Padres Rumors

Olney On Bell, Yankees, Pirates

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 2, 2011 at 9:56am CDT

As ESPN.com's Buster Olney points out, the American League Cy Young race is shaping up to be a compelling three-way contest. Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia and Jered Weaver rank first, second and third, respectively, in MLB in innings pitched and are among the leaders in just about every other category. Here are Olney's latest notes from around the league…

The Padres kicked around the idea of signing Heath Bell to a multiyear deal as they got closer to the trade deadline without seeing offers they liked for their closer. Bell says he would accept an offer of arbitration from San Diego, so Olney outlines the Padres' options. They could work out a trade involving Bell this month (with less leverage than before), they could sign him to a multiyear deal or, they could offer arbitration in the offseason and be prepared for Bell to accept if another club doesn't dangle a major deal.
The Yankees are well-positioned to pursue the next starting pitcher who becomes available on the trade market, since they kept their top prospects this July. They also figure to pursue Weaver when he hits free agency after the 2012 season.
The Pirates made modest upgrades (Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick) instead of paying more for better players and Olney says the approach makes sense given their modest chances of winning the NL Central.

Bell Will Accept Arbitration Offer If No Extension

By Mike Axisa | August 1, 2011 at 8:38pm CDT

8:38pm: Padres owner Jeff Moorad told XX1090 sports radio that they don't mind if Bell accepts arbitration after the season. "In some ways [it's] even preferable from our point of view … We certainly don’t mind going to year-to-year, though we are willing to guarantee a couple of years with him."

Dan Hayes of The North County Times passed along Moorad's quotes (Twitter links).

7:49pm: The Padres did not move closer Heath Bell prior to yesterday's trade deadline, instead keeping the right-hander with hopes of signing him to an extension or getting two draft picks after the season. The latter will not be possible though, Bell told Bill Center of The San Diego Union-Tribune that he intends to accept arbitration after the season if the two sides have not worked out a contract extension…

"If I don't have a multi-year deal and they offer me arbitration, I will accept arbitration," said Bell. "My wife and I talked about all the scenarios last night … There is no downside to me accepting arbitration and the family staying in San Diego for at least another year. My kids love it here. My family is happy here. And I'm in a position where I can make some decisions right now … The ball is in my court. I want to stay in San Diego. And I want to win here."

Bell, 34 in September, has indicated a willingness to take a discount to stay in San Diego long-term. He comfortably projects to be a Type-A free agent, but with a $7.5MM salary this season, an arbitration award could push his 2012 earnings north of $10MM. Here's what the right-hander said about terms of a potential contract extension…

"I'd like to get a three-year contract with the Padres," said Bell. "But I think I'm in position to come back no matter what … If they offered me three years at $27 million, we'd talk. If they offered me three years at $30 million, I would really have to consider it. Maybe I could get an All-Star bonus. I'd like that."

Center says the team is willing to discuss a two-year contract with an option for a third year. Bell is still highly effective, pitching to a 2.28 ERA and 30 saves in 32 chances, but it's worth nothing that his strikeout rate has plunged more than four full strikeouts per nine innings this season (from 11.1 to 6.9), and left-handed batters have handled him well. A three-year contract would take him through age 37.

Trade Reaction: Ubaldo, Rangers, Furcal, Mariners

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 31, 2011 at 9:30pm CDT

We've seen dozens of deals completed this month. To help you make sense of it all, here are some reactions to the moves from around MLB…

Yahoo's Jeff Passan breaks down the deadline for all 30 teams. The Astros might receive Passan's harshest criticism. Passan's response to this morning's Michael Bourn trade: "To send him to Atlanta without getting at least Mike Minor or Randall Delgado, let alone Julio Teheran or Arodys Vizcaino, shows a deep misunderstanding by GM Ed Wade of the proper way to rebuild." Ouch.
The Rangers, Phillies, Braves, Giants and Mets are winners for ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. The Yankees, Angels, Reds and Cubs are losers, Stark writes. The Astros face harsh criticism once again: "They're basically starting to shape themselves for 2015," one NL executive told Stark. "It's almost like they're doing an expansion team."
Brian Sabean (Giants), Jon Daniels (Rangers), Dan O'Dowd (Rockies) and Jed Hoyer (Padres) are among the general managers on Jim Bowden's list of top deadline deal-makers at ESPN.com.
In a separate piece, Passan looks back at flameout rates for pitching prospects and concludes that the Indians made a great deal in acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez for a package of players including Drew Pomeranz and Alex White.
One front office polled its members about winners and losers and the Rangers were the unanimous top choice, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
ESPN.com's Keith Law says Rafael Furcal is an upgrade for the Cardinals at short because St. Louis didn't have any legitimate alternatives. Furcal, Law writes, is an average defender with a plus arm.
The Mariners did well to acquire Charlie Furbush, Francisco Martinez, Casper Wells and one of the Tigers' top three picks from the 2010 draft for David Pauley and Doug Fister, who benefit from spacious Safeco Field, Law writes.
Law says the Mariners did well to obtain Trayvon Robinson for two months of Erik Bedard and Josh Fields ("a throw-in"), but he isn't sure what the Dodgers were doing in this deal.
The Rangers' bullpen will be substantially better with Mike Adams and Koji Uehara, Law writes at ESPN.com. San Diego gets Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland from the Rangers, two pitchers who "make up in probability for what they might lack in upside."

Pirates Acquire Ryan Ludwick

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2011 at 3:03pm CDT

The Pirates added another veteran bat today, acquiring right fielder Ryan Ludwick from the Padres for cash or a player to be named later. The player to be named will come from a list of three minor league players, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports (on Twitter).

Ludwick, a right-handed hitter, could at least fill the role the Pirates envisioned when they signed Matt Diaz in the offseason. The 33-year-old is hitting .238/.301/.373 and has $2.2MM left on his contract. The Bucs added veteran first baseman Derrek Lee yesterday to an offense that ranks 12th in the NL with 3.82 runs scored per game.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports broke the story.

Heath Bell Rumors: Sunday

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2011 at 2:07pm CDT

The latest on Padres closer Heath Bell, who is owed $2.47MM on the season and projects as a Type A free agent in either league…

There has been some discussion between the Padres and Bell's agents within the last 24 hours, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. The Padres will not trade Bell unless the Yankees or Phillies offer an astronomical package, tweets Scott Miller.
The Phillies still seem to be in on Bell, tweets Heyman. The Padres just traded setup man Mike Adams to the Rangers.
The Angels have minimal interest in Bell, tweets Jon Paul Morosi.
The Cardinals are sensing no traction for Bell, GM John Mozeliak tells Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
The Rangers appear to be losing momentum on Bell with the Cardinals still possible, tweets Rosenthal.
The Rangers are still in on Bell, but don't want to pay big now that they've gotten Koji Uehara, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. The Yankees are in the mix, the Cardinals are on the fringes, and the Phillies have slight interest. The Yankees are still viewed as a long shot, tweets Buster Olney. The Rangers are also still in on Oakland closer Andrew Bailey, tweets Bob Nightengale.
The Yankees are in on Bell, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. However, Joel Sherman tweets that as of this morning the two teams are not optimistic there is a common ground for a deal. Last night, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote that the Yankees were showing late interest in Bell, but the Rangers were the frontrunner and the Cardinals were still involved.

Rangers Acquire Mike Adams

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2011 at 1:34pm CDT

The Rangers' bullpen may be a strength instead of a weakness for the final two months of the season. A day after acquiring Koji Uehara from the Orioles, Texas obtained Mike Adams from the Padres. Pitching prospects Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland go to San Diego in the deal, the Padres announced.

Adams, 33, has a microscopic 1.13 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 1.7 BB/9 and a 45.8% ground ball rate in 48 innings this year. The Corpus Christi native is no one-year wonder, either. Since joining the Padres in 2008, he has a 1.66 ERA with 10.0 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9.

Erlin and Wieland, who are both represented by Sosnick Cobbe Sports, ranked fourth and 22nd in Baseball America's preseason Rangers top 30 prospects list prior to the season. Wieland has seen his stock rise since then, with a 1.23 ERA in 44 Double-A innings – including a no-hitter his last time out. Erlin, a 20-year-old southpaw, is considered among the top 35 prospects in the game by Baseball America and Kevin Goldstein.

The Padres' asking price (which I reported two days ago) was high, since Adams is under team control through 2012. He earns $2.54MM this year and since setup men don't make as much as closers in arbitration, he'll be affordable next year. Uehara will also figure into Texas' bullpen in 2012.

Evan Grant and Corey Brock reported the deal this afternoon after I reported the Padres' asking price two days ago. Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post. Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Pirates Acquire Ryan Ludwick

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2011 at 1:30am CDT

The Pirates acquired right fielder Ryan Ludwick from the Padres for a player to be named later, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Ludwick, a right-handed hitter, could at least fill the role the Pirates envisioned when they signed Matt Diaz in the offseason.

Ludwick, 33, is hitting .238/.301/.373 and has $2.2MM left on his contract. The Bucs added veteran first baseman Derrek Lee yesterday to an offense that ranks 12th in the NL with 3.82 runs scored per game.

Pirates, Indians In Mix For Ryan Ludwick

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2011 at 1:00am CDT

The latest on Padres right fielder Ryan Ludwick, who is hitting .238/.301/.373 and has $2.2MM left on his contract…

The Pirates are back in on Ludwick, tweets Brown. An earlier report had the Indians close but then balking at the Padres' asking price.
The Pirates are in play for Ludwick but he's not their top target, tweets Rob Biertempfel. That might be Jason Kubel, he adds. However, Jon Paul Morosi says there are no serious talks now between the Pirates and Twins about Kubel.
As of last night, the Pirates were still in the mix for Ludwick along with the Indians, tweets Ken Rosenthal. The Pirates are still trying for Ludwick this morning, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.

Indians Close To Deal For Ryan Ludwick?

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2011 at 1:00am CDT

1:28pm: The Indians are balking at the price for Ludwick, tweets MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.

12:11pm: The deal is not yet close but seems inevitable, tweets Ken Rosenthal. Scott Miller of CBS Sports says the deal is close.

11:57am: The Indians are close to a deal with the Padres for right fielder Ryan Ludwick, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.

Ludwick, 33, is hitting .238/.301/.373 and has $2.2MM left on his contract. He was previously with the Tribe for part of 2003 through '05.

Padres Likely To Make Multiple Trades

By Zachary Links | July 31, 2011 at 12:50am CDT

The Padres will make two and possibly three trades on Sunday, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Reliever Heath Bell, outfielder Ryan Ludwick, and right-hander Chad Qualls are the most likely to move.

The source said that the Rangers remain the front-runner for Bell, but the Cardinals are still in the mix with the Phillies and Yankees showing late interest.

Two men expected to remain in San Diego are starter Aaron Harang and setup man Mike Adams. The Tigers and Indians were pursuing Harang but both teams acquired better starting pitchers on Saturday. Adams, meanwhile, would takeover for Bell as closer.

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