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Archives for June 2010

Mets Waive Gary Matthews Jr.

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The Mets have requested release waivers on outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., writes Pete Kerzel for MLB.com.  The club designated Matthews for assignment late last week which gave them ten days to release, trade, or waive the veteran.

Matthews posted a slash line of .190/.266/.241 in 65 plate appearances for the Mets in 2010.  After acquiring him for Brian Stokes in January, the Mets were on the hook for just $2MM of the $23.5MM owed to him for this year and next.  However, the poor performance of Matthews coupled with the strong play of Angel Pagan meant the end of his time in Queens.

Odds & Ends: Nava, Yankees, Astros, Lowell, Giants

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Links for Saturday….

Rosenthal On Cubs, Pedro, Padres

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Let's check out the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..

  • It's hard to imagine the Cubs as sellers, but if they go that route, lefty Ted Lilly would be a logical piece to move.  He's a potential free agent with some no-trade protection but they already have two replacements in their bullpen in Tom Gorzelanny and Andrew Cashner.  Meanwhile, Derrek Lee has been adamant about not waiving his no-trade clause.  However, hooking on with a contender would enhance his value on the open market.
  • The Phillies have kept in touch with Pedro Martinez's agent but GM Ruben Amaro says that he will have to be "really motivated" to pitch this season.  Rosenthal says that translates to the righty wanting more money than he was paid last season, roughly $1MM for six weeks of work.  Money may not be everything for Martinez though as he will be 39-years-old in October and is said to be content.
  • The Padres are confident that Ryan Webb could fill a set-up role if they move one of their strong late inning relievers.  However, the team is reluctant to make such a move with Mike Adams' durability in question.  That said, the Padres would listen to offers for Heath Bell if a club was willing to give them a hitter they could control for several years.  Rosenthal instead suggests that they  consider Cleveland's Austin Kearns as he is a cheap, affordable outfielder.
  • Boston GM Theo Epstein hates trading for relievers, but chances are the club will be in the market for bullpen help come July.

Red Sox In Talks With Twins, Rangers About Lowell

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SATURDAY, 1:11pm: The Twins' field staff is lobbying for Lowell as their need for that type of player is obvious, tweets Rosenthal.  However, the front office has concerns about his salary and durability.

FRIDAY, 5:26pm: The Red Sox are in trade talks with the Twins and Rangers about third baseman Mike Lowell, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. The Angels, who recently learned that Kendry Morales will definitely miss the remainder of the season with a fractured leg, are said to be "hovering."

With the strong play of Adrian Beltre and Kevin Youkilis, plus David Ortiz's May resurgence, the 36-year-old Lowell has become a sparsely used and expensive bench player. He's in the lineup tonight, but overall he's received just 25 plate appearances over the last month and is hitting .225/.313/.338 on the season.

The Rangers have been connected to Lowell dating back to the offseason, when they had a deal in place to acquire him. Minnesota third basemen are hitting just .211/.281/.281 on the year, so it's a clear position of upgrade. The Mariners and White Sox have also expressed interest in Lowell this month, who is still owed approximately $7.4MM through the end of the season.

In a second tweet, Rosenthal mentions that Boston will likely explore the market for an outfielder, which could tie into a potential Lowell deal. Both Jeremy Hermida and Jacoby Ellsbury are on the disabled list, and Mike Cameron is playing with an abdominal tear.

Red Sox To Sign Bryce Brentz

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The Red Sox are close to signing supplemental first-round pick Bryce Brentz, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. The 36th overall pick will receive a $892K bonus, which is the same amount received by the Dodgers' Aaron Miller, last year's 36th selection.

Brentz, a 21-year-old outfielder from Middle Tennessee State, ranked tenth in ESPN.com's Keith Law's list of top amateur prospects, and was considered one of the draft's best college bats.

On Monday night, we heard that the Red Sox were close to agreements with Brentz and first-rounder Kolbrin Vitek. The Sox agreed to terms yesterday with Vitek, but both players must pass physicals before their deals are finalized, according to Alex Speier of WEEI (via Twitter).

Coonelly: Fewer Trades For Pirates This Summer

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This July's trading deadline will be the third for the Pirates' current management regime, and team president Frank Coonelly predicts it will be the least active yet. Coonelly told Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he doesn't expect the team to trade away veterans this summer, the way they moved players like Jason Bay, Nate McLouth, and Xavier Nady in 2008 and 2009.

One reason for such an approach is the fact that the Pirates just don't have that many appealing veteran players left on their roster. While the club probably wouldn't mind finding a taker for players like Akinori Iwamura (.178/.289/.258) or Octavio Dotel (5.40 ERA), their 2010 performances so far will make dealing them challenging, though Dotel has been more effective lately, as Tim pointed out earlier this week.

With no fire sale imminent, Coonelly even suggests it "could be the reverse" of the past two July 31st deadlines, hinting that the Pirates could be buyers rather than sellers. For a club currently sitting in the NL Central cellar, 15 games below .500 and 11.5 games out of first place, that would be a pretty shocking move.

The more likely scenario for the Pirates is letting young players like Neil Walker, Jose Tabata, Brad Lincoln, and eventually Pedro Alvarez continue to gain major league experience for the rest of the season. If the team makes a couple low-cost acquisitions this winter that work out a little better than Iwamura and Dotel have so far, there should be some optimism for 2011.

Roy Oswalt Rumors: Saturday

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Even though there are reportedly no current trade talks involving Roy Oswalt, rumors continue to swirl around the Astros' ace. According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Astros could be struggling to find a market for the right-hander because they're saying any club that deals for Oswalt would have to assume the entire remainder of his contract.

Oswalt is still owed approximately $9.3MM this year, along with $16MM in 2011 and a $2MM buyout for his 2012 option. Hernandez also points out that because of Oswalt's no-trade clause, the 32-year-old could demand that the $16MM option be picked up before allowing a trade. In that case, any team acquiring Oswalt would be on the hook for over $40MM. Needless to say, as Hernandez reports, this rules the cash-strapped Dodgers out for now.

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports writes that Oswalt says he's willing to pitch anywhere where he could contend, including an American League club.

"Location doesn't matter. It's only for a year and a half," said Oswalt. "Actually, I'd be excited to pitch over here [in the American League]. Everybody keeps bragging that it's better."

As Zachary Levine and Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle point out, the Yankees fit Oswalt's criteria perfectly. We've heard lately that the Yankees haven't started looking at potential trade targets, though that could change in the next month and a half.

Angels Not Interested In Rental Player

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Since Kendry Morales' season-ending leg injury, there has been plenty of speculation about whether or not the Angels will make a move to replace him. Manager Mike Scioscia voiced his thoughts on the subject to Fanhouse's Tom Krasovic, suggesting that the team would rather not merely rent a player for the remainder of this season.

"At this point, it would be a piece that you bring in that would help you past this year — make you better for the future also," Scioscia said. "I think that's a deal that would be very attractive to [the front office]."

Scioscia's comments indicate the Angels are less likely to pursue players such as Paul Konerko or Adam LaRoche, who are in the final year of their contracts.

We heard yesterday from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the Angels were "hovering" around Mike Lowell, whose contract also expires at season's end. Krasovic's report explains why the Angels could be hesitant to pursue Lowell, though perhaps the cost of trading for him would be negligible enough that the club would still consider it.

Scioscia added that the Angels don't feel any pressure to make a move, and that a middle-of-the-order bat could "evolve" from within the organization.

Odds & Ends: Bettis, Royals, Astros, Pierzynski

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Links for Friday, as interleague play resumes…

Rays To Sign First Rounder, Close To Deal With Second Rounder

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9:43pm: Baseball America's Jim Callis reports that O'Conner will receive $1.025MM, making him the first 2010 draftee to sign for more money than the corresponding pick in 2009. Brett Jackson signed with the Cubs for $970K last year as the 31st overall pick.

FRIDAY, 4:53pm: O'Conner told Smith that he will sign tonight.

THURSDAY, 4:43pm: Smith also reports that second-rounder Derek Dietrich, taken 79th overall by the Rays, is at Tropicana Field.  Smith writes that "a deal could be finalized today" and Dietrich could be playing in the Tampa Bay system as soon as the weekend.

10:38am: The Rays will sign first round pick Justin O'Conner for an unknown amount tonight, according to Thomas St. Myer of the Muncie Star Press. The deal, which is pending a physical, comes as no surprise since Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times reported earlier in the week that the team had the framework of a deal in place with O'Conner.

The 18-year-old catcher had committed to playing at the University of Arkansas, but will instead begin his pro career. MLB.com's scouting report says that going into the draft, some teams liked O'Conner as a pitcher who throws a mid-90s fastball. Josh Sale, the other player the team selected in the first round, could soon join O’Conner. Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison told Smith that the team plans to start contract talks with Sale.

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