AL Central Notes: Dunn, Buehrle, Tigers
Four teams are within five games of the American League Central lead. The Tigers and Indians are tied atop the division and the White Sox (4.5 games behind) and Twins (5.0 games behind) are within striking distance. Here's the latest…
- Slumping White Sox slugger Adam Dunn told Yahoo's Jeff Passan that he has contemplated quitting the game, though he can't imagine actually doing so. "I enjoy playing," Dunn said. "Even though I suck. Or have been sucking. I enjoy playing the game. Love it. But as soon as I lose that, I’m gone, dude. It’s true."
- White Sox starter Mark Buehrle confirmed to Passan that he would block trades to certain teams. The left-hander, who has ten and five rights, isn’t sure he’d want to remain with another team in 2012. If he gets traded, a clause in Buehrle’s contract causes a $15MM option to kick in for '12.
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski made it clear that he's still looking for starting pitching, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
West Notes: Pentland, Bell, Breslow, Bedard
The latest on a few AL and NL West clubs…
- The Dodgers fired hitting coach Jeff Pentland and named Dave Hansen interim coach through season's end, the team announced on Twitter. Not that it's entirely Pentland's fault, but the Dodgers are 15th in the NL with 3.63 runs scored per game.
- Padres closer Heath Bell appeared on ESPN's Doug Gottlieb show yesterday. He thinks his top three suitors are the Rangers, Phillies, and Cardinals, and believes he'd probably close only for the Cards. SI's Jon Heyman says the Padres have considered taking draft picks for Bell after the season or re-signing him if they don't get what they want this month. Heyman lists the Phillies, Reds, Rangers, Cardinals, Pirates, Angels, (and the White Sox and Yankees to a lesser degree) as suitors. By the way, check out our Bell archive over at CloserNews for fantasy advice.
- Athletics lefty Craig Breslow interests the Brewers, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi expects many A's to be dealt this month, and notes that the Rangers, Orioles, Giants, Pirates, Blue Jays, Brewers and Reds scouted Tuesday's game in Detroit.
- Trade candidate Erik Bedard will likely have his return delayed until after the Mariners' series with Boston at Fenway this weekend, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. He might have one start to display his health prior to the July deadline.
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik told SI's Jon Heyman he hasn't heard nor has he asked about his situation. Zduriencik's contract is up after this season.
- Dodgers GM Ned Colletti explained to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times that "it's not that cut and dry" to label his club buyers or sellers. Though the team has no chance in 2011, Colletti may be willing to acquire players who are controlled beyond this year.
Rosenthal On GM Job Security
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tells us which GMs are on the hot seat in his latest column. A few details…
- Ed Wade (Astros) and Jim Hendry (Cubs) are deemed to be on the hot seat. New Astros owner Jim Crane is expected to try to lure Rays decision-maker Andrew Friedman with the chance to run his hometown team. As for the Cubs, Rosenthal finds speculation of a Pat Gillick-Hendry pairing to be far-fetched. Rosenthal notes that the Cubs job, which has been occupied by Hendry for more than nine years, "might draw interest from some of the game's top current GMs."
- Jack Zduriencik (Mariners), Tony Reagins (Angels), and Dave Dombrowski (Tigers) are viewed as "less than secure."
- Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Andy MacPhail (Orioles) are in the final year of their contracts. Rosenthal says "even some of Cashman’s friends in the industry think he might be ready to bolt." Rosenthal says it'd be an upset if MacPhail returns for Baltimore.
- Ned Colletti (Dodgers) and Kenny Williams (White Sox) are in unusual positions. Colletti has an out after 2012, and of course his club is a picture of uncertainty. As for Williams, he could theoretically become club president to allow the team to retain Rick Hahn, but Rosenthal's sources believe "such an arrangement would be difficult on both men."
- Rosenthal tosses a "you never know" tag on Doug Melvin (Brewers) and Bill Smith (Twins), but finds the Pirates' Neal Huntington secure.
- We'll have much more on the topic of GM candidates next month. But in MLBTR's survey of dozens of team executives and agents, the following people were named as candidates at least five times: Hahn, Jerry Dipoto, Thad Levine, David Forst, Ben Cherington, Tony LaCava, Mike Chernoff, Bryan Minniti, A.J. Preller, and Billy Eppler.
Quick Hits: Iwakuma, Cintron, Twins, Buehrle
Links for Monday as the Indians and Pirates claim sole possession of first place in their respective divisions…
- Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker previews the NPB players who may be available to Major League teams after the season, including starter Hisashi Iwakuma and former big leaguer Matt Murton.
- The Hiroshima Carp signed Brian Barton, according to a report on Sanspo. The 30-year-old infielder has experience with three MLB teams and last played in the big leagues for last year's Marlins team.
- The agent for Alex Cintron told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that his client is looking to un-retire and play in the Major Leagues again (Twitter link).
- Twins assistant GM Rob Antony said on 1500 ESPN's "Sunday Morning SportsTalk" show that Minnesota would like to add a middle reliever and may go outside of the organization for help. Tom Pelissero has the details on the Twins, who started the day just five games out of first place.
- White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen told Brett Ballantini of CSNChicago.com that he and GM Kenny Williams want to re-sign Mark Buehrle after the season, when the left-hander is eligible for free agency. The White Sox have not discussed years or money with Buehrle, who has hinted at retirement in the past. Buehrle allowed two earned runs in seven innings as the White Sox beat the Royals tonight.
Gammons Talks Trade Market
Peter Gammons spoke with a host of scouts, general managers, and MLB executives, all of which is compiled in his latest piece at MLB.com, which is chock full of trade-related news:
- The Astros are asking for as much in return for Wandy Rodriguez as the Rockies are for Ubaldo Jimenez. General manager Ed Wade is in a difficult position, caught between an ownership change.
- Half a dozen teams are looking for right-handed offense, but the Rockies won't trade Ryan Spilborghs and the Cubs are holding onto Jeff Baker. Gammons says that reduces that market to Conor Jackson, Josh Willingham, Reed Johnson, Lastings Milledge, and Jeff Francoeur. The Twins recently announced they won't trade Michael Cuddyer as well.
- The Dodgers want to shed salary, but don't have much to shed besides Jamey Carroll and Hiroki Kuroda. Gammons spoke with two East coast executives that said Kuroda, who has a full no-trade clause, won't accept a deal to an East Coast team.
- The Athletics will move veteran bats and probably a reliever or two.
- The Mariners won't have a fire sale, and aren't likely to get much for Erik Bedard in light of his injury.
- The Nationals are willing to trade Tyler Clippard, and have been continually pursuing Michael Bourn. They're also one of several teams who showed interest in Julio Borbon prior to his injury.
- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is in a tough spot because he doesn't know which way owner Peter Angelos wants him to go, according to a rival GM.
- Jordan Pacheco and Wilin Rosario make it possible for the Rockies to trade Chris Iannetta, but the Red Sox seem content wth their catching options.
Rosenthal On Phillies, Adams, Royals, Guthrie
It's been a busy weekend for FOX's Ken Rosenthal, who brought us a pair of rumor-packed videos yesterday. He shared a few more tidbits this morning in his newest column, so let's check out the highlights….
- The Phillies are telling teams that they can add about $2MM in salary, which would keep them below the luxury tax threshold. They would also prefer to trade for players they can control through at least 2012, which makes rentals like Carlos Beltran or Heath Bell less appealing.
- Mike Adams is one player under control past this season who has drawn "serious interest" from the Phillies, as we heard yesterday. But the Yankees and Rangers, among other teams, are also very interested in the righty.
- The Royals are pushing to trade Melky Cabrera rather than Jeff Francoeur.
- The Mets attempted to restructure Francisco Rodriguez's contract before sending him to the Brewers, ultimately deciding that trading their closer was the "cleaner" solution.
- When John Danks comes off the disabled list this week, trade talks involving Edwin Jackson could heat up. Given Jake Peavy's injury history though, moving Jackson would be a risky move for a White Sox team just four games back in the AL Central.
- The Orioles are willing to listen to offers for Jeremy Guthrie, but would want pitching back in any trade.
- While they'd like to add a bat, the Indians may need a starting pitcher even more, since they have some question marks at the back of their rotation.
Quick Hits: Romero, Melky, Michael, Mondesi, Bailey
Saturday evening linkage..
- The Mets have signed infielder Niuman Romero to a minor league contract, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (on Twitter). Romero appeared in two games for the Red Sox last season and hit .222/.294/.244 in 159 plate appearances in the Phillies' and Blue Jays' farm systems this year.
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that the Giants, Angels, and Phillies are among the teams with some level of interest in Melky Cabrera. The Melkman has delivered a .293/.332/.452 line for the Royals this season.
- The Twins are making progress in talks with first round pick Levi Michael, tweets LaVelle E. Neal III of The Star Tribune. Michael was the 30th overall pick, which carries a slot recommendation of $1.1MM or so.
- Adalberto Mondesi, the 16-year-old son of Raul Mondesi, is expected to sign for $1MM when eligible in two weeks according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes (link in Spanish). Rojas says the Royals have the inside track, but the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Athletics are also interested. Make sure you tell your friends about our Spanish-language sister site Rumores de Beisbol.
- Yesterday we learned that the Athletics have received calls on closer Andrew Bailey. Two sources tell Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that the Rangers are among those teams and the A's have at started looking more in-depth at Texas' farm system.
- The Braves are in search of a bat, but Athletics outfielder Josh Willingham isn’t high on their list, a source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Earlier today, ESPN's Buster Olney wrote that Willingham "is going to be traded at some point".
- With their payroll already at an all-time high, the White Sox might be better off making in-house moves rather than deals, writes MLB.com's Scott Merkin. If GM Ken Williams & Co. do make a deal they may look to land a right-handed reliever, despite the emergence of Brian Bruney.
- Rival evaluators say that the degree of separation in the standings could impact the the aggressiveness of the Phillies, Braves, and Giants before the deadline, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
- The Cardinals have been one of the most aggressive teams in baseball as far as looking at starters, a source tells Morosi (via Twitter).
White Sox Sign Doug Davis
Doug Davis' stint with the Cubs didn't work out particularly well, so he'll try his luck with Chicago's other team. The White Sox signed Davis to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez, who suggests that the veteran left-hander will likely provide rotation depth in the minor leagues.
The Cubs signed Davis to a minor league deal in April after he worked out for a number of interested teams. The 35-year-old started nine games for the Cubs and posted a 6.50 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 in 45 2/3 innings. The Cubs released Davis after he gave up ten runs in one game to the Giants, who are 15th in the National League in runs scored.
Heyman’s Latest: K-Rod, Jackson, Twins, Reyes
Let's round up the latest from SI.com's Jon Heyman…
- The Mets were telling interested clubs that Francisco Rodriguez would be with a new team "within 48 hours" of the reliever's decision to switch agents and hire Scott Boras. The trade with the Brewers was announced four days later.
- Heyman lists 40 players that could be traded before the deadline, headlined by the usual suspects: Carlos Beltran, Heath Bell, B.J. Upton, and Josh Willingham.
- "Calls are coming in" about Edwin Jackson, and the White Sox will have the rotation depth to move him once John Danks returns from the disabled list.
- Jose Reyes has told the Mets he won't negotiate a contract extension during the season, but he hasn't completely ruled out an extension with a new team if traded.
- The Mets are "unlikely" to trade Mike Pelfrey, despite his climbing salary.
- The Twins are telling teams they're going for it.
- Beltran's salary would be an issue for both the Indians and Reds, though Cleveland is looking for an outfield bat.
- In a tweet, Heyman notes that the Reds and Phillies match up well with the Padres for a trade, since both teams are looking for a right-handed outfield bat and bullpen help. San Diego has Ryan Ludwick and a stable of quality relievers to offer.
Quick Hits: Cardinals, Tigers, Rays, Peacock
That terrified gasp you heard earlier this evening was from Blue Jays fans and Jose Bautista fantasy owners. The star slugger was forced to leave Toronto's 16-7 win over the Yankees due to a twisted right ankle suffered in the fourth inning. X-rays were negative and Bautista will likely undergo an MRI tomorrow, reports Shi Davidi of Rogers Sportsnet.
Some news from around the majors…
- The Cardinals are shopping for both starting and relief pitching, but their trade efforts are complicated by the Albert Pujols negotiations looming this winter, writes MLB.com's Matthew Leach. There's also pressure on the club to win now since this could be the last season for both Pujols and Chris Carpenter in St. Louis.
- Speaking of pressure, it "might be higher than ever" in Detroit since GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland are both in the last year of their contracts, notes MLB.com's Jason Beck. The Tigers are also looking to add starting pitching and possibly a right-handed reliever, though Beck says the club will look internally (possibly the returning Carlos Guillen) to solve its second base problem.
- With their next seven games against the Red Sox and Yankees, the Rays may know by next week if they will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, writes MLB.com's Bill Chastain. If the Rays are in contention, however, Andrew Friedman says it doesn't mean the Rays will deal prospects for big upgrades since "because of our situation, our prospects mean more to us than any other team in baseball."
- Brad Peacock is now represented by the ACES agency, reports MLBTR's Tim Dierkes (Twitter link). The Nationals right-hander was a 41st-round pick in the 2006 draft but was recently ranked as the 42st-best minor leaguer in the game on Baseball America's midseason prospect list.
- The White Sox have signed third-round draft pick Jeff Soptic, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America. Soptic's contract bonus was worth $320K, $40.1K over MLB's recommended slot price for the 110th overall pick.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy runs down the week's minor league transactions.
- A source tells Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles that the Angels are "pinching pennies" and won't be looking to add payroll at the trade deadline.