Stark On Waiver Happenings
Jayson Stark’s column today was a goldmine of waiver-related material. I updated my Players Who Have Cleared Waivers post with his new info. Two thoughts from that group:
- I was surprised to see that no one wanted a piece of Troy Glaus‘s contract, which really isn’t scary at $24MM over 2008-09 (assuming he exercises his player option). I’m sure his no-trade clause would’ve been a pricey obstacle, but what’s the harm in making a claim? Why would the Angels, Phillies, and Dodgers pass on him? Maybe clubs talked to J.P. Ricciardi and decided it just wasn’t worth it. And to be fair, Glaus hasn’t done anything since June and is dealing with plantar fasciitis.
- I wonder if Jim Bowden was embarrassed that no one would touch Dmitri Young‘s silly new contract.
Another group Stark had was the Claimed But Withdrawn. Here they are:
Jon Garland
Scott Hatteberg
Kei Igawa
Jacque Jones
Mike Lamb
Mark Loretta
Corey Patterson
Chad Qualls
David Riske
Richie Sexson
Miguel Tejada
Matt Thornton
Javier Vazquez
Dan Wheeler
Just one jumps out at me here. Richie Sexson is a huge burden at $14MM next year. And Bill Bavasi passed on the chance to unload that contract. The guy is hitting .208/.299/.405 as a 32 year-old; his OPS has cracked .800 in only one month this year. This is a team that can’t find playing time for Adam Jones. What’s the logic here? $14MM could’ve bought something nice in 2008.
Nats Just Messing With Reds On Dunn?
John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer has an interesting tidbit today: did Jim Bowden engage Wayne Krivsky in talks about Adam Dunn just to string him along and waste his time? Fay’s source says Bowden never intended to trade for Dunn, but strung Krivsky along in some sort of childish maneuver.
The Reds still have a pending grievance regarding reliever Gary Majewski, who they believe was damaged goods when they received him. Is bad blood lingering, or can the two clubs play nice? Chris Needham doesn’t buy Fay’s story.
Carlos Gonzalez For Chad Cordero?
Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post is hearing whispers about the Diamondbacks possibly trading 22 year-old outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to the Nationals for Chad Cordero. The right fielder has come alive to hit .326/.396/.616 in Double A this month. He’d instantly become the Nationals’ #1 prospect.
Mets Offer Humber For Cordero
UPDATE: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Mets have offered Philip Humber to the Nationals for Cordero, but are holding fast with their bigger name prospects. He also confirms that the Diamondbacks are in on Cordero and could offer Carlos Quentin.
According to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, the fates of Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch might be tied to Eric Gagne. Gagne has the lower asking price and limited no-trade protection, and Jim Bowden may wait until that situation is resolved.
Some possible names on the Nats’ radar include Wily Mo Pena, Carlos Quentin, and Philip Humber. Humber is one prospect the Mets are willing to trade, according to Jayson Stark. Those names don’t exactly gel with the previous demands were hearing from Jim Bowden. Will Bowden back down? Will a desperate team offer a top flight prospect like an Adam Jones? Or will Cordero and Rauch just stay put like last year?
Tim Brown’s Latest: Cordero, Quentin
UPDATE: You can throw Conor Jackson into the mix along with Quentin.
Yahoo’s Tim Brown has some new rumors and info:
- Plan B if the Red Sox can’t get Eric Gagne: Washington’s Chad Cordero. It seems Wily Mo Pena would be a part of that, but I imagine Jim Bowden would want a top prospect as well.
- The Diamondbacks are shopping Carlos Quentin for a starting pitcher; the Indians and Nationals have interest. Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Indians are willing to deal Cliff Lee, so maybe there’s a match there. And keep in mind that former Diamondbacks Director of Scouting Mike Rizzo now works as the Nationals’ Assistant GM and VP of Baseball Operations. Rizzo still has a lot of Arizona connections, and he definitely loves Quentin.
- Interestingly, Will Carroll indicates that Justin Upton may be on the verge of a callup.
Adam Dunn To The Nationals?
Surprisingly, with roughly four hours to ago, Adam Dunn‘s most likely suitor still appears to be the Washington Nationals.
Will Carroll says that Dunn would love to be reunited with good friend Austin Kearns in Washington, and might sign an extension there. He could become the face of the franchise. The problem is that the Nats don’t have what the Reds want, so a third team would have to get involved.
Just speculating, but I could see some bad blood lingering between the two teams over the Gary Majewski thing. That has to make you wonder how Wayne Krivsky would ever let Dunn end up in Washington. Maybe he and Jim Bowden can let bygones be bygones.
Cordero/Rauch Not Going To Tigers, Mets
A Nationals source tells me that if traded at all, Chad Cordero and/or Jon Rauch will not be going to the Mets or Tigers.
Dodgers Tracking Cordero and Rauch
Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch are on the Dodgers’ radar, and they would gladly offer shortstop Chin-Lung Hu according to Yahoo’s Jeff Passan.
The Washington Post’s Barry Srvluga confirms the Dodgers’ presence and adds the Mets and Tigers as teams following the relievers. As he mentioned yesterday, Srvluga’s source thinks a trade of one of Cordero or Rauch is likely and the return would be prospects. I’m sure we’ll be hearing much more about this today.
Jon Morosi of the Detroit Free Press ran down the Tigers’ stance on various relievers this morning, but Cordero and Rauch were not mentioned. Morosi doesn’t see the Tigers getting Eric Gagne, C.J. Wilson, or Joaquin Benoit from the Rangers. He also doesn’t think they’re close on Chad Qualls, Kyle Farnsworth, Al Reyes, or Dan Wheeler. Plucking a Pirate reliever in a Jack Wilson trade makes sense.
Nationals Working On Cordero Or Rauch Trade
According to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, the Nationals are definitely shopping Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch. Svrluga’s source believes one of them will go for prospects, most likely Rauch. Glad to hear it; I was worried both would stay put. I always prefer more trade action.
There’s also the possibility of packaging both relievers together to get one top-notch prospect. The Dodgers seem most likely to agree to something like that. Matt Kemp would probably work for Jim Bowden. The post mentions that Bowden indeed asked for Cameron Maybin from the Tigers for Rauch.
One last note: Adam Dunn remains on the radar, but right now it’s mostly just interest.
Mets Hunting For Reliever, Second Baseman
Pretty much the same old story with the Mets, though Joel Sherman and Mark Hale of the New York Post do have some new tidbits.
- The authors name Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch, Octavio Dotel, and Eric Gagne as relievers on the radar. However it seems the asking price is too high for Gagne and the Indians have become the frontrunner for Dotel (they may have passed the Dodgers). Shawn Chacon doesn’t catch the Mets’ eye, and they don’t want Chad Bradford‘s three-year commitment. They had that option with Bradford this winter. I think that logic is silly – Bradford’s pitched well this year, and acquiring him now would be akin to a two-year contract. Sometimes it seems GMs pass over certain players because they simply want to add a fresh name.
- You can add Al Reyes to the mix for the Mets, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
- The Mets think many of the available starting pitchers could be traded in August – Jose Contreras, Kyle Lohse, and Steve Trachsel for example. I don’t agree on Lohse – he’ll be traded today or tomorrow. But Contreras’s contract would probably get through waivers without a claim.
- The Post reports no substantive talks to the Royals about Mark Grudzielanek. An inquiry has been made on Mark Loretta.
- Meanwhile, Newsday says the Twins are open to trading Luis Castillo but don’t want any of the current Major League Mets. Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger seems to disagree, citing a Twins scout at Shea yesterday. Graziano does not believe Castillo would get through waivers unclaimed. He believes the Twins want Double A starter Kevin Mulvey and then some (perhaps Ruben Gotay).
- Graziano says a deal for Castillo could be expanded to include 28 year-old righty reliever Juan Rincon. Rincon had been consistently solid for three years (perhaps aided by steroids) but has seen his strikeout rate and overall performance plummet in 2007. Rincon is under control next year and will make at least $2MM again.
- Graziano notes that the Mets have talked to the A’s about Joe Blanton, but Billy Beane wants Lastings Milledge. The Mets can’t do that without damaging the current team. The Mets could actually add an outfielder in Jay Payton; the Cubs’ interest has waned. The Sammy Sosa rumor also has some legs, as the Mets could bring him in to platoon with Shawn Green if they decide they can tolerate the sideshow.