A’s Rumors: Street, Crosby, Embree
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has a slew of A’s hot stove info for us today.
- Pending free agents include Mark Ellis, Frank Thomas, Emil Brown, and Keith Foulke. All except Ellis are certainly goners.
- Huston Street trade talks may resume with the team that claimed him in August. All we know is that it was a non-contender. Street is under team control through 2010, and could earn $5MM next year.
- The A’s aren’t planning to trade Justin Duchscherer, and are currently just hoping his hip will be OK for ’09.
- Shortstop Bobby Crosby will earn $5.25MM next year. He racked up 605 plate appearances this year, the most since his rookie year. However, he didn’t hit or play acceptable defense. Interest in him will not be high.
- Lefty reliever Alan Embree spoke of "positive dialogue" between him and Billy Beane regarding his next year. Embree posted a 4.96 ERA, so maybe the A’s will decline his $3MM option and re-sign him for less.
- Kirk Saarloos is a non-tender candidate.
Odds and Ends: Ellis, Patterson, Sweeney
Rounding up today’s links…
- Willie Bloomquist may have played his last game with the Mariners.
- The Rays feel they can be consistent contenders with a new stadium, as they could raise their payroll to the $80MM range.
- Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire takes a look at the free agent market.
- Athletics Nation notes the price on second baseman Mark Ellis has dropped.
- MLB.com’s Mark Bowman explains the Braves’ working agreement with the Hanshin Tigers. The Tigers don’t have any of the big name free agents, but Frank Wren could still consider adding Koji Uehara or Kenshin Kawakami to his rotation.
- The Padres added pitcher Scott Patterson, formerly of the Yankees. Paul DePodesta weighs in on Patterson and Charlie Haeger.
- Mike Sweeney hopes to sign with another club for the final few weeks of the season.
- Andrew Baggarly would be surprised to see the Giants trade Randy Winn this winter.
- Mike Hindman on Michael Young‘s huge contract extension, which kicks in next year. Click here to see the reaction from MLBTR readers at the time of the signing.
Odds and Ends: Hart, Ellis, Mientkiewicz, Varitek
Today’s random links…
- Ken Rosenthal discusses possible changes at various GM positions. Jon Heyman says Pat Gillick could take a high-ranking role with the Blue Jays if not the Mariners.
- Former Indians and Rangers GM John Hart is interested in the Mariners job. The Mariners hope to have their permanent GM hired by the end of October.
- A Japanese pitcher invented a new pitch called the shake.
- Eddie Bajek wonders if Mark Ellis could handle shortstop. It’s good to think out of the box given the free agent market at the position.
- Doug Mientkiewicz would like to spend another season as a Pirates clubhouse leader, but he’d also like more playing time.
- The trio of Blue Jays middle infielders react to the Angels rumor.
- DraftInfo chatted with MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.
- Amalie Benjamin believes there’s a good chance the Red Sox re-sign Jason Varitek.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Angels, D’Backs, Giambi, Ellis
Here is the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- Many important Angels will reach free agency this winter: Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez, Jon Garland, and Juan Rivera. Rosenthal doesn’t expect any of these four back. Garret Anderson‘s $14MM option will not be exercised, but he could be re-signed. John Lackey and Vladimir Guerrero both have reasonable club options for ’09, but the Halos need to plan beyond that.
- Several journalists have noted the D’Backs may restock the farm system if they let Adam Dunn, Orlando Hudson, Brandon Lyon, and Juan Cruz depart as free agents after the season. They’re not worried about Dunn accepting an offer of arbitration. Why would he want a one-year deal?
- Rosenthal guesses the Indians, Mariners, Blue Jays, and A’s might have interest in Jason Giambi this winter. Giambi’s .398 OBP ranks 7th in the AL. The leader: fellow free agent Milton Bradley at a staggering .446.
- Mark Ellis surprisingly postponed negotiations with the A’s on an extension. It had been said Ellis wanted to figure out a contract before season’s end. He’s the affordable free agent alternative to Hudson.
- The Twins are trying to get creative to find bullpen help. GM Bill Smith says he’s made many waiver claims and won some.
- Rosenthal says "speculation persists" that J.P. Ricciardi will be canned after the season.
- The Tigers aren’t considering trading Magglio Ordonez, but Nate Robertson could be moved this winter. Robertson seems due for a move back to the NL. He earns $7MM in ’09 and $10MM in ’10.
- The Reds are being questioned for holding on to relievers David Weathers and Jeremy Affeldt.
Odds and Ends: Kielty, Ellis, Bonds, Poreda
Time to for today’s link collection.
- The Twins signed Bobby Kielty to a minor league deal. The former Twin was released by the Red Sox in July. When he’s going good, he can hit lefties pretty well.
- Peter Magowan is glad the Giants didn’t successfully pull off an attempted trade for Manny Ramirez before the ’07 season. However, as Henry Schulman notes, that might’ve prevented the Barry Zito contract.
- The Reds haven’t talked to the agents for any of their potential free agents, and no decision has been made on Adam Dunn.
- Susan Slusser wonders if the D’Backs will try to acquire second baseman Mark Ellis in the wake of Orlando Hudson‘s season-ending injury, though manager Bob Melvin does not expect an acquisition.
- It’s a moot point since they’re not interested, but Astros manager Cecil Cooper would quit if the team signed Barry Bonds.
- Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune notes that the Rockies asked for ’07 first-rounder Aaron Poreda for Brian Fuentes. Instead, Rogers believes he could get a big-league look.
- Ken Davidoff talks to agent Joe Bick about how Brian Giles went about choosing the teams on his no-trade list.
- The Rangers made their first Korean amateur signing, inking a high school righty named Tae-kyeong Ahn. They also signed Dominican outfielder Esdras Abreu, among others.
Ellis Still Talking Extension With A’s
According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle:
Mark Ellis said that his agent, Jamie Murphy, has had more talks with the A’s recently about a possible multiyear contract.
We last heard about these talks on June 25th. Ellis would like to reach an agreement before the season ends. The A’s already have a wealth of second base prospects – Jemile Weeks, Adrian Cardenas, and Eric Patterson.
Rosenthal’s Latest: K-Rod, Maddux, Wolf, Street
Rumor guru Ken Rosenthal is at it again.
- Angels GM Tony Reagins is doing his due diligence on available hitters. Rosenthal admits his own suggestion of a Mark Teixeira/Will Ohman blockbuster acquisition is unlikely.
- Rosenthal believes Francisco Rodriguez‘s expected asking price to be five years, $75MM. The Angels would not bite on that.
- Greg Maddux only wants to be traded to a West Coast team. He might accept a trade back to the Dodgers, if Ned Colletti and Kevin Towers want to go down that road.
- The Orioles would trade George Sherrill if someone wants to overpay. Tons of teams are looking for lefty relievers, and many are available. Rosenthal notes that the Orioles have plenty of players likely to clear waivers, making August trades quite possible.
- The Dodgers are apparently interested in Toronto shortstop John McDonald. Talks for Cristian Guzman and Jack Wilson have stagnated. An extension is more likely than a trade for Guzman.
- Randy Wolf and Cla Meredith are the most popular Padres in trade talks. Wolf’s no-trade clause doesn’t include the teams that like him, so that won’t be an issue. If the Friars were to move Kevin Kouzmanoff, they’d ask for a young outfielder back.
- Even with their second base surplus, the A’s want to sign Mark Ellis to an extension.
- A Milton Bradley deal is unlikely, but the Rangers are getting calls on Marlon Byrd and Nelson Cruz. In return, they might be looking for young starting pitchers.
- The Royals are said to be "actively shopping" Miguel Olivo and Mark Grudzielanek. However, it’s been suggested that the Royals might not have the catching depth to move Olivo.
- Rosenthal’s list of Huston Street suitors: Mets, White Sox, Dodgers, and Brewers.
A’s Talk Extension With Mark Ellis
According to MLB.com’s Mychael Urban, A’s second baseman Mark Ellis instructed his agent Jamie Murphy to talk to the team about an extension. Murphy is talking to A’s assistant GM David Forst. They haven’t discussed money or years yet but both sides would like to reach a resolution before season’s end.
Ellis, 31, is hitting .261/.349/.432 in 296 plate appearances. In a Free Agent Stock Watch piece, I wrote that Ellis might be this offseason’s affordable alternative to Orlando Hudson. Now it looks like he might not make it to the open market.
Ellis Still Wants To Stay
More from John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle: Mark Ellis still wants to re-sign with the Athletics in the offseason rather than test free agency, which could be lucrative for him. This remains even after the A’s drafted second baseman Jemile Weeks with their first pick in the draft. Says Ellis,
"You never know what’ll happen in the draft. You need players. Baseball drafts aren’t like football or basketball drafts where you see these guys right away."
True. If Jemile Weeks comes up in 2-3 years, Ellis could be a trade piece for Beane but that’s very conditional and Ellis is happy in Oakland. Solidifying reports that he’ll stay in Oakland, Ellis says,
"I would think if something got done, it would be before the season’s over. I’m not saying (free agency) wouldn’t be fun to do, but I’m happy here. The organization has been good to me, and it’s an organization (in which) you always have a chance to win. You never know what’s out there (on the open market). You don’t know if everyone will like you or if nobody will like you."
Nothing new there, but it’s always refreshing to see a player take a hometown discount, as Ellis seemingly will, instead of the big payday in free agency. I’m sure Orlando Hudson agrees.
By Nat Boyle
Mark Ellis: Stay Or Leave?
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reiterates Mark Ellis‘ desire to stay with the A’s beyond 2008 but notes, "Testing free-agent waters might be extremely lucrative for Ellis, who is an elite defensive player."
Tim recently sifted through the 2B market and thinks it would take something substantial to acquire Ellis. I don’t see the A’s, who are 27-23, making any sudden moves – at least not with lower profile quantities like Ellis. Come the off-season Mark Ellis, who turns 31 next week, may be torn between signing for a lot less to stay or following Orlando Hudson who could nab more than 4 years/$30MM, if not extended by Arizona. These guys are comparable talent-wise – boasting elite defense (edge to Hudson) and decent offense – and if either stays with their team the other could reap the rewards in free agency.
By Nat Boyle