Odds and Ends: Nady, LaHair, Garcia, Bonds
Baseball is back today, but rumors are a bit light. We’ll kick it off with odds and ends.
- Susan Slusser reports "rumblings" around Justin Duchscherer. As you know, Duke hopes to sign an extension with the A’s but they’ll wait until after the season.
- The Nationals signed second round pick Destin Hood.
- Matt Holliday has heard rumors about a trade to the A’s. I believe this originated as Ken Rosenthal speculation on June 22nd.
- Xavier Nady doesn’t want to be traded, and has been "visibly bugged" by the recent rumors. Still, he and Damaso Marte are the most likely trade candidates for the Pirates.
- D.J. Carrasco actually does have an option left, so the White Sox can demote Carrasco or Adam Russell to Triple A but keep both.
- Ryan Divish heard a rumor that first baseman Bryan LaHair will get the call to the Majors. What will the corresponding roster move be for the Mariners?
- Jon Paul Morosi takes a look at the Tigers’ most tradeable prospects, noting that several are currently injured.
- A Freddy Garcia update. His agent says they might be receptive to a multiyear deal, but prefer one year. He previously said a club option was not in the cards.
- NPB Tracker looks at the pros and cons of Barry Bonds signing with the Softbank Hawks.
- Jim Moore thinks the Mariners should trade Ichiro.
Braves Still Undecided On Teixeira
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones expects the team to shop Mark Teixeira if they fall out of contention. However, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, that decision hasn’t been made yet.
Bowman says the early offers for Teixeira have been inferior to the two draft picks the Braves could receive if Tex walks as a free agent. Bowman adds that GM Frank Wren hasn’t reached a buy/sell decision with his team, which is 6.5 games out in the NL East. Wren would like to add an outfielder he controls beyond ’08, but doesn’t like the price for Jason Bay or Xavier Nady.
Heyman’s Latest: Holliday, Fuentes, Teixeira
Jon Heyman of SI.com posted a new column yesterday.
- Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd is quietly calling other teams about Matt Holliday scenarios. One that was "floated," perhaps by Colorado, involved Holliday, Willy Taveras, Fernando Martinez, and Carlos Beltran. The Mets don’t want to trade Beltran, nor does the player want to waive his no-trade clause. The Holliday-Mets scenario is deemed a long shot. Meanwhile, Troy E. Renck says the Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets are "all panting after" Holliday.
- As you know, Brian Fuentes is likely to be traded.
- Heyman talked to a GM who expects Mark Teixeira to stay put. That does seem likely; the Braves are 6.5 games out.
Braves Offered Teixeira For Youkilis, Hansen?
10:28pm: Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said there is nothing to this rumor.
3:28pm: Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe expects the Red Sox to engage in further conversations with the Braves about Teixeira leading up to the deadline.
8:29am: Several readers have written in regarding a rumor from ESPN’s Peter Gammons during last night’s broadcast. Reportedly Gammons said the Braves offered Mark Teixeira to the Red Sox for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen, but the Sox declined.
Given Youk’s superior numbers and team control through 2010, hanging on to him makes sense. But it is interesting to see that the Braves might be shopping Teixeira already.
Sherman’s Latest: Adenhart, Burnett, Niese, Ibanez
Joel Sherman of the New York Post has been digging up rumors left and right – here, here, and here in recent days. Let’s discuss.
- The Angels have "hinted at a willingness to build a deal around pitching prospect Nick Adenhart." This would apparently involve Mark Teixeira or Matt Holliday.
- The Phillies made an initial offer last week for A.J. Burnett, and the Jays were thoroughly unimpressed. The Phillies won’t discuss prospects Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, or Greg Golson in trades.
- The Yankees have zero interest in Burnett.
- The A’s are willing to move Joe Blanton. He’s not perfect, but he can eat innings and is under team control through 2010.
- Six games out of the wild card with a league-best offense, the Rangers don’t look like sellers.
- At least ten teams watched Mets’ Double A starter Jon Niese pitch Saturday. He’s their top trade chip given the unavailability of Fernando Martinez.
- The Pirates have their eye on the Yankees’ Ross Ohlendorf, if the Yanks become buyers for players like Damaso Marte or Xavier Nady.
- Three Raul Ibanez suitors are named: the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Red Sox.
- At least nine teams are monitoring Freddy Garcia: the Yankees, Mets, Astros, Rangers, Royals, Red Sox, Phillies, Tigers, and White Sox. We’ve seen the Braves, Rays, and Cubs mentioned too. Garcia’s agent isn’t up for an ’09 option with his client. A-Rod is said to be pushing for the Yankees to sign him.
- Sherman notes a rumor around the game that has Pat Gillick becoming Mariners president next year, and Brian Cashman coming on as his GM.
Olney’s Latest: Sexson, Ibanez, Ortiz
Buster Olney’s blog post is overloaded with rumors today. Here’s a rundown:
- Olney’s Speculation: Will the Red Sox will express interest in Khalil Greene with Julio Lugo on the DL for 4-6 weeks? Olney also wonders if the Dodgers will seek Huston Street if Takashi Saito is seriously hurt.
- Scout Speculation: Huston Street and Matt Murton to the Rays for prospects?
- Bobby Kielty was granted release by the Red Sox.
- Richie Sexson could decide where to go based on greatest offered playing time. I’d say that’s expected for a veteran starter.
- Olney says that requests for Max Scherzer are keeping the Dbacks from making any moves, such as for Raul Ibanez.
- David Ortiz is slated to return to the lineup on July 25th, which leaves the Red Sox less than a week to evaluate him and make a move if necessary. Olney details some options:
- Acquire a hitter during the waiver period after the deadline. This would rule out comparable replacements such as Matt Holliday or Mark Teixeira.
- Make a "preemptive strike" for Holliday or Teixeira costing them "at least one of their best prospects".
- Target a "second or third tier bat" such as Ibanez or Xavier Nady.
- Continue on with or without an effective Ortiz, hoping their offense is good enough.
Odds & Ends: Bonds, Church, Myers, Teixeira
Some odds and some ends:
- Ozzie Guillen says "Barry [Bonds] can’t play for my team," according to Joe Cowley from the Chicago Sun Times.
- The New York Daily News’ Adam Rubin is reporting Ryan Church‘s diagnosis was positive and his ability to return may "lessen the pressure" on the Mets to find a replacement. They will also get Angel Pagan back next week and management’s "not averse" to promoting 19-year old prospect Fernando Martinez in the second half.
- Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Brett Myers feels he’s ready to return.
- The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s David O’Brien notes the Braves are mum on whether they’re buyers or sellers. If they can prove they’re in it then they will seek a right handed hitter. If they can’t, then they will entertain offers for upcoming free agents Mark Teixeira and Will Ohman.
Odds And Ends: Teixeira, Rauch, Castro, Newman
Saturday linkage…
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution keeps asking whether the Braves should trade Mark Teixeira.
- Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports several teams have inquired on the availability of Jon Rauch.
- The Astros signed first-round draft pick Jason Castro.
- Royals claimed Josh Newman off waivers. Newman had been DFA’d by the Rockies.
Stark’s Latest: Burnett, Nady, Greinke, Burrell
FRIDAY: We have an update to Stark’s column – he is now saying that Burnett does have veto power over 15 teams.
THURSDAY: Let’s take a look at Jayson Stark’s latest over at ESPN.com.
- The Phillies and Yankees both made failed runs at CC Sabathia. The Phils wouldn’t include Carlos Carrasco or Lou Marson, while the Yanks insisted on a negotiating window. The Phils are looking at Erik Bedard and A.J. Burnett by default, while neither of those pitchers makes sense for the Yankees. The Yanks checked in on Aaron Harang, but that’s a moot point since he’s ailing.
- Despite the Dodgers’ run at Sabathia, they’re apparently not looking at other starters.
- Ken Rosenthal recently wrote that Burnett had veto power over 15 teams, but Stark’s source says it’s just a handful of teams. It’ll be tough to convince Burnett not to opt out of his contract after the season, unless he’s hurt.
- The Braves still haven’t made the buy/sell decision. If they buy, Xavier Nady is the top target. If they sell, Mark Teixeira is the best chip. Apparently Scott Boras is talking about $23MM per year for Tex this winter.
- The Giants are pretty clearly not trading Matt Cain.
- The Orioles, making a run at .500, don’t seem motivated to move George Sherrill or othe top veterans.
- The Brewers’ Plan B beyond Sabathia was Zack Greinke, rather than Rich Harden. Ken Rosenthal recently said the Royals were "decidedly uninterested in moving Greinke," however.
- Stark says it "wouldn’t be out of the question" for the Cubs to pursue a lefthanded starter like Randy Wolf, despite the Harden acquisition.
- Extension with the Phillies for Pat Burrell did not get very far.
Braves Stuck In The Middle
MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes about the Braves’ trade deadline situation at the Trade Talk blog. The Braves are in that gray area between sellers and buyers at six games out.
Bowman says Braves GM Frank Wren isn’t finding a reasonable deal for a power-hitting outfielder, but he’s also disappointed by the Mark Teixeira market. Bowman believes the picture will be clearer and the offers better a few weeks from now. He adds that the Braves would seek a first baseman in a Teixeira trade. Perhaps James Loney, Casey Kotchman, or Kevin Youkilis would work.
If the Braves buy, Xavier Nady is one possibility. Bowman wonders if the Bucs could look to reacquire Brent Lillibridge.