White Sox May Trade Juan Uribe
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Juan Uribe trade talks are rumored to be heating up. Kenny Williams may be trying to finish a deal before Paul Konerko returns from the disabled list. Manager Ozzie Guillen talked about finding "the best opportunity" for Uribe, so it’s no secret the Sox are trying to make a trade.
Uribe, 29, is hitting .215/.269/.341 in 147 plate appearances as a utility infielder this year. He’s making $4.5MM, so that’ll be an issue.
The Orioles seem the most likely suitor, unless they complete a deal for Felipe Lopez. The Chicago Tribune’s Mark Gonzales says the Orioles had a scout in attendance for yesterday’s White Sox-Indians game (Uribe did not play).
Odds and Ends: Viciedo, Gibbons, Uribe, Danks
Today’s link collection.
- The Yankees are in the mix for Cuban third baseman Dayan Viciedo, as are 13 other clubs.
- The Mets designated Abraham Nunez for assignment. Well, it was fun while it lasted.
- Hank Steinbrenner gets a monthly magazine column…this should be interesting.
- Jay Gibbons is begging for a minor league deal. Might make sense to join an independent league and prove himself. Additionally, Barry Bonds‘ agent has talked to all teams and can’t get a bite at the minimum salary.
- Juan Uribe wants to stay with the White Sox. In the same article, John Danks sounds open to a long-term deal.
- Not rumor-related, but I found this Tom Verducci piece about Chipper and .400 interesting.
- Buster Olney says Freddy Garcia should be able to pitch a simulated game by month’s end.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Kemp, Bradley, Fuentes, Street
New Rosenthal. Seems like he just put a column out a few days ago.
- Rosenthal believes the Dodgers would consider trading a young player (especially Matt Kemp) for a slugger. He discusses what it would take to get Jason Bay, Magglio Ordonez, Adam Dunn, or Matt Holliday. This all seems like a bad idea for the Dodgers.
- There are certainly arguments for the Rangers to keep or even extend Milton Bradley. But Rosenthal thinks he could net "multiple high-end prospects" if Jon Daniels goes the trade route. He says the Rangers could shop some of their veterans while also trying to acquire a controllable reliever.
- Rosenthal’s best guess is that the Pirates will trade Xavier Nady or Jason Bay but not both. He says Neal Huntington is not under pressure to clear salary.
- The Cubs are interested in Brian Fuentes, which is a new one. Rosenthal adds that Jim Hendry plans to pursue the best available starter.
- The Brewers have many quality minor league trade chips, and they may be looking for a starter.
- Minimal trade interest in Huston Street, and the A’s have backed off the extension idea.
- The Yankees are "aggressively" trying to move LaTroy Hawkins.
- The Dodgers wanted to do an Esteban Loaiza–Juan Uribe swap, but the Sox just waited them out and signed Loaiza.
- Rosenthal says the Phillies "lack the prospect inventory" to get an impact starting pitcher, which I don’t agree with. He says they may look for another lefty reliever or bench bat.
Odds and Ends: Posada, Uribe, Wise, Red Sox
Today’s links…
- Jorge Posada could rejoin the Yankees as early as Wednesday (a few reports suggested Tuesday). Kat O’Brien of Newsday says the Yanks will hold on to both Jose Molina and Chad Moeller for "a while" after Posada returns, but as Peter Abraham points out on the LoHud Yankees blog, the Yankees have a real need for a set-up man now that Joba Chamberlain is starting.
- Juan Uribe has been activated from the 15-day DL, and although Ozzie Guillen said he wasn’t guaranteed playing time, they had to make room on the roster nonetheless. DeWayne Wise was designated for assigment.
- The news that Clay Buchholz has been optioned to Pawtucket comes as a shock to yours truly, but it underscores just how much starting pitching the Red Sox have right now, even with Daisuke Matsuzaka currently on the 15-day DL. Free agent pickup Bartolo Colon has worked out so far as a low-risk, high-reward signing. They’ve also got a good spot-starter in Justin Masterson, currently in Double A. And as if that weren’t enough, Curt Schilling could start throwing off a mound June 6. The odd man out could bring something useful in a trade. Just idle speculation, and I know there’s no such thing as too much pitching…but the Red Sox do have some holes to fill.
Sarah Green writes for UmpBump and the Boston Metro. She can be reached here.
Odds and Ends: Bay, Roberts, Cliff Lee
And here we have some random links I’ve collected over the past day or so.
- The Bucs will try to fill their open 40-man spots through low profile moves, not unlike the Jason Michaels one. They won’t move Jason Bay or Xavier Nady until they’re truly out of it. 4.5 games out of the wild card, they still have a prayer here on May 9th.
- Keith Law’s top 60 prospects list for the June draft has been published. Shortstop Tim Beckham heads the list.
- Gordon Wittenmyer looks back on the Cubs players rumored to be traded for Brian Roberts.
- Juan Uribe, partially on the strength of a great takeout slide, still has life with the White Sox.
- Nick Piecoro reminds us that the D’Backs were close to acquiring Cliff Lee in a deal for Carlos Quentin this winter. That would just be unfair, Lee as a part of that rotation. Ken Davidoff notes that the Mets discussed Lee as well.
- So…did the Yankees really have a shot at Micah Owings in the Randy Johnson deal?
Juan Uribe Headed Out?
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times believes the White Sox plan to shake things up today by getting rid of one or two players. Most likely to go is infielder Juan Uribe. Uribe makes $4.5MM this year, so he’d become part of the growing list of players who were paid to go away. He was placed on waivers in March but no one wanted to pay his salary. South Side Sox isn’t jazzed with the idea of replacing him at second base with Alexei Ramirez.
Uribe, 29, has a career line of .252/.293/.424. His once-stellar defense has become a source of frustration. The Orioles are one team that might consider him, as they did last winter.
White Sox Waive Uribe
FRIDAY, 8:50am: Heard from ESPN’s Keith Law on the two pieces of info below. He says they don’t jive – if a guy is on outright waivers, he can’t be pulled back. Sounds like Cowley had it right – Mark Gonzales says the Sox can keep Uribe if no one claims him and Uribe is not being released.
THURSDAY, 6:32pm: Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the latest. First of all, second base candidate Danny Richar is out for a month. Cowley adds that a team claimed Uribe and the White Sox pulled him back to make a deal. Cowley’s not sure if that deal will get done though.
WEDNESDAY, 3:00pm: According to George Ofman WSCR 670 The Score out of Chicago, the White Sox are expected to place infielder Juan Uribe on outright waivers. Ofman cautioned that this rumor is unconfirmed by the White Sox, but Mark Gonzales heard the same rumor from a big league scout. I believe this would give any team a chance to claim Uribe by taking on his $4.5MM salary. Uribe and his agent haven’t heard anything from the Sox.
The one team I’ve seen linked to Uribe is the Orioles, who currently have a need at shortstop and may have one at second if they trade Brian Roberts.
For more discuss of the Uribe situation, check out South Side Sox.
Nationals’ Surpluses Could Lead To Trades
Nationals GM Jim Bowden signed veterans Dmitri Young and Ron Belliard to curious two-year extensions last year. He’s now faced with a logjam at two infield positions.
Ben Goessling of the Washington Times describes the first base battle between Young and Nick Johnson, who get along well. Johnson has more trade value, given his age. Neither player is a lock for 150 games though. Johnson is injury-prone, but his perennial .400 OBPs are appealing. He and Young are both signed through ’09; Young has a vesting option for ’10. The Yankees or Mets could be in the market for Johnson if their current options don’t work out. Either team could then add Mark Teixeira after the season, creating another surplus.
The Nats have handed the starting shortstop job to Cristian Guzman, creating a battle for second base between Belliard and Felipe Lopez. Lopez responded with a "hell no" regarding a bench role. Hell no to your .659 OPS and lousy defense, Felipe! Belliard is more open to a part-time role, though he’s been outplaying Lopez. Lopez may be the one to trade, given his impending free agency. Barry Svrluga notes that the Orioles have been scouting the Nationals this spring, perhaps with the idea of acquiring Belliard or Lopez if they trade Brian Roberts to the Cubs. The O’s are also interested in Mark Loretta and Juan Uribe for that reason.
Cubs Sign Alex Cintron
Minor signing this morning, as the Cubs inked shortstop Alex Cintron to a minor league deal according to ESPN 1000 Radio’s Bruce Levine. Does this have implications for Ronny Cedeno, who’s been a rumored piece in the Brian Roberts discussions? And since Cintron had been on Baltimore’s radar, will they now focus on Juan Uribe?
Cintron, 29, hit .243/.281/.324 for the White Sox in 185 ABs last year. He dealt with bone spurs in his elbow, a bruised thumb, and time spent on the bereavement list for his grandfather.
Cards Considering Jack Wilson, Izturis, Tejada
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss has an excellent update on the Cardinals’ pursuit of a new starting shortstop.
- Sounds like the end of the David Eckstein Era in St. Louis – Strauss says it’s a widespread belief that Eckstein will not be offered arbitration and probably will not stay around.
- While the Cards are drawn to Miguel Tejada, a deal seems highly unlikely. John Mozeliak wants to move quickly to fill the shortstop position and the Orioles are taking their time with Tejada.
- Sounds like there’s a very good chance the Cards get Jack Wilson from the Bucs. They’re OK with paying all of the $13.75MM owed to him through 2009.
- If Wilson doesn’t work out, Cesar Izturis is the one free agent the Cardinals are considering. They could have some competition from the Rays.
- There isn’t much interest in acquiring Juan Uribe or going with internal option Brendan Ryan.
- A few speculative options not mentioned by Strauss: Cristian Guzman, Alexei Ramirez, Jason Bartlett, Adam Everett, Joaquin Arias, Clint Barmes, and Russ Adams.