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Cafardo On Morneau, Red Sox, Young, Johnson

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that rival scouts have their eye on the Red Sox who, despite leading the majors in runs, have been shut out nine times this season.  “If you pitch the Red Sox the right way, you can shut them down,” said one National League scout. “They do a tremendous job of working the count. It’s an organizational philosophy that works for them. But they prey on pitchers who can’t throw strikes. They grind out at-bats, work the count, make pitchers throw way more pitches than they need.  If you see a game where they get shut out or they get dominated, it’s because whoever is pitching isn’t allowing them to get into their game."  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Justin Morneau wants to stay in Minnesota, but the Twins have rejected any offer to talk about a new deal, indicating they are ready to move on.  The Red Sox might have some interest in him with Mike Napoli struggling, but their Mike Carp/Daniel Nava option at first base might a better alternative.
  • A team like the Rays could take a chance on Delmon Young, who struggled considerably in Philly both at the plate and in the field. “He’s 27 years old going on 37,” said one AL scout. “He’s got bad feet, very slow. There are a lot of teams who need right-handed bats, but I wouldn’t touch him.”
  • Josh Johnson will hit the open market in the winter after being shut down with a forearm strain and rival execs are understandably wary about the Blue Jays pitcher.  “He’s either going to be a gold mine for someone who gets him cheap and then reaps the benefits or someone is going to get taken like the Blue Jays did,” said one AL executive.

AL East Links: A-Rod, Jeter, Ellsbury, Myers, Jones

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According to a "60 Minutes" report, members of Alex Rodriguez's inner circle obtained unredacted Biogenesis documents in February and leaked the names of Ryan Braun, Francisco Cervelli and Danny Valencia (who was later cleared) to Yahoo Sports.  Michael Radutzky of CBS News writes.  Rodriguez talked to the media (including Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York) today and denied leaking the names of any fellow player, particularly his Yankee teammate Cervelli.  The third baseman also warned that more details in the case would be made public in the coming days: 

"You know, I've been a member of this union for 20 years, and it is important for all the guys to understand that my loyalty is to this union and it would never happen, it would never occur and it didn't happen. Let's make one thing clear: For the next seven weeks, it is going to be a very bumpy road. Every day expect a story like this, if not bigger."

Here are some more items from around the AL East…

  • Given the uncertainty of Rodriguez's situation and Derek Jeter's health, the Yankees will need to explore alternatives at third base and shortstop this winter, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes.  Under Sherman's scenario, Jeter would play half his games at shortstop and the rest at first base or as the Yankees' primary DH against right-handers.
  • As least 12 teams project to be suitors for Jacoby Ellsbury this winter, Fangraphs' Paul Swydan writes.  The Red Sox are one of those teams, as "GM Ben Cherington isn’t letting Ellsbury go without a fight," though Swydan notes that the Sox could be in a position crunch in left field (with Jackie Bradley, Daniel Nava and Jonny Gomes) if they re-sign both Ellsbury and Mike Napoli.
  • The Rays still look like the winners of the Wil Myers/James Shields trade, despite the Royals' recent hot streak, Grantland's Rany Jazayerli opines.
  • The hiring of Buck Showalter was the key move that turned the Orioles from also-rans into contenders, outfielder Adam Jones writes in a guest piece for Buster Olney's column (ESPN Insider subscription required).

Mutual Interest Between Rays, Delmon Young

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Following Delmon Young's release from the Phillies earlier this week, there appears to be mutual interest between Young and the Rays, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The two sides have had some conversations, and the Rays would like to add another right-handed bat to their roster.

Young, 27, is currently on release waivers from the Phillies and will be eligible to sign anywhere once he clears on Saturday. In 291 plate appearances with Philadelphia this season, he batted .261/.302/.397 with eight homers. As is always the case, Young hit much better against lefties (.286/.361/.397). However, he typically displays much more power versus lefties, which clearly wasn't the case this season as his .397 slugging percentage against lefties was identical to his .397 mark against righties.

Young was drafted by the Rays with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft. He played just one full season with the Rays, however, before being the headlining piece of Tampa Bay's Matt Garza trade with the Twins in 2007. Young is a career .283/.316/.423 hitter in parts of eight seasons with the Rays, Twins, Tigers and Phillies.

Rays Designate Ryan Roberts For Assignment

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The Rays have designated infielder Ryan Roberts for assignment, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). The move will clear a 40-man roster spot for Alex Cobb to be reinstated from the 60-day disabled list.

Roberts, who turns 33 next month, hit .247/.295/.377 with five homers in 173 plate appearances for the Rays this season. He was used primarily at second base for the Rays this season, but he does carry more than 1700 innings of Major League experience at the hot corner as well. Roberts hit .305/.345/.500 against left-handed pitching but floundered against right-handers, hitting just .188/.244/.50. He's typically handled lefties much better throughout his big league career, which spans parts of eight big league seasons with the Blue Jays, Rangers, D-Backs and Rays.

AL East Notes: Cano, Rays, Morneau, Konerko, Young

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Koji Uehara had another solid outing last night for the Red Sox, but his 1 1/3 scoreless innings had an impact for beyond the 2013 season.  The Boston closer will make $4.25MM in 2014 after locking in his option and he can bump that up to $5MM if he finishes 12 more games, giving him 35 in total.  In 54 2/3 innings this season, the veteran has a 1.32 ERA with 12.3 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9.  Here's more out of the AL East..

  • Many believe that Jay-Z is looking to make a statement with Robinson Cano's contract this winter, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  “My opinion is that (Jay-Z) is very concerned with making a public display of self-promotion. So one would think that a show is coming at the player’s expense designed to play the Dodgers and Yankees against each other. I am sure they see it coming. And if you are one of those teams, do you give Cano an A-Rod deal and make him your franchise player?,” one agent said.
  • Trading Emilio Bonifacio to the Royals was a "sell low" for Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi tweets. Anthopoulos had to work hard to snag Bonifacio in last year's blockbuster trade with the Marlins, as many teams were targeting him, according to Davidi.
  • A right-handed hitter would be a better fit for the Rays than a lefty such as Justin Morneau, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Topkin suggests the recently released Delmon Young or Paul Konerko as possibilities.
  • Michael Valancius of DRaysBay asks if the Rays should have given Dane De La Rosa more of a chance in the big leagues before letting him go to the Angels.  In 53.0 innings with the Angels, he has a 3.74 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9.

Aaron Steen contributed to this post.

Rays Acquire Wesley Wright

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The Rays have acquired left-hander Wesley Wright from the Astros after claiming him off waivers, the Astros announced via press release. The Rays will send cash considerations to the Astros in exchange for the 28-year-old southpaw. Right-hander Philip Humber will have his contract selected from Triple-A to take Wright's spot on both the 40-man and 25-man roster. Wright-Wesley

Wright struggled in the early portion of his career but has been solid since 2011, posting a 3.32 ERA with 8.9 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 51.9 percent ground-ball rate. He's actually struggled against left-handed hitters this season, as they've posted a .305/.372/.463 batting line against him. However, he limited lefties to a .169/.247/.231 line from 2011-12.

Wright, who had been the team's longest-tenured player, is earning $1.03MM this season after going through arbitration for the first time this past offseason. He is under team control through 2015 and will be eligible for arbitration a second time this offseason. He was originally acquired by the Astros from the Dodgers via the Rule 5 Draft back in 2007. With Wright now a member of the Rays, Erik Bedard's $1.15MM salary is the lone salary on Houston's roster that exceeds $1MM.

In a statement to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, Wright said he is excited to pitch for a contender and offered the following kind words for the Astros organization and the fans of Houston:

“The organization has been great to me and my family throughout the past six seasons. They gave me an opportunity to see what I can do at the big league level. I’m really grateful to the organization and the fans and the city. They were really supportive to me and my teammates. Even in the down years, they supported me and all I can say is thanks to the city of Houston and the fans.”

This is the second move made by Rays general manager Andrew Friedman to bolster the team's bullpen, as he acquired Jesse Crain from the White Sox prior to the non-waiver trade deadline. Crain has yet to appear in a game for the Rays, however, as he works his way back from injury.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rays Release Kyle Farnsworth

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SUNDAY: The Rays have released Farnsworth, according to the team's transaction page.

FRIDAY: The Rays have designated right-hander Kyle Farnsworth for assignment, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Josh Lueke will be recalled from Triple-A Durham to take his place on the roster.

Farnsworth, 37, served as the Rays' closer back in the 2011 season and posted a masterful 2.18 ERA with 25 saves, but it's been downhill since then. He posted a 4.00 ERA last season and has pitched to a 5.76 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 29 2/3 innings this season. His fastball is averaging a career-worst 92.5 mph. Farnsworth signed a one-year, $1.25MM contract with the Rays back in February.

Cafardo On Morneau, Lincecum, Pence, Polanco

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that he is surprised to see the Yankees still in the wild card hunt despite all of the chaos they have endured this season.  The chaos he refers to, of course, mostly has to do with Alex Rodriguez.  The silver lining there is that if they throw the book at A-Rod, then they'll be in position to add to the team via free agency.  “The one thing the Yankees don’t have, they don’t have those guys in the minors that can come up and make an impact for them,” said an American League exec. “They won’t have that for a couple of years. So, if they’re going to do a Red Sox-type rebuild, they have a disadvantage. Where Boston has a number of pitchers and positional prospects ready to make an impact, the Yankees don’t. So, they still have to make their impact through free agency and possibly trades.”  Here's more from today's column..

  • The Twins believe they had enough interest in Justin Morneau that if he continues to hit well and shows power, he could be moved to a contender in a waiver deal.  The Blue Jays might claim him but the Rays, Orioles, and Indians might also have some interest.
  • Giants righty Tim Lincecum could be a big fish that goes in a waiver deal as some teams like him as a valuable bullpen piece down the stretch. The Giants weren’t offered anything good enough at the deadline, but given his $22MM salary and the fact he’s in the final year of his deal, the Giants may want to free themselves shortly. 
  • Giants outfielder Hunter Pence will be a free agent but he really wants to stay put and he has expressed that to GM Brian Sabean.  However, Sabean told him that if something knocked their socks off they would move him — but nothing materialized.  He could be another movable part during August, but the Giants plan to make him a qualifying offer and then try to re-sign him long term.
  • Marlins third baseman Placido Polanco is 37 and isn't the strongest fielder, but he remains a possible target for teams such as the Red Sox and Yankees, who need a veteran presence and a guy who can still hit from the right side.
  • Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman tried to get Michael Young and Carlos Ruiz from the Phillies.  Though neither deal happened, they are both possibilities as waiver deals during the month of August.  However, Cafardo notes that Ruiz might not make it past the NL teams in the waiver process.
  • Royals right-hander Ervin Santana could theoretically be moved during the waiver period, but it looks like he’s in Kansas City to stay.  As one GM said, “He might be the biggest target going in August. Doubt he gets too far, though.” 
  • When asking General Managers which former GM they miss the most, J.P. Ricciardi got the most responses.  Many believe Ricciardi will be a GM again, whether it’s taking over for Sandy Alderson when he wants to step down with the Mets, or with another club.  Cafardo runs down Ricciardi's highlights in Toronto and notes that he was working with the club when their wasn't money to work with.

Rays Release Ramon Ramirez

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Rays right-hander Ramon Ramirez has been granted his release from Triple-A Durham, the team announced on Twitter. The 31-year-old veteran had signed a minor league deal with Tampa Bay back on July 1 after being designated for assignment by the Giants in mid-June.

Ramirez allowed seven earned runs in 5 2/3 innings with the Giants this year but excelled as a setup man from 2008-12, posting a 3.04 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 343 innings with the Royals, Red Sox, Giants and Mets. He's enjoyed a strong season in the minors in 2013, compiling a 3.31 ERA with 10.7 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 35 1/3 innings between the Giants and Rays organizations.

July Trade Recap: AL East

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Next up on our July trade recap series is the always-interesting AL East …

Blue Jays

  • Did not make a trade.

Orioles

Rays

  • Acquired right-handed reliever Jesse Crain from the White Sox in exchange for compensation to be negotiated.

Red Sox

Yankees

Synopsis

After a quiet deadline period last year as the team emerged as one of baseball's biggest surprises, and a relatively non-impactful offseason, the Orioles upped the ante this time around. The O's were the division's most active team overall during the course of July, adding two highly-sought-after starters and a major bullpen piece. After slotting Feldman into its rotation earlier in the month, Baltimore added a rotation piece with present and future value in Norris on deadline day, with many observers surprised at the relatively light price he commanded. 

Right on the heels of the Orioles in terms of action were the Red Sox. With reported interest across a wide swath of the market, the Sox ultimately made their biggest splash with a creative, three-time deal that landed them a veteran starter. Opting to forego a blockbuster deal for ace Cliff Lee, Boston decided to pay a more modest price for the excellent, if injury-prone Peavy. As has been noted, the deal also allows the club to shore up its injury-plagued bullpen (which it also did by acquiring Thornton) while bolstering its overall rotation depth.  

For the division-leading Rays and fourth-place Yankees, meanwhile, the moves took place in the days prior to the deadline. Tampa picked up the injured Crain in a deal that has not yet been completed. Should he return to form, the Rays may have added one of 2013's most successful relievers at a discount. (Of course, it remains to be seen what price the club paid.) New York, meanwhile, brought former star Soriano back into the fold to add some much-needed power. The Yankees will only pay $6.8MM of the hefty remainder of Soriano's salary over this year and next, and gave up a relatively marginal return. Nevertheless, some observers felt that the move (which took place over the advice of GM Brian Cashman) was insufficient to boost the team this year and constituted an unnecessary outlay of assets. Despite reportedly dangling righty Phil Hughes and pursuing Phillies infielder Michael Young, nothing materialized on those fronts, though Young could still be an August trade target for the Yankes (or the Red Sox and Orioles, for that matter). 

Finally, the disappointing Blue Jays ultimately decided to hold entirely. There were some rumblings that the team might look to pick up some pieces with future value (such as Howie Kendrick), and may have considered dealing veterans like Darren Oliver, Emilio Bonifacio, and Melky Cabrera. Ultimately, the club's most important decision was to hold onto its biggest potential trade chips, underpaid sluggers Jose Batista and Edwin Encarnacion. While neither seemed particularly likely to be dealt, they would easily have been the best available bats and could have brought back a huge return. By standing pat, the Jays seem prepared to keep their core intact to make another run in 2014.

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