Central Notes: Royals, Cubs, Cardinals
What's motivating the Royals' decision not to be sellers at the trade deadline? Danny Knobler of CBS Sports suggests that, for the Royals, it's not so much about making the playoffs. Despite a six-game winning streak, that remains unlikely, as Kansas City is still just .500 and seven games behind the Tigers in the AL Central. Instead, Knobler reports that the Royals are motivated merely by a desire to finish the season on a good note. The Royals' winning season in 2003 was their only one since 1994, and it appears they may simply be hunting for another a decade later. That's not to say they're pure buyers, though — Knobler notes that the Royals would like to acquire more talent at the deadline, but they're looking for players they can control in 2014.
- Starting pitcher Travis Wood says the Cubs' recent series of trades has helped them bond, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. "I always feel trades make teams closer, because you see guys moving. Especially trading away a leader like (Alfonso Soriano). It kind of pulls us together. We have to lead this thing and do everything we can to win ballgames," Wood says. The Cubs recently completed a sweep of the Giants.
- Building a roster with the postseason in mind isn't all it's cracked up to be, argues Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Since postseason series are short, anything is possible. Miklasz points to unlikely heroes from past Cardinals postseason runs (So Taguchi, Anthony Reyes and Jeff Weaver in 2006, Pete Kozma in 2012) to show that the postseason is too unpredictable for the ideal playoff roster to be worth worrying about.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Sunday
Jake Peavy has cleared his belongings from the White Sox's clubhouse and is prepared to be traded soon, reports ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine. "It is sad to think that this is probably my last day in here," Peavy said this morning. "We all realize the reality of the situation and I am prepared with that to happen soon. If I am not traded I would be happy to know the message here is we think we can win it all next year with you a part of it. I am reflecting on my four years here as we speak and getting a little caught up in the emotion. It is a sad day when you think it could be your last. This is a business and this is what we do. I will always cherish the people here and my time in Chicago." Here are the other rumors involving Peavy today:
- The White Sox have shown no interest in absorbing any of the approximately $24MM owed Peavy and that, along with health concerns, are big issues for the Braves, Orioles, Cardinals, and even the Dodgers, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark.
- Baseball executives still feel it is likely the White Sox will trade Peavy before the deadline, ESPN's Buster Olney reports (Insider-only). The Cardinals have more than enough young pitching to get Peavy, but they don't seem inclined to move it, Olney writes. He guesses that Peavy will ultimately wind up with the Athletics.
- The Sox are having difficulty trading Peavy, however, tweets Peter Gammons, whose reporting echoes Stark's. The Sox asked the Athletics for top young players Sonny Gray and Addison Russell, while also asking the A's to pay almost $20MM in salary, Gammons writes. That's surely far more than the A's would be willing to pay.
Earlier Updates
- The Braves are no longer in the mix for Peavy, tweets FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. In a separate tweet, Rosenthal notes Orioles owner Peter Angelos has historically been a stickler on medical issues and Peavy's long injury history may affect their pursuit.
- The sense is the A's are working the hardest to acquire Peavy while the Braves like him but not enough to offer a significant package, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The current front-runners for Peavy are (in order): A's, Cardinals, Red Sox, and Orioles, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link).
- The White Sox are targeting top prospects, but interested teams figure the price will come down and see the Sox accepting multiple prospects instead, tweets Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. Passan, in a separate tweet, reports the asking price for Peavy is higher than for Matt Garza.
- Levine notes, in the aforementioned article, talks with the Braves have heated up since Tim Hudson's season-ending ankle injury, but MLB.com's Mark Bowman writes, while there might be some lingering interest in Peavy, GM Frank Wren appears focused on upgrading the bullpen.
- The Cardinals are continuing their pursuit of Peavy and Alexei Ramirez, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio. Bowden lists Carlos Martinez, Joe Kelly and Kolten Wong as names being mentioned on the Cardinals' end.
Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.
Central Notes: Royals, Hanson, Tigers, Cardinals
The Royals will not be sellers at the deadline, Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan tweets. The Royals are still seven games back in the AL Central, but they've won six games in a row. Passan indicates that if the Royals deal pitchers Ervin Santana or Luke Hochevar, they would want to receive players who can help immediately. Here are more notes from the Central divisions.
- The removal of Pirates infield prospect Alen Hanson from a game with Class A+ Bradenton Sunday triggered speculation that Hanson had been traded, but Hanson's agency, LA Sports Management, tweets that Hanson had simply been promoted to Double-A Altoona. It does not appear, then, that a trade is imminent.
- Although the Tigers may trade for relief help, they appear happy with Joaquin Benoit at closer and Drew Smyly in their eighth-inning role, MLB.com's Jason Beck writes. "All I can say is that we feel very comfortable in the ninth and eighth innings with Benoit and Smyly. I don’t know where you’re really going to go out and improve that significantly," says GM Dave Dombrowski. The GM also echoes comments from other front office executives who say this year's market is a particularly tough one for buyers, since few teams identify as sellers at this point.
- The Cardinals currently do not appear likely to make big moves at Wednesday's deadline, but ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets that they might actually trade one of their relievers. Stark notes that, in particular, teams have asked about the Cardinals' bullpen lefties. The left-handers currently in the Cards' bullpen are Kevin Siegrist, Randy Choate and Marc Rzepczynski.
Cardinals Unlikely To Make Big Move At Deadline
Cardinals GM John Mozeliak says he probably won't be terribly active at the trade deadline, given the high prices of upgrades, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold (on Sulia). Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, meanwhile, tweets that, according to Mozeliak, the Cardinals are unlikely to make a big splash. "We're probably not likely going to do much," Mozeliak says.
Mozeliak blames the slow trading market on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, as well as the trend throughout the game of signing cost-controlled players to long-term contracts. "Clearly having more teams alive right now or believing they are competitive makes it more difficult for the trading market," he says. "Clearly teams are trying to secure their younger talent. That's just the way the game is going. Seeing players moved to be moved is somewhat archaic."
The Cardinals have been connected to White Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy and shortstop Alexei Ramirez. Mozeliak's comments, if they can be taken at face value, seem to indicate a deal for either player is unlikely. The Cards are nearly certain to make the playoffs, but they are just two games ahead of the Pirates and five ahead of the Reds in the NL Central.
Cafardo On Morneau, Blue Jays, Veras, Ramirez
The Rays might be the only contending team that doesn't need to do anything at the deadline, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. As for the other 13 clubs that are still in the hunt, Cafardo runs down each of their needs in advance of Wednesday's deadline. The Cardinals would like to add a starter and perhaps a middle infielder, but are good to go with what they have. The Rangers got their big fish in Matt Garza, but they'll still be on the hunt for a right-handed hitting outfielder as their concern grows over Nelson Cruz. Meanwhile, not every club has the resources to make the upgrades that they'd like to. The Reds have three top arms on the shelf in Johnny Cueto, Jonathan Broxton, and Sean Marshall, but they might not have enough to obtain another. Here's more from today's column..
- Contrary to some reports, the Twins have received “numerous calls” on Justin Morneau, according to a major league source. The Blue Jays are one team that has expressed interest in the Canadian.
- Scouts and executives are split on whether the Blue Jays could sell off Mark Buehrle and/or Josh Johnson. Buehrle, 34, isn’t the same pitcher he used to be, but he shows that he has value for a contender with performances like Thursday against the Astros.
- Jose Veras has done well as the Astros' closer and he’s receiving a lot of attention from teams looking for a late-inning reliever. However, teams are wary of the fact that Veras hasn't had to deal with real pressure and the Astros' high asking price. “I don’t think you can make a blanket statement like he pitches for the Astros so there’s no pressure,” said an American League GM. “If you look at his performances, he comes in when there’s pressure and he handles it well.”
- Manny Ramirez was getting rave reviews in his first week for the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate, but he's now slumping. Texas isn’t bringing him up any time soon, and the Rangers remain focused on acquiring a bat.
- Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey is an under-the-radar guy whose performance is peaking and he's available since he'll be a free agent at season's end. It's a small sample size for sure, but Pelfrey has a 2.28 ERA in four July starts.
AL Central Notes: Lindstrom, Hochevar, Santana
Tonight's AL Central Links..
- The White Sox are shopping right-handed reliever Matt Lindstrom along with Alex Rios, Jake Peavy, and Alexei Ramirez, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets. However, it's unclear how much interest other teams have, Knobler adds. Lindstrom, 33, has a 3.35 ERA in 40 1/3 innings pitched and has yet to allow a home run this year. However, his 6.2 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 could give some teams some pause.
- We've heard the Royals have set a high price for Ervin Santana, and now Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that rival executives believe Luke Hochevar may be more likely to be traded. One executive described the 29-year-old Hochevar as "a hot item," as he's blossomed in the bullpen this season, posting a 1.89 ERA in 38 innings after struggling in the Royals' rotation for years. Some clubs may believe he could return to a starting role, potentially increasing his value. He's expected to draw interest from the Braves and Dodgers, among other teams.
- Meanwhile, Santana may also be a fit in Atlanta, Heyman says. That matches with what we've heard, though the Royals are indicating they'd need to be "overwhelmed" to trade him. Kansas City is targeting right field and second base help, Heyman adds.
- An official familiar with the situation tells Knobler that a trade sending Ramirez from the White Sox to the Cardinals is "not likely," though as Knobler notes, such a deal appears to make sense on paper. Shortstop is the one position in a stacked St. Louis lineup that could use an upgrade, while the Sox are open for business and had a top scout in St. Louis this week. The two teams have discussed Ramirez along with Peavy, according to Knobler, who also reports that the Rangers maintain their interest in Rios. The Pirates may also be involved in Rios talks. Peavy, meanwhile, appears to be drawing the most attention from the Red Sox, but the A's and Braves have also expressed interest in the right-hander.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Friday
Jake Peavy made what could have been his last start as a member of the White Sox yesterday, beating the Tigers after he allowed four runs on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings. He was done in by a trio of homers, but Peavy also fired 118 pitches, which has to be seen as a positive sign following his recent stint on the disabled list. The Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers, Orioles and Reds were all reported yesterday to have scouts in attendance for the start. Here are Friday's Peavy-related rumors…
- The Braves could become a wild card in the Peavy sweepstakes, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports confirms. The current frontrunners for Peavy appear to be the A's, Cardinals and Red Sox at this time, adds Heyman.
Earlier Updates
- Following Thursday reports that the Braves will look to upgrade their rotation in the wake of Tim Hudson's season-ending injury, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that Peavy is a "legit possibility" for Atlanta. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reminded readers in yesterday's column the the Braves have had interest in Peavy and attempted to trade for him in the past.
- The Mariners had high-level scouts present at Peavy's start yesterday, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Recent reports have said that the Mariners aren't planning to sell, and they improved to 9-1 in their last 10 games by squashing the Twins last night.
Multiple Teams Present For Brian Wilson’s Audition
Brian Wilson auditioned for teams earlier today, and nearly a dozen clubs sent scouts to watch the former Giants closer, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Knobler writes that a scout in attendance said Wilson looked good and was "not far away" from being able to return to the Major Leagues. His fastball reportedly reached 93 mph on Thursday.
According to Knobler, the Pirates, Diamondbacks, Athletics, Giants, Phillies, Rangers, Rockies and Cardinals all attended Wilson's workout. Most of those teams have reportedly been on the lookout for bullpen help, and the Pirates are a logical new addition to that mix given the recent injury to Jason Grilli. The Giants held a private throwing session for Wilson "as a personal courtesy" earlier this week.
Wilson underwent his second Tommy John surgery after just two appearances in 2012 and hasn't pitched for a team since. He was scouted by the Mets in January, but the team was unimpressed. Wilson decided then to wait until he was back to 100 percent before auditioning for teams a second time. From 2007-12 with the Giants, Wilson racked up 170 saves and posted a 2.98 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 290 innings of relief.
NL Central Links: Braun, Gallardo, Soriano, Cards
Ryan Braun has yet to address the public regarding his 65-game suspension for his involvement with Tony Bosch's Biogenesis clinic, but he issued a statement through the Brewers' PR department today explaining that he is not legally able to speak on the topic while MLB's investigation still ongoing (Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporting). Braun says he will speak when he is legally allowed to do so. Here's more on the NL Central…
- Haudricourt tweets that the question surrounding Yovani Gallardo should no longer be whether or not he's traded, but rather whether or not the Brewers can salvage a pitcher who is losing his stuff. Gallardo allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings against the Padres today.
- Alfonso Soriano will be the last Cubs player to cause any drama regarding no-trade protection for a long time, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. President Theo Epstein doesn't believe in putting no-protection in contracts, so Soriano will be the last to receive that luxury (aside from players who end up with 10-and-5 rights, of course). The Cubs have dealt with no-trade hurdles when trying to move Kerry Wood, Derrek Lee, Carlos Marmol, Aramis Ramirez and Soriano himself in recent years.
- The Cardinals appear unlikely to make a significant trade, according to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. General manager John Mozeliak won't part with top prospects Michael Wacha, Carlos Martinez, Oscar Taveras or Kolten Wong unless a "major" upgrade at shortstop or a high-end starting pitcher becomes available.
Jake Peavy Rumors: Thursday
Jake Peavy could make his last start as a member of the White Sox this afternoon, as he takes on Justin Verlander and the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field. The Sox aren't sure what they want to do with Peavy yet, writes ESPN's Buster Olney, but their asking price is "really high." The latest:
- The Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, Braves, Orioles, and Reds each have a scout in attendance, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark, while the Rangers have two. Athletics director of player personnel Billy Owens is also there, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Keep in mind that their presence does not necessarily imply trade interest in Peavy.
Earlier Updates
- GM Rick Hahn keeps Peavy "abreast of what's going on," the righty told reporters including Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Peavy says he doesn't want to be traded, but he's prepared for the possibility. The Red Sox and Diamondbacks are expected to have two scouts apiece at today's start, notes Gonzales.
- The Cardinals and White Sox "continue to scout each other's personnel," writes Gonzales. Shortstop Alexei Ramirez could also be a fit for the Cardinals, but not at the cost of their top arms.
- "ERA-based reputation still holds a lot of sway," writes Dave Cameron of FanGraphs in trying to understand the perception that Matt Garza had more trade value than Peavy. That might make Peavy a relative bargain, he suggests. I tried to make the case for Peavy in our Monday poll, but about 65% of over 26,000 MLBTR readers polled felt Garza had more trade value.