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Perrotto’s Latest

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John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus has quickly become another fine source for trade rumors.  Some highlights from his latest column:

  • The Twins would surrender a solid arm – maybe Jesse Crain, Juan Rincon, or Scott Baker – in return for a right-handed hitter.  My own speculation: perhaps Wayne Krivsky, looking to stabilize his bullpen, would trade Edwin Encarnacion for Rincon.  Rincon has been one of the best setup men in baseball for the past four years.  On the other hand, Baker could really flourish in the National League and Kyle Lohse may leave via free agency after the season.  Terry Ryan might want a more proven, reliable bat though.  Buster Olney throws out Morgan Ensberg’s name in his blog today.
  • Some clubs already have center fielder Torii Hunter on the radar: the Red Sox, White Sox, Cardinals, and Rangers.  I think there is no doubt the Rangers go in for one of the "name" center fielders this winter.  I can see the Red Sox testing the waters but it would seem odd to block Jacoby Ellsbury for four or five years.  Hunter is making the contract year argument, hitting .324/.358/.618 in 35 games.  His previous career high in slugging was .524 in ’02.
  • Perrotto confirms the finding of Michael Gluskin – Odalis Perez and Chan Ho Park are two names on the Orioles’ target list of starting pitchers.  The O’s might have found some relief in the shrewd Jeremy Guthrie pickup – his last two starts against the Devil Rays and Red Sox were excellent.   

Cards Interested In Weaver?

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According to Viva El Birdos, Walt Jocketty called Bill Bavasi yesterday, willing to take Jeff Weaver off the Ms’ hands for salary relief.  Yahoo’s Tim Brown believes the Cards would only have to pick up about $2MM of Weaver’s $8MM salary in a deal.  However, Weaver later landed on the DL with shoulder tendinitis.  Weaver had made six starts for the Mariners, losing all of them and allowing at least seven hits in each.

Previous speculation had involved the Mariners releasing Weaver.  The Cardinals offered Weaver $6MM over two years plus incentives, and the Pirates were also interested last winter.

Speaking of Viva El Birdos, Larry has a great idea to "evoke Josh Hancock’s memory and his tragic mistake," an idea far better than banning alcohol in clubhouses.  Check it out.

Tim Brown’s Latest

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I hadn’t really noticed the MLB Experts Blog from Tim Brown and Jeff Passan until recently.  Yahoo’s main baseball guys have some quality rumors, and I’ve been missing out.  Let’s catch up by digging through some recent posts:

Miguel Cabrera’s Trade Preference

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Enrique Rojas’s April 20th article on Miguel Cabrera slipped under my radar, but he snagged some interesting quotes from one of the game’s best players.

Cabrera mentioned that if he was traded, he’d prefer to play with Albert Pujols on the Cardinals.  Now there’s a 1-2 punch to be reckoned with.  That’s Ruth-Gehrig-esque. Cabrera also said he wouldn’t like to play for the Yankees because of the rules.  Additionally, he wants to remain at third base and continue to improve his defense.

Cabrera won’t become a free agent until after the 2009 season.  His salary jumped from $472K in 2006 to $7.4MM after beating the Marlins in arbitration and setting a new first-year arb record.  If he and the Marlins go to arbitration again after this season, he’ll probably set another record by topping $10MM.  $12-13MM seems an appropriate reward.  Pujols made $14MM in his fifth season in ’06.

Cabrera is already taking up 24% of Florida’s payroll; it could reach 40% in 2008.  The trade bounty could be otherworldly; Hanley Ramirez/Anibal Sanchez could pale in comparison.  I don’t think the Cards have the players for a trade. 

Eckstein Contract Talks Tabled

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The Cardinals and David Eckstein would like to continue their relationship, but it sounds like Walt Jocketty will wait until after the season to hammer things out.

If Eckstein has a poor season and Jocketty lets him walk, the team’s options will be limited.  There’s never a surplus at shortstop.  If 25 year-old shortstop Brendan Ryan can stay healthy and have a big year at Triple A, he could inherit the job.  Otherwise Jocketty will have anywhere from zero to three free agent options.

The Cubs and Sox have similar situations, as both have club options for around $5MM on their slick-fielding shortstops.  Juan Uribe’s option will probably be picked up but Cesar Izturis is a question mark. Omar Vizquel could be available, but the Giants have already met with his agent about an extension. 

Most likely Jocketty will retain Eckstein, but the backup plan may have to be the trade market.  Cristian Guzman, Miguel Tejada, Orlando Cabrera, Erick Aybar, Edgar Renteria, Ben Zobrist, and Clint Barmes could be options there.   

Cards Looking To Trade Rincon

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About a week ago, Joe Strauss reported that the Cardinals might use their lefty reliever surplus to acquire Jorge Julio.  That option is off the table, but Walt Jocketty is still looking to dispatch a southpaw.  Strauss has confirmed that Ricardo Rincon is the player he’d like to move.

The Cards would like to ditch Rincon’s $1.45MM salary.  He pitched in the WBC last year and but was on the operating table for shoulder and elbow issues by May.  He’s said to be fully recovered and could bounce back as a useful LOOGY.

 

Latest On Jorge Julio

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up.  Well, actually it went up 12 hours ago.  If it’s whispered, (or just written on FOXSports.com), we hear it (once we wake up, eat some Arby’s, and get situated).

Ken’s main rumor:

The current suitors for the relief ace known as Jorge Julio are the Cardinals and Marlins, with the Bucs and D-Rays on the fringes.  For the sake of my Al Reyes sleeper pick let’s keep him out of Tampa Bay.  I think the Cardinals could really use a guy like Julio.  The acquiring team will be on the hook for all $3.6MM, unless they pony up a top-notch prospect.  The Marlins get special treatment I guess.

Cardinals Interested In Julio

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According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals are interested in Diamondbacks reliever Jorge Julio.  Joe Strauss thinks the Cards would send a lefty reliever to Arizona. 

The Cardinals currently have five southpaws on the roster aside from Mark Mulder: Randy Flores, Tyler Johnson, Randy Keisler, Chris Narveson, and Ricardo Rincon.  Viva El Birdos wonders why the Cardinals don’t just keep Braden Looper in the pen.

Last time we checked in on Julio, the Marlins and Giants were battling for him.  Arizona apparently doesn’t want to pay much if any of his $3.6MM salary.  The Marlins might convince them to if they offer up Yusmeiro Petit.  Personally I think Florida should just use internal closing options. 

Should Cards Pursue Bernie Williams?

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With a couple of outfielders beginning the season on the DL, the Cardinals might be concerned about their outfield depth right now.  One suggestion, coming from the esteemed St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz, is to sign Bernie Williams.

Can Williams be a useful player at 38?  He might be able to pitch in as a fourth outfielder.  His PECOTA is .258/.320/.388.  Maybe he could end things on a high note with the Cardinals, a la Will Clark? 

Cards Hope To Woo Clemens

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UPDATE: Hendricks squashed the rumor.

The big story this morning: Walt Jocketty and co. met at length with Roger Clemens’s agent Randy Hendricks yesterday.  Other clients’ of Hendricks were the main topic, but Roger’s name came up.  Unlike this winter’s Barry Bonds rumor, Jocketty isn’t denying interest. 

The Cardinals have some extra money after missing out on various pitching targets this winter.  Clemens is quite a longshot, but it’s certainly fun to speculate.  This is the single move with the largest possible impact for St. Louis.  Adding 100 innings of the Rocket would probably improve the Cardinals by 3-4 wins, based on PECOTA’s projected WARP.  And Murray Chass just stopped reading this post.

Aside from Clemens, the Cards could pursue Carl Pavano, Jon Lieber, or Brad Penny.  Penny is the possible impact arm and of course would draw much more interest if he’s available.  His overall impact would probably be similar to that of Clemens, but the bounty is to be paid in prospects.  Colby Rasmus, Jaime Garcia, and Chris Duncan could be targets of L.A.

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