Padres Rumors

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Nationals, Padres, Hardy, Smoltz

By Mike Axisa | August 15, 2009 at 6:23pm CDT

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal has a new Full Count video up, so let's dig in for some rumory goodness…

This coming week may the biggest week in Nationals' history. In addition to Monday's midnight deadline to sign first overall pick Stephen Strasburg, the Nats could pick their next general manager as early as Tuesday.
"The buzz in scouting circles" is that Diamondbacks executive Jerry DiPoto is the frontrunner for the job, but the team has given "absolutely no indication of its plans." Acting GM Mike Rizzo has "generally gotten good reviews."
The Padres put both Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell on trade waivers Friday. Both are likely to be claimed, but don't count on either getting traded. The team says that the Jake Peavy trade has greatly reduced the pressure on them to move either Gonzalez or Bell.
If either player is going to be moved, it would most likely happen in the offseason when the Padres could negotiate will all 29 other teams.
If shortstop J.J. Hardy stays in Triple-A for more than 20 days, he'll remain under the Brewers control for two more years instead of one. Such a move would enhance Hardy's trade value, and it would be tough for him to argue it's unfair given his lack of production this year. However, if service time was an issue, the club should have demoted him a lot sooner.
Marlins righty Anibal Sanchez was throwing 90-94 in his most recent rehab start, and his return would lessen the pressure on some of the team's other young starters.
The Marlins and Cardinals are among the teams looking at John Smoltz as a reliever. The Cards are also looking at a number of other righthanded options for their bullpen.

Rangers Looking For Catching

By Mike Axisa | August 15, 2009 at 5:48pm CDT

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com is reporting that the Rangers have contacted several clubs in search of catching help, according to a major league source. Texas lost regular backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the disabled list when he left Friday's game with numbess in his right hand, and Rosenthal hears from a source that he may have a nerve issue.

Henry Blanco of the Padres could be one possibility, but Rosenthal says the "team is considering a number of other alternatives as well."

Padres Close To Deal With Top Pick?

By | August 15, 2009 at 4:39pm CDT

4:39pm: Brock says the $6.5MM mark "sounds about right from everyone I've talked to."

4:07pm: MLB.com's Corey Brock just spoke with Padres GM Kevin Towers, who offered this on the Tate rumors: "It's not a done deal. Still working on it."

3:36pm: Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has "reason to believe" the Padres have come to terms with first-round pick Donavan Tate for around $6.5MM. The speedy 18-year-old outfielder was selected third overall in June. He was offered a scholarship to play both football and baseball next year at the University of North Carolina, but it sounds like he will turn it down and begin his professional baseball career.

Tate, Boras Seeking $6.5MM Bonus

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 14, 2009 at 3:22pm CDT

Lars Tate tells Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his son Donavan Tate and agent Scott Boras seek a $6.5MM bonus from the Padres. The younger Tate can play football at North Carolina if he doesn't sign, but his father, who had a standout college football career, has doubts about a life in the NFL.

"You need to swing that Louisville Slugger," the elder Tate told his son. "The NFL is Not For Long. That's what it stands for. My knees hurt right now."

The Padres' draft pick recently left Tar Heels camp, leading some to assume that he's close to a major league deal. Tate and Boras have three and a half days to work out a deal with the Padres.

Odds And Ends: Hall, Tate, Trades

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 13, 2009 at 11:15am CDT

Odds And Ends: Tate, Draft, Tejada, Jays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 12, 2009 at 4:19pm CDT

Some afternoon links…

Jason Jennings of 99.9 The Fan reports that Donavan Tate left the UNC football program and appears likely to sign with the Padres.
The Orioles expect to know within two days whether they'll sign second rounder Michal Givens, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
The Mets expect to sign their top pick, Steven Matz, according to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News. The lefty could command a seven figure bonus.
Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says the Astros could bring Miguel Tejada back next year, though they haven't decided what they'll do.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports that Jays manager Cito Gaston isn't sure he wants to manage after his contract expires at the end of next season.
Joe Posnanski says Alex Rios has the seventh worst contract in the game. Rob Neyer's take: Ricciardi has signed players to lousy contracts, but he may be the right guy in the wrong place at this point. My take: Posnanski's too hard on the deal.

Odds And Ends: Milledge, Tate, Royals

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 12, 2009 at 8:54am CDT

Links for the morning…

As much as Nyjer Morgan has helped the Nationals, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that Lastings Milledge has been a complete pro so far with the Pirates.
MLB.com's Corey Brock hears that the Padres are "making progress" towards signing first rounder Donavan Tate.
MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that the D'Backs are making progress with first rounder Bobby Borchering.
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star wonders how much the Royals would improve with a cast of strong fielders.
We heard on Sunday that Troy Percival was leaning towards retirement. Now, as MLB.com's Bill Chastain reports, Percival says he's done unless something "miraculous" happens.

Odds And Ends: O’s, Jays, Greene, Brewers

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 11, 2009 at 3:41pm CDT

More links on the 80th anniversary of Babe Ruth's 500th career homer:

Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun says the Orioles are well-positioned in case teams start shedding high-salaried corner infielders.
MLB.com's Jordan Bastian says the Jays called up Randy Ruiz. Why didn't Travis Snider get the call? His service time probably has something to do with it.
The Padres filed a grievance after they had to pay Khalil Greene to recover from a self-inflicted hand injury when he was on their roster last year. Now, Tom Krasovic reports that the two sides have come to an agreement, so there will be no grievance hearing.
Via Twitter, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers designated minor league righty Nick Green for assignment to make room for David Weathers.
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports that the Royals claimed minor leaguer John Bannister from the Rangers and assigned him to AA.
Via Twitter, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says he doubts the Yankees will trade for Bronson Arroyo.

Rosenthal On Bell, Mets, Padilla, Braves

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 11, 2009 at 9:26am CDT

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Dodgers were on the brink of acquiring Heath Bell before the July 31st trade deadline. The Padres will listen to offers for Bell and Adrian Gonzalez again after the season, but they're under less pressure to deal those players with Jake Peavy's contract off the books. Here are the rest of Rosenthal's rumors:

The Mets are not considering replacing Omar Minaya with assistant GM John Ricco right now, but we could see Ricco deal with the media more.
A pair of NL teams, possibly the Dodgers and Brewers, are "kicking the tires" on Vicente Padilla. Teams are more likely to wait for him to clear waivers than strike a deal now, however.
The Braves offered Casey Kotchman to the Pirates for Adam LaRoche before acquiring LaRoche from the Red Sox.
The Rays and Rangers have been claiming players off of waivers aggressively.
Rosenthal notes that the Rockies' revamped 'pen has pitched well so far.

Arangure Jr. On Chapman, Sano, Padres

By Eddie Schmid | August 10, 2009 at 7:01pm CDT

ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. has some good inside info on the international free agent market, as always. Let's scope out his latest:

Despite reports that the Padres had been interested in top talent Miguel Angel Sano, a Padres executive "assured" Arangure that the team would not be signing Sano. Investigation into Sano's age is ongoing.
Arangure believes that the recent acquisition of Alex Rios by the White Sox takes them out of the running for top Cuban pitching talent Aroldis Chapman. It had been rumored that the White Sox were one of the top suitors for Chapman, as the Sox already field Cuban stars like Jose Contreras and Alexei Ramirez.
The Padres are said to be scouting Edgar Ferreira, who Arangure says is the top Dominican amateur pitcher still unsigned. They'll watch him pitch tomorrow. Ben Badler at Baseball America ranked Ferreira the 11th overall best international free agent this season.

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