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Olney On Rangers, Mariners, DeJesus

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Rangers fans should soon know how quickly the team's sale will be completed, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. The timeline of the sale could determine how aggressive the Rangers are at this summer's trade deadline. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:

  • Rival executives tell Olney that they expect the Mariners to become one of the summer's most aggressive sellers. Cliff Lee would be the most appealing trade chip on the 24-40 Mariners if they decide to sell.
  • Olney hears that few teams are willing to take on money this year. Fair enough, but I'd be surprised if five or ten teams don't add payroll this summer. Teams seemed similarly hesitant to take on money this time last summer, but found ways to do it.
  • The Padres, Angels, Giants and Reds could be fits for David DeJesus in Olney's opinion.

Odds & Ends: Angels, Brewers, Gordon, Romero

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Some links to check out while we wait to see if Jon Garland can help the Padres extend their lead in the NL West…

Amateur Draft Signings: Monday

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Several teams announced mass signings of players from the 2010 Amateur Draft today.  Here's a round-up of Monday's signings…

  • The Angels have signed over 20 of their picks, most notably supplemental round selections Taylor Lindsey and Ryan Bolden.
  • According to a team press release, the Mariners have signed 17 of their draft picks.  The highest of these picks was Tennesse Tech right-hander Stephen Pryor, taken in the fifth round.
  • The Nationals have inked 22 draft picks according a team press release, including 15 of their 25 selections. No, Bryce Harper is not among those who signed on the dotted line.
  • The Reds signed 14 draft picks according to John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer, including their second, third, and fourth rounders.
  • Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog.com reports that the Mets signed 25 draft picks of their own, highlighted by fourth rounder Cory Vaughn (Greg Vaughn's son).
  • Houston's signing of Mike Kvasnicka, the 33rd overall selection, became official today.  In addition to Kvasnicka, an Astros team press release also announced three other signings, including seventh-round selection Roberto Pena.

Mike Axisa also contributed to this post.

Heyman’s Latest: Lee, Oswalt, White Sox, Nady

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Jon Heyman has a new column up at SI.com, so let's dive on in…

  • Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt are the two big name pitchers available on the trade market, but their value is very different because of the money owed to them. "At the end of the day," says one AL exec, "I don't think Houston will be able to move the entire (Oswalt) contract and get premium players back."
  • Another AL executive noted that Lee has proven that he can be successful in the American League and will fetch two draft picks at the end of the season.
  • The Red Sox turned down a straight up Lee for Clay Buchholz offer last year.
  • The Yankees are happy with their rotation at the moment, but they plan on putting in a call in the coming days just in case they are "pleasantly surprised" by Seattle's asking price. Oswalt, meanwhile, isn't even on their radar.
  • Some wonder if the Dodgers are saving money for a big score, but GM Ned Colletti will be hard pressed to acquire either Lee or Oswalt without ownership approval.
  • The Cardinals might not be willing to take on Oswalt's deal with Albert Pujols' free agency rapidly approaching.
  • The Mets might not want to give up the prospects to acquire another frontline pitcher, though the Rangers would be able to work Lee's salary into the budget.
  • Heyman also goes through and offers some opinion on other teams that could use one of the two aces, including the Reds, Phillies, and Angels.
  • Kenny Williams would like to fire Ozzie Guillen according to one person close to the team, but owner Jerry Reinsdorf is too loyal to let it happen.
  • A trade of Xavier Nady to open up the Cubs' outfield logjam seems likely.

Cafardo’s Latest: Red Sox, Brewers, Mariners, Oswalt

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In today's notes column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe wonders if the Red Sox would move closer Jonathan Papelbon after the season to open up the closer's role for Daniel Bard. He speculates that the Brewers, Twins, Rays, Braves, and Phillies could be in the market for a closer this winter. Papelbon is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2011 season. 

Let's round up the rest of Cafardo's rumors…

  • Scott Boras said he undervalued Stephen Strasburg last year, even though he eventually signed the largest contract in draft history. Boras added that being around San Diego State coach Tony Gwynn helped Strasburg become prepared for what lied ahead.
  • Cafardo says that New England isn't a high priority area for scouts before the draft because by time they can get out to see the players in the region, it's too late in the game for a cross-checker to confirm anything.
  • Cafardo predicts that Jacoby Ellsbury will be traded this offseason. He'll arbitration eligible for the first time after 2010, though he's been battling rib issues basically all season.
  • He also remarks that the Red Sox would have to play Mike Lowell if they want to showcase him for a trade. Lowell has received just 50 plate appearances since the end of April.
  • Kevin Millwood should become major trade bait as the deadline approaches because he's pitched well and is in the final year of his contract.
  • The Brewers would love to make Randy Wolf available, but no one would take him on with more than two years and $24MM left on his deal. Meanwhile, Milwaukee still isn't sure if they'll try to improve their catching situation or become sellers and look towards next season.
  • The feeling is that once Seattle trades Cliff Lee, pretty much everyone on their roster not named Ichiro and Felix Hernandez will be available as well. 
  • Diamondbacks' CEO Derrick Hall isn't happy with his team's performance and has talked about re-evaluating his management staff. They could be major players at the deadline, with Justin Upton representing the only untouchable.
  • Cafardo says that the feeling among big league executives is that the Dodgers will not give up the prospects necessary to acquire Roy Oswalt, but they would be okay taking on the money.
  • Adam Dunn would be a perfect fit for the Red Sox if they let David Ortiz go after the season, assuming the Nationals don't re-sign him.  

Odds & Ends: Bettis, Royals, Astros, Pierzynski

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Links for Friday, as interleague play resumes…

Yankees, Mets Will Have Interest In Cliff Lee

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The Yankees haven’t started talking with the Mariners about Cliff Lee yet, but they will have interest if Jack Zduriencik makes him available and so will the Mets. Several executives tell Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the Mariners have pro scouts eyeing rival teams’ minor league prospects, even though they haven’t decided to deal Lee at this point. But unless the M's go on a major hot streak, it looks like Lee will be traded for the third time since last summer.

"I would expect to see Lee traded barring a 20 out of the next 30 run by the Mariners,” an AL personnel man told Sherman. “I would not think he'd be traded this month, but if Seattle wants the best return, it would be better off doing it now."

Many teams will have interest in Lee, including the Yankees and the Mets. The Yankees believe the Mariners would ask for Jesus Montero or Austin Romine in a trade for Lee and they would prefer to hold onto their top prospects as long as the price is that steep. Mets officials tell Sherman that they’ll acquire a starter, possibly Lee, if they remain contenders. 

Lee currently ranks as a Type A free agent, so his team will have the chance to obtain two top draft picks for him by offering arbitration this winter. Barring the unexpected, Lee's team will offer arbitration and he will turn it down.

Minor League Transactions

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Here are a few of the noteworthy names involved in this week's minor league transactions, as compiled by Baseball America's Matt Eddy…

  • Fernando Cortez was signed to his second go-around with the White Sox organization.  The utilityman last played in the majors in 2007 as a member of the Royals, and has a .665 OPS in 3948 career plate appearances in the minor leagues.
  • The White Sox also released Justin Fuller, best known as the minor-leaguer acquired last summer from Los Angeles in the Jim Thome trade.
  • John Koronka was released by the Dodgers.  The veteran southpaw made two starts for Florida in 2009 before signing with L.A. in January.
  • Jason Lane was released by the Marlins.  Best known for his time with Houston from 2002 to 2007, Lane's finest year came in 2005 when he hit 26 homers and posted an .815 OPS in 561 plate appearances for the Astros.  He last appeared in the majors in 2007 with San Diego.
  • Texas dealt right-hander Jailen Peguero to the Astros for future considerations.  Peguero posted a 7.50 ERA in 25 relief appearances for the Diamondbacks in 2007-08.
  • Cleveland released Josh Phelps just a few weeks after signing him to a minor-league deal.
  • The Mariners signed pitcher Billy Traber.  The left-hander has a 5.65 ERA in 96 career major league appearances, 28 of them starts.  He appeared in one game last season, allowing five runs in 3 2/3 innings of mop-up duty for Boston.

Yankees Not Pursuing Lee Yet

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2:58pm: An official tells Marc Carig of the Star Ledger that the Yankees have yet to discuss trading for players at the deadline, including Lee.

THURSDAY, 2:07pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears (via Twitter) that the Mariners and Yankees have had "zero" discussions about Lee. That doesn't mean that they won't discuss the lefty in the future, but we now know that talks have not begun. Olney reminds us (via Twitter) that the Yankees have passed on the chance to trade for top pitchers before.

WEDNESDAY, 5:49pm: A rival executive tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that, despite the Yankees' effective rotation, he expects the team to be "undeterred in their pursuit of Lee on the trade market." According to Rosenthal's sources, the Phillies discussed Lee with the Yankees last winter prior to trading the left-hander to the Mariners. The Yankees had been willing to include Montero in a package for Lee, but that was before both the Vazquez trade and the emergence of Hughes.

3:56pm: A Yankees official told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that the team has no urgency to do anything with their rotation, which isn't necessarily at odds with King's report below.  In other words, the Mariners might like the Yankees to get involved on Lee, but so far they're not.

More interesting is the team official's suggestion that only three players have been made available across baseball so far, and Lee is not among them.

8:03am: The Mariners are preparing for the Yankees to pursue ace lefty Cliff Lee, reports George A. King III of the New York Post.  King says the Mariners have already scouted the Yankees' Low A and Double A clubs and aim to watch their Triple A squad soon.  King spoke to a "person familiar with Seattle's thought process" who believes Jack Zduriencik will seek Triple A shortstop Eduardo Nunez as well as one of the Yankees' minor league catchers.  King suggests that the Yankees would need assurances that they could sign Lee to an extension if they're required to surrender Austin Romine or Jesus Montero.

King believes renting Lee would hold appeal to the Yankees despite their strong rotation.  The Yanks' boast a front five of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, and Javier Vazquez, and it's not clear who they'd bump for Lee.  The most likely candidate, Vazquez, has a 2.73 ERA in 33 innings since returning from a break on May 12th.  Trading Vazquez to clear a spot for Lee seems convoluted to me.

With Nick Johnson potentially out for the season, an offensive addition would be more fitting.  To that end, King says the Yankees have scouts following the Astros in case Lance Berkman becomes available.  Berkman is still owed $11.2MM heading into today's action, however.

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