Odds And Ends: Spivey, Kazmir, Washburn
Another round of odds and ends for the afternoon…
- Remember Junior Spivey? He signed with the independent Tucson Toros, according to the AP (via the Arizona Republic).
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Rays have been scouting the Angels' minor leaguers extensively. The Angels have interest in Scott Kazmir and the two teams could match up as trade partners. Keith Law says Kazmir has gone backwards for two straight years.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle hears that the Giants can take on a reasonable amount of payroll and expects GM Brian Sabean to make a deal.
- The Phillies are scouting Jarrod Washburn as an alternative to Roy Halladay in case the Seattle lefty becomes available, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports calls Billy Beane the Scott Boras of general managers, and he means it as a compliment. At least one rival GM believes the A's got a great haul for Matt Holliday.
- I'll be talking trades tomorrow morning on The Big Jab at 9:25CST and on 940 ESPN at 10:00CST.
ESPN: Nats Not Close To Signing Strasburg
Pedro Gomez of ESPN is reporting that that Nationals are "not on pace" to sign phenom Stephen Strasburg by the August 17 deadline. The information was given to Gomez by a "source close to the negotiations."
In spite of an "ongoing dialogue" with Scott Boras, Strasburg's advisor, the Nats have not made an offer other than the minor league tender that clubs must make within 10 days of drafting a player.
Nats interim GM Mike Rizzo talked to the Washington Post but revealed little, saying that a lot was happening "behind the scenes" but that the Nationals will not negotiate "through the media."
Stephen Strasburg Update
Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post says Stephen Strasburg hasn't heard from the Nationals since they drafted him last month. He's received nothing more than a minor league contract offer, which the Nats have to present as a formality. Though Strasburg seemed "a bit perplexed" by the slow pace of negotiations, the Nationals aren't expected to sign the first overall pick and Golden Spikes Award winner this month.
Odds & Ends: Boras, Nationals, Bedard, White Sox, Giants, Astros
Some evening links for those of you who haven't checked out for the long holiday weekend yet.
- Billy Witz of the NY Times wrote about the relationship between the Dodgers and superagent Scott Boras.
- The Nationals have agreed to terms with five international players according to Bill Ladson. A formal announcement of the signings will come in a few days.
- Pete McElroy of MASNsports.com notes that the Nats have signed a pair of draft picks, including fourth rounder AJ Morris.
- Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times notes that Erik Bedard threw a 54-pitch simulated game today and will start on Tuesday. Teams will have just enough time to evaluate him before the trade deadline.
- Will Carroll tweets that the Giants and White Sox "want to make a deal quick." He later backs off a bit and says that the two teams won't necessarily made a trade with each other, but both are looking for good deals.
- Kiley McDaniel has a list of four international players the Astros have signed.
- Remember, you can get all your rumors instantly via MLBTR's Twitter feed.
Could Strasburg Move To Japan, Avoid Draft?
Aroldis Chapman can defect from his home country and become a free agent. Could Stephen Strasburg do something similar? Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post concludes that Scott Boras and his clients ultimately play by the rules Bud Selig makes. Here's a closer look at the super-agent and the system he's working within:
- Boras wants Strasburg paid like a free agent, even though the Nationals have exclusive rights to him.
- His asking price is believed to be $50MM, but no draft pick has ever surpassed Mark Prior's $10.5MM bonus.
- The Post's Chico Harlan points out that, in accordance with the MLB rules, the Nats have likely offered Strasburg a preliminary deal already, though nothing Strasburg isn't expected to accept it.
- Boras has hinted that he could take Strasburg to Japan if the Nationals don't offer enough money.
- MLB's vice-president of labor relations explains what will happen if Strasburg doesn't sign with the Nats: "He goes back into the draft, and if he doesn't sign with that team, he goes back in again."
- Boras could try to work around the wording in the MLB rules and establish Strasburg as a resident in Japan. This could make him an international resident, which would allow him, in theory, to operate under the same system as international free agents.
- However, the MLB rule ends with the following: "official interpretations of this Rule 4 may be made from time to time by the Commissioner or the Commissioner's designee."
- In other words, Bud Selig has the power to step in if Boras gets too creative for his liking.
Tigers Rumors: Magglio, Boras, Guillen
A closer look at the drama between the Tigers, Magglio Ordonez and Scott Boras, along with a couple other Tigers notes:
- Boras told MLB.com's Jason Beck that he wasn't delivering a message to Jim Leyland when he spoke out against the Tigers' decision to bench his client. Boras says he'd phone Leyland if he wanted to talk to him.
- Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press says Boras did phone Leyland- the problem is, the call came in the middle of yesterday's Tigers game.
- Leyland believes Boras overreacted to the team's decision.
- Ordonez could return to the Tigers' lineup against the Cubs tomorrow, according to Jason Beck.
- And Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that Carlos Guillen is feeling better and could be ready for action by early July.
- The Tigers are looking to trade for a power bat regardless.
Odds & Ends: Pedro, Ordonez, Holliday
On this day in MLBTR history: Last year, the Blue Jays fired manager John Gibbons and Matt Holliday talks were still swirling. In '07, we actually cared who was on Eric Gagne's team veto list and saw Michael Barrett get traded to the Padres.
- Bill Ladson at MLBlogs got word that reports that a Nationals rep saw Pedro Martinez pitch Friday are untrue.
- Joe Pawlikowski at River Ave. Blues takes issue with CERA, the stat that tries to determine "catchers' ERA."
- Jason Beck at MLB.com has more clarification on Jim Leyland's comments on Magglio Ordonez and Scott Boras. Says Leyland: "It was total nonsense on the agent's part that I blindsided Magglio Ordonez."
- John Shea at the San Francisco Chronicle outlines a scenario where 16-year-old super-prospect Bryce Harper might fall to the A's in next year's draft.
- Bill Shaikin at the L.A. Times wonders if Holliday could end up with the Angels.
- Clark Spencer at the Miami Herald wonders where Josh Johnson will end up after 2012.
- Joel Sherman at the New York Post proposes an idea where the Commissoner's Office swallows one bad contract on each MLB team, and which he believes should go.
Boras: “No Compelling Reason” To Bench Magglio
Odds & Ends: Donald, DeRosa, Tigers, Boras
Three years ago today the Diamondbacks cut ties with righthander Russ Ortiz. With $22MM remaining on the four year, $33MM deal he signed before the 2005 season, Ortiz became the highest paid player ever to be released by a Major League team.
On to the links…
- Despite his knee injury, Jason Donald remains one of the Phillies' best trade chips according to Scott Lauber.
- Derrick Goold writes that Mark DeRosa's trade value is rising with the team's recent hot streak.
- The Detroit Free Press polled it's readers, and 32.7% want to see the Tigers trade for a bullpen arm to stay in contention.
- Bill Shaikin writes about master negotiator Scott Boras and his affect on the draft.
- Kurt Streeter reports that 36-year-old Jose Lima is still hoping to make it back to the big leagues. Lima Time is currently 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA for the independent Long Beach Armada, and last pitched in the big leagues for the Mets in 2006.
- ESPN's Jorge Arangure tweets that the Padres are targetting Dominican outfielder Jose Alberta Pena.
- Miami linebacker Glenn Cook was surprised when the Cubs drafted him in the 48th round because he hasn't played baseball in six years.
Boras And Strasburg On Negotiations
Chico Harlan of the Washington Post says Scott Boras was armed with stats proving Stephen Strasburg is a safe investment during this morning's conference call between the Nats' number one pick, his agent and the media. ESPN.com reports that Boras called Strasburg "a different breed of cat," who's worth more than other players.