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Quick Hits: Minaya, Weaver, Danks, Zimmerman

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Emilio "Millito" Navarro, believed to be the oldest living professional baseball player at 105, passed away in Puerto Rico today. The former Negro Leaguer also played in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico during his career. Our condolences go out to his family.

  • Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that former Mets GM Omar Minaya has spent the past two days on a "friendly visit" with Indians GM Chris Antonetti, president Mark Shapiro, and manager Manny Acta. Cleveland interviewed former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes during the offseason, and Hoynes says Antonetti has "made [it] no secret that he'd like to add the right person to the front office."
  • While researching the impending free agency of young stars, SI's Jon Heyman (via Twitter) learned that we can count on Jered Weaver and John Danks filing after 2012.
  • It's been a bad day for star third basemen, writes Justin Sablich of the New York Times.  The Giants lost Pablo Sandoval for 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his right wrist and the Nationals announced that Ryan Zimmerman, who has been on the disabled list since April 12, will miss at least an another six weeks.  If both players return within those timeframes, it's unlikely that either squad will look for an out-of-house fill-in.
  • Matt Klaassen of Fangraphs questions the Blue Jays' wisdom in demoting Travis Snider to work on his hitting after just 99 plate appearances in 2011.

Rosenthal On Reyes, Rodriguez, Nationals, Orioles

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brings us some interesting tidbits in this week's installment of Full Count..

  • The Mets will not sign Jose Reyes to a monster contract similar to the one given to Carl Crawford (seven-years, $142MM).  However, despite the Mets' financial troubles, keeping Reyes is not out of the question if he's willing to accept a shorter deal in the vicinity of three-years, $45-50MM.  Reyes, if healthy, will get more than that on the open market but it's still not a sure thing that the club will deal him.  They'll have to consider their position in the standings, how it would impact attendance, and what the return in a trade would be versus the high draft picks they would get if Reyes left via free agency.
  • The Mets won't have to worry about Francisco Rodriguez finishing 55 games if they deal him to a club that would use him as a set-up man as opposed to a closer.  The Rangers, for example, have Neftali Feliz (if healthy) to finish games.  K-Rod can block deals to as many as ten clubs as part of his deal but the Mets, to facilitate this deal, would gladly pick up the $3.5MM buyout to get rid of him.
  • Nationals manager Jim Riggleman is one of a handful of managers whose future is uncertain beyond this season.  The club has yet to pick up his option for '12 even though most in the game say that the Nats are on the right track.  Riggleman's agent told Rosenthal that he is hopeful that the club will either exercise the option or sign him to a multi-year deal by Father's Day.
  • The Orioles collected a number of veterans on one-year deals thinking that, at the very least, they'd have trade chips at the deadline.  General Manager Andy MacPhail & Co. may need to think again as Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero have done very little at the plate and J.J. Hardy has missed most of the year with an oblique injury.  All of this could change, but Rosenthal wonders if manager Buck Showalter and owner Peter Angelos would even approve of a sell-off.

Red Sox Continue Eyeing Catching Help

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The Red Sox continue to look out for possible catching help and the names on their potential wish list include Bengie Molina, Ivan Rodriguez and Chris Snyder, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Peter Gammons said today on WEEI’s Mut & Merloni show that the Red Sox are prepared to continue with Jason Varitek and Jarrod Saltalamacchia even though they’ve considered other options. 

“I know what they were trying to do. They looked around. They didn’t have money to spend,” Gammons said. “They couldn’t go get Bengie Molina. They weren’t going to spend the money at this point.”

Boston’s interest in Snyder would likely fade if Pittsburgh’s asking price is high and Rosenthal hears that the Pirates are pleased with the catcher’s game calling and receiving ability so far in 2011. He's hitting at a respectable .333/.387/.407 clip so far and Arizona is responsible for $3MM of the $6.5MM remaining on his contract. As a result, it doesn’t appear that the Pirates are intent on moving him.

Gammons noted that the Red Sox don’t feel they have the answer to their catching issues in the minor leagues. That means trade chatter will likely continue until their current catchers start hitting or they make a move.

Stark On Millwood, Nationals, Fuld

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ESPN.com's Jayson Stark breaks down the possible implications of expanded playoffs before providing some rumblings from around the league. Here they are:

  • Even though Kevin Millwood has won both of his minor league starts and posted a 1.29 ERA, scouts say he doesn’t look very good. Millwood, whose fastball is averaging 85 mph, can opt out of his contact with the Yankees this Sunday.
  • Rival teams are eyeing the Nationals’ catching depth, but they’re finding that after missing two seasons with labrum surgery, Jesus Flores isn’t ready.
  • Sam Fuld has become an important piece for the Rays, but the Cubs expected to move him last offseason, according to Stark. Fuld had a history of getting injured, was behind Kosuke Fukudome and Tyler Colvin on the depth chart and was out of options and when the Cubs sent him to the Rays.

Center Field Options For The Nationals

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Six days ago, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Nationals are searching for a center field upgrade.  They haven't talked to the Rays about B.J. Upton, but it's unlikely we'll see any significant trades in general until the second half of June anyway.  Which center fielders might be available this summer aside from Upton?  We won't consider those who will be eligible for free agency after the season, other than Sizemore.

  • Angel Pagan, Mets.  Pagan will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season, so the Mets might not consider him their long-term answer in center field. Would Sandy Alderson be open to sending him to a division rival?  He's struggling so far in his second full season as a regular.
  • Marlon Byrd, Cubs.  Brett Jackson, perhaps the Cubs' top prospect, is primed to push Byrd aside soon.  Byrd, 33, is owed $6.5MM next year.  He might not be what the Nationals have in mind.
  • Matt Kemp, Dodgers.  The Dodgers can easily keep Kemp and Trayvon Robinson in the same outfield by moving Kemp to a corner.  I can't picture the Dodgers' ownership situation forcing a trade of Kemp, even if his salary exceeds $10MM next year before he hits free agency.  I could see a new owner agreeing to a mega-extension with Kemp, but if they can't find common ground perhaps he'd become available this winter.
  • Michael Bourn, Astros.  Bourn is a viable trade candidate.  The Scott Boras client is under team control through 2012 and earns $4.4MM this year.
  • Rajai Davis, Blue Jays.  The Jays are light on short-term alternatives without Davis – note that Corey Patterson is starting in center while Davis recovers from an ankle injury.  Still, I expect Alex Anthopoulos to keep an open mind.  Davis' contract will look team-friendly if he starts performing.
  • Julio Borbon, Rangers.  If the Rangers continue to gravitate toward David Murphy in center field and feel good longer-term about Engel Beltre and Leonys Martin, Borbon could be expendable.
  • Aaron Rowand, Giants.  Rowand is having a decent April, taking over in center when Andres Torres hit the DL.  However, the Giants would have to pick up almost all of the $22MM owed to him through 2012 to move him.
  • Grady Sizemore, Indians.  The first-place Indians hope to be thinking about adding rather than subtracting this July.  If things go wrong, Sizemore will be very attractive on the trade market, even though his 2012 option becomes a player option upon a trade.  For that reason, he may not be a fit for the Nationals even if he's made available.
  • Chris Denorfia, Padres.  He continues to play well in a fourth outfielder role, but perhaps he could be had.
  • Felix Pie, Orioles.  Pie is another fourth outfielder type who can handle center.  The Orioles need him around as a center field backup, but they'd have to listen if the Nationals made a solid offer.
  • Chris Heisey, Reds.  Heisey is a cost-effective left field option for the Reds, so he might be hard to pry loose.
  • Charlie Blackmon, Rockies.  The Rockies' #11 prospect could work his way into the right field mix, or the team could consider a trade.
  • Scott Cousins, Marlins.  Cousins ranked seventh among Marlins prospects heading into the season, according to Baseball America.  Right now he's needed by the Marlins as Chris Coghlan's center field backup, and he'll see increased playing time while Logan Morrison is out.  They may prefer to maintain the depth.  The Marlins did deal within the division with the Dan Uggla trade.
  • Mitch Maier, Royals.  Maier has played center field more than anywhere else.  The 28-year-old may have to settle for an extra outfielder job if he remains in Kansas City.
  • Torii Hunter, Angels.  What do the Angels do when Mike Trout is Major League ready?  Vernon Wells is probably immovable, so you have to wonder if they could trade Hunter.  Hunter is only under contract through 2012 though so it's quite possible they make it work without a deal.

As you can see, I can speculate on more than a dozen center field trade candidates.  However, some might not offer a clear upgrade over the Nationals' internal options.  At this point, Bourn and Upton seem like the most likely fits if they become available this year.

East Notes: Beato, Ibanez, Emaus, Hulett

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Here are some items of note and musings coming out of the East divisions as Phillies interim closer Jose Contreras hits the DL …

  • Mets reliever Pedro Beato, a Rule 5 draftee this offseason, is pitching well, writes Thomas Boorstein of MLB.com. "I've been impressed ever since he walked into camp," Mets manager Terry Collins said. Earlier this week, the Mets returned second baseman Brad Emaus – their other Rule 5 pick – to the Blue Jays, who flipped him in turn to the Rockies, but it looks like Beato has a good shot of sticking with the Mets throughout the season.
  • Phillies outfielder Raul Ibanez is struggling, as is Philly's lineup on the whole, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders how long the Phils will continue to start Ibanez. Should the Phils choose to divvy up starts between John Mayberry Jr., Ben Francisco and Domonic Brown, it would be interesting to see whether they would look into trading the 39-year-old. Ibanez is past his prime, sure, but he posted a triple-slash of .272/.347/.552 as recently as two years ago, and his contract expires at season's end, so he could draw interest at a cheap price. However, he does have no-trade protection.
  • The Blue Jays will place second baseman Aaron Hill on the DL, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. We'll never know the answer, but I wonder whether the Jays would have held onto Emaus to fill in briefly with Hill, Jayson Nix, and Edwin Encarnacion being banged up. Of course, it seems pretty clear that the Jays had made the decision that Emaus didn't factor into their plans, but they are stretched thin now, as John McDonald and Mike McCoy started at third and second base, respectively, on Sunday.
  • The Nationals signed infielder Tug Hulett to a minor league contract, according to NBC Sports. Hulett last appeared in the big leagues with the Royals in 2009. He was with the Rockies earlier this season but was let go after Colorado acquired Emaus.

Quick Hits: Dodgers, Brewers, Sampson, Yankees

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Some links for Sunday afternoon..

Cafardo On Dodgers, Upton, Doumit, Red Sox

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Do not expect Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to go quietly into the night, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  The McCourt-Bud Selig saga could turn out to be one of the great sports legal battles of the 21st century.  While he's been silent publicly, major league sources close to McCourt indicate he is flabbergasted by Selig’s actions, and that he has not been able to discuss the issues with the commissioner face-to-face.  Here's more from Cafardo's Sunday column..

  • A couple of major league evaluators say the Rays could explore moving B.J. Upton if they fall out of contention, or even if they’re in contention.  They’d like to make a deal similar to the Matt Garza trade, in which they received good talent, including Sam Fuld.
  • The Pirates received calls on catcher Ryan Doumit this winter but the talks eventually petered out.  The Red Sox could be in the market for a backstop, but one talent evaluator says that Doumit isn't a great receiver and the club is better off sticking with Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  Pittsburgh’s Chris Snyder, who is off to a hot start, could also be available.
  • The Nationals are thought to be in the market for a center fielder and/or someone who can add give a boost to the Nats offense.
  • The White Sox lead the majors with six blown saves, but one club exec stands by the team's decision to let Bobby Jenks go.  Even though Jenks may do very well with Boston, it was the right decision, even if it doesn't look like it right now.
  • Cafardo was surprised to see BoSox chariman Tom Werner issue a statement that he wasn’t interested in pursuing ownership of the Dodgers.  Werner has Los Angeles roots and was once the owner of the Padres.  The chairman himself pointed out that his business and personal relationships with John Henry are too good to walk away from.

Quick Hits: Figueroa, Mock, Martin, Mets

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Links for Saturday night, after Jose Bautista extended his on-base streak to ten consecutive plate appearances…

  • The Brewers formally announced their minor league contract with infielder Luis Figueroa, reports MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (on Twitter). The deal was first agreed to last weekend.
  • Left-hander Lee Hyde was designated for assignment by the Nationals earlier today, but Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post reports that Garrett Mock was also a candidate to get the axe. He was spared and instead placed on the disabled list.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand that the Yankees tried to acquire Russell Martin via trade in each of the last three seasons (Twitter link). Cashman got his man this winter, signing him as a free agent after the Dodgers non-tendered him.
  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson indicated to Andy Martino of The New York Daily News that there just aren’t any moves to be made right now. “In this situation, there’s not a lot that someone in my situation can do,” said Alderson. “It’s almost organic. [If any moves] happen, if it’s going to happen from within.”

Nationals Designate Lee Hyde For Assignment

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The Nationals designated left-handed reliever Lee Hyde for assignment, according to a team press release.  The move was made in order to create a roster spot for Brian Bixler, whose contract was recently purchased from Triple-A Syracuse.

This was Hyde's first season with the Nats after spending the previous five in the Braves organization.  The left-hander has performed well in Double-A but has struggled at the Triple-A level.  In 29 Triple-A appearances, the 26-year-old owns a 5.64 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 7.1 BB/9.

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