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Cubs, Rays Working On Garza Trade

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Cubs GM Jim Hendry is working feverishly to acquire Matt Garza from the Rays, according to Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald. The Cubs are getting set to send Chris Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Brandon Guyer and Robinson Chirinos to Tampa Bay, according to Miles. There may be additional parts to the deal for each team, Miles reports.

Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago reports that the sides are close to a deal.

Garza, 27, posted a 3.91 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 35.8% ground ball rate in 204 2/3 innings for the Rays last year. He heads to arbitration for the second time this winter and is set to receive a raise from the $3.35MM salary he earned in 2010.

Garza would join Ryan Dempster, Tom Gorzelanny, Randy Wells, Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Silva in a crowded Chicago rotation. If the Rays-Cubs deal goes through, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cubs starters appear in trade rumors before long.

If any team can afford to part with a starting pitcher, it might be the Rays, who still have David Price, James Shields, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis and Jeremy Hellickson. The return from the Cubs probably won't impact Tampa's Opening Day roster, but it will add depth to the Rays' already impressive farm system.

Baseball America ranked Archer first among Cubs prospects this offseason while Lee placed fourth and Guyer placed tenth. Archer, a 22-year-old right-hander, made it as high as Double-A last year. The starting pitcher posted a 2.34 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9, limiting opponents to 6.4 H/9. The Cubs acquired him from the Indians just over two years ago in the Mark DeRosa trade. Jim Callis of Baseball America notes that Archer is a year away from the majors and could be a closer in the future (Twitter link).

It's not a great time to be an up-and-coming shortstop in the Cubs organization, as Starlin Castro figures to be the team's shortstop for years. Lee, who was born seven months after Castro, is also a highly-regarded shortstop. The native of Korea has a .299/.370/.375 line with 57 stolen bases in two pro seasons. When Baseball America ranked Lee sixth among Cubs prospects before the season, the publication described him as a gifted hitter with the tools to make difficult defensive plays.

Guyer, who turns 25 this month, posted a .344/.398/.588 line in 410 plate apperances at Double-A last year. He has played all three outfield positions in his four-year minor league career.

Chirinos is the oldest of the four prospects, as he turns 27 this month. The infielder hit .326/.416/.583 with 18 home runs in the upper minors last year.

This post was first published January 7th, 2010.

Odds & Ends: Thome, Vladdy, Blue Jays, CarGo

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As Cooperstown welcomes Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven into the Hall of Fame, some of these news items concern a few of Alomar and Blyleven's former teams and teammates…

  • Jim Thome is said to be looking for a one-year deal worth as much as $8MM, reports ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill.  Thome's strong 2010 season notwithstanding, that would represent a whopping increase over the $1.5MM contract he signed with Minnesota last year.  The Twins have been considered the favorites to re-sign Thome, but if the team balks at that asking price, Churchill suggests they could instead turn to Vladimir Guerrero as a DH option.  Churchill adds that Tampa Bay could also be interested in Guerrero if the price is right.
  • Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos "conceded that it's looking more likely that" Jose Bautista will be Toronto's Opening Day third baseman rather than its right fielder, reports Shi Davidi of The Canadian Press.  Anthopoulos noted that the club is still looking at other third base/right field options and also may still be in the market for another reliever.  The Blue Jays have added Octavio Dotel, Chad Cordero and Wil Ledezma to their bullpen mix over the past two days.
  • Carlos Gonzalez had a lengthy meeting with agent Scott Boras in December to discuss a possible extension with the Rockies, so the agreed-upon deal wasn't at all "an impulse decision," tweets The Denver Post's Troy Renck.
  • Also from Renck (Twitter link), the Rockies are "not totally out" of the bidding for Joe Beimel, but other clubs "have shown stronger interest."  We heard last month that the Rockies weren't one of several teams who had made Beimel a contract offer.
  • The Pirates' desire to add left-handed relievers has only grown in the wake of Ledezma going to Toronto, tweets Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Speaking of the Pirates, Bucs president Frank Coonelly discussed the team's relief options and other topics in his monthly chat with fans on MLB.com.
  • With so many intriguing designated hitter possibilities on the market, Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees blog notes that it's an unfortunate time for the Yankees to be shifting Jorge Posada into the full-time DH spot.

Cubs, Rays Have Discussed Matt Garza

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10:53am: Major League sources tell David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com that the teams have discussed Garza, but other names have not been exchanged. Though the Cubs are willing to part with talent for the right-hander, the Rays would have to be overwhelmed to move him, Kaplan reports. 

8:32am: The Sun-Times report surprised club officials, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter). The Rays want a lot for Garza and may be inclined to wait until July. Earlier this morning, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported that a deal for Garza is not close and is more likely to occur in July than now (Twitter links).

7:41am: The Cubs are close to trading for Rays righty Matt Garza, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  He says the Cubs "appear to have moved past the Rangers" in their efforts to acquire the 27-year-old.  

Garza has been a hot topic all winter, with teams like the Nationals and Brewers also inquiring.  A deal has seemed unlikely up to this point, with manager Joe Maddon showing amusement with Winter Meetings trade rumors and saying, "Matt Garza will be pitching for us."  Executive VP Andrew Friedman indicated later that he's open-minded to any trade that meets the team's objectives, but he values his starting pitching depth highly.

Garza posted a 3.91 ERA, 6.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 1.2 HR/9, and 35.8% groundball rate in 204 2/3 innings this year.  He could earn $6MM+ in arbitration for 2011 and is under team control through '13 due to his Super Two status.  The Brewers had to give up Brett Lawrie to acquire Shaun Marcum from Toronto; in theory the price for Garza should be higher due to an extra year of control.

With Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Tom Gorzelanny, Randy Wells, and Carlos Silva already penciled into the Cubs' rotation, acquiring Garza would give the Cubs flexibility to move a starter unless Gorzelanny or Wells is part of the deal.

Rays, Others Interested In Delcarmen

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8:00pm: The Rays are one of "several teams" interested in Delcarmen, a baseball source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  Roughly a month ago it was said that two AL East clubs (but not the Red Sox) were showing interest in the reliever.

7:15pm: The Rays are showing interest in reliever Manny Delcarmen, writes Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.  Delcarmen, who turns 29-years-old next month, spent the first five seasons and change with the Red Sox before before being dealt to the Rockies in August.

In 57 appearances for Boston and Colorado last season, Delcarmen registered a 4.99 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9.  Just yesterday, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe warned readers "not to bet against the Rays" when it comes to the right-hander.

Reds Interested In Fred Lewis

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The Reds are looking for a versatile outfielder who bats from the left side and they are now interested in Fred Lewis, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The 30-year-old played all three outfield positions for the Blue Jays last year and boasts a .280/.354/.442 line against right-handed pitching in his five-year MLB career. That would make him a natural complement to Jonny Gomes, Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey, who all bat right-handed. Lewis is precisely the type of player the Reds would like to add.

“What we’re looking for is veteran outfielder, preferably a left-handed hitting outfielder," GM Walt Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer last week.

The team is also considering Scott Podsednik, who is versatile and left-handed, like Lewis. The Blue Jays non-tendered Lewis in December and he has since drawn interest from the Indians, Tigers, Mets and others. The Rays also checked in on Lewis, according to Morosi (on Twitter). However, their interest appears to be "extremely limited."

Lewis hit 31 doubles last year and posted a .262/.332/.414 line in 480 plate appearances for the Blue Jays.

Odds & Ends: Greinke, Young, Rangers, MacLane

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Links for Sunday….

  • SI.com's Jon Heyman says the "word is" that the Nationals offered Zack Greinke a big contract extension in an effort to entice him to join their team (Twitter links). He simply didn't believe the Nats could win, so he instead waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers. 
  • A source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Rangers and Rockies have not had any serious talks about Michael Young in the last week, so if he does get traded, it will likely be to a team that did not show much interest in him at the Winter Meetings (Twitter links). 
  • Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News offers a "semi-educated guess" that if the Rangers do sign Adrian Beltre, they'll shift Young to a DH/utility role rather than trade him (Twitter link).
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman passes along a Japanese report that has the Orix Buffaloes set to acquire Evan MacLane from the Cardinals. An official announcement is expected soon.
  • Cole Hamels and the Phillies haven't yet begun discussions for a multiyear extension, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted when he examined the Phillies' four aces, Hamels is arbitration eligible after next season and can become a free agent after 2012.
  • ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider required) shares a list of 36 potential MLB storylines for 2011. Olney's list includes the Albert Pujols negotiations, Heath Bell trade talks, and C.C. Sabathia's out clause.
  • The Jason Bartlett trade potentially opened up a spot on the 25-man roster for long-time Rays' farmhand Elliot Johnson, according to Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
  • WEEI's Rob Bradford and Alex Speier attempt to determine whether Hideki Okajima is likely to rebound for the Red Sox in 2011.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASN can't see the Orioles signing a full-time DH now that Derrek Lee is on board.
  • Police say Alfredo Simon is the primary suspect in a fatal shooting in the Dominican Republic, reports the Associated Press (via the Miami Herald). Simon insists he was not involved in the incident, according to Orioles Dominican representative Felipe Alou Jr.

Cafardo On Blanton, Beltre, Indians, LaRoche

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe names ten teams who might reap the benefits of bargain shopping as the winter winds down. The Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Angels top the list of clubs Cafardo thinks could make discounted moves in the coming weeks. Here are the rest of his hot stove notes:

  • While the Mets will be hunting for affordable starting pitching options, don't expect the Phillies to trade Joe Blanton within the division.
  • The Angels are making sure they don't bid against themselves on Adrian Beltre, and could eventually land the third baseman for a lesser price than Scott Boras is seeking.
  • The Indians could make some more moves if they want to continue stockpiling prospects. Other teams would have interest in players like Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, and Fausto Carmona, while Cleveland would "love to trade" Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner.
  • The Nationals "know it’s tough to get players to buy into the future of the team," writes Cafardo. As such, they may eventually commit to Adam LaRoche for the three years he's looking for.
  • Jim Masteralexis, Manny Delcarmen's agent, says several teams are interested in his client, and Cafardo warns not to bet against the Rays.
  • Carl Pavano may make a decision this week, and it appears that while he'd prefer to return to Minnesota, the Nationals will offer the better contract. Of course, we already saw one top free agent pitcher choose comfort over more guaranteed money, when Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies.

Several Teams Interested In Brian Fuentes

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SATURDAY: Having added Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox appear out of the running for Fuentes, tweets Heyman. However, the Rays, Yankees, and a handful of other teams are still showing interest.

THURSDAY: The Rays appear to be very interested in Fuentes and are pursuing him, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.

TUESDAY: SI's Jon Heyman pegs the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays, Rockies, Mariners, Twins, Pirates, Phillies, Brewers, Yankees, and Mets as teams with some interest in free agent lefty reliever Brian Fuentes.

If Fuentes is still looking for Scott Downs money, as ESPN's Buster Olney suggested 12 days ago, many of those eleven teams will drop out.  I'm skeptical the Red Sox would sign Fuentes, as he'd be a luxury and they'd be hit with a 30% added tax.  The Blue Jays appear close with Octavio Dotel, the Rockies just added Matt Lindstrom, the Brewers signed Takashi Saito, the Yankees added Pedro Feliciano, the Twins have big commitments to Joe Nathan and Matt Capps, and the Phillies and Mets appear nearly tapped out on payroll.

The Blue Jays, Rays, Mariners, Twins, Pirates, Yankees, and Mets do seem destined to add relievers, though I can see a shift toward a buyer's market a few weeks from now.

The Rays & Brian Fuentes

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Multiple reports have linked the Rays to Brian Fuentes since Tuesday, so their interest in the left-hander appears legitimate. Let's start to determine whether there's a fit here by analyzing the Rays' needs and Fuentes' asking price:

What Fuentes can offer the Rays

  • The Rays' 'pen features new faces like Joel Peralta and Adam Russell, but lacks a clear late inning option for Joe Maddon. Fuentes, a four-time All-Star, could be an effective closer in 2011. He posted a 2.81 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 last year, saving 24 games. 
  • He's durable enough to have appeared in over 45 games for eight consecutive seasons. 
  • Fuentes would also balance out the team's bullpen, which lacks established southpaws now that Randy Choate has signed with the Marlins.
  • He's a fly ball pitcher, but Tampa is not a bad destination for pitchers who induce lots of fly balls, since the Rays outfield ranked third in baseball in UZR/150 last year. That stat takes Carl Crawford's standout defense into consideration, but remember that the candidates to replace Crawford are capable defenders. Matt Joyce's defense was strong in limited 2010 action and Desmond Jennings has a reputation as an athletic defender, too.
  • Fuentes is quite effective against lefties, but against righties his walk rate rises (to 4.2 BB/9 in his career) and his strikeout rate dips (to 9.2 K/9 in his career).

What the Rays can offer Fuentes

  • They probably can't offer more than $5MM per season on a multiyear deal, but that's what Fuentes is looking for, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. They can offer him the chance to close games, an opportunity that only certain teams can offer.
  • Fuentes has reportedly drawn interest from 11 teams, but not all of them can offer him a role on a contender. The Rays won't be the favorites to win the AL East in 2011, but could contend for the playoffs. 

The price figures to be a point of contention for the Rays and Fuentes' representatives at Beverly Hills Sports Council. But from a baseball standpoint, the match makes sense. The Rays could balance out their righty-heavy 'pen with Fuentes, who could become the team's go-to reliever in critical late-inning situations.

Rosenthal On Fuentes, Soriano, Keppinger

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The Red Sox, Rays, Yankees and Twins are among the many teams interested in Brian Fuentes, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. There’s some question as to whether Fuentes is truly a closer, but his asking price suggests he views himself as one. Here’s the latest on Fuentes and more notes from around the majors:

  • Fuentes is asking for over $5MM per season on a multiyear deal, according to Rosenthal.
  • The Yankees are not after Rafael Soriano, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter). They have inquired on the Scott Boras client, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. 
  • Talks between the Yankees and Jeff Keppinger went nowhere, Rosenthal reports (on Twitter). The Astros have acquired Clint Barmes and Bill Hall this offseason, making Keppinger expendable. The Yankees, however, could rely on Eduardo Nunez instead.
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