FRIDAY, 7:31pm: The Indians were awarded the claim on Kubel, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.com (via Twitter). However, the 48 hour window for the two sides to work out a deal has passed.
3:44pm: The White Sox did not actually claim Kubel, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
THURSDAY: The Indians were awarded the claim on Thome, while the White Sox were awarded the claim on Kubel, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports. Thome has a full-no trade clause and would prefer to play for the Phillies, according to Rosenthal. It's unlikely that the Twins will move Kubel, Rosenthal reports. The sides have discussed a possible extension.
WEDNESDAY: The Twins' Jim Thome and Jason Kubel have been claimed on waivers , tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. The teams involved now have 48 hours to make a deal.
We learned earlier that the White Sox were one of the teams to place a claim on Thome. Olney has spoken to executives who expected the White Sox, Indians, Rangers, or Yankees to win a claim on Kubel.
If multiple teams make a claim on one player, the team with the worst record in the same league is awarded the claim.
*Jays_44*
Bell and jays?
Coollet
Save us Jeebus,… i mean, Save us AA
Martus Kurtz
I think it’s a good possibility. Jays were going to be in on him big time in the offseason. Would solve their problem at the CL position.
Bluebirdz 2
I don’t think they’re gonna go with Heath bell, probably an in house option or papelbon, not bell
Martus Kurtz
Yeah, but they have SOME money, and haven’t made a splash in the offseason in a few years really..we’ll see what AA decides to do. Very smart guy.
Jon Stark
really doubt they are going to be willing to pay what papelbon is looking for. I’m not sure anyone is going to be willing ot pay.
Jon Stark
Heath Bell whose effectiveness/dominance seems to be declining? I would be surprised.
Martus Kurtz
I REALLY hope the Indians got the claim on Thome. Good way to end his career!
Chiburgh
It would be a good ending to his career.
Plus, I don’t really see a benefit for the White Sox to claim Thome other than to block the Indians from getting him. You aren’t going to take Konerko’s bat out of the line-up. While Paulie is in the DH role, do you really want Thome playing 1st. You would have Dunn part II
Cliff Lee
Alright that just plain hurts. I KNOW I can field better than ol’ Jimbo.
Chiburgh
So, there is no reason to trade for Jimbo. If Dunn is going to play 1st, while Paulie is DH, then Jim sits on the bench.
Vegandork
Stopping the Indians and Tigers from claiming him is reason enough. Just because they were awarded the claim doesn’t mean he’s going to Chicago. The Twins could pull him back if Chicago doesn’t want to give anything up for him.
Ali Ostrowski
that’s true that just shocked me a little that the twins would do that
hey that could possibly eliminate another sox killer from killing us
shysox
Thome will never be a position player in his life again. This makes no sense, the Sox have no chance at the postseason and Ozzie seems to like Dunn’s BA anyways.
Vegandork
Well, the White Sox have a worse record, and apparently they claimed him. So there’s no chance the Tribe will get a crack at him.
Martus Kurtz
And the Indians have the right to trade for him!
Bob Busser
The Jays have NO shot at Bell… he won’t get out of the NL on waivers. St. Louis, Dbacks, Braves (to block Philly from getting him) and the Giants all could use him.
Martus Kurtz
But none of those teams are going to give up what SD wants for him. Or maybe they’ll take lesser prospects KNOWING he would come back. But then again, that’d require losing their first round pick next year..
Bob Busser
The Giants claimed him….
Josh Stuart
I’d bet AA is claiming anyone who would return type A or B compensation picks.
Cody Hartle
I don’t understand how an all star, a future HOF’er, and a pretty solid outfielder all end up on waivers.
Kyle Buttermore
All have one year left on there deals and both teams are going nowhere. Try and save $ and get prospects in return. That’s pretty simple to understand.
Brian M
Because the the team owning the player does not HAVE to trade them. They could easily just pull them back off waivers if they don’t like the deal. Teams are in complete control over that situation and at the very worst, they keep their guy. Simple. It’s almost counterproductive NOT to place good players with either large contracts or soon to be free agents on waivers.
Billy Barker
most teams put a lot of their players on waivers mainly as a way to find out interest in those players
Billy Barker
most teams put a lot of their players on waivers mainly as a way to find out interest in those players
Mwphillies
Phillies better get thome
MauerPower
The Phillies were the one least likely to claim him, unless he had passed through waivers of course.
Mwphillies
Yeah but I just want him on the phillies
Eduardo Medina
The Angels claim Kubel…
Vegandork
Yahoo sports via Big League Stew is reporting the White Sox won the claims on both Kubel and Thome.
Andy Stocker
Just because a player is on waivers doesn’t mean that a team necessarily wants to move them. In the case of Thome I think its about giving the man a shot to win a title. Not sure what Bill Smith is planning on doing with Kubel, but I’m sure its not good. I think the Twins will end up releasing Thome and either the Phillies or Yankees sign him. I don’t see the Twins sending him to the White Sox…why, for either team AND for Jim?? He played there for 3.5 years and Ozzie didn’t want him back.
Vegandork
They’d have to place him on irrevocable waivers first to release him, which would still mean he gets claimed.
And the “why” probably has more to do with preventing the Indians and Tigers from improving.
Phillies_Aces35
He has a no trade so it doesn’t matter if he gets claimed.
MiggyCabby24
The Tigers just claimed Delmon Young a week ago, why would they need Kubel??
Andy Stocker
good point about the “why”…didn’t think about that
Brian M
I would be STUNNED if the Twins traded Kubel to the White Sox!
geauxbraves2000
“Thome has a full-no trade clause and would prefer to play for the Phillies, according to Rosenthal” — Yeah, who wouldn’t prefer the Phillies right now, as good as they are @ 83-45 and well on their way to the postseason, that is a no-brainer.
MauerPower
Unless he gets a really good return for Kubel, I seriously hope Bill Smith doesn’t trade him.
Christopher David
Pull Thome back, release him, and let Ruben Amaro Jr. bring him home.
MauerPower
I’d do that if I was the Twins FO.
Palehose
Irrevocable waivers would have to take effect. Same difference.
Phillies_Aces35
It would be just as easy for Jim Thome to reject the trade to the Indians and become a free agent himself by sacraficing his salary.
Seriously, why would he spend his last year (most likely) with the Indians. They’re not going to make it to the post season… I can’t see a good reason to accept a deal there.
Kyle
Thome left the Indians for the Phillies for a couple extra years with the same monetary offer per year. His crap about not wanting to leave Cleveland is a joke. It was his choice. He sucks anyway. Thats what the Indians need right now, another sub .250 hitter to take up payroll.
Jon Stark
ya, an .842 ops is not really crap, but I guess if you are judging based on BA then that will probably not move you.
Martus Kurtz
Ouch. I mean, that seems to be 20 years ago. But it would be a great ending to his career…
venom4789
cleveland lowballed thome really bad, they claimed they offered him a contract with a hometown discount. The contract they offered him was flat out offensive. However they did it to try to make thome look like the bad guy by not taking a hometown discount.
Cleveland fans are trash, constantly booing thome because they are stupid and uneducated. I hope he doesnt go back there and if he does he single handily takes them out of the race.
0vercast
For the Twins to trade good young outfielders Young and Kubel to their division rivals would be a very stupid move. That’s exactly why it’s likely to happen.
Matt Galvin
White Sox have their own Outfielders to Trade like Pierre and so on so need for Kubel and White Sox have no chance of making the Playoffs in the present Playoff format this year.
darinc
I heard the Royals claimed him…
Matt Manzella
Looks like Kenny was rightfully POed for once.
Matt Galvin
Angels or Rangers or Red Sox because really no good backup intill Drew gets back.
Conebone69
Just send a scrappy hitter with zero power or a reliever and you can have Kubel