Post subject: Trade Rumor/Deadline Deals (MLB 2007)
Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:35 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:28 am Posts: 28541 Location: PORTLAND, ME
I heard this discussed on the radio today and i'll post Jason Starks article about some guys that could move this July in a minute.
Angels were talking with the Reds about aquiring Adam Dunn, and apparently Cinci was asking for a major league starter, a major league infielder and a top prospect. The Angels obviously backed out at that point.
This got me thinking. If the sox were involved, could Tavarez, Pedroia & David Murphy get that deal done? I personally don't want Dunn in Boston, but I wonder what everybody else (honestly) thinks Cinci expects to get with that price tag.
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 8:33 am Posts: 35357 Location: Los Angeles, CA Gender: Male
If the Angels got Dunn I would be very very scared if I was in the AL. Their pitching is insane and they have a bunch of guys(Willits, Cabrera, Figgins, Matthews) who are excellent at getting on base and running. Another bat to protect Guerrero would be just what they need.
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Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:28 am Posts: 28541 Location: PORTLAND, ME
Quote:
Several contenders need roster upgrades Crasnick
By Jerry Crasnick ESPN.com
The hype leading up to baseball's July 31 nonwaiver deadline is usually more interesting than the deadline itself. Listen closely, and you can get an adrenaline rush from all the names being tossed around.
Looking for a bat? The smorgasbord of trade candidates includes big-ticket guys (Adam Dunn), problem children (Elijah Dukes) and batting practice sideshows (Wily Mo Pena). Want to cherry-pick a team that's out of contention? You have your choice of Washington Nationals (Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch and Dmitri Young) and Kansas City Royals (Octavio Dotel, Odalis Perez and Mike Sweeney).
The state of Texas is a veritable bastion of speculation. The Houston Astros will gladly discuss Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg, but they've told clubs that Brad Lidge and Chad Qualls are unavailable. And as the Texas Rangers continue to fade, general manager Jon Daniels is sure to be talking to other teams about Mark Teixeira and Eric Gagne.
As much as White Sox GM Kenny Williams hates to give up on a season, Chicago's recent 3-14 slide increases the chances of Jermaine Dye and Mark Buehrle switching addresses this summer. Not that the price will be cheap.
"I've heard the White Sox want the farm for him,'' a National League official said of Buehrle.
The NL Central is so weak -- and there's so much pressure on general manager Jim Hendry to win now -- it'll be a stunner if the Cubs trade Carlos Zambrano. But no one will be surprised if the Florida Marlins put out feelers for Dontrelle Willis.
"His street value is still high, but there's some real concern in that organization that he's not the same pitcher,'' said an AL executive who has talked to people with the Marlins.
As Boston tinkers around the edges and Cleveland kicks the tires on Gagne and Akinori Otsuka in Texas, some contending clubs have more glaring issues to address. This week's installment of "Starting 9'' is devoted to contenders in need, and what they might be looking for between now and the end of July.
Los Angeles Dodgers (a power hitter)
When asked to assess the Dodgers' most glaring needs, general manager Ned Colletti replies, "Power, without question. Better defense. And execution.''
The Dodgers rank 15th in the National League in homers, and they're getting almost zero pop from the corner infield spots. Nomar Garciaparra is producing with runners in scoring position, but his slugging percentage is a pathetic .332. Rookie Tony Abreu, who's done a nice job at third base, is strictly a gap hitter.
Over the past week, Colletti has tried to address the problem internally. The Dodgers called up Matt Kemp from Triple-A Las Vegas, then summoned James Loney even though he had one homer in 233 at-bats in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
The Dodgers have been linked to every big name on the market, from Teixeira and Dunn to Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus. But Glaus and Rolen both have big contracts, and their teams have yet to fall from contention.
As for Dunn, you won't find many personnel people who think he's capable of playing first base. "He's brutal over there,'' said a scout. "He can't catch pop flies in foul territory."
If Texas looks to move Teixeira by the deadline, the Dodgers have enough prospects, resources and desire to take part in the auction. But an American League assistant GM predicts Jon Daniels will trade Teixeira only for a package that makes the deal look like a "slam dunk win" for the Rangers.
Atlanta Braves (a starter)
For the first six weeks of the season, Atlanta manager Bobby Cox could kick back and relax for two of every five starts. Now his sure things aren't so certain. John Smoltz missed a start last weekend because of shoulder soreness, and Tim Hudson has a 7.86 ERA since mid-May.
While Chuck James has pitched well lately, Kyle Davies has command issues and Lance Cormier just went on the disabled list for the second time. You'll be seeing more of Buddy Carlyle for the foreseeable future.
The reclamation-project approach failed to work with Mark Redman, so the Braves are aiming higher this time. But what can they deal? Andruw Jones has the right to veto any trade as a 10-and-5 service time man, and it would take something special for general manager John Schuerholz to consider moving Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Yunel Escobar.
Schuerholz picked up Kyle Farnsworth from Detroit at the deadline in 2005 and acquired Bob Wickman and Danys Baez to upgrade the bullpen last July, so if there is a trade out there, he won't hesitate to act. Seattle Mariners (a starter)
The Mariners survived a hellacious run of bad weather in April, and they've played well enough to take the heat off GM Bill Bavasi and manager Mike Hargrove and fuel hopes of a playoff appearance for the first time in six years.
But it's all just a mirage if the starters fail to pick up the pace. Seattle's starters rank 13th in the American League with a 5.59 ERA, and they're putting a major strain on one of the league's most effective bullpens.
At the moment, the Mariners are addressing the problem by getting deeper at the back end. They recently picked up Jason Davis, and talented young reliever Mark Lowe is on his way back from elbow surgery. But it'll be a challenge to upgrade the rotation. The payroll is already stretched at $110 million, and the Mariners aren't going to trade their No. 1 prospect, outfielder Adam Jones, for three months' worth of Mark Buehrle.
The internal options aren't particularly encouraging. Horacio Ramirez will return from shoulder tendinitis one of these days, and the Mariners have 21-year-old lefty Ryan Feierabend parked in Triple-A Tacoma. Detroit Tigers (bullpen help)
When Justin Verlander is pitching no-hitters, the Tigers look terrific. When Jim Leyland starts marching out of the dugout in the sixth inning, they're not so great.
Detroit's bullpen, so dominant in 2006, is 9-12 with a 5.12 ERA. And Leyland recently acknowledged that Joel Zumaya might not be back from finger surgery this season, which leaves the Tigers without their principal intimidator and hammer.
So Leyland makes do. He has former Rule 5 pick Wil Ledezma and journeymen Tim Byrdak and Bobby Seay from the left side, and Jason Grilli, Fernando Rodney, Todd Jones and young Yorman Bazardo from the right.
Detroit's best hope is injury reinforcements. Kenny Rogers (blood clot) and Roman Colon (neck surgery) are on rehab assignments, and Nate Robertson (tired arm) and Zach Miner (strained elbow) will be back with plenty of time left in the season.
If hot prospect Andrew Miller sticks in the rotation, it will give general manager David Dombrowski the luxury of shopping a starter -- possibly Mike Maroth -- for bullpen help well before the July 31 deadline.
San Diego Padres (a hitter)
If you think San Diego's starters are good, just check out the relievers. The Padres lead the majors with a 2.23 bullpen ERA. Boston ranks a distant second at 2.89.
The Padres can make a legitimate postseason run with what they have, but an impact bat to complement first baseman Adrian Gonzalez sure would look nice. While GM Kevin Towers is hesitant to tinker with the bullpen, he has some chips at his disposal. Specifically, the emergence of power righty Heath Bell as a set-up man is putting Scott Linebrink back on everybody's radar.
That Aaron Rowand-for-Linebrink rumor has been kicking around for months, but Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino would make more sense for the Padres. Victorino is affordable and under control contractually for several years, and he would give San Diego some center-field insurance in the event the Padres can't re-sign Mike Cameron. But the Phillies are in no rush to move Victorino.
Adam Dunn has some supporters in the San Diego organization, but he'd be an adventure defensively at Petco Park, and his contract allows him to become a free agent in November if he's traded this season. Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky likes to collect relievers, so there might be a basis for a deal. Philadelphia Phillies (pitching)
When closers Brett Myers and Tom Gordon both went on the disabled list, the Phillies' main focus was on acquiring bullpen help. Now that Freddy Garcia is bound for shoulder surgery and most likely done for 2007, the Phils need help in the rotation.
The first plan of action is to look internally. Kyle Kendrick, 22 years old and just up from Double-A Reading, gets first crack at Garcia's spot. Kendrick throws 90-93 mph and has a nice sinking action on his fastball, and one scout said he has a chance to stick around awhile.
The good news: Myers and Gordon should both be back in July to stabilize the bullpen. Myers has warmed to the closer's role and the Phillies have no plans to move him back to the rotation. The same goes for set-up man Ryan Madson.
The bad news: General manager Pat Gillick's trade options are limited. The Phillies are getting lots of calls on Victorino, a dynamic player with a $410,000 salary. But Victorino will play center field at Citizens Bank Park in 2008 if Rowand leaves through free agency this winter, so the chances of his going anywhere are slim. New York Yankees (bullpen and first base)
Unless the Yankees plan to keep running out Miguel Cairo or Josh Phelps at first base or shift Johnny Damon there from DH, general manager Brian Cashman has two possible courses of action with Jason Giambi and Doug Mientkiewicz on the disabled list.
Cashman can either go for the big splash with Teixeira or try to acquire a stopgap solution like Dmitri Young or Mike Sweeney. Given Cashman's hesitancy to trade top prospects such as Phil Hughes and Jose Tabata, the second option seems likely.
If the Yankees hit enough, maybe they can get by with Brian Bruney, Scott Proctor, Farnsworth and Mike Myers between the starters and Mariano Rivera. But you can bet that Cashman, along with about a dozen other general managers, will be trolling for bullpen help in July.
New York Mets (a starter)
The first order of business in New York is to get Carlos Delgado straightened out and the outfield healthy. Then the Mets have to ride out the current rough patch for the bullpen.
If someone had proposed a scenario in which Oliver Perez, John Maine and Jorge Sosa would have a combined 18-10 record and ERAs between 2.64 and 3.21 in mid-June, the Mets would have jumped at it in a heartbeat. Tom Glavine is winless since May 19, but you know he'll be around in October.
The wild card in the equation is Pedro Martinez, who has begun throwing off a mound in his comeback from shoulder surgery. Does he still have what it takes to be a difference maker?
"I don't think he can hurt,'' said a scout. "He's been able to pitch when he's throwing 88, so why not?''
The Mets would love for Martinez to make a couple of starts before the deadline so they'll know whether they can count on him or if they need to pursue a trade for a Dontrelle Willis or Carlos Zambrano. The Mets have lots of young outfield talent, and that gives them a foundation for a deal with Florida.
Los Angeles Angels (a run producer)
Conventional wisdom: The Angels absolutely, positively need another big bat to take the pressure off Vladimir Guerrero.
The reality: Not so fast.
Based on their 40-25 record -- the best in franchise history after 65 games -- the Angels are finding a way to get it done. Reggie Willits and Orlando Cabrera have been on-base machines at the top of the order, and Gary Matthews Jr. is thriving in the cleanup spot. First baseman Casey Kotchman has a better OPS (.971) than Teixeira, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols or Derrek Lee.
Garret Anderson is back in the lineup and off to a decent start, and Juan Rivera, who broke his leg in winter ball, is running on a treadmill and throwing in Arizona and is scheduled to return in mid-July.
Angels GM Bill Stoneman, always a cautious trader, looks smart at the moment for his refusal to panic early. One appreciative letter writer to the Los Angeles Times recently complimented Stoneman on his patience and urged him to "keep up the good lack of work.''
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:28 am Posts: 28541 Location: PORTLAND, ME
Teixeira heads early deadline shopping list
By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
There are 54 shopping days left until the trade deadline. So it's time to make out those shopping lists.
Now unfortunately, the Psychics Hotline didn't return our calls, so we don't know for sure yet who's going to be buying and who's going to be selling. But we've checked the standings, dissected the numbers and listened to the buzz out there.
So here it comes, the first Stark Market report of the year on the biggest names who just might be available in July for your shopping enjoyment:
Mark Teixeira
Rangers GM Jon Daniels may have sworn this week that he has no plans to "shop" Teixeira. But an official of one team that has spoken with Texas says, flatly, that the Teixeira talk is "real."
In fact, the Rangers almost have to dangle this guy, if only because he's a Scott Boras client, a prospective 2008 free agent and a fellow who has given them no indication he's inclined to sign any early extensions and stick around. So the big question is whether he'll be exported in a deadline deal or an offseason deal. In a market with possibly no other whompers, the line would be long for Teixeira's services, starting with the Angels and Dodgers.
"The only way they can get value for Teixeira is to move him now," said one prominent baseball man. "You can't get down to the final year and expect teams to give up what they're going to be asking."
Eric Gagne
Yep, the second name on this list is another Ranger. You'd better be prepared to memorize their whole roster, because this team is already 17 games under .500, has lots of parts it could sell off, and needs to accumulate starting pitching. So you'll be hearing the names of Brad Wilkerson, Kenny Lofton and even Sammy Sosa, among others. But the most interesting name of all could be Gagne, given the desperation for impact bullpen arms by about a dozen potential contenders. The question teams keep asking about Gagne, however, is this: Is he still one of those impact arms? And even if he is, is he a breakdown waiting to happen?
Dontrelle Willis
As long as the Marlins at least hover on the fringes of the wild-card race, Willis won't be any more than a figment of some clubs' deadline-shopping imaginations. But if the Fish ever drop out of that race, look out -- because he'll turn into an instant human trade rumor. Remember, though, that Willis can't be a free agent until after the 2009 season. So the Marlins will take a very hard line. And some team (the Mets maybe?) will have to be ready to fork over three of its best young sure-thing building blocks. And that's a price tag very few clubs have felt comfortable with in this era.
Rich Harden
There is big-time skepticism the A's are serious about moving Harden, although we did find one GM who thinks the odds are as good as 50-50 that they'll at least shop him. But even if they do, there's just as much reluctance to give up anything significant for a guy whose various health issues have caused him to miss 33 of his last 40 potential starts, and 39 of his last 54. And if the A's don't get something good for him, what's the point? The upside of a healthy Harden outweighs any kind of return they could get in a trade-him-just-to-trade-him deal.
Adam Dunn & Ken Griffey Jr.
We're not sure it's even possible to fall out of the NL Central race. But the Reds have given it a try, by losing 25 of their last 34 games. If that full gainer continues for another few weeks, then get ready for the birds of prey to start circling over these two guys. An official of one team that inquired about Griffey says Griffey has informed the Reds he won't oppose a trade "in the right scenario." But outside of the Braves, a club he has told friends for years he'd go to, it's tough to say what he'd consider "the right scenario." So most clubs we've canvassed think the Reds are more likely to move Dunn, who is kind of their version of Teixeira, minus the Boras factor. The difference is that while Dunn wouldn't be a free agent until 2009 if he stays in Cincinnati, a trade would void his 2008 option year, allow him to hit the market this winter and make him strictly a half-year rent-a-player. So the price tag can't be as steep as Teixeira's.
Brad Lidge
The Astros continue to tell clubs they're reluctant to trade their one-time closer. But Lidge is so frustrated over being demoted to middle-man purgatory, he'd almost certainly be in favor of an exit strategy if it meant a chance to close somewhere. So it's obviously possible his name could pop out there, as the Astros hunt for lineup and rotation upgrades. But U-turn one paragraph and reread that sentence about how hard it is to fall out of the NL Central "race." As one AL executive put it, "St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Houston should probably all sell, because they're not very good. But they probably won't, because in that division, how can you convince yourself you're really out of it?"
Chad Cordero
When we ask other teams which member of the Nationals they would be interested in trading for, the first sound we hear is, "Ryan Zimmerman." The second sound we hear is the laughter of men who know there's no chance. That's followed by the mention of Cordero's name, which -- in theory, at least -- is a lot more reasonable. But the next sentence is always some sort of complaint about how steep the asking price is for a guy who's allowing more than 14 baserunners per nine innings. Of course, Washington's position is that Cordero can't be a free agent until 2009, so why wouldn't the price be steep? But unless that cost comes down, all mentions of Cordero in Rumor Central will be for amusement purposes only.
Brian Fuentes
There's some rumbling out of Denver that the Rockies might think about dealing their underrated closer, possibly for a younger version of himself, plus other parts. But we can't find anyone who thinks the Rockies would have any serious interest in trading this guy. And by the way, they're only three games under .500. So they'd have some tailspinning to do just to find the "sell" switch.
Todd Helton
Now here's a player the Rockies would talk about any day of any week, just to unload the 20-ton weight of all the dollar bills they owe him. But remember, Helton has a total no-trade clause. The list of places he'd waive it to go to is so minuscule, you'd need a microscope to read it. And the $80 million or so he's guaranteed through 2011 would massively limit the field anyway. The team most interested a few months ago, the Red Sox, would be one team Helton would OK. But at this point, they would have no short-term interest unless they decided to deal away Mike Lowell and move Kevin Youkilis to third. Helton has told friends he'd never go to the Yankees. So the question we keep hearing is: Would Helton say yes to the Angels, a team shopping for a bat like his? That hasn't been his position in the past, but stay tuned.
Mike Sweeney
Yeah, we know what you're thinking: Is there ever a season when Sweeney isn't rumored to be going someplace? Ah, but this season, he's finally in the last year of his contract, which takes dollar signs out of the equation. And even though his contract gives him the ability to limit his trade destinations, he has been telling people he's open to just about any deal that gives him a chance to win. There may be teams wondering how much he has left. But our hunch is, he'd be more invigorated by a chance to win than many people think.
Mark Buehrle
The White Sox haven't sunk into sell-mode oblivion yet. But if they do, Rumor Central might never be the same. Kenny Williams is as fearless as any GM alive. So Buehrle or this club's other prominent prospective free agent, Jermaine Dye, could hit this market like an earthquake. "If that happened," one front-office man said, "Buehrle would be a huge piece for somebody."
• OTHER BATS (IF THE STARS LINE UP) -- Aaron Rowand, Jacque Jones, Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg, Dmitri Young, Rocco Baldelli, Elijah Dukes, Jeff Conine.
• OTHER ARMS -- Al Reyes, Odalis Perez, Jason Isringhausen, Scott Elarton, Akinori Otsuka, Shawn Chacon.
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:30 pm Posts: 918 Location: Miami Gender: Male
Koufax wrote:
pearljamfan80 wrote:
Koufax wrote:
pearljamfan80 wrote:
Man did they hit the nail w/ the hammer on the Dodgers.
ID trade the world for LA to get Texiera, but if they trade for Dunn it will be the worst move EVER.
Adam Dunn is a piece of shit. plain and simple. I dont care if he hits 70 homers, he sucks shit on defense and strikes out every other at bat.
What about for Griffey?
no way. too old, shell of his former self. and I love Griff, an all time great, and would have LOVED to see him a Dodger.....10 years ago
We dont need more outfielders. especially if they will further block Kemp and Ethier
Nomar has been horrid all year. he has ONE stinking HR. we need Mark Texiera. but that probably wont happen. Id give up Loney for him.
Id also stay away from Miguel Cabrera too. piss poor attitude and if he gets any fatter he could wrestle Olmedo Seans at the buffet table.
Cabrera isn't going anywhere
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pearljamfan80 wrote:
If the Angels got Dunn I would be very very scared if I was in the AL. Their pitching is insane and they have a bunch of guys(Willits, Cabrera, Figgins, Matthews) who are excellent at getting on base and running. Another bat to protect Guerrero would be just what they need.
Thats the last move i would want to see the angels make for sure .. they are way to tough to beat with that current staff and bullpen and ,by adding dunn , ouch
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