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Odds & Ends: Padres, Chipper, Pagan, Phillies

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Links for Thursday, as the Phillies attempt to get their offense going…

Stark On Oswalt, Braves, Carmona, Yankees

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Astros scouts haven't been told to watch specific teams or players, so Roy Oswalt doesn't need to start preparing for life after Houston just yet. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark has the details on Oswalt and more rumblings from around the major leagues:

  • Oswalt has told friends he'd love to play in St. Louis and it's believed that he would be interested in joining the Dodgers and Braves.
  • We've heard lots about the $29MM remaining on Oswalt's deal, but the Angels have some money, according to an official Stark spoke to. The Nationals may be "the one team that would pay the whole freight on the contract."
  • GM Andrew Friedman says he wasn't sure how Rafael Soriano's National League experience would translate to the American League East when the Rays dealt for him last offseason. Needless to say, the Rays have been pleased with Soriano's dominant start to the season.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells Stark that other teams offered Jose Contreras "much more money" last winter.
  • Braves GM Frank Wren says he's pleased with Eric Hinske's play and notes that teams probably don't pay enough attention to their benches.
  • Wren says the Braves would not have interest in adding a starting pitcher. Besides their current rotation, they have the injured Jair Jurrjens and Triple A pitcher Chris Resop.
  • GM Jon Daniels says the Rangers saw "a guy with major league ability and pedigree" when they scouted Colby Lewis in Japan last year.
  • One scout says the Blue Jays are definitely tracking Fausto Carmona and have watched his last 12 starts.
  • The Red Sox have tried trading Mike Lowell unsuccessfully, but they aren't eager to eat the $8MM-plus remaining on his salary. 
  • Rival clubs say the Yankees haven't decided what their trade deadline needs are, though they're showing some interest in versatile outfield bats.

Stephen Strasburg’s Big League Debut

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3:37pm: The Nationals tentatively plan to call Strasburg up at home against the Pirates next month, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. No date is set, but we'll get five or six days of notice before the start. The Nationals host the Pirates June 8th-10th.

10:18am: A source close to the Nationals supports Heyman's note below – June 4th is unlikely for Strasburg's debut.  Instead, expect him in the middle of June or even toward month's end.  Of course, the Nationals don't mind the extra ticket sales resulting from the June 4th rumor. – Tim Dierkes

WEDNESDAY, 8:41am: SI's Jon Heyman tweets that mid-June is a better guess than June 4th for Strasburg's debut, given the pitcher's target of 100 big league innings.  A June 4th debut would project to 22 Major League starts for Strasburg, which would probably put him over that target.  Of course, the Nats could shut him down in September if need be.

TUESDAY, 6:07pm: It's looking more and more like Stephen Strasburg will debut against the Reds on June 4th. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes that Strasburg will start this Saturday at Triple A. If all goes well – and that 0.99 pro ERA suggests it will – the Nationals could call on the prospect to open their homestand next Friday. GM Mike Rizzo told Kilgore that the club has not yet decided when to call up Strasburg.

Calling Strasburg up next Friday would give him five days of rest and ensure that his first two starts are at home. Just as importantly, Strasburg would have next to no chance of becoming a super two player after 2012. A June 4th callup would prevent Strasburg from picking up more than 122 days of service time this year and would reduce the chances that he goes to arbitration four times. Since arbitration-eligible players cost much more than the MLB minimum, it's in the Nationals' best interest to prevent their top prospect from becoming a super two.

Strasburg could make his debut against the Reds, maybe even against Mike Leake, who was also a top-ten pick in last year's draft. The Reds would have to skip someone in the rotation for the two youngsters to match up, but with Homer Bailey injured, Dusty Baker could decide to do just that. Strasburg's debut should be memorable no matter what, but imagine seeing him begin his major league career against another pitcher who had no pro experience a year ago.

Nationals Have Decided Who To Draft First Overall

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The Nationals have decided who they will draft with the first overall pick in next month's draft, GM Mike Rizzo told Mark Zuckerman of CSN Washington (Twitter link). It would be a shock if the team drafted somebody other than Bryce Harper, though Rizzo didn't say who the club plans to select.

Harper, who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old last year, has lived up to the hype. He hit four homers, a triple and a double in one game last weekend and ESPN.com's Keith Law says there's no argument for taking anyone else. The Nationals, who say they have no concerns about Harper's character, were still considering a handful of players earlier in the month.

How Do Nationals Match Up For Oswalt?

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The Washington Nationals have made no secret of their interest in Roy Oswalt, and with good reason. The 32-year-old lays waste to the wins statistic, pitching to just a 2-6 record despite a 2.66 ERA, 16 walks and 60 strikeouts in 61 innings. That 8.9 K/9 mark should go a long way toward assuaging teams concerned about taking on the hefty salary Oswalt commands- $15MM this year, $16MM in 2011, and a $16MM 2012 option (with $2MM buyout).

Assuming the Nationals would take on Oswalt's contract and the pitcher is willing to play for them, what would constitute a reasonable haul of young players from Washington?

For Houston's part, they need help, essentially, everywhere. The farm system is pretty sparsely populated, prospect-wise, and the major league club has needs all over. Their 15-29 record is earned honestly; their Pythagorean mark, based on runs scored and runs allowed, is 14-30.

Some major league pieces that could interest Houston include Ian Desmond, who could provide middle infield help for the Astros, and Tyler Clippard, whose value might never be higher after a strong start (and with Houston GM Ed Wade a longtime lover of bullpen pieces).

But the deal would almost certainly have to revolve around minor league pieces. Houston would be right to ask for Drew Storen or Derek Norris as a centerpiece, though both are extremely prized by Washington, and the latter plays the same position as Houston's best prospect, Jason Castro. The smart money is probably on a deal centered around pitcher Brad Meyers, whose tremendous results at Double-A this year- 27 strikeouts, four walks in 22 2/3 innings, 0.79 ERA- are only tempered by questions about how his stuff will translate at higher levels.

Other pieces that could draw Houston's interest include 2006 first rounder Chris Marrero as a possible replacement for Lance Berkman at first base (though his Double-A numbers are underwhelming so far), and Danny Espinosa, whose strong play and effective plate discipline at shortstop for Double-A Harrisburg makes him appear pretty close to big-league ready.

From this view, a reasonable trade for Oswalt would be Meyers, Marrero, Clippard and another minor piece. And given the massive needs of the Astros, such a deal would certainly be in their interest.

Nationals Release Brian Bruney

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The Nationals released Brian Bruney, according to a team press release. They called catcher Carlos Maldonado up in a corresponding move. The Nationals designated Bruney for assignment last week and the reliever refused a minor league assignment after clearing waivers. The Nationals are responsible for Bruney's $1.5MM salary unless another team signs him, in which case the Nats will save about $300K.

Bruney, 28, had serious control problems in his 19 appearances this year, walking more than a batter per inning. He has never been a control pitcher, but had an acceptable walk rate as recently as 2008, when he posted a sub-2.00 ERA for the Yankees. 

The hard-throwing right-hander could sign with a team looking for minor league depth. The Brewers, who signed Jeff Bennett earlier today, would make some sense. Bruney still considers himself a major leaguer and hopes his time in pinstripes will help him find a big league job, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter).

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Resop, Trembley, Harper

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Links for Monday, as Edwin Encarnacion and the Blue Jays swing away in Anaheim…

  • Michael Young told MLB.com's Chris Cox that he was relieved to hear that the Rangers' sale won't affect the team's regular spending.
  • As MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan explains, the Rangers' sale will go before a judge to speed up the process. In the meantime, the Rangers should be able to spend normally.
  • The Rangers probably won't be drafting players who demand over-slot money this year, according to Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Jon Paul Morosi expects Chris Resop, who has a June 15th opt-out clause, to be in the majors within a couple weeks (Twitter link). The Braves could trade him or call him up.
  • Dave Trembley is still the Orioles' manager after today's meeting with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. 
  • Bryce Harper keeps making the Nationals' decision easier. The 2010 draft prospect slugged four homers, a triple and a double in one game over the weekend, writes John Manuel of Baseball America.
  • In a mock draft for ESPN.com, Keith Law has the Harper going first overall to the Nationals, because "there's no argument left for taking anyone else."
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo shows that the D'Backs and A's have drafted many major league contributors this past decade.
  • The Koji Uehara signing was a regrettable but not unforgivable move by the Orioles, writes Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Former Astros manager Phil Garner told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he thinks Roy Oswalt would prefer to play near his Mississippi home. Garner, who hasn't spoken to Oswalt in three years, believes Brad Ausmus and Jake Peavy could draw Oswalt to the Dodgers and White Sox, respectively.

Rosenthal On Oswalt, Kearns, Dunn

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports leads his latest column with an imagined conversation between Astros owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade, in which Wade attempts to educate McLane on the realities of Roy Oswalt's trade value.  Rosenthal's hot stove notes…

  • Like most people, Rosenthal can't see the Reds splurging on Oswalt.  He finds the Mets "an even less serious contender" due to limited finances.
  • Rosenthal points out that Carlos Zambrano hasn't shown himself to be worthy of replacing anyone in the current Cubs' rotation.  At the moment, the Cubs appear to have a surplus.
  • Rosenthal notes that the Majors' current home run kings – Jose Bautista, Paul Konerko, and Ty Wigginton – could be available at the trade deadline.  Who would've predicted these three would top the leaderboard on May 24th?  With Kelly Johnson tied for fourth?  The Jays acquired Bautista in August of '08 without much fanfare, sending catcher Robinzon Diaz to Pittsburgh.  The Pirates designated Diaz for assignment last November.
  • Austin Kearns would be a nice match for the Giants, suggests Rosenthal.  The 30-year-old outfielder is hitting .304/.377/.487 in 130 plate appearances for the Indians this year.  Nate Schierholtz hasn't been much worse, though he's dealing with a bruised shoulder at the moment.
  • Rosenthal feels that the Nationals will strike a deal to keep Adam Dunn in Washington before he reaches free agency.

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Sunday

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6:24pm: Nats GM Mike Rizzo will neither confirm or deny the club's interest in Oswalt, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

Kilgore writes that even if the Nationals are interested, it is unlikely a deal could be struck between the two sides.  First, Washington would have to be willing to part with farmhands that they have worked diligently to stock.  Secondly, they would have to take on Oswalt's hefty contract. 

Finally, Oswalt would have to approve a deal to the nation's capital.  Despite the fact that the Nats appear to be contenders at present, Kilgore wonders how the 32-year-old feels about a club that has lost more than 100 games in back-to-back seasons.

12:58pm: A baseball source tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson that the Nationals are interested in trading for Oswalt.

12:27pm: Roy Oswalt's trade request has inspired plenty of speculation about potential suitors for the right-hander. Here's a roundup of the latest discussion about possible trade partners for the Astros:

Odds & Ends: Green, Oswalt, Mets, Gaudin, Werth

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Links for Saturday….

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