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Joba Chamberlain

Odds and Ends: Johnson, Ponson, Nady

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Ever lose a contact in the bathroom and scour for it for hours?  That was my morning.  Good times.  On to the links.

  • Friend of MLBTR Susan Slusser notes that the Giants had two scouts watching the A’s on Wednesday.  One guy they might have been eyeing is first baseman Dan Johnson.  It seems that Johnson, who is out of options, may be able to linger around on the A’s roster until at least mid-April given the expanded rosters for the Japan series.  And since Slusser’s article we’ve learned that Daric Barton’s hand injury is more serious than initially thought.  That could buy Johnson even more time if the A’s aren’t ready to trade him.
  • The Cardinals, Mariners, Royals, and Diamondbacks, Astros, and Rangers were among teams with scouts watching Sidney Ponson touch 94mph today.  He’s stopped drinking and lost some weight; who knows, maybe he can help an NL club.
  • Peter Abraham views Joba Chamberlain’s recent comments with a little skepticism.
  • MLB.com’s Marty Noble calls a Mets trade for Xavier Nady "quite unlikely," though an anonymous Mets player likes the idea.

Beane Has High Asking Price For Haren

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Did you expect anything different?  Billy Beane is happy to field offers on Dan Haren and Joe Blanton, but he’ll require a king’s ransom for either pitcher.  Jayson Stark says Beane asked the Yankees for two of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy for Haren.  With the Red Sox it was two of Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, and Jacoby Ellsbury.  The Mets would have to pony up Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez.  With two starters under contract through 2010, Beane and the A’s are sitting pretty.

One source of Stark echoes the popular sentiment that Miguel Cabrera in an Angels uniform would prompt a full-on A’s firesale.  That would include Huston Street, Dan Johnson, Mark Kotsay, and Rich Harden.  You have to admit, that would be fun.  Maybe the Brewers won’t give up Rickie Weeks for Chad Cordero, but how about Street?

Heyman On Santana

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has the latest on the Johan Santana trade talks.

  • The Twins want Melky Cabrera plus one of Chamberlain/Hughes/Kennedy from the Yankees.  If the Yanks can surrender Kennedy rather than Hughes or Joba, they’ve done a nice job.  Sounds like they would consider giving up Hughes though.
  • The Twins want one of Clay Buchholz or Jon Lester plus Jacoby Ellsbury.  Lester seems to be the only one of the three the Red Sox would part with, while they’d also be fine with sending Coco Crisp over.
  • Heyman names the Mets, Dodgers, Angels, and Mariners as interested parties.  First I’ve heard of the Ms or Halos being in the mix.  Regarding the Dodgers, check out an interview with Ned Colletti.  For what it’s worth, he doesn’t seem anxious to deal 3-5 kids for a guy like Santana or Miguel Cabrera.

Odds and Ends: A-Rod, Boras, Pettitte

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Early Monday morning reading material…

  • Interesting article in the New York Daily News regarding Scott Boras and Alex Rodriguez.  Boras insists that many of his clients have not taken the largest deal offered to them, giving examples.  The article also touches upon recent Boras clients connected to performance-enhancing drugs (Rick Ankiel and Scott Schoeneweis).  Boras’ agency is known for its obsessive attention to detail for all of its clients, and seeing a few of them busted raises some questions.
  • Last winter, we discussed the possibility of Hiroki Kuroda coming over from Japan.  Well, he’s a free agent again, and Nick Cafardo is wondering if 2008 will be the year.  Cafardo also noted that Daisuke Matsuzaka did not earn the Red Sox nearly as much marketing revenue as Scott Boras suggested.
  • Newsday’s Ken Davidoff says Andy Pettitte intends to exercise his $16MM player option for 2008.  Davidoff points out that Pettitte has the same deadline for this decision as A-Rod has for his opt-out.  Davidoff also mentions that Roger Clemens’ most likely destination for 2008 appears to be back in Houston, if he plays.
  • You’ve probably heard by now that Hank and Hal Steinbrenner will have final say on baseball decisions (especially Hank).  Hank will insist Joba Chamberlain be used as a starter in ’08, heightening the need to re-sign Mariano Rivera.
  • The Hardball Times tries to place dollar values on some top free agents, plus Adam Dunn.

Joba The Starter?

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It’s been a slow Saturday in the rumor mill so as it grinds down, I thought I’d see where everyone would put Joba Chamberlain next season if you were the Yankees.

Experts and statisticians feel that Joba must be in the rotation because 180 innings of Joba next year is more valuable than around 60.  Frank Neville for The Sporting News thinks "health permitting, [Joba] can be a 20-game winner and rack up 200-plus strikeouts a year."  Now wait, where have we heard that argument before?  Ah yes, with Jonathan Papelbon. 

Papelbon has become the most dominant closer in the majors with a 13.3 k/9 and I wonder if everyone still feels that 180-200 "starter" innings are as valuable to the Sox as his 56.1 "closer" innings have been.  Nobody seems to be suggesting otherwise!  Most if not all projections have Papelbon slated to close in ’08, not start, and they’re probably right.  With the emergence of Clay Buchholz, the Sox have remained mum.  And fans/reporters don’t seem to bring it up as if Papelbon might overhear and remember that he actually once wanted to start.   Well that story has come full circle and Paps wants to close now.  Chamberlain, meanwhile, seems to be running the same hamster wheel with one major difference:  the Yankees actually have a closer.

It’s an interesting conundrum.  In a way, Mariano Rivera is the reason to put him in the rotation while on the other hand Mariano Rivera is the reason to continue his development in relief.  The presence of Rivera provides reasoning to both keep him in the bullpen to be his successor or move him out because, hey, they already have Rivera.  There’s an obvious divide in thought here.

I’m of the belief that if Todd Jones can close, Rivera is not done.  Therefore Rivera, Luis Vizcaino, and Edwar Ramirez (in due time) plus one or two more effective relievers (and specialists, etc)  would be solid for 2008.  And I think everyone would be impressed by a sudden rotation of Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Kennedy, and Joba the Starter.

 

Posted by: Nat Boyle

Teixeira Talk Heating Up

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UPDATE: Jon Heyman of SI.com has a nice rundown of the Teixeira suitors.  His sources seem to indicate that the chances of a trade are now better than Rosenthal’s 50/50.  Good point raised by Heyman and many commenters – even if the Braves wanted to trade Escobar, the Rangers don’t really have a need for a middle infielder.

UPDATE 2: Jim Molony of MLB.com says the Red Sox are the frontrunner.  The Rangers have scouted all of their major pitching prospects.

Ken Rosenthal has the latest on Mark Teixeira, who is now 50/50 to be dealt according to one source of his.

Rosenthal describes the scene as the Braves and Angels at the forefront, with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Giants lingering.  Evan Grant adds the Dodgers to the mix.  He also suggests the Rangers package Joaquin Benoit with Teixeira to get the best possible player.  Interestingly, the Yanks might be after Adam Dunn as another first base option.  They may have to focus on Dunn, because Jon Daniels is demanding Joba Chamberlain for Teixeira.

The Braves were really trying to shake things up; they would’ve done the Jon Garland for Edgar Renteria deal in tandem with a Teixeira acquisition.  The Garland proposal has been rejected, but Teixeira is very much alive.  Rosenthal describes the Braves as unwilling to trade Yunel Escobar and reluctant to trade Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  In my opinion, Salty is the more valuable player.  To me, Escobar for Teixeira is the right move.

I recently talked to ESPN’s Keith Law about Escobar.  He told me the glove is there to play shortstop, but he worries about the bat.  Based on observation, Law could see Escobar developing into a .300 hitter with little power.

Teams Scouting Yankee Pitching Prospects

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According to Jim Baubach of Newsday, Yankee farmhands Ian Kennedy and Joba "The Hutt" Chamberlain have become quite popular.  The stands become packed with scouts each team either pitches for the Yanks’ Double A Trenton club.

The White Sox sent one of their top pro scouts to watch the Trenton Thunder recently, despite the Yankees’ insistence that Kennedy and Chamberlain are not available. 

All sorts of other teams have been scouting both pitchers, including the A’s, Rockies, and Orioles.  Chamberlain is the upside choice, while Kennedy is the back-rotation command guy.

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.

   

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