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Pitching Rumors: Shields, Orioles, Felix, Angels

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Though the Giants did pick up some infield help in Marco Scutaro earlier tonight, the Giants are focusing on relief pitching given the high cost of a big hitter, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.  He cites Matt Belisle, Rafael Betancourt, Brandon League, Chris Perez and Francisco Rodriguez as a few of the names linked to San Francisco and "if there’s a guy who has experience pitching in the later innings and he’s now on a second-division team, you can bet the Giants are looking into him," Schulman writes.

The Giants aren't the only team who are looking into the arms race as we head towards the trade deadline.  Here are some more pitching-related rumors…

  • James Shields' recent struggles haven't been due to trade speculation, the right-hander told media (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times).  Rays manager Joe Maddon feels that Shields will still be with the team after the deadline.
  • Maddon and executive VP Andrew Friedman shared a "guffaw" over a rumor that the Rays would send Shields to the Angels in exchange for Garrett Richards and Howie Kendrick, according to MLB.com's Bill Chastain.  Friedman said he's still not sure how the Rays' deadline strategy will evolve.
  • The Orioles are looking to add a starter moreso than a position player, executive VP Dan Duquette tells reporters (including MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli).  Duquette said other teams have shown interest in Baltimore's own pitching depth in the majors and minors, and Ghiroli speculates that the O's wouldn't deal a young arm without getting a Major League-ready starter in return.
  • In response to the latest Felix Hernandez rumors, a Mariners source tells ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link) that "Felix will be a Mariner."  The M's have been adamant that they have no intention of trading their ace despite looking at a long-term rebuilding plan.
  • Through Angels GM Jerry Dipoto said his team was probably done trading after acquiring Zack Greinke earlier today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) reports the Halos are looking for a reliever to share late-inning duties with Ernesto Frieri and Scott Downs.
  • Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated looks at the three tiers of starting pitchers available at the deadline.

Central Notes: Cardinals, Reds, Willingham, Ryan

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Three of baseball's hottest teams reside in the NL Central, where the Reds (15 wins in their last 17 games) hold a two-game lead over the Pirates (15-6 in their last 21 games) and a 5.5 game lead over the Cardinals (seven wins in their last eight games).  Let's check out the latest from both leagues' Central divisions…

  • The improved performance of the Cardinals' rotation "takes a little pressure off in terms of feeling like we have to do something," GM John Mozeliak tells MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch.  "If you were to go after a starter, who are you really bouncing out? And how are you improving? That's why I don't think the urgency is quite there for rotational help as maybe it was, say, three or four weeks ago." It seems as if St. Louis will trade for a reliever if they do make a deadline move for pitching, Langosch notes, though the bullpen has also recently been better.
  • The Reds are looking to start their trade deadline shopping, with a leadoff man atop their wishlist, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
  • The Indians were only willing to offer two guaranteed years to Josh Willingham last winter given the slugger's injury woes, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  Willingham ended up signing a three-year contract with the Twins and is enjoying a superb season, while the Tribe is still looking for a big right-handed bat for their lineup. 
  • Twins interim GM Terry Ryan told Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that he hasn't spoken to team owner Carl Pohlad about taking over the position on a permanent basis. "We haven't talked about it at all and I don't anticipate talking about it until we get to the latter part of this year," Ryan said.  "We have not had a good year. We've got a lot of work to do here. I'm not in any position to say that interim is going to be off me."
  • "It's business as usual" for the Royals heading into the deadline, GM Dayton Moore tells MLB.com's Dick Kaegel. Moore wouldn't comment on rumors about Jonathan Broxton, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jeff Francoeur or Jose Mijares.

NL East Notes: Phils, Victorino, Braves, Reyes, Buehrle

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Here's the latest out of the NL East…

  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told reporters (including Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com) that his plan is to keep his team's rotation intact, though plans can change.  The Phillies have a "lot of balls in [the] air trade-wise."
  • The Phillies are listening to offers for Shane Victorino though they haven't yet indicated that they're willing to move him, tweets ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.  The Dodgers, Giants, Pirates and Reds are among the teams interested in the center fielder.
  • The Braves are still looking to upgrade their rotation, reports MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  The Braves have shown interest in Edinson Volquez and James Shields, though Bowman notes that a less-pricey pitching option like Rays right-hander Wade Davis could fit Atlanta's needs.  Multiple teams have asked about Davis, though he's pitched out of the bullpen all season and wouldn't be able to immediately help a team looking for a starter.
  • Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Ozzie Guillen told reporters (including Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post) that despite the Marlins' struggles, they don't regret coming to Miami.
  • The Mets are focused on acquiring players who can help the team beyond just the 2012 season, reports ESPN New York's Adam Rubin.  Both Rubin's source and manager Terry Collins didn't think any deals were imminent before the deadline.
  • Scott Hairston told Rubin that the Mets haven't approached him about a contract extension.  A team insider tells Rubin that "Nothing I know of was accomplished" when the Tigers and Mets recently discussed a Hairston trade.

Giants Acquire Marco Scutaro

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The Giants have acquired infielder Marco Scutaro and cash considerations from the Rockies in exchange for minor league second baseman Charlie Culberson.  The money will help pay a portion of the approximately $2.2MM that Scutaro is owed for the rest of the season.  According to MLBTR's Transaction Tracker, this is the first time since 2006 that the two NL West rivals have been trade partners.

Scutaro, 36, has a .271/.324/.359 line in 411 plate appearances with the Rockies heading into Friday's play, though he has just a .570 OPS away from Coors Field.  Scutaro has played mostly second base this season and has also seen some time at short in place of the injured Troy Tulowitzki.  The veteran could see time at either position in San Francisco, as shortstop Brandon Crawford and second baseman Ryan Theriot have little offensive value, though Crawford has a solid glove.  Scutaro also has experience at third base and could see time at the hot corner with Pablo Sandoval injured. 

The Rockies acquired Scutaro in a trade with the Red Sox last winter and he enjoyed his time in Colorado, telling Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that he would be interested in re-signing with the Rockies as a free agent in the offseason.

Culberson was a supplemental first-round pick (51st overall) of the Giants in the 2007 amateur draft.  The 23-year-old has a .258/.309/.379 batting line in 2575 minor league plate appearances and made his Major League debut this season, appearing in six games for the Giants.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post was the first to report that Scutaro was going to San Francisco.  The Rockies' official Twitter feed announced Culberson's involvement, though Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com thought a deal was in the offing earlier tonight when he reported that Culberson had been pulled from Triple-A Frisco's lineup.  Baggarly also had details about the Rockies' cash payment.

Red Sox Links: Beckett, Ross, Cook, Crawford

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After tonight's 10-3 loss to the Yankees, the Red Sox have a 49-51 record through their first 100 games of the season. Time may be running out for the Sox to determine if they'll make a major acquisition at the trade deadline or if they'll decide to punt on the 2012 season.  Here's the latest from Fenway Park…

  • Josh Beckett said he hasn't been approached by the team about a trade, nor about waiving his 10-5 rights, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford.  Beckett said he would consider accepting a deal if approached since "if you’re not wanted somewhere, why stay there?" though GM Ben Cherington "assured me during Spring Training that he wants me here, so as far as I’m concerned, [rumors are] just made-up fodder.”  The right-hander stressed that he wanted to remain in Boston.
  • The Rangers are interested in Cody Ross and had scouts at Yankee Stadium on Friday, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.  A source tells WEEI.com's Rob Bradford that the Red Sox have no plans to deal Ross despite "significant" interest from other teams.
  • While the Red Sox are themselves looking for pitching, WEEI.com's Alex Speier thinks the team could be well-served to get something out of "a short-term asset" like Aaron Cook.  Teams have had "modest interest" in Cook on the trade market, though Cook's rough start against the Yankees tonight can't help,
  • The Marlins are the only team to "officially inquire" about Carl Crawford, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
  • Cherington tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links) that the team has no plans to trade Jacoby Ellsbury, as the Red Sox see Ellsbury as a key step to contending in 2013.
  • From earlier today, Cherington discussed Beckett, Ellsbury and other topics during a radio appearance on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show.

The Rangers And The Zack Greinke Deal

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Besides the Angels and Brewers themselves, perhaps no team was as impacted by the Zack Greinke trade as the Rangers.  Here's the latest on the Rangers' own pursuit of Greinke and how they plan to counter the Angels' newest salvo in the battle for the AL West.

  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin told reporters (including Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) that the Rangers were the other finalist for Greinke's services.  The Rangers offered Leury Garcia, Chad Bell and Justin Grimm to the Brewers.
  • Had the Rangers been willing to include third base prospect Mike Olt in their offer to the Brewers, Greinke probably would've ended up in Texas, USA Today's Bob Nightengale.  FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, however, reports the Brewers wanted Martin Perez and didn't "insist" on Olt or Jurickson Profar, though Texas still felt the requested package of prospects was too much (both links are to Twitter).
  • With Greinke gone, the Rangers won't necessarily try to acquire Josh Johnson or James Shields, a source tells MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.  The Marlins and Rays have put a high price tag on their aces and the Rangers may wait to see if they lower their demands.  Sullivan notes that if the Rangers weren't willing to deal the likes of Olt for Greinke, they wouldn't trade him or other top prospects for another pitcher who they didn't value as highly.
  • The Rangers also valued Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee more than they did Greinke, reports Jeff Wilson of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).  Hamels just signed an extension to remain in Philadelphia and the Rangers shied away from the large salary still owed to Lee through the 2015 season.
  • The Rangers are "unlikely" to get Johnson, while they're still in play for Shields, tweets CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. 

Cherington On Beckett, Ellsbury, Deadline Moves

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Red Sox GM Ben Cherington appeared on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan radio show this morning to discuss his club, and WEEI.com's Jerry Spar has the partial transcript…

  • Cherington said he still believes his team is in playoff contention and can raise their level of play, though he admitted, "it's an unusual position for us to be in. That's the truth. Our approach at the deadline most every year that I've been here in the front office has been pretty clear. We're trying to improve the team. This deadline is going to take more of a nuanced approach, but we're certainly still focused on 2012 and doing everything we can to win as many games as we can this year."
  • The Red Sox are talking to other teams about starting pitching, though Cherington sounded doubtful given the "seller's market" for available top arms.
  • Josh Beckett has not been asked about waiving his 10-5 rights, nor have the Sox discussed dealing Beckett with another team.  "Taking Josh Beckett off this team is not necessarily improving things," Cherington said. "We need to add, we need to improve the rotation, if anything — improve internally or add to the rotation. I think we're sort of stuck in neutral if we start taking guys out of the rotation who are good major league pitchers."   
  • The team hasn't talked to Jacoby Ellsbury about a contract extension, echoing what Ellsbury's agent Scott Boras said last month.  Ellsbury will be a free agent after the 2013 season and it's hard to gauge what an extension for the center fielder would look like, given his injury-plagued 2010 and 2012 seasons sandwiched around a stellar 2011 campaign.  Cherington said other teams have inquired about Ellsbury though the Sox have no interest in trading him.
  • Cherington said it makes little sense to move struggling veterans as the Sox wouldn't be able to recoup proper value in a trade.  "The secondary point, the last thing a GM ever wants to do is sell low," Cherington said. "If we are ever going to consider trading a player, doing it at a time when a guy isn't performing doesn't help your cause."  Cherington admitted the Sox have made such sell-low trades before, possibly in reference to the Kevin Youkilis deal.

Athletics Notes: Escobar, Inge, Griffin

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Here are some of the latest rumors out of Oakland as the A's look to be buyers and not sellers at the trade deadline…

  • Yunel Escobar's reported attitude problems have given the A's pause in pursuing the Blue Jays shortstop, but after talking to Toronto sources, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle "the sense I got was that Escobar has matured from his Atlanta days, when he was at his worst. Two people with the Blue Jays told me they really like Escobar and his reputation is overblown."  In terms of other possible shortstop upgrades, Slusser doesn't think Marco Scutaro "is a top option" for the A's and Stephen Drew might not be available if the Diamondbacks make other moves.
  • The A's are focusing on shortstop more than third base, opines Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group.  Brandon Inge entered tonight's action with a .211/.269/.395 line since joining the A's, but Stiglich writes that Oakland values his defense and clubhouse leadership.
  • A.J. Griffin's "value is at an all-time high" and the rookie right-hander could be a "viable trade chip" to get the Athletics a shortstop, a rival executive tells Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link).  Griffin, 24, has impressed since joining the A's rotation, posting a 2.25 ERA and 3.63 K/BB ratio in six starts.

Reaction To The Zack Greinke Trade

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Zack Greinke is on his way to the Angels and the ripple effects of this big move are reverberating throughout baseball.  Here is some of the early reaction to the big deal and how it will impact other clubs as we approach the trade deadline…

  • Los Angeles paid a "significant" price for Greinke, especially given that he's only under contract through the rest of this season, writes ESPN's Keith Law (Insider subscription required).  As for the minor league package going to Milwaukee, "it's only marginally less than the Brewers initially gave up for two years of Greinke, but has a lot more risk, as all three of the prospects involved have fairly low floors," says Law.
  • The Angels "must be thrilled" over acquiring Greinke without having to deal Peter Bourjos or Garrett Richards, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. 
  • The Greinke trade could it for the Angels' deadline moves.  "This in all likelihood will be all we do," GM Jerry Dipoto tells Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times (Twitter link).
  • Dipoto also told DiGiovanna that he hasn't discussed an extension yet with Greinke, who can be a free agent after this season. An AL executive tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link) that the Angels must have gotten "at least [an] inkling from [the] Greinke camp he can be re-signed" or else they wouldn't have made the deal.
  • Greinke told reporters (including Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) that he enjoyed his time in Milwaukee and would be open to returning if the Brewers pursued him in free agency.  The right-hander described his choice to not sign an extension with the Brewers as "a business decision."
  • Brewers GM Doug Melvin told reporters (including Haudricourt) that he "zeroed in" on three suitors for Greinke before narrowing the field down to just two teams. "We got a lot of phone calls. When you have a player of Zack's caliber, a lot of people are instructed to make a phone call to get involved," Melvin said.
  • The Angels were reportedly high on Greinke's list of preferred trade destinations, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter).  Greinke also would've liked to pitch for the Braves and Cardinals.
  • The Rays were hoping that if Greinke was dealt to the Angels or Rangers, it would move the other to "pay big" for James Shields, reports Sherman (Twitter link).  Other executives, however, think the Rangers prefer Josh Johnson over Shields.

Ryan Dempster Rumors: Friday

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The Cubs and Dodgers have four days to complete a possible trade involving Ryan Dempster. The Dodgers turned down a proposal of Allen Webster for Dempster, but seem optimistic that a deal can be completed. The Cubs, on the other hand, have limited options, since Dempster wants to go to Los Angeles and must approve any trade. Here are today's rumors, with the most recent updates up top…

  • The Cubs and Dodgers are discussing a deal of Dempster for Josh Lindblom, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, who isn't sure what other players could be involved in the swap (Twitter links).  Another source tells Crasnick that the Lindblom rumor is "completely unfounded."
  • The Dempster-to-the Dodgers trade isn't "dead," tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark, though the Dodgers are interested in Josh Johnson and are "waiting to see if [the] price drops on" James Shields.
  • Dempster will consider trades to a number of teams, including the Braves and Dodgers, if the Cubs approach him with a deal in place, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reports. "He has not said that he wouldn't go to Atlanta or anywhere else for that matter," a person familiar with the situation told Levine.
  • There's no current dialogue between the Cubs and Dodgers about Dempster, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (Twitter links). Each club know what the other is looking for at this point.
  • The teams discussed the possibility of expanding the trade to include Alfonso Soriano or Bryan LaHair, Danny Knobler reported today.

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