Valverde Closer To Return; Hawkins Expendable?
With the news Friday that Jose Valverde pitched in a simulated game, pain-free, the Astros should be getting their closer back soon. He's set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week.
That means that LaTroy Howkins, who has been terrific for Houston this year, will return to a non-closer role for the Astros. He's certainly excelled in the role, with a 2.38 ERA, seven saves and 22 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.
With the Astros looking up at everyone, even the Pirates, in the NL Central, does it make sense for Houston to hold onto Hawkins if a contender comes calling? Hawkins makes $3.5MM this season, and if the Astros can turn him into a prospect or two, it is hard to imagine that they won't.
Astros Sign Hawkins
2:12pm: The deal is official; Hawkins signed for $3.5MM plus incentives.
10:22am: According to Jose de Jesus Ortiz, the Astros will complete and announce the signing of LaTroy Hawkins today. It’ll be a one-year deal worth around $3.75MM.
Hawkins, 36 in December, posted a 3.92 ERA in 62 innings with the Yankees and Astros this year. However, he was lights out after joining the Astros on July 30th – he allowed just one earned run in 21 innings.
Astros Rumors: Wolf, Hawkins, Hampton
MLB.com’s Alyson Footer has the latest Astros buzz.
- Astros GM Ed Wade will meet with Randy Wolf‘s agents tomorrow, but doesn’t expect an agreement to be reached before the exclusive negotiating period ends. Wolf will test the open market, and the Mets are already known to be interested.
- Talks are ongoing with the agents for Doug Brocail and LaTroy Hawkins. Brocail is a Type A free agent, and the Astros already declined a $3.25MM option on him.
- Wade met with Mike Hampton‘s agent recently. Hampton could return to Houston on an incentive-laden contract.
- Wade is on the lookout for a second-tier catcher to complement Humberto Quintero.
- MLB.com’s Jim Molony wonders if the Astros will try to bring lefty Trever Miller back.
Astros Rumors: Sabathia, Wolf, Hawkins
Brian McTaggart of the Houston Chronicle has the lowdown on the Astros.
- Again the word "tweak" is thrown around in regard to the Astros’ offseason. So I would not expect a major signing or trade.
- Regarding C.C. Sabathia, owner Drayton McLane said, "That might be way out of our league."
- The Astros will try to re-sign Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins. It would still make sense to sign a starter if Wolf is retained. GM Ed Wade has flexibility to go past last year’s $90MM payroll.
- The ‘Stros will apparently go with internal options in center field. At catcher, they’ll look for someone to complement J.R. Towles. Pretty much all the catchers out there are short-term options anyway.
Odds and Ends: Hawkins, Pettitte, Strasburg
Rounding up the day’s links…
- Jack Etkin of the Rocky Mountain News talks about the future of Garrett Atkins. We discussed the possibility of an Atkins trade in this post.
- MLB.com’s Jim Molony says the Astros would like to re-sign reliever LaTroy Hawkins. Amazingly, Hawkins has thrown 17 scoreless innings as an Astro.
- This is a popular link lately…Vegas Watch examines April predictions from various analysts. Meanwhile, Scott Long digs in deeper on PECOTA’s American League predictions. Personally I am more interested in the logic behind projections. Did anyone predict Rays starters to post a 3.88 ERA? Did anyone peg Dioner Navarro and Carl Crawford‘s seasons?
- Viva El Birdos hopes the Cardinals do not sign Jon Garland this winter.
- Sam Mellinger wonders how the Royals would replace David DeJesus if they traded him.
- Andy Pettitte remains undecided on 2009. He’s hinted a desire to come back, but it’s unknown whether the Yankees want him. Houston could make sense.
- The Mariners are currently in line to have first crack at drafting Stephen Strasburg. They could even use Erik Bedard‘s money to sign him.
- Javier Valentin hasn’t heard from the Reds regarding 2009.
Week in Review: 7/27 – 8/2
We saw the non-waiver trade deadline come and go this week, and plenty of action to go along with it. Let’s recap the big moves of the week:
- The Dodgers, Pirates, and Red Sox completed a three-team, blockbuster trade that sent Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles, Jason Bay to Boston, and Andy LaRoche, Bryan Morris, Craig Hansen, and Brandon Moss to Pittsburgh. The Pirates got a pretty nice haul, and while Bay won’t necessarily replace Manny’s production, he’s much more affordable, signed through ’09, and doesn’t disrupt the clubhouse. The Dodgers add the big bat they need for a push in the NL West, though are now overloaded with overpaid outfielders. All in all, I don’t think any team made a bad deal in this one.
- The Angels made a big move in adding Mark Teixeira to their lineup, sending Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Stephen Marek to Atlanta in exchange. The Angels didn’t need help at the time – they’re running away with the AL West – but this move will undoubtedly be significant in the postseason. Great boost to the Halos’ lineup.
- The White Sox and Reds completed a trade that sent Ken Griffey Jr. to Chicago in exchange for Nick Masset and Danny Richar. I don’t understand this trade from the Sox perspective. Griffey was only hitting .245 at the time of the trade, and his range in center field isn’t close to what it once was. Still, he’s a presence in both the lineup and the clubhouse. Will playing for a contender rejuvenate him?
- The Yankees acquired future hall-of-famer Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers in exchange for Kyle Farnsworth. With Jorge Posada out for the season, New York did a good job of solidifying their catcher’s spot, while the Tigers got some much-needed improvement in their bullpen.
- The Twins aren’t known for making big trades at the deadline, and they held true to that in 2008. However, they made a move that could be bigger than any trade they might have made, when they designated Livan Hernandez for assignment, and recalled Francisco Liriano from Triple-A Rochester. The Twins DFA’ed Craig Monroe as well. The Rockies are looking for a fifth starter, and could have interest in Hernandez.
- Relievers on the move: Arthur Rhodes was traded to the Marlins, giving them another effective lefty option in the bullpen. The Astros acquired LaTroy Hawkins, still buying despite being 9.5 games out of the wildcard race at the time.
- The Nationals released Paul Lo Duca and Felipe Lopez. Both were highly unsuccessful this season, though they could generate interest from other teams.
- Tim explained the rules behind waiver trades for those who are unfamiliar with how the process works after the July 31st non-waiver deadline. He also takes a look at some noteable names who stayed put at the deadline.
- Minor moves: The Yankees signed Victor Zambrano to a minor league contract, while the Red Sox did the same with former Cleveland closer Joe Borowski.
- The Diamondbacks are talking extension with their second ace, Dan Haren.
- USA Today wrote an article on MLBTR. Check it out!
LaTroy Hawkins Traded To Astros
According to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle, the Astros acquired LaTroy Hawkins from the Yankees. The Yanks will receive minor league second baseman Matt Cusick in return. Does this set up a deal for another Astros reliever, or are the ‘Stros just trying to close the 9.5 game wild card gap?
Tigers Unlikely To Acquire Reliever
Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press says the Tigers aren’t liking the market price for relief help. The chances of Dave Dombrowski adding a top guy like George Sherrill are slim to none. (By the way, if Sherrill has another outing like last night his ERA will be approaching 5.00.)
Morosi says picking up a cheap unwanted reliever like Brian Wolfe or LaTroy Hawkins is plausible, but promoting from within is even more likely. If the Tigers are contending in September might we see Ryan Perry as the first ’08 draft pick to reach the bigs?
Twins Interested In LaTroy Hawkins
TUESDAY: The Twins now have some competition from the Tigers for Hawkins.
MONDAY: According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins have interest in bringing righty reliever LaTroy Hawkins back. Hawkins came up through the Twins’ system as a starter, but eventually found his niche as a setup man before signing a free agent deal with the Cubs. Christensen talked to a person close to Hawkins who believes he’d like to come back to Minnesota.
Multiple teams have shown interest in Hawkins since the Yankees designated him for assignment. They might be able to unload some of the $1.25MM still owed to him. Hawkins lost a mile an hour off his fastball this year, and wasn’t able to maintain the strong groundball and low walk rates he had in Colorado in ’07.
Odds and Ends: Happ, Igawa, Hawkins, Lowe
Rounding up rumors and links from the weekend…
- SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Mariners are asking the Mets for Jon Niese for Raul Ibanez. Not likely.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Braves would require Conor Jackson from the D’Backs in a Mark Teixeira deal, but Arizona is not biting.
- Another quick hit from Olney: the White Sox are surveying the relief market in the wake of Scott Linebrink‘s shoulder injury.
- Several readers have written in about Phillies’ lefty J.A. Happ being pulled early from a Triple A start (2.2 scoreless innings) with no sign of injury. Something to keep an eye on, as the Phillies hunt for a lefty reliever on the trade market. UPDATE: Happ may be getting the call to replace Adam Eaton.
- Even on the DL, Phil Hughes has been in high demand.
- The White Sox let Esteban Loaiza go.
- No team claimed Kei Igawa off waivers. Also, the Yankees designated LaTroy Hawkins for assignment.
- Ned Colletti on the possibility of trading Derek Lowe: "No."
- Jim Bowden and Chad Cordero patched things up, making a re-signing possible this winter.
- The emergence of Jeff Samardzija this weekend may make Scott Eyre or Jon Lieber expendable.
- At least 20 teams have called about one of the Rangers’ catchers.
- Jamey Newberg wrote a few days ago that most likely the only way Kevin Millwood can lock in his $12MM for 2010 will be to pitch 180 innings next year.