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C.C. Sabathia Rumors

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This topic isn’t going anywhere.  Let’s take a look at today’s C.C. Sabathia rumors.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Sabathia, Durham, Bedard

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A few random musings from the Blogosphere…

  • In the wake of the recent C.C. Sabathia-to-the-Yankees rumors, River Ave. Blues lays down a few ground rules for commenting on trade rumors.
  • Bottom 9 insists that the Indians have the pitching to stay in the race and Sabathia is not going anywhere.
  • Indians Confidential is also emphatic that Sabathia is not going to be traded and is still holding out hope that the Indians and Sabathia can agree to a long-term extension.
  • Yankees Chick is not anxious to trade away Robinson Cano and/or Melky Cabrera but notes that if the Yankees are going to make a playoff push the pitching staff needs an upgrade.
  • Rivera’s Cutter speculates that the Yankees could just trade for Sabathia as a rental and let him leave after the season and take the free agency compensation draft picks.
  • Viva El Birdos would like to see the Cardinals upgrade at second base and believe Ray Durham would be a nice alternative if Brian Roberts is unattainable.
  • Phillies Nation is not convinced that Erik Bedard would be a nice addition to the Phillies rotation, noting that Bedard has been awful away from the pitcher-friendly Safeco Field.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Odds and Ends: Viciedo, Broussard, Rincon, Threets

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Time to round ’em up.

  • The A’s are leading the charge for international free agent pitcher Michael Inoa; they could offer him $4MM.  All teams have scouted him.
  • MLB.com’s Jim Molony names the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals, Angels, Mets, and Pirates as teams considering Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo (assuming he becomes a free agent).
  • The Orioles would like to sign Ben Broussard, if he’ll accept a minor league assignment.  Broussard if mulling his options and should sign within 24 hours.  He could step in if the Orioles trade Kevin Millar.
  • Jeff Weaver has been released by the Brewers.  Weaver’s lost it; he has a 6.22 ERA in nine Triple A starts.
  • The Twins have asked Juan Rincon to accept a minor league assignment.  If he refuses, the Twins will be on the hook for his salary and he’ll become a free agent.  Rincon’s last decent year was 2006.
  • No team was willing to keep lefty reliever Erick Threets in the Majors.  He cleared waivers and will head to Triple A as a member of the Giants organization.
  • Andy Pettitte wouldn’t commit, but admitted it’d be a "joy and an honor" to pitch at the new Yankee Stadium next year.
  • Tigers backup catcher Vance Wilson may retire after a setback in his elbow recovery.

Odds & Ends: Beckham, Bedard, Bonds, Mulder

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Lots of high profile players in today’s Odds & Ends:

  • The Rays have opened contract discussions with first overall pick Tim Beckham, says Marc Topkin.
  • Phil Rogers of the Chicago Sports Tribune suggests we add Erik Bedard to the list of starting pitchers who may be available at the trade deadline.  More appropriately, Rogers also notes the M’s will most likely hold on to Bedard through 2009, a far more likely outcome.
  • Also in the longshot rumor department, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle speculates on Barry Bonds playing for the Red Sox.  Personally, I would predict there’s a 0.0% chance Bonds plays in Boston.
  • In that same piece by John Shea, Mark Mulder could be done.  He’s rejecting the idea of a third surgery and attempting to alter his delivery to remain effective and pain free.
  • Will Carroll reports Jeremy Bonderman has undergone surgery to overcome Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – as I understand it, a pinched vein causing a blood clot – and will need a minimum of 6 months to a year of recovery time.  This should keep Armando Gallaraga and Dontrelle Willis in the rotation.

By Nat Boyle

Possible Buyers: St. Louis Cardinals

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Viva El Birdos has a piece up about the Cardinals’ surprise rise to contention this season. A potent question is raised within: Should the Cards be content with merely contending, or should they be gearing up for a real shot at the Cubs? It’s not the easiest of decisions. They’re just 1.5 games back of the Cubs on the day we wrap up the season’s second month. But there are plenty of places this could go wrong.

For instance, Ryan Ludwick is currently the team’s second best hitter. There is little in the outfielder’s past that suggests he can maintain his .406 OBP or his .689 SLG. But hey, maybe they catch lightning in a bottle. And even if Ludwick does cool off, maybe Troy Glaus improves upon his uncharacteristic .380 SLG. Or maybe, like many recent years, he gets hurt.

That kind of illustrates the massive risk of mid-season moves. Injuries and flukes happen. And they both play an enormous role in a team’s ability to contend. If I’m heading the Cardinals, I’d probably stand pat. Too much can go wrong between now and October. (Though they’ll probably take another month to see how things are going.)

Once place the Cardinals can stand to improve is second base. Adam Kennedy clearly isn’t cutting it. Aaron Miles hasn’t been bad, but he really isn’t the answer. One player Viva brings up — and you’re going to hate me for this — is Brian Roberts. The Orioles have hit the cellar in the AL East, and might not climb out this season. We know that Peter Angelos favors Roberts, but there has to be a point where you trade him in to get some younger players if you can.

The Cards could use Anthony Reyes as trade bait. But who else? Any Cards fans want to jump in and talk about who is available, if anyone?

If the team doesn’t want to deal with Angelos, and I wouldn’t blame them, they could look at other second base options. Ray Durham probably won’t cut it, as the Cards already have a handful of players hovering around a .355 OBP with no power. Mark Grundzielanek?  Too similar to Durham. Mark Ellis? He won’t come cheap.

I guess we’ll find out over the next month whether the Cards are in it for keeps. I’m sure those names will be mentioned plenty if they are.

Joe Pawlikowski writes for River Ave. Blues, and can be reached here.

Odds And Ends: Weaver, Mulder, Pena, Giambi

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Here are a few random notes from the MLBiverse…

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.  Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.

Draft Roundup

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All kinds of draft links today. 

Cardinals Eyeing College Pitcher With 13th Pick

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The Cardinals have the 13th pick in the June draft.  The team’s VP of scouting and player development, Jeff Luhnow, says "there’s a real possibility that we go college pitcher."  MLB.com’s Matthew Leach admits that Aaron Crow will probably be gone.  Ditto Brian Matusz.  Christian Friedrich or Shooter Hunt remain possibilities.

Leach also suggests the Cardinals could take one of the many first baseman and move him to the outfield (Yonder Alonso, for example).  Baseball America’s May 16th mock draft projects the Cards will take Zach Collier, a high school outfielder. 

Odds And Ends: Cards’ Bullpen, Fish Extensions, Aubrey Promoted

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  • St. Louis closer Jason Isringhausen is on the DL. But the Cards aren’t going shopping for a replacement. At least, not yet. "Not at this time," Mozeliak said when asked if the club might be tempted to check out the market for relievers. "We’re very fortunate that we have a lot of depth in relief, not only here but at Triple-A [Memphis]. A lot of this can be addressed internally."
  • After today’s press conference announcing Hanley Ramirez’s six-year deal, Marlins officials said the baseball personnel staff has not recommended any other players receive multi-year contract offers. Dan Uggla, Mike Jacobs, Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen will all be arbitration-eligible at season’s end.
  • Cleveland’s Jeremy Sowers, who turned 25 on Saturday, was sent back to Buffalo, where he is 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA in seven starts. Sowers made his second spot start of the season on Friday, giving up three runs and five hits over five innings. His ERA ranks fifth in the International League. Mike Aubrey takes Sowers’ place on Cleveland’s roster. With Akron, Aubrey was batting .277 with nine doubles, two homers and 16 RBIs in 24 games. The oft-injured Aubrey, who was Cleveland’s first pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, might only be with the Tribe for a short while, if the team opts to go with seven relievers when it resumes its regular American League schedule on Tuesday.

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Odds And Ends: Reyes, Colon, Indians, Nationals

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A few notes from the MLBiverse…

  • Anthony Reyes, who has been the object of much trade speculation, made his first start at AAA on Friday night. Reyes pitched 3+ scoreless innings with a strict pitch-count. The Cardinals appear to be reconverting Reyes into a starter in the hopes of increasing his value for potential trade partners.
  • Jim Bowden hinted that he may implement a full-fledged youth movement in the near future, noting that a number of top prospects are close to being ready. Specifically, he mentioned two outfielders which would likely mean that Bowden will seek to move Austin Kearns and/or Wily Mo Pena. Kearns is due $8MM next year and there is a $10MM option for 2010 ($1M buyout). Pena may be easier to move with only a $5MM team option for 2009.
  • Justice B. Hill suggests that the Indians are now paying the price for their inability to swing a deal this past offseason for another offensive weapon at one of the corner outfield spots or third base. The timing of the story was unfortunate as the Tribe laid a 12-spot on the Jays last night.
  • The Red Sox do not have a need for a starting pitcher at this point, but they may soon have one too many arms for the rotation if Bartolo Colon continues to progress. Colon allowed one run in three innings, touching 97 on the radar gun. The obvious move would be to move somebody to the bullpen, but if somebody does go down with an injury, Colon’s availability likely means that the Red Sox will not be in the market for an extra arm down the stretch.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

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