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Shaun Marcum

Royals Rumors: Payroll, Sanchez, Lohse, Trades

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Royals owner David Glass recently said that the team is "committed to improving (their) starting pitching" while also indicating a willingness to operate at a financial loss to be competitive. Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star has the latest on the team…

  • “Our market is what it is,” said GM Dayton Moore. “We’re not going to have a payroll of $100MM. We know that going into it. We embrace who we are … We’ve got to stay consistent with our approach. We’re not going get crazy and go nuts in free agency.”
  • There are indications that the Royals have Anibal Sanchez and Kyle Lohse at the top of their free agent target list. Bringing Zack Greinke back for a second tour of duty is unlikely.
  • The team's list of secondary pitching targets is believed to include Ryan Dempster, Hiroki Kuroda, Shaun Marcum, Carlos Villanueva, and Carlos Zambrano. They will also monitor pitchers who could have club options declined, like Dan Haren and Ervin Santana.
  • “Absolutely … I think any pitcher would be fortunate to pitch here," said right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, an impending free agent the team would like to retain. They are unwilling to go beyond a two-year deal, however.
  • Moore acknowledged that there is a chance of working out a new contract with Guthrie during the exclusive negotiating window prior to free agency.
  • “I wouldn’t say anybody is untouchable,” said Moore with regards to potential trade talks. “You go into any discussion with an open mind. That being said, there are certain positions on the diamond that are very difficult to replace …  You don’t want to compromise in one area just to get strong in another area.”
  • Dutton estimates that the Royals could have $20-23MM to spend this winter while keeping the current roster intact.

Poll: Should Shaun Marcum Get A Qualifying Offer?

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Shaun Marcum’s an effective pitcher when healthy, but questions about his durability persist as he approaches free agency. One year after reaching the 200-inning plateau for the first time, Marcum has been sidelined for much of the season. The right-hander experienced shoulder stiffness at the beginning of the year, then missed two-plus months with elbow tightness in the middle of the season.

Marcum has pitched well overall, posting a 3.91 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 35.8% ground ball rate in 106 innings. His average fastball checks in at 86.6mph, which ranks 130th among the 136 starting pitchers with at least 100 innings this year. But Marcum never needed an overpowering fastball to succeed in the past, when he held his own against AL East offenses. He uses his fastball far less frequently than most pitchers, changing speeds to generate more than his share of swing and misses. This year he has a career-best 11.3% swinging strike rate.

However, he hasn't pitched particularly well since returning from the disabled list, and has not completed six innings in any of those five post-DL starts. The events of the last few months appear to have reduced Marcum’s chances of obtaining a qualifying offer from the Brewers after the season.

Not only has Marcum spent considerable time of the disabled list, starters such as Michael Fiers, Marco Estrada, Mark Rogers and Wily Peralta have emerged, lessening the impact of Marcum's health issues, Chris Narveson's injury, Zack Greinke's departure and Randy Wolf's ineffectiveness. While the Brewers figure to pursue pitching this offseason, they aren't desperate. They may decide against extending Marcum a qualifying offer in the $13MM range, even though it’d the only way for them to obtain draft pick compensation for the 30-year-old.

If the Brewers don’t consider Marcum a $13MM pitcher and suspect that the industry shares their view, it’d likely make sense to let the Turner Gary Sports client leave for no compensation. However, if they believe they could find trade partners for Marcum at that salary, extending a qualifying offer becomes less risky. In that scenario, draft pick compensation would be within reach. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, it’s almost time for the Brewers to decide…

Soriano, Ellsbury, Ross, Marcum Likely Staying Put

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There’s generally a fair amount of activity on August 31st, the last day for teams to trade for players who are eligible for postseason rosters. We’ll be sure to pass along news of any trades but in the meantime let’s check in on some players who aren’t getting dealt:

  • There are no trades on the horizon for the Marlins, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter).
  • No deal involving Alfonso Soriano seems likely, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs could wait until the winter to trade Soriano, who has cleared waivers.
  • The Red Sox won’t trade Jacoby Ellsbury or Cody Ross today, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
  • Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hears the Brewers aren't likely to trade Shaun Marcum or Francisco Rodriguez (Twitter link).
  • The Cardinals don’t plan to pursue a shortstop from outside of the organization to replace Rafael Furcal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Furcal is likely headed for the disabled list with an elbow injury, but St. Louis can rely on internal options such as Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso.
  • It looks as though it'll be a quiet day for the Rangers, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports (on Twitter).

Brewers Place Shaun Marcum On Trade Waivers

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The Brewers have placed right-hander Shaun Marcum on trade waivers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The waiver period expires at 1pm ET on Thursday. A player being placed on trade waivers does not necessarily mean that he will be traded, but the veteran starter could potentially draw interest from other clubs.

Marcum, 30, missed more than two months with a right elbow issue. He returned over the weekend to allow four unearned runs in five innings against the Pirates. His next start is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, so clubs will not be able to get another look at him before the waiver period expires. Marcum is owed approximately $1.6MM through the end of the season and will become a free agent this winter.

NL Central Notes: Hart, Marcum, Garza, Clemens

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A few notes from the NL Central to pass along …

  • Brewers outfielder/first baseman Corey Hart told Milwaukee he'd like to remain with the team beyond his current contract, which expires after next season, and is willing to play whichever position he is needed at most, writes Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Hart, slated to make $10MM in 2013, also said that if the interest in keeping him in Milwaukee is mutual, potential extension talks would be best reserved for the offseason.
  • Brewers right-hander Shaun Marcum, an impending free agent, is nearing a return from the disabled list and understands that he is auditioning for the 29 other Major League teams, McCalvy writes. He also notes that Marcum and the Brewers have not engaged in extension talks.
  • The Cubs announced that they have transferred right-hander Matt Garza to the 60-day disabled list, and though his DL stint will expire before the end of the regular season, manager Dale Sveum added that Garza's been "shut down," according to Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com. Ending the season on the DL won't be good for Garza's trade value, but GM Jed Hoyer has said that the right-hander will be part of the team's 2013 rotation.
  • Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said he recently sent scouts to look at Roger Clemens and Scott Kazmir of the independent-league Sugar Land Skeeters, according to the Associated Press. Clemens is rumored to be mulling a return to the Majors.

Royals To Seek Pitching Next Offseason

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The Royals are determined to sign a significant free agent starting pitcher for 2013 this coming offseason, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. After a difficult first half that included a number of serious injuries, the Royals' rotation ranks 28th in baseball with a 5.16 ERA. 

A Royals person told Knobler the team won’t settle for back-of-the-rotation types. "Not a fifth starter, but a real starting pitcher," the person said. Knobler suggests Missouri native Shaun Marcum could be a fit given the Royals’ past interest in the right-hander.

The Royals rotation currently consists of Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar, Luis Mendoza, Jonathan Sanchez and Everett Teaford. With the exception of Sanchez, the entire rotation is under control through 2013 or beyond. Royals pitchers Felipe Paulino, Danny Duffy, Blake Wood and Joakim Soria all had their seasons cut short to undergo Tommy John surgery this year.

Former Royals ace Zack Greinke headlines a class of free agent starting pitchers that figures to include Cole Hamels, Anibal Sanchez, Edwin Jackson, Ryan Dempster, Hiroki Kuroda and Marcum.

Brewers Notes: Trade Deadline, Greinke, Marcum

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The Brewers were shut out by the Marlins today, dropping them to 38-44 on the season. Last year's NL Central champs are currently 6.5 games out of a wild card spot. Here's the latest from Milwaukee, courtesy of ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (all Twitter links)…

  • "We're just trying to win games and get back in the hunt,'' said GM Doug Melvin. The Brewers play nine games against NL Central competition after the All-Star break, and Melvin says he'll probably wait until the end of that stretch to determine the team's course of action for the trade deadline.
  • There is nothing happening with Zack Greinke at the moment, ditto the injured Shaun Marcum. Last week we heard that the Brewers are prepared to trade Greinke if the two sides are unable to work out a contract extension prior to the deadline.

Olney’s Latest: NL Trade Market, Darvish

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In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney compares the current state of the trade market to shopping at an airport, where priced are designed to gouge customers. Buyers want more sellers and sellers want more buyers. Olney also previewed the NL trade market, so let's dive in…

  • The Mets are among teams looking for bullpen help and are waiting for the market develop. The division-rival Nationals are also in the market for relief help but do have Drew Storen on the mend. Olney wonders if they'll look for a starter given Stephen Strasburg's inning limit.
  • Executives expect the Padres to deal Carlos Quentin and Huston Street, plus they continue to get calls about Chase Headley. Olney speculates that the Reds could be a fit for Quentin.
  • The Braves are looking to add a veteran starting pitcher, but Olney says they're unlikely to swing a trade for Zack Greinke without having some kind of long-term contract agreement in place.
  • Olney wonders if the Diamondbacks could become surprise buyers for pitching help given Joe Saunders' injury and Trevor Bauer's early struggles. The Cardinals figure to jump into the pitching market given Chris Carpenter's season-ending shoulder surgery.
  • The Cubs, Astros, and Rockies are among the clubs in sell mode. The Brewers will wait a little longer before deciding to sell, and while Greinke, Shaun Marcum, and others could be on the block, Corey Hart will not.
  • Olney says the Blue Jays actually finished third in the bidding for Yu Darvish behind the Rangers and Cubs. No bid was within $35MM of the $51.7MM Texas submitted.

Rosenthal On Victorino, Red Sox, Braves, Brewers

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new Full Count video up, so let's round up the rumors…

  • The chances of the Phillies trading Shane Victorino may be greater than the chances of them trading Cole Hamels. The Dodgers, Reds, and possibly the Yankees could be fits for the outfielder, who originally asked Philadelphia for a five-year extension. They're unwilling to give him a contract that long.
  • The Red Sox are likely to be one of the most active teams at the trade deadline. If they keep Franklin Morales in the rotation, they're likely to seek another left-hander for the bullpen. They could also acquire a starter and shift Morales back into a relief role.
  • The Braves are not as adamant about not trading their top young pitchers as they were at this time last year mostly because there are more appealing choices on the market. They're looking for consistency and could part with one of Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, or Randall Delgado if they view someone like Matt Garza as a difference-maker.
  • The Brewers remain more likely to sell than not, but they would still like to return to contention quickly. They could ask for big league pitching instead of prospects for Zack Greinke, plus Francisco Rodriguez figures to have value on the trade market. GM Doug Melvin is getting calls about John Axford and Jose Veras, and the trio of Randy Wolf, George Kottaras, and Shaun Marcum (if healthy) remain trade bait.

Brewers Notes: Greinke, Marcum, Lawrie

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As the Brewers and Blue Jays engage in a slugfest, here's the latest from Miller Park…

  • Brewers officials are telling other clubs that owner Mark Attanasio will be the one who ultimately decides if his team will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, reports CBS Sports' Danny Knobler.  Of the Brewers' possible trade chips, Zack Greinke is seen as the least likely to be dealt.  Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that the Brewers could like to keep Greinke and they feel they wouldn't get full value for the ace "as a two-month rental" before Greinke hits free agency.  (Both links go to Twitter)
  • Also from Haudricourt, he looked back at the Brett Lawrie/Shaun Marcum trade as the Jays are in Milwaukee for an interleague series.  Though Marcum may leave after this season as a free agent, Brewers GM Doug Melvin said he doesn't regret giving up a potential long-term star for a short-term gain of a playoff appearance.  "We needed to get a pitcher of Shaun's caliber. He's done a great job for us," Melvin said. "You make trades and move on. You can't look back on them. Otherwise, you'll never make a trade."
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