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Odds And Ends: Holliday, Yabu, Bay, Latos

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Some links to look through on the morning of the Midsummer Classic…

  • This week's chat will take place today at 2pm CST.
  • MLB.com's Mychael Urban keeps hearing about a possible deal that would send Matt Holliday, Orlando Cabrera and salary relief to the Braves for Yunel Escobar and prospects.
  • The Giants released Keiichi Yabu yesterday, according to the Kyodo News. He had been pitching in Triple A.
  • Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post says Albert Pujols belongs with the elite players in baseball history.
  • John Tomase of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox still aren't talking with Jason Bay about an extension, but there are indications they may revisit his contract before the end of the season.
  • It looks like the Padres will promote their top pitching prospect, Mat Latos, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.  
  • In the second part of my Q&A with NESN.com, I discuss Pedro Martinez, Clay Buchholz and the Mets. 

Trade Candidates: Relievers

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Just about every team could improve its bullpen and some clubs, like the Marlins and Rockies, are working aggressively to add relievers. Here are some of the names to consider, ordered from highest 2009 salary to lowest.

  • Kerry Wood – He's been a disappointment in Cleveland, and the Indians owe him about $15MM before the end of next year, and possibly more in 2011.
  • Rafael Soriano – Could the Braves get creative and deal Soriano ($6.1MM) or Mike Gonzalez ( $3.5MM), who will also become a free agent this winter.
  • Danys Baez – At $5.5MM, he's an expensive option, but he could help a contender.
  • LaTroy Hawkins – He's been effective in 38 appearances for the Astros, who are still in contention and may hold onto Hawkins ($3.5MM) and fellow reliever Jose Valverde ($8MM).
  • Rafael Betancourt – He's still nowhere near as effective as he was in 2007, but Betancourt's pitched well enough this year; he'll make $3.35MM this season.  
  • Russ Springer – He's been hittable, but he can still strike major leaguers out. He makes $3.3MM this year.
  • George Sherrill – Affordable and effective, Sherrill ($2.75MM) is under team control through 2011.  
  • Chad Qualls – The D'Backs already traded Tony Pena, so they may be reluctant to part with Qualls, who makes $2.5MM this season.
  • John Grabow – Makes $2.3MM this year, before hitting free agency this winter. He's pitching well, but his control's been off this season.  
  • Matt Capps – Like Grabow, he makes $2.3MM this year, but Capps will likely hit free agency after 2012.
  • Juan Cruz – Still tough to hit, but not as effective as last year, Cruz makes $2.25MM this year and more in 2010.  
  • Joe Beimel – The 32-year-old lefty makes $2MM this year. He's pitched well, but not quite as well as his 3.57 ERA suggests.
  • Takashi Saito – A relative bargain at $1.5MM plus incentives, especially when you consider the affordable team option for next year.
  • Heath Bell – At an affordable $1.3MM, the All-Star closer would be appealing to many clubs, especially since he's under team control through 2011.
  • Cla Meredith – By far the cheapest option on this list at just $431k, he's had three respectable seasons in a row since his breakout 2006 campaign.  

The Twins, Angels, Rangers, Phillies, Rockies and Dodgers are among the teams that could make deals to improve their respective ‘pens.

Heyman On Deadline Deals

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Jon Heyman of SI.com believes Roy Halladay will be traded before the end of the month. Here are some teams that could pursue him:

  • The Phillies have the right combination of money, prospects and need to go after Doc.
  • The Rangers probably don't have the money to take on the $14.25MM Halladay makes this year.  
  • It's hard to see the White Sox obtaining Halladay without surrendering Gordon Beckham in the deal. 
  • Heyman considers Beckham as close to untouchable as it gets, along with Neftali Feliz, Derek Holland, Brett Wallace and others.

Heyman lists over 30 trade candidates; here are some highlights:

  • The A's may have to hold onto Matt Holliday and hope for a pair of high draft picks after the season, as Holliday's shown little power recently.
  • The D'Backs aren't impressed by what the Brewers are willing to give up for Doug Davis, so they may try to keep him in Arizona.
  • The offers for Chad Qualls may be too tempting for the D'Backs to ignore.  
  • "Teams will call" about Cliff Lee.  
  • Jose Valverde would be a trade candidate but for one thing: "the 'Stros don't like to sell."

And finally, a note on Pedro Martinez: 

  • Pedro should decide on his future soon. The Phillies are the favorites, followed by the Rangers.  

Renck’s Latest: Freddy Sanchez, Giants, Rockies

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Troy E. Renck has some thoughts on why it doesn't make sense for the Rockies to acquire Roy Halladay if they can't afford to retain his services beyond 2010. In the same piece, he has a few more footnotes:

  • Freddy Sanchez will be traded. The Giants could land him for Jonathan Sanchez and a prospect.
  • The Giants are "lukewarm" on Matt Holliday but like Jermaine Dye. Brian Sabean recently defused rumors involving Dye.
  • If Garrett Atkins is traded, Seth Smith could become Todd Helton's backup at first base. He's been taking throws in batting practice. Renck feels Smith needs to get more at bats if the Rockies want to make the playoffs. Smith is hitting .295 with 1.04 BB/K and an impressive .902 OPS in 70 games.

Trade Candidates: Outfielders

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This year’s outfielders have a lot to live up to on July 31st. It was just a year ago that the Red Sox  parted with Manny Ramirez and acquired Jason Bay. This time, Matt Holliday’s the big name, but there are also a few cheap, powerful players out there for teams looking to add an outfielder. Here’s your list of trade candidates, ranked from highest 2009 salary to lowest:

  • Matt Holliday – At $13.5MM, Holliday's pricey, but he's a good defender with a history of batting excellence. With just seven extra base hits in the last month, Holliday's no longer perceived as a sure thing.
  • Jermaine Dye - He makes $11.5MM this year and there's a mutual option with a $1MM buyout for 2010 on his deal. The White Sox want to win now though, so Dye doesn't appear to be on the block.
  • Gary Matthews Jr. – The Angels would presumably pick up salary in any deal involving Matthews, as he makes $10MM this year and $23MM over the course of the next two years.  
  • Juan Pierre – Another overpaid outfielder in LA, Pierre makes $10MM this year and $18.5MM over the course of the next two. At least he's hitting well, with an OBP approaching .400 and a career-high slugging percentage.
  • Alex Rios – He makes $5.9MM this year and has $60MM more coming his way between now and 2014. His teammate, Vernon Wells likely could not be traded.
  • David Dejesus – Under contract for $3.6MM this year, he can play all three outfield positions, but his .714 OPS is ordinary. 
  • Mark Teahen – Makes $3.6MM as well and can play the outfield, though he's been manning third for the Royals. He has a .344 OBP and 27 extra base hits.  
  • Jeff Francoeur –  He's struggled since last year and makes $3.4MM this season, so the suitors are not lining up for Francoeur. 
  • Josh Willingham – He has 10 homers for a .534 slugging percentage and he'll earn $3MM in 2009. Mike Rizzo says Adam Dunn's staying in Washington.
  • Luke Scott - He makes just $2.4MM this year and won't be a free agent until after 2012, so the Orioles have a cheap, powerful asset on their hands. They have three talented outfielders already in Nolan Reimold, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones, so they could conceivably part with Scott.
  • Jeremy Hermida – With good patience, some power and a $2.25MM contract, Hermida could appeal to teams in need of a bat.
  • Cody Ross – Like Scott, Ross is cheap and powerful. He's slugging .505 and makes just $2.2MM this year. He's scheduled to hit free agency after 2011.  
  • Scott Hairston – He was just traded, but he plays solid defense and has extra base power, so Hairston, who makes $1.25MM this year, could appeal to other teams.  
  • Ryan Spilborghs – Apparently the Rockies would prefer to hold onto Spilborghs, who's under team control for three more years and makes just $415k this season.  

The Tigers, Braves, Mets, Giants and Reds could all look for outfield bats.

Olney On Halladay, Bay, Mulder

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Any team with serious plans to acquire Roy Halladay cannot approach the Blue Jays with a list of untouchable players, as ESPN.com's Buster Olney points out. Here are the details:

  • If the Phillies want Halladay, they'll have to be prepared to discuss players like Michael Taylor, Dominic Brown, Kyle Drabek and Jason Knapp.
  • The Nats have a powerful young catcher in SIngle A. Derek Norris has already clubbed 20 homers, one for every year he's been alive.
  • If Jason Bay signs a contract extension early, he'll determine how much Matt Holliday receives on the open market after the season. Bay's older than Holliday, but he has 12 more homers and an OPS that's 100 points better than Holliday's, so he figures to sign for more.
  • The Mariners could think about extending Jarrod Washburn, Erik Bedard and Russell Branyan after the season if they don't trade them.  
  • Mark Mulder wants to pitch in the majors soon and he expects to begin auditioning for scouts in the next week or ten days.  

Heyman On Halladay, Davis, Holliday

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Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Jays aren't likely to deal Roy Halladay within the AL East and will likely seek premium bats and shortstops in possible deals, since Marco Scutaro becomes a free agent after the season. Heyman hears that Halladay would likely be open to playing for most contenders. Here are some details and more rumors:

  • The Jays had interest in Phillies shortstop prospect Jason Donald last year.
  • Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi won't publicly rule out any destinations, but it would be much more bearable for the Jays and their fans to see Halladay pitching in the NL, or at least outside the AL East. 
  • Heyman wonders if the Giants could have interest. Imagine a rotation with four Cy Young Award winners plus Matt Cain. However, the Giants say they're looking for offense.  
  • One White Sox official says the team wouldn't have traded Gordon Beckham straight up for Jake Peavy, but they would likely have to consider dealing Beckham if they want Halladay.
  • Heyman hears the Cardinals may not have the prospects to acquire Halladay. Brett Wallace and Jess Todd would presumably interest the Jays.
  • Could the A's simply hold onto Matt Holliday and collect draft choices? They'd have to risk paying him $15MM or so in arbitration next year to do so and Heyman thinks it's a possibility.  
  • The D'Backs don't think they're hearing good enough offers for Doug Davis.  

Rosenthal On Vazquez, Hairston, Teahen

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Javier Vazquez has more value than any available hitter. Here are the details and the rest of Rosenthal's rumors:

  • Not even Matt Holliday or Corey Hart would be fair value for Vazquez, so Rosenthal asks why the Braves would want to trade him at all.
  • The Mets inquired on Scott Hairston, who could have been an affordable stopgap, but balked when the Padres asked for Bobby Parnell.
  • The Marlins offered Gaby Sanchez for Manny Delcarmen, but the Red Sox weren't interested.  
  • The Mariners, Tigers and Rays weren't far from agreeing to a deal that would have sent Edwin Jackson to Seattle and J.J. Putz to Detroit last offseason.  
  • Kevin Towers compares Rule 5 pick Everth Cabrera to Rafael Furcal. 
  • The Royals "do not seem terribly inclined" to deal Mark Teahen.  
  • The Pirates covet Eric Young Jr. of the Rockies.  
  • Some predict that the distribution of amateur talent- through the draft and international signings- will be the biggest issue in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Olney On Pedro, Holliday, Hairston, Manny

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The Phillies are going to watch Pedro Martinez throw today, but he'll need more than an impressive workout to latch on with the NL East leaders, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

  • Pedro will have to accept that teams are going to want to pay him "like a 37-year-old pitcher who had a 5.61 ERA last season," not a future Hall of Famer.
  • Olney wonders whether Pedro's low ground ball rate might prevent him from succeeding at Citizens Bank Park.  
  • The A's aren't currently involved in trade talks regarding Matt Holliday or the recently-acquired Scott Hairston. 
  • One scout who watched Manny Ramirez this week said he looked "heavy-legged" and out of shape.   

Heyman On Street, Indians, Pedro, Davis

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Jon Heyman of SI.com lists his mid-season award winners, led by Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer. Here are Heyman's latest rumors:

  • Huston Street alone is worth more on the trade market than Matt Holliday. Dan O'Dowd must be happy with his return, which also included Carlos Gonzalez.
  • Jhonny Peralta, Kerry Wood and Carl Pavano are all available.  
  • Indians GM Mark Shapiro believes he can still get a fair return for Cliff Lee if he deals him a year from now, a few months before the lefty is scheduled to become free agent.
  • One executive says the Royals are "pushing" Brian Bannister as a trade candidate. However, they're reluctant to deal Gil Meche and Joakim Soria.  
  • Pedro Martinez intends to sign soon. We know the Phillies are scouting him. Could there be a match in Philly?  The Rays are "thought to be in the mix," while the Yankees are not, even with Chien-Ming Wang's injury.
  • There's apparently been "little progress" between the Brewers and D'Backs regarding Doug Davis. 
  • Nolan Ryan is part of one group trying to buy the Rangers.  
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