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Michael Cuddyer

Sabean Not Finding Shortstop, Catcher Upgrades

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Earlier this month, I deemed the trade market weak at many positions, including catcher and shortstop.  Giants GM Brian Sabean appears to agree.  His comments to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle and other reporters yesterday:

"Right now, we don't see an upgrade with the names out there at shortstop or at catcher, and that kind of puts you in a box.  A lot of the names that are being speculated on aren't even in the market. Will that change in the last 48 or 72 hours? Perhaps.  Quite frankly, there are some teams that we wish would fall out of it so that we could have more conversation."

With the Reds still in contention and not likely to move Ramon Hernandez, Geovany Soto rumors scarce, and Ronny Paulino likely to stay put, it's difficult to find an available starting catcher.  I wonder if Sabean was referring to the Reds, who are three games out and have strong catching depth beginning with Hernandez.  Colorado's Chris Iannetta would be a nice addition, but Sabean and Dan O'Dowd have never made a significant trade that I can find.

On the shortstop front, failing a surprise blockbuster deal for Hanley Ramirez, the best options might be the Astros' Clint Barmes or the Dodgers' Jamey Carroll and Rafael Furcal.  As the Brewers might tell you, shortstop upgrades are hard to come by this summer.

The Giants remain intrigued by the Twins' Michael Cuddyer, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  At seven games out, the Twins might be drifting out of contention, but it appears they'll retain Cuddyer anyway and try to re-sign him.

Red Sox Not Pursuing Anyone Aggressively Right Now

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The Red Sox are "not pursuing anyone aggressively right now," a source familiar with the team's thinking told WEEI's Alex Speier.  Instead, the team is currently trying to determine which internal solutions will work.  We've heard the Red Sox named as one of the most aggressive suitors for Carlos Beltran, but that may not be the case.

The Sox are still taking their normal approach of "inquiring about anyone who may make an appreciable difference to the team," in the words of the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo.  Cafardo says the Red Sox have inquired on Beltran, Ubaldo Jimenez, Felix Hernandez, Jose Reyes, Jeff Francoeur, Jeff Baker, Michael Cuddyer, Ty Wigginton, Hiroki Kuroda, Ted Lilly, Jeremy Guthrie, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, Conor Jackson, Ryan Spilborghs, Mike Adams, and others.  The team needs include starting pitching, a reliever, an outfielder, and a shortstop, but the Red Sox may prefer internal options in many cases.

Sabean Talks Offense, Trade Market, Prospects

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11:59pm: It's possible Sabean's "something bigger" referred to the Twins' Michael Cuddyer, writes Baggarly.  The Giants recently expressed interest in him with a second base job in mind.  The asking price was steep, so Sabean closed the Keppinger deal with Houston.  Still, Baggarly would not rule out the Twins revisiting Cuddyer.

10:15pm: After the Giants acquired Jeff Keppinger, GM Brian Sabean explained that his work isn't done. The 56-41 Giants are lucky to be 15 games above .500, according to Sabean, who discussed the trade market in detail tonight. Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has the details on the Giants, who are taking on the division rival Dodgers tonight:

  • Sabean said he's still committed to improving the San Francisco offense. No winning team has scored fewer runs than the Giants (356).
  • Before the Keppinger deal, Sabean was working on “something [he] thought was much bigger.” That deal did not involve Carlos Beltran, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).
  • Sabean described the market for catchers and shortstops as “almost nonexistent.”
  • General managers eyeing Zack Wheeler and Brandon Belt may want to think twice. Sabean suggested some of the team's top young players are virtually untouchable. “There are guys we definitely won’t trade, and baseball people know that, too,” Sabean said.

 

Twins Won’t Trade Cuddyer

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Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune cites a team official in reporting that the Twins won't trade Michael Cuddyer this summer, even if they fall from contention. Instead, the Twins will hang onto Cuddyer as they try to close what's now just a six-game gap for the division lead, and will look to re-sign their clubhouse leader after the season.

Cuddyer, 32, has been the Twins' best hitter with a .292/.372/.467 line and 13 homers thus far. He got off to a terrible start, but is batting .325/.405/.513 since May 1, ripping 10 home runs along the way.

He's been linked to teams such as the Phillies, and Christensen throws in the Braves and Giants as teams who've scouted Cuddyer in recent weeks. Last month, Cuddyer was willing to waive his limited no-trade clause if the situation called for it, but that looks to be a thing of the past now. A prolonged losing streak and a big offer from another club could of course cause the Twins to change their minds, but for now it seems certain that the longest-tenured Twinkie will be hanging around. I examined Cuddyer's trade candidacy last month.

Trade Candidates Who Are Currently Playing Well

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Players who have performed well this month are more likely to intrigue buyers for at least two reasons. First of all, strong performance is an indication of health. Secondly, MLB teams have diverted some scouting efforts from amateurs to the pros since this year’s draft concluded about a month ago.

As a result, it’s fair to say that players who have been performing well this past month are more likely to draw interest at the trade deadline than players with similar overall numbers who had hot starts then cooled off later in the season. Here’s a look at some players who have been performing particularly well over the course of the past 30 days:

  • Michael Cuddyer – The Twins aren’t prepared to sell yet, but Cuddyer would be a candidate to go if they do decide 2011 isn’t their year. He has a .378/.458/.633 line this month.
  • Melky Cabrera – Cabrera is under team control through 2012 as an arbitration eligible player, so Kansas City’s front office may decide to keep him around for another year. His .342/.374/.470 line this month would appeal to contenders, though.
  • Mark Reynolds – The slugger has ten homers in the past 30 days after starting the season slowly. He earns $7.5MM in 2012 and has an $11MM option for 2013 ($500K buyout).
  • J.J. Hardy – Like Reynolds, Hardy had a power surge this month. He hit seven homers and added a .269/.306/.600 line. The Orioles are negotiating an extension with the shortstop, so there’s a good chance he stays in Baltimore.
  • Coco Crisp – Crisp has a respectable .298/.364/.426 line this month.
  • Carlos Pena – Like Reynolds, Pena strikes out a ton and has a low batting average. But his hot streaks can carry teams and he hit ten homers with a .240/.306/.600 line this month. Tim Dierkes examined Pena as a trade candidate earlier today.
  • Livan Hernandez – GM Mike Rizzo says the Nationals will be buyers and sellers this month. Presumably some rival clubs are hoping the dependable Hernandez is available this summer, since he has a 3.62 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 this month.
  • Edwin Jackson – It’s not surprising that clubs are inquiring on Jackson given that he has posted a 4.05 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 this month. And his 2.52 xFIP suggests he has pitched better than his ERA indicates.
  • Ryan Dempster – Across town, Dempster could draw interest as well. The right-hander has a 2.59 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 this month.
  • Carlos Villanueva – Though he may not be a trade candidate in the traditional sense, Villanueva’s success in the rotation has presumably drawn the attention of front offices around baseball. He has a 2.84 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 this month.
  • Hiroki Kuroda – Kuroda will require compensation to waive his no-trade clause, but he is already drawing interest. The right-hander has a 2.30 ERA with 5.7 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 this month.
  • Aramis Ramirez, Jose Reyes and Hunter Pence have been playing well, but it seems unlikely that they'll be dealt this month. I’m ignoring relievers, since many relievers have worked ten innings or less this month and that’s a minute sample size.

Olney On Deadline Plans For AL Teams

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ESPN's Buster Olney outlined plans for National League teams heading into the trade deadline yesterday, and today he follows up with the American League in an Insider-only column that comes highly recommended. Here's a brief recap…

  • The Mark Ellis trade could just be the first domino that falls for the Athletics. Other veterans like Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, and Grant Balfour could follow him out the door.
  • The Twins aren't as willing to trade now as they were a few weeks ago, and the big question they have to ask themselves is if eating a chunk of the $5.5MM left on Michael Cuddyer's contract is worth it to trade him.
  • We've heard this before, but B.J. Upton and Kyle Farnsworth of the Rays figure to draw interest.
  • The Red Sox and Angels don't have a lot of financial flexiblity and are more likely to target smaller pieces.
  • Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, and Wilson Betemit are all affordable and reasonably productive, but Olney notes that the Royals might want to keep some veterans around so the youngsters don't get pounded.
  • The Indians and Mariners will not blow up their rebuild processes despite their surprising runs at contention. Erik Bedard's injury took away Seattle's best chip.
  • Poor seasons from Alex Rios and Adam Dunn make it difficult for the White Sox to do anything. They need those two to get back on track more than anything.
  • The Yankees are convinced their internal pitching options are better than what's available on the market right now. A Rafael Soriano setback would put them in the reliever market.
  • It's all about right-handed relief pitching for the Rangers, who will have plenty of options to choose from. The Blue Jays have lots of bullpen help to deal.
  • The Tigers are asking around about pitching, specifically left-handers.
  • The Orioles are having an internal debate about whether or not to trade Jeremy Guthrie, but they are expected to at least listen to offers.

Red Sox Notes: Lee, Beltran, Cuddyer, Millwood

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How's this for a fun defensive alignment? Adrian Gonzalez will play right field for Boston tonight while David Ortiz plays first base. Here's the latest on the Red Sox from WEEI.com as we wait for Terry Francona's heavily-scrutinized defenders to take the field…

  • The pitcher who defeated Boston last night, Phillies lefty Cliff Lee, told Kirk Minihane of WEEI.com that the Red Sox had "nonexistent" interest in him last offseason. "I think they were satisfied with their pitching, they weren't looking for pitching," Lee said. "Nothing with any substance to it, they were never serious."
  • MLB Network analyst Peter Gammons reported yesterday that the Red Sox don't have financial flexibility and he explained Boston's predicament in further detail today on WEEI's Mut & Merloni Show. "They’re not getting Carlos Beltran," Gammons said. "They’re not getting Michael Cuddyer." Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com has highlights of Gammons' conversation.
  • Kevin Millwood, who recently decided not to opt out of his minor league contract with the Red Sox, tells Sam Dykstra of WEEI.com that he'd consider it "a great opportunity" to join Boston's big league team.

Heyman On Padres, Athletics, Twins

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • The Padres are being aggressive in engaging in trade discussions, say executives who have spoken to them.  They're even willing to discuss dominant set-up man Mike Adams, who is under team control for next year.  Many teams prefer Adams over closer Heath Bell, who Heyman says is "very likely" to be dealt.  There are a couple of surprise suitors for Bell, but one exec told Heyman the righty "won't bring as much as you think."
  • The impending returns of Rich Harden, Brandon McCarthy, and Tyson Ross are delaying the Athletics' decision on whether to sell.  If they do sell, here's a look at who might be available.
  • A rival executive believes the Mets would have to be bowled over to trade Jose Reyes, though teams seem convinced Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez will be traded.  Teams haven't even called the Mets yet about Reyes' availability, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • Heyman says that the Dodgers have not received any calls on Matt Kemp.
  • Though they are nine games out, Heyman says there is no evidence the Twins will start shopping soon.  A competing exec thinks they'll stand pat.  While Michael Cuddyer would be coveted, his value in the clubhouse might compel the Twins to keep him.
  • The Giants don't have much interest in Cleveland's Orlando Cabrera, writes Heyman.
  • The Reds "seem reluctant" to trade catcher Ramon Hernandez.  For more on Hernandez, click here.
  • The Rockies are in wait-and-see mode, but if they sell they'll look to move closer Huston Street.  Street is signed through 2012 with a club option for '13.

Olney’s Latest: Bell, Phillies, B.J. Upton

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Buster Olney of ESPN.com has passed along some interesting tidbits tonight via Twitter. He also touched on some of these notes in his daily column this morning. Here's Olney's latest:

  • The Padres' sweep at the hands of the Twins this weekend could hasten their decision on if and when they should trade closer Heath Bell, Olney thinks. The sooner the Friars deal Bell, the more they can ask in return (Twitter links).
  • The Phillies are looking for a right-handed hitter and have checked in on the Twins' Michael Cuddyer and the Athletics' Josh Willingham (Twitter link). Olney first reported the Phils' interest in a righty stick last week. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that the Phils are seeking someone cheap, such as the Rockies' Ryan Spilborghs, because of payroll constraints.
  • The Rays will listen to offers for B.J. Upton but probably won't deal him unless they can obtain a good bat, although that wouldn't necessarily have to happen within the same trade (Twitter link).

Cuddyer Would Waive Limited No-Trade Clause

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Michael Cuddyer's limited no-trade clause consists of just three teams, but he indicated to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com that he wouldn't stand in the way of a trade to one of those teams if it came down to it.

"I care so much about this organization," said Cuddyer. "I do … I care so deeply about this team, that if it helps the organization…"

As for the three teams included in the no-trade clause, well not even Cuddyer is sure who they are: "Can't remember … I think Oakland is one. Toronto. And … I'm not sure."

Cuddyer's loyalty to the Twins is admirable, and there figures to be a market for his services before the trade deadline. Steve Adams explored Cuddyer's trade candidacy last weekend, noting that similar players like Casey Blake and Mark DeRosa have yielded decent returns in the last few years.

The 32-year-old Cuddyer is making $10.5MM this year, though the Twins could eat some of that in exchange for a better return. He's hitting .282/.347/.449 in 259 plate appearances this year, and he has experience playing first, second, third, and the corner outfield spots. Cuddyer's .292/.381/.491 career batting line against left-handed pitchers could also be a big help to a number of clubs.

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