do not require Reds untouchables Devin Mesoraco or Billy Hamilton in a deal with the Reds, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Rockies are in active trade talks with six to eight teams, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark.  A source tells Stark that two NL teams, yet to be identified, are in the mix, and the guess is that one of them is the Nationals.
  • As of yesterday, the Reds were the most motivated Jimenez suitor and the Red Sox were more seriously inquiring than the Yankees, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Still, the Rockies appear amenable to doing a Jimenez deal for three of these Yankee youngsters: Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Jesus Montero, and Ivan Nova.  The Yankees, however, are hesistant to even include two.  Ownership is not pushing Yankees GM Brian Cashman to make a deadline splash, writes Sherman, and the front office is more focused on relievers.

Yankees Rumors: Jackson, Prospects, Gio Gonzalez

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The latest on the Yankees…

Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Wednesday

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Yesterday the Red Sox joined the list of teams that have reportedly checked in on Rockies' ace Ubaldo Jimenez, while the Reds' interest was said to be strong.  The latest:

  • One MLB official says the Rockies never seriously intended to deal Jimenez, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It still sounds like he's staying put.
  • The return in a Jimenez trade "would have to blow everybody away," GM Dan O'Dowd told Woody Paige of the Denver Post.
  • The Rockies have yet to receive a single official offer for Jimenez, report Yahoo's Tim Brown and Jeff Passan.  The Tigers, Reds, and Yankees are said to be the "most smitten" clubs.  The writers add that a Tigers package would have to include pitching prospect Jacob Turner, the Reds would have to part with catcher Devin Mesoraco, and the Rockies inquired on Jesus Montero and Manny Banuelos of the Yankees.

Cashman: Yanks Can Make Playoffs, Won’t Be Stupid

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Yankees GM Brian Cashman is monitoring the trade market, but prices are steep, so he won't necessarily make a move. Cashman told Jack Curry of the YES Network that he won't do anything "stupid," partly because it appears that the 55-37 Yankees are October-bound once again (all Twitter links).

"I think we definitely have enough to get in the playoffs," Cashman said.

Cashman mentioned Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Austin Romine and Jesus Montero as prospects he has "no inclination to move," Curry reports. The Yankees have at least some interest in Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies, who would cost significant prospects.

Yankees starters rank 6th in the American League with a 3.67 ERA and 6.7 K/9, though they're ninth in the league with 3.0 BB/9. Bartolo Colon, who dazzled opponents early in the year, struggled in his last outing before the All-Star break and his first outing after the break.

Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Sunday

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With July 31st just two weeks away, Ubaldo Jimenez is one of the most surprising names being floated in trade rumors. Would the Rockies actually move Jimenez less than a year after he finished third in NL Cy Young voting? ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link) talked to one talent evaluator who put the chances of a deal at one in four: "It has to be something that makes sense for the Rockies [right now]." Another evaluator thinks "it's more trolling than intent on moving" on Colorado's part (Twitter link). Here's a roundup of the rest of today's Jimenez-related notes….

  • MLB.com's Peter Gammons says the Rockies think there's about a 10% chance Jimenez is traded this month. Colorado is looking for two prime prospects, along with one or two big-league ready players, including a starting pitcher.
  • The Rockies and Yankees match up well, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. Colorado likes Jesus Montero, but the Yanks are reluctant to include Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, or Ivan Nova along with Montero.
  • Heyman says (via Twitter) that the Rockies have talked to the Yankees, and "probably" the Red Sox, Tigers, Reds, and others as well.
  • Some teams interested in Jimenez believe that if the Rockies hang on to him now, he's a decent bet to be traded this winter, when available top pitching will again be scarce and more clubs could get involved, writes Olney.
  • One more note from Olney's article: Given Jimenez's inexpensive price tag through 2013, there would be very little financial risk for any team acquiring the right-hander, which is one reason why the Rockies' asking price is so high.
  • Speaking of that asking price, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post that the Rockies would have to be "absolutely overwhelmed" to move Jimenez. "It would have to be a Herschel Walkerdeal," O'Dowd added, referring to the 1989 NFL trade that earned the nickname "The Great Train Robbery."
  • There seems to be a potentially game-changing pitcher connected in trade rumors to the Yankees every July, and this year it's Jimenez, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News.

Rosenthal On Braves, Yankees, Royals

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Though some teams are still in the process of deciding whether to buy, sell or hold, others are developing a clear sense of what moves they intend to make this month. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has the latest on the trade deadline, which is just over three weeks away… 

  • The Braves, who have limited payroll flexibility, aren’t sure if they’re going to upgrade their offense, but they could pursue a right-handed hitting outfielder. Atlanta could probably afford an outfielder like Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham or Michael Cuddyer if they also obtained cash to cover the player’s salary (though that would likely mean giving up better prospects in the trade).
  • The Phillies may end up pursuing some of the same right-handed hitters as the Braves. Philadelphia is also exploring trades for relievers now that Jose Contreras, Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson are on the disabled list.
  • The Yankees would like to acquire a top-of-the-rotation lefty, but they’re more likely to add a left-handed reliever. New York’s preference is for a southpaw who can retire right-handed hitters as well as lefties. The Yankees are targeting a number of left-handers, including Sean Burnett of the Nationals, who is not yet available.
  • The Royals will listen to offers for all of their players, but rival executives tell Rosenthal that Joakim Soria is likely staying put, since the asking price for him is high. 
  • Yankees catcher Jesus Montero has limited appeal to the Royals, since they doubt he’ll be able to stay behind the plate long-term.
  • The Royals expect to compete from 2012-14.

AL East Notes: Hughes, Montero, Blue Jays, Rays

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Just when it seemed like the AL East standings were becoming a little less bunched up, the Red Sox dropped four straight and the Rays won seven of eight. New York, Boston, and Tampa Bay are now separated by just two games, as the Rays look for a sweep in Houston while the Sox hope to avoid one in Pittsburgh. Here are today's links from around the division:

  • The Yankees will need to add another starting pitcher if they hope to win a championship this season, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News. He notes that starter doesn't necessarily have to come from outside the organization though – it could be Phil Hughes.
  • Rival evaluators have taken note of Jesus Montero's decline in offensive production this year, says ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider only). According to Olney, it's led to some speculation that the Yankees could push to trade Montero this season "in an effort to recoup some value."
  • Within Nick Cafardo's Sunday column for the Boston Globe, he writes that Jason Frasor may be the prize of the Blue Jays' bullpen at next month's trade deadline. Cafardo adds that teams figure to inquire on Marc Rzepczynski, but he's the one Jays' reliever who definitely "isn't going anywhere."
  • DRaysBay's Steve Slowinksi breaks down Andrew Friedman's trade history in a piece for the St. Petersburg Times. Slowinski concludes that Friedman has netted the Rays 20 extra wins while also saving a sizable chunk of salary.

New York Notes: Minaya, Montero, Alderson

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Here are a few items of note coming out of the Big Apple as the Mets face the Pirates in Pittsburgh:

  • The Mets were just one game under .500 entering Saturday night's game, and the team has played surprisingly well with an unheralded cast largely assembled by former GM Omar Minaya, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
  • Jesus Montero, the Yankees' touted catching prospect, was out of the lineup for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tonight but not because he was called up to the big leagues, according to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger (Twitter links).
  • In the wake of Phil Hughes' DL stint and Joba Chamberlain's season-ending injury, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes that the Yanks should handle top arms Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances differently.
  • Within the same piece, Madden writes that the Mets appear to be taking a long-term approach to restocking the organization under new GM Sandy Alderson, as evidenced by their selection of prep outfielder Brandon Nimmo with the No. 13 pick in the Draft.
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