Poll: Should The Brewers Deal Fielder And Hart?
Corey Hart leads the National League in home runs and Prince Fielder already has a home run title. Both realize they could be dealt given the Brewers' 31-40 start, but that doesn't mean GM Doug Melvin will decide to trade them away. Each slugger is arbitration-eligible one last time in 2011, so the Brewers could hold onto them for next year. But given the team's need for pitching, Melvin could listen to offers. Hart's value might never be higher, but Prince isn't hitting for quite as much power as usual, so the Brewers have some decisions to make.
Should the Brewers trade Fielder and Hart?
Click here to take the survey and here to view the results.
Odds & Ends: Pomeranz, Marlins, Everett, Valentine
Links for Wednesday…
- Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that fifth overall pick Drew Pomeranz is scheduled to go to Cleveland on Monday to take a physical and "hear the Indians' sales pitch." Hoynes says there have been no negotiations to date.
- Marlins' president David Samson told Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald that they're "not ready to say for certain that trade didn't work," referring to the Miguel Cabrera blockbuster (Twitter link). Both Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin, the two centerpieces of the deal for Florida, have struggled in the big leagues and are currently in the minors.
- Upon hearing about Boston's interest in his services, Adam Everett said "I haven't heard that, but great team, great city, and it sounds interesting," according to FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi (via Twitter).
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday tweets the leaders in wins above replacement, or WAR, from last year's free agent class. Andy Pettitte tops the list, followed closely by Livan Hernandez and Aubrey Huff.
- Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post notes (via Twitter) that the Marlins spoke with Bobby Valentine this morning. The Marlins' opening interests Valentine.
- Prince Fielder and Corey Hart tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that they realize they could be traded. Morosi says the Brewers should trade Hart for pitching, but Hart would prefer to stay in Milwaukee.
- Kenny Williams told Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune that the White Sox could become buyers.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the Blue Jays could trade pitching away this trade deadline (Twitter link).
- Chris Iannetta told Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald that he did his best to ignore rumors that the Red Sox were interested in him.
- At this point, Pedro Martinez doesn't want to think about whether he'll play this year. He told Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald that he doesn't know anything right now.
- Steve Gould of the Baltimore Sun reminds us that 2009 first rounder Matt Hobgood is still a teenager and says Orioles fans should be more patient with the tall righty.
- MLB.com's Fred Claire shows that the Orioles are looking for the kind of stability that was once found in Baltimore and that the Angels now have.
Olney On Fielder, Lowell, DeJesus
In today's blog post for ESPN.com (Insider-only link), Buster Olney looks ahead to Stephen Strasburg's big-league debut on Tuesday. Olney suggests that Strasburg will be doing very well if he starts his career as strongly as Mike Leake has. In 11 starts for the Reds this year, the rookie right-hander has posted a 2.22 ERA and doesn't have a single loss to his name. A few other tidbits from Olney:
- Responding to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel column in which Michael Hunt argues that the Brewers need to trade Prince Fielder, Olney examines the slugger's market value and finds a few factors working against a possible trade. The Brewers are unlikely to move their marquee player unless they could land a package close to what the Rangers received when they dealt Mark Teixeira in 2007. After seeing the talent Atlanta gave up in that trade, and knowing how expensive it would be to extend Fielder, teams may be reluctant to roll the dice.
- The first base and designated hitter markets appear flush this summer, meaning it will be even more challenging for the Red Sox to find a suitor for Mike Lowell.
- David DeJesus has been hot lately, raising his average above .300, and there should be plenty of teams in need of offensive production who will notice.
Rosenthal On Fielder, Angels, Pierzynski, Mets
Let's check out the newest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..
- Milwaukee may not be able to find a taker for Prince Fielder before the trade deadline. Fielder's deal runs through next season and the Angels, who are the most obvious fit, only need a first baseman for the remainder of this season to fill in for Kendry Morales. The teams with the greatest needs for a first baseman/designated hitter type, such as the Mariners, aren't in contention. Rosenthal points out that Brewers GM Doug Melvin has always said that it's easier to move position players in the winter when more teams can be drawn into the mix.
- Angels GM Tony Reagins says that the team will be patient in finding a replacement for Morales. The Angels are starting to play better and Mike Napoli is an obvious internal solution as Jeff Mathis gets set to return. While their biggest need is in the bullpen, Reagins says that the team is comfortable with the pitchers that they have, for now.
- White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski would almost certainly consent to a trade if the club asked him to move on in order to give Tyler Flowers big league experience. Pierzynski has the right to veto any trade beginning on June 13th. The veteran is a free agent at the end of the season and could enhance his value by going to a contender. If he was still available in August then his salary is high enough that he would likely clear waivers.
- The Mets say that they have the payroll flexibility to add a starter at the deadline but it remains to be seen just how much and how willing they are to part with young talent. One solution could be putting Jenrry Mejia in the starting five as GM Omar Minaya believes that he could be a dominant starter. However, manager Jerry Manuel raised doubts about that happening this season.
Stark On Orioles, Lee, Padres, Stanton, Angels
Major league executives told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark which starters they would most want to have for the next ten years. Zack Greinke and Tim Lincecum didn't make the cut, but Felix Hernandez, Josh Johnson, Ubaldo Jimenez, David Price, Brett Anderson and Jon Lester did. Here are Stark's latest rumors, as the trade market starts taking shape:
- Two teams say that the Orioles would listen on Kevin Millwood right now.
- A rival executive says the Orioles are "sniffing around for a shortstop." Stark hears rumors that they have interest in Twins prospect Trevor Plouffe.
- The Mariners won't seriously consider trading Cliff Lee before they're sure they can't salvage their season.
- There's increasing pessimism that the Astros will be able to obtain salary relief and prospects for Roy Oswalt.
- Teams are giving up on acquiring Adrian Gonzalez this summer, since the Padres continue to win.
- Two officials believe Heath Bell could be traded even if the Padres stay in contention. Check out this post from earlier in the week for more on Bell's trade value.
- Tom Gorzelanny could be on the market in a couple weeks when John Grabow comes off the DL.
- Stark hears that the Marlins will call Mike Stanton up next week. The Marlins are being cautious, since they want to prevent Stanton from obtaining super two status and teams believe the cut-off will be later than ever this year.
- Stark's sources don't expect the Angels to start searching for a bat to replace Kendry Morales for a few weeks. When they begin looking for offense, they're expected to look for someone who is about to hit free agency or a versatile player who can defend around the diamond. Kendry Morales is under team control through 2013, so Prince Fielder wouldn't be a fit for the Angels.
How Will Angels Replace Morales?
4:28pm: The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham wonders (via Twitter) if Mike Lowell will be traded to the Angels in light of Morales' injury. He notes that the Red Sox would likely have to eat a large portion of Lowell's salary.
2:16pm: ESPN's Mark Saxon tweets that the Angels are saying Morales' injury is not season ending, though he doesn't provide a timetable for the slugger's return. As Saxon points out in another tweet, Mike Napoli will start at first base today for the first time since his minor league days.
10:57am: Following one of the more unusual injuries in recent years, the Angels now face the problem of how to replace their most productive hitter. Kendry Morales, who was hitting .290/.346/.487 with 11 homers, fractured his leg while celebrating a walk-off grand slam last night, and could miss the rest of the season.
Robb Quinlan and Mark Trumbo are in-house candidates to step in for Morales, but the defending AL West champs will likely consider acquiring an impact player to boost an offense that, even with Morales, has hit just .248. After all, despite playing sub-.500 ball so far, they're very much in contention, sitting only 3.5 games out of first place.
Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times writes that the Angels have plenty of options when it comes to finding a new first baseman. He suggests that Paul Konerko and Lance Berkman are the two most attractive and realistic trade targets for the Angels, though he acknowledges that the club won't have much leverage, given their desperate need for a middle-of-the-order bat. The Chicago Tribune's Mark Gonzales agrees that Konerko could be a fit for the Angels, noting that the White Sox first baseman has a relationship with Mike Scioscia that dates back to their days with the Dodgers.
DiGiovanna names a handful of other possible targets for the Angels, including Adam Dunn, Adam LaRoche, Russell Branyan, and Prince Fielder. Obviously, some of those sluggers are less available than others. Jermaine Dye, Ryan Garko, and Carlos Delgado (when he's healthy) are a few more available, low-cost options the team could look at, according to DiGiovanna.
Even if the Angels decide to make a move, it may not happen for a month or two, coming closer to the trade deadline. However, in the wake of Morales' injury, it's safe to put them near the top of the list of teams who will be shopping for a power hitter this summer.
Odds & Ends: Jenks, Fielder, Burrell, Marlins
A few more links for Friday evening, as the Reds homer for the 17th straight game….
- Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times explains what it means to be "out of options" and takes a look at how it affects Brandon Wood's current situation.
- Several teams have contacted the White Sox about Bobby Jenks, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley doesn't categorize any of the discussions as serious, but notes that Jenks is "very available." Earlier in the week, we heard that the Phillies were scouting the Sox' struggling closer.
- Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle explains in a tweet why he doesn't want to see the Giants attempt to acquire Prince Fielder.
- Schulman also tweets that although no deal is official yet, Pat Burrell is "leaning heavily" toward becoming a Giant.
- According to the Miami Herald's Fish Bytes blog, it'd make sense for the Marlins to pursue left-handed bullpen help later in the summer if they're still in contention. The piece names Will Ohman and Matt Thornton as possible targets.
- Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the Indians are being patient with their roster for now, but changes could eventually be made.
- Cuban minor-leaguer Amaury Sanit has been suspended 50 games for violating baseball's drug policy, tweets Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. The right-hander had been pitching for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate.
Heyman On Prince, Buchholz, Sheets, Padres
We've already heard about Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee, but Jon Heyman of SI.com introduces us to some lower-profile trade candidates in his latest column. Here's the latest on what trades to expect over the course of the next two months:
- This summer, the Yankees plan on pursuing a reliever plus a hitter to replace Nick Johnson (Twitter link).
- Executives believe there's a real chance the 19-28 Brewers deal Prince Fielder. One NL GM says "Milwaukee can't afford the Prince Fielders of the world.''
- The Indians asked for Clay Buchholz in exchange for Cliff Lee last summer and were rejected by the Red Sox. The Indians were smart to ask, but the Red Sox are surely glad they held onto Buchholz, who has a 3.07 ERA this year.
- An AL GM says Ben Sheets needs to be more consistent to become an appealing trade target. Sheets is pitching better after a slow start.
- GMs around the league would love to see the White Sox make their pitchers available.
- A White Sox insider says Ozzie Guillen isn't going anywhere.
- One GM can see the D'Backs trading Dan Haren for a prospect-rich package, but other executives think the D'Backs will keep their ace.
- Most executives see the Padres holding onto Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell – at least as long as they're playing this well.
Odds & Ends: Resop, Gamel, Santana, Bumgarner
Happy birthday, Jayson Werth! Let's celebrate by reading these news items…
- FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi outlines the unique contract situation of right-hander Chris Resop, who has been a revelation as a starting pitcher this season for Atlanta's Triple-A team.
- A bit further down the FOX Sports Buzz page, Morosi notes that Mat Gamel's time playing first base during his rehab assignment isn't necessarily a hint about Prince Fielder's fate in Milwaukee.
- In response to a piece about the Dodgers' spending under Frank McCourt, Fanhouse's Tom Krasovic relates how L.A. shipped Carlos Santana to Cleveland in the Casey Blake deal rather than pick up $2MM of Blake's salary. If Santana becomes the star catcher that he's projected to be for the Tribe, Dodger fans might be regretting that $2MM worth of savings for a long time.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says the Giants may have Eric Hacker replace the struggling Todd Wellemeyer in the rotation. Star prospect Madison Bumgarner has pitched well in Triple-A this season, but Schulman thinks the Giants want the young left-hander to have more innings at that level before they bring him up to the majors.
- Troy Renck of The Denver Post writes that the recently DFA'ed Willy Taveras worked out in Houston this week. The Astros offered Taveras a minor league deal over the winter, so Taveras' workout could represent a rekindling of the club's interest, or it could've just been a courtesy extended to a former Astro.
- Terry Pluto of The Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks Michael Brantley and the Indians would both be better served by having the outfield prospect back in the majors. Pluto points out that if the Tribe are trying to stall Brantley's service time, then they shouldn't have had him start with the club on Opening Day.
- The Rays have had almost as many key injuries as the Yankees this season, but Tampa Bay's depth made them better prepared to deal with it, writes Steve Slowinski of the DRaysBay blog.
- Speaking of those Yankee injuries, Brian Cashman said today that the club would look within their system to fill the holes, reports Chad Jennings of The Journal News.
Cafardo On Fielder, Wood, DeJesus
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe would like to see the Red Sox acquire a marquee player in his prime. Let's dive in and check out the tidbits that he has for us today..
- The Red Sox will shed a great deal of payroll this offseason thanks in large part to David Ortiz and Mike Lowell coming off of the books. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined the team's 2011 contract issues recently, suggesting $40MM could be freed up. With that newfound breathing room, Cafardo writes that the BoSox would like to zero in on one of three elite first basemen this winter. While he anticipates Albert Pujols remaining in St. Louis, he says that Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzalez could be acquired via in-season trades.
- If Kerry Wood can show that he's healthy, he should be able to attract a contending team as we approach the trade deadline. Wood was recalled from his rehab assignment in Akron on Friday. The 32-year-old is set to make $10.5MM this season but if a team were to trade for him they would only have to assume the prorated portion of that.
- David DeJesus is "more than available" for teams seeking a lefty outfield bat. In return, the Royals would seek bullpen help and a positional prospect. Kansas City was said to be expecting serious interest in DeJesus this winter. The 31-year-old earns $4.5MM this season with a $6MM option for next season.
- While there's still some skepticism in Houston that Lance Berkman would really leave the organization, one Astros organizational person opined that the 34-year-old would "fit Boston like a fiddle". However, considering his advanced age and his offensive struggles this season, he's an unlikely fit for the club at present. Meanwhile, Cafardo mentions the Mariners and White Sox as teams that could really use a bat like Berkman's.
- Meanwhile, Jeremy Hermida is an outfielder that would seem to fit Seattle, though it doesn't appear that the Red Sox would entertain offers for him right now.