Odds and Ends: Rolen, Silva, Capps
Here are some hot stove links to digest this evening.
- The New York Post’s Joel Sherman runs down some third base options for the Yankees. He feels that Scott Rolen, Bill Hall, Freddy Sanchez, and a few others might be reasonable options. Bernie Miklasz says there’s no indication any team is truly interested in Rolen, though Randy Youngman suggests the Angels may look at him.
- Youngman also believes the Halos have slight interest in Carlos Silva, if he can be had at less than $10MM annually. Not bloody likely.
- Jon Paul Morosi thinks the Tigers could go after the Pirates’ Damaso Marte, Salomon Torres, or even Matt Capps.
- Hat tip to Bucco Blog on the Sherman and Morosi links above. Check out Jake’s latest post, where he uncovers some interesting minor league free agents.
- Rob Biertempfel names David Riske, Doug Brocail, Shawn Camp, and Scott Linebrink as some relievers the Pirates might consider. I imagine Riske and Linebrink will be too pricey.
- Troy E. Renck believes the Rockies might inquire about Cliff Lee.
- RotoAuthority assesses the health risks within the Nationals’ rotation.
Did Twins and Cards Discuss Rolen?
Buster Olney is a trusted source for baseball info if there ever was one. Here’s an excerpt from his blog today:
The Cardinals are shopping Scott Rolen. Heard on Thursday that the Twins and Cardinals are talking about a deal for Rolen, who is owed $33 million over the next three years. The Cardinals presumably are asking for pitching in return, but because of the money involved and Rolen’s injury history, they might not get a lot, because this is more of a salary dump.
On the other hand, Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is obviously very close to the Twins. He spoke to two Twins officials yesterday who said they’ve had no discussions about Rolen at all. Could it be that those two officials didn’t speak to the Cards about Rolen, but another member of the Twins’ front office did? It wouldn’t be the first time baseball execs played coy with the media.
Yankees Aiming Higher Than Crede
According to Ken Davidoff of Newsday, the Yankees aren’t likely to trade for Joe Crede. They’re aiming for bigger fish like Mike Lowell, Adrian Beltre, Miguel Cabrera, and Scott Rolen. Garrett Atkins has been deemed unavailable. Additionally, Kenny Williams hopes to deal Crede relatively quickly and the Yankees are in no rush to fill their third base vacancy. Maybe the Phillies will jump into the fray for Crede.
Lowell at least won’t involve giving up young talent. But there are some questions about how he’d hit away from Fenway. And we’re talking four or even five years to lure him. Beltre would be a fine acquisition and is affordable, though I don’t know why the Mariners would part with him. And the Ms would want at least one blue-chipper, I’d imagine. The Yanks would have to mortgage tons of young talent for Cabrera. Davidoff’s dark horse, Rolen, suddenly makes the most sense. It would be a salary dump and a health risk, but 3/36 isn’t that scary for the Yanks. And it’s less than Lowell would sign for.
Davidoff has a tidbit at the end of his column, a one-liner, that the Yanks are likely to re-sign Mariano Rivera at three years, $40MM soon. I’m surprised Newsday didn’t call more attention to that part.
Odds and Ends: Fukudome, Burrell, Furcal, Rolen
Two of my favorite local blogs have good hot stove posts for us today as part of Odds and Ends.
- Bleed Cubbie Blue has a Cubs source indicating the Cubs are serious about both Hiroki Kuroda and Kosuke Fukudome. They could be signed quickly and fill team needs. This info jives with the recent info from Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald. While Kuroda recently filed for free agency, he’s open to offers from MLB and Hiroshima.
- South Side Sox has their suggested offseason plan up for the White Sox. I like the idea of acquiring Pat Burrell and/or Rafael Furcal with Type A draft pick compensation in mind.
- Curt Schilling was in Philly to watch the Eagles last night.
- It seems possible that the Nationals could sign Corey Patterson for center field if they can’t get one of the big names.
- La Velle E. Neal III says the Twins and Red Sox have touched base about Coco Crisp. He adds that the Twins and Rays have been having conversations, perhaps in reference to Rocco Baldelli.
- Mike Lieberthal may be on the radar for the Blue Jays.
- Scott Rolen is said to be open to waiving his no-trade clause, but the three years and $36MM on his contract will be a problem.
Jeff Passan’s Most Overpaid Team
Here’s an interesting article from the Yahoo columnist that includes his selections for most overpaid players so far this year. Some of the blurbs are downright painful, like the reminder that Jason Kendall is earning more than $13M for this year’s "production."
I bring it up because overpaid players are so often a source of trade rumors on a thin market. After all, do you think it would take much to pry Kendall away from the A’s? Shea Hillenbrand away from the Angels? It seems that clubs falling in the standings with money to burn (Yankees, anyone?) can always take on more salary, making deals like last year’s Bobby Abreu acquisition, which cost little more than money.
The All-Overpaid team doesn’t have a lot of candidates for that sort of deal, because many of the players are already playing for one of the rich teams, or–in Kendall’s case–aren’t going to be coveted by anybody. But there are a few candidates. The most notable is Scott Rolen. I would be surprised if he were traded, but if Walt Jocketty found a GM more optimistic about Rolen’s decline years than he is, the Cards could certain use the payroll flexibility.
The other names that pop out are relievers Armando Benitez and Scott Eyre. Benitez was rumored in some salary-dump swaps in the offseason, and if he strings together a couple more poor outings, he could end up out of the 9th inning. If that’s the case, he could end up a poor man’s (well…maybe "poor" isn’t the best way to put it) version of 2006 Francisco Cordero. Eyre doesn’t offer the same potential, but the further he sinks into Lou Piniella’s doghouse, the more likely he’ll have a chance to return to form in a new uniform.
By Jeff Sackmann
Brew Crew Ball
Scott Rolen Dodgers Trade Rumor
Looking for a trade rumor, and don’t care whether it’s been confirmed in any way? We got you covered. A couple of Cards fans have emailed me this thread from Bernie’s Pressbox. St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz throws this scenario out for debate:
Wilson Betemit and one of Matt Kemp/Andre Ethier for Scott Rolen.
Now, according to Bernie, there’s nothing concrete and he’s just talking. Still, it’s interesting to ponder. Factors to consider:
- Rolen is owed $12MM annually through 2010.
- He’d have to be convinced to waive his full no-trade clause. Although maybe he wouldn’t mind playing under a different manager.
- Rolen is off to a horrible offensive start; he’s on a popup binge. He hasn’t hit lefties since his shoulder surgery, and his surgically repaired shoulder bothered him late last season. You would expect a team to want him to show some signs of life and health before taking his contract through 2010.
- Andy LaRoche is L.A.’s third baseman of the future. Then again, they signed Nomar Garciaparra to block James Loney.
Now, there’s certainly still a chance Rolen will bounce back. He was mashing as recently as August of ’06. But would the Dodgers bank one of their best prospects on it? I really don’t think so, which is why Kemp seems highly unlikely. On the other hand, Betemit and Ethier for Rolen seems fair. That doesn’t exactly resolve the Cards’ offensive woes, but they’d get a ton of salary relief and some cheap players.