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NL Notes: Wrigley, Cubs, Rockies, Nationals

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The Wrigley Field improvement project received final approval from the Chicago City Council yesterday. That does not necessarily mean, however, that all obstacles to half-billion-dollar renovation plan are out of the way. Both the Cubs and the Wrigleyville Rooftops Association are still speaking publicly about possible court battles. Cubs' executives have repeatedly cited the resolution of the Wrigley Field improvement issues as a key factor in increasing the team's payroll. Here's more from the Cubs and the rest of the National League …

  • According to team president Theo Epstein, "it's been a great month for the Cubs," reports Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times. While he warns that "progress won't be linear" and declined to put a timetable on the big club's return to contention, Epstein expressed excitement over the team's future.
  • With the Rockies suffering a disheartening sweep at the hands of the Braves, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes that team ownership should (but won't) either sell its interest in the club or "clean house." Less dramatically, Saunders suggests some moves that the Rockies should make to continue their upward trajectory next season. Among them: extend left-handed starter Jorge De La Rosa, add at least one veteran starter, move Michael Cuddyer to first base, and pick up a power-hitting corner outfielder in free agency.
  • The Nationals' recently-promoted GM (and now President of Baseball Operations) Mike Rizzo will look to improve the club's bench over the month of August, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. The Nats made one of the most impactful post-deadline deals in baseball last year, adding Kurt Suzuki to bolster a thin catching corps over the stretch run. With the Nationals hanging on by a thread as a plausible postseason candidate, Rizzo is understandably uninterested in pursuing players that are pure rentals.

Nationals Extend, Promote Mike Rizzo

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The Nationals announced that Mike Rizzo has signed a new long-term contract with the team and has been promoted to the position of President of Baseball Operations.  The exact length of the deal is not yet known for Rizzo, who will still keep the mantle of General Manager.

Rizzo, who was appointed GM in 2009 after serving as assistant GM since 2006, has been working on a new deal with the Nats since April.  Last year, in his fourth year at the helm, Washington won an MLB-best 98 games and the NL East title.

“Upon purchasing the Nationals, Mike Rizzo was our first hire and he has performed brilliantly,” said managing principal owner Theodore N. Lerner in the statement. “We started with an idea about how baseball teams should be built and he translated it into a reality far faster than many could have imagined. He knows the game, the players, and is a true professional. Under his direct leadership, the Nationals have become one of the most exciting and respected young teams in baseball.”

The Nationals exercised their 2014 option on Rizzo's contract in late April as they continued to negotiate on a fresh contract.  Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post speculated at the time that the move might have created a fizzure betwen the GM and the club since his that contract put him in the bottom third of salary for his position.  If there was an issue between the two sides, it appears to be water under the bridge with today's announcement. 

July Trade Recap: NL East

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Last to go in recapping the month's trade activity is the all-around disappointing National League East, which was far and away the quietest of baseball's six divisions over the month of July …

Braves

Marlins

Mets

  • Did not make a trade.

Nationals

Phillies

  • Did not make a trade.

Synopsis

Seriously, that's it: four deals among five teams. Given the way things have shaken out in the division over the past two years, however, this result is somewhat less surprising than at first blush.

Firstly, the Braves and Nationals are both balanced teams that lack areas ripe for upgrades. To be sure, only one of those teams has performed to expectations, but the point stands. Atlanta had some space open in its bullpen after losing some key setup men earlier in the year, and it made a relatively simply move to shore up its relief corps. Starting pitching and reserve infielder were both areas where the Braves could have made a move, but the team certainly has adequate internal options in those spots and the division is pretty well in hand. Likewise, for the underperforming Nationals, there were no obvious holes to plug once the team added a veteran right-handed bench bat in Hairston. While there was some talk that the team could shop for a starter, the organization is hardly without options and would have been ill-advised to give up much of anything given its current playoff prospects. On the other side of the coin, the Nats are largely devoid of obvious sell options, particularly since the team figures to maintain the bulk of its roster makeup going into next season.

On the bottom of the division, meanwhile, the Marlins shipped out their last obvious trade piece when they sent Nolasco to the Dodgers. While relievers Steve Cishek and Mike Dunn both could have been deal, they are cheap and under team control for the next several seasons. Outfielder Justin Ruggiano and third baseman Placido Polanco both were plausible trade candidates, but neither would have brought much of anything in return. Of course, the elephant in the Marlins' shiny new ballpark is star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. While he would have been the undisputed prize of the deadline season, conflicting reports have emerged on whether or not the team ever really considered dealing him. Certainly, Miami can achieve plenty of value from their superstar should they decide to market him in the offseason, and it is not difficult to imagine that the team would prefer to keep him (along with those fans that have stuck with the club through some difficult recent times).

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the Marlins — who have already shed virtually all substantial present and future salary commitments — is the Phillies. Full of high-priced veterans of varying degress of attractiveness to other teams, the club did nothing at the deadline, much to the consternation of many interested observers. Philadelphia seems sunk for this season, and next year does not look much more promising. The team reportedly was unwilling to part with aging-but-productive franchise cornerstone Chase Utley and placed a high price on expensive ace Cliff Lee, both of whom likely would have brought back nice returns. (The team is apparently exploring an extension with Utley, though it should be noted that he would be a candidate for a qualifying offer that could return value.) GM Ruben Amaro Jr. also refused to budge on veterans Michael Young and Carlos Ruiz; while neither would have yielded much in prospect value, it would have been nice to shed their fairly sizable salaries. All in all, barring some action in the August trade market, it has been a confounding mid-season for the Phils.

It is tempting to view the inaction of the Mets in the same light as that of the Phillies. After all, the team is going nowhere this season. But only low-priced outfielder Marlon Byrd was a glaring trade candidate amongst the team's veterans, and with no salary to shed there was little reason to move him if nothing worthwhile was offered. Apparently, there was little interest in other possibilities like Daniel Murphy, John Buck, and Eric Young Jr., and there were good reasons to hang onto all three. (Murphy and Young both have several years of team control remaining and likely have more upside than whatever they might have returned, while Buck is handling the team's prized young pitchers.) Likewise, closer Bobby Parnell is relatively cheap, young, and under team control. Without knowing what (if anything) was offered for any of New York's assets, it is hard to judge the club too harshly for standing pat. 

Kelly Shoppach Opts Out

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Catcher Kelly Shoppach has exercised his opt-out clause with the Nationals and is now a free agent, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  The LSW Baseball client signed a minor league deal with the Nats in early July.

Prior to signing with Washington, the 33-year-old hit just .196/.293/.346 in 125 plate appearances for the Mariners. In parts of nine seasons with the Indians, Rays, Red Sox, Mets and Mariners, Shoppach has a .224/.314/.413 slash line.

NL East Rumors: Nationals, Phillies, Lidge

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"We are certainly not giving up on this season," Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Having won three in a row, the Nats are seven games back in the wild card.  Rizzo would like to improve his current team, but plans to avoid rentals.  "I'm not concerned that we need to go out and get a starting pitcher," he added in talking to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  Rizzo also downplayed suggestions of a rift with manager Davey Johnson, after the GM's decision to fire hitting coach Rick Eckstein.  More from the NL East…

NL East Notes: Phillies, Gonzalez, Braves, Nationals

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Marlins hitting coach Tino Martinez resigned today amid allegations of verbal and physical abuse of players, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Two sources told Spencer the agent for recently-demoted second baseman Derek Dietrich contacted the team several months ago to report an incident where Martinez erupted in anger unjustly and grabbed a player by his neck and neck chain. The MLBPA was notified of the alleged incident, as well as others involving Martinez, and the union then contacted the Commisioner's office and that office was expected to contact the Marlins on Tuesday, Spencer reports. Martinez, who had never been a Major League coach before this season, was owner Jeffrey Loria’s hand-picked selection to become Marlins' hitting coach. The Red Sox also had interest in hiring Martinez before he took the job with the Marlins. In other news and notes coming from the NL East:

  • The Phillies are still not acknowledging the signing of Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez as sources say the Cuban right-hander is awaiting visa approval, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Gonzalez reportedly agreed to a six-year, $48MM contract with the Phillies, which could be worth as much as $59MM.
  • Gelb also tweeted that Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins indicated he is not willing to waive his no-trade clause, if asked.
  • There is no indication the Phillies are aggressively taking offers for Chase Utley in the event a contract extension cannot be reached, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
  • The Braves have not had any conversations with the Royals regarding Ervin Santana, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told reporters, including the Washington Times' Amanda Comak, he would like to add some more depth before the Trade Deadline. "If we could tweak or improve certain spots on the bench, I think that would be one place that we would attack," Rizzo said. "We’ve got a lot of trade discussions. We’ve received calls, we’ve made calls." 
  • Manager Terry Collins doesn't expect the Mets to make any moves prior to the Trade Deadline, reports Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Marlon Byrd is the Met name most mentioned in trade rumors and a team source tells Ackert the asking price is a top 10-15 prospect. 

Sherman’s Latest: Norris, Nationals, Stanton, Cubs

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Earlier today, Joel Sherman of the New York Post was the first to report that Corey Black would he headed from the Yankees to the Cubs in this morning's Alfonso Soriano trade. Here's more from Sherman (all Twitter links) on a plethora of topics as the trade deadline continues to draw nearer…

  • The Braves were already interested in Bud Norris prior to Tim Hudson's season-ending injury, and that loss has only intensified their pursuit, Sherman reports. Yesterday, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reported that the Braves were in active pursuit of Norris.
  • The Nationals are focusing their efforts on starting pitching with Taylor Jordan on an innings limit and concerns surrounding Ross Detwiler's injuries, according to Sherman.
  • Sherman tweets that the Rangers and Pirates regularly check in with the Marlins in regard to Giancarlo Stanton but are turned away each time. The decision comes straight from ownership, as Jeffrey Loria does not want to see Stanton traded.
  • The Cubs' plan this summer was to jump the starting pitching market early, before Jake Peavy and Ervin Santana were ready to be traded. Following their early trades of Scott Feldman and Matt Garza, the focus shifted to moving as much of Alfonso Soriano's contract as possible. With those goals accomplished, the Cubs will move bullpen pieces and are "definitely" listening to offers for right fielder Nate Schierholtz, Sherman reports.

NL East Notes: Brown, Utley, Byrd, Storen, Nats

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Earlier today, the Phillies placed Domonic Brown on the seven-day disabled list with concussion-like symptoms. The move was retroactive to July 24, meaning he'd be eligible to return next Wednesday. As general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. noted to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the speed with which Brown can return will have an impact on the team's decision to buy or sell heading into the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Here's more on the Phillies and the rest of th NL East…

  • Also from Salisbury's piece, Amaro was hesitant to discuss reports that he and his staff are working on an extension for Chase Utley. Salisbury writes that if the Phillies don't think they can sign him long-term, they'll probably move him. When asked if Utley will be a Phillie after the deadline, Amaro replied, "I would think so."
  • Many teams are keeping an eye on Marlon Byrd whether they admit to it or not, a Major League executive told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets are still planning to hang onto both Byrd and Bobby Parnell, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reported today. Martino cites a source "with direct knowledge of the Mets' plans" as saying the pair will remain with the team unless they receive an offer they simply can't turn down.
  • Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post examines the uncertainty that surrounds the Nationals' bullpen, noting that it's possible the team could option former closer Drew Storen to the minors to rediscover himself. Storen has a 5.40 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 9.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 41 2/3 innings this season.
  • Kilgore also notes that it's likely the Nationals will trade one of their relievers this offseason. Rafael Soriano is set to make $14MM in 2014, while Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard will both receive raises on their respective 2013 salaries of $2.5MM and $4MM via arbitration. Kilgore notes that the Nats could do what would've seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago by trading one of their relievers now in order to maximize the return.

Stark’s Latest: Brewers, Ruggiano, Young, Storen

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ESPN's Jayson Stark quotes a number of executives who feel the trade deadline has lost its luster since many teams have locked up their top young players, teams are reluctant to acquire rental players who carry no draft pick compensation as free agents, and the second wild card has narrowed the market of outright sellers to just a few teams.  That said, Stark still has lots of hot stove items for us in his latest Rumblings & Grumblings column…

  • Ryan Braun's suspension could drastically change the Brewers' perspective on trading some veteran stars.  While Francisco Rodriguez was indeed traded just a day after Braun's suspension was announced, Stark hears that the Brewers are asking for a lot in deals.  "One of the problems with dealing with Milwaukee is that [their] trade for [Jean] Segura last year was so one-sided that they want another tilted deal. Not going to happen," an AL executive said.
  • The price for Kyle Lohse, for instance, involves the price of a first-round pick.  The Crew gave up as first-rounder as compensation for signing Lohse as a free agent in the spring.
  • Three scouts who have recently seen Yovani Gallardo say he's been pitching like a fourth or fifth starter.  Gallardo in his prime was "close to an ace. [But] lots of pitches on that arm from then to now. He can really pitch, but his stuff [has gone] way back," one scout said.  Gallardo has a 4.58 ERA and a career-worst 7.2 K/9 in 21 starts this season, plus he's lost two miles of velocity off his fastball.
  • We'd heard that the Yankees and Rangers had checked in on Marlins outfielder Justin Ruggiano, and Stark adds the Phillies and Giants to the list of a half-dozen interested teams.  The Marlins weren't too keen on dealing Ruggiano but he could be expendable now that Christian Yellich and Jake Marisnick have been called up.
  • The Phillies' next five games "will determine Michael Young's fate more than anyone else on their roster," said one executive who has talked to the club.  Young is seen as "pretty much a lock" to be dealt if the Phils struggle during their road trip through St. Louis and Detroit this week.  The Phillies dropped a 4-1 result to the Cardinals last night.
  • Jonathan Papelbon hasn't been made available by the Phillies but even if he was, one AL executive thinks Papelbon's contract makes him "practically untradable."
  • Stark thinks the Phillies and Marlins are good trade partners on paper since the Phils could use Ruggiano or any of Miami's good relievers.  The Marlins aren't willing to move anyone unless they get a great offer, however, and the Phillies aren't willing to move any of their top prospects to facilitate a deal.
  • The Nationals could listen on a good offer for Drew Storen, the former first-round pick who is struggling through a tough year.  The Nats are in a tough spot trade-wise, however, since the team is largely set at every position yet are still in need of hitting.
  • Alex Rios' long slump has lowered his trade value and the White Sox will be hard-pressed to find a team to meet their asking price for the right fielder.  The Rangers still have some interest in Rios, as they're looking for an outfielder that can be controlled beyond this season.
  • The Red Sox are seen as very likely to add pitching before the deadline.  Boston has been linked to Jake Peavy and were interested in Francisco Rodriguez before the Orioles got him. 
  • The Braves have targeted Oliver Perez and Charlie Furbush of the Mariners, Scott Downs of the Angels, Mike Dunn of the Marlins and James Russell of the Cubs in their search for left-handed relief pitching.  While Atlanta has been looking at these names and others, however, Stark says the team isn't close to a deal.
  • In regards to the Biogenesis scandal, Stark hears from an attorney who believes "virtually every case will be settled by a plea deal.  You're going to see a lot of pleas. You're going to see a lot of deals."
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