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Mariners Trade Talk

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Rounding up links involving possible Mariners trades…

  • Start with Jon Paul Morosi's article at FOX Sports.  Morosi talked to Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, who is in no hurry and has not received any offers yet.  Seattle, at six games out in the AL West, is technically still focused on the pennant race.
  • SI's Jon Heyman writes about Erik Bedard, who may just be the best pitcher available this summer.  His contract's not a problem, and I should mention that unlike Jake Peavy, Bedard does not have no-trade protection.  Heyman believes that Bedard would probably require a better package than the one the White Sox were going to send to San Diego for Peavy.  He likes the Phillies, White Sox, and Brewers as possible suitors.
  • Heyman rattles off other Mariners trade candidates when the time comes:  Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista, Adrian Beltre, Yuniesky Betancourt, and Russell Branyan.  In his article, Morosi wondered if now is the time to sell high on reliever David Aardsma.
  • Larry LaRue of The News Tribune has the local take. 

Stark On Peavy, Oswalt, Phillies, DeRosa, Giants

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Let's take a look at the latest Rumblings and Grumblings column from ESPN's Jayson Stark.

  • The Padres' recent winning streak has not changed their intention of trading Jake Peavy.  The Dodgers and Cubs are in Peavy's first tier of choices, follwed by the Giants, Cardinals, and Astros.  The Angels would be the one AL team he'd consider.  The East Coast is a long shot.  Also, Peavy will want his 2011-13 partial no-trade clause to become a full no-trade.  Peavy's friend Roy Oswalt has been unsuccessful in lobbying Astros owner Drayton McLane, as the 'Stros can't take on Peavy's contract.  As for the Dodgers, GM Ned Colletti told the L.A. Times he hasn't talked to the Padres about Peavy since the pitcher vetoed the White Sox deal.
  • Stark talked to scouts who believe Oswalt has "lost his edge" and needs a change of scenery.  The Phillies have inquired on him, but they've asked about everyone: Peavy, Brandon Webb, Roy Halladay, Doug Davis, Erik Bedard, Cliff Lee, Aaron Harang, Brad Penny, Chris Young and Jason Marquis.  Popular Phillies trade targets include Lou Marson, Jason Donald, Carlos Carrasco, Travis D'Arnaud, Freddy Galvis, Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown, and Antonio Bastardo.
  • The Braves are interested in bringing Mark DeRosa back to Atlanta.  He came up with them and was non-tendered in '04 after tearing his ACL.  But to deal young arms, the Braves would want an impact bat.  Stark says they're "mostly listening" rather than shopping Jeff Francoeur.  His trade value is difficult to gauge.
  • The Mets seem content to wait out the first base trade market.
  • The Giants seek a middle-of-the-order bat, and Jonathan Sanchez is being dangled.  Three targets they haven't had success on are Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, and possibly Carlos Lee.  Lee, according to one Stark source, doesn't intend to waive his no-trade for anyone.

Rosenthal On Astros, Marquis, DeRosa, Francoeur

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Let's take a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

  • Rosenthal recommends the Astros trade veterans to improve their bottom-ranked farm system.  He'd especially like to see Houston make Roy Oswalt available.  They'd have take Oswalt's no-trade clause into consideration.
  • The Phillies continue to seek a starter, and they made an inquiry on Colorado's Jason Marquis.  Rosenthal finds Erik Bedard "perhaps the most intriguing fit" and notes that the Phils probably have flexibility to add payroll.  This question came up in a recent chat…I do think the Phillies have the pieces to pull off a Bedard trade.
  • The Brewers are not going after Cleveland's Mark DeRosa, as they cannot spare Major League pitching for him.  Rosenthal also finds Jake Peavy unlikely, as the Brewers probably couldn't pull off a deal without creating a new need.  Of Peavy, Rosenthal says, "He will not leave easily."
  • The Mets are interested in Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson, who is off to a .338/.445/.471 start.
  • The Royals might be the top suitor for Jeff Francoeur if the Braves shop him, but not everyone in Kansas City's front office is keen on him.  The Red Sox are known to have an eye on Francoeur.
  • Rosenthal's heard speculation that the Sox could trade Daniel Bard, whose value may be at a high point.
  • Rather than acquire someone like Yuniesky Betancourt, the Padres will stick with in-house options at shortstop (mainly Luis Rodriguez and Everth Cabrera, once they're healthy).

Discussion: Erik Bedard

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We've covered Erik Bedard's situation with Seattle at length here on MLBTR, but there's nothing wrong with a little refresher.

  • He'll earn $7.75MM this season and is a free agent in 2010.
  • At 30 years of age, he boasts a career ERA of 3.74, a career WHIP of 1.32 and a 48-40 win-loss total.
  • If they decide to move him, the Mariners are likely to price him like an ace.  
I thought it'd be interesting to poll the readers.  Do you believe he'll be on the move before July 31?  What clubs are you expecting to take a run at him, and who has the kind of resources to land him?

Odds And Ends: Beltre, Rusch, Percival, Price

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Links for Friday evening…

  • As Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times explains, Adrian Beltre's trade value is diminishing because teams are no longer confident that he'll be a Type A free agent. This means the team that trades for Beltre can't expect two compensation picks for losing the third baseman to free agency.
  • MLB.com's Mark Bowman argues that the Braves need to make an immediate change to their outfield and says there's an "indication that we'll begin to see it in the near future." He says the Braves must consider dealing the powerless Jeff Francoeur, or at least finding a more productive outfielder.
  • According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post Glendon Rusch is staying at home instead of reporting to Triple A Colorado Springs. The Rockies are expected to put him on the restricted list.
  • Via Twitter, Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune reports that Troy Percival, who was just placed on the DL, has gone home to ponder a future "which could be in doubt." Joe Maddon has said he "wouldn't be surprised" to see Percival hang it up, according to Marc Lancaster.
  • Another piece of Rays news from the same Lancaster report – With Scott Kazmir headed to the DL, it's likely that David Price will make his long-awaited season debut in Kazmir's place on Monday.
  • As MLB.com's Brian Hoch reports, Chien-Ming Wang is returning to the Yankees as a long reliever because of the team's depleted bullpen.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Peavy, Giants, Rays, M’s, Lidge, Beltre

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On this date seven years ago, the A's traded Jeremy Giambi to the Phillies for John Mabry. At the time of the deal, Giambi was hitting .274/.390/.471 with 8 home runs and Mabry was essentially a pinch-hitter. Giambi would go on to hit 12 more home runs for the Phils but would play only one more season in the big leagues. As rumors start to fly in the '09 season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • Fire Ned Colletti Now would be happy to see a team other than the Dodgers trade for Jake Peavy.
  • Jorge Says No! says the Brewers should look into trading for Jake Peavy.
  • McCovey Chronicles takes a look at some deadline deal possibilities for the Giants, including Matt Holliday, Carl Crawford and Ichiro.
  • The Rays Party notes that Jason Isringhausen makes for a crowded bullpen which may indicate that the Devil Rays ($29) are about to make a deal.
  • Phlavio's Corner takes a look at some options to replace Carlos Delgado.
  • Around the Majors takes a look back at the Brad Lidge extension and wonders if it was a mistake.
  • Bleeding Blue and Teal would like to see the Mariners make a deal for Ben Zobrist.
  • The Detroit Tigers Weblog now admits that the Edwin Jackson-Matt Joyce trade may have been good for the Tigers.
  • MLB Notebook sees a few possible trade destinations for Adrian Beltre including both Chicago franchises.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and on Twitter here.

Draft Update: Strasburg, Ackley, Miller

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ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill has an update on some of the most coveted draft-eligible players:

  • Stephen Strasburg left his Wednesday night start holding his back. The San Deigo State staff reported a "minor back cramp." Strasburg still managed to strike out six, allowing only four baserunners in 7.2 innings.
  • Vanderbilt lefty Mike Minor pitched well yesterday and though he's projected to go after the first round now, he could improve his standing. 
  • Dustin Ackley hit two home runs against Duke and he has now "all but cemented himself as the No. 2 overall prospect in the draft." The Mariners have the second overall pick.
  • Texas high schooler Shelby Miller pitched a four-hit shoutout in front of a number of scouts and Rangers President Nolan Ryan. Miller is expected to be selected within the first five picks.

For the hottest prospects already with a major league organization, check out Baseball America's Prospect Hot Sheet.

Mariners, Padres Discuss Betancourt

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9:36pm: Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune outlines the difficulties the Mariners face in trying to deal Yuniesky Betancourt. "No one is offering any talent back, and everyone wants Seattle to eat a big part of his salary," LaRue writes.

LaRue also cites Betancourt's reputation for mental lapses and a "slow learning curve" as deterrents for teams looking for infield help.

6:20pm: Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune cites a source close to the Padres who says that Headley is "off the table" in trade talks. He writes, "Yuni may be traded, but it won't be for Chase Headley."

Furthermore, Divish writes that any deal for Betancourt is unlikely, since the Padres are trying to dump payroll.

8:26am: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is being showcased for a possible trade.  He mentioned the Jack Wilson idea on Monday, though that seemed lopsided.  Baker says the Padres have also discussed acquiring Betancourt:

Two names I've heard mentioned as trade returns for the Mariners would be either a package of, or choice between switch-hitting left fielder Chase Headley  and Class AAA second baseman Matt Antonelli. I'm trying to pin down whether it is one or the other, or both, being offered up.

Baker says the Padres dangled the names of Headley and Antonelli, though moving Headley to get Betancourt seems highly unlikely.  Plus there is the matter of the $10.5MM coming to Betancourt through 2011.

Jack Wilson-Yuniesky Betancourt Not Happening

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THURSDAY: Baker has an update: the Pirates find Betancourt too pricey.  Baker is surprised by this, but it seems reasonable to me that they would not want to take on an additional $4MM+ for that kind of project.

MONDAY: According to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, the Pirates and Mariners have discussed swapping shortstops Jack Wilson and Yuniesky Betancourt.  Let's break down the details.

  • Wilson, 31, is hitting .254/.289/.310 in 77 plate appearances this year; he missed time with a sprained finger.  He's owed another $5.59MM this year plus a $600K buyout for 2010, for a total of about $6.2MM.  He has a limited no-trade clause that applies to six teams.  Wilson approached the Bucs in March about a possible extension.  John Dewan of The Fielding Bible rated him as the third-best defensive shortstop in the game.
  • Betancourt, 27, is hitting .264/.290/.368 in 132 plate appearances this year.  Earlier this month, manager Don Wakamatsu benched Betancourt to send him a message.  In his book, Dewan rated Betancourt the fourth-worst defensive shortstop in baseball.  Under his contract signed in April of 2007, Betancourt will earn $1.53MM more this year, $3MM in 2010, $4MM in 2011, and a $2MM buyout in 2012 for a total of about $10.5MM. 
  • Given the $4.3MM difference in guaranteed money, I can't see why the Pirates would entertain a deal like this.  Betancourt would be more appealing if he was not locked up.  Even then, he's a project.

Stark On White Sox, Bedard, A’s, Penny

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A new Rumblings and Grumblings column from ESPN's Jayson Stark…

  • Even if they don't acquire Jake Peavy, the White Sox are apparently "open for business."  Stark takes that to mean names such as Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Octavio Dotel, and A.J. Pierzynski could hit the market.
  • The Mariners are not quite yet at the point of making Erik Bedard available.  They figure to price him like an ace if they do so.
  • If A's GM Billy Beane decides to fold on 2009, he could make veterans such as Matt Holliday, Orlando Cabrera, Jason Giambi, and Russ Springer available.
  • It's very unlikely that the D'Backs shop Brandon Webb this summer, since he'll be coming off a shoulder injury.
  • Indians GM Mark Shapiro seems to be leaning toward hanging on to Cliff Lee for now.  Shapiro may look to add pitching by trading Mark DeRosa or an outfielder.
  • The Red Sox are "actively listening" on Brad Penny.  My opinion: the Phillies, Indians, White Sox, or Mets could make sense.
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